With busy schedules and other things stealing our time, we're no longer able to keep this site updated. We'd like to have it back in operation as soon as things get less hectic but can't say when that will be.
Whoa, it's been awhile since we've updated. Hope everyone is having a fandamtastic summer. It was nice to take a vacation but now we're rolling up our sleeves and getting back to work covering the ins and outs of all that we consider relevant in music.*
Sorry for the lack of updates folks. We're all taking a short vacation but will return soon with more music news, release dates, and new artist features. Thanks for stopping by and reading.
Unfortunately all we have this week is a watered down helping of blah-ness. Well, I suppose that depends on who you are and your taste in music. Still, so totally uninspired by this week's releases am I (interesting phrasing no?), that I can't seem to muster the creative energy (read: I ran out of beer) usually focused on a couple of standouts; so we're going straight to the bullet points. Better luck next week.
Hell yes it's another drum video from Black T favorite Andrea Vadrucci!
Here's a video of Josh Homme of the killer band Queens Of The Stone Age ripping a new asshole to a kid who threw something at him on stage during one of their shows. I'm not going to comment on the video except to say don't throw things at Josh Homme.
Earlier this year, for the first time ever, Apple's iTunes music store surpassed Wal-Mart to become the number one music retailer in the US. According to an NPD Group report, during January and February, iTunes outsold online music stores like Rhapsody and Amazon.com as well as traditional brick and mortar stores such as Best Buy, Target, and Borders.
The battle for online seems to be heating however. Apple's closest digital competitor, Amazon.com, is currently number four in the US music market but has begun a new aggressive pricing structure for their DRM free music. Amazon has introduced special weekly promotions that put popular and high profile albums on sale for $ 3.99-5.99. But with the good comes the bad: taking the road iTunes refused to go down, Amazon is allowing labels to set a sliding price for their tracks. This means while most tracks will stay 89-99 cents, some tracks will cost more depending on the length of the track or popularity. It has yet to be seen if these either of these two marketing schemes from Amazon can take a bite out of Apple.
Hey everyone, sorry for no new posts in between Tuesdays but its been a long week and I (CJ) have been fighting a cold. I'm feeling better now and we'll start getting back into the swing of things shortly. If you have any ideas for posts or artists that you'd like to see spotlighted, drop us a line and let us know. On to Tuesday.
For the time being, My Morning Jacket's soon to be released (6/10) album Evil Urges is streaming in its entirety on the band's MySpace page here. Grab a joint and wander over there; me thinks this album will kill.
The song that's been bouncing around my noodle recently is Valerie, originally by the British band The Zutons. It is off their 2006 record Tired Of Hanging Around (links to Wikipedia). It was a top 10 hit for the band but was taken to the top when Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson covered it for Mark's album Version. The Ronson version is an upbeat R&B take on The Zutons' indie-rock song but their exists another - near stripped down acoustic version with Amy that's available as part of the Back To Black: B-Sides record on iTunes. That version is the one stuck in my head and is performed live in the video below. Here's hoping Winehouse cleans up shop and is back in business soon.
With Coldplay's Viva La Vida only a couple of weeks out, Apple started running this commercial to advertise the exclusive bonus content for the album on iTunes. The band starred in a similar commercial for their last album X&Y.
Here's the official video for Coldplay's first single off of "Viva La Vida: Or Death And All His Friends," Violet Hill. While the video is interesting enough, it's certaintly not the most imaginative video Colplay has made. Still, I dig this song and can't wait to hear the new album when it drops June 17th.
Are they Green Day with additional members? Or are they, uh... hmm, I thought I had something else there. Well yes they are! Foxboro Hot Tubs is the side-project of Billie, Mike, and Tre plus three other gents brining classic garage rock into its umpteenth revival. With the sound of 60s garage rock and a slight nod to more modern fare, their first album, Stop Drop And Roll!!!, can be yours for the low low price of whatever you find it for. A good album but lets move on.
After three albums, 3 Doors Down are just now getting around to a self-titled release. Their fourth album is their first release in three years. Good thing mediocre - just one click past whiny - rock songs aren't their kryptonite or we may never have heard from them again.
The Ting Tings are bringing their big punk rock attitude to a larger audience thanks to a new album and a well placed spot on an Apple iPod commercial and complimentary Song Of The Week on iTunes. We Started Nothing is
Scarlett Johannson has released an album. It is called Anywhere I Lay My Head. It is a Tom Waits cover album. I have no comment. I'm as emotionless about the album as Scarlett is about singing it. But seriously, no comment here.
Bullet Points!!!
There's been some discussion on Death Cab For Cutie's first single off their brand new album, Narrow Stairs. Some reviews have mentioned that the extended intro to "I Will Possess Your Heart" runs a bit long and starts the album off on a bit of a self-indulgent note. Admittedly, when I first heard the song on the radio I just wasn't impressed, but now that i've spent some time with the album (which is awfully good) and listened through the 8:31 minute album cut; I must say it makes alot more sense. So for those who don't exactly dig the 4 min. radio cut; here's the music video for the full length album version.
Thanks to Adam for bringing the extended music video to our attention
New British sensation Duffy will release her debut album, Rockferry, in the states today. The album was released in Europe back in March and from the beginning the Amy Winehouse comparisons have been unrelenting. Blame it on the British press who are bulldogs in their search and destroy mission for the "next Radiohead" or "next Oasis." Duffy's blue eyed soul is actually quite different from Winehouse and should be able to stand on its own. Her first single Mercy has been to the top of the charts in the UK and is starting to get some airtime here in the US.
Another musical import, this time from Canada, Bryan Adams is back with 11, his eleventh (get it?) studio album. It's nice to see Bryan still creating and exploring his own musical boundaries - even if the new album already sounds dated.
The Rest:
With the lack of quality releases lately (there are exceptions of course e.g. The Roots, Goldfrapp, Vampire Weekend etc.) we at the Tambourine look towards the horizon to see what upcoming releases show the most promise for 2008.
Due June 16th, this follow up to the band's hugely successful 2005 album, X&Y, will feature a number of stylistic changes from Coldplay's familiar sound. Writing for the new album began back in 2006 and the band wrote and recorded more material while touring Latin America in early 2007. A Latin influence will be present but is said to be less indicative of its sound as much as the overall feel. Chris Martin has also said there will be less falsetto vocals and more abstract lyrics and imagery. Brian Eno has produced most of the tracks for Viva La Vida.
The album is available for pre-order on iTunes with exclusive bonus tracks and an early download of the title track. The first single, Violet Hill, is also available for download.
Blame It On Gravity - The Old 97's
Along with Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown, the Old 97's helped bring the alt-country scene to the mainstream. Blame It On Gravity will be the Old 97's seventh studio album though many believed there wouldn't be a seventh album after the bands extended hiatus after 2004's Drag It Up. The Old 97's music has been featured on numerous television shows including Scrubs and Veronica Mars. Lead singer Rhett Miller has released two solo albums that have also been popular in television and film. Blame It On Gravity will be available May 13th
On May 12, Portland's favored indie sons make their return with Narrow Stairs - album number seven. Member and producer Chris Walla describes the album: "It's really weird. It's really, really good, I think, but it's totally a curve ball, and I think it's gonna be a really polarizing record. But I'm really excited about it. It's really got some teeth. The landscape of the thing is way, way more lunar than the urban meadow sort of thing that has been happening for the last couple of records." Their last album, Plans, was awfully good and we have high expectations for Narrow Stairs.
Those were just a few of the albums we are looking forward to in 2008. We've listed some other notable albums to watch for.
June releases
Unbelievably enough, Clay AIken is still releasing albums. I know I know. I'm just as amazed as you to know he's still alive. I thought for sure Ruben Studdard ate him at some point. I mean, I read it on the internet. Anyway, his new album is called On My Way Here (real edgy title) with the title track written by One Republic's Ryan Tedder. Um, Yay?
