Normally, my brain is busting with music-related stuff, just itching to find its voice on PC type.  Not these last few days.  But part of that may be the tidal wave of music news that I was inundated with, so much of it that it will have to post over several days.  Of course, that is never a bad thing. 

On the other hand, your Rolling Stones emails threaten to be the highest count since we began our little ‘best of’ series.  As it stands now, I have 87 emails and since it will run over the weekend, I’m sure that I’ll exceed the 150+ that we received for U2.  We’ll keep this one up and post results on Monday.  Wonder who we should use next?

Continue to send in your favourite Rolling Stones album selections. I'm getting a lot of these.

I've come up with a few more reviews to close out the week. They are Masse Mensch Material by ROME, as well as The Anthology, a 2CD collection by Return to Forever.

If you have missed the last As The Disc Spins (updated), check it out here.

To access the previous site and catch up, click here.

ECM have a few titles on their August slate that include The Door from the Norwegian trumpeter, Mathias Eick.  Mathias Eick has won the International Jazz Award for new talent in 2007 and, until now, has recorded with Manu Katche, Trygve Seim, Iro Haarla, and Jacob Young.  The other scheduled ECM album is Currents from Dutch pianist, Wolfert Brederode.  Both Jazz discs will be released on August 19.

“Love, Life and Laughter” is the song that you’ll be hearing on the Hilton Hotels commercials throughout the course of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  It can be found on the upcoming August 19 release of Pass It Around from Donovan Frankenreiter, releases by Lost Highway Records.

Jive Records will release PA and Clean versions of a DVD for Bowling for Soup called Live and Very Attractive.  This DVD is scheduled for release on September 2.

Nettwerk Records plan the release of the TV Soundtrack for the series, Bones.  It is on the calendar for September 2.

Def Jam Records plan the release of First Love from 16-year old, Karina, scheduling the album for August 19.  Some of you may remember the new artist as a star performer of the 2003 Star Search.

Jaggo Records and Big Day Records join to release the new Evelyn “Champagne” King album called Open Book.  It is listed for delivery on August 19.

You’ve heard us go on and on…and on about Amy McDonald, whose already released debut album in the UK is expected to hit US shores on August 19.  The album, from Decca Records, is called This is the Life and contains the engaging song, “Mr Rock & Roll.”  For vinyl fans, there is an LP to be made available.

Fans of T. Rex and Marc Bolan will be able to acquire a CD of rare BBC recordings of many familiar songs.  The album is called The Best of the BBC Recordings.  There are 24 tracks from various BBC shows between 1967 (“Scenescof”) and 1971 (“Jeepster,” “Telegram Sam,” “Get It On,” “Hot Love”).  These are collectible, previously unreleased live tracks from in-studio and in-concert performances.  This fan-geared album is being released by Hip-O Records on August 19.  I’m gonna get me one.

Rounder has Jubilee from Ten Shekel Shirt coming on August 19.  We have mentioned this album before because we really like what we’ve heard of it thus far.  I suggest going to their MySpace site to get a blast of some of this goodness.

The Academy Is… follows up their previous album, Santi, with their new power-pop release on Fueled By Ramen and Atlantic Records called Fast Times at Barrington High.  This album will be released on August 19 and will be supported by spots on the Warped Tour and a remaining-year tour.

Road Runner Records will release the new Buck Stone Cherry album, which follows up their previous self-titled debut album.  The new album, planned for August 19, is called Folklore and Superstition.

Following the release of their previous “best of” collection and before their next studio album, Warner Brothers will release an ‘odds and ends’ compilation of Goo Goo Dolls deep cuts, unreleased recordings, B-sides, rarities, covers, live tracks, and music videos on a 2-disc set.  The CD is crammed with the aforementioned goodies as well as a demo (“Iris”), and a remix (“We’ll Be Here”) and seven cover tunes.  The DVD will contain 17 videos, six Red Rocks live performances, and other materials.  This CD/DVD set is called Volume Two and is set for release on August 19.

Island Records will release all of the upcoming U2 re-masters (Boy/October/War) on DD come July 22.

Shout! Factory will release a DVD for Conway Twitty called Conway Twitty: Greatest Hits Live.  It is planned for September 2.

Staind comes back with their next album since Chapter V (2005).  It will be called The Illusion of Progress and follows its multi-platinum brothers (Dysfunction; Break the Cycle; 14 Shades of Grey; Chapter V) with a wealth of new songs.  It will be released in three forms (standard PA CD, Standard Edited CD, and a Limited Edition Fan Club Version.  The Fan club version will add 3 bonus tracks and a 1-year membership in the Official Staind Fan Club.  The bonus cuts are “It’s Been Awhile (Acoustic version),” “Devil (Acoustic Version),” and “Schizophrenic Conversations (Acoustic Version).”  With the membership to the club, you’ll get access to the ‘members-only part of the Staind website, and first access to presale tickets in advance of public concert sales.  The Illusion of Progress will be released on August 19 by Flip Records and Atlantic Records.

Shout! Factory will release two Country DVDs (Legendary Performances) on August 19.  One is for Tammy Wynette and features rare video performances of her classic hits like “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” “Stand By Your Man,” and “Don’t Come Home a-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind).”  Extras include two mid-‘80s interviews, a Hall of Fame introduction, and footage from her wedding with George Richey.  The other DVD is for Marty Robbins that include video performances of  “El Paso,” “Singing the Blues,” and “All Around Cowboy” with DVD extras like a 1988 interview, and the Hall of Fame introduction.

Masse Mensch Material is music from ROME, a play on words from mainman Jerome Reuter's first name. The music is a mix of things that is always Gothic in nature. The lyrics are heavy hitters, the music many things. But this album is quite interesting and throughly enjoyable.