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Audiofile David Sylvian Everything and Nothing Virgin Records An anti-greatest-hits album of sorts, this two-disc retrospective of Sylvian's work features new, remixed and previously unreleased material from the former leader of London's early New Romantic glam-pop band Japan. The multitalented British composer and lyricist is known for his exquisite ambient pop music and rich vocals. The compilation pulls from Sylvian's solo work, his songs with Japan--which reunited briefly in 1991 as Rain Tree Crow--("Blackwater," "Every Colour You Are," "Cries and Whispers") and his explorations with Robert Fripp ("God's Monkey, "Jean the Birdman"), Ryuichi Sakamoto ("Heartbeat [Tainai Kaiki II]," "Bamboo Houses"), Mick Karn ("Buoy") and other musicians. Fluidly easing from sparse electronics to lush soundscapes, Sylvian's songs are hypnotizing. Fans of intelligent experimental art music with jazzy avant-garde tendencies should wholeheartedly approve. (Sarah Quelland) Shitkickers Shitkickers Scary Records Like San Jose's answer to Hee Haw, vocalist Brian Christian, guitarists Shawn Packer and Josh Williams, bassist Branch Benson, drummer Julie Frietas and harp player Dayton deliver some of the freshest hickster music in town, complete with banjo, fiddle and kazoo. The band's self-titled debut album features 12 songs brimming with backwoods country-bumpkin references to moonshine, government cheese, train robbing and fishing, all fueled by barrels of whiskey and beer. A personal favorite, "Tombstone" (inspired by the Kurt Russell movie of the same name), pulls lines from the movie to form lyrics ("Well, I ain't easy, and I ain't your kid/I don't give a shit about the things I did/Wild Curly Bill was shooting at the moon/He killed a man, get a rope, I'll see you soon") and closes with one of Val Kilmer's epic catch phrases as Doc Holliday: "Johnny Ringo you're no daisy at all." Less palatable songs include "Dead by the River" and "Sheep Hurter." (SQ) [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]