After a couple weeks of slumber, the music industry is slowly wiping the sleep from their eyes and getting back into the business of releasing records. No major, major names releasing anything today (or for the remainder of January, quite honestly), but definitely a title or two that might pique your interest.

You wouldn’t be off-base if you called Cake a one-note band. But damn it, do they play the SHIT out of that one note. Even though you pretty much know what you’re going to expect when you buy an album from the San Fran-based rock band-John McCrea’s deadpan vocals and lyrics, music that manages to be impossibly stiff and ridiculously funky simultaneously, and the best use of horns by a rock band that does not play ska-that shouldn’t stop you from buying their latest album (and their first in six 1/2 years), Showroom of Compassion. It’s a solid return to form for a band that was gone for much too long.

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I’ve seen Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant in concert twice. Each time, I went from marveling at their energy (particularly that of lead singer Matt Shultz and his guitarist brother Brad) to wondering whether that energy was gonna result in a brawl (as opposed to the handful of minor scuffles that occurred at the latter show) or riot. CTE’s 2008 debut rang up 400,000 copies in sales and peeled off two #1 singles on alternative radio. These guys are set to blow up Kings of Leon style, and they very likely might achieve this with their latest release, Thank You Happy Birthday.

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That’s basically it when it comes to releases this week. Edie Brickell returns from wherever the hell she’s been hiding this week with a self-titled album, produced by Charlie Sexton of ARC Angels and “Beat’s So Lonely” fame. I’ll just go out on a limb and assume that her hubby Paul Simon appears somewhere on the album. Edie is joined on the new release docket by newcomers Steel Magnolia, who won the CMT network’s reality show “Can You Duet?”. I betcha there’ll be at least one record each week that’s from a former reality show contestant. I just might keep track of this. There’s also new albums from indie-rock faves Tapes ‘n Tapes, a set from jazz multi-instrumentalist Joe Lovano, and a best of collection from N.E.R.D. I’ll reserve my thoughts about releasing hits compilations by bands who’ve never had an actual hit for now, but…you know…

Get the full poop on this week’s new releases and all new releases moving forward on Pause and Play!