Yeah, we know, nobody actually buys these things anymore. But you could—and sometimes maybe even should—lay out a little cash once in a while to own a bona fide copy, or at least an unabridged download, of a truly worthy album. Our attempt
to help you pick your spots:
WORTH THE GAS
Rock fans who think they don’t like country! Country fans who think they don’t like rock! Unite!! Veteran roots-rocker Steve Earle is back with his first disc in three years, Washington Square Serenade (September 25). Did we mention that the guy has, like, never released a bad record? ... Remember those reports that PJ Harvey was retiring from music a few years back? Can you say gullible? Britain’s stormy chanteuse returns with White Chalk (September 25), reportedly a piano-driven departure from previous work. Color us intrigued. ... Admittedly, The Rising doesn’t get much play ’round our houses these days, but if anything, that’s only stoked our anticipation for Magic (October 2), Bruce Springsteen’s first full-on, non-September-11-themed, E-Street-band-aided studio album since Born in the U.S.A. It’s true—look it up if you don’t believe us. ... Kelly Osbourne taught us never to use the word wunderkind lightly again, but we feel pretty good applying it to 21-year-old Zach Condon, aka Beirut, considering how niftily he married old-world European gypsy to new-world American indie on debut album Gulag Orkestar. Wonder what he’s got in store on follow-up The Flying Club Cup (October 9). ... Expecting another dubnobasswithmyheadman might be asking a lot, but any full-length release from British electronic duo Underworld is cause for excitement, particularly when “Crocodile,” the track they’ve previewed on their MySpace page, is set to kick off the party on Oblivion With Bells (October 16).
ARCHIVAL ACES
Speaking of electronic duos, there’s never been a better time to invest in a copy of The Crystal Method’s 1997 debut, Vegas, and we’re not just saying that because Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland hail from Southern Nevada. The remastered two-disc edition (September 18) is loaded with rarities, videos and remixes by the likes of Paul Oakenfold and MSTRKRFT. ... If there’s one thing we can count on in this crazy, mixed-up world, it’s that Sony Legacy’s Miles Davis reissue series will unleash one gigantic ass-kicking box set after another. The latest installment blows the urban funk of Miles’ original 1972 On the Corner single-LP way out into a six-disc behemoth, The Complete On The Corner Sessions (September 25). ... Rediscovered British folk singer Vashti Bunyan has, apparently, rediscovered a treasure trove of long-buried recordings—pre-dating beloved 1970 album Just Another Diamond Day—all of which have been compiled on Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind: Singles and Demos 1964-1967 (October 16). ... You never know what you might find in the Grateful Dead’s vault—just ask the Allman Brothers and Crosby & Nash. Gram Parsons fans are the latest beneficiaries of the Dead’s pack-rat mentality, with the release of Gram Parsons Archives Vol. 1: The Flying Burrito Brothers “Live” at the Avalon 1969 (October 30), a two-disc set chronicling two of the band’s opening sets in support of—you guessed it—the Dead.
FEAST OR FAMINE
We’re not fond enough of Coheed and Cambria’s sci-fi prog-rock to figure out exactly what’s going on in their lyrics, but ya gotta at least give Claudio Sanchez crazy style points. And for bookkeeping purposes, new album Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow (October 23) is Disc 4 and Part 2 of Chapter 4 of a four-part series, Part 1 of which will eventually finish the project off. We think. ... They sort of have similar hair, but other than that it’s hard to say what might have drawn Robert Plant and Alison Krauss together for Raising Sand (October 23), a covers disc featuring the pair’s takes on cuts by Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt and the Everly Brothers. ... It won’t be the same without Ol’ Dirty, but anytime the RZA, the GZA, Meth, Ghost, Rae and the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan get together—especially for the purpose of unveiling The 8 Diagrams (November 13), the group’s first new album in six years—the world will definitely be watching. ... And while we don’t normally pay much attention to what American Idol’s competitors do post-show, 2007 champ Jordin Sparks seemed to have the voice and personality to make something interesting of her career. Which means her as-yet-untitled debut (November 20) will probably make us gag.
