Suzanne Vega has her first album on Blue Note, Beauty and Crime. I will confess to having lost track of Ms Vega recently, but it’s been six years since she made an album. This sounds promising, and more fully orchestrated than her original folk paradigm. What has the author of “Tired of Sleeping” and Solitude Standing got to say after these years? Enquiring minds want to know! I’m pleased to note that this is as high as #11 currently at Amazon. Maybe she’ll draw in some of that Nora Jones audience. I also want to note her beautiful picture on the album cover, looking like a sexy refugee from a Mike Hammer novel.

Teddy Thompson releases his third album this week, Upfront & Down Low. I will confess to not having listened to his previous highly regarded albums of original material. This record consists of re-thinkings of vintage American country music (+1 original), including “Walking the Floor Over You.” Coming from the son of Richard and Linda Thompson, I’m expecting a passionate but highbrow English re-consideration of the canon. This seems to be getting good marks, and is as high as #49 in current Amazon sales.

The Meat Puppets have a new album, Rise to Your Knees. This is considered noteworthy among those who inexplicably like this band because this is their first album in some years with Cris Kirkwood. Apparently, he’s supposed to be the brains of the outfit – as such things go here.

Here’s the complete list of this week’s major new releases, courtesy AMG:

The Chemical Brothers We Are the Night Astralwerks
Electronica, Trip-Hop, Club/Dance

Editors An End Has a Start Epic/Kitchenware/Fader
Indie Rock

Meat Puppets Rise to Your Knees Anodyne
American Underground, Alternative Pop/Rock

Rooney Calling the World Universal
Alternative Pop/Rock

Teddy Thompson Upfront & Down Low Verve Forecast
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter

Suzanne Vega Beauty and Crime Blue Note
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter

Dennis Alcapone Forever Version [Deluxe Edition] Heartbeat
DJ

Laurie Anderson Big Science [25th Anniversary Edition] Nonesuch
Experimental Rock, Experimental

India.Arie Acoustic Soul [Deluxe Edition] Motown
Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B, Urban

Erykah Badu Baduizm [Special Edition] Motown
Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B, Alternative Rap, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Urban, Hip-Hop

Colbie Caillat Coco Republic
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop/Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter

Captain Sinbad Seven Voyages of Captain Sinbad Greensleeves
DJ, Contemporary Reggae, Dancehall

Benny Carter 1954 Classics France
Mainstream Jazz

The Cribs Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever V2
Indie Rock

Culture Two Sevens Clash [The 30th Anniversary] Shanachie
Political Reggae, Roots Reggae

The Dramatics The Very Best of the Dramatics Stax
Soul, Smooth Soul, Quiet Storm

Minnie Driver Seastories Zoe
Alternative Country-Rock, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

Duende Mosaic: New Interpretations of Early Music MSR Classics
Early Music Transcribed for Horn, Cello & Piano

A Fine Frenzy One Cell In the Sea Virgin
Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

Warren G Regulate…G Funk Era [Special Edition] Def Jam
West Coast Rap, G-Funk

Guy Guy [Special Edition] MCA
New Jack Swing, Urban

Daniel Harding Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 Virgin Classics
Romantic Symphonies

John Lee Hooker Don’t Look Back [Bonus Tracks] Shout! Factory
Electric Blues, Modern Delta Blues

Liberace A Brand New Me Collectors’ Choice Music
Classical Pop, Orchestral Pop

The Magic Numbers Those the Brokes EMI/Heavenly
Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Rock

Raul Malo After Hours NewDoor
Adult Contemporary, Contemporary Country

McCormick Percussion Ensemble Ding Capstone
Contemporary Music for Percussion

The Mission UK God Is a Bullet [Bonus Tracks] Oblivion
Goth Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock

Lucy Parham Beloved Clara ASV
Romantic Piano Music

Fritz Reiner Mahler: The Song of the Earth [Hybrid SACD] RCA
Post-Romantic Music for Voice and Orchestra

The Rocket Summer Do You Feel Island
Emo, Indie Rock

Sound the Alarm Stay Inside Geffen
Emo, Indie Rock

Strata Strata Presents The End of The World Wind-Up
Post-Grunge, Alternative Pop/Rock

Johnnie Taylor The Very Best of Johnnie Taylor Stax
Soul-Blues, Soul

Susan Tedeschi The Best of Susan Tedeschi: Episode Two Sheridan Square
Modern Electric Blues, Contemporary Blues

Dwight Twilley Sincerely/Twilley Don’t Mind Rav
Album Rock, Pop/Rock, Power Pop

Various Artists Now, Vol. 25 Utv
Alternative Pop/Rock, Pop-Rap, Urban, Post-Grunge, Dance-Pop, Emo

Various Artists Rare Blues from Deep in the Vaults Fuel 2000
Electric Harmonica Blues, Electric Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues

Violinski Clog Dance: The Very Best of Violinski Castle
Prog-Rock/Art Rock

Yellowcard Paper Walls Capitol
Punk-Pop, Punk Revival