MJ, Freddie Mercury songs leaked

Guitarist Brian May is furious after "music thieves" exploited Michael Jackson's death by releasing previously unheard tracks by the King Of Pop and Queen's late frontman Freddie Mercury on the Internet.

Jackson, who passed away last week, and Mercury worked together in the 1980s on a number of tracks that have never been heard by the public.

May revealed the existence of the songs earlier this week, saying, "He (Jackson) used to come and see us when we were on tour in the States. He and Freddie became close friends, close enough to record a couple of tracks together at Michael's house, tracks which have never seen the light of day."

But the rocker has been left incensed after two tunes by the pair, State Of Shock and There Must Be More To Life Than This, ended up on video sharing website YouTube.com.

He fumes, "The music thieves at work as usual."

Michael Jackson Breaks Billboard Charts Records

As predicted, Michael Jackson is once again the King of the Pop charts.

Based on preliminary sales numbers from Nielsen SoundScan, the entire top nine positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums chart will house Jackson-related titles when the tally is released in the early morning on Wednesday (July 1). Nielsen SoundScan's sales tracking week ended at the close of business on Sunday (June 28) night.

Jackson himself has a record eight out of the top 10, while a Jackson 5 compilation also finds its way into the upper tier.

The King of Pop's "Number Ones" will fittingly lead the pack at No. 1 with 108,000 (an increase of 2,340%) while "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" are in the Nos. 2 and 3 slots with 102,000 and 101,000, respectively. Last week "Number Ones" was the only Jackson title on the chart, at No. 20 with 4,000 copies; both "Essential" and "Thriller" re-enter the tally this week.

Additionally, his classic 1979 studio set "Off the Wall" re-enters at No. 4 with 33,000 while his 1987 album "Bad" returns at No. 6 with 17,000. At No. 5, the Jackson 5's "The Ultimate Collection" debuts with 18,000. Jackson's fourth studio album for Epic Records, 1991's "Dangerous," re-enters at No. 7 with 14,000 while his 2001 compilation "Greatest Hits: HIStory -- Volume 1" also comes back to the list at No. 8 with 12,000. Finally, Jackson's 2004 box set "The Ultimate Collection" charts its first week on the Pop Catalog chart, arriving at No. 9 with 11,000.

The lone non-Jackson-related set in the top 10 is a reissue of the "Woodstock" movie soundtrack, which bows at No. 10 with 8,000.

Collectively, Jackson's solo albums sold 415,000 this past week. That's extraordinary, since his titles sold a combined 10,000 in the week that ended June 21. Of the 415,000 total, 58% were digital downloads.

Additionally, the 415,000 albums sold just last week is nearly 40% more than what Jackson's catalog had sold the the entire year up through June 21 (297,000).

Speaking of digital albums, on the Top Digital Albums chart, Jackson has a record six out of the top 10 slots, including the entire top four. "The Essential Michael Jackson" leads the Top Digital Albums list with 80,000 downloads sold, while "Thriller" is No. 2 with 57,000.

With the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." moving back to the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 chart with 88,000, this week marks the first time that a catalog album has sold more than the No. 1 current set on the Billboard 200 albums chart. (All three of Jackson's top sellers on the Pop Catalog chart outsell "The E.N.D.")

Ironically, the feat almost occurred when Jackson re-issued "Thriller" in February 2008. The set relaunched with 166,000, re-entering at No. 1 on the Top Pop Catalog chart. That week, Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through the Static" led the Billboard 200 chart with 180,000 while Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" was at No. 2 with 115,000.

Catalog albums are ineligible to appear on the Billboard 200 albums chart, though they can chart on the all-encompassing Top Comprehensive Albums list. On the latter chart, Jackson's "Number Ones," "Essential" and "Thriller" are at Nos. 1-3, followed by the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." at No. 4.

Jackson places a record 25 songs on the 75-position Hot Digital Songs chart (21 solo hits and four with his siblings), smashing the mark of 14 charting titles established by David Cook in the June 7, 2008 issue. Jackson's Halloween radio staple, "Thriller," moves 167,000, which is good for second place on the chart behind the 203,000 shifted by the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling."

"Thriller" was also Jackson's best seller in the week before his death with 5,000 downloads, which translates to a 3,551% jump. Jackson's total volume of downloads this week -- including his tracks with the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons -- account for 2.6 million downloads, a remarkable number considering last week's cumulative sum was 48,000. Moreover, Jackson becomes the first act to sell more than 1 million song downloads in a week.

Besides "Thriller," Jackson places five other songs in the top 10 including "Man In The Mirror" (No. 3, 165,000), "Billie Jean" (No. 4, 158,000), "The Way You Make Me Feel" (No. 6, 136,000), "Beat It" (No. 7, 134,000) and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (No. 8, 125,000).

Not surprisingly, each of the tracks in the top 10 of Hot Digital Songs were among the top 10 most-played Jackson selections at radio following his passing. According to research provided by Nielsen BDS of monitored airplay from over 1,600 terrestrial and satellite radio stations and cable music channels, "Billie Jean" was the Jackson track with the most spins for the week ending June 28 with 4,540 -- 97% of which occurred after news of his death became public. The track posted only 318 plays in the prior week.

Jackson wrapped video before death

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 19 mins ago
LOS ANGELES – Two weeks before he died, Michael Jackson wrapped up work on an elaborate production dubbed the "Dome Project" that could be the final finished video piece overseen by the King of Pop, The Associated Press has learned.

Details on the project are scarce. Two people with knowledge of the project confirmed its existence Monday to the AP on condition they not be identified because they signed confidentiality agreements.

They said it was a five-week project filmed at Culver Studios, which 70 years ago was the set for the classic film "Gone With the Wind." Four sets were constructed for Jackson's production, including a cemetery recalling his 1983 "Thriller" video.

Shooting for the project lasted from June 1-9, with Jackson on the set most days. Now in post-production, the project is expected to be completed next month.

Producer Robb Wagner, founder of music-video company Stimulated Inc., did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the project.

Michael Roth, a spokesman for Jackson's Los Angeles-based promoter AEG Live, said he hadn't heard about the production but did not rule that it could be part of the company's contract with the entertainer.

According to one of the people with knowledge of the project, a willow-thin, pallid Jackson left a memorable impression on the crew, arriving in a caravan of SUVs with hulking security guards in tow. The person said Jackson introduced himself to workers on the set and walked with a spring in his step but at one point needed assistance as he descended steps off a stage.

Besides the cemetery, one set was draped in black with an oversized portrait of Jackson in his "Thriller" werewolf costume. Another set was designed to simulate a lush jungle, and a fourth was built to replicate a construction site, with a screen in the back to allow projection of different backgrounds.

Taping took place in marathon sessions ending early in the morning. One scene filmed on the construction site set included scantily clad male dancers wearing carpenter's belts.

It's unclear what final form or forms the video project will take.

According to Stimulated's Web site, the company was hired to produce screen content for Jackson's planned comeback concerts in London. Stimulated has worked with Def Leppard and the Pussycat Dolls, and produced content for the Academy Awards and the Emmys.

New Releases, June 30: Rob Thomas, Brad Paisley, Wilco, Moby, Levon Helm, and more!!

Rob Thomas "Cradlesong" (Atlantic)

The pop/rock star, who came to fame as the frontman for Matchbox Twenty, is finally ready to unveil his second solo record. The first single from "Cradlesong" is the track "Her Diamonds."

"Cradlesong" follows 2005's "...Something To Be," which made chart history when Thomas became the first male artist from a rock or pop group to debut at No. 1 with his inaugural solo album, according to a press release. In a broader sense, "Cradlesong" also follows his 2007 reunion with his Matchbox Twenty bandmates on "Exile On Mainstream," which was the first group effort since the 2003 six-song collection, "EP."

* * *
Brad Paisley "American Saturday Night" (RCA)

The mega-popular cowboy crooner/guitarist is back with a follow-up to last year's "Play." The first single from "American Saturday Night," Paisley's eighth studio album, is the hit song "Then," which holds the distinction of being the fastest-rising chart-topper of Paisley's career, according to a press release.

Paisley currently is supporting the new album with a major North American trek, dubbed the "Saturday Night Tour." The run will hit more than 40 cities and stretches well into October. His tour companions are fellow country singers Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne.

In other news, Paisley had a huge night at the most recent CMT Music Awards. The country star tallied the most belt-buckle-shaped trophies this year of any entertainer, snagging Male Video of the Year for "Waitin' On a Woman," Collaborative Video of the Year with Keith Urban for "Start a Band" and Performance of the Year alongside Alan Jackson, George Strait and Dierks Bentley for their rendition of "Country Boy" on "CMT Giants: Alan Jackson."

* * *
Wilco "Wilco (The Album)" (Nonesuch)

The acclaimed alt-rock act is set deliver "Wilco (The Album)." The record is the Chicago-based group's seventh studio offering to date, and its first since 2007's "Sky Blue Sky."

Wilco co-produced the album with studio vet Jim Scott (who had worked as a mixer on some of the band's prior discs) during recording sessions in New Zealand and Chicago. "Wilco (The Album)" also includes the group's first-ever official duet, "You and I," which was recorded with Canadian singer Feist.

Wilco is currently touring in support of its new album--as well as a recently released concert DVD, "Ashes of American Flags"--and plans call for the band to remain on the road through an Aug. 23 appearance at Minnesota's 10,000 Lakes Festival.

* * *
Moby "Wait For Me" (Mute)

The electronica giant, who took the music world by storm with the 1999 dance manifesto "Play," plugs back in for his ninth studio album. "Wait For Me" follows 2008's "Last Night."

The first single from "Wait For Me" is the track "Shot in the Back of the Head," the music video for which was directed by David Lynch. Moby produced the album, then turned it over for mixing to Ken Thomas (Sigur Ros).

* * *
Levon Helm "Electric Dirt" (Vanguard)

The classic-rock legend, best known as a founding member of The Band, returns with his second solo offering. "Electric Dirt" was produced by Larry Campbell, who also worked the boards on Helm's 2007 Grammy-award winning "Dirt Farmer."

"Electric Dirt" features versions of The Grateful Dead's "Tennessee Jed," Happy Traum's "Golden Bird" and Randy Newman's "Kingfish." It also includes horn arrangements by Allen Toussaint and the Levon Helm Band.

* * *
More new releases:
Bjork, "Voltaic" (Nonesuch)
Jefferson Airplane, "Jefferson Airplane: The Woodstock Experience" (Sony)
Janis Joplin, "Janis Joplin: The Woodstock Experience" (Sony)
Killswitch Engage, "Killswitch Engage" (Roadrunner)
Lillian Axe, "Sad Day on Planet Earth" (Blistering)
Santana, "Santana: The Woodstock Experience" (Sony)
Sly & The Family Stone, "Sly & The Family Stone: The Woodstock Experience" (Sony)
Rod Stewart, "A Night on the Town" (Rhino)
Tanya Tucker, "My Turn" (Saguaro Road)
Twisted Sister, "Stay Hungry" (Rhino)
Various Artists, "Now That's What I Call Music, Vol. 31" (Sony)
Various Artists, "The Woodstock Experience" (Sony)
Johnny Winter, "Johnny Winter: The Woodstock Experience" (Sony)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Road Show" (Nonesuch)

A Lost Michael Jackson Tune...and His Final Concert?

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Michael Jackson never got around to recording that long-awaited comeback album, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of material.

E! News has obtained the King of Pop's recording of "Shout"—the first of what will likely be a slew of posthumous recordings unearthed in the next few years.

The tune, which puts a distinctive Jackson twist on the Isley Brothers' seminal 1959 hit, was cowritten by the New Jersey-based team of Cyph and Crystal and recorded in the fall of 2001 at Sony Recording Studios in New York City, but was never released.

"After the recording was done, we could see him dancing to the song," Cyph, who was introduced to the star by producer Teddy Riley, tells E! News. "He really was feeling that record, but, unfortunately, the record got rail roaded by politics within the album and the dispute between M.J. and Tommy [Mottola], so it got released as a maxi single to R. Kelly's "Cry." No one's heard "Shout" in the U.S."

Jackson's last studio album, Invincible, came out in 2001.

One of Jackson's biographers, Ian Halperin, claims the singer may have left more than 100 unreleased songs to his three children as a "personal legacy," according to the the Times of London.

Meanwhile, per TheWrap.com, Jackson's final Los Angeles rehearsal for his upcoming London concert series was recorded by AEG as part of his multimillion-dollar deal, and the concert promoter is reportedly planning to release it on DVD and CD as a "live concert."

Wentz denies Fall Out Boy split

Fall Out Boy star Pete Wentz has denied the rockers are set to go their separate ways - even though they have no plans to make any more albums.

The bassist shocked fans earlier this week by taking to his Twitter.com Internet page to admit the band's last record, 2008's Folie a Deux, may be their "swan song."

But Wentz insists the band is set to continue - they just won't be making any new music.

He tells MTV.com, "No, we're not calling it quits, but we've no future album plans right now. We can't quit, we're waiting to get fired.

"I think it's all in context. There aren't any new Fall Out Boy songs because we don't write for the sake of it. We will stop doing Fall Out Boy when it stops being fun."

Green Day Let the Bullets Fly in Marc Webb’s “21 Guns” Video

Green Day’s video for “21 Guns,” the second single off the band’s acclaimed 21st Century Breakdown, premiered last night on MySpace Music. The video was directed by music video vet Marc Webb, who previously helmed clips for Weezer and My Chemical Romance and will make his feature film debut later this summer with (500) Days of Summer.

Like the “Know Your Enemy” video, “21 Guns” is a performance-heavy clip that has the band — including touring guitarist Jason White — rocking inside a bleak single room where a young couple are barricaded. Newspaper clippings and the lyrics to the song (as well as other Green Day songs, including “See the Light”) cover the walls, and before long bullets riddle the room, smashing glasses and everything else in sight. But the pair suddenly lose their fear and walk proudly to the middle of the room, where they kiss in a scene that echos 21st Century Breakdown’s cover art.

Drummer Tre Cool recently told Spinner the clip does indeed mirror the album art, and he thinks “It’s the perfect video for the song.” What’s more, “There’s a hot girl and a hot guy in it.” Cool said the video was filmed on a two-day shoot and promised a “lot of explosions, good times and gunpowder.”

“21 Guns” will be among the songs on Rock Band’s Breakdown download three-pack along with “Know Your Enemy” and “East Jesus Nowhere.” Fans will able to see “21 Guns” live this summer when Green Day embark on their full tour starting July 3rd in Seattle.

New CD Releases, June 23rd: Pete Yorn, The Mars Volta, Cheap Trick, Dream Theater, Regina Spektor, and more!!

Pete Yorn "Back and Fourth" (Sony)

The alt-rock singer/songwriter is finally set to release his fourth studio album, which follows 2006's "Nightcrawler." "Back and Fourth" marks a production shift for Yorn, who played virtually all of the instruments on his first three albums, but worked with drummer Joey Waronker (Beck), pianist/arranger Nate Wolcott (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley), bassist Joe Karnes (John Cale), backing vocalist Orenda Fink (Azure Ray) and Jonny Polonsky (the guitarist in Yorn's touring band).

The New Jersey native will showcase the new material at a sold-out album-release show at LA's Roxy Theatre June 24. He'll then launch a two-month North American tour beginning July 9 in San Diego, CA.

Yorn also has plans to drop another studio effort this fall--"Break Up," an album of duets with actress/singer Scarlett Johansson. The nine-track record is set to hit stores on Sept. 8.

* * *
The Mars Volta "Octahedron" (Warner Bros.)

The psychedelic-inspired hard-rock band returns to the fray with the release of its fifth studio album. "Octahedron" follows 2008's "The Bedlam in Goliath," which featured the Grammy Award-winning song "Wax Simulacra."

Having appeared earlier this month at the mammoth Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN, the group will again see massive crowds when it shows up in August at the second annual Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival in San Francisco.

* * *
Cheap Trick "The Latest" (Cheap Trick)

The legendary classic rock band is ready to give fans "The Latest." This new disc, which follows 2006's "Rockford," was produced by Julian Raymond and includes a cover of Slade's "When the Lights are Out."

Cheap Trick--frontman Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Bun E. Carlos--will back "The Latest" by joining Def Leppard and Poison on the road. The 40-city trek kicks off June 23 in Camden, NJ.

Also of note, the group made headlines recently when it announced plans to interpret The Beatles' classic 1967 album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" during an engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton, which kicks off Sept. 13.

* * *
Dream Theater "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" (Roadrunner)

The prog-metal act, which formed in 1985 in Long Island, NY, is set to unleash its 10th studio album. "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" follows 2007's "Systematic Chaos."

The new offering will be available in several different formats. Along with the standard CD, the effort will also be sold as a vinyl LP and as a three-disc special-edition package with the full album, as well as a disc of instrumental mixes and one featuring six cover songs.

Dream Theater will support "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" with another round of "Progressive Nation" tour dates. The trek begins July 24 in Miami and will end Aug. 29 in Los Angeles.

* * *
Regina Spektor "Far" (Warner Bros.)

The Moscow-born singer/songwriter/pianist is back with a follow-up to 2006's "Begin to Hope." "Far" features work from four big-name producers--Jeff Lynne (Electric Light Orchestra), Mike Elizondo (Eminem), David Kahne (Paul McCartney) and Garret "Jackknife" Lee (R.E.M.). Spektor will support "Far" with a seven-city North American trek that begins Sept. 11 in Saint Paul, MN, and finishes Sept. 24 in Philadelphia.

* * *
More new releases:
Neal E. Boyd, "My American Dream" (Decca)
Shawn Colvin, "Live" (Nonesuch)
Dinosaur Jr., "Farm" (Jagjaguwar)
Kurt Elling, "Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman" (Concord)
Escala, "Escala" (Columbia)
Judy Garland, "Live at the Palladium" (Collector's Choice)
Michael Johns, "Hold Back My Heart" (Downtown)
Bob Marley, "B is For Bob" (Tuff Gong)
VNV Nation, "Of Faith, Power and Glory" (Red)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Hair (The New Broadway Cast Recording)" (Ghostlight)
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (Reprise)

Sting Announces 'Winter' Album For Fall

Summer is just around the corner, but Sting has another season on his mind. The singer announced today (June 17) that his next album, "If On a Winter's Night...," will be inspired by his favorite time of year and feature two original compositions as well as traditional songs, carols and lullabies from the British Isles. The album is slated for release October 27 on Deutsche Grammophon.

"The theme of winter is rich in inspiration and material," Sting said in a statement. "By filtering all of these disparate styles into one album I hope we have created something refreshing and new."

"If On A Winter's Night" finds Sting collaborating with Robert Sadin, who produced and arranged Herbie Hancock's Grammy-winning "Gershwin's World," and a host of guest musicians including his longtime guitarist Dominic Miller. The artist's original compositions are entitled "Lullaby for an Anxious Child" and "The Hounds of Winter," and among the traditional songs being interpreted are the Newscastle ballad "The Snow It Melts the Soonest," the English "begging" song "A Soalin'," and "Gabriel's Message," a carol that dates back to the 14th century.

Of his deep affinity for winter, Sting explained, "Our ancestors celebrated the paradox of light at the heart of the darkness, and the consequent miracle of rebirth and the regeneration of the seasons."

Sting's 2006 album "Songs from the Labyrinth," inspired by the lute songs of English composer John Dowland, has sold 259,000 according to Nielsen SoundScan.

New CD Releases, June 9th: Black Eyed Peas, Sonic Youth, Iron Maiden, Dredg, Aventura, and more!!

Black Eyed Peas "THE E.N.D." (Interscope)

The R&B/hip-hop ensemble returns with its fifth studio effort. "The E.N.D."--which stands for "Energy Never Dies"--is the Black Eyed Peas' first original album since 2005's "Monkey Business."

The group--featuring Will.I.Am, Fergie, Apl.De.Ap and Taboo--is off to a quick start with this album. The set's first single, "Boom Boom Pow," has already hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

All told, the Black Eyed Peas have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, thanks to such hit songs as "My Humps," "Pump It" and "Let's Get It Started."

* * *
Sonic Youth "The Eternal" (Matador)

Having released its last nine albums through Geffen, the seminal indie-rock act is set to go indie once again as it puts out its latest offering on the Matador label.

"The Eternal" was produced by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Drive-By Truckers) and marks the debut of former Pavement bassist Mark Ibold as a permanent, full-time member of the group.

Sonic Youth will support "The Eternal" on the road. The 21-city tour is set to begin June 28 in Chicago and will finish up Aug. 2 in Oakland, CA.

* * *
Iron Maiden "Flight 666" (Sony)

This two-disc set documents the legendary metal band's 2008 world tour, which took the group from Mumbai, India and Melbourne, Australia to San Jose, Costa Rica and Sao Paulo, Brazil, and seemingly everywhere else in between.

In all, Iron Maiden's "Somewhere Back in Time World Tour" consisted of 23 shows in Asia, Australia, and North, Central and South America in just 45 days, according to a press release.

This double-disc offering serves as the soundtrack to the feature-length tour documentary, "Iron Maiden: Flight 666," which made its theatrical debut back in April.

* * *
Dredg "The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion" (Dredg)

These Northern California prog-rockers are set to drop their fourth studio effort, something that fans have been waiting for since 2005's "Catch Without Arms."

Dredg will support "The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion" during a co-headlining jaunt through North American clubs and theaters with fellow Californians RX Bandits. The trek begins and ends in Southern California; opening night is July 8 in Anaheim, CA, and the closing stand happens Aug. 30-31 in Los Angeles.

* * *
Aventura "The Last" (Sony)

The New York-based, Dominican boy band is back with its fifth album, which follows the 2007 live offering "Kings of Bachata: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden." The group is known for such Latin radio hits as "El Perdedor" and "Mi Carazoncito," as well as for serving as the opening act on Enrique Iglesias' 2008 tour.

* * *
More new releases:
Above & Beyond Presents: Oceanlab, "Sirens of the Sea Remixed" (Ultra)
Nanci Griffith, "The Loving Kind" (Rounder)
Teena Marie, "Congo Square" (Stax)
Johnny Mathis, "Rapture/Romantically" (Collector's Choice)
Johnny Mathis, "Those Were The Days/Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet" (Collector's Choice)
Johnny Mathis, "Up Up & Away" (Collector's Choice)
Rhett Miller, "Rhett Miller" (Shout Factory)
Placebo, "Battle for the Sun" (Vagrant)
Pleasure P, "The Introduction of Marcus Cooper" (Atlantic)
The Rolling Stones, "Emotional Rescue" (Universal)
The Rolling Stones, "Some Girls" (Universal)
The Rolling Stones, "Tattoo You" (Universal)
Todd Snider, "The Excitement Plan" (Yep Roc)
Paul Van Dyk, "Volume" (Ultra)
Various artists, "Originis: Live from Brasil, Nadja and the Assads" (NSS)

Woodstock Box Set Unearths Famous Festival's Rarities

Thirty-eight previously unreleased recordings -- from groups such as the Who, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Jefferson Airplane -- will dot Rhino's "Woodstock -- 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm" box set, which will be released on Aug. 18.

Among the highlights of the six-CD, 77-song collection are a 19-minute rendition of the Dead's "Dark Star," "Amazing Journey" and "Pinball Wizard" by the Who, "Feelin' Alright" by Joe Cocker, CCR's "Bad Moon Rising," Blood Sweat and Tears' "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and tracks from Sweetwater, Bert Sommer, Tim Hardin, Ravi Shankar, Joan Baez, Melanie, Country Joe & the Fish, Sha Na Na, the Butterfield Blues Band, Johnny Winter and others.

The set, which lists for $79.98, also restores full-length performances of Canned Heat's "Woodstock Boogie" (to a whopping 30 minutes) and the Who's "We're Not Gonna Take It," and it includes the never-released Woodstock performances of Arlo Guthrie's "Coming Into Los Angeles" and Mountain's "Theme For an Imaginary Western," which were replaced by better-sounding recordings from other concerts for the original "Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music" soundtrack.

The track lineup is accurate to the actual running order of the legendary 1969 festival, and it also includes stage announcements (you still need to check the brown acid, apparently), Wavy Gravy's announcement of "breakfast in bed" for the crowd estimated at 500,000, Max Yasgur's famous speech to the crowd and audio of Abbie Hoffman's encounter with Who guitarist Pete Townshend.

"This will be the most comprehensive collection of Woodstock music yet," Rhino Vice-President of A&R Cheryl Pawelski tells Billboard.com. "The goal was to make it as real as possible...as authentic an experience as possible. It feels like dirt. It feels like a field. We wanted to take you there. We worked very hard to make it a true document of that time."

Co-producers Andy Zax and Mason Williams compiled "Woodstock -- 40 Years On" from the original multitrack tapes recorded during the festival. Their research also allowed them to put the songs and artists in the correct order of performance, and the accompanying booklet will include the accurate sequence complete with full set lists.

One performance is conspicuously absent; Pawelski says Ten Years After would not clear the use of its performance for the box, meaning the group's epic version of "Goin' Home" will not be included. The Band and Keef Hartley were the only other acts that opted out of the set.

"Woodstock -- 40 Years On" follows Rhino's re-release earlier this week of "Music From the Original Soundtrack and More: Woodstock" and "Woodstock 2." A new Woodstock.com web site also launched this week, and a new DVD edition of "Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music -- The Director's Cut" comes out Tuesday. And on June 30 Legacy adds to the onslaught with "Woodstock Experience" editions of seminal albums by five of the festival's acts -- the Jefferson Airplane's "Volunteers," Janis Joplin's "I Got Dem 'Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama!," Santana's debut album, Sly & the Family Stone's "Stand!" and Johnny Winter's self-titled effort -- each with a second CD featuring the acts' complete Woodstock performances for the first time ever.

The full track listing for "Woodstock -- 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm" includes:

Disc 1: Richie Havens -- "Handsome Johnny," "Freedom (Motherless Child);" Sweetwater -- "Look Out," "Two Worlds;" Bert Sommer -- "Jennifer," "And When It's Over," "Smile;" Tim Hardin -- "Hang On to a Dream," "Simple Song of Freedom;" Ravi Shankar -- "Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat In Sawarital;" Melanie -- "Momma Momma," "Beautiful People," "Birthday of the Sun;" Arlo Guthrie -- "Coming into Los Angeles," "Wheel of Fortune," "Every Hand in the Land"

Disc 2: Joan Baez -- "Joe Hill," "Sweet Sir Galahad," "Hickory Wind," "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man" (with Jeffrey Shurtleff); Quill -- "They Live the Life," "That's How I Eat;" Country Joe McDonald -- "Donovan's Reef," "The ‘Fish Cheer"/"I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag;" Santana -- "Persuasion," "Soul Sacrifice;" John Sebastian -- "How Have You Been," "Rainbows All Over Your Blues," "I Had a Dream;" Incredible String Band -- "The Letter," "When You Find Out Who You Are

Disc 3: Canned Heat -- "Going Up the Country," "Woodstock Boogie;" Mountain -- "Blood of the Sun," "Theme For an Imaginary Western," "For Yasgur's Farm;" Jerry Garcia and Country Joe McDonald -- Green Acid Advice (stage announcement); Grateful Dead -- "Dark Star;" Creedence Clearwater Revival -- "Green River," "Bad Moon Rising," "I Put a Spell On You"

Disc 4: Janis Joplin -- "Work Me, Lord," "Ball and Chain;" Sly & the Family Stone -- Medley: "Dance To The Music"/"Music Lover"/"I Want to Take You Higher;" The Who: "Amazing Journey," "Pinball Wizard," "We're Not Gonna Take It; Jefferson Airplane -- "The Other Side of This Life," ""Somebody to Love," "Won't You Try"/ "Saturday Afternoon," "Volunteers"

Disc 5: Joe Cocker -- "Feelin' Alright," "Let's Go Get Stoned," "With a Little Help From My Friends; Country Joe & the Fish -- "Rock & Soul Music," "“Love," "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine," "Summer Dresses," "Silver and Gold, "Rock & Soul Music (Reprise);" Johnny Winter -- "Leland Mississippi Blues," "Mean Town Blues;" Blood, Sweat & Tears -- "You've Made Me So Very Happy"

Disc 6: "Crosby, Stills & Nash -- "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "Guinnevere," "Marrakesh Express," "4 + 20;" Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young -- "Sea of Madness," "Wooden Ships;" Butterfield Blues Band -- "No Amount of Loving," "Love March," "Everything's Gonna Be Alright; Sha Na Na -- "Get A Job," "At the Hop," "Get a Job (Reprise);" Jimi Hendrix -- "The Star Spangled Banner," "Purple Haze," "Woodstock Improvisation"

Whitney Houston Comeback Album Due Sept. 1

The wait is over -- Whitney Houston is finally making her comeback on Sept. 1 with an as-yet-untitled album on Arista Records. For her return, the label has set up a countdown on the New Jersey-bred artist's official site,

WhitneyHouston.com, which will also preview selected tracks slated to appear on the album in coming weeks.

Producers and songwriters said to aid with the set include will.i.am, Sean Garrett and Akon, although there is no confirmation on whether a duet with Akon, "Like I Never Left," which leaked last year, will make the cut.

"The voice is there; I don't think anyone could ever take that from her. As long as we apply that voice to hit records, she'll be right back where she left off," Akon told Billboard.com back in 2007.

Houston made her first high-profile public appearance at her mentor Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala back in February, where she performed a four-song set that included brief renditions of "I Will Always Love You" and "I Believe in You and Me" plus a tent revival-style take on "I'm Every Woman."

Houston has been dogged in recent years by drug and health issues -- including rehab stints in 2004 and 2005 -- a legal dispute with her father, John Houston, rumored financial problems and a troubled marriage to fellow singer Bobby Brown that ended in divorce.

Houston's last album was 2002's "Just Whitney," which sold 737,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

New CD Releases, June 2: Dave Matthews Band, Neil Young, Rancid, Elvis Costello, Ryan Bingham, Chickenfoot and more!!

Dave Matthews Band "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King" (RCA)

The multi-platinum rock act is on an impressive run: Its last four studio outings have all debuted in the No. 1 slot on the US album charts. Now, the Dave Matthews Band is looking to make it five in a row with the release of "Big Whiskey and the GooGrux King."

The set, which follows 2005's "Stand Up," is DMB's first release since the death of founding member LeRoi Moore. The saxophonist died in August from complications resulting from an ATV accident that occurred on his Virginia ranch. The second part of the album's title, "GrooGrux King," is said to be a reference to Moore.

The album was produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance) and its first single is the track "Funny the Way It Is."

The Dave Matthews Band is currently on tour in support of the album. Currently, the group has shows booked through the start of October.

* * *
Neil Young "Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972" (Reprise)

Nearly two decades in the making, the first volume of Young's ambitious "Archives" project is finally ready to hit shelves. The multi-disc collection will be available in three different formats: Blu-ray, DVD and CD.

This volume--which spans 10 discs in the Blu-ray and DVD configurations, and eight discs in the CD version--covers the first 10 years of Young's legendary body of work. An interactive-timeline feature allows the viewer to follow the singer-songwriter during this period of his career, beginning with his high school band The Squires and continuing up through his landmark albums of the early '70s.

The release of the first volume of "Archives" quickly follows a new studio offering from Young. The Northern California resident can be heard singing the praises of eco-friendly transportation on "Fork in the Road," which hit stores in early April.

* * *
Rancid "Let the Dominoes Fall" (Epitaph)

The San Francisco Bay Area punk rockers are back with the long-awaited studio follow-up to 2003's "Indestructible," a work that peaked at No. 15 on The Billboard 200 and spawned the modern-rock hit "Fall Back Down." The band's most recent offering was 2007's "Rancid B Sides & C Sides," which included previously unreleased material alongside songs that have been featured on compilations, soundtracks and B-sides.

"Let the Dominoes Fall" is the group's seventh studio album, and it was produced by longtime collaborator Brett Gurewitz. "Let the Dominoes Fall" is available in several different formats, including a single-disc CD, a double-vinyl LP set and an expanded multi-CD/DVD combo, which offers such bonuses as an acoustic version of the album.

Rancid will let the "Dominoes" fall while serving as the main support act on Rise Against's North American headlining tour. The trek gets underway June 4 in Vancouver, BC, and is currently scheduled to run through a July 31 date in Toronto.

* * *
Elvis Costello "Secret, Profane and Sugarcane" (Hear Music)

The Grammy-winning singer/songwriter is set to drop his 25th studio album, which trails last year's "Momofuku." The 13-track record was produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett, who also co-wrote two of its numbers, "Sulphur to Sugarcane" and "The Crooked Line."

"Secret, Profane and Sugarcane" also features guest-star vocalists Jim Lauderdale, Emmylou Harris and Loretta Lynn. The album was recorded over three days at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studio, and will be sold at participating Starbucks locations in the US and Canada, as well as through traditional music retailers.

Costello will tour with the musicians who backed him in the studio for the new album. Dubbed The Sugarcanes, the lineup includes Jerry Douglas on dobro, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Mike Compton on mandolin, Jeff Taylor on accordion and Dennis Crouch on double bass. The run begins on June 9 in Red Bank, NJ.

* * *
Ryan Bingham "Roadhouse Sun" (Lost Highway)

The alt-country troubadour returns with a follow-up to his 2007 major-label debut, "Mescalito." "Roadhouse Sun" was produced by former Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford, who was also at the dials on the singer's previous record.

Bingham spent the spring helping to create a buzz about the new album's release. Notably, he appeared on both the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Also, his song "Southside of Heaven" was featured in an "ER" episode.

* * *
Chickenfoot "Chickenfoot" (Fontana)

Exiled from Van Halen in favor of David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen's teenage son, singer Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony have gotten themselves another guitar legend and powerhouse drummer--this time in the form of Joe Satriani and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Originally a just-for-fun trio featuring Hagar, Anthony and Smith--who joined forces a couple of years ago during an impromptu jam at Hagar's Cabo Wabo nightclub in Mexico--the group went legit by recruiting six-string wizard Satriani and recording an album with legendary producer Andy Johns (Led Zeppelin, Van Halen).

Hagar raised eyebrows when he commented in an interview last year that Chickenfoot's music could rival that of Led Zeppelin; Smith recently defused that bomb while making an on-camera Zeppelin reference during a track-by-track, "Chickenfoot" video documentary that is available at the group's website.

"I know we're not supposed to talk about Led Zeppelin since Sammy got drunk and said that we were better than Led Zeppelin," Smith joked. "We're not better than Led Zeppelin, and Sammy was drunk when he said that, OK? So let's put that s--- to rest."

* * *
More new releases:
Stephanie J. Block, "This Place I Know" (PS Classics)
Jeff Buckley, "Grace--Around the World" (Sony)
Crosby Stills & Nash, "Demos" (Rhino)
Eels, "Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire" (Vagrant)
IQ, "Frequency" (Inside Out)
Paolo Nutini, "Sunny Side Up" (Atlantic)
Iggy Pop, "Preliminaires" (Astralwerks)
Eros Ramazzotti, "Ali E Radici" (Sony)
Taking Back Sunday, "New Again" (Reprise)
311, "Uplifter" (Volcano)
UFO, "The Visitor" (Steamhammer)

Soundtracks and scores:
"The Story of My Life" (PS Classics)
"West Side Story: The New Broadway Cast Recording" (Sony)

New CD Releases, May 26th: Marilyn Manson, Mandy Moore, Grizzly Bear, Dave Alvin, Phoenix and more.

Marilyn Manson "The High End of Low" (Nothing)

The shock-rocker returns with a follow-up to 2007's "Eat Me, Drink Me." "The High End of Low" is Manson's seventh studio album.

The record's first official single, "Arma... geddon," was released in mid-April, however another album cut, "We're From America," was made available as a free download on MarilynManson.com back in March.

Manson will support "The High End of Low" this summer by co-headlining alongside Slayer on the second annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. The 27-city trek is set to begin July 10 in Sacramento, CA.

* * *
Mandy Moore "Amanda Leigh" (Storefront)

The 25-year-old vocalist, whose full name is Amanda Leigh Moore, is back with her sixth studio album. Her previous outing was 2007's Top 40-charting "Wild Hope."

The album was produced by Mike Viola, a Boston-area songwriter who co-wrote a number of the tracks featured in the John C. Reilly film "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story." The first single from "Amanda Leigh" is the tune "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week."

* * *
Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest" (Warp)

The acclaimed indie-pop quartet is set to unveil its third studio album, which follows 2006's "Yellow House." "Veckatimest" was recorded at Allaire Studios in upstate New York's Catskill Mountains.

Having appeared over the weekend at Washington State's Sasquatch! Festival, Grizzly Bear will remain on the road through late June. Highlights of the 19-city trek include a pair of dates (5/28-29) in New York City.

* * *
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women "Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women" (Yep Roc)

The roots-rocker, a founding member of The Blasters and the leader of The Guilty Men, showcases the talents of his latest ensemble. The Guilty Women includes such players as Cindy Cashdollar, Nina Gerber, Laurie Lewis, Sarah Brown, Amy Farris and Marcia Ball.

* * *
Phoenix "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" (Glass Note)

The French alt-rock troupe, often associated with better-known fellow countrymen Air and Daft Punk, is ready to release its fourth studio album. Besides the tip of the hat to Mozart in the title, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" also honors another classic composer, Franz Liszt, on the album's first single, "Lisztomania".

* * *
More new releases:

The A's, "The A's/Woman's Got the Power" (American Beat)
James Brown, "The Singles, Vol. 7: 1970-1972" (Hip-O)
Gary Burton, "Quartet Live!" (Concord)
Del-Lords, "Frontier Days" (American Beat)
Del-Lords, "Johnny Comes Marching Home" (American Beat)
The Doors, "The Soft Parade" (Audio Fidelity)
Paul Hardcastle, "The Collection" (Trippin & Rhythm)
Vinnie Moore, "To the Core" (R.E.D.)
Linda Ronstadt, "Heart Like a Wheel" (Audio Fidelity)
Michelle Shocked, "Soul of My Soul" (Mighty Sound)
Luciana Souza, "Tide" (Verve)
Sunn 0))), "Monoliths and Dimensions" (Southern Lord)
Various Artists, "Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to the Songs of Chris Gaffney" (Yep Roc)
Johnny Winter, "The Johnny Winter Anthology" (Shout)

Sammy Hagar Stimulated By Chickenfoot

Tired of the tequila-friendly party shows that he's been performing for the last 13 years with his post-Van Halen solo band The Waboritas, Sammy Hagar tells Billboard.com his decision to form Chickenfoot with guitarist Joe Satriani, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith was a challenge he desired as an artist.

"I just got to a point where I felt I needed to grow," Hagar says. "I was feeling stuck and stagnant. And the whole party thing I created, I just got tired of doing that. You need to eat and feed yourself in order to grow and the best way to do it for me is to start new projects, and I don't want to call this band a project because we're a band. It's just getting together with other people for new input that stimulates and inspires you to become better. That's all there is to it."

After making its debut at a February 2008 solo Hagar show in Las Vegas, Chickenfoot songwriters Hagar and Satriani started working in earnest last October. The band then reconvened earlier this year to record its self-titled debut effort, which is due out June 9 on Redline Entertainment.

"I don't think I could have written a record this good by myself in 100 years," Hagar says. "And by getting together with Joe, I think we wrote some amazing songs. It's funny he's in the same place as me. He's tired of being a solo artist. We're all on the same page so much in this band it's scary. And we want to take this thing worldwide. We need to take this to everyone who loves this kind of music. I really think it's Montrose, Van Halen and the thing Chad brings is a deep pocket. He plays this groove that is kind of Zeppelin-esque. We're really coming from everywhere."

Currently finishing up its debut mini-tour playing clubs, Chickenfoot is set to make its national television debut on during the first week of Conan O’Brien’s "Tonight Show" on Friday June 5. The band then starts looking ahead to a month-long European jaunt beginning June 20 in Austria before returning stateside for a full North American run slated for August and September. Hagar says the group will then take a break while Smith returns to the Chili Peppers to presumably work on recording that band's next studio effort. Chickenfoot may get back together in early 2010 for an Australian tour with another American leg as well.

While the current outing finds the band playing its debut effort in its entirety, along with unreleased new track "Bitten By The Wolf" and covers such as Montrose's "Bad Motor Scooter" and Deep Purple's "Highway Star," Hagar hints the band isn't adverse to loosening up its set list in the future to include material from the members' star-studded resumes.

"At some point, I think it will be the next album project and tour when we have more songs under our belt, we'll deconstruct Chickenfoot," Hagar says. "So it'll be a little bit of Joe, a little bit of Sammy, a little bit of Van Halen and maybe a little bit of the Chilis. That'll be a wonderful thing down the road when we're in an arena and doing 'An evening with,' but right now we really want to play all of the new songs. And right now we're paying almost two hours, so it's crazy. It's awesome."

Johansson to release duets album

Hollywood star Scarlet Johansson is continuing her foray into the music world by releasing a second album - which was recorded two years before her 2008 musical debut.

Last year the Lost in Translation actress released an album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head.

Her latest offering - a collection of duets with singer/songwriter Pete Yorn entitled Break Up - was actually recorded in 2006, but has taken three years to be released.

USA Today reports that the album was inspired by Serge Gainsbourg's 1960s recordings with Brigitte Bardot and will hit shops this September.

Green Day lashes out at Wal-Mart

NEW YORK - Green Day has the most popular CD in the United States, but it's not for sale there at Wal-Mart.

The band says the giant superstore chain refused to stock its latest CD, "21st Century Breakdown," because Wal-Mart wanted the album edited for language and content, and they refused.

"Wal-Mart's become the biggest retail outlet in the country, but they won't carry our record because they wanted us to censor it," frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said in a recent interview. (A spokesperson for Wal-Mart Canada said the CD is being sold in this country.)

While Wal-Mart sells CDs from acts known for raunchy content, including Eminem's latest, they offer customers the "clean" version of those CDs, which are edited for content that may be objectionable. But in Armstrong's view, "There's nothing dirty about our record."

"They want artists to censor their records in order to be carried in there," he said. "We just said no. We've never done it before. You feel like you're in 1953 or something."

"21st Century Breakdown" contains curses and some references considered adult.

Wal-Mart said that it's the company's long-standing policy not to stock any CD with a parental advisory sticker.

"As with all music, it is up to the artist or label to decide if they want to market different variations of an album to sell, including a version that would remove a PA rating," Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien said. "The label and artist in this case have decided not to do so, so we unfortunately can not offer the CD."

But bassist Mike Dirnt said: "As the biggest record store in the America, they should probably have an obligation to sell people the correct art."

Not being sold at Wal-Mart didn't stop the band - which kicks off a U.S. tour summer tour in Seattle on July 3 - from landing at the top of the album charts this week. "21st Century Breakdown" sold about 215,000 copies since it's debut on Friday.

The album is the followup to their multiplatinum, Grammy-winning CD "American Idiot," and like that album, deals with weighty topics. While "American Idiot" spoke to the frustration over the presidency of George W. Bush and the Iraq War, this CD speaks to the loss of innocence and confusion in today's society.

While Armstrong, Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool are still top-sellers without Wal-Mart, Armstrong said the store's policy is disappointing, considering it has become the dominant seller of CDs with the decline of traditional music stores.

"If you think about bands that are struggling or smaller than Green Day ... to think that to get your record out in places like that, but they won't carry it because of the content and you have to censor yourself," he said. "I mean, what does that say to a young kid who's trying to speak his mind making a record for the first time? It's like a game that you have to play. You have to refuse to play it."

Don Henley readies new best-of collection

Don Henley is releasing a new best-of collection that spans his entire solo career, including recordings originally released on the Asylum, Geffen and Warner Brothers record labels, according to a press release.

"The Very Best of Don Henley," which will be offered in CD and deluxe CD/DVD versions, includes songs culled from solo albums as well as his cover of Leonard Cohen's classic "Everybody Knows," which originally appeared on his first solo collection, 1995's "Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits."

The deluxe CD/DVD version features six music videos as well as four bonus audio recordings from soundtrack releases. Videos including "The Boys of Summer" and "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" are complemented by audio recordings from "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" ("Love Rules"), "The Color Of Money" ("Who Owns This Place?"), "Leap of Faith" ("Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat"), and "Michael" (Through Your Hands").

Scheduled to hit stores June 16, the collection also includes the first Henley song to land on the Country music charts, "For My Wedding."

Radiohead, R.E.M. Hit the Studio to Work On New Albums

A pair of the biggest bands in rock, Radiohead and R.E.M., hit the studio recently to begin work on their next albums. While both groups are in the beginning stages of writing and recording, they offered up some early details in a series of interviews.

Radiohead have reconvened with longtime producer Nigel Godrich to start work on the follow-up of 2007’s In Rainbows. “It was very noisy and chaotic and really fun,” bassist Colin Greenwood told BBC’s 6 Music of the band’s recording session. “It’s at the stage where we’ve got the big Lego box out and we’ve tipped it out on the floor and we’re just looking at all the bits and thinking ‘What’s next?’ I’m very impressed and grateful for Nigel our producer and his ability to make it all sound vaguely plausible.”

Greenwood had some more vague details for NME.com, adding, “It’s really cool and everything is sounding great. It’s early days and it is a bit like having a scrapbook at the moment because everything is up in the air, but it’s good to be back in the studio.” Considering the recent report that the band was encouraged by their management to “split up” during the tumultuous recording of In Rainbows, we’re glad to hear that things thus far are going smoothly. While the band provided no specifics, one of the tracks that may get the studio treatment is “Super Collider,” which Radiohead premiered during concerts on their In Rainbows tour.

As for R.E.M., guitarist Peter Buck spoke to Pitchfork about the early stages of recording their follow-up to last year’s Accelerate. Buck and bassist Mike Mills recently entered a Portland, Oregon studio to record skeletal tracks that they written wrote touring behind their recent album in the hopes of making some music that would “excite Michael [Stipe] about getting inspired.” Unlike the stripped-down Accelerate, Buck says, “This record, I want it to be broader; I think Michael [Stipe] is into that. So there are some really pretty acoustic things, some really total noisy rock, and some kind of poppy stuff. It runs the gamut.” While Jackknife Lee will likely serve as producer again, Tucker Martine, who produced the Decemberists’ Hazards of Love helped Buck and Mills lay down the demos.

New CD Releases, May 19th: Eminem, Tori Amos, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, Kenny Chesney, Iron & Wine and more

Eminem "Relapse"

It's finally time to get real--as in the "Real Slim Shady." The controversial multi-platinum rap star returns to the game with the release of his long-awaited fifth studio album, which follows 2004's quadruple-platinum "Encore.”

"Relapse" is the first of two albums that Eminem expects to deliver in 2009. He announced back in March that he plans to issue a follow-up, dubbed "Relapse 2," by year's end.

In other Marshall Mathers matters, the rapper has been tapped to perform at the 18th annual MTV Movie Awards, which will air live May 31 at 9 p.m. ET.

* * *
Tori Amos "Abnormally Attracted to Sin" (Universal Republic)

The acclaimed singer/songwriter/pianist is back with a follow-up to 2007's "American Doll Posse." "Abnormally Attracted to Sin," Amos' 10th studio album, marks her debut on the Universal Republic label.

The album's first two singles are the tunes "Welcome to England" and "Fire to Your Plain," videos of which are streaming at the Amos' website. "Abnormally Attracted to Sin" will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. The latter will include a digital booklet, one bonus track and a DVD of corresponding episodic films for each track, which "bring to life the narrative arc of the album," according to a press release.

Amos will support "Abnormally Attracted to Sin" with a US theater trek this summer. The "Sinful Attraction" tour kicks off July 10 in Seattle and will continue through mid-August.

* * *
Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood "Live from Madison Square Garden" (Reprise)

The two legendary rockers--who in 1969 combined forces in the super-group Blind Faith--reunited early last year for a three-night stand in New York City. This two-CD set is a document of that sold-out run.

"Live from Madison Square Garden," which is also being released on DVD, features such classic-rock staples as "Forever Man," "After Midnight," "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "Can't Find My Way Home."

Clapton and Winwood have also announced plans to tour together. The trek gets underway June 10 in East Rutherford, NJ, and runs through the end of the month.

