The So-So-So Exciting World of Hillary Duff

Hilary Duff has a message for anyone who thinks they know her: You don't.

The 17-year-old teen queen, who's used to dealing with the pressures of the glaringly hot media spotlight, is breaking loose in the video for her new single, "Wake Up," unveiling some new looks and a more mature pop-techno sound.

Hillary Duff: So rebellious, so feisty....so cliche! Give me a break.

Gretchen Wilson Single Takes Ringtone Route

The latest in the recent convergence of pop music and technology, another artist has chosen to release their single first via cellphone ringtone:

Cingular Wireless customers are the first to hear the latest single from Gretchen Wilson. The country artist's "All Jacked Up," the title cut of Wilson's forthcoming sophomore, is available as a ringtone via the wireless carrier's Cingular Sounds program before it can be heard on radio or purchased in any other format.

Wilson's single is the second to bow via Cingular's exclusive ringtone program, following Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" in April. The initiative has offered exclusive post-release ringtones from Gwen Stefani's Interscope album "Love, Angel, Music, Baby."

Woo hoo for Cingular customers. Boy, do I sure envy them...considering how much I like country music and all. I really think this whole ringtone craze is rather ridiculous. Listening to music blare through your tiny cellphone speaker is kind of like having your overzealous friend call you from the Slayer concert he's attending. He holds his phone up to the band, and all you can make out on the other end is a loud cackle of static. Honestly, if you absolutely can't wait until 'All Jacked Up' hits the stores and radio airwaves to the point you feel the need to pay for the rights to download it as a ringtone, perhaps you should have your musical tastes reassesed.

The Who - 'Eminence Front'

Eminence Front
The Who
It's Hard


After years of intense success, British rockers The Who were slammed by tragedy. With the death of legendary drummer Keith Moon in 1978, just months after the release of Who Are You, the band had seemed to have met an all-too-abrupt end. Prior to Moon's death, the band members had already been forming independent careers, and it wasn't unknown that Moon and guitarist-songwriter Pete Townshend had each struggled with addictions; however, the band had held together. After Moon's overdose, the remainder of the band had to consider whether or not to go on working together.
In 1979 they hired a new drummer and added a keyboardist, and decided to work on new material and tour towards the end of the year. But that wasn't an end to the band's tragedies. In December, eleven people were trampled to death while trying to attain festival seating at a show in Cincinatti. The band fell apart, with each of the three going solo. After a solo album featuring the hit 'Let My Love Open the Door', Townshend became addicted to cocaine, tranquilizers, heroin, and alcohol - nearly dying himself from an O.D. in '81.
That same year they managed to reform, and put out two final LPs by the end of '82. Face Dances, the first of the two, sold well but received mixed reviews. The second, It's Hard, wasn't that lucky. Critics thought the band was starting to sound too much like Townshend's solo creations, but without producing anything all that captivating.

So this finally brings me to the real meat of this post. Now, some die-hard fans of The Who might disagree with me here, but for their last album, they did produce at least one song that I feel is most definitely worth mentioning. 'Eminence Front', a song which Townshend lends his vocals, is a great track - chilling, and worthy of being one of the group's last recording efforts. The song opens with keyboards,and then the other instruments enter to break it down to a groove. The guitar whips out a mellow solo within the first two minutes prior to any vocals. From there, Townshend begins to lay down his concise,unnerving lyrics over the funk of the rhythm section; periodically breaking into a call and response of "It's an eminence front - It's a put on!" The entire song reminds me of something you'd expect to hear on some '80s cop-drama, maybe even Miami Vice. Apparently the song is featured on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack, so maybe that is appropriate. Anyway, the song continues this path, with Townshend reminding the listener that "people forget that they're hiding." To me, this might be the perfect ending to the band. The three original members later admitted that they felt The Who died with the loss of Keith Moon, and the fact that the band had tried to forge on into the '80s might make the entire song. Aging rockers faced with the crossroads of where to go next, perhaps? Maybe Townshend was reflecting upon himself, pondering about hiding his feelings about Moon's death, or his subsequent struggles with drugs afterwards? These are all just my own thoughts on the song, but despite the true meaning, the song has a quality of strength - denying to go down without a fight.



The sun shines and people forget
The spray flies as the speedboat glides, and people forget
Forget they're hiding
The girls smile and people forget
The snow packs as the skier tracks, and people forget
Forget they're hiding
Behind an eminence front
Eminence front, it's a put on
Come and join the party, dress to kill
Won't you come and join the party, dress to kill
The drinks flow, people forget
The big wheel spins, the hair thins, people forget
The news slows, people forget
The shares crash, hopes are dashed, people forget
Forget they're hiding
Behind an eminence front
Eminence front, it's a put on
Come and join the party, dress to kill
Won't you come and join the party, dress to
Won't you come and join the party, dress to
Won't you come and join the party, dress to
Won't you come and join the party, dress to
Dress yourself, dress to kill

Etheridge to Release Tom Petty Cover; Breaks Hearts of the Heartbreakers in Process

Melissa Etheridge is set to release her rendition of 'Refugee' as the first single off her soon available greatest hits collection. Frankly, I haven't heard the recording yet, but I am willing to bet it sucks horribly (or is it horribly sucks?). I can actually dig some of Missy's stuff from time to time, but judging from the following description, this cover seems only to serve as a springboard back onto top 40 AC and pop rotation:

Melissa Etheridge takes on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' "Refugee" as the first single from her forthcoming greatest-hits album, "The Road Less Traveled." While the Petty original had an uncluttered, solid groove and a fairly uptempo beat, Etheridge goes the slow-burn, jangle-rock route. She and producer John Shanks throw in a mess of guitars and turn the song into a semi-personal anthem for Etheridge. While the singer's radio fortunes have faded over time, her stellar Grammy Awards performance earlier this year might make programers take a second listen.

Jangle-rock??? Going the way of REM with one of Tom Petty's sweetest songs sounds WAY......uh....awesome. Yeah right. Great job Melissa.

Index Case Announces Release Date

Slipknot may not have the prestigious title of "that band from Iowa" for much longer. Ten minutes from Des Moines hails the hard-rocking quartet known as Index Case; a band which the press has often applauded for upstaging many of the national acts it's opened for. A large, devoted following and an intense live show have helped propel the band to mainstage performances at some of the area's larger music festivals. Having kept track of the band since about 1999, I am definitely excited for them as they have just announced the release date for their major label debut, due out in late September.

Index Case, who is the first signing to Tim King (SOiL) and Rob Such's (Twelfth Gate) Mortal Music/ Platform/ Fontana/ Universal Records, will be shooting their debut music video with director Chad Calek (Bleeding Through, Taking Back Sunday, Curt Smith of Tears For Fears) on August 6th, 2005, in the band's hometown of Indianola, Iowa. The video will be for the single "Deserver", which appears on Index Case's self-titled Mortal Music/Platform/Fontana/Universal debut release, due to hit the shelves nationwide on Sept 27th, 2005.

Check out the band's website for added information, audio/video clips, and more.

Pearl Jam rocking Montana for Democrat

My two favorite interests in life, music and politics, have come together as Pearl Jam has decided to play Missoula, Montana August 29, in an effort to raise funds for Democratic US Senatorial challenger Jon Tester:

Tickets for the Adams Center show go on sale July 23 via Tickets West. Tester, currently Montana Senate president, is one of several Democrats vying to challenge U.S. Senator Conrad Burns, a Republican seeking his fourth term.

The benefit comes on the heels of a recently announced Sept. 1 show in George, Wash., which sold out in three hours, and a Sept. 30-Oct. 1 stand at the Borgata in Atlantic City, N.J., which sold out in two minutes. In between, Pearl Jam will play a 16-date Canadian tour beginning Sept. 2 in Vancouver and open a Sept. 28 show for the Rolling Stones in Pittsburgh.

Ted's Song of the Week - 07/13/05

Time to Waste
Alkaline Trio
Crimson

Before now, if you were to ask me about Alkaline Trio, i would've said they were just another punk-rock band polluting the airwaves. Good thing i decided to give them a chance recently. I knew from the moment i heard the opening track, "Time to Waste", that Crimson was going to be a great record to listen to. This is pop music with a violent streak.
To hear "Time to Waste" is to take a tank for a Sunday drive. It can be relaxing and even scenic, but you better believe there is the possibility of carnage. The first 30 seconds features a piano intro to lower the listeners defenses before the band launches into a musical assualt to shred the serenity. Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano's harmonies complement the already stellar rhythms one can find on this album.
Other key tracks: Burn, Dethbed, Prevent This Tragedy

Lyrics:
There's someone down below blowing you a kiss.
They watch from their windows
as all arms fall to their sides,
and all eyes fix on the death of tomorrow.
And you found everything you need
to make a life complete,
completely revolting and they have safety and relief
For sale down the street.
I see you in line every day

You had time to waste and I'm not sorry,
such a basket case, hide the cutlery.
I had time to kill, it's dead and buried.
You've got guts to spill but no one trustworthy.

These creatures are waking up in these dark trees.
Awaiting like vultures.
Eyes roll back turn white in time to feed
They salivate in hunger.
for you, and everything they need
to make a death complete,
completely unnatural and salvation lies
behind those dead eyes that watch you while you sleep every night, and

You had time to waste and I'm not sorry,
such a basket case, hide the cutlery.
I had time to kill, it's dead and buried.
You've got guts to spill but no one trustworthy.

You had time to waste and I'm not sorry,
such a basket case, hide the cutlery.
I had time to kill, it's dead and buried.
You've got guts to spill but no one trustworthy.

