Aside from a few remaining Stone Temple Pilots tour dates (placed conveniently below), rocker Scott Weiland seemingly doesn’t have much in the way of revenue-generating ventures in progress. With Velvet Revolver going in another direction and last year’s Christmas album not in stores until this Xmas, there’s only one solution: suckle off the teat of rock’s biggest names with a covers compilation.

According to Antiquiet, the blandly-titled A Compilation Of Scott Weiland’s Cover Songs sees Weiland tackling tracks by some big-name musical heavyweights, including Radiohead, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Stone Roses, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, and The Flaming Lips. Mr. Weiland apologizes now if most of the tracks end up sounding the same.

The entire package is available to download for a mere $15 (that’s more than what his memoir is going for on Amazon). For those in need of a preview of Weiland’s homages, check out the stream of STP covering The Beatles’ “Revolution” back in 2001. The album’s tracklist can be found immediately underneath that.

Stone Temple Pilots – “Revolution” (Beatles cover)

A Compilation Of Scott Weiland’s Cover Songs Tracklist:
01. I Am The Resurrection (Stone Roses)
02. Personality Crisis (New York Dolls)
03. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle (Nirvana)
04. Let Down (Radiohead)
05. Into Your Arms (The Lemonheads)
06. Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones)
07. Waiting For Superman (The Flaming Lips)
08. Revolution (The Beatles)
09. But Not Tonight (Depeche Mode)
10. Reel Around The Fountain (The Smiths)
11. Fame (David Bowie)
12. Jean Genie (David Bowie)

Stone Temple Pilots 2011 Tour Dates:
09/02 – Virginia Beach,VA @ 5th Street Stage
09/04 – Rockford, IL @ On The Waterfront
09/07 – Niagara Falls, NY @ The Rapids Theatre
09/08 – Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama
09/10 – Newark, NJ @ New Jersey Performing Arts Center
09/11 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre
09/13 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
09/14 – Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater
09/16 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s
09/17 – Concho, OK @ Lucky Star Casino
09/24 – Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Concert Theater at Palms

We may have picked the Top 100 Albums of last year, but there were countless other efforts that were begging for the attention of your ever-so-precious ears. This year won’t be any different, and there are already loads of artists competing for a listen in the first quarter alone, so we here at CoS have already spent an inhuman amount of time on the interwebs researching and writing about some of the biggest releases of the year 2K+11.

We’ve picked 50 albums slated for release this year, and while some of them already have concrete release dates, others are merely rumored. Nevertheless, every single one of them bring questions and are worthy of your open ears. Will Kanye and Jay-Z score a huge commercial hit with their joint LP, Watch The Throne? Is there anything scarier than a Fame Monster? Did Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers get stale after sitting on a shelf for all these years? We examine those questions in our 2011 Album Preview, but there are a few things that we already know for sure.

PJ Harvey wants to “shake” things up, The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy has stripped it down, and the Get Up Kids aren’t kids anymore. The Cold War Kids, on the other hand, have grown up and might be having kids of their own soon. U2 hooked up with Danger Mouse and have up to four albums in the bank. Dave Grohl un-Vultured and is Foo Fighting again, and a slew of up-and-comers are putting out new music.

There’s also news on possible new ones from Rage Against the Machine, The White Stripes, The Shins, and a John Frusciante-less Red Hot Chili Peppers. Throw in the chances of Daft Punk releasing an album as The Third Twin, and what you’ve got below is required reading. We’ve included audio on more than a few of the albums, so grab a drink, plug in your headphones, and decide whether or not you’ll be tuning in.

-Ray Roa
Senior Staff Writer

Cake – Showroom of Compassion

Cake have already long established themselves as alternative rock giants. But in recent years, even guys who have been playing together since 1991 have found a way to keep things interesting. Showroom of Compassion, their first record since 2004′s Pressure Chief, will be released on the group’s very own Upbeat Records, which also happens to mark the band’s departure from Columbia Records. As if that weren’t momentous enough, lead singer John McCrea said this will also be the first Cake album to feature reverb and acoustic piano. What was that adage about old dogs and new tricks? -Chris Coplan
January 11th via Upbeat Records / Order via Amazon

The Decemberists – The King Is Dead

What do you get when you combine an homage to The Smiths, recording sessions on a farm, and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck? The Decemberists’ latest record, The King Is Dead (or a really weird smoothie). While the title of the group’s sixth studio album plays off The Smiths’ 1986 The Queen Is Dead, lead singer Colin Meloy says the sound is much more influenced by early R.E.M. Three of the songs, “Don’t Carry It All”, “Calamity Song”, and “Down by the Water”, even feature Buck on guitar. On top of all of that, the album was recorded entirely on an eight-acre farm outside of Portland, which according to Meloy contributed to a more rustic sound. Maybe that smoothie isn’t so weird after all. -Jack McGrew
January 11th via Capitol Records / Order via Amazon

Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

It appears as if the musical trend for 2011 will undoubtedly be reinvention. For their 2009 self-titled debut, Smith Westerns unleashed an effort of lo-fi garage pop that eats away at your defenses and leaves you smiling through feelings of forlorn. For their sophomore LP, Dye It Blonde, the Chicago outfit are taking that sound and adding a sheen of Brit-pop goodness. In an October 2010 interview with Pitchfork, lead singer Cullen Omori said the songs would be “more involved but are still poppy and still catchy,” with influences ranging from Oasis to T. Rex and Teenage Fanclub. Guess blondes really do have loads more fun than the rest of us. -Chris Coplan
January 18th via Fat Possum Records / Order via Amazon

“Weekend”

Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours

2011 may be a make-or-break year for Cold War Kids; their sophomore album and subsequent tour were victims of what some industry insiders call a “slump.” The Long Beach natives’ Mine Is Yours seeks to shrug that off. To that end, singer Nathan Willett took a more personal approach to songwriting. “If I really wanted to connect to it,” he told Rolling Stone, “I knew it had to come from me.” Hence, there are tracks like “Sensitive Kid”, about Willett’s parents divorcing during his high school years, and “Louder Than Ever”, reflecting on failed relationships. Despite the subject matter, songs like “Royal Blue” reveal a rosier sound than much of what these Kids have previously released. Can CWK v.3.0’s brighter take on echoey guitar rock enliven a fan base largely dulled by v.2.0? -Ben Kaye
January 25th via Downtown Music / Order via Amazon

Cold War Kids – ‘Royal Blue’

Destroyer – Kaputt

We can finally solve the equation that Destroyer proposed to us with the 2009 EP Bay of Pigs. That x was in the form of a 14-minute “ambient disco” track bearing the same title of the LP, which now closes out Dan Bejar’s latest record, Kaputt. But Bejar’s hands are in many musical pies on Kaputt, as he expands on previous outings with ample new wave textures but the same byzantine Bejarisms. (Is Bejaresque minted yet?) All this excitement about this album recalls the Destroyer drinking game, my absolute love for Destroyer’s Rubies, and Bejar’s loveable soused antics when he played live with The New Pornographers this year. Look, this album is incredible and will end up on arguably everyone’s year-end list. Buy it. Don’t believe me? Read this. -Jeremy D. Larson
January 25th via Merge Records / Order via Amazon

Destroyer – ‘Kaputt’

Gang of Four – Content

UK’s politically charged Gang of Four are back in 2011 with Content, the band’s first new material in 16 years. Original members John King and Andy Gill opted to crowd-fund the release, offering helicopter rides, autographed limited releases, and even vials of their own blood to spur donations. And unlike with Public Enemy, the strategy succeeded, generating over 170% of the original goal. Content was co-written by King and Gill, with Gill serving as producer as the recording progressed in his home studio. With the current turmoil in the global political arena, Gang of Four’s socially aware punk rock is as relevant now as at any time during their 30-plus-year career. -Derek Staples
January 25th via Yep Roc Records / Order via Amazon

Gang of Four – ‘Never Pay For the Farm’

The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules

Mötley Crüe headlining the biggest emo-friendly festival around could be a sign that the genre has seen its heyday. So what happens when a historically pivotal emo band reunites for a new album amidst a wholly different musical climate? The Get Up Kids’ There Are Rules. The Kids spent seven years between records playing in various musical genres, and the maturing influences carpet their fifth full-length. Lead single “Automatic” sounds like an odd, absurdly catchy Devo cut. “Pararelevant” is more synth-heavy than anything else in their catalog. Diehards and purists may take issue with the new sound, but it’s worth an unprejudiced listen. While “Regent’s Court” sounds the most like their older work, it’s evident throughout that these guys haven’t forgotten who they were; they’ve just grown up. It’s what The Get Up Kids would sound like if they formed in 2009 instead of 1995, and it’s all rather intriguing. -Ben Kaye
January 25th via Quality Hill Records / Order via Amazon

The Get Up Kids – ‘Regent’s Court’

Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean

Iron & Wine, the folk project of musician/beard enthusiast Sam Beam, has made a career of touching the hearts of listeners with emotionally evocative and gentle acoustic numbers. Now, Beam becomes another member of 2011 musical revolution when he leaves his long-time home of Sub Pop Records for the major label sanctuary of Warner Bros. Records. Along with the change in label, Beam and company are reinventing their sound for the act’s fourth record. In an October 2010 interview with SPIN, Beam said the LP would be a pop record focused on the “early-to-mid-’70s FM, radio-friendly music” he grew up with. Awww, just as heartwarming. -Chris Coplan
January 25th via Warner Bros. Records / Order via Amazon

Monotonix – Not Yet

Monotonix is one of those bands that come along once in a blue moon. They tour relentlessly, make fans a part of the show (literally), and always look like they’re having a ball. Amidst the tireless work ethic on the road, the Tel Aviv-born rockers find time to get in the studio and turn the amps up to eleven. The trio’s sophomore release, Not Yet, the follow-up to 2009′s Where Were You When It Happened?, is more of the balls out, punk-infused garage rock that defines what these guys are all about. The album’s lead single, “Give Me More”, harkens back to late ’60s Detroit and the unabashed raw power of a sound defined by bands like MC5 and The Stooges. If “Give Me More” is any indication of what Monotonix has in store for the new year, let’s hope they keep on giving it. -Megan Caffery
January 25th via Drag City / Order via Amazon

Monotonix – ‘Give Me More’

The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts

It’s been a long minute since The Go! Team had new material to release. Their last album, Proof of Youth, was back in 2007. That shouldn’t be a surprise, though, given the detailed sampling process that Ian Parton goes through. In an interview with Spinner, the UK outfit’s mastermind mentioned that much time is spent “storing all my favorite bits then filtering it down. It’s not like it’s just picking up an acoustic and writing a song. It’s a drawn-out affair.” But just because they’ve been gone for a few years, don’t think the English sextet have lost their edge. The lead track off the upcoming Rolling Blackouts, “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.”, is an explosive mix of blaring trumpets and Ninja’s energetic, on-beat vocals. The band followed this freebie up with the album’s first single, “Buy Nothing Day” (featuring Bethany Cosentino), which is probably the poppiest melody in the band’s history. Given the quality of the first two songs made available, this may be the first time anyone is looking forward to a rolling blackout. -Joe Marvilli
February 1st via Sub Pop / Order via Amazon

The Go! Team – ‘T.O.R.N.A.D.O.’

The Streets – Computers and Blues/Cyberspace and Reds

Mike Skinner – aka The Streets – has made it very obvious that Computers and Blues has been done for a while. In fact, he’s gone as far as to say, “[The album] doesn’t feel a part of me. It’s a part of my past. It sits in the machine right now waiting to leak into the cloud.” In response to his feeling of disconnect, Skinner has apparently recorded another album – Cyberspace and Reds – that he’s described as “painfully repetitive…chord changes that have never changed in that way before…the lyrics will make no sense.” What does make sense is that we should have both of them before Valentine’s Day, and if that doesn’t make you love him more, then you’re just as coldhearted as he is. -Ray Roa
Computers and Blues due February 7th via 679 Recordings; Cyberspace and Reds TBA

Cut Copy – Zonoscope

Rejecting tour offers from Lady Gaga, Nine Inch Nails, and Coldplay might sound asinine, but Cut Copy isn’t your average group. The band who hails from Melbourne, Australia, instead added a member, hit the studio, and is set to release Zonoscope next month. The follow-up to 2008′s excellent In Ghost Colours is only the electro-pop group’s third album, but it’s being anticipated as would a work from a band with three times their discography. Bassist Tim Hoey says that first single “Take Me Over” is one of the more “pop moments” on the record. “We certainly are using all sorts of electronic instruments, more synthesizers, computers, all of that, but contrasted with more organic sounds, more organic percussion,” says Hoey. Better still is the announcement  that the record’s final track, “Sun God”, is a 16-minute epic.  - Jack McGrew
February 8th via Modular / Order via Amazon

Cut Copy – ‘Take Me Over’

Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

It’s been four years since Conor Oberst released music under the Bright Eyes moniker, and while it seemed like the band’s July performance at a Nebraska immigration rally would be a one-off, it looks like the new year is bringing 10 new songs and a two-week tour. Fans of the angsty Oberst from Bright Eyes’ earlier days may have abandoned their hero after the band’s sonic evolution on 2007’s Cassadaga, but those who stayed on the train will be surprised and pleased to hear the synth-laden, new wave vibe on lead single “Shell Games”. -Ray Roa
February 15th via Saddle Creek / Order via Amazon

Bright Eyes – ‘Shell Games’

Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

We can already assure you that Mogwai’s Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is going to be an early highlight for 2011. The post-rock mainstays officially release their seventh full-length in February, and the day can’t come soon enough. Young Team producer Paul Savage returns for the LP, and if that means anything to you, you’re going to want to stay tuned. -Harry Painter
February 15th via Sub Pop / Order via Amazon

Mogwai – ‘Rano Pano’

PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

What better valentine could come this year than Let England Shake, the latest from one of England’s and music’s most influential women in rock. For the better part of two decades now, Polly Jean has continued to offer album after album of honest-to-everyone songs grounded in a wide array of sounds from post-feminist grunge to brit-folk. On her 8th proper LP, we may find Harvey putting the onus on us. “I think a lot of my work has often been about the interior, the emotional, what happens inside oneself. This time I’ve just been looking out, so it’s not only to do with taking a look at England, but taking a look at the world and what’s happening in the current day world affairs.” So rarely does Harvey lay a bad egg that the very thought of this album all but guaranteed it a spot on this list. To boot, the first sampling from the album sounds like a gorgeous and haunting collage of her recent works, and it’s one fantastic song. -Jeremy D. Larson
February 15th via Vagrant Records / Order via Amazon

PJ Harvey – ‘Written On The Forehead’

Adele – 21

Looks like British powerhouse Adele is trying to add another award to her shelf. Much like her 2008 debut, 19, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s simply titled sophomore release, 21, showcases the big voice and big sound that turned her into a critical darling at the tender age of—you guessed it—19. The first single from 21, “Rolling in the Deep”, is an incredibly soulful number you can bop your head to, but you can’t mistake the hint of sadness in Adele’s raspy vocals. There’s no denying that the girl has talent beyond her years, and come 2011 Grammy season, we’ll see if the critics still think so, too. -Megan Caffery
February 22 via XL Recordings / Order via Amazon

Adele – ‘Rolling in the Deep’

Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine

Toro y Moi’s debut came out just last year, but the man born Chaz Bundick is staying ahead of the pack and releasing a follow-up very early this year. Underneath the Pine arrives next month and will reportedly feature live instrumentation and, if new track “Still Sound” is any indication, less chill, more funk. -Harry Painter
February 22nd via Carpark Records / Order via Amazon

Lupe Fiasco – Lasers

Talk of Lupe Fiasco’s third album began back in June 2009; the following two-plus years saw the Chicago MC complete the album only to have its release delayed by Atlantic Records. The label claimed the LP lacked potential singles, but Fiasco’s refusal to sign a 360 deal probably didn’t help. The wait got so intense that fans even held protests outside of various Atlantic offices in order to get the album out. Atlantic finally heard their cries and, deciding that perhaps giving into the demand was a sound business move, announced the album’s March 2011 release. With tracks like “I’m Beamin’”, first single “The Show Goes On”, and “What U Want”, we’re just glad the album’s finally getting its time to shine. -Chris Coplan
March 8th via Atlantic

R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now

For Collapse Into Now, R.E.M. took the rulebook they compiled for their last album, 2007′s Accelerate, and threw it out the window. Forget about speed or getting back to a core sound; according to Mike Mills’ interview with Rolling Stone, it’s all about creating the best songs they can. Produced by Jacknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol, Weezer), the band’s 15th record will feature a bevy of special guests, including Eddie Vedder (on the first single,”It Happened Today“), Joel Gibb, Peaches, and Patti Smith. It was recorded in multiple cities, such as New Orleans and Berlin, with the trio taking breaks in between to edit the material. “The songs go from one type into another really easily, and it all seems to fit as a piece,” Mills says. “It makes sense as a whole the same way that Automatic For The People did.” All that’s left to see is if R.E.M. can back that statement up. -Joe Marvilli
March 8th via Warner Bros. / Order via Amazon

R.E.M. – ‘It Happened Today’ (feat. Eddie Vedder)

The Dodos – No Color

The Dodos have quite an ambitious goal for their fourth album, according to an interview Meric Long did with Pitchfork: “One of the things that we intended to do was to really just make a record that was exciting, almost to the point where it might be unlistenable.” If No Color is half as exciting to listeners as it is to him, that, um, excites us. The San Franciscans have yet to put out a bad album, so any time they do release something, it’s worth keeping an eye out. It helps that Neko Case is involved, too. -Harry Painter
March 15th via Frenchkiss Records

