Album Cover of the Year 2009!

Move over, Animal Collective. Sorry, Black Lips. You did a great job, Neko Case, but not this great. That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Your new leader in the Album Cover of 2009 race is none other than Soundtrack of Our Lives. The Swedish rockers with the hirsute teddy bear of a frontman named Ebbot Lundberg have been putting out albums for close to 15 years, but this cover in particular, which is for their March 3rd release, Communion, is a real doozy. There's plenty to love about it, too. What are those docile retirees smiling about? Are they endorsing some sort of teeth whitener? Did they just get out of a hot tub? What delicious beverage are they about to imbibe? What does the inexplicable watermark that looks like "oeoc" supposed to represent? WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES THIS ALBUM COVER MEAN/HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?

Your guess is as good as ours, honestly. Leave it in the comments, would you?

New release...BOOKS!

Straight from a recent Decatur CD newsletter and right into your computer, recklessly and without invitation, utterly literate and totally awesome, here are few new-release book highlights that have made their way into the DCD library recently:

Jimmy Page - Magus Musician Man: An Unauthorized Biography
By: George Case
In this, the first-ever biography of Led Zep's iconic guitarist, Case crafts what Rolling Stone editor Anthony DeCurtis calls "a three-dimensional look at the life of a man who is all too often swallowed by his myth. Best of all, it reminds us why anybody cares about Jimmy Page in the first place: his extraordinary music."

The Road Goes on Forever and the Music Never Ends
By: Robert Earl Keen
This gorgeous songbook/scrapbook/photo album contains lyrics for 24 of Keen's favorite songs, along with tantalizing one-liners from the author himself, as well as documentation of letters, concert posters, journal entries and so much more, not to mention a CD with printable sheet music for all two-dozen songs. An absolute must-have for anyone who claims knowledge of this inimitable songwriter.

Punk Rock Fun Time Activity Book
By: Aye Jay
This is the sister book of sorts to the Heavy Metal Fun Time Activity Book (which we wrote about here previously) by the hilariously creative Aye Jay. Draw tattoos on Henry Rollins, connect the dots on the Velvet Underground's debut album, make your own CBGB's wall graffiti, color Darby Crash from The Germs and more. A perfect Valentine's Day gift for your punky loved one.

New. Release. Tuesday.

Happy Black Lips week, everyone! Our valiant garage rockers unleash a savage new album tomorrow (with the dizzying, above-pictured artwork) and then perform at Variety Playhouse on Friday with a who's who Atlanta rock line-up that includes Atlas Sound and Gentleman Jesse. Not bad at all.

Some press is popping up this week, and depending on who you choose to believe, the band is "sidestep[ping] expectations" (Pitchfork), doing "stupid, messy brilliant things" (Spin), making music that "could fit in a Zach Braff film" (Rolling Stone), making music "that finally catches up to their live-show notoriety" (Entertainment Weekly), or has created "an era-defying mix of garage-punk sing-alongs and sock-hop bouncers" (Paste). Phew. We just think it's good and are looking forward to seeing some of the new tracks live on Friday.

But the ATL's flower-punk darlings aren't the only ones with a new record this week. Have a look at the full list below:

Black Lips
Van Morrison (live Astral Weeks! at long last!)
Clem Snide
War Child: Heroes (charity compilation ft. Beck, The Hold Steady, Hot Chip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rufus Wainwright, Elbow, TV on the Radio and more)
Joe Bonamassa
Isaac Hayes (reissues)
J.J. Cale
Kinky
Chris Isaak
The Wrestler (soundtrack)
Shemekia Copeland
Jonas Brothers (in 3-D, no less)
...and more!

Oscar music at Decatur CD

[Above: Oscar winners Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of Once]

If you couldn't tell by these last couple DCD blog posts, it's awards season out there. But we thought what with all the hullabaloo surrounding the Academy Awards it might be worth pointing out some of the Oscar-related selections we have here in the store. Have a look, and if you're into that whole watching-people-watching-stuff kinda thing, tune into Paste's live blog of the Oscars tomorrow night. At the very least, it's a reason to make snarky comments as all those shiny trophies are handed out.

Slumdog Millionaire
Why you care: This movie is going to bring home a buttload of awards tomorrow evening, and with good reason. Included here is an awesome score by international superstar composer A.R. Rahman, and a handful of M.I.A. tracks, including a great DFA remix of "Paper Planes." A fun listen all around.