Killing Joke - 'Love Like Blood'

Not really intended as a Song of the Week, this post is more of something that I have just felt like adding to share my own thoughts on some tracks that I feel are worth checking out. Sometimes I might do one review a week; other times I may post more or less frequently. Just my little way of adding to your musical experience here at the Lonely Note ;)


Love Like Blood
Killing Joke
Night Time

Killing Joke has remained a band in some form or another, off-and-on since the late 1970s, however it has always managed to stay relatively underground. In somewhat the same fashion as Motorhead, Killing Joke mixed the sounds of the punk movement with the edge of metal. However, where Killing Joke splits off is that it also delved into the experimental realm of synthesizers that defined a lot of alternative rock/pop music in the '80s. With their 1985 album Night Time, Killing Joke had awoken from a hiatus to create one of the most commercially-successful records of its career. The song 'Eighties' from this album is now looked back upon as one of the group's more influential songs, since it is considered that Nirvana cloned the guitar for their own song 'Come As You Are.'

The song 'Love Like Blood' made it on the UK's Top20 chart, but didn't gain quite as big of a US following. The song managed to sound enough like Duran Duran or Tears for Fears to make it on the dance charts, while maintaining Killing Joke's dark and brooding intensity. The song's driving rhythm and the mysterious quality of its guitar and keyboard work makes it easy to get caught up bobbing your head without really paying attention or giving credit to the song's intelligent lyrics. While the song remains catchy, the lyrics create depressing scenes of alienation and utter disappointment.

We must play our lives like soldiers in the field.
The life is short
I'm running faster all the time.
Strength and beauty destined to decay
So cut the rose in full bloom.
Till the fearless come and the act is done
A love like blood
A love like blood.
Till the fearless come and the act is done
A love like blood
A love like blood.
Everyday through all frustration and despair
Love and hate fight with burning hearts.
Till legends live and man is god again
And self-preservation rules the day no more.
We must dream of promised lands and fields
that never fade in season
As we move towards no end
we lean to die.
Red tears are shed on grey.
Till the fearless come and the act is done

Killing Joke may have stayed somewhat unknown to the masses, but the influence can be seen in numerous bands that have gained popularity since. Helping pave the way for what would later be called industrial music, Killing Joke never quite fell into any one category. For more information, I would highly recommend checking out the AMG articles on the band and the song 'Love Like Blood.'

Keith Richards to Make Hollywood Debut

ROLLING STONES’ guitarist KEITH RICHARDS is set to make his HOLLYWOOD debut.

Following some speculation, it appears Richards will star in a ’Pirates Of The Caribbean’ sequel.

"I can confirm, Keith Richards will appear in ’Pirates Of The Caribbean’ 2 or 3,” explained co-star Bill Nighy to Contactmusic.com. “I'm not sure which one, because they are being filmed back to back."

The Rolling Stone is expected to play the father of Johnny Depp’s character Captain Jack Sparrow who was largely based on Richards real life persona in the original film.

Franz Ferdinand announce well-titled new LP

Scottish four-piece angular chart overlords Franz Ferdinand have announced details of their brand new album for this Autumn.
Opting to call the record exactly the same thing as the last, which humorously enough is the same moniker they chose for the band itself, ('Franz Ferdinand') it will also bear the same artwork but with altered colours.

The band have announced a US tour around the release and are expected to perform a similar action involving UK dates over the next month.

Nails fans offered 'Only' remix

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor is inviting fans to download his band's new single, "Only," and to remix or alter it any way they choose.

He did a similar experiment with NIN's previous single, "The Hand That Feeds," limited to Apple's Garageband audio format. "I've enjoyed and cringed at what you've done with my song," Reznor said in a message on http://www.NIN.com. "Thank you (I think)."

This time he has opened it up to both Mac and PC users by posting the track in Ableton Live, Digidesign Pro Tools LE and Sony Acid Xpress/Pro in addition to Garageband.

Death Cab's Atlantic Debut Due In Late August

Death Cab For Cutie sticks with its trademark emotional rock'n'roll sound on "Plans," its major-label debut for Atlantic after releasing four studio sets on Barsuk. Due Aug. 30, the 11-track set will be led by the acoustic guitar-tinged single "Soul Meets Body," which will be delivered Sept. 13 to U.S. radio outlets.

Audioscrobbler

For those interested in sharing the tracks they've been playing on their favorite media player with the rest of the world, Audioscrobbler is the perfect site. Simply download an appropriate plug-in (iTunes and WMP plug-ins included), set-up an account and voila!, your media player will automatically submit your playlist information to Audioscrobbler, where unique stats will be compiled on your own personal page. Share your specific URL with others so they can keep up to date on exactly what Joe-Music-Listener is spinning.

System and Volta Tour Dates Unveiled

System of a Down and Mars Volta have announced their joint tour dates. Kicking off in mid-September, the ten-date joint venture will wrap up at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, October 6.

Now I don't know about you guys, but I think it would be pretty sweet for Mars Volta and Thirty Seconds to Mars to tour together under the banner THE RED PLANET TOUR. Wonk, Wonk!

The SOAD/Volta tour dates are listed below:

Sept. 17: Vancouver (Pacific Coliseum)
Sept. 19: Calgary (Pengrowth Saddledome)
Sept. 20: Edmonton (Rexall Arena)
Sept. 22: Winnipeg, Manitoba (MTS Centre)
Sept. 23: Minneapolis (Xcel Center)
Sept. 29: Detroit (Joe Louis Arena)
Sept. 30: Chicago (Allstate Arena)
Oct. 2: Denver (Pepsi Coliseum)
Oct. 5: Seattle (Key Arena)
Oct. 6: Portland, Ore. (Rose Garden)

Arcade Fire, !!! Lead Initial CMJ Artists

The Arcade Fire, !!!, Blackalicious, Nouvelle Vague, Annie, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Wrens, Kaki King and Atmosphere are among the first acts confirmed for the 25th annual CMJ Music Marathon, which will be held Sept. 14-17 throughout venues in New York.

Other artists who have signed on to perform are the Hold Steady, Dungen, John Vanderslice, Against Me!, the Constantines, Battles, Kinski, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Rogue Wave, Early Man, Channels, Dirty On Purpose, Walking Concert, Athlete, Acid Mothers Temple and Funeral For A Friend.

Justin Hawkins' New Website

For those interested in news and notes about Justin Hawkins' new solo endeavours this website has been launched.

Franz Ferdinand Finds Its Edge On New Album

Franz Ferdinand is about a week away from locking down the track list for its sophomore album, which will be released Oct. 4 by Domino/Epic. "We haven't decided on a running order yet," lead singer Alex Kapranos tells Billboard.com by phone from the studio. "We've been through about 25 songs altogether and we're mixing 15 songs; of those 15, we'll probably choose 12 or 13."

Kapranos said he was confident the following tracks will end up making the album: "Do You Want To?" (the intended first single), "Walk Away," "Turn It On," "I'm Your Villain," "Evil and a Heathen," "This Boy," "Well, That Was Easy," "Outsiders" and "You Could Have It So Much Better."

Steve's Retro Song of the Week: Third Eye Blind - '1000 Julys'

One of the issues that has come up with the phrase "retro song of the week" here at the Lonely Note is what exactly constitutes "retro." For most of us, songs over thirty years old clearly fit within the bounds of the definition. But when it comes to newer songs, or songs within the last five to ten years, the parameters are slightly more sketchy. Can a song released in 1999 appropriately be filed under the title "retro?"

Combining my editing powers with my current festive mood (It's Independence Day, Duh!!) I made a creative decision that, yes, '1000 Julys' could, indeed, be called a retro song. After all, it was recorded and released last century ;) And while many of our short-lived readers may feel immediately old with this week's choice, I will remind them that six years ago folks were stockpiling canned goods in preparation of Y2K disasters, the World Trade Center towers stood proudly and Fred Durst was all the rage. In other words, a lot has changed in a relatively short time.

All tongue-in-cheek banter aside, '1000 Julys' was one of the stand out tracks on Third Eye Blind's follow up to their 1997 smash debut. With powerful, crunchy guitar, grunge's lingering influence on the band is apparent in this particular tune. Steven Jenkins, an English grad from Berkeley, again fails to disappoint with his powerful and profound lyrics dealing with relationships and personal insecurity:

I'd say the words but no words come to mind
But you let me in and I don't know why
But when you come it's like a thousand julys

Overall, this song blitzkriegs while providing the hooky guitar and beach-rockesque harmonization unique to the band at the same time. Sure, the song could also fall under the cheesy category, but cheesy in the same way Kirk Cameron was on Growing Pains: the bad boy and All-American boy at the same time.

