| The
Crossing - July 2007 Edition
This month’s edition of The
Crossing is, as these things go, bigger, better and bolder than it ever
has been before. But wouldn’t you know it? It’s hotter too! There’s a shortage
of water in some parts of the country and there’s a shortage of cool air
in other parts of the country, some places have both, but there’s no shortage
of Rock, so that’s gotta make ‘somebody’ happy! Seriously, I hope everyone
is staying safe and cool and enjoying this hot rockin’ Summer. Seems the
more I was looking for new releases for this month, the more I was finding
them. Artists from every corner of the country and the globe seem to be
putting out new music these days. Here are just a few I’ll make special
mention of:
The Smashing Pumpkins - Yes,
Billy Corgan is back with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin in yet another incarnation
of the famed Chicago-based band, the Smashing Pumpkins. Releasing July
10th is Zeitgeist, the Pumpkins’ sixth album. Expect Billy’s inimitable
voice and his scorching guitar pyrotechnics to take center stage once again
for the first half of the album, while a more keyboard oriented sound similar
to that of Corgan’s recent solo album to take the stage for the second
half of the album. It’s been 7 years since the last release. Pumpkins in
July? Sure, why not.
Buffalo Tom - This is what
happens when three University of Massachusetts students form a band and
the drummer’s name is Tom and there’s a shared love of the music of the
60’s Neil Young band Buffalo Springfield. Amongst fans, Three Easy Pieces
is the highly anticipated 7th album and first album in nine years from
this melodic,
indie-rock trio and releases
on July 10th. If you’ve already been hooked by Buffalo Tom albums such
as Let Me Come Over, Big Red Letter Day, Sleepy Eyed
or Smitten, then you know what is sure to be in store on Three
Easy Pieces and that is...hooks-a-plenty! One of my most anticipated
albums of the year. Bill Janovitz, Chris Colbourn, Tom Maginnis....take
a bow, you guys rock!!
Kim Richey - Also releasing
July 10th is the fifth album from this Kettering, Ohio native. Kim Richey
is a singer/songwriter who changes stylistically with each new album, especially
after her second album, and this new album entitled Chinese Boxes
should not be an exception. Her first album in five years. She started
her career off in a
very countryish mode for
the first two albums and has since transformed herself into a singer/songwriter
who likes to experiment in sound and who’s not afraid to make polished
efforts such as on her third album Glimmer. Fans of Mary Chapin
Carpenter and Kate Campbell should especially dig Kim Richey.
Suzanne Vega - “de de do-doot
doot-de-do-da...” Sorry, broke into ‘Tom’s Diner’ for a second. Chances
are, you’ve heard of this long time New York City resident. Most famous
for the song ‘Luka’ off the album Solitude Standing way back in
1987 and the aforementioned ‘Tom’s Diner’, Suzanne Vega is back with Beauty
& Crime,
her first new album in six
years. She’s newly divorced, newly remarried and refreshed to start on
a new venture. This new effort is supposed to be set against the back drop
of New York City and infused with acoustic and electric guitar interplay
with electronic elements mixed in, all overlapping essentially a folk bedrock.
Her debut album for the Blue Note label and the long-awaited follow-up
to Songs in Red and Gray.
My advice: chew slowly, there’s a lot to take in here and have a nice glass
of something cold handy to wash it all down with...
Recently released and not mentioned in last edition:
* Bill Mallonee - “Circa” (Available for download at volsounds.com)
* Grizzly Bear - “Yellow House”
* David Wilcox - “Vanguard Visionaries” (Compilation for the Vanguard label.)
* Jones Street Boys - “Overcome”
* Cherryholmes - “Black and White”
* Art Brut - “It’s a Bit Complicated”
* Sarah Borges - “Diamonds in the Dark”
* Patty Booker - “Fire & Brimstone”
* Pink Martini - “Hey Eugene”
* Renee Stahl - “Hopeful.Romantic”
* A Fine Frenzy - “One Cell in the Sea”
* The Almost - “Southern Weather”
* Fridge - “The Sun”
* Ladybug Transistor - “Can’t Wait Another Day”
* The Bad Plus - “Prog”
* The Comas - “Spells”
* Mike Farris - “Salvation in Lights”
* Xavier Rudd - “White Moth”
* Shellac - “Excellent Italian Greyhound” (Producer Steve Albini’s band.)
