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I can’t wait to hear them all!!

Spring CD preview
April showers bring May flowers ó but they also bring a flood of new spring albums. There are dozens of major releases due in the next few months. Hereís our quick guide to the toppermost of the poppermost. Mark your calendars ó but do it in pencil; everything here is subject to change.
April 7
The Hold Steady | A Positive Rage
The worldís greatest bar band serve up their first live CD/DVD. Drinking game: Take a swig every time Craig Finn mentions a location in Minneapolis.
Neil Young | Fork in the Road
Shakeyís latest cut-on-the-fly concept album was inspired by his hybrid LincVolt car. No, seriously. For this he delayed the Archives box yet again.
April 21
Booker T | Potato Hole
The MGs organist and legendary soul man releases his first album in more than a decade ó with The Drive-By Truckers and Neil Young as his band.
Depeche Mode | Sounds of the Universe
As is the way nowadays, the British synth-pop trioís dozenth disc comes in various editions, from a bare-bones CD to a deluxe box set with bonus cuts, demos and a DVD.
Jane’s Addiction | A Cabinet of Curiosities
Timed to coincide with Perry Farrell and co.ís new cash-in … sorry, reunion tour, this box set has three CDs of demos, outtakes and live cuts from the L.A. rockersí early years, plus a DVD.
April 28
Bob Dylan | Together Through Life
Zimmyís umpteenth studio album reportedly mixes raucous, hard-driving Chicago blues with plenty of, um, accordion. Because, you know, his vocals arenít wheezy enough already.
May 5
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band | Outer South
The good news: Barely nine months after his superbly rootsy eponymous album, Oberst is back with another disc. The bad news: He lets his bandmates write and sing some songs.
Cracker | Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey
Xís John Doe, Counting Crowís Adam Durvitz and Drive-By Truckersí Patterson Hood drop in on the 10th studio set from David Lowery and his long-serving alt-rockers.
New York Dolls | íCause I Sez So
David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain reteamed with their original producer Todd Rundgren for their second reunion album ó which also features a new version of Trash. Pick it up.
Peaches | I Feel Cream
Electroclash sleaze-mistress Merrill Nisker follows up her 2006 CD Impeach My Bush with more songs whose lyrics we wonít be able to quote in a newspaper.
May 12
Steve Earle | Townes
The hardcore troubadourís latest studio disc is a tribute album to the late great Townes Van Zandt, his friend, mentor ó and the man who gave Earleís son Justin his middle name.
Green Day | 21st Century Breakdown
Only an American Idiot would try to fix what isnít broke ó so the Bay Area pop-punks are sticking with the ambitious concept-album program for their eighth studio album.
May 19
Eminem | Relapse
Heís baaaaack! And supposedly, Slim Shadyís first album in five long years is just one of two discs heíll release next year. Guess heís been cleaniní out his closet.
June 2
Eels | Hombre Lobo
Yes, that title translates to Wolfman. But for idiosyncratic indie-rocker Mark Everett ó the sole permanent member of Eels ó thatís barely a blip on the weirdness radar.
Elvis Costello | Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
Apparently, Mr. Krallís newest CD is heavy on the acoustic vibe of King of America. Not our favourite version of Elvis, but since he never lets us down, weíll take it.
Iggy Pop | Preliminaires
The worldís forgotten boy and eternal Stooge makes a jazz album inspired by Michel Houellebecqís controversial novel The Possibility of an Island. Which begs the question: Wha?
Rancid | Let the Dominoes Fall
Weíre not sure why it took these California punks six years to follow up Indestructible. But based on all their previous albums, we fully expect this to be well worth the wait.
Neil Young | Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1 | 1963-1972
Yeah, right. At this point, we suspect even Neil doesnít believe this is ever coming out. Besides, heíll probably put it off to write a box set about composting.
June 9
Sonic Youth | The Eternal
The New York noise-rock gods return to the indie ranks with their first album for Matador Records. From the snippets floating around the Intertubes, sounds like they havenít changed a bit.
June 23
Dinosaur Jr. | Farm
Hereís another album from the reunited alt-rock trio of J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph. In a couple of more years, their comeback will have outlasted the original band.
Wilco | TBA
Leslie Feist supposedly guests on Jeff Tweedy and his Chicago experimental roots outfitís still-untitled seventh studio album ó which features the tune Wilco: The Song.
50 Cent | Before I Self-Destruct
Or as we prefer to call it: Before People Realize I Have Run Out of Ideas and Stop Buying My Lousy Albums.