New York Dolls – Dancing Backward in High Heels

Punk pioneers, and some of America’s favorite cross-dressers, the New York Dolls are back in 2011 with the release of Dancing Backward in High Heels. For the band’s fifth studio release, and third since reforming back in 2004, surviving original members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain chose to move the recording process to the birthplace of androgynous glam-rock, the UK. The album’s 11 tracks were recorded in Newcastle, England, and produced by Louis XIV’s, and one time Dolls’ touring bassist, Jason Hill. It seems with the passage of time, the Dolls’ sound has grown more “bluesy”, most evident in the cover of the 1962 hit by Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles, “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman”. While the release is still a few months off, samples are available via 429 Records. -Derek Staples
March 15th via 429 Records / Order via Amazon

The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

The Mountain Goats’ donnish and prolific career continues in 2011 with the release of their new death metal album, All Eternals Deck. Well, it’s not a death metal album — at all. To clarify, John Darnielle, the man behind the Goats, hired metal guru Erik Rutan to produce a handful of tracks on the album. Rutan, former guitarist for Morbid Angel who now fronts the three-piece death metal band Hate Eternal, is one of four producers on the album, which was recorded in as many locations across the US. Darnielle likens the album to, well, “…if you have ever watched, say, a 70s occult-scare movie where one of the scenes involves a couple of people visiting a storefront fortune teller, getting their cards read, and then trying to feel super-hopeful about what they hear when what they’re visibly actually feeling is dread” or “the feeling of exultation that comes with having recognized the oncoming train of fate.” Sounds pretty metal to me. -Jeremy D. Larson
March 29th via Merge Records

Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne

Critically, Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was among the best albums put out in 2010. Commercially, however, West’s fifth LP failed to capitalize on the massive publicity campaign embarked on by the Chicago MC in the months leading up to the album’s release. America might still be pissed at Mr. West, but nothing helps heal wounds like teaming up with a rapper that even Oprah champions. Originally set to be released as an EP last fall, West and Jay-Z’s collaborative LP, Watch the Throne, has evolved into a 10-track full-length and is now due out sometime in March. Hopefully. Details-wise, little is known about the album, but heavyweights like Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and Madlib have been mentioned as producers, and Kanye has declared that the LP hears Jay-Z flowing like he did back in the Reasonable Doubt days. It’s hard to imagine this album not living up to the hype. Let’s just hope we hear it before 2012. -Alex Young
March? via Def Jam

The Strokes – TBA

We all know the story, but here it is one more time: The followup to 2006′s First Impressions of Earth was originally scheduled for release in 2009, but inner band disagreements delayed those plans over… and over… again. Frontman Julian Casablancas further threw us for a loop with the release of his solo debut amidst these supposed recording sessions. But in early 2010, progress on the record moved forward as the band began working with award-winning producer Joe Chicarelli (My Morning Jacket, The Shins) and renowned engineer Gus Oberg. No new songs were offered during the band’s 2010 live performances, but as of November 16th, 2010, the album is finished. Expect 10 songs to be included, and a March 2011 release date is promised. Cross your fingers. -Joe Marvilli
March via RCA

Lady Gaga – Born This Way

With Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster becoming the world’s biggest-selling record of 2010 (5.8 million units!), its follow-up, Born This Way, is an almost guaranteed success. But what about quality? The conspicuous star has been fanning the anticipatory flames, promising a Polish crowd “the greatest album of this decade” – lofty considering the decade just started. She told BBC the album’s sound blends her usual dance-pop anthems with “metal and rock ‘n’ roll,” a sonic conglomerate sampled in live performances of new track “You And I”. On New Year’s Eve, Gaga revealed that Born This Way drops May 23rd, with the first single/title track (which Elton John calls “the new gay anthem”) landing on Grammy night, February 13th. So while the workhorse pounds the road again with another North American tour starting in February, it’ll be six months before we see how Lady Gaga meets the hype she’s created for herself. -Ben Kaye
May 23rd via Interscope

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2

When founding member Adam Yauch (MCA) announced that he had cancer in 2009, the Beastie Boys’ upcoming double album was put on hold. A year and a half later, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 is still delayed indefinitely, but the second part will be available in early Spring. The Beasties’ eighth studio album will feature 16 tracks and include collaborations with Nas on “Too Many Rappers” and Santigold on “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win”. Comparing the tracks to previous work, Yauch stated, “It’s a combination of playing and sampling stuff as we’re playing, and also sampling pretty obscure records. There are a lot of songs on the record and there are a lot of short songs and they kind of all run into each other.” Sounds like a good way to end the fight with cancer. – Jack McGrew
Spring via Capitol Records

Beastie Boys – ‘Too Many Rappers’

Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys

Death Cab For Cutie fans who thought that 2008’s Narrow Stairs was a bit of a downer apparently aren’t alone. “There’s a level of self-loathing that I’m embarrassed about, it’s a really dark record,” frontman Ben Gibbard told SPIN. “I didn’t want to make that record again.” He added that the creative process for Codes and Keys entailed the band building songs from singular riffs or vocal lines and that the “achingly gorgeous” title track is a sprawling, seven-minute mostly instrumental number, which includes DCFC’s first string arrangement in over a decade. Throw in songs that originated solely from guitarist/pianist Chris Walla’s demos, and it’s no wonder Gibbard feels “so proud of this album” that he doesn’t really care if people like it or not. -Ray Roa
Spring via Atlantic

Dr. Dre – Detox

It only took a little more than a decade, but hip-hop’s Chinese Democracy is finally coming out. Really, we’re not kidding. Sure, Detox doesn’t have an unofficial release date yet, but it’s hard to ignore the events of the past six months: October found us thinking that Dr. Dre was too busy working out with LeBron to release an album. Then a song leaked, and another one leaked, then we got a video. Three days after Christmas, Eminem and Fiddy finally made us really want to buy Detox. Throw Def Jam’s press release in with news that Dre will promote the album through a Facebook game and what we’ve essentially got here is a promise that can’t be broken. -Ray Roa
Spring via Aftermath/Interscope

Dr. Dre – ‘Kush’ (feat. Snoop Dogg, Akon)

Foo Fighters – TBA

What’s not to love about Dave Grohl? He sings, he plays guitar, he drums, and he smiles. He’s just a downright honest guy. That’s why when he insists that the next Foo Fighters record “sounds big”, we’re apt to believe him. After finishing up his gig in Them Crooked Vultures, Grohl set the ball in motion last September, when production on the Foo’s seventh album began. From what’s been said, fans can expect a celebratory record. Grohl told BBC recently that “there’s not one sleepy ballad” and that there are several familiar faces involved. In addition to having producer Butch Vig at the controls, the album also sports longtime collaborator and now full-time member Pat Smear (of The Germs, but also considered Nirvana’s “fourth” member) and, incidentally, former bandmate Krist Novoselic, who plays accordion and bass on a track titled “I Should Have Known”. Throw in the little fact that the whole thing wasn’t recorded with computers — all on analog tape, actually — and you might see the group carving out their finest record since their debut. But, we’ll see come Spring. -Michael Roffman
Spring via RCA

U2 – Songs of Ascent + three other albums?

U2 may have gotten slightly tangled in the web of utter disaster that has been the Spider-Man musical, but as long as it doesn’t delay their upcoming studio album, we’ll try to forgive ‘em. Though we’ve yet to get an actual track listing or release date, we do know a handful of details about the band’s 13th LP. Originally planned as a companion album for 2009′s No Line on the Horizon, Songs of Ascent will be produced by super producer Danger Mouse (Beck, The Black Keys, Gnarls Barkley). While we’re not entirely sure of what to expect, bassist Adam Clayton does warn us that it’s not “going to sound like familiar U2 territory at all.”

This album isn’t the only unfamiliar territory that the Irish band is going into lately. Songs of Ascent is only one of four albums that they’ve been working on recently, starting with the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Aside from that, U2 also plans on coming out with a dance/club-sounding album produced by will.i.am, David Guetta, and RedOne, as well as a Steve Lillywhite-produced album of unused tracks from their most recent LP, No Line on the Horizon. As of now, there are no official release dates for any of the records. -Dana Grossman
Songs of Ascent due in Spring via Interscope; Other albums TBA via Interscope

Coldplay – TBA

While it wasn’t out in time for Christmas, it’s safe to expect Coldplay’s fifth album at some point this year, though we hope it sounds nothing like the Christmas single the band put out. Coldplay supposedly recorded a load of songs and are weeding it down to album length, which has meant delays. Another reason for delays might be how seriously the group is taking this album. Chris Martin told BBC Radio 1′s Zane Lowe, “We’re going for it. We regard this as our last big shot.” In 2009, The Sun reported Coldplay was recording in a church. So, this could be super serial. Like, Arcade Fire serial. -Harry Painter
2011 via Capitol Records

Also stay tuned for…

– Aphex Twin – LP #6: Something is coming March 12th, 2011.

– Beyoncé – LP#4: — According to producer Sean Garrett, Mrs. Hova’s fourth full-length “[is] going to be her biggest album ever.”

– The Cars – Free: It took 23 years, but the new wave icons will soon return with their seventh LP.

– Daft Punk/The Third Twin – LP#4?: Maybe/hopefully not?

– Fleet Foxes – LP #2: In the works for nearly two years, Fleet Foxes completed their “less upbeat” sophomore LP last September. Most details are still forthcoming, but a Spring 2011 release date is expected.

