ONLY IN NEW YORK

'60s Brazilian psych-rock legends Os Mutantes and "Mr. Las Vegas," Wayne Newton, have a lot more in common than you might think. Actually, they don't, but last week they were both in town for rare NYC appearances -- Newton's first gig here in almost twenty years, and Os Mutantes' first-ever Stateside performance -- and I am one of the few New Yorkers who can claim to have seen them both.

Os Mutantes' crowd was a mix of indie hipsters and, well, aging indie hipsters, with a light sprinkling of Brazilians. While the band was huge in Brazil during its '60s heyday, they were virtually unknown in North America before artists like Beck and David Byrne started championing them in the '90s, by which time they'd been broken up for 25 years. So it was with a slight sense of disbelief that we saw them take the stage at Webster Hall, like ghosts suddenly materialized. And when they started to play, the crowd was blown away -- even without original vocalist Rita Lee (replaced by Zelia Duncan), it was as if they'd never been away. The band was able to effortlessly recreate the sound of their records onstage, with their odd, quirky, samba and bossa nova-laced pop combined with spurts of prog rock and Santana-like soloing from guitarist/vocalist Sergio Dias Baptista. All of it was punctuated with the pungent smell of the pot being smoked by a good chunk of the crowd.

Time, alas, has not been as kind to Wayne Newton, whose formerly silky, pubescent voice has been ravaged by the years and the desert air of Las Vegas. The phrasing is still there, as are the attitude and the moves, but now when he opens his mouth, he sounds like he's inhaled some helium and stuffed a sock in his nose.

But Wayne Newton's never really been a singer. He's an entertainer first and foremost, and for the 100 or so minutes he strode the boards of B.B. King's, he kept us entertained -- especially the helmet-haired old women who'd come by the truckload to worship at the altar of Mr. Las Vegas. "Oi saw ya at the Copa when you was just a kid!" "Oi love ya, Wayne!" "Come down heah, gimme a kiss!" He received the adulation with studied professionalism, even stopping the show for a few seconds to pose for a picture with one of his more ardent fans, but stopped short of playing tongue hockey with any of his geriatric admirers.

I expected at least a smattering of ironic hipsters in the crowd, but when the band played the intro to the Oscar-winning "It's Hard Up Here For A Pimp," the gasps of horror far outweighed the cheers. It was one of the better moments of the show -- my favorite, hands-down, was one I've heard he's been doing every show for decades, when he motions to the piano player and says, "Remember that song I told you not to rehearse because we weren't gonna play it? Well, we're gonna play it. Ah one, two, one-two-three-four!..."

The rest of the show was a blend of bad comedy, vaudeville, and the occasional song, and the crowd ate it up, thrilled to merely be in the great man's presence. As was I. I'm not sure if it's worth traveling to Vegas to see him, but the next time he's in town, I'd jump at the opportunity. Let's just hope it's not another 20 years, because even now he looks like a very well preserved Egyptian mummy with a strange wig. I can only imagine how he'll look in 2026.

How Do You Like NYCD NOW?

I discovered the Dead Dog Records website about a month ago. To say I was excited would be an understatement. Here was a treasure trove of rare soul and R&B, blues and gospel CDs, that even after almost 20 years in the biz, I had never seen before. I spent the better part of my Saturday morning combing through title after title, looking for anything by Ironing Board Sam, or Bobby Marchan, or Plas Johnson. After about an hour, I had close to $400 worth of CDs in my cart. I was able to get that down to $135.

Now it's at this point I should mention that the Dead Dog Website, www.deadog.com, is a bit shaky. So shaky, that as I write this, it's URL now brings me to a travel agent. But, 4 Saturdays ago, I was determined. So in good faith, I placed my order, typed in my credit card info, and Bob's your uncle.

