MUSIC NEWS- PJ Harvey’s second of two sold-out shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Monday, October 31 will be streamed live via www.pjharvey.net , www.facebook.com/pjharvey & www.guardian.co.uk. The concert will be streamed in real-time, in HD audio and video, by LoveLive and available worldwide.
The Royal Albert Hall shows on Sunday October 30 and Monday October 31 are the first appearances at this historic London venue for two-time Mercury Prize winner PJ Harvey, and her last UK shows of 2011. Ms Harvey will be playing material from her critically acclaimed album Let England Shake (out via Vagrant) and her previous albums, with a live band comprising of Mick Harvey, John Parish and Jean-Marc Butty. You can purchase access codes for the live stream of the show via pjharvey.net, facebook.com/pjharvey & guardian.co.uk/music
MUSIC NEWS - The dB's will release a new song, "Revolution of the Mind," for free download at their web site. The high-energy rock track was recorded by Peter Holsapple, Gene Holder, Will Rigby, and Chris Stamey during sessions for the band's new album, Falling Off the Sky, which is due in spring of 2012, and includes additional "revolutionary" guitar by Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo) and background vocals by Django Haskins (The Old Ceremony).
“The MC5 played in our hometown of Winston-Salem, NC, in 1971,” Stamey related, acknowledging the timely track’s sonic and political inspiration, “and none of us were ever the same again.”
MUSIC NEWS - A few months back we received this brief notice- “I am in the studio,” it began. “And when I say studio, I mean (Liz Phair and Dave Matthews Band producer John) Alaiga’s house that we’ve spent weeks converting into a studio. We shipped gear, borrowed microphones, amps, guitars, and a grand piano that’s living in his bedroom (because that’s where we get the best sound).”
The alert was from none other than the talented RACHEL YAMAGATA talking about her fan-financed set thanks to a PledgeMusic campaign. Filled with Yamagata’s “dream team” of musicians, including musicians that played with John Mayer, Yo La Tengo and Sia. “The players are my dream team, the kinds that have taken years to find and make history with,” she wrote. “We’ve been saying ‘ there’s a lot of love in the room’ and there must be because schedules have been routed, carpools arranged — anything to help a girl now financing her own career full throttle.”
MUSIC NEWS - Next week Peter Gabriel releases New Blood that has Gabriel reworking some of his old tunes, this time with the New Blood Orchestra. John Metcalfe arranged the music and Ben Foster conducted. The album includes a reworked version of some of Gabriel’s songs, including “Wallflower” from the album of the same name and “Mercy Street” from the album “So.” The album will be available as a single-disc album or a 2-CD set that includes an extra disc of instrumentals. There will also be a concert DVD, “New Blood – Live in London,” which will be available in 3D, Blu-Ray and standard DVD. You can listen to “Wallflower” and “Mercy Street” below
If, light years from now, people ever want a snapshot of youth and young manhood in 2011, they need look no further than Chicago trio Smith Westerns, for to listen to their music is to experience vicariously the reckless thrills and irrepressible energy of a new generation, distilled to its purest and most vital essence. Hell, even the title of their lustrous sophomore album Dye it Blonde manages to capture its touchstone signifiers in three easy words, almost as much a playfully potent and authoritative slogan as it is a glorious statement of intent.
MUSIC NEWS- Batman: Arkham City - The Album will be released timed with the anticipated forthcoming videogame Batman: Arkham City. The soundtrack features 11 new original tracks, Batman: Arkham City - The Album will be out on October 4th, two weeks prior to the game's North American release on October 18th.
The artists featured on Batman: Arkham City - The Album approached their contributions to the album with their own unique interpretations of the stories surrounding Batman. The result is an eclectic mix of dynamic, atmospheric songs for an album that will appeal to fans of both the artists and Batman: Arkham City. Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez said, "I write in a very conceptual format with the stories that surround Coheed and Cambria, but Batman has a much larger, defined history and rules that go along with it. My goal was to find universal themes from Batman's existing history to help give the lyrics legs and dimension so that the song could live within that world." Listen to Coheed and Cambria's contribution to the release, below-
MUSIC NEWS - Rachel Yamagata's Chesapeake, her first studio album in three years is set for an October 11, 2011 release date through her own Frakenfish Records. The album features an eclectic collection of songs projecting Yamagata's optimism and hopefulness, showcasing her sultry and smoky voice, rich, layered harmonies, striking ballads and soulful grooves. And we have her new, EVEN IF I DON'T tune for you to check out, below.
And just twelve days following the release of Chesapeake, Yamagata will hit the road on an extensive tour of the United States starting on October 24th in Portland, ME at the Port City Music Hall and wind down on December 22nd in New York City at City Winery (full itinerary is below).
MUSIC NEWS - thenewno2, lead by Dhani Harrison (yes of course, George's son), will release a brand new EP on September 27, calling it EP002 and out via HOT Records. The four song EP features tracks with RZA and Regina Spektor, both of which can be heard now via the links below. We have "Live a Lie" (featuring Regina Spektor), and are streaming the RZA collaboration "Mr. President" here.
