Flashbacks of the decadent, swaggering 1970s burst forth from the boogie juggernaut of the Eagles of Death Metal on their sophomore album, Death By Sexy, due next week. Getting sweaty with the grind of Blues Explosion, T. Rex, and Some Girls-era Rolling Stones, and electrified into a manic swirl with the vogue theatrics of the boldly mustachioed Jesse Hughes, this is eight-track cassette heaven for anyone in a rusty orange Chevy van with teardrop windows, blaring some vintage Jensen six-by-nines in a drive-by past the old-folks home. Produced by partner in crime Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age), this is Downtown Records' debut release, and features guests Brody Dalle of The Distillers and Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees. The band's video for the single, "I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)," features bad boys Jack Black and Dave Grohl. ... London's Hux Records has just released another CD in their series of BBC sessions, this time highlighting mid-to-late-'90s encounters with the grand oracle of pensive Pop Psychedelica, Robyn Hitchcock. The 14 solo and group performances on This Is the BBC run a tasty selection list, from "Man With a Women's Shadow" and "Madonna of the Wasps" to "The Cheese Alarm" and "Where Do You Go When You Die?" One cool cover rarity makes the list -- Bob Dylan's "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry." The CD's booklet contains a new poem in honor of the UK public radio institution, all song lyrics and a peek inside Hitchcock's family tree, plus a painting of his father's from 1954 on the cover and a wartime family photo on the back. ... The multitalented Harry Shearer adds a second CD to his résumé with Dropping Anchors, taking comedic aim at the talking heads that deliver the network television news each night. Released last month by his very own Courgette Records imprint (French for zucchini -- do you remember his foil-wrapped faux manhood in Spinal Tap?), the silly and cerebral scenarios poke fun all around and get musical with "Songs In the Key of L," featuring his Tom Brokaw impersonation riffing through a medley of Eric Clapton's "Layla," Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay." Youch! ... Celebrating 25 years of gleeful, hyper Japanese joy, this coming Tuesday Glue Factory Records releases an all-new album of punky Pop from Shonen Knife in Genki Shock! I have no idea what they're singing about in their native language, but the nervous Ramones-romp beat that whips the go-go girl trio through songs like "Giant Kitty" and "Broccoli Man" has me in a full, blissful twitch. Highlights include "The Queen of Darkness," dripping in Hard Rock riffs, a la KISS and Black Sabbath, and the super catchy "Jeans' Blue." One boy breaks into the all-girls club, with Dean Wareham of Luna lending backing vocals on "Under My Pillow."

Television Alert
The Late Show with David Letterman says Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Friday. Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts Kris Kristofferson Thursday, Fiona Apple Friday and blushing bride Pink Tuesday. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson hosts the return of UB40 Thursday. Last Call with Carson Daly revs up Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Thursday. Austin City Limits presents Trey Anastasio this weekend on PBS. And Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Mary J. Blige.

New Releases Coming Tuesday
Aloha - Some Echoes (Polyvinyl) playful, Prog-ish Pop in the vein of early Genesis and Pink Floyd, utilizing vintage instruments from old-school Casios to the vibraphone; Buckcherry - 15 (Eleven Seven Music); Built To Spill - You In Reverse (Warner Bros) with guest Sam Coomes of Quasi; Calexico - Garden Ruin (Touch & Go); Brigitte Demeyer - Something After All (33rd Street) featuring guests Daniel Lanois, Steve Earle and Emily Saliers, and a lush, aching cover of Over the Rhine's "Latter Days"; Euphoria - Precious Time (Rounder) with guest vocalists Tina Dico of Zero 7 and Tracy Bonham; Feathers - Feathers (Gnomonsong Records) sunlight fantastic, dreamy and folkie sweet, this harmonious eight-piece Vermont collective is my pick of the week, carrying the candle of The Incredible String Band on a woodsy walk, and debuting on the new boutique label run by Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic; Fightstar - They Liked You Better When You Were Dead (Deep Elm); Lambchop - The Decline of Country and Western Civilization Part II: The Woodwind Years (Merge) the band's second collection of 7-inch single tracks and out-of-print EPs from 1994-1999; Albert Lee - Road Runner (Sugar Hill) featuring covers of John Hiatt's "Rock of Your Love," Richard Thompson's "Dimming of the Day" and Leo Kottke's "Julie's House"; Madison Park - "I'm Listening" (Basic Lux) new dance floor single featuring a "piano mix"; Mr. Anonymous - Mr. Anonymous (KAB America) with guests Sly & Robbie, Cutty Ranks, Michael Rose of Black Uhuru and Dave Wakeling of The English Beat, this new project is the passion of former Samples drummer Jeep MacNichol, who traveled to Kingston, Jamaica to produce this soulful, funky, laid-back backyard jam; Norfolk & Western - A Gilded Age (Hush) CD EP; Christopher O'Riley - Home to Oblivion: An Elliott Smith Tribute (World Village) as he recently did with Radiohead, more unusual selections deftly reinterpreted for piano; Pretty Girls Make Graves - Elan Vital (Matador); Scissorfight - Juggernaut (Tortuga); Imaad Wasif - Imaad Wasif (Kill Rock Stars) solo debut from the former member of New Folk Implosion and Alaska!; Wilderness - Vessel States (Jagjaguwar); Wire - Pink Flag and Chairs Missing (Pink Flag) remastered reissues in digipak replicas of the original vinyl releases from 1977 and 1978; Various Artists - MTV2 Headbangers Ball: The Revenge (Roadrunner) two-CD set featuring exclusive tracks from Hatebreed, Killswitch Engage and Slipknot; Tom Ze - Estuandao O Pagode (Luaka Bop/V2).