Pearl Jam may never again be that omnipresent, chart-topping band of rebellious rockers of the early 1990s. But they don’t have to be mainstream rock superstars in order to produce some great music and embark on one memorable tour after another (every other year, on average). Pearl Jam have built a loyal fan base the world over, and whatever you think of their records post-Vitalogy, this band has always been an exciting and even legendary must-see live act. Tours from earlier in this decade have been well chronicled on audio bootlegs and on a couple DVDs (see Amazon list below), so it was only a matter of time for Pearl Jam to pick out some highlights of their more recent 2005/2006 tours to sell their fans. First came the Live at the Gorge 05/06 audio box set, and now comes Immagine In Cornice, a concert film/documentary directed by the renowned filmmaker Danny Clinch (Dave Matthews, Bruce Springsteen’s Devils & Dust). Based on the band’s five shows and weeklong stay in Italy in September of 2006, Clinch and his crew of cameramen give fans an intimate look at what the band does on-and-off stage, in the towns of Milan, Bologna, Pistoia, Torino and Verona. As far as performances go, Pearl Jam was in peak form for most of these song selections; they had five shows worth to choose from for this film, after all. Fan favorite “State of Love and Trust” rocked at a faster and more furious pace than on the Singles soundtrack. “Evenflow” got the extended treatment; McCready’s solos channeled Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Matt Cameron showed off his drum solo skills to the delight of the crowd in Torino. Whether playing in an obscure town like Pistoia, the Forum in the beautiful city of Milan, or weathering the rain in Verona, Pearl Jam played for packed stadiums that had both home and international flavor; fans from as far away as Finland and Israel traveled to experience these shows. But it didn’t matter where the audience came from or how new or old Pearl Jam’s songs were; cameras caught fans passionately moving or jumping to and singing the words to everything from “Better Man” and “Comatose” to “State of Love and Trust” and “Alive.” Eddie Vedder literally took his stage antics to new heights at Duomo Square in Pistoia, as he climbed one of the poles on the side of the stage and sang from the platform during the popular show closer “Rockin’ In The Free World.” On the near mosh pit-worthy “Blood,” one of the less popular, but killer tracks from the Vs. disc, Vedder began the song by spitting out some whiskey he just drank, while he and the band gave everything they had to finish out this less than perfectly executed live version. Another smart move was the inclusion on this DVD of Eddie Vedder joining opening act My Morning Jacket - a top notch live rock band in their own right - in Torino for an excellent, exhilarating cover of The Who’s “A Quick One (While He’s Away).” Perhaps just as valuable as the performance footage is some of the off-stage moments Clinch caught on film. Lead guitarist Mike McCready is full of stories, explaining the origins (and admitted obsession) with tattoos on his arms. After a brief shot of him talking to fans and signing autographs in the light of day outside his Verona hotel, McCready recalled how he used to be like these rock star chasers; he claimed that around 1982 he hid under The Scorpions limo until he spotted and received their singer’s autograph. Mike McCready: a guitar virtuoso and man of the people. Here’s some other highlights: Eddie working on an 8-track recording of the Tom Waits song “Picture In A Frame” after a soundcheck. The song is also later performed near the end of the DVD by his likeness as background music. Pearl Jam organist Kenneth “Boom” Gaspar’s emotion-filled performance of a song of his on a vintage church organ in Pistoia, a small Italian town known mainly for organs. A short clip of a young Italian kid playing “Porch” on acoustic guitar on the sidewalk with a member of Pearl Jam (presumably Jeff Ament). The short appearance of Eddie Vedder’s little girl Olivia, riding aboard the tour bus with her dad as they say goodbye to “Milano” and take in its beautiful scenery. Vedder’s well-rehearsed attempts at addressing his audiences in Italian aren’t bad either. My only minor complaint is that although this film strikes a mostly satisfying balance between the old and the new, there is only one song from Vs. on it, and there could have been a few more full songs included from these five shows overall. For example, late in the film, Eddie and the boys are shown backstage at the Arena di Verona crossing out and ultimately deciding what to play for an encore: “Blood” and “Indifference” were among the chosen, but only “Blood” was shown. In all, Pearl Jam’s Immagine In Cornice DVD is a real treat, and though it was released two months ago, any serious PJ fan must add it to their collection this Christmas if he/she does not already have it. Though it doesn’t have everything you would want, this film offers more than just another concert; it gives fans some valuable insight on the touring lives of this band, which is still one of the best live American rock bands around. Note: Although the track list linked here looks complete, it only represents songs played in full or with live video footage. There are some other songs that Pearl Jam either toyed with offstage, during soundcheck or played as background music to more Clinch footage, including “Immortality,” “Love Boat Captain,” a short Vedder/McCready acoustic run through of “Lukin” and the aforementioned Tom Waits cover “Picture In A Frame.”

