Live Review: The Great Escape 2009

It's time for our annual dose of seaside fun as the best new buzz bands hit the south coast. Various venues, Brighton, Thursday, May 14-Saturday, May 16

Fuzon rocks on Fever 104 FM

Listeners in Delhi had an opportunity to enjoy listening to Fuzon, one of the most contemporary and popular music bands in India. on Fever 104 FM.
The band members (Emu, Shallum and Rameez.) were at the Fever 104 FM studio today and were part of the show Balle Balle Dilli with RJ Lokesh. The RJ played his show feature Morning Milkshake with them wherein Pakistani Band names and song names were scrambled and they were asked to unscramble it.
The group also went on to perform Tere Bina from their first album and Neend na aaaye which is from their latest album.
Neeraj Chaturvedi, Station Head (Delhi), Fever 104 FM, said, "Fuzon represents the very essence of contemporary Rock & Jazz - very hip-hop and youthful. We at Fever 104 FM endeavor to be innovative and novel in delighting our listeners and this musical treat is another step in that direction".
Speaking on the same Shallum, Fuzon said, "It's an opportunity for us to bond with our listeners as well. We are really thankful to Fever 104 FM for inviting us to be a part of their morning show

Strings to release Koi Aanay Wala Hai

As days come closer, the excitement surrounding Strings's new album, Koi Aanay Wala Hai is touching new heights. The first promos of the new album are out and they are looking really good. Strings in Malaysia with John Abraham and flash, Koi Aanay Wala Hai!Both Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia, after the Olympics torch-bearing ceremony have been in India wrapping up one more tour before gearing up big time to release the new album. "The plan is to release Koi Aanay Wala Hai on May 16," revealed Faisal Kapadia, while speaking with Instep Today from Lucknow, India.And it looks like Strings are playing the game smoothly and smartly. The plan is to release their new record in four markets on the same day.
That means for the first time a Strings album will release in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Dubai on the same day, in an effort to contain piracy."We want our fans to have ready access to the album. Fans who can't access it will download it from the internet," stated Faisal Kapadia on this effort."Besides, we want to tap new markets like Bangladesh and Nepal, where the rock scene is booming," Faisal said. "There are a lot of people in these countries who are into our type of music."And if you're wondering what is going on with their videos. Well, that side of music is also looking pretty hot. Strings have teamed up with John Abraham once again after 'Zinda Hoon' for the title track, 'Koi Aanay Wala Hai' while another video for a song 'Jaggo' has also been completed.So get ready, because Koi Aanay Wala Hai!

Exclusive: Fake Drake Album Sold On iTunes, Lawsuit Planned Against Label

Drake is such a hot artist that one of his albums is selling even though he didn't release it.An unauthorized album, "The Girls Love Drake," which features selections from the Toronto rapper's mixtape "So Far Gone" and other tracks, was released May 28th by a label called Canadian Money Entertainment and distributed by the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) on iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon. Drake's camp, which is still trying to clear the samples on "So Far Gone" and his two other mixtapes in hopes of selling them in stores, says it didn't authorize the release.If it hadn't been disqualified on the grounds that it wasn't confirmed as being an official album, "The Girls Love Drake" would have debuted this week at No. 101 on the Billboard 200, No. 16 on the Digital Albums chart and No. 1 on the Heatseekers tally. "Best I Ever Had" and "Every Girl" (credited to Young Money), two tracks on the mixtape that have previously charted, appear on this week's Hot Digital Songs chart thanks to downloads of "The Girls Love Drake." Additionally, "Best I Ever Had" jumps 60-18 on the Billboard 200, while "Every Girl" leaps 75-35, although chart experts predict they will both drop again once the unofficial album is no longer available.After finding the album on iTunes, Drake's management sent a cease-and-desist notice to the retailer, which has since removed it. At press time, the album was still available on Rhapsody and Amazon, although Drake's manager Al Branch says he's having it removed from these retailers as well.