* Tom Petty - “Highway Companion” (Special edition reissue.)
* Garrison Starr - “Fan’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: Acoustic Live”
* Various Artists - “Spring Awakening” (Lyrics by Steven Slater, Music
by Duncan Sheik; Tony Award winner.)
* The Rolling Stones - “Biggest Bang” (Four DVD live box set.)
* The Police - “Ghost in the Machine: Live in Newcastle 1982” (DVD; import.)
* Lynyrd Skynyrd - “Live from Austin, Texas” (DVD.)
* Guided By Voices - “Live from Austin, Texas” (CD/DVD.)
* Waking Up Dead - DVD
7/3
* Velvet Revolver - “Libertad”
* Ash - “Twilight of the Innocents”
* Silverstein - “Arrivals & Departures”
* Widespread Panic - “Capricorn Years: 1991-1999”
* The Wonder Stuff - “BBC Sessions” (Import.)
* Queensryche - “Mindcrime at The Moore” (CD/DVD; new date.)
* Puccini For Beginners - DVD
* The Ex - DVD
* Driving Lessons - DVD
7/10
* The Smashing Pumpkins - “Zeitgeist”
* Buffalo Tom - “Three Easy Pieces”
* Kim Richey - “Chinese Boxes”
* Interpol - “Our Love To Admire”
* Spoon - “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”
* Crowded House - “Time On Earth”
* St. Vincent - “Marry Me”
* Jason Isbell - “Sirens of the Ditch” (Formerly of Drive By Truckers.)
* They Might Be Giants - “The Else”
* Manic Street Preachers - “Send Away the Tigers”
* Reel Big Fish - “Monkeys for Nothin’ and the Chimps for Free”
* Rabbit in the Moon - “Decade” (CD/DVD.)
* Against Me - “New Wave”
* Fionn Regan - “End of History”
* Mark Ronson - “Version”
* Jesse Harris - “Feel”
* Justice - “Cross”
* Gallows - “Orchestra of Wolves”
* James Keelaghan - “A Few Simple Verses”
* The Gourds - “Noble Creatures”
* Chris & Rich Robinson - “Brothers of a Feather: Live at The Roxy”
* Caedmon’s Call - “Thankful: Best of”
* Stryper - “Roxx Regime Demos”
* The Monkees - many deluxe reissues
* Foo Fighters - “The Colour and the Shape” (remastered expanded reissue.)
* Depeche Mode - “Exciter” (reissue.)
* M. Ward - “Duet for Guitars #2” (reissue.)
* Marillion - “Live from Loreley, Germany 1987” (20th anniversary DVD.)
* Paul Rodgers - “Live in Glasgow” (DVD.)
* The Dresden Dolls - “Live at the Roundhouse, London” (DVD.)
* The Astronaut Farmer - DVD
* The Last Mimzy - DVD
* Sweet Land - DVD
* Avenue Montaigne - DVD
* The Page Turner - DVD
7/11
* Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - in theaters!
7/17
* Suzanne Vega - “Beauty & Crime”
* Minnie Driver - “Seastories”
* Eilen Jewell - “Letters from Sinners and Strangers”
* Clara Ponty - “Mirror of Truth”
* The Editors - “An End has a Start”
* The Decemberists - “EP”
* Chris Rice - “What a Heart is Beating For”
* Raul Malo - “After Hours”
* Emerson Hart - “Cigarettes & Gasoline” (Singer of Tonic.)
* The Rocket Summer - “Do You Feel”
* Rooney - “Calling the World”
* Meat Puppets - “Rise To Your Knees”
* Yellowcard - “Paper Walls”
* Lillian Axe - “Waters Rising”
* Great White - “Back to the Rhythm”
* The Zombies - “Into the Afterlife”
* Paul Kelly - “Stolen Apples”
* Eliza Gilkyson - “Your Town Tonight”
* Willie Nelson - “Live at Billy Bob’s Texas” (CD/DVD.)
