New Music Releases ~ August 3, 2010

Here are the latest releases for this week.  Lot's to choose from - Collecting Vinyl Records Blog Picks Are In Red.











Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (vinyl)

Buy Arcade Fire Music Here

Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster
Autolux - Transit Transit
Bill Wyman's Bootleg Kings - Jump Jive and Wail - The Very Best Of
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell (Audio Fidelity)

Black Crowes - Croweology

Buy Black Crowes Music Here

VINYL FORMAT. Limited to 5000 copies; on 180 gram vinyl triple gatefold! 'Releasing a compilation of acoustic material to mark the twentieth anniversary of their mutli-platinum selling debut Shake Your Money Maker, the Black Crowes - America's most viable rock 'n' roll band - are leaving fans with Croweology, the last piece of studio material before embarking on an extended hiatus in 2011. Recorded in Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles, California and produced by Paul Stacey, the collection of unreleased material, fan favorites and classics serves as an intimate portrait into the creative aspiration of the brothers Robinson. "Jealous Again," starts the recording in a pretty straight forward manner before "Share the Ride," off the 1996 release of Three Snakes and One Charm, is altered from its electric fury and transformed into a hand-clapping country romp. "Remedy" remains its traditional locomotive with the vocals of Mona and Charity accompanying the addition of wah-funk. Once the radio singles are off the plate, the oozing cool of the Black Crowes' cosmic-cowboy psychedelic brilliance comes into view. "Nonfiction" goes spacey before a blindsiding version of Southern Harmony's "Hotel Illness." Chris Robinson's harmonica on this track is particularly inspirational. The grass backbone of Luther Dickinson's guitar picking drives the dynamics of the acoustic numbers, while Rich Robinson holds steadfast, fat and firm. "Soul Singing" appears as the only track from the 2001 release of Lions, before the epic combination of "Ballad in Urgency" and a bombastic "Wiser Time" sends the recording into outer-space. But within the classics, there resides an unreleased gem dating back from 2005 and the buried writing sessions following the Black Crowes reunion. A beautiful interlude leads into "Cold Boy Smile" where Chris Robinson's vocals shine.

Disc two shines just as bright. The Shake Your Money Maker single "She Talks to Angels" leads into the first acoustic version of the colossal "My Morning Song." The foundation of Rich Robinson's lick acoustically is very similar to the Open-G blues pull of Jimmy Page's interpretation of "Traveling Riverside Blues," complete with the three-note walk-down. The band breaks the shed during the reprise with hand-claps and a sizzling piano. The sermon in the church of rock 'n' roll is full-blown. The moment in which the band returns to the chorus is a slice of salvation, bringing the faithless to their knees. "Downtown Money Waster" includes Appalachian fiddles and a burning banjo before opening up with the melancholy of "Good Friday." Luther Dickinson walks away with the leads on this number. "Thorn in My Pride," the By Your Side gem "Welcome to the Goodtimes" and "Girl from a Pawnshop" round out the mix. Croweology is capped with ballads starting with a Gram Parson's cover of "She." For Chris Robinson, Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers 68-70 have been a common thread that has permeated his artistic influence throughout his catalog of the Black Crowes and his solo projects as well. A sorrowful "Bad Luck Blue Eyes" bids farewell to the bad boys of American rock 'n' roll, at least for now.' - Martin Halo / TheWaster.com

Black Ryder - Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride
Bob Dylan - Original Album Classics (3 CDs)
Brandon Flowers - Crossfire / On The Floor (vinyl)
Buckcherry - All Night Long
Bun B - Trill O.G.
Candy Claws - Hidden Lands

Chicken Shack - From the Vaults

Buy Chicken Shack Music Here

Chris Barber, Kenny Ball & Mr. Acker Bilk - Best of Barber Ball & Bilk (3 CDs)
Crowded House - Intriguer (Vinyl)
Dash Rip Rock - Call of the Wild
David Dondero - # Zero with a Bullet (vinyl)
David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile
Dax Riggs - Say Goodnight to the World
Donovan Quinn & The 13th Month - Your Wicked Man
Dr. John And The Lower 911 - Tribal
El-P - Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3
El Ten Eleven - El Ten Eleven (vinyl)
Ferraby Lionheart - The Jack of Hearts
Fleshwrought - Dementia/Dyslexia
Four Tet - Angel Echoes Remixes (vinyl)
Gaelic Storm - Cabbage
Gate - Republic of Sadness (vinyl)
Gloria Estefan - Original Album Classics (3 CDs)

Gov't Mule - Mulennium (remastered)

Buy Gov't Mule Music Here

Horseback -The Invisible Mountain
JJ - JJ No. 2 (reissue)
Julio Iglesias - Original Album Classics (3 CDs)
Katie Melua - The House
Kem - Intimacy

Kinks - Something Else (2 LPs)(Vinyl)

Buy Kinks Vinyl Records Here

LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (vinyl)
La Roux - Sidetracked
Lady Gaga - The Cherrytree Sessions EP
Lady Gaga - The Remix (vinyl)
Level 42 - Living It Up (4-CD box set)
Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics - Lloyd Miller & The Heliocentrics
Lonnie Donnegan - Puttin' On The Style (Expanded Edition)
Lonnie Donnegan - Sundown (Expanded Edition)
Los Lobos - Tin Can Trust
Loudness - Best of Loudness 8688: Atlantic Years
Love Language - Libraries [vinyl]
Magic Numbers - The Runaway (2-CD edition)
Manhattans - Black Tie / Love Talk

Metallica - Reload (4 LPs @ 45 RPM)(Vinyl)

Buy Metallica Release Here

VINYL FORMAT. This limited DELUXE EDITION features the album spread out over four 180 gram pieces of vinyl, mastered at 45 RPM! "Reload is Metallica's second experimental album and it's meant to be the ideal follow up to Load. But I consider them as twins, as a double CD, since these two albums have the same sound, similar covers, identical artwork and even similar disposition of the tracks . . . The opening single 'Fuel' has become a true classic. I think it's Metallica's most innovative song: speed riffs, impeccable guitar work, excellent backing vocals, powerful chorus and amazing drums. Lyrics deal with high speed, fuel, fire, gasoline, engines, adrenaline . . . The third track has a slow evil rhythm and great demoniac effects: Kirk's guitar sounds like a howling cat! Really good. On the following track, a familiar horn intro brings us six years back: another 'Unforgiven'! This single is one of my favorite songs of all time. This one is played on a special Fender Telecaster that gives it an amazing sound. All guitars are perfectly harmonized and effected. As in the first 'Unforgiven,' there are some strings before the chorus. 'The Unforgiven II' shares some elements with the first version: the horn intro, the main guitar melody [now in the background] and the lines "What I've felt, what I've known," "So I dub thee unforgiven," "Never free, never me." But it is totally different from 'The Unforgiven': it has a different mood, it is more open, it is a true heavy ballad." - Metalstorm.net



Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - Where The Messengers Meet (vinyl)
Night Horse - Perdition Hymns (vinyl)
On/Fennesz - Something That Has Form & Something That Does Not
Patti Smith - Original Album Classics (3 CDs)
Poison Arrows - Newfound Resolutions
Queens Of The Stone Age - Rated R - Deluxe Edition
Rickie Lee Jones - Flying Cowboys (Audio Fidelity)
Ryan Star - 11:59
Sage Francis - Best of Times (vinyl)