I got a confirmation soon after. Then, two days later, an e-mail saying that my CDs had shipped Priority Mail. 10 days later when my CDs hadn't arrived, I e-mailed Bill. DEAD-DOG@ADELPHIA.NET

He replied a day later, saying that the tracking number claimed that my address was undeliverable. OK. Dilemma. Do I bring out the big guns of sarcasm, or do I give Bill The Record Maven/Travel Agent the benefit of the doubt. I wanted my CDs, so I sent him this on July 10th:

Well Bill,
Thanks for the quick reply. If it turns out to be my mistake, please let me know, and I will happily Paypal you some extra cash for expedited shipping. If it turns out to be your mistake, can we still still re-ship express, and maybe split the difference? The above address is indeed correct. Thanks again.
Sal


I thought that was....nice. Four days later, after no reply from Bill. I sent him this on July 14th:

Hi Bill,
Any sign of my order coming back to you? Or even better, on its way back to me?
It was order # 2431.
Thanks,
Sal
NYCD
325 West 38th Street
Suite 505
New York, N.Y. 10018

Still, no Bill. July 15th, I sent him this:

hey bill,
You get my last e-mail? what's happening?
Sal
NYCD

I finally heard from Bill:

I work a 50-60 hour a week job. Dead Dog is a hobby. I'll try to get to the post office this week.

Hmmm....

Bill,
Nowhere on your website does it mention how hard you work, or how your long hours at the quarry will affect any CD orders? I have been more than fair, and quite patient. And anyone who knows me will tell you, I am usually neither. Please do what you can to expedite this order. Would it help if I told you the CDs were for a dying cousin? Probably not. It doesn't matter. Just like your work week doesn't matter to me. Find the time and please go to your post office. I want my package, and believe it or not, I still want to order more.
Thanks,
sal

SAL
THIS IS TOO MESSY. I AM REFUNDING YOU TOMORROW.
BILL


Bill,
What a disappointment. A possible error on my part and I offer to pay extra to expedite. A possible error on your part and I still offer to pay extra, and now you give up. I've been nothing but cordial and fair and trusting, and now you are giving up and not sending me what you offer because it's getting "too messy." Thanks very much. I was looking forward to my package, and additional orders. This is the worst service I have ever had.
Sal


Your order was returned back to me today.
What do you want me to do ?
Bill
Dead Dog Records
www.deadog.com


BILL,
Send it out Express Mail.
I will Paypal, if you accept Paypal, an additional $12.00 for shipping, if that's fair. If you don't think so, tell me what is fair. If you don't accept Paypal, you can add an additional $12.00, or whatever amount you feel is proper compensation (?) to my next order. Does any of this work for you?
SAL


What Bill then sent me was his website's FAQ page, copied and pasted from his now defunct website, answering a dozen questions that I never asked?

• Why do you list the disc in a category if it is not available ?
• Why can't you deliver my order super fast ?

(and my favorite)

• How long dose it take to get an order shipped ?


Well...I don't even know where we are at this point. But thanks to his most recent reply to me, I feel like I can finally rest easy:


How dose this sound to you ? Like your in a big rush ?
Bill
Dead Dog Records
www.deadog.com



I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!!

Kinda makes NYCD look like members of Mensa.

"INTRUSIVE JUNK?"

Here is a letter sent to NYCD from an old "friend & customer," who was in our Upper West Side shop so often, we started paying him a salary.

Gentlemen-
I hope and trust this will be my final request to be removed from your mailing list.Please know I find your newsletter intrusive junk mail that is of no interest to me.It was a pleasure to patronize your shop for many years-it is now annoying to recieve your newsletter.
PLEASE STOP SENDING THEM!

True, we could have removed him from the mailing list sooner, if we had wanted to. But he still owes us $27.

NEWSLETTER #23

"WE'RE HOT, WE'RE HOT, AND WE'RE ALSO VERY HOT"

W. SAYS "SH*T"; NYCD SAYS "I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT WHAT AM I?"

WE LOVE MUSIC! ANY KIND OF MUSIC!

AND NOW... THE NEWSLETTER!

We have failed to do a newsletter a couple of times this summer. But our lethargic ways have changed! Words are going to spew from our brains like bad records spew from the Chesky label. Not only will we be clocking in with a newsletter a week, minimum, but there's also plenty of other stuff right here on the blog, so keep checking in.

And now, a couple of releases we missed last week that are out now and available for ordering:

GOLDEN SMOG - ANOTHER FINE DAY. The new release from the semi-supergroup features more of the same Byrds-inspired country-pop. This record actually sounds more like the Mark Olson-less Jayhawks than the last Mark Olson-less Jayhawks record did.

LOS LONELY BOYS - SACRED. The second studio album from the Grammy winners with very nice hair and lots of tattoos.

STEVE MILLER BAND - FLY LIKE AN EAGLE (30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION). Newly remastered version of the 1976 classic includes three bonus tracks, which feature original versions of the title track, "Take The Money And Run," and "Rock'n Me," as well as a DVD that features a documentary, a 5.1 audio mix of the album, and a live concert.

