New CD Releases, December 8th: Jimmy Buffett, Snoop Dogg, Thirty Seconds to Mars and more!!
Jimmy Buffett “Buffet Hotel” (Mailboat)
Mr. “Margaritaville” doesn’t have any more tour dates lined up this year, but his loyal legion of fans (a.k.a. Parrot Heads) still have something to look forward to this holiday season: a brand new record. “Buffet Hotel” (one “t”) is Buffett’s first studio album since 2006’s “Take the Weather With You.”
Produced by Michael Utley and Mac McAnally (two members of Buffett’s Coral Reefer band), “Buffet Hotel” features three tunes that the singer/songwriter/guitarist has already introduced in concert: “Surfing in a Hurricane,” “A Lot to Drink About” and “Summerzcool,” the latter of which was used as the 2009 tour name.
In a statement, Buffett said he was inspired to write the music on “Buffet Hotel” during a recent trek to West Africa to attend the Festival in the Desert, an annual music fest that takes place near Timbuktu, Mali.
“I actually didn’t go to the desert with the pre-conceived notion of returning with an album,” Buffett said. “I went looking for stories. … The story that sparked the song ‘Buffet Hotel,’ which eventually turned into the title track and name of this album, began the minute we set foot on the patio of the infamous Hotel De La Gare Buffet in the Bamako train station, better known as Le Buffet Hotel.” The Buffet Hotel is a colonial-era train station/hotel where the music scene flourished in Mali after its independence in 1960.
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Snoop Dogg “Malice N Wonderland” (Priority)
The hip-hop icon takes a break from making horror movies, appearing on sports-talk shows and inventing new urban slang (fo’ shizzle!) to unveil his 10th studio album. The cleverly named “Malice N Wonderland” follows last year’s “Ego Trippin’,” which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200, selling 137,000 copies in its first week of release.
“Malice N Wonderland” features production by Dr. Dre, The Neptunes and Pete Rock, among others, and guest appearances by R. Kelly, Ghostface Killah, Mary J. Blige, Pharrell and many others. Snoop is currently bringing “Wonderland” to venues across North America, with upcoming dates scheduled in San Francisco and Los Angeles, among other cities.
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Thirty Seconds to Mars “This is War” (Virgin)
The popular alt-rock troupe jumps back into the fray with the release of its third studio set, which follows 2005’s “A Beautiful Life.” The Los Angeles act, led by actor/singer/guitarist Jared Leto, worked with producers Flood (Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails) and Steve Lilywhite (The Rolling Stones, U2) on “This is War.”
Thirty Seconds to Mars” is currently on the road showcasing the “This is War” material. The trek continues through a Dec. 19 date at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH.
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Chris Brown “Graffiti” (Jive)
The troubled R&B star, who was convicted in September of assaulting fellow singer Rihanna, continues to try to get his career back on track with the release of his third studio effort.
Thus far, his efforts in that regard have paid dividends: the first “Graffiti” single, “I Can Transform Ya” (featuring Lil’ Wayne and Swizz Beatz), proved popular, peaking at No. 18 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Brown is currently in the midst of his “Fan Appreciation” tour.
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Timbaland “Shock Value 2” (Blackground)
The Grammy-winning producer–who has worked with such diverse talents as Justin Timberlake, Bjork, Ashlee Simpson and Coldplay–returns with his third solo outing, a follow-up/companion-piece to 2007’s “Shock Value.” “Shock Value II” finds Timbaland collaborating with Katy Perry, The Fray, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and many other big-name artists.
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More new releases:
BG, “Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood” (Koch)
Clipse, “Til the Casket Drops” (Sony)
Bill Cosby, “Revenge” (Rhino)
Bill Cosby, “To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With” (Rhino)
Alejandro Fern·ndez, “Dos Mundos–Tradicion” (Fonovisa)
Mantovani, “Christmas Carols” (Collector’s Choice)
John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, “John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (Deluxe Edition)” (Decca)
Elvis Presley, “Elvis 75: Good Rockin’ Tonight” (Sony)
Puddle of Mudd, “Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate” (Geffen)
Linda Ronstadt, “Don’t Cry Now” (Rhino)
We the Kings, “Smile Kid” (S-Curve)
Neil Young, “Dreamin’ Man Live ’92” (Warner)
Soundtracks and scores:
“Glee: The Music, Volume 2” (Sony)
“Invictus” (Watertower)
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