John Frusciante: The Empyrean
The Chili Peppers are on a break, but by no means does that suggest that Frusciante will be taking one. In fact, he’s about to release his 10th solo album, The Empyrean, through the indie Record Collection label. Recorded over a two year period at his Laurel Canyon home, the album features appearances by a gospel choir, a string quartet, Johnny Marr and RHCP bassist Flea, among others, and is far and away the most cohesive, impressive solo work he’s put together.
The vocals are sometimes over-effected, and it’s certainly not casual listening material, but the spirit, innovation and ambition within make for nothing short of an outstanding record. If you’re looking to get into the man’s dense catalogue of solo work, it might be good to start with The Empyrean and think of it as the sum of all the parts that came before it.
Franz Ferdinand: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (vinyl)
Franz Ferdinand are confessed music pirates themselves, and even went so far as to encourage fans to download a new song of theirs just a few months back. So imagine the confusion among those same fans when they heard that the band recently hired the infamous Web Sheriff to stop people from downloading their new album when it leaked. However familiar this song and dance may be by now, it all still sounded very suspicious to me; so I downloaded the record, and got to the bottom of the nonsense: Tonight is a half-assed disappointment of an album.
Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream (deluxe edition w/DVD)
Bruce is about more American than Joe the Plumber or even apple pie could ever be, and also happens to be one of the best songwriters of his generation. The Boss brought back the E Street Band and recruited producer Brendan O'Brien for the fourth time to record 12 new songs, plus a bonus track: 'The Wrestler', written for Darren Aronofsky's 2008 film of the same title. The song won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but was blasphemously overlooked for this year's Oscars.
Steve Martin: The Crow New Songs for the 5-String Banjo
You might only know Steve Martin as the crazy dad from Father of the Bride or, sadly, the Pink Panther, but the comedian has had a long and varied career ranging from a stint as a castmember at "Saturday Night Live" to a well-trained musician.
The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo is the first full-length bluegrass album from Martin, who began writing a string of new banjo songs after playing on the Grammy Award winning Foggy Mountain Breakdown with Earl Scruggs. The Crow isn't a comedy album - it's a real-music deal, featuring a barrage of special appearances by the likes of Dolly Parton, Mary Black, Tim O'Brien, Earl Scruggs,Vince Gill, Pete Wernick and Tony Trischka.
I have loved the banjo my whole life," says Martin. "The songs on this record represent the influence of a dozen players and a thousand tunes, and I thank them all. But it's the banjo itself I thank most for generating nostalgia for experiences I never had, joy I was yet to experience, and melancholy that was yet to come."
"Steve shows the same skill at crafting a story within the lyric of a song as he does with a novel or comedic script," according to producer John McEuen. "People will be pleasantly shocked at how vast and varied this music is. This album will show Steve as a composer of unique melodies, hot licks and soulful lyrics. He is definitely a songwriter with an unusual twist for notes and lyrics."
The Crow also comes packaged with a 24-page booklet, featuring Steve's writing on the role the banjo has played in his life, along with his inspiration for each song that appears on the album.
