16
May
2006
A new punk-rock super-group of sorts has received the coolest pop-culture recognition in recent memory, as Osaka Popstar becomes a collectible Wacky Packages trading card.
Featuring Marky Ramone of The Ramones, Jerry Only of the Misfits, Dez Cadena of Black Flag, and Ivan Julian of Richard Hell's Voidoids, the band's debut CD is released next week by Rykodisc, fittingly entitled Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk. As a part of Topps' third series of Wacky Packages since the company reintroduced the bawdy line a few years ago, the Osaka Popstar card is one of the handful of rare bonus sticker cards distributed randomly in lucky packs, alongside new magnet cards and rainbow foil stickers. One special guest penned the band's first single, "Wicked World," with Daniel Johnson also lending his vocals for a spirited version of the bluegrass hit "Man of Constant Sorrow." A bonus DVD rounds out the set, with two animated videos.
· Stashed away in a storage room behind his home studio and discovered only after his death, the first of hundreds of archival Johnny Cash recordings will see the light of day next week. Spreading 49 tracks over two CDs, Columbia Legacy's release of Personal File is a selection of bare-bones sessions recorded from 1973 to the early 1980s, filed with originals, traditionals, and covers such as the Louvin Brothers' "When I Stop Dreaming," John Prine's "Paradise," and Rodney Ceowell's "Wildwood in the Pines." Armed with only his acoustic guitar, fans of the Man in Black will find this pensive collection a nice prelude to July's release of American V: A Hundred Highways on American Recordings. That final chapter in producer Rick Rubin's American series will contain the songs Cash was working on at the time of his death in 2003, as well as covers of Rod McKuen's "Love's Been Good to Me" and Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind."
· With the Man of Steel flying back into movie theatres next month, Rhino Records has compiled a musical homage in Sound of Superman, due this coming Tuesday. Featuring new songs from the Plain White T's and Maxeen, the 14-track CD promises some high-flying cover versions keeping with the theme, from Nightmare of You performing the Flaming Lips' "Waitin' for Superman" to The Sun shining new light on The Kinks' "Wish I Could Fly Like Superman" to The Receiving End of Sirens trying on the Stereophonics' "Superman" to The Films reeling up Donovan's "Sunshine Superman."
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Wicked Wisdom tonight, The Pussycat Dolls on Thursday, and Def Leppard on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman serves up Goldfrapp this evening, Eagles of Death Metal on Friday, and James Blunt on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien presents People in Planes this evening overnight, the Raconteurs on Thursday overnight, and U2 on Monday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson cheers up Nick Lachey on Friday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts the return of Huey Lewis on Thursday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Nelly Furtado.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, May 23:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Alias & Tarsier - Brookland/Oaklyn (Anticon) CD or two-LP vinyl set documenting the group's bi-coastal boom-bap buggery, with guest Dose One
Angels & Airwaves - We Don't Need to Whisper (Geffen) new from Tom DeLonge of blink-182
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Downtown) domestic release of this critics' pick from the UK last year, with three bonus tracks
Andy Caldwell - Universal Truth (Om) electronic house debut from the smash producer and founding member of Soulstice
Charalamides - A Vintage Burden (Kranky) earthy bedside hymns for the soon departed
Coachwhips - Double Death (Narnack) CD/DVD set of raw, wigged-out garage-rock bliss, featuring bonus blistering covers of songs by The Kinks, Adam Ant, The Sonics, and more
Susan Deyhim & Bill Laswell - Shy Angels (Crammed Disc) new reinterpretation of the Madman of God album, featuring her readings of Sufi love poems
Dr. John - Mercernary (Blue Note) collection of Johnny Mercer hits such as "Come Rain or Shine" and "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"
Dub Trio - New Heavy (Roir Reachout International) with the enigmatically titled track "Jack Bauer" and Peeping Tom's Mike Patton guesting on "Not Alone"
The Heavy Blinkers - The Night & I Are Still So Young (Endearing/Cooking Vinyl) sweetly swaying orchestral pop from Nova Scotia