* * *
Kenny Chesney "Greatest Hits II" (RCA)

The cowboy crooner is set to deliver his second best-of compilation. "Greatest Hits II" includes such big singles as "Living in Fast Forward," "Beer in Mexico," "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" and "Never Wanted Nothing More." It also features one new song, "Out Last Night," which was released as a single in March.

Fans can hear many of these "Greatest Hits" performed live if they turn out to see Chesney's "Sun City Carnival" tour. The trek is currently underway and is scheduled to run through late summer.

* * *
Iron & Wine "Around the Well" (Sub Pop)

Indie-rock singer/songwriter Iron & Wine, the stage name of Sam Beam, will please his faithful following by releasing a double-disc set of rarities and B-sides. His touring plans this summer include headlining the inaugural No Depression Festival on July 11 in Washington.

* * *
More new releases:
The Beach Boys, "Summer Love Songs" (Capitol)
Carbon Leaf, "Nothing Rhymes with Woman" (Vanguard)
Dane Cook, "ISolated Incident" (Comedy Central)
Richard Elliot, "Rock Steady" (Artistry)
Mat Kearney, "City of Black & White" (Sony)
Steve Martin, "The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo" (Rounder)
Method Man, "Blackout 2" (Def Jam)
O.S.I., "Blood" (Inside Out)
The Oak Ridge Boys, "The Boys are Back" (Spring Hill)
Lionel Richie, "Just Go" (Island)
Kate Voegele, "A Fine Mess" (Interscope)
Zee Avi, "Zee Avi" (Brushfire)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Terminator Salvation" (Warner Bros.)
"True Blood" (Elektra)

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.

* * *
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.

* * *
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.

* * *
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.

* * *
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.

* * *
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)

Out of tune: global music sales tumble

Global music sales have plunged more than eight per cent in 2008 compared to the year before, according to a record industry organization.

The IFPI, which represents most of the world's music labels including giants such as Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and EMI, says the drop is partly due to the lower price of downloads over the internet.

Sales of CDs and vinyl were hit hard, dropping by 15 per cent.

Meanwhile sales of digital formats like MP3s and ringtones grew by 24 per cent worldwide. However, people who download tend to take single songs rather than entire albums.

And record companies got a massive boost in monies from music used on radio, TV and being played in public.

Asia provided a small bright spot with sales up slightly by one per cent.

The IFPI says any boost they got was not enough to make up for the loss in overall music sales.

New Releases, April 21: Depeche Mode, Jane's Addiction, Pet Shop Boys, Ron White, Black Label Society, more

Depeche Mode "Sounds of the Universe" (Mute)

The legendary British modern-rock troupe is set to unveil its 12th studio album. The 13-track set was produced by Ben Hiller, who also helmed the band's 2005 release, "Playing the Angel."

The first single from "Sounds of the Universe" is the track "Wrong," which was released to radio early last month.

These new-wave pioneers will support the album with a worldwide trek dubbed "Tour of the Universe." The North American portion of the journey is set to begin July 24 in Toronto and will include a stop at Chicago's mammoth Lollapalooza festival, which runs Aug. 7-9.

* * *
Jane's Addiction "Cabinet of Curiosities" (Rhino)

The newly reunited alt-rock icons are ready to treat its fans to a "Cabinet of Curiosities." This box-set includes three CDs and a DVD, bundled together in a case that--quite appropriately--resembles a wooden cabinet.

The first CD features unreleased demos recorded from 1986-87. The second disc also includes demos, as well as previously unreleased live tracks and covers of songs originally recorded by the Grateful Dead, The Stooges and Led Zeppelin, among others. Also featured on the second disc is a live mash-up of sorts called "Bobhouse," that features the lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" over the music from Bauhaus' "Burning From the Inside." The third CD in the set features a live show recorded in December of 1990.

Having kick-started its reunion at the invite-only Playboy Party held during last month's South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX, Jane's Addiction is now set to spend May and June on the road. The tour, a co-headlining jaunt with Nine Inch Nails, will begin May 8 in West Palm Beach, FL. The band will also perform in August at Lollapalooza, the event that was originally founded by Jane's Addiction vocalist, Perry Farrell.

* * *
Pet Shop Boys "Yes" (Astralwerks)

The electronic/dance/pop band, which has sold more than 50 million records worldwide, is back in action with its 10th studio disc. "Yes" is the Pet Shop Boy's first offering since 2006's "Fundamental," although the group did release one remix effort, 2007's "Disco 4," during that break.

The new album was produced by Brian Higgins' crack team, Xenomania, which also co-wrote three tracks on the set. Guitar great Johnny Marr (The Smiths, Modest Mouse) guests on "Yes." The first single is the track "Love etc."

* * *
Ron White "Behavioral Problems" (Capitol)

The mega-popular funnyman, who has made millions laugh with his appearances on Comedy Central, returns with a new live disc that features 27 comedic bits. This CD follows several other successful endeavors for White, who also can put New York Times Best Seller List author and Gold-certified recording artist on his resume.

* * *
Black Label Society "Skullage" (Eagle)

While awaiting a proper studio follow-up to 2006's "Shot to Hell," Black Label's society of fans can pass the time by listening to this new compilation disc. Fans can also hear many of these tracks, no doubt, during Black Label Society's current North American tour.

* * *
More new releases:
Beegie Adair, "Moments to Remember" (Green Hill)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, "How Big Can You Get?--The Music of Cab Calloway" (Vanguard)
Camera Obscura, "My Maudlin Career" (4ad)
Chester French, "Love the Future" (Interscope)
Empire of the Sun, "Walking on a Dream" (Astralwerks)
Dan Fogelberg, "Live in Colorado 1977" (Store for Music)
Great White, "Rising" (Shrapnel)
Jars Of Clay, "The Long Fall Back to Earth" (Provident)
Booker T. Jones, "Potato Hole" (Anti)
Lacuna Coil, "Shallow Life" (Century Media)
Manchester Orchestra, "Mean Everything to Nothing" (Sony)
Mormon Tabernacle Choir, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" (Mormon Tabernacle)
Rick Ross, "Deeper Than Rap" (Def Jam)
Tinted Windows, "Tinted Windows" (S-Curve)
Allen Toussaint, "The Bright Mississippi" (Nonesuch)

Record Store Day celebrates indie retailers

PORTLAND, Maine – Despite the success of online retailers, explosion of Internet downloads and high-profile closings of Virgin Megastores and Tower Records stores, bricks-and-mortar record stores aren't all spinning toward oblivion.

Although hundreds of independent music retailers have gone out of business in recent years, about 2,000 are still around, and many are thriving.

The survivors will celebrate Saturday, as acts such as Erykah Badu and Franz Ferdinand gather to pay homage to the hometown record store.

Record Store Day was the idea of Chris Brown, a long-haired, goateed music guru from Bull Moose, a chain of 10 record stores in Maine and New Hampshire.
"I wanted to have a fun kind of party event at Bull Moose where we could thank our customers and just have a fun time," he said. "I realized that it would be a much better party if we got the other stores involved, just make it a national thing."

Now in its second year, Record Store Day is being celebrated at more than 1,000 independent record stores in the U.S. and in 17 countries.

Artists like Disturbed and Ani DiFranco — both appearing at Bull Moose — are paying tribute with in-store appearances. Others like Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Modest Mouse and the Decemberists are offering special-edition vinyl releases.

For retailers, it's very different from the days when kids rushed to the store to thumb through the 45-rpm records. These days, more compact discs are sold despite a resurgence in vinyl. Record stores also have branched out into video games, movies and other merchandise.

Some like the Waterloo in Austin, Texas, Twist and Shout in Denver, and Amoeba in San Francisco are cultural hubs in their communities.

"Music is clearly the centerpiece. It's at the emotional heart of these businesses, but economically they've diversified," said Jim Donio, president of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, which is sponsoring Record Store Day.

It hasn't been an easy road for the mom-and-pop stores.

About 1,000 indie music retailers have gone out of business since 2003, said Joel Oberstein, president of Almighty Institute of Music Retail, a market research firm based in Studio City, Calif.

But 2,000 independent record stores have survived, and the store closings have leveled off over the past year, Oberstein said.

Indies cling to a small market share. All told, there are 10,000 online retailers, mass merchandisers, national chains and other retailers, in addition to the hometown record stores. Donio estimated that independent stores account for less than 10 percent of overall music sales in the U.S.

Looking to thank customers and promote local stores, Brown tossed out his idea for Record Store Day in 2007 at a conference of indie music retailers in Baltimore.

A year later, heavy-metal band Metallica officially kicked off the first Record Store Day at Rasputin Music in San Francisco.

Brown is vice president of Bull Moose, a seemingly incongruous corporate title that is nevertheless typical of indie stores that have adapted to marketplace changes. In fact, Bull Moose is coming off a record year and strong first quarter despite the recession, he said.

Its stores feature a variety of compact discs from jazz to metal to rap to world music, but also DVDs and Blu-ray discs, video games and video game systems, vinyl albums, T-shirts, baseball caps and more. There are also used DVDs, CDs and vinyl.

Julian Butler of Standish, who was shopping this week at Bull Moose's Portland store, said he used to download his music and movies — illegally and free of charge — before getting a cease-and-desist letter from his Internet service provider.

These days, he said he prefers the sound of compact discs to the compressed MP3 files, and he likes the social interaction he gets in the store.

"Mostly the sound quality is a lot better on CD and you're supporting the actual makers of the music," Butler said of his decision to give up illegal downloads. "Plus you get to come here and meet some people instead of sitting in front of your computer."

Beatles catalog to be digitally remastered

LONDON – The entire catalog of music by The Beatles is being digitally remastered for release in September.

Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music say they will release the new discs Sept. 9 on the same day as the release of a video game, "The Beatles: Rock Band."

Each of the dozen new CDs will include the original U.K. album art and expanded liner notes.

Apple and EMI will also release "The Beatles in Mono" with the original monaural versions of 10 albums plus some other bits in mono.

Apple and EMI made no mention in their announcement Tuesday about plans for digital distribution.

New CD Releases, April 7th: Rascal Flatts, Neil Young, James Taylor, Jason Aldean, The Grateful Dead, The Tragically Hip and more

Rascal Flatts "Unstoppable" (Lyric Street)

The multi-platinum country trio returns with "Unstoppable," the group's first batch of new tunes since 2007's "Still Feels Good." It also follows last year's best-of package, "Greatest Hits Volume 1."

The first single from "Unstoppable" is the track "Here Comes Goodbye," which was co-written by "American Idol" Season 6 finalist Chris Sligh. The song turned out to be a sizable radio hit, spending several weeks in the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Rascal Flatts, which won for Favorite Group at the 2009 People's Choice Awards, will support "Unstoppable" with a summer tour of amphitheaters and pavilions throughout the US. The trek will begin June 5 in the St. Louis area and is currently slated for an Oct. 18 wrap-up in Kelseyville, CA.

* * *
Neil Young "Fork in the Road" (Reprise)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is set to sing the praises of eco-friendly transportation on his latest release. The themes on "Fork in the Road" are drawn from the musician's dedication to build a commercially viable electric power system for automobiles, according to a Billboard report.

Whether one agrees with Young's views on transportation issues or not, most will be happy to learn that the singer/songwriter is doing more than just talking the talk--he's riding the ride as well. He's retooled his 1959 Lincoln Continental as part of the Lincvolt Project, a joint effort with biodiesel pioneer Johnathan Goodwin. The project and Young's prototype Lincvolt vehicle are reflected in such "Fork in the Road" songs such as "Fuel Line," "Johnny Magic," "Off the Road" and "Get Behind the Wheel."

Young will spend this month supporting the new album, mainly in Canada; the sole US date in April is on the 27th in Denver, CO. He will, however, make time for an appearance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on May 3.

* * *
James Taylor "Other Covers" (Hear Music)

The acclaimed vocalist is set to release a sequel to his popular "Covers" album, which was released last September and debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart.

That previous outing found Taylor trying out songs originally made famous by such artists as Buddy Holly, the Temptations, George Jones and Leonard Cohen. On "Other Covers," Taylor handles the likes of Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood," Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" and "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," from the "Oklahoma!" songbook.

Taylor will support both "Covers" releases with tour dates scheduled for this month and next. Of note, he'll perform April 25 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

* * *
Jason Aldean "Wide Open" (Broken Bow)

The country star, who has sold more than 2 million copies of his first two albums, gets back in the saddle with his third release. "Wide Open" follows 2007's "Relentless," a work that produced the Top 10 country hits "Johnny Cash" and "Laughed Until We Cried."

The lead-off single from "Wide Open" is the cut "She's Country," which was released to radio in November and quickly rose to become Aldean's latest Top 10 smash.

* * *
Grateful Dead "To Terrapin: May 28, 1977 Hartford, CT" (Rhino)

Recorded just prior to the release of one of the Grateful Dead's more-popular studio offerings, 1977's "Terrapin Station," this three-disc live set finds Jerry Garcia and company performing such fan favorites as "Sugaree," "Candyman" and "Jack Straw." Tapers have long cherished recordings from this night, and now everyone else can enjoy the party as well.

* * *
More new releases:
Bat for Lashes, "Two Suns" (Astralwerks)
Doves, "Kingdom of Rust" (Astralwerks)
Erasure, "Total Pop! Deluxe Box" (Rhino)
The Hold Steady, "A Positive Rage" (Vagrant)
Jadakiss, "The Last Kiss" (Ruff Ryders)
Lady Sovereign, "Jigsaw" (Midget)
Libera, "Eternal: The Best of Libera" (EMI)
Jesse McCartney, "Departure: Recharged" (Hollywood)
Moby Grape, "The Place and the Time" (Sundazed)
Bob Mould, "Life and Times" (Anti)
Oceano, "Depths" (Earache)
Vienna Teng, "Inland Territory" (Zoe)
Tower of Power, "Great American Soulbook" (TOP)
The Tragically Hip, "We Are the Same" (Zoe)

Spring CD preview

April showers bring May flowers — but they also bring a flood of new spring albums. There are dozens of major releases due in the next few months. Here’s our quick guide to the toppermost of the poppermost. Mark your calendars — but do it in pencil; everything here is subject to change.

April 7

The Hold Steady | A Positive Rage

The world’s 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

Shakey’s 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 — 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 trio’s 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.’s new cash-in ... sorry, reunion tour, this box set has three CDs of demos, outtakes and live cuts from the L.A. rockers’ early years, plus a DVD.

April 28

Bob Dylan | Together Through Life

Zimmy’s umpteenth studio album reportedly mixes raucous, hard-driving Chicago blues with plenty of, um, accordion. Because, you know, his vocals aren’t 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

X’s John Doe, Counting Crow’s Adam Durvitz and Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood drop in on the 10th studio set from David Lowery and his long-serving alt-rockers.

New York Dolls | ’Cause I Sez So

David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain reteamed with their original producer Todd Rundgren for their second reunion album — 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 won’t be able to quote in a newspaper.

May 12

Steve Earle | Townes

The hardcore troubadour’s latest studio disc is a tribute album to the late great Townes Van Zandt, his friend, mentor — and the man who gave Earle’s son Justin his middle name.

Green Day | 21st Century Breakdown

Only an American Idiot would try to fix what isn’t broke — so the Bay Area pop-punks are sticking with the ambitious concept-album program for their eighth studio album.

May 19

Eminem | Relapse

He’s baaaaack! And supposedly, Slim Shady’s first album in five long years is just one of two discs he’ll release next year. Guess he’s been cleanin’ out his closet.

June 2

Eels | Hombre Lobo

Yes, that title translates to Wolfman. But for idiosyncratic indie-rocker Mark Everett — the sole permanent member of Eels — that’s barely a blip on the weirdness radar.

Elvis Costello | Secret, Profane & Sugarcane

Apparently, Mr. Krall’s 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, we’ll take it.

Iggy Pop | Preliminaires

The world’s forgotten boy and eternal Stooge makes a jazz album inspired by Michel Houellebecq’s controversial novel The Possibility of an Island. Which begs the question: Wha?

Rancid | Let the Dominoes Fall

We’re 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 doesn’t believe this is ever coming out. Besides, he’ll 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 haven’t changed a bit.

June 23

Dinosaur Jr. | Farm

Here’s 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 outfit’s still-untitled seventh studio album — 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.

Metallica and RUN-D.M.C. inducted into Hall of Fame

CLEVELAND - Metallica shoved the mosh pit into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Heavy metal's heaviest hitters, whose menacing, monstrous sound has banged heads around the globe for decades, were inducted into rock's shrine on Saturday night, capping a star-studded ceremony that felt much more like a concert than an awards show.

For the first time, the no-holds-barred show, back in Cleveland following a 12-year holdover in New York's Waldorf-Astoria ballroom, was open to the public.

And nearly 5,000 fans partied in the balconies inside renovated Public Auditorium as 1,200 VIPs dined below at tables costing as much US$50,000 each.

Many of the came to pay homage to Metallica, which earned top billing in an eclectic 2009 class that included rap pioneers Run-DMC, virtuoso guitarist Jeff Beck, soul singer Bobby Womack and rhythm and blues vocal group Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Metallica's members have survived some of the dark themes - death, destruction and desolation - that threads through its music, and their induction was a chance to celebrate their legacy as perhaps the hardest band to ever walk the earth. The event also served as a reunion as bassist Jason Newsted, who left the group in 2001, joined his former bandmates on stage for searing versions of "Master of Puppets" and "Enter Sandman."

"Whatever the intangibles elements are that make a band the best, Metallica has them," said Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, who delivered a heartfelt speech in presenting the band. He recalled being on tour and hearing Metallica on the radio for the first time.

"My mind was blown. It wasn't punk rock. It wasn't heavy metal. It just stood by itself," he said. "I didn't know what it was, but I knew it was a mighty thing."

In accepting their awards, Metallica's members were joined by Ray Burton, the father of original bassist Cliff Burton, who died tragically in 1986 when the band's tour bus skidded off an icy road in Sweden.

"Dream big and dare to fail, because this is living proof that it is possible to make a dream come true," said frontman-guitarist James Hetfield, who then rattled off a long list of hard-rocking bands he feels deserve induction.

"Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Rush, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Iron Maiden, Motorhead. We'd like to invite them through the door," said Hetfield, who concluded his remarks by wrapping Ulrich in a bear hug.

The evening ended with a jam for the ages as Metallica, Beck, Jimmy Page, Aerosmith's Joe Tyler and Flea brought the house down with a performance of the Yardbirds' "Train Kept A Rollin."

A guitar virtuoso, Beck, who was previously inducted in 1992 with the Yardbirds, was put in for his solo work. Although best known for his rock accomplishments, Beck's career has wandered a fretboard of genres ranging from blues to jazz to electronica.

"Jeff's style is totally unorthodox to the way anyone was taught," said Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, who presented his longtime friend. "He keeps getting better and better and better."

Beck, wearing all white, was joined on stage by Page, a fellow guitar god, who played bass during a searing rendition of Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song."

With two turntables and a microphone, Run-DMC broke down the barriers between rock and rap. With sparse, stripped-down lyrics above pounding beats, the trio of Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell changed rap in the 1980s by taking the realities of the streets to the suburbs.

"They broke away from the pack by being the pack," said rapper Eminem, looking like the band's lost member by sporting the group's trademark black fedora and black leather jacket. "They were the baddest of the bad and the coolest of the cool. Run-DMC changed my life."

"There's three of them and if you grew up with hip hop like I did, they were the Beatles."

Their remake and collaboration with Aerosmith on the rock band's "Walk This Way" changed modern music.

"We were young guys with a new music that people thought was a fad, but we knew the culture was a way of life and we just lived it," McDaniels said. "The music that we made then didn't just impact friends, it impacted a generation. So I guess that's what rock and roll does."

Any chance of a Run reunion ended with Mizell's death in 2002, when he was shot to death outside his studio. His murder remains unsolved.

Mizell's mother, Connie, accepted the award on his behalf.

"My baby is still doing it for me," she said.

Simmons cited "so many smart people and so much help" several times during his speech. He also thanked Mrs. Mizell, who allowed the group to set up their equipment in her Hollis, Queens, living room.

"She never told us to turn the music down once," Simmons said, turning to his late friend's mom. "I'd like to thank you for that."

Cleveland's Womack, the son of a steelworker, is best known for his soulful voice, but he had far greater musical range as a talented songwriter and guitarist.

He also branched into gospel, returning to the roots that got him his start with a family group, the Valentinos. He later played guitar for Sam Cooke.

Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones introduced Womack as "the voice that has always killed me. He brings me to tears." Wood then recalled a night in New York when he and Womack hid as some Hells Angels gang members were roughing up Wilson Pickett.

Little Anthony and the Imperials, who began their career singing on street corners in Brooklyn, N.Y., opened the program with a gorgeous medley of hits "Tears on My Pillow," "Hurt So Bad," and "I'm Alright." Many in the crowd mouthed the familiar tracks as lead singer Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine's falsetto filled the room.

Longtime friend Smokey Robinson presented the doo-wop group, calling their induction "long overdue."

Gourdine thanked his music teacher, "wherever you are" during his induction speech.

"We've been in this now for 50 years, and when we were kids we never imagined in our wildest dreams we'd ever be here," he said. "Now that it's here, the one thing we can look at and say is nobody can ever take this away from us."

Dubbed the "Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice," the 71-year-old Jackson got her start as a country singer. She was a flamboyant dresser, and her choice of skirts and high heels rankled some hard-core fans. It was Elvis Presley, whom she toured with the 1950s, who persuaded her to sing rock songs.

"She could really rock and still kept her femininity intact," said presenter Roseanne Cash. "She's the prototype for so many of us."

Drummer DJ Fontana and the late bassist Bill Black - both of Elvis Presley's backup band - and keyboardist Spooner Oldham made it in the sidemen category.

Legacy of 80s music cloven by new film, musical

NEW YORK – Whitesnake. Cinderella. Flock of Seagulls. These did little to help the legacy of 1980s rock music.

Did The Replacements, Husker Du and Crowded House do enough to save it?

Two new works, the Broadway musical "Rock of Ages" and the new Greg Mottola film "Adventureland," present opposite soundtracks for the Reagan era: While the stage production revels in hair-band kitsch, the more indie-minded "Adventureland" is nostalgic for the sounds of `80s underground.

Together, the two works beg the question: How should `80s music be remembered? As a period of schlock and excess? As a culmination of rock 'n' roll fun? Or were the `80s perhaps more multidimensional than our collective memory generally considers it?

"Adventureland," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Mottola, who helmed last year's hit coming-of-age comedy "Superbad." This time, Mottola (who also wrote the script) portrays the awkwardness of his post-college 20s, pulling from his experience working at a Long Island amusement park for a summer.

And to him, the `80s weren't just Warrant and Wham!

"I wore T-shirts and jeans most days in the 1980s," Mottola, 44, said. "I wasn't saying, `What did Emilio Estevez wear in "St. Elmo's Fire?" I'd like to dress like that.'"

The film is stuffed to the tilt with tunes, boasting a pulsating soundtrack of The Replacements, Lou Reed, Big Star, The Cure, Husker Du, the New York Dolls and others (the acclaimed indie band Yo La Tengo, formed in 1984 and still active, fills in the score.)

For Mottola, nothing is as much a criterion to the past as music.

"As I was writing the film, I almost saw the film as my idea of a good pop love song," he said. "The music is the most exciting thing in the movie to me on some level."

Music is woven into "Adventureland," with some 40 songs in total. Characters relate to each other through a taste for similar bands. Mix tapes are exchanged. Ryan Reynolds' character, for example, is not to be trusted because of his boastful lie that he once jammed with Reed.

Mottola recalls discovering the less commercial music of the `80s: "It was only later when I got older and met some cooler kids that they told me, `You know, there is thing called the Velvet Underground. You might want to check it out.'"

"Adventureland" is a reminder that `80s culture wasn't just one note.

"This sounds dorky, but The Replacements are a band that I think saved my life at certain points, when I was really depressed and lonely," said Mottola.

The film isn't dominated by outlandish styles from the period. One character in the film, though, typifies `80s kitsch: Lisa P (Margarita Levieva). With a look straight out of an early Madonna video, she's a roller-skating sexpot as vacant at the music she dances to — like Falco's then-ubiquitous hit "Rock Me Amadeus."

"I needed to have, like, a couple of those huge hits that you couldn't escape," said Mottola. "The song has a special power to get under your skin like a flesh-eating virus."

As much as "Adventureland" is an intimate story filled with personal music, "Rock of Ages," which stars former "American Idol" contestant Constantine Maroulis, is for the crowd. The musical, which officially opens April 7 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, is a raucous celebration of `80s hair bands.

Ushers hand out fake lighters to hold up during power ballads, while waitresses ask patrons "Are you ready to rock?" before show time.

With an on-stage house band, "Rock of Ages" stitches together numbers of arena bombast from groups like Journey, Poison, Whitesnake, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Quiet Riot and Bon Jovi. It's being promoted as a musical that will do for `80s rock what "Mamma Mia!" did for ABBA.

"This whole era gets pushed to the side as incidental and trite and silly," said Chris D'Arienzo, who wrote the musical's book. "It's only not respected by the critics."

D'Arienzo, who will turn 37 this month, feels both nostalgia for the music of "Rock of Ages" and laughs at it, too. Growing up in rural Michigan, he remembers first seeing the cover of Poison's "Look What the Cat Dragged In."

"I honestly thought, `These are the most beautiful women I've ever seen' — and then realized they were all dudes on the cover," laughed D'Arienzo.

Without a trace of seriousness, "Rock of Ages" exults the trashiness of the period's bleached blonde hair, wine coolers, gratuitous sax solos, leather pants, jean jackets and fog machines.

The theatricality of `80s cheesiness seems oddly befitting to Broadway. For the most part, rock star extravagance became passe once Kurt Cobain's Nirvana and early `90s alternative rock ushered in a new, rawer sensibility.

D'Arienzo (who plays in his own band, Saint America) is also at work on a film adaptation of "Rock of Ages" for New Line Cinema, which he'll both write and direct.

Ultimately, what "Rock of Ages" and "Adventureland" have in common is their interest in peering into the past through the prism of music — be it via Guns N' Roses or Husker Du.

"The touchstones of that time are all defined by this music," said D'Arienzo. "It was the stuff that I was playing when I had my first kiss."

Reznor unleashes April Fool's joke

Trent Reznor has nailed April Fool's Day.

The Nine Inch Nails frontman -- who has released his last couple of albums online with virtually no notice -- pranked his fans Wednesday when he sent out a Twitter message announcing "Brand new FULL LENGTH NIN record available now."

The gag didn't end there: Anyone going to Reznor's website was treated to a hilarious page detailing the fictional disc Strobe Light, complete with a cover shot of Reznor in Kanye-style horizontal-blind sunglasses and a cheeseball synth-drum soundtrack.

"To download NIN's new full-length album Strobe Light, PRODUCED BY TIMBALAND, enter a valid email address in the fields below," the page reads. "A download link will be sent to you immediately. Your credit card will be charged $18.98 plus a $10 digital delivery convenience fee. Your files will arrive as windows media files playable on quite a few players with your name embedded all over them just in case you lose them. You will also receive an exclusive photo and a free email account with our partner Google's Gmail service.

"Your email will be kept confidential and will not be used for spam, unless we can make some money selling it."

He probably could -- but not as much as he could make if he actually put out an album like this.

Check out the supposed track list:

1. Intro Skit
2. Everybody's Doing It (feat. Chris Martin, Jay-Z AND Bono)
3. Black T-Shirt
4. P-----grinder (feat. Sheryl Crow)
5. Coffin on the Dancefloor
6. This Rhythm is Infected
7. Slide to the Dark Side
8. Even Closer (feat. Justin Timberlake and Maynard James Keenan)
9. On the List (She's Not)
10. Clap Trap Crack Slap
11. L--d, Paid and Played (feat. Fergie of Black Eyed Peas and Al Jourgensen)
12. Feel Like Being Dead Again
13. Still Hurts (feat. Alicia Keys)
14. Outro Skit

New CD Releases, March 31st: Keith Urban, Diana Krall, Leonard Cohen, Chris Botti, Queensryche and more

Keith Urban "Defying Gravity" (Capitol)

Mr. Urban cowboy is set to ride once again with the release of his first studio offering since 2006's chart-topping "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing." The country crooner was last heard on 2007's best-of collection, "Keith Urban Greatest Hits: 18 Kids."

The first single from "Defying Gravity" is the tune "Sweet Thing," which has already risen on the charts to become the singer's 18th Top 5 hit.

Currently in the process of wrapping up his Verizon-sponsored "No Frills" mini-tour of smaller clubs, Urban will soon turn his attention to his upcoming arena trek. The vocalist/guitarist kicks off that run with a two-night stand, May 7-8, in Uncasville, CT.

* * *
Diana Krall "Quiet Nights" (Verve)

The current queen of jazz is hoping to extend her reign with the release of "Quiet Nights," her 12th album and her first set of new recordings since 2006's "From This Moment On." The vocalist/pianist's previous release is 2007's "The Very Best of Diana Krall," which is her first career retrospective.

Krall co-produced the new album with Tommy LiPuma (Miles Davis, Al Jarreau) and worked with composer/arranger Claus Ogerman (Antonio Carlos Jobim). The set includes three covers of songs originally composed by Jobim, a bossa nova legend.

Krall, who's married to Elvis Costello, will support "Quiet Nights" with a month-long slate of dates in her home country of Canada, beginning April 15 in Calgary, Alberta. She'll then bring the show south to the US for dates in June, July and August.

* * *
Leonard Cohen "Live in London" (Sony)

Tickets to Leonard Cohen's tour, his first to hit the US in some 15 years, have been mighty hard to come by. The master songwriter has been posting sell-outs in most of the markets that he's playing.

Now, all of his fans--with or without tickets--can enjoy the master songwriter in action as Sony releases this new live set, available in both audio-only and DVD/CD formats. The offering features such Cohen classics as "Hallelujah," "I'm Your Man," "Everybody Knows" and "Suzanne," and was recorded in London.

Cohen's North American tour begins in earnest with an April 2 date in Austin, TX.

* * *
Chris Botti "Chris Botti in Boston" (Sony)

The trumpet star follows 2007's "Italia," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart and earned a Grammy nomination for best Pop Instrumental Album, by releasing a live set.

"Chris Botti in Boston" was recorded last fall during two concerts that featured Botti performing with the Boston Pops as well as guest stars Sting, John Mayer, Josh Groban, Steven Tyler and Yo-Yo Ma. Those gigs were filmed for broadcast this spring on PBS-TV's annual pledge drive.

The set is available in both CD and CD/DVD formats.

Botti, a regular road warrior, will again take to the highways in early April. His lengthy trek begins April 4 in Atlantic City, NJ, and is currently scheduled to last through early January of next year.

* * *
Queensryche "American Soldier" (Atco)

The prog-metal band's latest offering is a "musical examination of the life of a soldier and the consequences of war," according to the group's record label. The album's theme reportedly was inspired by dozens of interviews singer Geoff Tate conducted with veterans ranging from World War II through Iraq.

Queensryche will support "American Soldier" with a tour that begins April 16 and 17 in Snoqualmie, WA.

* * *
More new releases:
Clay Aiken, "Playlist: The Very Best of Clay Aiken" (Sony)
Rodney Atkins, "It's America" (Curb)
Bruce Cockburn, "Slice O Life: Bruce Cockburn Live Solo" (Rounder)
Gavin DeGraw, "Free" (J-Records)
Bob Dylan, "New Morning (Original Recording Remastered)" (Sony)
Bob Dylan and The Band, "The Basement Tapes (Original Recordings Remastered)" (Sony)
Flo Rida, "R.O.O.T.S. (Route of Overcoming the Struggle)" (Atlantic)
Gomez, "A New Tide" (ATO)
PJ Harvey, John Parish, "A Woman a Man Walked By" (Island)
Gregg Karukas, "GK" (Trippin' and Rhythm)
Donnie McClurkin, "We All Are One (Live In Detroit)" (Verity)
Stevie Nicks, "The Soundstage Sessions" (Reprise)
Nightwish, "Made in Hong Kong (and in Various Other Places)" (Roadrunner)
Peter Bjorn and John, "Living Thing" (Almost Gold)
UGK, "UGK 4 Life" (Jive)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "It's Blitz!" (Interscope)

Metallica's Making Hall Of Fame Induction A "Family Reunion"

Metallica is using its upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction to stage what drummer Lars Ulrich calls "a sort of family reunion."

"I don't think there's a better time to come together than when it's about celebration," Ulrich tells Billboard.com. "I think everybody is proud of their association (with Metallica), so we're reaching out to everybody who's been a part of this, both inside the band on and on the periphery of the band over the years. And there's a big group of people coming to Cleveland for the weekend, so I look forward to seeing a lot of people I haven't seen for a long time."

The Metallica guest list for the April 4 induction includes staffers from the band's previous labels, Megaforce and Elektra, journalists and photographers who have been supportive over the group's career, producers and musician friends. Metallica also invited founding guitarist Dave Mustaine, who is unable to attend, and former bassists Ron McGovney and Jason Newsted, who will. Newsted is also planning to perform with Metallica during the ceremony. Ray Burton, father of the late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, will accept on behalf of his son.

Guitarist Kirk Hammett says Metallica was inspired to be all-inclusive after it witness Blondie's acrimonious induction during the 2006 Rock Hall ceremony. "There was so much politics and so much drama," Hammett recalls, "that we collectively said to each other that if that ever happens and we get inducted...we don't want any of that, because it kind of really puts a whole bad, sour note on the celebration itself. We said to each other, 'Let's celebrate the fact and let's not turn it into something negative."

Hammett calls Metallica's induction "pretty huge," and both he and Ulrich say they're pleased the group is being honored while it's "still a vital band, still somewhat relevant and somewhat active in making records and touring," according to Hammett. "To be in a position where we are simultaneously being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and putting out a video game ("Guitar Hero: Metallica," coming out Tuesday), it's a very, very cool thing."

"Sometimes," Ulrich adds, "especially with younger people, one has a tendency to quickly, when accolades come your way, kinda go the cool way and say it doesn't mean that much, 'Try me again in 10 years, [i]dahling[/i]...I'd much rather be inducted into the Hall of Fame while I'm still conscious enough to experience and enjoy it and certainly more interested than it being 65 years from now or whenever."

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea will induct Metallica during the ceremony, which will be broadcast live by Fuse TV. Metallica is taking a break from the European leg of its Death Magnetic tour to attend the ceremony and recently announced a new set of North American dates, starting Sept. 14 in Nashville.

Hagar, Anthony, Smith and Satriani unveil Chickenfoot

Former Van Halen bandmates Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani are poised to release the debut album from their new group, Chickenfoot, and are rehearsing for a tour in support of the set.

The quartet has completed work on the as-yet-untitled release, which is expected to surface next month. The set features the cuts "Soap on a Rope" and "Down the Drain," both of which are streaming at Chickenfoot's website.

Photos at the group's Facebook page show the band rehearsing and performing a private show in Southern California last week.

"When people hear the music, it's Led Zeppelin," Hagar told MusicRadar.com last year. "I know that's a bold statement, but it's as good as that.

"It's 10 times Van Halen because it's functional," he added. "We all like each other."

Neither a specific release date for the album nor details for the impending tour have been revealed.

Pearl Jam getting nostalgic over debut album

NEW YORK (Billboard) – As Pearl Jam's blockbuster 1991 debut, "Ten," received a re-release on Tuesday so deluxe that it would be fairer to call it a complete reimagining, the veteran Seattle band's bassist and co-founder Jeff Ament sat down with Billboard magazine to talk about what went into the four extras-laden editions of the 12-times platinum album.

He also took a trip down memory lane to the days when the quintet's "Alive," "Even Flow" and "Jeremy" dominated radio and singer Eddie Vedder swung Tarzan-like from the rafters of clubs and amphitheaters from Los Angeles to London.

"I don't think any of us had thought much about what happened 18 years ago since," Ament said.

"This is one of the first times I've really looked back on the band, because typically we've been so busy moving forward. It felt like a good time. It felt like there was enough separation between what had happened then. We all have a sense of humor about it, which 10 years ago I don't think we would have had as much of."

Each of the four versions of the "Ten" reissue includes a digitally remastered version of the original album as well as a completely new remix of the set by longtime producer Brendan O'Brien. The version that has sent hardcore fans into a tizzy is the two-CD, one DVD, four LP "Super Deluxe Edition." The linen-covered, slip-cased clamshell box includes a replica of "Momma-Son," the audition demo tape Vedder sent to Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard in 1990 to land the job in Pearl Jam, the previously unreleased September 20, 1992, concert at Seattle's Magnuson Park on two vinyl LPs, a replica of Vedder's composition notebook packed with notes and photos and assorted stickers and other memorabilia from the "Ten" era.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BRENDAN'S REMIX. HE HAD A CRACK AT A FEW
SONGS ON THE "GREATEST HITS" ALBUM THAT CAME OUT IN 2004. WHAT
IS IT ABOUT THE SOUND OF "TEN" THAT HAS BUGGED YOU?

It goes back to making our first record with Brendan, which was (the 1993 sophomore effort) "Vs." When we heard how powerful that sounded in the way that he treated it, which was basically not treating it very much, other than making things punchier and doing some EQ and compression ... There's really not a lot of reverb on things.

"Ten," you can hear when you listen that there is so much going on. You can hear the tool of the time, the Lexicon Reverb, on almost everything. Somewhere in the late '90s, I found a rough mix tape of "Ten." I played it on cassette and that's when I started saying, "We have to remix 'Ten'." It would usually happen after we'd been in a club or something and we'd hear a song from it. It was like, "Ugh! This is killing me!"

At one point I told Brendan that I'd pay him to just do a version for me, just so if I had to listen to a song to re-learn it or whatever, I'd hear the proper version. He was always like, "It's a classic and I don't want to touch it." He was very respectful. That's the reason the original is still part of this package, because it's the version that 10 million or however many people bought.

When you hear his version though, it's just twice as powerful to me. It's so much more distinctive. You can really hear the texture of Ed's voice and of the instruments. It also reminded me what a great drummer Dave Krusen was. The other mixes, there's so much room and reverb that you don't hear the attack on the drums, but on this version you really hear him playing hard.

AND THIS BRINGS THE REPRESENTATION OF THOSE SONGS MORE IN
LINE WITH WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE LIVE.

Yeah. I think those songs changed so much the first couple months we were out touring. That's what was hardest about listening to the record. Not only were the songs slower on "Ten," they had a really soft sound to them. We felt like it didn't represent us, so here it is, represented.

THERE WAS THAT TOTALLY DIFFERENT "JEREMY" THAT WAS PLAYED
LIVE IN 1995, BUT IT'S NOWHERE TO BE FOUND HERE.

I don't know that we ever got it to a place where it would have been a really proper alternate version. I think we only played it five or six times.

WERE THERE THINGS YOU JUST COULDN'T DO FOR THE MOST DELUXE
VERSION?

The things that ended up in the journal, that's probably a tenth of what we had laying out on the table. We put the stuff that we thought best told the story. It gives you an inside glimpse into what we were going through and doing with our pens in the downtime. There's a page from something I did about how we wanted to do this very idealistic approach to merchandising. It's kind of funny, but it's pretty right on. It's kind of what we've done, and it was funny to see that. I didn't remember us even thinking that way back then, but we were. It's interesting to think we were a very idealistic band at that time, and we actually pulled a lot of it off.

DO YOU STILL FIND YOURSELF EXPERIENCING THE MATERIAL IN
DIFFERENT WAYS AS TIME GOES ON?

I don't think I've really sat down and listened to anything off of "Ten" unless we were deciding to play "Deep" one night for the first time in three years. The combination of listening to the remix and digging through those boxes brought a bunch of things to the surface that I think I'd buried. I think I felt from my side that I wasn't as good as I wanted to be, so I was looking forward and trying to be a better bandmate and bass player. I always kind of cringed when people would talkke about it, but because it was so huge, it added this weirdness to it.

BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE SONGS ARE STILL
IN LIVE ROTATION. THEY STILL HAVE A LIFE.

Yeah. Especially the fact that we've had three drummers since we made "Ten" -- each one has been able to play different songs better or differently, in ways that got us excited.

New CD Releases, March 24th: Pearl Jam, Hannah Montana, The Decemberists, Indigo Girls, Martina McBride and more.

Pearl Jam "Ten" (Sony)

The alt-rock champs celebrate the legacy of their mighty debut, 1991's "Ten," by re-releasing the album in four different formats. Each offering will include two versions of "Ten": a remastered version of the original album, plus a re-mixed rendition done up by the group's long-time producer, Brendan O'Brien.

Big PJ fans will want to buy the deluxe edition, which includes a DVD of the band's previously unreleased performance on MTV's "Unplugged" from 1992.

The "Ten" reissues mark the beginning of a two-year catalogue re-release effort that will double as a countdown to the band's 20th anniversary in 2011.

* * *
Hannah Montana "Hannah Montana: The Movie" (Disney)

Are you ready for another round of Hannah Montana mania? The Disney character, portrayed by real-life star Miley Cyrus, will be the subject of a new feature film, "Hannah Montana: The Movie."

The flick, which also stars hot country act Rascal Flatts, is set to hit theaters April 10, and tweens are probably already lining up around the block in anticipation. You can get ready for the big event by purchasing the soundtrack to "Hannah Montana: The Movie."

The 18-track collection features plenty of Montana cuts, as well as offerings by Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus (Miley's dad) and the hottest singer on the planet, Taylor Swift.

* * *
The Decemberists "The Hazards of Love" (Capitol)

The Pacific Northwest indie-rock troupe is set to drop its fifth studio album, which follows 2006's "The Crane Wife." Like that previous outing, which was inspired by both a Japanese folk tale and William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," "The Hazards of Love" is a concept, or thematic, work. This time around, the Decemberists tell "the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake," according to a press release.

The 17-track set features several notable guest stars, including My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark, My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden and Robyn Hitchcock, all of whom appear as "characters" in the album's storyline.

Having recently appeared at opening night of the South by Southwest music conference in Austin, TX, the band will really get behind "The Hazards of Love" during a late-spring swing through North America. The tour begins May 19 at Los Angeles' Hollywood Palladium and includes a stop in mid-June at Tennessee's mammoth Bonnaroo festival.

* * *
Indigo Girls "Poseidon and the Bitter Bug" (IG)

The famed folk-rockers are back with their 11th studio offering, "Poseidon and the Bitter Bug," which marks the first release on the duo's own IG Recordings label. The new album reunites the Indigo Girls with veteran producer Mitchell Froom (Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney), who turned the knobs for their previous release, 2006's "Despite Our Differences."

The duo--Emily Saliers and Amy Ray--will support "Poseidon" during a 35-city North American tour. The journey begins April 4 in Palm Springs, CA, and is currently scheduled to last through a July 17 stop at the California World Fest in Grass Valley, CA.

* * *
Martina McBride "Shine" (RCA)

The versatile country vocalist, who's known to toss a classic-rock cover or two into her live sets, returns with a new 11-track collection. "Shine" is McBride's 10th studio release and her first since 2007's gold-certified "Waking Up Laughing."

The forthcoming album has already produced one smash radio hit, "Ride," which was a Top 20 country single. The album was co-produced by McBride and Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts).

* * *
More new releases:
Amadou & Mariam, "Welcome to Mali" (Nonesuch)
Blue October, "Approaching Normal" (Universal)
Eric Church, "Carolina" (Capitol)
Coheed & Cambria, "Neverender: Children of the Fence Edition" (Caroline)
Doom, "Born Like This" (Lex)
Keri Hilson, "In a Perfect World..." (Interscope)
Israel Houghton and New Breed, "Power of One" (Sony)
Stephen Lynch, "3 Balloons" (What Are Records)
Mastodon, "Crack the Skye" (Reprise)
Papa Roach, "Metamorphosis" (Geffen)
John Rich, "Son of a Preacher Man" (Warner Bros)
Various Artists, "NOW That's What I Call Music! 30" (Universal)
Various Artists, "Walt Disney and the 1964 World's Fair" (Disney)
Yanni, "Yanni Voices" (Disney)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Shrek: The Musical" (Decca)

Elvis Costello Teams With T Bone Burnett For New Acoustic Record

Elvis Costello's newest album, "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane," sees the prolific singer-songwriter-composer returning to acoustic American roots music for the first time since his 1986 album "King of America." "Sugarcane" will be released June 2 on Hear Music.

"Sugarcane" was produced by T Bone Burnett and recorded during a three-day session at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studio. Costello and Burnett have previously collaborated on "King of America" and "Spike."

Costello's band for the project includes such Bluegrass and traditional country musicians as erry Douglas (dobro), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Mike Compton (mandolin), Jeff Taylo (accordion) and Dennis Crouch (double bass). Emmylou Harris sings on one song, and Burnett adds his Kay electric guitar sound to several songs, the only amplified instrument on the album.

Ten of the album's tracks are new Costello compositions, including two written with Burnett. One song, " I Felt The Chill," was written by Costello and Loretta Lynn, while two of the album's tracks -- "Hidden Same" and "Boom Chicka Boom -- were originally written by Costello for Johnny Cash.

The vinyl version of the album will feature two additional songs: an acoustic a arrangement of Lou Reed's "Femme Fatale" and Costello's sequel to an old Appalachian murder ballad entitled, "What Lewis Did Last".

Costello will do select tour dates with "The Sugarcanes," a band featuring musicians who played on the album, in June and August.

Here is the "Secret, Profane Sugarcane" track list:

1. Down Among the Wine and Spirits
2. Complicated Shadows
3. I Felt the Chill
4. My All Time Doll
5. Hidden Shame
6. She Handed Me a Mirror
7. I Dreamed of My Old Lover
8. How Deep is the Red
9. She Was No Good
10. Sulfur to Sugarcane
11. Red Cotton
12. The Crooked Line
13. Changing Partners

Neil Young set to rock the free world with Archives anthology

Canadian rock icon Neil Young will release his highly anticipated Archives collection on June 2, according to Young's manager Elliot Roberts.

Roberts made the announcement Saturday during the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Tex.

Roberts was taking part in a panel discussion along with Larry Johnson, head of Young's production company, Shakey Films.

They played samples from the coming anthology, which has often been delayed.

Young has 60 albums under his belt, with hit singles including Old Man, Heart of Gold and Rockin' in the Free World.

The set will be available in a 10-DVD box for $199 US and a CD version for $99 US. There is also a 10-disc Blu-Ray edition, which will cost $299 US.

The Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972 will include 128 audio tracks — 43 unreleased and 13 never-before-heard songs — as well as thousands of images, including photos, lyrics, letters and memorabilia, and hours of new, previously released or rare videos.

That same day, director Jonathan Demme unspooled his second Young concert film, Neil Young's Trunk Show, which he described as "a home movie, in a way." It was shot during two performances at Philadelphia's Tower Theater in December 2007.

The film featured onstage and backstage footage, including performances of Harvest Moon, Cinammon Girl, Southern Man and Like a Hurricane.

The 63-year-old singer-songwriter is still rocking hard — touring and appearing in festivals in Australia, New Zealand, Spain and England.

PUMPING UP THE JAM

Nineteen years ago, Eddie Vedder unleashed an emotional tirade on a harmless cassette tape, singing over instrumental tracks and melodic samples played by Seattle musicians he didn't even know. A short time later, that piece of plastic evolved into a landmark album, Pearl Jam's debut "Ten," which is being celebrated with a three-disc reissue on Tuesday.

In 1990, the musicians who would form Pearl Jam were in disarray. Guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament had seen their previous band, Mother Love Bone, flame out after lead singer Andrew Wood died of a heroin overdose. Guitarist Mike McCready's previous band, Shadow, had just broken up. And down in San Diego, Vedder was pumping gas, surfing and playing in a going-nowhere band called Bad Radio.

In search of a singer and percussionist, the Seattle trio gave a copy of their rough demo tape to ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons, who passed it on to his basketball buddy Vedder. Once they heard Vedder's snarl over their arrangements, they quickly flew him to Washington, where they proceeded to hit the studio seconds after the plane touched down.

"It was special right away," recalls Ament of the sessions. "We knew [Eddie] was the missing piece."