Have a great 4th of July folks!!
=========================================================
Planning my attack just before you come back around
Maybe I'm wrong but I don't know how to back down
I never fit in you know I don't belong
But you know that I don't care when you and me are strong
Cause I'm a vampire y'all
We toast the blood of our enemies
You're still scaring me no still scaring me no
And we don't fit in
Wonder what it's like when you're living with someone like me
I'm a freak and I'm nervous when it's easy
Feral days and I'm sex crazed
I put it in with my animal ways
That's the sign I was born to be living in
I ran around and gave the finger to the ritalin
You know you calm me down and I can't say why
You say goodbye and burn my eyes
A thousand july's
I hope you find
I'd give you the words but no words come to mind
But you turn me so cold so I tell you lies
When you let me in it's like a thousand julys
When you left I felt the drop like a boom
Wintertime all alone in your bedroom
I don't blame you and I know I'm not your friend
How we live young american
I guess I've always known I'd be on my own
I'd be on my own and I don't know why I don't know why
A thousand julys
I know you'll find
I'd say the words but no words come to mind
But you let me in and I don't know why
But when you come it's like a thousand julys
A thousand julys
That's what you are
I'd tell you to come back now but we've gone too far
And we've burned it out now
I don't even try
But I feel you gone
I lost a thousand julys

Third Eye Blind "Blue" torrent

Sevendust Announces What's "Next" for the Band

Sevendust has been in the studio working on new material for their 5th record, entitled Next. The release date has been set for October 11th, 2005. On their new site, http://www.Sevendust.info the band sheds some light into their recent struggles and discusses a promising new album:

(Sevendust) "We have been on a roller coaster ride since May of 2004. We replaced our management company with MG Management, dug out of financial despair, watched a record deal dissolve, and replaced a guitarist all in the course of six months. This left us in the position to do things one-way, our way. In January of this year, we locked ourselves away and shut out the outside world and began writing, recording, and self-producing or fifth album entitled, Next. For the first time since very early in our careers, we had no outside interference, no one telling us how to sound, no one telling us what to look like. The end result is truly gratifying. After feeling like a battered and ugly wife for so long, it was amazing to see the reaction to what we created from such a large percentage of the record industry. After weighing many options we decided to sign with Winedark/Universal who subsequently offered us our own record label imprint, 7Bros. Records. The excitement that we feel from these individuals, is something we have never felt before. It is safe to say we don’t feel so ugly after all."

If you visit the site, you can listen to the new track 'Pieces'.

Steve's Retro Song of the Week: The Doors - 'Crystal Ship'

A psychadelic oddesey, 'Crystal Ship' subtly leads the listener into the uncharted depths of their very soul. Morrison's incredibly hyptnotizing vocals, Ray Manzarek's carefully keyed piano and John Densmore's soft percussional accompianment all combine to manifest themselves into one of the most haunting songs on the Doors' 1967 debut. Aside from that very disc's Oedipal "The End," "Crystal Ship" is one of the most accurate reflections of Morrison's intricate psyche on the album.

Poetic, chilling and slightly touching at all the same time, "Crystal Ship" is a deep track that's significance is quite strong, despite overshadowment by the slew of successful singles the bassless band produced between 1967 and Morrison's untimely death in the early 70s. And while poseurs "study up" on rock's greats by purchasing only "greatest hits" and "best ofs," any true fan of the Doors understand that this cut is a wealthy contribution to the music world in light of the fact it was never celebrated as a popular radio single.
==================================================
Before you slip into unconsciousness
I’d like to have another kiss
Another flashing chance at bliss
Another kiss, another kiss

The days are bright and filled with pain
Enclose me in your gentle rain
The time you ran was too insane
We’ll meet again, we’ll meet again

Oh tell me where your freedom lies
The streets are fields that never die
Deliver me from reasons why
You’d rather cry, I’d rather fly

The crystal ship is being filled
A thousand girls, a thousand thrills
A million ways to spend your time
When we get back, I’ll drop a line

The Doors Box Set Torrent

Why Head Left Korn

"When I started playing in KORN, I began drifting downward spiritually. I became addicted to drugs like methamphetamine. I became rich and famous, although I never thought of myself as a rock star or as being bigger and better than anyone. I loved music, but I found myself at the point where I wanted to die. I didn't care about life.

"I think I hit the bottom when my wife left me while I was on the road. She started partying, bailed out with some dudes, and took my money and left me with our daughter. Then I had to take my daughter on the road with me. The band agreed to pay my daughter a dollar every time someone cussed in front of her. Before I knew it, my daughter was making, like, $100 a day, and I told people to try to chill in front of her. She was getting excited about making all this money, and it wasn't working. I had to put my kid before my career and all the money I was making. I decided to do the right thing. I was dying inside. If I didn't have my daughter, I would be dead right now, for sure.

Read the rest of the article here.

Mary-Kate 'Just Hanging Out' With Oasis

Apparently a wasted Mary-Kate Olsen waltzed out of Oasis' dressing room totally sloshed after one of their tour stops. The billionaire groupie was lead away from the band by her burly bodyguard. Olsen's rep claims that nothing terribly saucy went on behind the closed doors:

"Whatever the implication is, it's ridiculous," Olsen's rep assures us. "She was just hanging out with the band. Nothing went on whatsoever."

New Dandy Warhols Album Due In September

The Dandy Warhols' new album, "Odditorium or Warlords of Mars," will be released Sept. 13 via Capitol. The 12-track set was produced by group leader Courtney Taylor-Taylor in tandem with Gregg Williams and was mixed by Tchad Blake. A video for first single "Smoke It" finds the band performing in front of 40 dogs.

Here is the track listing:

"Colder Than the Coldest Winter Was Cold"
"Love Is the New Feel Awful"
"Easy"
"All The Money or the Simple Life Honey"
"The New Country"
"Holding Me Up"
"Did You Make a Song With Otis"
"Everyone Is Totally Insane"
"Smoke It"
"Down Like Disco"
"There Is Only This Time"
"A Loan Tonight"

Fan Stabbed To Death At Corrosion Of Conformity Show

Four people were stabbed, one fatally, at a Corrosion Of Conformity show last night (June 23) at the Masquerade club in Ybor City, Fla. According to police, a fight between two women broke out in the mosh pit in front of the stage but spread to other members of the audience.

The stabbing suspect is a white male with a shaved head between the ages of 28-30, approximately 5'8"-5'10" tall, and with a red or brown goatee and mustache. He fled the scene while continuing to wave a knife at members of the audience, police said.

"In 20-plus years of gigging, we've never seen anything like this," reads a statement on Corrosion Of Conformity's Web site. "It's sad that people can't come together for a good time, listening to music, without something tragic happening. We feel for the families of those attacked and wish success to Tampa law enforcement in their quest to solve this pointless crime."

Voodoo Music Experience 2005

New Orleans' always interesting Voodoo music festival has announced the acts that have been booked for this fall's lineup:

In addition to previously announced headliner Nine Inch Nails, the seventh Voodoo Music Experience will feature performances by Queens Of The Stone Age, My Chemical Romance, the Flaming Lips, Billy Idol, the New York Dolls, Secret Machines, DJ Tiesto, the Bravery, Ryan Adams and Mickey Hart's Voodoo Drum Circle. The event will be held Oct. 29-30 at New Orleans' City Park; tickets go on sale July 8.

Other acts set to appear include LCD Soundsystem, Handsome Boy Modeling School (plus separate sets from group members Dan the Automator and Prince Paul), Brazilian Girls, Carl Cox, Louis XIV, Social Distortion, the Decemberists, VHS Or Beta and Digable Planets.

A number of eclectic acts will grace the One Basin Street Stage, such as Joss Stone, Dr. John, the Neville Brothers, Kermit Ruffins with the Rebirth Brass Band, Michael Tolcher and the Spam Allstars.

For more info, visit the festival's official site at http://www.voodoomusicfest.com/2005/home.php

Artist Spotlight: Smoosh

Seattle's Smoosh has been creating a stir. Maybe it's because the duo is comprised of two sisters; only one of which can barely squeek into a PG13 movie by herself? Maybe it's because they are that young and already in the process of recording their second album? Maybe it's because Death Cab for Cutie's Jason McGerr has worked with them and is helping them in the studio? Maybe it's because they've played shows with Death Cab, Rilo Kiley, Jimmy Eat World, Cat Power, and even Pearl Jam? Or, maybe it is because people are actually surprised that preteens are capable of writing music by themselves that doesnt come out using a phrase like 'MmmBop'.

The preternaturally gifted duo spearheads a growing movement of young female independent bands with an ingenious, instinctual wisdom that comes as naturally as their multifaceted, genre-tickling songwriting. ...Asya, Smoosh’s vocalist and pianist/keyboardist, wails and croons like an old soul with her tiny, tremulous voice. The fearless confidence that often accompanies youth (Asya is 13, Chloe is 11) runs through Smoosh’s pop-based quirk rock with strength and beauty, and people are listening in awe.

When I first looked into the band (via suggestion by LN reader Cal), I found the whole thing to be pretty hilarious. After having listened to several songs I would say that I was actually quite impressed with the originality and catchiness in their music. And apparently I'm not the only one:

"The hottest new band in the US underground" - NME

"Inspiring equal parts awe and awww" - Time Out NY

"10 out of 10" - Vice

"5 out of 5" - Alternative Press

"Remarkable." - Seattle Weekly

"Truly impressive." - Boston Globe

"Smoosh are awesome." - The Stranger

"Smart, engaging, dance-y pop songs that are both intelligently catchy and indie-rock scruffy." - CMJ Music Monthly

To see for yourself what all the fuss is about and draw your own conclusions, check out the Smoosh site at Pattern25 Records

Coldplay Logs Second Week Atop U.S. Album Charts

British rock band Coldplay staved off strong competition from Foo Fighters and the Backstreet Boys to rule the U.S. pop albums chart for a second week, according to sales data released Wednesday.

"X&Y" (Capitol) sold 323,000 copies in the week ended June 19, followed by Foo Fighters' "In Your Honor" with 310,600 copies and Backstreet Boys' "Never Gone" with 291,000 copies. The total for "X&Y" stands at 1.1 million copies.

And listeners are paid how much?

