New Releases, Oct. 9: Bubba Sparxxx, Trace Adkins, Alice Cooper

plus: "Bones" soundtrack, Beachwood Sparks, Leonard Cohen, Glenn Miller, Kottonmouth Kings, more.

* * *

Bubba Sparxxx
"Dark Days, Bright Nights" (Beat Club/Interscope)

Sparxxx's debut effort has received substantial pre-release exposure, thanks to the rapper's hit single, "Ugly." The track sits at No. 6 on Billboard's latest Hot Rap Singles chart, up from No. 15 the previous week, and No. 20 two weeks back.

The song's music video, meanwhile, is in steady rotation on MTV, and clocked in at No. 18 on the network's Top 20 chart for the week ending Sept. 30. Missy Elliott, D12's Bizarre and "Dark Days, Bright Nights" producer Timbaland all make appearances in the video.

The "Ugly" video can be viewed at Sparxx's official website. The rapper is scheduled to appear on MTV's "Total Request Live" on Tuesday (10/9), according to his website.

* * *

Trace Adkins
"Chrome" (Capitol)

The first single from this album, "I'm Tryin'," was released in July, and is still climbing the country charts. The track hit No. 14 on Billboard's latest Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, its highest position yet.

A video clip of "I'm Tryin'" is available on Adkins' official website.

"Chrome" was co-produced by Dann Huff (Faith Hill, SHeDAISY) and Trey Bruce, the latter of whom produced songs on Adkins' previous album, 1999's "More."

On Monday afternoon (10/8), from 4-5 p.m. ET, Adkins is scheduled to participate in an online chat on America Online, according to his website.

* * *

Alice Cooper
"Dragontown" (Spitfire Active)

Veteran shock-rocker Cooper, now 53 years old, shows no signs of slowing, as evidenced by his 40th album. "Dragontown" comes just 16 months after the release of his album "Brutal Planet." The concept for the new album came as a natural progression from "Brutal Planet," as Cooper explained in a recent press release.

"I realized that Brutal Planet had only covered about half of what I wanted to cover," said Cooper. "Now it's time to go deeper. The heart of Brutal Planet is Dragontown, which is really a place of consequence. It's where the worst of the worst are. Dragontown is an album about life's pure failures and the descent they find themselves in."

MP3 files of both the new album's title track and the song "Triggerman" are available at Cooper's official website.

Cooper is currently on tour in the U.S.

* * *

Various artists
"Bones" soundtrack (Priority)

Rap mogul Snoop Dogg graces the soundtrack to the horror film "Bones," in which he plays the title character. The horror film, due in theaters a week before Halloween, tells the story of a '70s inner-city neighborhood protector who returns from the grave 20 years after his death.

The soundtrack features music by Snoop, Cypress Hill, OutKast, Xzibit, Kurupt, D12, LaToiya Williams, Kokane, Nate Dogg, MC Ren, Lost Angels and others, with production by Snoop, Fredwreck, Battlecat, Mel Man, Warren G and Muggs, among others.

The soundtrack's promotional website streams every album song in RealAudio and Windows Media.

* * *

Beachwood Sparks
"Once We Were Trees" (Sub Pop)

Los Angeles-based psychedelic country-rock outfit Beachwood Sparks latest is its second full-length. The collection was recorded at J. Mascis' studio in Massachusetts, and Mascis plays on a few tracks. The record features a cover of Sade's "By Your Side."

Beachwood Sparks currently occupies the opening slot on the Black Crowes' fall tour, and will begin a short headlining tour of its own on Nov. 1 at the Khyber Pass in Philadelphia.

* * *

Leonard Cohen
"Ten New Songs" (Columbia)

One of rock and roll's original singer-songwriters releases his tenth studio album, an aptly named collection of ten new songs. Cohen, who turned 67 last month, co-wrote the songs with Sharon Robinson, a longtime collaborator and backup singer who also produced and sings on the record; Robinson programmed and performed most of the album's backing instrumentals.

Complete lyrics and brief sound samples for each song are available on Cohen's official website. A limited vinyl LP edition of "Ten New Songs" was released on Oct. 2.

"Ten New Songs" is Cohen's first collection of new material since 1992's "The Future." He released a live album, "Field Commander Cohen," last year.

* * *

Glenn Miller
"Army Air Force Band" (Bluebird/RCA Victor)

This four-CD set comprises the wartime recordings of the late swing bandleader Glenn Miller. The collection expands an album originally released in 1955, adding previously unreleased recordings. The music dates from Miller's term as a commissioned officer during World War II. His plane disappeared in December 1944, en route to Paris.

This Miller box is the second in a series of box sets that Bluebird is releasing in advance of the holidays. Bluebird re-released the complete RCA Victor recordings of Louis Armstrong a few weeks ago, and will release a five-CD set of music by Artie Shaw, the clarinetist and bandleader, on October 23. RCA recently re-launched the Bluebird label to release new and historic jazz recordings.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra continues to play, on average, 300 concert dates every year.

* * *

Kottonmouth Kings
"Hidden Stash II: The Kream of the Crop" (Capitol)

Self-described "psychedelic hip-hop punk rock" band Kottonmouth Kings continues its pro-pot position with the release of this, its third full-length. The record follows last year's "High Society" and 1998's "Royal Highness."

