What's New in Music

2010 could be the year that we finally realize there isn't much more new, and good, --that can be done in rock. I hope not.

The biggest news seems to be the "new" Jimi Hendrix album, Valleys of Neptune, due to be released March 9. It is new in the sense that none of the recordings have been released before, but not new in the sense that most of the songs have been released, at least in some form. That's OK--I'm still buying.

Billy Cox played bass in '69 (when most of these were recorded)--he says there are only two kinds of guitarists, those who admit Hendrix' influence and those who were influenced but won't admit it. That's from the LA Times article linked if you click on the title.

Next one to mention is Peter Gabriel's new album, due to be released tomorrow. That one's called "Scratch My Back", and it's apparently covers of some of his favorite songs. I'll bite there, too.

The other, one that I've heard only rumors, but I'm keen to hear more about, is a collaboration between David Byrne and Fatboy Slim.