You might find the pairing of Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren playing together on the same bill rather odd. It doesn’t seem to fit. Sort of like Sonny & Charo. It’s close but still not quite right. Such is the case with the oddly matched Jackson and Rundgren on the newly released, live album from 16 years ago, “State Theater New Jersey, 2005” (Purple Pyramid). Even the name is lame. But here are two legends, featuring alternative string quartet Ethel, for a two-CD and DVD set of favorites by the each artist. After a few tracks from Ethel, Jackson emerges, sans band, on his piano to play through a few of the hits: “Steppin’ Out,” “Be My Number Two,” “Is She Really Going Out With Him” and it’s predictable fare. And then it’s new 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rundgren’s turn, who resorts to playing his big hit, “Bang The Drum All Day” on the ukulele and mutters some weird stuff before breaking out “Hello, It’s Me.” It’s not the either artist is bad, just underwhelming. This New Jersey date was early in a 50-date run of shows that took the singer-songwriters from a rocky opening in Melbourne, Florida on April 13 to a triumphant close in San Sebastian, Spain on July 5. The bonus of this collection is the encore set, featuring all three acts on tracks such as “The Other Me” and “Pretending to Care.” The latter song might sum up Rundgren’s opinion on doing the tour in the first place, but fans might find it worth a listen.

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“The Problem of Leisure: A Tribute of Andy Gill and Gang of Four” (Gill Music), is a two-CD set of covers of the seminal alt rock band, featuring some acts that you might know: Tom Morello, Gary Numan, the Dandy Warhols, and some you might not. The bang of it? Fun and surprisingly good – even if you’re not familiar with a lot of Go4’s hits. This collection is a celebration of the late Andy Gill, Go4’s guitarist.

The band Idles are the first through the wall, arguably today’s most obvious heirs to Go4’s aggressively danceable pop, as they slice and dice their way through the first take on “Damaged Goods.” Tom Morello dials in his usual pedal effects on “Natural’s Not In,” while two of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea and John Frusciante, get funkalicious with the Silverlake Conservatory Youth Chorale (seriously) on “Not Great Men.” This covers set does a great job of truly showing the impact of an important band, spanning genres with some interpretations faithful to the originals while other rewire the sound system into further spheres. La Roux, the electronic artistic diva, creates a distinct rendition of “Damaged Goods” as well, but her version plays more to a bossa-nova edge, if you can swallow that. The double album, “The Problem With Leisure” stands as a testament to the great talent of Gill and the band. Fans will rejoice; non-believers will appreciate their work and celebrate the ways they’ve shaped the rock scene today.

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The soundtrack to Lin Manuel Miranda’s “In The Heights” (Atlantic), a celebration of the Washington Heights neighborhood, reaches the same plateaus as the movie without the benefit of interstitial dialogue and glorious visuals. Adapted from the Broadway musical, “Heights” is an extravaganza, buoyed by the first single, the title track. “Hamilton’s” Miranda seemingly can do no wrong; this soundtrack soars with energy and danceable grooves. The movie is playing in theatres and on HBO Max and this high-octane musical is perhaps the best Hollywood has delivered in years. The exciting electricity of a non-while blockbuster cast, who are soon to become superstars, combined with the maximalist style of modern style of a modern smash make this soundtrack one to behold.

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Each time a new “Fast and Furious” film debuts, a mega-hits soundtrack can’t be far behind. With “F9: The Fast Saga” (Atlantic), the album recruits the hottest names in the music industry. Historically, previous F&F franchise albums have given audiences iconic songs such as “See You Again” by Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa, “Tokyo Drift” by Teriyaki Boyz and “Danze Kuduro” by Don Omar. Here, tracks like “Fast Lane” by Don Tolliver, Lil Durk and Latto is grandiose effort, as the song opens with a brass section fanfare. It’s a bit derivative, but still a banger for the masses. “Lane Switcha” by Pop Smoke, A$AP Rocky, Skepta, Juicy J and Project Pat features Pop’s deep raspy voice on this synthy trap beat. “F9” offers an impressive guest list, and with its catchy, thumpy rhthyms, the album will likely entice listeners to see the movie, now playing in theaters or vice versa. This soundtrack won’t invent the wheel but as this franchise is upteen years old, it really doesn’t have to.

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