THE ZOZO SISTERS (LINDA RONSTADT AND ANN SAVOY) - ADIEU FALSE HEART. With this release, Linda Ronstadt has now covered every genre of music except gangsta rap and, strangely enough, country rock. Teaming up with Cajun legend Ann Savoy, this is an exploration of traditional and contemporary roots music from two very distinctive voices. "Adieu False Heart" features some Savoy originals, as well as beautiful cover versions of Richard Thompson's "King Of Bohemia" and the Left Banke's "Walk Away Renee."

OUT NEXT WEEK!

THE BEASTIE BOYS - AWESOME, I F***IN' SHOT THAT! (DVD). The already-legendary concert film from the "To The 5 Boroughs" tour, shot by fifty lucky fans. A unique document of an amazing live band.

RAUL MALO - YOU'RE ONLY LONELY. The brilliant voice behind the Mavericks releases the long-awaited followup to his 2003 solo debut. Produced by Peter Asher, Malo puts his trademark Roy Orbison-inspired vocals on some of his favorite songs, which include Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart," the Everly Brothers' "So Sad," the Bee Gees' "Run To Me," Harry Nilsson's "Remember," and the title track, penned by JD Souther.

TOM PETTY - HIGHWAY COMPANION. Tom Petty is due for a good record. We've been saying this since "Wildflowers," which came out in 1994, and we're hoping that Highway Companion is that record. If living in a shack for a year and having one of your bandmates die of a heroin overdose doesn't straighten you out, we don't know what will.

THE NAZZ - REISSUES. The psych-pop legends, led by a young Todd Rundgren, get proper remastering with a plethora of bonus tracks, including Fungo Bat, the lost, unfinished record from 1970. Also includes lots of rarities and outtakes featuring Todd on lead vocals! If you're into Big Star, the Raspberries, and the Nuggets box, but don't know this band, then what are you waiting for?

JURASSIC 5 - FEEDBACK. The new record from NYCD's favorite rap act promises to have awesome samples, old-school beats, and lots of dirty words.

PHARRELL - IN MY MIND. The first proper solo release from the head Neptune features special guests Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z (wait -- isn't he retired?) and Kanye West, who's featured on the super-hooky first single, "Number One."

VARIOUS ARTISTS - LEONARD COHEN: I'M YOUR MAN (SOUNDTRACK). Features Nick Cave, Beth Orton, a whole bunch of Wainwrights, and a Thompson or two performing Cohen's songs.

EDIE BRICKELL & THE NEW BOHEMIANS - STRANGER THINGS. You can stop holding your breath now -- Edie and the New Bohemians are, at long last, back together for their first album in a really long time. Any woman who makes Paul Simon happy is all right by us. Now if she'd only tell him to take off that stupid baseball cap....

MICHAEL FRANTI - YELL FIRE! For years, Michael Franti has been an artist we've always respected but never liked. Live, he gets the hippie kids dancing the scrunchy-face dance, and has a lot to say about the world we live in. But on record, he's nothing more than reggae lite. (TO US, DAMMIT!) This new record, his first for the Anti label, could be exactly the same. We won't know until we listen to it.

BRUCE HORNSBY - INTERSECTIONS (BOX SET). 4 CDs and a DVD covering his entire career, including sessions with other people. Features over 20 unreleased tracks and lots of video performances never commercially available!

NEW YORK DOLLS - ONE DAY IT WILL PLEASE US TO REMEMBER EVEN THIS. Before the untimely death of Arthur Kane, this reunion could have been one of the most exciting in rock and roll history. As it is, with only two original Dolls surviving, it's still a damn good record. At no point does this record sound like a sellout -- it truly sounds like the followup to their last record, 1974's Too Much Too Soon.

SOUNDTRACK - MIAMI VICE. Features a duet between Colin Farrell and Philip Michael-Thomas on Jessi Colter's "I'm Not Lisa."

BOX SET OF THE WEEK!

THE WALKER BROTHERS - EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN. This is it -- EVERYTHING. Newly remastered, it sounds unf***ingbelievable. From their early surf singles to the big sound of their Phil Spectoresque heyday to their forays into territory that, to some, should have been left uncharted, and closing with their legendary masterpiece, 1976's Nite Flights, you get 115 songs, including previously unreleased alternate takes, original mixes, a deluxe 48 page book, and more. This is an import, so while not super-expensive, it's still a little bit more than your usual 5 CD box set. We have ONE COPY in stock now for the low low price of $64.99 -- once that goes, all future special orders will be $74.99. It's worth every penny! Get it now!

