Music Filter: Misc.

The Skinny on Missy Elliott and Beth Ditto

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 19:19:36 GMT

In America she remains largely (so to speak) a cult figure, but in the UK, Beth Ditto of queer-blues-gospel-dance-punkers The Gossip (from Olympia, Washington by way of Nowheresville, Arkansas) is a bona fide rockstar--and rightfully so. She is also a heavyset woman who takes a fierce pride in her unconventional (by pop chart standards) appearance. Because she is righteous, she not only gets away with it, but the notoriously cruel British tabloid press offer praise for her and her overweight activism.

Now, she's taking things a step further, not only stepping up in her own defense, she's taking aim at the music business, claiming that it forced Missy Elliott to lose the more than 70 pounds she shed a few years back, claiming she needed to slim down for health reasons. Ditto faults the music biz for making her believe she'd be less successful if she didn't reduce.

For most people, it's hard to argue with weight loss, but Ditto's not letting that stop her. She's super pissed (and not in the English sense).

Keeping Tabs on 2007 (January)

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:44:56 GMT

So, every year the year ends and I can't remember what records I liked. I'm not going through that again this year, because 2007 is already full of great music, so I've decided to keep a monthly list of the records I genuinely enjoy (and maybe singles, too, if I ever listen to the stupid radio again). And, you know, why not publish it? It won't all be new stuff, but this first one is more or less tied to release dates, except for the Midlake album, which I just managed to miss last year. Silly me, for it is a wonder.

January, 2007
Sloan Never Hear the End of ItDespite loving them in bits and pieces, I've never loved a Sloan album before this, and the fact that it comprises 30 songs (yes, 30 songs) on one disc (yes, one disc) is only one small factor. If more bands figured out that most songs don't actually need to be longer than :45 seconds long, the world would be a better place for music. And Robert Pollard would be poet laureate.

Crowded House Farewell to the World Again, never much cared for the records (scattered songs of course), but this 2x live album from their farewell shows in 1996 somehow shows a side I never appreciated before.

Neil Young Live at Massey Hall, 1971 This is coming out in March. Right now, it's my favorite NY record of all time. Recorded between After the Gold Rush and Harvest leaning heavily on songs from both before they became burdensome to him. Everything is so fresh and urgent, and the Harvest songs are completely unadorned. It's also amazing to hear a Neil acoustic show with an audience respectful enough (reverent, actually) not to be shouting CINNAMON GIRL! during every quiet moment like they do now.

Of Montreal Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? Yeah, guess what: I never liked them before. I was told they were good, but I couldn't let go of the first wave of Elephant 6. Then I heard all their live covers online and started melting. Then I heard this and was sold. This is a strong, spazzy, smart record. The three esses, courtesy of the new Danny Rose.

Welcome Sirs Last time I saw these guys would've been around 1995, maybe at Re-Bar, probably with This Busy Monster or the Adding Machine or Babe the Blue Ox or some such. This psychy and subdued record (coming out in March on Fat Cat) is way better than what I remember them sounding like, which you would hope after 12 years. The same can't be said for all of us, obviously.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen <em>The Good, The Bad & The Queen</em> Because it's usually safe to assume that when shabby aging punkers (and would-be punkers) get together it's because they're bored and salty, I assumed this thing with Mr. Blur and Mr. Clash and Mr. Verve and Mr. Fela Kuti was going to be super raw and chunky. It's totally not. What it is is mellow and gentle, but still agitated and paranoid. One ofr the most unusual bandy records I've heard in a long while.

-Sean Nelson, MSN Music Editor

It's a Miracle! Could It Be Magic?

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 17:59:04 GMT

It's daybreak for Las Cruces, NM radio station KXPZ: We're sorry to inform you that, as of last month, KXPZ is no longer an all-Barry Manilow station. (billboardradiomonitor.com)

Up until April, KXPZ was owned by the Rio Grande Christian Broadcasting Company. It was then purchaed by Bravo Mic Communications, who initiated the all-Manilow format. Las Cruces residents, for obvious reasons, began wondering why God hated their town.

Ah, but it turns out KXPZ and Manilow were just ships that passed in the night, and now Las Cruces is tryin' to get the feelin' again. KXPZ has switched its format to an "active rock/modern rock hybrid," and just as the Copacabana was turned into a crass disco, the station looks like it's made it into a new era.

In our next episode, we'll be staging a debate using only the titles of songs by Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco. Should take about three hours.

-- Shrug

The Radio Station In My Head (7/5/06)

Wed, 05 Jul 2006 10:24:35 GMT

From time to time (read: bimonthly) (during the holidays, maybe monthly) I'll be making a list of the songs I've been hearing lately that have gotten stuck in my head for one reason or another, along with explanations.

This is sort of a rip-off of Greil Marcus' "Real Life Top Ten" which you can usually read in Interview magazine. Honor thy plagiarism victims.

Let's just start with three for now:

"Crazy," Gnarls Barkley

Songs with subject matter this subtle usually do not hit it big, but when they do Danger Mouse is usually behind it (see "Feel Good Inc"). Cee-Lo pinpoints that quiet moment when one's mind becomes aware of infinity, its own existence and solitary nature. That of course is when all hell breaks loose, and it can't stop talking to itself. The most cathartic single moment of pop this year, for me, is when Cee-Lo sings "Ha-ha-ha, bless your soul," when he sees someone else under the influence of their own ego, who believes they contain their hedonism. He knows there's a trap door they're about to fall through.

This song is currently the #5 song in America. It was #1 in the UK for many weeks this spring -- in fact it's the first song ever to hit the top of the British charts solely on the strength of downloads. What does this say about our collective self-awareness? Anything? Dr. Phil?

