Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Music News & Notes

Every Oasis album set for special vinyl release

Eight records to be released with new artwork and sleeve notes

Oasis are to reissue all their albums on a special vinyl pressing later this year.

The band's own label Big Brother is releasing one-off special editions of all seven of their studio albums, from debut 'Definitely Maybe' to current album 'Dig Out Your Soul'.

1998 B-sides collection 'The Masterplan' is also being reissued.

Each edition features new artwork, heavyweight vinyl and new sleeve notes written by NME's Reviews Editor Hamish MacBain.

The new versions will be available from July 13. A limited number of box sets featuring all eight records will also be released.

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Shook Ones release "The Unquotable A.M.H."

Shook Ones have made available their new album, The Unquotable A.M.H., digitally. The record is their first for Paper and Plastick and like other releases on the label, is only available digitally or on vinyl. A 12-inch vinyl version of the album is expected on June 15th.

The label has a few options for pre-ordering the album: Pack 1 includes a vinyl LP and immediate digital download (320 Bitrate); Pack 2 includes a vinyl LP and a limited edition CD; Pack 3 includes a vinyl LP, immediate digital download (320 Bitrate), and a limited edition, hand numbered 12”x12” print of the record cover; Pack 4 includes a vinyl LP, immediate digital download (320 Bitrate) and a t-shirt; Mega Pack includes vinyl LP, immediate digital download (320 Bitrate), t-shirt and hand numbered 12”x12” print of the record cover. The Unquotable A.M.H. is also available digitally as 320 Bitrate files or Lossless FLAC files.

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Soft Black Release 'Earth'

New York City’s own folky psych-rockers Soft Black will release their latest album, The Earth Is Black on July 21, and have scheduled a tour to celebrate the record. The new album unfolded over a year's time under the guidance of Plays With Dolls, the label that signed Soft Black after having success with rockers the Vivian Girls and the Royal Chains. For the first time ever, Soft Black's Vincent Cacchione will be visiting the West Coast, where the band will be sharing their LP's despair-filled lyrics, most of which are inspired by Cacchione's notoriously dark dreams.

The Earth Is Black will be available on CD and 12-inch vinyl (that includes a free download) via Plays With Dolls next month.

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Bouncing Souls to release "Volume 2" 7-inch

Bouncing Souls have announced their second 7-inch for 2009, Volume 2. The record compiles their three monthly songs from April, May and June 2009 (plus one bonus track) as they continue their ongoing project to release a new song each month this year, and a new 7-inch every quarter. This one is due June 23, 2009.

The four vinyl singles for 2009 fit together to make a single piece of art, representing the band's 20th anniversary logo.

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Plastic Ono Band Releasing New EP, Album in September

The Plastic Ono Band have a brand new EP, "Don't Stop Me!," that will be released toady through iTunes. The EP is a teaser to the full-length album, "Between My Head and the Sky," which will be released in September. Both are through Chimera Music.

The group, who has always had a rotating lineup, currently consists of Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Cornelius and Yuka Honda of Cibo Mato with Marc Ronson producing.

The full album was recorded at New York's Sear Sound (the old Hit Factory where Double Fantasy was recorded) with tracks produced by Sean who said

“Yoko unleashed a deluge of new songs, writing about 16 songs in 6 days, the most prolific day peaking out at 6 songs written and tracked in an afternoon. The recording session was like a tornado of inspiration. Some of the best lyrics on the record Yoko actually ‘freestyled’ as if she were a lyrical divining rod.”

The song list for the EP:

•The Sun is Down (Cornelius Mix)
•Ask The Elephant!
•Feel The Sand
•Calling

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Aerosmith Showing Their Age

Brad Whitford will not be playing with Aerosmith for the first leg of their tour which open on Wendesday night.(June 10) The bassist was forced to undergo surgery, although the reason was not given. In his place will be Bobby Schneck.

That's the third member of the band who has had surgery in the last couple years after Joe Perry (knee) and Steven Tyler (throat, foot).

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New Releases


Black Eyed Peas - THE E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)
Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Iron Maiden - Flight 666
Nanci Griffith - The Loving Kind
Aventura - The Last
Teena Marie - Congo Square
Rhett Miller - Rhett Miller
Paul Van Dyk - Volume
Stephanie J. Block - This Place I Know
Jeff Buckley - Grace--Around the World
Crosby Stills & Nash - Demos
Eels - Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire
IQ, "Frequency" (Inside Out)
Paolo Nutini - Sunny Side Up
Iggy Pop - Preliminaires
Eros Ramazzotti - Ali E Radici
Taking Back Sunday - New Again
311 - Uplifter
UFO - The Visitor


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John Fogerty Brings Back the Blue Ridge Rangers

John Fogerty has just announced that post-production has been completed on his first Blue Ridge Rangers album since 1973.

The Blue Ridge Rangers Again is scheduled for a late-summer/early-fall release and, like the original album, brings twelve tracks based squarely in the country and roots music traditions. Included are songs by the likes of John Prine, Rick Nelson, Delaney Bramlett, Buck Owens and Phil Everly.

The original Blue Ridge Rangers album (pictured right) was Fogerty's first release after the breakup of Creedence Clearwater Revival and, while he did everything on the album (all instruments, backing vocals and production), he made it look in every way like it was a group effort. The fact that he really didn't use his name or likeness on the album (his name has since been added to the cover design) didn't stop the general public from knowing that Fogerty sound, with the album going to number 11 on the country and 47 on the pop charts. Jambalaya (On the Bayou) performed well, too, going to 16 on the pop charts, while Hearts of Stone peaked at 37.

For the new album, Fogerty has dispensed with the solo act and is joined by Buddy Miller, Kenny Aronoff, Greg Leisz, Jay Bellerose, Jason Mowery, Herb Pedersen, Jodie Kennedy, Oren Waters, Chris Chaney, Dennis Crouch, and Hunter Perrin. Special guests include Bruce Springsteen (When Will I Be Loved) and Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles (Garden Party).

Fogerty commented on the lineup, "I'd long thought I'd do another Blue Ridge Rangers album and not make the mistake of playing all the instruments. These are fantastic players who really understand what the Blue Ridge Rangers vibe is about."

As far as the Springsteen duet, "That was Julie's [Fogerty's wife] idea. I'd hoped we be able to work together some day; I'm a fan of his and he's a fan of mine and we're friends."

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Lambert Album Coming

Adam Lambert has revealed that he’ll be releasing his debut album with AI’s 19 Recordings through a licensing deal with RCA in the fall. With the contract in place, Lambert joins rock-oriented Idol contestants like David Cook and Daughtry under the RCA banner.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve come to a creative and collaborative partnership and look forward to developing a really exciting album,” Lambert said in a statement. “We are 100% on the same page and are all anxiously awaiting the start of the recordings. It’s going to be ridiculous! Get ready!”

Lambert will begin working on his new album while on the road with the American Idol’s Live tour, which stretches from July 5th to September 15th, and he told Rolling Stone he’d classify the forthcoming LP’s sound as pop-rock electro.

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