Magna Carta Records has just released a snarling, six-string shredfest specially designed for metal heads in need of a blazing, mental beat down.

Willie Nelson is on the road again, spending next month touring the East Coast with Asleep at the Wheel and their new album of Western swing. Austins own Bismeaux Records releases Willie and the Wheel this coming Tuesday, an album that the late producer Jerry Wexler had been imagining for 30 years, now fully realized with his handpicked song list.

A new collection in the Red Hot series benefiting AIDS research is due next month. Dark Was the Night bears the Beggars Banquet Records imprint and promises two CDs curated and compiled by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National, who contribute their own So Far Around the Bend and a cover of Bob Dylans I Was Young When I Left Home.

The pair, as Dean Britta, has composed a soundtrack of sorts to a series of mute screen tests filmed by Andy Warhol at his factory, holding time as the subjects stare deeply into the cameras eye. Plexifilm releases the DVD experience next week, as 13 Most Beautiful Songs for Andy Warhols Screen Tests,.

The swampy and raw Canadian duo would make Hazil Adkins proud, hunchin’ up a possessed fever to melt the snow off any juke joint. The 7-inch single, “Animal Party,” comes in a nice gatefold sleeve with a 16-page coloring book of Mathieu Trudel’s illustrations of partying pigs and a zebra in high heels.

Is there a hole in your stocking, or pink slips paper-clipped to the tree in a festive display? Times are tough, but the simple joys do survive. Pile on the blankets and give a gift to yourself this season, in the pleasure of a new book from the Dewey 780.

With the record industry in seasonal hibernation, trying to squeeze out units into stockings and MP3 players, Im looking ahead to some of the most exciting events, new tunes and DVDs of the coming year. Flannel, anyone? In conjunction with the albums inclusion in Rock Band.

Santa and your friendly local postal carrier might be wishing that everyone gave digital gifts this year, as gift cards and iTunes credits surely lighten the load of their sacks. I'm sorry, St.

If you're just starting to build one, or looking to add to a stagnant stack of yuletide tunes, this year's offerings in the Christmas Music Department.

Two cool covers turn up as well; with a dramatic run at Bruce Springsteen's "The Hitter" and poppin' Tommy James' hit "I'm Alive." Look for the Welsh heartthrob to hit the talk show circuit next week, stopping by to seduce Tavis Smiley.

For those of us who grew up thumbing through endless peach crates of vinyl LP records in colorful, dank and dusty storefronts, the thrill of the hunt for coveted slabs of licorice pizza.

DVD, a deluxe package with the soundtrack CD and a mother lode of goodies including a T-shirt, popcorn box, bumper sticker and postcards. A green-vinyl version of the soundtrack.

After years on hold, a punk-rock, superstar sing-a-long side project featuring members of Bad Religion, NOFX, Social Distortion.

John James can be reached via cyberspace at yeahyeah@cinci.rr.com.

One of the most important and heartfelt albums of 1968 gets a labor of love deluxe reissue next week. On Tuesday Columbia Records.

This week, another Eagle Vision treat arrives in stores two complete Tori Amos.

John James can be reached via cyberspace at yeahyeah@cinci.rr.com.

John James can be reached via cyberspace at yeahyeah@cinci.rr.com.

John James can be reached via cyberspace at yeahyeah@cinci.rr.com.

With election frenzy in the air building to a thick, stifling fog, the Standard Recording Company.