05
Feb
2002
· This Tuesday the always-tasty Not Lame Recordings imprint releases its long awaited Jeff Lynne tribute project. As the label is home to the finest association of power-pop melody junkies and tender indie balladeers, it's only fitting that this label produced a double-disc salute to the musical visionary.
From the driving swells of his Electric Light Orchestra to the legendary Traveling Wilburys sessions, Lynne's sound has always captured a thrilling, infectious quality. Entitled Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute to Jeff Lynne, some of the souls kneeling down at the pop altar include Todd Rundgren, Mitch Easter, Peter Holsapple, Sixpence None the Richer, The Shazam, and SWAG (the nifty supergroup side project from members of Cheap Trick, Wilco, and the Mavericks).
· Speaking of a variety of superstars, Rhino Records has just released Big Band Rhythm & Blues from Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra featuring what unfortunately became the last released recording by the late George Harrison. The track, "Horse to the Water," is one of 22 musical duets from an amazing collection of talent, with each guest going head-to-head with Holland's boogie-woogie piano style and his hard-working horns and rhythm section. Oh, the stories this recording studio could tell with the likes of Joe Strummer, Paul Weller, Mark Knopfler, Steve Winwood, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, and Van Morrison taking part in this project. The fringe of British musical royalty shows up too, with terrific vocalist Sam Brown, the Stereophonics, John Cale, Jamiroquai, Paul Carrack, and Madness' Suggs taking their turns in the co-pilot's seat as well.
· My pick of the week is the recently released Junk Collector EP from San Francisco street-credibility Renaissance man Tommy Guerrero. The name might ring a bell for old skater kids from the 1980s, as Guerrero was one of the original icons of skateboard culture, surfing pro for Powell Peralta. As an artist and musician on the side, this unlikely indie hero has produced the most infectious DIY project that I've heard in a long time, stepping aside from his punk roots and delving into hip-hop dreams. His lo-fi beats are alive and crackling, with rolling flowing cycles of guitar, all flittering and touching down like jungle cats at dusk. The mighty Mo Wax/Beggars Banquet label release features three new tracks alongside remixes from Johnny Herndon of Tortoise and the Japanese-only track "Seasick." Perfectly charged for laid-back grooves and wishful thinking.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Mandy Moore on Friday and Britney Spears on Monday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Janet Jackson on Monday and India Arie on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features bad boy Gene Simmons of KISS on Thursday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn serves up Bad Religion on Thursday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly gets in deep with Everlast on Thursday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, Feb. 12:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Oleta Adams - All the Love (Pioneer)
Marc Anthony - Mended (Columbia) featuring the single "I'll Stand by You" written by Bruce Springsteen
Aphex Twin - Classics (Pias America) upbeat and pumping hits
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works '85-'92 (Pias America) soft and lightly chilled selections
The Beatnuts - Classic Nuts Volume 1 (Loud) 10-track best-of spanning nine years, with guests Pig Pun, Method Man, and Greg Nice
Norman Blake & Peter Ostroushko - Meeting on Southern Soil (Red House)
