Street Date April 2: Ashanti, Apex Theory, XTC
[B]Also out this week:[EB] Tweet, The Fantomas Melvins Big Band, Cyclefly, Stew and more.
[B]Also out this week:[EB] Tweet, The Fantomas Melvins Big Band, Cyclefly, Stew and more.
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[B]Ashanti - “Ashanti"[EB] (Def Jam)
The timing couldn’t be better for the release of Ashanti’s debut album: she appears on three songs currently in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (with Ja Rule on “Always on Time,” with Fat Joe on “What’s Luv” and on her own single, “Foolish"). With the exception of a track that she co-wrote with Ja Rule, the 21-year-old R&B vocalist penned this album herself. Ashanti cites hip-hop-soul queen Mary J. Blige among her key influences.
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[B]Apex Theory - “Topsy-Turvy"[EB] (DreamWorks)
Los Angeles-based quartet Apex Theory follows up its self-titled 2001 EP with its first full-length. The group recently toured with Alien Ant Farm as part of the SnoCore Rock tour, is currently on the road with Lost Prophets as part of the MTV2 tour, and has been placed on the bill for this summer’s [L=/news/story.php?id=61]Ozzfest tour[EL].
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[B]XTC - “Coat of Many Cupboards"[EB] (Caroline)
The British pop stalwarts take their turn at releasing a box set. Four discs of songs from the band’s tenure at Virgin Records UK, spanning from 1978’s “White Music” to 1992’s “Nonsuch.” The long box features the standard essay, liner notes from remaining members Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding, and two bonus tracks. The track listing can be found at Chalkhills.org (the site of choice for serious XTC fans).
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[B]Tweet[EB] - “Southern Hummingbird” (Elektra/Goldmine)
Newcomer Tweet is the latest addition to fellow female hip-hop artist Missy Elliott’s boutique label, Goldmine Records. Co-produced by Elliott and rapper Timbaland, the album features the single “Oops (Oh My),” audio and video for which are both being streamed at Elektra’s official Tweet website. According to the site, Tweet will precede the album’s release with a Monday (4/1) appearance on MTV’s “Total Request Live.”
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[B]The Fantomas Melvins Big Band[EB] - “Millennium Monsterwork” (Ipecac)
Quirky rock acts the Fantomas--featuring former Faith No More frontman Mike Patton--and the Melvins shared the stage on New Year’s Eve 2000. This album documents that show. One track from each band--the Melvins’ “Hooch” and the Fantomas’ “She’s a Puker"--are available at the Ipecac Recordings (a label Patton co-founded) website.
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[B]Cyclefly - “Crave"[EB] (MCA)
Cyclefly’s latest is its sophomore effort. The Irish quintet recorded some of the album in England with producer Colin Richardson (Machine Head) during the winter of 2000, and the rest in its native Ireland with Producers Bill Appleberry and Tobias Miller (Miller is the former guitarist and co-founder of the Wallflowers), according to the band’s official website. MCA’s Cyclefly website features a streaming version of the video for the new album’s first single, “No Stress.”
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[B]Stew - “The Naked Dutch Painter and Other Songs"[EB] (Smile/Image)
The basic tracks for the second solo effort from the leader of the Negro Problem--a popular Los Angeles band that has yet to break through on the national scene--were recorded during a residency at the Los Angeles club the Knitting Factory in July of 2001. Overdubs were added to the live tracks by producer Chris Carter (Dramarama) to create this hybrid live-studio album. Stew’s record company biography cites Arthur Lee, Jaques Brel, Jimmy Webb and Nina Simone as influences.
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Other new releases:
36 Crazyfists - “Bitterness the star” (Roadrunner)
Cave Catt Sammy - “Love Me Like Crazy” (Rubric)
John Cowan - “Always Take Me Back” (Sugar Hill)
The Dirty Boyz - “Certified Dirtified” (Black 6)
Julie Doiron - “Heart & Crime” (Jagjaguwar)
Dukes of Hamburg - “Some Folks” (Gearhead)
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer - “Pocket Full of Stardust” (Rounder)
Tami Hart - “What Passed Between Us” (Mr. Lady)
The Hellacopters - “High Visibility (Gearhead)
The High Fidelity - “Demonstration” (Freedom in Exile)
Juggernautz - Juggernautz (Word Entertainment)
Pat Kilbride - “Nightingale Lane” (Temple)
Don Lennon - “Downtown” (Secretly Canadian)
Lil’ J - “All About J” (Hollywood)
Harry Manx - “Wise and Otherwise” (Northern Blues)
Medication - “Medication [EP]” (Locomotive)
Milky Wimpshake - “Lovers, Not Fighters” (Troubleman)
Shana Morrison - “7 Wishes” (Vanguard)
Nagisa Ni Te - “Feel” (Jagjaguwar)
Juice Newton - “Every Road Leads Back to You” (Image)
Robert Randolph & the Family Band - “Live at the Wetlands” (Sci Fidelity)
Swearing at Motorists - “Along the Inclined Plane [EP]” (Secretly Canadian)
Otis Taylor - “Respect the Dead” (Northern Blues)
Doc Watson and Frosty Morn - “‘Round the Table Again” (Sugar Hill)
Jessica Williams - “This Side Up” (Max Jazz)
XTC - “A Coat Of Many Cupboards [box set]” (Caroline)
David Zollo - “The Big Night” (Rubric)
Various artists - “Chill Out Lounge 3” (Varese)
Various artists - “It’s About Eve - Music for the Cure” (Fore Reel)
Various artists - “Love Songs for New York” (Village Voice)
Various artists - “Rarewerks” (Astralwerks)
Various artists - “This is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies & the Kinks” (Rykodisc)
Click here to check out last week’s “Street Date” feature.
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