New Releases: Cam'ron, Raconteurs, Christina Milian, Ashley Parker Angel, Hoobastank & More

16 May 2006 06:00:00 EDT

Also due Tuesday: Whirlwind Heat, Twilight Singers, Depeche Mode, Dinosaur Jr., Rock Kills Kid.
By Kurt Orzeck

Cam'ron's Killa Season
Photo: Diplomat /Asylum Records

'Tis the Season: Cam'ron fans have been waiting to hear Killa deliver on the Jay-Z disses he not-so-subtly previewed earlier this year with a press conference and video spoof for the songs "Lick It or Not" and "Wet Wipes." Cam milks the press conference for all its worth, including it on a DVD accompanying the limited-edition run of Killa Season. That version also has behind-the-scenes footage of Cam's recent movie of the same name, plus two bonus songs.

Rac-A-Fellas: Pick up your copy of the Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers debut in Japan and you'll find a bonus song, "The Bane Rendition." If you're searching for Jack White's other band in Australia, you'll have to look under "S" instead, since the group has to go by the name the Saboteurs down there for copyright reasons. But if you're in the States, you'll find the record in its 10-track splendor. Songs include "Steady, As She Goes," "Store Bought Bones" and "Intimate Secretary."

Milian Dollar Baby: If you were ahead of the ball, you might have requested a copy of Christina Milian's So Amazin' over iTunes, netting you two bonus songs and a couple of unreleased mixes of the first single, "Say I." But that's OK if you didn't, since all versions of the Cool & Dre-produced record are enhanced with the "Say I" video. And the singer adds a little hustle to her flow on "Who's Gonna Ride," featuring Three Six Mafia.

Stankonia: The third whiff from Hoobastank has a seven-minute songs with flutes ("More Than a Memory") and a vocal contribution from an actual barking sergeant. But if that's not enough reason to pick up Every Man for Himself, a limited-edition version comes with a bonus tee (no, it's not scratch and sniff), and both editions are enhanced with some video treats.

Lean on Them: Hip-hop artists seek help from big-name producers on virtually every record, but this week sees a bunch of rock acts canoodling with members of other bands. Rookies Rock Kills Kid cozy up with ex-Drive Like Jehu member Mark Trombino for their major-label blast-off, Are You Nervous? (should they really be the ones asking that question?). Five albums in, Mason Jennings looks for a shot of adrenaline from Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock, whose Glacial Pace imprint is putting out the Minneapolis singer/songwriter's LP (which unlocks additional content on MasonJennings.com). And another singer/songwriter, Marykate O'Neil, enlisted Jill Sobule to co-write and perform on much of her new one, 1-800-Bankrupt.

Cure keyboardist Roger O'Donnell, whose The Truth in Me was made entirely on a Moog, beckoned Postal Service member Jimmy Tamborello and Notwist keyboardist Martin Gretschmann to remix two tracks from the record. O'Donnell's second record also christens his new label, 99 X Out of Ten. Run Run Run — a band that cites the Cure as a big influence — hook up with Bauhaus' David J for their debut LP, Endless Winter. J, Z Trip and Madonna producer Marcus Brown bolster the limited-edition double-disc version of the record with remixes, while the album itself huddles together some tracks from the Los Angelinos' self-released EPs.

Age Discrimination: None of the Finals are more than 25 years old, which should give their John Naclerio (My Chemical Romance, Brand New)-produced debut, Plan Your Getaway, an even younger appeal. Instrumentalist Mike Oldfield sold more than 16 million copies of his Tubular Bells record when he was still in his teens, and his performances from eight years later are captured on the DVD "Live at Montreux 1981." And singer/songwriter/super-producer T Bone Burnett — who hasn't released a solo LP in 14 years — is making up for lost time by simultaneously releasing the new DualDisc The True False Identity and the compilation Twenty Twenty: The Essential T Bone Burnett.

Song Title of the Week:

"My Electric Underwear" from Whirlwind Heat's Types of Wood

Other Notables:

Ashley Parker Angel's Soundtrack to Your Life vs. Radioinactive's Soundtrack to a Book: Where's Soundtrack of Our Lives when we need them? Surely they'd break the stalemate between this week's two soundtracks that technically aren't. The former O-Town singer's "There and Back" TV show has led him to happiness, as he plainly states on "I'm Better," "Feel So Alive" and "Perfect Now." Radioinactive, a member of avant-garde hip-hoppers the Shapeshifters, is anything but simple on his Book, for which he culled a synthesizer built in 1975, a robot from '78 and a recording made by a cult leader in '82. Radio's charming cover photo — it's a shot of him as a kid, playing with a droid — gives him even more of an advantage.

