VINYL:

311 – Uplifter
Free 7″ w/ purchase at Vinyl Fever (while supplies last)!

Amadou & Mariam – Welcome To Mali (2LP w/bonus CD)
Pressed on 140-gram vinyl.

Beck – One Foot in the Grave 2xLP
Expanded 15th anniversary edition of the 1994 album includes 16 bonus tracks (13 of them previously unreleased).

Ryan Bingham – Roadhouse Sun
Produced by Marc Ford, formerly of The Black Crowes.

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends – On Tour with Eric Clapton

J Dilla - J Stay Paid

Faces - A Nod Is as Good As A Wink… To a Blind Horse

Lee Fields and the Expressions – My World
Lee Fields is a bona-fide, 100%, unadulterated, pure, gut-bucket soul singer. Click for more.

Franz Ferdinand – Blood
Upon completion of Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, the album’s co-producer, Dan Carey, began to conduct a dub experiment with the tracks. Carey’s own experience included an apprenticeship of sorts with legendary South London dub specialist The Mad Professor. And thusly, Blood was born. Comprised of eight radical revisions from Franz Ferdinand’s third album, and a bonus ninth track, “Be Afraid.”

Girl in a Coma – Trio B.C.
A unique amalgamation of eclectic influences: oldies, rockabilly, ‘90s alternative, and contemporary bands both indie and mainstream. Features Joan Jett on guest vocals.

Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King
Dave Matthews’ highly anticipated first studio album in four years. Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), Big Whiskey has been hailed by Rolling Stone as the group’s “heaviest album yet, both musically and emotionally.” The deluxe version adds a DVD documenting the making of the new album. (Free pic sleeve 7″ with purchase at Vinyl Fever while supplies last!)

New York Dolls – ‘Cause I Sez So

Rancid - Let the Dominos Fall

Various Artists – Smart’s Palace
Between 1963 and 1975, Smart’s Palace held court for the entire Wichita, Kansas soul scene. At its heart was Dick Smart, bassist, club owner, DJ, record store owner, promoter and sole proprietor of the Solo label. Collected here for the first time is the story and songs that came out of this thriving, if not totally unknown scene.  Another fine Numero comp.

CDs and SUCH:

311 – Uplifter
Limited deluxe CD/DVD edition includes two bonus audio tracks plus a bonus 70-minute DVD.

Acid Mother’s Temple – Are We Experimental
The world’s premier psychedelic warriors have blasted out yet another album that distills their weird world into 11 tracks of sonic mayhem. Hawkwind-style guitar overload meets ethnic folk music from around the globe as a UFO crashes in the midst of it all.

Laurel Aitken

• Says Fire
• Ska With Laurel

It is not without reason that during his lifetime, Laurel Aitken acquired the mantles of ‘The Godfather of Ska’ and ‘The High Priest of Reggae,’ for he was a true pioneer of the modern Jamaican music industry whose works helped shape the sound of Reggae, up until his death in 2005.

AZ – Legendary

The Band – Music From Big Pink
MFSL Master Recording/Hybrid SACD

Ryan Bingham – Roadhouse Sun
Produced by Marc Ford, formerly of The Black Crowes.

Boy Least Likely To – Best B-Sides Ever
Limited edition seven track disc of B-sides and rarities.

Jeff Buckley – Grace Around the World CD+DVD/CD+2DVD
CD+DVD set marks the 15th anniversary of Buckley’s masterpiece. Grace Around The World includes footage from TV appearances that Buckley taped in America, Germany, England, Japan and France. The DVD also includes several bonus songs and interviews. The CD contains audio of all 10 live performances from the DVD, as well as additional versions of “Grace” and “So Real” recorded in 1995 on MTV’s 120 Minutes. The deluxe version includes the regular CD+DVD set along with a bonus DVD, Amazing Grace — an hour-long documentary directed by Buckley fans Laurie Trombley and Nyla Bialek Adams. The film features archival footage of Buckley as well as interviews with fans and people close to him.

Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Volumes 1 & 2
Expanded and remastered re-issue of the 1962 classic album and its successful follow-up. Packaged together for the very first time, Volume 2 has never-before been available on CD.

John Coltrane – Coltrane
The Rudy Van Gelder Remasters Series. 24- bit remastering.

Elvis Costello – Secret, Profane and Sugarcane
Produced by T-Bone Burnett and recorded by Mike Piersante during a three-day session at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studio. Joining Costello were some of the most highly regarded recording artists and musicians in traditional American country music, bluegrass and beyond, including Jerry Douglas (dobro), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Mike Compton (mandolin), Jeff Taylor (accordion) and Dennis Crouch (double bass). Also features a duet with Emmylou Harris.

Marshall Crenshaw – Jaggedland

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Demos
Twelve-song collection of previously unreleased demos from 1968-1971. Features Neil Young on “Music Is Love”.

Miles Davis – The New Miles Davis Quintet
The Rudy Van Gelder Remasters Series. 24-bit remastering.

