September 4th, 2010 by admin
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Everybody knows that Robbie Williams has issues (weight, drugs, self-esteem, sexual preference). When he really wants something, though, man does he lobby for it! Ever since Take That reunited and not only reclaimed their old fan legacy but gracefully matured into adult-poppers, Williams has wanted back in desperately. De facto leader Gary Barlow has been coy. Why embrace a prima donna when things are going so smashingly already? But “Shame”, a new track with Barlow off Robbie’s latest best of, “In And Out Of Consciousness”, may be the best evidence yet that Gary has relented.
by Mark Emge
September 4th, 2010 by admin
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Ultimately, triple-chinned rapper Rick Ross’ “Teflon Don” disc is about two things: Rick Ross flossin’ his wealth, and Rick Ross flaunting his friendships. For those with no interest in listening to someone take the better part of an hour to reaffirm his self-worth by showcasing how hard he’s shining, it’ll be lost on you. But if you have no qualms with returning to an era of rap that celebrated ridiculous levels of decadence, you’ve come to the right place. “Aston Martin Music” this is most certainly not–that would require class. But it’s entertaining in the same way it would be to watch Ross try to squeeze his fat ass into a vintage Zagato.
by Mark Emge
September 4th, 2010 by admin
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Rappers go on and on about their hard-knock hometowns, but when Keinan Warsame says his “city code is lock and load”, he’s repping a hood so tough it requires UN military intervention. The 30-year-old MC fled civil-war-ravaged Somalia in his teens (for New York, then Toronto), and he somberly picks through the emotional wreckage on his first international release, “Troubadour”. Whether K’Naan’s lamenting immigration hassles or imagining himself a depressed American kid fighting in Iraq, this Muslim fan of Biggie and Bruce Lee has a common touch. He’s a universal soldier, not an exotic novelty. Adam Levine, on the other hand…
by Mark Emge
September 4th, 2010 by admin
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The genius of Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley alum Cee Lo Green? Releasing a first single from his third solo album, “The Lady Killer”, that’s catchier than “Crazy” but virtually guaranteeing it won’t reach the level of radio overexposure of that hit by calling it “F**k You”. (The radio edit is subtitled “Forget You”.) The songwriting trick of penning lyrics diametrically opposed to the tone of the music is an old one, but very rarely done as well as here. The track rides a classic Al Green groove (with a vocal melody similar to “Let’s Stay Together”), pairing it with a gleeful kiss-off to a woman whose tastes are just too expensive for Green.
by Mark Emge
September 4th, 2010 by admin
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The debut from Dublin’s Villagers is as lush and intricate as the act’s moniker suggests, but its creator’s idea of what constitutes a proper settlement is clearly in question. Formed after the break-up of indie rockers The Immediate by singer/songwriter Conor O’Brien, Villagers is a one-man band, and a damn good one at that. Handling all of the duties (besides brass and stings), O’Brien has crafted a warm, weary, and highly listenable first album that shows that you can go it alone without going lo-fi. Part Conor Oberst, part Paul Simon, and a whole lot of Jens Lekman and King Creosote, “Becoming A Jackal” has been nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize.
by Mark Emge
September 4th, 2010 by admin
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Norwegian rap duo Madcon enjoys widespread popularity in their homeland, where they are television stars as well as hitmakers. Comprised of Tshawe Baqwa (aka Kapricon; b. in Germany of South African heritage) and Yosef Wolde-Mariam (aka Critical; b. in Norway of Ethiopian and Eritrean lineage), the pair first made a name for themselves as featured guests of award-winning Norwegian rappers The Paperboys on the Top 10 single “Barcelona” in 2002. In ‘07, Madcon’s “Beggin”, a cover of the 1967 hit for Frankie Valli, hit No. 1 in Norway and charted across Europe, followed by the disc “So Dark The Con Of Man”. Around this time the duo also hosted TV’s “The Voice Of Madcon”, and Baqwa won the dance competition “Skal Vi Danse?”. “Freaky Like Me” is their latest.
by Mark Emge
September 3rd, 2010 by admin
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“My friends call me Monica because she’s the one in ‘Friends’ who’s obsessed with cleaning,” says Brit singer Alesha Dixon. But although Courteney Cox Arquette is one the great comic talents of our times, Alesha’s obsessive-compulsive disorder is no laughing matter. “A messy house can depress me. If my house is clean and everything is in order, I feel better.” The situation was not helped by her marriage (to MC Harvey) breaking down and her record label dumping her within the space of two weeks. “I just kept thinking, ‘What have I done to deserve this?’” Salvation came in the form of an offer from “Strictly Come Dancing”, which Alesha claims returned her “zest for life”. “Drummer Boy” returns Dixon’s zest for the saucy double entendre.
by Mark Emge
September 3rd, 2010 by admin
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In the grand tradition of rock operas whose concept is pretty murky to everyone but the primary lyric writer (Genesis‘ “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway”, anything by Pete Townsend), nü-metal futurists Linkin Park announced that their upcoming album “A Thousand Suns” will be “genre-busting”. Vocalist Mike Shinoda also hopes fans will find the music more experimental and “hopefully more cutting-edge”. If you can guess the project’s main themes from first single “The Catalyst”, Shinoda will come to your house and tattoo the Linkin Park logo on the body part of your choice for free!
by Mark Emge
September 3rd, 2010 by admin
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In ‘06 OMD’s Andy McCluskey announced plans to reform the band’s “classic” McCluskey/Humphreys/Holmes/Cooper lineup to tour the groundbreaking “Architecture & Morality” disc’s 25th anniversary. The response the reunion received somewhat startled the synth-pop pioneers, and when the silver jubilee for “Dazzle Ships” rolled around two years later they decided to stay together. With their tour legs firmly under them, this incarnation of Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark returned to the studio for the first time since 1986’s “The Pacific Age”. “History Of Modern” is the result, as well as new single “If You Want It”.
by Mark Emge
September 3rd, 2010 by admin
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After selling over 5 million copies of three albums all metal and black feminist rage; headlining Glastonbury; and touring with Muse, U2, and Rammstein; late-’90s British brutes Skunk Anansie split in 2001, with glabrous front-gal Skin releasing a couple of solo records. The group re-formed in early 2009 to tour the greatest-hits comp “Smashes & Trashes”–which went so well that they decided to stick together and record a new album. “Wonderlustre” drops this autumn, but “My Ugly Boy” is already blistering radio speakers.
by Mark Emge
