New CD Releases, March 25: Gnarls Barkley, Counting Crows, Panic at the Disco
Gnarls Barkley “The Odd Couple”
“The Odd Couple” in question is multi-instrumentalist/producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and rapper/vocalist Cee-Lo Green (Thomas Callaway), who notched what many considered to be the most memorable song of 2006 with the single “Crazy” and sold millions of copies of their 2006 debut full-length, “St. Elsewhere.”
Now, Gnarls Barkley is looking to build upon their early success–which included two Grammy Awards in 2007–with the release of the sophomore outing, “The Odd Couple.” The first single from the new 13-track disc is titled “Run.”
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Counting Crows “Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings”
The Crows fly back into action with their first new studio release since 2002’s “Hard Candy.” The disc was produced by Gil Norton and Brian Deck.
The San Francisco Bay Area band, led by vocalist Adam Duritz, is looking to add to its already impressive career-sales total. The Crows have sold more than 20 million records to date, thanks in large part to their mega-platinum debut, 1993’s “August and Everything After.”
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Panic at the Disco “Pretty. Odd”
The alt-pop band boogies back into the spotlight with the release of its sophomore record, which follows the group’s 2005 debut, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out.” The new set was recorded at Las Vegas’ Studio at the Palms with producer Rob Mathes, and features the leadoff single “Nine in the Afternoon.”
Panic at the Disco will promote “Pretty. Odd” by headlining this year’s Honda Civic Tour, which kicks off April 10 in San Francisco. The tour will also feature Motion City Soundtrack, The Hush Sound and Phantom Planet.
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The B-52’s “Funplex”
R.E.M. isn’t the only legendary Athens, GA, alt-rock band looking to make a comeback in 2008; the B-52’s are also hoping for a big year with the release of “Funplex.” It’s the group’s first new album in 16 years.
The 11-track set features song credits from all of the band’s original members: Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland and Cindy Wilson (who sat out the group’s last record, 1992’s “Good Stuff”). The B-52’s recorded “Funplex” in their native Athens with producer Steve Osborne (New Order, KT Tunstall).
The B-52’s will support “Funplex” with a 12-city headlining tour, which begins April 23 in Boston, and will then join the 24-city True Colors Tour with Cyndi Lauper and Rosie O’Donnell, which kicks off May 31, also in Boston.
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Day 26 “Day 26”
The boy band hopes to follow in the footprints of Danity Kane as it tries to translate small-screen fame into Billboard chart success with the release of its eponymous debut. Like Danity Kane, Day 26 was put together and mentored by Diddy on the MTV hit reality series “Making the Band.”
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More new releases:
Karrin Allyson, “Imagina: Songs of Brasil” (Decca)
Lindsey Buckingham, “Live at the Bass Performance Hall” (Reprise)
Cavalera Conspiracy, “Inflikted” (Roadrunner)
Enrique Iglesias, “95/08” (Universal)
Lionel Loueke, “Karibu” (Blue Note)
Brad Mehldau Trio, “Live” (Nonesuch)
Morrissey, “Greatest Hits” (Decca)
Mike Oldfield, “Music of the Spheres” (Decca)
RPWL, “The RPWL Experience” (Inside Out)
Silver Mount Zion, “13 Blues for Thirteen Moons” (Constellation)
Ricky Skaggs (Artist), Kentucky Thunder, “Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass: Tribute to 1946 & 1947” (Skaggs Family)
Various Artists, “WWE: The Music, Vol. 8” (Sony)
Soundtracks and scores:
“Planet Earth” (EMI)
“Polish Night Music” (Absurda)
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