Da Rest:
For TV viewers who want to know just who that is singing the ultra catchy song for the new iPod + iTunes commercials; the answer is British poppers The Ting Tings. Their song Shut Up And Let Me Go, is the latest addition to Apple's advertising soundtrack. Past musicians to have hit the iPod maker's musical jackpot include The Fratellis, CSS, and most recently, Yael Naim.
Shut Up And Let Me Go is, of course, available on iTunes. Their single Great DJ is available right now for free as part of iTunes Single Of The Week feature.
And with that begins a New Music Tuesday with less chit-chat and more facts and figures.
Momofuku was released April 22nd as a digital and vinyl release only. Why release the only hardcopy on vinyl? According to the man himself, “This is how it sounds the best: with a needle in a groove, the way the Supreme Being intended it to be.” As an added incentive and bonus for those who buy the album on vinyl, the double disc edition includes a free digital download of Momofuku. If you like Costello but don't buy vinyl then it sucks to be you. At least for a few weeks anyway.
“You may prefer other, more portable, less scratchable, editions that will soon become available for your convenience," says Mr. Costello. How soon? May 6th will see Momofuku released on the boring media of compact disc.
The album was named after the famed cup of noodle inventor, Momofuku Ando and includes appearances by Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis as well as songs co-written with Loretta Lynn and Rosanne Cash.
Our review of Hard Candy will be out shortly but in the meantime you can stream the album in its entirety on Madonna's Myspace Page.
For your viewing and auditory pleasure we present to you the new music video for Regina Spektor's On The Radio and her masterful treatment of John Lennon's Real Love. If you like what you see and hear then check out Regina's last album, Begin To Hope. You can find her cover of Real Love and many other Lennon songs covered by various popular musicians on the album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur.
Weezer (The Red Album) promises to be a big departure from the band's varied but common scene albums before it. Rivers Cuomo has described the songs on the new album as being non-traditional song forms with elements of synths, different members singing and writing, and even Southern Rap.
Side Note: this is undoubtedly the best Weezer album cover ever. Period.
Fresh off their Showtime special, Australia's number one all male- acoustic - singer/songwriter duo Flight Of The Conchords finally release their first album, brilliantly titled - Flight Of the Conchords. These guys are pretty damn funny though the album does leave out the gut-busting song Jenny. The album is on the Sub Pop label which is home to alot of indie rock groups including The Shins and The Postal Service. Relevant? No. Interesting? Only slightly.
And now the rest:
The latest single off of KT Tunstall's Drastic Fantastic is If Only and is accompanied by a great retro video. The way it's shot reminds me of some of the segments Sesame Street or Mister Roger's Neighborhood would use to fill out their shows.
Phantom Planet, known mostly for the song California that opened the show The O.C., finally release their follow up to 2004's self-titled release with Raise The Dead. Reportedly a concept album, Raise The Dead leaves behind the dirty garage-rock sound of Phantom Planet and returns to the more fan friendly sounds of The Guest. A good move depending on how much you liked that second record.
The Rest:
Miley Cyrus (when will it end Lord? when?)
Radiohead will begin the North American leg of their international tour May 5th in Florida with at least 20 confirmed dates to follow. Check Ticketmaster to see if they'll be playing a show in your area.
Frontman Thom Yorke is notorious for his distaste for long tours and subsequently Radiohead don't tour that often and even less so stateside. A couple of the shows are already sold out so get your tickets early. And if you have yet to pick up a copy of In Rainbows - what the hell are you waiting for? It's their best work since OK Computer - according to some (read Kid A fan).
You can read more about the tour on Billboard.
Rapper Ray J releases his fourth album, All I Feel, and continues to underwhelm. You might know him as R&B singer Brandy's younger brother. However, if you're a net junkie then you probably know him better for his co-starring role in the Kim Kardashian sex tape. I know him as Brandy's younger brother...
The Rest:
(YouTube phenom)
