Another fall week, another six million CDs coming out. Here are some of the highlights.
Carrie Underwood “Play On”: Sure, Carrie’s first two albums sold like hotcakes, and sure, she’s the only “American Idol” winner to win a Best New Artist Grammy. But Taylor Swift has kinda swagger-jacked her, don’t you think? Is there room for two young, blonde beauties with pop appeal in the country music marketplace? Probably-Carrie’s probably the closest thing to a “gimme” in the “Idol” marketplace these days, especially since Daughtry’s last one caught a brick.
Weezer “Raditude”-Rivers Cuomo and company keep plugging away, don’t they? Coming not even 18 months after their “Red Album”, “Raditude” contains collaborations with hip-hop luminaries Lil Wayne and Jermaine Dupri. Weezer & Weezy. A match made in heaven? If only they’d gotten Isabel Sanford (“The Jeffersons”‘ Weezie) to make a cameo.
Various Artists “Glee Vol. 1”-The fall’s most buzzed-about new show now has a soundtrack. Led by Broadway star Matthew Morrison, this album contains all of the songs you’ve sung along with and danced to on the show-“Bust a Move”, “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “Sweet Caroline”, “No Air”. I’m not sure what the biggest selling TV soundtrack of all time is, but something tells me this has a chance to set that record. Look for this to be the sleeper hit of the week.
Foo Fighters “Greatest Hits”-All I can say about this is IT TOOK LONG ENOUGH!!! The Foo Fighters are a singles band if there ever was one. Now, finally, all the hits are on one album. Man, who’d have ever thought that the stringy-haired drummer from Nirvana would become the Tom Petty of his generation? Now, if they can hook us up with a video compilation (“Learn to Fly” and “Big Me” are amazing videos), I’ll be a happy man.
Amerie “In Love & War”- This R&B cutie’s career really has just one highlight (“1 Thing” was the jam). After that song became a hit, label drama derailed a follow-up for a number of years. Does the notoriously fickle contemporary soul audience even remember who this chick is? The folks at her new label, Island Def Jam, are hoping that they do. This is the second of this week’s new releases to boast a Lil Wayne cameo.
Also this week, a holiday album from Andrea Bocelli-it doesn’t feature Lil Wayne, but it does feature Mary J. Blige, who seems to appear on every album that Weezy doesn’t. There’s also a new album from Halford called “Winter Songs”. I’m hoping that the title is coincidental and the lead singer of Judas Priest hasn’t released a Christmas album. That’s not very metal. Say Anything (who won my heart forever when they covered ODB’s “Got Your Money” on a compilation last year) have a new one out, as does Ivy League R&B singer Ryan Leslie (with his second album in a year. Considering no one bought the first one, what’s the point?).
On the compilation side, there’s a new double-CD set from The Bee Gees (man, does these guys’ catalog get recycled a lot), plus repackagings of The Rolling Stones’ “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out” and Nirvana’s debut “Bleach”. Of course, it wouldn’t be the holidays without a “Now That’s What I Call Music” album. Vol. 32 features hits from The Black Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift, and newcomer Jay Sean, whose #1 hit “Down” features…you guessed it, Lil Wayne.
A full list of new releases can be found here.