Sufjan Stevens's Songs for Christmas is a collection of 5 EPs replete with Christmas classics, rarities, and originals. The EPs were recorded annually from 2001 to 2006, with a brief break in 2004 when Stevens was writing his critically acclaimed tribute to Illinois, Illinoise. The EPs were then given to family and friends as gifts.The collection itself is a treasure trove of music (more than 2 hours), Christmas stickers, a poster with a comic on the back, an essay, a short story, and liner notes complete with chords. This box set is most definitely worth the $15.Sufjan Stevens is an indie folk/pop singer who lives in Brooklyn, NY with his family. His previous album, Illinoise, was the second installment in what he says will be a 50 album series — one album per state. The songs themselves are classic Sufjan and feature a wide variety of instruments, including banjo, guitar, oboe, piano, glockenspiels, sleigh bells, and a phone answering machine. His original compositions are sometimes funny, always quirky, and sometimes poignant. "That was the Worst Christmas Ever" is destined to become a Christmas classic."Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" is easily the best of the sacred songs on the album. Stevens's folksy, banjo-driven arrangement is both interesting and reverent. His Christianity is certainly apparent here. "Did I Make you Cry on Christmas? (Well, You Deserved It)" is one of my favorite songs on the album, and its whimsical, glockenspiel-filled melody is quite catchy.Aside from Stevens originals and Christmas classics, Songs for Christmas is peppered with Christmas rarities like, "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" and "Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" which add quite a bit of depth to this wonderful collection. I bring them up again because of their contribution to the overall feel of Songs for Christmas.These EPs were prepared as gifts for friends and family, and the choice to include less well-known songs, songs that may well be favorites of the original recipients of the albums, adds to the feeling that these albums are very personal, as if they are a Christmas present to the whole world.These albums are also a sort of journal; they tell the story of a man who became disenchanted with all things Christmas, and then rediscovered Christmas and, "that creepy Christmas feeling." In the end, Songs for Christmas is guaranteed to tickle the ears and warm the hearts of music lovers everywhere.

Artist: Elliott YaminSong: ‘One Word’Why You Should Watch: The former ‘American Idol’ contestant is back with his second single and follow-up to the smash song, ‘Wait For You.’ In this video, the 29-year-old R&B singer bellows a love letter to his lady, telling her she is, in one word, amazing.

