Okay, lots of news!  I was gone in Boston the last week for my 30th high school reunion and was busy with my regular work outside of Pop Geek Heaven but there’s a lot coming in the first few weeks of December, so look out!

Let’s fly through the latest news of the last 10 days, folks – tighten the ‘ole proverbial seat-belts, there’s a lot to listen to and lot going on.

First up, THIS JUST IN – stream the new album from The Well Wishers – right here, right now.  You are seeing and hearing this before anyone else, so dig it – and rock on it.  LISTEN to The Well Wishers – right from THIS LINK HERE

The Christmas/Holiday music is starting to show up. Here’s some links to what I’ve heard about in the last week – please share below with any others that you have heard about so we can all be aware and in tune.

The biggest news is a Christmas album from THE GRIPWEEDS! WHen you got the link below, make sure yo ucheck out the bonus, super duper package offer that they present to fans.  Very exciting!  The album comes out on December 6th but you can buy it in download format now.

CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY POWER POP:

The Gripweeds – HERE

Joe Algeri & The Sugarbrits – HERE

The Smalltown Poets – HERE

Also, KOOL KAT is offering a special 11 song Holiday-themed disc with any order during December!  How cool is THAT?!  All you have to do is make sure you add it to your shoping cart is all when you place an order.  Head over the site – HERE

Other Holiday Gift Ideas:

I am a huge fan of The Dictators – so a bobblehead of Handsome Dick Manitoba strikes me right for a suggestion to my friends(ahem!). If you straining what to get Bruce for his Christmas joy, you can find it HERE

Scot Sax, of Wanderlust, has a new project that is available – check it out at THIS LINK and also HERE

FILE UNDER ‘BAD NEWS’:  Parasol’s mail order outlet is shutting down after over 20 years of service to high-minded, passionate indie music fans.  The label is going to continue is the upside but another mail order place departs the sphere for servicing folks like us.  Piss-poor, but unsurprising news.  Details on what’s up there are THIS LINK.

THE KEYS:  This video was posted on the Audities Facebook page and it reminded me of what a great song this is – and what an unknown, rare power pop gem the one single album from The Keys was.  Produced by Joe Jackson(not particularly well, I gotta add), you can download the album HERE

I’m a fan of 70s soul music and a fan of the Chicago-based Numero Group label, as well.  If you’ve not checked out some of the amazing releases these guys do, you need to.  These are the guys that were bold enough to do the awesome Titan Records power pop compilation a few years ago.  Check out their latest new release at THIS LINK.

FILE UNDER ‘Criminal” & “Never On CD” :  Hawks.  I was honored to be able to release an album of unreleased songs from the semi-seminal power pop band Hawks back in 2004.  Absolutely great material. If you don’t own it, you can at the PGH Store HERE for a mere $8!  I mention them because I came across a long departed blog a few days ago that had a download of their first 2 album that have not been on CD – if you want to check it out, the links are still active HERE

PAUL WELLER – New album coming in March – Yep Roc Records announced this past week, a new Weller project is coming.  Details on the project are HERE

THE RAMONES!!!  Pinheads and punkrockers – make a little room in your record crate for RAMONES, LEAVE HOME, ROCKET TO RUSSIA, and ROAD TO RUIN, cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, on 180-gram vinyl. Pre-order these slicked up classics from Rhino.com and take home an exclusive blue 7″, one for each release. (Each 7” is strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide and available ONLY at Rhino.com.*) Beat on the brat with that!  Check it out HERE

File Under NOT POP abut I sure do love it!  The Allman Brothers – they have started their own label and are releasing live shows from the band’s history. First up, a 2 CD set from 1971 featuring Duanne Allman appearing in ‘still alive and being massively awesome’ state.  Listen to samples at Amazon – it’s on preorder status right now.  Go to THIS LINK

THE ROLLING STONES “‘Some Girls” deluxe – another Christmas gift to myself that is coming.  Sorry, while I think the band was pretty much toast, completely, after 1980, they did leave one last great album in 1978 with “Some Girls” and getting any kind of deluxe treatment is a good thing to cynical old-time rockers like myself.  DIG the ‘old breed’ at this link.

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NEW POWER POP From Jerry Rio of Sunrise Higway and Neo.  A new album is due in early 2012 but listen to at this You Tube link – HERE

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN is going to hit the road again – this time without Clarence Clemons who is no longer on this mortal coil.  I’ve seen him 7 times now and Little Steven has always been a big supporter of my old label Not Lame Recordings on his syndicated radio show, so my way to giving back to him is – making it 8 times. ;-P   Read a bit more about the news – HERE

Great, Guilty Pleasure Music Business Book To Read:  Barry Fey “Backstage Past” – Fey, was the biggest concert promoter in the Western region in the United States – a crass, vulgar, vile human being many times but one filled with a self-depractating humor and Tolstoy-ian array of memorable stories from the 60s to the 90s.  Nothing earth shattering but a easy, smile-ridden read. I read it on my new Kindle Fire and must say I’m finding my Kindle to perfect for these kinds of light-reads!  A fun review from music biz insider Bob Lefetz HERE and check it out on Amazon HERE

FASTBALL leader’s solo album – I missed this one back in October but Miles Zuniga has a new solo album I just came across this week.  If you are like me and had no clue about it but have enjoyed his past work, this one sounds like a winner.  Check it out HERE

THE CLOUD, THE CLOUD!!  Yes, the landscape for music services is pretty darn confusing and they are lining up to compete with each other fast.  Google Music is getting things throttled up fast.  If you are looking at storage options for your music in the cloud, as I am, this review on Google’s offering is interesting alongside Apple’s service and the new features annoucned with Spotify this past week.  Read about Google HERE and Spotify’s latest news HERE.

Finally, I know it’s not cool, but I’ve never much cared for being so anyway(hey, ask my mates from my 30th high school reunion last week!), but a new book on The Doors by Greil Marcus has been intrigued.  His writing style is not normally to my liking but I may pick THIS ONE up and you may want to be aware of it. Or not.