Drum Video: Kanye West "Stronger" Remix

New Sixpence None The Richer Album

Good news for Sixpence None The Richer fans. The band is back in the studio and already have a new track up for preview with more new material coming soon. Sixpence None The Richer is probably best known for the song Kiss Me - which was a late 90s teen movie and tv soundtrack favorite. Unfortunately for the band they never got past that "teen pop" label, but, in fact they have quite a few good songs in the bank and of course, there's Leigh Nash's ethereal vocals. You can hear the new track and read a small blog blurb on the subject at Sixpence's Myspace page.

New Music Tuesday: April 1, 2008

Aging techno-whiz Moby is back with his follow up to the rather straight forward and instantly forgettable Hotel with Last Night, his ninth studio album. It's a back to basics approach that thankfully moves Moby back to more familiar dance floor territory. You can hear the entire album on Moby's Myspace page here.

Michael Stipe and R.E.M. are back with Accelerate, their first album in four years. Accelerate is already getting mainly positive reviews and after the disappointment of 2004's Around The Sun, it's a much needed boost for the band.

On Attack & Release the Black Keys continue to put all the White Stripes comparisons to rest by taking the lo-fi blues attack in their own direction. It's just another Black Keys album that reminds you just how uncool your music collection is without them.

The rest:

• **** Live In Phoenix - Fall Out Boy
• Shine A Light (Soundtrack)- The Rolling Stones
• Troubadour - George Strait
• Keep It Simple - Van Morrison (original compositions)
• The Bright Lights of America - Anti-Flag
• Chaper VII: Hope And Sorrow - Sevendust
• A Sense Of Purpose - In Flames
• April - Sun Kil Moon

Album Review: Warpaint - The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes have ended their seven year silence and released Warpaint to the world. Despite our love here for Southern Rock, we tried to stay fair and balanced. You can read our review of Warpaint here or continue reading this page to ignore the review completely.

Nick Cave Swaggers Like Jagger

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have been around long enough to hear praise and criticism in equal parts. Last year's Grinderman side-project was a well received break for the band and had a decidedly heavier sound than the 'Seeds. When the next album for Cave and the seeds was announced, Cave went on record saying the album would have a sound closer to the sinister garage-rock of Grinderman. The new record, called Dig, Lazarus, Dig! has already been released in other countries and will hit stateside on April 8th. Here's the video for the first single that shares the same title as the album.

New Music Tuesday: March 25, 2008

Okay, so unlike last week we have a number of major releases this week - let's get started.

News of The Raconteurs' Consolers Of The Lonely broke only a week before its release. Interesting marketing angle that i'm sure every news blurb will mention. None of that matters however since we finally have a new Raconteurs album to enjoy.

Gnarls Barkley released The Odd Couple to online music stores last week and are now getting around to releasing it on CD. As we mentioned in an earlier post none of the tracks we've heard are particularly inspiring; but, we'll reserve judgment until we hear the entire album. St. Elsewhere kicked ass and we have nothing but high hopes for The Odd Couple.

It's been sixteen years but the ever young B-52's are back for another campy romp with Funplex. The album is already getting some positive marks from early reviews.

The rest:

• Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings - The Counting Crowes
• Reason To Believe - Pennywise
• Pretty. Odd. - Panic At The Disco
• Parc Avenue - Plants and Animals
• Live At The Bass Performance Hall - LIndsey Buckingham
• Another Country - Tift Merritt

The Raconteurs Announce New Album One Week Before Release

A pleasant surprise for Raconteurs fans - their follow up album to Broken Boy Soldier will be Consoloers of the Lonely and will be coming out tomorrow. Yes tomorrow! The album has been kept well under wrap with no promotion leading up to the announcement a few days ago. The first single will be Salute Your Solution. A music video for the single has already been shot and is expected to debut the same day as the album. We'll have more info and a review as soon as we get our hands on a copy.

photo courtesy of Pitchfork Media

New Gnarls Barkley Album Available Online

We purposefully overlooked this one since it was a digital only release; but Gnarls Barkley's sophomore album, The Odd Couple is available at various online music stores including iTunes and Rhapsody. The CD release will be out in brick and mortar stores March 25th. We've only had a chance to hear a couple of the tracks on the new album and we're feeling a bit underwhelmed. Of course, since we're not Maxim magazine, we'll reserve judgment until we hear the entire album.

Album Review: Volume One - She & Him

Zooey Deschanel may be better known as an actress but her day job is now split between film and music. She has been writing songs since she was young and now with a little help from friends like M. Ward and Jason Schwartzman she has recorded an albums worth of original material. Read our review for Volume One here.

Cry Baby Cry: American Idol Covers The Beatles

I'd like to say up front that I openly despise American Idol and everything it stands for*. Even more now since the inconsequential televised popularity contest has obtained the rights to the Beatles catalog. For a Beatles fan like me, some say freak, this is like someone ripping out my heart and stomping on it. And then peeing on it. Needless to say, i'm none too happy 'bout it...but I have watched. Ah, I should have known better.

To cover a Beatles song is serious business. At least it should be. Obviously most of the contestants this season (seventh? thirteenth?) don't share this sentiment. I mean, just watch some of the interviews. Through uninspired performances, weak interpretations, and regrettable arrangements (did I just repeat myself in a different way three times?) it's easy to see who has the chops for the Beatles and who doesn't. I've ignored all the crappy performances and really only have two that I think were good. Not great. but good. Note also that i'm commenting on the performance and not the performer as both of my picks muffed other Beatles songs.

The first is Jason Castro singing If I Fell nice and short and to the point. The acoustic guitar is a must and works well with his falsetto bits. I hate myself for saying it but I agree with Paula. And now i'm full of shame.


My next pick is Carly Smithson's rocking version of Come Together. I absolutely hate when people cop out and instead of re-capturing the vibe of a song they simply sing it louder and harder. Carly bypasses that pitfall pretty easily and captures some magic on this one.


Special honor to pre-pubescent David Archuleta singing Lennon's Imagine. Not a Beatles song but stunning none the less.

Also, a quick mention for Michael Johns. I really want to like this guy. He has a good voice and his version of Across The Universe was decent if not a tad paint-by-numbers. Check out Rufus Wainwright's version for the best take on that song and to see how a proper Beatles cover is done.

*I do enjoy when Paula and Simon get into a scrap.