By Doug Wortel

Muppets: The Green Album
Various Artists
CD | MP3
Walt Disney Records
Release date: August 23, 2011

NPR is currently streaming the upcoming compilation album Muppets: The Green Album for free (you can listen to the entire album right here below). The album features many of today’s most popular artists covering classic Muppets tunes.

I generally stay clear of “tribute” albums or compilations where your new favorite bands are assembled like some kind of snotty superhero team. This is because the implied mission of these records is to teach us morons how cool people like Buddy Holly were. (See: Rave On. Actually, don’t.) And besides, for those of us who already enjoy the subjects being covered, you only want to put the originals on when these little smug-fests are over. I get it. You like Leonard Cohen. So do we.

However, Muppets: The Green Album is one of the more fun various artist collabs I’ve heard since that Carpenters joint from the nineties. Starting with The Ok Go’s wonderfully reworked version of the “Muppets Theme,” you’re immediately invited into a world where the narrative isn’t so “Hey, dum-dum! I know better than you!” Alkaline Trio’s “Movin’ Right Along” will have you tapping your toes at your cubicles. And The Fray have a great time with “Mahna Mahna.: Although, just about every performance is more optimistic than the next, My Morning Jacket runs away with the album with an absolutely gorgeous version of “Our World.”

Captain America: The First Avenger Soundtrack
CD | MP3
Alan Silvestri
Walt Disney Records
Release Date: July 19, 2011

This summer movie season has brought us the now customary overpowering glut of blockbuster superhero epics, and with them some interesting but ultimately unmemorable orchestral scores. It’s disappointing when esteemed composers like Patrick Doyle and James Newton Howard are put to work on movies such as Thor and Green Lantern and they can’t even be moved to create good music for them. Neither musical score packed even the slightest amount of the mystery, tension, and high adventure all classic action-movie scores bring to their accompanying films, although to be fair Doyle’s Thor soundtrack had its share of moments worthy of the God of Thunder. If the music doesn’t care about the characters and the on-screen action, then why should we? Most composers tend to fall back on the same musical motifs that do little to stand out as nothing more than the components of a standard soundtrack. It all sounds nice, but you won’t be humming the themes for hours or days after you see the movie or purchase the soundtrack CD.

Philip Sayce
Ruby Electric
Produced by Dave Cobb and Eddie Kramer
Provogue
Released July 18, 2011 (UK) CD | MP3

Recently blues rock has seen a resurgence in quality in new, young musicians. Far from imitating their parents’ record collection, the devil’s new breed is creating blues rock that is entirely their own. Wah-wahing his way to the front of the pack is Philip Sayce with his debut album Ruby Electric. But unlike blues godfather Robert Johnson, I’m pretty sure Sayce did not consort with His Unholiness to unleash his devilish talent.

Welsh-born, Canadian-raised Sayce is a very talented guitarist with some imaginative solos. His guitar licks are a mixture of Jimmy Page and John Frusciante; lots of choppy blues funk but can pull out a rocking tune like the no-messin’ “Take You Away.” For me the very best of the young blues players is Joe Bonamassa, and Sayce has the serious talent to wail on that fretboard alongside him.

Black Country Communion
2
J&R Adventures
Produced by Kevin Shirley
Released June 14, 2011 U.S.: CD | MP3
June 13, 2011 UK: CD| MP3

Rock supergroups are often a collaboration amongst musicians when one or more of their respective bands goes belly up. Sometimes, however, they are formed when musicians are taking time away from being awesome in their “˜day job’ to be awesome elsewhere. This brings us to Black Country Communion, a supergroup made up of Glenn Hughes ( “˜the voice of rock’ of Deep Purple fame), Jason Bonham (son of late Led Zeppelin drummer), Derek Sherinian (formerly of Dream Theater), and the new blues king, Joe Bonamassa.

As much of a fan as I am on Glenn Hughes — Deep Purple’s Burn is without question one of the greatest rock albums of all time and You Are The Music”¦We’re Just The Band by his first band Trapeze is one of the most underrated albums of the ’70s — it was the inclusion of guitarist Joe Bonamassa which really piqued my interest in this band. For me, Bonamassa is one of the most exciting and talented blues rock musicians alive. His solo albums demonstrate his great talent in fusing traditional blues with the sheer power and sometimes frightening speed of rock; something which makes blues music more interesting and, quite frankly, cooler. He brings all this and more to the BCC table and to its second album, simply titled 2.

Anvil
Juggernaut of Justice
U.S.: CD | MP3
UK: CD
Produced by Bob Marlette
The End Records
Release date: May 10, 2011

The great thing about Anvil is that no matter what, they will keep on rockin’, keep on poundin’. Where some of their younger contemporaries have embarked on or completed farewell tours, insisting age has claimed another victim, Anvil will keep going.

For years now they have raised the bar for themselves with each new release. On their latest album, Juggernaut of Justice, they have raised that bar very high indeed; these are the best songs Anvil has ever written. After over 30 years together and in the form of their lives, they would be foolish to stop this juggernaut now.

Anvil previewed title and opening track “Juggernaut of Justice” on their Facebook page ahead of release. It’s a storming metal song with a typically catchy lead riff and unyielding rhythm that got me very excited and gave back-up to my argument that Lips is one of the most underrated lead guitarists in metal. The dildo-wielding, naked photo-posing Lips of old may not be around any more, but the most significant difference in him is that Lips is now an even better guitarist. His scintillating solos on the rampaging, Motorhead-esque “On Fire” will bring a smile (and an air guitar) out in all Anvil fans.