School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire (vinyl)

Buy School of Seven Bells Here

VINYL FORMAT. 'Disconnect from Desire, the eagerly anticipated sophomore album from Brooklyn's dreamscape "nu-gaze" trio School of Seven Bells, was produced by the band's Benjamin Curtis and was recorded in their home studio. Heavily influenced by the pioneering 80's band The Cocteau Twins, Curtis and twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza created densely textured, atmospheric aural excursions for their acclaimed debut 2008 Alpinisms, a sound that the band expands upon with Desire. "We realized something else about our music," reflects Curtis, "which is that there's this heavy quality to it, this powerful quality that we weren't really aware of because we were just writing at home. Going out and playing every night and discovering that, we got really inspired." Lead track "Babelonia" mixes mesmerizing electronic rhythms, Curtis' chiming two-chord guitar riffs and the Deheza's ethereal vocals for a stiff elixir of propulsive power, a sound that straddles gracefully lithe motion and arena-sized aural fireworks. New single "Windstorm" has a sweeping, cinematic scope, near-chanting vocals building and intertwining with buzzing synths and darting guitar lines. "From the start, we knew we wanted to make a record that connected on more of a direct and personal level than we ever had before," says Curtis. "It's a complete account of our lives this past year, and it's crazy how taking an honest look at yourself can tell you the most about the world around you."' - Direct Current Music






Secondhand Serenade - Hear Me Now
Shapes and Sizes - Candle to Your Eyes
Squeeze - Spot the Difference
Steve Poltz - Dreamhouse (vinyl)
Tages - Studio Album Plus
Tammar - I Live Here Now
Trentemoller - Even Though You're With Another Girl: Remixes (vinyl)
Various Artists - Book a Trip: Psych Pop Sounds of Capitol Records
Various Artists - Middle Men (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Various Artists - Next Stop Soweto Vol. 3: Giants, Ministers And Makers- Jazz In South Aftrica 1963-1984 (vinyl)
Various Artists - The Kids Are All Right
Versus - On the Ones and Threes 2-LP (vinyl)
Vic Chesnutt - About to Choke (vinyl reissue)
Votum - Metafiction

Wavves - King of the Beach (vinyl)

Buy Wavves Here

Order the album and receive this 11" x 17" poster for free (while supplies last)!

VINYL FORMAT. 'Wavves returns with a new album this summer. After all the fuss of the last couple of years, it's great to see Nathan Williams and co. getting back to showing us the fruits of his studio work. The album is called King of the Beach . . . Unlike Wavves' previously released material, recorded in haphazard bursts on Williams' laptop, King of the Beach was toiled over for three months at Sweet Tea Recording, a world-renowned studio in Oxford, Mississippi. Sweet Tea is also the home of Dennis Herring, producer of the last two Modest Mouse albums, and the man who dismantled and re-assembled the sound on this record. "There was a conscious effort going into this that I didn't want to make the same record again. I already made the same record twice, with the same fucking cover art," says Williams. "It wasn't overbearing, but I didn't want to recreate something I'd done. I wanted to make something bigger, something stronger." Although you may think King of the Beach is somewhat appropriately titled, Williams says the album name isn't meant to be ironic or a self-deprecating joke. It's a declaration. "Without sounding cheesy, we all wanted to make something inspiring," says Williams. "It's the type of thing where you have this much, but you could have more, so go get it." We get the feeling this is going to be one hell of a comeback album.' - Gavin Riley / Strange Glue

Buy All Your New Vinyl Here (Help support the blog and get some great records to boot!):

click on image

New releases put together from a variety of online sources by Robert Benson - http://collectingvinylrecords.blogspot.com  

Have new music for the list? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com

New Jazz Releases - August 3, 2010

Alex Brown - Pianist
Andre Previn & David Rose - Secret Songs For Young Lovers
Augie's Side Effect - About Time
Benny Goodman - Ultimate Big Band Collection
Charles Mingus - Original Album Classics
Chris Connor - Sings Ballards Of The Sad Cafe
Dean Martin - Sings The Hits
Debbie Reynolds - Love Is A Simple Thing
Freddy Cole - Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B
Gabor Sazbo - In Budapest Live (1974)
Hirth Martinez - Teenage Hirth
Jackiem Joyner - Jackiem Joyner
John Coltrane - Trane's Comin
John Helliwell - Creme Anglaise
Larkin's Jazz - Larkins Jazz
Lena Horne - Bewitched
Les Sabler - Crescent Shores
Lester Teddy Wilson Young - Prez & Teddy: The Great Recordings
Louis Armstrong - Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection
Mike Westbrook - Fine 'N' Yellow
Miles Davis - King Of Blue
Miles Davis - Original Album Classics
Miles Davis - Walkin Cookin Relaxin Workin & Steami
Nick Rosen - Into The Sky
Nina Simone - Family, Friends, French Lessons
Paul Hardcastle - Paul Hardcastle 1983-09
Stanley Clarke - Rock Pebbles & Sand/Let Me Know You
Stephane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt - With The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France
Steve Turre - Delicious And Delightful
Tim Bowman - Collection
Tubby Hayes - Voodoo Session

Reissues
Kenny Burrell - Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane (JVC XRCD )

JAZZ release information is provided by www.allaboutjazz.com.   The Upcoming Release Center at allaboutjazz.com is the most comprehensive new release listing for jazz music on the internet.

The information is updated biweekly by John Kelman

Top 5 eBay Vinyl Record Sales ~ Week Ending 07/31/2010

The Top 5 is a Beatles sandwich with the UK Promo of the Love Me Do 45 at the top of the list and a Butcher Cover at the bottom. A rare punk 45 from Detroit band The Fix makes it to the middle of this week's list.






1. 45 - The Beatles "Love Me Do" / "P.S. I Love You" Parlophone UK Promo - $9,788.13

2. 78 - Robert Johnson "Come On In My Kitchen" / "They're Red Hot" Vocalion 03563 - $5,000.00

3. 45 - The Fix "Vengence" / "In This Town" - $4,250.00

4. 45 - Elvis Presley "That's All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" Sun 209 - $4,000.00

5. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday And Today" Second State Butcher Stereo - $3,800.00

More on this month's top sellers on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 4:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

http://shows.radiodentata.com/shows/accidental-nostalgia

Music News & Notes

BROKEN RIM RECORDS RELEASES A LIMITED VINYL EDITION OF I CALL FIVES’ BAD ADVICE

Broken Rim Records is proud to present the exclusive and limited vinyl release of I Call Fives’ sophomore EP Bad Advice.

The record will be available on the Broken Rim Records online store brokenrimrecords.storenvy.com starting July 21st, 2010. All orders will be shipped no later than August 3rd, 2010. Additionally, fans have the opportunity to enter to win a test press of the vinyl edition of Bad Advice by ordering a 3 LP bundle. After 25 bundles have been sold, one person will be selected at random to win.

Quickly becoming recognized as leaders in the next generation pop-punk, I Call Fives has recently been compared to the youthful and upbeat sound of pop-punk legends, The Starting Line. ICF joined the No Sleep Records family earlier this year, and is currently on tour through the end of August. Bad Advice has received excellent reviews, and attention from Alternative Press and AMP magazines.

