Do you get the feeling that we're turning into a generation that desires and opts for less physical storage with the trade off being immense access to more music over someone else's servers? I recently read where DVD sales are beginning to tank with more and more people starting to rent. I began to wonder how much longer before we utilize a paid service that allows for streaming of film to our TVs but we don't own the actual movie. The library of the streaming service would have to be immense but we would not have to store our burgeoning physical property any longer. That news also got me to thinking about our state of music acquisition. With more and more people opting for digital downloads, how much longer before we shun physical acquisitions altogether. Recently, I read of a service called Spotify (now in beta service) that is basically an online service that allows you to stream as much music as you can stand to hear. With the proliferation of smart-phones that are essentially changing the way that we acquire and listen to our music, how long before such a service is useable on our iPhones, Storms, etc and there is no longer a need for CDs or LPs of any form. I'm betting that the origins of such a change is just around the corner. This becomes a subject for another day. Right now, it is just a rumination. An interesting rumination.

And while I'm at it, here's another. There was so much important music made back in the '60s and '70s, much of it that that looked at a failing war (Vietnam), and the worsening ecology (yes, even then some of us thought about it). While I can think of a hundred titles and songs that are just as lyrically prevalent today as they were back then, none impact me as much as What's Going On by Marvin Gaye. There were three hits on this album - click titles for lyrics -, all emotionally charged works that look at our ridiculous involvement in a useless foreign war ("What's Going On," with lines like "brother, brother, brother, there's far too many of you dying" and "father, father, we don't need to escalate. you see, war is not the answer..."), our abuse of our own lands on "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," with lines like "where did all the blue skies go" and "What about this overcrowded land" and many more thoughts); and the despair of a human trying to get ahead on "Inner City Blues (Make me Wanna Holler)" with lines like "Inflation, no chance to increase finance, bills pile up sky high, send that boy off to die" and "This ain't livin'" and "Make Me Wanna Holler the way that do my life"). The rest of the album is filled with more songs along these lines (on "What's Happening, Brother," Gaye sings "War is Hell, when will it end," and "Can't find no work, can't find no job, my friend, money is tighter than it's ever been." In short, the times we live in now replicate somewhat the times past. This album was recorded in 1971 during a bad period of time when a recession was stifling the lives of our parents and families, and a senseless war was at its peak. I'll not spout off my personal political beliefs here but my point here is that there is a lot of great historic music that is just as important today as the day they were released. Marvin Gaye's unmatched What's Going On is one of them. Now, for fun and the importance of such choices, email your pick for an album or song that is just as prevalent today as the day it was released. I want to be reminded just how conscious we were back in those days during our bad times and how more so we need to be now. Send me your selections here at this link.

The voting for our new Best of Band Poll is quite vigorous.  In just the first day alone, we received more than 30 emails.  I suspect that this will be one of our more popular ones (Jethro Tull) but, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until my return to the site on March 16 for the Poll results.  Remember, we’ll not be posting from the period of March 6 through March 13 but will have one up on March 16.  We’ve left you with lots of material to pore over and we PROMISE to consistently Twitter news from the road on new, upcoming releases.  You can access that by signing up for a Twitter account (it is very, VERY easy) and watching on your PC (or Cell-phone if you turn on text feeds) for new info.  Or you can just return here to catch up on the Twitter widget.  This widget will not be here forever but is a short-term solution for those who have yet to sign on.  So don’t miss any new and on-the-spot announcements on our Twitter feeds.  Often, these blasts precede a post by several days, and some may never be posted.  It’s a cool exclusivity routine.

We’ll be leaving you with three reviews.  One review is for the EP,simply entitled EP, by a pretty good band called The Library. We also have the pleasure to introduce a new reviewer to our fold by the name of Douglas Bice. On his first review, he spins the album by Christopher Hawley Rollers called The Roots of the Tree. And the next review covers two albums and is accompanied by a real cool contest. Gary Wright, who has enjoyed fame with his top-selling Dreamweaver album, has released two albums late in 2008. One is a 6-track full-length ambient album called Waiting to Catch the Light, while the other is a 4-track EP called The Light of a Million Suns. Now for the cool contest. We have a copy of Gary Wright's popular Dreamweaver CD that is autographed. A pretty cool deal if you ask me. I'd like to win this one myself as I have many autographed albums that I collect. All you have to do is the usual drill. Send me email with info (never shared). This gives you a chance to win this disc. Good luck. Winner will be announced on March 16.

We’ll see you again on March 16, sooner on Twitter.

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 will reissue the 1960 album from John Coltrane named Giant Steps as a 2LP set in 180g standard.  It is re-mastered in 45RPM, and will be a Limited Edition, numbered, set with slip-case packaging that replicates the original tape box of the album.  This is scheduled for release on April 7 by Rhino Records/Atlantic.