Johnny Cash - The Essential Johnny Cash (Columbia Legacy) two-CD set collecting tracks from the Sun, Columbia, and Mercury labels
John Clayton-Felt - Spirit Touches Ground (Dreamworks) posthumous release from the School of Fish founder
Desaparecidos - Read Music/Speak Spanish (Saddle Creek) featuring Bright Eyes vocalist Conor Oberst
Extra Glenns - Martial Arts Weekend (Absolutely Kosher) new project from Nothing Painted Blue's Frank Bruno and the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle recorded during San Francisco's Noise Pop Fest
Fairport Convention - XXXV (Compass) celebrating the group's 35th anniversary
Funkmaster Flex - 60 Minutes of Funk: The Mixtape Volume V (Loud) with new music from Alicia Keys & Remy, LL Cool J, Black Rob, and Ja Rule & Cadillac Tah
Louise Goffin - Sometimes in a Circle (Dreamworks) label debut
Hart's War - original motion picture soundtrack (Decca) music by Chocolat composer Rachel Portman
Chris Isaak - Always Got Tonight (Reprise) catch his TV show Sunday nights on Showtime
Kansas - Point of No Return (Epic Legacy) expanded reissue with 2 bonus tracks
The Klezmatics - Jews with Horns and Possessed (Rounder) CD re-issues from 1995 and 1997 featuring guests Marc Ribot, Moxy Fruvous, and John Medeski
Kung Fu Killers - "Burning Bush" (TKO) seven-inch single featuring members of Electric Frankenstein, Slap of Reality, and Doom Patrol
The Lawrence Arms - Apathy & Exhaustion (Fat Wreck) Chicago punk three-piece featuring two vocalists
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend: The Best of (Tuff Gong/Island) one of the most-loved collections of all time, now upgraded to a two-CD Deluxe Edition
N.E.R.D. - In Search of (Virgin)
N.O.R.E. - Grimey: God's Favorite (Def Jam) formerly known as Noreaga with guests Capone, Final Chapter, and Maze & Musaliny
Bif Naked - Purge (Lava/Atlantic)
Nekromantix - Return of the Loving Dead (Hellcat) metalized punk-a-billy
New Breed - Stop the Music (Uprok)
Niacin - Time Crunch (Magna Carta) Billy Sheehan's rock/fusion powerhouse featuring covers of King Crimson's "Red" and Jeff Beck's "Blue Wind"
Pixeltan - Pixeltan (Troubleman) featuring drummer Hisham of Black Dice
Stan Ridgway - Holiday in Dirt (New West) collection of rare tracks from this Wall of Voodoo founder
Scratch - music inspired by the film (Palm Pictures/Transparent) the 2001 Sundance Film Festival favorite that documents DJ culture with turntable calisthenics from Rob Swift, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, and Grandmaster DXT
Sewing with Nancie - Take a Look at Yourself (Fast Music) Canadian melodic punk in the style of Screeching Weasel and Guttermouth
various artists - Give 'Em the Boot III (Epitaph) new volume in the budget-priced series featuring 23 tracks and three bonus CD-ROM videos
Edgar Winter - The Best of (Epic Legacy) featuring the monster hit "Frankenstein"
· Speaking of a variety of superstars, Rhino Records has just released Big Band Rhythm & Blues from Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra featuring what unfortunately became the last released recording by the late George Harrison. The track, "Horse to the Water," is one of 22 musical duets from an amazing collection of talent, with each guest going head-to-head with Holland's boogie-woogie piano style and his hard-working horns and rhythm section. Oh, the stories this recording studio could tell with the likes of Joe Strummer, Paul Weller, Mark Knopfler, Steve Winwood, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, and Van Morrison taking part in this project. The fringe of British musical royalty shows up too, with terrific vocalist Sam Brown, the Stereophonics, John Cale, Jamiroquai, Paul Carrack, and Madness' Suggs taking their turns in the co-pilot's seat as well.