Don’t miss this chance to pick up this edition of the record, that features:

- Exclusive Vinyl Track “Everyone Knows”
- Silk Screened B-Side
- 3 Limited Colors
- Hand Numbered

Pressing Information:
- 50 Green records
- 150 Purple records
- 250 Blue records

For updated tour dates and more information, visit
www.myspace.com/icallfives

For constant band updates, visit
http://www.icallfives.com/  and follow @ICallFives  on Twitter.

Check out Broken Rim Records at http://www.brokenrimrecords.com/ 

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Team B Release New 7"

Hi-Scores Recording Library announces Team B's limited edition Genesis/Reply To Censure 7" Vinyl record and digital EP. Available online today, the digital version features an additional remix from 4AD recording artist Minotaur Shock.

To celebrate the release, Hi-Scores is making "Genesis/Reply To Censure (Minotaur Shock Remix)" available for free download. Limited to a pressing of 500 colored blue marble vinyl records and the pre order is happening now right here. http://www.hiscoresrecordinglibrary.com/releases/SCORE003/

Team B is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Kelly Pratt. As a member of Beirut, a touring member of Arcade Fire, and with recordings for Coldplay, James Iha, Owen Pallett, Nina Persson.









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BRUTAL PANDA to release Kowloon Walled City, Fight Amp, Ladder Devils Split 12"

Brutal Panda Records is set to release Lose/Lose/Lose, a three-way split featuring noise rock powerhouses KOWLOON WALLED CITY, FIGHT AMP and LADDER DEVILS. The album, recorded this summer, will feature 2 brand new songs from each band. These mark the first new tracks from New Jersey’s FIGHT AMP and San Francisco’s KOWLOON WALLED CITY since their previous full lengths, both released last year. The split also features the first ever recorded tracks from Philadelphia’s LADDER DEVILS, the new band featuring members of The Minor Times.

The pressing is strictly limited to 300 copies on clear vinyl and is packaged with a special silk screened poly bag plus a fold-under insert.

The record will be available in early September with pre-orders available at this location.

http://brutalpandarecords.com/

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U.S. CHRISTMAS Reveal Cover Art

Neurot Recordings is proud to unleash the latest full-length from psychedelic, high-volume blues rock ensemble U.S. CHRISTMAS. Entitled Run Thick In The Night, the band’s fifth long player was recorded by Sanford Parker at Fahrenheit Studio in Johnson City, Tennessee, mixed by Parker and USX members Nate Hall, Matt Johnson and Josh Holt at Semaphore Studios in Chicago, IL and mastered by Collin Jordan.

Hailing from the Appalachian Mountains in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, U.S. CHRISTMAS create a kaleidoscopic brand of sound that evades easy classification. Founded in Marion, North Carolina in the summer of 2002, the band played rough biker bars, art spaces, and house shows all over the southeast dirt circuit for years, self-releasing albums in rough CDR format. Scott Kelly of Neurosis heard the band’s third record, Salt The Wound (released in Russia by the label RAIG) through his show on Combat Music Radio/KMBT, which inevitably lead to the release of the band’s fourth album Eat The Low Dogs on Neurot Recordings.

‘Run Thick In The Night’ will be released via Neurot Recordings on September 20, 2010.





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Death Metal Supergroup CRUCIFYRE Unveil Cover Art

Stockholm death metallers CRUCIFYRE, who recently joined the Pulverised Records roster, are pleased to unveil the cover art of their upcoming debut full-length titled ‘Infernal Earthly Divine’. Conceptualized by the band and brought to life by graphic artist Stefan Hansson [stefanhansson.org], the dramatic illustration compliments what the band describes as, “nine tracks of pure oldschool hell!”

Formed in 2006, CRUCIFYRE features the crushing lineup of vocalist Erik Tormentor Sahlström (General Surgery, Maze Of Torment, Serpent Obscene et al), guitarists TG (The Sun, Morbid) and Urban Skytt (Crematory, Regurgitate, Nasum), bassist Henrik Doltz Nilsson (Dobermann Cult) and drummer Yasin Hillborg (Afflicted).

 www.myspace.com/crucifyre






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Cult Releasing First New Track in Three Years

The Cult are scheduled to release their first new music since 2007, with the new track "Everyman and Woman is a Star." The song will be available for the first two week exclusively through the iTunes store.

"Everyman and Woman is a Star" is a preview for a 4-song "capsule" that the group will release in the fall. A capsule is described as a new way to market both music and the artist with a mixture of songs, film, art and fashion. These capsules will be released on CD, vinyl, digital, USB and DVD.

Mitch Miller, Music Executive and TV Host, Dies

Mitch Miller, an influential record producer who became a hugely popular recording artist and an unlikely television star a half century ago by leading a choral group in familiar old songs and inviting people to sing along, died Saturday in Manhattan. He was 99.

Read the rest here:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/arts/music/03miller.html?_r=1



Everett Collection - Mitch Miller conducting during his TV series, “Sing Along with Mitch,” in an undated photograph.

Dr. John's New 'Tribal' Released This Week

Legendary American Artist's Follow Up To His 2008 Grammy Winning Recording 'City That Care Forgot' Available on 429 Records August 3rd

Guest Artists Appearing on 'Tribal' include Grammy Winner Derek Trucks, Allen Touissant, Donald Harrison and the late Bobby Charles

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- 429 Records will release "Tribal", the extraordinary new album by Dr. John and the follow up to his Grammy winning 429 Records album, "The City That Care Forgot" (2008). AKA the Night Tripper, the iconic American musician has returned with another spectacular slice of mercurial sounds. Steeped in his trademark melange of rock, funk, jazz, voodoo-inflected r&b and Creole flavor, "Tribal" is a statement that builds upon his already formidable musical legacy. Dr. John (aka Mac Rebennac) is joined by his band, the Lower 911 and they perform alongside several guest artists including 2009 Grammy winner Derek Trucks, New Orleans legend Allen Touissant, Donald Harrison and the late Bobby Charles, for whom the album is dedicated. "Tribal" is available August 3rd on 429 Records. Dr. John and the Lower 911 are currently on an extensive North American tour.

Dr. John has long been considered the physical embodiment of the vibrant culture of New Orleans. Throughout his illustrious musical career--from his roots as a New Orleans-based session musician back in the 1950's playing with legends like Professor Longhair, Art Neville and Joe Tex, to forging his distinctive voodoo-inflected rhythm and blues psychedelia throughout the 60's and 70's, to his tireless efforts recording, performing and being a spokesman for the city today, (he had a recurring role in the critically acclaimed HBO series "Treme") his colorful persona and talents transcend musical genres and art forms garnering respect from fans, cultural peers, civic leaders and beyond.

429 Records is a unit of the Savoy Label Group (SLG). SLG is the North American unit of CME (Columbia Music Entertainment), the oldest music company in Japan. The Savoy Label Group has evolved into a leading independent company in the adult music genres consistently outperforming competitors in key music categories as monitored by Billboard Magazine. SLG is led by Steve Vining.

SOURCE 429 Records

World's Best-Selling Music Compilation Series Announces August 31 Release Date For 'NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 35'

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest edition of the world's best-selling, multi-artist album series, NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 35, will be released on August 31.

NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 35 features 16 major pop, hip-hop and crossover country hits, plus four up-and-coming "NOW What's Next" New Music Preview tracks from hot new artists. Included in NOW 35's CD and digital tracklist are top chart hits from Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber featuring Usher, David Guetta & Chris Willis (featuring Fergie & LMFAO), The Black Eyed Peas, La Roux, Lady Gaga, Mike Posner, Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars, Jason Derulo, Shontelle, Jaron And The Long Road To Love, Nickelback, Miranda Cosgrove, 3OH!3 featuring Ke$ha, Carrie Underwood, and Jerrod Niemann, plus "NOW What's Next" emerging tracks from Jennette McCurdy, Days Difference, Sky Ferreira, and Tiffany Dunn.

The NOW That's What I Call Music! series is a joint venture from EMI Music North America, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group. NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 35 will be distributed by EMI Music North America. NOW and NOW That's What I Call Music! are registered trademarks of EMI (IP) Limited.

The NOW That's What I Call Music! series debuted in the U.S. in 1998 after the brand had been a multi-platinum international success for 15 years. The series has generated sales exceeding 200 million albums worldwide, including more than 77 million copies in the U.S. Every album in the numbered U.S. series has reached Billboard's Top 10, with NOW 3 the first non-soundtrack, multi-artist collection in history to reach #1.

http://www.nowthatsmusic.com/

NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 35 [CD, digital]

1. Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg - California Gurls

2. Justin Bieber featuring Usher - Somebody To Love Remix

3. David Guetta & Chris Willis -Gettin' Over You (featuring Fergie & LMFAO)

4. The Black Eyed Peas -Rock That Body

5. La Roux -Bulletproof

6. Lady Gaga - Alejandro

7. Mike Posner -Cooler Than Me

8. Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars -Billionaire

9. Jason Derulo -Ridin' Solo

10. Shontelle -Impossible

11. Jaron And The Long Road To Love -Pray For You

12. Nickelback -This Afternoon

13. Miranda Cosgrove -Kissin U

14. 3OH!3 featuring Ke$ha -My First Kiss

15. Carrie Underwood -Undo It

16. Jerrod Niemann -Lover, Lover

BONUS TRACKS: "NOW What's Next" New Music Preview

17. Jennette McCurdy -Stronger

18. Days Difference - Speakers

19. Sky Ferreira - Obsession

20. Tiffany Dunn - Shut The Front Door (Got My Girls)


SOURCE EMI Music / Sony Music Entertainment / Universal Music Group

Spin Clean Record Washer Announces New Web Site Launch

Anyone who has used the conventional brush type record cleaner knows how awkward they are to use and that they have limited ability. The Spin-Clean® record washing system enables you to clean both sides of your record at once without using your valuable


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 1, 2010 --
Spin Clean Record Washer Announces New Web Site Launch.
http://www.spincleanrecordwasher.com/


Anyone who has used the conventional brush type record cleaner knows how awkward they are to use and that they have limited ability. The Spin-Clean® record washing system enables you to clean both sides of your record at once without using your valuable turntable as the cleaning device. With the Spin-Clean® record washing system, you'll add years to all of your equipment including turntables, stylus (needle) and of course your record collection. The Spin-Clean Record Washing System is a unique approach to wet cleaning records. 

Spin-Clean® Record Washing System's secret weapon is it's special washer fluid. This formula encapsulates the dirt and keeps it suspended in the system instead of evaporating or redepositing it back on to your valuable record. Only Spin-Clean® record washing system uses this secret formula.

With Spin-Clean® record washing system, it's easy as one, two, three, fill it – spin it – dry it. You never have to adjust the brushes (they're pre-set at the right pressure). After three turns in the Spin-Clean® record washing system, the dirt and the fingerprints are gone on both sides of the record along with the static. You not only see the Spin-Clean® record washing system work, you can hear the difference in sound.
Most remarkably though, is the sound when playing the cleaned records. Spin Clean removes fingerprints, grease, smoke, film and dirt from any size record:, 45s, LPs & 78s. it also removes the static from your record as it is cleaned.

Spin clean has been around helping improve the sound of records since 1975.

You can visit the new Spin Clean website at http://www.spincleanrecordwasher.com/  and check out their new product line.

Note:  I will be contacting Spin Clean and try their product and write up a review.  Watch the blog for this upcoming material!

Top Selling Vinyl Records Sales at eBay - May 2010

Here is the month in review of the top selling ebay vinyl record sales, on a weekly basis, for May of 2010. First and foremost, a special thank you to Norm and Jane at http://ccdiscoveries.blogspot.com/  and Vinyl Record Talk for putting together this interesting data.

The honor of our top seller for the month of May 2010 is none other than the King himself (the REAL King), Mr. Elvis Presely with a 45 rpm of "That's All Right"/"Blue Moon Of Kentucky" (Sun 209), selling for almost $11,000.

Next up is a 45rpm record from Larry Clinton "She's Wanted"/"If I Knew" (Dynamo - stock copy) which sold for $6766.66. A classical music recording, an LP by Georges Enesco (Bach Sonatas - Continental) which came in at an even $5,500. Another high-priced 45 rpm, this one by The Lonesome Drifter ("Eager Boy"/"Tear Drop Alley") sold for a shade over $5,100.

Interestingly, 78 rpm records made the list each week, starting with a 78 rpm blues record by Mississippi John Hurt ("Avalon Blues"/"Ain't No Tellin'" - Okeh) selling for $4,740, followed by the Halfway House Orchestra ("Pussy Cat Rag"/"Barataria" - Okeh) which sold for $2,606. Next up is a foreign release Los Beatles (The Beatles) "Twist Y Gritos" (Twist And Shout)/"La Vi Parada"(I Saw Her Standing There) on Odeon Pops Argentina which sold for an even $3,500 and lastly, a 78 rpm by Charly Jordan ("Keep It Clean No 2"/"You Run And Tell Your Daddy" Vocalio which came in at a penny under $4,750.

As usual, the Beatles had several entries on the weekly lists including a 'butcher cover' "Yesterday And Today" 3rd State Mono ($3,954.85), "Sgt Pepper" Stereo UK 1st Pressing Complete ($2,797.38) as well as the aforementioned 78 rpm record.












Week Ending 05/08/2010

1. 78 - Mississippi John Hurt "Avalon Blues" / "Ain't No Tellin'" Okeh - $4,740.00

2. LP - The Beatles "Sgt Pepper" Stereo UK 1st Pressing Complete - $2,797.38

3. LP - Andre Cluytens "Ravel Complete Orchestral Works" Columbia UK Box Set - $2,789.96

4. 45 - Conner Cagle "Always Let Your Good Side Show" Sunshine - $2,500.00

5. 45 - The Cairos "Stop Overlooking Me" / "Don't Fight It" Shrine - $2,247.00


Week Ending 05/15/2010

1. LP - The Beatles "Yesterday And Today" 3rd State Mono - $3,954.85

2. 45 - Nirvana "Love Buzz" 28/1000 Sub Pop - $3,050.99

3. 78 - Halfway House Orchestra "Pussy Cat Rag" / "Barataria" Okeh - $2,606.00

4. 78 - Muddy Waters "Rollin' And Tumblin' Part 1" / "Rollin' And Tumblin' Part 2" Aristocrat - $2,200.00

5. 78 - Furry Lewis "Kassie Jones Part 1" / "Kassie Jones Part 2" Victor - $2,126.01


