Well, we’re only a week or so until Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson and Lenny Kravitz kick off with the first superstar releases of 2008. In the meantime, there are a handful of more niche-y kind of albums out this week.
The Grammy Awards are a week from Sunday, and of course, every year there’s a compilation CD spotlighting the nominees. This year’s comp features Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5, Paul McCartney and just about everyone else noteworthy up for a gramophone. If you’re looking for a step-up from the average “Now That’s What I Call Music” compilation, this just might be up your alley.
Shelby Lynne, who you might remember winning a Best New Artist Grammy in 2001 (despite having recorded for over a decade by that point) has an interesting new release out called “Just A Little Lovin'”. 9 of the 10 tracks are covers of songs that Dusty Springfield originally recorded, and although I don’t really have much use for Dusty, I am madly in love with Shelby (I even got to hug her once), and this album is now part of my collection.
Joe Jackson (no, not Michael’s dad) has a new album out this week called “Rain”. The guy’s been around 30 years and still has the goods-I hear this album’s excellent (although the jury’s out on whether I’ll actually buy it). Joe is well-known for his eclecticism, jumping from power-pop to jazz to reggae at a whim, so if you’re the adventurous type, you might wanna check it out.
Also, there’s a new set from the indefatigable (it must be the weed) Willie Nelson out, the sophomore set from hard rock upstarts Bullet For My Valentine, a 2-CD deluxe version of Beck‘s breakthrough “Odelay” (I call it his breakthrough because, seriously, how many of you thought he was a one-hit wonder after “Loser”?), a new Blind Boys of Alabama record (if you wanna get your spiritual on), a new Sarah Brightman record (if you wanna get your classical on), and the first Statewide release from Swedish pop singer Robyn in nearly a decade. You might remember her from hits like “Show Me Love”. She was one of the first artists to benefit from that Max Martin pop sound that ruled the late Nineties, and then Britney Spears went and stole her career. Well, she’s still big in Europe, and “The Rakamonie EP” marks the first time that global hits like “Konichiwa Bitches” are available on these shores.
And I admit it. I wanted to say “Konichiwa Bitches”. So I’ll say it again.
Happy shopping.