Jagged Edge Lining Up Guests For Slip-N-Slide Debut

Slip-N-Slide Records, home to chart-topping artists like Rick Ross and Plies, has signed the R&B quartet Jagged Edge fresh off their departure from Def Jam Records. Now members Brian Casey, Brandon Casey, Kyle Norman and Richard Wingo are in the studio working on a new album entitled "The Remedy,' slated for a 2010 release, and they hope to tap on old and new labelmates, among others, for guest spots.

Britney Spears Update: Blackout and 'Gimme' Video

As tipped here last week, Britney Spears' new album will be named 'Blackout' instead of 'Piece of Me' as many have expected. Britney's label, Jive, explained the title "refers to blocking out negativity and embracing life fully." 'Piece of Me', meanwhile, is confirmed via Billboard to be one of the tracks in the November 13 album along with 'Gimme More', 'Break the Ice', 'Radar' and 'Heaven on Earth'. Many other tracks including some of these songs have leaked online, although official tracklisting is not yet unveiled.

New Video, Album Cover Art and Song From Craig David

Craig David's new album is shaping up with the revelation of some tracks, album cover art and a new video for the first single 'Hot Stuff'. The British singer's fourth album will be titled 'Trust Me' and dropped on November 12 in U.K. 'Hot Stuff' has leaked early last month under the title 'Let's Dance'. Apparently it samples David Bowie's 1983 hit of the same title. It will be released digitally on October 29.

Michael Jackson to Join 'X Factor' in December

Michael Jackson is set to make his first TV appearance in nearly four years this December. The pop king surprisingly chose ITV, the channel that broadcast his infamous child molestation interview with Martin Bashir, as the media. Jakson will join British talent show X Factor, sitting with Sharon Osbourne, Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh as judges. He in particular, will help contestants to choose materials and boost their vocal.

Pop Musician Britney Spears’ NEW CD Will Be Out in December!

She has been working very hard on her music and Britney is READY to make us proud again.
Her new single “Womanizer” will be on her new CD.

Tina Arena Sings More Songs of Love and Loss

One of the world’s greatest voices singing some of the world’s most adored songs proved to be a winning combination for Aussie ex-pat Tina Arena, so she's doing it all again with Songs of Love & Loss Volume 2.
The track listing this time around looks just as strong as the last, with highlights including Blondie’s “Call Me,” Split Enz’s “I Hope I Never,” Petula Clark’s “Downtown,” and a real surprise, Alice Cooper’s “Only Women Bleed!”
Once again Tina teamed up with the London Studio Orchestra led by famed conductor Simon Hale who had nothing but good things to say about the Aussie diva.
“She's amazing … she is not intimidated by the live set up or the orchestra and rises to the challenge of having everything going to straight tape. Many artists would crumble in these conditions but Tina seems to shine. Nobody records like this anymore. This is how it should be done!” he gushed in a press statement.
Following her sell-out tour last December, Tina plans to return to Australia next March to showcase her latest release. Songs of Love & Loss Volume 2

Country Music News

Country Music News Blog is committed to bringing you the hottest country music news, gossip and updates. At Country Music News Blog, you can find the latest updates from some of your favorite artists like Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, and much much more! New country music news and gossip is added daily about your favorite country stars, their concerts, tour dates, opening acts, venue details, and any other information you may need.




Country Music News Blog even takes it one step further by keeping you up to date on your favorite country concerts, ticket prices and tour dates through our partner site Country Music On Tour where we focus on today's hot country stars and the legends of yesterday. Be sure to check back often as we add new country concerts, country music news, country music updates, and country artists every day! If you go to the concerts or find interesting bits about the country stars we ask that you come back to visit and tell us all about it!

Musicians On Call announce James Taylor as headliner, and auction items from Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and more!

Musicians On Call (MOC) announces Grammy award winner, James Taylor as the headliner for their 5th Annual Benefit Concert & Auction which will take place at the world-famous Hard Rock Cafe New York in Times Square on February 24, 2009. The exclusive V.I.P. event will include a red carpet, with special appearances by artists and celebrities committed to the cause.
As music and philanthropy are at the core of the brand, Hard Rock International has partnered with Musicians on Call for the benefit event, helping the charity to continue its mission of room-to-room hospital performances by both local musicians and national celebrities.
“Musicians On Call’s campaign to bring music straight to the bedsides of patients in hospitals would not be able to continue to expand without the donations made at our annual event.” says Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director Musicians On Call. “It’s an exciting night made even more special by a performance by James Taylor. The impact of this one night has a profound effect throughout the rest of the year improving the health and spirits of thousands of patients one song and one bed at a time.”