· My pick of the week is the recently released Junk Collector EP from San Francisco street-credibility Renaissance man Tommy Guerrero. The name might ring a bell for old skater kids from the 1980s, as Guerrero was one of the original icons of skateboard culture, surfing pro for Powell Peralta. As an artist and musician on the side, this unlikely indie hero has produced the most infectious DIY project that I've heard in a long time, stepping aside from his punk roots and delving into hip-hop dreams. His lo-fi beats are alive and crackling, with rolling flowing cycles of guitar, all flittering and touching down like jungle cats at dusk. The mighty Mo Wax/Beggars Banquet label release features three new tracks alongside remixes from Johnny Herndon of Tortoise and the Japanese-only track "Seasick." Perfectly charged for laid-back grooves and wishful thinking.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Mandy Moore on Friday and Britney Spears on Monday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Janet Jackson on Monday and India Arie on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien features bad boy Gene Simmons of KISS on Thursday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn serves up Bad Religion on Thursday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly gets in deep with Everlast on Thursday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, Feb. 12:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Oleta Adams - All the Love (Pioneer)
Marc Anthony - Mended (Columbia) featuring the single "I'll Stand by You" written by Bruce Springsteen
Aphex Twin - Classics (Pias America) upbeat and pumping hits
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works '85-'92 (Pias America) soft and lightly chilled selections
The Beatnuts - Classic Nuts Volume 1 (Loud) 10-track best-of spanning nine years, with guests Pig Pun, Method Man, and Greg Nice
Norman Blake & Peter Ostroushko - Meeting on Southern Soil (Red House)
Johnny Cash - The Essential Johnny Cash (Columbia Legacy) two-CD set collecting tracks from the Sun, Columbia, and Mercury labels
John Clayton-Felt - Spirit Touches Ground (Dreamworks) posthumous release from the School of Fish founder
Desaparecidos - Read Music/Speak Spanish (Saddle Creek) featuring Bright Eyes vocalist Conor Oberst
Extra Glenns - Martial Arts Weekend (Absolutely Kosher) new project from Nothing Painted Blue's Frank Bruno and the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle recorded during San Francisco's Noise Pop Fest
Fairport Convention - XXXV (Compass) celebrating the group's 35th anniversary
Funkmaster Flex - 60 Minutes of Funk: The Mixtape Volume V (Loud) with new music from Alicia Keys & Remy, LL Cool J, Black Rob, and Ja Rule & Cadillac Tah
Louise Goffin - Sometimes in a Circle (Dreamworks) label debut
Hart's War - original motion picture soundtrack (Decca) music by Chocolat composer Rachel Portman
Chris Isaak - Always Got Tonight (Reprise) catch his TV show Sunday nights on Showtime
Kansas - Point of No Return (Epic Legacy) expanded reissue with 2 bonus tracks
The Klezmatics - Jews with Horns and Possessed (Rounder) CD re-issues from 1995 and 1997 featuring guests Marc Ribot, Moxy Fruvous, and John Medeski
Kung Fu Killers - "Burning Bush" (TKO) seven-inch single featuring members of Electric Frankenstein, Slap of Reality, and Doom Patrol
The Lawrence Arms - Apathy & Exhaustion (Fat Wreck) Chicago punk three-piece featuring two vocalists
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend: The Best of (Tuff Gong/Island) one of the most-loved collections of all time, now upgraded to a two-CD Deluxe Edition
N.E.R.D. - In Search of (Virgin)
N.O.R.E. - Grimey: God's Favorite (Def Jam) formerly known as Noreaga with guests Capone, Final Chapter, and Maze & Musaliny
Bif Naked - Purge (Lava/Atlantic)
Nekromantix - Return of the Loving Dead (Hellcat) metalized punk-a-billy
New Breed - Stop the Music (Uprok)
Niacin - Time Crunch (Magna Carta) Billy Sheehan's rock/fusion powerhouse featuring covers of King Crimson's "Red" and Jeff Beck's "Blue Wind"
Pixeltan - Pixeltan (Troubleman) featuring drummer Hisham of Black Dice
Stan Ridgway - Holiday in Dirt (New West) collection of rare tracks from this Wall of Voodoo founder
Scratch - music inspired by the film (Palm Pictures/Transparent) the 2001 Sundance Film Festival favorite that documents DJ culture with turntable calisthenics from Rob Swift, Invisibl Skratch Piklz, and Grandmaster DXT
Sewing with Nancie - Take a Look at Yourself (Fast Music) Canadian melodic punk in the style of Screeching Weasel and Guttermouth
various artists - Give 'Em the Boot III (Epitaph) new volume in the budget-priced series featuring 23 tracks and three bonus CD-ROM videos
Edgar Winter - The Best of (Epic Legacy) featuring the monster hit "Frankenstein"
