You know we're talking slow week here when the biggest release on the list comes from a guy who hasn't had a bonafide hit record in some two decades.

But you still have to give ol' Alice Cooper his props. On his new concept album, Along Came A Spider, the guy who single handedly invented the rock theatrical spectacle that spawned several decades of imitators from Kiss to Marilyn Manson to Slipknot, still shows the young bucks how to get it done.

In my original review here a few weeks back, I wrote that although there isn't anything here as memorable as "I'm Eighteen" or "School's Out," the band still rocks pretty hard and Alice's voice has held up remarkably well. This one probably won't sell that many copies past the diehards, but it's good nonetheless to see Alice still going a lot stronger than you might expect (especially for a guy who's gotta' be pushing 60).

Another guy who saw his best years a few decades back, but is apparently still going strong is Rick Springfield. I was never a fan, but like Alice, I'll give Springfield credit. He's more or less maintained his teen-idol good looks, and I have to admit that the single "What's Victoria Secret?" (don't tell anyone, but I saw it performed on General Hospital this week) is a damned hooky sounding little pop tune. I'm sure our fearless leader Connie Phillips already has her copy of Springfield's new Venus in Overdrive.

Also of note this week is a recording of one of the last HBO standup performances from the late, great George Carlin. Just be forewarned that in addition to Carlin's usual brilliance, there's ample use of those "seven words" (and a few more) on It's Bad for Ya.

Since it's a slow week and all, we bent the rules a little this week and allowed Josh Hathaway to write about the Stones (we don't usually cover DVD's here), as well as plug a couple of his buddies (since they are also friends of ours). Mark Saleski also gives us his take on the new collaboration between an MG and a Rascal.

As for me, wake me up when it's August.

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