King Crimson - Earthbound and USA (Discipline Global) 30th-anniversary reissues from 1972 and 1975
Less Than Jake - In with the Out Crowd (Sire/Warner Bros) also available in a special leather book-style set boasting the CD, DVD, and CD-ROM with screensavers and buddy icons
Loscil - Plume (Kranky) underwater pulses and flickering electronics merging into kinetic, slow-rolling, heartbeat waves
Finian McKean - Shades Are Drawn (And Each For Only) powerful new alias of the Push Kings' Finn Moore Gerety, droning a dark, jangling cloud in the electric spirit of Lou Reed and Neil Young in the title track, and channeling the acoustic psychedelias of Skip Spence and Syd Barrett in "Little Beggar"
Halifax - The Inevitability of a Strange World (Drive-Thru) with a bonus video of "Our Revolution"
Mission of Burma - The Obliterati (Matador) CD or two-LP set
Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory - Broaden a New Sound (Mush) 12-inch EP with guest Devandra Banhart
Don Peris - Go with the Morning Shineth (Badman) solo album from the Innocence Mission guitarist
Pink - Live in Europe (LaFace) DVD from Manchester in 2004, featuring a cover of Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" and a 19-minute documentary
Jordan Rudess - Prime Cuts (Magna Carta) collection of prog-rock keyboard fantasia from his Liquid Tension Experiment and solo efforts
Saga - Trust (Inside Out) featuring the arena-rocking "We Were Right"
Sensations - Listen to My Shapes (Camera) with members of Cake and Mother Hips, recently performing at the Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco
SSM - SSM (Alive) featuring members of The Payback, The Sights, and Cyril Lords, this wild Detroit debut features squealing keyboards and thrift-store fuzz
Sierra Swan - Ladyland (Custard/Interscope) recently touring with James Blunt, this debut album was co-written with Linda Perry and features guest Aimee Mann on "Get Down to It"
Son Volt - Live: 6 String Belief (Transmit Sound/Legacy) DVD filmed last fall in North Carolina, featuring a cover of Willie Williams' hit "Armagideon Time," made popular by The Clash in 1979
System of a Down - Dehumanize: The Unauthorized Biography (Locomotive) interview DVD with a photo gallery and comprehensive discography
Anjani Thomas - Blue Alert (Columbia) collaboration album with Leonard Cohen
Tiger Baby - Noise Around Me (Souvenir Recordings) with a bonus cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" only found on the American issue
Scott Walker - The Drift (4AD) long-awaited return after 11 years from the former Walker Brothers heartthrob
various artists - Give 'em the Boot Vol. V (Epitaph) 18-track budget-priced collection featuring exclusive tracks from Static Thought, Left Alone, The Heart Attacks, and The Unseen
various artists - Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (Warner Home Video) documentary DVD of interviews with Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Bruce Dickison, Tony Iommi, Geddy Lee, Ronnie James Dio, and more
· Stashed away in a storage room behind his home studio and discovered only after his death, the first of hundreds of archival Johnny Cash recordings will see the light of day next week. Spreading 49 tracks over two CDs, Columbia Legacy's release of Personal File is a selection of bare-bones sessions recorded from 1973 to the early 1980s, filed with originals, traditionals, and covers such as the Louvin Brothers' "When I Stop Dreaming," John Prine's "Paradise," and Rodney Ceowell's "Wildwood in the Pines." Armed with only his acoustic guitar, fans of the Man in Black will find this pensive collection a nice prelude to July's release of American V: A Hundred Highways on American Recordings. That final chapter in producer Rick Rubin's American series will contain the songs Cash was working on at the time of his death in 2003, as well as covers of Rod McKuen's "Love's Been Good to Me" and Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind."
· With the Man of Steel flying back into movie theatres next month, Rhino Records has compiled a musical homage in Sound of Superman, due this coming Tuesday. Featuring new songs from the Plain White T's and Maxeen, the 14-track CD promises some high-flying cover versions keeping with the theme, from Nightmare of You performing the Flaming Lips' "Waitin' for Superman" to The Sun shining new light on The Kinks' "Wish I Could Fly Like Superman" to The Receiving End of Sirens trying on the Stereophonics' "Superman" to The Films reeling up Donovan's "Sunshine Superman."