The songs that began forming contained dark meanings that were mostly hidden behind driving guitars and thunderous drums. "Even Flow" unveiled the morbid life of a homeless man. "Jeremy" was real-life tale of a schoolboy blowing his head off in front of his classmates. And "Alive" included lyrics focused on incest, betrayal and a broken-home life.

Amazingly, "Ten" which went on to sell more than 12 million copies never boasted a No.1 hit. But along with Nirvana's "Nevermind," it became one of modern rock's most influential albums and a touchstone of what would become known as alternative rock.

Despite its revered status, Pearl Jam asked producer Brendan O'Brien to tinker with their first creation. His remix and six related tracks from the "Ten" sessions are part of the reissue package.

"The band loved the original mix of 'Ten' but were also interested in what it would sound like if I were to deconstruct and remix it," says O'Brien, who produced the follow-up albums "Vs.," "Vitalogy," "No Code" and "Yield."

"The original 'Ten' sound is what millions of people bought, dug and loved, so I was initially hesitant to mess around with that," O'Brien adds. "I was able to wrap my head around the idea of offering it as a companion piece to the original giving a fresh take on it, a more direct sound."

Several package options, ranging from $15.99 to $140, are available. Depending on which "goodie bag" is chosen, fans can finally possess Pearl Jam's wild and unreleased 1992 performance on "MTV Unplugged," an LP of the band's 1992 "Drop in the Park" concert in Seattle, a replica of Pearl Jam's three-song demo cassette with Vedder's original vocal dubs or a recreation of the frontman's composition notebook with abstract photos.

"['Ten'] has definitely withstood the test of time," says current drummer Matt Cameron, who contributed to the original demo tape while still a member of Soundgarden. "I couldn't have predicted what the album would become."

Madonna to record new tracks for hits collection

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Madonna plans to head back into the studio to record new music for an upcoming greatest hits album, tentatively due in September.

Details on the project -- which will be her last album for Warner Bros. Records -- are not yet final, according to Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's longtime publicist. But she said that "all different options are being explored regarding packaging and content."

One of those options might involve input from Madonna's fans on which tunes should be included on the album. Guy Oseary, the singer's manager, has posted missives to his Twitter account, soliciting suggestions from Madonna's devotees about which tracks "must be on" the album.

Madonna has released two previous best-ofs: 1990's "The Immaculate Collection" and 2001's "GHV2: Greatest Hits Volume 2." She also issued the ballads collection, "Something To Remember," in 1995. "Immaculate" is tied with Patsy Cline's "Greatest Hits" as the top-selling hits albums ever by a solo female in the U.S. -- both are certified at 10 million sold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

In 2007, Madonna signed a long-term, all-encompassing deal with Live Nation. Her last album owed to Warner Bros. is the forthcoming hits package.

Madonna signed to the Warner Bros. Records label Sire in 1982 and released her first single, "Everybody," that year. Her self-titled debut album bowed in 1983.

Her most recent set, 2008's "Hard Candy," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 280,000. It has sold 714,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

New CD Releases, March 17: Willie Nelson, Marianne Faithful, Static-X, The Script, BoA, and more!

Willie Nelson "Naked Willie" (Sony)

Willie fans haven't been hurting for new products to buy. The country legend quickly follows this year's collaboration with Asleep at the Wheel, "Willie and the Wheel"--which itself followed two 2008 albums: the solo outing "Moment of Forever" and the Willie/Wynton Marsalis affair, "Two Men With the Blues"--with the release of "Naked Willie."

This 17-track CD mines Nelson's early career as a professional songwriter, from 1966 to 1970. Fans might know these songs, but they've never heard them like this before.

The story is that Nelson and his longtime harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, went back to the original multi-track recordings and re-mixed the songs, stripping away all the high-gloss production tricks (big string sections, tons of back-up singers, etc.), which were so prevalent at the time, in an effort to find the essence of each song.

* * *
Marianne Faithfull Easy Come, Easy Go" (Decca)

The acclaimed songbird, who has collaborated with everyone from David Bowie and Nick Cave to Roger Waters and Metallica, returns with her 22nd album, "Easy Come, Easy Go," which follows 2005's "Before the Poison."

Produced by longtime collaborator Hal Wilner--who has previously worked with the likes of Lucinda Williams and Lou Reed--"Easy Come, Easy Go" consists of all covers and includes songs originally made famous by Dolly Parton, Brian Eno and the Decemberists, among others. The disc is also rich with guest stars, such as Keith Richards, Rufus Wainwright and Cat Power.

* * *
Static-X "Cult of Static" (Reprise)

The metal mavericks are back with their sixth studio album, which follows 2007's "Cannibal." The first single is the track "Stingwray," reportedly a reference to lead singer Wayne Static's wife, Tera Wray, and her Corvette Stingray.

"Cult of Static" was produced by John Travis, who also was at the controls for "Cannibal." The new album features the tune "Lunatic," which appeared earlier on the "Punisher: War Zone" soundtrack, as well as a guest appearance by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine.

* * *
The Script "The Script" (Sony)

The Irish pop/rock trio has already achieved much success on the other side of the Atlantic. The band's eponymous debut was released in late 2008 in Europe and has since gone on to multi-platinum sales figures. Now, the Script will try its luck in the US as it sees the stateside release of its self-titled disc. We can think of no better time for an Irish act to release an album than on St. Patrick's Day.

* * *
BoA "BoA" (SM Entertainment)

Boa Kwon, better known simply as "BoA" (short for "Beat of Angel"), started her march to fame at an early age. The South Korean pop singer released her 2000 debut when she was just 13 and has since become a major star throughout Asia.

Listeners on this side of the Pacific now have the chance to get to know BoA, as she offers up her self-titled US debut.

More new releases:
Bonnie Prince Billy, "Beware" (Drag City)
Les Claypool, "Of Fungi and Foe" (Prawn Song)
Dudu Fisher, "In Concert From Israel" (Mesa)
Mick Fleetwood, "Blue Again" (429)
Gorilla Zoe, "Don't Feed Da Animals" (Bad Boy)
Annie Lennox, "The Annie Lennox Collection (Deluxe Edition)" (Sony)
Little Walter, "The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967)" (Hip-O)
Nick Lowe, "Quiet Please: The New Best of Nick Lowe" (Yep Roc)
Nils, "Up Close and Personal" (Baja)
Rˆyksopp, "Junior" (Astralwerks)
Randy Travis, "I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis" (Warner Bros.)
Twiztid, "W.I.C.K.E.D." (Psychopathic)
Bebo Valdes, "Juntos Para Siempre" (Red Ink)
Wavves, "Wavves" (Fat Possum)

Bono slams illegal downloaders

U2 rocker Bono has slammed music fans who download songs illegally - insisting laws against the practice will eventually be tightened when movie studios begin to lose revenue through the web.

Bono admits that as a "rich rock star" he has doesn't want more money - but is adamant musicians should not be allowed to lose income through the internet.

The rocker is convinced the fight must go on against the practice, but fears police will not be granted powers to prosecute offenders properly until they get the backing of Hollywood executives -when the illegal downloading of films becomes as common as music.

He tells USA Today, "People think people like me are overpaid and over-nourished, and they're not wrong. What they're missing is, how does a songwriter get paid?

"It's not the place for rich rock stars to ask for more money, but somebody should fight for fellow artists, because this is madness. Music has become tap water, a utility, where for me it's a sacred thing, so I'm a little offended (by illegal downloading).

"The music business has been thrown to the dogs legislatively. That will change when file-sharing of TV shows and movies becomes as easy as songs. Somebody is going to call the cops."

Cornell rules out band reunions

Chris Cornell has no plans to reunite with his former bands Soundgarden or Audioslave - because he is more interested in making new music than in rehashing previous hits.

The rocker stunned fans when he announced he would collaborate with hip-hop producer Timbaland for his solo album Scream.

But he insists he would rather continue to reinvent his musical style with unexpected collaborators than revisit the glory days of his previous rock groups.

He says, "I prefer to look forward rather than backwards and I'm moving too fast to consider doing it. Reuniting with people should be the draw, not the money.

"It's important I don't repeat myself. Rock music has a tendency to be more nostalgic - unlike hip-hop, which is one of the reasons I worked with Timbaland."

New Releases, March 10: Kelly Clarkson, Madeleine Peyroux, Taylor Hicks, Chris Cornell, Sarah Brightman and more

Kelly Clarkson "All I Ever Wanted" (Sony)

The first "American Idol" champ, who won the title back in 2002, returns with her fourth studio set, "All I Ever Wanted," which follows 2007's "My December."
The first single from the new disc is "My Life Would Suck Without You," which was released in mid-January and went on to top the Billboard Hot 100.
Clarkson, who recently finished up another round of co-headlining dates with Reba McEntire on their "2 Worlds 2 Voices Tour," will support "All I Ever Wanted" with a summer headlining run that is scheduled to begin June 11 in Orem, UT.

* * *
Madeleine Peyroux "Bare Bones" (Rounder)

The jazz-influenced vocalist/guitarist is back with her third album in four years. Her previous record, 2006's "Half the Perfect World," garnered Peyroux her highest-ever chart position, reaching No. 33 on The Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Jazz Albums chart.

The new set marks the first time that Peyroux--a singer championed for her cover versions of other artists' works--has taken songwriting credit on all tracks. Producer Larry Klein, whose resume includes efforts with Shawn Colvin and Joni Mitchell, was at the controls for "Bare Bones."

Peyroux is currently backing the new album with a spring tour that is doubling as a fundraiser for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The month-long outing concludes with an April 4 date in Austin, TX.

* * *
Taylor Hicks "The Distance" (Modern Whomp)

Another "American Idol" winner, who took top prize during the reality TV show's fifth season in 2006, is also ready to drop a new release. "The Distance," the singer's sophomore studio set, follows 2006's "Taylor Hicks."

Having released his eponymous major-label debut on Arista, Hicks is taking the indie route with "The Distance," which is being put out on the artist's own Modern Whomp Records. The set was produced by Simon Climie, who has worked with such big-name acts as Eric Clapton, Faith Hill and Carlos Santana.

* * *
Chris Cornell "Scream" (Interscope)

The former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman focuses on his solo career with the release of "Scream," his third solo offering to date. The set's first single is its title track.

The new record teams the Grammy-winning rocker with famed hip-hop producer Timbaland, who reportedly brought an R&B flavor to Cornell's typical hard-rock stylings.

Cornell will showcase "Scream" during a North American trek that is set to kick off March 28 in Dallas and run through a May 3 date in Los Angeles.

* * *
Sarah Brightman "Symphony: Live in Vienna" (Manhattan)

The mega-popular classical/pop/Broadway soprano unleashes a new live set. The CD/DVD combo documents a performance in Vienna during the star's tour in support of her 2008 release "Symphony."

* * *
More new releases:
Ballas Hough Band, "Ballas Hough Band" (Hollywood)
Rocco Deluca and Burden, "Mercy" (Republic)
Dope, "No Regrets" (Koch)
The Dream, "Love vs Money" (Def Jam)
J. Holiday, "Round 2" (Capitol)
Ronnie Milsap, "Then Sings My Soul" (Starsong)
New Found Glory, "Not Without a Fight" (Epitaph)
Elvis Presley, "I Believe: The Gospel Masters" (Sony)
The Rippingtons, "Modern Art" (Peak)
Rod Stewart, "Unplugged...and Seated: Collector's Edition" (Rhino)
Bernie Taupin, "He Who Rides the Tiger" (American Beat)
Armin Van Buuren, "Imagine: The Remixes" (Ultra)
Various artists, "Amore Infinito: Songs inspired by the Poetry of John Paul II - Karol Wojtyla" (Deutsche Grammophone)
Various artists, "Punk Goes Pop: Vol. 2" (Fearless)

Eminem Promises A Double 'Relapse' In 2009

Eminem is making his "Relapse" a double: not only did the best selling rapper reveal the release date for his highly-anticipated return to the rap game, but he announced that the follow-up will drop in 2009 too.

"Relapse," Eminem's first full album of new material in four years, is due from Interscope/Aftermath/Shady on May 19. The album's first single, "Crack the Bottle," is currently at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second album, "Relapse 2," is promised before the end of the year. "A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year," said Eminem in a statement. "I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre."

In an exclusive interview with Billboard last year, Eminem spoke about the studio reunion with producer and mentor Dr. Dre. "Me and Dre are back in the lab like the old days, man," Eminem said. "Just him banging away on tracks and me getting that little spark that makes me write to it. I don't have chemistry like that with anyone else as far as producers go -- not even close. Dre will end up producing the majority of the tracks on Relapse.' We are up to our old mischievous ways ... let's just leave it at that."

Neil Young Confirms New, Electric Car-Inspired LP “Fork in the Road” Due April 7th

When Neil Young began playing nine new songs a night towards the end of his 2008 tour it became apparent a new album was in the works. Today it was confirmed that Fork in the Road, a theme record about Young’s Linc Volt electric car project, will come out April 7th. The title track was turned into a hilarious YouTube video earlier this year. The only previously unheard song is “Johnny Magic,” a loving tribute to Jonathan Goodwin, who is Young’s partner in the Linc Volt project. Young has spent significant amounts of time working with Goodwin at his Wichita Kansas garage over the past year. Goodwin, known as the “motorhead messiah,” is one of the worlds preeminent electric car experts, and has little interest in his partner’s other career. “For the first month I thought he was Neil Diamond,” Goodwin told Rolling Stone last year. “I guess he is another singer. My wife told me ‘That’s Neil Young. He sings the older songs.’ To this day I’ve never listened to any of his music.”

The album was recorded with Young’s touring band, which includes Ben Keith (pedal steel guitar, keyboards), Chad Cromwell (drums), Rick Rosas (bass), Pegi Young (vocals) and Anthony Crawford (vocals, guitar). They just wrapped
up an Australian tour and are headed to Canada and Europe later in the year.

Here’s the track listing:

“When Worlds Collide”
“Fuel Line”
“Just Singing A Song”
“Johnny Magic”
“Cough Up The Bucks”
“Get Behind The Wheel”
“Off The Road”
“Hit The Road”
“Light A Candle”
“Fork In The Road”

"Spinal Tap" stars getting serious on new tour

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – It's no joke. The comedic trio behind "Spinal Tap" are hitting the road for a 30-city North American tour next month, and are leaving their heavy-metal guises at home.

Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer -- accomplished musicians who have been playing together since 1978 -- said on Monday they will perform music from their "Spinal Tap" days as well as from subsequent film collaborations like the folk-music spoof "A Mighty Wind."

They performed a few songs and took questions during a news conference held on the 25th anniversary of the release of the influential mockumentary "This Is Spinal Tap," in which the Americans played deluded English headbangers.

The cult hit spoofed situations that have rung eerily true for real-life bands, such as getting lost while trying to make their way to the stage, being confounded by malevolent stage props, or dealing with problematic drummers.

The film also popularized phrases such as turning the volume "up to 11." And when artists explain away their waning popularity by saying that "their appeal is becoming more selective," it's an inadvertent quote from the movie.

NO ROYALTIES

"It's a cautionary tale that we don't intend anyone to pay heed to," said McKean, who played vocalist David St. Hubbins. "If you're a young guy or gal and you want to be in a rock 'n' roll band, see this movie but do it anyway."

But musicians might want to pay heed to one small factoid: The trio never made a dime from the Rob Reiner-directed movie, their manager Harriet Sternberg told Reuters.

The film, originally funded by TV producer Norman Lear at a cost of $2.5 million, has changed hands at least half a dozen times, and is now owned by French firm StudioCanal. Sternberg said no attempt has been made to recover any royalty income.

The trio's "Unwigged & Unplugged" theater tour begins on April 17 in Vancouver, B.C., and runs through May 31 in Milwaukee.

"We've never gone out as ourselves," said Shearer, who played Derek Smalls, the hirsute bass player famed for stuffing a cucumber down the front of his pants. "It's interesting. After playing characters on stage all these years, we're having meetings now trying to figure out who we are."

They have toured several times before in their Spinal Tap incarnation, but played it straight off stage. Now, "we're gonna destroy hotel rooms," said Guest, the man behind guitarist Nigel Tufnel.

"Actually, at our age, we're gonna hire people to destroy hotel rooms," added Shearer.

The trio have also recorded studio versions of the Spinal Tap songs that appeared in live form on the film and soundtrack. The as-yet-untitled album, bolstered by seven or eight unheard tracks, will be released on May 26.

Lynda Carter a wonder on new CD

NEW YORK - Lynda Carter peers at the ultrasleek stereo in her hotel room, trying to find the right button - any button, really - that will get it to accept her CD.

"Now, where would Play be?" she asks.

"Is it Enter?" she wonders. "That's not it."

"CD? Does that say CD?"

Carter played Wonder Woman on television, someone who stopped bullets with her bracelets or hopped in an invisible plane. On this day, she's more human - more alter ego Diana Prince - stumped by an unfamiliar stereo.

But not for long.

"OK!" she says with delight as the right button is pressed and the squeal of a saxophone signals the beginning of Sam Cooke's torch song "You Send Me."

The voice that emerges, though, isn't Cooke's. It's Carter's. And, while walking over to a sofa, she can't help but sing along with herself, a grin plastered to her face.

"I didn't realize how much I missed music until I came back," she says, her tall frame swaying. "It's just a blast. It's so much fun."

That's right: Long before she donned her famous star-spangled one-piece, Carter was a singer. She's getting back to it now with a new CD and a cabaret tour, proving that the 57-year-old is still something of a wonder woman.

"She's really a very incredibly talented singer," says drummer Paul Leim, the leader of her band who has worked with Carter since her "Wonder Woman" days and also with the likes of Lionel Richie, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Faith Hill.

"Hopefully, everybody will get a chance to experience the real Lynda Carter instead of the actress from the cartoon," says Leim by phone from Nashville, Tenn.

The album contains covers of standards like "Cry Me a River," "Blues in the Night" and "Summertime," as well as playful torch songs such as "Million Dollar Secret."

Carter even covers the Etta James' classic "At Last," a song that also lends the CD its name. "It was 'At Last' for a long time before I knew it was the president's dancing song," she says, slightly chagrined.

Listeners might be startled at the strength of her voice and the soulful colouring of her songs, backed by top-notch studio musicians.

"I don't think I work for surprise, but I think I'm surprising," she says.

Carter has lost little of her head-turning looks. On this day, she wears a short embroidered jacket, tight silk shirt and black leggings, a look few women decades her junior could pull off as well.

Besides being a powerful charity fundraiser, she turns out to be a news junkie, able to talk about presidential line-item vetoes or Tom Daschle with ease. She also embraces her inner goofball.

"I'm really kind of a corny person," she says. "I think I am so funny. I do - I crack myself up. I consistently, at least according to my children, make a fool of myself. I am a completely flawed person. It is what it is. I'm happy with it."

She'll be appearing this month on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and then at Lincoln Center in New York. In April, there's a fundraiser in Washington and a one-night stand in Modesto, Calif. And, in June, she'll be at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

"I like to make people laugh and feel comfortable with me," she says. "I work just as hard for 100 people as I do for 1,500 people. They deserve it."

Carter, who grew up in Phoenix, got her first professional singing job at 14. At 17, she was on the road, playing the Catskills, clubs in the Reno-Tahoe area, and made her debut at the Sahara Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in a band called The Garfin Gathering.

"I thought I was living the dream. Being paid to sing was unbelievable for me. When being paid to sing no longer felt right, that's when I quit," she says.

She won the Miss World-USA title in 1972 and four years later landed the iconic role of Wonder Woman, which she played until 1979. She says its success was due less to the skimpy outfit than her focus on making Diana Prince feel real.

"People forget that I spent most of the time on television playing an alter ego," she says. "That's how I allowed people to really understand her."

Carter, who released her first album in 1978 and sang in several prime-time specials in the 1980s, has returned to performing of late, as her two children with her second husband, lawyer Robert Altman, become young adults. She's appeared in "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Sky High" and the TV series "Smallville."

She recently played a sociopath on "Law & Order" and loved it. "People like me don't get those opportunities very often," she says. "My daughter called it creepy. So I thought I'd hit a home run."

Carter returned to singing and performing in 2005 in a London performance of "Chicago," and a year later was part of the musical's 10th anniversary show on Broadway.

She dipped her toe in cabaret in 2007, playing small venues in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Leim is working on a live CD of a show that she did in front of a nine-piece band at Harrah's Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

Despite the new work, she knows that she'll never fully escape the legacy of Wonder Woman. Perhaps only when someone new steps into her old suit.

"It needs to be done again," she says. "I think they should. I'm the first one to pass that baton and I hope it makes a bizzilion dollars."

New U2 album to come in 5 formats

TORONTO - For U2's first release in five years, Bono and Co. are going all out - and expecting fans to do the same.

Sure, consumers can pick up the plain CD release of "No Line on the Horizon" when it comes out Tuesday, or they can splurge on one of the other four packages. There's the limited box set that includes a DVD and hardcover book, the "digipack" edition with a fold-out poster and rights to download a U2 film, the 60-page magazine version and the limited-issue vinyl double LP.

Yep, even the biggest band in the world is taking steps to rouse record buyers out of their collective malaise.

Loading a CD release with fan-friendly bonuses is a strategy that many bands are adopting as a way to entice consumers who otherwise might be just as happy downloading new music.

When Bruce Springsteen released "Working on a Dream" in January, it came with a bonus DVD featuring 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage. Radiohead's "In Rainbows" was available in a pricey limited deluxe edition that included both CD and vinyl, plus a second disc of new songs and a lyric book.

With the record-buying public seemingly shrinking with each passing year, it's becoming a necessary strategy even for the titans of the industry.

"I definitely think it does (help sales) because it adds a better sense of value to what people are buying," said Terry McBride, CEO of Vancouver-based Nettwerk Music Group. "I think it brings in the added value proposition of things that can't be digitized."

Of course, those bonus-loaded packages don't come cheap - the super-deluxe version of U2's new album runs a hefty $83.99 on Amazon.ca. That, McBride says, makes it even more important that the content is worthwhile and coming directly from the band.

"Knowing (U2), they had a lot to say about all of it, and they had their hands all over it," he said of their new release. "That makes it a lot more authentic, because they actually care.

"In the case of U2, it's not a marketing thing. They're really sincere people about what they release and what their fans like."

Toronto indie rockers Metric are releasing their fourth studio album, "Fantasies," in similarly bonus-packed fashion.

Beginning Tuesday, fans can pre-order the new album - which doesn't see physical release until April 14 - from Metric's website in three formats. The album will be available on limited edition vinyl, as a deluxe hard-cover CD or as a straight-up download in one of several "content bundles" that will include other extras.

Though Metric is releasing the album on Last Gang Records in Canada, they're essentially putting the record out themselves in the U.S. With that added responsibility, they took it upon themselves to include bonus content with the release.

"For us, it's just a way to stay creative and to think outside of what is normally allowed, which is based on a retail construct," said singer Emily Haines in a recent telephone interview from New York. "We're all discovering that ... preconceptions of how the world has to be are appearing to be not set in stone at all.

"So we're just having a good time and trying to stay inspired and make art."

Metric has documented their tours with photographs and videos taken by the band, some of which will be included with the record.

Haines says that beyond extra features, she thinks more care needs to go into the physical albums as well.

"I just think nobody is going to be impressed by something that looks cheap or throwaway," she said. "Particularly material goods and manufacturing, we all know the cost in environmental terms. If it's something I'm going to go buy, I want it to be valuable.

"Nobody wants a pile of plastic cases."

Not all musicians are onboard with this new strategy. Some are suspicious of what looks like a new method to rake in cash for record labels.

"Everything is about added bonus, added bonus, added bonus," said TV on the Radio singer/guitarist Kyp Malone. "But I feel like I'm not personally trying to sell records to anyone but the people who buy records already, you know? I know that's a shrinking market, and I recognize that, and I'm fine with it.

"I don't think I can trick anybody."

Haines understands Malone's point, but says the process feels less ominous when it comes directly from the band.

"(If) it's presented to you as a crass marketing tool by somebody whose taste you don't respect, you find yourself resisting ideas that are potentially just kind of cool," she said. "We enjoy making (these extras), and ideally, people are interested in seeing them. It's just a few minutes of entertainment or insight.

"But it takes a lot of the sinister side of things out of it when I don't feel like somebody's trying to sell every moment of my life."

New CD Releases, March 3rd: U2, 'Watchmen,' Neko Case, Raul Malo, Rush, and more!

U2 "No Line On the Horizon" (Interscope)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers from Dublin, Ireland are set to unleash their 12th studio album, which marks the group's first batch of new material since 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb."

"No Line on the Horizon" was produced by longtime U2 collaborators Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Steve Lillywhite. The album's first single is the track "Get On Your Boots," which the band debuted in mid-February at the 2009 Brit Awards in London.

"No Line on the Horizon" will be made available in five versions, including a standard CD, a double-vinyl pressing and a deluxe box set.

* * *
Various artists "Watchmen: Music From the Motion Picture" (Reprise)

Comic book fans are counting down the days until the release of the "Watchmen," the major motion picture adaptation of the popular comic book series/graphic novel. The film hits theaters on Friday (3/6), but fans can get an advance taste of the film by purchasing "Watchmen: Music From the Motion Picture."

This collection includes offerings by such legendary musicians as Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. It also includes one track by a much newer band--My Chemical Romance offers up a cover of Dylan's "Desolation Row."

* * *
Neko Case "Middle Cyclone" (Anti)

The popular singer/songwriter, who releases records both under her own name and as a member of The New Pornographers, delivers another solo album. "Middle Cyclone" follows 2006's "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood."

The record was co-produced by Case and New Pornographers studio engineer Darryl Neudorf. "Middle Cyclone" features a number of guests, including M. Ward, Garth Hudson and Sarah Harmer, as well as members of The New Pornographers, Los Lobos, Calexico and Giant Sand, among others.

Case is set to support the new album with a tour that begins March 31 in Austin, TX.

* * *
Raul Malo "Lucky One" (Fantasy)

The former Mavericks frontman drops his first set of original material since his 2001 solo debut, "Today." In the interim, he released the cover collections "You're Only Lonely" and "After Hours," which feature songs written by his favorite performers, including Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam, Willie Nelson and Roger Miller.

Malo will showcase "Lucky One" during a five-week US tour. The trek launches March 6 in Portland, OR, and will hit more than a dozen clubs and theaters.

* * *
Rush "Retrospective 3" (Atlantic)

This two-disc CD/DVD combo spotlights the multi-platinum Canadian band's more-recent releases. "Retrospective 3," which draws from the years 1989 to 2008, features such tunes as "Roll the Bones," "Driven" and "Half the World."

* * *
More new releases:
Boston Spaceships, "Planets Are Blasted" (Guided by Voices)
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, "The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem In Person at Carnegie Hall: The Complete 1963 Concert" (Sony)
Justin Townes Earle, "Midnight at the Movies" (Bloodshot)
Bela Fleck, "Throw Down Your Heart, Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sessions" (Rounder)
Ian McLagan and Bump Band, "Never Say Never" (R.E.D.)
Buddy and Julie Miller, "Written in Chalk" (New West)
Nashville Pussy, "From Hell to Texas" (Steamhammer)
Alan Parsons Project, "Vulture Culture: Original Recording Remastered" (Sony)
Arvo Part, "In Principio" (ECM)
Prodigy, "Invaders Must Die" (R.E.D.)
Tierney Sutton, "Desire" (Telarc)
Thin Lizzy, "Still Dangerous: Live at the Tower Theater Philadelphia" (VH1)
Various Artists, "The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 11B: 1971" (Hip-O)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" (Lakeshore)
"Watchmen: Original Motion Picture Score" (Reprise)

Prince to release new CD set through Target

NEW YORK – Prince is coming to a Target near you.

The superstar is releasing a three-disc CD set through the retailer at the end of this month. The set will include two new albums — "LOtUSFLOW3R" and "MPLSoUND" — as well as a third by his new artist, Bria Valente, for the price of $11.98.

Prince is just the latest music legend to release new music exclusively through a major retailer. AC/DC and the Eagles were among the acts who sold millions of CDs through their partnership with Wal-Mart.

Prince has released his recent CDs through major labels, but they were one-album deals that gave him the flexibility to go elsewhere when the project was done. Last fall, he released a coffee table book of photos titled "21 Nights" documenting his record-breaking, 21-night run at London's 02 Arena in 2007. The book also included a CD of live performances.

"Prince has long been renowned as one of the world's most original and iconic musical artists," said Mark Schindele, Target's senior vice president of merchandising. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share his most recent work with our Target guests."

The CD set will be on sale at Target and its Web site on March 29.

Heart's Wilson sisters to be honored by music biz

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Ann and Nancy Wilson, the principal members of veteran rock group Heart, will receive a lifetime achievement award from a songwriters' group, organizers said on Thursday.

The sisters will be given the Founders Award during performing right group ASCAP's annual pop music awards in Hollywood on April 22. The honorees and various guests usually perform at the event, but details have not yet been finalized.

Ann Wilson, Heart's 58-year-old singer, and Nancy, its 54-year-old rhythm guitarist, rose to fame in the 1970s with such hits as "Crazy On You," "Magic Man" and "Barracuda."

"Their success and influence helped pave the way for other female artists, and they continue to build their musical legacy with an artistic energy that remains as strong today as when they first started out over 35 years ago," ASCAP president and chairman Marilyn Bergman said in a statement.

Past recipients include Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

Rival performing rights group BMI said earlier this week it would Philadelphia soul songwriter/producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff with an Icon lifetime achievement award during its annual awards dinner in Beverly Hills on May 19.

Both ASCAP and BMI collect royalties on behalf of songwriters and music publishers by monitoring radio airplay and charging license fees to the owners of venues where live and recorded music is played.

BNL, Steven Page split 'bittersweet'

"I was back in the cockpit after eight days" - Ed Robertson joking about his float plane crash last year.

TORONTO - Ed Robertson can say first-hand when you have survived a plane crash, not much that happens on the ground after seems as traumatic.

Not even parting ways with your long-time wingman?

"After a plane crash, every day after seems kind of special," he said in an interview at the Sun last night.

And you want each day to be fun.

It's not to make light of the big announcement that key Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page is splitting from the group and won't record on the next record or part take in this fall's 20th anniversary tour.

But it is to keep it in perspective.

"It is difficult, no question," Robertson said. "It is hard on everybody but the primary emotion I would say would be excitement. We needed a blast of positive energy. It is a weird day. But I know for all of us, it is a necessary day."

Page pretty much echoed the same message in an interview on CP24, calling it "bittersweet" and that it was "time."

It was strange seeing them do so much media yesterday -- separately.

The unusual aspect of that was not lost on Robertson -- who jokes, "I am going to have to propose to him to do a pop-song war -- a gangster rap showdown but the pop-rock version."

A lot of people have put forward ideas of replacements -- everybody from J.D. Fortune to Paul McCartney to Jimmy Page and Ellen Page.

"I would never say never," Robertson said on hiring a new musician. "But right now we are focusing on the four of us."

Although Robertson said he did like Page's idea of Meatloaf.

"It would be nice to have a nice protein snack on stage."

Twenty years has flown by since the controversy of this band with the crazy name being banned from playing City Hall.

Fame and accolades, adulation and even fortune came their way in the years that followed. But 2008 was a tough year for this group.

Page's brush with the law and cocaine possession was well-documented in the press -- as was Robertson's near fatal float plane crash near Bancroft.

But what did not get aired publicly was the creative and philosophical differences that had come between the band, which includes Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn and Tyler Stewart.

For example, the band's foray into a children's album was a critical and commercial success -- but it's kind of difficult to market a record for families called Snacktime when one of your key members is on the news, busted for cocaine use.

It's not that the band turned on Page for what was a life mistake, but the fact is, it did not help the band -- which had to cancel a Disney-sponsored concert -- and perhaps a new direction for them to go.

The next project was the band's new album.

One industry producer said yesterday the other members of the band politely put it to Page that they wanted him focused "100%" and certainly did not want further distractions.

Robertson, though, said it did not come down to any one meeting, but he did say recording an album is "a mountain that you have to be prepared to climb as a unit and we knew for us to move forward it would be without Steven."

Page, speaking from Syracuse, said this as well on CP24: "They are anxious to make a record as Barenaked Ladies and I am anxious to make a solo record."

Of course, the fan forums are going crazy with gossip -- some even suggesting Page's new girlfriend, Christine Benedicto, is the "band's Yoko Ono" -- life imitating art but still a woman who has helped break up the band.

Robertson just laughs. "God bless the fans. We have an amazing fan base and I know they feel gutted, but the truth is it does not come down to one thing or one person. He added, "I really wanted to reach out to people and let them know this is a good thing for us and not to worry about what it will be because it will be great for us and for Steven."

And while no separation is done easily, he said, this one was done amiably.

"There is a ton to look back on and be proud of," Robertson said.

"We accomplished far too much to split acrimoniously. It's a pivotal moment but it is not a hurdle or a stumbling block. It's just a new direction."

Just like when he crashed his plane, Robertson has already started to plot out the takeoff of the new-look Barenaked Ladies.

Steven Page leaves Barenaked Ladies

Singer-guitarist Steven Page has left The Barenaked Ladies "by mutual agreement" to pursue solo projects.

The Toronto band and Page together made the announcement last night on BNL's website.

"It's the start of a new chapter for all of us," wrote bandmate Ed Robertson.

Page was charged with drug possession in upstate New York last July, only weeks after the band released a children's album.

In October, Page agreed to a deal with prosecutors that would result in the felony drug charge being dropped if he stayed out of trouble for six months, which time will elapse come late April.

Contacted last night by Sun Media, drummer Tyler Stewart said he couldn't comment much further on the split at this time.

"The band is happy to be moving forward and can't wait to get into the studio to record new material," Stewart wrote in an e-mail to Sun Media.

"That's all I can really say."

The remaining members of the band say they will continue recording and touring together as The Barenaked Ladies.

Page, 38, was not available to be interviewed last night, but on the band's website he wrote:

"These guys are my brothers. We've grown up together over the past 20 years. I love them and wish them all the best in the future."

According to the band's website, Page will "pursue solo projects including theatrical opportunities while the band enters the studio in April 2009, and hits the road in the fall."

The Barenaked Ladies had a rocky 2008.

Not only was Page arrested, but in late August Robertson crashed his float plane in a wooded area north of Bancroft, Ont., and luckily walked away unhurt along with three passengers.

This year, the Ladies appeared to be on a mini-comeback, with a recent Juno Award nomination for their children's album, Snacktime, just in time to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band.

The Barenaked Ladies have made 11 albums since 1992.

They have had four Top 5 singles in Canada, and two Top 20 singles in the U.S., where One Week reached No. 1 in 1998 and Pinch Me hit No. 15 in 2000.

The band was named group of the year at the Juno Awards in 1993, 1995 and 2001, and twice won the Juno for best pop album (Stunt in 1995, Maroon in 2001).

INXS denies it left J.D. Fortune in the lurch

Rock band INXS has disputed Canadian J.D. Fortune's version of how he came to part ways with the Australian band.

Fortune was chosen as lead singer for the band in a reality TV show, Rock Star: INXS in 2005.

He recently told Entertainment Tonight Canada that his bandmates dumped him at a Hong Kong airport after a 23-month tour, leaving him broke and living out of his truck.

The band's creative director Chris Murphy, however, says Fortune was never dumped as lead singer — though he won't be invited back now that he's spread this story.

"The band have always stated to me that Fortune's services could potentially be contracted again when INXS next tour," he said.

"In fact, he was next on my list to call regarding a very big recording project I am putting together for INXS at present. I have no reason to call him now."

The band says it is shocked to hear what Fortune has said about them.

"Not only are we shocked by the claims, even the place the supposed incident was to have taken place is a mystery," said a statement issued by the group.

Fortune, who hails from New Glasgow, N.S., helped bring a new young audience to INXS with the reality TV show and subsequent tour.

He wrote the song Pretty Vegas, and worked with the group to record their album, Switch.

Fortune admits sudden fame went to his head and he had a problem with substance abuse while on tour. He said he has had no contact with the band for more than a year.

"I found myself really alone, because I had travelled with these guys for 23 months," he told Entertainment Tonight Canada.

"I don't know where I am going, from sofa to sofa, from night to night. I am trying to get through my life."

INXS, whose earlier hits include Need You Tonight and Never Tear Us Apart, lost its charismatic lead singer, Michael Hutchence, in 1997 to suicide.

Since then the group has had a series of lead singers, including Terence Trent D'Arby and Jon Stevens.

New CD Releases, February 24th: Jonas Brothers, Van Morrison, Lamb of God, Chris Isaak, K'Naan and more

Jonas Brothers "Music from the 3D Concert Experience" (Hollywood)

These Disney darlings are set to have a huge week. The trio's new film, "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience," will hit theaters on Friday (2/27), just days after the movie's soundtrack reaches stores.

The film and soundtrack were recorded during two shows in Anaheim, CA, last July. "Music from the 3D Concert Experience" features such songs as "Burnin' Up," "I'm Gonna Getcha Good" and "That's Just the Way We Roll."

The Jonas Brothers had a very busy 2008, a year that saw them star in the Disney film "Camp Rock," release the album "A Little Bit Longer" and conduct a highly successful summer tour of amphitheaters.

For their efforts, the Jonas Brothers were nominated for Best New Artist at the 51st Grammy Awards earlier this month. The band ended up losing in that category to Adele, but it did make an impression on TV viewers, for better or worse, with its performance at the show with the legendary Stevie Wonder.

* * *
Van Morrison "Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (Listen to the Lion)

By most reports, Van the Man thrilled fans when he performed his 1968 album "Astral Weeks" in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl in November. Now, the rest of us can hear this performance as well.

"Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl" is being issued on Listen to the Lion Records, Morrison's own label under a new deal with EMI Music. The 10-track offering includes such fan favorites as the title track and "Sweet Thing."

"Astral Weeks," which was heralded as groundbreaking when it was originally released, has been ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time by several publications, including Mojo and Rolling Stone.

* * *
Lamb of God "Wrath" (Sony)

The hard-rock troupe will unleash its "Wrath" on listeners, the Virginia-based band's fifth studio effort in a recording career that dates back to 2000's "New American Gospel."

After recently touring as the main opening act for Metallica, Lamb of God will support "Wrath" with a spring headlining trek. The tour, sponsored by No Fear Energy Drink, kicks off April 2 in Phoenix, AZ. As I Lay Dying and Children of Bodom will provide main support for the outing, with the opening slot rotating between God Forbid and Municipal Waste.

* * *
Chris Isaak "Mr. Lucky" (Reprise)

The Northern California vocalist/guitarist's last two releases were a concert album (last year's "Live in Australia") and a holiday offering (2004's "Christmas"). Now, Isaak finally returns with his first batch of new studio tracks since 2002's "Always Got Tonight." "Mr. Lucky" features duets with both Trisha Yearwood and Michelle Branch.

* * *
K'Naan "Troubadour" (A&M)

The Somali rapper recorded his latest set mainly in Kingston, Jamaica, working at Bob Marley's original home studio at 56 Hope Road and the legendary Tuff Gong studios. "Troubadour" features Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett on the tune "If Rap Gets Jealous" and Maroon 5 vocalist Adam Levine on the track "Bang Bang." Rapper Mos Def and reggae star Damian Marley also make guest appearances.

* * *
More new releases:
Joe Bonamassa, "The Ballad of John Henry" (Premier Artists)
J.J. Cale, "Roll On" (Rounder)
Shemekia Copeland, "Never Going Back" (Telarc)
Erasure, "Total Pop! The First 40 Hits" (101)
God Forbid, "Earth's Blood" (Century Media)
Jeff Kashiwa, "Back in the Day" (Shanachie)
Barry Manilow, "Manilow" (SBME)
Jake Owen, "Easy Does It" (RCA)
Pieces of A Dream, "Soul Intent" (Heads Up)
Tom Rush, "What I Know" (Appleseed)
Various Artists, "War Child Presents Heroes" (Astralwerks)
Steven Wilson, "Insurgentes" (Kscope)
Yes, "Symphonic Live" (Eagle)

Soundtracks and scores:
"The Wrestler" (Koch)

Tragically Hip announce new disc

The more things change, the more they remain the same for The Tragically Hip.

The veteran Canadian rockers will release their dozenth studio album, We Are the Same, on April 7, their record label announced yesterday.

Like 2006's World Container, the 12-song CD was produced and mixed by superstar producer Bob Rock. Here's the track list for We Are the Same:

1. Morning Moon

2. Honey, Please

3. The Last Recluse

4. Coffee Girl

5. Now the Struggle Has a Name

6. The Depression Suite

7. The Exact Feeling

8. Queen of the Furrows

9. Speed River

10. Frozen In My Tracks

11. Love Is a First

12. Country Day

Heaven & Hell Feeling Devilish On New Album

Heaven And Hell, the band featuring the post-Ozzy Osbourne members of Black Sabbath, will release its first album under that name, "The Devil You Know," April 28 on Rhino.

The set is Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice's first studio release since the 1992 Sabbath album "Dehumanizer," and was preceded by three new songs on the recent compilation "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years."

Song titles include "Bible Black," "Rock & Roll Angel," "Breaking Into Heaven," "Atom & Evil" and "Eating the Cannibals."

Iommi told Billboard last summer that "it really is Black Sabbath, whatever we do," but said the artists had chosen to tour as Heaven And Hell "so everyone knows what they're getting [and] so people won't expect to hear 'Iron Man' and all those songs. We've done them for so many years, it's nice to do just all the stuff with did with Ronnie again."

As for Osbourne, he is gearing up for the debut later this year of a new Fox variety show with his family, "Osbournes: Reloaded."

New Miranda Lambert Album Due In September

Even as her sophomore album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" continues its gold-certified run with its third top 20 country single, "More Like Her," Miranda Lambert is busy finishing her next release, which is due out in September.

"Winning the (Academy of Country Music) album of the year is the best thing and the worst thing," Lambert tells Billboard.com. "It's awesome, but now it's kind of, 'Where are we gonna go from here? We just won album of the year.' So there's definitely a lot of pressure, but in a good way."

Lambert says she's worked on about four songs so far for the new set and is back in the studio now hoping to finish before her next spate of touring -- including a run on Kenny Chesney's Sun City Carnival Tour -- begins. She's recording in Nashville with the "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" team of Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke, mixing her own songs with submissions by other writers.

"What's fun is the more success you have, the better the songs are that you're pitched," she notes. "The first record people pitch you songs, and sometimes they're like the ones that Tim (McGraw) threw away and that kind of thing. But this time around it seems like I'm getting a lot of great songs up front."

Lambert says her success has also given her some license to "go out and experiment a little bit more now, because people accepted my left-of-centeredness. I keep evolving as a person and just get more gutsy with what I want to do in music and things I want to say."

Boyfriend Blake Shelton, who co-wrote "Bare Skin Rug" with Lambert for his latest album, "Startin' Fires," is a possible guest "if we find something that feels right," she says.

Meanwhile, Lambert is excited by the prospect of touring with Chesney after opening a handful of dates for him in 2008. "I think Kenny and I are a very good match," she says, "because he has a wide audience. He has nine-year-old girls and then there are 90-year old grandmothers that love him. I really think I can deliver as far as pumping up his crowds.

"I've been so fortunate when it comes to tours," Lambert adds. "My first tour was (with) Keith Urban, and from him to George Strait and then to Dierks Bentley and Toby Keith and now Kenny Chesney. I've been spoiled, in a way, because I've gotten to learn from the greats of the business. Kenny's kind of like icing on the cake."

New CD Releases, February 10th: Lily Allen, Beastie Boys, India.Arie, Jorma Kaukonen and more

Beastie Boys "Paul's Boutique: 20th Anniversary Edition" (Capitol)

The hip-hop troupe is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its seminal sophomore release, 1989's "Paul's Boutique," a work that is routinely ranked among the greatest albums of all time.

"Paul's Boutique: 20th Anniversary Edition" features the first-ever digital remastering of the original tracks. It also includes the original vinyl artwork as well as a fold-out poster.

* * *
Lily Allen "It's Not Me, It's You" (Capitol)

The British pop star serves up her sophomore release, which follows 2006's "Alright, Still," the blockbuster debut that has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.

Allen recorded the majority of "It's Not Me, It's You" in Los Angeles, working with producer Greg Kurstin of the band The Bird and the Bee. The first single from the album is the track "The Fear."

The 23-year-old vocalist will support "It's Not Me, It's You" with a North American tour that begins April 1 in San Diego and continues through an April 22 date in Toronto.

* * *
India.Arie "Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics" (Republic)

The R&B/soul singer is back with her fourth CD, a follow-up to 2006's "Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship." That previous album was India.Arie's first to top The Billboard 200 and her second to reach No. 1 on the R&B chart.

Thus far, "Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics" has produced two singles: "Chocolate High" and "Therapy." The album features guest appearances by such talents as MC Lyte, Musiq Soulchild and Sezen Aksu.

* * *
Jorma Kaukonen "River of Time" (Red House)

The supremely talented guitarist/vocalist, a founding member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act Jefferson Airplane, returns with a follow-up to 2007's "Stars in My Crown."

"River of Time" was produced by Larry Campbell, a man best known for his work in Bob Dylan's band, and recorded at Levon Helm's Woodstock studio.

Contributors include Helm on drums, Barry Mitterhoff on mandolin and Campbell's wife, Teresa Williams, on vocals.

The 13-track set includes six Kaukonen originals as well as compositions from Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Merle Haggard and The Grateful Dead.

* * *
Various artists
"NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack" (CBS)

This two-disc soundtrack to the popular TV program features tracks from such big-name artists as Bob Dylan, Perry Farrell and Seether. The set, of course, includes songs that have been featured in past "NCIS" episodes. What differentiates it from many TV soundtracks, however, is that it also includes numbers that will be played in future episodes.

* * *
More new releases:
Dan Auerbach, "Keep It Hid" (Nonesuch)
Alex Cline, "Continuation" (Cryptogramophone)
Alice Cooper, "School's Out" (Audio Fidelity)
Jon Hassell, "Last Night the Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes in the Street" (Republic)
Buddy Holly, "Memorial Collection" (Geffen)
Ryan Leslie, "Ryan Leslie" (Casablanca)
The Lonely Island, "Incredibad" (Republic)
Amaia Montero, "Amaia Montero" (Sony)
Napalm Death, "Time Waits for No Slave" (Century Media)
Red, "Innocence & Instinct" (Providence)
2002, "A Word in the Wind" (Gemini Sun)
Bobby Valentino, "The Rebirth" (EMI)
Johnny Winter, "Live Bootleg Series, Vol. 4" (Friday Night)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Maggie Flynn (1968 Original Broadway Cast)" (DRG)

New CD Releases, February 3: The Fray, Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel, Dierks Bentley, Graham Nash, Melinda Doolittle and more!

The Fray "The Fray" (Sony)

The Colorado pop/rock troupe finally returns with its second studio album, which follows 2004's double-platinum debut "How to Save a Life." To tide fans over between studio releases, the Fray did release two live albums: 2006's "Live at the Electric Factory: Bootleg No. 1" and 2007's "Acoustic in Nashville: Bootleg No. 2."

The new disc was produced by Mike Flynn and Aaron Johnson, the same dynamic duo that helmed the controls for the debut. The first single from "The Fray" is the track "You Found Me," which was released in November. That same month, The Fray performed that single live at the 2008 American Music Awards.

* * *
Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel "Willie and the Wheel" (Bismeaux)

The country legend takes "the Wheel" on this collection of classic Western swing songs handpicked by late producer Jerry Wexler, who died at 91 last year. The concept for the album was 30 years in the making, according to a press release.

Things finally began to crystallize in 2007, when Nelson hooked up with Asleep at the Wheel, Merle Haggard and Ray Price for the Last of the Breed tour, a trek that showcased Western swing and Texas country music.

Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel will join together to support the album with a short tour. The road show is set to launch Feb. 11 in Red Bank, NJ, and roll through 10 cities along the East Coast through Feb. 21.

* * *
Dierks Bentley "Feel That Fire" (Capitol)

The Arizona-born country crooner returns with his fourth studio album. The set follows 2006's "Long Trip Home," which has been certified gold in the U.S.
The first single is the title track, which has already charted in the Top 10 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The new album includes contributions from country vocalist Patty Griffin and bluegrass mandolin player Ronnie McCoury.

