If your modern-day boogie leans deep into the heart-pumping grooves of Justice, LCD Soundsystem, Electric Six, The Rapture, The Teddybears, or Hot Hot Heat, take a little time-traveling trip next week and discover the roots on Strut Records' fantastic new-wave compilation Disco Not Disco. Opening with Vivien Goldman's classic "Launderette," the dub rumble is a perfect moment in time, built on a bass line by George Oban of Aswad with guest alchemists Robert Wyatt, On-U-Sound's Adrian Sherwood, and Steve Beresford of the Flying Lizards. Crazy about that roller-coaster bass shimmy? Long before riot-grrrl made its mark, the girlfriends of the up-and-coming Mekons pulled together to form the seminal Delta 5, represented here with the wickedly anti-posh "Mind Your Own Business," utilizing two bass guitars and plenty of mad moxie. And it just keeps getting better, flowing into a 12-inch edit of Shriekback's "My Spine Is the Bassline" from 1982, a sweaty club favorite featuring XTC's Barry Andrews and Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen. America is represented in a handful of nice picks: "Sharevari" from A Number of Names, "Contort Yourself" from New York City's no-wave saxophone prince James Chance & The Blacks, and Bill Laswell's Material collective and its "dance version" of "Lose Control," featuring Chic drummer Tony Thompson. The 14-track CD features extensive liner notes by historian Bill Brewster, author of the terrific book Last Night a DJ Saved My Life.
Fans of the Eels might be praying for a snow day next week, as this coming Tuesday brings five discs of hits, misses, and rare tasties to digest and get lost in. Geffen Records offers up this 96-track retrospective of Mark Oliver Everett's work in two packages: Meet the Eels: Essential Eels Volume 1 1996-2006 and Eels Useless Trinkets: B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities, & Unreleased 1996-2006. A great place to start for the uninitiated, the Essentials set features a Jon Brion remix of "Climbing to the Moon," a wild cover of Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On," and 12 videos on a bonus DVD. Hard-to-find BBC sessions, live nuggets, and more covers pepper the rarities two-CD package, with interpretations of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You," Prince's "If I Were Your Girlfriend," and James Carr's "Dark End of the Street." A bonus DVD showcases 2006's Lollapalooza performance, featuring a gospel-fueled spin on "My Beloved Monster."
New Releases Coming Tuesday, January 15:
American Mars - Western Sides (Gangplank) all new from the Detroit duo, produced by steel-guitar player David Feeny
Annihilator - Metal (SPV) with friends from Children of Bodom, Trivium, Lamb of God, and Anvil
Tommy Bolin - Ultimate Redux (Friday Music) three-CD set from the former James Gang and Deep Purple guitarist, packed with demos, previously unreleased studio songs, and live tracks
Bob Brozman - Post Industrial Blues (Ruf Records) a vintage guitarist's dream disc, with the multi-instrumentalist playing a variety of National six-strings, a Tricone bottleneck, banjos, and a ukulele, featuring tasty originals, a new spin on the traditional "Green River Blues," and a wild cover of The Doors' "People Are Strange"
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen - The Early Years 1967-1970 (Blue Label/Rykodisc) 35 tracks spread over two CDs; featuring four Hank Williams covers and cool takes on Johnny Cash's "Big River" and Otis Redding's "Shout Bamalama"
Cornelius - "Gum" (Warner Music Japan) 12-inch boasting a bonus a cappella cover of his own "Music" by Petra Haden
Dirty on Purpose - Like Bees (North Street Records) five-track CD EP featuring B sides and a cool cover of the Real Life hit "Send Me an Angel"
Jon Foreman - Fall and Winter (Credential/Lowercase People) excellent season-by-season set of two solo CD EPs from the Switchfoot frontman, with Spring and Summer discs to follow later this year
Marvin Gaye - Here My Dear: Expanded Edition (Hip-O Select) reissue from 1978, known for its intense, heartfelt anguish at the end of his first marriage; now featuring a second CD titled Hear, My Dear, with long-lost spoken word passages, instrumental jams, and a fresh reworking of tracks by Mocean Worker, Prince Paul, DJ Smash, and Bootsy Collins
Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey - Mavericks (Collector's Choice) remastered reissue of this beloved favorite from 1991 from the "fifth member" of R.E.M. and the dB's founder, expanded with six bonus tracks including an alternative version of "Angels" and an acoustic take on "Here Without You"
Home - Home and Pause for a Hoarse Horse (Yellow Label/SPV) early 1970s albums featuring AC/DC's Cliff Williams and Wishbone Ash's Laurie Wisefield
Van Hunt - Popular (Blue Note) featuring acoustic versions of two songs from his last album
Steve Jansen - Slope (Samadhisound) new solo album from the Japan co-founder, with guests David Sylvian, Joan Wasser of Joan as Policewoman, and Sweet Billy Pilgrim
Juno - original motion picture soundtrack (Rhino) featuring six songs by Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches, and other selections from The Kinks, Belle & Sebastian, Buddy Holly, and the Velvet Underground
Kottonmouth Kings - Greatest Highs (Capitol) two-CD set with two new tracks
Mike Ladd - Nostalgialator (Definitive Jux) co-produced with Scotty Hard, this bold, funkin' slammer is my pick of the week - smart and witty MC rubs from the former community-college professor influenced by Pavement and the Anti Pop Consortium
Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu (Heads Up Records) all new in tribute to the South African warrior
Eric Lindell - Low on Cash, Rich in Love (Alligator) featuring a cover of Gil Scott-Heron's "Lady Day and John Coltrane"
Magnetic Fields - The Distortion (Nonesuch) on tour in February and March
The Mars Volta - "Wax Simulacra" (Strummer/Universal) the first single from the upcoming Bedlam in Goliath album, featuring a B-side cover of Siouxsie & the Banshees' "Pulled to Bits"
Anne Murray - Duets: Friends & Legends (Manhattan) with special guests Emmylou Harris, Shania Twain, Carole King, Nelly Furtado, k.d. lang, Olivia Newton-John, Martina McBride, and a cool "virtual" duet with late Dusty Springfield
Queen & Paul Rodgers - "Say It's Not True" (EMI) import-only CD single written by the band's drummer, Roger Taylor, for Nelson Mandela
R.E.M. - R.E.M. Live (Warner Bros) special three-LP vinyl edition
Radiohead - "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" (XL Recordings) 7-inch, 12-inch, and CD single featuring B sides from Nigel Godrich's British television program From the Basement
Ride the Boogie - Ride the Boogie (Longhair Illuminati Records) featuring Adam Tymn, formerly of Vaux, on the new label created by the Casket Salesmen's Phil Pirrone
Rings - Black Habit (Paw Tracks) formerly known as First Nation
Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8 (Capitol) taking the album's title from his childhood postal code, this all-new CD features co-producers Mark Hudson and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart
The Steeldrivers - The Steeldrivers (Rounder) killer debut from this hard-strutting, soulful Nashville bluegrass quintet
Supergrass - "Diamond Hoo Ha Man" (Parlophone) import-only seven-inch single from the band's forthcoming album
Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II (Reprise) 180-gram audiophile two-LP edition