Week Ending 05/22/2010

1. 45 - Larry Clinton "She's Wanted" / "If I Knew" Dynamo stock copy - $6766.66

2. LP - LP - Johanna Martzy "Bach: The unaccompanied Violin Sonatas" Columbia Box set UK - $4,500.00

3. 78 - Los Beatles (The Beatles) "Twist Y Gritos" (Twist And Shout) / "La Vi Parada" (I Saw Her Standing There) Odeon Pops Argentina - $3,500.00

4. 45 - Billy Byrd "Silly Kind Of Love" / "Lost In The Crowd" Scream - $3,038.99

5. 45 - The Professionals "That's Why I Love You" / "Groove City" - $2,599.02


Week Ending 05/29/2010

1. 45 - Elvis Presley "That's All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" Sun 209 - $10,987.00

2. LP - Georges Enesco Bach Sonatas Continental - $5,500.00

3. 45 - The Lonesome Drifter "Eager Boy" / "Tear Drop Alley" K - $5,100.69

4. 78 - Charly Jordan "Keep It Clean No 2" / "You Run And Tell Your Daddy" Vocalion - $4,749.99

5. LP - Johanna Martzy "Bach: The unaccompanied Violin Sonatas" Columbia Box set UK - $3,173.45

More on this month's top sellers on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 4:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

http://shows.radiodentata.com/shows/accidental-nostalgia

This Date In Music History - August 1

Birthdays:

Folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott (born Elliot Charles Adnopoz) (1931)



Boz Burrell - Bad Company, King Crimson (1946)

Rick Anderson - The Tubes (1947)

Ricky Coonce - Grass Roots (1947)



Tim Bachman - Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1951) He's Randy's kid brother and eventually goes on to sell real estate in Abbotsford, British Columbia

Robert Cray (1953)

Michael Penn (1958)

Robert Buck - 10,000 Maniacs (1958)

Joe Elliott - Def Leppard (1959)

Chuck D - Public Enemy (1960)

Suzi Gardner - L7 (1960)

Coolio (Artis Ivey Jr) (1963)

Adam Duritz - Counting Crows (1964)

Nick Christian Sayer - Transvision Vamp (1964)

Charlie Kelley - Buffalo Club (1968)

Dan Donegan - Disturbed (1968)

Ashley Parker - O-Town (1981)


They Are Missed:

Singer Johnny Burnette was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake California in 1964 (age 30). Had 1961 #8 single "Your Sixteen."



Born today in 1951, Tommy Bolin, guitarist. Joined Deep Purple in 1975, member of Zephyr and The James Gang. Bolin died of a heroin overdose on December 4, 1976.

Born on this day in 1898, Morris Stoloff, arranger (arranged film music including 'Lawrence Of Arabia'). Died 6th April 1980.

Born today in 1942, Jerry Garcia, guitar, vocals, The Grateful Dead. Garcia died from a drugs-related heart attack on August 9, 1995.



Bill Buchanan (created "break-in" records like "Flying Saucer" with partner Dickie Goodman) died of cancer in 1996.


History:

Francis Scott Key was born in 1779. He was an American composer, attorney, poet, and social worker. He was the composer of the "Star-Spangled Banner."

The "Moondog Jubilee of Stars Under the Stars" took place at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn in 1954. Acts on the bill included Fats Domino, Muddy Waters, the Clovers, the Orioles, and Little Walter.

Johnny Cash left Sun Records in 1958 and signs with Columbia Records.

Elvis Presley was named "Public Enemy #1" in 1960 by the East German newspaper Young World (four months after the left Germany with the Army).

Chubby Checker's "The Twist" was released in 1960.



Aretha Franklin made her first recordings for CBS Records in 1960.

In 1963, the first 'Beatles Monthly' was published. A magazine devoted to the group, it continued until 1969 and at its peak was selling over 350,000 copies a month.

The Beatles scored their fifth US #1 single in seven months in 1964 when "A Hard Day's Night" went to the top of the charts. The group had now spent seventeen weeks at the #1 position in this year. Also, Jan & Dean's "Little Old Lady From Pasadena" peaks at #3. The dreadful "Rag Doll" (Four Seasons) was just a notch below The Beatles on the pop chart.

In 1965, during a UK tour, The Rolling Stones appeared at the London Palladium supported by The Walker Brothers, The Fourmost, Steampacket featuring Rod Stewart and Sugar Pie Desanto with The Shevelles.

In 1966, a Chicago judge ordered the assets of Vee-Jay Records there liquidated (and the master recordings of the Four Seasons revert to the group).

The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at City Park Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1968.

The three day US Atlantic City Pop Festival took place in 1969 with BB King, Janis Joplin, Santana, Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Little Richard, Dr John, Procol Harum, Arthur Brown, Little Richard and Canned Heat. Wow, would have loved to be there......

The film 'Performance' featuring Mick Jagger had its UK premiere in London in 1970.

The Concert For Bangla Desh, organized by George Harrison to aid victims of famine and war in Bangla Desh took place at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1971. Featuring Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar and members from Badfinger. Harrison had to shell out his own money to maintain the fund after legal problems froze all proceeds. The triple album release (the second in a row by Harrison), hit number 1 in the UK and #2 in the US and received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.



'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' started on prime time TV in 1971.

Keyboard player Rick Wakeman joined Yes in 1971, just as they started to record their Fragile album.

Tony Kaye quit Yes in 1971 to form Badger. He was replaced by Rick Wakeman.

The Carpenters met U.S. President Richard Nixon at the White House in 1972.

The film "American Graffiti" opened in 1973.

The book "Elvis: What Happened?" went on sale in 1977. The book was written by two of Elvis' ex-bodyguards. The tome chronicles Elvis` descent into drugs. Though the authors claim they wrote the book not for money, but to save Elvis, it`s too late. Presley only lives another two weeks

In 1981, MTV made its debut at 12:01am. The first video to be shown was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.



Def Leppard made their US live debut in 1980 when they appeared at the New York City concert opening for AC/DC. It was also Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott's 21st birthday.



Australian singer Rick Springfield started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1981 with "Jessie's Girl." Rick had played Noah Drake in the TV show 'General Hospital.'

Bob Seger scored his first US #1 single in 1987 with "Shakedown," taken from the film 'Beverly Hills Cop II.' Glenn Frey was originally lined up to record the song for the soundtrack but he came down with laryngitis. Seger stepped in, rewrites some of the lyrics to the Harold Faltermeyer-Keith Forsey song and the rest is, as they say, history.

Los Lobos were at #1 on the US singles chart in 1987 with their version of the Ritchie Valens song "La Bamba" (also a #1 hit in the UK). The song was the title track from the film based on Ritchie Valens who died in the same plane crash the killed Buddy Holly.

Guns N` Roses' debut, "Appetite for Destruction," was released in 1987.

MTV Europe was launched in 1987, the first video played being "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits, which coincedentally contains the appropriate line "I Want My MTV."



UB40 were deported from the Seychelles in 1990 after police discovered marijuana in their hotel rooms. Ooops....

The Rolling Stones 12th North American tour kicked off in Washington DC in 1994. They also turned down an invitation from U.S. President Bill Clinton to play at the White House.

In 2000, Madonna's forthcoming single "Music" had its release date brought forward by two weeks after the track was made available as an illegal MP3 file on the Internet.