PAUL WELLER - CATCH FLAME. Side two of his last record hasn't even finished playing yet, and the Jam/Style Council legend is already putting out a new one. Sure to be even more exciting than his next record, which is about to come out... wait... hold it... NOW!

ORDER ANY OR ALL OF THESE, OR ANY OTHER CDs AND DVDs YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, BY EMAIL (HEYNYCD@aol.com) OR PHONE (212-244-3460)!

OUR APOLOGIES

We know many of you are still waiting for some special orders on a few oddball titles and some catalog selections. We haven't forgotten! They've been ordered... and ordered... and ordered... but apparently, in order to stay in business, our distributors need to spend their money on more copies of the Bubba Sparxxx CD instead of getting what we need. We don't blame them, but it's frustrating all the same.

DON'T FORGET! Check out our myspace.com page (www.myspace.com/music_retail_hell), where you can see pictures of many friends who we've never met, our most recent blog entries from May 2006 (so we forget to post them, sue us...), and lots more stuff we really don't understand. And check out our amazon.com seller page (http://tinyurl.com/q9dz3) to see the stuff we've got for sale there! So many bargains you'll plotz!

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WE LEAVE YOU WITH THIS:

It's not the heat, it's the stank of the street.

Your friends,
Chairman and Mickey Mao

IMBECILES OF TECH NEED YOUR HELP!

We would love to post MP3s of all the music we've been writing about, but after six months of blogging, we still haven't figured out how. We're the kind of guys whose VCRs are still blinking "12:00" ten years later. For that matter, we're the kind of guys who still own VCRs.

If any of you can help us, please send an email with detailed instructions to HEYNYCD@aol.com. Remember to make the instructions the written equivalent of speaking slowly and loudly to people who don't speak English.

WHY DO WE "HEART" NEW YORK

One big rainstorm, the NYC subway system gets flooded. One big snow storm, the city grinds to a halt. One 2-day heatwave, Con Edison tells us to refrain from using "non-essential electrical items like washers, dryers, and air conditioners." Air conditioners non-essential? Are they kidding? What the hell is wrong with this city? (BUY CDs)

YES! WE KNOW! SGT. PEPPER IS GREAT!

The Observer in London has just released a list of the 50 most influential albums. I found this out over at POPSURFING, a blog so exhausting, they make Mother Teresa seem dallying. Guess what made the list? That's right. The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Beach Bo...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. (Oh, sorry.) You know what's more irritating? There will be endless debating over this list. "How can you not mention "Rubber Soul?" "KRAFTWERK made the list?!!!" "WHAT? No Coldplay?" Yeah yeah! Get a life.

Here's an idea. How about getting passionate over some recently released records? I don't mean the kind of passion that kids display for 15 minutes over buzz bands like Panic At The Disco. Or the kind of raving adults do when they think they've discovered something "cool" like Keane. I mean actually flipping your lid over some excellent, super-strong records like the recent ELVIS COSTELLO & ALLEN TOUSSAINT collaboration. Or those two amazing soul reissues "ATLANTIC UNEARTHED: SOUL BROTHERS & SISTERS?" Or BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S "SEEGER SESSIONS?"

I know. You're thinking, "What the hell is the difference?" The difference is that we rave and rave and rave about our current faves, and then a year later Duncan Sheik is cutting the ribbon at a new Ford dealership. Why don't we embrace solid new work from music veterans, the way we do new, soon-to-be-has-been artists?" Let's debate over which song is better, "The River In Reverse, " or "The Sharpest Thorn, " both from the Costello/Toussaint record? Let's debate over which CD has a stronger message, Bruce's "We Shall Overcome" or "Neil Young's "Living With War."

Why isn't the Billboard Top 10 filled with Neil Young, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint, Bruce Springsteen, Rosanne Cash (another brilliant release that disappeared as fast as you can say "Bright Eyes,") World Party, Cassandra Wilson, Bettye Lavette, and James Hunter?