"You Never Let Me Believe," The Plains

We played the Plains' new CD The Boy in the Mansuit driving home from Olympia last weekend. When I first heard this song I thought it was about control problems in a relationship: It's intimately recorded, sung in a hushed tone. The title reminded me of Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"; a nonsensical supposition of the will over emotion.

When I read main Plain Aaron Semer's liner notes to this song, he compared it to themes from Pink Floyd's The Wall -- it's about the earthbound restrictions many educators impose on their students' whims and musings. The fact that Semer wrote a topical song, but made it sound personal, speaks to his genius. He knows where he's supposed to aim, the frequency listeners will respond to.

The Boy in the Mansuit is what we call a "D.I.Y." release: no established label was involved. It's one of my favorite albums so far this year.

That commercial jingle about "being my very best friend"

This might not have pertinence outside the Northwest, but you might know songs like it: There's a local bank that advertises on the big Seattle stations up here, and they have this series of ads about money being your friend. The principal actor is going about his daily business -- work, driving, etc. -- while in the background there's a guy dressed up in a giant headpiece that resembles a $100 bill. The $100 bill guy is watching over the real guy's shoulder, washing his windows, drinking milk out of his refrigerator, things like that.

The music is a some guy singing a light pop jingle over a Fender Rhodes, lyrics about being someone's "best friend." Sorta sounds like the great San Francisco band Jellyfish. As well as Harry Nilsson's theme from The Courtship of Eddie's Father. It's stuck in my head. All. The. Time.

When my 20-month-old daughter overhears this jingle she acts it's the Second Coming. I then die a little inside. But it all turns out okay.

-- Shrug

Offical Music Celebrity Marraige Announcement

Mon, 26 Jun 2006 01:35:07 GMT

I'm bound by contractual by-laws as a dues-paying member of the National Union of Music Bloggers (NUMB) to inform you that country star Keith Urban and actress Nicole Kidman were married in Sydney, Australia over the weekend.

I'm bound by honor to plead that people please stop it with the botox, lest our standard for beauty becomes Anthony Hopkins' dummy from the movie Magic.

--Shrug

General Musical Catchall Overall News and Events Update and Stuff

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 23:28:02 GMT

Details are emerging about the new OutKast album, the soundtrack to their summer movie Idlewild. The first single "Mighty O" is already on the charts. The movie is about a speakeasy in the 1930's, when hip-hop was in its very, very embryonic stages. (Billboard.com)

Also from Billboard, Beyonce is prepping her new album for a September release.

There was also less flattering news for Destiny's Favorite Child, thanks to those lovable scamps from People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals (we call them "PETA"). There was an eBay auction recently for dinner and, most likely, conversation with Beyonce, and the winning bid was placed by an agent working on PETA's behalf. When Beyonce showed up, demonstrators revealed their true aims, and took her to task for using real fur in her clothing lines. A flustered Beyonce didn't have much of a reaction.

Furthermore, the PETA rep did not order the venison with tarragon chutney, even though the waiter personally recommended it. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Michael Jackson's in court again. Sorry to disappoint you, but it's just about money. (Billboard.com)

Former-potentially-current-but-maybe-not-Pixie Frank Black has just released his 11th solo album, Fast Man Raider Man, on Back Porch/Cooking Vinyl, with largely the same cast of characters as last year's star-filled Honeycomb, plus some new guests. (About.com)

The Pixies reunited for a successful tour last year and went into the studio to try and hash out a new album -- but unfortunately, as CMJ.com reports, 'tis not to be: Black has thrown out the songs he wrote for the Pixies project, telling Billboard: "I tried to find my Pixies muse and write a so-called Pixies number but they weren't any good. They sounded a little contrived or something."

The songs "sounded a little contrived"? That's never stopped Nickelback, has it?

--Shrug

Music Filter On Hiatus

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 16:59:34 GMT

Hey everone, The blog is going silent for a few weeks as we rework the MSN Music section. --Editor

New Musical Dramatizes Horrors of North Korean Prison Camps

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 18:11:25 GMT

NPR has a story about a new musical debuting in South Korea that delves into an unlikely topic (for a musical): life in a North Korean prison camp. Entitled "Yodok Story," the show opens with the march of female soldiers, stomping in jackboots, waving hammer and sickle flags. Not exactly "The Sound of Music."

"Yodok" is the name of a North Korean prison camp, one where the musical's choreographer, Kim Young-Sun, was actually incarcerated in the early 1970s. The musical is based on her life: she was placed in Yodok after her father was accused of being a spy for the South Koreans and Americans. The director, Jung Sung-san also has first-hand experience, having spent three months in Sariwon Camp for listening to South Korean radio.

A musical format might seem like an odd way to dramatize the horrors of the camps but it certainly does help get people's attention and perhaps that's part of the point. Jung ran into challenges in even mounting the show however. NPR reports:

"the South Korean government has pressured him not to produce the show. It's attempting reconciliation with the North and is avoiding publicizing the horrors of the regime.

Apparently, Jung had to take a loan out with his kidney as collateral. Oof. (Source: NPR)

Bits and Pieces – Wednesday

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 05:23:56 GMT

HIP-HOP/R&B

The New Yorker tackles Ghostface. (Source: New Yorker)
Slate.com's Jody Rosen calls Matisyahu a minstrel. Oh, and his music sucks too. (Source: Slate.com)

ROCK/POP

The Cars drive back. Sort of. (Source: LA Times)

TECHNOLOGY

More concerns raised about hearing loss from MP3 players. (Source: LA Times)

Juvenile Checks In At #1

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:39:28 GMT

Despite being one of the biggest rappers to come out of the South in the last 10 years, Juvenile has never had an album debut at #1 ... until now. His Reality Check topped the Billboard album charts this week, just narrowly edging out a surging James Blunt with Back to Bedlam. The singer benefitted from a March 8th appearance on Oprah and saw a 142% climb in album sales as a result but it still wasn't enough to deny Juve his #1 spot. What we want to know? What the hell happened to Ne-Yo? Last week's #1 had over 300,000 units to his name but this week, his numbers plummeted and he's all the way down to #5.

