This Week's New Music Purchases...and The Anniversary of a Great Show

Elvis Costello, "Watching the Detectives". While one would expect a live Elvis Costello album to be a highlight reel of last year’s Imposters tour that hit the Sioux Falls Pavilion, this album couldn’t be farther from that tour’s roots rock base. Instead, this album is a collaboration between Costello and keyboardist Steve Nieve with the Netherlands 52-piece Metrople Orchestra on not only a number of Costello classics but rarities and cover tunes that highlight the crooner side of Costello’s career.

Deadboy and the Elephantmen, "Stop, I'm Already Dead". Every so often, I purchase an album on a whim. We Are the Night Sky looked interesting, so I picked it up without any knowledge that the leader of this duo, Dax Riggs, is the former leader of grindcore legends Acid Bath. Yet this album is a surprising joy, mixing a little bit of White Stripes bluster with David Bowie/T. Rex atmosphere.

Hank III, "Dick in Dixie" Talent has definitely skipped a generation in the Williams family. We all know how great Han Williams, Sr. was, but his son has never showed much talent. Hank III is every bit the rebel of his grandfather, and Straight to Hell is the best showcase to date of his talent. Beware, however, as the biting lyrics of this track may not be suitable for work.

Rhett Miller, "Help Me Suzanne" The leader of the Old 97’s has just released his third solo album, and it’s possibly his best to date. Always much poppier on his own, on The Believer Miller is assisted by producer George Drakoulias (Black Crowes, Tom Petty), Jayhawks leader Gary Louris, and multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Kanye West).

Steve Wynn, "Cindy, It Was Already You" The former leader of the Dream Syndicate has spent the last 20 years pumping out great tunes with little notice. Tick…Tick…Tick is his third fabulous album in a row, and marks a return to the Television-ish guitar-oriented tunes that made the Dream Syndicate such a wonderful band.

Paul Westerberg, "Live Forever" It was exactly one year ago, that the beautiful Traci and I traveled to Kansas City to see the last of three shows of Paul Westerberg’s Folker tour. Besides a fabulous show we actually were able to spend ten minutes or so with the man and his genial drummer, Michael Bland. Here’s their cover of Billie Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever”, recorded that warm almost-spring evening.



This video was recorded a couple of weeks before his K.C. show at the Henry Fonda Theater in L.A.