Hello kids,

Thought I would spotlight briefly, a couple of things that have been in my ears this past week.

First, a few links of interest for your enjoyment:

Leading up to the Rock Hall induction ceremonies, I’ve been talking Metallica with my former radio comrade Chris Akin and Cleveland Scene’s D.X. Ferris. The first installment can be found on Scene’s newly re-born C-Notes Music Blog here.

Also on the Scene site, Anastasia Pantsios shares details from the opening night of Blue Arrow Records and Books. As one that doesn’t really enjoy the opening night crush, (unless it is Van Halen or Springsteen,) I haven’t been yet myself, but it’s on the schedule for this week!

My buddy Ryan has a chance for you to win the new live CD and DVD from Stevie Nicks. Get your name in the hopper by going here! Smashing!

The Lemonheads covers record that was scheduled for release late last year, is finally scheduled for June.

Michael Penn talks about a lot of things during a SXSW interview, including a total flashback to the days of Hypercard!

Locally, Don Henley spent 20 minutes on the phone with Bill Lewis/WNCX, the day before the Eagles concert at Quicken Loans Arena. After the show, my good pal Bear posted a great recap on his Cleveland Rock and Roll website.

Finally, I’m quite stoked to read about a two CD “legacy” edition that is on the way for the classic Lenny Kravitz album Let Love Rule. I want one.

Cracker have more than just a little bit of sneaky nature bundled inside the works of the Cracker machine. They have this knack for dropping new Cracker albums on the unsuspecting music fan, seemingly from out of nowhere. Such is the case with Sunrise in the Land of Milke and Honey (pre-order from Amazon,) the new Cracker album that will be released on May 5th. I believe Cracker have at least one more great album in the tank, and while this isn’t it, it is DAMN good.

Continuing the solid groundwork laid by Greenland (2006) (purchase), Sunrise is the no-bullshit straight up rock record that music fans have been waiting for. Blasting through 11 tracks in under 40 minutes, Lowery spits out rapid-fire lyrics that are signature Lowery.

From the album opening “Yalla Yalla” (I had a girl, Nantucket Massachusetts. She had a lisp, but man her ass was perfect,) to “I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right” (Don’t you look down in that hole, cause the devil come out, and keep you for his own,) Lowery really brought his A-game on this album. Cracker axeman Johnny Hickman spreads his unmistakable guitar licks all over Sunrise, and grabs a solo writing credit with “Friends” (Well, I’d never sleep with your ex-girlfriend, even if she starts to flirt with me again,) one of the finer tracks on the album.

Cracker reeled in a ton of special guests for this album, including John Doe (vocals on “Shine a Light,”) and a slew of special guests for “Darling One,” which features Kevn Kinney (Drivin’ n’ Cryin’,) Adam Duritz and David Immergluck (Counting Crows,) and singer-songwriter Shannon Worrell, to name a few. Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey is the band’s first album for new label 429 Records, and hopefully we’ll get to see some full-band shows supporting the new album, if we’re lucky.

BEST TRACKS:

“Yalla Yalla”
“Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out With Me” (the first single) (download)
“Friends”
“I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right”
“Hand Me My Inhaler”

BONUS LISTENING:

“Something You Ain’t Got” (download) from Greenland

ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK:

Greenland (2006) (purchase)
Gentleman’s Blues (1998) (purchase)
The Golden Age (1996) (purchase)
Kerosene Hat (1993) (purchase)

Cracker official website

Cracker on the Live Music Archive

My apparent love for potty-mouth female singers led me to the music of Jenny Owen Youngs via “F*ck Was I” from Batten The Hatches, an album I bought via Itunes on a whim, after hearing the track from a friend. Youngs’ Nelly cover of “Hot in Herre” was an additional purchase I had to make while hanging out at Itunes. Some of you might be familiar with Youngs, from hearing “F*ck Was I” on the hit television program (just wanted to use those three words to sound like “announcer guy nerd”) Weeds, a spotlight slot that ultimately helped score Youngs a record deal with Nettwerk. If you missed all of that stuff….well, that’s a shame – but now’s a great time to catch up!

New Jersey-born Youngs is about to release her second album Transmitter Failure on May 26th, produced by Dan Romer (Ingrid Michaelson, April Smith, The Woes.) Her earlier work is more acoustic-based, and Transmitter Failure will flesh that sound out for the first time with a multitude of instruments including keys, horns, digital drum tracks, flute, glockenspiel, and even a full string section on some tracks. For those that are anxious to hear the new album, (me! me! me!) Youngs will preview the new album with an EP release, Led To The Sea on April 7th.

Youngs shares the following info regarding the new album:

“I wanted to make something that would move people emotionally, but also move them physically. I did not want to end up touring for another three years on a record that wouldn’t offer people the opportunity to move. So. Dan and I set out to make something that was, quite simply, more fun to play live. In the process, my writing took turns I didn’t expect.”

Dig that. Jenny Owen Youngs will hit the road for a tour with Jukebox The Ghost that goes all over the place with sadly, no tour date for me here in Cleveland. But for the rest of you, check here to see if Jenny is coming to your neck of the woods!

Here’s the title track from Led To The Sea, for your enjoyment. Hope you enjoy it – it’s my favorite thing that I’ve heard this week!

Jenny Owen Youngs – Led To The Sea

BONUS LISTENING:

(video)

ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK:

Purchase Batten The Hatches from Amazon – CD or MP3

Jenny Owen Youngs on Twitter

Jenny Owen Youngs on Myspace