New Releases, Oct. 24: My Chemical Romance, John Legend, Paul Stanley
My Chemical Romance “The Black Parade”
These modern goth-rockers return with the follow-up to their platinum-plus-selling major label debut, 2004’s “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge.” The new album was produced by Rob Cavallo, best known for his work with Green Day.
In an August press conference, lead singer Gerard Way called the album “an epic, theatrical, orchestral, big record that is also a concept album. It has a very set story, but as you listen, the layers of that story peel away. What you’re left with at the end is a story about mortality.”
The band debuted the album’s first single, “Welcome to the Black Parade,” during this year’s MTV Video Music Awards pre-show.
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John Legend “Once Again”
The Grammy-winning vocalist/pianist returns with the follow-up to his immensely successful debut, 2004’s “Get Lifted.” Kanye West, who produced Legend’s first album, had a hand in the new disc, as did Raphael Saadiq and Will.I.Am.
The first single from the album is “Save Room,” which was inspired by an old AM radio single, “Stormy,” by the Classics IV, a ’60s-era Top 40 band best known for the song “Spooky.” Legend will support the new album with a lengthy tour, kicking off 10/26 in Washington D.C. and currently stretching through a 12/2 date in Norfolk, VA.
It’s already been a very good year for Legend. Back in February, the vocalist picked up three Grammy awards: Best R&B Album (“Get Lifted”), Best R&B Male Vocal Performance (“Ordinary People”) and Best New Artist.
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Paul Stanley “Live to Win”
Nearly there decades after the release of his first solo set, KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley returns to deliver his second.
While continuing to lead his popular rock band with bassist Gene Simmons, Stanley has remained pretty busy outside of KISS. His work in recent years includes a 1999 run as the lead in a Toronto production of “Phantom of the Opera.” More recently, he made his debut as a painter and began exhibiting and selling original works of art last year.
Stanley is currently on the road in support of “Live to Win.” The tour is scheduled to wrap up Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.
Stanley’s first solo album was a 1978 eponymous effort released in conjunction with solo albums by the other three KISS members.
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Hannah Montana “Hannah Montana”
Hannah Montana is the current queen–or, perhaps, princess is more accurate–of the tween market. The singer (whose real name is Miley Cyrus, daughter of country crooner Billy Ray Cyrus) has a hugely popular show on Disney. Make no mistake about it: There’s a real chance that this CD soundtrack could top the charts.
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Aimee Mann “One More Drifter in the Snow”
The Grammy-winning vocalist offers up a seasonal collection filled with such wintry favorites as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”
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Original Soundtrack “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”
This expanded, two-disc soundtrack to one of the most popular holiday films of recent years features plenty of new songs as well as a 3-D cover. Adding weight to the original Danny Elfman score are such guest stars as Marilyn Manson, Fiona Apple, Fall Out Boy, She Wants Revenge and Panic! At the Disco.
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Other new releases:
George Benson, Al Jarreau, “Givin’ It Up” (Concord)
Eisbrecher, “Antikorper” (Dancing Ferret)
Ben Folds, “Supersunnyspeedgraphic–The LP” (Sony)
Merle Haggard, George Jones, “Jones Sings Haggard, Haggard Sings Jones: Kickin’ Out the Footlights … Again” (Bandit)
Koop, “Koop Islands” (K7)
Lil Boosie, “Bad Azz” (Asylum)
Moby, “Go: The Very Best of Moby” (V2)
Montgomery Gentry, “Some People Change” (Sony)
Fernando Ortega, “The Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns and Sacred Songs” (Curb)
Skid Row, “Revolutions Per Minute” (Steamhammer)
Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift” (Big Machine)
Various artists, “Butchering the Beatles: A Headbashing Tribute” (Restless)
Andreas Vollenweider, “Midnight Clear” (Denon)
Winger, “IV” (Frontiers)
Frank Zappa, “Trance-Fusion” (Zappa)
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