ODB's <i>Osirus: The Official Mixtape</i>

Kicking off the major new releases of 2005 is a posthumous album from Ol' Dirty Bastard. Some of the late rapper's final recordings will hit stores and stereos this week courtesy of the Osirus: The Official Mixtape.

The album, which ODB had completed a week prior to his death on November 13, is being released through JC Records, a label formed by ODB's mother and his manager. The first single, "Pop Shots," was produced by DJ Premier.

Fans of quirky '90s pop rockers Soul Coughing are in luck this week as the band releases four live albums featuring performances from Tokyo, Berlin, New York and Rennes, France.

The first week of the new year is also the week of the tribute album. If you long to hear "Stairway to Heaven" with a little twang, Whole Lotta Bluegrass: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin delivers for your listening pleasure. Air get similarly bluegrass-infused on Blue Safari: A Bluegrass Tribute to Air. Massive Attack get even more orchestrated on A String Quartet Tribute to Massive Attack, while Evanescence become piano-centric on Eclipse: Piano Tribute to Evanescence.

Out Tuesday, January 4:

• Byrds - Set You Free: Gene Clark in the Byrds: 1964-1973 (Raven)
• Carl Cox - Back to Mine (DMC)
  Buy Now: Back to Mine (DMC)
  
• Walter Egon - Fundamental Roll/ Not Shy (Acadia)
• Julia Fordham - That's Live (Vanguard)
• Jim & Jean - People World/ Changes (Collector's Choice)
• Gladys Knight and the Saints Unified Voices - One Voice (Many Roads)
• Doug Macleod - Dubb (Black & Tan)
• Manuel Guajiro Mirabal - Buena Vista Social Club Presents Manuel Guajiro Mirabal (Nonesuch)
• Ol' Dirty Bastard - Osirus: The Official Mixtape (JC Records)
  Read: "Ol' Dirty Bastard's Final Recordings To Be Released"
• Purity's Failure - Extensions (Goodfellow)
• Royal Crown Revue - Greetings From Hollywood (Kufala)
• Soul Coughing - Berlin/ Amsterdam 1997 (Kufala)
• Soul Coughing - New York, NY 16.08.99 (Kufala)
• Soul Coughing - Rennes, France 03.12.94 (Kufala)
• Soul Coughing - Tokyo, Japan 03.02.97 (Kufala)
• Twinemen - Sideshow (Kufala)
• Leslie West - Guitarded (Voiceprint)
• White Lion - Ultimate White Lion (Deadline)
• With Honor/ The Distance - Split (Martyr)
• Various artists - A String Quartet Tribute to Massive Attack (Vitamin)
• Various artists - Blue Safari: A Bluegrass Tribute to Air (CMH)
• Various artists - Eclipse: Piano Tribute to Evanescence (Vitamin)
• Various artists - Rep Ya Coast Mix Tape (X-Ray)
• Various artists - Speak Out: Pickin' on Ben Harper (CMH)
• Various artists - The Ultimate Pickin' on Neil Young: The Fiddle and the Damage Done (CMH)
• Various artists - Whole Lotta Bluegrass: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin (CMH)
• DVD: Evergreen Terrace - "Hotter, Wetter, Stickier, Funnier" (Eulogy)
• DVD: Kottonmouth Kings - "10 Years Deep" (Suburban Noize)
  Buy Now: "10 Years Deep" (Suburban Noize)
  
• DVD: Various artists - "Facedown Fest 2004" (Facedown)

January 11:

• Various artists - "Elektra" soundtrack (Wind-Up)
• Various artists - "Hotel Rwanda" soundtrack (Commotion)

January 18:

• The Game - The Documentary (Aftermath)
  Read: "Game Ready To Prove He's Worthy Of The Hype"
• Fozzy - All That Remains (Ash)

January 25:

• And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart (Interscope)
• Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning (Saddle Creek)
• Chemical Brothers - Push the Button (Astralwerks)

• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Soul Coughing
• The Byrds
• Royal Crown Revue
• White Lion