Ok.

I’ve blathered on quite a bit last week and so thought that I’d clam up to give you a break.  But judging by the amount of emails I receive on a daily basis after I let lose with my keyboard, you kind of like that overload.  My last little jabber about the amount of songs found on a CD versus the amount of songs found on an LP and the likely quality issue as a result sure sent you to your email fast enough.  I received around 30 lengthy replies, all fascinating reads.  But today, I’ll do better with something way more fun and long-lasting.  My infatuation with the NYC band, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart has yielded a 3 CD giveaway of that debut by their label, Slumberland Records.  Not only are we pleased with Slumberland for their willingness to spread a little of that greatness around, but we’re excited that at least three lucky winners of today’s contest is going to be getting a CD copy of the band’s debut release.  We’re going to let the contest run through the week and will announce the winners on March 2, which is next Monday.

As always, we make it simple.  Just click the album cover below to enter and provide pertinent info (which will NOT be made public in any way).  I will randomly pick three to award the discs to.  But do me a favour.  Read my review of the album.  Visit their MySpace/Facebook pages.  There are even several free downloadable MP3s ("Come Saturday" / "Everything With You") to be found at their original site.  If you find that you’re intrigued, then submit your name and address for a chance to win a free copy of the album.  But if you find that the band is not to your liking, increase the chances for someone else by not submitting your name.

I want to inform you that Leonard Cohen has set his string of US/Canadian dates commencing almost immediately.  IF you’re going to catch this legend, NOW is the time to snag your tickets.  Head over to Pollstar or TicketMaster for more information on his upcoming tour, which will surely be his last.  How lucky we are!!!

I have uploaded a review of the self-titled effort from The Harry Waters Band, which I think you might find of interest. Be sure to check it out. in addition, I've included a review of the upcoming U2 album, No Line on the Horizon.

Next week, I’ll reintroduce an old readers’ favourite by starting another Band’s Best Album Poll.  I haven’t decided which band to use although I do have a few in mind (J Geils Band, Foghat, Grand Funk Railroad, The Police).  If you have a suggestion, drop me a line.  Results from that Poll will be made available on March 16

I also want to mention at this point that I will have to be gone from TAP for a short period.  It will be from March 6 through March 13.  There will be a post on March 4 with the next planned for March 16.  We have another hiatus scheduled for June but I’ll be sure to let you know in plenty of time for that one.

We’ll be back on Wednesday.

For the long promised Albums You MUST Hear Before You Die! list (#38), I will be posting a letter each post until exhausted (there were only 17 21 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 emails).  Some were only a few titles, some only one.  But there were more than a few that were massive and a few extended, well-detailed lists.  I’ll post them as I received them.  For today's post, someone has inventoried and catalogued a few selections. Two more left to go.

KMFDM
            Naïve – Hell To Go
            Angst
            NIHIL
            Xtort
            Symbols
Enya
            Watermark
            Shepherd Moon
Moby
            Play
ATB
            Two Worlds
            Movin’ Melodies

Celtic Voice
Women of Song

Leftfield
Leftism

Future Sound of London
Lifeforms <album>
Dead Cities

Crystal Method
Vegas

Barenaked Ladies
Stunt

Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine
The Downward Spiral
The Fragile

Chicane
Far From the Maddening Crowd
Behind the Sun

Peter Gabriel
Passion
Up

Corrs
Forgiven, Not Forgotten
Talk On Corners
In Blue
Various Live albums

Aural Ecstasy
The Best of Techno

Depeche Mode
Music for the Masses
Violator
Songs of Faith and Devotion
Playing the Angel <SACD 5.1 or DTS>

Brilliant – Various House artists
Vol. 1 & 4

Paul Oakenfold
Travelling

The Orb
Adventure Beyond the Ultraworld
U.F. Orb

Tresor Vol. 2
Berlin – Detroit Alliance

Sarah Mclachlan
Touch
Solace
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
Surfacing
Remixed

MDFMK
MDFMK <Japanese Version>

Pig
Wrecked
Sinsation
The Swining/Red Raw & Sore

Utah Saints
Utah Saints  

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.

Atlantic Records has a new album on the calendar from a band named Halestorm.  The album is self-titled (S/T) and will be released on April 28.  More on this band as we get it however, I would encourage you to sample their stuff on MySpace and/or Facebook.

WEA group will be reissuing classic albums in LP format that include Déjà Vu Live (2LP) by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as two Green Day albums, Kerplunk! and 39/smooth.  These three LP sets (180g) will be available on March 24, all from Reprise Records.

Pop singer, Lady GaGa will have a 12” vinyl single released as well as CD MaxiSingle of her upcoming remix title, Poker Face Remixes.  Both formats are expected on March 10 by Interscope Records.

