| The
Crossing - October 2007 Edition
Anytime you begin a month
with a new album by Bruce Springsteen playing along with his famed E Street
Band and finish the month with an all
new collection from The
Eagles, their first new release in a notable 28 years ‘and’ it’s an all
new double album, you have yourself a pretty special music release month.
Add to that, it’s my birthday this month, along with quite a few people
I know and well, you get the picture...
But what’s sandwiched in
between Springsteen and The Eagles?
How about Creedence Clearwater
Revival’s main gunslinger John Fogerty releasing a CCR inspired solo album
entitled Revival?
How about Marc Cohn, best
known for the song “Walking In Memphis” releasing his first new record
in 10 years after surviving a carjacking
attempt and a shot to the
temple? Days after this near tragedy, Katrina hit New Orleans. Cohn literally
didn’t know what hit him but he lives to tell
the tale and writes about
his experiences in his new album called Join the Parade. Coproduced
with instrumentation help by Charlie Sexton.
How about Radiohead resurfacing
through a download only release entitled In Rainbows? They don’t
have a record label at the moment so why wait
til they get one? The new
songs are being offered at their official website and the purchaser gets
to select any price they choose! How’s this
for innovative! It’s got
the record companies twitching. Once they find a record label though, you
can expect this album to probably surface in the
Spring of next year at stores.
How about Neil Young releasing
Chrome Dreams II? What happened to Chrome Dreams I, you ask?
Well, a Neil Young-o-phile would be able to
give you the specific answer
on this, but I think it has to do with Chrome Dreams I being an
unreleased album from many years ago circa
1977. All I know, is this
new album has ten songs on it with two very lengthy songs clocking in at
around 12 minutes and the other 18 minutes. Look for Neil Young to be touring
throughout the Fall and Winter with a possible release of Chrome Dreams
I in the Spring.
How about Justin Currie,
the singer of Scottish band Del Amitri, releasing his first solo album
ever, five years after his last with Del Amitri and three years after his
side project The Uncle Devil Show? In a list of top writers about relationships
and the trials of Love, Mr. Currie would have to
be ranked in the top five
at the least. He writes complex love songs that get to the grist of relationships
and what they mean to us and what we get
out of them and what we
need to put into them. The slightly tongue-in-cheek titled What Is Love
For gives you a good clue as to what Justin Currie is aiming for.
And, how about the unexpected
coupling of Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant with country chanteuse Alison
Krauss? Expect the unexpected, but
pleasant results. Raising
Sand surfaces on the 23rd of the month.
A note on exclusives:
Tom Petty’s box set Runnin’
Down A Dream, celebrating their 30th anniversary, will only be released
at Best Buy. 3 DVD’s and a CD. They’ll have
it for $24.99.
The Eagles double set The
Long Road Out Of Eden will only be released at Walmart and Sam’s Club.
These exclusives are becoming
more and more common which can be a bit of a head scratcher for buyers
just for the sake that it’s not always easy to
find out about them. I can
tell you from shopping around, that if you want the best price and the
best overall deal (usually meaning the item with the bonus DVD or extra
disc), it’s best to do some homework on where to shop. Another example
of the crazy nature of this is, if you want the new John Fogerty, you can
pretty much buy it anywhere, but if you want the DVD that goes with it,
you can only find it at Walmart/Sam’s Club. Also of note: the first week
in sales is the best time to buy anything CD and DVD related, unless you
can somehow, by stroke of luck, catch the sale price usually months later
and closer to a major holiday, say Christmas, for example. Memorial day
and Labor day are also good times to catch price breaks too. Another example
of an all around great deal, is what Target’s first week of sales price
was for the new Matchbox Twenty’s Best of entitled Exile On Mainstream.
You get the 11 song best of with the 6 new songs produced by Steve Lillywhite,
plus the DVD, all on two discs for the absurdly low price of $12.99. You
can’t beat that. But you also have to know about it somehow. Homework.
I’m not advocating shopping at any one place. I’m just giving you ideas
of what’s ‘out there’ in terms of price and best deals.
Finally, if you can shop
at the Mom and Pop, indie stores, by all means do it! They have been known
to have some great deals as well along with used
prices. They’re also the
most fun places to shop, ‘cause you never know what you’ll find and it’s
the best way to find that obscure thing
you’re looking for.
All this said, some things
can best be found at artists’ websites and at their shows. If you can put
your money directly in the artists’ pocket so they can
get down the road and to
the next show, that’s always gonna be the best thing to support a rich,
creative and happening musical landscape!
Okay, let’s get to it. Look
closely. Look carefully. There’s a lot here in the lists below. Remember,
the first week of sales is the best time to get the best price. Do a little
searching around and you may get the best deal.
Recently released and not mentioned in last edition:
* Everything Elvis Presley related!
* VHS or Beta - Bring on the Comets
* The Wheat Pool - Township
* Tiny Vipers - Hands Across the Void
* Spoken - S/T
* Lennie Gallant - When We Get There
* Mike Knott - Struck Last May
* David Crowder Band - Remedy
* Horse - Red Haired Girl
* Another Animal - S/T
* Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame in All of Us
* Caedmon’s Call - Overdressed (Derek Webb returns.)
* Amy Grant - Greatest Hits
* Siouxie - Mantaray
* Blue October - Foiled for the Last Time (2 CD set.)
* Stewart Copeland - Anthology
* Kate Rusby - Awkward Annie (import.)
* Genesis - Turn It On Again: Best of - 2 CD 2007/08 Reunion Tour Edition
* Various Artists - Tribute to Fats Domino
* The Polyphonic Spree - Live at Austin City Limits - CD/DVD
* John Gorka - The Gypsy Life - DVD
* Elton John - 60: Live at Madison Square Garden - DVD
* Yes - Live at Montreux 2003 - DVD
10/2
* Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Magic
* John Fogerty - Revival (w/DVD.)
* Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction
* Dashboard Confessional - Shade of Poison Trees
* Ian Brown - The World is Yours (singer of Stone Roses.)
* Matchbox Twenty - Exile on Mainstream (Best of w/EP of 6 new songs and
a DVD.)
* Cake - B-Sides & Rarities
* The Spill Canvas - Conduit
* Idiot Pilot - Wolves
* Emery - I’m Only a Man
* Frightened Rabbit - Sing the Greys
* Cross Canadian Ragweed - Mission California
* They Might Be Giants - Here Come the 123’s
* Faith Hill - Hits
* The Vines - Best of
* J.J. Cale - Rewind (Box set.)
* Bob Dylan - Dylan (3 CD deluxe edition.)
* Mick Jagger - Very Best of (w/DVD.)
* Chicago - 40th Anniversary: Very Best of (2 CD set.)
* Megadeth - Warchest (4CD/1DVD box set.)
* Various Artists - Heavy Metal Box: 1968-1991 (4 CD boxset on the Rhino
label.)
* The Ramones - It’s Alive: 1974-1996 - DVD
* The Jungle Book - 40th Anniversary DVD
* 1408 - DVD
* Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer - DVD
* Jindabyne - DVD
* Civic Duty - DVD
* Day Night Day Night - DVD
* The War - Ken Burns DVD series on WWII.
10/9
* Marc Cohn - Join the Parade
* The Smithereens - Christmas with The Smithereens
* Eric Clapton - Complete Clapton
* Will Hoge - Draw the Curtains
* Vanessa Carlton - Heroes & Thieves
*
LeAnn Rimes - Family
* World Party - Best in Show
* Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
* Beirut - Flying Club Cup
* Deadstring Brothers - Silver Mountain
* Robert Hazard - Troubadour
* Paramore - Riot
* Fiery Furnaces - Widow City
* Southeast Engine - A Wheel Within a Wheel
* Alter Bridge - Blackbird
* Plumb - Blink
* The Sadies - New Season
* Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez - Live from the Ruhr Triennale in
Germany
* Puddle of Mudd - Famous
* She Wants Revenge - This is Forever
* Van Zant - My Kind of Country
* The Hives - The Black and White Album
* Brandi Carlile - Live at Easy Street
* Bob Mould - Circle of Friends: Live at the 9:30 Club - DVD
* In the Land of Women - DVD
* Evan Almighty - DVD
* 28 Weeks Later - DVD
* The Namesake - DVD
* You Kill Me - DVD
* Reign Over Me - DVD
* Surf’s Up - DVD
* Black Sheep - DVD
* Poltergeist - 25th Anniversary DVD
10/10
* Radiohead - In Rainbows (Digital download only, you select the price.)
