The album everyone has been talking about will be released this week: Metallica’s “Death Magnetic” hits shelves on Friday and the reaction has been pretty split, based on the leaks. This is the band’s first release since their 2003 “St. Anger”. I’m not quite sure why or how they’re releasing their album this Friday instead of today, but hey, they’re Metallica. I’m sure they can do whatever they want. Maybe they were scared that if they released the album on a Tuesday, too many kids would pirate it off by the weekend?

Nonetheless, the band’s album will soon be fully released and the single has already been. I find the single unfortunately underwhelming, but then again, it’s always hard for a band that has done a lifetime of work to outdo themselves. In this case, I would say that old Metallica is new Metallica’s worst enemy.

In other news, Jessica Simpson is actually still making music. I know, I know, I had no idea, either. To be quite frank, I had no idea she was doing anything these days. With all of the focus being on her sister and her rock-troll husband, many of us have forgotten that Jessica was the first one to get famous. But thanks to the Simpson sisters’ power-managing dad, Jessica popped out a new album today titled “Do You Know“. This is her first country release. Dear Jessica Simpson: Do YOU Know that having Dolly Parton guest sing on your record won’t make you a country star? Just something to think about.

Other albums released today:

Mitch Hedberg-Do You Believe In Gosh? (F**k yeah, we do!)

Calexico-Carried to Dust

Joan Baez-Day After Tomorrow (you think she knows about the movie?)

Kimya Dawson-Alphabutt

Joan Osborne-Little Wild One

ZZ Top-Eliminator (Collector’s Edition)