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Wicked Wisdom tonight, The Pussycat Dolls on Thursday, and Def Leppard on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman serves up Goldfrapp this evening, Eagles of Death Metal on Friday, and James Blunt on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien presents People in Planes this evening overnight, the Raconteurs on Thursday overnight, and U2 on Monday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson cheers up Nick Lachey on Friday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts the return of Huey Lewis on Thursday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Nelly Furtado.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, May 23:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Alias & Tarsier - Brookland/Oaklyn (Anticon) CD or two-LP vinyl set documenting the group's bi-coastal boom-bap buggery, with guest Dose One
Angels & Airwaves - We Don't Need to Whisper (Geffen) new from Tom DeLonge of blink-182
Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Downtown) domestic release of this critics' pick from the UK last year, with three bonus tracks
Andy Caldwell - Universal Truth (Om) electronic house debut from the smash producer and founding member of Soulstice
Charalamides - A Vintage Burden (Kranky) earthy bedside hymns for the soon departed
Coachwhips - Double Death (Narnack) CD/DVD set of raw, wigged-out garage-rock bliss, featuring bonus blistering covers of songs by The Kinks, Adam Ant, The Sonics, and more
Susan Deyhim & Bill Laswell - Shy Angels (Crammed Disc) new reinterpretation of the Madman of God album, featuring her readings of Sufi love poems
Dr. John - Mercernary (Blue Note) collection of Johnny Mercer hits such as "Come Rain or Shine" and "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"
Dub Trio - New Heavy (Roir Reachout International) with the enigmatically titled track "Jack Bauer" and Peeping Tom's Mike Patton guesting on "Not Alone"
The Heavy Blinkers - The Night & I Are Still So Young (Endearing/Cooking Vinyl) sweetly swaying orchestral pop from Nova Scotia
King Crimson - Earthbound and USA (Discipline Global) 30th-anniversary reissues from 1972 and 1975
Less Than Jake - In with the Out Crowd (Sire/Warner Bros) also available in a special leather book-style set boasting the CD, DVD, and CD-ROM with screensavers and buddy icons
Loscil - Plume (Kranky) underwater pulses and flickering electronics merging into kinetic, slow-rolling, heartbeat waves
Finian McKean - Shades Are Drawn (And Each For Only) powerful new alias of the Push Kings' Finn Moore Gerety, droning a dark, jangling cloud in the electric spirit of Lou Reed and Neil Young in the title track, and channeling the acoustic psychedelias of Skip Spence and Syd Barrett in "Little Beggar"
Halifax - The Inevitability of a Strange World (Drive-Thru) with a bonus video of "Our Revolution"
Mission of Burma - The Obliterati (Matador) CD or two-LP set
Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory - Broaden a New Sound (Mush) 12-inch EP with guest Devandra Banhart
Don Peris - Go with the Morning Shineth (Badman) solo album from the Innocence Mission guitarist
Pink - Live in Europe (LaFace) DVD from Manchester in 2004, featuring a cover of Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" and a 19-minute documentary
Jordan Rudess - Prime Cuts (Magna Carta) collection of prog-rock keyboard fantasia from his Liquid Tension Experiment and solo efforts
Saga - Trust (Inside Out) featuring the arena-rocking "We Were Right"
Sensations - Listen to My Shapes (Camera) with members of Cake and Mother Hips, recently performing at the Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco
SSM - SSM (Alive) featuring members of The Payback, The Sights, and Cyril Lords, this wild Detroit debut features squealing keyboards and thrift-store fuzz
Sierra Swan - Ladyland (Custard/Interscope) recently touring with James Blunt, this debut album was co-written with Linda Perry and features guest Aimee Mann on "Get Down to It"
Son Volt - Live: 6 String Belief (Transmit Sound/Legacy) DVD filmed last fall in North Carolina, featuring a cover of Willie Williams' hit "Armagideon Time," made popular by The Clash in 1979
System of a Down - Dehumanize: The Unauthorized Biography (Locomotive) interview DVD with a photo gallery and comprehensive discography
Anjani Thomas - Blue Alert (Columbia) collaboration album with Leonard Cohen
Tiger Baby - Noise Around Me (Souvenir Recordings) with a bonus cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" only found on the American issue
Scott Walker - The Drift (4AD) long-awaited return after 11 years from the former Walker Brothers heartthrob
various artists - Give 'em the Boot Vol. V (Epitaph) 18-track budget-priced collection featuring exclusive tracks from Static Thought, Left Alone, The Heart Attacks, and The Unseen
various artists - Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (Warner Home Video) documentary DVD of interviews with Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Bruce Dickison, Tony Iommi, Geddy Lee, Ronnie James Dio, and more
