New CD Releases, November 20: Keith Urban, Nine Inch Nails, U2
Keith Urban “Greatest Hits”
After topping the charts with last year’s “Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing,” the Grammy-winning country star returns with a best-of package. Urban’s “Greatest Hits” features all of the performer’s No. 1 hits, two new tracks, a remake of Steve Forbert’s 1979 hit “Romeo’s Tune” and a new full-band recording of “Got It Right This Time (The Celebration).”
Recently, Urban, who is married to film star Nicole Kidman, announced that he will join with fellow country sensation Carrie Underwood for a 24-city trek across the US in 2008. The “Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour,” which combines the names of the Grammy-winners’ recent studio albums, is set to launch Jan. 31. Dates and venues have not yet been announced.
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Nine Inch Nails “Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D”
Not crazy about how the songs sounded on Nine Inch Nails’ last record, “Year Zero”? Well, do something about it. With “Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D,” fans actually have the ability to remix the tracks. There’s a DVD-ROM in the package containing every track from “Year Zero” in multi-track format, which fans can use their home Mac and PC computers to rearrange.
That will appeal to the technically savvy folks. The rest of us will be content to just listen to how the pros do it. The regular CD portion of “Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D” features remixes of “Year Zero” songs by such celebs as New Order’s Stephen Morris, The Kronos Quartet, Saul Williams, Interpol’s Sam Fogarino and The Faint.
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U2 “The Joshua Tree”
U2 fans will probably want to check out this deluxe edition of the band’s signature album, 1987’s “The Joshua Tree.” It’s a 3-disc box set that contains a remastered version of the original CD, a bonus audio CD and a DVD recorded live in Paris in 1987.
The set also includes a 56-page hardback embossed book, featuring previously unseen Anton Corbijn photos, handwritten lyrics by Bono and liner notes by the band members, producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois and other creative forces behind the blockbuster original CD.
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Jordin Sparks “Jordin Sparks”
Back in May, 17-year-old Jordin Sparks became the youngest singer to ever be crowned an “American Idol.” Now, the vocalist, who is also known by the nicknames JoJo and J-Speezy, is set to release her self-titled debut CD. The set includes a duet with R&B star Chris Brown on “No Air.”
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Amy Winehouse “Frank”
There will surely be a lot of interest in the reissue of Winehouse’s 2003 debut CD, “Frank.” That’s because Winehouse has become one of the biggest stars of the year, thanks to the CD “Back to Black,” the single “Rehab” and her constant partying that has made her a favorite of tabloid reporters.
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More new releases:
Sebastian Bach, “Angel Down” (MRV)
Melissa Etheridge, “The Awakening Live” (Island)
Genesis, “1983-1998” (Rhino)
Genesis, “Live Over Europe” (Atlantic)
Gorillaz, “D-Sides” (Virgin)
Led Zeppelin, “The Song Remains the Same” (Rhino)
OneRepublic, “Dreaming Out Loud” (Interscope)
Opeth, “The Roundhouse Tapes: Opeth Live” (Peaceville)
The Traveling Wilburys, “The Traveling Wilburys” (Rhino)
Various Artists, “Brit Box” (Rhino)
Soundtracks and scores:
“Enchanted” (Disney)
“Hairspray (2-Disc Collector’s Edition Soundtrack)” (New Line)
“Halo 3” (Sumthing Else)
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (The Complete Recordings)” (Reprise)
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