Matt Cameron, Tad Doyle, Tom Morello and Ben Shepard in Seattle on Wednesday
Photo: Laura Musselman

It's the reunion grunge fanatics said would never, ever happen. On Wednesday night in Seattle, the former members of Soundgarden reunited for a brief set at the Seattle stop of Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello's Justice Tour. Well, all the members except singer Chris Cornell, who is busy promoting his Timbaland-helmed solo album.

The three other members of the group, reclusive guitar wizard Kim Thayil, current Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd — who have not played together since the band split in 1997 — were supplemented by hefty grunge semi-celebrity Tad Doyle for the gig, which was greeted with ecstatic cheers by the lucky fans in attendance.

According to the Seattle Weekly, during the surprise set at the city's Crocodile club, Morello, who said he has rarely been as excited, played rhythm guitar as the razor-blades-and-gravel-voiced Doyle sang lead on "Spoonman," during what was described as "a rare moment for Seattle rock and everybody in the venue knows it. Just moments earlier, the floor of the Crocodile was nearly shaking from all of the screaming fans who were waiting all night for this type of surprise. But most people didn't know what the surprise was."

The night opened with Morello playing a set as the Nightwatchman, followed by some songs from Steve Earle, a few tunes from the new Morello/ Boots Riley (the Coup) band Street Sweeper, sets from Mudhoney singer Mark Arm and former MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer.

"Right after that, Tadgarden hit the stage and the place went nuts," the Weekly reported, noting that the big question hanging over the reunion all night was whether Cornell would be behind the mic, a prospect most in the crowd knew was not likely given the band's acrimonious split. The newly dubbed supergroup started with "Nothing to Say," then hit "Spoonman" and ended with the leadoff track from the group's debut 1987 EP, Screaming Life, "Hunted Down." Just before he acid-gargled his way through "Spoonman," the beefy Doyle lifted up his shirt, jiggled his gut and joked, "That's half a Cornell right there."

After the show, when asked how he thought it went, Thayil reportedly said, "Not bad for an hour and a half of practice after not playing together for 12 years. ... It was a lot of fun. We played yesterday for a bit but we know all that stuff by heart so we didn't need to practice much."

The poorly kept secret was widely documented by a number of Seattle scenesters, showing up almost instantly in Flickr photostreams and a set of poor-quality MP3s and videos on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer blog site.

• Soundgarden
• Tad
• Mudhoney
• The Nightwatchman
• Rage Against the Machine

T.I.'s <i>T.I. vs. T.I.P.</i>
Photo: Atlantic Records

Fireworks are happening everywhere this week — can T.I. bring some to the record racks, too? With the competition at a bare minimum, the rapper is trying to get his ego crisis under control so he can Tip the charts and blow away the contenders. They include Velvet Revolver, who are firing off a new release of their own this week; Kelly Rowland, who gave her fresh material some shine (with help from Eve) at the BET Awards; and Silverstein, whose label has just slightly high expectations for the band's new LP. Let the festivities begin ...

Who Is This Man?: T.I. vs. T.I.P. revolves around the rapper's dueling identities, but he/they are hardly the only ones trying to sort things out on the LP — Eminem, Jay-Z, Nelly, Busta Rhymes, Mannie Fresh and Wyclef Jean are also onboard for the 18-track outing. (Sad news for fans: Slices with Justin Timberlake, Ciara and others didn't make the final cut.) Warner Music Group CEO Lyor Cohen is also spotted on the three-act disc, playfully warning Tip not to mess with his money, but it's not all fun and games — early in the album, the rapper reflects on his daughter's miscarriage and the shooting of a friend.

Bang Bang Baby: It hasn't all been smooth sailing for Velvet Revolver — the band scrapped a concept-album concept for its second disc and changed producer plans too when Brendan O'Brien took the helm instead of Rick Rubin. "We really kind of flat-lined for a while," Scott Weiland told Billboard. All the same, fans can scream for Libertad, now that it's arrived three years after its predecessor, Contraband. The latter LP opened at #1 on the Billboard albums chart — but so did T.I.'s last one, King. VR's new single "She Builds Quick Machines" hasn't been doing terribly well at rock radio, but maybe their head-scratching cover of Electric Light Orchestra's "Can't Get It Out of My Head" will attract some more curious buyers and help the disc debut with a bang.