OTHERS OF NOTE
Thurston Moore, Trees Outside the Academy (September 18); Devendra Banhart, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Road (September 25); Foo Fighters, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace (September 25); Iron and Wine, The Shepherd’s Dog (September 25); Little Brother, Get Back (September 25); Nellie McKay, Obligatory Villagers (September 25); Joni Mitchell, Shine (September 25); Stars, In Our Bedroom After the War (September 25); The Weakerthans, Reunion Tour (September 25); Dashboard Confessional, The Shade of Poison Trees (October 2); Merle Haggard, The Bluegrass Sessions (October 2); Annie Lennox, Songs of Mass Destruction (October 2); Siouxsie, Mantaray (October 2); Band of Horses, Cease to Begin (October 8); The Fiery Furnaces, Widow City (October 9); Kid Rock, Rock ’n’ Roll Jesus (October 9); Jimmy Eat World, Chase This Light (October 16); Neil Young, Chrome Dreams II (October 16); Carrie Underwood, Carnival Ride (October 23); Ween, La Cucaracha (October 23); The Eagles, Long Road Out of Eden (October 30); Alicia Keys, As I Am (November 6); The Dillinger Escape Plan, Ire Works (November 13); Daft Punk, Daft Punk Alive 2007 (November 20); Lupe Fiasco, The Cool (November 20).
CONCERTS
LINE UP EARLY FOR
No word yet on what he’s bringing to town, but whether its solo material, Hiero goodies or—dare we say it?—a preview of the new Deltron joint, any appearance by Oakland rap vet Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (Jillian’s, September 27) demands serious attention. ... Brothers Jim and William Reid are speaking again, which is heavenly news for fans of shoegazing British legends The Jesus and Mary Chain (House of Blues, October 20). It’s doubtful Scarlett Johansson will join them onstage as she did at Coachella, but honestly, her voice was no match for the mind-numbing crush of guitars anyway. ... Daft Punk, The Stooges playing Funhouse, Public Enemy, The Shins, Queens of the Stone Age, M.I.A., Gogol Bordello, Mastodon, Thievery Corporation, STS9, Blonde Redhead, Cypress Hill, Battles and Lupe Fiasco. Yeah, we’re talking about the third edition of Vegoose (Sam Boyd Stadium, October 27 & 28), and that’s just the lineup for Day 1! Sunday will seriously have its work cut out if it hopes to live up to Saturday’s opening volley, but considering Day 2 headliners Rage Against the Machine will be the weekend’s biggest single draw, anything is possible. They’ll also have Muse, Ghostface Killah, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Pharoahe Monch, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, UNKLE, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Ghostland Observatory and ALO to help them rage the day away.
CIRCLED ON OUR CALENDAR
Sure, Morrissey (The Pearl, September 21) was just in town, but when retirement rumors are running this wild, devotees would sooner die than miss out. ... We’re not exactly saying Willie Nelson (The Joint, September 28) is getting old, but if you’ve never seen the 74-year-old outlaw legend in concert, there’s no time like the present. ... One-time Las Vegan Jenny Lewis opened up some ears during her Vegoose set with the Watson Twins last year; now hear her back at her usual post, with alt-pop darlings Rilo Kiley (The Joint, October 13). ... A Lesson in Crime, the debut EP from north-of-the-border indie comers Tokyo Police Club (Beauty Bar, October 22), requires more than one listen at a time, and not only because it’s 18 minutes long. Hear what the fuss is about. ... A lot of folks probably stayed away when The Pogues (The Pearl, November 2) set up at the House of Blues for a pair of shows last year, unsure as we all were about the condition of frontman Shane McGowan. Rest easy ye drinkers, the man sounds mighty good. Or at least, mighty good enough.
OTHERS TO CONSIDER
Helmet at Beauty Bar, September 15; Heaven and Hell with Alice Cooper, Queensryche at the Pearl, October 5; RAQ at Aruba Hotel, October 8; Satellite Party at the House of Blues, October 10; The Black Crowes at the Pearl, October 11; The Vibrators at Beauty Bar, October 18; Los Lobos at Henderson Pavilion, November 2; Brand New with Thrice at the Pearl, November 9; Maroon 5 with The Hives, Phantom Planet at the Pearl, November 10.