T.I.: Paper Trail
The title references T.I.'s return to literally writing down his lyrics, aka "going back to basics". Should we celebrate that? It doesn't exactly seem to matter. The Atlanta rapper recorded Paper Trail album while under house arrest for weapons charges, and he's looking at a year-long prison sentence starting next year. The album is free of the fake-gangster bullshit that weighed down his previous work, filled instead with poptastic rhymes and guest appearances and production from Lil Wayne. Rihanna, Usher, The Dream, Fall Out Boy, Kanye West, B.O.B, John Legend, DJ Toomp, Swizz Beatz, Drumma Boy, & Danja.
Nightwatchman: The Fabled City
Morello's best known for his roles in Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, but he moonlights as Nightwatchman, a solo project indulging his acoustic singer/songwriter temptations while staying true to the leftist messages that put Rage on the map. He adds several new dynamics to the Nightwatchman sound on this one, including a string section, piano and mandolin, with a full band to back him. His lyricism is just as biting and melodramatically political as on One Man Revolution, but things are definitely a little more well-rounded on this one.
Ani DiFranco: Red Letter Year
"I've got myself a new mantra," Ani DiFranco reveals on her new studio album. "It says `Don't forget to have a good time.'" This outlook resonates on Red Letter Year, but that doesn't make it good. I've been a fair-weather Ani fan since an ex of mine turned me on to her in '99. Every time she puts something out, I feel a marginal spark of interest, and I'm always let down. Red Letter Year is a little more fun, but no more memorable than her last 6 or 10 albums. For some, like Ms. DiFranco and Tori Amos, the fire is simply too weak to warm our hands - let alone heart - any more.
Trivium: Shogun (with DVD)
Trivium's back with what they're calling their most cohesive and mature effort to date. They promise to 'knock the metal and hard rock community on its ass with what will definitely be hailed as the metal album of the year by critics and fans alike!' Right. New Rule: If you're telling people your new record is album of the year, by default it fucking sucks. But for 15 bucks, redemption may come in three bonus tracks and a DVD with a 45-minute making of the album documentary, as well as 'how to play' clips teaching fans how to play songs from the new album on guitar and bass. That deserves a little respect.
Ben Folds: Way To Normal
Never in hell would I ever have thought I'd say this, but the new Ben Folds record sorta kicks ass. If your musical compass is anything like mine or anyone I know, the last Ben Folds song we heard had something to do with joining the Army or something, and it was a long-ass time ago. And we didn't really care then, so why should we now? Put simply, Folds welds jazz and power rock with wit and originality for an album that's kinda weird, kinda out there, but kinda awesome. He's a story-teller for the piano-rock generation, and his collaboration with Dennis Herring (Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello) and indie songstress, Regina Spektor (on the track You Don't Know Me) make for a refreshing walk down Ben Folds lane. Check out "Free Coffee" for a taste of what to expect.
Dear and the Headlights: Drunk Like the Bible Times
Dear And The Headlights bridges indie-pop and folk with an album that goes a long way to capturing the band's live energy on tape. Drunk Like Bible Times is a lesson in live evolution with the band, as well. "I think part of the issue with the first record is that we demoed a bunch of songs, and we just demoed them to death," says vocalist Ian Metzger. "By the time we ended up recording the actual record, I had to go in and sing about stuff that I didn't even slightly relate to anymore. When we went into the studio and heard the polished version, we're like, 'Ugh! It's a little lifeless.' On this record, we didn't demo any of the songs. We let playing them out live kind of be the demo just by playing it out and remembering how it sounds live." The result is warmer, more natural, and not bad at all.
Absentee: Victory Shorts
Amon Amarth: Twilight of the Thunder God (box set with bonus tracks)
Amy Grant: The Christmas Collection
Anberlin: New Surrender(USB stick)
The Archies: The Archies Christmas Album featuring Betty & Veronica
Asylum Street Spankers: What? And Give Up Show Biz?