10/16
* Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II (w/DVD.)
* Jimmy Eat World - Chase the Light
* The Fray - Reason (EP.)
* Gov’t Mule - Mighty High
* Venetian Snares - My Downfall
* Steel Train - Trampoline
* Thrice - Alchemy Index Vols I & II
* Dan Wilson - Free Life
* Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs
* Michael W. Smith - It’s a Wonderful Christmas
* Angie Stone - Art of Love and War
* Martin Sexton - Live at Newbury Comics
* John Mayall - Live from Austin City Limits
* R.E.M. - Live in Dublin - CD/DVD
* AC/DC - Plug Me In - 3 DVD set
* Foreigner - Alive & Rockin’ - DVD
* Tom Petty - Runnin’ Down A Dream (3 DVD/1 CD documentary box set; Best
Buy exclusive.)
* Patty Griffin - Live from the Artists Den - CD/DVD
* Dar Williams - Live at Bearsville Theater - DVD
* Jimi Hendrix - Live at Monterey ‘67 - DVD
* A Mighty Heart - DVD
* Transformers - DVD
* Grindhouse: Planet Terror - DVD
* The Reaping - DVD
* The Hoax - DVD
* The Invisible - DVD
* My Best Friend - DVD
10/23
* Justin Currie - What Is Love For (voice of Del Amitri.)
* Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
* Ryan Adams - Follow the Lights (EP.)
* Shooter Jennings - The Wolf
* Dwight Yoakam - Dwight Sings Buck
* Lisa O’Kane - It Don’t Hurt
* The Thrills - Teenager
* Relient K - Let it Snow...Let it Reindeer
* Steven Curtis Chapman - This Moment
* Helloween - Gambling with the Devil
* Coheed and Cambria - No World for Tomorrow
* Of Montreal - If He is Protecting Our Nation
* Angels & Airwaves - I Empire
* Cobra Starship - Viva La Cobra
* Seether - Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces
* David Gahan - Hourglass
* Kent - Tillbaka Till Samtiden
* Fripp & Eno - Unreleased Works of Startling Genius
* Heart - Dreamboat Annie Live - DVD
* Carole King - Welcome to my Living Room - DVD
* Meet The Robinsons - DVD
* Mr. Brooks - DVD
* Into Great Silence - DVD
* Home of the Brave - DVD
* The Company - DVD
* Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures - DVD
10/30
* The Eagles - The Long Road Out of Eden (2 CD set; Walmart/Sam’s Club
exclusive.)
* Levon Helm - Dirt Farmer
* Ian Ball - Who Goes There
* Five For Fighting - Live
* Marah - Can’t Take it With You
* Thursday - Kill the House Lights
* Saves The Day - Under the Boards
* Blue Rodeo - Small Miracles
* Blues Traveler - Cover Yourself
* Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre
* David Byrne - Knee Plays
* David Bowie - Box
* Nick Drake - Fruit Tree (Box set.)
* Jamiroquai - Live at Montreux - DVD
* Queen - Rock Montreal + Live Aid - DVD
* Tift Merritt - Live from Austin, Texas - DVD
* Robyn Hitchcock - I Wanna Go Backwards - DVD
* Bob Dylan - Other Side of the Mirror: Live at Newport ‘63 to ‘65 - DVD
* Various Artists - I’m Not There (Tribute to Bob Dylan.)
* Spiderman 3 - DVD
* The Wendell Baker Story - DVD
* No End in Sight - DVD
* Licence to Wed - DVD
11/6
* Counting Crows - Saturday Nights, Sunday Mornings
* James Taylor - One Man Band (w/DVD.)
* Angels & Airwaves - I Empire
* Grizzly Bear - Friend
* Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim
* Bright Eyes - Motion Sickness (live.)
