It’s a fairly quiet week in music land. Guess everyone’s saving their energy for the Grammy Awards in a couple of weeks. That said, there are a couple of noteworthy (if not personally appealing) albums that might pique your interest.

Believe

Can you tell how serious a musician Justin Bieber is? He’s looking AWAY from the camera!

Dear Justin Bieber,

We are aware that you are somewhat instrumentally proficient. So please stop releasing acoustic versions of your albums. They serve no purpose other than to fleece your fanbase, who will eventually realize what’s going on and turn on your ass. I mean, not that I care very much (you don’t register very much in my world) but…you know, I’m just trying to help a young’un out.

So, yeah. The biggest (and likely, biggest selling) release of the week is going to be an album of stripped-down versions of songs from The Biebs. Believe: Acoustic will (probably, because I’m lazy and don’t really care) also have a “new” song or two, giving the squeeing little girls more incentive to drop eight-ten bucks on music that they essentially own already. Ah, capitalism.

It’s a fairly quiet week in music land. Guess everyone’s saving their energy for the Grammy Awards in a couple of weeks.

Charlie Wilson is a true survivor. He’s survived prostate cancer. He’s survived years of substance abuse. He survived those ugly-ass “urban cowboy” outfits he used to wear in the Gap Band. Most importantly, he survived slinging the ol’ banana hammock in the “Party Train” video. The soul legend has carved out a nice 21st century solo career for himself. His sixth album: Love, Charlie, should have a heaping serving of those love songs that get the urban MILF set going-and just in time for Valentine’s Day, too!

I knew Tegan and Sara were twin sisters. I did not know that they were Canadian (a fact that gives them extra cool points in my book-I love the Canucks!!) Not only are T&S releasing a new album today (called Heartthrob) BUT they are also appearing on the new Lisa Loeb album. Yep, the cat’s-eye glasses lady who made “Stay (I Missed You)” a #1 smash all those years ago (becoming the first unsigned artist to top the pop charts in the process) is still around. Not only is No Fairy Tale her first album in eight years, but she sat down with my Bruva From Anotha Muva Matt Wardlaw for an interview that’s now live on our sister site popdose.com. Go read it! But wait until you’ve finished this column!

This week’s other interesting releases include:

Blue Sky Riders (including Kenny Loggins!) Finally Home

Andrea Bocelli Passione

Eric Burdon ‘Til Your River Runs Dry

Miles Davis Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2

dead prez Information Age

Destiny’s Child Love Songs

Fleetwood Mac Rumours: Expanded Edition

Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite Get Up!

Hatebreed The Divinity of Purpose

Kris Kristofferson Feeling Mortal

Local Natives Hummingbird

Jeffrey Osborne A Time for Love

Tomahawk Oddfellows (read our review here)

Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas Flood: 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition