Sure, seeing David Lee Roth's grinning mug ripen into Larry King makes me ponder my own geezerhood, but daydreaming back to the days when Van Halen ruled the world, I miss those high kicks and corny looks that put the "show" in show business. After being delayed a few times over this past spring, and running the risk of getting muddy in the Bluegrass/string quartet/Dub tribute craze of late, I must admit that I'm loving every plucked note in last week's release of Strummin' with the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen on the CMH imprint. When a song's great, its brilliance shines thru no matter who might be doing the pickin' and grinnin'. Roth himself joined up for this moonshine parade of hits, sitting in for new vocals on "Jump" and "Jamie's Crying" with the John Jorgenson Band. From the sweet groove of Mountain Heart's harmonious take on "Dance the Night Away" to David Grisman's blistering mandolin attack of "Hot for Teacher," the hits keep coming, with a square of cornbread on the side. After hearing the note-for-note re-creation of "Eruption" on banjo by Dennis Caplinger, you'd best hide grandpa's vintage instruments and the colored electrical tape from the kids. Other highlights include the sly scoop of "Ice Cream Man" from Larry Cordle and the Lonesome Standard Time and the countrified "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" from Iron Horse. Yee-hah! ... Is your turntable as dusty as your mind? The psychedelic conspirators at Melted Mailbox Records have the lysergic solution, looking to use your tonearm's needle to trip your light fantastic. Later this month the wax-friendly label will issue the first limited edition 12-inch single in their new Melted Mailbox Vinyl Club, a bi-monthly program that, for $70, could be the best pen pal an experimental music aficionado could ever have. Featuring two exclusive tracks on one side, and an artistic etching on the other, the series promises lots of goodies from a membership card, stickers and buttons to hand-screened prints, posters and CD-Rs. First up on the debut issue is Sunroof! and Dino Felipe, with future slots promising Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti and Keith Fullerton Whitman. Check out meltedmailbox.com for more info.

Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts KT Tunstall Wednesday, She Wants Revenge Thursday and Nelly Furtado Friday. The Late Show with David Letterman boasts Neko Case Wednesday, Widespread Panic Thursday and Sonic Youth Friday. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson presents the return of Echo & the Bunnymen Thursday and the Charlatans UK Monday. Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Fiona Apple Tuesday. And Jimmy Kimmel Live howls with Wolfmother Thursday.

New Releases Coming Tuesday
Agent Sparks - Red Rover (Immortal) featuring former members of Audiovent; Al Basile and Duke Robillard - Groovin' in the Mood Room (Sweetspot); Frank Black - Fastman/Raiderman (Back Porch) terrific two-CD set of Nashville sessions, packed with guests like Simon Kirke of Bad Company, Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick, Levon Helm of The Band, Al Kooper, P.F. Sloan, Steve Cropper, Spooner Oldman and more; Paula Cole - Greatest Hits: Postcards From East Oceanside (Rhino) featuring her cover of Johnny Mercer's "Autumn Leaves"; Counting Crows - New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall (Geffen) from 2003, featuring a new song co-written with Gemma Hayes; Cute Is What We Aim For - The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch (Fueled By Ramen) debut from Buffalo, N.Y.; Fefe Dobson - Sunday Love (Island) enhanced CD; Fatboy Slim - The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder? (Astralwerks) with the bonus DVD, "Why Make Videos"; Nelly Furtado - Loose (Geffen) with guests Chris Martin of Coldplay and Pharrell Williams; Guster - Ganging Up On the Sun (Reprise) hot off their environmentally friendly "Campus Consciousness" tour; Sara Hickman - Motherlode (Sleeveless) two-CD set with guests Adrian Belew, Shawn Colvin and Kelly Willis; Keane - Under the Iron Sea (Island) featuring the single "Is It Any Wonder"; Luna - Best Of Luna (Rhino) 17 songs from 1992-2004; Luna - Tell Me Do You Miss Me (Rhino) globe-traveling DVD; Madison Park - In the Stars (Basic Lux) smooth House beats and electro chills co-produced with Lenny B; Willie Nelson - The Complete Atlantic Sessions (Rhino) three-CD set featuring expanded material from the mid-1970's, and a live concert from Austin in 1974; Gram Parsons - Fallen Angel (Rhino) DVD documentary featuring interviews with Chris Hillman, Peter Buck, Keith Richards, Dwight Yoakum and more; Gram Parsons - The Complete Reprise Sessions (Rhino/Warner Bros) three-CD set packed with alternative versions, a radio interview and a bonus cut of "Love Hurts" with Emmylou Harris; Pearl Jam - Live at Easy Street (J Records) seven-song CD EP of their surprise live in-store appearance at Seattle's Easy Street Records to a lucky audience of about 200, featuring covers of The Avengers' "American In Me" and the Dead Kennedys' "Bleed For Me," with special guest John Doe of X joining in on a spin of his own "The New World"; Senor Coconut - Yellow Fever (Essay) bringing his bizarre Latin big band sound in tribute to the music of Yellow Magic Orchestra; Obie Trice - Second Round's On Me (Shady/Interscope) with Eminem, Nate Dogg, Akon and Trey Songz; Walter Trout and Friends - Full Circle (Ruf Records) with Coco Montoya, Jeff Healey, John Mayall, Guitar Shorty, Bernard Allison and more; Various Artists - Austin City Limits: 2005 Music Festival (Image) two-DVD set with one disc of live performances from Jet, The Black Keys, Kaiser Chiefs, The Decemberists, Gov't Mule, Mike Doughty and more, and a second disc featuring interviews and mini-documentaries, including Kyle Ellison's examination of Austin cult figure, Roky Erickson.