MORRISSEY "Years of Refusal" Album Updates

MUSIC NEWS - As you likely know, Morrissey’s newest studio album, the much anticipated, “Years of Refusal” (buy it !) is being released on February 17th via Attack/Lost Highway and is preceded by the single “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” (see our Today's Video Clip page) . The Deluxe edition of the album will feature a DVD with exclusive content including “Wrestle with Russell”, a revealing 20 minute filmed interview with Russell Brand recorded at the comedian’s home in LA in November ’08. The friends talk openly about music, lyrics, image, fame and hair in a piece that is both serious and highly entertaining. Morrissey’s performances of “That’s How People Grow Up” from Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and “All You Need Is Me” from Later With Jools Holland will also be featured, as will the video promo for the single “All You Need Is Me”.

BY KATHERINE GREGOR

Live music in Austin is facing a life-or-death crisis.”
That’s the alarm sounded for 2008 by Troy Dillinger. The longtime Austin musician organized the Year of Austin Music to call attention to the dire economic realities of the local music scene. In a nutshell, says Dillinger, the supply-and-demand dynamics affecting Austin’s live music venues are wildly out of whack. The supply of musicians eager for gigs far exceeds the number of venues that reliably pack a paying house; as a result, bands play for free or at a net loss. Respected bands and artists – not the famous names, but the town’s many talented and dedicated midlevel working musicians – struggle to earn even a half-decent living. In a steady pattern of attrition, says Dillinger, clubs have been closing, audiences shrinking, musician income dwindling to a dangerous all-time low. Bands that formerly supplemented their limited local audiences and income by regional touring have seen the ever-rising price of gas devour the thin profit margins on out-of-town gigs. Once slacker-friendly, Central Austin is no longer affordable for a singer-songwriter eking out a living with a dream and a guitar. Could the famed Austin music scene be losing its vitality?
Among those taking these concerns seriously is Mayor Will Wynn, who issued a proclamation in January making 2008 “The Year of Austin Music.” When speaking around town, the mayor carries the group’s audience-building message: Get off the couch, and go out to see at least one Austin band each month in 2008. (His mayoral self is a Band of Heathens fan, setting a good civic example with his frequent clubbing.) Together with Council Members Mike Martinez and Sheryl Cole, Wynn also launched in January a separate city initiative, the Live Music Task Force. Its charge: A holistic, searching look at the woes of our local music industry and recommendations for workable solutions.

Upcoming album release calendar

Album release dates listed below are culled from a variety of sources, many of which are actually reliable. Announced release dates frequently change, so please keep your expectations low. If you know of a scheduled release that is not listed below, feel free to contact us and let us know.
All release dates are for the USA, with the exception that albums marked are listed under their UK release date, and have no USA date currently scheduled.
Also note that albums marked are listed under their USA release date, and were previously released in the UK. We do not list dates for UK releases that were previously (or will soon be) released in the USA.

