The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
August 21, 2007
New Album Releases, 8-21-2007: Vee Jay box set, Ronnie and the Del MCoury Band, Travis Tritt scheduled for Camp Mimi Actual new music looks pretty thin this week, but we've got one especially tasty looking four CD box set, Vee-Jay: The Definitive Collection out from Shout! Factory. Vee Jay Records was the main top black owned record label of the pre-Motown era, founded by a husband and wife team in Gary, Indiana in 1953. By the time they dissolved in bankruptcy in 1966, they'd recorded all kinds of groovy blues, doo wop, gospel and soul. Among many luminaries among the 86 tracks of this box set are John Lee Hooker, Betty Everett, Jerry Butler, the Staple Singers, the El Dorados, and the Moonglows.
They also did pretty good with their first white act, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. It was at Valli's suggestion that they licensed the first Beatles albums in America back before Capitol saw fit to start releasing them - though there's no Beatles on this set.
Between the handful of familiar groovy hits, notably "At My Front Door," and lots of tantalizing stuff unknown, this looks like something people need to hear.
Ronnie McCoury has Little Mo' McCoury, recorded with his dad Del and their band. This is billed as the first bluegrass children's album. Some might be skeptical of what could be done with stuff like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." However, after Springsteen messed up my world singing stuff like "Mr Froggie Went a-Courtin'," I for one am listening to such stuff with new ears. The McCourys have THE top bluegrass band in the world today, and I bet they could kick your ass playing "I've Been Working on the Railroad."
But the real kicker is the first song. They start their "children's album" with a personal fave underrated Dylan song from his Slow Train Coming album, "Man Gave Names to All the Animals." The Amazon preview clip sounds really sharp.
I suspect Travis Tritt of likely high crimes against Geometry and Theology in his new album The Storm. That would be apparently some relation to a quiet storm, ie a "soul" album produced by Randy Jackson. If that prospect from this mediocre "country" singer doesn't put you off, note that this includes two new Diane Warren songs being unleashed on the world. Look, stuff like this is why we voted for the Patriot Act. When next I update our list of Enemies of The People, Mr Tritt may be finding himself scheduled for re-education at Camp Mimi.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Imperial Teen The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band Merge Indie Rock, Punk-Pop
M.I.A. Kala Interscope Alternative Dance, Club/Dance, Hip-Hop
The New Pornographers Challengers Matador Indie Rock, Pop Underground
Rilo Kiley Under the Blacklight Warner Bros. Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Pop
Various Artists Vee-Jay: The Definitive Collection Shout! Factory R&B, Uptown Soul, Doo Wop, Soul, Detroit Blues, Pop-Soul, Juke Joint Blues, Blues Revival, Northern Soul, Pop/Rock, Black Gospel, Electric Harmonica Blues, Electric Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Soul
Aiden Conviction Victory Post-Hardcore, Emo, Alternative Pop/Rock
Architecture in Helsinki Places Like This Polyvinyl Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
As I Lay Dying An Ocean Between Us Metal Blade Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal, Thrash
Paul Bley Solo in Mondsee ECM Improvisation, Free Improvisation
Joe Bonamassa Sloe Gin Premier Artists Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, American Trad Rock, Blues-Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Peter Brötzmann The Complete Machine Gun Sessions Atavistic Structured Improvisation, Free Improvisation, Free Jazz, Avant-Garde
Caribou Andorra Merge Indie Electronic, Shoegaze, Noise Pop, Dream Pop
Miles Davis Evolution of the Groove Sony Broken Beat, Funky Breaks, Electronica, Jazz-Rock, Fusion, Funk, Hip-Hop
Ella Fitzgerald The Very Best of the Duke Ellington Song Book Verve Labels Vocal Jazz, Standards, Swing
Judy Garland Greatest Hits Live Savoy Jazz Traditional Pop, Standards, Show Tunes, Vocal Pop, American Popular Song
Armando Ghitalla A Trumpet Legacy Bridge Baroque, Romantic, Modern, and Contemporary Trumpet Concertos
James Gilchrist The Far Country: 26 English Songs by John Jeffreys Divine Art Contemporary Vocal Music
Lee Hazlewood Something Special MGM Obscuro, Baroque Pop, Pop, Lounge, Country-Pop
Ian Hobson Don Gillis: Symphonies Nos. 3 & X; Tulsa Albany Modern Orchestral Music
Ingram Hill Cold in California Hollywood Roots Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Gregory Isaacs The Winner: The Roots of Gregory Isaacs Trojan Reggae-Pop, Lovers Rock, Roots Reggae, Political Reggae, Rocksteady
Kinski Down Below It's Chaos Sub Pop Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental, Space Rock
Talib Kweli Eardrum Blacksmith/Warner Bros. Underground Rap, East Coast Rap, Hip-Hop, Alternative Rap
MC5 Live at the Saginaw Civic Centre, Jan. 1, 1970 Get Back Italy Detroit Rock, Proto-Punk, Hard Rock
Ronnie McCoury Little Mo' McCoury McCoury Sing-Along, Bluegrass
Loreena McKennitt Nights from the Alhambra Verve Celtic New Age, Celtic Fusion, Adult Alternative, Worldbeat
The Mekons Natural Quarterstick Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock, College Rock, Punk
Mendoza Line 30 Year Low Glurp Indie Rock, Alternative Country-Rock, Alternative Folk
Travis Morrison Hellfighters All Y'All Barsuk Indie Rock
Vaclav Neumann Smetana: Ma vlast Berlin Classics Romantic Orchestral Music
Joe Nichols Real Things Universal South Contemporary Country, Neo-Traditionalist Country, New Traditionalist
Numbers Now You Are This Kill Rock Stars Indie Rock, Noise-Rock, Indie Electronic
Operator Soulcrusher Atlantic Post-Grunge, Hard Rock
Tetraphonics The Invitation: Saxophonquartette des 20. Jahrhunderts [Hybrid SACD] Cybele Modern and Contemporary Chamber Music
Original Soundtrack Halloween [Original Soundtrack] Hip-O Original Score, Soundtracks, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Punk
Over the Rhine The Trumpet Child Great Speckled Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Ratt Tell the World: The Very Best of Ratt Atlantic/Rhino Pop-Metal, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Hair Metal, Album Rock
Dax Riggs We Sing of Only Blood or Love Fat Possum Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock
Josh Ritter The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter RCA Victor/Sony BMG Contemporary Folk, Alternative Country-Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Singer/Songwriter
Tom Russell Wounded Heart of America Hightone Americana, Folk-Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Urban Folk
Sixx: A.M. The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack Eleven Seven Hair Metal, Heavy Metal
Stereo Total Paris-Berlin Kill Rock Stars Indie Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
S.O.D. Rise of the Infidels Megaforce Heavy Metal, Thrash, Punk Metal
Swizz Beatz One Man Band Man Motown Party Rap
Travis Tritt The Storm Category 5 Contemporary Country, Country-Rock
Various Artists Ear Gardens: American Festival of Microtonal Music Pitch Contemporary Microtonal Music
Various Artists Total 8 Kompact Tech-House, Club/Dance, Experimental Techno, Minimal Techno, Left-Field House
The Waterboys Book of Lightning W14 Inspirational, Folk-Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Celtic Pop
