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(11/17/05 5:00am)
What kind of person listens to t.A.T.u.? Honestly now, let's dissect this. Who listens to a bad pre-packaged pop duo whose only schtick is that they're good-looking fake Russian lesbians? Their main fan base probably consists of sad, lonely men who have nothing else to do but sit pathetically in their parents' dark and murky garage. And apparently there are quite a few of those men, because despite their clear lack of talent, t.A.T.u. still has a record deal and is still selling decently well.
(11/17/05 5:00am)
Chaz Martenstein sat behind the counter of his record store, filling out an order for new CDs, while three or four customers perused the shelves packed albums. Martenstein surveyed the room contentedly. "I can't really describe how I feel right now," he said. "I've managed record stores before, but this is an entirely new feeling. It's like I've pushed a ball off a cliff, and I know that it's not going to stop rolling for a while. I've never been happier."
(11/10/05 5:00am)
My mom always taught me to not judge a book by its cover. But it's really difficult when the cover's name is as dumb as Floetry. If you're able to detach yourself from previous biases and actually sit down to listen to the album, the product is just as disappointing as the name. Just a few days ago, the R&B duo released their third LP, Flo'Ology (an album with an equally dumb name) into the hands of the American mainstream and MTV's TRL alike. But let's not get too mean now. There is one standout track, "Supastar," which features intelligent emcee Common. But the reason for the song's quality isn't Floetry-it's Common, along with his thoughtful lyrics and flawless delivery. The rest of the album, however, falls flat on its face, with poorly made beats and even worse lyrics to boot. All in all, the album isn't worth $15. But I would recommend buying "Supastar" on iTunes, because if you purchase the album, you're likely to fall into a depression and question your ability to find decent music. But hey, what else can you expect from a group named Floetry?
(11/10/05 5:00am)
If you've ever wondered what exactly is wrong with the world, the answer is simple: R. Kelly. You might think I'm joking, but let me assure you, I am not. What kind of world welcomes back with open arms a man who videotaped himself having sex with a young teen? But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Just have a listen to R. Kelly's newest monstrosity, Trapped in the Closet Chapters 1-12. The album, which is nearly 40 minutes of the same song broken up into 12 different chapters, is the music that accompanies his new DVD with the same name. Both tell a story about how Mr. Kelly magically finds himself in some woman's bed the night after some hardcore clubbing. The woman's husband comes home and the story spirals into a ridiculous tale of violence, lust and stupidity. And while the idea itself is admirable, the execution is not, as the album combines juvenile lyrics and just plain embarrassing beats. And plus, everyone knows that the story is really R. Kelly's experience with a 13-year-old's dad who found him sleeping with the girl. So please, don't buy this album. Save yourself some dignity and don't contribute to America's decline.
(11/03/05 5:00am)
John Darnielle doesn't like attention, which is partially why he relocated to Durham more than a year ago rather than a big city. However, he says, his main reasons for moving included "the nearness to the ocean, the weather and the widespread availability of boiled peanuts."
(11/03/05 5:00am)
Everyone knows that 50 Cent likes himself. However, in a radical move of humility, the legendary rapper actually allowed some other MCs to have at least some of the spotlight on the soundtrack to his new blockbuster, Get Rich or Die Trying. Unfortunately, the humility only goes so far, as most of those other rappers come from G-Unit, and the ones that don't have Fiddy as a guest singer. But it's still a big deal that he didn't make the whole album himself.
(11/03/05 5:00am)
You have to give it to the Santana-the man has made at least one good song in his 39-year career. In fact, he's probably made two or three. But even if he has made three, it still means he comes out with one good song every 13 years. Which, needless to say, isn't all that impressive.
(11/03/05 5:00am)
Matt Dearborn reads The Krzyzewskiville Tales so you don't have to
(10/27/05 4:00am)
The time has come for yet another showcase of the best that North Carolina indie rock has to offer. Pox World Empire will soon be releasing the second of the Compulation serious, complete with anything from no-name bands to big-time Merge artists.
(10/27/05 4:00am)
When Eric Elbogen met Mick Jagger, the legendary singer-his intoxication level unclear-only said one thing to Elbogen: "Say hi to your mom."
