23
Oct
2001
· Blast those little window-soapin' goblins with a sonic slap of the original monsters of rock, The Misfits, as the band is finally releasing its rare Mars Attacks! demo sessions just in time for Hallow's Eve. On Tuesday, the Roadrunner Records label is spitting out this 19-track collection of odd nuggets from 1996 through 2001, entitled Cuts from the Crypt.
Alongside a cover version of Iggy Pop's "I Got a Right" are many fang-bearing rarities such as the band's take on the classic "Monster Mash" and lots of Halloween-themed tracks, including "Dr. Phibes Rises Again," "Dig Up Her Bones," and "The Haunting." A booklet pays tribute to EC Comics from the 1950s with artwork by the twisted Pushead.
· Other spooky silliness is being conjured up by the folks at Del-Fi Records, which just re-issued on CD the oddball Sing Along With Drac from the bizarre mind of Sheldon Allman. This Dracula is a hipster lounge lizard, grooving to easy-listening cocktail-hour jazz noodlings as he presents offbeat presentations of "Children's Day at the Morgue," "Fangs for the Memories," and "This Must Be Blood" (his take on the standard "This Must Be Love"). Allman went on to create other musical passages that are forever ingrained in the American psyche, including the TV theme songs for George of the Jungle and The Price Is Right.
· The guest list for the forthcoming Mick Jagger solo album, Goddess in the Doorway, is chock full of top-notch stars. Due November 20, the Virgin Records release features Lenny Kravitz, Wyclef Jean, Bono of U2, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, Pete Townshend of The Who, and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. The album's first single, "God Gave Me Everything," was co-written and produced by Kravitz.
· Thanksgiving in the trailer park will be extra joyful this year, as Kid Rock has announced the release of his all-new Cocky CD on November 20, featuring the single "Forever." Yup, there's just nuthin' like Kid Rock for the holidays.
· Canadian chanteuse Jane Siberry has gone the Internet-only route with the recent release of her 13th album, a collection of rare recordings simply entitled City. The CD features 15 tracks, including collaborations with Joe Jackson and eccentric violinist Nigel Kennedy, as well as a new version of "Calling All Angels" from the Pay It Forward soundtrack. While visiting her Web site to order the CD (http://www.janesiberry.com), check out the trek of her current American tour with select dates with Richard Thompson.
· Two members of Nick Cave's Bad Seeds have new solo adventures in stores this month. Anita Lane's new album Sex O'Clock (on the Mute label) is due this Tuesday, and Jim Sclavunos has just released an album by his new side project, The Vanity Set. The group's self-titled debut is on the Naked Spur label.
· Eagle-Eye Cherry's new album is finally released stateside this coming Tuesday, an expanded domestic issue of his previously import-only Living in the Present Future set. The American release is titled Present Future and bears the Sony WORK imprint, featuring five new tracks and guest Carlos Santana on the Dust Brothers-produced "Wishing It Was."
· KISS has reached a new level of shameless promotion with its new line of coffins. Yes, buy one now and avoid the rush, or as bassist Gene Simmons has said, "They can also double up as a fridge to chill beer while the owner is waiting to die." Only 2,500 "kaskets" are available and go for $5,000 on the band's Web site (http://www.kissonline.com). Wealthy fans can also drop some dollars on the band's forthcoming five-CD box set, available in standard packaging or a lavishly appointed limited-edition replica guitar case. The 94 tracks feature an incredible selection of 30 demos, outtakes, and live recordings alongside all the hits from 30 years under the makeup and hot lights. Both versions of the box set, due in next month on the Mercury label, feature a 120-page book (hardcover in the guitar-case edition) that chronicles each track with commentary by the band members.
