The sad news today is the loss of Snooks Eaglin, who at 72, succumbed to a heart attack suffered on February 18. After having been diagnosed earlier with cancer of the prostate, it would be a different disease that would take the uniquely talented performer from this world into the next. Having been blind since his very early years of life due to a glaucoma incident, he developed a unique fingernail picking style to play his guitars.

Once again this year, we have been forced to mourn the loss of our historical treasures. Snooks Eaglin is one of those treaures that leaves a wealth of recorded music behind but leaves us in the sad state of missing even the fact that he is somewhere waiting to play another show. He now joins the great band in the big sky, supplying his style of guitar to bring more uniqueness to it. We wish him well in his journey.

Snooks Eaglin
1937-2009
RIP

I have asked for email to provide the next Best of Band Poll but only received one. The suggestion was for Jethro Tull and so Jethro Tull is will be. They have an interesting catalogue that should be fun to dissect. On Monday, I'll unveil the Poll and let you vote away with all the commentary that you want. However, there will not be a breakdown until I return back from my trip, March16. This will provide plenty of time to get your votes in while I gone. (Remember that there will be no posts during the period of March 6 through March 13).

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 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 see you again on Friday. Please enjoy the two provided reviews, You Don't Know Jacq from Jacqui Naylor, and Stream of Thought by ambient artists, Steve Roach and Erik Wollo. As a parting gift (for U2 fans). Here is a link to a video with Brian Eno talking about "Moment of Surrender."

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.

Virgin Records will debut an album by newcomers, My Favorite Highway, a 4-piece band from the DC area, on April 7.  The album is going to be called How to Call a Bluff and will contain eleven tracks, two of which have already been featured on TV series, The Hills (“Bittersweet Life,” “Bigger Than Love”).  You can sample their music at their MySpace page.

Capitol Records will release an eco-friendly (recyclable materials on digipak packaging) of The Best of Merle Haggard, a 10-track selection for Country great, Merle Haggard.  This will be in stores on April 7.  The tracks that will be found on this collection are (“Okie from Muskogee,” “Carolyn,” “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” “Soldier’s Last Letter,” “Everybody’s Had the Blues,” “If We Make it Through December,” “Mama Tried,” “It’s Not Love (But It’s Not Bad),” “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive,” “Sing Me Back Home”).

Cassandra Wilson will release her 7th album via Blue Note Records on April 7.  The new album, an 11-track covers disc, will contain songs like “Time After Time” (Cyndi Lauper); “Lay Lady Lay” (Bob Dylan); “Harvest Moon” (Neil Young); “Last Train to Clarksville” (The Monkees); “The Weight” (The Band); “Wichita Lineman” (Glen Campbell); “Tupelo Honey” (Van Morrison); and four others.  The album is going to be called Closer to You: The Pop Side.

The expected but oft-delayed UK release of one of the crown jewels from Black Sabbath, Paranoid, was originally planned as a 2-disc Deluxe Edition, one of them an SACD.  Now, the set seems to have been transfigured as a 3CD set that will NOT yield an SACD but will, instead, deliver the re-mastered album, a second disc that offers the original Quadrophonic 4-channel mix, and a disc of coveted, previously unreleased materials.  That disc is one with 8 tracks, six of them instrumental versions of familiar songs from the album and the remaining two are alternate lyrical versions.  It is now expected to be released in Europe (UK) on April 6 by Universal Europe.  Thanks to Bill Brooks, who is ALWAYS looking out for me, news-wise.   

Astralwerks Records plan to release Two Suns from UK band, Bat for Lashes on April 7.  If you like Cat Power, you’ll likely like this.

UK trio, Doves, will have their new album released on these shores on April 7.  The album is called Kingdom of Rust, and will be released by Astralwerks. 

Everyone by now should know that the newly formed band consisting of Bun E Carlos (Cheap Trick), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins/A Perfect Circle), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne/Ivy), and Taylor Hanson (Hanson) named Tinted Window will release their debut S/T album on April 21 on S-Curve Records.  This might be interesting to hear.  You can check out their sound on MySpace.

Feelies fan will be VERY happy to know that the not only is the original lineup doing a little touring (March 11 – Carnegie Hall; March 13 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA; March 14 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC), But they will also have their two classic releases (Crazy Rhythms; The Good Earth) reissued in the summer of 2009 WITH bonus tracks.  WhooHoo!!!  I’ll be sure to keep you posted on these awesome reissues!

Ambient music is an extraordinary form of expression that creates far more than many styles of music can. Steve Roach is one of the foremost masters of this form having made many albums in many different ways. He joins with Erik Wollo in an collection of aural paintings that are immediate and diverse. Stream of Thought is aptly titled.

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.