Hip-O Select will release You Never Can Tell: His Complete Chess Recordings – 1960-1966 for Chuck Berry.  This collection is slated for release on April 7.

Mercury Records has a Live set for Cinderella called Authorized Bootleg: Live at the Tokyo Dome – 12/31/90.  It is planned for release on March 31.

Fania Records will re-release El Juicio from Willie Colon in their ongoing Masterworks series.  It is being planned for release on March 31.

Geffen Records plan to release two Lynyrd Skynyrd Live sets, both on March 31.  The titles are from the Authorized Bootleg Live series and are Authorized Bootleg: Live at The Cardiff Capitol Theatre 11/4/75, and Authorized Bootleg: Live Winterland San Francisco 1976.

Geffen Records will also release an Authorized Bootleg series title for Muddy Waters called Authorized Bootleg: Live at the Fillmore Auditorium – San Francisco 1966.  This is planned for March 31.

UMe Imports has a wide selection of Digital albums reissues coming on March 10.  They include the following albums by the following artists: Boomtown Rats (The Boomtown Rats; In the Long Grass; The Fine Art of Surfacing); Roy Ayers (Destination Motherland – The Roy Ayers Anthology); Jack Bruce (Live at Manchester Free Trade Hall 1975 – 2CD); Burning Spear (Jah Kingdom; Jah No Dead – An Introduction to Burning Spear); James Burton (The Guitar Sounds of James Burton); John Cale (Fear); Charlatans UK (Up at the Lake); Gene Clark (White Light); Sandy Dennis (Like an Old Fashioned Waltz; North Star Grassman and The Ravens; Rendezvous; Sandy); The Flying Burrito Brothers (The Gilded Palace of Sin and Burrito Deluxe); Free (Chronicles 2CD); Joe Jackson (The Collection); Kubb (Mother); Lighthouse Family (Greatest Hits); John Martyn (Bless the Weather; Inside Out; London Conversation; Sunday’s Child; The Tumbler); Mission UK (Carved in Sand; Children; The First Chapter); Moody Blues (A Question of Balance; Days of Future Passed – 2CD Deluxe Edition; In Search of the Lost Chord – 2CD Deluxe Edition; On the Threshold of a Dream; To Our Children’s Children’s Children – 2CD Deluxe Edition); Bill Nelson (Chimera – Remastered; Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam; The Love That Whirls [Diary of a Thinking Man]); Mike Oldfield (Light and Shade – 2CD); Graham Parker (You Can’t Be Too Strong – An Introduction to Graham Parker); Siouxie and The Banshees (Join Hands; Juju; The Scream; The Scream – 2CD Import; Twice Upon a Time – The Singles [82-92]); Small Faces (From the Beginning); Pulp (Intro – The Gift Recordings); Lee “Scratch” Perry (From the Secret Laboratory); Sparks (Big Beat; Indiscreet; Kimono My House; Propaganda); Dusty Springfield (Living Without Your Love; White Heat); Style Council (Greatest Hits; The Sound of The Style Council); Taste (Taste); Ten Years After (Stonedhenge; Ten Years After; Undead); The Bluetones (A Rough Outline: The Singles and B-Sides – 1995-2003); Thin Lizzy (Fighting); Richard and Linda Thompson (I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight); Ultravox! (Ha!Ha!Ha!; System of Romance; Ultravox!); Paul Weller (Fly on the Wall: B-Sides and Rarities – 1991-2000; Heliocentric; Hit Parade; Live Wood; Paul Weller; Stanley Road); Velvet Underground (The Very Best of Velvet Underground); and Yello (Flag; One Second; Solid Pleasure; Stella; You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess).

Whew!!  But True!

Other Digital Downloads being released are Departure by Jesse McCartney (Hollywood Records – April 7); Genius! – The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection (Ray Charles – Concord Records – April 7); and Unstoppable by Rascal Flatts (Hollywood Records – April 7).

The new album by one pf the world's largest band, U2, is being physically released on March 3 in various forms including a magazine. While the incarnations of the album's release might be a bit of overkill, especially when you consider the extraordinary costs of a few of those issues, they do represent a bit of a collectible side for those that are collectors. No Line on the Horizon is a 'shaken' album of of historical U2 and new U2. To be sure, you'll get what you want from this one.

You're in for a treat when you hear this album of Jazz treatments for songs that you know very well. Songs like "Won't Get Fooled Again" (The Who); a wonderful translation of "Elephant Talk" (King Crimson), "Killer Queen" (Queen), "The Rain Song" (Led Zeppelin), and eight other delightful renditions. Second Season from Wave Mechanics Union is a fun time with music.