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
May 19, 2009
New CD Album Releases, 5-19-2009: Tori Amos, Eminem, Steve Martin Having pretty much disappeared up her own bellybutton with the last couple of high concept albums, Tori Amos returns this week with Abnormally Attracted to Sin. It would appear to be something of a return to the crazy concept of just writing a batch of good songs. It is the #4 album currently at Amazon.
Eminem's Relapse is the #2 album at Amazon. It is his first album in several years. This guy SO needs some new frickin' material. This "We Made You" is probably the worst excuse for a song I've ever, ever heard from the guy.
Wow, a guest shot from Jessica Simpson! Calling down the biggest talent around to work with, huh? And this tuneless and hookless "song" is so completely instant ramen noodles Eminem - pointless random cracks about random boring celebrities of the moment.
Plus, the utterly and totally self-referential absorption of his words is just stupid, especially when his recent life experience is so stupid and goddam cliched. Why in the world would a single person want to hear about Eminem re-marrying the ex and have a multi-year relapse into drug addiction? As a rather greater artist put it in his "Rehab" song, "I've seen this flick before and it gets boring." The Slim Shady shtick has been thoroughly, 110% run into the frickin' ground. The poor dead cow has been beaten into a putrid and decomposing pulp no longer recognizable as a cow. Plus, this BS sounds increasingly stupid as he edges toward middle age.
In the range of actual tunes and musicianship, herald again this week the regular release on Rounder of Steve Martin's The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.
These 15 songs are all Martin compositions, many of them instrumentals. "Daddy Played Banjo" is a beautiful and sad lament, and "Late for School" is a wonderous delight. In his 60s, Steve Martin has finally released the album he's waited all his life for. Perhaps he'll get us maybe one more before he dies, which will likely be in less than another 60 years. This is MUCH better use of his talents than most of the BS cotton candy family comedy films.
Here's the complete list of this week's major new album releases:
Tori Amos Abnormally Attracted to Sin Universal Republic Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Busta Rhymes Back on My B.S. Universal Motown Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
Jarvis Cocker Further Complications Rough Trade Indie Rock, Britpop, Alternative Pop/Rock, Hard Rock
Eminem Relapse Aftermath/Interscope Hardcore Rap
Iron & Wine Around the Well Sub Pop Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock, Lo-Fi
Method Man/Redman Blackout! Vol. 2 Def Jam Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
John Luther Adams John Luther Adams: The place we began Cold Blue Music Contemporary Music for Electronics & Tape
Artango Metropole / Un soir Virgin Classics Contemporary Chamber Music
Au Revoir Simone Still Night, Still Light Our Secret Indie Pop, Indie Electronic, Dream Pop
The Beach Boys Summer Love Songs Capitol AM Pop, Surf, Early Pop/Rock, Sunshine Pop, Pop/Rock
Ed Bruce The Tennessean/Cowboys and Dreamers Hux Outlaw Country, Progressive Country, Traditional Country
Johnny Burnette Johnny Burnette and More Kings of Rockabilly Primo Rockabilly, Rock & Roll
CIV The Complete Discography Equal Vision Punk Revival, Alternative Pop/Rock
CKY Carver City Roadrunner Alternative Metal, Post-Grunge
Carbon Leaf Nothing Rhymes with Woman Vanguard Jam Bands, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Roots Rock
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds The Firstborn Is Dead Mute Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Nick Cave From Her to Eternity [Bonus Tracks/Bonus DVD] Mute Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Nick Cave Kicking Against the Pricks [Bonus Tracks/Bonus DVD] Mute Alternative Pop/Rock
Nick Cave Your Funeral...My Trial [Bonus Tracks/Bonus DVD] Mute Post-Punk, Alternative Pop/Rock
Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood Live from Madison Square Garden Reprise/Duck Blues-Rock, Modern Electric Blues, Album Rock, Pop/Rock
Dane Cook Isolated Incident Comedy Central Observational Humor, Standup Comedy
The Curious Mystery Rotting Slowly K Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Rock
The Datsuns Head Stunts Cooking Vinyl Garage Punk, Hard Rock
Drama Gangsta Grillz: The Album, Vol 2 AMG/Grand Hustle/Atlantic Hardcore Rap, Gangsta Rap
Drop Nineteens Delaware Cherry Red Shoegaze, Alternative Pop/Rock
Dusty Rhodes and the River Band Palace and Stage Side One Dummy American Trad Rock, Alternative Country-Rock
Emerson String Quartet Intimate Letters Deutsche Grammophon Modern Chamber Music
Family Force 5 Dance or Die with a Vengeance Transparent Rap-Rock, Rap-Metal, Alternative Pop/Rock
The Field Yesterday and Today Kompakt/Anti Ambient Techno, Experimental Techno, Techno
Jim Ford Big Mouth USA: The Unissued Paramount Album Bear Family Singer/Songwriter, Country-Rock, Pub Rock
Johnny Griffin The Best of Johnny Griffin Riverside Hard Bop
Headless Heroes The Silence of Love Headless Heroes Indie Pop
Hot Chip A Bugged Out Mix New State Indie Electronic, Indie Rock, Alternative Dance
Mat Kearney City of Black and White Aware/Columbia/Inpop Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Lenny Kravitz Let Love Rule [20th Anniversary Edition] Virgin Album Rock, American Trad Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Pop/Rock, Rock & Roll
Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard 'Em Are I Rough Trade Alternative Folk, Anti-Folk
Frank London/Lorin Sklamberg Tsuker-Zis Tzadik Jewish Music
Joe Lovano Us Five Folk Art Blue Note Post-Bop
Jason Lytle Yours Truly, The Commuter Anti Alternative Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
Steve Martin The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo Rounder Contemporary Bluegrass, Progressive Bluegrass
Susanna Malkki Michael Jarrell: Cassandre Kairos Contemporary Opera
The Oak Ridge Boys The Boys Are Back Spring Hill Country-Pop, Country-Rock
Original TV Soundtrack True Blood [Original TV Soundtrack] Elektra Swamp Blues, Neo-Traditionalist Country, Alternative Country-Rock, Indie Rock, Soundtracks, New Orleans R&B, Alternative Pop/Rock, Country-Rock
U.S. (United Soul) U.S. Music with Funkadelic Westbound Funk
Passion Pit Manners Columbia/French Kiss Indie Electronic, Indie Pop
Roberto Juan Rodriguez Timba Talmud Tzadik Jewish Music, Avant-Garde Jazz, Hebrew, Son, Rhumba, Klezmer, Latin Folk, Mambo, New York Salsa, Salsa, World Fusion