Rachel Getting Married
Why you care: One of the most interesting ones on this list, Rachel Getting Married's soundtrack includes a tear-jerking Neil Young cover by TV on the Radio singer Tunde Adebimpe, a couple Robyn Hitchcock songs, and other eclectic tracks from Black Bombay, Angela McCluskey, Brooklyn Demme and more.

The Wrestler
Why you care: Bizarrely enough, the soundtrack to Darren Aronofsky's powerful film does not include Bruce Springsteen's song, which is called "The Wrestler" and was written for the movie. Allow us to roll our eyes for a moment and direct you to Working on a Dream if you want that song. Here, you'll get Quiet Riot, Lil Wayne, Firehouse, Ratt, Scorpions and more.

WALL*E
Why you care: Because the movie is adorable!!! Ahem. Also, you get a song by Peter Gabriel and a score composed by Thomas Newman. Whether you know the latter's name or not, you've doubtlessly heard his music in any number of films, including Revenge of the Nerds, Real Genius, Fried Green Tomatoes, Little Women, The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Revolutionary Road, etc., etc., etc., etc. Let's just say Newman stays busy.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Why you care: You get two discs here, a score composed by Alexandre Desplat, and a soundtrack that features Louis Armstrong, Perez Prado & His Orchestra, Sidney Bechet, Bix Beiderbecke, The Platters, The Boswell Sisters, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more. Arguably the classiest entry on this list.

Plus, we have soundtracks to various films that weren't nominated this year, such as Synecdoche New York (score by Jon Brion), He's Just Not That Into You (Keane, My Morning Jacket, R.E.M., Corinne Bailey Rae and more), Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson (Jefferson Airplane, Lou Reed, John Prine, Bob Dylan, etc.) and so, so many more.

A belated Grammy congrats for Dust-to-Digital!

[Above: Photo taken by Chad Radford for Creative Loafing]

We're only, oh, a couple weeks after the fact on this, but better late than never, right? Our pals at Dust-to-Digital, Lance and April Ledbetter, deserve some major props for bringing home the Grammy for Best Historical Album for the amazing Art of Field Recording: Volume I box set. We've been hyping the Ledbetters and all their wonderful releases for some time now, and they deserve much more than a Grammy, but for now, let us pile on the acclaim. Way to go, guys!

Stop by and check out our vast selection of Dust-to-Digital goods, including but not limited to the above-mentioned Grammy winner, its Volume II sequel, the gorgeous Goodbye to Babylon gospel box, the Where Will You Be Christmas Day? compilation (it's packed away somewhere, being that it's a holiday release, but we will happily dig it up if you want it), the Joe Bussard/Fonotone Records box, the How Low Can You Go? string-bass box, the list goes on and on, and it's all great.

Below is a photo of Art Rosenbaum and Lance accepting the award at the Grammy ceremony. Click here for more straight from the D-t-D newsletter, including video of the acceptance. Very cool. Congratulations, again, to the one and only Dust-to-Digital.

New. Release. Tuesday.

Big release week, folks. DCD mainstays like M. Ward and Morrissey. Great up and comers like Beirut and Tombs. Legacy artists. Compilations featuring all sorts of crazy talent. It's intense. Stop by and we'll show you around:

Morrissey
Dark Was the Night (charity comp. ft. Yo La Tengo, Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Yeasayer, Bon Iver, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens and pretty much every other artist ever)
M. Ward
Beirut
Tombs
Sam Roberts
Bloodkin
Asobi Seksu
John Lee Hooker (anthology)
...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
Charlie Wilson
Throw Me the Statue
Annie Lennox (retrospective)
Bobby Womack
NASA (ft. David Byrne, RZA, Tom Waits, Ghostface and many more!)
The Appleseed Cast
Psapp
William Elliott Whitmore
...and more!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Maybe you've been trying to ignore it, but for good or for ill, today is a holiday. A Hallmark Holiday, perhaps, but a holiday nonetheless. And in this time of love celebration (or, alternately, bitter resignation), Decatur CD is here for you. Regardless of your state of mind this Valentine's Day, Young Eliot and Austin have formed like Voltron to compile a short list of must-have albums (of both the sincere and ironic variety, complete with commentary), for your listening pleasure today. Have a look, and stop by if one of them sounds like your particular cup of Valentine's Day tea:

Eliot:
Sincere: Os Mutantes' Os Mutantes - Because nothing says true love like an album that features a song from a McDonald's commercial. Actually, this record is full of catchy Brazilian ditties. It's the perfect soundtrack for walking hand in hand with your loved one through a park. Share those ear buds, people!
Ironic: Black Flag's Damaged - Putting this album on will (maybe) ease the shock of unveiling to your significant other that the gift you got them this year is a Black Flag bars tattoo on your forehead. Happy Valentine's Day, sweetie!