Cirque de Rock: VR drummer Matt Sorum has been slapping some extra skins this year — he played on the first effort by Circus Diablo, which features other current and past members of the Cult — Billy Duffy and Billy Morrison — as well as Fuel's Brett Scallions and the Almighty's Ricky Warwick. (Tying everything together, Sorum and Weiland are in another Morrison project, Camp Freddy.) Songs include "Red Sun Rising," "Mad Parade" and "Commercial Break."

Dear Ms. Kelly: With testosterone dominating this week, don't forget about Ms. Kelly — Ms. Kelly Rowland, that is. She might have some trouble planting her second album in people's brains, though — the follow-up to 2002's Simply Deep was supposed to come out last year but got shelved and reworked. Here it is at last, and Eve ("Like This"), Tank ("The Show") and Snoop Dogg ("Ghetto") are propping up the former Destiny's Child singer with guest spots. Look for a ringtone, cell phone wallpaper, a digital track download and more to accompany the release.

Andre the Giant: As huge as Andre 3000's reputation is, you might have trouble finding him in the racks this week — he sneaks up on the soundtrack to "Class of 3000," the animated series he created and produced. Andre can be heard on the disc via the voice of Sunny Bridges, the music teacher, although all the tunes on the set were actually written by Mr. Benjamin — yup, even "The Crayon Song," "UFO Ninja," "Oh Peanut" and "Banana Zoo."

Silver and Bold: In what has to be one of the ballsier hype sheets in recent memory, Victory Records declares outright: "Silverstein will debut in the top 10 on Billboard's top 200 on July 11." The Canadian post-hardcore act did manage to get rid of more than 300,000 copies of its last album, Discovering the Waterfront, and it sided with Blink-182 producer Mark Trombino for the follow-up, Arrivals and Departures. The album, which leaked a couple of weeks ago, features "The Sand Will Turn to Glass," "Vanity and Greed" and "Love With Caution"; the Best Buy edition has a couple of goodies too: "Rain Will Fall" and "Falling Down." Don't tell Michael Douglas!

Watch Out: If the record racks are too bare for you this week, turn on your computer — there's a bit going on in the digital sphere. Tom Morello — oops, the Nightwatchman — is tacking "Alone Without You," a tune featured in pal Michael Moore's new "Sicko" flick, onto his recently released debut, One Man Revolution. "Sick 'cause this hammering litany of sins/ Is bangin' and burnin' and I can't stand the din," he sings on the track, which is told from the viewpoint of a dying man. "Sick 'cause the darkness keeps seepin' on in/ Sick to be leaving my family and friends." Also floating around online is Sedated Times, a seven-track EP by Norwegian experimentalists 120 Days. The set consists of "So This Is Suicide," "Sleepless Nights #11" and a bonus tune, "Come Out Come Down Fade Out Be Gone," reconstructed by Secret Machines.

Song Title of the Week:

"Tomorrow's Another Day" from Collie Buddz

Album Cover of the Week:

Twiztid's Independent's Day

New Releases:

· Sara Bareilles - Little Voice (Epic)
· Circus Diablo - Circus Diablo (Koch)
· Collie Buddz - Collie Buddz (Epic)
· Damien Dempsey - To Hell or Barbados (United Opportunity)
· Erik Mongrain - Fates (MVD Audio)
· Kelly Rowland - Ms. Kelly (Columbia) [Buy Now]
· Marvin Sapp - Thirsty (Verity)
· Silverstein - Arrivals and Departures (Victory) [Buy Now]
· T.I. - T.I. vs. T.I.P. (Atlantic) [Buy Now]
Read: "T.I. Taking On T.I.P. With Help From Eminem, Justin Timberlake"
· Twiztid - Independent's Day (Psychopathic) [Buy Now]
· Velvet Revolver - Libertad (RCA) [Buy Now]
Read: "Scott Weiland Pumped For Velvet Revolver LP, Solo Collabo With Pharrell"
· Various artists - "Class of 3000" soundtrack (La Face) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - "Talk to Me" soundtrack (Atlantic)
· Various artists - "Transformers" soundtrack (Warner Bros.)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· 2Pac - Evolution: Duets and Remixes (Koch)
· The Climax Blues Band - 20 Greatest Hits (Fuel)
· John Coltrane - My Favorite Things: Coltrane at Newport (Impulse) [Buy Now]
· Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade and Joe Ely (CBuJ) [Buy Now]
· Widespread Panic - Choice Cuts: The Capricorn Years - 1991-1999 (Capricorn/Legacy)
· Various artists - Cobra Record Corp. - Treasures From the Vaults (Fuel)

