The movie may be as anticipated as "Spider-Man," but the soundtrack? Not so sure. Nevertheless, John Williams' "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" score hits shelves this week.
From the files of When Band Members Regroup/Go Solo, the Kickovers — a group made up of ex-Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh and former Mighty Mighty Bosstones guitarist Nate Albert — issue their first album, Osaka, this week, while closet freak and Goodie Mob member Cee-Lo unleashes Cee-Lo Green & His Perfect Imperfections.
Other releases to look out for are Classic Chillout Album, a compilation featuring Moby, Dido and Sade;When I Was Cruel, the umpteenth album from Elvis Costello; and Stereo, the Vagrant debut of ex-Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg. Cornershop generously dole out Handcream for a Generation on their LP, which features Noel Gallagher of Oasis, and Badly Drawn Boy returns with the soundtrack LP "About a Boy," his first full-length release since The Hour of Bewilderbeast.
There's also an embarrassment of riches available for Wilco fans, as their long-delayed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot finally hits stores, as does frontman Jeff Tweedy's solo soundtrack LP, "Chelsea Walls." Meanwhile, Jay Bennett, who left the band last year, releases The Palace at 4 A.M., recorded with Edward Burch.
Finally, if it's felt like a long time since the last Michael Bolton release, that's because it has been. Coming back stronger, sexier and more soulful than ever before, the crooner gives fans Only a Woman Like You.
Out Tuesday, April 23:
- 10cc - Alive in Japan (BMG)
- 12 Stones - 12 Stones (Wind-up)
- Acid House Kings - Mondays Are Like Tuesdays (Hidden Agenda)
- Agiel - Dark Pantheons Again Will Reign (Unique Leader)
- Akwid - 2002 A.D. (Two K Sounds)
- Alfie - A Word in Your Ear (XL/Beggars Banquet)
- Audra - Going to the Theatre (Projekt)
- Autopilot Off - Autopilot Off (EP, Island)
- Susana Baca - Espiritu Vivo (Luaka Bop)
- Badly Drawn Boy - "About a Boy" soundtrack (Artist Direct)
Read about it ... About A Badly Drawn Boy: Singer/Songwriter Does Soundtrack - Philip Bailey - Soul on Jazz (Heads Up)
- Jay Bennett & Edward Burch - The Palace at 4 A.M. (Undertow)
- Big Moe - Purple World (Wreckshop)
Read about it ... DJ Screw Protege Big Moe Spills 'Purple Stuff' - Black Tape for a Blue Girl - The Scavenger Bride (Projekt)
- Michael Bolton - Only a Woman Like You (Jive)
- Brute - Nine High a Pallet (Velocette)
- Carbon Leaf - Ether-Electrified Porch Music (Constant Ivy)
- Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections (Arista)
Read about it ... Cee-Lo Is Water And A Wig-Wearing 'Closet Freak' On Solo Debut - Kenny Chesney - No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems (BNA)
- Tom Clark & the High Action Boys - Cross-Eyed & Bow-Legged (Blacksmith)
- W.C. Clark - From Austin With Soul (Alligator)
- Cornershop Handcream for a Generation (Wiija/Beggars Banquet)
Read about it ... Gump-Like Cornershop Learn Lessons From 'Rocky' On New LP - Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel (Island)
- Damon and Naomi - Song to the Siren (two CDs) (Sub Pop)
- Death Threat - For God & Government (Triple Crown)
- Deeds of the Flesh - Inbreeding the Anthropophagi (Unique Leader)
- Kevin Denney – Kevin Denney (Lyric Street)
- The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Medicated Magic (Ropeadope/Atlantic)
- Dishwalla - Opaline (Immergent)
- Florence Dore - Perfect City (Slewfoot)
- Earth, Wind & Fire - That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75 (Legacy)
- Mark Eitzel - Music for Courage & Confidence (New West)
- Entety - Cadaveric Necrogrind (World War III)
- Cor Fijneman - Mesmer 1 (Razor & Tie)
- John Forte - I, John (Kinetic)
- Frost - Still Up in This S#*T! (In the Paint)
- Gada - Addictive Lifestyle (Nuff Nuff)
- Gay Dad - Transmission (Thirsty Ear)
- Hate Theory - Hate Theory (World War III)
- Hot Hot Heat - Knock Knock Knock (Sub Pop)
- Jim Hurst - Second Son (Pinecastle)
- Insight - Updated Software V.2.5 (Landspeed)
- Bert Jansch - Dazzling Stranger: Anthology (Castle America)
- Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons - Conscious Contact (Terminus)
- Joeski & Onoinz - Nu-York Nite Life (NRK)
- K's Choice - Almost Happy (Sony)
- Nik Kershaw - To Be Frank (Koch)
- The Kickovers - Osaka (Fenway)
- King Kong - Big Bang (Drag City)
- Greg Long - Balance (Shadow)
- Joe Lovano - Viva Caruso (Blue Note)
- Luna - Romantica (Jetset)
- Lupine Howl - Vaporizer EP (Beggars Banquet)
- Mad Happy - Feel Good Music for the Broke Middle Classes (Bar None)
- John Martyn - Patterns in the Rain: Anthology (Castle America)
- The Meat Purveyors - All Relationships Are Doomed to Fail (Bloodshot)
- Kylie Minogue - Hits + (Arista)
- Mae Moore - It's a Funny World (Paras Group)
- Mortal Decay - Forensic (Unique Leader)
