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
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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 28, 2007
New Album Releases, 8-28-2007: Lyle Lovett, Ben Harper, Ringo Starr Best likely sounding pick this week is Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, It's Not Big It's Large. This is Lovett's eight original studio album, and his first in four years. As suggested by the title and the album cover, this goes back to the big band/Western swing of the 1990 Large Band album. He starts with a cover of Lester Young's "Tickle Toe" before heading off into his original songs. Lovett's never particularly been a big commercial powerhouse, but I note that this album is as high as #3 currently on Amazon.
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals Lifeline is Harper's eight album in twelve years. Those criminals on the album cover don't look so innocent, though. The promo guys are making a big point of how this album was recorded quickly (seven days) without much in the way of modern high tech recording gear. Listening to some samples, I don't hear anything particularly memorable. "In the Colors" distinctly sounds like a watered down Van Morrison pastiche. "Needed You Tonight" sounds like imitation Otis Redding. He'd probably have been better off just covering Morrison and Redding.
Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr is the first Ringo solo compilation since 1975. This contains all of those excellent songs, a couple left off that original vinyl album, and a few more recent things. When the Beatles broke up, Ringo was actually the biggest solo act for the first couple of years. That was in significant part because of songs written by his old bandmates. These early solo songs were quite good, and particularly well chosen and engineered for Ringo's voice and personnae. "I'm the Greatest" for one would likely have come off far less effective if it had been sung by John Lennon, the author. This is some excellent stuff.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Aesop Rock None Shall Pass Definitive Jux Underground Rap, Alternative Rap
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals Lifeline Virgin Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Country-Soul, Folk-Rock, Urban Folk
Liars Liars Mute Indie Rock, Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band It's Not Big It's Large Lost Highway Alternative Country, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Country
Ringo Starr Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr Capitol Pop/Rock
Leif Ove Andsnes Ballad for Edvard Grieg EMI Classics Post-Romantic Music for Piano
Paul Anka Classic Songs: My Way Decca Vocal Pop, Vocal Jazz, Adult Contemporary
Atreyu Lead Sails Paper Anchor Hollywood Punk Metal, Alternative Metal
Jorge Ben Forca Bruta Dusty Groove America Samba, Brazilian Pop
Dickey Betts & Great Southern Official Bootleg Evangeline Southern Rock, Boogie Rock, Blues-Rock, Rock & Roll
Beyonce Irremplazable Columbia Contemporary R&B, Urban, Latin Pop
Dennis Brown Best of the Joe Gibbs Years Shanachie Smooth Reggae, Lovers Rock, Roots Reggae
Circus Devils Sgt. Disco Ipecac Indie Rock
La Clave La Clave Dusty Groove America Rock en EspaƱol, Latin Soul, Salsa, Funk
Joe Cocker Classic Cocker Capitol Adult Contemporary, Soft Rock, Pop/Rock
Simone Dinnerstein Bach: Goldberg Variations Telarc Baroque Keyboard Music
The Fall The Fall Box Set Castle College Rock, Post-Punk, Indie Rock, British Punk, Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Fred Frith/Evelyn Glennie The Sugar Factory Tzadik Free Improvisation, Avant-Garde
Frank Frost/Sam Carr The Last of the Jelly Roll Kings SPV Juke Joint Blues, R&B, Electric Delta Blues, Soul-Blues
Stan Getz The Smoothest Operator JSP Cool, Bop, Ballads
Victoria Hart Whatever Happened to Romance? Sony Vocal Jazz, Adult Contemporary, Standards, Vocal Pop
Heaven & Hell Live from Radio City Music Hall Rhino Album Rock, British Metal, Heavy Metal
The Howling Hex XI Drag City Indie Rock
Sarah Johns Big Love in a Small Town SBMG Nashville Neo-Traditionalist Country, Contemporary Country
Cledus T. Judd Boogity Boogity: A Tribute to the Comic Genius of Ray Stevens Curb Country Comedy, Contemporary Country, Novelty
Paavo Jarvi Tuur: Magma Virgin Classics Contemporary Orchestral Music
Emily King East Side Story J-Records Neo-Soul, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Kottonmouth Kings Cloud Nine Suburban Noize Rap-Metal, Alternative Metal, Funk Metal
Michael McDermott Noise from Words Oli Americana, Contemporary Folk, Roots Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Mr. Vegas Hot It Up Delicious Vinyl Dancehall, Contemporary Reggae
New Young Pony Club Fantastic Playroom Modular Indie Electronic, Indie Rock, Dance-Rock, Alternative Dance
Northern State Can I Keep This Pen? Ipecac Left-Field Hip-Hop, Indie Electronic