Rock outfit Matchbox Twenty anounced tour dates of their North American 2008 trek. Opening acts are Alanis Morissette and MuteMath. The trek kicks off January 25 in Hollywood (FL), includes 33 dates, and wraps up March 18 by show in Las Vegas (NV). Band will visit Atlanta (GA), Milwaukee (WI), Cleveland (OH), Toronto (ON), Kansas City (MO), Los Angeles (CA), Phoenix (AZ), and many other cities. Matchbox Twenty is touring in support of their fresh disk Exile on Mainstream, which contains band’s hits and 6 new songs. Disk’s single “How Far We’ve Come.” hit Number 11 on US Hot 100 singles chart. Matchbox Twenty Tickets Matchbox Twenty 2008 Tour Dates 01/25/2008 - Hollywood, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Live 01/26/2008 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum 01/28/2008 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena 01/29/2008 - Charlotte, NC - Cricket Arena 02/01/2008 - Hoffman Estates, IL - Sears Centre 02/02/2008 - Auburn Hills, MI - The Palace Of Auburn Hills 02/04/2008 - Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center 02/05/2008 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center 02/07/2008 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena 02/08/2008 - Fairfax, VA - Patriot Center 02/12/2008 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Resort & Casino 02/14/2008 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden Arena 02/15/2008 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa 02/16/2008 - Niagara Falls, NY - Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel 02/18/2008 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun 02/19/2008 - Reading, PA - Sovereign Center 02/21/2008 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center 02/22/2008 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre 02/25/2008 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center 02/26/2008 - Omaha, NE - Qwest Center Omaha 02/28/2008 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center 02/29/2008 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre At Grand Prairie 03/02/2008 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center 03/04/2008 - Colorado Springs, CO - Colorado Springs World Arena 03/05/2008 - Broomfield, CO - Broomfield Event Center 03/06/2008 - West Valley City, UT - The E Center 03/08/2008 - Seattle, WA - KeyArena at Seattle Center 03/09/2008 - Vancouver, BC - General Motors Place 03/12/2008 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion At San Jose 03/14/2008 - Reno, NV - Reno Events Center 03/16/2008 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center 03/17/2008 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket Pavilion 03/18/2008 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl Concert Theater At Palms

There's been a plethora (love that word) of releases on the rock side of the genre ledger that has demanded by attention. You see, the rocksters listed here were all riding high back in the seventies, so naturally, I was curious to see if they still got "it." In each case, the answer is "yes", but for two of them, they did so by taking somewhat of a departure from their most-recognized style. The third one showed he still has the mojo by releasing for the first time tracks from his mojo period.Levon Helm Dirt FarmerVocalist drummers are an amazing lot to me. Not because it's supposed to be particularly hard to drum and sing at the same time; I wouldn't know. But for the band to want that guy to lead sing he must be pretty good, anyway, because the drummer is typically the last dude anybody thinks of for a lead vocalist. Even Genesis went through an exhaustive audition of Peter Gabriel's replacement before it occurred to them that The Answer was right there sitting behind a Gretsch set. Few people even remember anymore that Don Henley is a drummer. Levon Helm is another of those guys. To me, his earthy, Arkansas drawl epitomized the roots-minded rock combo The Band just as much as Robbie Robertson's evocative compositions on American folklore. And now he's back with a rare studio album that makes The Band sound like a sleek, electronica dance music. There's not a trace of a plugged-in instrument anywhere and amongst songs by Steve Earle and J.B. Lenoir are songs that aren't even copyrighted anymore. But Helm's steady drumming and blessedly rural warble remains. That should be plenty good enough for any fan of The Band.Herbie Hancock The Herbie Hancock Trio (1977)I haven't listened to The Joni Letters yet, but I did come across this hidden gem of his from three decades ago. And why, pray tell, is it hidden? Because Columbia Records didn't see a market for acoustic Herbie back then when his electric funk-jazz Headhunters albums were selling more records than many rock stars. That's still no excuse to make this available only as an import even today, though.The Trio of this album is the hornless part of Miles' Second Quintet (or the hornless version