There’s less than a week left before that holiest of holy days for vinyl junkies: Record Store Day 2011, which, this year, will see special releases in the U.S. and the U.K. by R.E.M., The Smiths, New Order and Joy Division, Kate Bush, Sonic Youth and many more.

Three weeks ago, we launched the inaugural Slicing Up Eyeballs Readers Poll in an effort to gauge what this site’s frequenters think are the year’s best new albums and reissues. Now, with hundreds of ballots cast, the results are in.

Three weeks ago, we launched the inaugural Slicing Up Eyeballs Readers Poll in an effort to gauge what this site’s frequenters think are the year’s best new albums and reissues. Now, with hundreds of ballots cast, the results are in.

Today, Crowded House releases its new greatest-hits collection in the U.S., and to mark the occasion, the generous folks at EMI/Capitol are providing us with a copy of ‘The Very Very Best of Crowded House’ to give away to one lucky Slicing Up Eyeballs reader.

Taking a break from the ongoing Crowded House tour, bandleader Neil Finn played a solo show at London’s Jazz Cafe last night, and as he’s wont to do, invited Johnny Marr onstage to perform several songs, including The Smiths’ beloved ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.’

This week’s releases include a new studio albums from Bryan Ferry (‘Olympia’) and Elvis Costello (‘National Ransom’), a live DVD from R.E.M. (‘Live From Austin, TX’), a 4CD ‘omnibus edition’ from The Fall (‘The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall’) and the belated U.S. release of Prefab Sprout’s new album (‘Let’s Change the World With Music’).