Instead, the soundtrack for High School Musical is staying strong and now claims the #3 spot and at #4 is Youth by Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu. Following Ne-Yo, at #6, is a new album by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, On An Island, followed by Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts. A two-fisted Johnny Cash punch follows next at #8 and #9 with The Legend of Johnny Cash and soundtrack from Walk the Line back-to-back. Last, but not least, is Jack Johnson & Friends' companion album to the movie Curious George. (Source: MTV News)

Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame Ceremonies Bring the Ruckus

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:34:17 GMT

This year's induction for the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame sounded even more rancorous than you'd expect for, uh, an induction into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. There seemed to be a general air of bemusement over the Sex Pistols poison pen letter to the Hall (which we reported on the other week). The group unpolitely declined to show up – Jann Wenner read aloud the short note Johnny Rotten sent the Hall last month where he compared the enterprise to "urine in wine."

More serious, or at least awkward, was the internal feud going on within Blondie. Deborah Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke accepted their awards but former band members Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison and Gary Valetine – all of whom are on the outs with the other members over business disputes – came to the Hall but were not allowed to perform with the rest of Blondie. Stein actually joked (well, we think he was joking) that he was going to walk around with his Hall trophy, "in case I run into any of those f*ckers." Nice.

And just for comedic effect, you can't really do better than a hard-of-hearing Ozzy Osbourne on hand to celebrate Black Sabbath's induction. The Oz explained why the group didn't play at the ceremony by saying, "My balls were hurting me." We'll just leave that one well alone. Instead of Sabbath, Metallica came out and whipped out a few classic Sabbath songs in tribute while Herbie Hancock delivered a similar performance as part of Miles Davis' induction. (Sources: AOL News, Billboard)

Bits and Pieces – Tuesday

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 04:14:11 GMT

ROCK/POP

Belle & Sebastian play the Hollywood Bowl. (Source: NME)

HIP-HOP/R&B

Young Jeezy arrested on gun charges. (Source: Billboard)
Sean Combs, hip-hop mogul, fashion icon, cooking show sponsor? (Source: Allhiphop)

MISC.

Indie record clerks spoof. (Source: To Here Knows Where)
Stanley Crouch assesses the legacy of Miles Davis. (Source: Slate.com)

Bits and Pieces – Monday

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 17:00:00 GMT

ROCK/POP

Long road to the Hall of Fame: Blondie. (Source: MSNBC)
Ozzfest line-up announced. (Source: antiMUSIC)
Courtney Love said to be considering sale of portion of Nirvana back catalog. (Source: Gigwise)

HIP-HOP/R&B

Louisana Supreme Court overturns murder conviction for C-Murder. (Source: Allhiphop)

TECHNOLOGY

Mobile companies continue to build music ties. (Source: Digital Music News)

MISC.

The NY Times profiles Simon Cowell. (Source: NY Times)

From Guns To Guitars

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 16:28:54 GMT

Caught this really amazing story off of the Music Thing blog: a Miami Herald profile of Columbia street musician César López who creates, get this: guitars out of AK-47 assault rifles. He calls the invention a escopetarra which is a mash-up of the Spanish words for rifle and guitar. The escopetarra is catching on with the Columbia government: López gave a few of his creations to government leaders and now they are, in return, promising to supply him with used AK-47s (collected from paramilitary groups) so he can create more escopetarras. Says the artist: "We found the worst human invention, which is the gun, and the most beautiful, which could be a guitar. And in the end ... the gun dies and the guitar is born."

López is part of a coalition of different Columbia musicians and artists called the "Rapid Response Artistic Battalion" who have sought to respond to the decades-old civil war raging in Columbia. Through concerts, recordings and now, the escopetarras, they've helped raise awareness around the strife and conflict and have been reaching out internationally through the gun/guitar. Already, Columbia's biggest pop star, Shakira, has requested an escopetarra as has Brazilian composers Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. (Source: Music Thing)

Bits and Pieces – Friday

Sat, 11 Mar 2006 03:49:34 GMT

HIP-HOP/R&B

Ice Cube is back ... rapping that is. (Source: Vibe.com)
Jay-Z to help "edit" Nas' upcoming album. (Source: Vibe.com)
Afrika Bambaataa helps squash beef between KRS-One and Bay Area writer. (Source: hiphopmusic.com)

ROCK/POP

A new EP by the Arctic Monkeys on its way? (Source: NME)

TECHNOLOGY

The Pope gets a Nano. We wonder if Three 6 Mafia is on there? (Source: Stereogum)

MISC.

Roy Haynes keeps the rhythm. (Source: NY Times)
NPR launches a "Song of the Day" page. (Source: NPR)
Stanley Crouch discusses John Coltrane's finest moment. (Source: Slate.com)
American Idol finalists set. (Source: MTV News)

Bits and Pieces – Thursday

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 19:06:01 GMT

ROCK/POP

Metallica nod to Black Sabbath. (Source: Monsters and Critics)
Monkeyed to death. (Source: Coolfer.com)
A new generation of artists from the Pacific Northwest step up. (Source: NPR)

HIP-HOP/R&B

Anger over Three 6 Mafia's Oscar win. (Source: Washington Post)
Get your Biz Markie beat-boxing doll. (Source: Allhiphop.com)

COUNTRY

Brad Paisley leads with six nominations for upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards. (Source: MSN Music News)
KRS-One causes ruckus at Stanford. (Source: Prohiphop.com)

TECHNOLOGY

Tribune Broadcasting and The Tube join forces. (Source: AOL News)
iPod vending machine. (Source: digg.com)
Mobile music, gaming and other entertainment to be a $40 billion business by decade's end. (Source: InformationWeek)

MISC.

