Weekly New Music Releases - Tuesday 10/2/07

Top New Releases:

[LOCAL] Division Day: Beartrap Island (Eenie Meenie) – This is the new and improved version of Division Day’s Beartrap Island. Some of the local readers probably have the original limited release, but it’s been remastered and two tracks have been added. The band plays propulsive, keyboard upfront music that’s still firmly rooted in guitar rock ‘n’ roll. This was on my top 10 list of local acts last year.
Download “Tigers” and “Light Out”

PJ Harvey: White Chalk (Island) – I’m not the world’s biggest PJ Harvey fan, but I was still disappointed with this one. If you’re in the mood for some dark and unhappy shit, then this might be your cup of tea. I couldn’t get through it even once. A lot of the critics seem to find it rewarding (it’s got an 80/100 on Metacritic).
At the Orpheum Theatre on 10/15

Mick Jagger: The Very Best of Mick Jagger (Rhino) – While I’m a pretty huge Stones fan, I’m not super familiar with Jagger’s solo work. Listening to this collection on the way to work reminded me that do own a copy of 1985’s She’s the Boss (I think I picked it up in the $1 vinyl bin a while back). This collection focuses largely on collaborations and experiments. There’s the hit duet with Bowie alongside Jagger’s appearance on a Peter Tosh track. There are several collaborations with Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. There’s a song co-written by Lenny Kravitz. There’s even a song sung with Bono. You’ve got Jagger’s voice, which is a large part of the Stones, but this collection makes you miss Keith Richards’ balls. A lot of the production sounds dated and limp. A lot of it’s interesting, while some of it would be best forgotten. There are two excellent tracks, “Too Many Cooks (Spoil the Soup” a heavily bootlegged track that was produced by John Lennon in 1973 and features Harry Nilsson on backing vocals. The other is, “Memo From Turner” which comes from the Performance soundtrack and features Ry Cooder on guitar and Steve Winwood on bass.

The Pipettes: We Are the Pipettes (Cherrytree / Interscope) – British trio that wears matching polka dots and pays homage to 1950s girl groups. It’s a little gimmicky, but the backing tracks are pretty good and it’s all in good fun. If you’re into this sort of thing you could do a lot worse. While I don’t find myself listening to it much, I can understand the positive reviews from The Onion and Pitchfork.
At the Echoplex on 10/25

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Magic (Sony) – I’ve never been a fan of the Boss. I was told that non-fans should use Nebraska as a gateway into his catalog. I liked a few tracks, but that didn’t work either. Thanks to massive $1 vinyl bins at local record stores I own most of his catalog, but never play it. This one’s getting some great reviews and some ok reviews. If you like the Hold Steady and don’t own any Springstreen, then you’re musical tastes probably aren’t worth trusting (unless you’re a kid and it’s perfectly acceptable). Needless to say, I’m not too excited about this.
See him at the Sports Arena on 10/29

10/2/07
The 1900s: Cold & Kind (Parasol) – Don’t confuse them with the 1990s.
Download “When I Say Go”

[LOCAL] Aceyalone: Lightning Strikes (Defcon)

[LOCAL] Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti: Scared Famous (Hall of Records) – Forgotten tracks.

Bring Back the Guns: Dry Futures – Download “In Piles/On File”

Carol Bui: Everyone Wore White (54-40 or Fight)
Download “Modern Dance”

David Byrne: Live From Austin, TX (New West) – Austin City Limits performance

Cake: B-Sides and Rarities (Upbeat) – A bunch of covers including Sabbath, Buck Owens, Kenny Rogers and George Jones.

Dashboard Confessional: The Shade of Poison Trees (Vagrant)
At the Orpheum on 10/16 & 10/17

Bob Dylan: Dylan Box Set (Columbia/Legacy) – Thanks again to the $1 dollar bins, I own most of Dylan’s catalog on vinyl. This is a three disc career spanning retrospective. The world probably doesn’t need another Dylan box set, but it’s 4th quarter and record labels like to milk the fans of the of their A list artist every year. With a couple of exceptions, most of his records before 1976 are worth owning in their entirety.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone Records) –
At El Rey on 12/4
Download “100 Days, 100 Nights”

Merle Haggard: The Bluegrass Sessions (McCoury Music) – His first real bluegrass album. I’d like to hear it.

Richard Hawley: Lady’s Bridge (Mute)

iLiKETRAiNS: Elegies to Lessons Learnt (Beggars Banquet) – Compared to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Download “The Deception”

Japancakes: Giving Machines (Darla)

Christian Kiefer and Jefferson Pitcher: To All Dead Soldiers (Camera Obscura)

Annie Lennox: Songs of Mass Destruction (Arista) – I’ve listened to her records way more times than I’d care to admit.
At the Wilshire Theatre on 10/11

Sondre Lerche: Dan in Real Life Soundtrack (Capitol)

Mobius Band: Heaven (Misra)
At the Echo on 10/16 and Spaceland on 10/17
Download “Hallie”

[LOCAL] Peanut Butter Wolf: PBW Presents 2K8 – B-Ball Zombie War (Stones Throw)

John Ralston: Sorry Vampire (Vagrant)
At the Orpheum on 10/16 & 10/17

Chuck Prophet: Soap and Water (Yep Roc)

Doug Sahm: Live From Austin, TX (New West)

Siouxsie: Mantaray (Decca) – Debut solo record from Siouxsie of the Banshees.

Greg Summerlin: All Done in Good Time (Superphonic) - Download “Unlucky in Love”

Ike & Tina Turner: The Ike & Tina Turner Story (Time Life) – 3 CD collection

Various Artists: The Bakers Arms Dozen – A Fierce Panda Collection (Fierce Panda) – Download “Lists” by My Architects

Various: For the Kids Three (Nettwerk)

Various Artists: The Heartbreak Kid soundtrack

Various Artists: Heavy Metal Box Set (Rhino) – Decent collection of 70 tracks from 1968-1991. I’d really only consider myself a fan of about eight of the bands on the set.

[LOCAL] Nico Vega: No Child Left Behind EP (Myspace Records)
Live at the Detour Festival on 10/6

We Are Wolves: Total Magique (Dare to Care)

DVD – The Ramones: It’s Alive (Rhino) – I haven’t watched this yet, but it’s essential viewing for fans of the Ramones. It’s a two disc collection with 119 live performances. I should have a review up later. Watch the Youtube Trailer