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VAN HALEN - Review : Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot It is a well-established fact that supergroups almost never succeed. In fact, the majority of them are doomed from the start. People see the big names and expect something great, sometimes even exponentially better than the members’ original bands. They are just bound to be disappointed because the members usually lack the chemistry of the original bands that made them famous. Some exceptions to this trend are CREAM as well as DOWN, although aside from their amazing first album, they haven’t impressed me nearly as much. With a name like CHICKENFOOT I was expecting the worst. Either a bunch of half-assed... Elvis Costello - Elvis Costello - Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009) More than thirty years into his career and Elvis Costello is as prolific as ever. His latest album, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, sees him team up with producer T-Bone Burnett for the first time in over 20 years. And the duo work fast, recording the entire album in a 3 day session in Nashville.As you would expect from the locale and the producer, the new album is an American roots effort. Banjo, fiddle and Dobro feature prominently alongside twangy guitar and vocal drawl. On resulting songs like "Down Among the Wines and Spirits" Costello actually sounds like he could be... Alexisonfire - Alexisonfire - Old Crows/young Cardinals (2009) What does it take to be full of passion and high-energy after three acclaimed albums? It takes Chris, Dallas, Jesse, George and Wade just being themselves. Sure, the ensuing review of 'they've changed' or 'they're not what they used to be' may result from Old Crows/Young Cardinals, but this is merely a writer reviewing one album over six years ago. Truth is, AOF set the bar with Watch Out! and they simply never looked back. Sure, AOF's self-titled major label debut was that of hard-core and raw energy, but that does not discount what they have recorded since then, it... Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela Album Update Hugely successful guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela are set to return later this year with more flamenco metal antics. From Santana to Slash rock and latin have had a steady, if somewhat unexplored, relationship. Hailing from Mexico City, Rodrigo Y Gabriela are two guitar players steeped in flamenco traditions who have chosen to blend them with their love of metal. Initially ignored in their homeland, the tow musicians decided to move to Ireland are hearing that the country's music scene was more open minded than in Mexico. Settling in Dublin, they soon became a sensation due to their dextrous re-workings of... Arctic Monkeys - Arctic Monkeys Announce Tour Dates in support of “Humbug” On the cusp of the release of their highly anticipated third album “Humbug” (August 25th, Domino Records), Arctic Monkeys are about to set sail across the Atlantic for their upcoming North American tour and have added a slew of additional dates. The award winning UK export will play new tracks from Humbug, including brand new single “Crying Lightning”. Produced by Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco), the release is a welcome onslaught of Arctic Monkeys originals and the perfect follow-up to their stellar catalogue, which will also be heard on this summer tour.... Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen On Hallelujah It may have made him a pretty penny or two, but Leonard Cohen recently revealed that he feels there are simply too many covers of 'Hallelujah'. Leonard Cohen first emerged as a poet and novelist in his native Canada. Pre-occupied with affairs of the heart and his Jewish heritage, Cohen's early work has recently been re-appraised and places him as a groundbreaking Canadian writer. Attracted to the United States by the emerging counter culture, Leonard Cohen arrived in New York in the mid 60s, and began playing in the city's coffee houses. Attracting some big name admirers, the young songwriter... Beck - Beck Interviews Tom Waits Beck has interview legendary songwriter Tom Waits in the first of a new series of conversations due to be published on his website. Beck has gone web crazy recently. Updating his website the inventive songwriter has unveiled a series of exciting new features. The 'Odelay' singer announced a new series of free downloads, in which he and a variety of friends cover classic albums. Beginning with 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' the singer will update fans with a new download every fortnight. In addition to this Beck has become a selecta after introducing a new mix series. Containing his favourite tracks... The Beatles - Allen Klein Dead at 77 Notorious music figure Allen Klein, the one-time manager of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, has died after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s at the age of 77. Allen Klein worked with the most celebrated artists in the world and build up one of the world’s great publishing and record companies ABKCO. Klein’s first client was Bobby Darin whom he met at a wedding in 1957. In 1963, he became the business manager for Sam Cooke. He created Tracey Records, a new label for Cooke and after Cooke’s death in 1964 bought the rights to the label (and Sam’s music) from Sam’s... The Flaming Lips - Flaming Lips Confirm UK Tour Oklahoma psychedelic pop wonders The Flaming Lips have confirmed their first UK tour in three years. Witnessing The Flaming Lips live is one of life's real pleasures. Too often bands shuffle onstage, churn out the hits and leave behind them a feeling of discontent. Not so with The Flaming Lips. Take their recent RockNess show, for example. The band emerged onstage in an enormous bubble, exhorting the crowd to cheer louder. Launching themselves into a greatest hits style set, singer Wayne Coyne was at one point surrounded by tellytubbies. Click HERE to watch an interview with the singer at RockNess! Madness,... Radiohead - Radiohead's Manager Launches New Record Label, Presumably Because Radiohead Needs Someone New to Hav What with Radiohead finally mellowing out in recent years into a bunch of friendly, regular guys who wear blue jeans, smile, offer you a warm ale, and occasionally write and record handfuls of comparably affable, jaunty jingles, Radiohead manager Brian Message probably has a whole lot less to do. But hey, problem solved, I guess, because Message has launched a new record label. But don’t worry. The spirit of the ’Head is actually quite a strong presence in this new endeavor. For starters, the label, which is called Polyphonic, will allow artists to keep their copyright. Further, the... |
