New Releases: Audioslave, Gorillaz, Common, Wallflowers, Sleater-Kinney & More

23 May 2005 08:37:00 EDT

Also due Tuesday are albums from Stephen Malkmus and Nikka Costa.
By Alyssa Rashbaum

Audioslave's Out of Exile
Photo: Interscope

After making history earlier this month by playing the biggest show ever by an American rock band in Cuba, Audioslave are preparing to take on the albums chart this week. The band is releasing its sophomore album, Out of Exile, which follows 2002's self-titled album.

After four long years of waiting for two-dimensional artists Gorillaz to deliver a studio follow-up to their 2001 self-titled album, the band composed of animated members 2-D, Russel, Murdoc and Noodle is back with Demon Days. Led by its first single, "Feel Good Inc.," the LP features two major changes — the absence of former producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and the presence of Danger Mouse in his place.

Common, king of conscious rap, is going back to his roots with his latest album, Be. After releasing 2002's highly experimental, sprawling Electric Circus, Common narrows his focus this time around, employing two main producers, Kanye West and J Dilla.

The Wallflowers are taking a cue from the title of their new album, Rebel, Sweetheart, defying the ever-changing climate of the mainstream with another straight-up rock and roll album that follows 2002's Red Letter Days.

Nikka Costa's long-awaited new album, Can'tneverdidnothin, hits stores this week on the heels of the single "Till I Get to You." Frank Sinatra's goddaughter is back, four years after the release of Everybody Got Their Something.

Former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus releases his third solo album, Face the Truth, while fiery female rock trio Sleater-Kinney follow up 2002's One Beat with The Woods. South African hard rockers Seether unleash their sophomore effort, Karma and Effect.

On the hip-hop side of new releases, there's the latest from Young Gunz (Brothers From Another), former Immature/IMX member Marques Houston (Naked) and B.G. (The Heart of tha Streetz).

In DVD news, fans of Dave Chappelle who are still reeling over the news that the next season of his "Chappelle's Show" will be postponed can comfort themselves with the DVD of season two.

Also out this week are albums by Belle and Sebastian (Push Barman to Open Old Wounds), Alkaline Trio (Crimson), Gucci Mane (Trap House), the Agony Scene (The Darkest Red), Death in Vegas (Satan's Circus), Shout Out Louds (Howl Howl Gaff Gaff), Pretty Ricky (Bluestars), Meat Beat Manifesto (At the Center) and Shelby Lynne (Suit Yourself).

Out Tuesday, May 24:

The Agony Scene - The Darkest Red (Roadrunner)
Alkaline Trio - Crimson (Vagrant)
Amber Pacific - The Possibility and the Promise (Hopeless)
Audioslave - Out of Exile (Interscope)
Read "Audioslave's Morello Says New LP Feels Less Like Soundgarden + Rage"
Buy Now: Out of Exile (Interscope)
Walter Beasley - For Her (Heads Up)
Belle and Sebastian - Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (Matador)
B.G. - The Heart of tha Streetz (Koch)
Ron Blake - Sonic Tonic (Mack Avenue)
Blusom - The Metapolitan (Second Nature)
Brian Bromberg - Choices (Artistry Music)
The Dave Brubeck Quartet - London Flat, London Sharp (Telarc)
Richard Cheese - Aperitif for Destruction (Surfdog)
Freddy Cole - This Love of Mine (HighNote)
Common - Be (Geffen)
Read "Common Lets It Be On Upcoming Down-Home Album"
Buy Now: Be (Geffen)
Nikka Costa - Can'tneverdidnothin' (Virgin)
Buy Now: Can'tneverdidnothin' (Virgin)
Robert Cray - Twenty (Sanctuary)
Death in Vegas - Satan's Circus (Fuel 2000)
Tony DeSare - Want You (Telarc)
Bruce Dickinson - Tyranny of Souls (Sanctuary)
Jeff Golub - Temptation (Narada)
Gorillaz - Demon Days (Virgin)
Read "Cartoon Gorillaz Put A Muzzle On Danger Mouse, Damon Albarn"
Buy Now: Demon Days (Virgin)
Jackie Greene - Sweet Somewhere Bound (Verve)
Drew Gress - 7 Black Butterflies (Premonition)
Adam Guettel - The Light in the Piazza (Nonesuch)
Head of Femur - Hysterical Stars (spinART)
Marques Houston - Naked (Universal)
Read "Omarion, Marques Team Up With 'Served' Director For More Films"
Buy Now: Naked (Universal)
Hank Jones - For My Father (Justin Time)
Sara Lazarus - Give Me the Simple Life (Dreyfus)
Little Milton - Think of Me (Telarc)
Lucero - Nobody's Darlings (Liberty and Lament)
Shelby Lynne - Suit Yourself (Capitol)
Magic Arrows - Sweat Heavenly Angel of Death (Wobblyhead)
Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth (Matador)
Read "Stephen Malkmus Hoping For Crunk Success With New LP"
Buy Now: Face the Truth (Matador)
Gucci Mane - Trap House (Big Cat)
Hugh Masekela - Revival (Heads Up)
Meat Beat Manifesto - At the Center (Thirsty Ear)
Old Blind Dogs - Play Live (Green Linnet)
Pretty Ricky - Bluestars (Atlantic)
Seether - Karma and Effect (Wind-Up)
Read: "Seether Frontman Shaun Morgan Is Very Angry"
Buy Now: Karma and Effect (Wind-Up)
SF Jazz Collective - SF Jazz Collective (Nonesuch)
Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Capitol)
Read: "Shout Out Louds Out To Show Love Is The Same In Any Language"
Buy Now: Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Capitol)
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods (Sub Pop)
Read "Sleater-Kinney Coming To Your Neck Of The Woods"
Buy Now: The Woods (Sub Pop)
Maria Taylor - 11:11 (Saddle Creek)
Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez - Red Dog Tracks (Back Porch)
James Blood Ulmer - Birthright (Hyena)
Wallflowers - Rebel, Sweetheart (Interscope)
Buy Now: Rebel, Sweetheart (Interscope)
Cedar Walton - Underground Memoirs (HighNote)
Young Gunz - Brothers From Another (Roc-A-Fella)
Read "Jay-Z Gives New Young Gunz Record A Presidential Push"
Buy Now: Brothers From Another (Roc-A-Fella)
Youth Group - Skeleton Jar (Epitaph)
Miguel Zenón - Jíbaro (Marsalis Music)
Various artists - "Cinderella Man" soundtrack (Decca)
Various artists - "The Longest Yard" soundtrack (Universal)
Various artists - "Lords of Dogtown" soundtrack (Geffen)
Various artists - "Madagascar" soundtrack (Dreamworks)
Various artists - Motown Remixed (Motown)
DVD: "Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme" (Palm Pictures)
DVD: "Brian Wilson Presents Smile" (Rhino Home Video)
DVD: "Chappelle's Show - Season 2" (Paramount)

May 31:

Better Than Ezra - Before the Robots (Artemis)
Maxïmo Park - A Certain Trigger (Warp)
Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth (Epic)
Read "Noel Gallagher Refuses To Watch New Oasis Video"

June 7: