Next Tuesday iTunes releases a new song for Earth Day: "Go Green," by Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart, with guests Annie Lennox, Bonnie Raitt, Sarah McLachlan, and Imogen Heap. The single benefits Greenpeace and is the debut release of the new planet-friendly Greenpeace Works collaborative.
Minneapolis indie label Catlick Records has joined many rockers in its support of little Callum Robbins, son of Jawbox and Burning Airlines founder J. Robbins. Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the young boy has been blessed with an outpouring of love from all over the world, and Catlick's two-CD set, For Callum, donates all proceeds to his treatment of this crippling disease with no cure. Highlights from the 32-track set include demos from Arcwelder, Jawbreaker, and The Million, with other songs by Pilot to Gunner, The Oranges Band, All the Way Rider, Mission of Burma, and Halloween, Alaska.
Musicians from Portland, Oregon, have joined forces for a wild all-covers benefit project due next week from the Arena Rock Recording Company. Nineteen local artists have donated their work to Bridging the Distance: A Portland, OR, Covers Compilation, supporting the cause of p.ear, aiding homeless youth in Portland to escape from the streets and into life-changing mentor programs. With tribute contributions from The Minus 5, Wet Confetti, The Joggers, The Snuggle Ups, and more, highlights include The Dandy Warhols' spin on The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary," The Decemberists pondering Fleetwood Mac's "Think About Me," The Thermals biting into Led Zeppelin's "Tangerine," and Pat McDonald of Timbuk 3 trying on Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come."
Speaking of covers, you have until June 2 to fire up the shortwave radio (or wait a few days and go in search of a rogue torrent on the Internet), when BBC Radio 2 broadcasts a tribute to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, in honor of the 40th anniversary of its release on June 1, 1967. Utilizing the sessions' original engineer, Geoff Emerick, and the original one-inch four-track studio equipment, the monumental endeavor features Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs, The Killers, Travis, Razorlight, and many more.
Can't wait for Epic Legacy's long-awaited expanded CD reissues of seven Sly & the Family Stone albums? In advance of their release on April 24, this week the label collects all seven in a numbered, limited-edition box set, The Collection, boasting a total of 21 previously unreleased tracks.
Television Alert:
The Late Show with David Letterman turns on the LCD Soundsystem this evening; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Rickie Lee Jones tonight, Relient K on Thursday, The Shins on Friday, and Lily Allen on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts Of Montreal on Thursday overnight and Joseph Arthur on Friday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Avril Lavigne. Back for a second season this Friday, The Henry Rollins Show gets chatty guest Marilyn Manson and musical Peaches, and the announcement of future musical guests Ryan Adams, The Stooges, Billy Bragg, and Chris Cornell in the coming weeks.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, April 17:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts - Let's Just Be (Lonely Astronaut/MRI)
Breaking Benjamin - Phobia (Hollywood) featuring a bonus concert DVD
Brandon Butler - Lucky Thumbs (Gypsy Eyes) second solo album from the former Boys Life and Farewell Bend member
Michael Cashmore - The Snow Abides (Durtro) solo mini-album from the Current 93 guitarist with vocals by Antony of Antony & the Johnsons
The Chrysler - Cold War Classic (Galaxy Gramophone) domestic issue of eclectic, whimsical, mellow pop from Sweden, featuring five exclusive bonus tracks including a cover of Bob Dylan's "Changing of the Guards"
CocoRosie - The Adventures of Ghosthorse & Stillborn (Touch & Go)
Crippled Black Phoenix - A Love of Shared Disasters (Invada) import-only CD and double-12-inch set on the boutique label run by Geoff Barrow of Portishead
Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey (Kranky) CD EP featuring the video for "Strange Lights"
The Greyboy Allstars - What Happened to TV? (Sci-Fidelity) the group's first studio album in 10 years, with backing vocals by the Living Sisters and a cover of the classic "Give the Drummer Some"
Life on Earth - Look! There Is ... (Subliminal Sounds) solo debut from the Dungen multi-instrumentalist Mattias Gustavsson, with guest Mia Doi Todd
Richard X. Heyman - Actual Sighs (Turn-Up) expanded reissue of sessions from 1983
The Hold Steady - Live at Fingerprints (Hold Steady) acoustic five-song CD EP to be found only at hip, independent record stores
Hot Fuzz - original motion picture soundtrack (Cherrytree/Interscope) featuring new music from Jon Spencer& The Elegant Two, and classic tracks from XTC, The Kinks, The Troggs, and T.Rex
Lady Sovereign - "Those Were the Days" (Def Jam) new import-only CD single
In the Land of Women - original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) with music by Foreigner, Mink DeVille, and OK Go
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing (RCA) featuring the single "Girlfriend"
Kate MacGarry - The Target (Palmetto) new from the tone-perfect jazz vocalist, featuring covers of Sting's "Sister Moon" and Rodgers & Hammerstein's "It Might as Well Be Spring"
Mad Caddies - Keep It Going (Fat Wreck) reggae-flavored with guest Duckie Simpson and a cover of Delroy Wilson's "Riding for a Fall"
Daniel Lee Martin - On My Way to You (Chin Music) radio-friendly, upbeat honky-tonk
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers - In the Palace of the King: A Tribute to Freddie King (Eagle Rock)
MC Frontalot - Secrets of the Future (Level Up Records) big-buzz nerdcore featuring "I Hate Your Blog"
Page McConnell - Page McConnell (Legacy) solo album from the Phish keyboardist
New Ruins - The Sound They Make (Hidden Agenda)
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (Interscope) featuring nifty CD packaging that changes color when warmed by your hands
The Old Soul - The Old Soul (Friendly Fire) marvelous, bleating freak-pop cacophony from the collective helmed by Luca Maoloni, featuring a wide-eyed cover of Brian Wilson's "Vege-tables"
Michael Penn - Mr. Hollywood Jr. 1947 (Epic/RCA Legacy) expanded reissue from 2005
Michael Penn - Palms & Runes, Tarot & Tea: A Michael Penn Collection (Epic/RCA Legacy) 20-track anthology with new recordings of old songs
Robert Pollard - Silverfish Trivia (Prom Is Coming) seven-song EP featuring the eight-minute "Cats Love a Parade"
Priestbird - In Your Time (Kemado) formerly known as Tarantula A.D., this is gnarled, sinewy, hazy psychedelia from Brooklyn peppered with beautiful piano and acoustic wanderings
Tom Sharpling & Jon Wuster - The Art of the Slap (Stereolaffs) comedic three-CD set from the WFMU DJ and the Superchunk drummer
Sonny Smith - Fruitvale (Belle Sound) the debut release on the new boutique label owned by Green on Red founder Chuck Prophet, spinning sidewalk stories with guests Kelly Hogan, Edith Frost, and Leroy Bach
Swati - Small Gods (Blu Hammock) her name means "birth of a star" in Hindu
Pam Tillis - Rhinestoned (Stellar Cat) featuring a duet with Jon Anderson on "Life Has Changed Us Around"
Watermelon Slim - The Wheel Man (Northern Blues) with special guest Magic Slim, this is monster, Dobro-slide blues featuring a cover of the Cat Iron nugget "Jimmy Bell"
James Zabiela + Nic Fanciulli - One + One (Ministry of Sound) two-CD mix compilation featuring exclusive tracks and remixes of Rockers Hi-Fi, Electroliners, and Crazy Penis