of V.S.O.P., which was recording and touring at the time this record was cut). So, a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums is like a Trio Of Doom for advanced bop. Only this time Tony didn't threaten to kick Ron's ass in making this record. It's all good stuff, but hearing Herbie tackle his gorgeous number "Speak Like A Child" with his piano filling in for the horn parts is worth the import price alone. Robert Plant/Allison Krauss Raising SandThe album is credited to "Robert Plant and Allison Krauss" but producer T-Bone Burnett deserves a co-lead credit, here. He's managed to make two very talented but seemingly incompatible stars sound like an instinctive pairing. That I didn't think of Lep Zeppelin of one second when listening to this amounts to a major accomplishment in my book. On the other hand "bluegrass" didn't come to my mind, either, even when Krauss pulled out her fiddle. The sonic imagery Burnett paints has a worn feel but with modern preciseness. It's analog warm with a percussion that resonates without getting out from the background. Kind of like a civil Tom Waits (and in fact, Waits' "Trampled Rose" is covered). It's a mixture of country folk, Nashville and rock but And Plant and Krauss sing with quiet confidence and they always seem to try to enhance, rather than outdo, the other. You don't have to be a big fan of either Plant or Krauss to appreciate Raising Sand. Indeed, approaching this album without preconceptions of either makes it sound even better.Neil Young Chrome Dreams IIA new Neil Young release doesn't get all the fanfare of some of his fellow longtime legends, but that's not because he generates crap; it's because he releases so frequently that he sometimes get taken for granted. Chrome Dreams II marks his forth release in eighteen months. Young seems entirely unconcerned about the market consequences of not spacing out releases for maximum market impact and it's his consistent unwillingness to bend to bean counters and marketers that makes him part of a sadly dying breed of artists.To be fair, Living With War from May of last year remains Neil's last album of all freshly-recorded material, as he's been (finally) pulling old unreleased recordings out of the vault. Chrome Dreams II is really a mish-mash of most of his sides and (apparently) several of his eras. It begins with a couple of gentle Harvest-like countrified rock tunes and goes Crazy Horse at other times ("Dirty Old Man," "Hidden Path") but the central tune is the eighteen-minute long "Ordinary People" with his short-lived Bluenotes horn band. It seems to have as many verses as the live version of "Sugar Mountain" but its signature mini-character sketches and loose playing makes it better than anything on This Note's For You. Yes, Chrome Dreams II is a sprawling mess. But isn't that what most of the best Neil Young albums are?"Quickies" are mini-record reviews of new or upcoming releases. Some albums are just that much more fun to listen to than to write about.

Although I have always been a big Elton John fan, I probably would have passed on this new concert DVD had I not seen the amazing set list and all of the rare bonus footage that was included. I already own Sir Elton's excellent live greatest hits DVD, One Night Only, from 2001 so Elton 60 would have to offer something pretty damn special for me to shell out more of my hard earned money on this aging legend performing these same songs again.Not only is it special, but it is also one of the best bargains of the year. Setting aside the 33-song, three-hour, main concert feature, which is pretty incredible in its own right, you also get an additional two hours worth of live, rare, and unseen bonus material to boot. We're talking previously unreleased live performances going back as far as 1970. The bonus material alone would have been well worth the asking price for this DVD.The suitably titled Elton 60 marked Elton John's record-breaking 60th sellout performance at Madison Square Garden, New York City, which just so happened to also take place on his 60th birthday. The performance was recorded on March 25th, 2007 and was televised to a worldwide audience.The format for this concert was commendable. I was half expecting it to start off with some kind of garish birthday tribute featuring adorations from all of Elton's celebrity friends but surprisingly it got right down to the business at hand - the music. Elton walks out to a dimly lit stage and receives a warm ovation from the celebrity-filled New York City crowd. He takes an appreciative bow and dispenses a few waves of the hand to his fans, then he takes to his piano and launches right into the damn-near 60-year old song "Sixty Years On" from his 1970 self-titled second album. Great start so far.I was sitting there with this huge shit-eating grin on my face throughout the entire first part of the show, because it featured mostly lesser known, and rarely performed, gems like "Holiday