The man is back! Jack White has been hinting at a new solo release pretty much since 2012’s Blunderbuss hit shelves. And now he’s shared a snippet from his upcoming LP, titled Lazaretto, which hits stores and online markets on June 10. It’s an all-instrumental track (sorry for those who like when White’s wailin’ vocals recall Robert Plant), but it’s a good indicator of what the album will sound like: pure magic. You can hear that below.For those of you who miss “Breaking Bad” so much that streaming the entire series on Netflix isn’t cutting it … well, now you can purchase the show’s score. The double LP, titled Breaking Bad (Original Score From the Television Series), is scheduled to be released on April 29. That’s right around the corner, y’all. Soon, after listening to the album, you’ll relive Walter White’s drug-enterprising endeavors and feel the emotional decline of Jesse Pinkman as the show’s tunes provide some lovely soundscapes. Or sinister ones, depending on which track you hear. Read more about that over at Billboard.Here’s another exciting thing on the horizon: The mid-’90s lineup of Hole is reuniting. Yup, you read right. According to Courtney Love, she and Eric Erlandson, Patty Schemel and Melissa Auf Der Maur have been rehearsing some new material. If we’re lucky, it will have the same ferocity, fragility and angst that made Live Through This such a gem. You can read more about that at the Quietus, and have a listen to LTT album cut “Violet” below.I’m gonna say this … and I’ll take whatever flack I get. It’s called honesty. But … wow, this is hard … okay … just say it, Mark. Okay … I’ve always preferred The Jackson 5 to Michael Jackson’s solo work. Any and everyone I’ve told this to throughout the years has basically deemed such a proclamation sacrilegious. I can’t help how I feel. But MJ fans will be excited to know a new record of unreleased material (XSCAPE) is slated to come out May 13. Read more about that over at Pitchfork.It’s no secret that Janelle Monáe is a big David Bowie fan because … well … she’s said so several times. But now the funky fresh artist has decided to do Bowie a solid by covering “Heroes.” You don’t need me to talk about it. You can hear it below.My knowledge of Elliott Smith is rudimentary at best. And before you commence to gasping, I’ll clarify by stating that most of what I’ve heard has been through hearing his music in films (like Good Will Hunting and The Royal Tenenbaums). Granted, that makes sense for me. I’m a very cinematic-minded person; it matters to me how music is used to shape a scene and capture a moment. While we’re on the topic of film, a new documentary about Smith titled Heaven Adores You will premiere at the San Francisco Film Festival on May 5, and that film will include “unheard songs, personal pictures and lost footage.” So keep an eye (or both eyes) open for that.My first foray into the world of Swedish duo First Aid Kit was watching a video of them covering Patti Smith’s “Dancing Barefoot,” with Smith reduced to tears of gratitude in the audience. It was magical. Now the group is getting ready to release a third LP titled Stay Gold. That record comes out June 10, and you can hear some of what it has to offer by listening to the track “My Silver Lining” below. Late spoken-word performer and musician Gil Scott-Heron’s unreleased recordings are going to see the light of day … or be listened to by people. Apparently he’d recorded some of his older songs during sessions for his 2010 album I’m New Here, but those recordings were shelved. Now, for Record Store Day, a posthumous release, Nothing New, is slated for April 19. Read more about the record over at Rolling Stone.I don’t know much about Stagnant Pools. Nothing, in fact, other than they’re a sibling duo that makes noise-inflected rock music, and they’re coming out with their second LP Geist. I clicked the link to listen to their new song after reading comparisons to Joy Division and The Jesus and Mary Chain. After listening to their new track from the forthcoming album (which hits stores on June 10), I think I need to pay some attention to their first record Temporary Room. Listen to their track “Intentions” below.This one may seem to come out of left field, but there’s context … at least for me. Country star Martina McBride’s new record of pop and R&B covers, Everlasting, comes out next week. And for the hipsters, no … there’s no irony here. I grew up in South Texas where ’90s country was a staple. Hell, McBride’s “Independence Day” was one of my favorite songs growing up. Now that that’s out of the way … McBride is streaming her album in its entirety over at Billboard. Head that way to get a first glimpse.We got another leak, people. Some time back, self-proclaimed “gangsta Nancy Sinatra” Lana Del Rey announced she’s releasing a new album (Ultraviolence) later this year. And now a track has appeared online, though there’s no clarification about whether the track is from the upcoming record or not. Your guess is as good as mine, and you can listen to that below.EDITOR’S NOTE: This video has since been removed. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Rooster Roundabout: This Week’s Music Highlights
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