Amidst falling CD sales, music DVDs selling well. (Source: FMBQ)
Ali Farka Touré passes at age 66 (or 67). (Source: NY Times)

Dissecting Matisyahu

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 19:02:17 GMT

The NY Times Kalefa Sanneh goes after the nation's most popular reggae artist this week: Matisyahu. We admit, we must be rather out the loop since we hadn't heard of this guy yet and he's hard to forget: he's a "born-again" Hasidic Jew who performs with black hat and beard. Normally, we'd right this off as pure gimmick, the reggae equivalent of the joke group from the 90s, 2 Live Jews, but given that Matisyahu is selling out shows in New York and climbing up the CD charts, it seems like he's struck a chord beyond just novelty. Sanneh doesn't find him to be a very compelling reggae artist, suggesting that his appeal has relatively little to do with the aesthetic traditions of reggae and has more to do with Matisyahu's ability to integrate reggae dynamics into a more mild, crossover amalgam:

"Matisyahu has built a following by bypassing reggae fanatics (many of his fans come from the jam-band world). That explains why he outsells and outdraws his Jamaican counterparts. And it may also explain why some listeners find his music so exciting.

However, Sanneh is also clearly suspicious of the racial/cultural crossover happening here. He states, with no small dose of sarcasm:

"Perhaps Matisyahu's fans aren't familiar with a little-known group of performers who still make great reggae records: Jamaicans.

Oh snap! (Source: NY Times)

Holding Back the Single To Save the Album

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 18:57:35 GMT

Speaking of Ne-Yo: one theory as to why his album and single have done so well is that Island Def Jam (his label) purposefully withheld copies of his single from popular download sites like iTunes, Rhapsody, etc. Basically, radio DJs got their promo copies and the song was in steady rotation, thus creating interest, but by withholding the single from the general commercial population, it compelled (some might say forced) consumers to buy his album rather than lose the CD sale to the download.

This logic isn't out of left-field: we've reported here how many analysts see the new popularity of digital downloads as a cannibalization of album sales: why pay $9.99 (let alone $14.99) if you can get the best songs for a buck or two? Whether or not the strategy really paid off with Ne-Yo is, of course, subject to debate. Rhapsody's Tim Quirk tells the NY Times that this is bad business for the record companies:

""The labels are shooting themselves in the foot. Every single track that you are worried about is available for free whether you want it to be or not."

On the flipside, the Times author Jeff Leeds points out that Ne-Yo's contemporary, Chris Brown, also had a smash single ("Run It!") that was available for sale prior to his album coming out but once the CD dropped, it only sold half the units that Ne-Yo did. Of course, there may be a variety of mitigating factors but for the record industry, numbers like that probably serve to only confirm their fears around the dangers of the single download. Already, Island Def Jam is planning on withholding sales of singles for Rihanna's new "S.O.S."

We're just reminded that this is not a new practice and has gone back well before the era of downloading: the Fugees' The Score was a monster seller back in 1996, largely on the strength of "Killing Me Softly." That song was never intended to be a single and even after radio DJs began playing it out, turning it into an organic hit, the label purposefully waited for months to release it as a single, finally doing so only AFTER the album had gone multi-platinum. In an odd sense, if a song proves TOO popular, that becomes an incentive not to release it as a single. (Source: NY Times)

Ne-Yo Runs The Charts

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 18:57:06 GMT

It's a good week for Ne-Yo. Not only does he have the #1 album in the nation but he's also running the singles chart, lodging his "So Sick" atop the Billboard Hot 100 this week. The song came up all the way from #12 and suggests that Ne-Yo will be sitting atop both charts for some weeks to come. James Blunt's stay at the top was cut short by Ne-Yo's power move though his "You're Beautiful" is still doing ok, falling to #3. Sean Paul's "Temperature," a steady mover these past weeks, takes another step up, nabbing the #2 spot while Mary J. Blige's "Without You" climbs from #5 to 4.

The former #1 for several weeks, "Check On It" by Beyonce slides from #2 to 5 and is followed by "I'm 'N Love Wit a Stripper" by T-Pain and then "Grillz" by Nelly. The bottom of the Top 10 doesn't bring too many surprises: you have Chris Brown's "Excuse Me Miss" at #8, Dem Franchise Boys' new "Lean Wit It, Rock With It" climbing to #9 and finally, Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" at #10.

For the next week or so, expect Sean Paul and Ne-Yo to duke it out (but we think Ne-Yo will have this spot on lock for at least a few weeks). Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" is one to watch, jumping from #29 to 14 while Sheryl Crow and Sting's "Always On Your Side" had a strong debut at #35. There's also T.I.'s explosive new single, "What You Know" (#83) plus a new song by Nickelback, "Savin Me" (#94). (Source: Billboard)

Bits and Pieces – Tuesday

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 00:30:53 GMT

ROCK/POP

Belle and Sebastian + the New Pornographers: Live in concert on NPR. (Source: NPR)
Prince takes a page from Willy Wonka. (Source: NME)

HIP-HOP/R&B

Moses

Common and Kanye back in the lab. (Source: Monsters and Critics)

MISC.