Pink Floyed Singer Roger Water

Pink Floyd singer Roger Waters could be set for an historic show in Israel, after speaking out against the wall in the West Bank.
Roger Waters was a founder member of Pink Floyd, with his school friend Syd Barrett. Becoming psychedelic heroes, Waters was forced to come to the fore after witnessing Barrett's sad mental decline.
With Waters at the helm Pink Floyd would re-group and become one of the biggest bands on the planet. Their 1978 concept album 'The Wall' spawned a massive stage show, which culminated in the demolition of a massive wall onstage.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990 Waters played an emotional show at the site of the barrier, which became a monument to the bitter relations between the Communist bloc and the Capitalist West.
Of course, Waters wasn't the first artist to play at the site of the Berlin Wall. As every music fan knows, David Hasselhoff, delighted his German fanbase with an impromptu set on to of the barrier.
During a recent visit to Israel Waters spoke out against the wall on the West Bank, which aims to prevent terrorism but some argue actually harms Palestinian settlements. "This is a bad thing. This is wrong. This is not helping anybody, this thing," Waters said of the wall, which stretches for roughly 420 miles, and is eight metres high in some places.
"If they take this thing down," he continued to Associated Press, "I would be delighted to come and do a concert here. In fact, I would insist on it."
Pink Floyd last performed together for a set at the enormous Live8 event, but with the death of keyboard player Dave Mason it seems as if the band will never reform again.
Continuing, Roger Waters insisted that he was disappointed in the political situation in the Middle East, arguing that things have actually deteriorated.
"It's actually very, pretty depressing, coming back here three years later and seeing that the political situation has changed very little - there are more settlements, there has been more grabbing of land," he said.
BBC 6Music reports that Waters said “When you stand in front of an edifice like this, whether it's here or outside a township in South Africa, or in the Warsaw ghetto during the Second World War or in Berlin in the 60s and 70s, there's something you know instinctively, this is wrong.”

Danny Lütz

From Montreal, this young pop/rock/electronic performer steps out of the mist with “Aint Nuthin,” a pop tune with some 1950/1960 feel, especially with the bell-like guitar chording and energetic rhythm. Lütz: The EP is, according to a press release, “a sweet six-song collection.” Some of the terms used by early fans to describe Lütz are “catchy” and “charming.”“Cold Bed” is certainly a cute and charming tune that has amassed thousands of plays on MySpace. The guitar work behind the singer is pretty good on this song too. Listeners will like that electronic keyboard background as well. Try “Je m’excuse” for a bit different taste, with a little South American/Caribbean feel to the rhythm and the French lyrics.Lütz does most of his own instrumentation as his Web information emphasizes. He is able to write and perform the entire composition. He does range out of the cute-pop arena for a bit with the start of “Tired of Living This Way.” Some who hear the tune will be put in mind of some of The Beatles during their heyday. Of course, Lütz is not English at all, since he is fully involved in the eastern Canada scene.Look for this young musician and songwriter to do some even better things in the future. He’s already finished at the top of a few songwriting competitions. Find out more about him at www.dannylutz.com

linkin park

Although rooted in alternative metal, Linkin Park became one of the most successful acts of the early 2000s by welcoming elements of hip-hop, modern rock, and atmospheric electronica into their music. The band's rise was indebted to the aggressive rap-rock movement made popular by the likes of...

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE To Headline SoCo Music Experience

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE will headline the SoCo Music Experience festival, scheduled for May 17 at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. The event, sponsored by Southern Comfort and free to anyone over 21, will also feature the SUPERSUCKERS, RYAN SHAW and others. Additional SoCo festivals are planned for San Diego, Madison, Wisconsin, Tempe, Arizona, Denver and New York City.QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's new album, "Era Vulgaris", came out in June 2007 and entered the Billboard chart at No. 14. Source:roadrunnerrecords.com

Manics To Return To The 'Holy Bible' For New Album

Nicky Wire has revealed that the Manic Street Preachers could return to the sounds of their seminal album ‘The Holy Bible’ for their new record.Wire says that although not songs are yet complete the band have plenty ideas for their ninth studio record.He told BBC 6 Music: “We’re itching – I know James has got loads of stuff written in his head. I can hear him in practice and it sounds like he’s gone to a kind of riff-tastic place.“A kind of, I dunno, heavy rock version of the Holy Bible seems to be going on musically for him – but we haven’t actually written anything at the moment.”Reflecting on the what is considered to be the Manics best album, Wire went on to say: “I think really, from the Holy Bible to the release even of Design For Life we were pretty untouchable.“Holy Bible does stand alone as a band reclaiming its utter soul.”When approached on why the band rarely plays any of the tracks live, he responded: “It’s awkward – you have to be in a mental state of ferocious animosity and kind of bewilderment.“It’s the only time I feel slightly wrong or fake about doing stuff because you’ve just really got to feel that way.“That album is as much of a mental state as it is a piece of music.” source: gigwise.com

