New CD Releases: December 4, 2007

We know that American Idol Mania is almost a religious experience in certain parts of this country, but we will not, cannot recommend that you buy Blake Lewis’ new album. We just… can’t. Sorry. What have you wrought, Doug E. Fresh?!

Listening to Alive 2007 will give you a sense of what the Daft Punk concert experience is all about. Well, you won’t have beer spillage on your shoes, or dudes smoking trees all up in your olfactory periphery, and you won’t be caught up in a sweaty massive heap of youthful debauchery... But other than that, it will feel like you’re right there!
-Stream the entire album on AOL
-Read an album review at Rolling Stone
-Daft Punk is in Kanye West's music video
-Pitchfork has an interview with Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter
-and a peek inside the Daft Punk pyramid!
-Buy Alive 2007

Wyclef managed to find the time in between his busy producing schedule and nonprofit managing duties to record a respectable album of his own. We immediately liked “Fast Car,” a song that features a verse and guitar work by Paul Simon (yes, you read that correctly.)
-Stream the entire album at AOL
-Read an album review at Rolling Stone
-Watch the music video for album single, "Sweetest Girl," on Youtube
-The Fugees are officially never getting back together. Ever.
-Buy Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Almost a year after an acclaimed double album release and a guest appearance on one of the hottest tracks of ‘07, Ghostface Killah releases Big Doe Rehab, a classic hip-hop record that’s already drawing rave reviews.
-Stream Big Doe Rehab here
-Read an album review at Rolling Stone
-Check out Ghost in the upcoming film, Walk Hard!
-Ghostface recently wrote a book
-And there’s that new Wu-Tang album coming out next week
-Buy Big Doe Rehab

Yes, Fruit Tree is another Nick Drake box set, but this one comes equipped with an intriguing documentary about the troubled young singer’s life called “A Skin Too Few.”
-Read more about A Skin Too Few
-Brad Pitt narrated a radio doc about Drake's life, but you can't listen to it online anymore
-Buy Fruit Tree