Friday Random Five (#21)

The Random Five makes (yet) another random appearance today with an emphasis on upcoming releases-- not really a problem this time of year. But enough chit-chat.

1- Jill Sobule's written a new song about global warming that doesn't suck despite that description. The timing was about right, too, since up until the last couple of days (which have cruelly reminded many of us what season this is), most parts of the U.S. were experiencing what some deemed shuffleboard weather. In any case, it was nearing 70 in New York City: "Manhattan in January" (MP3).

2- The upcoming tribute to The Band, entitled Endless Highway sports a fairly schizophrenic set of artists, from the Allman Brothers to Gomez to Death Cab for Cutie, who contributed a subdued version of "Rockin' Chair" (MP3). The release is out January 30th.

3- Speaking of covers-- and we're suckers for covers, particularly people we like covering the songs of other people we like-- Rosie Thomas, joined by Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer, does a rather haunting version of R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" (MP3) on her upcoming release These Friends of Mine. The March release from the trio also includes a version of Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird."

4- As for new original material, or give me death is the title of the second Barsuk release from David Terry's Aqueduct. The same band that brought you nostalgia with the song "Growing Up With GnR," now brings you pop bliss on "As You Wish" (MP3) from the new album, out February 20th.

5- Finally, one of the consistently good bands out there whose stuff we will always buy is Duluth, Minnesota's Low. While the band opted for a meatier, guitar-drenched sound for their last outing The Great Destroyer, this go around there appears to be another new element in the mix: the atmospheric blips and bleeps of electronica (not that you'll mistake them for Stereolab). Drums & Guns is out in March on Sub Pop, "Breaker" (MP3) is on it.


enjoy. rinse. repeat.