Digital Releases:

· 120 Days - Sedated Times (EP; Vice)
· The Nightwatchman - One Man Revolution (re-released with a bonus track; Epic) [Buy Now]

Coming Attractions:

July 10:
· Aly & AJ - Insomniatic (Hollywood) [Preorder]
· Interpol - Our Love to Admire (special edition packaged in hard-covered book form due same day; Capitol) [Preorder]
Read: "Call Interpol 'The Worst Band On The Planet' — They Don't Care"
· Mike Jones - The American Dream (Ice Age) [Preorder]
Read: "The Dream Is Nearly Over For Mike Jones"
· Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist (Reprise) [Preorder]
Read: "Smashing Pumpkins Drummer Offers More Clues About Forthcoming LP" · Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge) [Preorder]

July 17:
· All-American Rejects - "Tournado" DVD (Interscope) [Preorder]
· Avenged Sevenfold - "All Excess" DVD (Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
· Too Short - I Love the Bay (Up All Nite) [Preorder]
· Yellowcard - Paper Walls (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Capitol) [Preorder]
· Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 25 (UTV)

July 24:
· Cartel - Cartel (Epic) [Preorder]
Read: "Pop-Punks Cartel Show Off Grandma's Digs, Borrow Benz For 'Cribs' "
· Sum 41 - Underclass Hero (Island) [Preorder]
Read: "Sum 41 Kill President In New Song — Deryck Whibley Says It's 'A Metaphor' "
· Tegan and Sara - Con (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Vapor/Sanctuary) [Preorder]

• T.I. And Twista Grill Up Smokin' Summer Clips

• T.I.
• Velvet Revolver
• Kelly Rowland
• Silverstein
• Andre 3000

<i>Snoop Dogg Presents: The Big Squeeze</i>
Photo: Koch Records

For a week that's chock-full of new releases, there aren't too many big names to show for it: Beyond a new compilation thrown together by Snoop, Tom Morello's CD debut as the Nightwatchman, Joe's guest-heavy LP, a covers set by Patti Smith and the Arctic Monkeys' second album — which has been getting a surprisingly low-key response — there aren't too many fresh faces poised to chart.

But is this week really all that weak? Let's evaluate:

Various artists' Snoop Dogg Presents: The Big Squeeze
Strength: The Doggfather is unleashed, at least in some capacity, on almost every track on this collection, which primarily serves as a vehicle for Snoop to usher in his new buds, including JT Da Bigga Figga and Westurn Union. A spot by Katt Williams on "We Go Hard" might draw some extra ears too.
Weakness: While Snoop is asking us to open our minds to new talent, he's also cluttered the release with his crustier friends Kurupt, MC Eiht and the like — why not keep the focus on the promising newbies?

The Nightwatchman's One Man Revolution
Strength: Tom Morello can count on Rage Against the Machine fans to glom on to his solo project — even if it is acoustic, the politically charged content should cater to them. He's also got famed producer Brendan O'Brien (RATM, Pearl Jam) in his corner.
Weakness: While he's played scattered solo shows as the Nightwatchman in recent years, Morello has been staging select concerts secretly loaded with guests like Alanis Morissette, Slash and Perry Farrell, building momentum for the affair. Problem is none of those people appear on the disc, which sorely needs a guest — or three — boosting its profile.

Joe's Ain't Nothin' Like Me
Strength: Nas, Chamillionaire, Young Buck, Papoose and Fabolous drop verses on the latest LP by the Southern R&B singer, and production royalty Bryan-Michael Cox, Sean Garrett, Cool and Dre, and the Underdogs also help out.
Weakness: Joe's new single "If I Was Your Man" single hasn't been doing all that much damage on the charts, so while fellow R&B singers like Lloyd have been making strong debuts, Joe could fall short.

