New releases: Oct. 11, 2005

What's going on next week, huh? Where are all the CD releases?! I promise you, I did a thorough check, consulted all my usual sources ... but I found only four decentish CD coming out next Tuesday. Strange, eh? Ah well, let's take it as a chance to rest our wallets until the inevitable pre-holiday crush of sonic goodness.

One of those few brave souls releasing an album next week is the always bold Dolly Parton. Her disc "Those Were The Days" is a collection of allegedly bluegrass-tinged covers of songs from the 1960s and '70s. I'm not sure most of these songs really needed revisiting, but, well, it's Dolly, so it may well be mighty good.

At least her friends think so. And by "friends" I mean "the songs' original artists" in some cases. Now THAT'S an endorsement! She has Kris Kristofferson helping out on her take on "Me and Bobby McGee" and Judy Collins on "Both Sides Now." She also has some newer friends lending a hand -- Nickel Creek, Norah Jones, and (meh) Joe Nichols and Keith Urban here and there, and Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminski and Mindy Smith on "The Cruel War," which early buzz has as being the CD's masterpiece. Nothing here you haven't heard before (seriously, did we really need another take on "Imagine"? For real ... let it go.), but if you like a new spin on old stuff, Dolly might just be the lady who can make it fresh.

The sad, paltry list of promising CDs coming out Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005:
Dolly Parton -- Those Were the Days (Sugar Hill)
Susan Tedeschi -- Hope and Desire (Verve)
Paul Weller -- As Is Now (Yep Rock)
Jackson Browne -- Solo Acoustic Vol. 1 (Inside Recordings)

Surely I'm missing some? Hit me in the comments, pleeeeease!