Archive for the ‘Links’ Category
The Various, August 2010
Here are some topics I’ve been watching over as of late.
It’s looking like Wyclef Jean will, infact, announce his presidency campaign.
Lady Gaga has been nominated a record 13 times for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Videos? Artists are still creating these things? And people are still watching them?
Shit is hitting the fan with the Steven Tyler and American Idol rumors going around. Nigel Lythgoe is returning to the show and wants Paula to join him.
The Beach Boys threaten to sue Katy Perry for her, “I wish they all could be California Girls,” line.
Eminem is still leading the US Singles chart. How do you guys still like this depressive clown?
Some unreleased Michael Jackson songs will be released in the fall. Not exactly surprising.
2010 has already seen a good deal of solid albums be released, and it doesn’t look like the output will be slowing down anytime soon. Here’s a roundup of some the most promising albums set to hit shelves later this year (or early next year):
* Kings of Leon are in the studio working on their fifth album. Their last album shot them into the stratosphere as far as fame and popularity are concerned, so it will be interesting to see how they follow that up. Initial word is that the guys are “exploring their progressive side” on the new disc.
* M.I.A.’s new album has received a title but had its release date pushed back. It will be called / \ / \ / \ Y / \ (aka “Maya”) and will be released on July 13 rather than the original June 29 date.
Haven’t done this in awhile, so I figured now is the perfect time to start it up again. Today’s Quickies are a collection of links and blurbs I’ve come across that are rather interesting (to me).
You know Eminem is trying to make a comeback when you start hearing about controversy in his upcoming tracks. In his latest, Em has ripped into NFL star Ben Roethlisberger. The track is titled Despicable and in it, Em says, “I’d rather turn this club into a bar room brawl, get as rowdy as Roethlisberger in a bathroom stall.”
There’s a Jersey Shore soundtrack in the works. And while I’d LOVE to talk about the show itself, I must focus on an upcoming track on the album to get excited about. Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull on the lead single, I Like It.
The pride of Puerto Rico, Daddy Yankee, has released a new album. And it is awesome.
I Gotta Feeling, by the Black Eyed Peas, has become the most downloaded song in history. While I do enjoy the song, I worry about what future generations say about some today’s music.
Britney Spears recorded Telephone before Lady Gaga and there’s a leak version of it floating around the internet. But Brits passed on the song after recording the demo. And as you all know, Gaga picked up the track (she originally wrote it, though) and recorded it with Beyonce.
Now Streaming: Josh Ritter
Starting today we can now stream Josh Ritters’ new album So The World Runs Away. His first single, “Change of Time”, is available for free via his website. You can have a stream his sixth album in its entirety through NPR until its May 4th release.
I’ve had the chance to listen through it one time already and it is an incredible record. This album is a bit more varied in its tone than his previous album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. Ritter’s songwriting is always full of fantastic imagery and hidden meanings. He has been compared to a few legendary music storytellers like Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. I’ve yet to be disappointed with anything this man has released, so check out this album right here.
Just as a quick note, also keep an eye open next summer for the release of his first novel. There isn’t much of anything known about the novel except for is Summer 2011 release date.
Here’s a look at what’s happening in the world of hard rock and metal:
*Kylesa, the sludgy stoner metal band that released one of 2009’s best albums in Static Tensions, is once again back in the studio for the time being demoing material intended for a new album. They are set to begin officially recording the new album at the end of May.
*Journalist Mick Wall is working on a Metallica book that will cover most of the group’s history. Wall was close with the band in its early days and has recently reconnected with them to conduct interviews. The book should come out in October.
*If any of you cares, here’s a tentative track list for Limp Bizkit’s new album Gold Cobra, and yes, it’s full of terrible song names like “Douchebag,” “GFY,” “Middle Finger,” and the awesomely awful duo of “Introbra” and “Outrobra.”
*The story of how Mastodon chose their name. Thank god they didn’t pick Savage Hamper.
*The Sword has finished work on its third album. If it’s done, why the hell won’t it be released until late this year?
*Serj Tankian’s new album, Imperfect Harmonies, is tentatively scheduled to come out in September. It will have 11 tracks, heavily featuring electronics. One song will be sung in Armenian.
-Sam
Hat tip to “theonlyone” who posted this awesome musical subway map on Flickr and to MetalSucks for leading me there.