* * *
Graham Nash "Reflections" (Rhino)

The veteran vocalist--one-fourth of the legendary Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young--is the subject of a major new retrospective. The three-disc box-set includes 64 tracks, spanning Nash's early work with The Hollies, CSN, CSN&Y and his solo offerings.

* * *
Melinda Doolittle "Coming Back to You" (Hi Fi)

The third-place finisher on the sixth season of "American Idol" releases her full-length debut, which comes two years after her eponymous five-song EP.

"Coming Back to You" consists of cover songs, such as "Dust My Broom" and "I'll Never Stop Loving You."

* * *
More new releases:
Cannibal Corpse, "Evisceration Plague" (Metal Blade)
Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla, "Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla" (Varese)
Alejandro Fernandez, "De Noche: Clasicos a Mi Manera" (Sony)
Ruthie Foster, "The Truth According to Ruthie Foster" (Blue Corn)
Lisa Hannigan, "Sea Sew" (ATO)
Heartless Bastards, "The Mountain" (Fat Possum)
Boney James, "Send One Your Love" (Concord)
Wynonna Judd, "Sing--Chapter 1" (Curb)
Kidz Bop Kids, "Kidz Bop, Vol. 15" (Razor & Tie)
Ben Kweller, "Changing Horses" (ATO)
Donald Lawrence, "The Law of Confession, Part 1" (Verity)
Audra McDonald (Artist), Patrick Wilson, "Rodgers and Hammerstein's `Allegro' (First Complete Recording)" (Sony)
Liza Minnelli, "Liza's at the Palace" (Hybrid)
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, "Lonely Road" (EMI)

McCartney set for 'Colbert Report' visit

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Comedy Central TV channel says Paul McCartney is going to drop in on Stephen Colbert.

McCartney will be a guest on Wednesday's The Colbert Report, talking up his latest album, Electric Arguments. The work represents a collaboration between the former Beatle and producer-musician Youth, and was released under the band name the Fireman.

The Colbert Report airs at 11:30 p.m. ET weeknights.

New CD Releases, January 27th: Bruce Springsteen, Franz Ferdinand, Renee Olstead

Bruce Springsteen "Working on a Dream" (Columbia)

The Boss is set to release his 24th album, "Working on a Dream." The album follows 2007's "Magic," which reached platinum status and scored two Grammy Awards.

"Working on a Dream" was recorded with Springsteen's best-known group of musical cohorts, the legendary E Street Band. It features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus two bonus tracks, and it marks the Boss man's fourth collaboration with Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the record.

Springsteen has been busy advancing the album in a variety of high-profile ways. Most notably, he recently teamed with Bono, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks and other big-name acts for a free concert in Washington, DC, that marked the start of inaugural festivities for President Barack Obama. He'll receive even more exposure when he performs during the halftime show at the Feb. 1 Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, FL.

* * *
Franz Ferdinand "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" (Sony)

The Scottish rock band, which is named after historical figure Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, returns with its third studio release. The set follows the band's 2004 eponymous release and 2005's "You Could Have It So Much Better."

"Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" was produced by Dan Carey, whose credits include working with Lily Allen, Hot Chip and Brazilian Girls. The first single from the album is the track "Ulysses."

* * *
Renee Olstead "Skylark" (Reprise)

The 19-year-old vocal sensation, who received a big boost in popularity after performing on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," finally releases a follow-up to her self-titled 2004 set, which hit No. 2 on the jazz charts.

Olstead is backed on "Skylark" by several accomplished players, including producer/arranger David Foster (who performs on strings, horns, piano and other instruments), trumpeter Chris Botti and pedal-steel wizard Robert Randolph.

* * *
Various Artists "2009 Grammy Nominees" (Rhino)

Get ready for the so-called "biggest night in music" by listening to this collection of Grammy-nominated artists/tracks. The 20-track disc includes such offerings as Coldplay's "Viva la Vida," Radiohead's "House of Cards," Ne-Yo's "Closer," Maroon 5's "Won't Go Home Without You" and Jonas Brothers' "Burnin' Up." The Grammys will be held Feb. 8 in Los Angeles and air live on CBS.

* * *
John Frusciante "The Empyrean" (Adrenaline)

Frusciante, an artist best known for his guitar work in The Red Hot Chili Peppers, is set to release his 11th solo record. "The Empyrean," said to be a concept record, features contributions from fellow Chili Pepper Flea, Modest Mouse man Johnny Marr and others.

* * *
More new releases:
The Bird and the Bee, "Ray Guns are Not Just the Future" (Blue Note)
Pat Green, "What I'm For" (RCA)
Hoobastank, "For(n)ever" (Island)
Keith Jarrett, "Yesterdays" (ECM)
Dean Martin, "Amore" (Capitol)
Steve Martin, "The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo" (40 Productions)
Paul McCartney, "Amoeba's Secret" (EP) (Hear Music)
Kylie Minogue, "Boombox" (Astralwerks)
Mark Olson, Gary Louris, "Ready for the Flood" (New West)
Enrico Rava, "New York Days" (ECM)
Duncan Sheik, "Whisper House" (RCA)
Various Artists, "Wow Gospel 2009" (Verity)
Various Artists, "WWE: The Music, Vol. 9" (Sony)

Soundtracks and scores:
"World's Fair: To Broadway with Love" (DRG)

Young box set pushed back again

TORONTO - The wait continues for Neil Young fans.

Young's oft-delayed "The Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972" box set has been pushed back again until later this year with no firm date for its release, according to a representative from Warner Music Canada.

The collection, originally scheduled for release last fall, is expected to include unreleased studio and live recordings, fresh film footage, photos, personal letters and a 150-page book.

Some reports have indicated that the set will use the Blu-Ray format, but the Warner rep said details have not been finalized.

In the meantime, Young's new disc, "Fork in the Road," is scheduled for release March 31, with the title track already available for download on his website.

Early press about the record, however, has not been positive.

In a review of a Madison Square Garden performance by Young last month, the Village Voice called his new material "absolutely terrible."

The songs, which writer Rob Harvilla said seemed culled from a concept album about eco-friendly cars, were "disturbingly beef-witted" and the crowd reaction was emphatic: Harvilla reported that only 60 per cent of the original audience remained by the end of the show.

Young's interest in eco-friendly cars is well-established.

Last year, the legendary Canadian rocker teamed up with mechanic Johnathan Goodwin, in the hopes of converting Young's 1959 Lincoln Continental to operate on an electric battery.

Young is nominated for a Grammy Award for best solo rock vocal performance for his song "No Hidden Path," off last year's "Chrome Dreams II." The awards will be handed out Feb. 8 in Los Angeles.

Rush readies third retrospective compilation

Rush's third volume in its "Retrospective" compilation series is set for a March 3 release. "Retrospective III (1989-2008)" features songs from the trio's 20 years with Atlantic Records. It also includes the previously unreleased live version of "Ghost of a Chance," and two tunes remixed by bassist Alex Lifeson and master mixer Richard Chycki, according to a press release.

The collection will be available in the form of a single audio disc, as well as a two-disc CD/DVD set, which features 10 music videos, three live videos, a rarely televised performance of "Tom Sawyer" and an on-camera interview featuring all three band members.

Both the CD and CD/DVD are available for pre-order at the band's website. The band also is offering a "Deluxe Rush Fan Pack," combining the CD/DVD package with a limited-edition lithograph that highlights the albums featured on "Retrospective III." The first 100 buyers will receive a signed lithograph.

In related news, Rush has been nominated for a Grammy Award (Best Rock Instrumental Performance) for the song "Hope (Live For The Art Of Peace)," which was featured on the "Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace" compilation.

Dublin radio airs new U2 single

DUBLIN, Ireland – U2 fans, get your boots on. The first song from the band's first album in five years is ready for you to hear. U2 began broadcasting the up-tempo single "Get On Your Boots" Monday — first on RTE, Ireland's state broadcasters, then for free on the group's Web site.

For decades, U2 has given Irish broadcaster Dave Fanning first dibs to broadcast its singles. Fanning — a friend of Bono since U2's Dublin rise in the late 1970s — led his morning RTE 2FM show with the song, which he praised as "a big song with lots of layers, but not overproduced."

Giving an advance taste on the Internet to the rest of the world is new. The "Get On Your Boots" single goes on sale Feb. 13 in Ireland and shortly thereafter worldwide.

U2's official Web site also lists all 11 title tracks for the new album, "No Line on the Horizon," which will be released Feb. 27 in Ireland, March 2 in many other countries, and March 3 in the United States.

"No Line on the Horizon" was recorded over a two-year period in New York, London, Dublin and Morocco — and is widely forecast to become the biggest-selling album of 2009. It is the band's 12th studio album and the first since 2004's Grammy-winning "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb."

The U2 Web site said Monday that "No Line on the Horizon" will be sold in an unprecedented five formats: a standard CD case with 24-page booklet; a "digipak" edition with a fold-out poster and rights to download a U2 film; a 64-page magazine version; a box edition that includes a DVD and hardback book; and a limited-issue vinyl LP.

Preview of January/February 2009 album releases

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Here is a preview of some of the most noteworthy releases for the first two months of the year.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN "WORKING ON A DREAM" (COLUMBIA, JAN. 27)

Reinvigorated by the rich pop that fueled 2006's "Magic" and the tour that followed, Bruce Springsteen, the E Street Band and producer Brendan O'Brien knocked out "Working on a Dream" in occasional sessions while gigging last year (some featuring late keyboardist Danny Federici and his son Jason). The title track and second single "My Lucky Day" hint that Springsteen and O'Brien are continuing along the big, upbeat path that would sound great live. But the opener "Outlaw Pete" is a slow-burning, eight-minute narrative, while "Good Eye" hints at the swamp-blues sounds Springsteen has occasionally explored on tour.

FRANZ FERDINAND "TONIGHT: FRANZ FERDINAND" (EPIC, JAN. 27)

Franz Ferdinand makes good on its stated desire to produce a "dirty pop" album with "rhythm- and dance-based" songs on its third long-player. Throughout, the Scottish band lets its funky bass lines handle much of the heavy lifting, decorating them with vintage synth melodies straight out of the Genesis or Sparks playbooks. Elsewhere, the band's cold grooves nod to Wire, Can and "Miss You"-era Rolling Stones. Franz's first two albums "were very jerky," frontman Alex Kapranos says. "This one is much more of a swinger."

50 CENT "BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT" (SHADY/INTERSCOPE, FEB. 3)

Originally due late last year, 50 Cent's latest was bumped to the first quarter to allow him more time to hone tracks with longtime mates Eminem and Dr. Dre. "I have a couple of tracks on there with him. It's sick," Eminem says. Dr. Dre's fingerprints are all over the new single "I Get It In." "Before I Self Destruct" will be bundled with a full-length feature film of the same name, in which 50 plays a budding basketball star who becomes a criminal after his mother's murder.

THE FRAY "THE FRAY" (EPIC, FEB. 3)

Two and a half years after a key placement on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" helped turn the Fray into a platinum star, the band used another high-profile partnership with the network to introduce the new single "You Found Me" in late November. The track, which has already sold 632,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan, stemmed from crises among friends and family that prompted singer Isaac Slade to confront the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people. The sound of "The Fray" is "a little more extreme than the last record," Slade says. "It definitely spreads the spectrum a little bit."

DIERKS BENTLEY "FEEL THAT FIRE" (CAPITOL NASHVILLE, FEB. 3)

"I want something that needs to be on someone's mantle," Dierks Bentley says of his goal for "Feel That Fire." "I have a bunch of U2 CDs, and each one has its own little place; it's not just pump out another record and say, 'All right, let's get back to the bus.'" The country artist, who kept his circle of co-writers close on past albums, expanded his horizons by writing with Rodney Crowell, Rivers Rutherford, and Brad and Brett Warren, among others. "It's not only a chance to write songs, but it's big-brother mentoring, getting to ask questions about life," he says. "It's therapy to some point."

THE BAD PLUS "FOR ALL I CARE" (HEADS UP, FEB. 3)

The jazz trio offers more unique interpretations of pop and rock classics on an album that also features vocals for the first time (from Wendy Lewis). Among the covers given the Bad Plus treatment this time around are Nirvana's "Lithium," the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love," Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb," Heart's "Barracuda" and Yes' "Long Distance Runaround." The album also includes interpretations of pieces by classical composers Igor Stravinsky, Gyorgi Ligeti and Milton Babbitt.

LILY ALLEN "IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU" (CAPITOL, FEB. 10)

Lily Allen's sophomore album retains the playful spirit of her star-making 2007 debut, "Alright, Still," but relocates her from too-cool-for-school hipster pop to somewhere between the dance floor and the real world. Despite songs about God and George W. Bush, it's still strong, uncontrived pop music. And it sounds stuffed with hits, starting with the lead track, "The Fear." "I did a retro thing last time," Allen says. "And since I did that, a lot of other people did it too. I wanted to separate myself from the group and move forward. People think I've intentionally done something more serious, but I haven't."

DAN AUERBACH "KEEP IT HID" (NONESUCH, FEB. 10)

The Black Keys vocalist/guitarist is taking time off from his primary band to release and tour behind this solo debut, which he admits is "all over the map. Some of them sound like they could be Black Keys songs. But some songs are just acoustic guitar. There's some real dark tunes and some psychedelic rumbas." The album runs the gamut from the sparse, drum-less opener, "Trouble Weighs a Ton," and the genial acoustic closer, "Goin' Home," to raw, swaggering rockers.

THE LONELY ISLAND "INCREDIBAD" (UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC, FEB. 10)

The comedy team consisting of "Saturday Night Live" star Andy Samberg and writers Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer draws from its sizable catalog of Internet smash hits for its major-label debut, including "Dick in a Box" with Justin Timberlake, "Iran So Far" with Maroon 5's Adam Levine and "Lazy Sunday." Also expected to appear are "I'm on a Boat" with T-Pain, "Sax Man" with Jack Black, "Boombox" with the Strokes' Julian Casablancas and "Dream Girl" with Norah Jones.

TWO TONGUES "TWO TONGUES" (VAGRANT, FEB. 10)

Saves the Day frontman Chris Conley and Say Anything mastermind Max Bemis join forces on this project, which Bemis says he "wanted to be a little more poetic and little bit less completely verbose." The album reflects the grandiose pop/punk and emo sounds of both bands and their influences, which Bemis cites as "Sunny Day Real Estate, Smashing Pumpkins and Beatles-y with a Britpop element. Balance is very much so what the plot of the album is about. It's really about me and Chris' friendship and how that represents anybody's friendship, or anybody's relationship."

MORRISSEY "YEARS OF REFUSAL" (ATTACK/LOST HIGHWAY, FEB. 17)

The first few songs on "Refusal" suggest a more rock-oriented effort in the style of 1992's "Your Arsenal," including "All You Need Is Me" and the fired-up "Something Is Squeezing My Skull." On "Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed," Morrissey sounds vengeful. The curious "When Last I Spoke to Carol" seems influenced by the cinematic sound of Ennio Morricone, while "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore" experiments with samples.

VARIOUS ARTISTS "DARK WAS THE NIGHT" (BEGGARS BANQUET, FEB. 17)

Some of the biggest names in independent music banded together to record exclusive songs for this double-disc album, whose proceeds will benefit the Red Hot organization's work with AIDS research. In the works since 2006, the project was curated by the National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner. The lineup includes Spoon, Arcade Fire, Yo La Tengo, the New Pornographers, Cat Power, My Morning Jacket and Iron & Wine. "Dark Was the Night" is also packed with intriguing collaborations, including Feist with Ben Gibbard and Grizzly Bear, Dirty Projectors with David Byrne, Aaron Dessner with Bon Iver, and Bryce Dessner with Antony.

... AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD "THE CENTURY OF SELF" (RICHTER SCALE/JUSTICE, FEB. 17)

The veteran Texas rock band is back on indie turf after three albums for Interscope, and on "The Century of Self," it has rediscovered the dark, punishing power of its best material. "Pictures of an Only Child" begins as a subdued wash of sound before bursting into a loud, chugging chorus, and the bracing "Far Pavilions" has shouted counterpoint vocals from drummer Jason Reece. "On the last two albums, we were really meticulous, recording to click tracks and doing overdubs," Keely says. "This time, we threw all that out. We learned the songs and all tracked live."

JEREMY ENIGK "OK BEAR" (LEWIS HOLLOW, FEBRUARY)

Jeremy Enigk returns to the heavier rock sound of Sunny Day Real Estate on his third solo album, recorded outside Barcelona with a group of musicians introduced to Enigk by a mutual friend from Seattle. "These guys are Sunny Day Real Estate fans, and the moment they got their hands on my songs, whether they were mellow or not, they turned them into heavy rockers," Enigk says. Look for driving tracks like "Late of Camera" and "Find Idea," alongside "April Storm" ("That's on a Ryan Adams/'Love Is Hell'-type of kick," Enigk says) and the Gram Parsons-inspired "Same Side Imaginary."

Canadians continue to buy more music

While Canadians bought more music in 2008, they weren't buying albums.

Overall music sales - including albums, singles, music videos and digital tracks - rose 11.5 per cent to 78.5 million from 2007, according to numbers released by Nielsen SoundScan.

But overall album sales decreased 8.5 per cent to 40.6 million.

The biggest increase was in digital album sales, which jumped 69 per cent to 3.36 million. That outpaces the growth in the U.S., where digital album sales increased by 32 per cent to 65.8 million.

Australian hard-rockers AC/DC had the bestselling album of the year with "Black Ice," their first disc in eight years, which sold 341,000 units. Coldplay followed closely with "Viva La Vida," which sold 334,000 copies and led the digital album charge with 46,700 downloads.

Metallica's comeback album "Death Magnetic" was third, selling 265,000 copies. Nickelback's "Dark Horse" was the top-selling record by a Canadian artist or group. It sold 216,000 copies to place fourth.

The top-selling digital songs were Lady Gaga's "Just Dance," Flo Rida's "Low" and "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry.

Barbadian singer Rihanna was the top-selling digital artist, moving 478,000 units.

Rascal Flatts Sets Date For Sixth Album

Rascal Flatts' sixth album, "Unstoppable," will be released April 7 by Lyric Street. As of yet there are no details about the first single or track list. The set was co-produced by the band with Dann Huff.

"Unstoppable" is the follow-up to 2007's "Still Feels Good," which has sold 2.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It recently generated the group's ninth No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart with "Here."

Fans can stay up to date on new album details by texting RASCALFLATTS to 66937, or by visiting the newly launched site Newrfcd.com.

They also have a chance to design the new album's cover through a contest with the People's Choice Awards. Submisions will be accepted through Jan. 22 at PCAvote.com. On Jan. 28Rascal Flatts Sets Date For Sixth Album

Rascal Flatts

January 08, 2009 12:01 AM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Rascal Flatts' sixth album, "Unstoppable," will be released April 7 by Lyric Street. As of yet there are no details about the first single or track list. The set was co-produced by the band with Dann Huff.

"Unstoppable" is the follow-up to 2007's "Still Feels Good," which has sold 2.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It recently generated the group's ninth No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart with "Here."

Fans can stay up to date on new album details by texting RASCALFLATTS to 66937, or by visiting the newly launched site Newrfcd.com.

They also have a chance to design the new album's cover through a contest with the People's Choice Awards. Submisions will be accepted through Jan. 22 at PCAvote.com. On Jan. 28, the band will choose finalists and present them to fans to vote on a winner, which will be unveiled in February.

Rascal Flatts is on the road in North American through the end of January and will perform next Jan. 17 in Kansas City, Mo, the band will choose finalists and present them to fans to vote on a winner, which will be unveiled in February.

Rascal Flatts is on the road in North American through the end of January and will perform next Jan. 17 in Kansas City, Mo.

Steve Martin strums a bluegrass album

In his stand-up act, Steve Martin often joked that "you can't play a sad song on the banjo."

But the comedian/actor/musician writes in the liner notes of his first full-length bluegrass album, "I knew the banjo had a capacity for mournful melodies and the 'high, lonesome sound.' As I was sometimes mournful, sometimes lonesome and sometimes sad, this suited me perfectly."

Martin, a banjo player for 45 years, spent nearly that long crafting tunes for The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, available Jan. 27 exclusively at Amazon.com for the first 90 days.

Produced by high school friend John McEuen, Crow contains 14 originals plus Clawhammer Medley (with Red Is the Rose, Sally Ann, Johnson Boys and others). The title track, first recorded for Tony Trischka's 2007 album, climbed the bluegrass charts to become Martin's second hit (after King Tut).

Vince Gill and Dolly Parton share vocals on Pretty Flowers. Mary Black sings on Calico Train. Actor Eugene Levy plays guitar on Tin Roof, and Earl Scruggs appears on Daddy Played the Piano.

Martin will unveil Crow material as host of Saturday Night Live Jan. 31.

Presumably, the banjo won't figure into his reprise of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther 2, opening Feb. 6.

SOUNDING OFF IN '09 - U2, SPRINGSTEEN AND MORE REV UP A FULL-THROTTLE YEAR

This year's music mantra is: Gimme something fine in 2009 . . . an album, and not just a piddling ringtone riff or a catchy single featuring Akon.

So far, the artists ready to meet that challenge include veterans like Springsteen and U2, newcomers such as the seductive Erin McCarley and even last year's chart busters Coldplay. Here's a rundown of some albums to groove to in the coming months.

"Love, Save the Empty," Erin McCarley (Jan. 6): This California girl, transplanted to Nashville, will easily have the best album of the year when it's released Tuesday. She may only hold that record a week, but her songs - reminiscent of a young Tori Amos or Fiona Apple - will stay with you for much longer. Bonus: Hear her live on "Letterman" Tuesday.

"Already Free," The Derek Trucks Band (Jan. 13): At 29, slide master Trucks is the youngest ace on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time . . . and he deserves the slot. He proves it again with his sixth CD, an album where he spreads his wings as a songwriter. The record's first single, currently available on iTunes, is a searing cover of the Dylan/Band collaboration "Down in the Flood," from "The Basement Tapes."

"The Empyrean," John Frusciante (Jan. 20): Red Hot Chili Pepper guitarist Frusciante describes his introspective concept album as a CD where "the story takes place within one person." RHCP fans take note: Bassist Flea is on the record along with ex-Smiths keys player Johnny Marr, so expect the music to be a psychedelic experience. Lower the lights and pump up the volume.

"Working on a Dream," Bruce Springsteen (Jan. 27): If the Boss' "Magic" was too dark for you, the optimistic Jersey rock of "Working on a Dream" might match the hope-for-change attitude of the United States of Obama. In fact, the title track debuted at one of the President-elect's campaign rallies. Springsteen's 16th record is born to run up the charts, getting a post-release boost from his halftime gig at the Super Bowl on Feb. 1.

"Tonight: Franz Ferdinand," Franz Ferdinand (Jan. 27): After more than a year in a Glasgow recording studio, Scotland's FF is done with their third studio disc. Similarly to Vampire Weekend's rock infused, sub-Saharan rhythms disc, this record also pays homage to African influences, making it a natural for the dance floor.

"The Fray," The Fray (Feb. 3): After debuting as background music on "Grey's Anatomy" two years ago, they've since become Warp Tour stars. Their second disc, while similar, is said to be more extreme than the first. Frontman Isaac Slade says, "The quieter stuff is a little quieter and the rock stuff is a little rockier." How extreme, indeed.

"No Line on the Horizon," U2 (March 2): The buzz on this disc is it incorporates hand-played arrangements that rely heavily on electro elements. Translation? Bono has said, "The songs show a real departure from the themes of the last two albums, with trance influences." Veteran U2 producer Daniel Lanois says the album will "push the limits of the sound arena much like 'Achtung Baby' did." The best news? A new record means a U2 tour this summer.

"Quiet Nights," Diana Krall (March 31): On her 12th album and first full-length release since 2006's acclaimed crossover jazz disc "From This Moment On," Mrs. Elvis Costello imports Brazilian sway to her regular and romantic West Coast jazz stylings. To this end, the record features three covers of songs by bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim.

"Relapse," Eminem (TBD): It's been four years since Em released his last solo album and almost half that since he started talking about this new one. But alas, the wait for Slim Shady's latest is almost over. The rapper claims the album's already been recorded, but the holdup is because he and Dr. Dre are still deciding on song selection and track sequencing. Expect "Relapse" by the spring thaw.

Also in the coming year: new tunes from Coldplay and the Dave Matthews Band. Matthews hasn't cranked a disc since 2005, and Chris Martin's outfit wants to "Viva la Vida" while the band's iron is blazing hot.

Keeping up with the noises in our heads

Here is a preview of a the sounds that might merit a raised eyebrow in early 2009:

ALBUMS

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Working on a Dream, Jan.27. According to the Boss himself, writing began on this swift follow-up to 2007's Magic even as the sessions for that record were still winding down.

"I haven't done that since my first two records came out in the same year," he said on his website recently. He's obviously worked up about something.

Franz Ferdinand, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, Jan.27. The cerebral Scots are back and they're bringing a full-on disco party with `em. Anything to get "Do You Want To," currently being abused in beer commercials `round the clock, out of our heads.

Chris Cornell, Scream, Feb.3. Given Cornell's track record with solo albums to date, working with hip-hop super-producer Timbaland on Scream can't actually make things any worse. Can it?

Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You. The new stuff floating around there in cyberspace is a little more earnest than we'd like, but surely some of the spite and sauce that made Alright, Still such a keeper will linger. Please.

U2, No Line on the Horizon, March 3. Word is it's a little weirder this time out, in the vein of Zooropa. Which would be a good thing, since Bono and the boys' last two rather conservative albums were largely coasting on creative fumes and their fans' good feeling.

Neko Case, Middle Cyclone, March 3. Given the international critical huzzahs and growing sales that followed 2006's Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, this might be the record to finally put Case over the top, Feist-style.

The sometime New Pornographer recruited members of that band to help her and her own band out on Middle Cyclone, along with guests Sarah Harmer, the Band's Garth Hudson, M. Ward, the Sadies and others.

Handsome Furs, Face Control, March 3. Canadian indie-rock's coolest (and hottest, come to think of it) couple follows up its smashing debut, Plague Park, with a record that's every bit as bleak, raw-nerved and sexy.

MSTRKRFT, Fist of God, March 17. With their globetrotting DJ schedule, it's a minor miracle that Al-P and Jesse Keeler found any time at all to record another album. At least we know they're plugged into what's going on on the planet's dance floors these days.

Year End: 2008 music news in review

From extended tour plans to multiple court appearances, artists stayed busy in 2008.

One of the most innovative aspects of the year: album drops. Following in the footsteps of Radiohead's groundbreaking name-your-price digital release of "In Rainbows" in late 2007, a slew of artists unveiled new albums on similar terms, including Paul Westerberg's 49-cent release and two projects from Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor--one freebie ("The Slip") and another 36-track collection ("Ghosts I-IV") with various buying options. Multiple concert sell-outs for some resulted in longer stints on the road, while others nixed shows due to physical aliments and mental health issues. AC/DC returned and notched one of the top-selling albums of the year, despite the fact that it was a Wal-Mart exclusive. Madonna notched the year's top-grossing North American tour. The cherry on top for many a music fan: the long-waited release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy," more than 10 years in the making.

Here's a month-by-month look at the major news stories of 2008.

January
Mary J. Blige kicked off 2008 with a No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart with her eighth studio album, "Growing Pains." U2 unveiled their concert film, "U23D," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before hitting theaters nationwide. Britney Spears [ tickets ] lost custody of her two children following a domestic-disturbance call, which resulted in time spent hospitalized for being under the influence of an unknown substance; three weeks later, Spears landed in the hospital again on a mental-health-evaluation hold. Season four American Idol winner Carrie Underwood embarked on her first headlining tour in support of her double-platinum-selling sophomore album, "Carnival Ride." Kenny Chesney released the dates for his long-running "Poets & Pirates" tour, taking over stadiums and arenas across the US.

February
Alicia Keys announced the spring and summer dates for her "As I Am" tour, supporting her hit album of the same name. Teen sensations the Jonas Brothers continued their sold-out tour, tacking on more dates through mid-March. Rekindled pop stars the Spice Girls decided to scrap plans for further reunion shows in spite of soaring ticket sales. Cher unveiled a three-year residency deal with Las Vegas' Colosseum at Caesars Palace to kick off in May. British soul singer Amy Winehouse swept the Grammy Awards, taking home five trophies, including Song and Record of the Year for her single "Rehab." Dolly Parton postponed her album, "Backwoods Barbie," and the subsequent tour due to a "back condition." Jack Johnson's fifth album, "Sleep Through the Static," debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200. Emo rockers Paramore pulled out of their European tour, citing "internal issues." Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony welcomed twins Max and Emme to the family.

March
Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige sold out several venues on their highly anticipated "Heart of the City Tour." Van Halen canceled a handful of shows due to an undisclosed medical issue with guitarist Eddie Van Halen, then sidelined the tour until mid-April. Linkin Park also canceled two gigs after lead vocalist Chester Bennington was diagnosed with tracheobronchitis. Rapper Juvenile's four-year-old daughter was fatally shot along with the girl's mother in their home in Lawrenceville, GA. Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor self-released "Ghosts I-IV," a 36-track instrumental album. Teen superstar Miley Cyrus unleashed on DVD her mega-concert outing, "The Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Tour." Britney Spears' father, James Spears, was named co-conservator of the pop star's estate following her aforementioned hospitalizations. R.E.M. streamed their new album, "Accelerate," at iLike.com as a preview for fans. Madonna debuted "4 Minutes," the first single from her April release "Hard Candy," in a television commercial for Sunsilk hair products. The Raconteurs released their sophomore album, "Consolers of the Lonely," just a couple weeks after its completion. XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio received approval from the Department of Justice to complete their $4.6 billion merger. Dr. Pepper offered a free soda to everyone in the country if Axl Rose released the long-awaited Guns N' Roses album, "Chinese Democracy," anytime in 2008. Rapper T.I. pled guilty to federal weapons charges in an effort for lighter sentencing come March 2009. U2 and Live Nation entered into a 12-year contract covering touring, merchandising and the band's website.

April
Eddie Vedder launched his first solo tour in support of his soundtrack for the Sean Penn-directed film "Into the Wild." Velvet Revolver gave lead singer Scott Weiland the boot after four years with the band. Radiohead asked fans to upload remixes of their single "Nude." Elvis Costello and Elton John revealed plans to collaborate on a new television series entitled "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with ...," to air on the Sundance Channel. Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds hosted a free acoustic performance to show support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Word spread that long-time couple Beyonce and Jay-Z tied the knot April 4. Toni Braxton canceled a Las Vegas performance after being hospitalized for chest pains. Alt-rockers Superdrag celebrated the reunion of the original lineup with a string of US gigs. Green Day finally admitted as true the persistent rumor that the rockers also played as the Foxboro Hot Tubs. Matchbox Twenty pulled out of a scheduled appearance at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, citing potential animal abuse as the reason. The four original members of Jane's Addiction hit the stage together at the inaugural US NME Awards ceremony. Barbara Streisand donated $5 million to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for a new women's heart center. Legendary record executive Clive Davis stepped down from his position as the head of the BMG Label Group. Miley Cyrus signed a deal with Disney to write a book about her rise to teen-idol superstardom. The archives of the Grateful Dead found a permanent home at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Kenny Chesney continued on his tour despite an on-stage foot injury sustained at a South Carolina gig.

May
Stone Temple Pilots reconvened for the first time since 2002 at Ohio's Rock on the Range Festival. The Police launched their supposed last-ever round of shows together, hitting roughly a dozen US cities. Daryl Hall and John Oats were deemed the BMI Icons at the 56th Annual Pop Awards in Los Angeles. KT Tunstall took her tour acoustic behind her second album, "Drastic Fantastic." Cyndi Lauper led another edition of the True Colors tour in support of Human Rights Campaign, a gay and lesbian advocacy group. Leonard Cohen launched his first tour in 15 years with a round of Canadian dates. Bryan Adams treated fans to intimate, solo-acoustic performances throughout the summer in support of his new album, "11." Sean "Diddy" Combs was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his lifelong appreciation of the entertainment industry. Nine Inch Nails released "The Slip," a downloadable 11-track collection offered to fans free of charge. Mariah Carey wed the much younger Nick Cannon in a secret ceremony at Carey's private estate in the Bahamas. Kenny Chesney won his fourth consecutive Entertainer of the Year trophy at the 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards, the first year that the prize was voted on by the fans. Ashlee Simpson and Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz married at Simpson's LA home. David Cook took home the crown for the seventh season of "American Idol" after landing 56 percent of the 97.5 million votes cast. Former music mogul Lou Pearlman received a 25-year sentence for stealing more than $300 million from banks and investors. The Eagles began their "Long Road Out of Eden World Tour" in support of their first new studio set in 28 years.

June
The duo known as Yaz kicked off their first live dates together in 25 years. Ashlee Simpson called off plans for a summer tour due to pregnancy. Pearl Jam reconvened for their first extensive US tour in two years. Deborah Harry and Blondie celebrated the 30th anniversary of the band's breakthrough hit album "Parallel Lines" with a month-long tour. Rapper Lil Wayne [ tickets ]'s "Tha Carter III" sold more than 1 million copies in the US during its first week in stores. Tom Waits kicked off a rare 13-city summer trek entitled the "Glitter and Doom" tour. Prog-rock icons Yes canceled plans for an ambitious US summer tour, citing frontman Jon Anderson's recent health problems. Carrie Underwood continued her six-month-long trek through more than 50 US cities on her "Carnival Ride Tour." The North American launch of Coldplay [ tickets ]'s world tour was pushed back due to production delays. Rapper R. Kelly was cleared of all 14 counts filed against him for allegedly making and starring in a porn video with an underage girl. Kid Rock explained that his music would not be available on iTunes because he believes the Internet retailer does not pay artists enough. Blind Melon hit the road for the first time in over a decade, debuting new lead singer Travis Warren.

July
Billy Joel played a two-night engagement at New York's Shea Stadium, the final concert event held at the home of the New York Mets before the venue officially closed its doors. Motley Crue's inaugural Crue Fest kicked off in West Palm Beach, FL and continued on through 40 US cities. Christian singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman resumed his summer tour plans two months after his five-year-old daughter was struck and killed by a car in the driveway of their Tennessee home. Boy George scrapped his summertime tour after being denied a US visa. Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy was arrested and charged with third-degree assault after allegedly punching a Warped Tour audience member who made a racist comment toward him. Two music fans died in unrelated incidents at Michigan's weekend-long Rothbury Festival. Barenaked Ladies singer/guitarist Steven Page was arrested in New York for an alleged drug-related offense. Paul Westerberg issued "49," a new album with approximately two-dozen songs, on two web-commerce sites for a mere 49 cents. Jessica Simpson made the transition from pop princess to country crooner in support of her latest album, the country-themed "Do You Know."

August
British pop-rockers Oasis returned to the US tour trail after a two-year hiatus. The Smashing Pumpkins celebrated the band's 20th anniversary with a small US tour. Iggy and the Stooges' rented truck--containing all of the group's equipment--was stolen outside their Montreal hotel. Sarah Brightman performed the official Olympic theme song at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 World Olympic Games. Clay Aiken became a father when friend and music producer Jaymes Foster gave birth to a boy, Parker Foster Aiken, at a North Carolina hospital. Jackson Browne sued Senator John McCain and the Republican National Committee for using Browne's "Running on Empty" in a commercial without obtaining a license for use of the song. Ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler was ordered to remain in drug rehabilitation at the Pasadena Recovery Center by an LA judge. Ricky Martin became the father of twin boys thanks to an undisclosed surrogate mother. Barenaked Ladies frontman Ed Robertson survived a floatplane crash in southeastern Ontario.

September
Donny and Marie Osmond headlined a new variety show at Las Vegas' Flamingo Hotel, the first time the duo had performed an extended Vegas residency in 29 years. Comedy duo Cheech and Chong reunited for their first standup tour in 25 years. Weezer canvassed the US for the first time in three years behind their latest self-titled studio album. ZZ Top scaled down their fall run from their traditional stadium and arena shows to more intimate performances in nightclubs and small theaters. Britney Spears swept the MTV Video Music Awards, taking home three Moonmen, for Video of the Year, Best Pop Video and Best Female Video. Oasis singer/guitarist Noel Gallagher was attacked onstage at a Toronto concert when an unidentified man charged across the stage and shoved the musician from behind. Travis Barker and DJ AM survived a fiery plane crash in South Carolina that killed four others. Janet Jackson left Island Def Jam for an autonomous situation without restrictions. Clay Aiken confirmed he is gay to People magazine. Metallica sold nearly half a million copies of "Death Magnetic" during its first three days in stores, making it the first band to have five albums debut at No. 1 on The Billboard 200. Many Houston area concerts, including Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' and Brad Paisley's performances, were canceled because of the damage done by Hurricane Ike.

October
Tina Turner kicked off her three-month-long comeback tour, featuring work spanning her four-decade career. The Foo Fighters and ZZ Top co-headlined Love Ride 25, said to be the world's largest one-day motorcycle fundraiser. Rolling Stone magazine changed their page size to a smaller, standard-sized format. Britney Spears unveiled her first single, "Womanizer," on an episode of MTV's "The Hills." The Portland Jazz Festival was saved from the chopping block by Alaska Airlines, the new title sponsor, following the withdrawal of previous sponsor Qwest. The Foo Fighters condemned the unauthorized use of "My Hero" by Senator John McCain's presidential campaign. Lisa Marie Presley gave birth to twin girls, Finley and Harper. After postponing nine concerts due to medical reasons, Janet Jackson was finally diagnosed with a rare migraine disorder. Madonna and Guy Ritchie confirmed rumors of their impending divorce. Ticketmaster acquired a controlling stake in Front Line Management Group, home of some of the biggest acts in the entertainment industry, including Eagles, Jimmy Buffett and Guns N' Roses. The New York Times announced U2 frontman Bono will write an occasional Op-Ed piece for the legendary paper beginning in 2009. Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew were murdered in Chicago, allegedly by her sister's estranged husband.

November
Scott Weiland stayed on the road after the STP reunion to support his solo album, "Happy In Galoshes." White Zombie released a career-spanning five-disc set featuring all 64 of the band's original studio recordings. Bruce Springsteen and Trent Reznor urged fans to vote on the eve of Election Day. Country legend Merle Haggard underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his lung. Deftones bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident that left the musician comatose in a California hospital. Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake made surprise appearances separately at the LA date on Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet Tour." George Strait became the artist with the most overall wins in the Country Music Association's history after taking home two more trophies for Album of the Year and Single of the Year. Rihanna pulled the plug on a performance in Jakarta, Indonesia due to security concerns. The Vines canceled their remaining 2008 and early 2009 concert dates, citing singer Craig Nicholls' deteriorating mental condition. Nine Inch Nails announced that Ilan Rubin will replace current drummer Josh Freese following their in-progress tour. Kanye West [ tickets ] debuted his new album, "808 & Heartbreak," in its entirety on MySpace three days prior to its release. Michael Jackson reached a settlement in the $7 million breach-of-contract suit filed against him by the Prince of Bahrain.

December
Britney Spears unveiled dates for an early 2009 comeback tour following the release of her sixth studio album, "Circus." Liza Minnelli returned to Broadway with a 12-piece orchestra in "Liza's At The Palace ...!" a production featuring her signature hits. Roy Orbison's final concert before his December 1988 death was released exclusively at Apple's iTunes store. South by Southwest officials announced that Quincy Jones will serve as the keynote speaker for the March music conference in Austin, TX. Joe Satriani filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit against members of Coldplay, claiming the band copied portions of his song "If I Could Fly" for their hit "Viva La Vida." Blur confirmed that the London rockers will reunite for a slew of UK gigs in July. Pearl Jam announced they will issue a reworked version of their breakthrough debut album, "Ten." Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons unveiled plans to record a new KISS album in the coming year, the first since 1998's "Psycho Circus." The Cure played an intimate, celebrity-packed free show in West Hollywood after publicizing it exclusively on MySpace. Country singer Mindy McCready was hospitalized in Nashville following an apparent suicide attempt. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) plans to abandon their long-standing practice of suing people for illegal file sharing of copyrighted music, and hopes to find more effective ways of battling music piracy.

2008 Deaths
Notable deaths in the music world throughout 2008 included Isaac Hayes, Bernie Mac, Larry Norman, Buddy Miles, Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five), Jeff Healey, Ola Brunkert (ABBA), Sean Levert, Lawrence Lloyd Brown, Sr. (Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes), Danny Federici (E Street Band), Chris Gaffney (Hacienda Brothers), Eddy Arnold, Dottie Rambo, Utah Phillips, Bo Diddley, Johnny Schou (Tickle Me Pink), Jerry Wexler, LeRoi Moore (Dave Matthews Band), Richard Wright (Pink Floyd), Earl Palmer, Aaron Fuller (Plan 9), Alton Ellis, Levi Stubbs (The Four Tops), Shakir Stewart, MC Breed, Odetta, Dennis Yost (Classics IV), Eartha Kitt and Freddie Hubbard.

Album sales plunge, digital downloads up

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Music sales have continued to slump in 2008 as the increased number of downloads of digital tracks failed to make up for a plunge in the sale of compact discs.

Year-end sales figures released Wednesday by The Nielsen Co. show total album sales, including album equivalents made up of single digital tracks, fell to 428.4 million units, down 8.5 percent from 500.5 million in 2007.

Physical album sales fell 20 percent to 362.6 million from 450.5 million, while digital album sales rose 32 percent to a record 65.8 million units.

Digital track sales, such as those conducted in Apple Inc.'s iTunes Music Store, were up 27 percent from last year, breaking the 1 billion mark for the first time at 1.07 billion.

The report continues a troubling trend for the recording industry, which has a harder time maintaining profits when consumers buy single songs instead of albums. The number of transactions rose 10.5 percent to 1.5 billion, although the figure treats single track and whole album purchases the same.

"You can see the overall unit sales as a positive, but their model is really built on album sales and that just continues to decline," said Silvio Pietroluongo, director of charts for Billboard magazine.

"Music consumption has never been at a higher clip, it's just a matter of trying to turn it into revenue," he added.

Some record labels are making progress. Craig Kallman, chief executive of Warner Music Group Corp.'s Atlantic Records, whose artists include Kid Rock and T.I., said his label passed a milestone in the year to September by having its digital revenue exceed that from physical CD sales.

The label, the top-selling in the U.S. in 2008, has had to become more careful in choosing which artists to promote and more patient in waiting for their songs to break out, he said.

"You have to really be right about your hits. If you're going to invest that amount of time in them and not run as many records, you have to be way more right today than wrong," Kallman said.

Nielsen SoundScan said album sales fell in every genre. Classical music saw the biggest drop at 26 percent, followed by country at 24 percent and Latin at 21.1 percent.

Taylor Swift was the year's best-selling artist with more than 4 million albums sold, followed by AC/DC, Lil Wayne and Coldplay. Sugarland finished No. 8.
Swift had two albums on Nielsen's Top 10 sales list: her self-titled debut at No. 6 and her sophomore album "Fearless" at No. 3.

"Taylor Swift is a great artist development story that started as organically as you can in the digital age," said Scott Borchetta, president and CEO of her label, Big Machine Records. "It involved online, non-stop radio tours and strategic TV opportunities which led to non-stop touring. But — most importantly — Taylor connected with her fans like no other artist in 2008."

Lil Wayne had the year's top-selling album, "Tha Carter III," with 2.87 million units sold, with Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" (2.14 million) and Swift's "Fearless" (2.11 million) rounding out the top three.

The top selling digital artist was Rihanna with 9.94 million tracks sold, followed by Swift and Kayne West.

Ironically, as digital downloads grew, vinyl album sales also climbed. In 2008, more vinyl albums were purchased (1.88 million) than any other year since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.

More than two of every three vinyl albums were purchased at an independent music store during the year, the company reported. The top selling vinyl albums were Radiohead's "In Rainbows" (26,000 units), the Beatles' "Abbey Road" (16,500) and Guns 'N Roses' "Chinese Democracy" (13,600).

Nielsen also reported that music sales exceeded 65 million in the final week of 2008, representing the biggest sales week in the history of Nielsen SoundScan. The previous record was Christmas week of 2007 with 58.4 million music purchases.

Hail to the Leaf: CBC campaign pitches a Cancon playlist for Obama

Barack Obama has proclaimed himself a fan of music both old-school and new, but a new CBC Radio campaign specifically aims to get some Canadian content onto the U.S. president-elect's radar for Inauguration Day.

On Monday, CBC Radio 2 is officially launching a campaign inviting music lovers to craft a definitive Canadian playlist as a gift to the incoming U.S. president.

After accepting submissions for one week, producers will determine the top 100 nominated songs and release a shortlist on Jan. 12. Five days of public online voting will determine the final tally of "49 songs from north of the 49th parallel" for Obama — to be revealed on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day.

"One of the best ways to know Canada is through the depth and breadth of our artistic expression," said Denise Donlon, executive director of CBC English Radio.

"We're excited about the new president, and we want him to be excited about us."

Early suggestions: from Bach to rap

A few CBC personalities and Canadian cultural figures have already weighed in with suggestions.

After reading that Obama enjoys Bach, pianist Angela Hewitt suggested the president-elect listen to a particular recording of Grosser Herr, o starker Konig from the composer's Christmas Oratorio, featuring "one of Canada's greatest artists, the baritone Gerald Finley."

Rick MacInnes-Rae, host of CBC Radio's Dispatches, picked the song Saskatchewan by Drummondville, Que., band Les Trois Accords because "Obama needs to know Quebec has moved on from Expo 67. And how to spell Saskatchewan. So do Canadians, come to think of it."

Canadian rap pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes listed his own song Stick to Your Vision among his choices because "it's a song dealing with perseverance and inspiration. Obama has inspired millions with his perseverance."

Obama an eclectic music lover

Obama has been described as an avid and eclectic music fan.

Last summer, when he and Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain were asked for their top 10 songs, Obama offered a wide-ranging list that included Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter, Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire, The Fugees' Ready or Not and Aretha Franklin's Think.

Also during the campaign, he revealed that Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé and Earth, Wind and Fire are among the other musical acts that get him dancing.

High Five: U2 Unveils Album Configurations

U2's upcoming album, " No Line on the Horizon," will be available in five different incarnations, the glitziest of which carries a $96 list price on Amazon.com. The set is due March 2 internationally and the following day in North America.

Beyond the standard CD and double vinyl packages, "Horizon" will be offered in three additional limited editions.

The digi-pack version, which lists for $35.98, has the CD in a cardboard folded sleeve with a 36-page booklet, a fold-out poster and "a new film from Anton Corbijn featuring the music of U2," the latter of which is available as a download.

The magazine version, for $49.98, finds the CD housed in "a special 60-page soft cover magazine-style book," and also includes the downloadable Corbijn film.

Lastly, the box set version comes, naturally, in a box with a 60-page hardcover book, a second poster and the Corbijn film on DVD.

Although the track list for "No Line on the Horizon" has yet to be announced, Q Magazine reports it will feature songs such as "Magnificent," "Stand Up," "Winter," "Breathe," "Every Breaking Wave" and "Crazy Tonight," the latter of which sports as-yet-unspecified contributions from the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am.

White Zombie laid to rest on boxed set

DETROIT (Billboard) – Assembling the White Zombie boxed set "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" was "weird" and somewhat bittersweet for Rob Zombie, the frontman for the defunct metal group that broke up in 1996.

"The funny thing was when I was putting it together, it seemed so long ago," Zombie told Billboard.com. "It felt like I was putting together a box set of someone else's band. It just seemed like forever ago, and some of the early songs are, like, 20 years ago or something. It just seemed weird."

The Geffen Records set, which boasts four CDs and one DVD, came out on November 26. Zombie, whose real name is Rob Cummings, said gathering the 63 tracks and a wealth of rare video footage "brought up a lot of things I'd forgotten about -- unfortunately, some of it was negative."

He was particularly reminded of the waning days of the band, when the group members would tour in separate vehicles and not see each other except at shows. None of the other band members were involved in the set.

"The main reason White Zombie ended was the people who were White Zombie didn't get along anymore," said Zombie, adding that he finished the group's final show in 1996, walked off stage, into a car, went to the airport and "didn't look back.

