Album Sweep: February 2, 2013 - Part One...

It's time to kick off the first part of this week's "album sweep" where I sample the new records debuting on the Top 200 Albums chart in Billboard magazine. As always, I've included links to buy anything you see if available.

The top-selling album in America this week is the first full-length "official" release by A$AP Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers), Long.Live.A$AP, which sold over a hundred thousand copies last week...(NSFW)

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Coming in at #2 is the 23rd volume in the anti-Christ of rock called Kidz Bop. Kidz Bop 23 features "kid-friendly" renditions of "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", "Diamonds", and "Gangnam Style" among others.  While none of the sets have ever topped the albums chart, this is the fifth one to come (too) close at #2...

The (formerly Canadian) Tenors have their biggest album so far as Lead With Your Heart enters at #21. The pop-opera act's debut, The Canadian Tenors, made it to #49 in 2008.

Veteran indie-pop band Yo La Tengo, from Hoboken, New Jersey, arrive at #26 with their 13th studio album Fade. Three of there past albums have made the chart, with the hilariously-titled I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass reaching #66 in 2006...

Country singer Katie Armiger also has her best placing as Fall Into Me comes in at #32 (and #7 on the Country Albums chart), which is pretty respectable for an artist that hasn't reached the top-40 on the Country Songs chart as yet. A true find, in my opinion....

The alt-folk duo Civil Wars may have gone on a hiatus at the end of last year, but that doesn't stop their iTunes exclusive Unplugged On VH1 seven-song EP from leaping in at #34 (while their debut album Barton Hollow, a former top-10 record, being the fastest riser this week).

Kim Walker-Smith, part of the Jesus Culture religious musical collective, is in at #39 with Still Believe.

The late great funk songstress Teena Marie enters at #63 with Beautiful, The first album of unreleased material to come out after the singer's death in 2010. In 2004, she reached #6 on the albums chart with La Dona...

That does it for this half....out of these eight I would recommend the Katie Armiger, Teena Marie, and Civil Wars sets first....

I'll return tomorrow with the second half including new stuff from the Lone Below, 2 Cellos, and more.