Belle & Sebastian The BBC Sessions [Deluxe Edition] (Matador)
The BBC Sessions collects recordings Belle & Sebastian made for the BBC between 1996 and 2001 including four tracks from If You’re Feeling Sinister, four songs recorded for John Peel’s show in 2001 that have never been released officially until now, and six more songs originally found on albums and singles. It’s a wonderful document of the band in a more relaxed setting and is an essential purchase for Belle & Sebastian fans. A deluxe edition that adds a second disc made up of a raucous live show from 2001 is also released this week.
Gentleman Auction House Christmas In Love (Emergency Umbrella)
Local indie-pop septet Gentleman Auction House combine emotive melodies and kitchen sink instrumentation with a dynamic take on a classic holiday tradition. Scattering an assortment of originals as well as some reworked classic carols under the tree, Christmas in Love ensures that everyone will get what they wish for this Christmas.
Ladyhawke Ladyhawke (Modular)
Pip plays four different instruments on her debut album. Pip wrote, arranged and plays on all the songs on the album working alongside several guest producers. The final result is an album that marries serious song crafting with elements of vintage pop, electro and rock.
Beyoncé I Am…Sasha Fierce [Deluxe Edition] (Music World Music/Columbia)
Buoyed by a flimsy gimmick made to justify the spreading of 40 minutes of music across two CDs, I Am…Sasha Fierce contains little evidence that Beyoncé is making a radical progression or being any more bold than before. The I Am half, filled with adult contemporary ballads, is mostly dry and featureless. The Sasha Fierce half, when compared to the majority of B’day, is less fun, less impulsive, and yes, less fierce.
David Cook David Cook (19 Recordings/RCA)
Season seven American Idol winner David Cook releases his major-label debut album this week and the results should be no surprise to anybody that watched him on the show: it’s friendly, angst-free post-grunge, more commercial than DAUGHTRY, sounding a bit like an American Our Lady Peace.
Dido Safe Trip Home (Arista)
Working with producer Jon O’Brien — and on one track, Brian Eno — has deepened Dido’s elegant trip-hop, turning Safe Trip Home into the singer/songwriters richest and best record yet.
The Doors Live at the Matrix, San Francisco, March 10, 1967 (Rhino/Bright Midnight Archive)
Psychedelic, Rock & Roll
Frizzell & Friends This Is Our Time (Nashville America)
Honky Tonk, Traditional Country
Sammy Hagar Cosmic Universal Fashion (Loud & Proud/Roadrunner)
Arena Rock, Hard Rock, Pop/Rock, Pop-Metal, Album Rock
David Holmes The Holy Pictures (Mercury)
Funky Breaks, Electronica, Club/Dance, Techno
Femi Kuti Day by Day (Mercer Street/Downtown)
Afro-Beat, Deep Funk Revival
Ricky Martin 17 (Sony International)
Latin Pop, Dance-Pop
Mudvayne The New Game (Epic)
Alternative Metal
Nickelback Dark Horse (Roadrunner)
Post-Grunge, Alternative Metal
Señor Coconut Around the World & El Baile Alemán (Nacional)
Indie Electronic, Experimental Techno, Latin Pop
Various Artists Boots, Buckles & Spurs: 50 Songs Celebrate 50 Years of Cowboy Tradition (Sony Legacy)
Outlaw Country, Contemporary Country, Country-Pop, Cowboy, Traditional Country
Various Artists The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 11A: 1971 (Hip-O Select)
Smooth Soul, Motown, Funk, Soul