(10/27/05 4:00am)
Once in a while, a hip-hop album comes along and ignores all of the rules. Enter Danger Doom, the long-awaited collaboration between underground hip hop legend MF Doom and up-and-coming wunderkind Danger Mouse. The two first worked together on the song "November Has Come" off the Gorillaz' sophomore album, Demon Days, with Danger Mouse on the beats and Doom handling the vocals. Their obvious fluidity and chemistry led them to a full-on collaboration, and The Mouse and The Mask was born.
(10/20/05 4:00am)
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
(10/20/05 4:00am)
When Death Cab for Cutie signed to Atlantic Records last year, the indie rock world was shaken-the band that had promised never to sign to a major label had finally done it, and apparently seemed happy about the move to boot. Many more people than just hipsters and so-called music aficionados seemed to be uttering the same words: Death Cab had finally sold out.
(10/20/05 4:00am)
Don't expect Ashlee Simpson to be a carbon copy of J. Simp. You're not going to see her hopping around in butt-hugging cutoff jean shorts, giggling about the hottest boy band member, or singing about how great it is to be an American housewife. Instead, in her new album I Am Me, you'll see a teen-angsty Ashlee, intent on talking about boyfriends and that tricky little thing called "L.O.V.E." The album has the musical, intellectual and emotional maturity of a middle-school girl. The only problem is that she just turned 21. I guess that's what celebrity life does to you. But it's not to say that middle school isn't an important time in someone's life. Actually, if you're in one of those reminiscent moods, wishing you were back at that age when people still picked their noses and dating someone meant awkward rendezvous during lunch, then throw on I Am Me. There are actually a couple songs that-if only played once a year-won't give you a migraine. "Boyfriend," the album's first single, a mischievous song about how Ashlee didn't steal some girl's boyfriend, is actually kind of catchy. But that's about the best this sophomoric sophomore effort has to offer.
(10/06/05 4:00am)
I have to admit that I was optimistic when I first listened to On Ne Change Pas, Celine Dion's new best-of compilation.
(09/29/05 4:00am)
It would be too easy to blame Sheryl Crow's painfully lackluster new album Wildflower on her not-so-recent-anymore fling with Lance Armstrong. While one could argue that Lance has caused Ms. Crow's heart to flutter away into the land of bad songwriting, the truth is she's been stuck there since her debut.
(09/22/05 4:00am)
Courtney Taylor-Taylor, The Dandy Warhols' mainman, captures the essence of his art form in four words: "Rock. The final frontier"-that's at least according to his bio. For this Portland-based alt group with a worldwide fanbase which includes David Bowie, expectations are high for their latest LP Odditorium or Warlords of Mars. The question then is whether they stack up.
(09/01/05 7:00am)
After selling over 300,000 copies of their highly-acclaimed last record Transatlanticism, enjoying an almost weekly name-dropping on The OC, and not to mention touring shortly with Blink 182, Death Cab for Cutie, the band that swore for years that they would never sign to a major label have finally given in and signed to Atlantic last year.
And although that decision caused many of the bands’ original core fans much grief, frontman Ben Gibbard credited the decision to Atlantic’s allowance of their artistic freedom as well as the blessing from the staff of Barsuk, the small Seattle-based record label which released all of Death Cab’s previous albums.
After even one listen to the new album Plans, it becomes painfully clear that Atlantic allowed Death Cab all of the artistic freedom they desired.
Plans begins with a landslide of pure pop, and the momentum carries through the entire album.
Although there are a few songs in the middle of the album that seem misplaced, for the most part, Death Cab has stayed true to their indie pop roots.
With characteristically beautiful melodies that will leave you humming for days as well as Gibbard’s typically emo lyrics about heartache, breakups and childhood, Plans provides a refreshing dose of pop that is desperately needed in the mainstream—the kind of music fellow label-mates Sugar Ray and Unkle Cracker could never hope to achieve.
(04/22/05 4:00am)
two icons for 2005
(04/19/05 4:00am)
There was a point in my life when I wanted to become an astronaut. I was pretty young, probably kindergarten or first grade; it was that time where everyone wanted to be a fireman, an astronaut or a princess when they grew up.