Just pretend each rock genre had its own subway line and the connectors were determined by genre compatibility and you get this:
You’re likely going to have to visit the site to get a larger version of the map in order to read all the bands, but it’s definitely worth a couple minutes of your time.
Most of the designations are pretty spot on, although I don’t know what Death Cab for Cutie is doing on the Punk Rock line or what Nine Inch Nails is doing on the Heavy Metal Line.
-Sam
* Taproot has pushed back the release date for their new album, Plead The Fifth, from April 13 to May 11. I get the sense that their label (Victory Records) is really pushing them to get this record released ASAFP so they can’t be happy about having to push it back another month.
* Guitar Hero heroes DragonForce have confirmed that lead singer ZP Theart has left the band “due to insurmountable differences of musical opinion.” The remaining members have started writing a fifth album while they search for a new singer. Think you’ve got the soaring vocals to front this band? Well you’re in luck since they are holding an open audition for anyone who wants to enter. Here’s the deets.
* Speaking of auditioning for bands, Smashing Pumpkins (aka Billy Corgan) is holding an open audition process to find a new bassist and a new keyboardist who can play prog-rock styles. The band’s previous bassist, Ginger Pooley, left to be with her husband and new baby. You’ve only got until March 31, so if you think you’ve got the skills and the patience to deal with Corgan’s crazy personality check out this site.
* The Sword are about halfway through recording their third album. Singer J.D. Cronise said that the band’s sound on this new record will lean more towards Guns N’ Roses and Thin Lizzy than their prior Black Sabbath style sound. He also adds that the group’s traditional swords-and-sorcery lyrical themes will be taking a backseat to new science fiction concepts.
* Canadian heavy metallers BISON b.c. have debuted their new song “Stressed Elephant” (so metal!) over at ExploreMusic. I hadn’t really heard much of this group before this song, but I must say I am now VERY intrigued to listen to their new album, Dark Ages, which is set to be released on April 13.
* March Is Metal Month. So head over to Amazon to get your free 2010 sampler featuring bands like Fear Factory, Five Finger Death Punch, and Lacuna Coil. Did I mention it’s absolutely free?
-Sam
Gizmodo has an excellent article regarding the ongoing battle with record labels and their survival.
Normally, I’d give a summary on the articles I read and then shoot off my opinions. For this one, I’m not doing so as Gizmodo has written such a wonderful piece. Go ahead, click the link above and read the article. I’m giving you permission to leave Suds. Just come back to comment on the article, mmkay?
With the 82nd Annual Academy Awards taking place tomorrow night, it’s time for a movie/music mash-up, courtesy of Rolling Stone.
Judging by the approximately $700 bazillion that Avatar has raked in at the box office it’s safe to assume that every living creature has seen this movie.
And even if you’ve been trapped under a chunk of unobtainium and haven’t gotten out to see it yet, you probably know that it features blue cat-like people.
So RS has answered the question everyone had after seeing the movie: What would some famous musicians look like as Na’vi aliens? (You all asked yourself that, right?)
So here’s Britney and the Beatles. See the entire gallery at RS.com.
Here’s a sampling of some interesting stuff going on in the world of metal:
* Mudvayne has debuted their new video for the song “Beautiful and Strange.” It’s the second video in a three part series. And it didn’t take long for the video to be banned from all major outlets. One viewing and you’ll understand why. Censors don’t usually take kindly to buried-alive fallen angels digging up the graves of surprisingly full-chested naked, dead women and then proceeding to mount them and bang them silly all while images of torture and a girl actually getting her lips sewed together flash on screen. But hey, that’s fuckin’ metal! Go watch the necrophiliac’s dream over on VampireFreaks.com.
* Killswitch Engage have a new song, “My Obsession,” on the new God of War video game. Stream it at Noisecreep. (It’s really good.)
* Check out the cover art for Sevendust’s new album, Cold Day Memory, and prepare to be severely underwhelmed. Seriously, that’s the best you could come up with?
* Deftones have released the track list for their new album, Diamond Eyes.
* If anyone (like me) was hoping Limp Bizkit might return to the sound of their first album and/or their last album (aka more emphasis on the band, less on Fred Durst and rapping) this news should dash those hopes: Rappers Raekwon and Paul Wall will both have guest appearances on Gold Cobra.
* Dutch violin player, Karianne Brouwer, has a really cool cover of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”:
http://www.vimeo.com/9758791-Sam