NEWSLETTER '07 #12!

TONY AND SAL MOURN EACH OTHER

ARE RINGTONES SAVING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

GET YER RED HOT RINGTONES RIGHT HERE!*

JIMMY WEBB & BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN GET TOGETHER FOR HISTORIC RINGTONE COLLABORATION!

And now... NYRT's NEW RINGTONES FOR NEXT WEEK! (available on CD)
*We do not actually sell ringtones.

DAVID BOWIE - YOUNG AMERICANS (CD & DVD). As Sal once said, "Ah sure does love me a David Bowie!" This is his 1975 classic featuring the #1 hit single "Fame," featuring John Lennon, as well as the title track. Being released in between the classics Diamond Dogs and Station To Station, and not really sounding like either of them, Young Americans, while selling well thanks to its singles, never really got the acclaim it deserved. Now, with this newly remastered package, which also includes a DVD that features 5.1 Surround Sound as well as videos from Bowie's performance on the Dick Cavett show and 3 previously unreleased bonus tracks, you can finally give it the acclaim it deserves. BUYER BEWARE! While smartly priced, this is still an import, so the DVD is in PAL format. The US release is due next month. The ringtone release has yet to be scheduled.

THE DOORS - REMASTERS. Get your "Peace Frog" ringtone right here! The Doors' recent box set "Perception" went out of print faster than you can say "Hey, was that Jim Morrison's shlong?" But the individual albums, with their additional bells, whistles and ringtones, are now available separately. That's six of the most overrated records in the history of music, now with bonus tracks and new packaging, but unfortunately with the same rinky-dink organ courtesy of Ray Manzarek.

BRYAN FERRY - DYLANESQUE. Originally scheduled for March 10, then canceled, now back on schedule for April, this contract-breaking stinker by one of our alltime favorite artists is available NOW as an import! We can't decide what's more boring -- the really novel idea of doing all Dylan covers, or the songs that were chosen for this music equivalent of triptophan. Featuring a bonus downloadable ringtone of "The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll!"

GOOD CHARLOTTE - GOOD MORNING REVIVAL. Wow, they must be 20 by now.

ELTON JOHN - ROCKET MAN: NUMBER ONES (CD & DVD). Elton John celebrates his 60th birthday by ripping off his fans with yet another greatest hits package (funny, that's how we celebrate our birthdays too). Features 17 chart-toppers plus an optional DVD with 10 clips, and a ringtone of "Song For Guy."

KAISER CHIEFS - YOURS TRULY, ANGRY MOB. Those goofy, lovable Brits follow up one of the best debuts in recent years with more of the same -- literally. We love these guys, and you should too.

KLAXONS - MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE. Those goofy lovable Brits precede their sophomore effort with their debut, featuring their hit ringtone... uhhh... we don't remember the title, but when we hear it, we know it's Uncle Phil calling.

MADINA LAKE - FROM THEM THROUGH US TO YOU. A new band that's all over MTV and is sure to sell millions of ringtones.

MIKA - LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION. Mika makes Freddie Mercury sound like Howlin' Wolf. This fey young lad, with his fragile little pop tunes, is both very talented and very scary. If you like Queen and the Pet Shop Boys and George Michael, you're supposed to like this guy.

STEVIE NICKS - REFLECTIONS: THE VERY BEST OF. She hasn't had any hits since her crack pipe broke, but that doesn't stop the record companies from repackaging the same hits compilation that you bought 15 years ago. The difference here is that it's got more songs, which you've probably never heard, PLUS a DVD with her videos AND her audio commentary on each one! "That was the day I did a lot of blow." "That was when I let myself go and found it difficult to spin more than three seconds at a time without getting out of breath." "As we were shooting the video for 'Edge Of Seventeen,' I turned to Tom Petty and said 'ringtones.'"

GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS - STRANGELET. Ten years ago, the fact that Peter Buck of R.E.M. plays on this album would have been a selling point. Now, we need to remind people who R.E.M. is. Who has time to try to sell this CD? And it's probably damn good, too. The first ringtone could have been a hit, but Stacey had a fight with Brad, so she deleted that number from her phone.

RUBINOOS - PARTY OF TWO. All you power-popsters out there certainly remember the Rubinoos' brilliant single "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," on the Berserkley label, so you should be excited about this expanded version of the Todd Rundgren-produced "Party Of Two" EP, now including six more tracks, and still including Utopia on background vocals and various instruments.

PICKS OF THE WEEK!

Tony: THE SONICS - BUSY BODY: LIVE IN TACOMA '64. As raucous and demented as the Sonics' studio records are, they were even more raw live. This is the first ever document of the Sonics in concert, and if you like Nuggets-y garage rock, you gotta have it.

Sal: MARY WEISS - DANGEROUS GAME. 40 years after recording a string of hits with the legendary Shangri-Las, Miss Weiss is back. Backed by Detroit legends The Reigning Sound, Mary Weiss still sounds great at the age of 55, and she serves up one catchy tune after another. It's got the balls of Patti Smith, the girl-group jangle, and perfect retro production that'll transport you right back to the days of Danceteria while you waited for Holly & The Italians to take the stage.

Both of these records are available courtesy of the great Norton Records label!

NORTON RECORDS: "Ringtones? Shmingtones!"

SYLVAIN SYLVAIN - REISSUES. The New York Doll, not to be confused with the assassin with the similar name, released two solo albums for the RCA label, and now Wounded Bird, along with a handful of other people, recognizes these releases, SYL SYLVAIN & TEARDROPS and SYLVAIN SYLVAIN, with first-time CD appearances. Feature the minor hits "14th Street" and "Formidable."

WOUNDED BIRD RECORDS: "Popular records? Shmopular records!"

VARIOUS ARTISTS - NOW 24. Features many popular ringtones in their full length, "song" versions.

WARREN ZEVON - REISSUES. The late great Warren Zevon... need we say more? One of the greatest records of all time, EXCITABLE BOY, gets remastered and expanded, and two other albums from the same period, THE ENVOY and the holy grail of never-on-CD live albums, STAND IN THE FIRE, also get remastered and expanded with lots of bonus tracks. All three are essential, none of them are greatest hits CDs, and Excitable Boy is a must for anyone with a conscience.

MACY GRAY - BIG. Resident soul loony Macy Gray put out one strong debut and two really strong and unjustly ignored followup records. She also proved to be a damn fine actress in such films as "Lackawanna Blues" and "Training Day." So basically, Macy Gray is a major talent, with hit singles and acting chops. So you tell us why nobody gives a s***, because we're baffled and we're tired of it. Thankfully, her new album is produced by "The Rajah Of The Ringtone," Will.I.Am, so maybe she'll finally have another hit.

Speaking of the Black Eyed Peas, is it us? Or does Fergie look like Martin Milner?

HIP-HOP RELEASE OF THE WEEK!

THA DOGG POUND - DOGG CHIT. NB: We guarantee our distributors have plenty of THESE in stock.

ORDER ALL OF THESE CDs BY TEXTING "GIMME THESE CDs" TO 95633*, OR YOU CAN SIMPLY EMAIL US OR CALL (212) 244-3460!
*please do not text us. That was our lame attempt at bitter sarcasm.

SELL US YOUR CDs, DVDs AND RINGTONES! You'll find us in the cardboard boxes next to the churro stand on 9th Ave. Bring blankets! Please!

KEEP READING THE BLOG! There's bound to be something new on there someday!

UNTIL NEXT WEEK, WE LEAVE YOU WITH THIS:

Tinariwen are not from Egypt. We thank our reader for correcting us.

Your friends,
Sal Phone and Ringtony