Album Sweep: May 4, 2013 - Part Two...

It's time to roll out part two of this week's "album sweep" sampling the records spending their first week on the Top 200 Albums chart in Billboard magazine. As with yesterday's post, I've included links to buy anything you see...

Shooting in at #32 is Texas country artist Casey Donahew with his latest set, Standoff, which matches the rank of his last, Double-Wide Dream...

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


Eclectic electro group Major Lazer return at #34 with their second full-length, Free The Universe.

Rebel country rocker Steve Earle is back at #39 with his 14th studio album Low Highway (billed as "Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses)". It's his third top-40 album - Townes went to #19 in 2009.

Country singer Granger Smith comes in at #48 with Dirt Road Driveway...

Willie Nelson turns 80 on Tuesday the 30th, and how better to celebrate than another album on the charts, as Willie Nelson and Family: Let's Face The Music And Dance enters at #49. In 1982, he took his Always On My Mind album to #2...

Arizona pop/rock group the Summer Set land at #53 with Legendary, their fourth full-length...(NSFW)

Jacksonville, Florida-based funk and southern rock group JJ Grey & MOFRO are at #77 with This River...

Queens rapper N.O.R.E. (aka "P.A.P.I.") returns at #115 with Student Of The Game. Two of his records, N.O.R.E. in 1998 and God's Favorite in 2002, went to #3 on the albums chart...(NSFW)

Rapper and member of the LOX Styles P is at #124 with Float. In 2007 he took Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) to #5...

The record at #129, Foreigner's Juke Box Heroes, is misleading, with an album cover of just a "juke box", at first glance you wouldn't know this is an album done by the "new" lineup of Foreigner with Kelly Hansen on vocals. I mean as karaoke this is competent enough, but Kelly is not Lou Gramm...

Christian pop band the Afters score their second charting album as Life Is Beautiful comes in at #133. Five years ago, Never Going Back To OK made it to #41...

The final entry of the week at #174 was the biggest release on Record Store Day, where I attempted to wait in line before work (didn't happen) so hipsters can grab it, say they have it, then sell it on eBay for rent money. It's Mumford & Sons with Live At Bull Moose. Two years ago they took Live From Shepherd's Bush Empire to #80...

That does it for part two of this week's "sweep". Out of this dozen the three I'd pick first are the JJ Grey & MOFRO, Steve Earle, and Casey Donahew albums...