Tampa Calling

Welcome aboard new Tampa Calling Contributor, Vinyl Fever’s Lee Wolfson, who will taking over on each week’s new music releases and other such interesting music tidbits, from what it’s like running an indie music store, to offering info on the latest in new music, to giving the inside scoop on any special promos or giveaways his store may be offering. Here’s his inaugural post, a list of new releases you may or may not be aware of.

Terry Adams (of NRBQ), Holy Tweet

Maria Bamford, Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome

Buju Banton, Rasta Got Soul

Behemoth, The Art of Rebelling Live (CD/DVD)

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway (ahahahahahaha! yeah, really!)

Brian Blade, Mama Rosa

Booker T., Potato Hole (with Drive By Truckers and Neil Young, too — it’s REAL SWEET!)

The Boxmasters and Billy Bob Thornton, The Boxmasters

Braid, Frankie Welfare Boy Age Five (a re-release of the 1995 debut album comprised 26 tracks, each one named using a different letter of the alphabet.) Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »