03
Jan
2006
· Last year my greatest musical joy came from "discovering" a magical lost band - one whose psychedelic folkie bliss I'd somehow missed in my 30 years on either side of the record-store counter. Under the warm, old-school glow of a handful of the group's original LPs rescued from a garage sale, I found myself physically melted under the spell of The Incredible String Band as I did the high-fidelity dance and faced the frantic reshuffling of all my passionate lists - top 10 albums of all time, top five bands, top 10 perfect songs, etc.
Despite a rich catalog of albums and counting Robyn Hitchcock, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, and John Lennon as admirers (and touch points), the group seems forgotten in the never-ending waves of domestic bonus-driven reissues. Until Rhino Records catches my new fever, to the used record bins or eBay I will go, as I must hear more of this. A new collection, The Circle Is Unbroken: Live & Studio, looks to satisfy my itch this coming Tuesday from Sanctuary/Castle Records. The two-CD set features a disc of newly discovered Chelsea Demo Sessions from 1967 and a 1972 concert disc recorded in Canada, as well as a rare BBC recording from 1974. Later this month, England's Gottdiscs Records is releasing A Glint at the Kindling from 1979 - another odd branch in the band's family tree as the final album from co-founder Robin Williamson's next group, The Merry Band - and five strange storytelling tracks he released in cassette-only form in 1985.
· As a gift to the vinyl-loving fan, this week RCA Records and The Strokes released the new First Impressions of Earth album on both CD and LP. But even CD buyers get to lay hands on a piece of black wax, as a seven-inch single of "Juicebox" is free with purchase at one of the 70 mom-and-pop retail record stores across America that are a part of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores.
· Turntable elitists have another seven-inch gem to scout out this coming Tuesday, as the Tee Pee and Damaged Goods imprints have come together for an early sneak of J Mascis' new role behind a drum kit in Witch. The band's self-titled debut album isn't due until March, but the single "Soul of Fire" serves up a stoner-rock taste of how the Dinosaur Jr. guitarist handles the skins, alongside members of the Vermont-based Feathers.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Imogen Heap on Tuesday; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson welcomes Aimee Mann on Thursday overnight and Iron & Wine with Calexico on Friday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly sets the table with Spoon on Thursday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts Autolux this evening overnight and David Banner on Friday overnight; and Austin City Limits presents Coldplay with Michael Stipe of R.E.M. this weekend.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, January 10:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
16 Horsepower- Hoarse (Alternative Tentacles) live concert CD from 1998
Age of Nemesis- Psychogeist (Magna Carta) second album in the English language from these mighty Hungarian prog rockers - thick, majestic, and beefy like a goulash of Yes, Prong, and Metallica
Babyshambles- Down in Albion (Rough Trade) debut featuring Pete Doherty, formerly of The Libertines, and produced by Mick Jones of The Clash
"Guitar" George Baker- Mojo Lady (Fortress) featuring reggae-funk-blues covers of the classic "House of the Rising Sun" and Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good"
Barclay James Harvest- All Is Safely Gathered in: An Anthology 1967-1997 (Eclectic) five-CD box set featuring one CD of previously unreleased songs and a 60-page book
Bjork- Drawing Restraint 9 (One Little Indian) music from the film, now available on vinyl LP
Bleeding Through- The Truth (Trustkill) anticipated metalcore featuring guest vocalist Ben Falgoust of Soilent Green on "For Love & Falling"
BR549- Dog Days (Dualtone) featuring The Jordanaires on "The Devil & Me"