* Rob Garza - S/T
* Tim Harden - Painted Head
* Bill Staines - Old Dogs
* Santana - Ultimate Collection
* Van Morrison - Still On Top: Greatest Hits
* John Denver - Live in the U.S.S.R.
* Little Big Town - A Place to Land
* Garth Brooks - Ultimate Hits
* George Lynch - Guitar Slinger
* Dokken - Lightning Strikes Again
* Loverboy - Just Getting Started
* Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood - (Deluxe edition.)
* The Beatles - Help! (Deluxe edition.)
* Stevie Ray Vaughan - Solos, Sessions & Encores
* Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride & Joy - DVD
* Marillion - Somewhere in London - DVD
* Styx - Caught in the Act - DVD
* The Police - Reggatta de Blanc - DVD
* The Barenaked Ladies - Talk to the Hand: Live from Michigan - CD/DVD
* Oasis - Lord, Don’t Slow Me Down - DVD
* Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Session: Revisited (CD/DVD; 20th anniversary
w/guests Natalie Merchant, Ryan Adams and Vic Chesnutt.)
* Various Artists - Concert for Diana - DVD
* Flight of the Conchords: Complete First Season - DVD
* Ratatouille - DVD
* I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - DVD
* Deck the Halls - DVD
* Sicko - DVD
11/13
* Seal - System
* Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits
* David Gray - Greatest Hits
* The Killers - Sawdust (B-sides & rarities.)
* Raine Maida - Hunter’s Lullabye (singer of Our Lady Peace.)
* Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
* Alicia Keys - As I Am
* Trisha Yearwood - Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love
* Queensryche - Take Cover (Covering U2, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, The
Police and Jesus Christ Superstar, etc.)
* Paul McCartney - McCartney Years - 3 DVD set
* Led Zeppelin - Mothership (2 CD/DVD best of compilation.)
* Bon Jovi - Lost Highway: Live in Concert - DVD
* Shrek the Third - DVD
* Paris, Je T’Aime - DVD
* Amazing Grace - DVD
* Ocean’s Thirteen - DVD
* Close Encounters of the Third Kind - 30th Anniversary DVD
11/20
* British Sea Power - Krankenhaus (EP.)
* Rik Emmett - Liberty Manifesto
* Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same (Collector’s edition.)
* Sigur Ros - Heima - DVD
* Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York - DVD
* Eric Clapton - Clapton Guitar Festival 2007 - DVD
* The Santa Clause 3 - DVD
* Hairspray - DVD
* Rescue Dawn - DVD
* Live Free or Die Hard - DVD
* Manufactured Landscapes - DVD
11/27
* Waitress - DVD
* Hot Rod - DVD
12/4
* Michael Sweet - Touched (Cover’s project.)
* Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End - DVD
* The Nanny Diaries - DVD
12/11
* Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - DVD
12/18
* The Simpsons Movie - DVD
* Underdog - DVD
* Blade Runner - 25th anniversary DVD (Also a 5 DVD box set available.)
12/26
* Rush Hour 3 - DVD
* Sunshine - DVD
LYRICS of the MONTH:
I dreamed I walked in
Heaven
Just the other night
There was so much beauty
So much light
Don’t you wish it was
true
Don’t you wish it was
true
An angel took my hand
Said you don’t have to
hurry
Got all the time in the
world
Don’t worry
Don’t you wish it was
true
Lord, don’t you wish
it was true
What if tomorrow
Everybody was your friend
Anyone could take you
in
No matter what or where
you been
What if tomorrow
Everybody had enough
The world wasn’t quite
so rough
Lord, don’t you wish
it was true
He said the world’s gonna
change
And it’s startin’ today
There’ll be no more armies
No more hate
Don’t you wish it was
true
Don’t you wish it was
true
And all the little children
Will live happily
There’ll be singin’ and
laughter
Sweet harmony
What if tomorrow
Everybody under the sun
Was happy just to live
as one
No borders or battles
to be won
What if tomorrow
Everybody was your friend
Happiness would never
end
Lord, don’t you wish
it was true
Don’t you wish it was
true
Lord, don’t you wish
it was true.
John Fogerty, the song “Don’t
You Wish It Was True”
from the album Revival.
Happy Halloween!
See you in November.
Chris Barlow
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