New CD Releases, May 12th: Green Day, Steve Earle, The Church, Crystal Method, Better Than Ezra, and more!!
Green Day “21st Century Breakdown” (Reprise)
The multi-platinum pop/punk act finally returns with a follow-up to its Grammy-winning 2004 effort, “American Idiot.” Green Day’s eighth studio effort, which has been in the works since 2006, will hit stores on Friday (5/15).
Like “American Idiot,” “21st Century Breakdown” is a concept record, this time detailing the adventures of a young couple maneuvering through the first decade of the new millennium. The trio–singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool–is clearly hoping that the similarities between the two albums don’t end there.
It will be quite a challenge, however, for the new album to live up to the success of “American Idiot,” a work that, among other things, spawned five hit singles. So far, so good; the new record’s first single, “Know Your Enemy,” is already a Top 10 hit.
Green Day will support “21st Century Breakdown” during a North American tour that kicks off July 4 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The two-month run will touch down in 37 cities from coast to coast through the Aug. 25 tour finale in Los Angeles.
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Steve Earle “Townes” (New West)
On his latest offering, the country rocker tips his hat to the late, great songwriting legend Townes Van Zandt. The set features Earle covering 15 “Townes” originals, and includes guest appearances by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Earle’s wife, Allison Moorer.
Earle’s previous studio effort, “Washington Square Serenade,” surfaced in 2007. That album, produced by John King of the Dust Brothers (Beck, Beastie Boys), was Earle’s first full-length release since relocating to New York from Nashville, where he had based his career since 1975.
Earle will support “Townes” during a late-spring headlining tour that carries over into summer. The outing begins May 28 in Portsmouth, NH, and is currently scheduled to run through mid-June.
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The Church “Untitled #23” (Second Motion)
The rock band from Down Under remains on the rise as it drops yet another new product. “Untitled #23” comes during what has already been an unusually busy year for the band.
The Church has already dropped two other major releases in 2009: “Shriek: Excerpts from the Soundtrack,” a collaboration with American science-fiction author Jeff VanderMeer, and “The Coffee Hounds EP,” featuring several versions of the original track “The Coffee Song,” as well as a cover of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love.”
The group will take to the highway in support of the new album during a 19-city North American trek that starts June 10 in Solana Beach, CA, and wraps July 9 show in Ridgefield, CT.
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The Crystal Method “Divided by Night” (Ingrooves)
The electronic-music duo, consisting of Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, jumps back into the fray with the release of its fourth record. The Los Angeles act’s forthcoming set follows 2004’s “Legion of Boom.”
“Divided by Night” features a bevy of high-profile guest stars, including Metric vocalist Emily Haines, She Wants Revenge singer Justin Warfield and New Order bassist Peter Hook. The album’s first single, “Drown in the Now,” features vocal work by Matisyahu.
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Better Than Ezra “Paper Empire” (Red Distribution)
The alt-rock band returns with a follow-up to 2005’s “Before the Robots,” an album that produced the hit single “Juicy.” Better Than Ezra–still best known for the early ’90s radio hits “Good,” “In the Blood” and “Rosealia”–will support “Paper Empire” on the road. The tour kicks off with a two-night stand May 29-30 in the group’s hometown of New Orleans.
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More new releases:
Big Business, “Mind the Drift” (Redeye)
Book of Love, “Book of Love” (Noble)
Cam’Ron, “Crime Pays” (Asylum)
Jeremy Enigk, “OK Bear” (Redeye)
Bill Evans, “Turn Out the Stars: Final Village Vanguard Recordings” (Nonesuch)
Paul Gilbert, “United States” (R.E.D.)
George Jones, “Walk Through This World With Me: The Complete Musicor Recordings, 1965-1971 (Part 1)” (Bear)
David Siebels, “Dave Siebels with Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band” (PBGL)
Utada, “This is the One” (Mercury)
Kate Voegele, “A Fine Mess” (Interscope)
Paul Wall, “Fast Life” (Asylum)
Soundtracks and scores:
“Angels & Demons” (Sony)
“Lost: Season 4” (Varese)
“Next to Normal” (Sh-K-Boom)
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