2D, Noodle and Russel Hobbs—along with pal Ace (subbing for Murdoc Niccals—”Free Murdoc!”)—are back June 29 with The Now Now (Warner Bros.). Grammy-winning and Guinness Book Of World Records-recognized Gorillaz have delivered 11 new songs, self-produced by the cartoon-crew think tank as well as humans Remi Kabaka (longtime Gorillaz collaborator) and James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco); we assume Damon Albarn also had his blurry fingerprints all over this, too. In October, Gorillaz will tour North America in support of the LP … On July 13, Real Gone will issue The Complete Sessions At West 54th by Ben Folds Five, available on CD and as a two-LP set; though only three tracks aired on the original PBS broadcast, there are 15 here, including a cover of the Flaming Lips’ “She Don’t Use Jelly” … Make room for daddy: Papa M is back August 17 with A Broke Moon Rises (Drag City) … Kristin Hersh returns October 5 with Possible Dust Clouds on Fire … What do R.E.M., Hootie & The Blowfish, John Hiatt, Indigo Girls, the Troggs, the Cowsills, Juliana Hatfield and Better Than Ezra have in common besides being included in the sentence you’re currently reading? Peter Holsapple (dB’s, Rittenhouse Square), who’s releasing Game Day—his first solo album in 21 years—July 27 via Omnivore … Lips Like Oxygen is the new one from Oh, Weatherly, out July 27 via Hopeless … On July 27, Willie Nile will release Children Of Paradise on his River House label … Alligator is issuing America’s Child by the great Shemekia Copeland on August 3, featuring guest appearances by Will Kimbrough (who also produced), John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Mary Gauthier, Rhiannon Giddens, J.D. Wilkes, Steve Cropper and more … Not only is Interscope/UMe releasing a remastered/expanded edition of Smash Mouth’s Fush Yu Mang, the band’s 1997 debut is coming paired with a newly recorded acoustic version of LP; the two-CD set is out June 29 … A two-CD special edition of the 1982 self-titled debut by the Lords Of The New Church is out July 20 on Blixa Sounds.