Madonna wows the crowd at free Kent festival

Madonna wowed a 12,000-strong crowd with tracks from her new album, Hard Candy, at her only UK festival appearance of the summer – at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Maidstone, Kent.The veteran star, at number one in the charts with the single "Four Minutes", featuring Justin Timberlake, topped the bill on the event's main stage last night.The event was opened by American R'n'B heavyweight Usher, who got off to a bad start when he told the crowd how delighted he was to be playing in Manchester.Speaking to DJ Jo Whiley about her set at the two-day free festival, Madonna said: "I want to do new stuff – that's what people come to hear – but I also want to do my oldies but goodies."More than 500,000 people applied for 30,000 tickets, the biggest response yet generated by the Big Weekend, which is in its third year. Also playing were Duffy, The Feeling, and the Fratellis.source: independent.co.uk

Gnarls Barkley release new album today after online leak

Gnarls Barkley’s new album has been dragged forward a few weeks after some blighter leaked the thing online.The Odd Couple was due to arrive through Downtown/Universal on the 8th of April, but you can get it online now or at shops later this week after label bosses got wind of digital treachery.The band chose not to focus on the leak, instead wheeling out a spokesperson to explain that Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse "felt the timing was right to just go for it – with the shifting seasons, furtive romantic entanglements and fierce college basketball rivalries, the latter half of March can be confusing.“People need to be soothed and inspired now

» Morrissey Confirms New Album Name

Morrissey has finished his new album, according to fan site True To You.Polydor Records will release 'Years of Refusal' in the UK in September, and features 12 Jerry Finn produced tracks.Prior to this, Sony BMG are issuing a remastered version of 'Southpaw Grammar'. Originally released in 1995, it will hit stores in July and contain 3 previously unreleased tracks, as well as new artwork.Source:rocklouder.co.uk

» Starsailor Snags Ron Wood For New Album

The return of original producer Steve Osborne and a guest appearance by a Rolling Stone highlight Starsailor's upcoming fourth album.Tentatively titled "All the Plans," the album features Stones guitarist Ron Wood on the track "All The Plans We Made," Starsailor frontman James Walsh tells Billboard.com. "We kept asking him if he'd be up for playing some guitar on the record, and at the time he was busy promoting the film ('Shine a Light')," Walsh says. "So there were a couple of months there where he just wasn't available to do it."Then I got a call about half past six one evening from his son Jesse saying, 'My dad really wants to do this now. Can you be at the studio (at) nine o'clock?' So from having sort of given up the ghost it all came together out of the blue. It was amazing; he stood there playing the guitar, saying the song reminded him of 'Maggie May' -- quite high praise, indeed."Walsh describes the rest of "All the Plans" as "back to our roots in a lot of ways," and a "reaction" to the "darker and heavier" tone of 2005's "On the Outside." "On this album, there's a lot more light to it, and we've reverted back to the more acoustic guitar- and piano-driven sound on a lot of the tracks," Walsh says. "It's hard to encapsulate it in one word or phrase, though."Starsailor recorded the album in four studios around England, and other song titles include "Stars and Stripes," "Tell Me It's Not Over," and "Boy in Waiting." When it comes out remains a mystery, however; Walsh says the album has been finished since May and the band is waiting for EMI to decide on a release date."It's definitely frustrating when you've got a finished record you want to get out and promote," Walsh acknowledges, "But we're keeping ourselves as busy as we can." That includes opening for the Police on its U.K. dates this month as well as performances at the Isle of Wight Festival and Hard Rock Calling in Britain and the Cactus Festival in Belgium. Source: billboard.com

Leona Lewis 'To Star On New P Diddy Album'

US rapper P Diddy has revealed that he wants to collaborate with Leona Lewis on his next studio album.The rapper said that he was a “huge fan” of the former X-Factor winner, who has achieved huge success over the last 6 months.“Not only is she so, so beautiful, she has a great voice,” he told the Mirror newspaper. “She is extremely talented, and it's great she's from England.The rapper also said that Lewis had “one of the best voices I’ve heard.”“I'm already thinking about my next album and definitely want to make it work, so she's on it. I had Christina Aguilera on my last album, but it's all about Leona Lewis on my next."Lewis has topped both the Singles and Album charts in the United Kingdom and America since she won X-Factor last year.Despite her huge commercial success, the singer isn’t expected to tour until 2009. Source: gigwise.com

