New releases: Oct. 16, 2007

(the better-late-than-never edition)

This week, the folks at New West unleash upon us a black-clad feast of "Austin City Limits" goodness. The theme? Country outlaws, I think it's safe to say. The list of artists with "Live from Austin, TX" CD/DVD packages out Tuesday includes: Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. And, for good measure, a compendium of all of the above called "Outlaw Country." Or if outlaw isn't your thing, there also are "Live from Austin, TX" releases from Dwight Yoakam and bluesman John Mayall. If you don't see something in there to like, I don't know what to tell you.

Also of pretty major interest this week is the release of R.E.M.'s very first live album, a 22-song two-CD + DVD package from Warner Bros. colorfully named "R.E.M. Live." For those of you who've been waiting around for this for a decade or two, break out the party hats.

And finally, it's time to reopen the HickoryWind.org best-band-name-of-all-time-ever feature. Just this once. Why? Because I came across a band named The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. These fine metal/grindcore lads from Tennessee also are bringing us possibly the best CD name of all time ever: Danza II: The Electric Boogaloo. And for that, we salute you.