AC/DC kicked off their 140 date Stiff Upper World Lip Tour at the Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2000.

In 2002, a new book 'Show the Girl the Door' written by a former tour manager disclosed some strange demands by female acts. It revealed that Shania Twain would travel with a sniffer dog in case of bombs. Jennifer Lopez liked her dressing room to be all white, including carpets flowers and furniture. Cher would have high security rooms for her wigs. Janet Jackson would have a full medical team on standby, including a doctor nurse and throat specialist and Britney Spears would demand her favourite Gummie Bear soft sweets.

Ashlee Simpson started a five week run at #1 on the US album chart in 2004 with ‘Autobiography.’ Soulja Slim were at #1 on the US singles chart with "Slow Motion."

In 2007, Eminem’s publishing company were seeking more than $75,000 for copyright infringement and unfair competition against computer firm Apple for allegedly selling his music on iTunes without permission. Apple were paying Eminem's record label for each download - but Eight Mile Style argued it had not approved the deal.

Prince kicked off a series of 21 sold out UK shows at London's O2 arena in 2007. Tickets for the events cost £31.21 - the same figure used by the singer to name his album, website and perfume. After completing the 21 nights the Jehovah's Witness was planning to take time out to study the Bible.

AC/DC's back catalog was available for purchase in 2007 digitally through Verizon Wireless who secure an exclusive deal to sell the band's material. The albums are sold only in their entirety, except for the '80 hit "You Shook Me All Night Long," which is available as a single track.

Also in 2007, John Lennon's "granny" sunglasses were snapped up by a British collector at auction. The sunglasses, from one of the last Beatles concerts, were expected to fetch around £1m, but auction bosses refused to say what the actual figure was. Lennon gave the gold-rimmed glasses to his Japanese interpreter in Tokyo in 1966, and the translator removed the lenses when Lennon died.

"Dead Symphony No. 6," an orchestral piece inspired by the Grateful Dead's music, gets a world premiere performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2008. The work was composed by Lee Johnson.

Daughtry went to #1 on the US album charts in 2009 with ‘Leave This Town’, the bands second studio album.

Roger Dean: Other Wordly Art or How Avatar Ripped Him Off

Special thanks to Todd Johnson from http://historyrat.wordpress.com/  for exclusive permission to reprint this great post:

Roger Dean: Other Wordly Art or How Avatar Ripped Him Off

Roger Dean was way ahead of his time. As an artist, he said he drew what he saw. Well, he must have seen some crazy stuff because his art has always been out of this world. I was a fan of the rock group Yes growing up and Dean’s artwork was front and center on their album covers. To get a Yes album, was not only to get the record, but to get the Roger Dean artwork. However, something has been haunting me the last few months. It had to do with the movie Avatar.

I have to be upfront about this, I did not go gaga over the movie. Visually stunning…yes. The story….no. I felt as if I had just watched Ferngully 3 or The Smurfs Updated. But there was something familiar about the visuals. I just couldn’t place it at the time.

Roger Dean was a designer at first. He designed chairs. Eventually, he made his way into art and his first album cover was The Gun’s Gun in 1968. He gained fame in the 1970s for two reasons. First he designed the famous chair in “A Clockwork Orange” and then he began designing Yes albums beginning with Fragile in 1971. It would lead to a long-enduring relationship between Dean and members of the band that exists even to this day. Dean would go on to design album art for Uriah Heep, Greenslade, and Asia. But it is Yes for which he has achieved the greatest acclaim. I remember coming home with the Relayer album and unfolding it. Staring at the exotic landscapes and rich detail of his art from what appeared to be other worlds.

This was only the beginning for me.

In the 1980s, Dean designed video game art as well. In addition, he continued his work and created more and more landscapes with organic architecture. One of his most famous works from the period is called “Floating Islands”. Dean said he was inspired by looking down from a mountain and seeing other bits of land in the clouds. It was if those bits were floating in the sky. Dean describes his process:

"Yeah, as much as any of these things are intentional. It’s like when I’m working, I try to do as little conscious manipulating and thinking about what I’m doing as I can and have it work as intuitively as possible, so I’d say that the DRAMA work was very much an intuitive approach to how to do that cover. I was very interested in having a very stormy sky; that was something I was really interested in. I was very interested in the light playing across the landscape, so there were some bits that jumped out and very stark and bright, and other bits that are very dark–black on dark grey. Yeah, there was a lot going on for me in that, and it was like cooking I guess; I put in the ingredients and stirred it up, and they came out in a way I guess that training and good luck worked together." ~ NPR radio

And then this image came to me the other day as I was going through some files…

It looks eerily similar to this….

And this…..

Looks a lot like this…

And there are many more images which share commonalities.

After doing some digging last night, my mind is not working as fast as many other people have made the connection before me including Roger Dean. I have read there is a lawsuit in the works. It appears that the world of Avatar was basically James Cameron doing his best Roger Dean impersonation. I would have preferred for him to try this landscape…

Here is a nice slideshow of his work with music by Yes and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Music News & Notes

Gang Gang Dance Break Silence with New Latitudes EP

Combining dubstep, hip-hop, tribalism and dreamy pop, Gang Gang Dance are one of the most relevant and forward-thinking bands around. They've even got their own contemporary imitators. That's why it's so critical that they break the two-year silence since Saint Dymphnia with some new material. Fortunately, they'll do just that when they release a new EP later this summer.

Kamakaru will be limited to 1,000 hand-numbered CDs and 1,000 vinyl records (300 white, 700 black).

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Opeth To Release New Live Album and DVD

As part of the ongoing celebration of their 20th anniversary, Sweden’s Opeth is releasing live footage and audio from the band’s recent performance at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall. In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and is due out September 21st.

20 years and nine records later, Opeth embarked on the “Evolution XX: An Opeth Anthology” tour, which brought the Swedish group to six of the world’s most unique venues, and now, with the release of In Live Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, into the homes of their fans.

The release will be available as three very special configurations: a limited edition vinyl box set, 5-disc set that consists of 2-DVD and 3 CD’s and as a double-DVD set with bonus features. Full details and track listing below.

Limited Edition Vinyl Box Set:

·Double-DVD set of Opeth’s performance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall, in its entirety, including bonus features.

·A set of four 180-gram LP’s of the concert’s live audio in its entirety. The vinyl is housed in black poly lined inner sleeves which are packaged as 2 double gatefold set with exclusive artwork. Vinyl only available in this box set.

·Exclusive, numbered lithograph with artwork designed by Mikael Åkerfeldt and longtime Opeth designer, Travis Smith.

·20-page, LP sized booklet printed on coated paper stock that chronicles the night’s events in photos.

·Expanded, exclusive artwork and more.

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Superchunk To Rock Museum For Album Release Show

Superchunk is set to celebrate the release of their first new album in more than nine years with a concert at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University on Sept. 16, 2010.

The museum is the only North Carolina venue for the Chapel Hill-based band's national fall tour in support of their new album, "Majesty Shredding." The concert is open to the public and begins at 8:30 p.m.

The Superchunk performance, a complement to the Nasher Museum's exhibition "The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl," will take place after a 6 p.m. talk by New York-based visual artist Xaviera Simmons, whose work is part of the exhibition. "The Record" explores the culture of vinyl records through 50 years of contemporary art and features work by 41 artists from around the world who use vinyl records as subject or medium.

