Like a refreshing summer rain in the Clinch Mountains of Virginia, a new tribute CD to a national legacy has swept me deep in piney-woods bliss. From the electrifying intonation of Elvis Presley's voice and Johnny Cash's bass profundo, to the taste of butter, salt, and pepper over yellow corn grits, some things just blast straight down one's chain of American DNA, regardless of where you call home.

• With an overflowing crush of CD releases in the next two months, new artists and new albums will have to fight for the back-to-school dollar against a host of exciting, expanded CD re- issues. Honored as the best rock album of the 1980s by the editors of Rolling Stone, The Clash's London Calling from 1979 was a life-changing experience for many, in a magical time when these godfathers of punk walked away from the mangled production of 1978's Give 'Em Enough Rope and said: Why not a double album then, and a triple-album set next (in 1980)? Due next month on Epic's Legacy label, the bonus material is to die for, with demos from the era recently discovered by guitarist Mick Jones, rare photos, and new writings reflecting on this 25th-anniversary edition.

Forming the band The Metrolites was just "something to do," said the band's leader, Scott Morschhauser. Oh, how things change in less than two years. The story of the Quad Cities best (if only) surf spy noir spaghetti-western lounge band is one of steadily increasing expectations and aspirations.

Less than two minutes into A Is Jump’s My Ice-Fingered Ghost, it’s readily apparent that even though this isn’t a typical release from the Quad Cities-based Future Appletree label, it’s a good match for the imprint’s oddity-laced pop sound.