Sound Check: Tupac, Black Crowes
February 23 -- STILL HE RISES: Death Row Records will release a new double-CD of unreleased Tupac Shakur songs, Until the End of Time, on March 27. A second double-CD featuring the prolific rapper, who was killed in 1996, is on tap for later this year.
CROWING LIONS: Raucous rockers The Black Crowes will release Lions on May 15 through V2 Records. Their first studio album since By Your Side in early '99, the Don Was-produced Lions was recorded in a converted Yiddish musical theater in New York.
PROGRESS RETURNS: Producer Jeff Lynne's prog-rock crew, Electric Light Orchestra, has finished recording its first studio album since 1986's Balance of Power. Zoom, with ELO's signature soaring pop songs, will hit stores June 12, while the single "Alright" will be sent to radio in May.
TRIPLE THREAT: Three big-name producers shared the control booth on the debut album from The Incredible Moses Leroy. Electric Pocket Radio, a Cornelius-like pop pastiche due April 12, features work from Keith Cleversley (Flaming Lips, Spiritualized), Joey Waronker (Beck, Elliott Smith), and Wally Gagel (Folk Implosion, the Eels).
ISOLATED GUIDANCE: Prolific songwriter Robert Pollard has switched the name of the latest Guided by Voices album from Broadcaster House to Isolation Drills, setting the release date for April 3 on TVT Records. The band's often-changing membership retains guitarists Doug Gillard and Jim McPherson from 1999's Do the Collapse, and Elliott Smith and former GBV member Tobin Sprout make keyboard contributions to the power pop record.
PRODUCTIVE ABSENCE: Britney Spears was noticeably absent from Wednesday night's Grammy Awards. According to USA Today, it's because she was hard at work in Sweden, home of über-producer Max Martin, working on a new album for a November release.
CHEAP SILVER: Cheap Trick will release a two-CD live recording of its 1999 25th anniversary concert in Rockford, Ill. The three-hour set included 29 songs (with at least one from each of the band's albums), as well as guest appearances from Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan, Art Alexakis of Everclear, and former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash.