``AMERICAN IDOL'' is coming to a computer near you. The popular TV reality series is kicking off an online version as an Internet radio station called ``American Idol Underground,'' according to the New York Post. The site will provide a place where contestants can upload their music to the service for a $50 entry fee. Then each track will receive a minimum of 200 spins and listeners can vote on their favorites. And make them their own, we guess.

Concert review: Rilo Kiley

Los Angeles heartbreak-rock darlings Rilo Kiley played a raucous, triumphant return home Sunday night to a sold-out crowd at the Wiltern LG. It was an evening of pleasant surprises for fans who wondered whether the indie favorites -- newly bigtime with their latest release distributed by Warner Bros. -- would be able to hold their own in the 2,300-capacity Wiltern, a big step up from the cozy clubs they played in support of their first two records.

The band met the challenge and then some, opening with a forceful "It's a Hit," the appropriately titled song off last year's "More Adventurous" (Brute/Beaute/Warners). It was a night of big, bold sound and impressive instrumentation, rounded out by a couple of horns and frontwoman Jenny Lewis' rich, expansive vocals. The group delivered an astoundingly tight, joyous set -- an impressive show of enthusiasm from a band just off a grueling 41-date North American tour.

Soul Asylum Co-Founder Deceased

After a prolonged battle with throat cancer, Soul Asylum bassist and founding member Karl Mueller passed away on Friday. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune reports that Mueller died on Friday at his Minnesota home. Mueller helped form the first incarnation of Soul Asylum, then called Loud Fast Rules, with Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy in the early '80s. The band reached its pinnacle of success in the early '90s with "Runaway Train" off the album Grave Dancers Union. Last October, fellow hometown brethren like Paul Westerberg of the Replacements and Bob Mould of Husker Du organized a benefit concert to help Mueller pay for his cancer treatment. Mueller leaves behind a wife, Mary Beth, and Pirner, Murphy, and former Soul Asylum road manager Bill Sullivan were listed as his "brothers" in a printed obituary.

Billy Corgan Wants to Reform Smashing Pumpkins?!?!

Click here to see the full page ad Billy Corgan took out in the Chicago Sunday Tribune.

Apparently, Billy Corgan has changed his tune and wants to reform his former band.

Ted's Song of the Week - 6/21/05

Girl
Beck
Guero

Wow! This song gets my vote for song of the summer. I was listening to the album on a Sunday morning, not paying much attention so much as filling in the empty void of working in a movie theater at 8 AM. Anyways, I was stopped in my tracks as "Girl" started playing. With an opening comprised of keyboards your kid brother could play, it unexpectedly broke into a flurry of acoustic guitar, clapping hands, and opulent harmonies reminiscent of the Beach Boys.
The most interesting thing about this song is that, in true Beck fashion, it suggests one thing while offering another. The song's tone innocently paints a picture of a man's pining for some girl at the beach, while the lyrics are a bit disturbing in that stalker/abducter sense. Of course, this is merely my interpretation of the song, but lyrics like "I'm gonna make her die", "hands tied back", and "nothing that i wouldn't try" seem to suggest something deeper than a summer crush.
Love song or not, this is a great song to blast in the car with the windows down. Give it a listen and become a Beck fan.

Lyrics:

I saw her, yeah I saw her with her black tongue tied
Round the roses
Fist pounding on a vending machine
Toy diamond ring stuck on her finger
With a noose she can hang from the sun
And put it out with her dark sunglasses
Walking crooked down the beach
She spits on the sand where their bones are bleaching
And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
She doesn't even know what's wrong
And I know I'm gonna make her die
Take her where her soul belongs
And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
Nothing that I wouldn't try

My..... girl
My..... girl

I saw her, yeah I saw her with her hands tied back
And her rags were burning
Crawling out from a landfilled life
Scrawlin her name upon the ceiling
Throw a coin in a fountain of dust
White noise, her ears are ringing
Got a ticket for a midnight hanging
Throw a bullet from a freight train leaving
And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
She doesn't even know what's wrong
And I know I'm gonna make her die
Take her where her soul belongs
And I know I'm gonna steal her eye
Nothing that I would not try

My..... girl

Cool Toy; Itunes Registry Important Tool for any Audiophile

For all of you Itunes users out there, I am not sure if you are aware of this cool site known as Itunes Registry.com. Basically, you upload yuor library's XML file, and from there the site generates a number of cool graphs and conclusions based on your library's data. Below is an automated description of my itunes library the site determined:

You appear to like Alternative the most, with Jem your favorite, which is weird since you've spent more time listening to Elbow , yet you have more Cranberries than anything else (in this genre). Indie is your favorite common genre, and you have more Rock songs than anything else. White Stripes is your favorite overall artist. Gomez ain't too bad, either.

I would say, based on my listening habits lately, that this description isn't too far off. How does Itunes Registry's description of your library fair?

Steve's Retro Song of the Week: The Police - "Syncronocity II"

The sequel to "Syncronocity I," the fittingly titled "Syncronocity II" is emulative of a tribesman's painful lament. Sting's opening wails in the beginning provide a perfect segue into the social commentary that is the rest of "Syncronocity II." Combining punk with trad rock, the song bemoans the plight of the urban working class and estranged suburbanites:

Another industrial ugly morning / The factory belches filth into the sky
He walks unhindered through the picket lines today / He doesn't think to wonder why

Although the tone of the song is nothing near somber or pathetic, there are traces of Irish limerick and other folk songs of shared adversity and indignity throughout the tune. With amps cranked to eleven, and Sting wailing at the top of his lungs, the song is both eye-opening and inspirational. And it cannot be failed to mention that the song is well served by a oft-repeated, yet incredibly catchy guitar hook along with the strategic absense of a chorus.

Poppy, smart and contagious, "Syncronocity II" is a great song to drive fast or run a few miles too. It is the perfect backdrop for any situation where you want to blow off a little steam.
============================================

Another suburban family morning
Grandmother screaming at the wall
We have to shout above the din of our Rice Crispies
We can't hear anything at all
Mother chants her litany of boredom and frustration
But we know all her suicides are fake
Daddy only stares into the distance
There's only so much more that he can take
Many miles away
Something crawls from the slime
At the bottom of a dark Scottish lake

Another industrial ugly morning
The factory belches filth into the sky
He walks unhindered through the picket lines today
He doesn't think to wonder why
The secretaries pout and preen like
cheap tarts in a red light street
But all he ever thinks to do is watch
And every single meeting with his so-called superior
Is a humiliating kick in the crotch
Many miles away
Something crawls to the surface
Of a dark Scottish lake

Another working day has ended
Only the rush hour hell to face
Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes
Contestants in a suicidal race
Daddy grips the wheel and stares alone into the distance
He knows that something somewhere has to break
He sees the family home now looming in the headlights
The pain upstairs that makes his eyeballs ache
Many miles away
There's a shadow on the door
Of a cottage on the shore
Of a dark Scottish lake
Many miles away, many miles away

Spin Magazine's Top Album of the Last 20 Years Is...

...Radiohead's "OK Computer." Certainly, this will stir much controversy.

The British band's album edged out Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" and Nirvana's "Nevermind" on a list in Spin's 20th anniversary issue, currently on newsstands.

"Between Thom Yorke's orange-alert worldview and the band's meld of epic guitar rock and electronic glitch, ('OK Computer') not only forecast a decade of music but uncannily predicted our global culture of communal distress," reads the editorial note on what separated the 1997 disc from the other 99 ranked albums.

Mudvayne: Showing Face

There is a good article at Time Off, an Australian music publication, on the band Mudvayne. Here are a few excerpts:

In many respects, Mudvayne have reflected a return to theatrics for rock’n’roll that references the histories and movements probably most often associated with the 70s and early 80s. While they (and most of their fellow image-based metal counterparts) might not want to acknowledge it, they are the echoed fall-out from 80s hair-metal acts such as Wasp, Mötley Crüe and Kiss.

&

“There’s a temptation to really work at getting the tightest sounds you can and that’s all well and good, but this time I think we’ve let there be loose parts. We’ve taken a step back from that editing and just gone for making it feel like us playing.”

Depeche Mode Touring Ahead Of New Album

Depeche Mode will begin a six-week North American tour in October in support of its as-yet-untitled new album, due around the same time via Mute internationally and Reprise/Warner Bros. in North America. Dates and venues have not been announced for the North American portion, but an extensive European tour will begin Jan. 13 in Dresden, Germany and has dates on tap through April 3 in London.