Arctic Monkeys' Favourite Worst Nightmare
Strength: After attracting some major buzz following their performance at South by Southwest last year, the Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not was the fastest-selling rock debut in British history and made an impressive opening at #24 on the Billboard albums chart in the U.S. Their new one is faster and cops from Ennio Morricone's spaghetti-western soundtrack to "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."
Weakness: Have you heard a word about this album? Even its first single, "Brainstorm," has yet to make noise Stateside. Despite the band being all the rage last summer, the dreaded "sophomore slump" may be rearing its head once again.

Patti Smith's Twelve
Strength: Covers of songs by Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and a slew of classic-rock bands might rekindle interest in the singer/songwriter's newer works. Smith has also been in the limelight after getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which could give her an extra assist.
Weakness: Her 2004 album, Trampin', opened at a flimsy #123. As important as Patti Smith is in the rock canon, is anyone still excited about her new material?

But as usual, even if there aren't any superstars hitting the racks this week, there are still plenty of below-the-radar releases worth keeping tabs on. Here are the top 10 incognito titles you should care about:

Dntel's Dumb Luck
Jimmy Tamborello is best known these days as one-half of the Postal Service, but he's been hammering away at this other project for some 13 years now. If that's not enough reason to check out this spacey release, guest appearances by Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis, plus members of Grizzly Bear and the Moving Units should do the trick.

All Smiles' Ten Readings of a Warning
Jim Fairchild isn't wasting any time after the dissolution of Grandaddy last year. The guitarist, who also lends Earlimart some help with production from time to time, has become the first ex-Grandaddy member to step up with solo material. Recorded over sporadic sessions with drummers Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse), Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney), Danny Seim (Menomena) and others, Fairchild also takes a seat at the piano amid all the guitar buzz.

Various artists' In the Mind of Nitin Sawhney
You might know Sawhney's name from the wealth of big-name artists he has produced, including Massive Attack and Aqualung. But even if you don't, this comp will give you the sense that the electronic guru is worth noting — D'Angelo, Koop and Air tracks are also included, as is "Songbird," which Sawhney cut exclusively for the set.

Midnight Movies' Lion the Girl
Previously a trio, the Los Angeles quartet beef up with a new rhythm section and gang up with Nirvana producer Steve Fisk for their second outing. Singer Gena Olivier said in a press release that Lion is "an album about pure love"; songs include "Patient Eye," "Coral Den" and "Parallel Paramour."

Calvin Johnson & the Sons of Soul's Calvin Johnson & the Sons of the Soil
Speaking of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain's former Seattle buddy joins forces with Wolf Colonel's Jason Anderson, Yume Bitsu's Adam Forkner and Little Wings' Kyle Field to recap Johnson's greatest hits. That includes songs by a variety of Johnson projects — Dub Narcotic Sound System, the Halo Benders and the Go Team.

Cornelius' Sensuous
The Japanese electro-pop wunderkind started his career with one of the best-regarded indie albums of the 1990s, Fantasma, then finally followed it five years later with the widely panned Point. Now Cornelius is hoping to rebound with his third album, which is unfortunately being called a continuation of his last release. Oh well — even if it doesn't turn out so hot, at least you can enjoy a cover of the Rat Pack classic "Sleep Warm" and an interactive widget of Tokyo.

Various artists' SC100
Bloomington, Indiana, indie label Secretly Canadian gets some much-deserved love in the form of its 100th release. Helping blow out the candles are Swearing at Motorists, Damien Jurado and Early Day Miners — who largely owe their careers to the label, which is in its 11th year. Nikki Sudden tosses in a cover of June's "See(ing) Double" for good measure.

The Detroit Cobras' - Tied & True
One of the underground's strongest garage-rock bands barrels back with its first set of studio material in three years. Singer Rachel Nagy branches into soul territory while Greg Cartwright of the Reigning Sound helps out. Songs include "Leave My Kitten Alone," "(I Wanna Know) What's Going On" and "Nothing but a Heartache."

Transmission O's Memory of a Dream
Isis and Neurosis fans look no further — this Dutch band could be next in line to take up the sludge-metal torch. The plodding, long-lasting release — it clocks in at well over an hour — finds Today Is the Day major domo Steve Austin chipping in some support as the band slowly pummels its listeners into oblivion.