"That band had a lot of growing pains and a lot of baggage all the way through. I think we did a lot of good stuff and we were ahead of the curve in the beginning and did some groundbreaking stuff. But it was a painful situation most of the time, actually."

Nevertheless, Zombie hopes "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" -- pointedly titled, he acknowledged, for those who might wonder about a White Zombie reunion -- will feed the appetites of younger generations of fans that continue to come along.

"I can see it, strangely enough, in the royalty checks. Every year the band makes more money," Zombie said. "(Retail chain) Hot Topic is doing a new line of White Zombie merch(andise). It's just one of those things that happens, I think. There's always a new wave of kids that gets super-jazzed on a band that's not around anymore."

Zombie, meanwhile, is working on his next studio album, which he predicts will be out in 2009. Zombie also hopes to get cracking on his fourth feature film, "Tyrannosaurus Rex," in the new year. He was last in theaters with 2007's "Halloween."

U2 to release new album in March

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Irish rockers U2 have named their new album "No Line On The Horizon," and will release it worldwide in early March, their label said on Thursday.

The quartet's 12th studio album was originally expected to be released by the end of this year, but the band announced in September that it would keep writing more tunes. Recording took place in Morocco, Dublin, New York and London.

Interscope Records will release "No Line On The Horizon" internationally on March 2, and a day later in North America.

It marks the follow-up to "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb," which was released in late 2004 and went on to sell 9 million copies worldwide, according to Interscope. It also garnered U2 their second album of the year Grammy, following 1987's "The Joshua Tree."

The new album was produced by long-time collaborators Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, with additional production by Steve Lillywhite. Tunes recorded in 2006 with producer Rick Rubin, the man behind Johnny Cash's comeback, have been jettisoned.

Tour plans have not been announced. The "Vertigo" world tour for the last album ran from March 2005 to December 2006. U2 is partnered on touring and merchandise with concert promoter Live Nation Inc, which said earlier on Thursday that it bought back the band's stock in the company for a guaranteed $25 million -- $19 million more than the market price. Interscope is a unit of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group.

Fall Out Boy turn focus outward on new CD

CHICAGO – If you're wondering how Pete Wentz feels about becoming a dad or looking for insight into his recent marriage to Ashlee Simpson, don't expect to find any details by listening to Fall Out Boy's new CD, "Folie A Deux."

Even though the bassist is the chief lyricist and the band's tabloid-centric spokesman, for "Folie A Deux," Wentz shifted the focus away from himself and turned it outward onto the world.

Lead singer Patrick Stump calls "Folie A Deux" the band's "statement record."
"(It's) dissecting how self-motivated our culture is," Stump said in a recent interview. "Pete on this record wrote from a very different perspective than he did on previous records."

"Folie A Deux," French for "shared madness of two," was released on Tuesday. It's the third major-label CD for the emo-rockers, who became a multiplatinum success story with the release of their 2005 album, "From Under the Cork Tree," which included the top single "Sugar, We're Goin Down."

While Stump's melodious falsetto anchors the band's sound, it's Wentz who provides the band's emotional content (the group's other members are guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley). In the past, Wentz has worn his heart on the Fall Out Boy's lyrical sleeve, with songs about relationship dramas and painful splits.

Over the past two years, Wentz has become a sought-after star thanks to his high-profile union with Simpson, their new baby (Bronx Mowgli), his turn as TV host on MTV's "FNMTV" and his endless blog postings (Stump has had successful collaborations with the likes of bands like Gym Class Heroes — on Wentz's record label — but has preferred to stay out of the limelight).

But as Wentz's reaches a new high in name recognition, musically, he decided to stop writing as much from a personal standpoint.

"This record is not the standard autobiographical thing like when we first started," says Stump, sitting with his bandmates as they prepared to tape a concert special for Fuse TV. "Autobiography loses its luster when everyone is doing it."

"Sometimes I've gone into a big dark cave and that's no fun," adds Wentz, looking a bit fatigued.

"Folie A Deux" is the group's second album in two years. While the band has become used to topping the charts, they insist their main goal is simply creating good music.

But at the same time, they don't want to overthink it.

"A lot of bands sit on their hands and think, 'We need to make the perfect record,'" Wentz says. "(They should be) taking a snapshot of the moment you're (in) at the time."

"The Jonas Brothers can't have all the shine," he jokes.

The band purposely cut short the amount of time set aside for recording the album. Stump said that was going back to the days when they were a young, broke band who had to finish an album before the money ran out.

"There was something really interesting about that creative process when we were starting out," says Stump. "The more time you have, the more potential you have for excess."

New CD Releases, December 16: Fall Out boy, Jamie Foxx, Keyshia Cole, The All-American Rejects, Anthony Hamilton, and more!

Fall Out Boy "Folie a Deux" (Island)

The alt-rock band returns with its fifth album, which follows last year's "Infinity on High." That earlier outing was the group's first No. 1 album in the US, and spawned a pair of Top 10 singles in "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs."

"Folie a Deux" features a plethora of guest stars, including Lil Wayne, Pharrell, Panic at the Disco and Blondie's Debbie Harry. Fall Out Boy is currently finishing up a short tour, which still has two California dates left: Dec. 20 in San Diego and Dec. 21 in San Francisco.

* * *
Jamie Foxx "Intuition" (J Records)

The multi-talented artist, who has made a name for himself on television, in film and on the Billboard charts, is set to drop a follow-up to the 2005 chart-topper "Unpredictable."

"Intuition," the R&B singer's third studio album, features contributions from such A-list personalities as Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Ne-Yo. The album's first single, "Just Like Me," is a collaboration with rapper T.I.

Despite his hefty success as a recording artist--"Unpredictable," for example, has been certified double platinum--Foxx remains best known for his work onscreen. Most notably, he won the Best Actor Oscar for playing the lead role in the 2004 Ray Charles biopic "Ray."

* * *
Keyshia Cole "A Different Me" (Geffen)

The R&B/soul vocalist is set to unveil her third studio effort, which follows 2005's "The Way It Is" and 2007's "Just Like You," both of which have been certified platinum.

"A Different Me" includes guest appearances by Monica, Kanye West, Nas and, most notably, Tupac Shakur. The deceased rapper is featured on the album's first single, "Playa Cardz Right." That tune was first released on Shakur's sixth posthumous album, 2006's "Pac's Life," and the version on "A Different Me" was rearranged by Cole and her producers.

Cole is currently on the road as one of the opening acts on Lil Wayne's big arena tour. That trek is set to stretch into late January. TV viewers can also catch the star on her BET reality series, "Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is."

* * *
The All-American Rejects "When the World Comes Down" (Geffen)

The pop-punk outfit is back to sing about "When the World Comes Down." The album, AAR's third studio effort, follows 2005's multi-platinum-selling "Move Along," which stayed on The Billboard 200 chart for nearly 100 weeks and spawned the hits "It Ends Tonight," "Dirty Little Secret" and the title track.

"When the World Comes Down" was produced by Eric Valentine (Maroon 5, Smash Mouth). The set's first single is the track "Gives You Hell," which has already made some noise on Billboard's Pop 100 chart.

* * *
Anthony Hamilton "The Point of It All" (La Face)

The R&B star gets around to telling fans "The Point of It All." The album is Hamilton's sixth studio effort, and comes roughly one year after his previous outing, "Ain't Nobody Worryin'."

Hamilton co-wrote and co-produced the set with longtime collaborators Mark Batson (Seal, Beyonce) and Kelvin Wooten. The album's lead single, "Cool," features a guest vocal from David Banner.

* * *
More new releases:
Bob Dylan, "Playlist: The Very Best of Bob Dylan 1960s" (Sony)
Brooks & Dunn, "Playlist: The Very Best of Brooks & Dunn" (Sony)
Led Zeppelin, "Complete Studio Recordings" (Warner Bros.)
Madonna, "Miles Away (Remix EP)" (Warner Bros.)
Martina McBride, "Playlist: The Very Best of Martina McBride" (Sony)
Dave Matthews Band, "Live at Mile High Music Festival" (RCA)
Dave Matthews Band, "Live Trax Vol. 13" (RCA)
Plies, "Da Realist" (Atlantic)
Saliva, "Cinco Diablo" (Island)
Santana, "The Best of the Fillmore Years" (Cleopatra)

Soundtracks and scores:
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Concord)
"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (Varese)
"Frost/Nixon" (Varese)
"Valkyrie" (Varese)

Axl breaks his silence, speaks out online

NEW YORK–He's yet to grant an interview about Guns N' Roses' recently released Chinese Democracy, but Axl Rose broke his silence last week by answering questions on the message boards of popular GNR websites MyGNR.com and Here Today ... Gone to Hell.

Rose addressed a range of topics, including the status of his relationships with former band members, several specific songs from Chinese Democracy, and whether guitarists Buckethead and Robin Finck would one day return to GNR.

"What I can say now is you've been told a lot of things in order for others to promote themselves that factually they cannot back up in regard to either," Rose said when asked why the original lineup fell apart. "They are complicated legally, financially and have devoured a good portion of my life."

He added that he was recently sued by Duff McKagan and Slash over a merchandising issue "that I was unaware and not involved in. Fortunately that was resolved but it got ugly and took a while going into arbitration."

Rose didn't address what took so long for Chinese Democracy, which was started in the mid-1990s, to be released. But he did acknowledge additional material that could be released in its wake.

"For now we'll concentrate and keep our focus on this album, but I will say I've always thought of it as a double," he said of Chinese Democracy. Earlier, he told fans a video for the album's "Better" would be released "in a week or so."

New KISS album in '09

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are planning to record a new album next year, which will be the first KISS release since 1998's "Psycho Circus."

In a recent interview with askmen.com, Stanley, who will produce the album, said the new release will be "very much a vintage, classic, '70s KISS album without much regard to what's happening since then; it's back to the roots."

Simmons was not quoted in the askmen.com piece. However, last year, he told Billboard that he wasn't interested in recording new music. "The record industry is in such a mess," Simmons said. "There is nothing in me that wants to go in there and do new music. How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to get paid for it if people can just get it for free?"

There is no word regarding label affiliation or an alternate distribution method for the album, which will feature guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer alongside original members Stanley and Simmons. "Psycho Circus," was released by Mercury Records.

KISS also is expected to tour North America at some point in the coming year.

Fogerty Revisits 'Blue Ridge' On New Album

A pair of returns will mark a creative outburst from John Fogerty in 2009.

The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman is finishing work on "John Fogerty: The Return of the Blue Ridge Rangers," a sequel of sorts to his 1973 solo set of vintage country and roots covers, "Blue Ridge Rangers." He'll also be putting out "John Fogerty -- Comin' Down the Road," a DVD chronicling his first concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, which took place earlier this year, as well as a documentary about his life and career. Release dates for both are still pending.

Fogerty tells Billboard that he's long hoped to return to the Blue Ridge Rangers concept, but not as the one-man band he was on the original. "I've known for years that if I ever did a Blue Ridge Rangers album again I sure didn't want to play all the instruments," Fogerty explains. "I had long felt that was probably something that was wrong with the first album."

Fogerty recorded "The Return of the Blue Ridge Rangers" during a 10-day session at Village Recorders in Santa Monica, Calif., with T-Bone Burnett and Lenny Waronker co-producing. Among the players were Buddy Miller, Greg Leisz, Dennis Crouch, Jay Bellerose and Kenny Aronoff. Fifteen songs were recorded from a list of about 40 that Fogerty, Burnett and Waronker assembled, and while Fogerty is keeping mum on specific titles, he acknowledges that there would be at least one Merle Haggard tune on the album.

"My pre-requisite was that I didn't want to get into the realm of trying to be really hip and obscure," Fogerty says. "I've seen people get really out there, and it's stuff nobody's heard of or maybe it's stuff nobody wants to hear of. For me it just had to be a good song, a great song, 'cause great songs will carry you a long way."

Fogerty does some more looking back on the "Comin' Down the Road" DVD. In addition to the concert -- a 12-camera HD affair which traverses his CCR and solo career and features guest appearances by his teenage songs Shane and Tyler -- the documentary features extensive interviews with Fogerty as well as visits to El Cerrito, Calif., where he grew up, CCR's Cosmos Factory rehearsal hall/studio and Fantasy Records' headquarters in Berkeley.

Fogerty freely discusses painful past issues such as his legal drama after CCR's break-up and subsequent writer's block, but he says those topics are "kind of academic to me now. It's not a real red-hot emotional button anymore. I'm not still trying to work it out, you know?"

The two solo projects come on the heels of Fantasy's reissues of the CCR catalog, six titles with extensive bonus tracks from the vaults. Fogerty calls them "pretty cool" but acknowledges mixed feelings about the extra material.

"The bonus tracks were some stuff I really never wanted to have released," he explains. "But their job as a record company is to try and renew interest in things that have been around awhile, and that's tricky. As long as everybody understands it's more historic than it is artistic, that's OK. That's the way I have to think about it."

Pearl Jam Raids Vaults For 'Ten' Reissue

Pearl Jam has unearthed a host of unreleased tracks and special surprises from its vaults for a deluxe reissue of its fabled 1991 debut album, "Ten." Four different editions will be available March 24 from Epic; pre-orders begin today (Dec. 10) at PearlJam.com.

Each version includes a digitally remastered version of the original album as well as a completely new remix of the set by longtime producer Brendan O'Brien, who did not work on "Ten" but produced Pearl Jam's subsequent four albums. Bassist Jeff Ament and designer Andy Fischer teamed to revamp the artwork.

The O'Brien disc also includes six previously unreleased songs from the era: early versions of "Breath" and "State of Love and Trust," "Brother" (with vocals, not the instrumental version from the 2003 rarities collection "Lost Dogs"), "Just a Girl," "Evil Little Goat" and "2,000 Mile Blues," a Stevie Ray Vaughan-inspired jam with improvised vocals from frontman Eddie Vedder.

Band members have been asking O'Brien to take a crack at a complete remix for years, and he gave the idea a trial run when he remixed the "Ten" tracks "Once," "Black" and "Alive" for Pearl Jam's 2004 greatest hits album "Rearviewmirror."

"The original 'Ten' sound is what millions of people bought, dug and loved, so I was initially hesitant to mess around with that," says O'Brien of the album, which has sold 9.58 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and vaulted Pearl Jam to global superstardom. The Recording Industry Association of America has certified it for U.S. shipments of 12 million copies. "After years of persistent nudging from the band, I was able to wrap my head around the idea of offering it as a companion piece to the original -- giving a fresh take on it, a more direct sound."

The "Legacy" edition of "Ten" adds a DVD of Pearl Jam's previously unreleased 1992 performance on "MTV Unplugged," including a never-aired version of "Oceans." The audio has been remixed in 5.1 surround sound. Fans can also opt for a double-vinyl version featuring the original "Ten" on one LP and O'Brien's remix on the other.

But the package sure to send hardcore fans into a tizzy is the "Super Deluxe Edition," which features two CDs, a DVD and four vinyl records. It is housed in a linen-covered, slip-cased clamshell box with a replica of an item second to none in Pearl Jam lore.

In 1990, when bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard and Mike McCready were getting the nascent Pearl Jam going in Seattle, they recorded three instrumentals to send to the then-unknown Eddie Vedder, who'd been recommended by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons.

Vedder, then living in San Diego, overdubbed vocals onto the tape, in the process creating the songs "Alive," "Once" and "Footsteps" (he was invited to join the band within weeks). Poor quality bootlegs of the demo, dubbed "Momma-Son," have circulated for years, but the "Super Deluxe Edition" will include a crystal-clear dub of the tape on a replica cassette.

In addition, fans will receive Pearl Jam's previously unreleased Sept. 20, 1992, concert at Seattle's Magnuson Park (dubbed Drop in the Park) on two vinyl LPs and a replica of Vedder's composition notebook packed with notes, photos and memorabilia from the "Ten" era. This version will sell for $140.

The "Ten" reissue is the first piece of a two-year campaign culminating with the band's 20th anniversary in 2011. Additional details have yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, Pearl Jam is recording its ninth studio album (its first with O'Brien producing since 1998's "Yield"), which is expected for release next year.

New CD Releases, December 9: Common, Maroon 5, Musiq Soulchild, Brandy, Justice, and more.

Common "Universal Mind Control" (Geffen)

The Chicago hip-hop star is set to drop his eighth album, "Universal Mind Control." The record follows last year's gold-certified "Finding Forever," which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200.

The first single from the album is its title track. The set features a number of big-name guest stars, including Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. Williams' Neptunes and West also contributed production work to the record.

* * *
Maroon 5 "Call and Response: The Remix Album" (Octone)

The pop-rock combo unveils its first remix album. "Call and Response" features newly mixed versions of hit singles and tracks from the band's two prior studio records: 2002's "Songs About Jane" and 2007's "It Won't Be Soon Before Long."

The collection includes guest appearances by Mary J. Blige on one version of "Wake Up Call," David Banner on a second version of "Wake Up Call," The Cool Kids on "Harder to Breathe" and Rihanna on "If I Never See Your Face Again."

Featured producers/remixers include Pharrell Williams, Of Montreal, Deerhoof, Cut Copy and Paul Oakenfold.

* * *
Musiq Soulchild "OnMyRadio" (Atlantic)

The popular R&B vocalist is back with his fifth studio album, "OnMyRadio." The work follows 2007's chart-topping "Luvanmusiq," which has sold more than 700,000 copies to date.

The album's first single, "Radio," has already found a home on R&B radio.

"OnMyRadio" also features the track "If You Leave," which is a collaboration with Mary J. Blige.

* * *
Brandy "Human" (Epic)

B-Rocka returns with a follow-up to 2004's "Afrodisiac." "Human," the R&B singer's fifth studio release, marks Brandy's debut for Epic Records. The first single from "Human" is the track "Right Here (Departed)." The album also features several collaborations, including the song "Fall," which Brandy co-wrote with Natasha Bedingfield.

* * *
Justice "A Cross the Universe" (Atlantic)

The Grammy-nominated French electronic music duo, consisting of Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Auge, releases a CD/DVD set. The CD portion was recorded live at a concert in San Francisco back in March, and the DVD offering features a documentary on Justice's 2008 North American tour.

* * *
More new releases:
Avant, "Avant" (Capitol)
Collective Soul, "Afterwords" (El Music Group)
Marianne Faithfull, "Easy Come Easy Go" (Naïve)
Flipper, "Album--Generic Flipper" (Water)
Flipper, "Gone Fishin'" (Water)
Mark Kozelek, "The Finally LP" (Caldo Verde)
The Maine, "... And a Happy New Year" (Fearless)
Pavement, "Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition" (Matador)
Diana Ross, "Surrender" (Hip-O Select)
Alice Russell, "Pot of Gold" (Six Degrees)
Stereophonics, "Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics" (Fontana)
Thrice, "Live at the House of Blues" (Vagrant)
Various Artists, "The Complete Motown #1s Box" (Motown)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Defiance" (Sony)

Diana Krall to release Brazilian jazz record

Diana Krall describes her first record in three years as intimate, sensual — and erotic.

"I'm not coy single girl singing 'Peel Me A Grape.' I love that song but I don't love it for me any more," Krall, 43, said from her Vancouver, British Columbia home in an interview last week. "I feel more womanly, I guess, and I think this record is a love letter but very sensual, more on the erotic side. It's definitely late night."

"Quiet Nights," to be released on March 31, is Krall's CD of new material in three years. The sultry jazz vocalist and pianist known for her crossover appeal had twin sons with husband Elvis Costello in 2006; they turned 2 Dec. 6. Krall said she's never been happier, and the record reflects that.

The 10 songs include ballads, three recordings of songs by bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim, and standards such as "Walk On By" by Burt Bacharach.

"It was just the greatest recording experience I've had to date," said Krall, who was inspired to make the record following a trip to Brazil last year.

A two-time Grammy winner, Krall is surrounded by familiar faces on "Quiet Nights." In addition to her longtime quartet and producer Tommy LiPuma, who worked with her on nine previous recordings, arranger Claus Ogerman returns. He last worked with Krall on her 2001 record "The Look of Love."

Ogerman was the arranger on many of bossa nova's first wave of recordings in the 1960s, working with Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Stan Getz and Bill Evans. Ogerman came out of semiretirement to once again work with Krall.

LiPuma, who first worked with Krall in 1994, said the record shows how she has matured as a singer.

"She approaches her vocal phrasing much more like an instrumentalist than a straight singer," LiPuma said. "It's in her reading of the lyrics, and the timbre of her voice, much more misty like Peggy Lee in her mature period."

In addition to finishing "Quiet Nights," Krall is producing a new Barbra Streisand record that is slated to be completed in January and released sometime in 2009. Krall intends to tour North America in April following the release of "Quiet Nights."

"I think I've reached the best time in my life," Krall said. "I really went through some rough spots with the death of my mother (in 2002). ... But now that I have my own family, I'm working as hard as I ever worked, but I feel like I have it all."

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo releases solo disc

NEW YORK (Billboard) – A Jermaine Dupri song about partying excessively seems a far cry from a Brian Wilson song about sweetly loving a girl.

The tie that binds these polar opposites of pop music is the Rivers Cuomo. The eclectic frontman for modern-rock mainstays Weezer has just released a second album of rare and unreleased solo tracks.

"Alone II" (DGC/Interscope) sold a modest 6,000 copies during its first week in U.S. stores, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The first volume, released almost exactly a year ago, started with 14,000 and has gone on to sell 43,000.

"I knew I had a lot more recordings that I wanted to share with the world, but I wanted to wait and see how 'Alone I' was received," Cuomo says.

Satisfied with the results, he delved back into the vaults. "I love the process of listening to all the old recordings and picking my favorites and going through my old journals and seeing what I was thinking when I was writing these songs."

About that Dupri song: The producer/mogul sent Cuomo a demo of "Can't Stop Partying," but the lyrics didn't initially jive with Cuomo's style. He tried to write his own, but "every line I came up with just sounded stupid compared with his, so I went back and changed the music and gave it some very sad chords filled with longing."

The cover of Wilson's "Don't Worry Baby" follows years of study of the Beach Boy's output by Cuomo, which he says has guided his own songwriting.
Cuomo "carefully transcribed" the song's five-part harmonies "in my bedroom on my tape player. But then I added the element of the modern crunchy-guitar sound. And that's what really helped me figure out what I wanted to do as a songwriter and a performer in Weezer."

Weezer will be back on the road next spring, possibly with Oasis, in support of its 2008 self-titled release, dubbed "The Red Album." The group is also putting together its own collection of unreleased material, titled "Odds and Ends."

Neil Young kicks into high gear

Although he's currently touring North America behind his Chrome Dreams II album, and performing a tightly packed set of hits from his entire catalogue, Neil Young continues to sift through his storied unreleased material.

And while the long awaited Archives Vol. 1 box set is set for release early in 2009, Young recently released Sugar Mountain -- Live At Canterbury House 1968, a record containing some of the gems he would issue on his debut solo effort.

Oh and then there's Toast, a Crazy Horse album Young completed but ditched in 2000. "It's a mind-blowing record, very moody, kind of jazzy," Young told Rolling Stone last month. "The whole thing has got a massive sound."

Added to that, Young announced he'd be playing as a sideman -- along with roots rock group Drive-By Truckers -- to Booker T. Jones, front man for the legendary Booker T. and The MGs. That album is also set for a 2009 release.

But what seems to be piquing Young's curiosity most these days could be dubbed Chrome Dreams III, namely insisting the big three car manufacturers in North America (Ford, Chrysler and General Motors) get their heads out of the proverbial sand and adapt to changing times.

In a lengthy piece released through his publicist on Nov. 13, Young, performing tonight and tomorrow at the Air Canada Centre, proposed a way to save a "major automobile company."

"We need forward looking people who are not restricted by the existing culture in Detroit," he wrote. "We can no long afford to continue down Detroit's old road. The people have spoken. They do not want gas guzzlers (although they still like big cars and trucks)."

Believing the big three must reduce their output to a sedan, sports car, large family sedan, SUV and truck, Young said new vehicles called "transition rollers" could be built now with the large car manufacturers avoiding massive layoffs.

Young is so devoted to the idea that he's created his own initiative, Linc Volt Technology, to begin refurbishing current cars to run on cleaner gas and other means of energy including electric engines.

The company, which includes experts from around the world, is also vying for the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize with the winner getting a $10-million prize to create a vehicle getting 100 miles per gallon or better by 2009.

Images of Young on the Linc Volt website show the singer, 63, standing in the front of a 1959 Lincoln Continental minus the engine, a vehicle Young mentioned in an interview with David Letterman that would get "nine or ten miles to the gallon."

A documentary on Young's plan is currently in the works, but Young and his group currently have the automobile running up to 65 miles per gallon in early informal testing using an electric motor.

"It's not something that everybody could do but it's something that Ford or GM or Chrysler could do," Young told Letterman earlier this year. "If I fail, who cares? Who expects me to succeed? So I'm not afraid of failure, I just want to eliminate roadside refueling."

As long as the albums and tours keep rolling out of Young's seemingly endless musical production line, fans probably won't have much problem with eco-friendly and efficient vehicles rolling out of another.

New CD Releases, December 2nd: Britney Spears, Neil Young, 'Cadillac Records', Akon, Panic at the Disco, and more

Britney Spears "Circus"

The troubled pop star, who in recent years has garnered more headlines for her personal life than for her musical endeavors, will try to bolster her career with the release of her sixth studio album.

"Circus" follows last year's "Blackout," a work that managed to get some warm reviews, peaked at No. 2 on The Billboard 200, but still fell far from reaching the multi-platinum sales heights of Spears' earlier efforts. "Blackout" did produce the hit single "Piece of Me," a tune that helped her have a big night at the most recent MTV VMA ceremony, during which won three Moonman trophies for "Video of the Year," "Best Female Vocalist" and "Best Pop Video."

The first single from "Circus" is the track "Womanizer," which was produced by Atlanta production crew The Outsyders.

Spears reportedly plans to support the new album with a spring tour. The arena trek would be her first since her 2004 outing, which reportedly grossed more than $30 million.

* * *
Neil Young "Sugar Mountain--Live at Canterbury House 1968" (Reprise)

Young's place in the rock-and-roll history books, as one of the greatest singer/songwriter/guitarists to ever go before a microphone, has been secure for decades. This new release, however, gives fans a rare look at Young's early days as a performer, well before his legend had been carved in stone.

"Sugar Mountain--Live at Canterbury House 1968," available both on CD and DVD, was recorded in Ann Arbor, MI just days before the release of Young's debut solo album. The set captures an intimate performance of some of Young's best-loved songs, including "Mr. Soul" and the title track.

* * *
Original Soundtrack "Cadillac Records" (Sony)

Set to hit movie theaters on Dec. 5, "Cadillac Records" documents the story of the legendary Chicago label Chess Records. The R-rated film stars Beyonce Knowles as Etta James, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Columbus Short as Little Walter and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters.

The original soundtrack to "Cadillac Records" features a number of those stars performing in character on some truly classic Chess cuts. For examples, Beyonce (who also served as one of the film's producers) sings "At Last" and "I'd Rather Go Blind," while Mos Def handles "Nadine" and "No Particular Place to Go."

* * *
Akon "Freedom" (Universal)

The R&B/rap star returns with a follow-up to 2006's triple-platinum "Konvicted." "Freedom," which was originally intended to be titled "Acquitted," is Akon's third studio album. The set features a bevy of guest stars, including Young Jeezy, T-Pain and Lil Wayne.

* * *
Panic at the Disco "Live in Chicago" (Fueled by Ramen)

The popular alt-rock troupe unveils its first full-length live release, which is available in both CD and DVD formats, and includes such fan favorites as "Nine in the Afternoon" and "That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed)." The group's previous studio set, "Pretty. Odd," hit stores back in March.

* * *
More new releases:
Shoshana Bean, "Superhero" (Shotime)
Vicente Fernández, "Primera Fila" (Sony)
Sarah Elizabeth Foster, "Gardening from the Ground Up Part 1" (Studio Sarah)
Colt Ford, "Ride Through the Country" (Average Joe's)
Hillsong, "Ultimate Worship Collection Volume 2" (Integrity)
Burl Ives, "Favorites for Children" (Shout)
Kylie Minogue, "X (2008 Tour Edition)" (Capitol)
Raulin Rodriguez, "Parece Mentira" (Sony)
Queen, "The Singles Collection" (EMI)
Carly and Lucy Simon, "Sing Songs for Children" (Shout)
Jimmy Smith, "Electrifyin'" (Proper Box)
Various Artists, "Meren Hits 2009" (Sony)
Joe Veras, "Vida" (Sony)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Grimm's & Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales" (Shout)
"Halo Trilogy--The Complete Original Soundtracks" (Sumthing Else)

'Home' is where Dido's heart is

NEW YORK — As a child, Dido was "obsessed with space travel. I only wanted to be an astronaut. The idea just blew my mind."

So it's fitting that a photo of the Earth taken on a 1984 Challenger mission is on the cover of the British singer/songwriter's first studio album in five years, Safe Trip Home.

The album was inspired by the considerable ground that Dido, 36, has covered on the planet as a touring musician since 1999's No Angel. That multiplatinum debut established her as one of the most prominent artists of the Lilith Fair era. Dido spent much of the following decade accumulating frequent-flier miles, appearing at events such as 2005's Live 8.

"In one way, it's made the world a very small place," Dido says over tea in Midtown. "I'm very conscious of the fact that we're all here together."

But as the album's title suggests, Dido's journey has helped her realize "where home actually is. I'm someone who can feel at home anywhere. But the farther you go away, the more you realize that home is where your family and friends are."

For Dido, that means London — though Home took shape in a different setting. In summer 2005, producer Jon Brion, noted for his adventurous but pop-savvy work with artists as diverse as Fiona Apple and Kanye West, suggested that Dido travel to Los Angeles to work on an album.

It wasn't a natural destination. "I was brought up in the inner city," she says. "If I hadn't been working with Jon, I'd have been a bit bored. … (But) Jon is so joyful about it all. We were so productive and having so much fun that I didn't want to stop."

Brion wasn't Dido's only source of inspiration, though. "I'm not that fussed about sunshine, but L.A. in the morning is just stunning. And it's home to the film industry, so it's a city built on storytelling, on people using their imaginations."

In fact, for Home— which was also recorded in London, with Dido's brother and longtime collaborator, Rollo Armstrong, pitching in — Dido commissioned 11 short films, one to accompany each song. "I found local directors in different countries and told them the theme was 'What is home?' " The resulting clips, set in locales from a Thai boxing ring to a Mumbai taxicab, can be viewed at safetriphome.com.

Home hasn't yet yielded a hit on the order of previous Dido singles such as White Flag or Thank You, but "you don't take three years to make a record if that's your concern," says Blender editor in chief Joe Levy. He points out that her music remains "enormously popular with music supervisors for television and movies," and one track, Quiet Times, was recently featured on Grey's Anatomy.

For her part, Dido doesn't mind maintaining a lower profile. "I've always been an introvert, and as you get older, all your characteristics get more pronounced," she says.

Though she allows that the five years since her last album "have had some dramatic highs and lows," she prefers not to discuss them in detail. "It's amazing — I've had 15 kids," jokes the singer, who is single and has no children, when pressed for specifics.

Then, more seriously, and vaguely, Dido says: "I have a relatively normal life, in which there's been an exceptional freedom to travel and to make music. And I feel so lucky for that."

Gene Simmons teams up with Belinda Stronach

KISS founder's venture seeks 3 Canadian bands for partnership deals and a reality TV series

Global glory and unimaginable wealth may have eluded the vast majority of hard-working Canadian pop and rock bands for decades, but those days are over, says Gene Simmons, the self-made rock 'n' roll squillionaire, American marketing superstar and founder of the cartoonish glam-rock band KISS.

"I have a new business model that will get Canadian bands out on tour, onto television and into the world's mainstream," Simmons said last night as he laid out some of the details behind plans to relaunch his dormant Canadian label, Simmons Records. It's a new joint venture between the star of the hit reality TV series Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Magna auto parts heiress and former Tory/Liberal MP Belinda Stronach, and Universal Music Canada.

"The idea is to have the bands we sign develop a strong Canadian identity first in Canada, then move them onto the world stage," said Simmons, who is in Toronto "for a few days" to finalize the deal, scout talent and take care of the Canadian ends of other businesses – books, comic books, advertising and merchandising – that he helps run under the Los Angeles-based umbrella company Simmons Abramson Marketing.

"For years, the only way Canadian acts could make it was to go to the States and more or less become an American band. In the new music marketing age, that doesn't have to happen."

The connection with Stronach, for four years a silent partner in a Canadian talent development company, Big Bold Sun Music, was coincidental, Simmons said.

"I've known the Stronach family for years. Our company handles the promotion and merchandising for Frank's Energy Drink, which was created by Frank Stronach, Belinda's father.

"When (Universal Music Canada president) Randy Lennox and I were talking about the new label, and the philosophy of new business models, he mentioned Belinda might be looking to invest in a new music company. It made sense to me."

Simmons is looking to sign three Canadian acts a year to his label – "pop, pop-rock and rock, and we're even interested in rap artists, as long as they've got something different going for them, like a sense of humour."

He has his eye on the Toronto progressive hip-hop band Down With Webster as his first signing.

"They're peculiar and eccentric, a cross between Arrested Development, Sly & The Family Stone and Red Hot Chili Peppers," Simmons said. "Their music is like a stew that's made out of familiar ingredients but tastes different because of the way it's blended and cooked."

Acts signed to the label will also star in a Canadian-made reality TV series for a network Simmons is not at liberty to name.

"We'll follow them from the time they start making their first album, and make moves to say goodbye to their families and girlfriends, and go out on the road ... like leaving home to join the circus."

The bands and their music will also be featured in merchandising and product advertising campaigns, and movies and TV shows, Simmons said, adding that financing for the new venture amounts to "millions."

The label will offer its artists a version of the all-inclusive and controversial "360-degree" deal, which will make the record company a partner in touring, merchandising, publishing, licensing, television and product placement revenues, Simmons said.

"Canadian labels have been trying to do something like this for years. What's different this time is me. I know how to make things happen."

Guns N’ Roses Demand Apology From Dr. Pepper Over Soda “Fiasco”

Guns N’ Roses are threatening Dr. Pepper with legal action over what the band calls “a complete fiasco” of a publicity stunt. Dr. Pepper promised every person in America a free can of soda if Guns N’ Roses released Chinese Democracy this year; on November 23rd, the day Democracy was released, fans were told they could get a coupon for a free can at its website. According Axl Rose’s lawyer Alan S. Gutman, things went terribly wrong: Yesterday he sent a letter to Dr. Pepper CEO Larry Young saying that the soda company’s website crashed and that “the redemption scheme your company clumsily implemented for this offer was an unmitigated disaster which defrauded consumers and, in the eyes of vocal fans, ‘ruined’ the day of Chinese Democracy’s release”. The band is seeking a public apology via ads in newspapers, plus more time for people to claim their free soda and monetary damages. In the words of the letter: “Now it’s time to clean up the mess.” The letter continues, “As we all now know, Dr. Pepper created an expansive and highly-publicized advertising campaign based solely on the exploitation of my cleints’ legendary reputation. In and of itself this campaign brazenly violated our clients’ rights in numerous respects. Unfortunately, Dr. Pepper has now magnified the damage this campaign has caused through its appalling failure to make good on a promise it made to the American public.”

Other highlights from the letter: “Our clients are outrated at your treatment of their fans and the American public in general. After it became clear that Chinese Democracy would be released in 2008, Dr. Pepper executive Tony Jacobs proudly proclaimed that Dr. Pepper would make good on its promise to give a free soda to everyone in America. It turned out that Dr. Pepper did not define ‘everyone in America’ the same way as ‘everyone in America’ defined ‘everyone in America.’” It concludes, “Had you wished to engage in a commercial tie-in with our clients, you should have negotiated a legitimate arrangement instead of hijacking their rights without payment. Rest assured, this misappropriation will not be free.”

New CD Releases, November 25th: Guns N' Roses, Kanye West, The Killers, Barry Manilow, Ludacris and more!

Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" (Geffen)

At long last, Guns N' Roses fulfills its promise of a sixth studio album. Some fans, quite understandably, had come to believe this moment might never arrive. Ten years in the making, "Chinese Democracy" stands with The Beach Boys' "Smile" among the most famously delayed albums in rock history.

This GN'R is hardly the group that first set out, back in 1998, to make this record. Notably, vocalist Axl Rose is the only original member left in the band.

The 14-track set is the group's first studio album since 1993's "The Spaghetti Incident?," and its first to feature original material since 1991's "Use Your Illusion I and II." The first two singles from the record are the title track and the tune "Better."

* * *
Kanye West "808s & Heartbreak" (Island Def Jam)

The 10-time Grammy winner returns with his fourth studio album. The eagerly anticipated "808s & Heartbreak," set for release on Nov. 24, follows last year's chart-topping "Graduation."

The first single from "808s & Heartbreak" is the tune "Love Lockdown," which West premiered onstage at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. The second single is "Heartless," a song performed for the first time at the ONE Campaign concert during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO.

The album's title is a reference to the Roland TR-808, a programmable drum machine that West reportedly used in constructing the majority of the record's tracks.

* * *
The Killers "Day & Age" (Island Def Jam)

The popular modern-rock troupe is ready to unveil its third studio album of new material. "Day & Age" follows 2004's "Hot Fuss" and 2006's "Sam's Town," as well as last year's collection of studio outtakes and b-sides "Sawdust."

The Killers collaborated with Scottish electronic-music whiz Stuart Price (Madonna, Missy Elliot) on "Day & Age." The first single from the album is the tune "Human."

The group has a few performances lined up for December, but it plans to wait until the new year to really start supporting "Day & Age" on the road. The band's 14-city headlining trek is set to kick off Jan. 17 in Denver, CO.

* * *
Barry Manilow "The Greatest Songs of the Eighties" (Arista)

The popular crooner releases the fourth installment in his decade-specific series. "The Greatest Songs of the Eighties" features Manilow covering 12 smash hits from the '80s, including Journey's "Open Arms," the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton number "Island in the Stream" (performed as a duet with Reba McEntire), Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and Phil Collins' "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"

* * *
Ludacris "Theater of the Mind" (Island Def Jam)

"Theater of the Mind," which follows 2006's "Release Therapy," features a bevy of guest stars, including Lil Wayne, Jamie Foxx, The Game, T.I., Chris Brown, Nas, Jay-Z, Chris Rock, Common, T-Pain and Spike Lee. Besides recording the album, Ludacris remains busy with other projects--notably, he stars in the recent films "Max Payne" and "RocknRolla."

* * *
More new releases:
Jon Anderson, "3 Ships: 22nd Anniversary Edition" (Opio)
Jeff Beck, "Performing this Week...Live at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club" (Eagle)
Rivers Cuomo, "Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo" (Geffen)
Doris Day, "Christmas" (Collector's Choice)
Fireman, "Electric Arguments" (ATO)
Hall & Oates, "Live at the Troubadour" (Shout)
Linkin Park, "Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes" (Warner Bros.)
Liza Minnelli, "The Complete A&M Recordings" (Collector's Choice)
Paramore, "The Final Riot!" (Fueled by Ramen)
R.E.M., "Murmur: Deluxe Edition" (A&M)
Return to Forever, "Returns" (Eagle)
White Zombie, "Let Sleeping Corpses Lie" (Geffen)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Gears of War 2" (Sumthing Else)
"13" (Ghostlight)

McCartney laments snags in Beatles' iTunes talks

LONDON (Billboard) – The Beatles' back catalog won't be appearing on iTunes anytime soon, according to Paul McCartney.

Speaking at a media launch Monday in London for the new album by his side project the Fireman, "Electric Arguments," McCartney said that Apple Corp. and the band's label EMI could not agree on terms to release the Beatles' catalog to iTunes and other download services.

"That is constantly being talked of -- we'd like to do it," McCartney said. "What happens is, when something's as big as the Beatles, it's heavy negotiations."

He added: "We are very for it; we've been pushing it. But there are a couple of sticking points, I understand. So the last word I got back was that it had stalled, the whole process.

"(EMI executives) want something we're not prepared to give them. Hey, sounds like the music business.

"It's between EMI and the Beatles -- what else is new."

"Arguments" is the third album released by McCartney under the Fireman alias with collaborator Youth, and it is the first with vocals. It was released on the indie label One Little Indian in the U.K. on Monday, and it is set to be released Tuesday in the U.S. on ATO/Red.

McCartney, who broke with EMI to release his solo album "Memory Almost Full" on Starbucks' Hear Music label in June 2007, said he was glad he left the major.

"I think the majors at the moment, I'm not dissing them, but I don't think they really know what's going on," he said, speaking at the Fire Station pub in London's Waterloo district. "With the download culture, they are floundering a little bit."

He added: "I think I was right at that time because right after that EMI got sold, so I would have been in the middle of a sale situation.

"The other thing is, they've got so many people on their books -- like it or not, you're just one of them. It's not a great situation; you like to feel like you're among friends, so that was why I ended up going independent. And this time it's kind of even more indie."

Asked by Billboard about going up against Guns N' Roses' first release in more than 17 years, "Chinese Democracy," McCartney said: "I never look at who we're in competition with. I don't really feel in competition with anyone, particularly with the Fireman. It's one of those projects -- it's not like you're releasing as Coldplay, or Guns N' Roses, for that matter. I wish them good luck with it because it's been a long time coming."

McCartney also criticized reality TV shows like the U.K.'s "The X Factor," describing them as a "phase we're going through."

"I'm not keen on it, but I watch it like everybody else," he said, adding that such shows are "compulsive viewing -- but so is a traffic accident."

China state media blast new Guns N' Roses album

BEIJING – A newspaper published by China's ruling Communist Party is blasting the latest Guns N' Roses album as an attack on the Chinese nation.

Delayed since recording began in 1994, "Chinese Democracy" hit stores in the U.S. on Sunday, although it is unlikely to be sold legally in China, where censors maintain tight control over films, music and publications.

In an article Monday headlined "American band releases album venomously attacking China," the Global Times said unidentified Chinese Internet users had described the album as part of a plot by some in the West to "grasp and control the world using democracy as a pawn."

The album "turns its spear point on China," the article said.

China's Foreign Ministry did not respond to faxed questions about the article, although a spokesman speaking on routine condition of anonymity said: "We don't need to comment on that."

Spokesmen for the Culture Ministry and State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, government bodies that regulate album releases and performances, could not be reached for comment.

The Global Times article referred only to the title of the album and not to specific song lyrics. The record's title track makes a reference to the Falun Gong meditation movement that was banned by China as an "evil cult" and warns "if your Great Wall rocks blame yourself," in an apparent message to the country's authoritarian government.

Songs from the album could be heard on Internet sites such as YouTube and the band's MySpace page on Monday and it was not immediately possible to tell whether China's Internet monitors were seeking to block access to it.

Monitors use content filters that highlight and sometimes block messages containing words such as democracy. That prompted some Internet users to combine English and Chinese characters in their postings about the album to skirt such monitoring.

China approves only limited numbers of foreign films and recordings for distribution each year, partly due to political concerns but also to protect domestic producers.

Live performances are also closely regulated, with bands forced to submit set lists beforehand. The Rolling Stones were asked not to play several songs with suggestive lyrics during their 2006 China debut, including "Brown Sugar," "Honky Tonk Woman," "Beast of Burden" and "Let's Spend the Night Together."

Earlier this year, bandleader Harry Connick Jr. was forced to make last-minute changes to his show in Shanghai because an old song list was mistakenly submitted to Chinese authorities to secure the performance permit for the concert. Authorities insisted he play the songs on the original list, even though his band did not have the music for them.

That came just a week after Icelandic singer Bjork embarrassed authorities by shouting "Tibet!" at the end of a Shanghai concert, prompting stricter vetting of foreign performers.

Despite such restrictions, computer file sharing and pirating of DVDs, computer games and music CDs is rampant in China, meaning that much banned material is available through alternative channels.

No Doubt Regrouping For Tour, Album

No Doubt will return to the road in 2009 while it finishes its first studio album in seven years. The group made the announcement via an instant message transcript posted on its official Web site, but did not provide specific details.

"I have cabin fever. Maybe we should play some shows or something," guitarist Tom Dumont wrote. Vocalist Gwen Stefani answered, "I think we should go out now. I don't think we should wait. Pack up the babies and get a bunch of nannies. So fun! Would be so inspiring to get out there and play all those songs again."

The group then discusses how continuing to write new music on the road would be inspiring, and vows to alert management to its plans.

No Doubt has been in the studio on and off throughout 2008. But Stefani's participation has been limited of late, having given birth to her second son in late August.

The group hasn't played live since mid-2004, and its last studio album was 2001's "Rock Steady." Since then, Stefani has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, while the other group members have pursued solo and session work as well as producing. Most recently, they appear on Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland's solo album, "'Happy' in Galoshes."

Vatican: Beatles music better than today's songs

VATICAN CITY – Vatican media are praising the Beatles' musical legacy and sounding philosophical about John Lennon's boast that the British band was more popular than Jesus.

Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano recalls that Lennon's comment outraged many when he made it in 1966.

But it says in its Saturday edition that the remark can be written off now as the bragging of a young man wrestling with unexpected success.

The newspaper as well as Vatican Radio last week noted the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' "White Album."

It said the album demonstrated how creative the Beatles were, compared with what it called the "standardized, stereotypical" songs being produced today.

Why the Kiss-off? Simmons asks Rock Hall of Fame

Gene Simmons has a question for the Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"Why isn't Kiss a member?" the frontman asked Thursday, addressing a group of music industry executives and journalists in a speech at the Billboard Touring Conference.

"There are disco bands, rap bands, Yiddish folk song bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but not Kiss," Simmons said. "I believe we have more gold records in America than any other group, but it's OK."

Kiss qualifies under the rule that a band has to have a track record of at least 25 years to merit a Hall of Fame nomination. Its first album was released in 1974.

The nine acts on a short list for induction in 2009 include Metallica, Run DMC and Jeff Beck. The Hall of Fame even inducted its first rap act last year.

But Kiss, an American rock band known for its pyrotechnics, blood spitting and face paint, has yet to see its name put forward.

The final five chosen will be announced in January.

Simmons's speech was filmed for an episode of his reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels, currently in its third season on the A&E cable channel.

He said Kiss continues to be serious about performing and is planning a North American tour next year.

Simmons took a dig at the economics of the music business, saying touring is now critical to making money.

"Thank God you're the last vestiges of a dying breed, because the record industry is already dead, because we trained the people [that] they don't have to pay for stuff that they used to pay for," he said. "The record industry allowed that and people are shocked they're out of business."

Can't wait? MySpace streams long-delayed Guns N' Roses album

Just days before the long-awaited Guns N' Roses album Chinese Democracy hits stores, the band has released the complete album to social networking site MySpace.

Visitors to the band's MySpace page can listen to the entire album, but will not be able to download the 14 songs. Officially, Chinese Democracy will be released Sunday.

Tracks off the anticipated release, which arrives nearly 15 years after the band's last album, have previously popped up online both in authorized and unauthorized manners.

This summer, a U.S. blogger was charged with violating U.S. copyright laws for posting leaked tracks from Chinese Democracy on his website in June.

In September, the band chose to debut the song Shacklers' Revenge as part of the video game Rock Band 2. Last month, the album's title song made its radio debut.

After rising to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s, hard-rocking band Guns N' Roses appeared to disintegrate as frontman Axl Rose fought with his bandmates. Rose remains the sole member of the original Guns N' Roses lineup.

More early online releases

Giving curious fans an early taste of new albums by streaming songs online has become an increasingly common way recording artists promote their forthcoming releases.

As part of their latest venture as The Firemen, former Beatle Paul McCartney and musician-producer Youth allowed U.S. public broadcaster NPR to stream their upcoming third album Electric Arguments on Tuesday — a week ahead of its Nov. 25 retail release.

MySpace also began streaming the album on Thursday.

Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise!!

LOS ANGELES – Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality. The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

Blink-182 members finally "reconnecting"

NEW YORK (Billboard) – After a messy split in 2005, the members of Blink-182 are back in communication, raising speculation that a reunion may be in the offing for the pop-punk trio.