J Dilla – Jay Stay Paid
25-track collection of unreleased Dilla beats mixed and arranged by Pete Rock. While mostly instrumental, J$P also offers a few guest vocals from artists that Dilla worked with or admired including Black Thought (The Roots), Doom, M.O.P., Blu and more.

Eels – Hombre Lobo: Twelve Songs of Desire
The seventh studio album from the ever-changing project led by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Oliver Everett (aka E). Hombre Lobo was recorded entirely at E’s studio in Los Angeles with Kool G Murder (bass, keyboards and guitar) and Knuckles (drums and percussion).

Lee Fields and the Expressions – My World
Lee Fields is a bona-fide, 100%, unadulterated, pure, gut-bucket soul singer. While the crate-digging funk and soul community bestowed “legendary” status upon him due to his undeniably solid series of rare 7″ singles (and one LP) recorded and released on his own independent labels in the ‘70s, he’s never been one to sit in a dusty corner.

Franz Ferdinand – Blood

Girl in a Coma – Trio B.C.

Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King CD/CD+DVD
Dave Matthews’ highly anticipated first studio album in four years. Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), Big Whiskey has been hailed by Rolling Stone as the group’s “heaviest album yet, both musically and emotionally.” The deluxe version adds a DVD documenting the making of the new album. (Free 7″ vinyl with purchase at Vinyl Fever, while supplies last!)

The Meatmen – Cover the Earth
After a 12-year lapse, The Meatmen bounce back big with a 24-track ode to the tuneage of yore. Cover the Earth features all of Tesco’s favorite musical blasts of the last 40 years, which include Fear, GG Allin, Johnny ThundersJimmy Dean, 10CC and The Temptations. All delivered in reverential but irreverent form.

Paolo Nutini – Sunny Side Up

Iggy Pop – Préliminaires
Iggy puts a French twist on his new album. Préliminaires (which translates to “foreplay”) highlights another facet of the Iggy Pop persona, focusing more on jazz arrangements and the distinctive, rich baritone heard on classics like “Nightclubbing” and his duet with French legend Françoise Hardy on the song “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

Rancid – Let the Dominos Fall CD/2xCD+DVD
Deluxe three-disc (double CD+DVD) edition includes the regular CD, an additional acoustic disc, a bonus DVD, three foldout posters and four guitar picks.

The Sounds – Crossing the Rubicon

Taking Back Sunday – New Again CD/CD+DVD
The deluxe edition includes a bonus DVD and special packaging.

Woodstock: Music From The Original Soundtrack and More
Deluxe 40th anniversary double-CD re-issue of the sprawling and era-defining sonic document featuring CSNY, The Who, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and much more. Remastered from the original analog soundboard tapes.

Woodstock Two
Originally released as a double-LP, Woodstock Two expands the listening experience with 16 additional performances from the historic 1969 concert. Two’s highlights include extra tracks from legendary sets by Hendrix and CSNY, with additional tracks by two performers not featured on the original soundtrack — Mountain and Melanie. Remastered from the original analog soundboard tapes, including a deluxe booklet with new liner notes and rare photos.

Ween – All Request Live
All Request Live was recorded in 2003 (originally available in a painfully limited edition) and features tracks that were recorded especially for the CD. The highlight for most Weenheads is the six minutes of “Where’d The Cheese Go,” the band’s now-legendary rejected Pizza Hut jingle.

The Who - Sell Out: Deluxe Edition
Digitally remastered and expanded deluxe double-disc edition of The Who’s 1967 classic. Contains previously unreleased songs and mixes, and a 28-page booklet featuring unseen photos, ephemera and more.

Vanessa Williams – The Real Thing
Her first album in four years, The Real Thing serves up a mix of sultry jazz standards and pop sketches. Features two new songs written by Babyface.

Neil Young – Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972 8xCD

This is the first volume of the Neil Young Archives series of box sets, produced by Young himself. This series is the definitive, comprehensive, chronological survey of his entire body of work. Volume I covers the period from his earliest recordings with the Squires in Winnipeg, 1963, through to his classic 1972 album, Harvest and beyond, including studio and live tracks with the legendary Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, and Neil Young with Crazy Horse. A total of 116 tracks, all presented in HDCD quality sound, and featuring over 40 previously unreleased songs, versions, mixes, and rare tracks. Vinyl Fever has a limited few copies of a FREE, NINTH DISC to give to the first several folks who buy Neil Young’s Archives!

John Zorn – Music For Children
10th Anniversary reissue.

DVDs:

Neil Young – Neil Young Archives Volume 1 (1963 – 1972) 10xDVD
Neil Young produced this comprehensive survey of his career that’s unlike any other music retrospective. This ten-DVD set focuses on his early days in Winnipeg with The Squires through the recording of Harvest and features live performances, videos, interviews, studio footage and more. Also included, in addition to the 128 recordings, is Young’s first film *Journey through the Past* (1973).

A selection of CDs, EPs, LPs, Digital Releases, DVDs and Box Sets that dropped today.

