A Dash of Heartbreak: "Reason to Believe," "Secret's in the Telling," "Rooftops and Invitations" ... yep, sounds like a new Dashboard Confessional album all right. Dusk and Summer took Chris Carrabba three years to create, with help from producers Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan) and Don Gilmore (Avril Lavigne, Duran Duran), so make sure you've got extra Kleenex. If you're in DC's demo, show your student ID at a nearby Best Buy and the disc will only cost you $6.99.
Let's Get Active: Kurupt and Daz Dillinger threw a collar on Snoop Dogg and yanked him onto Cali Iz Active, Tha Dogg Pound's first full-fledged LP since 2001's, er, 2002. While Snoop is considered an official member this time around and has an executive-producer credit, he only crops up on a couple of tracks. Still, spots by Diddy, Ice Cube, Paul Wall, David Banner, Lady of Rage and Nate Dogg should make up for it.
Block Party: Shawnna's got a pretty impressive guest list of her own, especially for a sophomore artist. The Def Jam singer and "You Hear It First" alum coaxed Ludacris, Lil Wayne, Too Short, Syleena Johnson, Bobby Valentino and even her father, blues king Buddy Guy, onto Block Music. Tracks include "Candy Coated," "Lil Daddy What's Good" and the remix of "Gettin' Some," featuring Luda, Wayne and Short.
How to Sum It Up?: Welsh rockers Lostprophets have been around for almost 10 years, but they still seem to have a hard time speaking succinctly. Their third offering, the Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe)-produced Liberation Transmission -- which has already spawned numerous import versions -- features such longwinded titles as "Can't Catch Tomorrow (Good Shoes Won't Save You This Time)," "Broken Hearts, Torn Up Letters and the Story of a Lonely Girl" and "Always All Ways (Apologies, Glances and Messed Up Chances)."
Björk'd: The Icelandic queen has a handful of box sets already out there, and she's keeping her fans Surrounded with a seven-DualDisc chest. Each one is a 5.1 surround-sound update of one studio record -- and her recent soundtrack to husband Matthew Barney's "Restraint 9" -- plus respective videos for that effort. The brick package is a work of art in and of itself.
Cases of Mistaken Identity: No, that's not Sammie making a comeback this week, even though we recently reported that the R&B crooner is in fact on the rebound. Rather, it's the Sammies, North Carolina's latest rock hopefuls, whose self-titled debut arrives shortly after one of the group's songs was used on ABC Family's "Wildfire." And no, that's not actress Julia Roberts singing on Men & Mascara -- it's country/pop artist Julie Roberts, who mulls if she's "Too Damn Young" but finds room to "Smile" on her second effort. Nor is that U.K. luminaries the Coral dishing up Volcano and Heart this week. It's actually Santa Barbara, California's the Coral Sea whose "Look at Her Face" you may have heard on "Grey's Anatomy."
But that is '80s mainstays Warrant getting Born Again with their first full-fledged set of original studio recordings since 1995's Ultraphobic, albeit without Jani Lane singing. And that is Afroman still enjoying the aftereffects of his 2001 hit "Because I Got High" with yet another similarly titled record, Drunk 'n' High.
Getting Saucy: St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras and Cinco de Mayo may be behind us, but that's not stopping this week's roster from getting its drink on. Afroman's already buzzing with his aforementioned Drunk 'n' High, and Julie Roberts is "Chasin' Whiskey" on Men & Mascara, but not to be overlooked are the Moonshine Bandits tossing back a few with Bubba Sparxxx, Celly Cel, Jay Tee and others on Prohibition. And needless to say, there's more than a few cocktails being tipped back on Dr. Dre's Chronicles: Death Row Classics, the two-part "Reggae Spring Break" DVD series and, presumably, Rendezvous in Rio by folk-pop singer Michael Franks.
A Docking of the Docs: Three music documentaries of note this week, beginning with "Let's Rock Again," a snapshot of fallen Clash frontman Joe Strummer taken by friend Dick Rude. The set captures Strummer in the 18 months leading up to his death and features interviews and more. "We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen" is a portrait of the influential San Pedro, California, punks and features interviews with Flea, Ian MacKaye, Thurston Moore, Henry Rollins and tons more. "Look at All the Love We Found: Live - A Tribute to Sublime," on the other hand, isn't a documentary of the '90s stalwarts but a chronicle of a tribute gig staged in Los Angeles last year that featured Unwritten Law, Blackalicious, Los Lobos and other amigos. The bonus CD chips in a handful of tracks that didn't appear on last year's audio comp of the same name.
"Divine Birthrite (Maiden Voyage of the Grape Ape)" from An Albatross' Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear-Warp Kumite)
Jonah Smith's Jonah Smith: The buzz is strong with this new New Yorker, who's drawing raves for his rich blend of soul and Americana. His eponymous effort was produced by Lee Townsend (Bill Frisell, John Scofield) and boasts "Little Black Angels," "My Morning Scene" and "Dressed in White."
An Albatross' Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear-Warp Kumite): Much fun to be had on the latest opus by the herky-jerky spazz-outs. In addition to the Song Title of the Week, be on the lookout for "Lysergically Yours, My Psychadelic Bride," "Ballad of the Electric Coyote" and a speedy, three-part "epic."
DJ Spooky's DJ Spooky Presents: In Fine Style - 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records!!!: Not so much a new Spooky record as an effort to show how vintage reggae tunes are largely responsible for much of today's club music, the DJ goes overboard with a two-disc set that culls tunes by Lee Perry, Desmond Dekker, Sly and Robbie and many more. A jolt indeed.
7L & Esoteric - A New Dope (Babygrande) A Life Once Lost - Hunter (Ferret) Afroman - Drunk 'n' High (Siccness) An Albatross - Blessphemy (of the Peace-Beast Feastgiver and the Bear-Warp Kumite) (Ace Fu) India.Arie - Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship (Universal) Authority Zero - Rhythm and Booze (Suburban Noize) Baby Ray - Low Rises (Dren) Balun - Something Comes Our Way (live; Brilliante) Hector Bambino - Roc la Familia & Hector Bambino "El Father" Present Los Rompe Discotekas (Roc-A-Fella) David Benoit - Full Circle (Peak) Big Mike - Keep It Playa (BCD) Billy Talent - II (Atlantic) Bittersweets - The Life You Always Wanted (Virt) Brand New Heavies - Get Used to It (Delicious Vinyl) John Brannen - Twilight Tattoo (Sly Dog) Héctor Buitrago - Conector (Nacional) Carpathian Forest - F--- You All!!!! (limited edition; Season Mist) Ray Cash - Cash on Delivery (Gheto-O-Vision/ Columbia) Gilbert Castellanos - Underground (Seedling) Catch 22 - Permanent Revolution (Victory) Cellador - Enter Deception (Metal Blade) Cephas & Wiggins - Shoulder to Shoulder (Alligator) Chevreuil - Capoeria (Sickroom) The City Drive - Always Moving Never Stopping (Red Ink) The Coral Sea - Volcano and Heart (Hidden Agenda) Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer (Vagrant) Read: [article id="1534712"]"Secrets? Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba Has A Few About Dusk And Summer"[/article]
Dead Celebrity Status - Blood Music (Bodog) Kris Delmhorst - Strange Conversation (Signature) Jesse DeNatale - Soul Parade (Jackpine Social Club) Dirty on Purpose - Hallelujah Sirens (North Street) Dirty Rig - Rock Did It (limited edition with bonus DVD; New Media Studio) Dr. Octagon - The Return of Dr. Octagon (OCD) Dry Kill Logic - The Magellan Complex (Repossession) George Duke - In a Mellow Tone (Bizarre Planet) Four Tet - DJ Kicks (!K7) Michael Franks - Rendezvous in Rio (Koch) Good Riddance - My Republic (enhanced; Fat Wreck Chords) Graf Orlock - Destination Time Yesterday (Level Plane) Hacienda Brothers - What's Wrong With Right (Proper) John Lee Hooker Jr. - Cold as Ice (Telarc) Ray Wylie Hubbard - Snake Farm (Sustain) Glenn Hughes - Music for the Divine (Frontiers) The Illuminati - On Borrowed Time (enhanced; Liquor & Poker) François K - Frequencies (Wave Music) Mike Keneally Band - Guitar Therapy Live (Exowax) Sammy Kershaw - Honky Tonk Boots (Category 5) Chris Thomas King - Rise (21st Century Blues) Jeff Lang - Prepare Me Well: An Introduction to Jeff Lang (Telarc) Lord Jamar - The 5% Album (Babygrande) Lostprophets - Liberation Transmission (Columbia) Read: [article id="1520827"]"Lostprophets Enlist Metallica Producer But Leave 'Chugga-Chugga' Metal Behind"[/article]
Bobby Lyle - Hands On (Heads Up) Brad Mehldau Trio - House on Hill (Nonesuch) Metal Church - A Light in the Dark (Steamhammer) Moonshine Bandits - Prohibition (Independent Music Network) Tim O'Reagan - Tim O'Reagan (Lost Highway) John Ottman - "Superman Returns" original score (Rhino) Person - Entitled (Echelon Productions) Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental (limited two-CD deluxe edition also available; Rhino) Grant-Lee Phillips - Nineteeneighties (Zöe/ Rounder) Julie Roberts - Men & Mascara (Mercury Nashville) The Sammies - The Sammies (MoRisen) Roger Sanchez - Come With Me (Ultra) The Seventh Cross - Scorched by the Flames of Vengeance (Candlelight) Shawnna - Block Music (enhanced; Def Jam) Kierra KiKi Sheard - This Is Me (special edition also available; EMI Gospel) Slabz R Us - Mike Moe, Beltway 8 Boys (BCD) Jonah Smith - Jonah Smith (Relix Records/ Image Entertainment) DJ Spinna - Intergalactic Soul (Shanachie) DJ Spooky - DJ Spooky Presents: In Fine Style - 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records!!! (Trojan) Spores - Imagine the Future (Sidecho) Takeovers - Turn to Red (Fading Captain) Tha Dogg Pound - Cali Iz Active (Koch) Read: [article id="1529378"]"Snoop, Ice Cube, Xzibit Show 'Cali' Love In DPGC Video"[/article]
Theatre of Tragedy - Storm (Candlelight) Wayman Tisdale - Way Up! (Rendezvous) Warrant - Born Again (Cleopatra) Peter White - Playin' Favourites (Columbia) Yip-Yip - In the Reptile House (Saf) Various artists - A Rough Guide to the Music of Iran (World Music Network) Notable Reissues and Archival Material:
Ian Anderson - The Ian Anderson Collection (two CDs; Fuel) Shirley Bassey - An Introduction to Shirley Bassey (Fuel) Debashish Bhattacharya - Calcutta Slide Guitar 3 (limited edition with bonus DVD; Riverboat) Björk - Surrounded (seven-DualDisc box set; Rhino) The Church - Sometime Anywhere (Lemon) Alex De Grassi - Pure Alex De Grassi (Windham Hill) Dissection - The Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane (two CDs each; The End) Dr. Dre - Chronicles: Death Row Classics (Death Row) Dub Specialist - Version Dread: 18 Dub Hits From Studio One (Heartbeat) Michael English - Greatest Hits: In Christ Alone (Curb) The Flying Burrito Brothers - Airborne/ Flying Again (Acadia) Judy Garland - The Essential Judy Garland (Capitol) John Gorka - Pure John Gorka (Windham Hill) Michael Hedges - Pure Michael Hedges (Windham Hill) John Holt - I Can't Get You Off My Mind: 18 Greatest Hits at Studio One (Heartbeat) The Hot Doggers - Surfin' USA (Sundazed) The Kickstands - Black Boots and Bikes (Sundazed) B.B. King - Gold (two CDs; Geffen) The Knights - Hot Rod High (Sundazed) J.B. Lenoir - An Introduction to J.B. Lenoir (Fuel) Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction (limited-edition gold disc; Mobile Fidelity) Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane - The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings (two CDs; Riverboat) Van Morrison - Pay the Devil (deluxe edition with DVD; Lost Highway) Nightnoise - Pure Nightnoise (Windham Hill) Lee "Scratch" Perry - An Introduction to Lee Perry (Fuel) The Rip Chords - Summer U.S.A.! The Best of the Rip Chords (Sundazed) Sons of the Pioneers - Classic Cowboy Songs (Varèse Sarabande) The Specials - Greatest Hits (Big Eye) Dusty Springfield - Gold (two CDs; Hip-O/ UMe) Cat Stevens - Chronicles (three CDs; A&M/ UMe) Liz Story - Pure Liz Story (Windham Hill) Whitesnake - Gold (two CDs; Geffen) Hank Williams Jr. - That's How They Do It in Dixie - The Essential Collection (Curb) Various artists - 60's Gold (two CDs; Hip-O/ UMe) Various artists - The New York Sound: From the East Coast to the Future (BGP) Various artists - Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk & Rockabilly (four-CD box set; Rhino) Various Artists - US Vs. UK Punk (Sanctuary) Various artists - "Dolemite" soundtrack (Relapse) The Afro-Cuban All-Stars - "Afro Cuban Legends" (Kultur) Paul Anka - "Music Man: The Authorized Biography" (White Star) Chuck Berry - "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll" (two DVDs; four-DVD "Ultimate Collector's Edition" also available; Image) Chamillionaire - "Littles Presents: The East Coast Shakedown" (Best of Block) Cro-Mags - "Live in the Age of Quarrel (1986-2001)" (Cro-Mags) Deep Purple - "Music in Review" (Classic Rock Legends) The Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machine: The DVD (Relapse) Green Day - "The Ultimate Film Review" (Classic Rock Legends) Jim Jones - "A Day in the Fastlife" (Koch) Happy Mondays - "Live in Barcelona" (Music Video Distributors) Led Zeppelin - "Music in Review" (Classic Rock Legends) The Minutemen - "We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen" (two DVDs; Plexifilm) My Chemical Romance - "Things That Make You Go Mmmm!: An Unauthorized Documentary" (Music Video Distributors) Nico - "All Tomorrow's Parties: Nico Live" (Hep Cat) Omar & the Howlers - "Bamboozled: Live in Germany" (Music Video Distributors) Marty Robbins - "Music Anthology" (White Star) The Skeptix - "Live at CBGB's" (Music Video Distributors) Slade - "Slade Alive!: The Ultimate Critical Review" (Classic Rock Legends) Slightly Stoopid - "Live in San Diego: November 25 & 26 2005" (Shout! Factory) The Smiths - "Under Review" (Sexy Intellectual) Joe Strummer - "Let's Rock Again" (Image) Richard Thompson - "1000 Years of Popular Music" (one DVD with two CDs; Cooking Vinyl) Various artists - "Look at All the Love We Found: Live - A Tribute to Sublime" (with CD; Music Video Distributors) Various artists - "The Montreux Dream - The Story of the Montreux Jazz Festival" (Kultur) Various artists - "Reggae Spring Break Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2" (Music Video Distributors) Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways (Lost Highway) Rise Against - The Sufferer & the Witness (Geffen) Hans Zimmer - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" soundtrack (Disney) Muse - Black Holes & Revelations (Warner Bros.) Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras From the Illinois Album! (Asthmatic Kitty) Thom Yorke - The Eraser (XL Recordings) Read: [article id="1531721"]"Thom Yorke Records Album Without Radiohead, Rejects 'Solo' Label"[/article]
Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 22 (Sony) Alien Ant Farm - Up in the Attic (New Door) The Bronx - The Bronx (digipak; Island) The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Don't You Fake It (Virgin) 
