Phish's Mike Gordon Announces New CD

Recorded at Gordon's home studio in Vermont and mixed at The Barn, his former band's studio and art space, The Green Sparrow features special guests Chuck Leavell, Phish's Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell, Bill Kreutzmann, Ivan Neville and horn players from Antibalas.

Since the break up of Phish in 2004, Gordon has participated in many projects, none of which have been purely solo. An artist known for his endless creativity and touring stamina, Gordon took 2007 off from touring and dedicated his time to writing this record. The end result is an eclectic album boasting Gordon's skillful assimilation of free-form rock & roll, calypso, pop and funk that showcases an unexpected side to Gordon's songwriting. - more on this story

Bon Jovi Song To Become Official New Jersey Anthem?

Old School Metal reports: State Sen. Raymond Lesniak will present a letter from rock stars Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora of the band Bon Jovi to students from Pinelands Regional Junior High on June 5.

The letter will be presented in gratitude and support for the campaign the junior high school students have initiated throughout the state to establish Bon Jovi's song, "Who Says You Can't Go Home," as New Jersey's official state song.

The presentation will take place at 11 a.m. in the Senate Chambers at the State House. Lesniak, D-Union, and the civics class students worked together and the bill proposing the state song, is now in committee. - more on this story

Sister Hazel Live Acoustic CD Out Later This Month

PR reports: Gainesville, Florida five-piece Sister Hazel will be releasing a live acoustic album on June 17th. Entitled "Before The Amplifiers, Live Acoustic," the record features sixteen tracks, including the band's hits, fan favorites, and live concert staples, all in a stripped-down, acoustic format.

The album was recorded on January 12th at Nickel and Dime Studios in Atlanta (other bands who have recorded there in the past include Indigo Girls, The B-52's, Shawn Mullins) in front of 100 lucky fans who were chosen at random from over five thousand entries. Family and friends of the band were also in attendance. "Before The Amplifiers" is the perfect collection for both the hardcore band fans (a.k.a. Hazelnuts) and for listeners just discovering the band for the first time.

Says band lead singer Ken Block: "One of my favorite things about our band is that we have always appreciated breaking it down just as much as we love to crank it up. The fans have always connected with the acoustic sets and enjoy the acoustic moments at our bigger shows. They've been asking us to do an acoustic record for as long as we've been a band. - more on this story

Alice Cooper Announces "Killer" Concept Album

Blabbermouth reports: Rock legend Alice Cooper will release his new album, "Along Came A Spider", through SPV/Steamhammer in late July. The CD was co-produced by Greg Hampton and Danny Saber in Los Angeles.

It reportedly features guest appearances by Ozzy Osbourne, who plays harmonica on a track he co-wrote with Cooper, and Slash, who plays guitar on the record as well.

Alice recently told Billboard.biz that his forthcoming LP is "a real 'Alice' album. Conceptually, it's going to be pretty interesting." Cooper wouldn't reveal too many details, but said the album is based on a fictional serial killer named Spider, who wraps his victims in a silk web. "Every song is sort of a letter to the police," he explains. "They think they're investigating it from the outside, but he's actually woven them into the whole thing." - James Patterson and Morgan Freeman had no comment, but go here for tracklist and global release dates.

Martha Wainwright Teaming Up With KT Tunstall For Tour

PR reports: Singer songwriter Martha Wainwright will be touring with KT Tunstall starting August 4 in Northampton, MA. The tour will be in support of Martha's forthcoming album, I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too which Zoe/Rounder will release on June 10.

The album which Elle magazine raved shows off Martha's "…highly intelligent songwriting" has her working with some of the biggest names in music including Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Pete Townshend (The Who), and Garth Hudson (The Band) plus members of Martha's family including mother Kate McGarrigle and brother Rufus Wainwright. The album has been a success at radio with it being one of the most added records with stations KCRW in Los Angeles, WXPN in Philadelphia, KCMP in St. Paul Minnesota and WFUV paving the way. - more on this story

Less Than Jake Preview

PR reports: Less Than Jake's new album GNV FLA will be available June 24th on Sleep It Off Records, the band's new self-owned and controlled indie label. The name of the album pays homage to their hometown of Gainesville, Florida.

The band will hit the US pavement this summer on the "Shout It Loud" tour alongside acts such as Goldfinger, Mustard Plug, Suburban Legends and Big D and the Kids Table.

GNV FLA Track listing: 1. City Of Gainesville 2. The State Of Florida 3. Does the Lion City Still Roar? 4. Summon Monsters 5. Abandon Ship 6. Handshake Meets Pokerface 7. Settling Son 8. Malachi Richter's Liquor's Quicker 9. Golden Age Of My Negative Ways 10. The Space They Can't Touch 11. Conviction Notice 12. This One's Gonna Leave A Bruise 13. The Life Of The Party Has Left The Building 14. Devil In My DNA - Grab a free download of the track "Does the Lion City Still Roar?"

Loudon Wainwright III Set For Recovery

PR reports: Loudon Wainwright III will release his new album "Recovery" on August 19 on Yep Roc. Produced by Joe Henry, "Recovery" is a collection on which he revisits some of his earliest works including classics such as "School Days," "The Man Who Wouldn't Cry," and "Motel Blues."

Recovery came about after co-hort Joe Henry was digging through Wainwright's earliest recordings. After listening, the two realized that the quality and depth of the songs Wainwright wrote in the beginning of his career were undiminished and decided to re-record the previously sparse material with musical heavyweights Greg Leisz, Patrick Warren, David Piltch and Jay Bellerose.

"I called the album 'Recovery' for a number of reasons," Wainwright explains. "The title can be taken so many ways. You could look at it as an archeological dig -- like unearthing some dinosaur bones -- since the newest thing was from 1974. But more importantly, it also carries the connotation of getting better, which is something we'd all like to think we're doing." - more on this story

It's A Clay Aiken Jr

TMZ reports: TMZ broke the bizzaro story in the first place -- that Clay Aiken is having a Claby -- and now we know the sex! No, not Clay's, the Claby!

He's having a boy! Multiple TMZ spies say when the kid takes his first bow in August, there will be gonads attached.

Clay Aiken showed a flair of masculinity last night as he went after TMZ's D.C. photog who wanted some info on the Claby. - Watch the video here

T-Pain Launches Indie Label

PR reports: World renowned producer and No. 1 hit selling artist T-Pain steps into the forefront of the digital music world with the launch of his full service, independent record label, Nappy Boy Digital.

Nappy Boy Digital provides a direct artist to consumer connection as well as an immediate outlet for T-Pain to release his latest and greatest tracks. Without the constraints of the traditional major label machine, Nappy Boy Digital will deliver new music directly into the hands of millions of online music lovers via all the major digital download sites.

T-Pain's longtime rap collaborator, Tay Dizm serves as the first artist on his newly formed label, Nappy Boy Digital. - more on this story

Collective Soul Drummer's New Day Gig

PR reports: Collective Soul/Paul Rodgers drummer Ryan Hoyle announces the opening of Cave Studio in Los Angeles, which specializes in custom drum tracks by Ryan himself. "My concept is to use world class outboard gear to record and export raw drum tracks of the very highest quality providing the very best organic ingredients for the artist/producer to use whatever spices they deem necessary to suit the needs of their particular vision" says Hoyle.

"My goal is to be able to continue to record as much as I can with the added convenience of being able to work at home due to my touring schedule and the obvious high maintenance factor of having to travel and route gear all over the place. It's also a great thing to think about the reality that with current technology I can record a drum track for a producer in Tokyo, London, or even Sydney and deliver it to them during a night's sleep. It is my mission to let the world know that even though I play in this band or with that artist, I am still accessible to record on their project too." - more on this story

Carcass DualDisc Reissue

PR reports: Heartwork, the critically acclaimed album from British death metal legends Carcass, has been reissued and is available in stores in the UK/Europe now.

The classic 1993 album is the second of the five CARCASS studio albums to be reissued and comes fully remastered on a DualDisc (CD and DVD) with part 4 of a mini-documentary series entitled The Pathologist's Report as bonus video material.

The documentary consists of interviews, filmed in London and Liverpool at the end of 2007, featuring the members of Carcass - Ken Owen, Bill Steer, Jeff Walker and Michael Amott - who met up for the first time in ten years and were filmed discussing in-depth the story behind the band's development from their gore-soaked grind beginnings to the more refined melodic moments of their later output.

In addition to the bonus documentary, the Heartwork reissue also comes with an exclusive bonus CD of previously unheard pre-Heartwork demo tracks. - Check out a trailer for the documentary

Jam Cruise Expands

PR reports: Today, Jam Cruise organizers announce the addition of Tea Leaf Green, ALO, Bustle in Your Hedgerow, and a Super Jam led by Robert Walter to Jam Cruise 7. On January 4, 2009, Jam Cruise 7 will depart from Fort Lauderdale for five days and head to Belize City, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico on the elegant MSC Orchestra.

The packed lineup also featuring Les Claypool, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Michael Franti featuring J Bowman, Keller Williams with Moseley, Droll and Sipe, Galactic & the Cruise Krewe, Leftover Salmon, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Martin Sexton and the New Deal, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Garage A Trois, Lettuce, Porter, Batiste & Stoltz, New Mastersounds, Emmitt-Nershi Band, Bonerama, The Lee Boys, The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker, Brock Butler,and DJ Rekha. - more on this story

Willie Nile Remembers Bo Diddley

antiMusic reports: A true rock legend has passed. Bo Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida, according to a statement from his management company. He was 79. Willie Nile has issued a statement remembering Diddley:

I just heard that Bo Diddley passed away. I'm very sad to hear that. As Dave Marsh pointed out in our last interview, it's great that I got to write and record "The Day I Saw Bo Diddley In Washington Square" while he was still alive. The version on the new DVD is really good. I'm really happy about that.

I first saw Bo play when I was in high school in Buffalo, NY. I went with my girlfriend and two friends to a club on the east side of Buffalo called The Pine Grill. We were the only white people in the place. It was an incredible performance, soulful, rockin', lowdown and with rhythm to spare. It was a great night. He raised the roof.

Though people looked at us strangely, wondering what these white kids coming down to a place like this were doing there, it was what you always dream of seeing and experiencing — a master, at the top of his game. - Now about that DVD he mentioned, here is the official PR

. Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8

Let's face it: if you're a Beatles' fan you're going to want to pick up this record. It just goes without saying. Luckily, though, odds are if you love the melodic rock music the Beatles were best at, you'll probably actually dig this album. (4 stars) - Read the full Ringo Starr - Liverpool 8 review

. Last American Buffalo - Marquis For The Debutante

Marquis for the Debutante is constructed well, presented well, plus a pleasant listen, yet, given all its attractiveness (and draw), there is no reason to deeply care or respect the disc in its entirety. (2.5 stars) - Read the full Last American Buffalo - Marquis For The Debutante review

. Epicurean - A Consequence of Design

Epicurean's Metal Blade debut is an interesting and powerful collection of quality metal songs. There are a lot of interesting melodies, as well as the staple characteristic of any good metal record. - Read the full Epicurean - A Consequence of Design review

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