* Susan Tedeschi - “Best of: Episode 2”
* Garbage - “Absolute Garbage: Best of”
* The Beau Brummels - a few reissues
* Bob Dylan - “Golden Years 1962-1978” (2 DVD set.)
* The Number 23 - DVD (7+17=24...nope!)
* Factory Girl - DVD
* Premonition - DVD
* The Hills Have Eyes II - DVD
7/21
* Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - in your lap!
7/24
* Prince - “Planet Earth”
* Silverchair - “Young Modern”
* Barlowgirl - “How Can We Be Silent”
* Unkle - “War Stories”
* Evans Blue - “Pursuit Begins...”
* Peter Himmelman - “Pigeons Couldn’t Sleep”
* Blackie & the Rodeo Kings - “Let’s Frolic”
* Brian Setzer & The Nashvillains - “Red Hot & Live”
* Juliette & the Licks - “Four on the Floor”
* Yeah Yeah Yeah’s - “Is Is” (EP.)
* Elana James - “S/T”
* Trey Anastasio - “Horseshoe Curve”
* Peter Criss - “One For All”
* Sum 41 - “Underclass Hero”
* Robert Palmer - many reissues
* David Byrne - “Live from Austin, Texas”
* The Doors - “Live in Boston” (3 CD set.)
* Santana - “Hymns for Peace: Live at Montreux 2004 (DVD.)
* Reign Over Me - DVD
* The Wind that Shakes the Barley - DVD
* The Host - DVD
* Renaissance - DVD
* Perfume: Story of a Murderer - DVD
* Monster Squad - DVD (20th anniversary edition.)
7/31
* Luka Bloom - “Tribe” (Collaboration w/Simon O’Reilly.)
* Josh Rouse - “Country Mouse, City House”
* Spencer Moore - “S/T”
* The Starting Line - “Direction”
* Korn - “Untitled”
* Ratt - “Tell The World: Very Best of” (CD.)
* Ratt - “Videos from the Cellar: the Atlantic Years” (DVD.)
* Hot Fuzz - DVD
* Zodiac - DVD
* 300 - DVD
* Whole New Thing - DVD
* Pathfinder - DVD
* Firehouse Dog - DVD
8/7
* Bruce Hornsby - “Camp Meeting”
* Greg Brown - “Yellow Dog”
* Fuel - “Angels & Devils”
* Okkervil River - “The Stage Names”
* Architecture in Helsinki - “Places Like This”
* Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - “This Is Somewhere”
* The Pretty Things - “Balboa Island”
* The Vells - “Integretron”
* Mirah - “Share This Place”
* Peter Case - “Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John”
* Still Remains - “The Serpent”
* Kristina Cornell - “It’s a Girl Thing”
* Cindy Combs - “Sunny Rain”
* Harry Shearer - “Songs Pointed and Pointless”
* The Church - “Deep in the Shallows: Classic Singles Collection” (2 CD
set; import.)
* Magnolia Electric Co. - “Sojourner” (4CD/1DVD box set.)
* Disturbia - DVD
* Unaccompanied Minors - DVD
* TMNT - DVD
* I Think I Love My Wife -DVD
8/14
* Eisley - “Combinations”
* Mae - “Singularity”
* Mya - “Liberation”
* Linda Thompson - “Versatile Heart”
* Matt Nathanson - “Some Mad Hope”
* Lori McKenna - “Unglamorous”
* Nina Nastasia & Jim White - “You Follow Me”
* Paul Van Dyk - “In Between”
* Horse the Band - “A Natural Death”
* Two Loons For Tea - “Nine Lucid Dreams”
* Lee Rocker - “Black Cat Bone”
* Cake - “B-Sides & Rarities”
* Dave Matthews Band - “Live at Radio City” (2 CD’s/2 DVD’s.)
* Sam Bush - “On The Road” (DVD.)