Lifesavas' Gutterfly
Portland, Oregon's blaxploitation-obsessed sophomores called on Fishbone, Dead Prez, Living Colour's Vernon Reid and others for their conceptual release, which finds fictional 'hood superheroes struggling in Razorblade City. (Fishbone's first studio album in six years, Still Stuck in Your Throat, also drops this week.)

Song Title of the Week:

"Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man" from Bill Callahan's Work on a Whaleheart

New Releases:

· Aa - gAme (two CDs; Gigantic)
· Alex Delivery - Star Destroyer (Jagjaguwar)
· All Smiles - Ten Readings of a Warning (Dangerbird)
· Ellen Allien - The Other Side Berlin (Deaf Dumb & Blind)
· Fred Anderson & Hamid Drake - From the River to the Ocean (Thrill Jockey)
· Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare (Domino) [Buy Now]
· Assemblage 23 - Meta (Metropolis)
· Bassnectar - Underground Communication (Om)
· Between the Trees - The Story and the Song (Bonded)
· The Blow - Poor Aim: Love Songs (K)
· Blutch - Materia (At a Loss)
· Chuck Brown - We're About the Business (Raw Venture)
· Norman Brown - Stay With Me (Peak)
· Patrizio Buanne - Forever Begins Tonight (Republic)
· Bill Callahan - Work on a Whaleheart (Drag City)
· Michel Camilo - Spirit of the Moment (Telarc)
· Chinese Stars - Listen to Your Left Brain (Three One G)
· Cliks - Snakehouse (Tommy Boy)
· Confederate Railroad - Cheap Thrills (Shanachie)
· Contradiction - The Voice of Hatred (Locomotive)
· Cornelius - Sensuous (Everloving) [Buy Now]
· Dark Tranquillity - Fiction (Century Media)
· Detroit Cobras - Tied & True (Bloodshot)
· Dntel - Dumb Luck (Sub Pop) [Buy Now]
· Eccodek - Voices Have Eyes (White Swan)
· The Electric Soft Parade - No Need to Be Downhearted (Better Looking)
· Ensiferum - Victory Songs (Candlelight)
· Benjamín Escoriza - Alevanta! (World Music Network)
· Ibrahim Ferrer - Mi Sueño (Nonesuch) [Buy Now]
· Tim Finn - Imaginary Kingdom (Manhattan)
· Fishbone - Still Stuck in Your Throat (Sound in Color) [Buy Now]
· Sue Foley, Deborah Coleman and Roxanne Potvin - Time Bomb (Ruf)
· Front Line Assembly - Fallout (Metropolis)
· The F---ing Champs - VI (Drag City)
· Future Clouds & Radar - Future Clouds & Radar (two CDs; Star Apple Kingdom)
· Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 (enhanced; Vice)
· Bebel Gilberto - Momento (Six Degrees)
· The Go Find - Stars on the Wall (Morr)
· God Module - Let's Go Dark (Metropolis)
· Buddy Greco - The Man and the Music (SRO)
· Gus Gus - Forever (Groove Attack) [Buy Now]
· Colin Hay - Are You Lookin' at Me? (Compass)
· Armand Van Helden - Guetto Blaster (Ultra)
· ILikeTrains - Progressive Reform (Beggars Banquet)
· Joe - Ain't Nothin' Like Me (Jive) [Buy Now]
· Calvin Johnson & the Sons of the Soil - Calvin Johnson & the Sons of Soul (K)
· Sunshine Jones - Seven Tracks in Seven Days (MVD Audio)
· Ralph Lawson - Fabric 33 (Fabric)
· Lifesavas - Gutterfly (Quannum Projects)
· Kalli - While the City Sleeps (One Little Indian)
· Kill the Romance - Take Another Life (Locomotive)
· Mando Diao - Ode to Ochrasy (enhanced; Mute)
· Keiko Matsui - Moyo (Shout! Factory)
· Maria McKee - Late December (Cooking Vinyl)
· Marillion - Somewhere Else (MVD Audio)
· McCarthy Trenching - McCarthy Trenching (Team Love)
· Messer Chups - Hyena Safari (AeroCCCP)
· Midnight Movies - Lion the Girl (New Line)
· Jane Monheit - Surrender (Concord)
· Kiko Navarro - Perceptions of Pacha (Swank)
· Nazanin - Someday (Bodog)
· New Years Day - My Dear (enhanced; TVT)
