Music News & Notes

New Megadeth album cover art revealed

Megadeth have released the cover art for the upcoming album called "Endgame." This is their twelfth studio album in two-and-a-half decades and is scheduled to be released on September 15 through Roadrunner Records.

Frontman Dave Mustaine spoke about the lyrical content of the new album, stating:

"I've never been known to be a silent bystander in a world that needs our participation. As more is revealed about our former President's legacy, a little-known but staggeringly frightening document which was signed into law ... has been uncovered."

The document Mustaine refers to is Operation Endgame, a plan to detain and remove all illegal aliens from the United States by 2012. Aside from the thematic elements of Endgame, Mustaine declared the new album as his “proudest moment since … Rust in Peace.” He particularly praises new lead guitarist Chris Broderick as inspiring him to relish recording new music in the studio.

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Psycho Charger Reveal New 'Toxic' CD Art


Gore-soaked rockers Psycho Charger have joined forces with renowned horror artist Eric “Unkle” Pigors – best known for his “Toxic Toons” series as well as promo art for bands like Metallica, Wednesday 13, Genitorturers and Scum of the Earth – for the artwork to accompany their upcoming CD Mark of the Psycho.

Aside from contributing the cover art, Pigors will also reportedly step up to the mic, along with other rumored guest performers like actor Chuck Williams (Bubba Ho-Tep), Jeano Roid from The Creeping Cruds, and original Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, who has been approached to record an introduction to the album.

More gory details – including the official release date – will be coming soon to the band's official “gravesite.”

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Kristofferson plans September CD release

Kris Kristofferson will release a new disc, "Closer To The Bone," his second release with New West Records, on Sept. 29. Don Was (Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt) produced the 11-song disc. Was also produced Kristofferson's last CD, the critically acclaimed "This Old Road."

The new release will be offered a standard CD, deluxe two-CD set and a limited edition 180-gram vinyl.

"I like the intimacy of the new album" he said. "It has a general mood of reflecting on where we all are at this end of life." Songs include From Here To Forever, a melancholy lullaby to his children, and Good Morning John, written for Kristofferson's friend and mentor, the late Johnny Cash, about the struggles with addiction early in Cash's life.

"Closer To The Bone" features Kristofferson on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Don Was on bass, Rami Jaffee on keyboards, Jim Keltner on drums and longtime friend, the late Stephen Bruton, to whom the album is dedicated, on guitar, mandolin and backing vocals. All songs were written solely by Kristofferson except From Here To Forever, written in collaboration with Bruton and Glen Clark.

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New No Age EP set for October release

Two-man but whole-lotta-noise pop combo No Age will release a new EP this October, their first new material since 2008's Nouns. It's called Losing Feeling and will be available to the record buying public from October 6 on Sub Pop. It'll be available on 12" vinyl and digitally, in some kind of mp3 format, but not as a CD.

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Jamey Johnson Album Vinylized

Next week is one year since Jamey Johnson’s album That Lonesome Song came out on Mercury Records, but he’s already gearing up for his next CD. This time around, the album will come out simultaneously on retro vinyl, an appropriate move since much of the music he loves was recorded at a time when the CD hadn’t even yet been released.

"That’s how I listen to music," Jamey says. "It’s my favorite, No. 1 preference at home, to go put a vinyl record on my great grandmother’s old record player."

A release date hasn’t yet been announced for the new album, though the first single, "My Way To You," has already been released to radio stations. Beginning Monday, it will be available as a free download at www.jameyjohnson.com. The song goes to digital music stores Aug. 11.

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Lips EP

The Flaming Lips digitally released a three song EP today called Songs From The Future Album Embryonic EP which, obviously, is a preview of their upcoming album Embryonic, which will be out this fall. The songs include "Convinced of the Hex," "The Impulse" and "Silver Trembling Hands."

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Jazz Legend Dies

Legendary jazz master George Russell has died at age 86 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, the AP reports. In 1953, Russell published The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, a theoretical text credited with influencing Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue.”

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Vinyl Collective Restocks

Virgil has some great restocks, stop by and get your fill at www.vinylcollective.com

GREY MACHINE îVultures Descendî LP
PELICAN “City Of Echoes” LP baby pink w/ black splatter 180 gram vinyl
PELICAN “City Of Echoes” LP black 180 gram vinyl
PELICAN “City Of Echoes” LP clear light blue 180 gram vinyl
PELICAN “City Of Echoes” LP clear w/ black splatter 180 gram vinyl
PELICAN “City Of Echoes” LP silver 180 gram vinyl
PELICAN/ THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES îPink Mammoth/Gold Diggersî split 10î clear w/ bl
PELICAN/ THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES îPink Mammoth/Gold Diggersî split 10î clear w/ pi
THE MELVINS î(a) Senile Animalî 4xLP
TORCHE “Healer/Across The Shields” LP + DVD emerald vinyl
TORCHE “Healer/Across The Shields” LP + DVD plain ol’ white vinyl
V/A “Champions Of Sound 2008″ dbl 7″ clear vinyl
XASTHUR “All Reflections Drained” dbl LP picture disc+backpatch
XASTHUR “All Reflections Drained” dbl LP red vinyl
NARROWS “New Distances” LP clear vinyl
REIGN SUPREME “Testing The Limits Of Infinite” LP light blue vinyl
JASON FALKNER “Can You Still Feel?” LP
GRIZZLY BEAR “Yellow House” LP
KINGS OF LEON “Aha Shake Heartbreak” dbl 10