MUSIC NEWS - Puddle Of Mudd’s version of The Rolling Stones classic "Gimme Shelter" is the first single from their forthcoming album, Re:(disc)overed. The track is currently streaming (below) and is available for purchase. The band’s new album, Re:(disc)overed, arrives on August 30 and is pre-ordering, below . For this new release, Puddle Of Mudd dig back into their own past for the songs that turned them on to becoming musicians in the first place.
Re:(disc)overed includes such classics as AC/DC’s "TNT," Steve Miller’s "The Joker," Elton John’s "Rocket Man," the Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty duet "Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around" (which Puddle Of Mudd recorded with BC Jean), Neil Young’s "Old Man," and of course the first single, "Gimmie Shelter." The album finds Puddle Of Mudd tackling classic rock songs as only they know how.
MUSIC NEWS- Singer-songwriter Daryl Hall announced today the first single off his upcoming fifth solo studio album, Laughing Down Crying, (out September 27 via Verve Forecast). Called “Talking to Myself”, it features Hall’s classic clever lyrics and catchy choruses, always ruling at the top of his class in penning smile-inducing pop songs.
With his iconic soulful vocals, the co-founder and lead singer of the “rock and soul” duo Daryl Hall and John Oates, Hall's newest collection is said to feel fresh and current while still maintaining his signature style and songwriting prowess. Hall was joined in the studio by co-producers Greg Bieck(Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, Ricky Martin) and Paul Pesco on the making of this album. Powerhouse producer, the late T-Bone Wolk (Billy Joel, Carly Simon, Elvis Costello), lent his expertise on stand-out tracks “Lifetime of Love”, “Wrong Side of History” and “Problem With You.” This album serves as the last project they worked on together after a prolific 30 year relationship.
MUSIC NEWS - Farm Aid 2011 is at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, KS today! Doors opened at noon and the music got underway at 1pm. If you're not in town to join them, Farm Aid is offering a live webcast starting at 5pm Central.
Catch all the action live via FarmAId.org starting at 5pm central time. You can also hear the concert on Sirius XM radio on Willie's Roadhouse (channel 56) starting at 1pm Central.
MUSIC NEWS- Mick Jagger has described the sound of SuperHeavy, his new supergroup as “wide-ranging; from reggae ballads to Indian songs in Urdu.” That certainly sounds reasonable, what with the artists involved in the project; Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), “Slumdog Millionaire” composer A.R. Rahman, Joss Stone and reggae's Damian Marley.
The debut single “Miracle Worker” wraps Marley’s bark around Stone’s full-bodied soulfulness over the a reggae beat of love and lush with Jagger simmering below. “Oohoo, you’re a miracle worker/oohoo you’re a surgeon of love,” sings Stone. It has a feel that we've heard before, but we're enticed and wonder where the rest of the album is headed. We'll have to wait until September 20, when Universal Music releases.
Listen to Miracle Worker, here and give MNN your comments.
MUSIC NEWS - The Chicago based sextet, Umphrey's McGee, the "fluid and majestic" (says the Washington Post Express) band premiered their kaleidoscopic new song "Miami Virtue" on Time.com . The song's effervescent melodies, ping-pong synths, and raunchy guitars kick-off the group's highly anticipated new album, 'Death By Stereo' (out on September 13 via ATO Records).
MUSIC NEWS- The 21-year old English troubadour and BRIT Award winner for Best Female Artist, Laura Marling, has announced a run of September North American dates. Timed to promote her third album, A Creature I Don’t Know which is releasing September 13 via Ribbon Music on September 13.
Sophia, the first track from this eagerly anticipated new album, is a mesmerizing song in two distinct parts so artfully combined that it begs repeat listens with a musical moreish-ness. Striking in its delivery and endlessly captivating in its story-telling,“Sophia” delivers new riches with each and every play. Listen to “Sophia” below-
MUSIC NEWS - Continuing its tradition of bringing listeners the best live music from across the country, NPR Music, together with six partner radio stations, is exclusively live webcasting and broadcasting dozens of performances from this year's (sold out) Newport Folk Festival and the August 6 & 7 Newport Jazz Festival, offering four days of music from leading bands, singers and artists.
For the Folk Festival on July 30 and 31, NPR Music and WFUV New York, FolkAlley.com (WKSU) Kent, OH, and mvyradio in Martha's Vineyard and Newport, RI are live video streaming many acclaimed acts. At the Jazz Festival on August 6 and 7, NPR Music with WBGO Newark, 89.7 WGBH Radio Boston and WICN New England are broadcasting and audio webcasting line-ups from three stages.
Orchestra. John Metcalfe arranged the music and Ben Foster conducted. The album includes a reworked version of some of Gabriel’s songs, including “Wallflower” from the album of the same name and “Mercy Street” from the album “So.” The album will be available as a single-disc album or a 2-CD set that includes an extra disc of instrumentals. There will also be a concert DVD, “New Blood – Live in London,” which will be available in 3D, Blu-Ray and standard DVD. You can listen to “Wallflower” and “Mercy Street” below
