The ‘Ultimate’ Eurythmics
Good news for all Eurythmics fans. They have recently recorded two new songs as part of their retrospective Ultimate Collection to be released November 8th. The new songs are entitled “I’ve Got a Life” (1st single) and “Was It Just Another Love Affair.” This will mark the first time in almost six years that Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart have teamed up since the 1999 release Peace. This 19-track set has all of the favorites like “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This),” “Here Comes The Rain Again,” “Would I Lie To You?,” “Demolition Man,” “I Need A Man,” “Who’s That Girl?” and “17 Again” to name a few. This is good enough to tie me down until the release of the next Eurythmics studio album or the next Annie Lennox studio album. Her last album, Bare, was breathtakingly beautiful. It’s been in my CD player for well over a year-and-a-half.

Alicia May Be ‘Unbreakable’ with Unplugged
Speaking of new releases, I’m really looking forward to the release of Alicia Keys Unplugged (10/11). It’s about time MTV brought the music back to the station. Less faux reality tv shows and more music please! Anyway, Alicia’s performance of her new single “Unbreakable” on the Fashion Rocks Awards got me hyped up. I’m really diggin’ it. Let’s see if radio takes to it the way they did her previous hits.

Toni Stop Teasing Us With ‘Libra’
I’m really getting tired of waiting for Toni Braxton’s upcoming release Libra. I’ve heard about four (maybe five) songs from it, those being “Take This Ring,” “Trippin,” “Supposed To Be” and “Please.” I love all of them. This album’s going to be hot! Quite possibly as good as or better than The Heat. Wouldn’t that be something? But I mean Toni, cut it with the teasing. I guess I’ll just have to wait until September 27th for the official release. And hope and pray that the record label doesn’t push it back (again).

Where The Hell Is Stevie Wonder’s ‘A Time 2 Love’? & What’s ‘India.Arie’s Song’ About?
And speaking of being pushed back, when is the Stevie Wonder album A Time 2 Love coming out? It’s been pushed back I don’t know how many times. It’s a shame. I really enjoyed “From The Bottom Of My Heart” and “So What The Fuss” (Stevie, Prince and EnVogue on one track–what more could you ask for? Be on the lookout for a new EnVogue record featuring the original members-Dawn, Max, Terry and Cindy). This album was supposed to have been out June 2004, then May 2005, June 2005, July 2005, now it’s just TBA. Last I’d heard, he’d gone back in to the studio to record additional tracks. The title track “A Time 2 Love” was co-written with India.Arie. For those wondering what India.Arie’s been working on lately–a two volume record. This two volume record is tentatively titled India.Arie’s Song. The first volume will feature songs about life and relationships while the second volume will feature songs about love and politics. Seems like this might be her most accomplished and most ambitious effort to date. And rightfully so after the release of Voyage To India some would say.

Be on the lookout for new singles by the Fugees “Take It Easy” and Deborah Cox “A House Is Not A Home” (available on iTunes).

And word on the street is Janet Jackson (my girl!) is in the studio working on something new. Hopefully this next release will be within the range of greatness as janet. and The Velvet Rope or possibly something even better. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see….

Other releases to look out for:
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley Welcome to Jamrock (9/13)
Tracie Chapman Where You Live (9/13)
Bonnie Raitt Souls Alike (9/13)
B.B. King 80 (9/13)
Christión Project Plato (9/13)
So Amazing: All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross (9/20)
Earth, Wind & Fire Illumination (9/20)
Miri Ben-Ari Hip-Hop Violinist (9/20)
Jamiroquai Dynamite (9/20)
Shaggy Clothes Drop (9/20)
Latoya London Love and Life (9/20)
Kindred The Family Soul In This Life Together (9/20)
Cissy Houston The Cissy Houston Collection (9/20)
Kim Waters All For Love (9/20)
Sean Paul The Trinity (9/27)
Lil’ Kim The Naked Truth (9/27)
Sheryl Crow Wildflower (9/27)
Fiona Apple Extraordinary Machine (10/04)
Dwele Some Kinda (10/04)
Trina The Glamourest Life (10/04)
Gerald Albright Voices (10/04)
Will Downing Soul Symphony (10/04)
Les Nubians Les Nubians Present Echos (10/04)
Kirk Whalum Performs the Babyface Songbook (10/04)
Kirk Franklin Hero (10/04)
Urban Knights The Best of Urban Knights (10/04)
Twista The Day After (10/04)
Jane Monheit The Monheit Collection (10/04)
Toshi Reagon Have You Heard (10/04)
Rose Royce Greatest Hits (10/04)
Anita Baker Christmas Fantasy (10/04)
Peabo Bryson Christmas With You (10/04)
Keith Sweat Welcome To The Sweat Hotel (10/18)
Destiny’s Child #1’s (10/25)
Santana All That I Am (11/01)
Mary J. Blige Reminisce (11/22)
Fugees TBA (12/27)
Outkast (TBA)