Here are Depeche Mode's European tour dates:

Jan. 13: Dresden, Germany (Messehalle)
Jan. 15: Hamburg (Color Line Arena)
Jan. 18: Berlin (Velodrom)
Jan. 20: Dusseldorf, Germany (LTU Arena)
Jan. 23: Prague (Saksa Arena)
Jan. 24: Enfurt, Germany (Messehalle)
Jan. 26: Frankfurt (Festhalle)
Jan. 29: Antwerp, Belgium (Sports Paleis)
Jan. 31: Geneva, Switzerland (Arena)
Feb. 2: Marseille, France (Le Dome)
Feb. 3: Toulouse (Zenith)
Feb. 4: Lyon (Tony Garnier)
Feb. 6: Madrid (Palacio Deportes)
Feb. 8: Lisbon, Portugal (Pavilhao Atlantico)
Feb. 10: Barcelona (Palau Sant Jordi)
Feb. 14: Munich (Olympiahalle)
Feb. 16: Vienna (Stadthalle)
Feb. 18: Milan (Forum)
Feb. 21: Paris (Bercy)
Feb. 25: Copenhagen (Parken Stadium)
Mar. 3: St. Petersburg, Russia (SKK)
Mar. 4: Moscow (Luzhniki)
Mar. 9: Stuttgart, Germany (Schleyerhalle)
Mar. 10: Friedrichshafen, Germany (Messehalle)
Mar. 11: Mannheim, Germany (SAP Arena)
Mar. 13: Graz, Austria (Stadthalle)
Mar. 14: Katowice, Poland (Spodek)
Mar. 16: Tallinn, Estonia (Saku Arena)
Mar. 17: Riga, Latvia (New Arena)
Mar. 18: Vilnius, Lithuania (Siemens Arena)
Mar. 21: Budapest (Arena)
Mar. 22: Ljubljana, Slovenia (Hala Tivoli)
Mar. 24: Amneville, France (Galaxie)
Mar. 25: Douai, France (Gayant Expo)
Mar. 26: Rotterdam, Holland (Ahoy)
Mar. 28: Zurich (Hallenstadion)
Mar. 30: Manchester, England (Manchester Evening News Arena)
Mar. 31: Birmingham, England (N.E.C.)
April 3: London (Wembley Arena)

Our Lady Peace Survives 'Paranoid Times'

Canadian modern rock outfit Our Lady Peace has set an Aug. 30 release date for its sixth Columbia studio album, "Healthy in Paranoid Times." The album was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi) and will be led by first single "Where Are You," which goes to radio in July.

Other tracks include "Will the Future Blame Us," "Angels/Losing Sleep," "An Apology," "Walking in Circles" and "Picture."

SOAD/Mars Volta Summer Tour

Here's a tour i would love to see. Too bad it's coming nowhere near my neck of the woods.

System Of A Down will launch its previously announced tour with the Mars Volta Aug. 4-5 in Long Beach, Calif. The trek, which will also feature Bad Acid Trip, will run through Sept. 1 in Toronto. Pre-sale information can be found on SOAD's official Web site.

System's first major North American tour since 2002 comes in support of its new American/Columbia album, "Mezmerize," which debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 last month and has already sold more than 827,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The Mars Volta's recent Universal set "Frances the Mute" debuted in March at a career-best No. 4 on The Billboard 200 and has shifted more than 347,000 copies to date.

Tour Dates:
Aug. 4-5: Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Arena)
Aug. 6: San Diego (Sports Arena)
Aug. 8: Phoenix (America West Arena)
Aug. 11: Dallas (American Airlines Center)
Aug. 12: San Antonio (SBC Arena)
Aug. 13: Houston (Mitchell Pavilion)
Aug. 15: Pensacola, Fla. (Civic Center)
Aug. 16: Orlando, Fla. (TD Waterhouse Arena)
Aug. 17: Miami (Office Depot Center)
Aug. 19: Atlanta (Gwinnett Arena)
Aug. 21: Hampton, Va. (Hampton Coliseum)
Aug. 22: Baltimore (Baltimore Arena)
Aug. 23: East Rutherford, N.J. (Continental Airlines Arena)
Aug. 26: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Aug. 29: Montreal (Belle Centre)
Aug. 30: Quebec City, Quebec (Pepsi Coliseum)
Sept. 1: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)

Steve's June Playlist

Compared to Tae's recent playlist there is little room for comparison among the two. Mine is chalk full of mainstream alternative, stemming from the nineties on through to today, whereas his takes a much more underground route of acheiving his musical ends. Owing much of my inspiration to Ted's Song of the Week, five of the songs shown here were at one time features in his weekly article.I would describe this mix as quite raucous with a gradual slow-down towards the end. It makes a great driving mix (I know from my most recent traveling experiences), and despite being comprised mostly of bands with "the" in their name is, in fact, quite diverse:

Candlebox - "Change"
Tonic - "Casual Affair"
INXS - "One Thing"
The Bravery - "An Honest Mistake"
The Doves - "Black and White Town"
Badly Drawn Boy - "One Plus One is One"
Stereophonics -"Handbags and Gladrags"
Jem - "24"
Ash - "Orpheus"
Foo Fighters - "No Way Back"
My Chemical Romance - "Give 'Em Hell, Kid"
The White Stripes -"Blue Orchid"
Audioslave - "Out of Exile"
Nine Inch Nails - "Everyday is Exactly the Same"
Kasabian - "Club Foot"
The Cranberries - "Zombie"
The Black Keys - "10 AM Automatic"
Smashing Pumpkins - "Never Let Me Down Again"
The Thrills -"Saturday Night"
The Fire Theft - "Rubber Bands"

Cursive to release rarities record

Cursive are to release a compilation of rare tracks through Saddle Creek this summer, entitled The Difference Between Houses And Homes.
The 12-track record, available on CD and 180gram vinyl and sub-titled Lost Songs and Loose Ends 1995-2001, will hit shelves on August 8th. A 24-page booklet will be included featuringa story relating to the title of the collection, written by singer Tim Kasher and illustrated by Yuriko Yoshino of Eastern Youth.

Autolux to tour with NIN, Queens of the Stone Age

It has recently been announced that rock trio, Autolux, will be the opening band for Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age. Autolux is reported to be the opening act from September 16 to October 14. Death From Above 1979 will handle the opening duties for the last leg of the tour. The tour will be in support of NIN's "With Teeth" and QOTSA's "Lullabies To Paralyze".

Tour Dates:
Sept. 16: San Diego (Cox Arena)
Sept. 17: Tucson, Ariz. (TCC Arena)
Sept. 19: Phoenix (America West Arena)
Sept. 20: Fresno, Calif. (Selland Arena)
Sept. 23: Seattle (Key Arena)
Sept. 24: Portland, Ore. (Rose Garden)
Sept. 26: Vancouver (Pacific Coliseum)
Sept. 28: Sacramento, Calif. (Arco Arena)
Sept. 30: Oakland, Calif. (Oakland Coliseum)
Oct. 1: Los Angeles (Hollywood Bowl)
Oct. 4: Salt Lake City (E Center)
Oct. 5: Denver (Pepsi Arena)
Oct. 7: Chicago (Allstate Arena)
Oct. 8: Detroit (Joe Louis Arena)
Oct. 9: Cleveland (Gund Arena)
Oct. 11: St. Paul, Minn. (Xcel Energy Center)
Oct. 13: Madison, Wis. (Alliant Energy Center)
Oct. 14: St. Louis (Savvis Center)
Oct. 16: San Antonio (SBC Center)
Oct. 17: Dallas (American Airlines Arena)
Oct. 19: Houston (Toyota Center)
Oct. 21: Jacksonville, Fla. (Jacksonville Arena)
Oct. 22: Tampa, Fla. (St. Pete Times Forum)
Oct. 24: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Office Depot Center)
Oct. 25: Orlando, Fla. (TD Waterhouse Centre)
Oct. 27: Atlanta (Philips Arena)
Oct. 29: New Orleans (Voodoo Music Experience)
Oct. 31: Nashville (Gaylord Entertainment Center)
Nov. 2: Washington, D.C. (MCI Center)
Nov. 3: New York (Madison Square Garden)

British band Coldplay's new album opens at No. 1

British rock band Coldplay clinched its first American chart topper on Wednesday as its latest album "X&Y" logged first-week U.S. sales of more than 737,000 copies and also shot to No. 1 in 21 other countries.

The strong debut for Coldplay's highly anticipated third studio release marked the biggest opening so far this year for a rock album and came as especially welcome news for the band's label, EMI Group Plc.

Ted's Song of the Week - 6/15/05

Strange & Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell On You)
Aqualung
Strange & Beautiful

Aqualung's U.S. debut is pure gold for those who enjoy their music chilled. While the title track is only one of many gems you can find on this album, it has gained the most acclaim after being featured in a volkswagen commercial. The band draws comparisons to Coldplay and early Radiohead.
"Strange & Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell On You)" is comprised almost entirely of piano with the occasional accompaniment of bass guitar and the soft, steady rhythm of drums. If nothing else, it works to lull the listener to sleep.

Lyrics:
I've been watching your world from afar,
I've been trying to be where you are,
And I've been secretly falling apart,
Unseen.
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,
You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,
You turn every head but you don't see me.

I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep and I'll put a spell on you.
And when I wake you,
I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realise that you love me.

Yeah...
Yeah...

Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first,
Sometimes, the frist thing you want never comes,
And I know, the waiting is all you can do,
Sometimes...

I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep,
I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you,
I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realise that you love me.

I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep 'cos I'll put a spell on you,
And when I wake you,
I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realise that you love me, yeah...

yeah...
yeah...
yeah...
yeah...

Tae's June 15 Mix

Disclaimer: I've never been known for having an exceptionally narrow taste in music; in fact, sometimes my interests jump rather drastically from one genre to another. Occassionally I'll skip from Michael Jackson to Pantera without a thought. Lucky for me, the Lonely Note provides a haven for me to discuss an eclectic range of music without apologies. Once or twice a month I put together a mix of new music that I've been listening to - Some of which is more mainstream, and some which is fairly underground. Realizing that not everyone will appreciate every single track that I put on a mix, my goal of posting the tracklisting is to not only provide a collection of some current interests, but to hopefully turn the reader onto some new tunes.

This most recent mix covers some new tracks that I've been listening to within the past couple weeks. In general, the tracks on this particular mix are arranged to flow from hardest to softest. Opening with harder rock, the disc transitions into indie/garage rock, which then turns toward new wave, and finally wraps up with some folky chamber pop.
So, without further rambling, here is...