· The Nightwatchman - One Man Revolution (Epic) [Buy Now]
Read: "Nightwatchman, Rage Reunion Have Morello Fired Up For Political Fights"
· Nostradameus - Pathway (Locomotive)
· The Old Soul - The Old Soul (Friendly Fire)
· OOIOO - OOEYEOO: Eye Remix (EP; Thrill Jockey)
· Joel Ortiz - The Brick: Bodega Chronicles (Koch)
· Donny Osmond - Love Songs of the '70s (Decca)
· Pela - Anytown Graffiti (Great Society)
· Peder - And He Just Pointed to the Sky ... (Ubiquity)
· PlayRadioPlay! - The Frequency EP (Stolen Transmission)
· Polyrhythm Addicts - Break Glass ... (Babygrande)
· Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (limited-edition version also available; Atlantic) [Buy Now]
Read: "Porcupine Tree's Wilson Talks Complex New LP, Project With Opeth's Akerfeldt"
· John Prine & Mac Wiseman - Standard Songs for Average People (Oh Boy)
· Rabbit in the Moon - Decade (two CDs; South Beat)
· Joshua Redmond - Back East (Nonesuch)
· REO Speedwagon - Find Your Own Way Home (Mailboat)
· Sa-Ra Creative Partners - The Hollywood Recordings (Babygrande)
· Saturday Knights - The Saturday Knights (EP; Light in the Attic)
· Secret Voices - No Time for Silence (1K)
· Brittany Shane - Brittany Shane (EP; self-release)
· Simply Red - Stay (self-release)
· Patti Smith - Twelve (Columbia) [Buy Now]
· Mavis Staples - We'll Never Turn Back (Anti-)
· Stinking Lizaveta - Scream of the Iron Iconoclast (At a Loss)
· Sunburned Hand of the Man - Z (Ecstatic Peace)
· Avey Tare & Kria Brekkan - Pullhair Rubeye (Paw Tracks)
· Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu - Joystone (Ubiquity)
· Test Your Reflex - The Burning Hour (RCA)
· Tilomo - Soft Lunch (1K)
· Toasters - One More Bullet (Stomp)
· Transmission O - Memory of a Dream (Candlelight)
· Two Cow Garage - III (Suburban Home)
· Vanna - Curses (Epitaph)
· Veils - Nux Vomita (enhanced; Rough Trade)
· Dale Watson - From the Cradle to the Grave (Hyena)
· Sara Wendt - Weightless With Love (EP; City Canyons)
· Deniece Williams - Love, Niecy Style (Shanachie)
· Young Galaxy - Young Galaxy (Arts & Crafts)
· Young Gods - Super Ready/ Fragmente (Ipecac)
· James Zabiela and Nic Fanciulli - One+One (Ministry of Sound)
· Various artists - A Tribute to Joni Mitchell (Nonesuch)
· Various artists - Ballads of the Book (Chemikal Underground)
· Various artists - In the Mind of Nitin Sawhney (District 6)
· Various artists - SC100 (Secretly Canadian)
· Various artists - Snoop Dogg Presents: The Big Squeeze (Koch) [Buy Now]
Read: "Snoop Says Rappers And Imus Are 'Two Separate Things'; Talks New Comp"
· Various artists - "Lucky You" soundtrack (Columbia)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material: · Anjani - Blue Alert (with DVD; Sony/Legacy)
· Arch Enemy - Black Earth (enhanced; Earsplit/Regain)
· Steve Austin - 800 Lb. Gorilla (UMe)
· The Band - The Best of a Musical History (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Capitol)
· Laura Branigan - Greatest Hits: The Best of Laura Branigan (Rhino)
· Leonard Cohen - Songs From a Room; Songs of Leonard Cohen; and Songs of Love And Hate (Sony/Legacy)
· Ella Fitzgerald - Lullabies of Birdland and Sweet and Hot (UMe)
· Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Shout! Factory)
· Genesis - Genesis: 1976-1981 (box set with six CDs and six DVDs; Rhino)
· Marduk - Dark Endless; Heaven Shall Burn; Opus Nocturne; Those of the Unlight (Regain)
· Dito Montiel - Dito Montiel (Rhino)
· Neil Sedaka - The Definitive Collection (Razor & Tie)
· Various artists - "Hope Floats" soundtrack (Capitol/EMI)