As I Lay Dying, This Is Who We Are DVD Box Set (Metal Blade)
Beck, One Foot in the Grave 15th Anniversary Edition (Iliad Records)
Bill Callahan, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle (Drag City)
The Boy Least Likely To, The Law of the Playground (+1 Records)
Day26, Forever in a Day (Bad Boy)
Death Cab for Cutie, The Open Door EP (Atlantic)
Dengue Fever, Sleepwalking Through The Mekong CD/DVD (M80 Music)
John Doe and the Sadies, Country Club (Yep Roc)
Fact, Fact (Vagrant/Maximum)
The Life and Times, Tragic Boogie (Arena Rock)
The Juan Maclean, The Future Will Come (Dfa)
Ida Maria, Fortress Round My Heart (Mercury)
Medeski Martin & Wood, Radiolarians II (Indirecto)
Mia Doi Todd, Morning Music (City Zen)
Mt. Eerie, Live in Copenhagen (Burnt Toast Vinyl, 3xLP)
Papercuts, You Can Have What You Want (Gnomonsong)
Prefuse 73, Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian (Warp)
Scout Niblett, “It’s Time for My Beloved” 7″ (Drag City)
Silversun Pickups, Swoon (Dangerbird)
Jake Shimabukuro, Live (Hitchhike)
The Twang, Love It When It Feels Like This (Arena Rock)
Bernie Williams, Moving Forward (Reform)
Wooden Shjips, Dos (Holy Mountain)
Yonlu, A Society in Which No Tear Is Shed Is Inconceivably Mediocre (Luaka Bop)

These albums are out today and several are streaming right now on MySpace:

Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid (Nonesuch)

Lily Allen, It’s Not Me, It’s You (Capitol)

Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique 20th Anniversary Edition (Capitol)

Beck, Odelay 10th Anniversary Edition Box Set (Original)

Golem, Citizen Boris (JDub)

Buddy Holly, Memorial Collection (Geffen)

Hot Panda, Volcano … Bloody Volcano (Mint)

India.Arie, Testimony, Vol 2., Love & Politics (Universal Republic)

Jorma Kaukonen, River of Time (Red House)

The Lonely Island, Incredibad (Republic)

Ben Lee, The Rebirth of Venus (New West)

Miranda Lee Richards, Light of X (Nettwerk)

My “Top 20 Songs of 2008″ feature is in the Creative Loafing that streets today. Here are my honorable mentions:

“All Nightmare Long,” Metallica
Metal masters are back – with a fierceness.

“Anyone Who had a Heart,” Shelby Lynne
Dusty would be proud.

“Be Mine!” Robyn (pictured)
Britney with brains.

“Better Get to Livin,’” Dolly Parton
Feel-good country pop from everyone’s favorite drag queen.

“Chemtrails,” Beck
Trippy dude.

“Discipline,” Nine Inch Nails
More Reznor industrial wickedness of the highest order.

“Don’t Change,” Lyrics Born
Positive alternative rap with a disco beat.

“Dust My Broom,” Cassandra Wilson
Greatest vocalist alive lends her sublimely smokey contralto to this Robert Johnson blues classic.

“Furr,” Blitzen Trapper
A splendid Dylan rip-off.

“Getting’ Up,” Q-Tip
Rap word master is back with a smooth, mellow, masterstroke.

“I Wish I Knew,” Hank Williams III
Hellbilly renegade turns in a high, lonesome, first-rate tearjerker.

“Juliet of the Spirits,” The B-52s
Original college rockers return with a clubby cool ode to Fellini – and fallen women.

“Just Us Kids,” James McMurtry
Moving tale of a couple blue-collar guys reflecting on their real-life working man blues.

“Life Has Its Little Ups and Downs,” Raul Malo
Former Maverick faithfully and wonderfully updates this countrypolitan, Charlie Rich chestnut.

“Lonely Me, Lonely You,” The Gibson Brothers
Gorgeous close-harmonies that teem with hillbilly charm – and genuine heartache.

“A Lot of Days Are Gone,” The Hacienda Brothers
A fitting farewell to underground alt-country standout Chris Gaffney.

“Outlaw Shit,” Waylon Jennings
The late, great honky tonk hero says goodbye – his way.

“Pretty Runs Out,” Amanda Shaw
Catchy Cajun pop from precocious teen fiddling sensation.

“Salute Your Solution,” The Raconteurs
Awesomely gritty garage rock with ample swagger.

“She Loves the Sunset,” Old 97’s
Steel guitar and sweet vocals celebrate the joys of romance.

“Stay with Me,” Al Green
The reverend’s best cut in years, sounds like something criminally left off that Green’s greatest hits CD we all have – or should have!

“Street of Dreams,” Guns N’ Roses
“November Rain” rewrite still ranks as best power ballad to be issued in years, by anyone.

“Supernatural Superserious,” R.E.M.
Athens allstars bring back the blazing guitars and elate fans with a song that recalls the band’s glory, I.R.S. days.

“Waitin’ For Some Girl,” Ry Cooder
Slide-guitar-ace-turned storyteller offers another amazingly literate character study.

“When I Still had You,” Sonny Landreth
Reigning king of the slide guitar Sonny Landreth displays his melody-writing chops.