Eric Burdon- Soul of a Man (SPV) all new blues album from the Animals frontman, touring through House of Blues clubs this year
The Cottars- The Cottars (Rounder) on tour now with The Chieftains, this domestic debut features covers of songs by Tom Waits and Karine Polwart
Dion- Bronx in Blue (Dimentional Music) new covers of songs by Bo Diddley, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, and more
Brian Eno- 14 Video Paintings (Hannibal) first time on DVD for these visual works created in the 1980s for an art-gallery exhibition
Hawthorne Heights- This Is Who We Are (Victory) live DVD release featuring footage from CBGB's, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the Warped Tour
Kraftwerk- Minimum/Maximum (Astralwerks) special expanded edition housed in a faux laptop computer
Living Loud- Living Loud (Capitol) domestic release with two bonus tracks, this "supergroup" tribute to the songs of Ozzy Osbourne stars Jimmy Barnes of Australia's Cold Chisel, Steve Morse of The Dixie Dregs, and Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep
Nellie McKay - Pretty Little Head (Columbia) stepping into Broadway lights in the April production of The Three Penny Opera, this follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut, Get Away from Me, features guests Cyndi Lauper and k.d. lang
Morningwood- Morningwood (Capitol) featuring former members of Spacehog and Cibo Matto
nearLY- Reminder (Kufala) featuring a cover of the Afghan Whigs' "Step Into the Light"
Nektar- Sounds Like This (Eclectic) reissue from 1973, now expanded to two CDs
Randy- Randy the Band (Fat Wreck) all new blitzkrieg pop-punk cutting class on "Punk Rock High" and 14 more on this enhanced CD
The Satelliters- The Satelliters (Dionysus) all new fuzztone and Farfisa madness
Sevendust- Best of: Chapter One 1997-2004 (TVT) featuring bonus B sides and covers of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" and Alice Cooper's "School's Out"
Sharissa- Every Beat of My Heart (Czar/Virgin) with guests Wyclef Jean and The Game
Sia- Colour the Small One (Astralwerks) with three bonus tracks on the domestic issue from this Australian hit, the CD features the song "Breathe Me," played over the final haunted scenes of HBO's Six Feet Under finale
Darden Smith- Field of Crows (Dualtone)
Struckdown- Revolution (Indianola) full-length debut from Erie, Pennsylvania
Switched- Ghosts in the Machine (Corporate Punishment) featuring a bonus CD of live tracks and demos
Talking Heads- Talking Heads 77, More Songs About Buildings & Food, and Fear of Music (Rhino/Sire) individual DualDisc releases from the band's recent remastered box set
Underworld Evolution- original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) with music from Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Danny Lohner's side project Puscifer, remixes of Slipknot and Aiden, a new solo track from Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, and a cover of the David Bowie hit "Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)" by Gosling
We Are Scientists- With Love & Squalor (Virgin) cooling down from their recent national tour with Hot Hot Heat and Ambulance, Ltd., this Brooklyn trio's full-length debut is my pick of the week - a spinning, fitful, frost-melting blast of possessed guitar riffs and nervous yet playfully gleeful lyrics
xBishopx- Suicide Party (Ferret Music) straight-edge hardcore debut
various artists - TBS Tunes: Fun Tracks Wisecracks (Rhino) crazy, zany collection featuring Ween's "Push Th' Little Daisies," They Might Be Giants' "Birdhouse In Your Soul," and The Supersuckers' spin on OutKast's "Hey Ya!"
· As a gift to the vinyl-loving fan, this week RCA Records and The Strokes released the new First Impressions of Earth album on both CD and LP. But even CD buyers get to lay hands on a piece of black wax, as a seven-inch single of "Juicebox" is free with purchase at one of the 70 mom-and-pop retail record stores across America that are a part of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores.