On his blog (http://www.pickrset.com/markhoppus/), group member Mark Hoppus says the recent death of Blink producer Jerry Finn and drummer Travis Barker's survival of a plane crash brought the threesome back in contact.

"We're just reconnecting as friends after four years of not talking," he says. "It's a good thing. Obviously the first question for a lot of people will be, 'Does this mean a Blink-182 reunion?' The answer is none of us know. We haven't talked about it at all. Right now it's just good for the three of us to see one another, reconnect and let the past be the past."

Since Blink-182's split, Barker and Hoppus formed +44, while Tom DeLonge fronted Angels & Airwaves. The band's last show was December 16, 2004, in Dublin; its career sales are more than 12.7 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

New CD Releases, November 18th: Beyonce, Nickelback, David Cook, Il Divo, Dido and Sammy Hagar.

Beyonce "I Am ... Sasha Fierce" (Columbia)

The R&B/pop superstar bounces back into the spotlight with the release of an ambitious double album. The first disc in the set reportedly will be titled "I am ... ," while the second CD will carry the name "Sasha Fierce."

In a statement, Beyonce said "I Am ..." features songs about who she is underneath all the makeup, the lights and the exciting star drama.

She goes on to say that "Sasha Fierce" represents her alter ego, who is fun, sensual, aggressive, outspoken and glamorous--a side of her that comes out when she is working and on the stage.

"I am ... Sasha Fierce" is Beyonce's third studio album, following 2006's mega-smash "B'Day." The former Destiny's Child star is expected to conduct a lengthy world tour next year in support of the new set.

* * *
Nickelback "Dark Horse" (Roadrunner)

The Canadian rockers are back with their sixth studio album, which follows 2005's "All the Right Reasons." The new set features the single "Gotta Be Somebody."

"Dark Horse" was co-produced by the band and Mutt Lange, the legendary studio wiz who has helped score hits for Def Leppard, AC/DC and many others. The group recorded earlier this year in vocalist/guitarist Chad Kroeger's converted barn studio in Vancouver, British Columbia.

* * *
David Cook "David Cook" (RCA)

One week after the release of the self-titled debut record by his main competitor--2008 "American Idol" runner-up, David Archuleta--"AI" champ David Cook drops his own eponymous debut.

"David Cook" was produced by Grammy-winner Rob Cavallo (Kid Rock, Green Day) and features 13 tracks, nine of which Cook co-wrote with such veteran songwriters as Chris Cornell and Brian Howes. The record's first single, "Light On," was co-written by Cook and Cornell.

* * *
Il Divo "The Promise" (Sony)

The international superstar vocalists return to set the mood with another batch of romantic pop/opera songs. "The Promise" follows 2006's worldwide best-seller "Siempre"

The vocal quartet, formed by "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell and featuring singers Carlos Marin, Urs Buhler, David Miller and Sebastien Izambard, has sold more than 22 million albums since first breaking onto the scene with its 2004 self-titled release.

* * *
Dido "Safe Trip Home" (Arista)

The British vocalist gives fans her third album, and her first since 2003's "Life for Rent." "Safe Trip Home" features collaborations with such stars as Brian Eno, Mick Fleetwood and Citizen Cope.

* * *
More new releases:
Above & Beyond, "Anjunabeats Vol. 6" (Ultra)
Ricardo Arjona, "Quinto Piso" (Warner Bros.)
Belle & Sebastian, "The BBC Sessions" (Matador)
Zac Brown, "The Foundation" (Atlantic)
Miley Cyrus, "Breakout Platinum Edition" (Hollywood)
The Doors, "Live at The Matrix" (Rhino)
Sammy Hagar, "Cosmic Universal Fashion" (Roadrunner)
Randy Houser, "Anything Goes" (Universal)
Ricky Martin, "17" (Epic)
Mudvayne, "The New Game" (Epic)
Laura Pausini, "Primavera Anticipada" (Warner Bros.)
The Priests, "The Priests" (RCA)
Blake Shelton, "Startin' Fires" (Reprise)
Rod Stewart, "The Definitive Rod Stewart" (Rhino)

New CD Releases, November 11th: David Archuleta, Enya, Taylor Swift, Tracy Chapman, Seal and more!

David Archuleta "David Archuleta" (Jive)

The second-place finisher on the seventh season of TV's "American Idol" is set to drop his eponymous debut record. The album's first single/video, "Crush," is already a smash hit.

Although he was the runner-up to David Cook on "American Idol," the 17-year-old vocalist certainly has a sizable fan base in place. During the show's finale, Archuleta reportedly received 44 percent of the 97 million votes cast. His ardent fans, who believe Archuleta "wuz robbed" on "Idol," go by the nicknames "Archies" or "Arch Angels."

* * *
Enya "And Winter Came" (Reprise)

Ireland's biggest selling solo artist, who has moved more than 70 million albums worldwide to date, releases her seventh studio effort. "And Winter Came" follows 2005's "Amarantine," a work that has sold some 6 million copies.

Keeping with the season, the 12 tunes on the new album boast a Christmas/winter theme. Ten of the tracks are original compositions, which are all sung in English. She also adds two traditional numbers, one sung in Latin and one in Gaelic.

* * *
Taylor Swift "Fearless" (Big Machine)

The young Grammy-nominated country singer is now ready to make her sophomore outing. "Fearless" follows the artist's self-titled debut of 2006, which has been certified triple platinum.

The 18-year-old Pennsylvania native has quickly risen to become one of country music's top stars. Her debut album spawned five consecutive Top 10 singles on the Billboard country chart, making her the first female solo artist to accomplish that feat.

The first single from "Fearless" is the tune "Love Story."

* * *
Tracy Chapman "Our Bright Future" (Atlantic)

The contemporary folk-rock star issues her eighth studio album, "Our Bright Future." The 11-song set is Chapman's first release since 2005's "Where You Live, " and the singer is just about to launch a 21-date European tour in support of the new set. It's her first solo tour in more than a decade, so fans on this side of the Atlantic are dearly hoping that she soon announces dates in North America.

* * *
Seal "Soul" (Warner Bros.)

The velvety smooth R&B/pop star returns to action with his seventh studio album. "Soul" is an all-covers project that features Seal singing some of the greatest soul songs of all time. Included in the mix are Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come," Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" and Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long."

* * *
More new releases:
Cheap Trick, "Budokan!" (Sony)
Barbara Cook, "Rainbow Round My Shoulder" (DRG)
David Foster and Friends, "Hit Man" (Warner Bros.)
Patti LuPone, "Patti Lupone at Les Mouches" (Razor & Tie)
Mudcrutch, "Live" (Warner Bros.)
New Order, "Low-Life" (Winedark)
New Order, "Power, Corruption and Lies" (Winedark)
New Order, "Technique" (Winedark)
Luciano Pavarotti, "The Duets" (Decca)
The Smiths, "The Sound of the Smiths: The Very Best of the Smiths" (Rhino)
T-Pain, "Thr33 Ringz" (Jive)
Various Artists, "NOW That's What I Call Music 29" (Universal)
Butch Walker, "Sycamore Meadows" (R.E.D.)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection" (Concord)

Genesis Holding Out Hope For Gabriel Gigs

With a third box set of catalog upgrades looming, a reunion of Genesis' revered 1971-75 lineup is still in the ether -- but hardly in stone.

"We've never said never about it, you know," keyboardist Tony Banks tells Billboard.com. "I know Phil (Collins) would be quite happy with the idea of just playing the drums; it would be quite fun for him. Mike (Rutherford) and I are certainly happy to do it. I know Steve (Hackett) is keen as well. I think it'd be down to Peter (Gabriel) more than anyone else."

Gabriel was actually the first to broach the idea of reuniting that Genesis lineup, initially for a handful of performances of the 1974 concept piece "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway," in 2004. He later pulled back in order to concentrate on a solo album he's still making. It did lead to Banks, Collins and Rutherford reuniting for a tour in 2007, and there are still hopes that the older roster will eventually do something together.

"It would be fun to do something like that purely for the fun of working together again and seeing where it takes you," Rutherford notes. Hackett adds that, "I think we should do this before one of us dies; we're not getting any younger, to quote one of the songs, so maybe one day it'll happen." Banks, meanwhile, says that rather than merely "The Lamb...," he'd like to see the group "do a sort of best-of from that era. You want to do things like 'Supper's Ready,' I think, and 'The Musical Box,' definitely."

All of that music is showcased on "Genesis: 1970-1975," a seven-CD and six-DVD box set that includes upgraded editions of all five albums the group recorded between those years. Each has a DVD of time-appropriate performance footage and new interviews, as well as a set of rare "Extras." It's the third in a series of boxed reissues, saved for last even though they're earlier recordings.

"I think they're the ones there's possibly more anticipation for," Banks says. "These albums have a reputation but they probably didn't sell as many in the first place, so there's a feeling that they have a chance to do something now."

Banks says Genesis is considering some further catalog reissues, including a possible boxed set of the group's several live albums as well as issuing single shows for sale via band's Web site. He's also put together a remastered version of his 1979 solo album "A Curious Feeling" that he plans to release in 2009.

New CD Releases, November 4: Brad Paisley, Harry Connick, Jr., Hinder, Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, more

Brad Paisley "Play" (RCA)

The country star shows off his guitar chops on this axe-oriented affair. "Play" features Paisley in collaboration with some of the industry's top guitar heroes, including Buck Owens and B.B. King. The 16-track offering also features such guest stars as Keith Urban and Steve Wariner.

"Play," a mostly instrumental outing, is Paisley's seventh album. His previous disc was 2007's platinum-selling "5th Gear," which topped the country charts and produced five hit singles.

* * *
Harry Connick Jr. "What a Night! A Christmas Album" (Sony)

The multi-talented star, who has achieved success in various genres of music as well as with film, TV and theater projects, returns with something new for fans to put on their Christmas wish lists.

"What a Night! A Christmas Album" is Connick's third holiday offering, following 1993's "When My Heart Finds Christmas" and 2003's "Harry for the Holidays." The album is a mix of holiday favorites, such as "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Jingle Bells," and new originals.

* * *
Hinder "Take It to the Limit" (Universal)

These rockers--drummer Cody Hanson, singer Austin Winkler, guitarists Joe "Blower" Garvey and Mark King, and bassist Mike Rodden--are set to release their sophomore CD. "Take It to the Limit" follows 2005's "Extreme Behavior," a work that has been certified triple platinum.

Hinder is currently supporting "Take It to the Limit" on the road. The band is headlining the Jagermeister Music Tour, which also includes Rev Theory and Trapt. The jaunt is scheduled to last through a Dec. 20 date in Cleveland.

* * *
Andrea Bocelli "Incanto" (Decca)

The Italian pop/opera star offers up his second CD of the year. "Incanto" follows "Vivere Live in Tuscany," a two-disc effort that featured all of his best-known tunes and guest appearances by Kenny G, Chris Botti and Sarah Brightman, to name a few. This time around, the famed tenor's set consists of 14 classic Italian love songs, including "Because," "Mamma," "Granada," "Funiculi Funicula" and "Un Amore Cosi Grande."

Correspondingly, Bocelli has booked two-night stands in Washington, DC, and San Antonio, TX, for later this month. On Nov. 21-22, he'll make his debut at the Washington National Opera, performing Rossini's "Petite Messe Solennelle" with conductor by Placido Domingo. On Nov. 25-26, he'll perform a concert version of the opera "Cavalleria Rusticana" at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium.

* * *
Sarah Brightman "A Winter Symphony" (Manhattan)

The British soprano star gets in the holiday mood with "A Winter Symphony," a work that features such Christmas-time tunes as "Silent Night" and "I Believe in Father Christmas." The album's title is a reference to Brightman's release "Symphony," which came out earlier this year.

* * *
More new releases:
Deadmau5, "Random Album Title" (Ultra)
Hilary Duff, "Best Of" (Hollywood)
Jeff Dunham, "Don't Come Home for Christmas" (Image)
Gamma Ray, "Hell Yeah!!! The Awesome Foursome: Live in Montreal" (Steamhammer)
OhGr, "Devils in My Details" (SPV)
Randy Owen, "One on One" (Broken Bow)
Axel Rudi Pell, "Tales of the Crown" (Steamhammer)
Q-Tip, "The Renaissance" (Universal)
Lou Reed, "Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse" (Matador)
Shiny Toy Guns, "Season of Poison" (Universal)
Mavis Staples, "Live" (Anti)
Cat Stevens, "Tea for the Tillerman" (A&M)
Cat Stevens, "Teaser and the Firecat" (A&M)
Pastor Hezekiah Walker, "Souled Out" (Verity)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Twilight" (Atlantic)

New CD Releases, October 28: The Cure, John Legend, Pink, Toby Keith, and Snow Patrol

The Cure "4:13 Dream" (Geffen)

The legendary modern-rock troupe is set to release its 13th full-length album. The offering, "4:13 Dream," is The Cure's first collection of new music since 2004's "The Cure."

The band, which consists of iconic vocalist Robert Smith, guitarist Porl Thompson, bassist Simon Gallup and drummer Jason Cooper, has already given fans a healthy taste of the new album. Since May, The Cure has released four singles from "4:13 Dream": "The Only One," "Freakshow," "Sleep When I'm Dead" and "The Perfect Boy."

The group reportedly recorded 33 songs for "4:13 Dream" and originally intended to release it as a double album. As it turned out, the single-disc work due to hit record stores features only 13 tracks, which has led some to speculate that a companion piece to "4:13 Dream" might be in the cards.

* * *
John Legend "Evolver" (Sony)

The Ohio-born R&B star drops the follow-up to 2006's "Once Again." The first single from "Evolver" is the track "Green Light," which hit radio waves in late July.

"Evolver" features guest appearances by OutKast's Andre 3000, hip-hop/soul singer Estelle, pop singer Brandy and rapper Kanye West, who also lends his skills on the production end, along with Will.I.Am and The Neptunes.

Hopefully, all of that will help "Evolver" meet, or exceed, the high expectations set with "Once Again." That earlier offering helped further establish Legend as one of soul's top vocalists; it sold more than 231,000 copies during its first week in stores, entered The Billboard 200 album chart at No. 3, peaked at No. 1 on the R&B Album chart and earned the singer a Grammy award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "Heaven").

Legend will support "Evolver" with a 14-city tour, which kicks off Nov. 19 in Minneapolis and continues through mid-December. The singer's Columbia Records labelmate, Raphael Saadiq, will provide opening support on all dates.

* * *
Pink "Funhouse" (La Face)

The Grammy-winning pop vocalist returns with her fifth studio album, which follows 2006's platinum-certified "I'm Not Dead."

"Funhouse" features the blockbuster single "So What," which was released in August and has already topped the charts in the US and several other countries.

The next single is said to be the track "Sober," which was co-written by Pink and No Doubt's Tony Kanal.

* * *
Toby Keith "That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy" (Show Dog)

The country mega-star, known for such hit singles as "Beer for My Horses" and "As Good as I Once Was," obviously likes to stay busy. His many activities include touring, making movies, playing for US troops and running a record label and a restaurant chain.

Now, Keith makes time to release his 13th studio album, "That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy," which follows the 2007 chart-topper "Big Dog Daddy." The first single from the album is the hit ballad "She Never Cried In Front of Me."

With "That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy," Keith adds a new feather to his cowboy cap: record producer. The effort marks the first time that Keith has produced an entire album himself.

* * *
Snow Patrol "A Hundred Million Suns" (Geffen)

The Grammy-nominated alt-rock troupe from Scotland offers up its fifth studio album. "A Hundred Millions Suns," a follow-up to 2006's "Eyes Open," was recorded with producer Garret "Jacknife" Lee," who recently helmed R.E.M.'s "Accelerate."

* * *
More new releases:
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, "Cardinology" (Lost Highway)
Bloc Party, "Intimacy" (Atlantic)
Celtic Woman, "The Greatest Journey: Essential Collection" (Manhattan)
Cradle of Filth, "Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder" (Roadrunner)
Celine Dion, "My Love--Ultimate Essential Collection" (Sony)
Kaiser Chiefs, "Off With Their Heads" (Motown)
Loreena McKennitt, "A Midwinter Night's Dream" (Universal))
The Partridge Family, "Bulletin Board" (Collector's Choice)
Queen, "The Cosmos Rocks" (Hollywood)
Rascal Flatts, "Greatest Hits Volume 1" (Lyric Street)
Boz Scaggs, "Speak Low" (Decca0
Straight No Chaser, "Holiday Spirits" (Atlantic)
Susan Tedeschi, "Back to the River" (Verve)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Quantum of Solace" (J-Records)
"Wicked: 5th Anniversary Special Edition" (Decca)

Stompin' Tom speaks up for patriotism

HALTON HILLS, Ont. - Country-folk legend Stompin' Tom Connors has established himself as one of Canada's biggest cultural icons, but as he prepares to release his 50th album he says he is still yearning to be embraced by radio.

The 72-year-old musician lashed out at traditional radio in a recent interview that also touched on his ongoing beef with the Junos, his disappointment with a U.S.-dominated music industry and the lack of a strong successor to continue his patriotic musical campaign.

"I've never had a hit song on any hit parade," Connors declares while seated at a table in his kitchen, his eyes shaded by a signature black cowboy hat.

"Out of 50 albums, it's amazing. They tell me I don't fit the format or I'm too Canadian or I'm too country or I'm too this or I'm too that - I'm too something. Whatever it is, I don't fit the format. So I don't understand."

"I'm a man of the land, I go out into the country and I talk to people. ... And I would think that people in the media would kind of catch on and go, 'Hey, this guy knows a little bit about the country, maybe we should play one of his songs or two and maybe somebody might like it out there."'

It was a rare flash of bitterness from the jovial and friendly Connors, who earlier had spent much of the day entertaining record company staff and reporters with "Newfie jokes," a silly dance he had invented and stories about his upcoming album, "The Ballad of Stompin' Tom," in his wood-panelled rec room.

With his son Tom Jr. working the bar and his wife Lena shaking hands, Connors introduced some of his favourite tracks for several dozen people invited to his home in rural Halton Hills, an hour's drive west of Toronto, for a casual listening party.

Chain-smoking and with a bottle of beer in hand, Connors stomped his left boot to keep time as music blasted from a stereo, and at other moments silently mouthed the lyrics. The disc includes a live version of "Take Me Back to Old Alberta" and reworked versions of "The Hockey Song," "My Hockey Mom" and "The Olympic Song."

"Maybe they'll get a little patriotism or something on that last song and . . . play a little bit (on the radio) - who knows," he said of "The Olympic Song," which includes a new verse about the 2010 Winter Games slated for Vancouver.

Although wide commercial appeal has escaped Connors for much of his four-decade career, he has earned a devoted following for straight-ahead country-folk tunes.

Heritage-soaked songs like "Canada Day, Up Canada Way," "Bud the Spud" and "Sudbury Saturday Night" have come to be regarded as veritable national anthems thanks to their unabashed embrace of all things Canadiana. The fact he remains a towering figure in this genre appeared to be another sore point.

"I don't know why I seem to be the only one, or almost the only one, writing about this country," Connors says later in his kitchen, slipping into another rant.

"It just amazes me, I've been going so long I would think that somebody else (would have) picked up the torch a long time ago and started writing tons of songs about this country. This country is the most underwritten country in the world as far as songs are concerned. We starve - the people in this country are starving for songs about their homeland."

In the past, Connors's fervent patriotism has put him at loggerheads with the Canadian music industry.

In 1978 he famously returned six Juno Awards he had amassed in previous years, complaining that some artists were being recognized in categories outside their genre while other winners had done most of their work outside the country. He derided musicians who moved to the United States as "border jumpers."

Connors says his feelings have not changed since then.

"It's worse today, I would say, then it was then. Nothing's changed," he says.

If he were to qualify for a nomination for "The Ballad of Stompin' Tom," he dismissed outright the possibility of a reconciliation with the Juno Awards.

"No," he says decisively. "No, to hell with them. I wouldn't even go there."

From Connors's earliest days, life was a battle.

He was born in Saint John, N.B., on Feb. 9, 1936, to an unwed teenage mother. From the age of three he lived hand-to-mouth, begging on the street with his mom until he was placed in the care of child welfare officials. At age nine he was adopted by a family in Skinners Pond, P.E.I., running away four years later to hitchhike across the country. He picked up a guitar as his constant companion.

Connors sings about those tumultuous years on the new disc's title track, "The Ballad of Stompin' Tom." He says he was inspired after seeing the success of the play of the same name, mounted in Blyth, Ont., two years ago. Based on his two autobiographies, "Before the Fame" and "The Connors Tone," the play has gone on to successful runs in Charlottetown and the Ontario communities of Penetanguishene, Drayton and Gananoque.

Connors says it was difficult for him to put those painful experiences into a song. Even during the listening session, the rugged troubadour appeared choked up as he listened quietly to lyrics such as: "When the long road took us back to Saint John, momma cried / That night the strong arm of the law tore me from her side."

"It's a hard song to write," he said afterwards, his voice faltering slightly.

Connors says he was able to reconnect with his mother as an adult, but by then relations were strained irreparably. He says she died "at a ripe old age."

"When you don't know somebody, even your own mother, it's awful hard to relate," he says.

And although she was proud of his immense musical success, Connors says his mother rejected repeated offers of assistance.

"She was one of these people that if she ever got the idea that you were giving her something she'd pick up the frying pan and throw it at you," he says.

As for the incredible journey his life has taken, Connors refuses to revel in his accomplishments.

"You can't pat yourself on the back," he says. "If you're liked by the people, let them do it. Don't go about saying, 'Hey, I am somebody, I am this, I am that...' No, you'll never get that out of me.

"Whatever I do, in my writing, I do it for others. I do it for my country and I do it for my countrymen and that's the only value that I really have."

"The Ballad of Stompin' Tom" comes out Tuesday.

Dr Pepper flowing as new Guns album arrives

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Guns N' Roses fans thirsting for the band's first album of new material in 17 years will have a sweet, fizzy treat to savor as they listen.

Dr Pepper is making good on a promise to provide every person in America a can of the soft drink if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive in 2008, and has revealed details of the plan.

"We never thought this day would come," Dr Pepper vp marketing Tony Jacobs said Wednesday. "But now that it's here all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Interested fans are being asked to visit www.DrPepper.com on November 23, the day "Chinese Democracy" is released in the U.S. exclusively via Best Buy.

After registering online, fans will receive a coupon redeemable for a 20-ounce Dr Pepper wherever the drink is sold.

The twist: The coupon is available for only 24 hours and will expire on February 28.

Weird Al Reflects On Download Experiment

Weird Al Yankovic has weighed on his first experiment to make available a new song digitally while the song it parodies was still hot on the charts.

"Whatever You Like," a takeoff on T.I.'s hit of the same name, sold 21,000 digital downloads in its first week as an iTunes exclusive, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It sold another 7,600 this week.

"I probably won't be as inclined to announce new singles in advance, though," Yankovic says on his MySpace blog. "I've learned from hard experience that iTunes is not able to guarantee a time -- or, apparently, even a day -- that a song will go live online. So perhaps it's best for me to wait until a new song is actually available, and THEN announce it.

"Also, I'm not sure that I'd agree to give iTunes any kind of an exclusivity window in the future," he continues. "It seems like the amount of publicity I received from them didn't really compensate for the sales I lost by not also having my song available elsewhere."

"Whatever You Like" is now available via all digital retailers.

New CD Releases, October 21st: 'High School Musical,' KISS, Hank Williams III

Various Artists "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" (Disney)

The Disney Channel's Emmy-winning, mega-popular franchise--which already has produced two hit TV films: 2006's "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2: Sing It All or Nothing!"--is now set to make its big-screen debut.

Directed and choreographed by Kenny Ortega, the "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" film is scheduled to open in US theaters on Oct. 24. The film's cast includes young stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale.

Seemingly everything with the "High School Musical" name on it--from concert and ice-skating tours to video games--has been incredibly successful. It will be a shocker if this "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" soundtrack makes its chart debut anywhere other than the top spot.

* * *
KISS "Ikons" (Mercury)

The multimillionaires in make-up release yet another collectible: a four-disc greatest-hits package. What's intriguing about "Ikons," however, is how it is organized: Each disc spotlights the career highlights of a different member from the signature KISS lineup.

Gene Simmons, of course, goes first, and disc one features such Simmons signatures as "God of Thunder" and "Calling Dr. Love." Paul Stanley's showcase comes on disc two, with such tunes as "Detroit Rock City" and "Strutter."

Disc three is dedicated to Ace Frehley's major accomplishments, which include "New York Groove" and "Shock Me." The set concludes with disc four, featuring such Peter Criss cuts as "Hard Luck Woman" and "Beth."

* * *
Hank Williams III "Damn Right, Rebel Proud" (Curb)

The rowdy, alt-country performer--grandson of Hank Williams, Sr. and the son of Hank Williams Jr.--will continue to carry on the family tradition with the release of his fourth studio album.

"Damn Right, Rebel Proud" follows 2006's "Straight to Hell," an ambitious, two-disc affair that (we kid you not) included a "Hidden Track" that clocked in at 42 minutes. Williams is expected to tour in support of "Damn Right, Rebel Proud," though no dates have yet been announced.

* * *
Lee Ann Womack "Call Me Crazy" (MCA)

The two-time Grammy-winning country star returns with her seventh studio album, a follow-up to the 2007 offering "Finding My Way Back Home."

The first single from the Tony Brown-produced album is the track "Last Call." "Call Me Crazy" also features duets with George Strait ("Everything But Quits") and Keith Urban ("The Bees"), as well as a re-make of the Strait classic "The King of Broken Hearts."

* * *
Of Montreal "Skeletal Lamping" (Polyvinyl)

The indie-rock troupe--which actually hails from Georgia, not Montreal--returns with its ninth studio album. The set, which follows 2007's "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?," was produced by Of Montreal singer/songwriter Kevin Barnes.

* * *
More new releases:
Brett Dennen, "Hope for the Hopeless" (Dualtone)
The Doors, "Perception" (Rhino)
Electric Six, "Flashy" (Epitaph)
Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, "Evening Star" (DGM)
Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, "No Pussyfooting" (DGM)
Escape the Fate, "This War is Ours" (Epitaph)
Sara Groves, "O Holy Night" (Dedicated)
Jimmy Herring, "Lifeboat" (Abstract Logix)
Jazzanova, "Of All the Things" (Verve)
Waylon Jennings, "Waylon Forever" (Vagrant)
Labelle, "Back to Now" (Verve)
Craig Morgan, "That's Why" (UBEU)
The Nields, "Rock All Day Rock All Night" (Nields)
OhGr, "Devils in My Details" (SPV)

New Musical Based on Oscar-Winning Film "Once" Aiming for Broadway Bow in 2010-2011

"Once," the intimate Academy Award-winning film about a struggling Irish street musician, will be adapted into a Broadway musical. Producers are aiming for a bow during the 2010-2011 season.

Tony-winning producers John N. Hart, Jr., Jeff Sine and Fred Zollo, who have collectively presented Spring Awakening; Caroline, Or Change; and The Who's Tommy to Broadway audiences, have acquired live theatrical rights to the film that was penned and directed by John Carney.

"In a landscape where the American musical must evolve, Once provides a wonderful, unique opportunity," said producer John Hart in a statement. "Those of us who fell in love with it and its score at the movie theater came out singing, and will do so again when it finds its way to the stage."

"The film was shot modestly, on a shoe-string budget and managed to capture the hearts of fans around the world, wildly exceeding all critical and box office expectations. It did so, because it invited its audience into the process of artists making music and did not stoop to melodrama," added producer Fred Zollo.

The stage production will incorporate songs from the film, which were penned and performed by The Frames band member Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. The duo won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original song for "Falling Slowly."

The film follows a down-and-out Dublin street performer who encounters a young Czech immigrant flower seller, who is taken with his music. Named only "Guy" and "Girl," the duo begin a music-fueled relationship where they spend a week writing and performing music together. The tale culminates in a nightlong recording session for a demo which they hope will land them a music contract in London. While only one of them ever makes it to London, the impact of their relationship leaves them both changed.

Representative for the production state that a creative team for Once will be announced shortly.

The independent Irish film was made for under $150,000, was shot in 17 days, and went on to gross over $10,000,000, becoming a critically acclaimed international smash. Songwriters Hansard and Irglová continue a worldwide tour performing songs from the Grammy-nominated soundtrack.

MURMUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION OUT IN NOVEMBER

On November 25, 2008, the two-CD 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Murmur will be released on Universal. The two-CD set features R.E.M.'s debut album, remastered, plus an additional disc with a previously unreleased concert recorded at Larry’s Hideaway in Toronto, three months after Murmur’s April 1983 release.

The 16-song live performance boasts nine of Murmur’s 12 songs, including “Radio Free Europe," three songs from the Chronic Town EP, early renditions of "7 Chinese Bros." and "Harborcoat," as well as “Just A Touch,” eventually a track included on R.E.M.’s fourth album, 1986’s Lifes Rich Pageant. The live set also features a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “There She Goes Again,” which R.E.M. recorded in the studio for the b-side of “Radio Free Europe.”

Exclusive essays by producers Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, as well as former I.R.S. executives Jay Boberg, Sig Sigworth, Carlos Grasso round out the deluxe edition.

Stay tuned for more details and information on how you can pre-order Murmur--The Deluxe Edition. In the meantime, go to Pitchfork for their coverage, and have a look at the tracklisting below:

Murmur (Deluxe Edition):

Disc 1:

01 Radio Free Europe
02 Pilgrimage
03 Laughing
04 Talk About the Passion
05 Moral Kiosk
06 Perfect Circle
07 Catapult
08 Sitting Still
09 9-9
10 Shaking Through
11 We Walk
12 West of the Fields

Disc 2 (Live at Larry's Hideaway):

01 Laughing
02 Pilgrimage
03 There She Goes Again
04 7 Chinese Bros.
05 Talk About the Passion
06 Sitting Still
07 Harborcoat
08 Catapult
09 Gardening at Night
10 9-9
11 Just a Touch
12 West of the Fields
13 Radio Free Europe
14 We Walk
15 1,000,000
16 Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)

"Max Payne" has box-office crown in its sights

ORLANDO (Hollywood Reporter) – The movie theater operators who attended the ShowEast conference here had to rush back to change their marquees Friday as another batch of new titles hit multiplexes.

Among the newcomers is 20th Century Fox's "Max Payne," an adaptation of the action-packed videogame that stars Mark Wahlberg in the titular avenging-cop role and has the young-male demographic in its sights. How high into the teen millions it will open depends on how many young men bring dates to the theater Saturday, with its Friday debut likely to be substantial regardless.

But the movie certainly won't have the market to itself, and the studio even has a second wide-release debutante of its own in Fox Searchlight drama "The Secret Life of Bees."

"Bees" -- which stars Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning in a drama based on the novel of the same name -- couldn't target a more distinct audience from "Payne." It aims to reach older women and, to a lesser extent, younger females. Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and Paul Bettany fill out the ensemble cast, but reviews could prove key to "Bees" being anywhere near a breakout hit during the crowded weekend.

Elsewhere among the debutantes, Lionsgate unspools Oliver Stone's George W. Bush biopic "W." amid decent early response from critics lauding a relatively even-handed treatment of the subject matter by the film's controversial helmer.

A top-three finish seems likely given broad audience anticipation for the release just weeks before the presidential election.

Summit Entertainment's R-rated comedy "Sex Drive" goes after much the same demographic group as does "Payne." Light prerelease interest, according to tracking surveys, indicates that "Sex" will fetch a weekend gross somewhere in the single-digit millions.

Meanwhile, the four wide openers will increase a recent glut of films crowding multiplexes for a piece of the box-office action in a season hardly known for robust grosses. Yet if one or more of the new releases click, that could put another notch in the win column for the industry, much like the year-over-year uptick posted during the previous weekend despite some misfires among the frame's wide releases.

Seasonal grosses are tracking about 8 percent ahead of the same portion of fall 2007. That's mostly thanks to easy comparisons with limp year-ago weekends -- as well as some good box-office bite from Disney's family comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua."

"Chihuahua" could approach double-digit millions during its third session to grab one of the frame's top rankings after finishing No. 1 in its first two weekends.

Eminem Ready for Relapse

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Eminem's done the rehab. Now it's time for the Relapse.

During an interview last night on his Sirius Satellite Radio channel, Shade 45, Eminem announced his forthcoming sixth album would be titled Relapse and include the track "I'm Having a Relapse."

While the rap superstar stopped short of announcing a release date, he has previously indicated it will drop by year's end, likely before pal 50 Cent's Before I Self Destruct on Dec. 9.

The Shade 45 interview, hosted by DJ Kayslay and Angela Yee, was part of an on-air party for Eminem's new book, The Way I Am, which goes on sale next Tuesday.

The new album, whose working titles reportedly included King Mathers and Em-Pact, is rumored to include collaborations with 50 Cent, DMX, Obie Trice and Cashis, among others. In a recent interview, current chart-topper T.I. said he also recorded a track with Em that included both artists' alter egos, T.I.'s dark side, T.I.P., and Em's Slim Shady.

Eminem's last studio album, Encore, came out four years ago, followed by the compilation Curtain Call: The Hits in 2005. Curtain Call, originally titled The Funeral, per early rumors, marked the start of Eminem's supposed retirement as a recording artist. But whispers of a comeback began just months later, when Eminem collaborated with Akon on the 2006 Grammy-nominated hit "Smack That."

Said Akon at the time, "Eminem told me he was getting bored with everything, which is why he took a break. But he's back working on an album."

Later that year, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, appeared on the Shady Records compilation Eminem Presents the Re-Up. Then in September 2007, Eminem told NYC radio station Hot 97 that he was in fact working on new material, though he wasn't sure if he'd release it. During a Shade 45 interview this past September, the 35-year-old Oscar and Grammy winner finally confirmed a new album was in the works.

With album sales declining faster than the Dow Jones, retailers can take heart that the holiday season could see new albums by cohorts Eminem, 50 Cent and Dr. Dre. Earlier this week, Tony Yayo even upped the ante by telling MTV News that he's hoping for some kind of combo tour with G-Unit to follow.

Neal Hefti, composer of 'Batman' theme, dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Neal Hefti, a Big Band trumpeter, arranger and composer of themes for the movie The Odd Couple and the Batman television series, has died. He was 85.

Hefti died unexpectedly Saturday at his home, said his son Paul Hefti. He said his father was in good health and may have suffered a heart attack or stroke.

Neal Hefti's notable achievements include the iconic theme of the 1960s superhero series Batman, which became a Top 40 hit and won a Grammy Award in 1966 for best instrumental theme. He also composed music for The Odd Couple,Barefoot in the Park and Harlow, which featured his classic track Girl Talk.

His son said the Batman theme was Neal Hefti's most difficult piece, taking him at least one month to compose the driving bass and explosive trumpet bursts.

"He threw away more music paper on this thing than any other song," Paul Hefti told The Associated Press. "It got down to the blues with a funny guitar hook, the lowest common denominator and a fun groove."

As a working composer, Hefti's inspiration was "the job offer and the deadline," said Paul Hefti. "He didn't write songs in between jobs and when he retired he never wrote another song."

"He was one of the really great arrangers and composers of all time," radio and television personality Gary Owens, a longtime friend, told the Los Angeles Times.

Neal Hefti was born Oct. 29, 1922, in Hastings, Neb., and played trumpet with local bands as a teenager to earn money.

As an adult, he worked with and arranged music for the greats of the Big Band era, including Count Basie, Woody Herman, Charlie Spivak and Harry James.

His son described a humble beginning to Neal Hefti's career. In 1941, a traveling band that had lost some members to the war effort invited him to tour with them on the East Coast but replaced him afterward, Paul Hefti said.

"He was way over his head," Paul Hefti said. After leaving the band, "he was alone in New York with his trumpet and his case, but there was so much work there those days."

Tim McGraw upset by label's decision

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tim McGraw says his record label, Curb Records, released a greatest hits package of his songs against his wishes and without his involvement.

McGraw, 41, said in a statement Tuesday that he's been working on a new studio album for more than a year, playing some of the new songs on tour and wanted to release the CD this fall.

But instead, he said, Curb Records released the greatest hits collection — his third overall and second since just 2006 — last week to extend his recording contract term.

"I'm saddened and disappointed that my label chose to put out another hits album instead of new music," McGraw said. "I've only had one studio album since my last hits package. It has to be just as confusing to the fans as it is to me."

The singer said he had no involvement in the creation or presentation of the record, "Greatest Hits 3."

The 12-track disc includes McGraw hits going back to 1995 up to his current single, "Let It Go." It also includes two tracks not previously released on any of McGraw's albums: "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" with Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney, and "Nine Lives" with the rock group Def Leppard.

"Sure I love the songs and I don't want to take anything away from all the creative people who were part of making those records. But the whole concept is an embarrassment to me as an artist.

"In the spirit of the election year, I would simply say to my fans 'I'm Tim McGraw and I don't approve their message,'" he said.

Curb Records Executive Vice President and General Manager Dennis Hannon said in a statement that he had several conversations with McGraw's representatives about all aspects of "Greatest Hits 3." He also said the CD is projected to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Country chart this week, though he expressed concern that it was released "right at the peak of the collapse of the economic and finance markets."

"We are going to work hard to try to take the current single 'Let It Go' to number one in hopes that the economic climate is improving and that sales will also improve."

Nielsen SoundScan releases the previous week's sales figures on Wednesdays. Billboard uses the figures to calculate its country albums chart.

McGraw has been with Curb, an independent label, since his 1993 debut. Other artists on the roster include LeAnn Rimes, Jo Dee Messina and Rodney Atkins.

McGraw had a similar dispute with Curb Records in 2000 when he wanted release an album of new material, but the label instead put out his first greatest hits package in time for the holiday season.

New CD Releases, October 14: Kenny Chesney, Lucinda Williams, Ray LaMontagne

Kenny Chesney "Lucky Old Sun" (BNA)

The country superstar is set to issue a follow-up to last year's platinum-plus-selling "Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates." The first single from "Lucky Old Sun" is "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven," which was released in August and became Chesney's 38th Top 40 country hit.

Also of note, "Lucky Old Sun" includes the track "I'm Alive," which is collaboration with rock-star Dave Matthews.

Thanks to such smash hits as "How Forever Feels" and "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," Chesney has become one of the most highly decorated performers in country music history. He has been named "Entertainer of the Year" by both the ACM and CMA on multiple occasions.

* * *
Lucinda Williams "Little Honey" (Lost Highway)

Having released the Grammy-nominated "West" just last year, the acclaimed alt-country singer/songwriter quickly returns with a follow-up, "Little Honey."
The 13-track set features numerous guest stars, including Elvis Costello, Matthew Sweet, Susanna Hoffs, Jim Lauderdale and Charlie Louvin. "Little Honey" also includes Williams' version of AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)," which she has already added to her concert repertoire.

Williams is currently supporting "Little Honey" on the road. The tour is scheduled to last through mid-November, ending with a two-night stand, Nov. 16-17, at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore.

* * *
Ray LaMontagne "Gossip in the Grain" (RCA)

The pop vocalist gets back to business with his third studio release, "Gossip in the Grain." LaMontagne recorded "Gossip in the Grain" in England with producer Ethan Johns.

After recording his previous two albums--2004's "Trouble" and 2006's "Till the Sun Turns Black"--as mostly solo endeavors (with Johns serving as a contributing instrumentalist), Lamontagne enlisted the help of a couple of his touring-band members while recording the new record: bassist Jennifer Condos and guitarist Eric Heywood.

LaMontagne is showcasing "Gossip in the Grains" during his current North American tour, which is scheduled to stretch through a Nov. 9 show in Seattle.

* * *
Keane "Perfect Symmetry" (Interscope)

Already mega-stars in their native UK, Keane hopes to create a similar sensation in the US with the release of its third studio album, "Perfect Symmetry." The record follows 2004's "Hopes and Fears" and 2006's "Under the Iron Sea," both of which hit the No. 1 spot on the charts in the UK.

* * *
Elvis Presley "Christmas Duets" (Sony)

The King of Rock and Roll has some posthumous company on this holiday offering. The album features some of today's most-popular female stars, including Gretchen Wilson, Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride, adding their voices to Presley's treasured Christmas classics. Some might dub the package as morbid, but it's easy to see "Christmas Duets" becoming a popular gift idea come the holiday season.

* * *
More new releases:
Kristin Chenoweth, "A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas" (Sony)
Copeland, "You Are My Sunshine" (Tooth and Nail)
Billy Currington, "Little Bit of Everything" (Jazz Alliance)
Al Jarreau, "Christmas" (Rhino)
Gojira, "The Way of All Flesh" (Prosthetic)
Yo-Yo Ma, "Songs of Joy & Peace Deluxe Version" (Sony)
Yngwie Malmsteen, "Perpetual Flame" (Rising Force)
Mary Mary, "The Sound" (Sony)
Dave Mason, "26 Letters 12 Notes" (MRI)
Ingrid Michaelson, "Be OK" (Cabin 24)
New Kids on the Block, "Merry, Merry Christmas" (Sony)
Todd Snider, "Peace Queer" (MRI)
J.D. Souther, "If the World Was You" (MRI)
Various Artists, "Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins" (Wildflower)

Fall Out Boy Album Moved Back Six Weeks

Fall Out Boy's new Island album, "Folie a Deux," has shifted from its original Nov. 4 release date to Dec. 16. A post on the band's Web site cited concerns over the planned election day tie-in as one of the reasons for the shift.

"Six months ago we thought it would be a fun idea to release our album on election day but this is not the election to be cute," the band says. "We felt as though rather than making a commentary we were only riding the wave of the election. This seemed less and less like what we intended to do and more of a gimmick."

Later today, Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz said Dec. 16 "is not the date we had originally planned nor the optimal date according some demographic marketing analysis, [but] we put our eight feet down told our label it must come out this year. We're already bummed enough that 'Chinese Democracy' is gonna beat us to release."

An Island spokesperson was unavailable for comment at deadline.

To offset the delay, Fall Out Boy promises "a surprise or two" (one of which has been identified as an Elvis Costello guest appearance) as well as "an extensive preorder campaign that will take into account the current state of our economy" and both new songs and a podcast series via iTunes.

The first single from the album, "I Don't Care," has sold 167,000 downloads in four weeks of U.S. release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

As another olive branch to expectant fans, Fall Out Boy will play "extremely small club shows" in the U.S. in November, with tickets only being available on the day of. Details have yet to be announced.

"Folie a Deux" is the follow-up to 2007's "Infinity on High," which has sold 1.3 million copies.

Neil Young preps "new" live set, delays "Archives"

NEW YORK (Billboard) - There's good news and bad news for long-suffering Neil Young fans.

The good: highlights from a sought-after November 9-10, 1968, run from the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Mich., will be released as "Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968" November 25 via Reprise Records.

The bad: Young's endlessly delayed "Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972)" is officially pushed back to some point in 2009. Young has waffled about whether the project will only be available on Blu-ray and DVD or whether there will be CDs sold; the latest word from Reprise is that "Archives" will be DVD only.

"Sugar Mountain," which will not be included in "Archives Vol. 1," was taped a few days shy of Young's 23rd birthday. Young had split from Buffalo Springfield six months earlier, and was testing out his solo material in front of audiences more accustomed to seeing him perform with a band.

The album features future young staples such as "Mr. Soul," "Expecting To Fly," the title track and "Broken Arrow," along with several snippets of between-song banter where Young discusses the menial jobs he held in Toronto.

Green Day working with Nirvana producer

Green Day are working on new material with former Nirvana producer and Garbage drummer Butch Vig, according to Vig's bandmate Shirley Manson.

Manson confirmed that Vig was working with the band in an interview on 'MTV's Last Call With Carson Daly'.

Asked whether Garbage were going to record any new material, Manson said: "I don't know, to be honest. We're sort of doing our different things. Butch is producing Green Day, so he's busy, so we'll see."

No more details about the sessions have yet emerged.

Green Day reappeared under the name Foxboro Hot Tubs last year. Their last album under their usual moniker was 2004's 'American Idiot'.

Guns N' Roses to release new album next month

NEW YORK (Billboard) - More than a decade after its conception, Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" will finally see the light of day before year's end, sources close to the situation told Billboard.

The set will be a Best Buy exclusive and will be available Sunday, November 23, rather than the usual Tuesday.

In the run-up to release date, album track "Shackler's Revenge" will debut in the video game "Rock Band 2," while a portion of "If the World" is playing over the end credits in the new Leonardo DiCaprio/Russell Crowe film "Body of Lies."

In addition, GNR's seminal 1987 full-length debut, "Appetite for Destruction," will be reissued on vinyl on October 28 via Interscope.

The band's last new studio albums were the simultaneously released "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" in September 1991. A covers set, "The Spaghetti Incident?," followed in 1993, and featured some of the last GNR recordings from original guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan.

This spring, soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008. A Dr Pepper spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Sarah McLachlan open in 'Closer'

It's been a rocky year for Sarah McLachlan.

In a recent Billboard interview supporting her new compilation Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan, which comes out today, the singer revealed that she and her husband of 11 years (and longtime drummer) Ashwin Sood split up.

Refusing to get into details, she termed the situation as "pretty gross."

So when asked how she would describe 2008 so far, McLachlan briefly hesitates.

"Lumpy," she says. "But you know with wonderful moments. It's been a really great year too."

And while putting a proverbial glass-half-full outlook on her current life, the two new songs included on Closer seem to somewhat delve into that pain and upheaval, especially the single U Want Me 2.

"When I'm feeling highly emotional I tend to think about things a lot," she says. "When I'm happy I don't tend to analyze it because you'll find fault pretty quickly. At the same time, most of my songs I've written about after the fact as opposed to being in them (in the moment). I've always felt I needed a little bit of objectivity before I could see things clearly.

"With the two recent songs, I sort of bucked that trend and have gone into how I feel and I'm going to write about it right now. Sometimes I feel like I need some space from things. Other times I haven't even known these things existed and something else triggers it. I absolutely write from personal experience but also with every song there's other people's experiences put in there."

After releasing a special deluxe edition of her 1993 album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy earlier this year, McLachlan set about deciding what songs would end up on Closer. But it wasn't as easy as one might suspect.

"There are the obvious choices and favourites, but unfortunately I got halfway through my list and I looked down and I had 35 songs," she says.

'MAKE IT A DOUBLE CD'

"So I had to whittle them down. I said to my manager, 'Please let it be a double CD.' They said no they weren't going to do that so that's why there's a deluxe version."

Although McLachlan, 40, wrote two new songs and finished a third for Closer, she's yet to begin work on a new and proper studio album, the followup to 2003's Afterglow. She hopes to "buckle down and get to it" sometime in January with a release date nowhere close to being nailed down.

"Not at the pace I work," she says when asked if it will be out next year. "I have two small children and it's a luxury that I'm thankful for every day.

"I can go, 'You know I'm going to take two years to put this out.' And in that time I'm going to work at a pace that makes sense for me -- that I can still be the mother that I want to be. It's wonderful to be able to make that choice, to feel okay and be financially stable."

McLachlan is only doing a few promotional appearances in support of Closer the rest of the year. She's also performing with sitar master Ravi Shankar at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall Oct. 18 as part of a special benefit concert for Youth Empowerment Canada.

Just don't expect a world tour in support of the next studio album.

"Not the way I used to tour, not with two children," she says. "My eldest is in Grade 1 now and she really enjoys her routine and structure. It's really a challenge to take her out of that and make her happy. My number one priority is the kids. If they're happy I'm happy.

"I'm out the door at 8 a.m. taking the kids to school and picking her up at 2:30 and I have a little bit of time with her before she has to get into her homework and her piano practise. Then I make dinner and put her to bed, go to bed and pass out at nine o'clock."

While 2008 has had its turmoil, McLachlan is spending these days literally building from the ground up.

"I'm in the process of building a house so I've got lots of decisions in planning and doing all the interior design for that," she says. "It's daunting. I spent 12 hours looking at stone slabs in Seattle yesterday which my head is still spinning from."

Bob Dylan's leftovers make a fine meal on new CD 'Tell Tale Signs'

There had never been anything quite like Bob Dylan in the 1960s, and there's nothing quite like him today.