Barbara Morgenstern: Come to Berlin EP (vinyl)
Bayside: Live at the Bayside Social Club
Bayside: Shudder
Beaujolais: Love at Thirty
Ben Folds: Way To Normal (CD&DVD) (CD&DVD&LP) (vinyl)
Blood Ceremony: Blood Ceremony
Bob Dylan: The Best of Bob Dylan (reissue)
Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs:The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (vinyl)
Bomb the Bass: Future Chaos (vinyl)
Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall (2-LP vinyl)
Chairlift: Does You Inspire You
Cold War Kids: Loyalty to Loyalty (vinyl)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bayou Country (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Creedence Clearwater Revival (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Green River (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Pendulum (remastered with bonus tracks)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Willy and the Poor Boys (remastered with bonus tracks)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: So Far (reissue)
The Cure: The Document (CD&DVD)
Dear and the Headlights: Drunk Like the Bible Times
Dungen: 4
Eli "Paperboy" Reed & The True Loves: Roll with You (vinyl)
Enigma: Seven Lives Many Faces
Faith Hill: Joy To The World
Firesign Theatre: Box of Danger: The Complete Nick Danger Casebook (4-CD box set)
Flecktones: Jingle All the Way
Gemma Hayes: Hollow of Morning
The Gentle Guest: We Are Bound To Save Some Souls Tonight
Grateful Dead: Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 (CD&DVD)
Hayden: In Field & Town (vinyl)
The Iguanas: If You Should Ever Fall on Hard Times
Innerpartysystem: Innerpartysystem (vinyl)
Jack White & Alicia Keys: Another Way to Die (vinyl single)
Jack's Mannequin: The Glass Passenger (CD&DVD) (vinyl)
James Morrison: Songs for You, Truths for Me
James Taylor: Covers
Jennifer Hudson: Jennifer Hudson
Jesus and Mary Chain: The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities
Jim "Kimo" West: Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas
Jimi Hendrix: Band Of Gypsys (limited edition vinyl reissue)
Joseph Arthur: Temporary People
Joshua Radin: Simple Times
Juan McLean: Simple Life (vinyl single)
Kinky: Barracuda
Koushik: Out My Window
La Rocca: Ok Okay
Large Professor: Main Source
Lesley Roy: Unbeautiful
Lou Reed: Through the Years: New York 1983 - Spain 2004 (import)
Madlib: WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip
Mary-Chapin Carpenter: Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs Christmas
Matt Mays & El Torpedo: Terminal Romance
Medeski Martin and Wood: Radiolarians 1
Megadeth: Anthology: Set the World Afire
Melissa Etheridge: A New Thought For Christmas
Mercury Rev: Snowflake Midnight
Miles Davis: 50th Anniversary Kind of Blue (2-CDS&DVD&LP) (reissue with bonus tracks)
Murs: Murs for President (CD&DVD)
Neal Morse: Lifeline
Nightwatchman: The Fabled City
Nikki Costa: Pebble to a Pearl (vinyl)
Nina Simone: To Be Free (4-CD box set)
NWA: Family Tree
Oasis: Shock of the Lightning (import single)
People Under The Stairs: Fun DMC
Pete Seeger: At 89
Philip Glass: Glass Box: A Nonesuch Retrospective (10-CD box set)
Polysics: We Ate The Machine
Populous & Short Stories: Drawn in Basic
Ramones: Brain Drain (reissue)
Restavrant: Returns to the Tomb of Guiliano Medidici
Restiform Bodies: TV Loves You Back (vinyl)
Roots Manuva: Slime & Reason (vinyl)
Roy Orbison: The Soul of Rock and Roll (4-CD box set)
Samuel Markus: New Dawn
Semi Precious Weapons: We Love You
Simon Collins: U-Catastrophe //
Taj Mahal: Maestro
T.I.: Paper Trail
Todd Rundgren: Arena
Tori Amos: Live at Montreux 1991-1992
Travis: Ode to J. Smith
Trivium: Shogun (with DVD)
U2: Under a Blood Red Sky (remastered deluxe edition) (CD only)
Ultravox: Rage in Eden (remastered)
Undertones: An Anthology (2-CD import)
Undertones: Get What You Need
Various Artists: Frank Zappa's Jukebox
Various Artists: Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock
Various Artists: Hip-Hop Nursery Rhymes
Various Artists: Ladies of Christmas - Country Christmas
Various Artists: Nightmare Revisited
Various Artists: Notwave Sampler Vol. 2 (vinyl)
Various Artists: Les Paul & Friends-A Tribute To A Legend
Various Artists: Putumayo Kids Presents: Sesame Street Playground
Various Artists: Repo! The Genetic Opera
Various Artists: Rock N Rolla (soundtrack)
Various Artists: Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 (import 3-CD box set)
Vivan Girls: Vivian Girls
The Western States Motel: Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun
Whitley: The Submarine
Willoughby: I Know What You're Up To
XX Teens: Welcome To Goon Island (vinyl)
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