Enjoy These Fine Audio Products

Courtesy of our good friends Sal and Tony from NYCD, here's interesting and alarming news about this week's new releases.

THE BRAVERY - "SUN AND THE MOON." Our press release said that the Bravery spent a whole eight months working on their second album. We remember a time when it took Don Henley eight months to properly mic the castanets on "Hotel California." These boys made a name for themselves with their not-bad debut, and this record will either get them back on top or get them on the bill with Quarterflash and Cock Robin at the Nevele.

JEFF BUCKLEY - "SO REAL." A 14 track best-of featuring songs from all ONE AND A HALF of his albums, plus live tracks from his three live records and alternate takes from his two posthumously released outtakes records, AND a brand new outtake which is a cover of the Smiths' "I Know It's Over!" We look forward to Sony's "Essential Jeff Buckley" CD, due out sometime next year, which will feature these same tracks, less one outtake. Barrel scrapers rejoice!

ERASURE - "LIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD." Moderate-to-wildly successful pop duo release their ninth (or possibly 16th) record of dated, soulless synth-pop. (Note to all of Tony's Asian friends: Sorry, Sal made me write that.)

FICTION PLANE - "LEFT SIDE OF THE BRAIN." This exciting new band, let by Joe Sumner, the son of legendary English professor (and future hell-dweller) Gordon Sumner (that's Sting for you laymen), has all the excitement the Police left behind when Sting took up faux-jazz, an all-yogurt diet, and sex with plants. High-energy rock n' roll reminiscent of early Police, with smart lyrics and super-catchy melodies. They're opening for the Police on their $250-a-ticket tour, so get there early and get your money's worth!

MAROON 5 - "IT WON'T BE SOON BEFORE LONG." More songs that will make you want to smack that guy in the face, along the lines of "She weeeeeeeeeeeellllllllll, be luuuuuuhhh-uhhhved."

THE NATIONAL - "BOXER." The only thing more offensive than a Republican saying global warming doesn't exist because it's 50 degrees out today is referring to the National as "the greatest rock n' roll band since the E Street Band." This band has sold out the Bowery Ballroom for, like, 97 nights based on a handful of OK records. What's with the hype, people? Just stop it.

CHICK COREA & BELA FLECK - "ENCHANTMENT." Chick & Fleck (and the Knicks and the Hawks and the Bucks -- first person to email us with the reference gets a copy of the CD!) combine for their first ever collaboration. We have not heard it yet, but how can you say anything bad about Willis Reed?

There's more over at their blog, so scurry over there and start ordering up a storm.

Incidentally, have we mentioned that Sal and Tony are now regular contributors to the Huffington Post? We couldn't be more proud or (frankly) jealous.