– How to Destroy Angels – LP #1: Trent Reznor says he’s proud of the band’s debut EP, but it was merely “the results of a couple of months of experimentation and tinkering.” In other words, he’s now ready to kick your ass.

– Jane’s Addiction – LP #4: Featuring TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek.

– Justin Bieber – LP #2: Featuring Kanye West.

– Lil Wayne – Tha Carter IV: “6’7″ is just the start of Weezy’s 2k11 takeover.

– Queens of the Stone Age – LP #6: Recording begins in January.

– Radiohead – LP #8: A batch of songs has been completed, but Thom Yorke and friends aren’t done quite yet. One way or another, though, we fully expect music’s most important outfit to return at some point in 2k11.

– Rage Against the Machine – LP#5: So says Google Translate.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers – LP #10: Flea plays piano and Josh Klinghoffer replaces John Frusciante on guitar for the Peppers’ long-awaited follow-up to 2006′s Stadium Arcadium. It’s supposedly due in the “beginning of Summer 2011.”

– Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t: The Teflon Don is wasting no time in following up his 2010 masterpiece. The rapper’s fifth album is “60% done,” with the Drake-featuring first single, “Made Men”, already available for streaming.

– Ryan Adams – LP #13/Blackhole: The wifey finally let him skip weekend trips to Ikea.

– The Shins – LP #4: Four years is long enough.

– Tenacious D – The Rise of the Phoenix: The comedy duo’s “R-Rated” third album is due out in late 2011.

– The White Stripes – LP#7: Jack White seems pretty content with his current role as record label/producer extraordinaire, but sooner or later, he’s got to give the people what they want. How else is he going to make money (via eBay)?

– Wilco – LP#8: Work began last October.

Dancing Backward in High Heels is scheduled for release on March 15th via 429 Records. No tour announcement has been made to date, but keep your eyes peeled for more New York Dolls news as it comes.

Dancing Backward in High Heels Tracklist:
01. Fool For You Baby
02. Streetcake
03. I’m So Fabulous
04. Talk to Me Baby
05. Kids Like You
06. Round and Round She Goes
07. You Don’t Have to Cry
08. I Sold My Heart to The Junkman
09. Baby Tell Me What I’m On
10. Funky But Chic
11. End of the Summer

In support of the recently released Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!, Black Joe Lewis and his bluesy septet have launched a two-month North American tour which sees them serving as openers for the now MTV-approved Lucero and the recently reunited New York Dolls, along with a couple stops at some of the summer’s latter festivals.

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears 2009 Tour Dates:
05/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Troubadour *
05/16 – San Francisco, CA @ Slims *
05/17 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Rio Theatre *
05/19 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s *
05/21 – Portland, OR @ Hawthrone Theatre *
05/22 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern *
05/23 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore *
05/24 – Bellingham, WA @ The Wild Buffalo *
06/02 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom ^
06/07 – New Orlenas, LA @ House of Blues ^
06/09 – St. Petersburg, FL @ The State Theatre ^
06/10 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues ^
06/11 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues ^
06/12 – Atlanta, TX @ Center Stage ^
06/22 – New York, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ^
07/11 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Folk & Roots Festival
10/04 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits

* = w/ Lucero
^ = w/ New York Dolls

Regardless of the lineup, the New York Dolls still kicks some proverbial music ass, especially as the six members champion on with their fourth studio album, ‘Cause I Sez So. After all, where would the band be if lead singer David Johansen abandoned the band? The answer is nowhere. Johansen’s contributions are the glue that holds the Dolls together. He has always been the backbone of the group and ‘Cause I Said So proves just this once again. Though Johansen’s vocals have always been quite throaty and brash, over the years, time has only intensified his signature sound. On record, his voice is pure vintage whether he is shouting on rock anthems (“’Cause I Sez So”) or attempting tenderness (“Trash”). Come to think of it, at times, he sounds almost like Tom Waits.

Given the pervading dirty guitar riffs and fist-pounding refrains, it’s not uncommon to hear echoes from the past members. However, this new material proves the aging New York punkers are no one-trick pony. ‘Cause I Sez So is a fresh winner produced by longtime music pal Todd Rundgren and one that explores various styles ranging from blue-eyed-soul, melodic pop, muscle rock, and, of course, a little punk action. It’s no wonder that the band has influenced so many great acts over time like the Sex Pistols, The Ramones and Blondie.

“This is Ridiculous” is a blues-influenced track that showcases Johansen’s famous pissy attitude to a T. No matter how old Johansen may get (he’s pushing 60), this Staten Island brute never fails to channel his rage through his music — hey, it’s a New York Dolls trademark, for Christ’s sake! However, ever since the band’s comeback, the Dolls have become less out-of-control renegade-like and more mature and tamed. It’s hard to say if its change in style is a loss or a gain for the band, but nevertheless, the byproduct is still impressive (“Lonely So Long” and “Making Rain”).

If there was only one influence on ‘Cause I Sez So, The Rolling Stones would be it. It was clear throughout One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This that decadence and glam are no longer valuable to the boys (or men? or dolls?). Without music genius Johnny Thunder (the band’s ex-guitarist who died 1991), the band’s style that first attracted a cult following of punk fans seems to now be unreachable, or it could just be a conflict of creative input by the new band mates. Whatever the case, ‘Cause I Said So is an album that’s well-deserving of your attention, even if you’re still lamenting the death of the band’s heyday. Word of advice: Just get over it already!

Check Out:

Yes, after tackling South By Southwest last month, the lone surviving members, David Johansen on vocals and Sylvain Sylvain on guitar are joined by Steve Conte on guitar, Brian Delaney on drums and Sami Yaffa on bass, will hit America between May and June.

But before all of the above can go down, the Dolls must take to John Varvatos on Bowery, aka the store that now fills the spot where CBGB used to be, for a private show on May 5. Punk rock!

New York Dolls 2009 Tour Dates:
05/01 – Red Banks, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre (David Johansen solo)
05/05 – New York, NY @ John Varvatos
05/14 – London, UK @ 100 Club
05/20 – Solana Beach, CA @ Wed Belly Up Tavern
05/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
05/22 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
05/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Grand Ballroom at The Regency Center
05/26 – Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan
05/27 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
05/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Richard’s on Richards
05/31 – Denver, CO @ Sun Bluebird Theater
06/02 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom *
06/03 – Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues *
06/04 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues *
06/05 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s Alternative Lounge *
06/07 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues *
06/09 – St Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre *
06/10 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues *
06/13 – Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage *

* = w/ Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears

No, I don’t have unhealthy confidence in the legendary New York outfit, nor I am the band’s new publicist. In fact, Cause I Sez So is just the name of the the band’s forth studio outfit. As we told you back in November, the David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain and the rest of the Dolls recently hit the studio with longtime collaborator Todd Rundgren – and when we say longtime, we mean longtime. Rundgren worked with the band on its 1973 self-titled debut. Anyway, come May 5th, the New York Dolls will unveil the 12-track finished product, which will consist of 11 originals, along with a rerecording of the 1973 classic “Trash”.

The release will be headed by a stint at this year’s South by Southwest, where the punk rockers will make three appearances, one of which will be at Rachel Ray’s Feedback.

‘Cause I Sez So Tracklist:
01. ‘Cause I Sez So
02. Muddy Bones
03. Better Than
04. Lonely So Long
05. My World
06. Ridiculous
07. Temptation To Exist
08. Making Rain
09. Drowning
10. Nobody Got No Bizness
11.Trash
12. Exorcism Of Despair

New York Dolls 2009 Tour Dates:
03/20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (The Sound and the Fury Panel)
03/21 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Official Showcase)
03/21 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Rachael Ray’s Feedback)

So what better way to cap off your SXSW week and fill your stomachs in the process, then by hitting up Rachel Ray’s Feedback party. On Saturday, everyone’s favorite Food Network personality turned talk show host will return to Austin for what appears to be another stellar event of music, food, and drinks.

First and foremost, it’s probably safe to say this year’s lineup blows last’s years – and that’s saying something, considering Battles and Holy Fuck held down the lineup for Feedback 1. Scheduled to take part in Rachel’s second SXSW event will be The Hold Steady, New York Dolls, The Airborne Toxic Event, Ra Ra Riot, The Thermals, The Cringe, Bob Scneider, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Semi Precious Weapons, and John Pringle. Those Rachel fanatics will know that The Cringe is the name of husband John Cusimano’s band.

On the food front, Smoky Chipotle and Black Bean Chilaquiles, Ancho Chicken Soft Tacos, Seven Layer Sliders, Cornbread-Topped Bourbon BBQ Chicken, and the aptly titled Austin Mac ‘n’ Cheese Suiza, will be among the dishes offered to us hungry attendees. And to wash it all down, we’ll have such plenty of drink options featuring Rose’s Mojito – the liquor company is co-presenting the event.

Rachel Ray’s Feedback will go down Saturday, March 21st at Maggie Mae’s (323 E. Sixth St.) between noon and 5:00p.m. Though it might be a good idea to get there early, this is one of those events that will be packed from the start…