To date, 2011 remains quiet for the music industry, with few major releases coming out so far this month – but this week’s new music is at least widely varied, with a little something for everyone.
Gregg Allman, founding member of the popular ’70s southern rock group, the Allman Brothers Band, releases a new solo album today. Low Country Blues is his first album since Searching for Simplicity hit shelves 14 years ago.
Also out this week, indie folk rock band The Decemberists release their sixth studio album, The King is Dead. The first single, Down by the Water, which was offered for free download in November, features R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, who also plays on album tracks Don’t Carry it All and Calamity Song.
Grunge rock band Pearl Jam has come out with a new live recording, Live on Ten Legs. A follow-up to their 1998 live album, Live on Two Legs, the newest offering features recordings from the band’s 2003-2010 world tours.
Punk rockers Social Distortion also contribute something new this week with their seventh studio album, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. It is the band’s first album of new material since Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll came out in 2005, and the first recording to feature new bassist Brent Harding.
The North American release of Science & Faith, the second album from Irish alt band The Script, also hits shelves this week. The album debuted at number one in the U.K. and Ireland in September.