Depeche Mode's reissues vs. Dinosaur Jr.'s reissues: While they weren't exactly from the same era — DM got off to an earlier start in 1980 — both bands peaked artistically in the late '80s and reveled in the doom and gloom throughout. Now their best works are being remastered for all you fancy-pants fans: DM's Speak & Spell, Music for the Masses and Violator are being dished out again, this time with a bonus DVD of 5.1 and enhanced-stereo mixes, DVD-only B-sides and remixes, a short film about the making of the record and deluxe packaging with lyrics and hard-to-find pics. Dinosaur Jr.'s notable Green Mind and Where You Been have three bonus tracks apiece, but alas, no extra disc. Also due this week is frontman J Mascis' self-explanatory Live at CBGB's: The First Acoustic Show, an unreleased LP limited to just 5,000 copies and available only at the Coalition of Independent Music Stores. The 1993 gig — at which Mascis played a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Every Mother's Son" — clinches him the brass ring.

The Wedding Present's Search for Paradise: Three songs from last year's Take Fountain, plus a heap of remixes and B-sides, constitute the U.K. band's second release since reuniting in 2004. Tacked onto the set is a DVD containing a film that accompanies a live acoustic version of "Perfect Blue," behind-the-scenes stuff and clips for "Interstate 5," "I'm From Further North Than You," "Ringway to Seatac" and "Don't Touch That Dial."

The Twilight Singers's Powder Burns: No less than Ani DiFranco and Joseph Arthur helped Greg Dulli and his Twilight Singers with their fourth effort, Powder Burns, which they partially documented in New Orleans with Neville Brothers (and Joseph Arthur) collaborator Mike Napolitano. That location alone brings extra weight to songs like "Toward the Waves" and "Underneath the Waves."

New Releases:

Ashley Parker Angel - Soundtrack to Your Life (Universal)

Buy Now: Soundtrack to Your Life (Universal)

Bananarama - Drama (The Lab)

Buy Now: Drama (The Lab)

The Bank Robbers - Tomorrow Belongs to Me (No Milk)
Bal-Sagoth - The Chthonic Chronicles (Candlelight)
Ignacio Berroa - Codes (Blue Note)
Big 10-4 - Testing the Atmosphere (Universal)
The Blue Bloods - Death of a Salesman (I Scream)
T Bone Burnett - The True False Identity (DualDisc due same day; Columbia)
Cam'ron - Killa Season (limited-edition version with DVD and two bonus tracks due same day; Rap-a-Lot)
Read: "Mixtape Monday: LL Cool J Stays Hungry, Cam'ron Delivers A Preview"

Buy Now: Killa Season (Rap-a-Lot)

Crackjaw - Giants From the Stereo (I Scream)
Paul Di'Anno - The Living Dead (with DVD; Cleopatra)
Dir En Grey - Withering to Death (Warcon)
Dirtie Blonde - Dirtie Blonde (Jive)
Dissection - Reinkaos (The End)
Don Caballero - World Class Listening Problem (Relapse)
Tim Easton - Ammunition (New West)
The Finals - Plan Your Getaway (EP: Stab Me)
Gigi - Gold & Wax (digipak; Palm Pictures)
Hawnay Troof - Dollar and Deed (two CDs; Retard Disco)
Hillstomp - The Woman Who Ended It All (In Music We Trust)
Hoobastank - Every Man for Himself (limited-edition version due same day; Island)
Read: "Hoobastank Find Inspiration For New LP In Scott Weiland's Cold Shoulder"

Buy Now: Every Man for Himself (Island)

Ignite - Our Darkest Days (Abacus)
The iOs - In Sunday Songs (Kanine)
Mason Jennings - Boneclouds (Epic)
Lotus - The Strength of Weak Ties (Harmonized)
The Marked Men - Fix My Brain (Swami)
Mary Lee's Corvette - Love Loss & Lunacy (digipak; Western Force)
David Mead - Tangerine (Tallulah)
Melvins - Houdini Live: A Live History of Gluttony and Lust (Ipecac)
Minutes Til Midnight - Godless Regardless (EP; self release)
Christina Milian - So Amazin' (enhanced; Island)

Buy Now: So Amazin' (Island)

Misery Index - Discordia (Relapse)
Mower - Not for You (Suburban Noize)
Charlie Musselwhite - Delta Hardware Co (Real World)
Neaera - Let the Tempest Come (Metal Blade)
Roger O'Donnell - The Truth in Me (99 X Out of Ten)
Marykate O'Neil - 1-800-Bankrupt (Nettwerk/ 71 Recordings)
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (V2/ Third Man)
Read: "Jack White: Don't Call The Raconteurs A Side Project")

Buy Now: Broken Boy Soldiers (V2/ Third Man)

Radio 4 - Enemies Like This (Astralwerks)

Buy Now: Enemies Like This (Astralwerks)

Radioinactive - Soundtrack to a Book (Stranger Touch)
Rock Kills Kid - Are You Nervous? (Reprise)
Read: "Rock Kills Kid Bring Music From Windowless Room To Radio"

Buy Now: Are You Nervous? (Reprise)

