Magic historian and stone-cold sleight-of-hand master
Ricky Jay has personally compiled a terrific new CD of songs, bet, called and won at the card table in
Ricky Jay Plays Poker. In stores Nov. 28 on the Octone/Legacy imprint, the 21 tracks are all dealer's choice, from
Bob Dylan's "Ramblin' Gamblin' Willie" and
Robert Johnson's "Little Queen of Spades" to
Tex Williams' honky-tong swing of "Wild Card" and the Soul power of
O.V. Wright's "Ace of Spades." A few classics receive the two-of-a-pair treatment, with the 1914 recording of "Darktown Poker Club" from
Bert Williams and
Phil "Baloo the Bear" Harris' later upbeat, groovy rendition, and "Ace In the Hole" by both
Anita O'Day and
Dave Van Ronk. I'm all in for two oddball selections -- "Five Card Stud" by the golden voiced actor
Lorne Green, and the minute-and-a-half of musical tension and sampled movie dialogue in "Etienne Gonna Die" by
Saint Etienne. Proving he's undoubtedly the most dangerous man in the room, a DVD in the "deluxe edition" puts Jay at the green felt with a few Hollywood friends, telling stories, breaking down poker psychology and blowing minds from two feet away. Who needs a handgun when you can throw playing cards like an Army sniper? And don't ever, ever let him deal. ...
Hot on the heels of DEVO's "2.0" preteen-friendly subversive shenanigans, Go Kart Records is storming the playground next week with junior's first introduction to The Ramones, ready to rock that upcoming pep assembly with Brats On the Beat: Ramones for Kids. Mom and Dad, I implore you, before the li'l man (or lady) takes their first bite of homogeneous Pop Country or sad, tired Thug Rap, set 'em straight in the right direction with this 1-2-3-4 bus-stop blitzkrieg. Featuring the chipper backing voices of the Gabba Gabba Hey Singers (slipping a little too close into Kidz Bop territory), these kid-crazy covers sport a middle school yearbook full of special guest vocalists, sure to bring a tear to the eye of many a grizzled punk parent, including Blag Dahila of The Dwarves, Jack Grisham of T.S.O.L., Keith Morris of Circle Jerks and "Johnny Are You Queer?" diva Josie Cotton. Proceeds from the CD benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Television Alert
The Late Show with David Letterman adds up +44 Wednesday. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Chris Cornell Monday and Jerry Lee Lewis & Kid Rock Tuesday. Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts Tenacious D Wednesday, Damien Rice Friday and Robyn Hitchcock Tuesday. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson serves Ice-T on Friday. Last Call with Carson Daly is Taking Back Sunday on Thursday. And Austin City Limits' musical guest this weekend is Van Morrison on PBS (see local listings for airtimes).
New Releases Coming Tuesday
Tim Barry - Rivanna Junction (Suburban Home) ballsy, somber, unrepentant, storytelling Folk from the gritty side of the tracks; The Beatles LOVE (Capitol) soundtrack to the new Cirque du Soleil production, mixed by George and Giles Martin; The Black Crowes - Soul Singin': The Best Of Instant Live '05-'06 (Instant Live) four-CD box set available in a deluxe limited edition featuring a guitar pick and "all access" laminate; Johnny Cash The Legend Of Johnny Cash Vol. II (UMe) nice 20-track compilation featuring an orchestral version of Leonard Cohen's "Bird On a Wire" and six selections from his sessions with producer Rick Rubin; The Doors Perception (Rhino) CD box set collecting remastered editions of their first six albums, packed with rarities and bonus DVD; Great Big Sea - Courage & Patience & Grit: In Concert (Zoe/Rounder) CD and DVD set; John Wesley Harding & Friends - A Bloody Show: Live at Bumbershoot 2005 (Arcanum) DVD featuring Robyn Hitchcock as narrator, with guests Kelly Hogan and Scott McCaughey; look for a bonus CD of acoustic demos in a numbered first edition of 5,000 copies; History Boys original motion picture soundtrack (Rhino) with The Clash, Aztec Camera, New Order and Pigbag's 12-inch workout of "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag"; Jools Holland Moving Out of the Country (Radar) import-only new album backed by his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, with guests Solomon Burke, Lulu, KT Tunstall, Tom Jones, Mark Knopfler, India.Arie and Brian Eno; Jay-Z Kingdom Come (Rock-A-Fella) with featured producers Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and Coldplay's Chris Martin; Kottonmouth Kings - Hidden Stash III (Suburban Noize) two-CD and bonus DVD set; The Manges - Go Down (Suburban Home) featuring their wild Punk Rock cover of Susanne Vega's "When Heroes Go Down"; Mirah - Joyride: Remixes (K Records) two-CD set; National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj original motion picture soundtrack (Eleven Seven) with music by Buckcherry and Everclear, plus an exclusive song by The Exies; New York Dolls - From Here to Eternity: The Live Bootleg Box Set (Castle/Sanctuary) three-CDs featuring rare radiobroadcasts from 1973 and 1974; Nine Horses - Money For All (Samadhisound/Inner Knot) new CD EP from David Sylvain, Steve Jensen and Burnt Friedman; Oasis Stop the Clocks (Epic) B-sides and best-of compilation, also available in a special deluxe edition with a bonus DVD; Robert Plant Nine Lives (Rhino) nine-CD box set collecting expanded editions of all his solo albums, featuring a cover of Bob Marley's "Lively Up Yourself" and a bonus DVD; Rock Star Supernova Supernova (Epic) the fruits of the CBS reality show with anointed vocalist Lukas Rossi; Snoop Dogg The Blue Carpet Treatment (Doggystyle/Geffen) with guests Stevie Wonder and Brandy; Spock's Beard - Spock's Beard (Inside Out) their ninth studio album; Swan Lake - Beast Moans (Jagjaguwar) jangly, fractured Freak Pop debut featuring members of Frog Eyes, Wolf Parade and New Pornographers; U2 U218 Singles (Interscope) best-of collection featuring a new song recorded with Green Day; Jimmy van M Balance 010 (EQ Recordings) three-CD mix separated into downtempo, midtempo and uptempo discs, with tracks from Bill Laswell, Cocteau Twins, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and Saint Etienne; Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards (Anti) three-CD set with guests Les Claypool, Charlie Musselwhite and Marc Ribot; Winger IV (Shrapnel) featuring beautiful, patriotic CD cover art by comic book artist Ethan Van Sciver.
