Our condolences go out to the family and fans of Mark Linkous, who died on March 6. Even more tragic is that Mark Linkous took his own life after a long battle with depression. Mark Linkous formed the singular Sparklehorse and played solo on most of his uniquely creative albums, many of which received deserved critical acclaim. He was enjoyed by many in the industry including the one artist that Linkous revered, Tom Waits.

Death is a blight on humanity. It acquires its inevitable prey in whatever way that it can. Needless to say that we despise it and are chilled by even the very mention of its departing shadows. But even more nefarious is the awfulness of the very thing that claimed Mark Linkous' life. Depression is an awful way to live life. Our hearts go out to the family and fans, who are mourning his needless passing.

Mark, we have enjoyed your albums and the unique way that you created your music. We'll miss you. The Great Band certainly benefits by your inclusion even as we begrudge it your arrival. Here's to better times!

Mark Linkous
1962-2010
RIP

There not many avenues to go on after something like this and so we'll sign off. We do have a review for you of the just released Jimi Hendrix album, Valleys of Neptune. We're very lucky to have such a new document. I understand that Jimi left a lot more behind and so we might be getting some "new" stuff every once in a while. What a timewarp we're in!

In addition, Adam Jahnke has provided us with a review of the recently released Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal: October 31, 1981 - Whisky A Go Go featuring The Plimsouls. Another great timewarp recording release.

I want to alert TAP readers to the fact that I have finally put together a FaceBook page with an easily remembered URL in http://www.facebook.com/musictap.  What this offers is the exact same thing as my Twitter feeds provide and that is first buzz on upcoming releases and free offered downloads, many announcements  that beat our main post, sometimes by days.  We also provide a Google BUZZ page that expands on most of the Twitter/FB feeds. On Buzz, you can even hear the music stream if a stream is offered.  There are still things that I'm working on in the FB page, like calender notes as well as links to great sites like The Second Disc.  I invite you to join us at our FB page and bookmark it.  Visit it daily and you'll be rewarded with much news and info.  Of course, you'll still want to come to the main MusicTAP page for our noisy commentaries.  Remember, with our Twitter feeds, you can elect to receive the news bursts as text on your mobile phone keeping you effortlessly up to date with stuff.  Lots of choices.  Find one, or two, that fits.

I really like the music from the upcoming Hacienda album. Their new album, Big Red & Barbacoa, has some good music as can be heard on their free and downloadable track, "I Keep Waiting." The album is produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach and is expected to be released on April 6. On the downloaded track, you're going to hear some serious '60s Pop/Rock influence.

We'll close with this mini-poll face-off (suggested by Kevin L, who has suggested several mini-polls): Which is better: Leftoverture or Point of Know Return (Kansas).

We'll see you on Friday for the week-closer edition. And you really SHOULD listen to this Hacienda track featured above. The download is free and the song is loads of retro fun!

Happy Birthday, Mrs TAP!

We all know that Raw Power, the classic work by Iggy & The Stooges, is getting the Legacy Edition treatment on April 13. That 2CD reissue features the remastered original album on Disc One. Disc Two adds a previously unreleased 1973 Live set (Atlanta) along with two bonus treats, "Doojiman," a Raw Power outtake, and a rehearsal performance of "Head On." Cool!

HOWEVER, there will also be a Raw Power: Deluxe Edition that will present not only the remastered original but also will feature 15 unreleased bonus tracks from 1972-1973, spread out over three CDs. There will also be a DVD detailing Raw Power in every nook and cranny along with interviews and concert footage. Also included is a 48-page booklet with all kinds of photos and essays, 5 5x7 photo prints, and a 1973 Japanese pic-sleeve 45RPM single reproduction of "Raw Power," and "Search and Destroy." Fans...THAT'S the one you want. The Deluxe Edition arrives on April 27 and is ONLY available on the band's website.

Ode Records along with Legacy will release a 2CD Essential series title for Carole King. The first CD of The Essential Carole King will cover the hits of Carole King, while Disc Two presents Carole King compositions as recorded and popularized by others. Yep, I WANT this. Available on April 27.

Finally, Legacy Records reissues the long anticipated 2CD Legacy Edition of This Is Big Audio Dynamite by B.A.D. This set will feature the original album remastered as well as selected unreleased tracks from the debut sessions, B-Sides, and 12" mixes. This is also available on April 27.

On May 4, RCA Nashville will release Letter to Heaven: Songs of Faith and Inspiration by Dolly Parton. This album is a collection of Gospel classics tracks.

To celebrate the album's 30th Anniversary, Columbia and Legacy will reissue a 2Disc (CD/DVD) Anniversary Edition of British Steel by Judas Priest on May 11. The CD features the original album remastered along with 2 bonus cuts, while the DVD features the band's 2009 16-song concert at The Seminole Hard Rock Arena in Hollywood, FL. The set is the entire album sequenced plus 7 more performance tracks. In addition, the DVD presents a 30-minute The Making of British Steel interview with original band members.

There are upcoming DD (Full-length Digital Download album) for the following bands with the titles in parentheses:

• Black Happy: (Peg Head (1994); Friendly Dog Salad (1995); The Last Polka (1995)).
• Blood, Sweat & Tears: (New Blood (1972); No Sweat (1973); New City (1975)).
• Colin Blunstone: (Zombies/Solo) (One Year (1971)).
• Angela Bofill: (Too Tough (1983)).
• The Boo Radleys: (Everything's Alright Forever (1992); Giant Steps (1993); Wake Up! (1995)).
• The Bus Boys: (American Worker (1982)).
• The Darling Buds: (Pop Said... (1988); Crawdaddy (1990)).
• Fastway: (All Fired Up (1984)).
• Jan Hammer Group: (Oh, Yeah? (1976)).
• Isaac Hayes: (U-Turn (1986)).
• Jermaine Jackson: (You Said (1992)).
• Jules and The Polar Bears: (Got No Breeding (1978)).
• Nils Lofgren: (Flip (1985)).
• Darlene Love: (Unconditional Love (1998)).
• Dave Mason: (Mariposo de Oro (1978)).
• Eddie Murphy: (How Could It Be (1985); So Happy (1989));
• Gary Myrick & The Figures: (Gary Myrick & The Figures (1980)).
• New Kids on the Block (NKOTB): (Face The Music(1994)).
• The Primitives: (Lovely (1988); Pure (1989)).
• The Romantics: (Rhythm Romance (1985)).
• Johnny Cash: (Hello, I'm Johnny Cash (1970); The Johnny Cash Show (1970); Man In Black (1971); A Thing Called Love (1972); Johnny Cash and his Women (1973); Junkie & The Juicehead Minus Me (1974); Sings Precious Memories (1975); John R. Cash (1975); Look At Them Beans (1975); One Piece At a Time (1976); The Last Gunfighter Ballad (1977); The Baron (1981); Adventures of Johnny Cash (1982); Rainbow (1985)).

The release dates for these DD full-length vary but are expected between March and April. Check with whomever you may want to download the DD from for exact date of availability.

Hop over to Mike Duquette's The Second Disc site where you'll find more release news. He's doing a super job with the site and is building a community over there. He's one of our favourite daily stops.