Run Run Run - Endless Winter (Song and Dance)
Russian Circles - Enter (digipak; Flameshovel)
Sam Roberts - Chemical City (digipak; Secret Brain/ Fontana)

Buy Now: Chemical City (Secret Brain/ Fontana)

Saviours - Crucifire (Level Plane)
Sinister - Afterburner (Candlelight)
This Is Hell - Sundowning (Trustkill)
The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns (One Little Indian)
Unwed Sailor - Circles (EP; Burnt Toast)
Ben Vaughn - Ben Vaughn Presents: Designs in Music (Soundstage 15)
Viking Skull - Born in Hell (456 Entertainment)
Vreid - Pitch Black Brigade (Candlelight)
The Wedding Present - Search for Paradise (with bonus DVD; Manifesto)
Whirlwind Heat - Types of Wood (Brille)

Buy Now: Types of Wood (Brille)

Whitestarr - Luv Machine (Contango)
The Wonder Stuff - Suspended by Stars (Reincarnate)
The Year Of - Slow Days (digipak; Morr)
Benjamin Zephaniah - Naked (One Little Indian)
Zyklon - Disintegrate (Candlelight)
Various artists - "Over the Hedge" soundtrack (Epic)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

Cannonball Adderley Quartet - Why Am I Treated So Bad (Blue Note)
T Bone Burnett - Twenty Twenty: The Essential T Bone Burnett (two CDs; DMZ /Columbia /Legacy)
Serge Chaloff - Boston Blow Up (Blue Note)
Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses, Speak & Spell and Violator (deluxe editions with a bonus DVD for each; Rhino)

Buy Now: Music for the Masses, Speak & Spell and Violator (Rhino)

Dinosaur Jr - Green Mind and Where You Been (remastered with bonus tracks; Rhino)
Hallows Eve - History of Terror (two CDs plus bonus DVD; Metal Blade)
Hanson - 20th Century Masters: The Best of Hanson - The Millennium Collection (Universal)
The Jazz Crusaders - At the Lighthouse (Blue Note)
Stan Kenton - Sophisticated Approach (Blue Note)
J Mascis - Live at CBGB's: The First Acoustic Show (limited to 5,000 copies, only on sale at Coalition of Independent Music Stores; Rhino)
Material Issue - 20th Century Masters: The Best of Hanson - The Millennium Collection (Universal)
Lou Rawls - Tobacco Road (Blue Note)
Johnny Rodriguez - 20th Century Masters: The Best of Hanson - The Millennium Collection (Universal)

Music DVDs:

America and Friends - "Live at the Ventura Theater" (Cleopatra)
Louis Armstrong - "King of Jazz" (Music Video Distributors)
Blondie - "Live 1978" (Eagle Vision)
Chick Corea Akoustic Band - "Rendezvous in New York" (Image)
Chick Corea & Origin - "Rendezvous in New York" (Image)
Culture Club - "Live in Sydney" (Eagle Vision)
Dublin City Ramblers - "Favourite Irish Folk Songs" (Doonaree)
Duran Duran - "The Ultimate Review" (Classic Rock Legends)
Herb Ellis - "Live" (Music Video Distributors)
Little Feat - "Little Feat & Friends in Jamaica: Burgers & Paradise" (Hot Tomato)
G.B.H. - "Charged on Stage: City Baby Attacked by Rats" (Music Video Distributors)
Ray Gallen - "Irish Heartbeat: A Bodhrán Tutorial" (Doonaree)
Journey - "Live in Houston 1981: The Escape Tour" (Columbia)
Mike Oldfield - "Live at Montreux 1981" (Eagle Vision)
Lee Scratch Perry - "Lee Scratch Perry in Concert: The Ultimate Album" (Music Video Distributors)
Amalia Rodrigues - "The Spirit of Fado" (Music Video Distributors)
Randy Sabien - "Live in Minneapolis" (Music Video Distributors)
Sham 69 - "Hersham Boys" (Music Video Distributors)
Shaskeen - "Irish Pub Session" (Doonaree)
Stiff Little Fingers - "In Concert: Handheld & Rigidly Digital" (Music Video Distributors)
Liz Story - "Solid Colours" (Music Video Distributors)
Thin Lizzy - "Rock Milestones: Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous - The Essential Albums of All Time" (Classic Rock Legends)
Brian Torff & Manfredo Fest - "Some Call It Jazz" (Music Video Distributors)
The Toy Dolls - "Our Last DVD?" (Music Video Distributors)
The Ernie Watts Quartet - "Live" (Music Video Distributors)
Various artists - "The Best of the Beat Club, Volume 1" and "Volume 2" (Eagle Vision)
Various artists - "Jazz Shots From the East Coast, Vol. 1" and "The West Coast, Vol. 1" (Music Video Distributors)
Various artists - "Jazz Voice: The Ladies Sing Jazz, Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2" (Music Video Distributors)