Kou Thao

Over the next month or so an enormous amount of CDs will be released with loads of hype and absolutely no musical value.

The Tastemaker is going to help you filter out the garbage and get to the music that is worth something. Essentially, I am going to eradicate the hype.

Let’s start with Kelly Clarkson. Ignore her rotten album, “Thankful,” which is coming out Tuesday. No one should endure the punishment of a full-length album from this woman.

Instead, take a listen to Fleetwood Mac’s new album, “Say You Will,” which comes out on the same day. The Mac have never let you down in the past – they aren’t going to start now.

The next CD to buy is from Madonna, the last big superstar. Her new album, “American Life,” is coming out April 22.

The title track features a similar production style to songs from “Music” and “Ray of Light,” which is certainly a plus.

Not only is this music immaculately created, but it also features substance. In a world where pop music is about as valuable as cyanide, Madonna proves that there is some life left in the genre.

May 6 will see the release of some good albums.

First, there is John Hiatt’s “Beneath this Gruff Exterior.” Hiatt is best known for his songs “Have a Little Faith in Me” and “Thing Called Love,” but he also has written countless songs for other artists.

This man’s guitar playing is superb, as is his talent for writing tight melodies.

The other album is from Blur, who most Americans know as the band that did “Song 2.” These guys have been around since 1991 and are responsible for a wide variety of Brit-pop tunes, including the stunning “Girls and Boys.”

Beyond May 6, good releases are a little sparse.

It would be advisable to ignore Third Eye Blind’s May 13 release, “Out of the Vein.” They lost their steam with “Blue.”

Another album to throw in the urinal is Staind’s May 20 release, “14 Shades of Grey.” The album title should be “14 Shades of Excrement.”

Cry me a river, Aaron Lewis. You have about as much to cry about as the Maharishi. Seriously, Staind makes Creed look like Led Zeppelin.

Speaking of which, Zepp is releasing a live album, entitled “How the West Was Won,” on May 27 that promises to be the best Led Zeppelin live album ever released. From what I have heard of it, the album will render the previous major Zepp live album, “The Song Remains the Same,” a useless piece of the past.

There you have it. Filtering out the rancid music will allow for you to grow as a person and probably will save you a lot of money in the long run.