Only in America: We haven't heard anything new from America since Ronald Reagan was in office — which means you probably weren't alive the last time the rock legends waved their flag. Well, they seem to be aware of this fact, and in an effort to draw in new listeners, Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and the gang have enlisted Ryan Adams and Ben Kweller; members of Fountains of Wayne and Nada Surf; and ex-Smashing Pumpkin James Iha to coax you in. FOW's Adam Schlesinger and Iha helped produce the 12 tracks, which include a cover of Nada Surf's "Always Love" featuring two members of the band. And in case they win you over, America have included their best-of comp History as a bonus CD for good measure.
"Little" Voices: In a good indication of how slow this week is — February couldn't come sooner — America's toughest competition could very well be a soundtrack. The musical accompaniment to "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls" features a fresh slice from R. Kelly ("Don't Let Go"), not to mention the first-ever recording by Whitney Houston with cousin Dionne Warwick and mother Cissy Houston ("Family First"), plus a remix of Anthony Hamilton's "Struggle No More (The Main Event)" featuring Jaheim and Musiq Soulchild. Think that's a cast of characters? Wait till you see the movie.
Coming Up for Air: For some, the Stranglers died with the departure of Hugh Cornwell in 1990. But the group has continued touring ever since, even churning out an album in 2004 (Norfolk Coast) that deposited a couple of new singles onto the British charts. Now the Stranglers are chasing that album with Suite XVI — the title of which might have a little something to do with the number of albums the band has put out. The LP finds the band returning to four-piece status — the original drummer, keyboardist and bassist remain — and boasts "A Soldier's Diary," "Unbroken" and "Bless You (Save You, Spare You, Damn You)."
Lovin' It: The Stranglers might have a chip or two on their collective shoulders, but that won't stop Diana Ross, Frank Sinatra and Al Green from spreading the love. Ross' new studio effort, simply titled I Love You, captures her renditions of songs originally recorded by the Beatles, Harry Nilsson and Marvin Gaye. Also included is a new original track, "I Love You (That's All That Really Matters)," as well as a reprise of the lead tune, "Remember," that closes out the set. Fans will want to chase after the deluxe edition of the release, which has a DVD featuring making-of footage and a photo gallery.
Get your fix of classic Sinatra with Romance: Songs From the Heart, which lumps together 21 of his most romantic Capitol recordings. The set also has an unreleased version of "Nice 'N' Easy" and the rare cut "If You Are But a Dream." Al Green's The Definitive Greatest Hits doesn't have any obscure goodies, but the deluxe DVD version does have six film and video clips, and both editions by the consummate swooner are sure to seduce.
If those titles aren't enough to get you in the mood, look no further than Blue Note's Music for Lovers campaign. This week, Diane Reeves, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Joe Williams and Nancy Wilson all get single-CD entries in the series.
Hell Freezes Over: While those artists are warming up consumers with some pre-Valentine's Day smooches, things are markedly colder in the heavy-metal underworld this week, with Obituary's "Frozen Alive" and Catamenia's "Bringing the Cold to Poland" DVDs striking especially chilly notes. Videos by Grave ("Enraptured") and Sinister ("Prophecies Denied") also drop this week, but if it's just audio you're after, there's plenty to feast on as well. Two reissues a piece hit stores this week courtesy these bands of yore: Atrophy, Crimson Glory, Gorguts, Last Crack, Realm, Sadus, Solitude Aeternus, Toxik and Xentrix. Unearthed titles from Disincarnate, Heathen, Holy Moses, Pestilence and Znowhite are also here for your thrash-, speed- and/or death-metal pleasure.
It's a Lock: Locksley contributed the theme song to MTV's "Why Can't I Be You?," and Payless Shoes has licensed two more of their tunes — now it's time the Brooklyn, New York, band plants both heels at the plate with its latest LP, Don't Make Me Wait. Locksley have opened for OK Go and She Wants Revenge, but their music sounds more like the Kinks or Small Faces on songs like "It Won't Be for Long," "My Kind of Lover" and "Why Not Me."
Blown to Smithereens: You've probably heard about producer George Martin's new Beatles project Love — or witnessed it firsthand as part of the Cirque du Soleil program of the same name — but if you're looking for a different type of tribute, try out Meet the Smithereens! For their first effort in more than seven years, the New Jersey power-poppers recorded their own version of Meet the Beatles!, from "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to "Not a Second Time." The album only lasts 28 minutes long, but it's a fitting salute to the classic album that celebrates its 43rd birthday on Saturday.
Song Title of the Week:
"Summat Outtanowt" from the Stranglers' Suite XVI
Other Notables:
Stars of Track and Field's Centuries Before Love and War: Issued exclusively on iTunes in late August, the debut release by Portland, Oregon's experimental pop squad finally streets in hard form this week. The trio, which recently toured with the Twilight Singers and Jeremy Enigk, combine digital and analog sounds on the LP, giving drummer Daniel Orvik room to mess around with samples and programming, singer/guitarist Kevin Calaba to dabble with keyboards and guitarist/singer Jason Bell to stretch out as well.
The Heartaches' Too Cool for School: This booze-drenched San Diego clan features Billy Dee Williams (vocals), Billy Heartache (guitar/vocals), El Mano del Diablo (guitar/vocals), Dr. Dean Phd (bass) and Svitak (drums). Allegedly. Make what you will of them, but if you trust Swami Records' John Reis (Hot Snakes, Rocket From the Crypt), these "2005 gold-medal winners of the Cheeseburger Punk Awards ... bleed today and inflict lovingly harm now to all that bask in the glory of the life-affirming potential of reckless art — art that is fueled by cheap, dirty gas which produces a wake of nasty, black smoke and makes your engine convulse." Sold?