Other CD/vinyl releases this week:
American Football: American Football EP (vinyl reissue)
Anahita: Matricaria
Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition) (remastered vinyl)
The Bird and the Bee: Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears: Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears (vinyl)
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: The Tiffany Transcriptions (10-disc box set)
Brian Wilson: That Lucky Old Sun (dvd)
Buddy Holly: Down the Line: The Rarities
Charlie Louvin: Less and Less & I Don't Love You Anymore (reissue)
Chris Duarte: 396
Combichrist: Today We Are All Demons (vinyl)
Copeland: You Are My Sunshine (vinyl)
Cotton Jones: Paranoid Cocoon (vinyl)
Dalek: Gutter Tactics
Dan Deacon/Adventure: Dan Deacon / Adventure Split 12" (vinyl)
De/Vision: Noob
Dirty Three: She Has No Strings Apollo (vinyl reissue)
Doug Paisley: Doug Paisley
Duncan Sheik: Whisper House
Enon: High Society (vinyl reissue)
Ethan Rose: Oaks
Fever Ray: If I Had A Heart (vinyl single)
Fleetwood Mac: Live in London '68 (vinyl reissue)
Freezepop: Form Activity Motion EP
Full Blast: Black Hole
Goblin Cock: Come With Me If You Want to Live (vinyl)
Golden Boots: The Winter of Our Discotheque
Gringo Star: All Y'All
The Guggenheim Grotto: Happy the Man
Headlights: Keep Your Friends and Loves Close, Keep The City You Call Home Closer EP
Hoobastank: FOR(N)EVER
Iggy Pop: Where the Faces Shine, Vol. 2: The Official Live Experience (7-CD remastered box set)
J. Tillman: Vacilando Territory Blues
James Brown: Live at the Boston Garden: 1968 (dvd)
James Brown: Singles, Vol. 6: 1969-1970 (2-CDs)
Johnny Cash: Johnny Cash Remixed
Julie Ruin: Julie Ruin (vinyl)
Kylie Minogue: Boombox
Leonard Cohen: The Classic Interview
Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray (vinyl reissue)
Lily Allen: Fear (import single)
Lithops: Ye Viols! (vinyl)
Loney Dear: Dear John
Loren Connors & Jim O'Rourke: Two Nice Catholic Boys
LSD March: Under Milk Wood
Man Or Astro-Man?: Eeviac: Operational Index and Reference Guide (vinyl reissue)
Mark Feldman: Secrets
Mark Olson: Ready For The Flood (vinyl)
Merzbow: 13 Japanese Birds, Vol. 1
Mi Ami: Echononecho (vinyl single)
Michael Zapruder: Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope
Mothlite: The Flax of Reverie
My Cat Is an Alien: Cosmic Debris, Vol. 4
Nickel Eye: The Time of the Assassins (vinyl)
Of Montreal: Jon Brion Remix EP (vinyl)
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez: Old Money
The One Up Downstairs: The One Up Downstairs (vinyl)
Pat Green: What I'm For
Paul McCartney: Amoeba's Secret (live)
Paul McCartney - In Performance (dvd)
Peasant: On the Ground
Pegasuses-XL: Electro Agitators
Plastic Crimewave Sound: Painted Shadows
Polvo: Cor-Crane Secret (vinyl reissue)
Rachel Shearer: Fakerie (dvd)
The Rifles: Great Escape
Roses Kings Castles: Roses Kings Castles
Rudy Ray Moore: Dolemite For President (reissue)
School of Seven Bells: Alpinisms
Secret Machines: Secret Machines (vinyl)
Shiny Toy Guns: Stripped/Nothing Compares 2 U (vinyl)
Slim Twig: Derelict Dialect
Slim Twig: Derelict Dialect/Vernacular Violence (vinyl)
Slim Twig: Vernacular Violence
The Smithereens: B-Sides: The Beatles
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin: Puzzle (vinyl single)
Strings of Consciousness and Angel: Strings of Consciousness and Angel
Tina Dico: A Beginning A Detour An Open Ending (3-CD box set)
Van Halen: Van Halen (vinyl reissue)
Various Artists: 2009 Grammy Nominees
Various Artists: Afro Samurai Resurrection (soundtrack) (vinyl)
Various Artists: Bold Beginnings: An Incomplete Collection of Louisville Punk 1978 - 1983
Various Artists: Hushabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Willie Nelson
Various Artists: Just Like Heaven: A Tribute to the Cure
Various Artists: Let Freedom Sing! Music of the Civil Rights Movement
Various Artists: Putumayo Presents: African Reggae
Various Artists: Rockabye Baby! More Lullaby Renditions of the Beatles
Volcano Suns: All-Night Lotus Party (remastered with bonus tracks)
Volcano Suns: The Bright Orange Years (remastered with bonus tracks)
Warren Zevon: Warren Zevon (vinyl reissue)
Woolfy vs. Projections: The Astral Projections of Starlight (vinyl)
Yelle: Ce Jeu EP
Tagged:
