Each Tuesday we will feature new music that should (or whatever) be on your radar.

Standouts:

1. The Hives - The Black and White Album: The first song, "Tick Tick Boom" opens up with clanging of the drums and guitar tuning following with a huge guitar and drum entrance. Instantly your head starts to bob up and down. As the song progresses the bobbing turns into a rocked-out-90's-head-bang. We absolutely love the climax into the "boom" that happens several times throughout the song. (This was our favorite song at the recent concert we attended.) Throughout the rest of the CD we venture into solid garage rock but surrender half-way when they present a little 6/8-time, keyboard diddy called, "A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors." But right after they are back to their strong rocking sound in "It Won't Be Long." We hate track eight, "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S" but we think it was more of joke than anything else (they do seem to have a strong sense of humor judging from their live show.) When you need a good musical rush or just to remember what solid rock n' roll sounds like, than just put in this album.

Download: "Tick Tick Boom" and "Try It Again"

For more info on other CD releases, take the jump...

Please Let Us Know What You Think About:

1. LCD Soundsystem - 45:33: 45:33, commissioned by Nike, will get you up and running before you eat your feelings during the holidays and make your New Year's resolutions unachievable.

2. The Killers - Sawdust: Remixes, b-sides, cover songs and a couple of previously unreleased tracks fill this new album. We guess this will hold us over till next year when their third studio album is released.

3. Alicia Keys - As I Am: Selling #1 on the R&B charts on amazon, Alicia Keys seems to be off to a good start. We don't really think so - her new single "No One" seems stretched thin with her raspy smoked-filled vocals.

4. Celine Dion - Taking Chances: With collaborators such as Ne-Yo and Evanescence we really aren't sure about this album. We haven't been a fan of Dion since 1998 so...

5. Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre: The biggest excitement about this release was how they fused Broadway and pop music together. They've been playing Barrymore Theatre as a limited engagement but recently had to move over to the Roseland Ballroom because of the Local One, Broadway stagehands, strike.

Past Hits You Should Know About:

1. Until June - Until June: This summer we randomly came across this band and we fell in love with their debut release. Okay, not really, love, more like strong attachment. These three guys from Hollywood decided that they had until June 2005 to be picked up by a record label or they would quit. Clearly, they were picked up and their album, Until June came out earlier this year. They've been featured on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and apparently they are huge in the Christian market. (We never realized that they were a "Christian" band?)
Download: "Sleepless" and "The Saddest Song"

Guilty Pleasure for the Week:
With previously unreleased tracks from some of her earliest recordings, Julie Andrew's latest release entitled, Once Upon A Time, has selections from the The Boyfriend, High Tor, and My Fair Lady, as well as Andrews' debut LP Tell It Again. We can't wait to get a hold of this musical theatre wet dream.

Photos courtesy of:
Amazon.com