I've a suggestion. 

The large labels are suffering with a loss of revenues due to non-album purchases, and unauthorized downloading practices.  They seem unwilling to experiment in an attempt to restructure into a more cohesive unit, however, they need to realize that perhaps we're just a song society these days.  By and large, we're just interested in a collectible selection of songs that we like and not much more than that. 

With that in mind, the labels should get out there more, find unsigned bands, and structure “songs contracts,” dispensing with, for the most part, the confining album concept.   It would work like this:  Find excellent bands and sign them to produce songs for you.  As songs are handed to labels, the label releases these tunes to the radios, magazines, sites, finally digitally releasing them for purchase.  In this way, you can maximize the life of a very good band.  Eventually, those tunes can be collected into whatever the physical media is at the time (CDs, etc).  With a new outlook, labels can begin to bring us quality music of the kind that we now have to stumble upon, if some of us ever do.

You see, with the arrival of the internet and the digital age, there is so much music being made.  A lot of it is junk, to be sure, but there are many bands that never get the light of day because of their inability to become visible to the masses.  Who holds those reins?  Still the labels.  With the clout and name that they have (for now), they can once again rise to new heights by weeding through and bringing quality music to us.  But they need to be willing to unlock the physical media mindset that shackles them.  And yes, it is easy.  It can be done.

But we're still a music society that cannot entirely let go of the album concept.  And so they're here...for now.  This is what I'd do in an active label environment.  The new “album” are tracks released and collected  over months, defining a period of an artist's career.  After a string of songs have been released into the marketplace, they wax or wane based on public perception of them.  Labels can then re-release these collections of songs (hits/great tracks) into an album format.

Fortunately, we have evolved to be much more than that.  There are album-worthy music out there where the song is not the fullest experience.  Many ambient works are dependent on a flow of pieces.  Classical works and soundtracks need to be made available as they are representative of a greater concept than a song.  We're still a vast public who likes music in many ways.

Results?  Give me a chair at one (or all) of the big labels and I bet I turn it into a resilient force in a stumbling  industry.  That's not bragging; that's common sense and I'm willing to exercise it.

We have two reviews that include the wonderfully accumulated songs of '70s band, Sweet called Action: The Sweet Anthology, and a fantastic, to be believed, 2CD Live collaboration of John McLaughlin and Chick Corea in a Progressive Band called Five Peace Band. It must be heard!!

We'll see you on Friday! Again, thanks for all of your condolences that are still streaming in.

Shout! Factory has a S/T solo effort coming from Rhett Miller (Old 97's), his latest since The Believer (2006). This 12-track album is scheduled for June 9.

Epic Records will release a 2CD collection for Incubus called Monuments and Melodies on June 16. This 2CD set includes not only familiar hits but also three new songs, and a full CD of unreleased tracks. This set will also be released as a 4LP set. Very, very nice!

UMe will release a BD (Blu-ray DVD) on June 9 of The Biggest Bang for The Rolling Stones.

Our friends over at Audio Fidelity have released several 24k CDs that has passed our radar. One was a Hoffman-remastered School's Out by Alice Cooper, which I'm going to snag post haste. However, they are also planning to release a 24k Gold CD for Heart Like a Wheel (1974) by Linda Ronstadt, as well as a 2LP (180+g virgin vinyl) of Live at Montreaux for Jethro Tullwith both titles being scheduled for May 19.

Eagle Vision is going to release a DVD of Live at The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 featuring The Moody Blues. The Moody Blues were supporting their A Question of Balance album. The DVD will feature not only their legendary 79-minute/11-song performance in the Festival's young history, but will also contain a 20-minute 'behind-the-scenes' documentary. It is planned for May 26.

Tooth & Nail Records will release In Shallow Seas We Sail by Emery planning the release for June 2.

Rhino Records will release the latest New York Dolls album, Cause I Sez So (May 5 - CD) on vinyl LP, planning for the LP release on June 2.

Verve Records plan 1975: The Duets with Paul Desmond and Dave Brubeck. This title is out there a bit in distance so be sure to notate your cell calendar. It is currently scheduled for August 11. Verve will also release Smackwater Jack by Quincy Jones on the same date.

Rounder Records will release American Central Dust by Son Volt on July 7. Rounder plans this title on both CD and LP.

RCA Records will release LP and several iterations of CD of the upcoming Dave Matthews Band album on June 2. The album is going to be called Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King.

Domino Records plan Blood: Franz Ferdinand, the album by Franz Ferdinand in both CD and LP on June 2.

Classic Sinatra, the 2000 Double Platinum collection of popular Sinatra tunes is being complemented with Classic Sinatra II, featuring 21 more familiar Frank Sinatra Capitol tracks from 1954-1961. To add to the collection, there will be added a previously unreleased bonus track, "This Can't Be Love." There will be no duplicated tracks between the two sets. This set is expected on June 2.

Blue Note Records is releasing a previously unreleased album for Freddie Hubbard. Originally planned for release on December 29, 2008, with personal involvement by Hubbard, the project froze when Freddie Hubbard died. Now, Without a Song - Live in Europe 1969 will finally be released on June 2.

I love Sir John Tavener and so it's exciting news when he delivers a new recording. On June 2, EMI Classics will release Requiem and the world will be the better for it.

Sweet is a bot of a unique band having worked within the boundaries of so many styles, and finding success in several of them. Hard Rock, Pop, Glam, they did it all. This 2CD Anthology collects all of the great Sweet tunes with some bonus stuff thrown in to make this set one to have. Action: The Sweet Anthology is classic Rock in its most interesting form.

Mick Fleetwood is no stranger to anyone, having helmed the popular band that generated many hits and still holds a sway over fans of that iteration of the band. what many do NOT know is that Fleetwood Mac was a band that enjoyed several lineups that produced music different from each other. Before that, Mick Fleetwood was involved within the Blues/Rock community - heavily. This Live album is a step back into that wondrous period with some surprises. Blue Again, the title of this album reflects this journey.

The female-fronted Orchid Thieves hails from the UK (don't confuse them with the Canadian and NYC bands of the same name variations), where it currently delivers it's brand of Rock not unlike The Pretenders except with stronger vocals. The music is reminiscent of an earlier time and yet they remain very relevant to the kind of emerging musical style that it coming from the always fertile musical climate of the UK. I highly recommend them to you. I am providing links to their Facebook page and their MySpace page, where you should find plenty of music to enjoy from this new band. Soon, they will release their debut album. We hope that they will do well. You can also follow their Twitter feeds.

Check out their posted songs, especially "After Tomorrow." They will be releasing an EP in a few months.