* Air Guitar Nation - DVD
* Fracture - DVD
* The Lookout - DVD
* Vacancy - DVD
* Inland Empire - DVD
* Wild Hogs - DVD
* Aqua Teen Hunger Force - DVD
8/21
* Over The Rhine - “The Trumpet Child”
* The New Pornographers - “Challengers”
* The Waterboys - “Book of Lightning” (US release.)
* Kenna - “Make Sure They See My Face”
* Galactic - “From the Corner to the Block”
* Kula Shaker - “Strangefolk” (Import.)
* John Illsley - “Live in Les Baux de Provence” (Import.)
* Jethro Tull - “Live at Montreux 2003” (2 CD’s/DVD.)
* Broken English - DVD
* Perfect Stranger - DVD
8/28
* Ben Harper - “Lifelines”
* Matt White - “Best Days”
* Lyle Lovett - “It’s Not Big, It’s Large”
* Sly & the Family Stone - “Greatest Hits” (Reissue.)
* Willie Nile - “Beautiful Wreck of the World” (Reissue.)
* The Rascals - many reissues
* Blades of Glory - DVD
* Year of the Dog - DVD
* Red Road - DVD
* Offside - DVD
9/4
* Patti Scialfa - “Play it as it Lays”
* Ben Lee - “Ripe”
* Doyle Bramhall - “Is It News”
* Stevie Ray Vaughn - “Pride and Joy” (DVD.)
9/11
* Ann Wilson - “Hope & Glory” (Singer of Heart.)
* Ani Difranco - “Canon” (2 CD greatest hits.)
* The Shout Out Louds - “Our Ill Wills”
* Hot Hot Heat - “Happiness Ltd”
* James Blunt - “All the Lost Souls”
* Joe Henry - “Civilians”
* Grand National - “A Drink and a Quick Decision”
* Faith Hill - “Hits” (2 CD set; new date.)
* U2 - “Popmart: Live in Mexico City” (DVD.)
* The Case For Christ - DVD
* Waitress - DVD
* Away From Her - DVD
* Snow Cake - DVD
9/18
* The Hooters - “Time Stand Still” (U.S. release.)
* Mark Knopfler - “Kill To Get Crimson” (w/DVD.)
* KT Tunstall - “Drastic Fantastic”
* Thurston Moore - “Trees Outside the Academy”
* Simon & Garfunkel - “Live 1969”
* David Gilmour - “Live from Royal Albert Hall” (DVD.)
* Emmylou Harris - “Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems” (4 CD’s/1
DVD box set.)
* We Are Marshall - DVD
* Beyond The Gates - DVD
9/25
* Steve Earle - “Washington Square Park Serenade”
* The Cult - “Born Into This”
* P.J. Harvey - “White Chalk”
* Iron & Wine - “Shepherd’s Dog”
* Bettye LaVette - “Scene of the Crime”
* The Weakerthans - “Reunion Tour”
* Rascal Flatts - “Still Feels Good”
LYRICS of the MONTH:
A kind of nostalgic song for the dog days of Summer.
Sight unseen, sadder seas
Summer song sung all along
Dragged across the seven seas
To the beach come follow me
Summer's gone a summer song
You've wasted every day, every day
Cellophane, a grandma's town
Summer's letters on the ground
Seven pins, the fall begins
When the leaves burn, summer ends
Summer's gone a summer song
You've wasted every day, every day
Summer's gone, can't wipe it off my hands
Write it in the sand, in the sand
Where've my heroes gone today?
Mick and Keith and Willie Mays
Broken windows trails outside
I can take you for a ride
Summer's gone a summer song
You've wasted every day, every day
Summer's gone, can't wipe it off my hands
Write it in the sand, in the sand
In the sand
Summer's gone a summer song
You've wasted every day, every day
Summer's gone, can't wipe it off my hands
Write it in the sand, in the sand
In the sand
In the sand
In the sand
In the sand.
Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom), the song “Summer” off the album Sleepy
Eyed.
Stay cool! Have fun! See you in August...
Chris Barlow
http://www.smashingpumpkins.com
http://www.buffalotom.com
http://www.kimrichey.com
http://www.suzannevega.com
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