- Peter Murphy - Dust (Metropolis)
- Non-Phixion - Future Is Now (Landspeed)
- NRBQ - NRBQ Live From Mountain Stage (Black Pumpkin)
- The Octopus Project - Identification Parade (Peekaboo)
- Organic Grooves - 4 (Codek)
- Oxymoron - Best Before 2000 (GMM)
- Oxymoron - Feed the Breed (GMM)
- Eddie Palmieri - La Perfecta II (Concord Picante)
- Palomar - Palomar II (Self Starter Foundation)
- Pet Shop Boys - Release (Sanctuary)
Read about it ... Pet Shop Boys 'In Love' With Gay Eminem Character - Gary Primich - Dog House Music (Antone's)
- Primus - Frizzle Fry (reissue, Prawn Song)
- Primus - Suck on This (reissue, Prawn Song)
- The Promise Ring - Woodwater (Anti/Epitaph)
- Rae & Christian - Mixer Presents Rewind (Razor & Tie)
- Racer X - Snowball of Doom (Shrapnel)
- Toshi Reagon - Toshi (Razor & Tie)
- Reid Speed - Resonance (Breakbeat Science)
- Will Rigby - Paradoxaholic (Diesel Only)
- RL - RL:Ements (J Records)
- Rovo - Tonic 2001 (Tzadik)
- Savatage - Dungeons Are Calling (Metal Blade)
- Daryle Singletary - That's Why I Sing This Way (Audium)
- Charlie Sizemore - The Story Is ... The Songs of Tom T. Hall (Rebel)
- Sloan - Pretty Together (RCA)
- Darden Smith - Sunflower (Dualtone)
- Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsport (Tommy Boy)
- Soul Hooligan - Music Like Dirt (Maverick)
- Stevens Sisters - Little by Little (Rounder)
- Step Kings - 3 the Hard Way (We Put Out)
- Curtis Stigers - Secret Heart (Concord Jazz)
- Still Breathing - September (Solid State)
- Stir Crazy - Stir Crazy (Global Ent.)
- Simon Stokes - Honky (Uppercut/Disgruntled)
- The Stranglers - Live in Concert (Castle America)
- Strike Boys - Grapefruit Flavoured Green Tea Time (Stereo Deluxe)
- Strung Out - An American Paradox (Fat Wreck Chords)
- Tall Paul - Back & Forth (Moonshine)
- James Talley - Touchstones (Cimarron)
- Templars - Reconquista 1994-1998 (GMM)
- Toy Dolls - We're Mad! The Anthology (Castle America)
- Tuatara - Cinemathique (Fast Horse)
- Jeff Tweedy - "Chelsea Walls" soundtrack (Rykodisc)
- Unwed Sailor - Firecracker EP (Constant Ivy)
- Vinyl - Flea Market (Tornado)
- The Walkabouts - Ended Up as a Stranger (Innerspace)
- Waterboys - Waterboys (Chrysalis)
- Wayward Shamans - Alchemy (Fedora)
- Paul Westerberg - Stereo (Vagrant)
- Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch/Atlantic)
Read about it ... Jeff Tweedy Describes Wilco's Evolution - John Williams – "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" soundtrack (Sony Classical)
- Luther Wright and the Wrongs - Rebuild the Wall (Back Porch)
- Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter (reissue, Columbia)
- Frank Zappa - Threesome #1 (Rykodisc)
- Frank Zappa - Threesome #2 (Rykodisc)
- Various artists - "Ansel Adams" soundtrack (Green Linnet)
- Various artists - Because We Care: Benefit for the Children's Hospital of Orange County (Glue Factory/Oglio)
- Various artists - Best of House Vol. 2 (Robin's Ent.)
- Various artists - Classic Chillout Album (Epic)
- Various artists - "Dark Angel" soundtrack (Artemis)
- Various artists - Exposure (Four Foot Eleven)
- Various artists - Full Cycle Live! (Full Cycle)
- Various artists - Glasgow Underground Presents - Explorations in Chill (Paras Group)
- Various artists - Hed Kandi: Disco Heaven (Hed Kandi)
- Various artists - My Favorite Things - A Richard Rodgers Celebration (RCA Victor)
- Various artists - Monster Disco (Razor & Tie)
- Various artists - "The New Guy" soundtrack (Epic)
- Various artists - Progressive Development 01 (Nettwerk)
- Various artists - Stereo Sushi Vol. 2 (Hed Kandi)
- Various artists - Trance: The Progressive Experience (Capitol)
- Various artists - Ultimate After Hours Vol. 2 (Groovilicious)
April 30:
- Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (MCA)
Read about it ... Zack De La Rocha Joining Blackalicious On Blazing Arrow - Donell Jones - Life Goes On (Arista)
- Various artists - "Spider-Man" soundtrack (Columbia)
Read about it ... 'Spider-Man' Theme To Come Courtesy Of Aerosmith
May 7:
- Grandmaster Flash - Essential Mix (Warner)
Read about it ... Grandmaster Flash Brings Back '70s, '80s Beats On Essential Mix - Musiq - Juslisten (Island/Def Jam)
Read about it ... Musiq Soulchild Croons Conversation Pieces On Juslisen - Naughty by Nature - Iicons (TVT)
Read about it ... Naughty By Nature, 3LW Save The Day - Various artists - Family Values Tour 2001(Elektra)
Read about it ... Aaron Lewis Assists STP, Linkin Park On Family Values CD
May 14:
- Atticus Fault - Atticus Fault (Island/Def Jam)
- Various artists - Now Presents Urban Hits (Columbia)
May 21:
- Breeders - Title TK (Elektra)
- Tommy Lee - Never a Dull Moment (MCA)
- Raphael Saadiq - Instant Vintage (Universal)
June 4:
- Eminem - The Eminem Show (Interscope)
Read about it ... The Doc's Diagnosis: Eminem Still Crazy - Lil' Romeo - Game Time (Universal/No Limit)
Read about it ... Lil' Romeo Battles His Evil Twin On B-Ball Court