Ok, put me in my place. I'm ready.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
TONY GOES LOOKING FOR LUSCIOUS JACKSON AND THE LEMONHEADS

About ten years too late, I finally realized what a great band Luscious Jackson were. A little pop, a little hip-hop, a little rock, a little dance, a little alternative, but not quite any of the above, they were the first act signed to the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label, and made three great albums and a killer EP between 1992-99. They only had two sizeable hit singles -- "Naked Eye" and "Ladyfingers" -- and they always seemed to be just under the radar of mass acceptance. But that doesn't explain their near-total disappearance since their breakup in 2000. I mean, I can Google-stalk old friends from college who've never done a noteworthy thing in their lives and find more info about them than I can about what the four Luscious Jackson gals have been doing for the last half-decade or so.

With the help of Lexis-Nexis and an intrepid investigative journalist friend, I managed to track down some minimal info on three out of four. Vocalist/frontwoman Jill Cunniff was recently signed as a solo artist to a small indie label, but no word on when or if she'll be putting anything out. Drummer (and original Beastie Boy) Kate Schellenbach played drums on Indigo Girl Amy Ray's solo album in 2005. And bassist/vocalist/rapper Gabrielle Glaser has an as-yet-unsigned band, Gabby, who sound like a punkier version of L.J., as well as her own myspace.com page. No evidence that they're playing anywhere anytime soon, alas. The only completely MIA member is keyboardist Vivian Trimble, who left the band in 1998 to pursue her own project, Dusty Trails, which she founded with former Breeder Josephine Wiggs. They put out a gorgeous, loungey album in 2000, had a few more tracks on the soundtrack to Happy Accidents the following year, and apparently played a stray NYC gig in '02. Since then, absolutely nothing.

Come home, Luscious Jackson! All is forgiven! Email us at HEYNYCD@aol.com if you have any info on the ladies of Luscious, and let's start working on a reunion show. If we build it, they will come... or something....

Another '90s semi-star who disappeared completely was Evan Dando, former leader of The Lemonheads, who made one of the great power-pop albums of the decade, It's A Shame About Ray, and then proceeded to burn out in a storm of tabloid headlines, hipster backlash, and massive drug use. After the mediocre 1996 album Car Button Cloth, Dando proceeded to fall off the face of the earth, save for the occasional shambling solo show.

In 2003, Dando resurfaced with a forgettably pleasant solo album and the first full-on Lemonheads tour in close to a decade. The show I saw was so thrilling and passionate, not just because Dando went back to his classic material and performed it with such conviction, but because in doing so he vindicated all of us who were there, singing every word along with him -- all of us who'd put our bets on him ten years earlier to be the next pop genius, only to see him transform from alterna-rock boy wonder to drug-addled nincompoop almost overnight. Maybe we weren't wrong after all.

It's been three years since that show, but Dando is finally all the way back with a new, self-titled Lemonheads album that's heavier on the guitars than anything since their early punky days, and their most consistent work since It's A Shame About Ray. It may lack the one or two tunes that make you think "This is the greatest song ever written" as you play it 50 times in a row, a hallmark of past Lemonheads albums, but on the whole, it's one of the best records I've heard all year. What a surprise. (The Lemonheads will be released on Sept. 26.)

ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD

On Tuesday, Bill Miller died. He was 91 years old. You probably wouldn't recognize his face, and you may not even know his name, which is understandable -- in his 70-plus years in the music business, he never released a single record under his own name. But his best-known recording is instantly recognizable by millions of music fans. Put on Frank Sinatra's "One For My Baby" and check out the smoky, melancholy barroom piano that kicks the recording off. That's Bill Miller. And if you own any Sinatra CD, odds are that Bill Miller's playing on it.

Sinatra's career had hit bottom when Miller, who'd already played with Red Norvo, Charlie Barnet and Tommy Dorsey, to name a few, signed on for a gig as his accompanist at the Desert Inn in late 1951. It was the very first Las Vegas engagement for both of them, and except for a couple of years in the early '80s, Miller was in Sinatra's band until Frank's last public performance in 1995. Even after Sinatra's retirement, when Miller would come to visit, Frank would say "We should rehearse." "For what?" Miller would ask.

Just because his boss was out of commission didn't mean that Miller was through. Starting in 1998, he hit the road with Frank Jr., and could be counted on to send chills down fans' spines when the spotlight hit him and he started playing "One For My Baby" or "Angel Eyes." As recently as two weeks before his death he was still on the road; he needed to be helped from his wheelchair to the piano bench, but once he sat down to play it may as well have been 1958 again.

What made Bill Miller such an incredible accompanist is also why he was never a household name -- he supported the singer brilliantly, but his playing rarely if ever drew attention to itself. In the end, though, he was as much of a contributor to the Sinatra "experience" as anyone apart from Sinatra himself.