LL Cool J Heads Toward Def Jam 'Exit'

Rapper LL Cool J is gearing up to release his next album, "Exit 13," July 18 via Def Jam. The veteran artist released the first single, "I Cry" featuring R&B singer Lil' Mo, yesterday (May 21) on the Web."Exit 13" will be LL Cool J's last release on Def Jam because his contract has come to an end, the rapper told New York radio station Hot 97. The MC signed to the label as a teen and has released 12 albums on Def Jam.Last year, LL Cool J publicly expressed his distaste with how Jay-Z was running Def Jam, and lately told Hot 97 he's optimistic about the label's fortunes now that Jay-Z has departed.LL Cool J's last album, 2006's "Todd Smith," has sold 335,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.Source:billboard.com

» Martin Scorsese Stands Down As Bob Marley Biopic Director

Martin Scorsese has stood down as the director of an authorised biography film about Bob Marley.Scorsese, who recently directed the Rolling Stones film Shine a Light, confirmed that “scheduling conflicts” would prevent him from working on the project.Oscar-winning film-maker Jonathan Demme will take over from Scorsese on the film - which is due to be released on February 6th 2010.Demme, who has worked on documentaries about Neil Young and Talking Heads, said he was “thrilled and humbled” to be working on the film.Bob Marley's son Ziggy also endorsed Demme’s inclusion on the project, saying he was confident that Demme’s “unique understanding of the musical documentary form” would help make “the ultimate celebration of my father's life.”The film is being made to coincide with the 65th anniversary of Marley’s life. Source: gigwise.com

Weezer's recipe: rock, with a twist

Weezer - those riff-loving, hook-hurling, inner-geek-embracing wags - has become the most reliable band in rock. Sixteen years in, the group continues to churn out crunchy anthems for misfits, nerds, and anyone with a soft spot for quirky, heavy power-pop. The songs are consistently vibrant, catchy, and well-built. Occasional stabs at earnestness notwithstanding, Weezer's lyrics probe frontman Rivers Cuomo's cosmic outsiderness in smart, sarcastic stanzas that come off like self-deprecating goofs but always leave you wondering: Is he laughing at us? Is he sadder than he seems? The chorus is righteous, so why should we even care?Not much has changed on the group's sixth album, a self-titled collection dubbed the Red Album. (Weezer's previous two self-titled projects were anointed the Blue Album and the Green Album.) In fact, one wishes that less had changed upon arriving at the disc's back end, which features token contributions from guitarist Brian Bell, bassist Scott Shriner, and drummer Patrick Wilson that sound like they were mistakenly grafted onto a Weezer album from some other, more forgettable, alt-rock band.Cuomo, newly mustachioed, has started playing around a bit with song structure, pushing beyond rock's usual verse-chorus-bridge pattern and into headier, linear territory. "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" is a sprawling folk-metal chorale that squashes wildly assorted references (Shakespeare, sex, and stardom) into epic musical settings (elegant harmonies, suite-like movements) and winds up sounding simply, fabulously faux.But that seems to be what Cuomo is going for. The Red Album is filled with the sunny musings and petulant posturing of a boy, or a slacker, not a 37-year-old, Harvard-educated, multiple-platinum rocker, husband, and father. "Who needs stupid books," he sneers in the gleeful pop-rocker "Troublemaker." "Everybody get dangerous," he counsels over stiff, filthy licks in the song of the same name. "Daddy says I've got to pay some bills/ So I can learn to be responsible," he moans in "Dreamin'," a blissed-out paean to escapism.Forget those middle-age lotharios in skin-tight leather and feathered hair; Cuomo is rock's Peter Pan, and there's enough stunted growth on the Red Album to fill a case study. A famously reluctant pop star, Cuomo is dreaming the same dreams even after they've come true. "Pork and Beans" is vintage stuff: wall of guitars, heap of hooks, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the chart/ Maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art," he cracks, going on to claim "Imma do the things that I want to do/ I ain't got a thing to prove to you."Of course, all Cuomo has ever tried to do is perfect the art. To crow about his maverick attitude in a song that was so clearly built for maximum appeal is just so . . . Weezer. Source: boston.com