Rhino also plans to release a 3CD/1DVD career-spanning Box set for Erasure called Total Pop! – Deluxe Box.  The accumulated songs that make up this set include a re-mastered version of the Erasure ‘best of,’ Pop! – The First 20 Hits (1992).  Additionally, the set will feature 19 singles selections from 1994 through 2007.  The third CD will contain a collection of Live recordings from 1987 through 2007.  The DVD wil feature video recordings of BBC appearances between the periods of 1986 through 2005, including appearances on Top of the Pops, Daytime Live, and The Tom O’Connor Roadshow.  The 76-page booklet will feature, amongst many things, new sleeve notes, and a new interview.  Fans won’t want this miss this important Box set with the best of Erasure moments.  Currently scheduled for April 7. 

Grateful Dead Records have two massive sets in the works for April 7 that include a 3CD accumulation of a previously unreleased show recorded at The Hartford Civic Center in Hartford CT (May 28, 1977).  The show was recorded two month before the release of Terrapin Station.  The set, called To Terrapin: Hartford ’77, is mastered in HDCD as all Grateful Dead material on WEA releases are, and will be presented in a Deluxe 6-panel digipak packaging.  There are 21 songs on this set.  Additionally, Grateful Dead Records will release a Limited Edition, 9CD Box of Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings, which will feature 72 wonderful Dead Live tracks.  There will ONLY be 7000 units of this classic November 1973 set of shows, so if you want a piece if this, don’t hesitate to order yours, even pre-order. Just look at that beautiful package (shown below).

Signed on the strength of being one of MySpace’s Top 10 unsigned bands, this new album from Single File called Common Struggles, will be released by Reprise Records on April 7 in CD, LP, and DD forms.  Catch a sampling of their music at their MySpace page.

Nonesuch Records will release Sara Watkins’ S/T debut solo album on April 7.  Sara Watkins hails from Nickel Creek, and therefore should be no stranger to many music fans.  There will be 14 tracks on this release.

Time/Life Records will release a single disc CD of unreleased Gospel recordings from the Country legend, Hank Williams.  The collection, culled from radio recordings for the Mother’ Best Flour radio show, is called The Unreleased Recordings: Gospel Keepsakes and will be released on April 7.

Time/Life will also release a DVD for Tom Jones that collects the best moments from the Tom Jones’ variety show back in the late ‘60s/ early ‘70s (1969-1971).  This is the third volume in this series and is called This is Tom Jones: What’s New Pussycat?  There are plenty of appearances in this set including Mama Cass Eliot, George Carlin, Tim Conway, Bee Gees, Sergio Mendes, and others.  This DVD set will be released on April 7, retailing for $14.99.

Shout! Factory will release a 4CD Box for Richard Thompson that will gather select materials from the years spent with Fairport Convention, duets with wife, Linda, and his solo efforts, all spanning some 40 years. With 71 tracks that represent some live materials, including some collaborations, as well as originals, Walking on a Wire: Richard Thompson (1968-2009) will be a definitive look back at a career filled with greatness. This set is slated for release on June 30. Essential!!

Don’t forget the Genesis Box (1970-1975), which contains the early albums of Genesis from the Peter Gabriel-era (Trepass/Nursery Cryme/Foxtrot/Selling England by the Pound/The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway).  This will be re-released as a Vinyl Box (6LP/180g) on April 7 from Rhino Records.

Rhino Records has announced plans to release the new album by New York Dolls called Cuz I Sez So, on May 5.

Eagle Rock Entertainment has several DVDs on the horizon that include 2 versions of Skullage from Metal band, Black Label Society.  In addition, there will also be Edited and PA versions of the CD planned as well.  All hit the stores on April 21.

Island Records will release an Elton John DVD called The Red Piano, scheduling for May 5.

Verve Records will release Virgo Red by Roy Ayers on June 9.  Also on June 9, Verve will release an interesting covers album by Quincy Jones called Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini.  ( I would LOVE, absolutely LOVE to hear a Quincy Jones take on “Experiment in Terror” from the 1962 film of the same name.  Eventually, that music was a signature theme to many Friday/Saturday night monsters shows that so many of us remember – but may not know).

Rounder Records will release One Hundred Years From Now by ex-Styx mainstay, Dennis DeYoung.  This is a title I will enjoy hearing.  It is planned for release on April 14.  Rounder will also release a Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver title called Lonely Street, planned for release on May 5.

Vagrant Records will release a S/T debut by the band known as Fact.  It is currently scheduled for release on April 14.

A&M Records will release Roadsinger by Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), planning the release for May 5.

Motown Records will release Anthology for Rick James, scheduling the compilation for April 14.

Mercury Records will add a title to the Authorized Bootleg series with one from KISS.  This one will be Authorized Bootleg: Nashville Municipal Auditorium 1998.  It is on the slate for May 26.

UMe Imports pans to release Live at the BBC for The House of Love on April 14.

Motown Records will release Against the Grain by The Veer Union on April 21.

Verve Records will release Quiet Nights by Diana Krall on March 31.

Christopher Hawley and his Rollers band has crafted an album that the artists himself is quite sure of. The Roots of the Tree contains tracks, both Live and Studio, many with the raw edge of rock and roll, southern style. But there is much more going on here that deserves to be paid attention to.

The Library is making some very exciting music, showcased on their preceding 4-track EP whilst they cook up the real deal full length. But from what we've heard, we're gonna like the upcoming album quite a bit, maybe even more than that. Check out their music on MySpace (link in the review).