· Speaking of box sets, this Tuesday features the release of a new four-CD collection of hits and hard-to-find tracks from Cat Stevens. The A&M Records release features 21 rarities, such as the previously unreleased "Honey Man" with Elton John from 1970, "Don't Be Shy" from the Harold & Maude soundtrack, and his first recording, "Back to the Good Old Times" from 1965.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman welcomes Joe Henry tonight, Garbage on Thursday, Iggy Pop on Friday, and Laurie Anderson on Tuesday; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts P.O.D. on Thursday; and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn features the Foo Fighters on Thursday overnight and Ben Harper on Friday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, Oct. 30:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Aceyalone - "Microphones" (Ground Control) new 12-inch single produced by Evidence of Dilated Peoples
Baby Lemonade - High Life Suite (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Bane - Give Blood (Equal Vision) on tour now with Agnostic Front
Beehive & The Barracudas - Plastic Soul with the White Apes (Sympathy for the Record Industry) featuring members of Rocket from the Crypt and Hot Snakes
Eric Benet - Better & Better (Warner Bros)
Burst - Conquest: Writhe (Prank)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Box Set (Fantasy) six-CD box set collecting the band's nine-album run and bonus rarities
Dimitri from Paris - A Night at the Playboy Mansion, Volume Two (Astralwerks)
Dope - Life (Flip/Epic)
Electric Skychurch - Sonic Diary (Water Music) white-hot electronica from DJ James Lumb
Jad Fair & Daniel Johnston - The Lucky Sperms (Jagjaguwar)
The Fair Sex - The Dark Ages (Van Richter)
Flaw - Through the Eyes (Republic) aggressive nu-metal from Louisville, Kentucky
The Grateful Dead - American Beauty (Rhino) special DVD-Audio reissue
Human League - Secrets (Ark 21) new from the 1980s hitmakers of "Don't You Want Me"
Ides of Space - There Are No New Clouds (Better Looking) from Sydney, Australia
Janet Jackson - The Rhythm Nation Compilation (A&M) eight-clip DVD
Michael Jackson - Invincible (Epic) all-new two-CD set with guests Wyclef Jean, Teddy Riley, and R. Kelly
Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn - The Final Moment (Birdman) one of the last concerts by the Qawwali vocalist before his death in 1997
Karp - Action Chemistry (Punk in My Vitamins) singles and rarities compilation featuring a Black Flag cover and the band's first demo tape
Kittie - Oracle (Artemis) featuring a cover of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell"
The Mad Capsule Markets - OSC-DIS (Palm) DVD from this futuristic Japanese digi-hardcore-metal band that has toured with Rage Against the Machine and Tool
John Mellencamp - Cuttin' Heads (Columbia) with guest Chuck D of Public Enemy, Trisha Yearwood, and Indie.Arie
Nas - Nastalgic (Columbia)
Phish - Live Phish 06 (Elektra) rounding out the band's recent batch of concert albums
Smashing Pumpkins - Rotten Apples: The Greatest Hits (Virgin) also available as a limited edition two-CD set featuring the Judas O'Reylly collection of B sides and rarities
Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsports (Tommy Boy) all new
Sorry About Dresden - Convenience of Indecision (Saddle Creek)
various artists - Songs for Cassavettes: An All-Ages Film Soundtrack (Better Looking) from the documentary film highlighting the independent punk spirit of the mid-1990s
· Other spooky silliness is being conjured up by the folks at Del-Fi Records, which just re-issued on CD the oddball Sing Along With Drac from the bizarre mind of Sheldon Allman. This Dracula is a hipster lounge lizard, grooving to easy-listening cocktail-hour jazz noodlings as he presents offbeat presentations of "Children's Day at the Morgue," "Fangs for the Memories," and "This Must Be Blood" (his take on the standard "This Must Be Love"). Allman went on to create other musical passages that are forever ingrained in the American psyche, including the TV theme songs for George of the Jungle and The Price Is Right.
· The guest list for the forthcoming Mick Jagger solo album, Goddess in the Doorway, is chock full of top-notch stars. Due November 20, the Virgin Records release features Lenny Kravitz, Wyclef Jean, Bono of U2, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20, Pete Townshend of The Who, and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. The album's first single, "God Gave Me Everything," was co-written and produced by Kravitz.
· Thanksgiving in the trailer park will be extra joyful this year, as Kid Rock has announced the release of his all-new Cocky CD on November 20, featuring the single "Forever." Yup, there's just nuthin' like Kid Rock for the holidays.
· Canadian chanteuse Jane Siberry has gone the Internet-only route with the recent release of her 13th album, a collection of rare recordings simply entitled City. The CD features 15 tracks, including collaborations with Joe Jackson and eccentric violinist Nigel Kennedy, as well as a new version of "Calling All Angels" from the Pay It Forward soundtrack. While visiting her Web site to order the CD (http://www.janesiberry.com), check out the trek of her current American tour with select dates with Richard Thompson.
· Two members of Nick Cave's Bad Seeds have new solo adventures in stores this month. Anita Lane's new album Sex O'Clock (on the Mute label) is due this Tuesday, and Jim Sclavunos has just released an album by his new side project, The Vanity Set. The group's self-titled debut is on the Naked Spur label.