Inn," "Hercules," "Ballad of a Well Known Gun," and "Where to Now St. Peter?" from his early '70s masterpieces like Honky Chateau, Tumbleweed Connection, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player, and Madman Across The Water. These are what your local rock radio station might refer to as "deep cuts." Most people, unfortunately, only know Elton's music from his greatest hits albums, but these brilliant performances show that those fantastic early albums really had to be appreciated in their entirety.The stage was bright and colorful, looking like a giant, multicolored, kaleidoscope at times, with a huge video screen taking up the entire upper portion of the backdrop. The Brooklyn Youth Chorus was positioned behind the band, just below the video screen, and elevated one level above the main stage. They made their first appearance five songs into the set during "Ballad of a Well Known Gun," adding some excellent background and harmony vocals throughout the remainder of the set. They were especially impressive during "Burn Down The Mission," helping Elton turn this performance into one of the most compelling I have ever heard.One of Elton's most powerful and enduring ballads, "Levon," was given an alternate arrangement this night, which I didn't particularly care for. I can certainly understand the man wanting to change things up after performing the song for more than 35 years, but his vocals, in particular, sounded terrible on this performance. Some of these old classics you just don't want to see messed with too much either. Fortunately, the bonus material includes an amazing 1971 performance of the song from the old BBC2 television show Sounds For Saturday. The difference in his vocals was stunning.Elton more than made up for it next, when he rewarded the audience with a moving performance of "Empty Garden (Hey, Hey Johnny)", where he first talked about the night in 1974 when he was joined onstage by a petrified John Lennon, who had agreed to do so if the song they made together, "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night," ever made it to #1. It did. Elton introduced the song with the following remarks: "I only ever sing this song at this place, because it's the only place that is appropriate to sing it, and because it is too upsetting for me to sing it anywhere else." What a treat it was to see this rare performance played so marvelously.At this point, the music is put on hold temporarily as Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams take the stage to give Elton, "a man who used to make Liberace look Amish," according to Williams, his birthday tribute. They eventually welcome Elton's long-time lyricist (40 years this year) Bernie Taupin to the stage, to lead the crowd, which included such celebrities as Michael Caine, Kiefer Sutherland, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Rosy O'Donnell, Brian Wilson, and Mr. Rock Star himself, Bill Clinton, into singing "Happy Birthday."When the show continues, it is more of a run through of the greatest hits. It is during the ballads like "Daniel", "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer", where Elton's diminished vocals really start to show their weakness. In 1986, Elton lost his voice during his Australian tour, and he underwent throat surgery later that year. He has certainly made an admirable recovery, but the inclusion of all of the amazing vintage performances on these DVDs, really show how much has been lost.The end of the set builds to a climax with some of Elton's more rocking numbers: "The Bitch Is Back;" "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting;" and the epic "Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding". The not so guitar-friendly mix and the absence of a second guitarist to accompany Davey Johnstone took some of the bite out of these songs, but it was still an amazing finish that left you wanting more.Elton 60 is a remarkable two-disc DVD package, with stellar production values all around, and over five total hours worth of material. The package includes a 36-page booklet that features a separate page for each song performed, including the album it came from, writing credits, and a vintage photo. Audio is presented in both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, as well as PCM stereo, and they each sounded flawless. The widescreen picture is one of the cleanest and sharpest I have seen, and David Mallet's camera direction was outstanding as usual.Set List01. Sixty Years On02. Madman Across the water03. Where to Now St. Peter?04. Hercules05. Ballad of a Well Known Gun06. Take Me to the Pilot07. High Flying Bird08. Holiday Inn09. Burn Down The Mission10. Better Off Dead11. Levon12. Empty Garden13. Daniel14. Honky Cat15. Rocket Man16. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues17. The Bridge18. Roy Rogers19. Mona Lisa's And Mad Hatters20. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word21. Bennie And The Jets22. All the Girls Love Alice23. Tiny Dancer24. Something About The Way You Look Tonight25. Philadelphia Freedom26. Sad Songs (Say So Much)27. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me28. I'm Still Standing29. The Bitch Is Back30. Crocodile Rock31. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting32. Funeral For A Friend / Love Lies Bleeding33. Your SongRatings:Performance 8/10Production 10/10