What exactly is Latin alternative? (Source: NPR)

Yanni Charged With Domestic Abuse

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 20:56:12 GMT

We typically don't like reporting on artist legal/criminal affairs since that's really more about celebrity journalism rather than focusing on music but hey, even we get drawn in sometimes. Case in point: the guy better known to the world as Yanni (but real name is John Christopher) was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery after his girlfriend called 911 and accused him of grabbing and shaking her.

Domestic abuse is very serious but you have to admit: Yanni is probably the last person you'd think of if only because his music is so new age-y and soporific. It'd be like finding out that John Tesh got into a bar fight and cracked some skulls or that Philip Glass goes snowboardcross racing on weekends. Does not compute. In any case, Christopher had to spend a little bit of time in jail and is now awaiting trial. His attorney claims that Christopher never hit his girlfriend and that the whole affair is a lie. (Source: CBS4.com)

Bits and Pieces – Monday

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:42:26 GMT

HIP-HOP/R&B

Queen Latifah participating in remake of Hairspray. (Source: Allhiphop.com)
Soul Train Awards honor Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey. (Source: MSNBC)
Johnny Jackson, former drummer for Jackson 5, stabbed to death. (Source: Gigwise.com)
Mac Minister found after 10 month search. (Source: SOHH.com)
Snoop Dogg starts video game league. (Source: Allhiphop.com)

ROCK/POP

Leonard Cohen's ex-manager makes off with millions; songwriter unlikely to recover. (Source: NME)

MISC.

Justice Dept. investigating online price-fixing. (Source: Monsters and Critics)

Bits and Pieces – Wednesday

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 01:51:28 GMT

ROCK/POP

Madonna to play at Coachella. (Source: Rolling Stone)

HIP-HOP/R&B

Two ushers shot outside of Kanye West concert in UK. (Source: Telegraph)
Andre 3000 tries out life as a cartoon. (Source: SOHH.com)

COUNTRY

Shannon Brown gets her first album out ... eight years after her first single. (Source: CMT)

TECHNOLOGY

Nettwerk's Terry McBridge keeps going after RIAA. (Source: Digital Music News)

MISC.

How New Orleans musicians are dealing with the new city. (Source: NPR)

Kids Albums Lead The Charts

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 19:00:33 GMT

It was just a matter of time but the soundtrack to the Disney's new TV musical, High School Musical has finally claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard charts, this despite practically no radio play and relatively little marketing (the TV play doesn't hurt though). It's worth noting: this is the first TV soundtrack to lead the charts since ... 1986, when the Miami Vice soundtrack was at the top (Mike Post, holla).

In fact, this was a good week for kid's related albums. The CD we reported on earlier this week, Kidz Bop 9 debuted very high (as expected), at #2 and following that is the still-hot companion album to the new Curious George movie. Looks like the 5-17 demographic is running stuff right now.

For the more adult-oriented music fans ... they help keep Mary J. Blige's Breakthrough at #4 while James Blunt's Back to Bedlam continues to climb, now reaching #5. Barry Manilow's Fifties album is losing steam, drooping down to #6 and Andrea Bocelli's latest, Amore dips two spots to #7 as well. Still surviving is Eminem's Curtain Call at #8, then Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts. Taking a huge dive is Jaheim's Ghetto Classics: it was last week's number one but is now #10! Looks like all of his fans came out in the first week but that was it.

Worth noting is the American release of the red-hot UK album by the Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not which debuted at #24 (not bad). (Source: Billboard)

Bits and Pieces – Tuesday

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:56:38 GMT

HIP-HOP/R&B

Mariah Carey takes another movie role. Uh ... (Source: EW Popwatch)
DJ J.Rocc preps a J-Dilla tribute podcast. (Source: Stonesthrow)
Hip-hop's old school pioneers demand accountability. (Source: Allhiphop.com)
Allen Toussaint talks about New Orleans. (Source: NPR)

ROCK/POP

Britney coming out with "major career announcement"? (Source: EW Popwatch)

COUNTRY

CMT announces first round of artists performing at awards. (Source: CMT)

TECHNOLOGY

Is eMusic the indie iTunes? (Source: Rolling Stone)

Spin Magazine Sold

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:43:59 GMT

Some news coming out of the music magazine world. Spin, once seem as the hip alternative to Rolling Stone has fallen from grace in a big way since it was bought for $42,000,000 back in 1997. The magazine was just sold to San Francisco's McEvoy Group and Hartle Media for a mere $5,000,000, a 800% loss.

In some ways, it's remarkable that the magazine is still in business; Spin has lost considerable ground to other sources like the upstart Blender and especially online. Pitchfork Media practically duplicates the same general areas of coverage but does so with far more frequency than the monthly magazine can muster. This new deal is bad news for editor in chief Sia Michel, formerly the first woman ever to head a major music magazine: news reports confirm that she was fired but apparently, she only found out by reading the news (ouch).(Source: Bible of Hip-Hop)

Bits and Pieces – Monday

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 19:40:34 GMT

HIP-HOP/R&B

50 Cent says Eminem is "role model." Uh, is that such a good pick? (Source: MSNBC)
Speaking of Em: the use of Eminem's music to harass inmates at Guantanamo bay could be a copyright violation. (Source: gigwise.com)
Pharrell and Snoop head to South Africa. (Source: Monsters and Critics)

ROCK/POP

A brew for The Dead: Jerry Garcia Teas go to market. (Source: AOL News)
Sheryl Crow recovering from breast cancer surgery, delays tour. (Source: Billboard)
LA Times examines the phenom that is Il Divo. (Source: LA Times)

COUNTRY

Actor John Corbett comes out as country rocker. (Source: MSNBC)

MISC.

