After years on hold, a punk-rock superstar "sing-along" side project featuring members of Bad Religion, NOFX, Social Distortion, and the Adolescents has finally been released, bringing the old-school party to basements and family rooms across suburbia. Calling themselves simply Punk Rock Karaoke, the original New Year's Eve spectacular was conceived in 1996 by Bad Religion/Circle Jerks guitarist Greg Hetson and went on to play a variety of weddings, bar mitzvahs, and the Warped fest before putting the madness to tape in 2001.
With a tattered songbook of pre-'83 mosh-pit classics packing the hour-long CD/DVD set, the snappy song list is the perfect antidote to one more moron stepping up to the microphone for another strangulation of "Friends in Low Places" or "I Got You Babe." A who's-who of guest vocalists including Joey Cape of Lagwagon, Mike Herrera of MXPX, and Jim Lindberg of Pennywise show you how it's done right - or click the vocals-off option on the DVD and do it yourself. Highlights include Dicky Barrett of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones rocking out Stiff Little Fingers' "Suspect Device," Sean Wheeler of Throw Rag leading the charge through the Dead Kennedys' "California Über Alles" and Warren Fitzgerald of The Vandals asking the eternal Buzzcocks question, "What Do I Get?"
Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes The Kooks tonight, Fall Out Boy on Thursday, and Death Cab for Cutie on Friday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Ryan Adams tonight, George Clinton on Friday, and Jenny Lewis & Elvis Costello on Monday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts the Last Shadow Puppets this evening, Pink on Thursday, and The Decemberists on Monday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson features the return of two iconic bands this week with The New York Dolls this evening and The Damned on Thursday and Friday overnight; Tavis Smiley sits down with the original Labelle members Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash on Friday; Austin City Limits presents My Morning Jacket on Saturday; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is David Cook.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, November 4
Alvin & the Chipmunks - Undeniable (Razor & Tie) boasting squeaky covers of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" and Peaches & Herb's "Shake Your Groove Thing"
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Is It the Sea (Domino) live album recorded in an Edinburgh, Scotland, gig in 2006 with Harem Scarem and Alex Neilson
Benjy Davis Project - Dust (Rock Ridge Music) in this remixed reissue from last year with three bonus songs, tender adolescent memories are recalled under the "Sweet Southern Moon"
The Miles Davis All-Stars Featuring John Coltrane - Broadcast Sessions 1958-59 (Premier Collection/Acrobat Music) recorded live for radio at The Bluebird, The Spotlight, and Café Bohemia clubs
Fall From Grace - Sifting Through the Wreckage (Bunk Rock) winners of Fuse TV's battle of the bands
Fiasco - Native Canadians (Impose Records) flame-thrower hot and strobe-light blinding, these are frenzied, tempo-turning, speed-tumbling instrumentals to burn down the mall by
Grampall Jookabox - Ropechain (Asthmatic Kitty) cough-syrup-stoned breakdown by David Adamson, banging out the stream-of-consciousness "The Girl Ain't Preggers" and the spooky mineshaft promise "I Will Save Young Michael"
Gringo Star - All Y'All (My Anxious Mouth) suckled at the breast of The Kinks and The Animals, Atlanta brothers Pete and Nick Furgiuele lead this basement-salvation quartet to heady, thrilling heights
Hinder - Take It to the Limit (Universal Republic) also available in a deluxe edition with a bonus DVD featuring ring tones and wallpapers
Luke Jackson - ... And Them Some (Popsicle Recordings) backed by a Swedish all-star team and nine members of the Malmo Opera Orchestra, Christoffer Lundquist of Roxette produced this gorgeous pop snapshot
Grace Jones - Hurricane (Wall of Sound) import-only return of the original fierce diva, with guests Sly & Robbie and Brian Eno
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama: The Rockpalast Collection (Eagle Vision) concert DVD from 1996, plus three rare tracks recorded at the European festival in 1974
MC Frontalot - Final Boss (Level Up) the nerdcore superstar is back, with guest Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket
Ant Neely - Not Fit for Human Consumption(AntNeely.com) solo debut from the sub-thunk beat master, playfully rolling in public-domain samples and a fascination with Morse code
Past Lives - Strange Symmetry (Suicide Squeeze) featuring former members of Shoplifting and The Blood Brothers
Q-Tip - The Renaissance (Motown) with guests Norah Jones, Raphael Saadiq, and D'Angelo
Lou Reed - Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse (Matador) recorded over five nights in 2006; this is the first time he's performed the full, incendiary album in more than 30 years
Reefer Madness - original motion picture soundtrack (Ghostlight) two-CD set also featuring the Los Angeles stage recording, with Neve Campbell, Alan Cumming, Kristen Bell, and Steven Weber
The Rescues - Crazy Ever After (Red Wind) featuring a mash-up of Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" and The Outfield's "Your Love"
So So Glos - Tourism/Terrorism (Green Owl) four brothers from Brooklyn standing up for the DJ in "Throw Your Hands Up"
Soul Men - original motion picture soundtrack (Stax) featuring Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' spin through The First Edition hit "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was in)," and stars Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson with John Legend on a cover of James & Bobby Purify's "I'm Your Puppet"
Mavis Staples - Mavis Staples Live: Hope at the Hideout (Anti) all new from the Staple Singers' lead vocalist, featuring the socially conscious classics "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and "We Shall Not Be Moved"
Switchfoot - The Best Yet (Columbia Legacy) collecting 18 songs from six albums on three labels
Thursday/Envy - Split LP+CD (Temporary Residence) a handful of new songs by each band, featuring Anthony Molina of Mercury Rev remixing two tracks
Travis - Ode to J Smith (Red Telephone Box/Fontana) on the band's own artist controlled imprint, with cover art designed by vocalist Fran Healy
Twilight - original motion picture soundtrack (Chop Shop/Atlantic) the popular modern-day vampire series sinks its teeth into a new Paramore single, "Decode," a new song from Perry Farrell, and an original contribution by the film's star, Edward Cullen, with "Never Think"
Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto (Domino) sideshow-fey, falsetto English-boardwalk-pop debut from the Leeds quartet
ZZ Top - Live from Texas (Eagle Records) 16 hits recorded last year in Grand Prairie, Texas
various artists - All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (Anchorless) benefiting the breast-cancer support group Syrentha Savio Endowment, highlights include The Bouncing Souls' slipping into "Man in Black," MxPx's take on "Hey Porter," and Casey James Prestwood of Hot Rod Circuit covering "I Still Miss Someone"
various artists - Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words & Music (Eagle Rock) DVD filmed at Radio City Music Hall three weeks after 9/11, with tributes in song by Shelby Lynne, Cyndi Lauper, Natalie Merchant, Dave Stewart, Alanis Morissette, and Rufus Wainwright; highlighted by Stone Temple Pilots' cover of "Revolution" and Dave Matthews' take on "In My Life"
various artists - Family Dog: Chet Helms' Tribal Stomp (2B1) four-DVD and two-CD box set documenting 2005's festival in Golden Gate Park with Jefferson Starship, Canned Heat, Blue Cheer, Dan Hicks, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Wavy Gravy, and many more that shaped the San Francisco sound
various artists - Titan!: It's All Pop (Numero Group) labor-of-love spotlight on the Kansas City indie label that pumped out groovy, skinny-tie, power-pop bliss from 1977 to 1980, with J.P. McClain & the Intruders, the Secrets, Gems, Bobby Sky, and The Boys