Audio samples of two of the tracks, "Hidden Stash 2" and "Kream of the Krop," are available at the group's official website.

The Orange County, California-based band is scheduled to play Cypress Hill's Oct. 21 Smoke Out concert in Honolulu.

* * *

Other new releases:

Aereogramme - "A Story in White" (Matador)
Agnostic Front - "Dead Yuppies" (Epitaph)
Harry Allen - "Christmas in Swingtime" (Koch Jazz)
Anathema - "A Fine Day to Exit" (Koch)
Ancient - "Proxima Centauri" (Metal Blade)
Angelic Upstarts - "Live from the Justice League" (TKO)
Apex Theory - "The Apex Theory" (EP) (DreamWorks)
Banabila - "Voiz Noiz II" (Tone Casualties/Never)
Joe Barry - "I'm a Fool to Care" (Music Club)
Dan Bern - "New American Language" (Messenger)
The Bronx Casket Co. - "Sweet Home Transylvania" (Music Cartel)
Charlotte Church - "Enchantment" (Columbia)
The Clarks - "Live" (Razor & Tie)
Craving Theo - "Craving Theo" (Columbia)
Laura Dawn - "Believer" (Warner Bros.)
Defenestration - "One Inch God" (Spitfire)
Demolition String Band - "Pulling Up Atlantis" (Okra-tone)
The Dictators - "D.F.F.D." (Norton/Dictators)
DJ Garfield - "Garfield Signatures: House and Trance Revisited" (Neurodisc)
Julie Doiron - "Desormais" (Jagjaguwar)
Dr. John - "Creole Moon" (Blue Note)
Greg Ellis - "Kala Ruba" (Narada)
Embodyment - "Hold Your Breath" (Tooth & Nail)
Finch - "Falling Into Place" (EP) (Drive Thru)
Peter Green Splinter Group - "Time Traders" (Blue Storm)
The Helio Sequence - "Young Effectuals" (Cavity Search)
Kelly Hogan - "Because It Feel Good" (Bloodshot)
D.D. Jackson - "Sigame" (Justin Time)
Daniel Johnston - "Rejected Unknown" (Gammon)
Ronny Jordan - "Off the Record" (Blue Note)
Tonio K. - "16 Tons of Monkeys" (Gadfly)
Kid Loco - "Kill Your Darlings" (Atlantic)
Chris Thomas King - "The Legend of Tommy Johnson" (Valley Entertainment)
The Klezmatics - "The Well" (Rounder)
Kenny Lattimore - "Weekend" (Arista)
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - "Gospel Parade" (Sugar Hill)
The Lilac Time - "Lilac6" (Cooking Vinyl/Spin Art)
The Line - "Monsters We Breed" (MCA)
Rebecca Luker - "Anything Goes: Rebecca Luker Sings Cole Porter" (Fynsworth Alley)
David Lynch & Angelo Badalamenti - "Mulholland Drive" motion-picture score (Milan)
Leona Naess - "I Tried to Rock You, but You Would Only Roll" (MCA)
Scout Niblett - "Sweet Heart Fever" (Secretly Canadian)
Noogie - "Remote Controller" (Trauma)
Tim O'Brien - "Two Journeys" (Howdy Skies)
The O'Jays - "For the Love" (MCA)
Michael Occhipinti - "Creation Dream: The Songs of Bruce Cockburn" (True North)
Yoko Ono - "Blueprint for a Sunrise" (Capitol)
Open Loose - "New School" (Enja)
Parker Paul - "Wingfoot" (Jagjaguwar)
Pulley - "Together Again for the First Time" (Epitaph)
Kid Ramos - "Greasy Kid Stuff" (Evidence)
Jonathan Richman - "Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eyeshadow" (Vapor)
Cathie Ryan - "Somewhere Along the Road" (Shanachie)
Debi Smith - "Red Bird Red" (Shanachie)
Student Rick - "A Soundtrack for a Generation" (Victory)
Sean T. - "Can I Shine?" (Asphalt)
T.I. - "I'm Serious!" (Arista)
Tall Paul - "Mixed Live" (Moonshine)
Chris Thile - "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" (Sugar Hill)
Jenny Toomey - "Antidote" (Misra)
Transatlantic - "Bridge Across Forever" (Metal Blade) [?]
Midge Ure - "Move Me" (Koch)
Various artists - "Bandits" soundtrack (Columbia)
Various artists - "Brand New Boots and Panties: A Tribute to Ian Dury" (Gold Circle)
Various artists - "Fiddler on the Roof" [remastered 30th anniversary edition w/bonus tracks] (Capitol)
Various artists - "If I Had a Song: The Songs of Pete Seeger Volume II" (Appleseed)
Various artists - "Listen to What the Man Said: Popular Artists Pay Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney" (Oglio)
Various artists - "Rasa: Exotica" (Tommy Boy)
Mike Walker - "Mike Walker" (DreamWorks)
West Coast Bad Boys - "Vol. 3: Poppin' Collars" (Priority)
Woodie - "Demonz in My Sleep" (Koch)
Wylie & the Wild West Show - "Paradise" (Rounder)

Compiled by Jon Zahlaway with Scott Henkemeyer, Marc Weidenbaum and James Woster.