Tae's June 15 Mix:

1) Static-X - I'm the One
2) Dream Theater - I Walk Beside You
3) Finch - Brother Bleed Brother
4) Dredg - Bug Eyes
5) 30 Seconds to Mars - Attack
6) Billy Corgan - Mina Loy (M.O.H.)
7) 10 Years - Wasteland [acoustic version]
8) the Sights - Circus
9) Mando Diao - God Knows
10) Spoon - I Turn My Camera On
11) Of Montreal - The Party's Crashing Us
12) Fischerspooner - Cloud
13) Phoenix - Everything is Everything
14) New Order - Jetstream
15) Morcheeba - Wonders Never Cease
16) Architecture in Helsinki - The Owls Go
17) Caribou - Hello Hammerheads

Nine Black Alps Watch

On Monday, Nine Black Alps released their debut album Everything Is. Read more from the band below:

The time has come for us to release our debut album 'Everything Is'. It's out today (6/13) in fact, available from all good record stores on CD and LP. To promote it, we'll be doin' a bunch of instore gigs around the UK this week, so check out the 'shows' alp for one near you. Oh, and please note that the London HMV Oxford Road show is now at 6pm.

Also, according to their website, Louis Pattison claims that Manchester is the "new Seattle.":

Manchester is the new Seattle, if Everything Is, the debut album from Nine Black Alps is anything to go by: the work of four young men clearly well versed in the thick, stamped-pedal distortion and angst-wracked sentiments popular in the days of grunge, the raging likes of "Shot Down" and "Not Everyone" should be instant manna for a generation that still holds Kurt in such saintly regard.

Whether or not Manchester spawns a wave of grunge-revial is yet to be determined. One thing is for sure though: Nine Black Alps rocks.

Foo Fighters, Weezer Eyeing Fall Tour

Modern rock heavyweights Foo Fighters and Weezer are in talks to team for a fall tour, Foos leader Dave Grohl said this morning (June 14) on "The Howard Stern Show." The trek is expected to get underway in September, although sources say details may not be finalized until next week.

The Foos' new double album, "In Your Honor," hits stores today. The group's only scheduled North American show will come Saturday (June 18) at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, N.M., where it will entertain an invite-only crowd of winners of a contest sponsored by online music service Rhapsody.

New Dredg Album Due June 21

One week from today, Dredg will be releasing a new album entitled Catch Without Arms. The follow-up to 2002's El Cielo, Catch Without Arms is Dredg's third LP on Interscope Records. Having already heard some demos for this album, I would say the new material sounds quite promising. The band is currently playing shows in support of the new record.

Audio and video for the song 'Bug Eyes' is already available to preview on the band's temporary website

The Killers vs. The Bravery: Update

Well, I guess my original post took Brandon Flowers' quotes out of context. Here is the quote in its entirety. According to the discussion group, the interview is from Q magazine:

And most of the controversy is peddled by Flowers
himself. It has been difficult to keep up with the
number of bands he has tongue-lashed this past year, but
they include Dallas prog-rockers Secret Machines ("total
assholes") and Canadian noiseniks The Stills ("bitchy
and pretentious"). His most recent victims are New
York's The Bravery, who mine similar UK influences to
his own.

"I've never actually said anything bad about anyone who
didn't deserve it," he says mischeviously, "but,
occasionally, it is brought on by jealousy. When I hear
a good song, it really does piss me off. But as far as
the Bravery goes..." Here, he falters. "Look, I'm not
supposed to be doing this any more but, well, you're
poking me and so I'll say this: to me, The Bravery just
aren't real. I've heard that the keyboard parts are all
pre-programmed, and that singer can't reach the high
notes on [recent single] An Honest Mistake. I can reach
those high notes."

In response, The Bravery have accused Flowers of kicking
them off a succession of UK tours because he feels
threatened.

"They said that?" says Flowers, eyebrows twitching.
"That's funny, really funny."

Album Review: Foo Fighters - In Your Honor

3.0 out of 5 stars


After spending about the past week and a half listening to In Your Honor I must say that the album has grown on me somewhat. The double disced, two-genred album comprises of 20 tracks. 10 are acoustic, and 10 other ones contain electric guitar and are quite raucous. Yet, while I have learned to stomach this album, I am not going to lie and claim it is the Foo Fighters' greatest work. To be sure, there are a number of good songs spread throughout the two compact discs, but a good number of the rest serve merely as simple filler. Perhaps, if some of the fat were cut, and the entire album were cut down by 8 or 9 songs, the CD would pack a much more powerful punch.

Overall, In Your Honor is an album that screams mediocrity. It isn't terrible. It isn't great either. There are a few shining moments, though, with Norah Jones collaborating with Grohl in "Virginia Moon". "Cold Day in the Sun" provides welcome refuge from Dave Grohl overkill with drummer Taylor Hawkins singing on that track. In addition, "No Way Back" is an upbeat anthem reminiscent of the post-Cobain neo-grunge the Foos initally became so famous for.

Aside from the ten or so songs where the Foos really shine, the other half of the album sounds like Grohl and Company are only going through the motions. As a fairly large Foo Fighters fan I hate having to say this, but I must: save yourself the dissapointment and don't worry about shelling out the cash to purchase this album. It will only leave you more homesick for the musically vibrant mid-90s of ten years ago--a time when the Foos truly shined and were in their element.

Foo Fighters In Your Honor torrent file

Classic Pink Floyd Lineup to Play Live 8

Organizers of the London Live 8 concert said Sunday that the British rock band Pink Floyd would perform with its classic lineup at the July event for the first time in more than two decades.

Guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason, bass player Roger Waters and keyboard player Richard Wright have not performed on stage together since 1981.

The group, which achieved major success with their 1973 album "Dark Side Of The Moon," will join musical acts including Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney and Coldplay at the anti-poverty concert in Hyde Park on July 2.

"Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G-8 leaders to make huge commitments to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world," Gilmour said.

Steve's Retro Song of the Week: The Jam - "Town Called Malice"

Kicking it off with a Motown styled bass riff, back beat and pipe organ, The Jam's "Town Called Malice" sounds almost like a Supremes song at first. The immediate introduction of Paul Weller's vocals, however, proves otherwise. One of the most popular British punk bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s, The Jam garnered little success in the states. Yet, only 3000 miles across the pond called the Atlantic Ocean, they became near superstars in the UK. Epitomizing the minimalism of new wave punk, "Town Called Malice" should be a regular staple of any early 80s alternative rock compilation.

==============================================

Better stop dreaming of the quiet life -
Cos it’s the one we’ll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus -
Cos those rosey days are few
And - stop apologising for the things you’ve never done,
Cos time is short and life is cruel -
But it’s up to us to change
This town called malice.
Rows and rows of disused milk floats
Stand dying in the dairy yard
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk
Bottles to their hearts
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry
It’s enough to make you stop believing when tears come
Fast and furious
In a town called malice.

Struggle after struggle - year after year
The atmosphere’s a fine blend of ice -
I’m almost stone cold dead
In a town called malice.

A whole street’s belief in sunday’s roast beef
Gets dashed against the co-op
To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear
It’s a big decision in a town called malice.

The ghost of a steam train - echoes down my track
It’s at the moment bound for nowhere -
Just going round and round
Playground kids and creaking swings -
Lost laughter in the breeze
I could go on for hours and I probably will -
But I’d sooner put some joy back
In this town called malice.

"Town Called Malice" ED2K link.

Steve Audio: Weekend Recap, The Dead 60s and Greg Biffle

**Disclaimer: I have no idea why I thought the name was Ken Mitger. The name the woman said was Greg Biffle. I'm not so sure I resemble him, but who knows.

Arabic Music the Next Big Thing?

Here is an interesting article that I lifted from www.Contactmusic.com

Veteran rocker BRIAN ENO thinks music is ready for a whole new sound - and he's tipping Arabic tunes to move mainstream.

The 57-year-old star, famed for his flamboyant outfits as Roxy Music's synthesizer wizard, believes the new melodies will come from the Arabic world.

He says, "It's completely commercial, totally Arabic and totally viable for this world, just like the blues completely suffused the music of the early 1960s, woke it up and got it out of CLIFF RICHARD and all this sort of thing and made it kind of dirtier and rougher and more lively and sexy.

"I think Arabic music is a similar prospect.

<> "I'd love it if American kids were listening to Muslim music. Wouldn't that piss their parents off?"

Eno then promptly signed a lifetime recording contract with Al Jazeera Records...just kidding.

Flaming Lips on Wedding Crashers Soundtrack

The Flaming Lips have contributed a new song to the summer comedy "Wedding Crashers" starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. The song, "Mr. Ambulance Driver", is said to head up a stellar line-up of music from the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Bloc Party, Spoon, and Death Cab For Cutie. The soundtrack is scheduled for release on July 12.
"Mr. Ambulance Driver" is expected to be on their new album, At War With the Mystics, which is due sometime next February. This will be the band's 12th studio album.