· Eagle-Eye Cherry's new album is finally released stateside this coming Tuesday, an expanded domestic issue of his previously import-only Living in the Present Future set. The American release is titled Present Future and bears the Sony WORK imprint, featuring five new tracks and guest Carlos Santana on the Dust Brothers-produced "Wishing It Was."
· KISS has reached a new level of shameless promotion with its new line of coffins. Yes, buy one now and avoid the rush, or as bassist Gene Simmons has said, "They can also double up as a fridge to chill beer while the owner is waiting to die." Only 2,500 "kaskets" are available and go for $5,000 on the band's Web site (http://www.kissonline.com). Wealthy fans can also drop some dollars on the band's forthcoming five-CD box set, available in standard packaging or a lavishly appointed limited-edition replica guitar case. The 94 tracks feature an incredible selection of 30 demos, outtakes, and live recordings alongside all the hits from 30 years under the makeup and hot lights. Both versions of the box set, due in next month on the Mercury label, feature a 120-page book (hardcover in the guitar-case edition) that chronicles each track with commentary by the band members.
· Speaking of box sets, this Tuesday features the release of a new four-CD collection of hits and hard-to-find tracks from Cat Stevens. The A&M Records release features 21 rarities, such as the previously unreleased "Honey Man" with Elton John from 1970, "Don't Be Shy" from the Harold & Maude soundtrack, and his first recording, "Back to the Good Old Times" from 1965.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman welcomes Joe Henry tonight, Garbage on Thursday, Iggy Pop on Friday, and Laurie Anderson on Tuesday; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts P.O.D. on Thursday; and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn features the Foo Fighters on Thursday overnight and Ben Harper on Friday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, Oct. 30:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Aceyalone - "Microphones" (Ground Control) new 12-inch single produced by Evidence of Dilated Peoples
Baby Lemonade - High Life Suite (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Bane - Give Blood (Equal Vision) on tour now with Agnostic Front
Beehive & The Barracudas - Plastic Soul with the White Apes (Sympathy for the Record Industry) featuring members of Rocket from the Crypt and Hot Snakes
Eric Benet - Better & Better (Warner Bros)
Burst - Conquest: Writhe (Prank)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Box Set (Fantasy) six-CD box set collecting the band's nine-album run and bonus rarities
Dimitri from Paris - A Night at the Playboy Mansion, Volume Two (Astralwerks)
Dope - Life (Flip/Epic)
Electric Skychurch - Sonic Diary (Water Music) white-hot electronica from DJ James Lumb
Jad Fair & Daniel Johnston - The Lucky Sperms (Jagjaguwar)
The Fair Sex - The Dark Ages (Van Richter)
Flaw - Through the Eyes (Republic) aggressive nu-metal from Louisville, Kentucky
The Grateful Dead - American Beauty (Rhino) special DVD-Audio reissue
Human League - Secrets (Ark 21) new from the 1980s hitmakers of "Don't You Want Me"
Ides of Space - There Are No New Clouds (Better Looking) from Sydney, Australia
Janet Jackson - The Rhythm Nation Compilation (A&M) eight-clip DVD
Michael Jackson - Invincible (Epic) all-new two-CD set with guests Wyclef Jean, Teddy Riley, and R. Kelly
Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn - The Final Moment (Birdman) one of the last concerts by the Qawwali vocalist before his death in 1997
Karp - Action Chemistry (Punk in My Vitamins) singles and rarities compilation featuring a Black Flag cover and the band's first demo tape
Kittie - Oracle (Artemis) featuring a cover of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell"
The Mad Capsule Markets - OSC-DIS (Palm) DVD from this futuristic Japanese digi-hardcore-metal band that has toured with Rage Against the Machine and Tool
John Mellencamp - Cuttin' Heads (Columbia) with guest Chuck D of Public Enemy, Trisha Yearwood, and Indie.Arie
Nas - Nastalgic (Columbia)
Phish - Live Phish 06 (Elektra) rounding out the band's recent batch of concert albums
Smashing Pumpkins - Rotten Apples: The Greatest Hits (Virgin) also available as a limited edition two-CD set featuring the Judas O'Reylly collection of B sides and rarities
Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsports (Tommy Boy) all new
Sorry About Dresden - Convenience of Indecision (Saddle Creek)
various artists - Songs for Cassavettes: An All-Ages Film Soundtrack (Better Looking) from the documentary film highlighting the independent punk spirit of the mid-1990s
