Welcome to Buzzworthy's "The Week In Pop," where we round up new album releases, talk show musical guests, and TV performances by your favorite pop stars and more (so you don't have to).
It's Grammy week, people! But first, the week begins with album releases: Jewel drops her first Greatest Hits collection (catch her on Tuesday's "The View," and also Thursday's "VH1's Big Morning Buzz With Carrie Keagan" where Toni Braxton and the newly reunited Fall Out Boy will also appear). Plus, Coheed And Cambria make a sequel, My Morning Jacket's Jim James goes solo (he's on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" on Monday and Tuesday), My Bloody Valentine returns with a new album after two decades, and Frightened Rabbit release their major-label debut. On TV, Justin Bieber serves double duty as host and musical guest on "Saturday Night Live." Also, Jennifer Hudson makes her "Smash" debut during its season two premiere on Tuesday. The week caps off with "Music's Biggest Night" when the "55th Annual Grammy Awards" air on CBS on Sunday. Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Jack White, Frank Ocean, The Black Keys, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran, and more will perform; LL Cool J serves as host.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES
+ Jewel, Greatest Hits: Jewel's first-ever collection of greatest hits spans her 18-year career, and it includes chart-ruling smashes such as "Who Will Save Your Soul" from her 1995 Pieces Of You debut, on through "Jupiter (Swallow The Moon)" and "Hands," and into 2003's 0304 "Intuition." Jewel also adds fresh takes to some classics. She duets with Kelly Clarkson on the devastatingly heartachey "Foolish Games," and Pistol Annies join Jewel for "You Were Meant For Me."
+ Coheed And Cambria, The Afterman: Descension: When Buzzworthy last caught up with Coheed And Cambria, they answered fan questions, discussing their dark concept "The Amory Wars" album approach and their influences. Singer Claudio Sanchez also creates The Amory Wars graphic novel series that correspond with the band's albums, and Sanchez recently partnered with Mark Wahlberg and Leverage to make a feature film based on The Amory Wars. On Tuesday, they drop The Aftermath: Descension, the counterpart to last year's The Aftermath: Ascension.
+ Jim James, Regions Of Light And Sound Of God: My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James makes his first release of original material with this soul-searching record. It was inspired by "God's Man," a 1929 graphic novel, which may be why songs such as "A New Life" have a timeless, other era-quality about them. Musically, he played every instrument on the nine-song set, and he explores old-school R&B sounds, with touches on playful island beats. The album generally has a more intimate, softer sway than MMJ's grander fare. Stream and download the soulful and grooving "Know Til Now."
Check out more new album releases, upcoming TV appearances, and performances after the jump.