A GUIDE TO THE GENIUS OF BILL MILLER ON CD

To really appreciate what a great accompanist he was, check out 1954's classic album Songs For Young Lovers and In The Wee Small Hours from 1955, both of which feature the piano as prominently as any Sinatra album. 1958's Only The Lonely has two of Miller's finest moments, "One For My Baby" and"Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry." The 1962 live album Sinatra & Sextet Live In Paris is proof that Miller was as great onstage as he was in the studio, and shows off his jazz chops like no Sinatra studio recording. An amazing pair of voice-and-piano duets from 1976, "Empty Tables" and "Send In The Clowns," are only available on pricey box sets, but both tracks -- even "Send In The Clowns" -- are among Sinatra's best recordings of the '70s, and are well worth tracking down. And for proof that the pair could make magic even at the end, listen to the 1993 remake of "One For My Baby," one of the few listenable tracks on Duets, even with the insipid overdubbed tootling by Kenny G.

NEWSLETTER #22!

THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES:

KEN LAY SENTENCES SELF TO DEATH; SO DOES SHAWN CHACON

AMERICA CELEBRATES ITS 230TH BIRTHDAY; SO DOES RINGO STARR

GEORGE BUSH CELEBRATES 60TH BIRTHDAY; AGE SURPASSES I.Q.

AND, OF COURSE, LOTS OF MUSIC NEWS AND NEW RELEASES!

Sorry for the long layoff, but even online music wiseass retailers need a break every now and then. Before we get to next week's new releases, the two most significant releases from last week are:

JOHNNY CASH - "AMERICAN V: A HUNDRED HIGHWAYS." In case you were wondering, this isn't one of those typical vault-clearing exploitations of a dead artist that record companies love to fleece the public with. This record was pretty much complete when Cash shuffled off this mortal coil, and except for a posthumous overdub here and there, it's pretty much how he intended it to sound. Much better than volume 4, "American V" has Cash singing songs more suitable for his voice, and what we get is something pure and emotional.

Also released and available now is "JOHNNY CASH: ROOTS AND BRANCHES," a 16 track collection featuring the original versions of songs that Johnny later made famous, and now are quite often regarded as his own. Features tracks by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Jimmie Davis, Kris Kristofferson and Bill Monroe, among others.

One last thing before next week's new releases -- we still have a handful of the import-only Deluxe Edition of THE JAM's "ALL MOD CONS," featuring a greatly expanded and newly remastered version of the album plus a DVD of the making of the album, featuring rare footage and new interviews with all three band members, plus plenty of live performances. Some of you have already special-ordered this, but we don't remember who you were! So stand up, be counted, come on down and pick this one up!

and now... NEXT WEEK'S NEW RELEASES!

BENEVENTO/RUSSO DUO - "PLAY PAUSE STOP." The organ/drum duo who made their name on the jam band circuit as well as playing with such respected artists as Charlie Hunter, Bobby Previte, Stanton Moore, and members of Phish release their third studio album. The best way to describe this unique duo would be if Jimmy Smith released an acid-induced psychedelic funk record. We've read how this record is more pop oriented than the last two, but from hearing some of the material live, we think it's a load of malarkey. These guys are great!

STEVE EARLE - "LIVE AT MONTREUX 2005." You love Steve and you know it. Here is a solo acoustic performance from last year's Montreux Jazz festival, although he does not perform twangy country versions of "'Round Midnight" and "Bloomdido." He does, however, perform some of his classics, such as "The Devil's Right Hand" and "Copperhead Road."

JESUS & MARY CHAIN - REMASTERS. The long-out-of-print catalog by the moody '80s legends now gets remastered and expanded in the stupid DualDisc format. If you find a machine that plays these fine discs, you'll get their first five albums (the fuzz-pop masterpiece "Psychocandy"; "Darklands"; "Automatic"; "Honey's Dead"; and "Stoned And Dethroned") plus DVD bonus material including videos and live performances.

FREEDY JOHNSTON - "LIVE AT McCABE'S GUITAR SHOP." We can't think of any other artist who's become somewhat of a legend by releasing one not-bad record and a bunch of mediocre ones. But if you care, here's a previously unreleased 1998 performance including a cover of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Woo hoo!