Austin:
Sincere: Iron & Wine's The Creek Drank the Cradle - As gentle and forgiving as a lover's embrace, this record is filled with hushed, acoustic beauty. "Lion's Mane" is worth it for the price of admission alone. It's one of the best modern-day love songs, period.
Ironic: My Bloody Valentine's Loveless - A cliche choice, perhaps, but the band and album name are a perfectly bitter combination for Feb. 14 listening. Plus, if you play it loud enough, the swirly guitars will obliterate all those pesky feelings of self-loathing. It's impossible to think about anything else when Loveless is turned to 11.

Alejandro Escovedo and JD Souther tickets

If you're subscribed to our newsletter (And if you're not, what's your excuse?!? Get at it on the right side of of this page!), you already know this. But in the interest of thorough blogeration, here's the short of it: JD Souther is playing Eddie's Attic on Feb. 15. We've got tickets and an autographed LP to give away for the show. Alejandro Escovedo is playing Eddie's Attic on April 14 and 15, and we've got tickets to sell. Read the long of it, straight from the newsletter, below.

And yes, that's Jimmy Carter above, kicking it with Alejandro at the Democratic National Convention.

Autographed LP/ticket giveaway:
JD Souther, who, according to his bio, "decided not to be a member of The Eagles, but wrote several of their biggest hits" (as well as Brian Wilson, Brooks & Dunn, Jimmy Buffett, Bonnie Raitt, the Dixies Chicks and many others) will play Eddie's Attic on Feb. 15 with April Smith. Tickets are $25 a piece, but we have some to giveaway. Stop by the store and drop your name and phone number off for a chance to win the grand prize, which includes a pair of tickets to the show and an autographed, vinyl copy of his new album, If the World was You. Runner-up winners will receive one of five additional tickets we're giving away to the show. Don't delay, though. That show, again, is this Sunday, Feb. 15.

Alejandro Escovedo at Eddie's Attic - April 14 & 15:
Speaking of Eddie's, Decatur CD hero Alejandro Escovedo will play a two-night stand there right as all the slackers are furiously shoving their tax returns into the already too-full post office. We have five pairs of tickets to sell for both nights, and they're $22.50 a pop. If you know Alejandro, you know these tickets will NOT last long. Warren attended his last performance at Eddie's (which also sold out in no time) and he describes it as "massively good." Get these tickets while you can, folks.

Happy birthday, Young Eliot!

Today, we celebrate the man, the myth, the legend, the Eliot Johnson. Today, he turns 22 years old. If you see that tall, blonde, perpetually band-shirt-clad knucklehead, be sure to wish him a happy birthday.

New. Release. Tuesday.

All kinds of neat stuff this week from all kinds of varied styles of music. Great reissues, great hip-hop, great country, great pop, great comedy, great r&b, great rock, great jazz, great, great, great! Oh, and if you were eagerly anticipating that Van Morrison live Astral Weeks album, well, it got bumped until Feb. 24. But have a look at the full list below of what actually is coming out this week, and be sure to let us know what you're looking for:

Lily Allen
Ben Folds (odds and ends from Way to Normal)
Dan Auerbach (from The Black Keys)
Madlib
Emmylou Harris/Carl Jackson
Beastie Boys (Paul's Boutique 20th Anniversary)
Indie Arie
Buddy Holly (reissues)
Dex Romweber
Lonely Island (those hilarious guys from SNL, Andy Samberg included)
moe.
The Cars (reissue)
Dan Zanes
Johnny Winter (live)
Nels Cline
Alice Cooper (reissue)
Various Awesome Jazz Reissues (including Paul Chambers, John Hassell, Grant Green, Leo Parker, Jackie McLean, Stanley Turrentine and Horace Parlan)
...and more!