The marching band tradition in New Orleans. (Source: NPR)

A New Kind of 'Hold Music'

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 18:47:10 GMT

For those who've ever had to suffer the indignity of being put on hold and forced to listen to bad muzak, the city of Seattle has found a novel way of remedying the problem. Throughout their municipal offices, anyone being put on hold will be treated to music by a local act:

"Now, while waiting to talk to the mayor or report a neighbor's barking dog, you might hear the gentle strumming of folk duo CeltoGrass or the soothing rhythms of the Japanese zither as played by Aono Jikken."

This is part of a novel effort by the city to both help expand awareness of local music talent and interested listeners can go to the city's website to get more info on the bands, even purchase their music. Of course, a key question is: are people on hold long enough for this to really make a difference? The average hold time is about 50 seconds and local jazz writer Peter Monaghan says this isn't really long enough for people to get a flavor of the songs being played: ""It's ironic really. The bureaucracy here is actually pretty efficient, unlike other cities I've lived in."

Apparently, the idea is catching on: Seattle officials have recently been fielding calls from similar offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles about creating similar systems. (Source: LA Times)

The Fake Bands Resource

Mon, 27 Feb 2006 17:52:36 GMT

We just discovered The Rocklopedia Fakebandica which is an online compendium of fake bands. (It's actually an adaption of a book but the WWW site is still fairly thorough). This includes fictional bands that have appeared on television, in movies, and in literature. It's the kind of thing that only an uber-nerded out person could create and nerded-out folks (like us) would appreciate. Here's a sample entry:

"Moe Syzlak Connection, The - From the animated TV series The Simpsons (04/27/03). In the "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" episode, guest star David Byrne just happens to pass by and hear Homer's anti-Flanders song, which he then records, produces, and turns into a hit. It's so big a hit, the Simpsons go to a dude ranch to get the hell away from it. When they come back, this "band" (Moe the bartender) has a hit- a parody version of the Andrea True Connection's "More, More, More."

Done "wiki" style, the "Rocklopedia" depends on a lot of reader input which has helped the compendium grow to hundreds of entries, from the popular to the obscure. A fun way to kill a few hours. (Source: del.icio.us)

Bits and Pieces – Friday

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 23:56:38 GMT

ROCK/POP

FBI investigates Morrissey following singer's criticism of American and British governments. (Source: Contactmusic.com)
A whole CD of Radiohead covers. Be still our hearts. (Source: Pitchfork)

HIP-HOP/R&B

Secret recording of fight at deadly Busta Rhymes video shoot being offered to highest bidder. (Source: NY Daily News)
Can hip-hop save Broadway? (Source: NY Metro)
Check out Juvenile's Reality Check. (Source: AOL News)
Will.I.Am shares his top 5 playlist. (Source: Rolling Stone)

TECHNOLOGY

Yahoo comes out against DRM. (Source: Digg.com)

MISC.

We know how much NME likes Pete Doherty and the Arctic Monkeys but guess which group they voted to be Britain's "Worst Band"?

Best Buy Vs. Mom and Pop Music Stores

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 19:55:29 GMT

Pitchfork reports on how the giant retailer Best Buy is dealing a major blow to smaller, independent record stores. Recently, Best Buy has launched a promotion to sell a variety of albums by hipster-approved indie acts (think Arcade Fire, Cat Power, Atmosphere, etc.) at cut-rate prices: a mere $7.99. That's practically half off what they usually would sell anywhere else. These are part of a part of what's known as a "co-op," where labels create incentives for retailers like Best Buy to help promote their product, including drastic price slices like what's happening now. The problem? Pitchfork explains:

"However, when co-op money is used to lower prices as substantially as Best Buy has, it's independent record shops that suffer the blow: Given the recent plunge in album sales over the past five years, these stores are already struggling. And while it may seem dramatic to say that something like this could make these kinds of stores extinct, the danger is very real. For many, it will be the final straw that puts them out of business."

The situation is complicated and can't simply be reduced to a "Best Buy = bad" conclusion. In fact, many retailers upset at finding the music they once specialized in now being sold next to the most pop/mainstream acts, are more likely to blame the indie labels who are entering into these co-ops with Best Buy. They argue that, in the long run, they're screwing over the very small stores that helped groups like Cat Power get their start to begin with and that, if these indie stores are all run out of business, indie acts will lose an invaluable resource.

The labels under fire have responded by arguing that actually, if someone like Danger Doom sells better at Best Buy, there will be a trickle-down effect to smaller stores. Said Mac McCaughan of Merge Records:

"Someone who discovers an artist because the 'popular' record is on sale at Best Buy will then hopefully be driven to find out more about the band. [Then,] they'll have to get the back catalogue at a store that sells mostly music."

In any case, just assume this matter is far from resolved, especially as the delicate balance between big retailers, indie retailers and indie music labels continues to be adjusted over changing consumer and marketing patterns. (Source: Pitchfork)

Check On It: Beyonce Still #1

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 19:03:13 GMT

Beyonce's "Check On It" maintains its stay on the top of the pop singles chart for the fifth week in a row. She, along with song cameo artist Slim Thug, had to fend off a fast-rising "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt who again takes #2. As with previous weeks, Nelly's "Grillz" is holding pretty at #3. As we foresaw, Sean Paul has a red-hot song on his hands with "Temperature"; it's flown up the charts and is now at #4, up from #8. He's tailed by Mary J. Blige with "Be Without You."

In the bottom half of the Top 10, T-Pain's "I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper)" takes a step down to #6 while Chris Brown's latest single, "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" rises up two spots to #7. Ne-Yo's "So Sick" is at #8 but falling, as was Eminem's "Shake That" which went from #6 down to #10. Rising into the Top 10 was "Unwritten," a new song by Natasha Bedingfield.