Music DVDs: · Abba - "Dancing Queen Interviews" (MVD Visual)
· Bell, Maggie & Midnight Flyer - "Live Montreux, July 1981" (MVD Visual)
· Blood Sweat & Tears - "Spinning Wheel" (MVD Visual)
· Tim Buckley - "My Fleeting House" (MVD Visual)
· Champion - "Different Directions: The Last Show" (with CD; Bridge Nine)
· Leonard Cohen - "Under Review 1934-1977" (MVD Visual)
· Destroy All Monsters - "Grow Live Monsters" (MVD Visual)
· Aynsley Lister - "Live!" (MVD Visual)
· Todd Snider - "The Devil You Know" (New Door)
· Stryper - "Greatest Hits: Live in Puerto Rico" (MVD Visual)
· War - "Loose Grooves: Funkin' Live in England 1980" (MVD Visual)
· Wisdom in Chains - "Die for Us Live" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "The American Folk Blues Festivals 1963-1966: The British Tours" (UMe)
· Various artists - "The Hollywood Sound" (Kultur)
· Various artists - "The Legendary Crooners" (Standing Room Only)

Coming Attractions:

May 1:
· Tori Amos - American Doll Posse (special edition comes with DVD; Epic) [Preorder]
Read: "Tori Amos Forms Anti-Bush Posse By Mutating Into Greek Goddesses"
· Ne-Yo - Because of You (Def Jam) [Preorder]
Read: "Ne-Yo Getting To Know Jennifer Hudson While He Waits For Britney"
· Various artists - "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack (Record Collection)
Read: " 'Spider-Man 3' Soundtrack Features Killers, Snow Patrol"

May 8:
· Björk - Volta (Atlantic) [Preorder]
Read: "Tsunami, Timbaland Help Shape Bjork's Forthcoming Volta"
· Bones Thugs-N-Harmony - Strength and Loyalty (Full Surface/ Interscope) [Preorder]
Read: "Bone Thugs Dropping Two New LPs; Second Disc To Feature Dre, Kanye, Mariah"
· Mike Jones - The American Dream (Ice Age) [Preorder]
· Elliott Smith - New Moon (two CDs; Kill Rock Stars) [Preorder]
· Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion (Def Jam) [Preorder]
Read: "Bobby Valentino Looks Out For The Ladies With New Album, Jean Line"

May 15:
· Megadeth - United Abominations (Roadrunner)
· Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight (Warner Bros.)
Read: "Linkin Park Finish Apocalyptic Album, Revive Projekt Revolution Tour"
· Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (enhanced; Nonesuch)

• Snoop Dogg
• The Nightwatchman
• Joe
• Arctic Monkeys
• Dntel

Tom Morello performing as the Nightwatchman
Photo: Matthew Simmons/ Getty Images

Over the last four years, Tom Morello has been leading something of a double life.

To most folks, he's beenAudioslave's virtuoso guitarist — nothing more. But when his band hasn't been in a recording studio or rattling the rafters of packed arenas on the road, Morello has been moonlighting as a folk-singing activist, performing in small California coffeehouses and elsewhere under the moniker the Nightwatchman (see "Tom Morello Rages Against A New Machine On Solo Acoustic Tour").

And in that time, Morello has penned a number of protest songs, which he recorded last year with producer Brendan O'Brien (Incubus, Rage Against the Machine) over four days in an Atlanta studio. The end result, One Man Revolution, is Morello's first solo offering and drops April 24.

"The Nightwatchman is the black Robin Hood of 21st century music," the guitarist proclaimed. "This is material I am very proud of, and due to the troubled times we live in, it seemed like it was an appropriate time to get this music out. Some people might say it's kind of preaching to the converted, but frankly, the converted need a kick in the ass. Given the situation in our country and around the world, the fact that the White House is not ringed with pitchforks and torches means that people are not either paying enough attention or following through with how aghast they actually are."

According to Morello, the Nightwatchman "is a reaction against illicit wars, a reaction against first strikes, torture, secret prisons, spying illegally on American citizens. It's a reaction against war crimes, and it's a reaction against a few corporations that grow rich [off] this illicit war while people beg for food in the city streets" — in short, it's a figurative middle finger directed squarely at the Bush administration.