· Turntable elitists have another seven-inch gem to scout out this coming Tuesday, as the Tee Pee and Damaged Goods imprints have come together for an early sneak of J Mascis' new role behind a drum kit in Witch. The band's self-titled debut album isn't due until March, but the single "Soul of Fire" serves up a stoner-rock taste of how the Dinosaur Jr. guitarist handles the skins, alongside members of the Vermont-based Feathers.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Imogen Heap on Tuesday; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson welcomes Aimee Mann on Thursday overnight and Iron & Wine with Calexico on Friday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly sets the table with Spoon on Thursday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts Autolux this evening overnight and David Banner on Friday overnight; and Austin City Limits presents Coldplay with Michael Stipe of R.E.M. this weekend.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, January 10:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
16 Horsepower- Hoarse (Alternative Tentacles) live concert CD from 1998
Age of Nemesis- Psychogeist (Magna Carta) second album in the English language from these mighty Hungarian prog rockers - thick, majestic, and beefy like a goulash of Yes, Prong, and Metallica
Babyshambles- Down in Albion (Rough Trade) debut featuring Pete Doherty, formerly of The Libertines, and produced by Mick Jones of The Clash
"Guitar" George Baker- Mojo Lady (Fortress) featuring reggae-funk-blues covers of the classic "House of the Rising Sun" and Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good"
Barclay James Harvest- All Is Safely Gathered in: An Anthology 1967-1997 (Eclectic) five-CD box set featuring one CD of previously unreleased songs and a 60-page book
Bjork- Drawing Restraint 9 (One Little Indian) music from the film, now available on vinyl LP
Bleeding Through- The Truth (Trustkill) anticipated metalcore featuring guest vocalist Ben Falgoust of Soilent Green on "For Love & Falling"
BR549- Dog Days (Dualtone) featuring The Jordanaires on "The Devil & Me"
Eric Burdon- Soul of a Man (SPV) all new blues album from the Animals frontman, touring through House of Blues clubs this year
The Cottars- The Cottars (Rounder) on tour now with The Chieftains, this domestic debut features covers of songs by Tom Waits and Karine Polwart
Dion- Bronx in Blue (Dimentional Music) new covers of songs by Bo Diddley, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, and more
Brian Eno- 14 Video Paintings (Hannibal) first time on DVD for these visual works created in the 1980s for an art-gallery exhibition
Hawthorne Heights- This Is Who We Are (Victory) live DVD release featuring footage from CBGB's, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and the Warped Tour
Kraftwerk- Minimum/Maximum (Astralwerks) special expanded edition housed in a faux laptop computer
Living Loud- Living Loud (Capitol) domestic release with two bonus tracks, this "supergroup" tribute to the songs of Ozzy Osbourne stars Jimmy Barnes of Australia's Cold Chisel, Steve Morse of The Dixie Dregs, and Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep
Nellie McKay - Pretty Little Head (Columbia) stepping into Broadway lights in the April production of The Three Penny Opera, this follow-up to her critically acclaimed debut, Get Away from Me, features guests Cyndi Lauper and k.d. lang
Morningwood- Morningwood (Capitol) featuring former members of Spacehog and Cibo Matto
nearLY- Reminder (Kufala) featuring a cover of the Afghan Whigs' "Step Into the Light"
Nektar- Sounds Like This (Eclectic) reissue from 1973, now expanded to two CDs
Randy- Randy the Band (Fat Wreck) all new blitzkrieg pop-punk cutting class on "Punk Rock High" and 14 more on this enhanced CD
The Satelliters- The Satelliters (Dionysus) all new fuzztone and Farfisa madness
Sevendust- Best of: Chapter One 1997-2004 (TVT) featuring bonus B sides and covers of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" and Alice Cooper's "School's Out"
Sharissa- Every Beat of My Heart (Czar/Virgin) with guests Wyclef Jean and The Game
Sia- Colour the Small One (Astralwerks) with three bonus tracks on the domestic issue from this Australian hit, the CD features the song "Breathe Me," played over the final haunted scenes of HBO's Six Feet Under finale
Darden Smith- Field of Crows (Dualtone)
Struckdown- Revolution (Indianola) full-length debut from Erie, Pennsylvania
Switched- Ghosts in the Machine (Corporate Punishment) featuring a bonus CD of live tracks and demos
Talking Heads- Talking Heads 77, More Songs About Buildings & Food, and Fear of Music (Rhino/Sire) individual DualDisc releases from the band's recent remastered box set
Underworld Evolution- original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) with music from Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan and Nine Inch Nails guitarist Danny Lohner's side project Puscifer, remixes of Slipknot and Aiden, a new solo track from Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, and a cover of the David Bowie hit "Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)" by Gosling
We Are Scientists- With Love & Squalor (Virgin) cooling down from their recent national tour with Hot Hot Heat and Ambulance, Ltd., this Brooklyn trio's full-length debut is my pick of the week - a spinning, fitful, frost-melting blast of possessed guitar riffs and nervous yet playfully gleeful lyrics
xBishopx- Suicide Party (Ferret Music) straight-edge hardcore debut
various artists - TBS Tunes: Fun Tracks Wisecracks (Rhino) crazy, zany collection featuring Ween's "Push Th' Little Daisies," They Might Be Giants' "Birdhouse In Your Soul," and The Supersuckers' spin on OutKast's "Hey Ya!"