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Van Halen Top Guitar Albums List

Gibson.com has been rolling out their Top 50 Guitar Albums list. They also launched a reader's poll to let their readers in on the action.  Today they revealed the full list with Van Halen's 1978 self-titled debut topping the list.

As for the list, here is how the rest of the Top 10 came out:

2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (1967)
3. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
4. Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
5. Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
6. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969)
7. The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East (1971)
8. Cream, Disraeli Gears (1967)
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)
10. AC/DC, Back in Black (1980)

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Bad Religion To Celebrate 30th Anniversary With Release of 15th Studio Album


Celebrating three decades of influential, thought provoking and groundbreaking punk rock, Bad Religion will release their fifteenth studio album, 'The Dissent of Man,' on September 28. Fans can preorder The Dissent of Man now at www.BadReligionStore.com. Additionally, Bad Religion will kick off a North American tour in October with support from Bouncing Souls and Off With Their Heads.

Produced by Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Tool), The Dissent of Man finds Bad Religion pushing the boundaries of their music as much today as they did in their formative years as a genre defining punk band. The Dissent of Man is a testament to why Bad Religion has remained relevant for the better part of three decades.




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AUTOPSY to release first new album in more than 10 years

West Coast gore legends, Autopsy, have completed the recording of their first tracks since officially reforming last year. 'The Tomb Within' EP was recorded in mid-July 2010 at Fantasy Studios with Adam Munoz. 'The Tomb Within' unites the original trio of Chris Reifert, Danny Coralles, and Eric Cutler, joined on bass by Joe Trevisano (ex-Abscess).

The new EP – the band’s first in over a decade - consists of five new tunes of gore and depravity, and will be released on CD and 12” vinyl on September 13th through the Peaceville Records webstore, with a general release set for later this fall. Cover art is supplied by renowned fantasy/horror artist Matt Cavotta. 








The track list:

1. The Tomb Within
2. My Corpse Shall Rise
3. Seven Skulls
4. Human Genocide
5. Mutant Village

Autopsy decided to make an official comeback after working together on two songs for the special 20th anniversary edition of their debut album, Severed Survival, in late 2008. The band had originally decided to split before the release of their fourth album, Shitfun, in 1995.

The 12" vinyl edition of 'The Tomb Within' comes with a free poster of the stunning cover artwork, and is limited to just 1000 numbered copies. It can be pre-ordered at:

 http://www.burningshed.com/store/peaceville/product/261/2264  The CD edition can be pre-ordered at: http://www.burningshed.com/store/peaceville/product/261/2265/ and will include a special limited postcard.

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DEATH OF DESIRE: 'ANTIhuman' Artwork Unveiled

German extreme metallers DEATH OF DESIRE, whose recording lineup includes MAYHEM drummer Hellhammer (a.k.a. Jan Axel Blomberg), have unveiled the cover artwork for their upcoming debut album, "ANTIhuman". According to the band, "The main idea for the cover art was designed by [guitarist] Morbid and F.Z. from the black metal band KYTHRONE is the man responsible for this evil 3D composition."









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Rascal Flatts Cover Art For New Album ‘Nothing Like This’29

Rascal Flatts released the new cover to their album ‘Nothing Like This’ to be released on Big Machine Records. Produced by Dann Huff, ‘Nothing Like This’ will be in stores on November 16. The first single ‘Why Wait’ is being released to country radio immediately.

Tegan and Sara to Release "The Official Vinyl Collection Box Set," Featuring Five of the Band's Albums, Plus an Exclusive Bonus Album, on August 31st

Tune in to www.becausesoundmatters.com on Friday, July 30th, at 1 PM PDT to Hear Bonus Demo Recordings

BURBANK, CA--(Marketwire - 07/30/10) - Beloved Canadian pop-rock icons Tegan and Sara will release "The Official Vinyl Collection Box Set" on Warner Bros. Records on August 31st. This very special package is the definitive vinyl collection of the band's recordings, gathering five of their albums -- 2000's "This Business of Art," 2002's "If It Was You," 2004's "So Jealous," 2007's "The Con," and 2009's "Sainthood" -- on vinyl for the first time. The box set also includes an exclusive bonus record, entitled Home Recordings, which features nine demo tracks dating back to the recording of "So Jealous." Tune in to http://www.becausesoundmatters.com/  this Friday, July 30th, to sneak a listen to the "Home Recordings" bonus album.

The box set is now available for pre-order at http://www.teganandsara.com/.  Those who pre-order will also receive a very limited-edition signed poster.

Tegan and Sara's current album is "Sainthood," which was released by Sire/Vapor Records in October 2009. "Sainthood" was produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla (who also produced "The Con") and Howard Redekopp (who produced 2004's So Jealous) and mixed by Grammy Award winner Dave Sardy (Oasis, Primal Scream, Marilyn Manson).

Tegan and Sara are currently on the road for The Honda Civic Tour with Paramore. They will also perform at the Lilith Fair at Boston's Comcast Center on July 30th. Don't forget to check out the 2010 Summer Tour EP, featuring six tracks from the four bands touring together on The Honda Civic Tour, including two tracks -- "Sheets" and "Back In Your Head" -- from Tegan and Sara. The EP is available on iTunes now and at Hot Topic stores, in limited quantities beginning August 10th.

For info, tour dates, merch, personal blogs and much more, visit:  http://www.teganandsara.com/

When it comes to collectibles, is John Lennon 'bigger than' The Beatles?

As Lennon and the Fab Four impress at auction, we compare their potential for investment

In a time of great uncertainty in traditional investment markets, it's sometimes reassuring to know that some things in the collectables market will never lose their value. Whether it's an investment in collecting rare stamps, coins or even The Beatles memorabilia, collectibles won't lose you thousands overnight.

In fact, the Fab Four have been making a big impression at auction sales for over twenty years now, thanks in part to the scarcity of John Lennon collectibles, following his death in 1980.

Recent years have seen the two remaining members of The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, announce that they would no longer be signing memorabilia, creating a scarcity of Beatles memorabilia for sale.

With this news in mind, when it comes to investing in collectibles, is John Lennon now bigger than The Beatles?

Whilst The Beatles may lead the way in album sales, with 600 million worldwide, eclipsing the figure achieved by Lennon and the other members' solo careers, when it comes to investing in memorabilia from Beatles and Lennon album covers, it's a very different story.

At Bonhams in Los Angeles in 2004, four rare Beatles worn suits from the debut album cover "Please Please Me" and the singles "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love you," went up for auction, fetching £71,350 ($110,500).

John Lennon's Talisman Necklace

In comparison, a leather collar worn by Lennon in 1968-1969 and described as his talisman came up to buy at auction in May 2008.

The piece featured on Lennon's naked body for the "Unfinished Music No1 - Two Virgins" album cover and sold to a private collector for £340,900 ($528,000) having previously sold for £117,250 ($210,347) at a Christie's auction in London in 2004.

That's an increase in value of 143.8% in just four years. Not a bad short term investment.

According to the PFC Autograph Index, The Beatles have seen big price increases for autographs in the last decade.

The value of an autograph, signed by the four members of The Beatles, has gone from £2,950 ($4,560) in 2000 to £8,500 ($13,150) in 2010, that's an increase in value of 188.1%.