» Ashlee Simpson takes new album for a spin

A just-married and pregnant Ashlee Simpson will step out for a short tour next month to support her new album, "Bittersweet World."The 23-year-old pop-rock singer is scheduled play a dozen dates in the eastern US beginning June 9 in Chicago. She also has a June 14 booking at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas. Her US itinerary is listed below.Simpson has been a busy lady over the past few months: In addition to making the promotional rounds to push "Bittersweet World," which dropped April 22, she married Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz May 17 and the couple recently announced they are expecting a child. People.com recently reported that Simpson will take Wentz's last name, but plans to use the professional name Ashlee Simpson-Wentz.For now, the focus turns to taking the new album to live audiences, and Simpson can't wait to hit the road."That's my favorite part of the job," she said in her bio. "I love playing live and seeing up close and personal how your music affects other people."Simpson wrote or co-wrote every song on "Bittersweet World," which peaked at No. 4 on The Billboard 200. The lead single, "Little Miss Obsessive" featuring the Plain White T's Tom Higgenson, recently made its way onto Billboard's Pop 100 chart.Simpson said she is loving her life right now and wanted to bring that spirit to the new album."I wanted to make music people could shake their booties to and use beats for the first time," she explained. "I wanted to sing fun songs. Basically, I wanted to make a party record."A couple of song samples from the album are streaming at her MySpace page."Bittersweet World" is Simpson's third release, following 2004's "Autobiography" and 2005's "I Am Me," both of which topped The Billboard 200 and led to sold-out tours, according to the performer's bio. Source:livedaily.com

Amy Winehouse late, fidgety for post-rehab concert

Amy Winehouse lateAmy Winehouse, in her first concert since leaving rehab, showed up almost an hour late, appeared distracted and had visible cuts on her arm and a bandage on her hand.Her performance in front of 90,000 people, at an outdoor performance at a music festival in Lisbon, Portugal, was brief, clocking in at 55 minutes.At least she apologized."Hey Lisbon," Winehouse told the crowd, which booed when she failed to appear at her advertised time but gave her a warm welcome when she appeared. "I'm sorry I'm late."The Grammy-winning jazz-pop diva also apologized for a sore throat and her voice cracked during the set.Wearing a short dress, Winehouse paused to talk to members of her band, fiddled at length with her microphone, sucked on lozenges and at one point dashed offstage but quickly returned. Cuts were visible on her left arm, and her right hand was bandaged.Winehouse's musical career has flourished despite her erratic behavior, missed concerts and stints in drug rehab.The sellout crowd, gathered in a Lisbon park for the Rock in Rio festival, warmed to Winehouse as the 24-year-old sang hits including "Rehab," soul classics and reggae songs.She mostly failed to thrill the crowd, however, and walked off stage without playing an encore. The crowd remained subdued.Winehouse was the third act of the day on the festival's main stage, coming on before headliner Lenny Kravitz. Her management told the festival organizers she would not speak to the media.Last week she won an Ivor Novello award, a prestigious British prize, for "Love Is a Losing Game" from her "Back to Black" album. Her father received the prize after Winehouse arrived late to the ceremony.Earlier this month, the 24-year-old singer was arrested and questioned by police about video footage that appeared to show her inhaling fumes from a crack pipe. Authorities said the singer would not be charged.Last year she canceled a series of British concerts and postponed a tour of the U.S. and Canada after British media reported that she was in and out of rehab.Winehouse is booked to play at a series of music festivals in Europe this summer fidgety for post-rehab concert.Source: boston.com