Once he burned with revolutionary fervour, songs spilling out of a man in a hurry. Now, at age 67, he's a walking history book of the United States, keeping alive stories and musical styles that might otherwise be forgotten. His work has grace and majesty, and the breadth of his late-career resurgence is better illustrated in this collection than on any of his individual albums.

"Tell Tale Signs" is a two-disc set spanning the years 1989 to 2006, part of the ongoing official "bootleg" series of alternate takes, unreleased tracks, random live recordings and overlooked soundtrack material.

Songs are never quite done with Dylan. They're living organisms, subject to rewriting and recasting. The "Time Out of Mind" rocker "Mississippi" is here in two versions, each dramatically different than the one eventually released - a solo acoustic take and one where the band sounds adrift on a Southern summer afternoon.

Some of the alternate takes sound better than the versions already known, like "Most of the Time," freed from the shackles of a confining producer. Some don't - the rockabilly version doesn't dignify "Dignity." All are fascinating peeks at creativity in progress.

Lyrics often change and for the unreleased songs, sometime appear in later material. They leave you wishing that this well-conceived package included a lyric sheet.

Dylan also leaves you shaking your head at songs somehow left on the cutting room floor, like the gorgeous "Red River Shore" or the adventurous "Dreamin' of You."

The set closes with the stately beauty of "'Cross the Green Mountain," a mostly-forgotten song written for the soundtrack of a Civil War movie. It sends shivers, both for the music and precisely written lyrics true to the times. The song is reminiscent of "Every Grain of Sand," another Dylan hymn tucked away, barely noticed, in his vast catalogue.

For Bob Dylan, these are outtakes. Most musicians would call them their greatest hits.

Check out this track: A live version of "Ring Them Bells" is an example - and there are many - of a Dylan song that improves from the recorded version after time spent with them on the road.

Is Oasis about to 'Dig Out' another breakthrough?

A dozen years ago, a Rolling Stone cover trumpeted "Oasis have conquered America, and they won't shut up about it."

The British band has lost some U.S. ground since 1995's (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, but they're still mouthing off.

That breakthrough album sold 3.9 million copies, seven times the combined U.S. sales of the group's last three studio albums. The dip is surprising because Oasis is the best rock band on the planet, its singer says.

"I don't say that for the sake of saying it," Liam Gallagher says. "There are other good bands. They're not as good as Oasis."

If seventh effort Dig Out Your Soul, released today, doesn't light up the charts, Oasis will compensate with receipts from a U.S. tour starting Dec. 3 in Oakland.

"It's funny that it seems Oasis is under the radar in the U.S., since they're one of the very few British rock bands able to fill arenas here," says Spin editor Doug Brod. "Oasis will never sell millions of records like they once did, but then very few artists will."

Slumping CD sales inspire artists to test unconventional distribution, yet Oasis, proudly old-school in its artistic approach, is leery. The band did stream Dig on its MySpace page last week, and Liam says he'd consider marketing innovations "as long as it's not selling out, and we don't look like a bunch of desperados."

But the notion of giving away music "doesn't sit right with me," he says, branding Radiohead's tip-jar sale of its In Rainbows download a publicity stunt. "This is my living. It costs me to make it, and it's going to cost you to buy it. If they won't buy it, I don't want them as our fans."

His guitarist brother, Noel, isn't distressed by piracy losses, which he figures siphon 25% off industry profits.

"That's what was spent on Champagne and limos," he says. "It's good when record companies panic. They need to streamline. Just like these big banks going under, and those Wall Street idiots driving Ferraris. What about people who had a hurricane rip apart their community? That's real pressure, my friend."

He prefers to leave business decisions to his manager.

"If he told me to sign with Timbuktu, I'd do it," says Noel, recalling recent business meetings "so mind-numbingly boring that you'd want to kill yourself. I look after choruses. That's my job."

A month ago, Oasis began whipping up excitement with single The Shock of the Lightning and a string of Canadian dates. And suddenly, a different bolt.

"I remember singing the chorus of Morning Glory and then I was in a heap on the floor," says Noel, who'd been assaulted onstage during a Sept. 7 concert in Toronto. "I can't remember seeing the guy. I had a bad pain on the left side of my chest. I couldn't stand up. I thought I'd been stabbed."

Initially treated locally for severely bruised ribs, Noel was diagnosed in London with broken ribs. The tour was halted, and it resumes tonight in Liverpool.

"I'm a bit down in the dumps and pretty spaced out on painkillers," he says. "Two ribs broke at the spine, so it's almost like a broken back. They can't manipulate them into place until they've healed. Another four weeks. It's taken the wind out of my sails."

The attack "freaked me out," says Liam, who attempted to tackle the assailant. He's less sympathetic now. "It could have been a lot worse. He'll live. It's mostly in his head now."

The Gallagher brothers' onstage harmony and offstage bickering have filled England's music press since Definitely Maybe arrived in 1994.

"Liam still takes the rivalry thing a bit seriously," says Noel, 41. "It's real with him. I do tend to annoy him a great deal. I don't mind that. When we get off tour, the last thing I want is to have dinner with Liam, after having dinner with him 365 nights. I've got another life outside Oasis. We're not 21 anymore. We're not The Monkees."

They're in rare accord on this.

"We haven't got a relationship, only musically," says Liam, 36. "I think he's a great musician. He thinks I'm a great singer. Do people want us to hold hands and walk in the park and have little coffees?"

The pair also share a high regard for their seventh studio album, which is earning critical raves, including "the most begrudging positive review I've seen in my life, from a magazine (The Observer) that notoriously despises Oasis," Noel points out.

Though U.S. sales have eroded, the band has maintained a solid reputation for Beatlesque guitar pop and Who-sized hooks and defiance, newly cemented by Dig's melodicism and dense psychedelia.

Oasis "may not have the current artistic cred of, say, Radiohead, but you can't underestimate their appeal as a classic-rock act," Brod says. "Their first two albums are masterpieces and they've recorded songs, such as Live Forever and Wonderwall, that are now part of the rock canon. What shocked me the last time I saw them — headlining Madison Square Garden a couple of years ago — was that the crowd was full of college students who were (kids) during the band's heyday."

An atheist, Noel is at a loss to explain Dig's multiple religious references.

"I don't believe any of the stories in the Bible, but I do like the imagery," he says. "I wish there were people with wings living in the clouds. But I don't see the hand of God anywhere."

Noel, who wrote six of Dig's 11 songs and is sitting on another 30 demos and finished tracks, says he's eager to release a solo album, provided Liam and guitarists Gem Archer and Andy Bell also pursue outside projects. (The band's fifth member, drummer Chris Sharrock, replaced Zak Starkey in May.)

"The others would have to agree, and that's not going to happen," he says. "They cry, you see."

Liam counters: "Let him do one. He's a big boy. It's not in my blood. I want to be in a band. I don't aspire to be a Robbie Williams."

Nor does he compete with Noel's songwriting output. "I write if nothing's on TV," says Liam, who contributed I'm Outta Time, Ain't Got Nothin' and Soldier On to Dig. "I get my kicks singing."

Besides, free time has grown scarce in both households now that parental duties encroach on their rock 'n' roll lifestyles. Liam rises at 6 a.m. for a run before taking his kids to school.

"There are other things in my life besides Oasis, like that big pile of ironing," he says. "But once I'm on that stage, let's go, man. Let's ram that music down people's throats. I haven't changed a bit."

Being a dad "has changed my life outside of the band profoundly," Noel says. "It hasn't changed my work in any way. But when I'm bored in a hotel, I get my videophone out and look at my children and wish I was playing cops and robbers with them.

"I used to listen to music all day every day in my formative years. That time goes out the window. Show me someone who listens to Pink Floyd, I'll show you someone who doesn't have kids."

Though hardly homebody teetotalers, the Gallaghers have calmed down since their feral '90s, when Noel wrote the band's early albums under the influence of cocaine.

"Our lives were very boring," Liam says. "Obviously, if you take drugs to make music, you're an idiot."

These days, the two make more headlines spewing toxins than ingesting them. Noel in particular infamously blasts peers, most recently James Blunt, Mark Ronson, Keane, Bloc Party and Kaiser Chiefs, whom he dubbed "fat idiots."

"I've said worse and lived to tell the tale," he says.

He has been especially vocal lately about troubled Rehab singer Amy Winehouse.

"She's probably dying as we speak," he says. "That girl is a mess, and the people around her are vampires. Solo artists are easy prey. When we were at the height of our drug problem, we had each other to say 'It's gone too far.' She has no one."

Before anyone can accuse him of sympathy, he cracks, "I was never a fan, to be honest."

New CD Releases, Oct. 7: Oasis, Bob Dylan, The Pretenders and More

Oasis "Dig Out Your Soul" (Reprise)

The British rockers are set to unveil their seventh studio album, which follows 2005's "Don't Believe the Truth." The first single from "Dig Out Your Soul" is the track "The Shock of the Lighting."

Oasis will support "Dig Out Your Soul" during a North American tour. The 11-date trek, which features support from Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, kicks off Dec. 3 in Oakland, CA.

* * *
Bob Dylan "Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8" (Sony)

The eighth installment of Dylan's ongoing Bootleg Series will feature previously unreleased studio recordings and alternate versions spanning the 17-year period from 1989 to 2006.

Previously unreleased songs on "Tell Tale Signs" include "Red River Shore," "Dreamin' of You" and "Marchin' to the City" from the "Time Out of Mind" sessions. The disc also includes "I Can't Escape From You," "Duncan & Brady," "Miss the Mississippi" and Dylan's first release of a Robert Johnson song, "32-20 Blues."

The set will be available as a standard two-disc version, as well as a deluxe, three-CD package, which includes a bonus disc containing 12 additional songs and a hardcover book of artwork from Dylan singles spanning his entire career.

As usual, Dylan will be making the rounds at concert venues this fall. The latest installment of his so-called "Never Ending Tour" is set to begin Oct. 23 in Victoria, British Columbia.

* * *
The Pretenders "Break Up the Concrete" (Shangri-La)

Vocalist Chrissie Hynde and crew return with The Pretenders' ninth studio album. The band's previous outing came with 2002's "Loose Screw."

The group, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, has seen lineup changes over the years. Present and accounted for on "Break Up the Concrete" are guitarists James Walbourne and Eric Heywood, bassist Nick Wilkinson and drummer Jim Keltner.

* * *
Sarah McLachlan "Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan" (Arista)

The pop singer, who became a huge star as the organizer of the Lilith Fair festivals in the '90s, is ready to drop a greatest-hits set. "Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan" features 14 tracks from the vocalist's catalog, as well as two new songs: "Don't Give Up on Us" and "U Want Me 2." The latter was released as a single last month and it managed to break into the Top 20 on Billboard's Triple-A chart.

* * *
Tim McGraw "Greatest Hits Vol. 3" (Curb)

The third installment in the cowboy crooner's best-of series features studio versions of such fan favorites as "Back When," "Do You Want Fries With That," "Angry All the Time" and "Let It Go." It also includes live versions of the songs "Real Good Man" and "If You're Reading This."

* * *
More new releases:
Antony and the Johnsons, "Another World" (Secretly Canadian)
Casting Crowns, "Peace on Earth" (Reunion)
The Clash, "Live at Shea Stadium" (Sony)
Genesis, "Genesis 1970-1975" (EMD)
Jolie Holland, "Living and the Dead" (Anti)
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, "Not Animal" (Epic)
Jon McLaughlin, "OK Now" (Island)
Gary Moore, "Bad for You Baby" (Eagle)
Rise Against, "Appeal to Reason" (Island)
Marco Antonio Solis, "No Molestar" (Fonovisa)
Tesla, "Forever More" (Tesla Electric Co.)
Armin van Buuren, "A State of Trance 2008" (Ultra)
Various Artists, "WOW Hits 2009" (World Entertainment)
Rachael Yamagata, "Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart" (Warner Bros.)

Coldplay Preps EP With Jay-Z Guest Spot

Coldplay will in November release an eight-song EP, "Prospekt's March," which will include a new version of the song "Lost" featuring rapper Jay-Z. Six of the eight tracks on the EP are new studio recordings, including "Glass of Water," which the band has been performing live of late.

The track list is rounded out by the Jay-Z version of "Lost" and the Osaka Sun remix of "Lovers in Japan."

Coldplay will begin a North American tour Oct. 20 in Ottawa, Ontario, in support of its latest Capitol album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends." The set is the second-highest selling U.S. release of 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan, at 1.77 million copies.

Here is the track list for "Prospekt's March":

"Life In Technicolour II"
"Postcards From Far Away"
"Glass Of Water"
"Rainy Day"
"Prospekt's March / Poppyfields"
"Lost +"
"Lovers in Japan" (Osaka Sun remix)
"Now My Feet Won't Touch The Ground"

Roy Orbison 4-CD set traces his career

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Twenty years after he died, Roy Orbison still can touch people with his piercing tenor.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, responsible for evergreen hits like "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Only the Lonely" and "Crying," won six Grammys and sold millions of CDs before dying of a heart attack in 1988 at age 52. Now the singer is the subject of a new retrospective, a four-CD box set of his 107 recordings. "The Soul of Rock and Roll" was released this week, and contains all of his hits and 12 previously unreleased tracks.

Barbara Orbison, his widow, says the new project tells "the history of Roy Orbison. They let you know how he evolved to become the artist he was."

Orbison, whose distinctive persona included ever-present sunglasses, dark clothing and an ebony pompadour, had a string of hits in the 1960s. Some of his other hits included "Blue Bayou," "In Dreams," "Dream Baby," "Running Scared" and "Mean Woman Blues."

"Elvis had sensuality and rebellion, but Roy had the depth of emotion not many others had," Jen Gunderman, a senior lecturer at Vanderbilt University who teaches a course on the history of rock 'n' roll, said of the singer.

"There was a kind of mystery and fragility about him — his black leather jacket, and he stood still when he performed," Gunderman said. "There was a vulnerability you didn't see with others."

Gunderman credited Orbison with helping to invent the rock ballad.

"He always conveyed sweeping emotion," Gunderman said of Orbison. "Others had conveyed much emotion in opera, so Roy was called the Pavarotti of rock 'n' roll."

She also said his performances in Europe with the Beatles as they were on their way to becoming the Fab Four helped influence a generation of musicians.

"His tour with the Beatles in 1963 had a huge influence on all of the British invasion acts, and not just with his singing, but with his arrangements," Gunderman said. "He tied together pop and country and rockabilly and British invasion acts in a way that's really unique."

Orbison suffered a career decline and personal tragedies after achieving success: His wife Claudette died in a 1966 motorcycle crash and two sons died in a house fire in 1968.

Orbison's career rebounded in the 1980s. He joined the Eagles on tour, and Van Halen had a hit with his "Oh, Pretty Woman" in 1982. He and k.d. lang did a duet remake of "Crying," winning a Grammy in 1988. Earlier in the decade, the duet "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" with Emmylou Harris won a Grammy.

In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Bruce Springsteen, a former opening act for Orbison, was the presenter, saying, "nobody sings like Roy Orbison." A year later, he performed with the Traveling Wilburys, joining Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and George Harrison.

Dozens of Orbison compilation CDs are available online, but none trace his overall career like "The Soul of Rock and Roll." The 12 previously unreleased tracks include "It's All Over" from his final concert Dec. 4, 1988, in Cleveland, two days before he died.

Orbison also toured with the Rolling Stones, and the deference that Barbara Orbison said Roy was given reflects how many rock stars felt about him.

"Keith (Richards) said everyone called him `Keith' and they called Mick (Jagger) `Mick,' but they called him Mr. Orbison."

Stompin' Tom re-records 'Hockey Song'

TORONTO - Canadian country-folk legend Stompin' Tom Connors has re-recorded his beloved sports anthem, "The Hockey Song".

The toe-tapping hockey fan says he finds the original, recorded in the early '70s, "a little thin." Connors revealed the new version to reporters in his southern Ontario home Thursday, tapping along to the beat with his booted foot while the song boomed over a stereo system.

The intimate listening party was a rare gesture by the intensely private musician, discussing each track of his new album while about half of the new disc was played for media in a wood-panelled games room.

Wearing his trademark black cowboy hat, Connors said he doesn't know why "The Hockey Song" song wasn't chosen to be the new theme for CBC-TV's "Hockey Night in Canada."

But he joked he'd have trouble coming up with a French-language version, anyway.

The CBC is currently winding down a nationwide contest to find a new theme song, after losing the rights to its popular anthem earlier this year. At the time, Connors' son said his father was open to licensing "The Hockey Song" to the CBC as a replacement.

"It was a little thin the first time I recorded it way back in '71 or '72," Connors said Thursday as he introduced an updated recording of the Canadian classic.

Later, he suggested that the opportunity to lend the tune to NHL broadcasts was not entirely lost.

"Who knows? Nobody's got a crystal ball," he said while leaning against a curved bar, a cigarette and beer bottle clutched in one hand.

Connors' new album, "The Ballad of Stompin' Tom," is due for release Oct. 28 and takes its name from an autobiographical track that draws from his colourful past and extensive travels.

It also features updated takes on "The Olympic Song" and "My Hockey Mom," and a live version of "Take Me Back To Old Alberta".

AC/DC Extends Tour, Heads To 'Rock Band'

AC/DC has extended its Black Ice tour of North America into early 2009. New dates begin Dec. 20 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and run through Jan. 31 in Nashville.

Tickets begin going on sale Saturday (Oct. 4). Eighteen previously announced shows have already sold out, according to the band's label, Columbia.

The tour comes in support of a new album of the same name, due Oct. 21 exclusively via Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores and AC/DC's Web site. First single "Rock'n'Roll Train" is No. 3 this week on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.

"Black Ice" won't be the only AC/DC title available exclusively at Wal-Mart. In November, the retailer will be the only U.S. source for "AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack," a special edition of the popular video game devoted to the veteran Australian band. In December, the game will be available through multiple retailers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

"AC/DC Live" includes 18 songs from the band's DVD "Live at Donnington." This will be the first "Rock Band" version focused on one group. "Guitar Hero" already has an Aerosmith game and is planning another based around Metallica.

Here are AC/DC's new tour dates:

Dec. 20: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Bank Atlantic Center)
Dec. 21: Tampa, Fla. (St. Pete Times Forum)
Jan. 5: Cleveland (Quicken Loans Arena)
Jan. 7: Pittsburgh (Mellon Arena)
Jan. 9: Toronto (Rogers Centre)
Jan. 11: Cincinnati (U.S. Bank Arena)
Jan. 13: St. Louis (Scottrade Center)
Jan. 15: Omaha, Neb. (Qwest Center)
Jan. 17: Fargo, N.D. (Fargodome)
Jan. 19: Minneapolis (Xcel Energy Center)
Jan. 21: Kansas City, Mo. (Sprint Center)
Jan. 23: Dallas (American Airlines Center)
Jan. 26: Tulsa, Okla. (BOK Center)
Jan. 28: Little Rock, Ark. (Alltel Arena)
Jan. 30: Memphis (FedEx Forum)
Jan. 31: Nashville (Sommet Center)

Here is the track list for "AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack":

"Thunderstruck"
"Shoot To Thrill"
"Back in Black"
"Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be"
"Heatseeker"
"Fire Your Guns"
"Jailbreak"
"The Jack"
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
"Moneytalks"
"Hells Bells"
"High Voltage"
"Whole Lotta Rosie"
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
"T.N.T."
"Let There Be Rock"
"Highway To Hell"
"For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)"

Paul McCartney Reignites 'Fireman' Project

Sir Paul McCartney is returning to his Fireman alias after a decade away from the collaborative project with producer Youth.

McCartney releases "Electric Arguments" by the Fireman on Nov. 17 via MPL, an imprint of his own London-based publishing company. The 13-track album will be manufactured and distributed by U.K. indie One Little Indian worldwide except the U.S., where ATO will issue it.

"Electric Arguments" is the third set from the Fireman, although it is the first to feature vocals and is described as "entirely different" from the dance and electronic music of previous releases.

McCartney and Martin "Youth" Glover, a former member of Killing Joke, released an ambient dance album, "Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest" (Parlophone), in 1993; McCartney's involvement was initially a secret but later leaked. They followed that with another electronica project, "Rushes" (Hydra/EMI) in 1998.

The new album features more traditional songwriting, including classic rock and acoustic tracks, "yet is in keeping with the genre-hopping spirit of the first two the Fireman albums," according to a statement. One track, "Lifelong Passion," was donated to the charity Adopt-A-Minefield as download for those making donations.

"Electric Arguments" was recorded in just 13 days, although the sessions were spread out over nearly a year. Each track was written and recorded in one day and the duo also produced the album.

The statement adds that it was "made with no record company restraints or a set release date to work to" and "with complete artistic and creative freedom." The radio edit of "Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight" debuted in the U.K. on national top 40 station Radio 1 on Zane Lowe's show and it is the DJ's "Hottest Record in the World Right Now."

McCartney released his last solo album, "Memory Almost Full," via Hear Music in June 2007. It was his first release since leaving EMI.

The "Electric Arguments" track listing is:

"Nothing Too Much Just Out Of Sight"
"Two Magpies"
"Sing the Changes"
"Travelling Light"
"Highway"
"Light From Your Lighthouse"
"Sun Is Shining"
"Dance 'Til We're High"
"Lifelong Passion"
"Is This Love?"
"Lovers in a Dream"
"Universal Here, Everlasting Now"
"Don't Stop Running"

New CD Releases, September 30th: James Taylor, Ben Folds, T.I.

James Taylor "Covers" (Hear Music)

The acclaimed singer/songwriter pays respect to other songwriters with the release of "Covers." The album includes versions of songs made famous by such artists as Leonard Cohen, Eddie Cochran, The Dixie Chicks, George Jones, The Temptations, Buddy Holly and John Anderson.

"Covers" was created in a Massachusetts barn-turned-studio with Taylor's regular band. The selections are all songs that the vocalist has performed in concert over the years, but previously had not recorded.

Taylor is no stranger to the cover tune. Many of his best-known recordings have been cover songs, including "You've Got a Friend" and "How Sweet It Is."

* * *
Ben Folds "Way to Normal" (Sony)

The singer/songwriter/pianist is back with an eagerly awaited new studio album, which follows 2005's "Songs for Silverman."

"Way to Normal" was produced by Dennis Herring (Elvis Costello, Modest Mouse) and it features bassist Jared Reynolds and drummer Sam Smith. Guest vocalist Regina Spektor appears on the album's first single, "You Don't Know Me."

Folds is currently showcasing his "Normal" sides on tour. The road show is scheduled to last through mid-November.

* * *
T.I. "Paper Trail" (Grand Hustle)

The Grammy-winning hip-hop star returns with his sixth album, which follows last year's "T.I. vs. T.I.P." The lead single from "Paper Trail" is the tune "No Matter What."

The album features tons of guest performers and top-name producers, including Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Usher, The Dream, Fall Out Boy, Kanye West, B.O.B, John Legend, DJ Toomp, Swizz Beatz, Drumma Boy and Danja.

Along with releasing several hit albums over the years, T.I. has also experienced his share of legal problems. Notably, earlier this year he was sentenced to a year in prison on weapons charges.

* * *
Jennifer Hudson "Jennifer Hudson" (Arista)

Having already established herself as a superstar vocalist in the film version of "Dreamgirls," Hudson finally gets around to releasing her eponymous debut CD.
Hudson, who first came to fame competing on "American Idol," is joined on this 13-track disc by some big-name guest stars. Included in the mix are fellow "Idol" vet Fantasia and rap star Ludacris.

* * *
Faith Hill "Joy to the World" (Warner Bros.)

Although Halloween is still a month away, the Christmas-time CD blitz has already started. Getting a jump on the competition is Hill, who delivers "Joy to the World."

The collection features the country star performing such holiday standards as "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Silent Night."

* * *
More new releases:
Anberlin, "New Surrender" (Universal)
Ani DiFranco, "Red Letter Year" (Righteous Babe)
Dream Theater, "Chaos in Motion 2007-2008" (Roadrunner)
Linda Eder, "The Other Side of Me" (Verve)
Enigma, "Seven Lives Many Faces" (EMI)
Jack's Mannequin, "The Glass Passenger" (Warner Bros.)
Kellie Pickler, "Kellie Pickler" (BNI)
Joshua Radin, "Simple Times" (Mom & Pop)
Andre Rieu, "Live in Vienna" (Denon)
Todd Rundgren, "Arena" (Hi Fi)
Robin Thicke, "Something Else" (Interscope)
Trivium, "Shogun" (Roadrunner)
U2, "Under a Blood Red Sky (Deluxe Edition)" (Island)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Nightmare Revisited" (Disney)

Best Buy Snags Guns N' Roses Album Exclusive

Best Buy is set to be the exclusive retailer for Guns N' Roses decade-plus-in-the-making new album "Chinese Democracy" before year's end, sources close to the situation tell Billboard. Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the release date.

The news brings a semblance of closure to the bizarre history of "Democracy," which Guns N' Roses has been working on since the mid-1990s. Since then, every original member of the once mighty group has left besides vocalist Axl Rose, and millions of dollars have been spent working on the new material.

"Democracy" was most recently on the Interscope release schedule in March 2007. The endless delays encountered by the project reached comic levels this spring, when soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008.

In June, nine purported "mastered, finished" tracks from the album were leaked online, prompting an FBI investigation into their source. A sign "Chinese Democracy" was perhaps finally nearing release came in July, when the band agreed to debut new track "Shackler's Revenge" in the video game "Rock Band 2," which hit stores earlier this month.

Guns N' Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff's Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" through Wal-Mart in 2007, much to the chagrin of other merchants, but the album was a runaway hit, having sold 3.1 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

AC/DC’s Angus Young on Snubbing iTunes: “We Don’t Make Singles, We Make Albums”

When AC/DC release their new album Black Ice on October 20th exclusively through Wal-Mart, the album will join the Beatles catalog and Kid Rock’s Rock N Roll Jesus in the small “Not Available on iTunes” club. While the stance has done wonders for Jesus‘ renaissance, it nearly ruined Estelle’s chart momentum.

Despite the Wal-Mart exclusivity, AC/DC’s Angus Young said Black Ice wouldn’t show up on Apple’s digital store anyway because “We don’t make singles, we make albums.”

iTunes allows customers to choose between single song or full album purchases. “Way back in the Seventies, we drew these figures on the back of an envelope for our record company. We showed them how much they earned from us if we sold 1 million singles and how much they earned if we sold 1 million albums,” Young said. “The difference was staggering. That was to get them off our back because we only very grudgingly release singles. Our real reason is that we honestly believe the songs on any of our albums belong together.”

Young also says that he recently met some bands that discussed withdrawing from iTunes as well because “I told them that since iTunes came into existence, we’ve actually increased our back catalog sales without being on the site.” Young makes an interesting point: The Beatles and AC/DC rank one and two on the list of highest-selling back catalogs, and neither appear on iTunes. The Rolling Stones, meanwhile, ranked sixth on the list and are available on iTunes.

Cash recording to be released with new documentary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — An unreleased recitation by Johnny Cash will be available as part of a new documentary examining Cash's views on America. In "I Am The Nation," the deep-voiced singer personifies the country with references to important events and people in American history.

The recording was discovered in Cash's personal belongings after his death. It will be released as part of "Johnny Cash's America," a documentary airing Oct. 23 on the Biography Channel. The companion DVD/CD package on Legacy Recordings will be available Oct. 28.

The documentary features interviews with Bob Dylan; Al Gore; Snoop Dogg; Sheryl Crow; Steve Earle; Kris Kristofferson; Loretta Lynn; Merle Haggard; U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander; Tim Robbins; Vince Gill; Cash; his sister, Joanne; and his children, John Carter Cash and Cindy Cash.

In the film, Cash, who was outspoken on social issues, discusses the political process and the two parties.

"The whole film and soundtrack are poignant for what's going on in the political climate right now," said Charlie Dougiello, a spokesman for the project.

New CD Releases, September 23rd: Kings of Leon, Jackson Browne, David Gilmour

Kings of Leon "Only by the Night" (RCA)

The Southern alt-rock troupe returns to the fray with its fourth album, "Only by the Night," which is a follow-up to last year's "Because of the Times."

"Only by the Night" was recorded on the band's home turf in Nashville, TN, and features the leadoff single "Sex on Fire." Fans can hear the new tracks in concert during Kings of Leon's fall tour, which launches Oct. 11 in Las Vegas.

* * *
Jackson Browne "Time the Conqueror" (Inside Recordings)

The acclaimed singer-songwriter returns with his first new studio release in six years. "Time the Conqueror" follows 2002's "The Naked Ride Home," which also marked the end of a six-year hiatus between studio recordings.

The new 10-song set was recorded with the performer's longtime band--Kevin McCormick, Mark Goldenberg, Mauricio "Fritz" Lewak and Jeff Young--along with additional members Chavonne Morris and Alethea Mills.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer kicked off his "Time the Conqueror World Tour" last week in Washington, DC. The trek will continue to stop at North American venues through early November.

In other news, Browne recently sued Senator John McCain and the Republican National Committee. The move was in response to a recent TV commercial supporting McCain's presidential bid that incorporates the Browne signature song "Running on Empty."

* * *
David Gilmour "Live in Gdansk" (Sony)

The legendary vocalist/guitarist from Pink Floyd gives fans a full-fledged document of his most recent solo tour. The two-CD, two-DVD set captures a full gig that Gilmour performed at the shipyards in Gdansk, Poland.

"Live in Gdansk" includes performances of such Pink Floyd favorites as "Shine On You Crazy Diamond, "Breathe" and "Echoes." It also features tracks from Gilmour's most recent studio outing, "On an Island."

* * *
TV on the Radio "Dear Science" (Interscope)

The avant-garde New York rock band is set to release its third studio album, which follows 2006's highly acclaimed "Return to Cookie Mountain."

TV on the Radio is already out supporting "Dear Science." The road show began early this month in Portland, OR, and is scheduled to hit approximately 26 cities. Detroit garage rockers The Dirtbombs will open the October and November dates, while folksinger Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson will provide support for most of the September shows.

* * *
Jenny Lewis "Acid Tongue" (Reprise)

The Rilo Kiley vocalist adds to her solo resume with the release of "Acid Tongue." It's Lewis' second solo offering, following 2006's "Rabbit Fur Coat." She's currently in the midst of a 14-date tour in support of "Acid Tongue." The trek will include a stop at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Sept. 26.

* * *
More new releases:
Cold War Kids, "Loyalty to Loyalty" (Downtown)
Fourplay, "Energy" (Heads Up)
Demi Lovato, "Don't Forget" (Hollywood)
Bette Midler, "Jackpot: The Best Bette" (Warner Bros.)
Mogwai, "The Hawk is Howling" (Matador)
Old Crow Medicine Show, "Tennessee Pusher" (Nettwerk)
Pussycat Dolls, "Doll Domination" (Interscope)
The Replacements, "Pleased to Meet Me" (Rhino)
The Replacements, "Tim" (Rhino)
Jazmine Sullivan, "Fearless" (J-Records)
Thievery Corporation, "Radio Retaliation" (Eighteenth Street)
Hank Williams III, "Hank III Collector's Edition" (Curb)
Within Temptation, "Black Symphony" (Roadrunner)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Sex and the City, Vol. 2" (Steady)

New CD Releases, September 16th: Ne-Yo, Darius Rucker, Nelly, Lindsey Buckingham, Buckcherry, and more!

Ne-Yo "Year of the Gentleman"

The R&B star returns with his third album, which follows 2007's "Because of You." The first single from "Year of the Gentleman" is the Stargate-produced track "Closer."

The 28-year-old vocalist has a lot to live up to with "Year of the Gentleman." His prior releases, "Because of You" and 2006's "In My Own Words," both debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200. In addition, "Because of You" won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

* * *
Darius Rucker "Learn to Live"

The Hootie & the Blowfish frontman is the latest pop star to try his hand in the country game, following in the recent footsteps of such celebs as Jewel and Jessica Simpson. The first single from "Learn to Live" is "Don't Think I Don't Think About It."

As the leader of Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker has helped sell more than 25 million records, the majority of which came with the band's blockbuster 1994 debut, "Cracked Rear View." That was then, and Rucker's solo country music career is now. The singer reportedly announced during an AOL Sessions interview that Hootie is splitting up so he can focus on his own musical endeavors.

* * *
Nelly "Brass Knuckles"

The hip-hop hero is looking for another hit with "Brass Knuckles," a work that will finally make it to record stores after being delayed several times. His last solo works came in 2004, with the simultaneously released albums "Sweat" and "Suit," although he's made several guest appearances for the other artists in the interim.

Repaying the favor, many musicians make guest spots on "Brass Knuckles." The album's star-studded cast includes T.I., R. Kelly, Usher, Fergie and Chuck D.

* * *
Lindsey Buckingham "Gift of Screws"

The Fleetwood Mac singer/songwriter/guitarist returns with a follow-up to 2006's "Under the Skin." "Gift of Screws" was recorded with members of Buckingham's touring band as well as with longtime Fleetwood Mac bandmates Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.

Buckingham is currently supporting "Gift of Screws" on the road. His 29-city headlining trek will stretch through an Oct. 19 date at New York's Nokia Theatre.

* * *
Buckcherry "Black Butterfly"

The hard rockers get back to business with "Black Butterfly," the band's fourth studio effort. The release follows 2006's "15," a work that spent 98 weeks on The Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum.

Buckcherry is joining with fellow rockers Avenged Sevenfold for a co-headlining tour, which kicks off tomorrow (9/16) in Moline, IL. That outing follows the band's participation in this summer's Motley Crue-led Crue Fest.

* * *
More new releases:
All That Remains, "Overcome" (Razor & Tie)
Avenged Sevenfold, "Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough" (Reprise)
Patricia Barber, "The Cole Porter Mix" (Blue Note)
Camp Rock, "Disney Karaoke Series: Camp Rock" (Disney)
Celtic Thunder, "Act Two" (Celtic Thunder)
Kasey Chambers, Shane Nicholson, "Rattlin' Bones" (Sugarhill)
Renee Fleming, "Four Last Songs" (Decca)
James, "Hey Ma" (Decca)
Jem, "Down to Earth" (ATO)
Raphael Saadiq, "The Way I See It" (Sony)
Al Stewart, "Sparks of Ancient Light" (Appleseed)
Ben Taylor, "The Legend of Kung Folk Part 1 (The Killing Bite)" (Iris)
Various Artists, "The Imus Ranch Record" (New West)
Various Artists, "Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins" (Take 6)

Britney Spears due to release album in December

NEW YORK - Britney Spears' second comeback is in full swing: She's due to release a new album in December, on her 27th birthday.

"Circus" is set for release Dec. 2, a little over a year after she released last November's "Blackout," which was perhaps her most critically acclaimed CD, but came during her infamous year of erratic behavior, rehab, custody battles and at least one hospitalization. She barely promoted it, and the album — though it was certified platinum — was one of her least successful.

But these days, Spears has been in the spotlight for all the right reasons. She won three MTV Video Music Awards for her clip "Piece of Me" and appeared on the Sept. 7 awards show looking fit and stunning, a reversal of her disheveled, widely panned appearance in 2007. She also drew praise for her guest appearances on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother."

Spears' life seems to have rebounded after her father, James Spears, went to court and took control of her personal and professional life as her conservator. She also resolved her custody battle with former husband Kevin Federline, with Federline retaining custody of their two young sons and Spears receiving visitation rights.

Among the producers on Spears' new CD are Nate "Danja" Hills and Max Martin, who produced some of her biggest hits, including her first, "Baby One More Time." The first single, "Womanizer," will be released to radio Sept. 22, her record label, Jive/Zomba, announced Monday.

New CD Releases, September. 9: Metallica, Natalie Cole, Jessica Simpson

Metallica "Death Magnetic"

The metal masters are set to release their first new studio set in five years.

Metallica will support "Death Magnetic" with a major North American tour, which begins with an Oct. 21 date in Glendale, AZ. The trek is currently scheduled to stretch through January and stop in more than 30 cities. Show-openers The Sword will appear on all dates, while Down, Lamb of God and Machine Head will rotate through the tour's second support slot.

* * *
Natalie Cole "Still Unforgettable"

After a 17-year wait, the Grammy-winning R&B/jazz singer will release the sequel to 1991's "Unforgettable ... With Love." That earlier effort has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide and earned Cole several Grammy Awards.

"Still Unforgettable" is Cole's 21st studio effort and marks her first time in the producer's chair. The set comprises 14 standards, including "Come Rain or Come Shine," "The Best is Yet to Come" and "Nice 'N' Easy." It also includes a posthumous duet with Cole's dad, Nat King Cole, on the single "Walkin' My Baby Back Home."

Cole will showcase "Still Unforgettable" for her fans in October, as she embarks on a nearly month-long trek through venues on the East Coast and in Canada.

* * *
Jessica Simpson "Do You Know"

The former pop-princess will further attempt to carve out a place in the country music world by delivering "Do You Know."

Simpson co-wrote all but three of the album's tracks, including the crossover single "Come on Over." Guests on the record include Dolly Parton, who wrote and sings background vocals on the title track.

Thus far, Simpson's attempt to "go country" has reportedly met with mixed reactions from fans that have seen her perform her country numbers at shows this summer. She still has some gigs left on the book this month, including dates in Arizona, Nebraska and Nevada.

* * *
Joan Baez "Day After Tomorrow"

The legendary folk singer will mark her 50th anniversary as a recording artist by releasing "Day After Tomorrow." The Steve Earle-produced effort is the singer's 24th studio album and her first since 2003's "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar."

Baez will further celebrate her milestone anniversary, as well as support the new album, during a late-fall trek. She'll play 14 shows in 10 cities during the outing, which kicks off Oct. 26 in Philadelphia.

* * *
Calexico "Carried to Dust"

The rootsy alt-rock band returns with a follow-up to 2006's "Garden Ruin."

"Carried to Dust" features founders Joey Burns (guitar/vocals) and John Convertino (drums/percussion) performing with steel guitarist Paul Niehaus, keyboardist/trumpeter Jacob Valenzuela, multi-instrumentalist Martin Wenk and standup bass player Volker Zander. Iron & Wine's Sam Beam, Tortoise bassist Doug McCombs and Pieta Brown make guest appearances on the set.

* * *
More new releases:
Eric Benet, "Love & Life" (Warner Bros.)
Kimya Dawson, "Alphabutt" (K Records)
Michael Franti & Spearhead, "All Rebel Rockers" (Anti)
Mitch Hedberg, "Do You Believe in Gosh?" (Comedy Central)
Iced Earth, "The Crucible of Man" (Steamhammer)
Hal Ketchum, "Father Time" (Curb)
LL Cool J, "Exit 13" (Def Jam)
Patty Loveless, "Sleepless Nights" (Saguaro Road)
Okkervil River, "The Stand Ins" (Jagjaguwar)
Joan Osborne, "Little Wild One" (Saguaro Road)
Sasha, "Involver 2" (Global Underground)
Dar Williams, "Promised Land" (Razor & Tie)
ZZ Top, "Eliminator (Collector's Edition)" (Rhino)

Soundtracks and scores:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Score (Rounder)

AC/DC Reveals Fall Tour Plans

In support of its forthcoming studio album, AC/DC will launch its Black Ice World Tour on Oct. 28 at the Wachovia Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The 24-date North American leg of the arena jaunt is scheduled to wrap Dec. 18 at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C.

The worldwide trek follows closely behind the Oct. 20 release of "Black Ice," which will be sold exclusively in Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores as well as ACDC.com. AC/DC's first new single in eight years, "Rock'n'Roll Train," rockets 15-5 this week on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.

Tickets for the North American dates will go on sale during the weekend of Sept. 20 via Ticketmaster and ACDC.com. Specific on-sale dates and ticket prices have not yet been announced.

Following the North American run, AC/DC will visit South American, Europe and Asia, with dates to be announced. The Black Ice World Tour will be AC/DC's first outing since 2001.

Here are AC/DC's North American tour dates:

Oct. 28: Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Wachovia Arena)
Oct. 30: Chicago (Allstate Arena)
Nov. 3: Indianapolis (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Nov. 5: Auburn Hills, Mich. (Palace of Auburn Hills)
Nov. 7: Toronto (Rogers Centre)
Nov. 9: Boston (TD Banknorth Garden)
Nov. 12-13: New York (Madison Square Garden)
Nov. 15: Washington, D.C. (Verizon Center)
Nov. 17: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Nov. 19: East Rutherford, N.J. (IZOD Center)
Nov. 21: Columbus, Ohio (Schottenstein Center)
Nov. 23: Minneapolis (Xcel Energy Center)
Nov. 25: Denver (Pepsi Center)
Nov. 28: Vancouver (General Motors Place)
Nov. 29: Seattle (KeyArena)
Nov. 30: Tacoma, Wash. (Tacoma Dome)
Dec. 2: Oakland, Calif. (Oracle Arena)
Dec. 6: Los Angeles (The Forum)
Dec. 10: Phoenix (US Airways Center)
Dec. 12: San Antonio (AT&T Center)
Dec. 14: Houston (Toyota Center)
Dec. 16: Atlanta (Philips Arena)
Dec. 18: Charlotte, N.C. (Time Warner Cable Arena)

Prolific studio sessions cause U2 album delay

After predicting earlier this summer that its new album could potentially hit stores next month, Irish rock icons U2 have pushed the release back until 2009.

"We've hit a rich songwriting vein," frontman Bono said in a message posted at the group's website. "It gets a bit dark down here but looks like we've found diamonds not coal. I thought a while back we might have the album wrapped by now, but why come up above ground now if there's more priceless stuff to be found? ... We said to each other that if we got to the great place then we wouldn't stop.

"I'm always the one who underestimates how easy it is to simply 'put out the songs now', if it was just up to me they'd be out already!" he added. "But early next year people will be able to start hearing what we've been doing. We want 2009 to be our year, so we're going to start making an impression very early on."

Fall Out Boy Speaks Its Mind On New Album

"On some level, yes, this is a political record," Fall Out Boy singer/guitarist Patrick Stump tells Billboard of "Folie A Deux," due Nov. 4 via Island. "But it's a political record only insofar as anyone making music and paying attention to what's happening will make a record tinged with politics. You can't ignore it."

The band played at last month's Democratic National Convention in Denver, and is teaming with Rock the Vote until the election in November. At the Convention, Stump says the band kept its official comments nonpartisan, only encouraging people to register and vote. But, he adds, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama "is the most excited I've been about a candidate."

Fall Out Boys members are less forthcoming about the content of "Folie A Deux" -- bassist Pete Wentz says the record contains more "outside perspectives" and "fictionalized accounts" than previous efforts, but he declined to reveal any specifics.

"I'd rather let the listener interpret them," he says. "Every time you think we're talking about a girl, we're not, and every time you think we're not talking about a girl, we are."

Stump says an emphasis on the music was what Fall Out Boy was going for. "I felt frustrated with the last record because my voice was the focal point for many of the songs," he says. "When we were writing this one, we wanted it to be about all the parts coming together to form a whole."

Fall Out Boy will appear in this fall's teen comedy "Sex Drive"; the single "I Don't Care" will be featured in TV and radio ads for the film starting in September and will be used in the film's end credits. After the album is released, the band will team with the creators of the Got Milk? campaign to star in a series of ads called "Milk's Got Noise?"

An extensive tour will have to wait until the second quarter of 2009, as Wentz is expecting his first child with wife Ashlee Simpson.

New CD Releases, September 2: New Kids on the Block, Brian Wilson, Young Jeezy

New Kids on the Block "The Block"

The legendary boy band, whose members are now in their 30s, returns with its first batch of new material in 14 years. The first single from "The Block" is the smash hit "Summertime."

The New Kids will support "The Block" with a major North American reunion tour, which kicks off with a two-night stand, Sept. 18-19, in Toronto. Prior to appearing earlier this year on TV, the band hadn't performed together publicly in 15 years.

As teenagers, the New Kids--Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood--sold more than 70 million records and racked up back-to-back No. 1 albums with 1988's "Hangin' Tough" and 1990's "Step by Step." Following a slew of R&B/pop crossover hits and several world tours, the group quietly disbanded in 1994.

* * *
Brian Wilson "That Lucky Old Sun"

The Beach Boys mastermind, the man responsible for some of the most beloved rock songs of all time, is back with a new solo album. "That Lucky Old Sun," the singer/songwriter's first studio effort since his 2004 re-recording of the Beach Boys' "Smile," marks Wilson's return to Capitol/EMI, the label that launched the Beach Boys' career with the 1962 hit "Surfin' Safari/409."

"I'm thrilled to be back home with Capitol, and I'm looking forward to sharing 'That Lucky Old Sun' with everyone," Wilson said in a press release. "This music is really special to me."

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will back "That Lucky Old Sun" on the road. His trek begins with a Sept. 5 date in Oakland, CA.

* * *
Young Jeezy "The Recession"

The hip-hop star is set to drop his third major-label studio release, which follows 2006's platinum-plus-selling "The Inspiration." Two singles from the album are making their rounds at radio: "Put On," featuring production work from Kanye West, and "Crazy World."

The rapper has already made news this year, but not for musical reasons. Back in June, Young Jeezy was arrested in Atlanta and charged with speeding, no proof of insurance, open container, reckless driving and driving while impaired by alcohol/drugs, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

* * *
Terrence Howard "Shine Through It"

The acclaimed actor takes a break from the big screen and focuses his attention on his musical career. "Shine Through It," which reportedly can be categorized as a neo-soul offering, features 11 original tracks, all written, produced and arranged by Howard.

* * *
Rodney Crowell "Sex and Gasoline"

The acclaimed singer/songwriter, who became a country superstar with 1988's "Diamonds and Dirt," returns with a new studio offering, produced by Joe Henry. Crowell's studio band on "Sex and Gasoline" is loaded with studs, including guitarists Doyle Bramhall II and Greg Leisz.

* * *
More new releases:
Joshua Bell, "Vivaldi: The Four Seasons" (Sony)
Elvin Bishop, "The Blues Rolls On" (Delta Groove)
Lila Downs, "Shake Away" (Manhattan)
Michael Feinstein, "The Sinatra Project" (Concord)
Deitrick Haddon, "Revealed" (Verity)
Hollywood Undead, "Swan Songs" (A&M)
Jefferson Airplane, "At the Family Dog Ballroom" (Snapper)
Jefferson Starship, "Jefferson's Tree of Liberty" (The Lab)
Sonya Kitchell, "This Storm" (Decca)
Southside Johnny with La Bamba's Big Band, "Grapefruit Moon: The Songs Of Tom Waits" (Redeye)
The Smithereens, "B-Sides the Beatles" (Koch)
Chris Tomlin, "Hello Love" (Sixstepsrecords)
Underoath, "Lost in the Sound of Separation" (Tooth and Nail)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Bones" (Nettwerk)

Rock Hall will honor music innovator Les Paul

CLEVELAND - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will pay tribute to the "father of the electric guitar" this fall.

Les Paul will be honored at the annual American Music Masters series, a weeklong event that begins Nov. 10, Rock Hall officials said Tuesday. A tribute concert — artists will be named later — is scheduled Nov. 15 at Cleveland's State Theater.

Paul, 93, is hoping to attend, said Rock Hall President and CEO Terry Stewart.

"You have an inductee who in some ways maybe has had one of the biggest influences of all our inductees with the creation of his solid-body guitar, overdubbing ... not to mention his musical styling and his ability to play," Stewart said. "He's become an idol and an icon to people in the rock world, as well as people in jazz and popular music."

Paul began playing guitar as a child and by 13 was performing semiprofessionally as a country-music guitarist. He later made his mark as a jazz-pop musician, recording hits like "How High the Moon" with his wife, singer Colleen Summers, better known as Mary Ford. They divorced in 1964.

He built a solid-body electric guitar in 1941 — an invention born from his frustration that audiences were unable to hear him play.

In 1952, Gibson introduced the Les Paul model, which became the instrument of choice for musicians such as Duane Allman, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

"It's not just his innovation and his musical playing, but sort of the residual effects of that guitar," Stewart said. "It's become the beginning point for so many people in music, particularly rock music."

Paul still performs weekly at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City. He was inducted into the early influence category of the Rock Hall in 1988.

Paul is only the second living recipient of the annual American Music Masters award, which began in 1996 to pay tribute to artists who helped change American culture. Jerry Lee Lewis was the first living recipient in 2007. Past recipients include Woody Guthrie, Muddy Waters and Sam Cooke.