In comparison, a John Lennon autograph that was worth £695 ($1,075) in 2000 is today worth £5,950 ($9,210). Anyone investing in this signed Lennon collectible would have seen an increase in the value of their investment of 756.1%.

Handwritten lyrics from both The Beatles and John Lennon have also impressed at auction. The relative privacy of McCartney has led to only a limited amount of his contributions, coming to the auction block.

In November 2006, a page of lyrics written by McCartney for the song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" sold for £124,000 ($192,000) in New York. The song was significant to collectors, given that it was one of the last ever recorded by the band.

John Lennon lyrics for
A Day in the Life

More recently in the news, the lyrics to "Hey Jude" were expected to star at a Christie's auction, but were prevented from making it to the auction block, following a late intervention from McCartney, who had questioned the provenance of the piece.

Any handwritten lyrics from McCartney are hard to come by and could have huge potential for any investor.

All of this has contributed to Lennon leading the way in unique signed memorabilia.

The autographed lyrics to John Lennon's song "A Day in The Life" written for The Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band" album came up for sale at Sotheby's in New York in June 2010.

Featuring crossing outs and corrections, the piece sold for £776,500 ($1,202,500).

In terms of collecting instruments, investors may also wish to compare those collectibles relating to the Beatles, with those from Lennon himself.

A rare Gibson SG guitar used by George Harrison and John Lennon on "Revolver" and "White Album" sold for £370,000 ($567,500) at Christies in New York in 2009. In comparison, John Lennon's Steinway piano, was sold for $2,100,000 in 2000 to George Michael.

That's nearly four times the price paid for the guitar last year. Given the rise in value of John Lennon collectibles over the past decade, George Michael's $2,100,000 investment, could potentially be doubled, if he were to sell to another collector on the market, which could lead to a world record price.

The current top auction prices for Beatles and John Lennon memorabilia make for impressive reading to any potential investor.

The hand painted decorative drum, used as the centrepiece of the "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album" sold for a £710,300 ($1,100,000) in 2008, setting a world record price for Beatles memorabilia.

The painted drum from "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

In terms of John Lennon collectibles, the world record price instead belongs to the famous hand painted Rolls Royce Phantom V which sold for $2,230,000 in 1985. The car remains at a world record price for a Lennon collectible, some 25 years since its sale, if it were to come onto the market today, it could set a new record for music collectables as we know them.

These auction results clearly demonstrate the potential returns for investing in rare collectibles from both The Beatles and John Lennon. Lennon's death had an effect on both the value of his and the Beatles collectibles.

Yet while Lennon's signed memorabilia will continue to rise in value, thanks to his role in the group and the so called "James Dean" effect of his death, the market price rises for memorabilia relating to The Beatles, may have only just begun.

The next decade could see further developments, in terms of health and public appearances from the remaining members of the group.

Buying into their collectibles now may prove a good move for collectors, before more investors flock to the market looking to buy anything Beatles related and drive prices up even further, at which point a previously purchased collectible can be sold for a profit.

Furthermore, the next twenty years could see the release for auction of other hand written lyrics from Paul McCartney, who has until now kept much of his collection in private.

The Beatles once sang about "a revolution" - they could soon prove a revelation to collectors and investors alike.

Thanks to Paul Fraser Collectibles for this fine story:  http://www.paulfrasercollectibles.com/

News & Notes

Specialty vinyl store to open in Midtown

by Suzanne Hurt

In an era dominated by MP3 players and downloaded music, two music lovers are confident other fans are hungry for the real thing: vinyl, and lots of it.

Dal Basi, a longtime Tower Records music buyer, and his partner, Nich Lujan, are banking on the importance of being able to touch your music collection. They are opening an independent vinyl specialty store, Phono Select Records, in Midtown in early September.

"Digital music is so soulless," said Basi, 42. "Fast food is kind of like an MP3. You're getting what you need for the moment, but it's not something special."

Basi and Lujan both use digital audio players. But the most devoted music fans are into the entire "organic" experience: owning a collection, pulling out an album or cassette tape, putting it on, listening to the recording and checking out the art and liner notes, Lujan said.

More than half the inventory will be vinyl records — about 5,000 to 6,000 will be 33s or "long-playing" records (LPs), and about 1,000 will be two-song 45s. The store at 2312 K St. will stock almost as many CDs and a smattering of cassettes, which are seeing a revival among indie rock labels. About 70 percent of the merchandise will be used.

A lot of LPs are being reissued now. Some of those have thicker, higher-quality vinyl and better sound, making this a good time to buy records, Basi said.

The roughly 1,200-square-foot store will contain listening stations with phonographs, cassette players and CD players. The store will sell more than music. Phono Select will carry old and new posters, books, magazines, T-shirts, band buttons and pop culture curios.

The focus will be on independent music: indie pop, punk rock, metal, hip hop, reggae, world music and old, avant-garde jazz — from The Clash and Bad Brains to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Basi said.

The store will carry local bands and small, independent labels such as Burger Records of Los Angeles, and London's B-Music and Sing Sing Records of New York.

The interior will be somewhat spare and stylized to spotlight the selective inventory.

"Record stores have the reputation for being a place where you just pack stuff in. People have to sort through the madness to find the
jewels," Lujan said. "We want the jewels to be right there when you walk in."

Basi has worked in the music business for more than 20 years. He was just 18 or 19 when he went to work for Tower Records in Stockton in 1986 or 1987. He quickly became the buyer for independent music.

"I was the kid who read all the magazines and went to the shows," he said. Basi later did a brief stint managing Tower Records on Broadway. He also worked at a music wholesaler, Valley Media, and for R5 Records, opened on Broadway by Tower founder Russ Solomon.

In that time, he's amassed a huge collection of music. Half of the store's inventory will come from that collection.

Lujan, 28, was working in computer-based graphic and print design at the Academy of Art in San Francisco until Basi called, saying he wanted to open the record store the two had talked about for the last few years.

A mutual friend introduced them because they like many of the same bands and are both open-minded enough to listen to anything at least once, they said.

Lujan and Basi, who will be the only ones staffing the store, said they want to share that same kind of experimental, collaborative, interactive experience with customers. With the store's eclectic focus and only 30 percent new inventory, they won't be able to carry everything. They hope to engage customers in conversation to find out what they like, then either find that or introduce them to someone similar they might not have heard of.

"There's so much music that flies under the radar and doesn't get promoted every day," Basi said. "That's what we want to champion."

Hours will be Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sundays noon-5 p.m.

SOURCE: http://www.sacramentopress.com/

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World’s oldest record shop make its second move in 116 years, to a Cardiff arcade

THE WORLD’S oldest record store was reopening in a Victorian city centre arcade today after moving from its long-standing home.

The history of the Spillers records store in Cardiff stretches back 116 years, with some 60 of those years spent at its shop on The Hayes where members of Wales’ biggest bands have long counted themselves among its customers.

Now, one month after closing its doors at The Hayes, the shop is due to reopen for business at 11am at 31 Morgan Arcade.

It is only the iconic record shop’s third location since Henry Spiller began selling wax cylinders, gramophones and records in 1894.

The CD and vinyl stands have been scoured by the Manic Street Preachers, the Super Furry Animals, former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, Billy Bragg, among hundreds of thousands of customers.

Read the rest here: Record Shop