Artist Spotlight: 10 Years

Modern rock radio has begun to see a climb from a Knoxville, Tennessee band known as 10 Years, due to their ambitious new single 'Wasteland.' With an upcoming debut album on Universal Records, the quintet has hit the road, touring with the likes of Seether, Crossfade, and No Address. Fans of Chevelle may find the band to be of interest. Dates for the rest of June include:

Sat June 11th Scene Pavilion Cleveland, OH
Friday June 13th Pop's Sauget, IL
June 14th Rocketown Nashville, TN
June 15th The Foundry Dayton, OH
June 17th Val Air Ballroom Des Moines, IA
June 19th Bricktown Live Oklahoma City, OK
June 22 In The Venue Salt Lake City, UT
June 23 Mesa Theatre Grand Junction, CO
June 24 Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
June 25 Canyon Amphitheatre Lubbock, TX
June 26 Concrete St.. Pavillion Corpus Christi, TX
June 28 La Villa RDallas TX
June 30 Corral Nightclub El Paso, TX

To listen to 'Wasteland' and find more information on the band, visit the 10 Years website

Devil Meets Songwriter at Crossroads: Offers Development Deal

Thank-you to Adam.Zero for drawing attention to this news story:

Nashville songwriter Luke Powers, known for his quirky takes on popular culture in songs such as "I Saw John Kennedy Today" and "Cover Song" (a paean to the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper album cover), has recently released "Driving with my Demon in the Deep South." The song is available in mp3 format for free download at www.phoebeclaire.com .

The song resulted from an actual occurrence when University professor Powers was driving alone to a southern literature conference on a rain-soaked Alabama night. "Lots of lightning flashes," he recalls, "twister weather."

Powers quickly got lost in the ganglia of Alabama backroads. Rain rendered the road-signs unreadable. But he continued south, driving by instinct. Near midnight with no motel in sight, he reached a lonely crossroads in a not-so-proverbial middle of nowhere.

"It was a four-way stop," he says. "Just the type of place where Robert Johnson had sold his soul to the devil."

Read the rest of the article here.

Steve Audio: Why I Won't Be Able to Contribute This Weekend

An Audio Message From Steve

Hey guys. I decided to test out audioblogger, the free service that lets you post audio directly to your Blogger account via the telephone. Don't I have a sexy voice? :)

The Killers vs. The Bravery

The following is verbatim from the Killers discussion list found at http://groups.yahoo.com. Apparently, there is some sort of feud between The Killers and The Bravery. Did The Bravery really steal The Killers' sound, is Brandon Flowers overly egotistical or is everything just a mere publicity stunt? You be the judge:

The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers has finally given the reason behind his hatred of The Bravery - he is jealous of them. The singer has been involved in a long-running spat with the New York electro rockers, originally slamming them for copying his style. But he now admits he simply becomes angry when he hears his rivals are doing well. He says, "I've never actually said anything bad about anyone who didn't deserve it, but occasionally it's brought on by jealousy. When I hear a good song it really does p*ss me off."

Whomever posted this claimed they lifted the story from KDGE, but when I went there I wasn't quite sure where to look, so I haven't seen the story for myself. Who knows if it is true?

Ex-'Idol' Prays for Soul of Some Chick Named Betty

Ok, first of all, I haven't watched an episode of American Idol since its first season. This might be because I personally feel the show is everything that most quality music stands against... or it might just be that it sucks. But, there are obviously many who feel quite the opposite from me, since the show has continued to garner large audiences for four whole seasons.

Just recently I ran across the name of an up-and-coming New York City band that goes by the name Pray for the Soul of Betty. Through my curiosity of this unusual name, I searched out a couple tracks by them, and quickly learned that the band is fronted by a singer named Constantine Maroulis. If that name sounds familiar, it is because Constantine was recently a top 6 finalist on the fourth season of American Idol. A little surprised (and disheartened), I reconsidered whether I really wanted to listen to the band. However, upon reading that the band was established prior to Constantine's appearance on 'Idol' and already had a large underground following, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and checked out a couple tracks.

The first I wasn't all that impressed by, but the second track struck a definite chord with me. Titled "Suicide", the song takes a build-up approach and mixes modern alternative/hard rock with classic rock roots. It's a track that I could definitely see getting some commercial success - and now that Constantine has captured the attention of millions, I wouldn't rule anything out just yet. I may not have witnessed Constantine's praise-worthy performances on 'Idol', but I wouldn't say his vocal work with 'Betty' is anything particularly outstanding. His vocals provide an appropriate level of balance to the music, and the songwriting is strong enough that "Suicide" is quite painless. I admit to feeling a little guilty recommending music from an American Idol contestant, but the music is really quite disconnected from what you would come to expect from someone like Clay Aiken. Plus, I've listened to this track a half-dozen times in the last couple hours, so I figured it was worth writing about.

Pray for the Soul of Betty just released their self-titled album May 10. To check out more and hear audio clips(unfortunately not including "Suicide"), go to Pray for the Soul of Betty

Gavin Rossdale Has a New Band??

Well, I had no idea that Bush's frontman was embarking on a new side project. I had no idea he was no longer with Bush either. Anyway, the new band, Institute, consists of Helmet / Orange 9mm guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Cache "Utah Slim" Tolman, formerly of Civ, Rival Schools and exploratory jazz metalloids Iceburn and drummer Charlie Walker (Chamberlain, Split Lip).

Gavin describes the group as "muscular," an ambiguous term that conjures up images of both Henry Rollins and Slayer at the same time. Who knows what the hell he means. Page Hamilton, of Helmet, is producing the album which is slated for release in autumn. The first single is entitled "Bulletproof Skin." Wow, that is MUSCULAR!!

So Rossdale decided that if he were to return to rock's front lines, he'd have to do so in drastic style. Forget about going the tender route of the softhearted solo troubadour — in the words of brusque celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, it was time to turn it up a notch.

"I didn't want to do a softer record than Bush, because I thought that would be maybe more expected," Rossdale said. "I thought what would be cooler would be to do something a little bit heavier, a little stronger. I wanted to make a more forceful record."

Inside Velvet Revolver's Comic Book Obsession

In another splendid artistic move, Scott Weiland and the boys of Velvet Revolver have added a song to the soundtrack for the upcoming summer superhero flick, Fantastic Four. This marks the second time VR has participated in the soundtrack to a superhero movie - the first being 2003's not-so-incredible HULK. Perhaps they missed the boat on the Elektra soundtrack and are trying to make up for it?

VR's track, 'Come In Come On', will be joined by music from such acclaimed acts as Chingy, Simple Plan, and Alter Bridge. Stay tuned for a July 5th release date on the soundtrack, and a July 9th theatrical release.

In Your Honor Preview

I've had a chance to spin the Foo Fighters' new double disc, and I am not quite sure what I think yet. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I heard Dave Grohl say someplace he thought it was his best work ever. Who knows, that could have been hearsay, but whenever I hear an artist make gradiose claims about his/her latest piece I am almost always disappointed.

I guess I need some more time to let all the songs soak in before I do an indepth review. Either way, I wouldn't say the album "sucks" by any means. I do wonder, however, if the masses would have been better served if rather than releasing a double album the Foos would have picked and chosen the best ten to twelve songs instead of releasing all twenty at once. But then again, Grohl is the musical genius, and I am merely an amateur music connoisseur.

Stay tuned for a more indepth review of In Your Honor soon...

Steve Finds Out What Reggaeton Is

After a little research I disovered that Reggaeton is:

a blend of reggae, hip hop and rap that originated in Puerto Rico during the late '90s. The lyrics are mainly in Spanish and the leading proponents of the style include Inocentes MC, DJ Blass, Las Guanabanas and Tribal Clan.

Although I can't say I've heard any Reggaeton first-hand, I think it's safe to say that Steve thinks Reggaeton probably sucks.

Radio Riding the Growing Reggaeton Wave

Okay, I just read an article on Reggaeton and how it is sweeping the nation. But please, could somebody please explain to me what the hell Reggaeton even is?!?!?!

The growing force of reggaeton is amply displayed on this week's Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, with four of the top 10 releases falling under the genre.

That sales drive continues to carry over to radio, with the recent switch of three major pop stations to a reggaeton/hip-hop format within a week of each other.

In Los Angeles, Spanish Broadcasting System's sole pop station, KXOL, is now called "Latino 96.3 FM." The station's tag line is, "Radio reggaeton y hip-hop too," a nod to listeners' hunger for all things reggaeton- and hip-hop-oriented.

In New York, Univision Radio switched pop/tropical station WCAA to reggaeton/hip-hop. The station is now called La Kalle ("the Street"). And in Puerto Rico, SBS changed pop station WODA to reggaeton.

"It's the format of the future," says SBS executive VP of programing Bill Tanner, who initially was skeptical of reggaeton's potential in Los Angeles.

"But it was when we began to hear it in the streets of Los Angeles -- basically every car that drives by is playing reggaeton, (and) the reggaeton concerts here are selling out night after night. Then we started to do our own in-house research, and it just keeps coming out as a big winner."

Concert Review: Mindless Self Indulgence

Mindless Self Indulgence has been one of my favorite politically-incorrect bands for the last half-decade. Recently, I had the chance to see them perform live for my fourth time. A few years ago, when I saw them for the first time, I was already a big fan of the music, but did not know what to expect from a live show. Would they live up to the maniacal image that I had built in my head? The answer to that question can be found in the three subsequent shows I have attended since then. My first experience felt like I was witnessing a living cartoon, leaving me practically speechless at the end. That show was definitely at the top of all the concerts I have been to. And so, anytime the band has played within the state, I have made it a priority to attend.