It has been called Scandi jazz, nu-jazz or simply not-jazz. How you wish to define it is your choice. Whatever description you settle on, one thing certain is it is music worth exploring. A music that challenges the boundaries between genres and has shown itself open to a younger generation’s experiments in Electronica and Dance. Perhaps one of its most important figures is Nils Petter Molvaer, a trumpet player from Sula, Norway. Perhaps the hard core of the movement would accuse him of not pushing the boundaries further but he has reached the wider audience. He came to prominence in 1997 with his much acclaimed album Khmer, followed in 2000 with Solid Ether, both released on ECM the famous German label. In 2002 he left ECM to record NP3, a continuation of themes. And in between were two albums of remixes by various DJs and luminaries of the Dance scene, plus a live album. In 2005 he released ER, his most accomplished work to date. Scandinavia is not a part of the world one normally associates with fiery passion or expressiveness. Certainly not the burlesque and energy of early 20th century black America; Jazz’s true roots. A generalization perhaps. Yet in the last 15 to 20 years many Scandinavian its musicians have contributed hugely to the field of contemporary jazz; Jan Gabarek, Esbjorn Svensson, Palle Danielsson, Terje Rypdal to name a few. There has been criticism of course. Some have seen the emphasis on coolness of sound and experimentation with electronics as sterile. As not in the spirit of jazz. Yet despite a tendency not always to swing it is nevertheless a sound that belongs very much in contemporary music. Some of the great figures of jazz, Miles Davis or Ornette Coleman for example, have not been afraid to experiment. Mixing different genres of music, Middle-Eastern, Indian, North African; bringing in unconventional instruments, tablas, sitars, guitar synthesizers, wah-wah pedals, and of course utilizing the latest studio technologies. In fact Miles Davis is probably a good point of reference for the work of Nils Petter Molvaer. Particularly his recording Aura, a project instigated by the Dane Palle Mikkelborg; a project Davis himself held in high regard. ER is maybe two albums in one. A first half of tracks drifting around melody, electro percussion and atmospheric sweeps. It’s culminates with ‘Only These Things Count,’ a song, vocals courtesy of compatriot Sidsel Endressen; the remaining tracks are denser, exploring syncopation, rhythm and the texture of sound, electric and acoustic. On each track Nils Petter Molvaer winds his trumpet, at times hinting at Miles Davis circa the mid-'70s or the treated sound of Jon Hassel. At other times he bends notes in an almost primitive or folkloric way. Breathing through the horn as though it were a voice. Making voice and instrument almost one. Reminding the listener perhaps of music’s link with speech and language. He does all this over an atmospheric yet never overbearing palette of sound. Climaxes of instruments suddenly give way to space and the lone horn. A minimalist melody, that is plaintive or haunting. The track titles are simple and starkly suggestive. 'Hover,' 'Softer,' 'Water,' 'Sober,' 'Darker,' 'Feeder' and 'Dancer.' Only the aforementioned ‘Only These Things Count’ deviates from this trend. Stand out tracks have to be ‘Water,’ a beautiful intro, standing bass, sparse horn and electro effects, woven through with Endressen’s wordless and stuttered voice. ‘Hover’ a subtly struck bass and rhythm syncopation, the horn drifting at times so far back into the mix, it stretches attention, as though drawing the listener into another room, only to return, breathy and warm. ‘Only These Things Count,’ is a mixture of acoustic and treated sound framing a conventional song structure – the horn here mostly warm and intimate. And ‘Dancer’ a darkly rhythmic piece, with swirling guitar drones, sound loops, the trumpet here one minute, there the next, driving the music on, occasionally discordant and chaotic, but never less than compelling. I was recently listening to this while driving out of London and up the M11 to Stanstead airport. A somewhat misty, November afternoon. Stretches of cloud and a deep autumn sun. It was the perfect soundtrack. Evoking the landscape, suggesting its history, its connections and yet so very urban and contemporary in its nature. This is a special of music. It will bear repeated listening. It will draw you in from first listen Then reveal its thoughtfulness, its invention and depth with time. Worth your attention.