Likewise, a reaction to the current state of affairs inspired the revival of Morello's other rock collective, Rage Against the Machine. The band — Morello, bassist Tim Commerford, drummer Brad Wilk and frontman Zack de la Rocha — will reunite after seven years of dormancy, to close out this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on April 29. on April 29 (see "Rage Against The Machine To Reunite For Coachella Festival"). The three-day festival will also feature performances by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Arcade Fire, Interpol, the Arctic Monkeys, Ghostface Killah and Björk, among others. It will be Rage's sole reunion gig — at least for the foreseeable future.

According to Morello, Rage's re-formation seeks to "deliver a knockout blow to the Bush administration. And hopefully, one night in the desert is all it will take. They're teetering, so ..."

Morello said Coachella organizers have been trying to convince the band to re-form for the fest "for as many years as they've had the festival." While he has said in previous interviews that a Rage reunion was unlikely, and the band has continually turned down the Coachella offers, Morello said the time was just right for a Rage return.

"Is it coincidence that in the seven years that Rage Against the Machine has been away that the country has slid into right-wing purgatory? I think not," he said. "It occurred to all of us that the times were right to see if we can knock the Bush administration out in one fell swoop, and we hope to do that job well. This administration has done enough damage that it may take generations to undo. This is an administration that believes it's beyond the laws of the land, which is fine for emperors, but not so great for presidents. One thing this president isn't above is the laws of physics, and there is no action without reaction. And we're part of that reaction."

Morello isn't sure what the future holds for his Audioslave, saying that for the moment, the Nightwatchman is his principal focus. "To me, it seems that the world needs songs of rebellion and revolution right now. It's exciting, man," he said of the Coachella gig. The Nightwatchman will also be taking the festival's stage on April 28.

The Nightwatchman was born inside a coffeehouse in L.A. in front of "eight people and a whirring latte machine." Morello and a group of his songwriting friends would get together and perform for each other, which took some getting used to, the guitarist said.

"I have complete confidence standing with an electric guitar, rocking huge riffs in a full arena, but I was absolutely petrified playing in front of 12 people, anonymously, in these little coffee shops," he confided.

For Morello, the hardest thing about performing as the Nightwatchman was learning how to sing — on One Man Revolution, Morello's voice recalls a young Leonard Cohen, before the thousands of cigarettes and glasses of tequila.

"It was really a trial by fire for someone who had never sung and performed solo," he said. "I've, for 15 years, been playing loud experimental rock music, and have [reverted] to the purity and the commitment of this kind of acoustic music.

"I've always been attracted to music that was dark and heavy, and it has really dawned on me over the last five years that music doesn't have to be loud," he continued. "Guitars don't have to be played through Marshall stacks in order to make the heaviest and darkest music that happens on records like [Bruce] Springsteen's [brooding 1982 classic] Nebraska or the early Dylan records."

One Man Revolution, Morello said, boasts two kinds of songs — ones that were written for specific political issues and agendas, and others that could speak to other kinds of social injustice. He wrote "Union Song" for workers' rights, and was inspired to craft the track after performing during a steel-workers' rally.

" 'No One Left' was written in the aftermath of 9/11," he explained. "There were lots of songs written in the wake of 9/11, but no one wrote that song. No one wrote about how the loss of a daughter or of a father or of a mother knows no borders, knows no political or religious affiliation — that that pain is universal, and should inform decision-making. Many of the songs on the record come from a very different place. When I started writing lyrics, I just put the antenna up, and whatever came down — whether it's dark tales of bitterness and retribution like 'Battle Hymns' or prophecy like 'California's Dark' or existential warnings like 'House Gone Up In Flames' or 'Flesh Shapes the Day' — those are songs that I'm not sure where they come from, but it worries me a little that they come from inside of me.

"It comes from accepting something I always suspected," he continued. "I was the only black kid in an all-white town growing up. I was the only anarchist in a conservative high school. I was the only heavy-metal, punk-rock guitar player at Harvard University, and I was the only Harvard grad in an underground Hollywood band. Now, I am one of only a few committed activists in a commercialized pop-music world. And so, I think making this record was a very important step for me."

• Tom Morello
• The Nightwatchman
• Rage Against the Machine
• Audioslave