Two new albums are due Tuesday from clean cut crooners - one young and one old - and I'm plenty scared that a handful of classic songs are up for sacrifice, or more appropriately, slaughter. Clay Aiken slips a few originals on his new A Thousand Different Ways CD from RCA, but it's the promise of Badfinger's "Without You," Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is," and Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings" that has me feeling itchy. And after going metal for a brief, crazy moment a few years ago, Pat Boone is back for more next week, this time as a righteous soul daddy. Featuring songs by James Brown, Kool & the Gang, Smokey Robinson, and Sister Sledge, R & B Classics: We Are Family can be found on his own Gold Label Records imprint.
Next week Shout Factory Records releases its My Name Is Earl television-series soundtrack, featuring sound bytes from the show among songs from Young M.C., Jerry Reed, Matthew Sweet, Harry Nilsson, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Three cool covers make the set, with John Hiatt's take on John Lennon's "Instant Karma," Van Nuys' spin on the 1980s hit "99 Red Balloons," and Uncle Kracker carrying "The Weight" by The Band.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno packs a big week with OutKast tonight, Bob Seger on Thursday, Clay Aiken on Friday, Elton John on Monday, and Justin Timberlake on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Kasabian on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts The Rapture on Friday overnight, Madeleine Peyroux on Monday overnight, and Snow Patrol on Tuesday overnight; The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson gets a leg up on the French Kicks on Friday overnight; and Jimmy Kimmel Live shows big love for Lionel Richie on Friday overnight.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, February 14:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Trey Anastasio - Bar 17 (Rubber Jungle) new solo album featuring many guests and the instrumental track "Cincinnati"
Joseph Arthur - Nuclear Daydream (Lonely Astronaut) new on the artist's own imprint
The Avett Brothers - The Gleam (Ramseur) my pick of the week is this six-song acoustic CD EP, showcasing a softer side than the band's frantic live performances
The Black Neon - Arts & Crafts (Memphis Industries) with guests Harald Grosskopf of Ash Ra Temple and Falk Rogner of Amon Duul
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go (Drag City) recorded in Iceland last year with drummer Jim White of Dirty Three
Big Bill Broonzy - Amsterdam Live Concerts 1953 (Munich Music) 5-by-10-inch-format two-CD set released after the long-lost master tapes were discovered in the safe of filmmaker Louis van Gasteren; featuring a 48-page booklet of liner notes and photos
The Byrds - There Is a Season (Columbia Legacy) four-CD box set and bonus DVD collecting rare television appearances
Chingy - Hoodstar (Capitol) with guests Tyrese and Fatman Scoop
CJSS - 2-4-1 (Leviathan) "two-on-one" CD reissue of World Gone Mad from 1985 and Praise the Loud from 1986
Allen Clapp - Something Strange Happens (Bus Stop/Parasol) B-sides and rarities collection from The Orange Peels founder, featuring a fanzine track from 1990
Darkel - Darkel (Astralwerks) solo debut from Air's JB Dunckel
The Dirtball - Raptillion (Suburban Noize) smooth machine-gun flow in this solo debut from the former Chola frontman, with guests Daddy X and Chucky Chuck
Dwarves - Fefu: The DVD (Music Video Distributors) with censored and uncensored versions of video featuring the Suicide Girls
Employee of the Month - original motion picture soundtrack (Lionsgate) featuring the debut of Camp Freddy - a monstrous new super-group with Dave Navarro, Billy Morrison, Matt Sorum, and Scott Weiland - and its cover of Cheap Trick's "Surrender"
Ensemble - Ensemble (FatCat) with guests Lou Barlow and Chan Marshall
Fergie - The Duchess (Interscope) ringtone-ready with the single "London Bridge"
Flying Lotus - 1983 (Plug Research) funky, shufflin' trip-blop
Eddie Hazel - Games, Dames, & Guitar Thang (Collector's Choice) 1977 solo-album CD reissue from the stellar P-Funk guitarist
Indigo Girls - Despite Our Differences (Hollywood) featuring guest Pink on "Rock & Roll Heaven's Gate"
Jedi Mind Tricks - Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell (Babygrande) featuring a reworking of Sufjan Stevens' "Dumb I Sound" with vocalist Diamond Girl
Elton John - The Captain & the Kid (Universal) with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, this new album is a sequel to 1975's Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy
Ben Kweller - Ben Kweller (ATO) playing every instrument on this truly solo effort
Jonny Lang - Turn Around (A&M) with Sam Bush on mandolin and Sara Watkins on violin
Lonesome Travelers - Lonesome Travelers (Valley) debut from John Thomas Griffith and Paul Sanchez of Cowboy Mouth
Anne McCue - Koala Motel (Messenger) four-star effort from this native Australian, with guests Nancy Wilson of Heart, John Doe of X, and Lucinda Williams; pretending she and Jim Lauderdale are Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons in her cover of their duet "Shivers"
Mittens on Strings - Look Up the Sky!! (Emperor Jones) dreamy, psychedelic indie manifesto from the fertile soils of Kentuckiana
Morse Portnoy George - Cover to Cover (Metal Blade) recorded from 2003 through 2005, these 13 prog'd-out covers from Spock's Beard's Neal Morse, Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, and Ajalon's Randy George include U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed"
The Now People - The Last Great 20th Century Love Affair (Bird Song/Parasol) toe-tapping, snuggle-up sugar pop, spinning in easy-beat harmonic bliss with guests the Wondermints, Paul Mertens of Poi Dog Pondering, and members of Brian Wilson's backing band
NRBQ - Ludlow Garage 1970 (Sundazed) straight from the soundboard masters, this stellar live concert from the famed Cincinnati nightclub features wild covers of Little Richard and Wilson Pickett
Potluck - Straight Outta Humboldt (Suburban Noize) bouncing big blunts with the smoke-friendly duo of Underrated and 1 Ton; with guests Kottonmouth Kings, Twiztid, E-40, and Jurassic 5's Chali 2Na
Prophet Omega - The Natural World (Astralwerks) sly, witty and smooth, this slippery full length DIY hip-shaker is from Joe Magistro, formerly of Darlahood, with guest bassist Sara Lee of Gang of Four on one song
Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby (RCA Legacy) expanded reissue featuring three previously unreleased songs from the original 1975 sessions
Corrina Repp - The Absent & the Distant (Caldo Verde) spine-tingling, whisper-quiet, slow-motion ballads for dancing in the dark
Jake Shimabukuro - Gently Weeps (Hitchhike) featuring his blazing ukulele interpretation of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Dani Siciliano - Slappers (!K7 Records) intriguing, contorted electronic-pop with a tumbling theatrical/modern-dance flair in the vein of soul-sister Laurie Anderson and Moloko
Chris Smither - Leave the Light on (Signature Sounds) all-new album of originals with covers of Bob Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" and Peter Case's "Cold Trail Blues"
Suffocate Faster - Don't Kill the Messenger (Razor & Tie) straight-edge hardcore from Cincinnati, Ohio
various artists - Late Night Tales: Air (Thrive) the French electronic duo get in the DJ booth in the latest of this cool CD series, featuring 21 hand-picked favorites from Japan, Cat Power, Minnie Ripperton, Robert Wyatt, and more
