I have a favour to ask of bands and artists popping out albums, how about releasing fewer songs? Sound strange? Not really. In an era with a tsunami of albums being released by even more bands and artists, the "need" to provide "value" by releasing 13-16 songs on a single release has us forgetting you quicker than we should be.

Here's the reality: In an age where we have CDs capable of holding so much, the tendency is to fill it or we feel like we've wasted it. But what if the songs are mediocre with a few better than average. Yeah, we get a lot of songs, but the songs aren't that memorable. And when we don't remember the album for the 15 "okay" songs (forget the one song that might be fantastic; that's downloadable as a song that will get lost on an iPod), we quickly forget the artist. And history is rife with one-hit wonders. Want to become greater than the one song? Write fewer songs. Concentrate on creating 6-7, maybe 8 great tracks, do it consistently, and you could be more than a footnote in Rock's history.

Take a walk back in time and make a mental note of how many artists and bands that are remembered. There's plenty. Now count their tracks on each release. Ask me (or anyone else from those eras) and they'll tell you the great songs on any of the albums. They can sing them, they know every note...of most every song. But with 12-16 tunes per album, not only is your probability of writing stronger songs compromised, but you have tested my patience with having to go through that many songs. I'm probably hitting next on the player more than I want to.

But it doesn't end here. I'm fully immersed in new music - hunting it down, listening to it, and then raving about the ones that I like. But with so much music out there and full albums, it becomes overwhelming. Even in decades past, there were those that put out too much. A case in point (and at the risk of enraging some), Springsteen's The River would have had more impact as a single album. It became too diluted for me as a 2LP set, and as a result, I just don't mesh that favourably with it. And it HAS great songs on it. but it is overwhelmed by a batch of mediocre tunes.

Do all of us a favour and give us substance. Take the time. Write great songs. Put the best 6-8 on an album and leave the rest for other things. Be choosy, be selective. Be brave. Be daring. I promise that we'll remember you more (and clamor for more)!

We had a death that was reported recently although it happened in June. Noted designer, and album cover producer, Tom Wilkes passed away on June 28 of a heart attack. But before he left us, he had created some of the endearing covers like Janis Joplin's Pearl, The Who's Tommy, The Rolling Stones' Beggar's Banquet, Neil Young's Decade, and Harvest. and many others. But much more than that, he designed the iconic poster styles from the late '60s. While we may not have known Wilkes' name personally, we certainly connected to him by our admiration of his covers and designs. He left behind a wonderfully legacy and we're here to acknowledge it. Thanks, Tom, for your brilliance. I can only imagine the work you'll have ahead of you with the Great Band, what with their need for posters and cover artwork.

Tom Wilkes
1939-2009
RIP

We're starting a new Best of Band Poll today. but this time, we're going with a solo artist, Neil Diamond. Love him or hate him, he's had a series of periods and plenty of recorded albums to challenge our Poll greatly. I myself am a big fan. It is very difficult to select one for me (not as difficult to banish some though) as there are several that, at any given time, really works for me. One is Serenade. There are eight strong tracks on this album, all of which i can listen to forever. Another is Moods. And those two are not alone. Now here's the thing: Because this will create some soul-searching for a lot given his large catalogue, it is logical to do this Poll now even though I will be gone from the site until August 3 (beginning July 20; July 17 is last post until the 3rd) and will not be able to post results until then. So give it a think and then vote for the Best of Neil Diamond.

No reviews today.

Before we go, I need to tell you (and I'm ashamed to do so) but I find that I will, once again, be absent for a period and that TAP will be dark during that period. Worse, it's coming up. There will be a July 17 post but then the next post will not happen again until <gulp> August 3. But after that we should be good the rest of the year with the usual breaks for holidays. We'll be back on Wednesday!

More Great Album Covers.

Here's the next batch of Great Album Covers. This list was so large that I have to break it up into two posts (resumes on Wednesday) They come from Daniel H. Some of you have taken this Poll seriously (and I'm pleased that you did.):

Warner Brothers will add a vinyl LP to their schedules for August 18. They will release a 2LP (180g) of The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips that will come with a bonus CD.

Nettwerk Records will release an LP of Red by Datarock, planned for August 25. Nettwerk also plans a vinyl LP config for Aim & Ignite by Fun, same date.

Epic Records has vinyl LP coming for the new releases by Matisyahu (Light - August 25); and Modest Mouse (No One's First; And You're Next - August 18).

The upcoming 20th Anniversary Edition of the S/T album, The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses, will not only be released in multiple celebratory CD editions, but also on vinyl LP, scheduled for August 11.

Shout! Factory will release Essential 3.0 for the Marshall Tucker Band, planned for September 1.

Legacy Recordings has two Commander Cody titles coming on DD (Digital Download) planned for July 14 of Flying Dreams (1978), and Rock 'n' Roll Again (1977). They will also release a DD version of 2300 Jackson Street by The Jacksons, same date.

Watch for a DD version of Here Comes the Night by David Johansen. It will come with a bonus track. Scheduled to be released on July 14.

Other July 14 Legacy DDs scheduled will include Shouting and Pointing (1976) by Mott (the remains of Mott the Hoople minus Ian Hunter); Shot Forth Self Living (1992), and The Buried Life (1993) by Medicine; Subject...Aldo Nova (1983), and Twitch (1985) by Aldo Nova; Dance (1976), and Just Fly (1978) by Pure Prairie League; Forever (1980), and Camoflage (1983) by Rex Smith; and Hour of the Wolf (1975) by Steppenwolf.

Other Legacy DD releases include a batch for Bill Withers on July 21. Those include 'Bout Love (1979), + 'Justments (1974), Making Music (1975), and Naked & Warm (1976).

Varese Sarabande will release a CD collection for Gladys Knight & The Pips of her '60s output called Absolutely the Best - The 60s. This is slated for August 25.

Hollywood favours an industrial style of music when soundtracking for their high energy action films.  Good reasoning as that style of music is like audio adrenaline and seems to engage the listener with heart-pounding effect.  And within a film that stars the current energetic action hero, Jason Statham, such music just seems right.

Composed and performed by Mike Patton of Faith No More/Fantomas fame, this experimentally  industrial 32-track set is the wired, standalone music from the Statham vehicle, Crank: High Voltage.  It is a definite fan-set as it is quite musically inconsistent, transitioning from one track to another.  But Patton fans are used to the eclectic manner in which he works and so a set like this should be satisfying to them.  But traditional soundtrack buyers should beware.  What works with visual counterparts within the film, may be bizarre in a non-visual environment.   ** ½

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.