Of the new songs entering the charts, we have our eye on E-40 and Keak Da Sneak's "Tell Me When To Go" which is only at #99 now but we're curious how far it might rise given a lot of internet hype around it. Also, Willie Nelson has one of his best charting singles in years with "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly (Fond of Each Other," just showing that gay cowboy themes are quite hot right now. (Source: Billboard)

Bits and Pieces – Thursday

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 21:25:33 GMT

ROCK/POP

Prince schedules secret show in his hometown. (Source: MSNBC)
REM's Michael Stipe and others plan anti-war concert. (Source: AOL News)
Madonna's summer tour schedule looks to the small. (Source: EW Popwatch)

HIP-HOP/R&B

James Brown, living in America but performing in China. (Source: AOL News)
Pharoah Monche lands new deal for long-awaited second album. (Source: SOHH.com)
A Gamble and Huff primer. (Source: NPR)

TECHNOLOGY

Winamp 5.2 debuts. (Source: Digg.com)

MISC.

Slate.com examines how to save Bob Marley from white frat boys. (Source: Slate)

Men's Turn For 'Idol'

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 16:54:13 GMT

Yesterday, we handicapped the current American Idol race based on the woman's segment; just to be balanced, here's our picks for which men will likely advance, based on their performances last night.

Ace "Pretty Boy" Young: he's like this year's Constantine, but with model looks. Decent voice: he's sailing through to the finals.

Bobby "Barry" Bennett: "Copacabana"? It's great that he likes Manilow but it was a terrible choice of song and performance. He's gone.

Bucky "Country" Covington: he's a good performer with a good look to appeal to country music fans. He'll probably make the finals cut but the show already has strong rock-oriented singer with Chris Daughtery so Bucky's going to have to buck up to last.

Chris "The Rocker" Daughtery: he's got the right voice to be this year's Bo Bice. Definitely going to the final six and he and Ace are probably the two strongest candidates on the male side.

David "The Crooner" Radford: We don't know why he's made it this far but this Harry Connick/Frank Sinatra wanna-be just sounds way out of place and after last night's underwhelming performance, he's possibly earned himself a ticket home.

Elliot "The Dark Horse" Yamin: we don't know what to do with him. He doesn't have the right look at all yet he's got a great voice and some quirky kind of x-factor (though Taylor Hicks is the king of that). We'll pull for him to make the cut.

Gedeon "The Smile" McKinney: he picked a poor song in trying to do "Shout," and while he has a decent look, he just doesn't leave much an impression. He won't get cut for last night's performance but we don't see him making the final 6 right now.

Jose "Sway" Pineda: we dig his swagger and the fact that he's not one of the cookie-cut white guys in the competition. We can see him making the final 6 but he doesn't seem to have the star quality that will get him to the very end.

Kevin "The Kid" Covais: Seriously, we just never, ever understood why guys like Kevin or last year's Andrew Federov are in this competition. They can't really sing or hold the stage and Kevin is so young-looking that he makes Josh Grobin look like Fabio. Maybe 12 year old girls will get this guy to the final 6 but personally, we'd cut him either this week or next.

Patrick "Yawn" Hall: There's nothing about this guy that we feel like we'd ever need to see or hear from again. He's one mediocre performance away from disappearing.

Taylor "The Freak" Hicks: we mean "freak" lovingly since we think this guy is great even if he's weird on so many levels. He's got a great voice though ... he just needs to figure out how to dance without looking like he's got a nervous tic. We see him making the final 6 on the strength of his uniqueness but he's not gonna be this year's Idol.

Will "Bobby Brady" Makar: We found him boring but Paula was right: he's got appeal for teenage girls. We don't see him in the final six but he'll survive until next week at least.

Bits and Pieces – Wednesday

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 06:28:53 GMT

ROCK/POP

Red Hot Chili Peppers to tour with Kanye West? (Source: MTV News)
The Test Icicles call it a day. Such a ballsy name. (Source: NME)

HIP-HOP/R&B

LL Cool J wants classier women in rap videos. (Good luck with that). (Source: Contactmusic)
9th Wonder brings back the Crooklyn Dodgers. (Source: Allhiphop.com)

TECHNOLOGY

Olympic hopefuls train with their earbuds on. (Source: AOL News)

MISC.

People 'round the world, join in: it's a Love Parade.

Lawsuit over "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" Finally Resolved

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 18:54:39 GMT

New news on a long-standing case: at some point in your life, you've heard "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," the African folk song that's seen countless permutations, including a cover by Paul Simon and a small but prominent feature in Disney's The Lion King. The song is so popular and pervasive, many have assumed it was based on some traditional song, passed down through generations (the fact that it's seen as slightly exotic only enhances that impression). In truth though, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was written by Solomon Linda, a Zulu migrant worker back in 1939. However, because of the looseness of copyright laws – and general shadiness on behalf of far too many record labels and executives – Linda's family has never seen any royalties from the song (the writer himself died many years ago, practically penniless) even though it has earned an estimated $15,000,000 for others.

The legal wranglings around the song have been going on for many years and finally, the Linda family has accepted an undisclosed settlement that is meant to address past and future royalties, bringing this long saga, we hope, to a fair end. Family lawyer Herman Blignaut explains,

"The family are obviously very happy that this matter has been settled and they have something to show for it ... a trust has been established to manage the funds and give them guidance, as it's a significant sum."

