Before we continue, we would like to acknowledge the unfortunate and untimely death of DJ AM, who had been involved in an earlier brush with death when a plane that he was traveling in with fellow survivor, Travis Barker (Blink-182), crashed (09/08). Reports of cause of death are not available, and, quite frankly, it doesn't really matter as someone has died and that is always a sad event. His skill at dispensing music will juice up the Great Band!

Well, folks. I'm still recovering from my last drive issue. Couple that with very hot temps in SoCal, it has just been "fun." I just "fixed" a software issue that plagued my reinstallation of Dreamweaver (ended up being a simple fix but took me hours to figure out because I didn't believe that a "correct" config could be the issue - and it was).

I almost gave up and done TAP's August 31 post on WordPress, our next site version that is still being worked on. But we now have functionality back, even if it is quite late in the posting day.

We don't have any Release news, largely because there wasn't much to report (and yeah, a bad weekend with resetting the PC had something to do with that). But I'm still glad that I popped in and left you with at least two reviews of two very good issues! You know me by now; I always make it up to you.

We've thrown together two reviews for you. One is the recently released Shout! Factory, 4CD Box of Walking On a Wire (1968-2008) for Richard Thompson, as described by Mark Squirek, and the slightly older but very good Punk Side Up, by Minor Authority. Minor Authority is a retro-punk band that hones its sound from the influences of the late '70s. Already you should know how this album is going to sound.

We'll be back in earnest on Wednesday with all of the stuff you expect from a day's posting.

Round 24 of Great Album Covers:

RJ May:

Atlantic Records will release vinyl for the following albums, all on 180g audiophile quality weight: Stephen Stills' S/T debut, Stephen Stills; If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby; Manassas (2LP) by Stephen Stills; and the CSN debut, Crosby, Stills & Nash. All LPs are slated for release on November 10.

Nonesuch will reissue Wilco vinyl for Being There in a 2LP, 180g (with bonus CD) set. This is planned for October 27.

Hip-O Select will reissue Lofgren with several titles in both DD and CD formats on October 27. Those will include Gone Crazy by Grin, and Cry Tough, solo by Nils Logren.

Hip-O Select will also release Live at the Garden: Expanded Edition by James Brown, scheduling the set for James Brown. The title will release as CD and DD on October 27.

Island Records has more Christmas music to issue from Melissa Etheridge to release on October 13. It is called A New Thought For Christmas.

Big Machine Records will release Fearless from Taylor Swift on October 27.

Varese Sarabande will release Bonjour Baby: Greatest Hits Live for The Motels on October 27.

Lost Highway will release Expando from Timothy B Schmit on October 20 on CD, LP, and DD.

Rounder Records will release a DVD for Madeleine Peyroux on October 20 called Somethin' Grand.

More vinyl LP coming for Laroux (Laroux - Interscope on Oct 6); Lyle Lovett (Natural Forces - Lost Highway on Oct 20); Michael Jackson (Michael Jackson: Remix Suites - Motown on Oct 20); and Sting (If On a Winter's Night - Decca US on Oct 27).

If you ever liked Echo and the Bunnymen, Siouxie and the Banshees, and/or killing Joke, then we have a new discovery for you. The Opposite Sex from DC has returned with an EP that juice those of you who appreciate good talent and that draws influence from the music that you loved in the past.

Their new (09/01) EP, Live + Burn follows their Violent Heartstrings from 2007 with more great music. I'll be surprised if you DON'T like 'em. To get you started, they are gifitng you with a free downloadable MP3 from the EP, "Frozen Heart, Frozen Mind."

They can be sampled further at their MySpace, Facebook, and LastFM. You can even follow 'em on Twitter.

Nettwerk Records will digitally release the 4-track EP, named Great Escape, by UK's The Rifles, whom Paul Weller of The Jam has gushed about, on July 28. Later in the year, Nettwerk will release their full-length album, which we'll be sure to cover. Three tracks found on this release will NOT be found on the band's upcoming album. Check 'em out at Facebook, and/or MySpace, and/or their official site.