This most recent performance was no exception. With the recent release of their third full-length studio album, You'll Rebel to Anything, the band has been touring the US and Canada once again. The venue that had been booked was one that I had attended several times in the past, and knowing the large size of the place, I was somewhat surprised to hear that this was going to be the location. And I was right. The venue was definitely too big for this type of show. Despite their large underground following, MSI was not able to fill even a third of the large ballroom. This did not stop them from a high energy performance, however. In the past, I had seen them play in the back of a bowling alley and at a small danceclub, so having a high ceiling and a largely vacant room was a little hard to get used to. But, like most shows I've been to, if you put yourself in the front row, you feel like the place is packed, regardless. The first opening act, Super 8bit Brothers, comprised of two members from Chicago's Tub Ring, were funny for about five minutes, singing songs entirely about videogames over electronic beats and sound effects. One song towards the end was a "serious song...about when youre playing your favorite videogame and you're about to beat the last level and your significant other calls and you have to decide whether you are going to pick up the phone and press pause, or keep playing the game." This was probably my favorite song in their set. The next opener, SMB, stepped things up from there by actually playing instruments. Hailing from the Twin Cities, SMB's chaotic circus metal caused a moshpit for a good portion of their set. The band's musicianship was impressive, whether or not their sound was appreciated by everyone.

After a build-up of anticipation through the night, MSI finally took stage and the energy in place skyrocketed. Opening with the edgy fan-favorite, "Faggot", the band erupted into an hour long set of sub-3 minute songs that nicely pieced together tracks from their full catalog. All of my favorites from the new album were played, as well as many of my favorites from past albums. True to form, the band also played a couple of their unreleased strongholds, such as "Animal." Singer Jimmy Urine bounced around stage in his typical caffeinated form, stopping between songs only to antagonize the audience and security guards, or make fun of himself. Steve Righ?, MSI's guitarist, recently underwent partial hip replacement for damages likely sustained through his reckless stage antics over the years; and so, was unable to attend. Filling in, was Tub Ring keyboardist/Super 8bit Brother Rob Kleiner. Rob did his duty on guitar, playing energetically while jumping and headbanging from time to time, but never really filling the outrageous role that had been left by Steve. At most MSI shows, the interactions between Steve and Urine are half of the entertainment, but with Steve gone, Urine never really interacted with the band in the same way. That's not to say that the show was at all uninteresting.

Jimmy Urine is perhaps one of the most chameleon-like frontment I've seen, adapting his entire environment into every show. At random times during songs, he would leave the stage altogether, and return with a prop that he happened to find backstage. At one point, he disappeared only to return a minute later by rolling across the stage on an equipment dolly. Then he punched himself in the face several times and fell on his back...singing all the while. At another point, he came back with a large white sheet, which he morphed into many costumes, including not only a ghost, but also a toga which found him quoting Julius Caesar mid-song. He also performed with various props that he had brought along, including a disco ball and a stuffed wolf hide that he pretended was still alive for a couple songs until later dropkicking it from the stage. Bassist LynZ strutted around in her short Catholic school girl skirt and pigtails while various hormonal teens shouted such romantic lines as "I want to drink your sweat" from the audience.

Newer tracks like 'What Do They Know?' and 'Stupid MF' proved to have instant success with the audience, just like the classics 'Pussy All Night' and 'Bitches.' The band departed the stage halfway through the show, allowing Urine to perform an a cappella version of their first album's Method Man cover 'Bring the Pain.' Later, with instruments in hand, their cover of Rush's 'Tom Sawyer' also had the crowd singing along. Like their other shows, the last song ended abruptly and the band walked off stage, not returning for your typical encore, but only to stay and sign autographs for anyone who stuck around after the show. Mindless Self Indulgence seems to make every effort to stay and meet fans, sign autographs, and take as many pictures as they possibly can in a short time.

Overall, it is difficult to compare an MSI show to any other show, or even to other MSI shows, because much like snowflakes, no two are ever alike. A different venue on a different night will bring out a whole new variety of creativity that is sure to be a one of a kind experience, and probably the most entertaining thing you've seen all day.

Last Night When I Was a Rock Star

Last night I had sort of an interesting, music-related dream. I was onstage for an arena tour, filling in for lead vocals in the band Weezer. I'm not sure why it was Weezer of all bands either. Most of the songs I didn't even recognize as part of their repertoire. In the dream all of this seemed perfectly normal and comfortable, despite not really knowing how to sing or play most of the songs. I found myself randomly making up intricate guitar parts that sounded nothing like the song the rest of the band thought we were playing, and when I'd forget the words, I'd just flail around or scream into the microphone. One time my amplifier wasn't working, so I just stopped singing and playing and bent down to fool with the wiring for awhile. When the problem was finally resolved, I ran across stage, fell to my knees, and leaning back with my head to the floor, just started making up a solo to the song. Yes, I definitely had stage presence, even if I had no clue what I was doing most of the time. And the best part? No matter what I did, the crowd seemed to think it was the greatest thing ever done in rock history. Sometimes the band seemed confused as to just what I was doing, but somehow, everything meshed together - even when I would play a slow riff to an upbeat song. I was charismatic, so it was ok. The audience could be heard after the show, discussing what an "act of pure genius" it all was. Apparently I had pulled it all off with flying colors. But I didn't have time to celebrate - I was far too busy escaping the clutches of thousands of adoring fans.
Dreams for me are generally sketchy and hard to make any sense of, but if I could make a guess as to the meaning of the dream I had last night, I would have to say it was just reaffirming my lifelong notions that I was born to be a rock star.

Steve's Retro Song of the Week: U2 - Two Hearts Beat As One

Like an incurable venerial disease, it is true the Retro Song of the Week has lain dormant for the past few weeks. Yet, in much the same way herpes guarantees its hosts breakouts from time to time, I, too, can guarantee all our readers that my feature will never ever be totally irradicated. Just when all of you think the piece is dead, it will pop up when you least expect it--kind of like now. With that said, I apologize for the down time. :)

This week's feature is U2's powerful anthem 'Two Hearts Beat as One.' Cut in 1983, the tune appeared on War along with other noteworthy tracks 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and 'New Years Day.' Part post-punk experimentalism, part new wave synth, 'Two Hearts' could easily have been performed by the Clash or, in a much softer fashion, Simple Minds. However, while this song never made it to The Breakfast Club soundtrack, the song still blasts.

Borrowing from the late-1970s pogo scene, lowly bass riffs introduce the song. Soon thereafter, The Edge's groovis-ridden guitar chords enter the scene, setting the stage for Bono to do what he can do best: wail! Juxtaposed with the strangely danceable back beat set up by the rest of the band, Ireland's number one celebrity exposes his soul with his yearnful singing. Overall, the song is both powerful and jamworthy.
====================================================

I don't know
I don't know which side I'm on
I don't know my right from left
Or my right from wrong
Say I'm a fool
You say I'm not for you
But if I'm a fool for you
Oh, that's something
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts...

Can't stop the dance
Honey, this is my last chance
I said, can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance

Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts...

They beat on black, beat on white
Beat on everything don't get it right
Beat on you, beat on me, beat on love

I don't know
How to say what's got to be said
I don't know if it's black or white
There's others see it red
I don't get the answers right
I'll leave that to you
Is this love out of fashion?
Or is it the time of year?
Are these words distraction
To the words you wanna hear?

Two hearts beat as one
Two hearts beat as one

I try to spit it out
I try to explain
The way I feel
Oh, yeah
Two hearts

I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said I can't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said don't stop the dance
Maybe this is my last chance
I said can't stop the dance
Maybe this is our last chance
Maybe this is my last chance

U2- War ED2K link: U2.-.War.[1983][EAC-Flac-Covers][PuCeBoY][VU.&.Grupo.Eshock.YDM].rar

Third Strokes Album Due In January

"The Strokes are nearing the finish line on their as-yet-untitled third studio album, due in late January via RCA. The group has recorded 14 songs for consideration, three of which were co-produced by longtime collaborator Gordon Raphael, while the rest were produced by David Kahne (Paul McCartney, Fiction Plane). Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine) will handle mixing.

The new album is the follow-up to 2003's 'Room on Fire,' which didn't stray far from the rambunctious rock'n'roll of the Strokes' 2001 debut 'Is This It.' But its sales dropped off significantly; 'Room on Fire' moved 563,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, while 'Is This It' has shifted more than 998,000."

Ted's Song of the Week - 06/01/2005

Speed of Sound
Coldplay
X&Y

Here's a great song that will unfortunately probably end up on one of those "Now" CDs. The first single off of Coldplay's X&Y doesn't disappoint as it lulls the listener into a euphoria of piano-driven soft rock. Vocalist Chris Martin continues to impress with his songwriting abilities and always intriguing lyrics. The album hits stores June 6.

Lyrics:

How long before I get in?
Before it starts, before I begin?
How long before you decide?
Before I know what it feels like?
Where To, where do I go?
If you never try, then you'll never know.
How long do I have to climb,
Up on the side of this mountain of mine?

Look up, I look up at night,
Planets are moving at the speed of light.
Climb up, up in the trees,
every chance that you get,
is a chance you seize.
How long am I gonna stand,
with my head stuck under the sand?
I?ll start before I can stop,
before I see things the right way up.

All that noise, and all that sound,
All those places I got found.
And birds go flying at the speed of sound,
to show you how it all began.
Birds came flying from the underground,
if you could see it then you'd understand?

Ideas that you'll never find,
All the inventors could never design.
The buildings that you put up,
Japan and China all lit up.
The sign that I couldn't read,
or a light that I couldn't see,
some things you have to believe,
but others are puzzles, puzzling me.

All that noise, and all that sound,
All those places I got found.
And birds go flying at the speed of sound,
to show you how it all began.
Birds came flying from the underground,
if you could see it then you'd understand,
ah when you see it then you'll understand?

All those signs, I knew what they meant.
Some things you can invent.
Some get made, and some get sent,
Ooh?
Birds go flying at the speed of sound,
to show you how it all began.
Birds came flying from the underground,
if you could see it then you'd understand,
ah, when you see it then you'll understand?