This week, Universal Music Group's new Icon -- or, best of -- series dominates the list of new releases.
Deserving artists such as James Brown, Rod Stewert, Kiss and Nirvana are granted ICON status, but I question the inclusion of Hoobastank in this blatant attempt to profit off of rebranded greatest-hits collections. Regardless, two bands with existing "best of" catalogs -- and offering new material as well -- include Heart (Red Velvet Car) and Goo Goo Dolls (Something for the Rest of Us). Also out today for the kiddies/parents (present company included), Yo Gabba Gabba Music Is Awesome Volume 2, featuring Weezer, MGMT and the Ting Tings.
In the latest she&him pairing, Jenny Lewis, of Rilo Kiley, teams up with her boyfriend and producer, Jonathan Rice, to release the cute, '60s-pop-infused, Jenny and Johnny I'm Having Fun Now.
Granted, I'm more than a tad biased, but my "pick of the week" is handed to Radiohead drummer Phil Selway and his solo record, Familial. Described by his label -- the same as Beach House/Fleet Foxes -- as "a collection of sublimely fragile, haunting and heartfelt songs," Familial is a soft, totally bare acoustic offering, worthy of a sincere listen.
Philip Selway: Familial (album sampler) by Bella Union
10 Years: Feeding the Wolves
Abba: Icon
Abigail Washburn: City of Refuge
Alan Moore: Unearthing (deluxe edition)
American Bang: American Bang
Louis Armstrong: The 25 Greatest - Hot Fives and Hot Sevens
Atom Smash: Love Is in This Missile
Patti Austin: Every Home Should Have One
Gene Autry: Back in the Saddle Again -- 25 Cowboy Classics
The Autumn Offering: The Autumn Offering
The Bartley Brothers: Hit the Road
Big Pokey: Warning Shot
Bill Frisell: Beautiful Dreamers
Bryan Adams: Icon
Buck Owens: All-Time Greatest Hits
Katie Cadence: On the Wings of an Angel
Cam'ron & Vado: Gunz n' Butta
Carl Broemel: All Birds Say
Casting Crowns: Until the Whole World Hears Live
Cephalic Carnage: Misled By Certainty
Stanley Clarke: Modern Man/I Wanna Play for You
The Clientele: Minotaur
Colley, Scott: Empire
Comeback Kid: Symptoms + Cures
Cory Morrow: Brand New Me
The Cranberries - Icon
Celia Cruz: Mis Favoritas
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (legacy edition)
Issac Delgado: L-O-V-E
Devil S Brigade: Devil S Brigade
Diana Ross and the Supremes: Icon
Disturbed: Asylum
Don Williams: Icon
Dorrough: Get Big
Dr. Elmo: Dr. Elmo -- Bluegrass Christmas
Erykah Badu: Icon
Etta James: Icon
Fabolous: There Is No Competition 2 -- The Grieving Music Mixtape
Jandy Feliz: Jandy
Film School: Fission
For Today: Breaker
Frank Sinatra: September of My Years
Gerald Levert: The Best of Gerald Levert
Gladys Knight and the Pips: Icon
The Goo Goo Dolls: Something For The Rest Of Us
The Graduate: Only Every Time
Rick James: Icon
Jarrod Gorbel: Devil S Made a New Friend
Heart: Red Velvet Car
Hoobastank: Icon
Israel Houghton: Love God. Love People.
Jackson 5: Icon
James Brown: Icon
Janet Jackson: Icon
Jay, Roy: Fairfax Avenue
Jenny and Johnny: I'm Having Fun Now
The John Henrys: White Linen
Johnny Cash: Icon
Jonathan Butler: Faith, Love & Joy -- Great Spiritual Inspirations
Stuart Jones: Touched By Angels
Joshua's Troop: Troop Nation
Kirk Whalum: Everything Is Everything -- The Music Of Donny Hathaway
Kiss: Icon
Krs-One and True Master: Meta-Historical
Leaves Eyes: Njord (special fan edition)
Riley Lee: Shakuhachi Water Meditations
Lil C: H-Town Chronic 4
Linkin Park Tribute: String Tribute to Linkin Park
Lyfe Jennings: I Still Believe
Vera Lynn: We'll Meet Again -- The Early Years
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Icon
Rebecca Martin: When I Was Long Ago
Marvin Gaye: Icon
Marvin Gaye: Icon (two-CD set)
Mcguffey Lane: 10
Nils Petter Molvaer: Hamada
Motorhead: Icon
Murderdolls: Women and Children Last
Neil Diamond: Icon
Nirvana: Icon
Nosound: Sol29
Now 35: Now 35
Original Cast: Good Ol' Girls
The Other: New Blood
Papa Roach: Live Greatest Hits
Patsy Cline: Icon
Patsy Cline: Icon (two-CD set)]
Lee Perry and the Upsetters: Sound System Scratch
Philip Selway: Familial
Chico Pinheiro: There S A Storm Inside
Polock: Getting Down From the Trees
Ponderosa: Moonlight Revival
Portico Quartet: Isla
Quest for Fire: Lights From Paradise
Calvin Richardson: America's Most Wanted
Roberto Fabbriciani: Clementi, A. -- Works for Flute
Paul Robeson: Ol Man River -- His 25 Greatest
Smokey Robinson: Icon
Rod Stewart: Icon
Rush: Icon
Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses: Junky Star
Sammy Kershaw: Better Than I Used to Be
Antonio Sanchez: Live in New York
Boz Scaggs: Moments (The Deluxe Edition)
Boz Scaggs: Other Roads (The Deluxe Edition)
Jacques Schwarz-Bart featuring Stephanie Mckay : Rise Above
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo: Underground Playground
Jonn Serrie: Christmas Prayers
Shadowgarden: Ashen
Brian Simpson: South Beach
Stereoside: Stereoside
Street Dogs: Street Dogs
Styx: Icon
Ten Kens: For Posterity
Terrible Things: Terrible Things
The Temptations: Icon
Richard Thompson: Dream Attic
Three Dog Night: Icon
Tiesto: Kaleidoscope Remixed
Trisha Yearwood: Icon
Tristania: Rubicon
Jai Uttal and Ben Leinbach: Bhakti Bazaar
Stevie Wonder: Icon
Valdes. Chucho: Chucho's Steps
Richie Valens: La Bamba
Various Artists: Real Wild Child -- 50 Rockin' Rollin' Favorites for Kids of All Ages
Various Artists: Hair Metal Live
Various Artists: Hollywood Rocks! Audio Companion
Various Artists: 100 Beats -- African
Various Artists: 100 Beats -- Cuban
Various Artists: World Travels
Vince Gill: Icon
The Weepies: Be My Thrill
Jonalee White: Sugar
Woe Is Me: Number(S)
The Word Alive: Deceiver
Yo Gabba Gabba!: Yo Gabba Gabba Music Is Awesome Volume 2
