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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March 18, 2008
New CD Album Releases, 3-18-2008: Flo Rida, Daniel Lanois, Fairport Convention New album releases are looking pretty thin this last Tuesday of winter. The likely biggest commercial item is Flo Rida representing for the Sunshine State with Mail on Sunday.
This rides in on the strength of a full-fledged #1 Billboard pop single. I'm not seeing why "Low" was a hit. There's just nothing to it. It's got a maybe minimally viscerally pleasing beat, nothing that exceptional but it might sound okay to hear a couple of times out at some club. But there's just nothing to it melodically, lyrically or much of any other way. Where's the beef?
This brings to my attention that I've never heard anything ever worthwhile from the Florida rap scene. "Low" is about as good as any of it that I know of - though I certainly admit to not paying to close attention. This Flo Rida song ain't much, but it's certainly better than 2 Live Crew. Take it that I'm damning him with wispily faint praise.
One potentially worthwhile album is the live Fairport Convention album Cropedy Festival 2002. Far flung alumni of Fairport Convention sponsor an annual three day music festival and reunion. I'm not seeing any info on exactly who was playing on this set, though I'm pretty sure that it does include Richard Thompson. Every incarnation of this band that I've heard is pretty sharp anyway. This two disc set includes a pretty good selection of Fairport classics among two dozen tracks, including "Time Will Show the Wiser" and "Jack O' Diamonds."
Here Is What Is is the sixth album under his own name by big league producer Daniel Lanois. On the promising side, this includes Garth Hudson playing organ. On the other hand, it apparently includes recorded philosophical conversations with Brian Eno.
Here's the listing of this week's new album releases, courtesy AMG:
Be Your Own Pet Get Awkward Ecstatic Peace Noise Pop, Indie Rock
Destroyer Trouble in Dreams Merge Indie Rock, Indie Pop, Chamber Pop
DeVotchKa A Mad and Faithful Telling Anti Indie Rock, European Folk, Gypsy, Folk-Rock
Flo Rida Mail on Sunday Poe Boy/Atlantic Southern Rap, Pop-Rap
The Kills Midnight Boom Domino Garage Punk, Indie Rock
She & Him Volume One Merge Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Addison Road Addison Road Columbia Alternative CCM, CCM
Oren Ambarchi and Z'ev Spirit Transform Me Tzadik Experimental Ambient
Cyro Baptista Banquet of the Spirits Tzadik Carnival, Brazilian Folk, Avant-Garde Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Folk-Jazz, Latin Folk, Post-Bop, Samba, Ethnic Fusion, World Fusion
Big Dipper Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology Merge College Rock, American Underground, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Bravery The Sun and the Moon: Complete Island New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Kenny Burrell Trio A Night at the Vanguard Chess Standards, Ballads, Cool
Bury Your Dead Bury Your Dead Victory Hardcore Punk, Death Metal/Black Metal
Sera Cahoone Only as the Day Is Long Sub Pop Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Clark Turning Dragon Warp IDM
Gussie Clarke Dread at the Controls Dub Auralux Roots Reggae, Ragga, DJ, Dancehall
Crystal Castles Crystal Castles Last Gang Indie Electronic
Danity Kane Welcome to the Dollhouse Bad Boy Contemporary R&B, Urban, Dance-Pop
Paul Desmond Bridge Over Troubled Water Verve Cool
Fairport Convention Cropedy Festival 2002 Recall British Folk-Rock, Progressive Folk, British Folk, Folk-Rock
The Feelies Crazy Rhythms A&M American Underground, College Rock, Jangle Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Good Riddance Remain in Memory: The Final Show Fat Wreck Chord Punk Revival, Hardcore Punk, Straight-Edge
Adam Green Sixes & Sevens Rough Trade Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Pop/Rock, Anti-Folk
Mickey Hart/Diga Rhythm Band Diga Rhythm Band Rykodisc Worldbeat, Ethnic Fusion
The Hush Sound Goodbye Blues Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen Indie Pop, Alternative Pop/Rock
Ernie K-Doe Here Comes the Girls Great American Music New Orleans R&B
King Tubby King Tubby on the Mix, Vol. 1 Original Music Dub, Roots Reggae
King Tubby King Tubby on the Mix, Vol. 2 Original Music Dub, Roots Reggae
Daniel Lanois Here Is What Is Red Floor Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock, Alternative Singer/Songwriter
The Matches A Band in Hope Epitaph Punk-Pop
Denis Matsuev Unknown Rachmaninoff RCA Red Seal Post-Romantic Piano Music
Mission of Burma The Horrible Truth About Burma: Definitive Edition Matador American Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
Mission of Burma Signals, Calls and Marches: Definitive Edition Matador American Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
Mission of Burma Vs.: Definitive Edition Matador American Punk, Post-Punk, Indie Rock
Mogwai Mogwai [EP+6] Chemikal Underground Experimental Rock, Post-Rock/Experimental
Gil Morgenstern 20th Century Duos for Violin and Cello Engine Company Modern and Contemporary Chamber Music
Muse Haarp [CD/DVD] Warner Bros. Alternative Pop/Rock
Oliver Nelson Fantabulous Verve Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Modern Big Band, Modern Creative
Neon Neon Stainless Style Lex Indie Electronic, Alternative Dance
New Found Glory Hits Geffen Punk-Pop, Punk Revival, Emo
Murray Perahia Bach: Partitas Nos. 2-4 Sony Baroque Keyboard Music
John Schneider Lou Harrison: Por Gitaro - Suites for Tuned Guitars Mode Contemporary Chamber Music
Original Soundtrack 21 Columbia Alternative Dance, Indie Rock, Soundtracks, Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Electronic
Original Soundtrack Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo Hip-O Jam Bands, Soundtracks, Blues-Rock
Original Soundtrack Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns Atlantic Contemporary R&B, Soundtracks, Neo-Soul, Urban
Playradioplay! Texas Island Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
Rocko Self-Made Island Dirty South, Southern Rap, Hardcore Rap
Sheek Louch Silverback Gorilla Koch East Coast Rap, Hardcore Rap
Switches Lay Down the Law Interscope Indie Rock
Tall Firs Too Old to Die Young Ecstatic Peace! Post-Rock/Experimental, Indie Rock
The Teenagers Reality Check XL Indie Rock, New Wave/Post-Punk Revival
These New Puritans Beat Pyramid Domino New Wave/Post-Punk Revival, Indie Rock, Experimental Rock
Various Artists Buzzcuts Razor & Tie Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock, Punk-Pop
John Zorn The Dreamers Tzadik Modern Composition, Anime Music, Cartoon Music, Television Music, Film Music, Surf
Bar Kokhba Sextet Lucifer: The Book of Angels, Vol. 10 Tzadik Jewish Music, Avant-Garde Jazz, Modern Composition, Chamber Jazz, World Fusion, Modern Creative
New album releases are looking pretty thin this last Tuesday of winter. The likely biggest commercial item is Flo Rida representing for the Sunshine State with Mail on Sunday.