News:

U2 are recording a new album! - Gigwise

The Strokes are too! - Rolling Stone

Woah - so are Arctic Monkeys! - NME

Artist Of The Day:

Tila Tequila

MySpace legend Tila Tequila has a resume some would kill for: host of Fuse’s Pants-Off Dance-Off, playing “Hooters Girl” in the film I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, and the star of her own MTV dating show A Shot At Love, the second season of which began last night. Even with all of the fame, she still finds time to be a “singer”! Here’s Tila butchering Bob Marley -enjoy!

“No Woman, No Cry” fan video:

Initially, British quintet Elbow was lumped into the seemingly endless mass of bands which sprung up after the release of Coldplay’s 2000 megahit album Parachutes. Although Elbow’s debut, Asleep In The Back, was released only a year after said international stars broke onto the scene, the group certainly did not jump last minute onto the dramatic, string-based drama pop scene.

Perfecting their sound since the early ’90s, the group has enjoyed longstanding critical accolades. Unfortunately, this has not bumped them from obscurity in the States. Yet the rave reviews keep on coming and continue further with yesterday’s release of the group’s fourth disc, The Seldom Seen Kid.

Perhaps the best words to describe The Seldom Seen Kid are “grand” and “pretty.” A band of dynamics, Elbow uses keyboards and guitars to mine the loud-quiet-loud phrasing that groups such as Nirvana and Pixies helped to trademark. But the music of Elbow is far more regal, exploding out in textures as if the band featured hundreds of members.

The grandiose is reigned in tastefully by the smoky beauty of lead singer Guy Garvey. Although his tender vocals may initially draw comparisons between him and a Chris Martin / Peter Gabriel hybrid, there is far more subtlety in Garvey’s work, with ambitious runs and phrasing. Lyrically, the singer writes in a blend of the overbearing and simple, all with a touch of sarcastic wit - after all, how many vocalists could pull off lines like “Cramming commitments like cats in a sack” and “I can’t move my arm / Through the fear that you will wake” in the same song (”The Bones Of You”) without sounding entirely daffy?

Elbow’s majesty deserves to be heard by the masses, but given that they have played this long without the commercial success they deserve, the group will likely remain an underground sensation. But one day, Elbow will hopefully get the chance to play their epic anthems in the filled arenas they were written for.

“Starlings” (from The Seldom Seen Kid): Download

“Grounds For Divorce” video (from The Seldom Seen Kid):

News:

-Classic soul singer Al Wilson (pictured) passed away Monday - Reuters

-Conor Oberst readies solo disc - Rolling Stone

-Smashing Pumpkins may be done with the concept of the “album” - NME

Artist Of The Day:

Pilfers

Although the group lasted for little more than five years during the late ’90s, Pilfers are known as one of the most influential bands of third wave ska. Fronted by Toasters associate Coolie Ranx, the group produced hard-edged reggae which solidified Ranx’s position as a legend in the scene. Recently, the group has played a handful of reunion dates, but no further plans have been announced.

“Climbing” video:

-Ashlee Simpson - Bittersweet World - Simpson takes a bow out of the paparazzi spotlight to deliver her third aural sugar rush, which is shaded with lite punk influence, courtesy of fianc? Pete Wentz.

-Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords - The New Zealand comedy duo step out from under the umbrella of their wildly popular HBO show to rerecord their best tracks for their debut studio album.

-Story Of The Year - The Black Swan - The St. Louis quintet makes a logical jump to Epitaph in order to release their third full-length, which further darkens the group’s dense sound while retaining crucial hooks.

-Goldfinger - Hello Destiny - Sixth album from pop-punk mainstays Goldfinger offers the perfect fodder for their perennially ruckus summer tours.

-Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell - Canadian quartet harness their live energy enough to deliver their first full LP of indie rock barnburners.

News - Comings and Goings Edition:

-The Replacements (pictured) decide not to reunite…for now - Paste

-Velvet Revolver will audition singers through a new website - Reuters

-Guns and Roses (or what is left of them) issue a statement on the departure of guitarist Robin Finck - Metal Hammer

Artist Of The Day:

Ja Rule

The reign of Ja Rule was reminiscent of a shooting star: large and bright but frighteningly brief. From 1999-2002, the gruff lyricist had a ubiquitous radio presence, seducing R&B chanteuses from Ashanti to J. Lo with his clumsy rhymes. It is strange that he is no longer a blip on the pop culture radar, but if we never hear “Always On Time” again, it will be just fine with us.

“Mesmerize” (ft. Ashanti) video:

Oi! developed in the U.K. during the late-’70s through the early-’80s.

What It Is:

Simple punk based on working-class values, Oi! aims to unify the scene through energetic music punctuated by crowd-rousing screams of “Oi!,” a common interjection amongst lower-class Brits.

