New Richard Thompson (8/9) CD is all-new, all-acoustic, all-Richard overdubbing himself in his garage. Also on the way--3 live videos, including a 2 CD/1 DVD 1000 Years of Popular Music, the first that's been available commercially. Plus he's recorded the soundtrack for the Werner Herzog film Grizzly Man, and British folk label Free Reed has a 5-disc, rarity-packed box set on the way.

WTF: Kanye West is working with Jon Brion.

Bob Mould describes the songs on his new album, Body of Song, as in the vein of Copper Blue and Workbook. David Barbe of Sugar and Brendan Canty of Fugazi appear. He's touring with a band including Canty on drums, and is finally playing Husker Du and Sugar songs live.

The second Tsar album is finally out for the three of us who care.

Coming soon:
Wire live CD/DVD (7/26)
Deluxe reissues of Ian Brown solo albums (7/26)
Death Cab For Cutie DVD doc (7/26)
The Knitters (John Doe, Exene, DJ Bonebrake, Dave Alvin) first album in 20 years (7/12)
Willie Nelson's long-awaited reggae album (7/12)
Reissue of rare Arcade Fire debut EP (7/12)
Beulah farewell tour DVD (8/2)

The Senator and company will probably be highly conflicted over The Rolling Stones Project contempo-jazz tribute album (8/9), featuring the likes of John Scofield, Norah Jones, Bill Frisell and Sheryl Crow, if it weren't for the fact that Keef, Charlie and Woody are also on it.

For Jen: Rickie Lee Jones 3-CD collection now available; 2 CDs of album cuts (including some-but-unfortunately-not-all of Girl at Her Volcano) and a third CD of rarities and demoes.

I wanna check out that Tsar album.

Well good then.

They have a bunch of samples on their site. That's what kept me from going back and buying it.

Ouch. lol. What turned you off about the samples, EF?