The Crüxshadows' Dreamcypher: These guys hail from Florida, sound like they're from Europe and are confirmed to play two gigs in China in May. Plus they were one of the first acts to perform in Romania and Serbia after the Cold War, and manage to top the dance charts every now and then. If you're after theatrical male vocals, heavy synths and a dash of violin, look to songs like "Pygmalion's Dream," "Windbringer" and "Dido's Reply" to help you go over the top.
New Releases:
· America - Here & Now (with greatest-hits album History; Burgundy) [Buy Now] · Kerri Chandler - Coast2Coast (two CDs; NRK) · The Crüxshadows - Dreamcypher (Dancing Ferret) · The Heartaches - Too Cool for School (Swami) · The Holmes Brothers - State of Grace (Alligator) · Locksley - Don't Make Me Wait (Feature) [Buy Now] · Coco Montoya - Dirty Deal (Alligator) · Diana Ross - I Love You (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Manhattan/EMI) · The Smithereens - Meet the Smithereens! (Koch) · Stars of Track and Field - Centuries Before Love and War (Wind-Up) [Buy Now] · The Stranglers - Suite XVI (Capitol/EMI) · Charles Tolliver Big Band - With Love (Blue Note) · Various artists - "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls" soundtrack (Atlantic)
Notable Reissues and Archival Material:
· Bernard Allison - Funkifino (Ruf) · Lynn Anderson - Listen to a Country Song (Acrobat) · Atrophy - Socialized Hate and Violent by Nature (MVD Audio) · Crimson Glory - Astronomica and Strange and Beautiful (MVD Audio) · Joe Craven - Django Latino (Compass) · Crowded House - Farewell to the World (two CDs; Capitol/EMI) · Disincarnate - Dreams of the Carrion Kind (MVD Audio) · Gorguts - Considered Dead and Erosion of Sanity (MVD Audio) · Al Green - The Definitive Greatest Hits (deluxe edition with bonus DVD due same day; Capitol/EMI) · Heathen - Victims of Deception (MVD Audio) · Holy Moses - Queen of Siam (Locomotive) · Peter C. Johnson - Yaka Yaka (Hi-N-Dry) · Last Crack - Burning Kind and Sinister Funkhouse #17 (MVD Audio) · Pestilence - Mind Reflections (MVD Audio) · Realm - Endless War and Suiciety (MVD Audio) · Diane Reeves - Music for Lovers (Blue Note) · Charlie Rich - The Essential Charlie Rich (two CDs; Epic/Legacy) · Roxette - A Collection of Roxette Hits: Their Greatest 20 Songs! (deluxe edition with bonus DVD due same day; Capitol/EMI) · Sadus - Chemical Exposure, Swallowed in Black and Vision Misery (MVD Audio) · Frank Sinatra - Romance: Songs From the Heart (Capitol/EMI) · Solitude Aeternus - Beyond the Crimson Horizon and Into the Depths of Sorrow (MVD Audio) · Charles Tolliver Big Band - With Love (Mosaic/ Blue Note) · Toxik - Think This and World Circus (MVD Audio) · Sarah Vaughan - Music for Lovers (Blue Note) · Dinah Washington - Music for Lovers (Blue Note) · Joe Williams - Music for Lovers (Blue Note) · Nancy Wilson - Music for Lovers (Blue Note) · Xentrix - For Whose Advantage, Kin and Shattered Existence (MVD Audio) · Znowhite - Act of God (MVD Audio) · Various artists - Petrol Presents: The Departure Lounge - Chill, Love, Grooves, Lounge and Rhythms (five separately sold CDs; Petrol/EMI)
Music DVDs:
· Abba - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane International) · Caravan - "The Ultimate Collection" (three DVDs; Classic Rock Legends) · Catamenia - "Bringing the Cold to Poland" (MVD Visual) · Charlie Christian - "The Life and Music of the Legendary Jazz Guitarist" (Vestapol) · Crowded House - "Farewell to the World" (two DVDs; Capitol/EMI) · Grave - "Enraptured" (MVD Visual) · Bill Evans Trio - "The Oslo Concerts" (Shanachie) · Habemus Poland - "Live in Katowice" (MVD Visual) · B.B. King - "Standing Room Only" (S'more) · The Kinks - "In Performance" (with book; Hurricane International) · Obituary - "Frozen Alive" · Sinister - "Prophecies Denied" (MVD Visual) · Various artists - "The Best of 'Hootenanny' " (three DVDs; Shout! Factory) · Various artists - "Jazz Giants of the 20th Century" (Passport) · Various artists - "Smack 12" (GCE) · Various artists - "Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller" (with book; Image Entertainment)
Coming Attractions:
January 23: · Clinic - Visitations (Domino) [Preorder] · Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home (digipak due same day; Equal Vision) · Madonna - "Confessions Tour" DVD (Warner Bros.) [Preorder]
January 30: · Alkaline Trio - Remains (Vagrant) [Preorder] · Norah Jones - Not Too Late (Blue Note) [Preorder] · Katharine McPhee - Katharine McPhee (RCA) [Preorder] Read: "Katharine McPhee's LP: A Little Bit Pussycat Dolls, A Little Bit Mariah"
February 6: · Bloc Party - Weekend in the City (Vice) [Preorder] Read: "After Failed Panic! At The Disco Tour, Bloc Party Look Ahead To New LP" · Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High (Island) [Preorder] Read: "Jigga What? Fall Out Boy Get A Hand From Jay-Z On Infinity" · The Used - Berth (live CD with DVD; Reprise) [Preorder] Read: "The Used Hate Los Angeles But Love To Write About It"