MUSE - "BLACK HOLES AND REVELATIONS." One of the better bands of the last few years releases their highly anticipated new CD. What makes this band stand out from so many others is the fact that they can write a melody. The production at times harkens back to the great rock albums of the '70s by Queen, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin, but yet there is something completely fresh and unique about this great band. Comes as a standard CD or with a bonus DVD featuring a live performance from Glastonbury.

PEACHES - "IMPEACH MY BUSH." The modern day equivalent of Ethel Merman, Peaches is one of the scariest females to release a record since Charlene (kudos to those who get this joke, and screw you if you think we're being obscurist music snobs). Special guests include Joan Jett, Josh Homme, and Canadian legend Feist.

PHISH - "LIVE IN BROOKLYN." Available as a 21 CD set or a 16 DVD set. Duuuude! Sweeeet!

SOME GIRLS - "CRUSHING LOVE." The latest project from '90s indie rock queen Juliana Hatfield. Comes with a DVD of Jesus & Mary Chain videos.

SOUL ASYLUM - "SILVER LINING." After a few misguided attempts at a solo career, Dave Pirner comes back to the fold and helps to make the best Soul Asylum album in over a decade. The unfortunate loss of bassist Karl Mueller to cancer during the recording sessions delayed the release a bit, but the addition of Guns N' Replacement Tommy Stinson on bass and vocals got the band back on track, and what we get is a great pop-rock record. Highly recommended.

SUFJAN STEVENS - "AVALANCHE: OUTTAKES AND EXTRAS." You know you want it, unless of course Mr. Stevens has gone the way of the hula-hoop already.

ALLEN TOUSSAINT - REISSUES. With the popularity of Toussaint's collaboration with Elvis Costello, there's no better time than now to reissue 1972's "LIFE LOVE AND FAITH" and 1975's "SOUTHERN NIGHTS," two influential and classic New Orleans R & B records, from this legend. These records feature the hits "Southern Nights," "What Do You Want The Girl To Do," "Back In Baby's Arms," and more.

ULTRAVOX - REMASTERS. Before Midge Ure turned Ultravox into wimpy synth-poppers, they were one of the best new bands out of England in the mid '70s. Led by John Foxx on vocals, they perfectly mixed '70s art rock with punk, and created a new version of what Roxy Music had been doing years before. Their debut album, produced by Brian Eno, is one of Sal's favorite records of all time. The followup releases, "HA! HA! HA!" and "SYSTEMS OF ROMANCE," are strong albums as well. All are newly remastered and expanded with live tracks, B-sides and remixes. "Systems Of Romance" also features the hit single "Slow Motion," for those whose memories need jogging. If you're a fan of Futureheads, Arctic Monkeys, and the Kaiser Chiefs, you need to hear these records.

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN - "LIVE IN TOKYO." See Johnny Cash's "American V."

BIG NEW RELEASE OF THE WEEK!

THOM YORKE - "ERASER." Radiohead is arguably the biggest band of the last ten years based on releasing an OK debut, a better second album, a masterpiece, two dull followups, and one pretty good record. Now, lead warbler Thom Yorke releases his first solo album, which after three listens sounds like "Hail To The Thief," part two. At some point, Yorke and the rest of the band will need to start writing songs once again, because you can only run on fumes for so long. Order yours now!

VARIOUS - "DEFINITIVE SOUL COLLECTIONS." 2 CD compilations, each devoted to a legendary R & B artist, with a lineup including BOOKER T. & THE MG'S, THE DRIFTERS, SOLOMON BURKE, RAY CHARLES, CURTIS MAYFIELD, WILSON PICKETT, SAM & DAVE, and THE SPINNERS, as well as the classic "LIVE AT THE FILLMORE WEST" performances by ARETHA FRANKLIN and KING CURTIS, available on separate 2 CD sets.

TO ORDER ANY OR ALL OF THESE RELEASES, OR ANY OTHER CDs OR DVDs WE MAY HAVE MISSED, CALL US AT (212) 244-3460 OR EMAIL US AT HEYNYCD@AOL.COM!

LOOK AT OUR MYSPACE.COM PAGE (we don't know why we're there, but look at it anyway)!

SELL US YOUR CDs AND DVDs! CALL OR EMAIL! You like money, right?

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WE LEAVE YOU WITH THIS:

Miss the store? Well guess what, shtoonks, you should have thought of that when we were sitting there, twiddling our thumbs and waiting for you to come in and buy something. But we love you anyway.

Your friends,
Monty Hall and Warren Oates