New Releases: Grammy Nominees 2004, Ani DiFranco, Dizzee Rascal, The Thrills, Amel Larrieux & More

The music industry is just coming out of its winter slumber and the timing couldn't be better: Grammy ramp-up is upon us. Getting in on the act is Grammy Nominees 2004, a disc whose track list reads like a Now That's What I Call Music! compilation. But, because of the sole inclusion of a Michael McDonald song, isn't. On the album you'll find Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love," Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River," 50 Cent's "In Da Club," Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You," Fountains of Wayne's "Stacy's Mom" and Sean Paul's "Gimme the Light."

One-girl revolution Ani DiFranco returns to her roots on Educated Guess, where she performs (and writes and records and produces) every song herself. Meanwhile, songbird Amel Larrieux becomes a Bravebird this week alongside the "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" soundtrack, featuring Liz Phair, John Mayer and Five for Fighting; new Wu-Tang protégés Northstar and their debut album, Bobby Digital Presents ... Northstar; and King Cobra's self-titled EP.

Also out this week are two notable DVDs: Belle and Sebastian's Fans Only and "The Complete First Season" of "Punk'd."

Out Tuesday, January 20:

  • Charles Afton - Lost Sunset Lounge (Kriztal)

  • Aluminum Group - More Happyness (Wishing Tree)

  • The Beaton Family - Cape Breton Fiddle & Piano Music of Mabou (Smithsonian Folkways)

  • Bevel - Down the Puppet String, Marionettes (Jagjaguwar)

  • Books Lie - Hall of Fame of Fire (Level Plane)

  • Boyskout - School of Etiquette (Alive)

  • Califone - Heron King Blues (Thrill Jockey)

  • Ray Charles - Rockin' Chair Blues (Delta)

  • Bobby Conn - Homeland (Thrill Jockey)

  • Camera Obscura - Underachievers Please Try Harder (Merge)

  • Candy Butchers - Hang on Mike (Sony)

  • Clones - Need a Wave (Punk Rock Dirtnap)

  • The Dexateens - The Dexateens (Touch and Go)

  • Dexter Freedish - Tripped Into Divine (Sixthman)

  • Ani DiFranco - Educated Guess (Righteous Babe)

  • Dios - Arboles (Dim Mak)

  • Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner (Matador/XL)

  • Dub Narcotic Sound System - Degenerate Introduction (K)

  • Don Edwards - Last of the Troubadours - Saddle Songs Vol. 2 (Shanachie)

  • Espers -Espers (Locust)

  • The Evaporators - Ripple Rock (Alternative Tentacles)

  • Sally Fingerett - A Woman's Gotta Do Her Thing (Shanachie)

  • Lisa Gerrard and Patrick Cassidy - Immortal Memory (4AD)

  • Hella - The Devil Isn't Red (5 Rue Christine)

  • Hello Dave - Perfect Day (Fresh Tracks)

  • The Hollow Points - Annihilation (Punk Rock Dirtnap)

  • IIIrd Tyme Out - Erase the Miles (Rebel)

  • The Impressions - Tribute to Curtis Mayfield (Delta)

  • The Intelligence - Boredom and Terror (Omnibus)

  • Rodd Keith - Ecstasy to Frenzy (Tzadik)

  • Kronow - Deserve Damnation (Hapi Skratch)

  • Kylesa - No Ending 110 Degree Heat Index (Prank)

  • Joe Jackson - Live (Koch)

  • King Cobra - King Cobra (Troubleman Unlimited)

  • Kohn - Bruce Willis (Western Vinyl)

  • Amel Larrieux - Bravebird (Blisslife)

  • John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band (Koch)

  • The Lost Patrol - Songs About Running Away (Burning Heart)

  • Hannah Marcus - Desert Farmers (Bar/None)

  • Al McKibbon - Black Orchid (Nine Yards)

  • The Mekons - Punk Rock (Quarterstick)

  • Miss Derringer - King James, Crown Royal & a Colt 45 (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

  • Jason Molina - Pyramid Electric Co. (Secretly Canadian)

  • Lorrie Morgan - Show Me How (Image Entertainment)

  • Mother Superior - 13 Violets (Topbeat)

  • Necronomitron - Necronomitron (Load)

  • Neva Dinova/ Bright Eyes - Neva Dinova/ Bright Eyes (split disc, Crank!)

  • New End Original - Lukewarm (Jade Tree)

  • Northstar - Bobby Digital Presents ... Northstar (Koch/ In the Paint)

  • Oneida - Secret Wars (Jagjaguwar)

  • Greg Palast - Weapons of Mass Destruction (Alternative Tentacles)

  • Raising the Fawn - By the Warmth of Your Flame (Sonic Unyon)

  • Ramiyah - Ramiyah (Music World/Columbia)

  • Rapider Than Horsepower - This Is My Big Night (Essay)

  • Red Tyger Church - Free Energy (Alive)

  • Seabound - Beyond Flatline (Metropolis)

  • Sigmatropic - Sixteen Haiku & Other Stories (Thirsty Ear)

  • Sister Hazel - Live*LIVE (Sixthman)

  • Special Goodness - Land Air Sea (Epitaph)

  • Statistics - Leave Your Name (Jade Tree)

  • Casey Stratton - Standing at the Edge (Sony Classical)

  • The Thrills - N.A.F.I.T.C. (Bacchus)

  • Toys That Kill - Flys (Asian Man)

  • Transistor Transistor/Wolves - Split (Level-Plane)

  • Tussle - Don't Stop (Troubleman Unlimited)

  • John Vanderslice - Cellar Door (Barsuk)

  • Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! - Volcano, I'm Still Excited!! (Polyvinyl)

  • The Willowz - The Willowz (Dionysus)

  • The WPP - Baam! Jaam! (Substandard)

  • Various artists - Acoustic Disc: 100% Handmade Bluegrass (Acoustic Disc)

  • Various artists - Grammy Nominees 2004 (BMG)

  • Various artists - Rhythm, Love and Soul (Sony)

  • Various artists - "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" soundtrack (Aware/Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax)

  • DVD: Charly Antolini - Jazz Power: Hot Jazz Festival (Music Video Distributors/Inakustik)

  • DVD: The Battle for L.A. (Redline)

  • DVD: Belle & Sebastian - Fans Only (Matador)

  • DVD: Friend 'n Fellow - Live (Music Video Distributors)

  • DVD: Meat Beat Manifesto - In Dub 5.1 Surround (Music Video Distributors/Lakeshore)

  • DVD: MTV Punk'd - "The Complete First Season" (Paramount)

  • DVD: Sir Mix-A-Lot - Shhhh ... Don't Tell 'Em That (Image Entertainment)

  • DVD: Sister Hazel - A Life in the Day (Sixthman)

January 27:

  • Air - Talkie Walkie (Astralwerks)

  • Twista - Kamikaze (Atlantic)

February 3:

February 10:

  • Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (Blue Note)

    Read:"Norah Jones Returns Home With New Album"

  • Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)

  • Kylie Minogue - Body Language (Capitol)

  • Various artists - "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" soundtrack (Capitol)

For a look back at previous big Grammy winners, red carpet photos and much more, visit our Grammy News Archive.