Why You Should Care:

Although the artists of Oi! punk may not be household names, their impact on the genre is deep-rooted. Strongly influencing heavyweights as diverse as Rancid, Dead Kennedys and Dropkick Murphys, the accessible sounds act as a universal calling card for both punk and ska. Also of note is the genre’s controversy as a scene. With intricate codes of fashion and lifestyle, Oi! punkers grew notoriety for their tough exteriors. But they were also unfortunately drawn into scandal when several artists and compilations were accused of emulating and glorifying Nazi principles, the memories of which still reverberate to this day.

Key Artists:

-Blitz - “Someone’s Gonna Die” video:

-Sham 69 - “Borstal Breakout” live:

-Cock Sparrer - “We Love You” video:

-T.I.’s legal troubles have allegedly cost him millions - Rolling Stone

-Danny Federici of the E Street Band dies - Entertainment Weekly

-Newest R. Kelly disc allegedly out this summer - Pitchfork

Artist Of The Day:

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg is so famous that it is redundant to further commemorate him, but so fun that he is impossible to resist. Check out “From tha Chuuch to da Palace,” an underappreciated gem from 2002’s Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss, which features one of Snoop’s funniest videos.

“From tha Chuuch to da Palace” video:

Bursting out of the vibrant D.C. punk scene, The Dismemberment Plan had an aggressive name which did not necessarily reflect the sensitive nature of their songs. With an intoxicating blend of psychedelia and math rock, the technically proficient quartet was one of the strongest, most engaging rock bands of the late-’90s. The magnum opus of their ten year career, 1999?s Emergency & I, delivers some of the grooviest sci-fi paranoia anthems man has ever created. Be it the metropolitan angst of ?The City,? the haunting reflections of ?Memory Machine,? or the hypnotic ?Back and Forth,? the group draws impossibly intelligent hooks into luscious grooves.

“What Do You Want Me To Say?”: Download

-Mariah Carey’s newest album boasts massive first day sales - Reuters

-Boyzone plans reunion shows…really? - NME

-Akon lied about his infamous rap sheet - Rolling Stone

Artist Of The Day:

OneRepublic

Guilty pleasure alert: these white bread Coldplay knockoffs are probably the blandest boys on the radio today, but for some reason we totally dig their recent single “Stop and Stare.” Nearly impossible to get out of your head, this is the type of song which you hear in the morning on your way out of the house which leeches in your brain all day. Play at your own risk.

“Stop and Stare” video:

Run-D.M.C. - “My Adidas”

Talk about brand allegiance! When Run-D.M.C.’s massive third album, Raising Hell, debuted in 1986, the group quickly ascended to hip-hop royalty. Besides prominently sporting the Adidas brand in videos and live appearances, the third track on this monster record was an ode to the greatness of their shoes. The only surprising thing about this tune is that Adidas does not currently mine any of the dope lyrics in their advertising campaigns: “Me and my Adidas do the illest things /
We like to stomp out pimps with diamond rings /We slay all suckers who perpetrate.” Sign me up!

“My Adidas”: Download

The Suicide Machines - “Vans Song”

Released in 1996 by explosive ska-punkers The Suicide Machines, this tune has achieved mythical status in the skateboarding scene. Perhaps it is because there are enough counter-culture affirmations to fill thousands of poetry-scrawled notebooks, from “Worship Jeff Spicoli not Chris Cornell” to “Someone will probably tell you that they’re not in trend / Just tell them that’s the reason why you don’t have any friends.” After this track, it was heretical to wear any other kicks in the pit.

“Vans Song” fan video:

Korn - “A.D.I.D.A.S.”

Even though it made sense for Korn to commemorate their preferred stage footwear with a rockin’ tune, this is surely the strangest song on the list. In 1997, the band took their brand fetish one one step further than the rest and expressed it in the form of the schoolyard acronym “All Day I Dream About Sex.” Its questionable how much Adidas appreciated the dark sexual anthem, but hey, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, right?

“A.D.I.D.A.S.” video:

Nelly - “Air Force Ones”

A hip-hop phenomenon emerged with this 2002 product placement-laden song and video. Granted, Nelly and his crew took liberties to add their own St. Louis flair to the proceedings by substituting their trademark “err” for “air.” Although the whole shebang reeked of financial backscratching, it sure was danceable. Plus, on the subsequent tour for his sophomore album Nellyville, the rapper would frequently take off his shoes after performing the tune and throw them into the crowd, simultaneously offering the grossest and coolest souvenir ever.

“Air Force Ones” video:

The Pack - “Vans”

This 2006 single from Bay Area snap rappers The Pack became an underground anthem due to its hip rhymes and beat-heavy minimalism. Turning said shoes into the new rap must-have was a logical progression after seeds were planted by skaterats such as Pharrell and Lupe Fiasco. As if this song needed to be any cooler, it begs for the invention of a Crayola color of “coke white.”

“Vans” video: