The Crossing - January/February 2012

Okay, so uh, feels like it's been a while since I posted one of these. You're thinking, it has been a while since you've posted one of these.

Let's get back up to speed here. The January listing below may look familiar as it was also part of the December edition of The Crossing, however I have added quite a few releases to the list so look extra carefully thru to the start of the February part of the list. At which point you will want to look even more closely. There's a whole lot here and there seems to be a whole lot more coming as the year progresses. It's obvious that bands and artists are not waiting for Spring to Spring to spring their new music on us. Even the mighty Van Halen just unleashed their new album upon the world and February is just getting started. It had only been 28 years...why wait any longer!?! I've heard the album. I won't say it's got the hooks and instantly memorable songs as Van Halen has had in years past, and I won't say it's necessarily anything we haven't already heard guitar-wise from Mr. Edward Van Halen, BUT, that being said, I will say, Edward and his brother Alex are absolutely and possibly literally ON FIRE (no pun intended) throughout this ENTIRE 50 minute album. When you get to, ahem, a certain age, and the guys you used to listen to are STILL GETTING it done musically it's pretty exciting and I'd even go so far as to say inspirational. Because you can still say to the young ones coming up, see, this is how it was done and they are STILL getting it done! I'd even say there's a few decent couplets from Mr. David Lee Roth included as seen in the lyric sheet accompanied with the album. And that's not something I'd ever say in the past from a Van Halen album, at least, not a David Lee Roth led album. Anyhow, it's a fun listen if you want to hear Eddie scorch the Earth again!

For real lyrical prowess, you have the likes of Craig Finn, Kathleen Edwards, Ezra Furman, Jim White, Josh Ritter, Kevn Kinney, Darrell Scott, Leonard Cohen and seemingly countless others in the list below.

And wait 'til you hear the haunting, amazing vocals of the Soderberg sisters from Sweden, better known as First Aid Kit. New release _The Lion's Roar_ listed below. So, you know what to do, look carefully, choose wisely and always listen reasonably loudly!

And, oh yea, remember to check out The Crossing on Facebook! Recently released and not mentioned in last edition:

* Bill Mallonee - ‘Wonderland’ EP and 'Songs for the Journey  & Beyond: WPA, Vol.12' and 'Slow Dark Demos: Archive Series, Vol. 1'
* The Jelly Jam - Shall We Descend (Featuring Ty Tabor of King's X.)
* The Barr Brothers - S/T
* Tender Mercies - S/T (Featuring two Counting Crows members.)
* Grouplove - Never Trust a Happy Song
* Future Islands - On the Water
* Quiet Company - We are All Where We Belong
* Manic Street Preachers - National Treasures: Best of
* Rik Emmett - Recovery Room 9 (covers.)
* The Outfield - Replay

1/3
* Guided by Voices - Let’s Go Eat the Factory
+ Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live 2005
+ Chris Isaak - Live 2005
+ Cage the Elephant - Live from the Vic in Chicago
+ The Scorpions - Live in 3D
+ The Last Lions (Documentary.)
+ Don’t be Afraid of the Dark
+ The Guard
+ Contagion
+ I Don’t Know how She does It
+ Shark Night

1/10
* Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires
* Safetysuit - These Times
* Red Wanting Blue - From the Vanishing Point
* The Little Willies - For the Good Times (Featuring Norah Jones.)
* Van Morrison - Live on Air
+ Higher Ground
+ 1911
+ Moneyball
+ Killer Elite
+ What’s Your Number?

1/17
* Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur
* Ani Difranco - Whose Side Are You On?
* Old Monk - Birds of Belize
* The Big Pink - Future This
* Jesse Baylin - Little Spark
+ Mysteries of Lisbon
+ The Ides of March
+ Abduction

1/24
* Craig Finn - Clear Heart, Full Eyes (Frontman of The Hold Steady.)
* First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
* Nada Surf - The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy
* John K. Samson - Provincial
* Wilco - iTunes Session
* Martin Sexton - Fall Like Rain EP
* Abigail Williams - Becoming
* Rodrigo y Gabriela - Area 52 (w/Cuban band.)
* Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline * Lamb of God - Resolution
* The Scorpions - Comeblack (covers and re-recordings.)
* The Doors - L.A. Woman (40th anniversary deluxe.)
* Genesis - From Genesis to Revelation (remastered.)
* Glen Campbell - Live in Japan
* Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan honoring 50 years of Amnesty International
 (4 CD's and a who's who of artists.)
+ U2 - From the Sky Down (‘Achtung, Baby’ documentary.)
+ Mozart’s Sister
+ Real Steel
+ 50/50
+ The Whistleblower