Decatur CD's Upcoming Show Guide - February

New month, new show guide, y'all. In fact, new rule! In addition to the awesome, month-long list of shows below, we're adding a Very Special & Totally Official Decatur CD Recommendation System in which each member of Decatur CD's Very Special & Totally Official Recommendations Board selects a show or three to shout-out specifically. The VS&TODCDR shows will be denoted as follows:

W = a Warren recommendation
A = an Austin recommendation
E = a Young Eliot recommendation

Make sense? Enjoy the show guide, and if you're heading out to The EARL to see the most-hilarious Patton Oswalt tonight, say hello to Warren and Austin, who will be there laughing it up as well.

TONIGHT - Patton Oswalt @ The EARL (two shows! both sold out!) - A
TONIGHT - The Fleshtones, Anna Kramer, Tiger! Tiger! @ Star Bar
TONIGHT - Webb Wilder @ Smith's Olde Bar
TONIGHT - Pierce Pettis, Paul Burch @ Eddie's Attic
February 8th - Antony and the Johnsons @ Variety Playhouse - A
February 10th - Oliver Wood, Pieta Brown @ Eddie's Attic
February 11th - The Coathangers, Sea Lions, Cars Can Be Blue @ Star Bar
February 12th - Zoroaster, Chopper, Gripplayz, Thunderkatz @ Drunken Unicorn - E
February 12th - Derek Lyn Plastic, The Electric Cycles, more @ Star Bar - E
February 13th - Tyler Ramsey (of Band of Horses) @ The EARL
February 13th - Gary Louris and Mark Olson @ Eddie's Attic - W
February 13th - The N.E.C., All the Saints @ Star Bar
February 14th - Judi Chicago, The Selmanaires @ Star Bar - A
February 15th - Stomp & Stammer Rock 'n' Roll Movie Night @ Java Lords
February 18th - Jason Isbell @ The EARL
February 18th - The Coathangers @ Star Bar
February 18th - Dale Watson, Slim Chance and the Convicts @ Smith's Olde Bar
February 19th - Umphrey's McGee @ Variety Playhouse
February 21st - Noot D'Noot and Dark Meat @ The EARL
February 21st - Untied States, Ominous Castle @ Drunken Unicorn - E
February 22nd - Brightblack Morning Light @ The EARL
February 22nd - Michael Franti @ Variety Playhouse
February 24th - Marah @ Smith's Olde Bar
Febaruary 24th - ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead @ The EARL
February 25th - The Delta Spirit, Other Lives, Dawes @ Drunken Unicorn
February 25th - Delta Moon w/ special guests @ Smith's Olde Bar
February 27th - Black Lips, Gentleman Jesse @ Variety Playhouse - WAE
February 27th - Robin Williams @ The Fox Theatre - W
February 27th - Dark Meat, American Cheeseburger, GG Kings, The Customers more @ Star Bar - E
February 27th - Ben Folds @ The Tabernacle
February 27th - Loudon Wainwright III @ Eddie's Attic - W
February 28th - Rebirth Brass Band @ Smith's Olde Bar
February 28th - Lucinda Williams @ The Tabernacle - W
February 28th - Scion Rock Fest @ Masquerade Music Park - A

An Indie Rock Alphabet Book

Dear reader,

Do you like Paste? Do you have kids? Maybe you answered "yes" to both of those questions! Or neither. Regardless, we have a fun little tome for you. It's called An Indie Rock Alphabet Book, which is pretty self-explanatory, and it is indeed put out by that music magazine that operates out of Decatur. We've got a few copies on the counter here at good ol' DCD, and they sell for $12.95 a pop. Stop by sometime and flip through one. We think you'll like it. Oh, and take a look at a few of our favorite pages below.

Sincerely,
Decatur CD

New. Release. Tuesday.

Happy February, everyone. Welcome to the month where sweethearts celebrate each other, pitchers and catchers report to their squads, groundhogs predict the weather and a metal festival descends upon Atlanta. It's a weird and wonderful mix, and guess what? The record industry continues to churn out the tunes. Amen to that. Here are a few notable records coming out tomorrow:

Ben Kweller
The Fray
Phosphorescent (Willie Nelson covers album)
Heartless Bastards
Ruthie Foster
Dierks Bentley
The Bad Plus
Jim White (rarities EP)
The BPA
Zero Boys (awesome punk reissues!)
Dent May
Lisa Hannigan
Graham Nash (retrospective)
...and more!