New Music CDs 4/23/2009

Wide Open
Jason Aldean
CD 781.642 ALD 2009
2009 release, the third album from the successful Country rocker. After selling two million copies of his first two albums, topping the charts with five smash hits, racking up award nominations and hitting every stop on the requisite “new artist” tour circuit for the last three years, Aldean is running full throttle into Spring. As the title implies, Wide Open celebrates the unlimited opportunities life offers, while recognizing the all-too-familiar speed bumps along the way. “She’s Country,” the first single off Wide Open, is now the fastest-rising single of his career to date.

Feel That Fire
Dierks Bentley
CD 781.642 BEN 2009
Dierks Bentley brings you Feel That Fire, his first studio album since the Grammy® nominated 2006 release Long Trip Alone. The rapid chart success of the album’s lead single, ‘Feel That Fire’, already has people buzzing, and is successfully blazing the way for Dierks’ new release, his fifth album from Capitol Records Nashville.

3 Rounds and a Sound
Blind Pilot
CD 781.66 BLI 2008
Blind Pilot sounds something like a wistful mix of The Shins with a bit of Iron & Wine folksiness. But these comparisons don’t give a full representation of the unbelievable beauty of this album.

Approaching Normal
Blue October
CD 781.66 BLU 2009
2009 album from the Texas Post-Grunge quintet. Approaching Normal is Blue October’s follow-up to their platinum-plus selling 2006 album Foiled and the 100k selling Foiled Deluxe. Famed Twilight author Stephanie Meyer says this about the band: ”…there is empathetic power in Blue October’s music – the listener doesn’t just sympathize with the feeling of the song, the listener has no choice but to feel the song as if the emotion was his/her own.” 13 tracks including the first single ‘Dirt Room’.

Free
Gavin DeGraw
CD 781.66 DEG 2009
2009 release, the third album from the multi-platinum singer/songwriter. Free is a collection of songs that showcase the true spirit of his incredible talent. Following up on Gavin’s self-titled sophomore release which included the hit ‘In Love With A Girl’, Free showcases Gavin’s versatility and soulful roots to form a collection of new songs, previously unrecorded fan favorites and a stunning cover of Chris Whitley’s ‘Indian Summer’. Joining Gavin on this record are such virtuosos as Audley Freed on guitar (Black Crowes), and Charley Drayton on drums (Keith Richards, Johnny Cash) who help give Free a rich, organic depth and help take Gavin’s natural ability to create memorable songs into a new direction.

The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
CD 781.66 ELB 2008
Acclaimed for their innovative sound and candid, evocative lyrics, Elbow has received vast critical acclaim and been endorsed by major artists Blur, R.E.M. and U2. Elbow return with a new album, “The Seldom Seen Kid”, their follow up to 2005’s universally acclaimed Leaders Of The Free World and first for Fiction/Geffen Records. In support of the new set Elbow will be coming stateside kicking things off with a show in New York City April 26, 2008 at Webster Hall.

The Mountain
Heartless Bastards
CD 781.66 HEA 2009
The album, entitled The Mountain, delivers the powerful howl that fans expect from the Heartless Bastards, but also weaves in adventure with mandolins, banjos, strings and Erika s transcendent voice.

The Long Fall Back to Earth
Jars Of Clay
CD 781.7 JAR 2009
Track Listing:     The long fall — Weapons — Two hands — Heaven — Closer — Safe to land — Headphones — Don’t stop — Boys (lesson one) — Hero — Scenic route — There might be a light — Forgive me — Heart.

Shine
Martina McBride
CD 781.642 MCB 2009
2009 album from the Country Music favorite. Martina McBride’s illustrious career has produced 22 Top 10 hits, 18 million albums sold, four CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Awards, three ACM Top Female Vocalist Awards, and a Grammy Award. Since her debut album, she has consistently produced timely and thought provoking music and Shine, continues Martina’s musical legacy. The 11-song collection is the first producing collaboration between Dann Huff (Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban) and McBride, and has already spawned a Top 20 smash with ‘Ride’.

Spirit of Apollo
N.A.S.A.
CD 781.649 NAS 2009
N.A.S.A is an ongoing creative collaboration between two lifelong music aficionados, Squeak E. Clean ad DJ Zegon, and their friends, friends of friends and musical heroes. While N.A.S.A. stands for North America/South America and contains a number of superstar artists from both coasts of the US, it is about as far from a tension-building geographical showdown as a record can get. Rather, their Anti debut The Spirit of Apollo was born with the righteous goal of bringing people together through music and art, and that is exactly what masterminds Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) and Ze Gonzales (DJ Zegon) have done. Brazilian funk provides the roots of the songs and binds them together into a cohesive whole, but from there, the imagination behind The Spirit of Apollo ranges far and wide.

Naked Willie
Willie Nelson
CD 781.642 NEL 2009
After establishing himself as a major Nashville songwriter (he wrote “Crazy” for Patsy Cline, among others), Willie Nelson signed his first serious artist contract at RCA in 1964. At that time, the producers and A&R men like Chet Atkins were boss. Singers weren’t allowed to select arrangements, musicians, studios – any of the key factors in making the records the artist has in mind. Willie was constantly frustrated by the syrupy strings, vocal group choruses and generally “slick” final product. Fast forward to 2008. Willie and long-time harmonica player Mickey Raphael are casually wondering what those records would or could sound like if only the multi-track tapes could be tracked down and the songs re-mixed with the original intent in mind. Gone are the strings and gangs of back-up singers. Gone, in fact is most of the production that always “ruined” the songs. NAKED WILLIE is a new collection of 17 vintage RCA sides – spanning 1966-1970 – FINALLY the Willie way.

NOW That’s What I Call Music! 30
Various Artists
CD 781.63 NOW 2009
Track Listing: Just dance (Lady Gaga feat. Colby O’Donis) — Womanizer (Britney Spears) — Keeps gettin’ better (Christina Aguilera) — Let it rock (radio edit) (Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne) — Heartless (album version) (Kanye West) — Miss Independent (album version) (Ne-Yo) — Green light (radio edit) (John Legend feat. André 3000) — Rehab (album version) (Rihanna) — I hate this part (Pussycat Dolls) — Sober (Pink) — Crush (David Archuleta) — About you now (Miranda Cosgrove) — Gives you hell (album version) (All American Rejects) — Light on (David Cook) — 18 days (Saving Abel) — Gotta be somebody (Nickelback) — Thinking of you (Katy Perry) — I’m yours (Jason Mraz) — Love story (US pop mix) (Taylor Swift) — Sweet thing (Keith Urban).

Pineapple Express
Original Soundtrack
CD 781.542 PIN 2008
Soundtrack features New Exclusive End Title Song by Huey Lewis who has become surprisingly visible with appearances on Leno and on stage with Garth Brooks. Radio Awareness Campaign for Huey Lewis Single as well as TV appearances to support the film and perform the song. From the Guy Who Brought You… Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights and Superbad to name a few. New Judd Apatow comedy stars Seth Rogan and James Franco (Spiderman).

Ultra Dance 09
Various Artists
CD 781.554 ULT 2008
Following in the stellar tradition of the Ultra Dance series is this double disc package of all the biggest dance/pop hits impacting now and through 2008 from a collection of gold and platinum artists. Artists include Christina Aguilera, The Killers, David Guetta vs. The Egg, Kelis, Rihanna, Hello Goodbye, Tiesto, and more.

Ultra Dance, Vol. 10
Various Artists
CD 781.554 ULT 2009
10 years in the making, the Ultra Dance series is the longest running and most highly anticipated dance compilation release in North America. Ultra Dance 10 maintains the series’ reputation for hosting the hottest tunes and mixes of the year. The 2009 release features an incredible exclusive track, T.I. feat. Rihanna ‘Live Your Life’ and also includes Britney Spears, Flo Rida feat. Will.i.am, Estelle, Plies feat. Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Usher, Chris Brown, Kid Cudi and many more. This special decade edition of Ultra Dance is mixed by none other than Jason Nevins, famed remixer, chart-topping producer and DJ at NYC’s legnedary radio station, Z100.

Defying Gravity
Keith Urban
CD 781.642 URB 2009
Keith Urban is an artist in all aspects of the word. He carefully crafts the songs he records, tweaking lyrics and melodies until they are just right. Keith might argue that a song is never perfect, but judging from the rapid success of his latest single, “Sweet Thing,” fans do not agree. After only ten weeks on the chart, the lead single from Keith’s March 31st release, Defying Gravity, has already cracked the Top-10!

Hideaway
The Weepies
CD 781.66 WEE 2008
Track Listing: Can’t go back now — Orbiting — Hideaway — Wish I could forget — All good things — Little bird — Antarctica — How you survived the war — Not dead yet — Old coyote — Just blue — Lighting candles — Takes so long — All this beauty.