Kid Rock Living Large Without iTunes

Kid Rock's latest album "Rock'n'Roll Jesus" and its single "All Summer Long" have been two of the biggest hits of the summer. But it's happened without either being available for download via Apple's iTunes Music Store in the United States.

Rock has been an outspoken critic not only of track downloading but Internet piracy. In a "smartass" public service announcement he recently advised people to steal everything. Eschewing iTunes also proves a point, Rock adds.

"I tell people in my organization, 'Do not ever come up to me and say, "This is what everyone's doing and how they're doing it." Don't ever give me that lame-ass bullsh*t,'" he tells Billboard at a Nashville tequila bar. "As soon as someone says, 'You have to be on iTunes ... they're the No. 1 retailer' ... I don't have to. Because I remember being a kid when I heard a song that I liked, I would jump on the bus, ride to Detroit, get a $2.50 transfer and walk a mile to the hip-hop store to buy the new Eric B. & Rakim record. You're not going to stop people from obtaining what they want if it's available at some level."

However, Atlantic president Julie Greenwald says "Rock'N'Roll Jesus" will be available soon digitally in the States as an album via providers like Amazon, walmart.com, Rhapsody and bestbuy.com.

"We get so caught up in technology and ease [of downloading a single] ... there's nothing wrong with listening to a whole record from start to finish," Kid Rock co-manager Ken Levitan says.

In other news, Kid Rock and his Twisted Brown Trucker band recently cut a new song, "Warrior," for a National Guard commercial. It will be downloadable in its entirety on the National Guard's Web site once the commercial airs. He's also looking at launching signature beer and cigar products.

"I like [branding opportunities] when it's something I'm into, and I'm definitely into beer and cigars," Rock says. "You probably won't see me on the cover of a Wheaties box or selling Tide detergent, because it's irrelevant to me."

New AC/DC Single Hits Radio, Web

AC/DC's first new single in eight years, "Rock'n'Roll Train," hit the band's Web site and U.S. radio outlets today (Aug. 28). A video for the song was shot Aug. 15 in London and will premiere next month.

A few stations jumped the gun yesterday and spun the track, including KCBS and KLOS Los Angeles, according to Nielsen BDS.

"Rock'n'Roll Train" will be utilized in promo ads for the CBS show "Criminal Minds" beginning Sept. 1. It will also appear in the Oct. 22 installment of the series.

Verizon has the exclusive on the "Rock'n'Roll Train" ringtone via its online media store. AC/DC's music remains unavailable at Apple's iTunes Music Store.

"Rock'n'Roll Train" heralds the Oct. 20 U.S. release of "Black Ice," which will be sold exclusively via Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores, as well as ACDC.com.

An extensive tour is due to begin in October, with dates to be announced.

Fall Out Boy Sets 'Deux' For November

Fall Out Boy will release its fifth album, "Folie a Deux," Nov. 4 via Island, the same day as the U.S. presidential election. The project was heralded yesterday (Aug. 25) with the release of an online mixtape, "Welcome to the New Administration."

On it were five Fall Out Boy demos expected to appear on the album, including "Lake Effect Kid," "America's Sweethearts," "I Don't Care (27)," "ALPHAdog and OMEGAlomaniac" and "Catch Me if You Can/Proclamation of Emancipation," the latter featuring Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy.

The album's first single, which has yet to be named, will hit radio Sept. 15, sources tell Billboard.

"Folie a Deux" is the follow-up to 2007's "Infinity on High," which has sold 1.3 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

New CD Releases, August 26: Slipknot, The Game, The Verve

Slipknot "All Hope is Gone"

The masked men of metal are back with their fourth studio album, and first batch of new material since 2004's "Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)."

The band members have kept busy during this recording hiatus by focusing on various side projects, including lead singer Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root's participation in alt-metal act Stone Sour, and drummer Joey Jordison's stints with Korn and Ministry.

Slipknot spent the summer co-headlining the traveling, metal-oriented Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival with Disturbed.

* * *
The Game "LAX"

The Southern California rap star, who, indeed, came "straight outta Compton," flies back into view with "LAX." The disc, the rapper's third overall and what's rumored to be his last, features a bevy of guest stars, including Keisha Cole, Ludacris, Nas and Ice Cube.

* * *
The Verve "Forth"

The tuneful Brit-rock band returns with its fourth album, somewhat cleverly titled "Forth." It's The Verve's first release since reforming last year and it ranks as the band's first record of new material since 1997's "Urban Hymns." The first single from the album is the tune "Love is Noise."

* * *
Little Feat "Join the Band"

The classic American rock band, which originally formed back in 1969, has called upon many of its famous friends to help with this new all-star effort. "Join the Band" features contributions from such celebs as Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews, Bob Seger and Phish's Mike Gordon.

The ensemble tackles tunes from throughout Little Feet's 40-year recording career. Included in the mix are such fan favorites as "Dixie Chicken" and "Oh Atlanta."

* * *
Motorhead "Motorizer"

The legendary speed-metal trio is set to drop its 20th studio album. "Motorizer," recorded in Los Angeles with producer Cameron Webb, is the band's first offering since 2006's "Kiss of Death."

Motorhead is currently on the road as part of the gigantic Metal Masters Tour, which also includes Judas Priest and Heaven and Hell. After that winds up with an Aug. 31 date in Northern California, Motorhead will quickly launch its own headlining tour, beginning Sept. 2 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA.

* * *
More new releases:
Blues Traveler, "North Hollywood Shootout" (Verve)
Eva Cassidy, "Somewhere" (Blix Street)
Dragonforce, "Ultra Beatdown" (Roadrunner)
JJ Grey & Mofro, "Orange Blossoms" (Alligator)
Jan & Dean, "The Complete Liberty Singles" (Collector's Choice)
The Lost Trailers, "Holler Back" (BNA)
Jordan Pruitt, "Permission to Fly" (Hollywood)
Klaus Schulze, Lisa Gerrard, "Farscape" (SPV)
Solange, "Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams" (Geffen)
Matthew Sweet, "Sunshine Lies" (Shout Factory)
Thriving Ivory, "Thriving Ivory" (Wind-up)
Various artists, "Tropical Thunder" (Razor & Tie)
Jimmy Wayne, "Do You Believe Me Now" (Valory)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Gypsy: 2008 Original Broadway Cast" (Time Life)

Sarah McLachlan to release greatest hits set in October

Vancouver-based singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is releasing her first best-of collection, titled Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan, on October 7.

Closer contains 14 tracks personally selected by the artist, as well as two newly recorded and previously unreleased songs, “U Want Me 2″ and “Don’t Give Up On Us,” working with her longtime producer Pierre Marchand. Additionally, a deluxe 2-CD version will be available, which will include the 16-song album plus a bonus disc of additional songs.

Since signing with Nettwerk nearly two decades ago, every one McLachlan’s studio and live albums and videos have been certified gold, platinum, multi-platinum, or diamond by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA).

Here is the track listing for Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan:

1. Vox
2. The Path Of Thorns
3. Into The Fire
4. Possession
5. Hold On
6. Good Enough
7. Building A Mystery
8. Sweet Surrender
9. Adia
10. Angel
11. I Will Remember You (Live Mirrorball Version)
12. Fallen
13. Stupid
14. World On Fire
15. Don’t Give Up On Us (New Studio Track)
16. U Want Me 2 Don’t U? (New Studio Track)

Dido bringing it all "Home" in November

NEW YORK (Billboard) - British singer-songwriter Dido has slated a November 4 release date for her oft-delayed third album, "Safe Trip Home."

"Look No Further," a track from the RCA Label Group album, is being made available as a free download from DidoMusic.com as of Friday (August 22).

The first official single, "Don't Believe in Love," will be issued digitally and on CD on a date to be announced.

"Safe Trip Home" is the follow-up to 2003's "Life for Rent," which has sold more than 2.1 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The set was co-produced by Jon Brion and Dido and her brother Rollo Armstrong, working together under the moniker Ark. One track, "Grafton Street," was co-written with Brian Eno.

Oasis digs down to basics on new album

NEW YORK (Billboard) - British band Oasis gets back to its stripped-down rock roots on its upcoming album, "Dig Out Your Soul."

Due October 7 via Big Brother/Warner Bros., the 11-track set from the famously sparring Gallagher brothers is led by the strident rocker "The Shock of the Lightning," which is already racking up airplay well ahead of its late September release date.

The album begins with the two-chord dirge "Bag It Up," harking back to "Columbia," from the band's 1994 debut, "Definitely Maybe." It's followed by the insistent "The Turning," which winds its way down to "Blackbird"-style finger-picking and the sounds of passing traffic and car alarms.

The sludgy, Noel Gallagher sung-"Waiting for the Rapture" nods to the Beatles' "Come Together," while the clap-and-stomp blues rock of "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" and the boogie vibe of "The Nature of Reality" extend the back-to-basics feel of the album.

Elsewhere, the Liam Gallagher-penned "I'm Outta Time" incorporates an audio excerpt of a John Lennon BBC Radio interview just days before his 1980 death, and the Noel-sung "Falling Down" nods to the beats from his collaboration with the Chemical Brothers, "Setting Sun." Fans who pre-order the new album on iTunes will receive this track as an immediate download.

Noel penned six of the first seven songs on "Dig Out Your Soul," with Liam responsible for three others and bassist Andy Bell and guitarist Gem Archer handling one each.

Oasis begins a short North American tour with Ryan Adams August 26 in Seattle.

Beach Boys' Brian Wilson sunny about new album

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Brian Wilson sits on a plush couch in his living room, smiling nervously.

On the Beach Boys visionary's back porch, his family's 15 pooches yip and scramble over each other. Inside, photos of his children with wife Melinda Ledbetter — 11-year-old Daria, 10-year-old Delanie and 4-year-old Dylan — lace the walls.

The two-story house, snuggled deep into a gated hillside community in Beverly Hills, is immaculately clean, with beige carpeting and marble floors. Housekeepers tidy up downstairs. A swimming pool overlooks the sun-drenched valley below. It all resembles a postcard.

"I'm happier now than I was a year ago," Wilson says in a recent interview. "I started exercising and I started eating more of the right food and I started feeling better. I just get up in the morning and say my prayers."

Gangly and tall in a pinstriped dress shirt, his graying hair swept back into waves, the wizard songwriter and composer behind such '60s Beach Boys hits as "Good Vibrations" and "California Girls" stares with sharp blue eyes, frequently fidgeting.

A lot has changed for the historically reclusive Southern California native, who speaks with a slight slur, a result of his drug-abuse past and medicated journey through mental illness.

He is a second-round father at the age of 66 (musician daughters Wendy, 38, and Carnie, 40, from his first marriage, tour as The Wilsons). Following 2004's long-awaited rock opera "Smile," and a 2005 Christmas release, he has a new, ambitious solo album, "That Lucky Old Sun," due out Sept. 2. He is touring behind the material, pushing through years of stage fright.

"I think the new album is just as good as anything the Beach Boys ever recorded," says Wilson. "Playing these songs live, I feel proud. You know that funny feeling you get in your stomach, like, 'Oh my God, this is sounding great!'"

Two years ago, he says, he recorded 18 songs then chose 10 last year for Capitol Records/EMI. He came up with the album's lush orchestration and music, while 43-year-old bandmate Scott Bennett scribed the lyrics, with colorful narrative interludes by Wilson's longtime collaborator Van Dyke Parks.

The outcome is a blend of uptempo pop and piano-based ballads. The title track, a cover of Louis Armstrong's "That Lucky Old Sun," flows into the bouncy anthem "Morning Beat," setting the album's tone.

"Van Dyke Parks, Brian and Melinda thought this should be a love letter to Los Angeles. At this point, Brian was 65-years-old and it just felt right to embrace his legend and be a bit nostalgic," Bennett says.

Songs such as "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl" touch on Beach Boys melodies while "Mexican Girl" adds a dash of salsa flavor. "Midnight's Another Day" and "Oxygen to the Brain" reference Wilson's dark days in the '70s and '80s, when he receded from the spotlight into isolation, drugs and weight gain.

Wilson calls "Midnight's Another Day," which skirts on a solitary piano melody, his favorite song, "kind of introspective, kind of how I feel around people."

The album's last song, "Southern California," reminisces about co-founding the Beach Boys in 1961 with his late brothers Carl and Dennis, and ends the album on an uplifting note. Wilson sings, "It's magical/ Living your dream."

"Yes, Brian had a rough time of it, with his mental health, but I would kill to have the kind of catalog he does, and tour everywhere with his brothers like he did," says Bennett, who confirms that Wilson "is on a heavy dose of antidepressants."

Regardless, Wilson has hit a creative stride in his life.

Inspiration comes at night when he sits down alone at his Yamaha synthesizer and grand piano in his purple-curtained music room.

"When I go to the keyboard, I feel holy, like an angel over my head. I feel very holy. When we did (the Beach Boys hit) 'God Only Knows,' I felt holy about that too. A godly something comes through me," Wilson says, motioning with his hands. "I'm always thinking about melodies. The melodies come from my brain, and my keyboards. I play a really pleasant keyboard. It sounds so pleasant it makes me want to write melodies."

But life as a busy dad and touring musician can be overwhelming. Wilson describes a house full of kids and dogs as "very loud" and "a madhouse." He frequently goes to a nearby park and takes walks.

"The kids make me feel a little jumpy," he says. "Sometimes I want to get out of the house to get away from my kids but I love my kids a lot. I love my kids. ... Quiet time comes around 10 at night when I go to sleep. It's peace of mind. Things run smoothly at night. During the day, things are more rough."

Later on, when Ledbetter comes home with their small son Dylan — floppy-haired, barefoot and wearing a Hawaiian shirt — Wilson brightens. He's quieter when it comes to daughters Wendy and Carnie, who both live less than 10 miles away.

"I don't talk to them very much. I used to. I recorded with them at one time, but I don't talk to them a lot," he says, explaining that the women are "really busy."

Questions about the Beach Boys' current status get lukewarm response as well. Wilson, who also formed the band with cousin Mike Love and then-school friend Al Jardine, split with most of the group's surviving members years ago amid legal squabbles. Love and later Beach Boys bandmate Bruce Johnston tour as the Beach Boys Band, while Jardine has his own Endless Summer Band. Wilson stresses the subject's touchiness.

"We don't want any publicity about me getting back with the Beach Boys, cause I don't want to. They're not my group anymore. That's Mike and Bruce's group now. I'm on my own, and I would rather do that than go back to the Beach Boys," he says.

Wilson, though, clearly loves performing Beach Boys tunes as well as his own solo work, even with nightly stage fright, which he says he works through by getting neck and shoulder rubs, and praying.

At a taping days later for Yahoo! Music's Live Sets, Wilson is joined onstage by his nine-piece band, including Bennett and members of the Wondermints, who have played with him for 10 years.

Tentatively at first, Wilson claps his hands and directs the group in rousing, harmony-filled versions of such Beach Boys classics as "Help Me Rhonda" and "I Get Around." Wilson later sings from the new album.

When asked during a Q&A session his biggest regret, he doesn't mince words.

"The drugs I took which kind of messed up my mind. The LSD, the marijuana, the cocaine," he says, to audience laughter.

Wilson isn't letting his past stop him from throwing his ambitions forward.

After "That Lucky Old Sun," Wilson says the unreleased songs he recorded, including a slow, smooth version of "Proud Mary," will form another album. He gushes that "the only person I really want to work with is Paul McCartney." He would also like to record "a rock 'n' roll album inspired by Phil Spector's type records, a really hard rock album that really rocks, with big orchestration, the whole bit."

Yet, he also views his future gingerly, as day to day.

"I look forward to today," he tells The AP. "I never look forward to the future because I think to myself, 'What if there's an earthquake, what if I die or someone I love dies?' I get those kind of thoughts all the time. It's 'oof' to my head."

Lennon's killer told parole board he's ashamed

BUFFALO, N.Y. - John Lennon's killer told parole officials during his latest unsuccessful bid for release from prison that he is ashamed and sorry for gunning down the former Beatle nearly three decades ago.

Mark David Chapman was interviewed by the parole board for a fifth time Aug. 12 and was immediately denied release. A transcript of the hearing was made public Tuesday.

The 53-year-old Chapman told the parole panel that, over the years, he has come to realize the gravity of what he did, and how it affected not only Lennon, but his wife, children and anybody who knew him.

"I recognized that that 25-year-old man, I don't think he really appreciated the life that he was taking, that this was a human being," he said. "I feel now at 53 I have grown into a deeper understanding of what a human life is. I have changed a lot."

As he has in the past, he also told the parole board that he was seeking notoriety and fame to counter feelings of failure when he decided to kill Lennon.

"I would be something other than a nobody, and that was my reasoning at the time," Chapman said.

The former maintenance man from Hawaii has been in prison for nearly 28 years. He was sentenced to 20 years to life after pleading guilty to the murder. The parole board decision means he will remain in New York's Attica Correctional Facility for at least two more years.

In its brief decision, the two-member parole panel denied release "due to concern for the public safety and welfare."

Chapman fired five shots outside Lennon's Manhattan apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980, hitting Lennon four times in front of his wife, Yoko Ono, and others.

Ono, who has previously written the parole board arguing against Chapman's release, did not offer any testimony in his latest hearing.

Fifty others did, however, and 1,100 people signed a petition opposing his release. Three people wrote urging that he be set free, Heather Groll, a state Parole Division spokeswoman, said last week.

Chapman's next appearance before the board is scheduled for August 2010.

New CD Releases, August 19: Ice Cube, Staind, The Dandy Warhols

Ice Cube "Raw Footage"

The gangsta-rap pioneer returns with a follow-up to 2006's "Laugh Now, Cry Later," a work that debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 chart. "Raw Footage" is Ice Cube's ninth solo effort and, according to the artist's

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Staind "The Illusion of Progress"

Staind hopes to make a mark with its new studio album. "The Illusion of Progress" is the Boston hard-rock band's first batch of all-new material since 2005's "Chapter V," and was recorded at frontman Aaron Lewis' home studio with producer Johnny K.

The group--Lewis, guitarist Mike Mushok, drummer Jon Wysocki and bassist Johnny April--is currently on the road. The trek continues through the end of this month and includes dates in Alberta, Minnesota and on the West Coast.

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The Dandy Warhols "Earth to the Dandy Warhols"

The Portland, OR-based alt-rock troupe is ready to drop its eighth studio album, "Earth to the Dandy Warhols," which follows 2005's "Odditorium or Warlords of Mars." Many of the band's fans already own "Earth," given that it was released as a digital download back in May.

"Earth to the Dandy Warhols" was produced by the band's frontman, Courtney Taylor-Taylor, and includes guest contributions from guitarists Mark Knopfler and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

The Dandy Warhols will support the new set with a 16-city outing that kicks off Sept. 9 in Minneapolis and is capped off with a hometown Oct. 5 show in Portland.

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Joe Bonamassa "Live from Nowhere in Particular"

The acclaimed blues-rock vocalist/guitarist returns with a two-disc concert album. "Live from Nowhere in Particular" follows Bonamassa's seventh solo album, "Sloe Gin," which surfaced last fall and snagged the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Blues Albums chart.

For those who prefer to hear their live music "live" (as opposed to on disc), Bonamassa is currently on the concert trail. He has shows scheduled throughout August, September and October, including festival dates at Seattle's Bumbershoot (Aug. 30) and Austin, TX's Austin City Limits (Sept. 28).

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Amy Macdonald "This is the Life"

The young Scottish singer/songwriter, who will celebrate her 21st birthday later this month, is looking for love from US fans as her debut disc finally gets released Stateside. "This is the Life," featuring the single "Poison Prince," is already a major hit across the Atlantic, having sold more than a million units since being released in summer 2007.

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More new releases:
The Academy Is..., "Fast Times at Barrington High" (Fueled by Ramen)
Black Stone Cherry, "Folklore & Superstition" (Roadrunner)
Glen Campbell, "Meet Glen Campbell" (Capitol)
The Cheetah Girls, "One World" (Disney)
Donavon Frankenreiter, "Pass It Around" (Lost Highway)
Family Force 5, "Dance or Die" (Tooth and Nail)
The Goo Goo Dolls, "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" (Warner Bros.)
Juliana Hatfield, "How to Walk Away" (Ye Olde Records)
George Jones, "Burn Your Playhouse Down: The Unreleased Duets" (Bandit)
Chris Knight, "Heart of Stone" (Red)
John Pizzarelli, "With a Song in My Heart" (Telarc)
Crystal Shawanda, "Dawn of a New Day" (RCA)
Shwayze, "Shwayze" (Geffen)
Todd Snider, "Peace Queer" (MRI)
Stereolab, "Chemical Chords" (4AD)
Toadies, "No Deliverance" (Kirtland)

AC/DC to release "Black Ice" in October

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Rock band AC/DC's first studio album in eight years, "Black Ice," will be sold exclusively in the U.S. via Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and the band's Web site, beginning October 20. First single "Rock 'n' Roll Train" will hit U.S. radio on August 28.

In an unusual move, the exclusive release comes with the full cooperation of AC/DC's label home, Columbia, which says it is planning "multiple activities for fans" leading up to release date.

The 15-track "Black Ice" is the follow-up to 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip." An extensive world tour in support of the set will begin in late October.

In addition, on September 9 Columbia will release "No Bull: The Director's Cut," a newly edited DVD of AC/DC's July 1996 show at Madrid's Plaza De Toros De Las Ventas.

Metallica Reveal “Death Magnetic” Track List

After a sheet music website accidentally revealed (and then deleted) the track list for Metallica’s Death Magnetic earlier today, the band confirmed the ten songs that will appear on their Rick Rubin-produced album, due out in September.

One title immediately jumps out: “The Unforgiven III,” following the Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” and roughly 11 years after ReLoad’s “The Unforgiven II.” The rest of the song titles are packed with common Metallica-esque themes of nightmares, suicides and the apocalypse.

There’s also a song called “The End of the Line,” which shares its title with a Traveling Wilburys song, but we’re assuming it’s not a cover.

Despite reports from earlier in the day, there’s no track called “Death Magnetic” included.

The album isn’t due out for another two months, so you still have plenty of time to figure out if you want these ten songs delivered to you in a coffin box and sufficiently prepare yourself to play “Broken, Beat & Scarred” on Guitar Hero III.

Here is the full track list and proper running order!

“That Was Just Your Life”
“The End Of The Line”
“Broken, Beat & Scarred”
“The Day That Never Comes”
“All Nightmare Long”
“Cyanide”
“The Unforgiven III”
“The Judas Kiss”
“Suicide & Redemption”
“My Apocalypse”

The Hip recording another Rock album

The Tragically Hip thought it went so nice they'd try it twice.

According to a video clip released yesterday on the band's website, the group is working on a new studio album with producer Bob Rock. Rock also produced 2006's World Container, the band's previous studio effort.

The band will continue working on the as-yet untitled album at Rock's home studio in Maui, following its appearance at the inaugural Pemberton Festival in B.C. on Saturday.

"I think after doing World Container we were pretty happy with the results, and it seemed like we just got to know each other as the album was ending," Rock says in the clip. "We kind of figured out what everybody did and stuff. Really it was done three or four songs at a time. We just knew that we had to kind of try to at least raise the bar a bit. We knew we had to come up with something different."

"It's going really well. Bob's been here three times since about April, we've worked out the songs and whittled them down," lead singer Gord Downie says. "We're at about 14 right now and I think that's what we'll continue with."

The band worked on the album at its Bathouse Studio near Kingston following touring in support of World Container last year. According to bassist Gord Sinclair, the group hopes to have the record completed by the end of August.

Jessica Simpson Sets Date For, Names Album

Jessica Simpson has christened her debut country album "Do You Know" and will release it Sept. 9 via Columbia Nashville. First single "Come on Over" rises 26-23 this week on Billboard's Hot Country songs chart.

There are several other potential winners on the album, particularly the slow-burning "Might As Well Be Making Love," which has shades of Faith Hill's powerful belting, and the autobiographical "Pray Out Loud," which nods to the rootsy charm of the Dixie Chicks.

Elsewhere, Simpson offers comfort to a victim of domestic abuse on "Remember That" and sings with Dolly Parton on the title track, which Parton penned. "I look in the mirror and I know I'm doing the right thing with my career and my life," Simpson told Billboard recently. "It's a great place of comfort."

The album was produced by Brett James and John Shanks, with songwriting contributions coming from Rachel Proctor, Victoria Banks, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey, among others.

Beyond a slew of morning and late-night talk show performances in the coming weeks, Simpson is making the rounds at U.S. country festivals. Next up is the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis on Aug. 7.

In addition, Simpson will in August launch a new fragrance, "Fancy," to complement her existing fashion line of shoes, outerwear and lingerie.

Neil Young's 'Archive' To Be Available On CD, DVD

With "CSNY: Deja Vu," his documentary of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's controversial 2006 Freedom of Speech Tour, rolling out this week, Neil Young says his upcoming musical plans mostly involve his long-in-the-works "Archive" series as well as hitting the road.

This fall, the "Archive" series will begin to roll out with a 10-disc set of performances from 1963-72. Contrary to previous reports, and Young's own comments in the media, the set will be available in standard CD and DVD configurations and not exclusively in Blu-ray, but Young says he hopes fans will take advantage of the state-of-the-art format.

"Blu-ray is the future," Young tells Billboard. "It sounds the best, the navigating system is the best. I've made a lot of CDs and we've made a lot of DVDs, and Blu-ray technology is so far superior to anything else. The fact there aren't many players out there now doesn't meant that much to me, because it is the future, so I would rather focus on what's next. If you were to get a Blu-ray of the 'Archive,' you would get the best."

Young is also confident that the next volume of the "Archive" series will come in short order. "We've developed the platform," he says. "We have the format. We have everything together to do it. It just took 15 years to develop this platform and also to wait for technology that was strong enough for the platform to stand on."

As for live performances, Young says he'll "be touring pretty extensively for the next year, year-and-a-half," Young says. "That's what I'm focusing on. Playing for people with a great band is very rewarding. It's very good for me -- it keeps me in top form physically, and that makes me feel good.

"And I've found a way of doing it so I'm on and I'm off and I can get enough time on that I can focus on (other projects) and then I go right back out on the road again and take another couple shots at that."

Young does note, "as far as new music, there's just a few things that are going on, but nothing to speak of. Usually when it happens with me, it doesn't happen 'cause I planned it. It just happens. As fortunate as I have been so far, there'll be new music coming along the pike."

Young resumes touring Aug. 7 in Helsinki, playing in Europe throughout August and returning home for the Farm Aid concert Sept. 20 in Mansfield, Mass.

Report: Eminem Working on Fifth Album, Label Says

Rapper Eminem is officially back in the studio and working on his new album, a label source tells EW.com. Bishop Lamont, another protégé of Eminem and Dr. Dre, said, “Em is excited. He’s been quiet too long, and he’s got a lot to get off his chest.”

It’s been four years since Slim Shady released his last studio album, Encore. In the time since, one of Eminem’s closest friends, rapper Proof, was shot and killed, leaving Em emotionally devastated. There were also reports late last year that the 8 Mile star suffered a mild heart attack, thought people close to him said he just had the flu.

“He went through what he had to go through, and now he’s been able to take all the pain and stress and put it out in his music,” Lamont added.

No release date for the Marshall Mathers’ fifth album has been announced.

New CD Releases, July 22: Sugarland, Miley Cyrus, U2

Sugarland "Love on the Inside"

The popular country act is set to drop its third full-length effort. "Love on the Inside" follows 2006's multi-platinum-selling "Enjoy the Ride," which featured a pair of No. 1 singles, "Want To" and "Settlin'," as well as the tune "Stay," which scored Sugarland two trophies at the recent Academy of Country Music Awards.
The album's first single, "All I Want to Do," is already a major hit on country music radio. "Love on the Inside" will be offered as a regular 12-song CD as well as in a deluxe edition, which includes five bonus tracks, an expanded CD booklet and access to download exclusive music videos and behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the album.

Sugarland has a heavy tour itinerary coinciding with the release of "Love on the Inside." The band is currently on the road and will remain active on the concert circuit through mid-November.

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Miley Cyrus "Breakout"

The pop vocalist is known to millions of young music fans as TV character Hanna Montana. Her focus as of late, however, has been on establishing her own name in the music business.

She'll continue with that endeavor with the release of "Breakout," which is the star's first CD billed solely to her own name. Her recent live album and last studio release both were released as Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus projects.
The first single from "Breakout' is the tune "7 Things," which has been receiving spins on both Top 40 and Adult Top 40 radio stations.

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U2 "Boy," "October," "War"

Good news for fans of Ireland's biggest band: U2 plans to issue re-mastered versions of its first three albums. The re-mastering was done using the original audio tapes and the end result is available in both digital and physical formats.
Each physical set will be available in three formats: as a standard single CD, a deluxe two-disc version featuring a disc of b-sides, live tracks and rarities, and an LP record pressed on 180gm virgin vinyl. The packaging on all three titles has been restored and expanded with new liner notes, previously unseen photos and full lyrics. The list price for each title is $34.98.

A box set that collects all three offerings is being offered exclusively through Amazon for a list price of $79.98.

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Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young "CSNY: Deja Vu Live"

The new music documentary "CSNY: Deja Vu" is scheduled to hit theaters on July 25. The film was directed by Neil Young (who has quite a few movie credits under his hat) and was shot during Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's "Freedom of Speech 2006" tour of North America.

Fans can get ready for the movie by picking up this soundtrack. "Deja Vu Live" features such well-known songs as "Wooden Ships," "For What It's Worth" and "Teach Your Children."

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Paul Weller "22 Dreams"

The influential British singer/songwriter, who is best known for fronting The Jam, returns with his first new release in three years. "22 Dreams" draws on several different styles of music, including rock, funk, soul, free jazz and electronica. Weller plans to tour the US beginning Sept. 2.

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More new releases:

Black Kids, "Partie Traumatic" (Red Ink)
Black Sabbath, "The Rules of Hell" (Rhino)
David Bowie, "Live in Santa Monica '72" (Virgin)
Candlebox, "Into the Sun" (Silent Majority)
Dr. Dog, "Fate" (Park the Van)
Bob Dylan, "Best of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour Vol. 2" (Video Music)
Noel Gourdin, "After My Time" (Epic)
Buddy Guy, "Skin Deep" (Zomba)
Janis Ian, "Best of Janis Ian--The Autobiography Collection" (Rude Girl)
Danny Tenaglia, "Futurism" (Tommy Boy)
Various Artists, "Video Games Live" (Angel)
Wiggles, "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" (Koch)

Soundtracks and scores:
"Batman: Gotham Knight" (La-La Land)
"X-Files: I Want to Believe" (Decca)

Songwriters devote album to baseball

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dusk is setting on a cool evening at Yankee Stadium, as Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte sets down the San Diego Padres. Steve Wynn and Scott McCaughey, two songwriters behind new band The Baseball Project, are doing what they love: sipping beer and talking baseball and music.

The Baseball Project is celebrating the release of its first album, "Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails," on Yep Roc Records earlier this month. It is a record solely about baseball, which is not a subject people might associate with veteran rockers like McCaughey and Wynn.

The subject turns to "walk-on" music -- music baseball players select to be played on stadium loudspeakers when they come up to bat -- that McCaughey and Wynn might select for themselves if they were ball players.

Wynn says, "Maybe 'Waiting For My Man," a song by the Velvet Underground about a dope addict and his dealer.

Scott McCaughey quips, "All right, I'll pick 'Sister Ray,"' referring to a 17-minute Velvet Underground song consisting primarily of abrasive white noise and off color lyrics.

McCaughey is a founding member of the Young Fresh Fellows and currently a sideman with R.E.M. Wynn is an original member of the Dream Syndicate, who helped pioneer the so-called Paisley Underground sound in Los Angeles in the early 1980s.

Other Baseball Project band members include drummer Linda Pitmon, who also plays with the likes of Freedy Johnston and John Wesley Harding. R.E.M.'s Peter Buck plays guitar throughout the album.

Wynn and McCaughey knew of each other's bands throughout the 1980s, but didn't actually meet until Wynn passed through McCaughey's home town of Seattle.

"According to Steve, we met in a rock club. Probably in the urinal in a rock club where all the great summits occur," McCaughey said. "But I was a fan and had seen him play many times, and we have plenty of mutual friends, so it was just a matter of time."

Wynn recalls, "The funny thing is we didn't talk much about baseball until last year. We were at R.E.M.'s Hall of Fame induction party. And we talked about baseball for hours. Somewhere in that conversation we both mentioned that we wanted to do a record about baseball."

Wynn found himself talking about the album with friends incessantly, until Pitmon said, "You better stop talking about this record and actually make it before someone else does."

McCaughey sent Wynn three songs: "Sometimes I Dream Of Willie Mays," "Past Time," and "Satchel Paige." Three days later, Wynn completed five songs of his own.

Rather than trafficking in sports cliches, the album sets its sights on lesser known stories and players such as pitcher Jack McDowell, who won the Cy Young award in 1993, but who is perhaps better known for making an obscene gesture to a Yankee Stadium crowd after they booed him in 1995.

Wynn believes his songs are as autobiographical as anything he's ever written. In particular, he points to "Gratitude," a paean to Curt Flood, whose legal challenge to the reserve clause helped usher in the age of free agency. The reserve clause bound a player to his team, even after his contract expired, until he was traded or released.

"The song is about how difficult it is to be the sacrificial lamb -- the one that paves the way for something that is not an easy cause. Everybody else benefits from what you did," Wynn said.

"These are things that could be felt as if someone who started in indie rock in 1982, playing in all the punk rock clubs in the 1980s," he added. "I wrote about it from a place I could understand."

Both Wynn and McCaughey already are stockpiling songs for Volume 2. Wynn has a song in the works about Cal Ripken, the Hall of Fame shortstop who holds the record for consecutive games played.

The thrust of the song? "The guy's greatest accomplishment is that he went to work every day," Wynn laughs. "What's so great about that?"

Lyle Lovett sells millions, earns nothing

DETROIT (Billboard) - Lyle Lovett says he has "never made a dime" from album sales during his two-decade career, and hopes to rectify that situation when his contract expires.

The eclectic country singer has two more albums on his deal with Curb/Universal, his home since 1985, and figures the horizons are wide open.

"The possibilities are very exciting, I think," Lovett told Billboard.com. "I've never made a dime from a record sale in the history of my record deal. I've been very happy with my sales, and certainly my audience has been very supportive. I make a living going out and playing shows."

Lovett, 50, has sold 4.6 million albums in the United States since 1991, the year when SoundScan sales data were introduced. His most recent release, "It's Not Big It's Large," has sold about 145,000 copies since debuting at a career-best No. 18 on the Billboard 200 last September, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Records are very powerful promotional tools to go out and be able to play on the road, but you do have to think about it as a way of sustaining itself at some point. I'm very excited about being able to do some of that on my own, maybe," Lovett said.

He did not, however, rule out another label deal.

"Certainly if a major label is interested in working with me after these next two records and is able to come up with a strategy that does engage some of the new technology in a way that can benefit everybody, I'd be very interested in that."

Lovett said he hopes to start work on his next album in time for a 2009 release. He has a direction in mind but says, "I don't know if I want to talk about it yet."

He is currently touring North America with his Large Band through mid-August, and has also financed an album recorded at some of the singer/songwriter shows he does with John Hiatt, Guy Clark and Joe Ely but is having trouble getting his label interested in putting it out.

Lovett, who has graced the big screen in such films as "The Player" and "The Opposite of Sex," recently added to his acting resume with "a very small contribution" to Michael Meredith's film "The Open Road," which stars Justin Timberlake and Jeff Bridges, and is expected to open later this year.

"I got to do a scene with Justin, which was fun. I enjoyed meeting him," said Lovett, who also performed a song for the soundtrack with Charlie Sexton, who's scoring the film.

Metallica Reveal More “Death Magnetic” Package Details

More details of the various formats of Metallica’s Death Magnetic have emerged on the band’s Mission:Metallica website. The cheapest option, with a $24.99 price tag, is the simple Digital Death Magnetic package, which gives its buyer the digital album at midnight of street date, plus the option to download two Metallica summer concerts, ringtones and the access to the Platinum areas of the Mission:Metallica site.

The next step up takes that package and adds a physical CD to the mix (with free shipping!). Then, there’s the behemoth Limited Edition Collectible. For $124.99, you can get the digital, physical and 5LP versions of Death Magnetic, plus a lithograph. All three packages enter you into exclusive contests to win a chance to meet the band at select festivals.

And the best part: They all come with $10 off merch or Fan Club membership at Metallica.com. You can peruse which package is right for you here. Death Magnetic is due out in September.

Tenacious D 'One-And-A-Half Songs' Into Next Album

Tenacious D plans to release another album -- just don't hold your breath waiting for it.

Group member Kyle Gass tells Billboard.com that he and Jack Black, his partner in the irreverent rock duo, have begun work on their follow-up to the 2006 film project "The Pick of Destiny." "It's very challenging," Gass says, revealing that "we probably only have one to one and a half songs right now, and we probably need 12 to 15. It might take the rest of our lives, but I think it'll be worth waiting for."

But Gass does say, in his own way, that he and Black are indeed serious about their goals for the album. "We'd like to do one final masterpiece, I think," he acknowledges. "I think we both know we're approaching death, as it were, and we'd like to have a lasting legacy. ('The Pick of Destiny') was kind of a soundtrack to the movie so we had to fulfill obligations that way. And now it's kind of opened up."

Gass says he's also like to finish an album that his side project, Trainwreck, has been working on for five years. "I think that I need to really work harder at completing some of these projects," he notes. I think that I've been living on my laurels. I've been lazy, but now I think it's time to kick ass." Or Gass? "There ya go..."

Gass is spending part of the summer with General Motors' GMnext Plug In program, for which he's traveling to music festivals around the world to shoot "hilarious video clips" of him interviewing and jamming with bands, which are then put up on the GMnext.com Web site.

He was most recently at the Rothbury Festival in western Michigan, where he hosted 311, Drive-By Truckers' Patterson Hood and the Wailers, among others, and he next goes to Lollapalooza in Chicago.

"They're trying to drive traffic to their Web site," explains Gass, who drives a Lexus but says he'd gladly accept a hybrid Cadillac Escalade. "They've realized they screwed up, and they now want to atone and start making fuel-efficient cars. Can they do it? I don't think so. Are they gonna try? Yes, they are. Do I get paid either way? Yes."

New CD Releases, July 8: Beck, Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis, The Melvins

Beck "Modern Guilt"

The hipster singer/songwriter returns with a follow-up to 2006's "The Information." "Modern Guilt" was produced with Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton and, according to a press release, explores Beck and Danger Mouse's shared interest in psych-rock, folk, electronic minimalism and orchestration.

Beck will share "Modern Guilt" with fans during a North American tour that finds the artist performing many festival dates, including the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco (8/22), Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle (8/30) and Austin City Limits Festival in Texas (9/27). The Southern California crooner will also play his biggest hometown headlining show to date: Sept. 20 at the Hollywood Bowl.

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Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis "Two Men With the Blues"

The country legend and the jazz great combine their ample talents on this live collection of standards and blues numbers. "Two Men With the Blues" was recorded during a two-night stand dubbed "Willie Nelson Sings the Blues" in early 2007 at Lincoln Center in New York.

"Two Men With the Blues" features such well-known offerings as "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It," "Ain't Nobody's Business," "Caldonia" and "Stardust." There has been no word as to whether Nelson and Marsalis will tour together in support of the album--but keep your fingers crossed.

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The Melvins "Nude with Boots"

The alt-metal pioneers are back with their 16th studio album. Recorded in Los Angeles over the past two years, "Nude With Boots" features the same lineup--career Melvins Buzz Osborne (guitar, vocals) and Dale Crover (drums) with Jared Warren (bass, vocals) and Coady Willis (drums) of fellow Seattle indie rockers Big Business--that recorded the group's previous effort, 2006's "(A) Senile Animal."

The influential band will support "Nude with Boots" with a 23-city North American tour. The trek kicks off July 16 in Santa Barbara, CA.

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Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band "Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band Live 2006"

This CD features the Beatle performing with such talents as guitarist/vocalists Billy Squier and Edgar Winter and percussionist/vocalist Sheila E. The ensemble handles a number of Starr/Beatles classics, like "Yellow Submarine" and "Photograph," as well as milestone songs from the careers of the other participants (notably Squier's "Everybody Wants You" and Winter's "Frankenstein").

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Billy Joel "The Stranger: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition"

The singer/songwriter/pianist's great fifth album, originally released in 1977, gets a major makeover on what's really its 31st anniversary. "The Stranger: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" is a 4-disc box set that includes the entire original album (remastered by producer Phil Ramone), two live CDs from the era, and a DVD of TV/video performances.

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More new releases:

Bad Religion, "New Maps of Hell" (Epitaph)
The Baseball Project, "Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails" (Yep Roc)
Donna the Buffalo, "Silverlined" (Sugar Hill)
Gaelic Storm, "What's the Rumpus?" (MRI)
Jean Grae, "Jeanius" (Blacksmith)
Great Big Sea, "Fortune's Favour" (Suma)
Kerli, "Love Is Dead" (Island)
Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Medium Rare" (Bosstones Music)
Van Morrison, "Common One" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "Inarticulate Speech of the Heart" (Polydor)
Ratatat, "Lp3" (Beggars Xl)
Scar Symmetry, "Holographic Universe" (Nuclear Blast)
UFO, "Obsession" (Caroline)

Soundtracks and scores:

"Mamma Mia!" (Decca)
"Weeds: Music From The Series Vol. 3" (Lion's Gate)

Jessica Simpson winning over country listeners

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - When Jessica Simpson announced plans to go country after her last pop album flopped, there was a collective eye roll in Nashville.

To some skeptics, it appeared to be a calculated move to follow in the footsteps of other pop stars who have found success by crossing over to country radio. After lackluster album sales, acting disappointments and bad press over her high-profile romances, Simpson certainly needed a boost.

But "Come On Over," Simpson's debut single from her upcoming country album, is not only winning over those same skeptics, it's gaining ground on country radio. A flirtatious, steel guitar-laced slice of pop country, the song has cracked the top 30 on Billboard's country singles chart.

"The best way to sum this up is what program directors have been telling our promotions staff: 'I really wanted to hate this record, and I don't. I love this,'" said Tom Baldrica, vice president of marketing for her label, Sony BMG Nashville.

Despite her crossover potential, that's not what the label or the Texas-born Simpson seem to have in mind with the single, which was co-produced by John Shanks, who's also worked with Sheryl Crow, Michelle Branch and Melissa Etheridge.

"If other folks want to play it, we're not telling them not to," Baldrica said, "but our focus is on country. We want to make sure she's in this format because this is where she belongs."

John Hart, a Nashville-based marketing researcher, says the song appeals to young, active listeners who are more likely to call radio stations and attend concerts and events. It tested in the top five in his online sampling the past few weeks and also did well in random telephone surveys that reach country's more traditional base.

"I don't think people were anticipating the song to be that good," said John Paul, program director at KUPL in Portland, Ore. His station has been playing the song for two weeks in light rotation.

"It's a good song regardless of who sings it, but having her sing it — whether you like her or hate her, everybody knows who Jessica Simpson is," he said. "And I think there's a lot of credibility that she co-wrote the song. "

Country fans have seen a steady parade of artists from outside the genre. The Eagles, John Mellencamp and Bon Jovi made inroads, and Simpson is currently joined on the upper half of the chart by Jewel and Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker.

But Simpson, 27, may have a special challenge because of her tabloid persona. These days, the pop star/reality star/movie actress is better known for her relationships (Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is her current beau) than her music.

"We were certainly aware of that and knew that it would be an issue in some places," Baldrica said. "But like everything, if you have it in the music then everything else has a tendency to take care of itself."

Simpson comes to country after her last pop album was a commercial and critical failure — it sold just 299,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album "Do You Know" is expected to be released in September; The title track was written by Dolly Parton, who sings background vocals.

For her part, Simpson is promoting the song pretty much the same as any new country singer. She courted fans at last month's Country Music Association festival in Nashville and will perform at state fairs and visit radio stations.

"She's done what a lot of newcomers and established stars have done by putting out fun, uptempo, put-the-top-down and cruise type songs," remarked David Scarlett, senior editor of Country Weekly magazine. "It's a great way to introduce herself. I think country audiences will be receptive based on the music they hear. If they like what they hear, they're going to embrace her. And so far, she's done very well."

Stompin' Tom is going digital for Canada Day.

The Canadian music legend is issuing five of his classic albums, including Bud The Spud, on iTunes beginning Tuesday.

It's the first time Tom Connors, who has recorded 49 albums, has released his work digitally, EMI said in a release Monday.

The other albums to be released are:

- Fiddle & Song.
- Ode For The Road.
- My Stompin Grounds.
- Live At The Horseshoe.

Individual songs from the albums, including hits such as Sudbury Saturday Night, are also available.

More of Connors's catalogue is expected to be released digitally over the next few months.

Connors has a new album coming out later this year, recently performed duirng the NHL awards show in Toronto and will be honoured with his own stamp next year.

He is already a recipient of the Order of Canada and the Governor General's Award of Performing Excellence.

New CD Releases, July 1: John Mayer, Alkaline Trio, Los Lonely Boys

John Mayer "Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles"

This 2-CD live set was recorded during the vocalist/guitarist's gig on Dec. 8, 2007 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. It features Mayer performing in three different settings: an acoustic show, fronting the John Mayer Trio (with bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan) and leading his regular electric band.

"Where the Light is" will also be released on DVD and Blue-Ray configurations, and is being shown in theaters across the country for one night only (June 30).

Mayer is also scheduled to tour this summer. The trip will commence with a July 2 date in Milwaukee, WI, and is currently scheduled to last through the end of August. Support acts rotating through the tour will include Colbie Caillat, Brett Dennen, Paramore and OneRepublic.

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Alkaline Trio "Agony & Irony"

The Chicago-based alt-rockers return with their sixth studio album, which marks the group's first collection of all-new material since 2005's "Crimson." The latter set peaked at No. 25 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Last year, the group issued "Remains," a 22-track compilation album. The dual CD/DVD release features non-album sides that the band has recorded for compilations, EPs and international versions of its studio albums, along with a 45-minute DVD including all of the band's music videos from the three studio albums preceding "Agony."

Fans can share in the "Agony" during Alkaline Trio's in-progress tour. The trek is currently scheduled to stretch through an Aug. 3 date in Lawrence, KS.

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Los Lonely Boys "Forgiven"

The Garza brothers--Henry (guitar), JoJo (bass) and Ringo (drums)--are back and ready to release their third album. The set follows 2006's "Sacred," which debuted at No. 2 on The Billboard 200, and the band's double-platinum-selling, Grammy-winning 2003 self-titled debut, which spawned the No. 1 adult-contemporary hit "Heaven."

The first single from "Forgiven" is "Staying With Me." These "Texican" rockers will support the new album during a co-headlining trek with Los Lobos. Dubbed the "Brotherhood Tour," the outing is set to begin July 18 in Portland, OR.

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My Chemical Romance "The Black Parade is Dead"

"The Black Parade," released in late 2006, made these modern goth rockers into superstars in the music business. Yet, all good things must come to an end. Judging by the title of their new release, "The Black Parade is Dead," the band members are presumably just about ready to turn the page on this chapter in their careers and get on the next thing. This live set, released in both CD and DVD formats, documents two concerts from Oct. 2007: a small club show in New Jersey and the final "Black Parade" gig in Mexico City.

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Vanessa Hudgens "Identified"

You might not know her name, but trust that your kids know her voice. Hudgens is best known for her role in the Disney phenomenon "High School Musical" (she starred as Gabriella Montez). The 19-year-old vocalist already has one hit record to her credit--her platinum-selling 2006 debut, "V"--and now she's hoping for another taste of success with her sophomore effort, "Identified."

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More new releases:
Deltron 3030, "Deltron 3030" (Traffic)
G-Unit, "T.O.S.: Terminate on Sight" (G-Unit)
Kansas, "Two for the Show" (Sony)
Van Morrison, "Enlightenment" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast" (Polydor)
Van Morrison, "A Night in Sa