There's a lot of scrounging for some release news these last few months. Summer must have a way of dulling the enthusiasm at the labels. And so we'll just move along here while we prepare for a nice (hopefully) 4th of July weekend. There will be no posts on Friday, July 3 or Monday, July 6 but we'll be back with a full post (and more covers, reviews, and maybe some more news that might rustle up over the next few days, fingers crossed). Have a great holiday if you reside in the US. If you live elsewhere, then enjoy the days that you'll have.

TAP has three more email lists for the Great Album Covers that you have submitted. The three sets are separated by a line-space. Today, these choices come from Mike M. (Blind Faith - The Wall); Bill M. (Crimson King - Hot Rats); and Jacob H. (The Number of the Beast). When we resume next Wednesday, we'll have more for you to check out (there are long lists).

We have packed in the reviews for you today. We have one from Adam Jahnke (The Digital Bits), who turns in his thoughts on the latest Paul Carrack (Squeeze/Mike+The Mechanics) album called I Know That Name. I pump out a few with reviews on The Mountain by Heartless Bastards, and the pair of Collector Edition 2CD (Limited Edition) Expanded and Remastered albums of Atlantic Crossing, and A Night on the Town, both by Rod Stewart, circa 1975/1976. I also throw in a Front Page Review of the OMPS for Crank: High Voltage composed by Mike Patton (Faith No More/Fantomas). We'll have more on Wednesday (July 8) when we get back.

Universal Motown will be reissuing The Definitive Collection for The Commodores as a Digital release on September 8.

Our good friend at Pause and Play has annouced that there is an upcoming 2CD Expanded Edition of Love by The Cult. We're looking forward to this release. Expect this set to arrive on August 18.

Laugh.com will reissue Class Clown, an early comedy album by George Carlin on August 18 (CD).

Sanctuary Records will release a DD of Live at the Whiskey A Go-Go by Humble Pie okanning for a date of July 14. They will also release (on the same date) DD versions of The Technicolour Dreams of The Status Quo: The Complete '60s Recordings for Status Quo, Amazing Grace by Spiritualized, and two by Tangerine Dream, Atem, and Alpha Centuari. Sanctuary will release a DD version of Flags and Emblems by Stiff Little Fingers on July 21.

More expected Sanctuary DD releases include Perverted by Language (July 14), and Slates (July 21), both of which are by The Fall. Others include Live in NY City (July 7) by The Remainz; Bootleg Series, Volume One (July 21) by Todd Rundgren; Wonderworld (July 14) by Uriah Heep; Metal Black, and Resurrection (July 14), both by Venom.

Island Records will release Johnny Cash in Ireland as a DD for Johnny Cash on August 1.

Downtown Records has an interesting CD coming from Moby called Play & Play: The B-sides. It is expected on August 18.

Verve Records gets an early jump on this upcoming DD title for Oscar Peterson planning the release of Debut: The Clef/Mercury Duo Recordings 1949-1951 for October 13. Put it on your calendar.

Mercury Records will release Grace Under Pressure Tour Live by Rush on August 11.

Concord Records will release a Robben Ford album called Soul on Ten in DD format on August 11.

Mercury has planned The Definitive Collection 1969-1978 for Rod Stewart in DD format on September 1.

W14 Records will release the new (and good) album by Simple Minds called Graffiti Soul on September 1. If you like Simple Minds, you'll enjoy this album. Hunt around now and you'll find an import version with a disc of covers.

Hip-O Records will release CD and DD versions of the soundtrack for Halloween 2, expected on August 18.

Lost Highway Records will release Lost Highway by Willie Nelson on CD, DD, and LP formats, scheduled for August 11.

Rounder Records will release four Woody Guthrie titles, all planned for August 25 (Way to go, Rounder). The Expected titles are Woody the Agitator; Woody, Cisco & Sonny; Woody's Greatest Hits; and Woody's Roots.

Hollywood favours an industrial style of music when soundtracking for their high energy action films.  Good reasoning as that style of music is like audio adrenaline and seems to engage the listener with heart-pounding effect.  And within a film that stars the current energetic action hero, Jason Statham, such music just seems right.

Composed and performed by Mike Patton of Faith No More/Fantomas fame, this experimentally  industrial 32-track set is the wired, standalone music from the Statham vehicle, Crank: High Voltage.  It is a definite fan-set as it is quite musically inconsistent, transitioning from one track to another.  But Patton fans are used to the eclectic manner in which he works and so a set like this should be satisfying to them.  But traditional soundtrack buyers should beware.  What works with visual counterparts within the film, may be bizarre in a non-visual environment.   ** ½

This Austin, TX band by way of Dayton OH, has released their third album on Fat Possum Records in January of this year. Named The Mountain, it contains an exhilarating blend of styles to make this one of the more exciting albums of the year. We highly recommend you try Heartless Bastards out by sampling music at their MySpace page.