Pearl Jam Plan Collaboration With Jack White At Bonnaroo

Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready has revealed that the band would like to collaborate with Jack White.Speaking to reporters about Pearl Jam’s forthcoming appearance at the Bonnaroo Festival, which will also feature White’s side-project The Raconteurs, McCready said he would “love” to have the guitarist join the band onstage.”I just, I think he's just a phenomenal guitar player and I'd love to see him play up close,” McCready said.“I've seen The White Stripes in Europe, but it was kind of far away."But I'd love to have him up there and jam because he's got a killer voice and he's a great lead player too. So that would be exciting to me."Other acts scheduled to appear at the festival – which runs from June 12th-15th in Tennessee – include Kanye West and Death Cab For Cutie.Metallica are also on the bill for the festival. Source:gigwise.com

Nine Inch Nails give away even more music

Nine Inch Nails are giving away another free download. This time it’s the Lights In The Sky tour sampler featuring a track from each of the bands supporting NIN on their North American jaunt this summer – Deerhunter, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Crystal Castles and A Place To Bury Strangers.Having ‘done a Radiohead’ earlier this year with albums Ghosts I-IV and, more recently, offered fans another 10 track free download called The Slip, it would appear that this has become the standard distribution model for Trent Reznor and co.You can get your DRM-free copy of Lights In The Sky (including cover art and digital extras) by signing up here. Source: musicradar.com

Alicia Keys' troubled time leads to big success

R&B singer Alicia Keys is enjoying a successful worldwide tour, a chart-topping album and will act in an upcoming movie, but it might not have happened, she said, were it not for a near breakdown two years ago.Keys, whose current hits include "No One," is in the middle of her "As I Am" tour. The new "As I Am" album debuted on record charts at No. 1 and has sold over 3 million copies.In October, she makes her film debut in "The Secret Life of Bees," starring Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, the movie is co-produced by Will Smith and backed by indie powerhouse Fox Searchlight.While Keys seems to lead a charmed life and has the sort of career that most other 26-year-olds could barely imagine, it hasn't always been so rosy.Two years ago, the singer went through a troubled period that nearly derailed her life and career. A workaholic lifestyle and the death of a close relative from cancer pushed her "very close" to the breaking point, she admits.Instead of having a public meltdown, Keys faced her demons in private."I knew I needed time away, so I went to Egypt for a month -- on my own, which gave it a whole different perspective," she told Reuters in a recent interview."It allowed me to see things I'd never seen before -- all the temples on the Nile, the Pyramids, the history. It was so rich and beautiful and strong, and it inspired me so much, and renewed me."TIME TO REFLECTKeys said she felt like it was important to be alone so she could reflect on her thoughts and examine her life, away from the media spotlight. She also cut back her work schedule."I'm definitely a workaholic in some ways, although less than I was before," she said.Ultimately, she said, the near-breakdown brought about an artistic breakthrough that helped shape the music on her third album and her edgier stage persona.Billboard magazine, in its review of "As I Am," said Keys "takes a step closer toward the soul revival popularized by John Legend, with full band arrangements and bright horn hooks, only occasionally falling back into the piano/melisma combination that drove the singles off her first two albums."Keys has always prided herself on being in control of her career and music, producing her records and writing songs, but ironically, she was able to push herself more on the new album by giving up some of that control, she said."I purposely didn't have such a kind of controlling approach about it and I allowed the music to flow," she said. "I've come more into my own, and really, with experience comes confidence and a little bit more of awareness of how I would like to do it, having learned from the past."She added that she is anxious to experiment even more and wants to work with rock acts like the White Stripes, Green Day, U2 or Coldplay."Things that are not quite of the same world, or so you think," she said, "but when you put them together it's just really interesting." Source: aol.com

Bob Dylan Attacks 'Hypocritical' Music Industry

Bob Dylan has hit out at the “hypocritical” music industry, saying he prefers the literary and art worlds.Speaking to The Times, the legendary singer-songwriter said: "The music world's a made-up bunch of hypocritical rubbish. I know that the book people are a whole lot saner.“And the art world? From the small steps I've taken in it, I'd say, yeah, the people are honest, upfront and deliver what they say."Basically, they are who they say they are. They don't pretend. And having been in the music world most of my life I can tell you it's not that way. Let's just say it's less dignified." Source: festivalwise.