Billy Joel Reissues: Joel's label announced last year that the Piano Man's catalog was about to go through a massive reissue process, saying in a press release that "newly curated collections of rarities from the vaults, previously unavailable studio tracks and live performances, home video releases and more," would be available starting with 1971's Cold Spring Harbor.

These reissues will be a must for completists, but for casual fans, stick with the greatest-hits double slabs. Sadly, Joel has been reluctant to make any new pop material since 1993's River Of Dreams, but we hear through that proverbial grapevine that Elton John is slowly wearing him down.

Bob Schneider Perfect Day: This is Schneider's 15th solo album since 1998, and by our count, his 65th in all. Perfect Day will satisfy Bob-heads, fans of Big Star-style power-pop, and singer-songwriter cats. Not much new ground has been broken, but every few albums, Schneider manages to rip us all a new one. Not this time.

Kinks Reissues: The Kinks are beginning a heady reissue project, starting with their first three albums, the 1964 self-titled debut, 1965's Kinda Kinks and The Kink Kontroversy. Even without the extra tracks and clearer mixing, these are monster records for anyone in love with original garage and British Invasion stuff. The tracks we have been sent sound stellar, and the packaging looks great too.

Ben Waters Boogie 4 Stu: This is obviously Rocks Off's dark-horse pick of the week, Ben Water's tribute album for the late Ian Stewart, the Rolling Stones' longtime piano player and driver who passed away in 1985 at the young age of 47. Boogie is a joyful celebration of Stu's life, featuring the Stones reformed with former bassist Bill Wyman on a cover of Bob Dylan's "Watchin' The River Flow." Keith Richards sings and plays guitar on most other tracks.

Waters' cousin, PJ Harvey, also makes an appearance on "Lonely Avenue," with Waters playing a piano once used and owned by Ray Charles. Stu himself appears on the closing track, with a Rocket 88-assisted cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home" from a performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in the early '80s.

WEEKLY PLAYLIST