A bookish brew of singer/songwriters have contributed 16-tracks of work directly inspired by a favorite book or written word, ranging from poems and plays, to comic books and Homer's
The Odyssey. Due next month on the Red Ink/United Musicians label, this highbrow project was conceived and created to help fund The SIBL Project, a San Francisco adult literacy program that promotes reading through music, and other national literacy campaigns. Entitled
Songs Inspired By Literature: Chapter One, this adventurous idea features highlights like
Bob Hillman's "Tolstoy," inspired by the opus
War and Peace;
Grace Slick's "Rejoyce," based on James Joyce's
Ulysses;
Ray Manzarek's "He Can't Come Today," riffing on Samuel Beckett's play
Waiting For Godot; and
Aimee Mann's "Ghostworld," a clever take upon Dan Clowes' nervous comic book masterpiece recently turned into a fantastic motion picture. Other artists involved include
Jill Tracy, Bruce Springsteen, Suzanne Vega and Anny Celsi. . . This Tuesday the Hollywood Records label is re-releasing their original motion picture soundtrack to last year's
The Royal Tenenbaums, now expanded with three additional tracks. One of these has my cover-crazy interest - a version of
The Beatles' "Hey Jude" performed by
DEVO's Mark Mothersbaugh and his Mutato Musika Orchestra. . .Heads up to frustrated home recording enthusiasts:
Sigur Ros' upcoming new album was recently recorded in the most unusual of places, a converted in-ground swimming pool in Iceland. . .A stunning new solo album is due next week from
Paul Weller, founder and singer/songwriter of The Jam. Entitled
Days of Speed, the Epic Records release is an 18-track live collection, recorded at various dates on his 2001 European tour, a wonderful all-acoustic setting for his bitter Mod anthems of class-consciousness and alienation. Many of The Jam's finest electric moments are transformed extraordinarily under this pensive stage, with classics like "That's Entertainment," "Town Called Malice," and "English Rose" reaching out full fisted and meaty. . .
John Hiatt's talents look to shine brightly in the upcoming Walt Disney animated film,
The Country Bears, due in theaters late July. On seven tracks written by him especially for the film, Hiatt is joined by a stellar backing band featuring
Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello's Imposters, Tom Petty alumni
Mike Campbell and
Benmont Tench, guitarist
Sonny Landreth, A Perfect Circle's
Josh Freese, and guest vocalists
Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley and E.G. Daily. Other new material comes from
Brian Setzer's "68 Comeback Special and Bela Fleck bassist
Victor Wooten. . .Slithery and serpentine, tender and soulful, I've been held for weeks under the spell of the fluid daybreak melodies and bare guitar wanderings of
Leni Stern's just released album,
Finally the Rain Has Come. As my pick of the week, this folk-jazz masterpiece comes from an intriguing woman -- a German born 17-year career musician who five times has received Gibson Guitars' Female Guitarist of the Year honors, a cancer survivor, and Southern Shaolin martial arts disciple. This new album, her 13th, bears her self-titled record label imprint, and is a soul-stirring homegrown affair, boasting an incredible array of guest players like guitarists
Bill Frisell and
John McLaughlin, percussionist
Zakir Hussain, and saxophonist
Michael Brecker. These sessions are simply magic, reminiscent of Suzanne Vega, Joni Mitchell or Marianne Faithfull, the acoustic finger work of Robyn Hitchcock or Rick Ruskin, or maybe Van Morrison's Moondance vibe, stretching across the human canvas on an intimate, spirited breeze. Flowing between vocal-driven songs and shining instrumental reprise reinterpretations, highlights include "Where Is God" -- a perfect next-door neighbor to XTC's "Dear God" -- and "Love Everyone," a simple puff of possibility built on those two simple words of grace. Heartbreaking and heart-swelling, this comes highly, highly recommended...
Television Alert: David Letterman welcomes songwriter Ben Kweller on Thursday; Jay Leno hosts Trey Anastasio tonight, Papa Roach on Thursday, Nelly on Friday, Hoobastank on Monday, and Jimmy Buffett on Tuesday; Conan O'Brien features Our Lady Peace on Thursday overnight; Craig Kilborn boasts Marshall Crenshaw on Thursday overnight, and Warren Zevon on Friday overnight; and The Bravo Channel's Musicians series gets in depth with Randy Newman on Monday.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, July 2:Ace Troubleshooter - The Madness of the Crowds (Tooth & Nail).
Aerosmith - Oh Yeah: Ultimate Hits (Columbia) 30-tracks over 2-CDs and available in four different 3-D covers.
Green Day - Shenanigans (Reprise) b-sides and rarities collection featuring covers of The Ramones' "Outsider" and The Kinks' "Tired of Waiting For You."
Joy Electric - 1994-2002: The Art and Craft of Popular Music (BEC) 2-CD set of old and new material.
Money Mark - Change Is Coming (Silverline) 5.1 channel DVD audio release.
Oasis - Heathen Chemistry (Epic) produced by Noel Gallagher and featuring the singles "The Hindu Times" and "Stop Crying Your Heart Out."
Ozma - The Double Donkey Disc (Kung Fu) on the main stage of this summer's Warped Tour, this CD collects two Eps.
Lee "Scratch" Perry - Baffling Smoke Signal: The Upsetter Shop Volume 3 (Heartbeat) More mid-1970s reggae classics from The Congos, Hugh Blackwood, and Devon Irons.
The Sillies - America's Most Wanton (Scooch Pooch) LP or enhanced CD collection of Detroit mayhem featuring guest Wayne Kramer of the MC5.
The The - Soul Mining, Infected, Mind Bomb, and Dusk (Epic Legacy) New deluxe remastered editions.
Zen and the Art of Chilling: Volume Two (Mondo Rhythmica) with music from Trans-Global Underground, Jah Wobble with Bill Laswell, and Rollercone.
Voodoo Glow Skulls - Steady As She Goes (Victory) featuring a hidden bonus cover of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs' "Little Red Riding Hood."
Yesterday's Kids - Can't Hear Nothing (Lookout) from Neenah, Wisconsin.
John James can be found via cyberspace at yeahyeah@one.net
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