There are weeks when one can look at new album release lists and wonder who in their right mind would buy any of these?

This, however, is not one of those weeks.

I don’t know if anyone might’ve guessed ten years ago that contemporary country music would become one of the hottest genres going, but here we are. New releases by Lady Antebellum, the Pistol Annies and the Dixie Chicks’ own Natalie Maines are among this week’s most hotly anticipated albums, and all of them—however far removed they may be from the works of Hank Williams and Patsy Cline—represent where the public’s taste resides at the moment, and that’s not a bad thing at all. Because while each signals a deliberate move forward from the strict traditionalism of what some would call classic country, none are particularly blatant examples of crass commercialism, none appear to be specifically aiming at “crossing over” to pop at the expense of art, and all of them are actually quite interesting.

And then there’s that new Gatsby

I’m embarrassed to admit that—though it was only a meager car ride away—I skipped attending this year’s celebrated Coachella Festival last week! And though it’s happening again next weekend, I’ll probably be skipping that, too!

And it isn’t just because I could stay at home and watch the proceedings on my completely wired home entertainment system and avoid the pesky body odors and bothersome tattoos accompanying the masses of humanity that might theoretically be attending the festival in order to witness the Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Nor is it because I could merely walk into my kitchen and pour myself the finest of today’s bottled liquors at my leisure while sparing myself the troublesome expense of gas money, Coachella tickets and excessive carbohydrates!

Sadly, I must report, I didn’t attend simply because I didn’t have a thing to wear!

Plus, I needed to pick up some creme rinse at Costco!

Fall Out Boy: Save Rock And Roll (Island) I think most of us have been frantically aware that

Apologies for skipping last week’s blog: A busy week vacationing in Miami, then another in Austin, Texas for the recent South By Southwest confab, kept me away from my computer and thus any means whatsoever for expressing rational thought!

Major regrets? That I could not give the wonderful new David Bowie album the timely welcome it deserves, nor discuss the very notion of a new album by Bon Jovi, nor—worst of all—use Twitter to alert the masses that any particular artist was “killing it” in Austin!

And now, of course, every living being in Austin is dead!

Next year I’ll bring an iPad or something!

Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience (RCA) Perhaps it’s just me, but I cannot believe that anybody cares much at all about Mr. Timberlake--who seems a likable, mildly talented, good-humored fellow, but almost fascinatingly ordinary in his music-making. Like, what am I missing? A former boy-bander with a few slick moves, a bundle of distinguished friends who could make a toad sound

It’s just one week prior to the annual South By Southwest conference, that yearly gathering held in Austin, Texas, at which today’s biggest and brightest talents congregate, perform before an enlightened and enthused audience, then go about their business as their careers then soar to stratospheric heights!

Also, some musicians play!

This week’s new releases are a great reminder of that which awaits all of us attendees-to-be: Distinguished oldsters, up-and-coming newbies, dudes that have been playing blues-based Americana music since Hector was a pup, and, in all likelihood, Hector himself, were I to scroll down to the very bottom of Amazon’s enthralling “new releases” section this week!

But as is this column’s wont, let’s just focus on this week’s biggest and brightest hits-to-be! Especially the ones with cool covers!

Jimi Hendrix: People, Hell And Angels (Experience Hendrix/Legacy) While it’s inevitable that iconic artists like Hendrix will be the subject of album reissues and