How can you tell when a musician is having trouble coming up with new material?  When they release an album of cover songs.  I've never really seen the point in trying to improve on the classics, so I was somewhat skeptical of Deana Carter's all-cover album, The Chain. Fortunately, Carter did exactly what you should do if you're going to record material made famous by other performers: she put her own distinctive spin in the material, and for some of her efforts, she received the blessing and participation of the very singers who made the songs famous. Except for a by-the-numbers version of "The Weight," very few of the remakes on The Chain sound like the originals.  Carter's sparsely produced versions of "The Boxer," "Crying" and "Lay Lady Lay," among others, have been altered almost beyond recognition, and that's probably why they sound so wonderful. It helps that the sweet-voiced Carter could sing the phone book and make it sound beautiful and moving, and the roster of guest stars on The Chain is incredible.  During her duet with Dolly Parton on Parton's "Love Is Like a Butterfly," you're struck by how much they sound alike.   George Jones's appearance on "She Thinks I Still Care" (renamed "He Thinks I Still Care" on The Chain, even though Carter sings some of the other classics from a man's perspective) is downright heartbreaking, with Jones sounding unnervingly like Johnny Cash in his final days. Except for a bluesy version of John Anderson's "Swinging," which was little more than a novelty song when it first came out, nothing on The Chain improves upon the original.  But Carter's remakes sound unique enough to make the them well worth repeated listening, and that's the most you can hope for with a covers album.

The tabs have been clapping with glee at apparently ‘recent’ film of Pete Doherty snorting a line of coke. The alleged tape shows the Babyshambles frontman getting wrecked on cocaine after issuing a statement saying he was going to seek help. He is said to be seen chopping up five massive lines of coke on a silver tray perched on a kitchen counter, snorts them through a rolled-up piece of paper then stares glassily at the camera. A ‘pal’ apparently told the tabs : “Pete just can’t stop using. “He’s been warned about how much he’s taking but he won’t stop. He says he wants to get clean but his actions tell a different story.” Least we forget, they point out, that Pete vowed to go back into Clouds rehab clinic in Wiltshire after pictures emerged of him injecting heroin. A spokesman for Doherty said: “No comment.” Could that be because the film was ages old?

Alicia Keys is poised to earn her fourth consecutive No. 1 on The Billboard 200 as her new J album, “As I Am,” is tops on Nielsen SoundScan’s Building Chart, released today (Nov. 14). If “As I Am” does bow at No. 1, Keys will become only the third act to see their first four albums debut atop The Billboard 200. Britney Spears did it with her first four releases between 1999 and 2003, while DMX’s first five albums all started at No. 1 between 1998 and 2003. Unweighted sales for “As I Am” through the close of business Tuesday (Nov. 13) from the Building Chart’s panel of reporters stood at 160,000. Billboard estimates that the merchants who report to Nielsen SoundScan’s Building Chart — Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Circuit City, iTunes, Border’s, Target, Anderson Merchandisers, and Handleman Co. — represent 79% of the U.S. retail market. Keys’ last release, 2005’s “Unplugged,” bowed at No. 1 with 196,000. Her first two studio albums, 2001’s “Songs in A Minor” and 2003’s “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” also started at No. 1 with 236,000 and 618,000 units, respectively. On the Wednesday Building Chart, Celine Dion’s new “Taking Chances” (Epic) was in third place with 58,000, while Josh Groban’s Christmas set, “Noel” (143/Reprise/Warner Bros.), showed continued strength at No. 2 (67,000). Two other new albums were among the top 10 sellers: the “Now 26″ compilation and Led Zeppelin’s hits set “Mothership” (Atlantic). Keys is also outpacing Dion in terms of blog buzz, according to Nielsen BuzzMetrics.