(Source: LA Times)

'Idol' Off And Running

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 18:52:25 GMT

So the first real round of American Idol kicked off last night as the 12 female semi-finalists are about to get whittled down to 6. Not like we're master handicappers but hey, what's the fun in a reality show if you can't take crazy shots in the dark around what's going to happen? Here's our breakdown of which of the 12 women are going to make the final 6:

Ayla Brown aka the basketball player: Surprisingly good voice but not much in the personality dept. Could make the final six but probably not.

Becky O'Donahue aka the looker: She's got sulty model looks but no real stage presence. She's gone - not this week but maybe next.

Brenna Gathers aka the diva: She makes Kanye seem humble and she preens way too much. My wife noted, "gay men would love her" but I think most women and many men would find her far too annoying.

Heather Cox aka the boring blond: She's gone after this week. Guaranteed.

Katherine McPhee aka the voice: She's got a great voice (though I think the judges give it more love than it deserves). She also looks like the actress from "Prison Break." Not that this matters. Anyways, she'll make the cut, no question.

Kellie Pickler aka the hard luck story: Unless she messes up royally, she'll make the final 6 and beyond. Personally, she's getting by way more on her looks, charm and backstory than an actual voice but the competition needed a Carrie Underwood clone and Kellie fits that spot perfectly.

Kinnick Sky aka the statue: Elegant, regal, decent voice...but a bit staid and not nearly as interesting as other women in the competition who sing similar songs. Not likely to make the cut.

Lisa Tucker aka the cute one: I can't see her as a pop icon but she's insanely charming as a 16 year old and has a ridiculously great voice. She'll make the cut but as wife noted: "she's this year's Anwar" (translation: super-nice but kind of boring because of it).

Mandisa aka the big girl: She's got more stage presence in her left eyelash than half the other women in the competition. She'll make the cut but I think we'll need to see her to quiet and intimate instead of loud and brassy all the time.

Melissa McGhee aka the mystery: She barely racked up any time in the shows leading up to now. Don't think she's that great but she can sing ok and she might sneak into the 6th spot. Can't see her staying around long though.

Paris Bennett aka the phenom: She's a 17 year old who carries herself on stage like someone at least 10 years older. She's so polished and self-confident. It doesn't hurt that her grandmother was in Sounds of Blackness. Personally, I don't know if America is going to carry her through to the very end but she's got the most raw talent of anyone in the mix.

Stevie Scott aka the stick: She's done, over, finis. Her voice and performance are as slight as her figure.

Your picks?

Jaheim Takes 'Classics" To #1

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 18:48:32 GMT

The soul crooner who insists on naming every album with "ghetto" in the title has claimed this week's top album. Jaheim's third album, Ghetto Classics debuted at #1, his best showing ever. His 152,000 units sold was enough to displace last week's number one: Jack Johnson & Friends' companion album to the new Curious George movie. Barry Manilow was still holding onto that #3 position with his The Greatest Songs of the Fifties though Mary J. Blige's one-week comeback ended as her Breakthrough has waned back to #4 from #2.

Opera singer Andrea Bocelli's Amore is still getting love, barely behind Blige at #5 while he's being hotly tailed by the soundtrack from High School Musical. We expected to see this hit the Top 10 earlier given the popularity of its songs amongst the internet set but better late than never: the soundtrack jumps from #13 up to #6. Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts saw a bump from #11 to #7 while James Blunt's Back to Bedlam also jumps up from #12 to #8.

At the bottom of the Top 10 includes Jamie Foxx's Unpredictable which steps up a spot, leaving Eminem at #10 with his Curtain Call. (Source: Billboard)

Bits and Pieces – Friday

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 01:25:44 GMT

ROCK/POP

Still haven't heard the Arctic Monkeys yet? NPR brings the sounds and the story. (Source: NPR)

HIP-HOP/R&B

The soulful sounds of the UK's Lewis Taylor. (Source: NPR)
Pharrell Williams says album is on its way now. No, really. He says it's done. (Source: MTV News)

TECHNOLOGY

The iTunes push to 1,000,000,000 songs sold nears closer; site passes 98,000,000. (Source: Digital Music News)

MISC.

The YouTube press avalanche continues. (Source: NPR)
Ewwwww: Kid Rock/Scott Stapp groupie sex tape. (Source: Stereogum)

When Cute Kids Attack (Marimbas, That Is)

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 08:12:01 GMT

Cute, pre-teen kids + matching outfits + perfectly coordinated musical ensemble skills = the jaw-dropping sensation from Japan (where else?) called the J Marimba Ponies:

"An internationally renowned music group comprised of 10 young percussionnists ranging from 4 to 12 years in age. The primary objective of the group is to foster goodwill and friendship through the universal language of music.No conductors or music sheets are used by the Marimba Ponies.The music is memorized completely and flows out of their own individual rhythms and emotions."

Check the videos: they are crazy, especially in how these young kids are able to synch with one another perfectly to play the marimbas (which is not an easy instrument to play solo, let alone in unison with 9 other people).

Besides, they are ridiculously cute, especially some of the younger players who are barely tall enough to stand above the marimba stand. All these videos are pretty mind-blowing but if you want to get your "awwwwww" on, we suggest their rendition of the Christmas favorite, "Sleigh Ride," complete with a 4 year old who's main job is to crack the fake whip. Too cute for words. (Source: Music Thing)

Bits and Pieces – Thursday

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 01:22:17 GMT

ROCK/POP

New Guns N' Roses songs leaked. (Source: antiMUSIC)
Bob Dylan's songs end up in musical. (Source: AOL News)

HIP-HOP/R&B

The Source, now "100% Benzino Free." (Source: Prohiphop.com)
Jay-Z searches for new NY Nets theme song. (Source: AOL News)

MISC.

Carrie Underwood and John Legend to perform at NBA All-Star game. (Source: Monsters and Critics)