1/31
* Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas
* Darrell Scott - Long Ride Home
* Richard Thompson - Live at Celtic Connection
* Metallica - Beyond Magnetic (4 song EP.)
* Ruthie Foster - Let it Burn
* Gretchen Peters - Hello Cruel World
* Mike Doughty - The Question Jar Show
* Gotye - Making Mirrors
* Son of Levi - Always
* Seryn - This is Where We Are
* Hospitality - S/T
* The Pines - Dark So Gold
* Buxton - Nothing Here Seems Strange
* Astral Doors - Jerusalem
* My Ticket Home - To Create a Cure
* King Giant - Dismal Hollow
* Ringo Starr - Ringo 2012 * Seal - Soul 2
* Blue Cheer - a few reissues + Queen - Days of Our Lives (Documentary.)
+ Radiohead - King of Limbs: Live from the Basement
+ Styx - Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight: Live
+ The Double
+ Dream House
+ Drive
+ The Big Year
+ In Time
+ The Thing
+ The Other F Word (Music Documentary.)

2/7
* Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth (w/David Lee Roth; first album together in 28 years.)
* Paul McCartney - Kisses on the Bottom
* Fred Eaglesmith - 6 Volts
* The Fray - Scars and Stories
* Ezra Furman - The Year of No Returning
* Ben Kweller - Go Fly a Kite
* Jenny Owen Youngs - An Unwavering Band of Light
* Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
* Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks
* The Lemonheads - Hotel Sessions
* Duke Spirit - Bruiser
* Bahamas - Barchords
* Silverstein - Short Songs
* Drunken Prayer - Into the Missionfield
* Goldfrapp - The Singles
* Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know
* Mark Lanegan - Blues Funeral
* Cocteau Twins - Stars & Topsoil: Best of 1982-1990
+ Umphry's McGee - Live
+ Owl City - Live from Los Angeles
+ Anonymous
+ A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
+ Lady & the Tramp (Blu-ray.)

2/11
+ The Twilight Series: Breaking Dawn, Part 1

2/14
* Big Country - The Crossing (Deluxe edition w/24 b-sides & rarities.)
* Steve Hogarth & Richard Barbieri - Not the Weapon but the Hand
* Kate Rusby - Make the Light
* Mary Black - Songs from the Steeples
* Field Music - Plumb
* Eisley - Deep Space EP
* Rosie Thomas - With Love
* Amos Lee - As the Crow Flies
* Islands - A Sleep & A Forgetting
* Shearwater - Animal Joy
* Barry Adamson - I Will Set You Free
* Audra Mae - S/T
* Winterpills - All My Lovely Goners
* Punch Brothers – Who's Feeling Young Now?
* Tennis - Young and Old
* Heartless Bastards – Arrow
* Isodore – Life Somewhere Else (Steve Kilbey side project.)
* Mitch Ryder - The Promise
* Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Complete Greatest Hits
+ Paranormal Activity 3
+ The Rum Diary
+ Take Shelter
+ Tiny Furniture

2/21
* Kevn Kinney - A Good Country Mile
* Fionn Regan - 100 Acres of Sycamore

* Jim White - Where it Hits You

* Josh Ritter – Bringing in the Darlings EP

* Galactic - Carnivale Electricos
* Cursive - I Am Gemini
* Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life
* Lambchop - Mr. M
* The Ting Tings - Sounds from Nowheresville
* Tindersticks - The Something Rain
* Band of Skulls - Sweet Sour
* Mona - S/T
* Sinead O’Connor - How About I Be Me (and You Be You)
* The Chieftains - Voice of Ages (Many cool guests.)
+ J. Edgar
+ Martha Marcy May Marlene
+ The Mighty Macs
+ Tower Heist
+ The Way

2/24
+ Puss in Boots

2/28
* The Cranberries - Roses
* Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden (Produced by Buddy Miller.)
* New Multitudes featuring Jay Farrar - Woody Guthrie tribute
* Loreena McKennitt - Troubadours on the Rhine
* Lyle Lovett - Release Me
* Julia Nunes - Settle Down
* School of Seven Bells - Ghostory
* Pat Green - Songs We Wish We’d Written
* Amy Ray - Lung of Love
* Green River Ordinance – Under Fire
* The Wooden Sky - Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Son
* Cavo - Thick as Thieves
* Dark New Day - New Tradition
* Carole King - a few reissues
* Altan - Poison Glen
* UFO - Seven Deadly
* Pink Floyd - The Wall (Deluxe.)
* KISS - Destroyer (35th anniversary Deluxe.)
* Michael Thompson Band - Future Past
+ Hugo
+ I Melt with You
+ Johnny English Reborn

3/6
* Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
* Magnetic Fields - Love at the Bottom of the Sea
* Bowerbirds - Clearing
* Kaiser Chiefs - Start the Revolution Without Me
* Owsley Brothers - Cobalt
* Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
* Fireflight - Now
* Blues Traveler - 25 (2 CD best of.)
+ Footloose
+ Immortals
+ Like Crazy
+ The Skin I Live In
+ Jack and Jill

3/13

* Soulfly - Enslaved
* Delta Spirit - S/T
* Say Anything - Anarchy, My Dear
* Drowner - S/T
* The Decemberists - We All Raise Our Voices to the Air: Live
* Janis Joplin - Live at the Carousel Ballroom 1968
+ The Swell Season (Documentary and soundtrack.)
+ My Week with Marilyn
+ Melancholia
+ Young Adult
+ The Three Musketeers
+ The Women on the 6th Floor
+ Happy Feet Two

3/20
* The Shins - Port of Morrow
+ The Muppets
+ Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
+ The Sitter
+ Carnage

3/27
* Shinedown - Amaryllis
* The Mars Volta – Noctourniquet
* The Cowboy Junkies – The Wilderness
* Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change
* The Pierces - You and I
* Joan Osborne - Bring it on Home (Blues covers.)
* Sons of Bill - Sirens (Produced by David Lowery.)
* The Used - Vulnerable
* Janus - Nox Aeris
*Jack Blades - Rock 'N Roll Ride
* Jeff Scott Soto - Damage Control
+ Iron Maiden - En Vivo: Live in Santiago, Chile 2011 (2 DVD's.)
+ A Dangerous Method + Hop

4/3
* Great Lake Swimmers - New Wild Everywhere
* Adam Cohen - Like a Man
* Simone Felice – S/T
* Our Lady Peace - Curve
* MxPx - Plans Within Plans
* Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal
* Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick sequel
+ In the Land of Blood and Honey

4/10
* Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
* M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion
* Nanci Griffith - Intersection
* Bonnie Raitt - Slipstream
* Jenny Gillespie - Belita EP
* Counting Crows – Underwater Sunshine (Covers.)
+ The Iron Lady
+ The Darkest Hour

4/17
* Dar Williams - In the Time of Gods
* Train – California 37
* Jamiroquai – Rock Dust Light Star

4/24
* Greg Laswell - Landline
* Jack White - Blunderbuss
* Sarah Jaffe - The Body Wins
* Brendan Benson - What Kind of World LYRICS of the MONTH:

“A man darkened our doorway. He said he’s here to share the good news. He had a smile straight from the movies. But when I looked down at his shoes. There were holes and they showed his toes. The right was left. The black was brown. And later on in the garage I couldn’t find my chainsaw. In the distance I heard trees just falling down.

I was underneath the city. I was riding around on trains. Fell asleep before Nassau Ave. And I ended up in Maine. There were big tall trees and rocky coastline. And the waves came in so wild. But for all the natural beauty there were still so many kids that were asking me for something that could help them to get high.

We’re all good. We’re all bad. We’re euphoric and we’re sad. We roll the rock away and check the tomb. We’re awake and we’re aware that we’re confused and cold and scared. And the cross reminds us that He died for me and you. Woke up in the ocean with the Honolulu Blues.

Joan Didion and Graham Greene. Said roughly the same thing. You bring your Jesus to the jungle. Try to teach people to sing All the hymns that you love because you learned them as a kid and they make perfect sense to you. There’s a point in time when thousands die. And you’ve got to maybe think that maybe Jesus isn’t getting through.

We’re freezing in the forest. There’s no wood to heat the house. We took axes to the furniture. We pulled the floorboards out. There’s animals scratching at the door. And they know we’re gonna die. There were big tall trees and rocky coastline. And the waves came in so wild.

We’re all wild. We’re all free. We’re all back from Tennessee. With the souvenirs to prove that we were there. We’re flying around in planes. We’re riding around in trains. Searching out those panoramic views. Woke up in the ocean with the Honolulu Blues.

We’re all good. We’re all bad. We’re euphoric and we’re sad. We roll the rock away and check the tomb. We’re awake and we’re alarmed at the scars scratched in your arm. The cross reminds us that He died for me and you. Woke up in Oahu with the Honolulu Blues.”

Craig Finn, the song Honolulu Blues, from the just released solo album Clear Heart, Full Eyes.

http://steadycraig.tumblr.com/
http://theholdsteady.net
See you in March. Stay warm!
Chris Barlow
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