Heather Larson's Blog
Posted by Heather Larson
Countdown to Zeppelin on iTunes
There’s less than a month until you can buy Led Zeppelin’s music on iTunes. November 13 is d-day for Zep’s digital arrival.
R. Kelly’s and Keyshia Cole On Tour
Keyshia Cole is joining R. Kelly’s tour November 14 in Columbus, GA. Here’s a link to her new song featuring Amina, “Shoulda Let You Go.”
Check out the video too. You probably don’t want to miss this one; the lady looks HOT! Yes, it’s Keyshia Cole on the beach in a pink bathing suit. Fellas, you’re welcome.
Keyshia Cole Tour Dates:?
Wed Nov 14 Columbus, GA Columbus Civic Center ?
Thurs Nov 15 Atlanta Phillips Arena?
Fri Nov 16 Greensboro Greensboro Coliseum?
Sat Nov 17 Birmingham BJCC?
Sun Nov 18 Charlotte Bobcat Arena?
Wed Nov 21 Philadelphia Wachovia Center?
Thurs Nov 22 Newark Prudential Center?
Fri Nov 23 New York Nassau Coliseum?
Sat Nov 24 Baltimore 1st Mariner?
Sun Nov 25 Washington DC Verizon Center?
Thurs Nov 29 Little Rock Alltel Arena?
Fri Nov 30 New Orleans New Orleans Arena?
Sat Dec 1 Dallas American AirlinesArena?
Sun Dec 2 Houston Toyota Center?
Thurs Dec 6 Minneapolis Target Center?
Fri Dec 7 Kansas City Sprint Center?
Sat Dec 8 Indianapolis Conseco Fieldhouse?
Sun Dec 9 Memphis Fed Ex Forum
Thurs Dec 13 Las Vegas Mandalay Bay?
Fri Dec 14 Los Angeles Staples Center?
Sat Dec 15 Oakland Oakland Arena(Oracle)
Sun Dec 16 Sacramento ARCO Arena?
Thurs Dec 20 Chicago United Center?
Fri Dec 21 Chicago United Center
Sat Dec 22 Detroit Joe Louis Arena?
Sun Dec 23 Detroit Joe Louis Arena?
Thurs Dec 27 Charleston North Charleston Coliseum?
Fri Dec 28 Orlando Amway?
Sat Dec 29 Columbia Colonial Center?
Sun Dec 30 Jacksonville Veteran Memorial?
Mon Dec 31 Miami American AirlinesArena
Fri Jan 4 Cleveland Wolstein Center?
Sat Jan 5 Louisvile Kentucky Expo Center?
Sun Jan 6 St Louis Scottrade?Wed Jan 9 Savannah Savannah Civic Center?
Thurs Jan 10 Greenville Bi-Lo Center?
Fri Jan 11 Richmond Richmond Coliseum ?
Sun Jan 13 Hampton Coliseum Hampton Coliseum
Posted by Heather Larson
Everyone is getting in on the pre-holiday music releases, all hoping to be under your Christmas tree or sitting next to your Menorah. Mary J. Blige’s Growing Pains is set for release on November 27. A week later, you can get your hands on Wyclef’s Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
First, there was an Internet-only montage of “Sweetest Girl” put on YouTube. It’s a song featuring ‘Lil Wayne, Akon, and newcomer NIIA. Now you can enjoy the real video online.
The song’s hook makes reference to a decade old Wu-Tang Clan song, “C.R.E.A.M.,” with the lyrics: "I'ma tell you like Wu told me / Cash rules everything around me..."
It’s an essential hip-hop song; if you haven’t heard it before, you better check it out now on the Wu MySpace.
Besides giving homage to some classic hip hop, ‘Clef’s new joint will feature some of today’s best stars. Guests on the album include Mary J. Blige, Chamillionaire, Lil' Wayne, and TI. What a dream team!
Check out the video for Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
Posted by Heather Larson
So I go to see the Dave Matthews Band concert at Phoenix’s Cricket Wireless Pavilion. It’s the old Desert Sky Pavilion, at least that’s what we called it when I was a kid. That will give you an idea of how old it is. So the place is a dump, quite literally. Every moment I am there, I am hating the experience. The place needs a serious upgrade. It’s completely cramped.
Once inside after a completely inefficient pat down/purse search where girls go in one line and boys go in the other and everyone is confused, I head to the ladies room. The line goes on for eternity and some drunk chick comes up behind me and starts grabbing on me asking if this is the end of the line. Well, duh. This was the beginning of what would be a night of bad behavior.
Dave Matthews Band fans have absolutely no manners.
A chick blatantly cut in the bathroom line right in front of me, but at least she sang for her supper and carried on an intelligent conversation about Dave and Jimmy Buffet with me. This is very much unlike the drunk chick behind me who kept grabbing me and cursing, yelling at the girls in line to, “Just pick a f***ing stall already!”
There was also a chance meeting between us at the bathroom sink, which had definitely seen better days as it splattered all the nearby ladies with water. I’ve never seen a sink splatter so far before. Note to Cricket: bulldoze your cramped, sagging, dilapidated Pavilion and build something that will handle our growing population.
Next in part two: My trip into hell, or sitting on the lawn at a Dave Matthews Band show.
Posted by Heather Larson
I thought we’d be safe once we found our spot on the lawn to spread out our beach towels. I was wrong.
The extremely bad-mannered Dave Matthews fans walked right over our beach towels. They stepped on my feet. They tripped on my feet. They spilled beer on my feet. Garbage was kicked at us. Loud, drunken people surrounded us having loud conversations. Dave Matthews Band fans are white trash of the highest order. Caucasian debris. In all my years of going to concerts, I have never had such an experience.
The music was fantastic and Dave and the fellas didn’t disappoint. Seeing the band was worth putting up with a sold-out crowd of jerks. But the ultimate example of stupidity came during the encore.
A dancing couple moved into the real estate right behind us on the lawn. The drunken couple danced wildly, and in the beginning, I was actually watching them for laughs as was everyone else in the vicinity. Let face it, drunk people dancing are always a hit. It was especially funny when he twirled her right into a passing fat woman. I laughed pretty hard at that -- until he twirled her into me and almost knocked me over.
I’d rather go to Country Thunder where the “rednecks” are rich and well-behaved. That was the most fun, laid-back crowd I have ever seen. I’d also rather go see Maná any day in any country. Hispanics also have great manners and are very welcoming, even to a loco gringa like me. But a Dave Matthews Band show I could skip just because of the fans. Maybe I’d go if I could buy a seat and avoid the lawn. I’d definitely go see them at another venue in another city. But Cricket Wireless Pavilion I’ll avoid as much as I can.
Posted by Heather Larson
As a freelance music journalist, I get to attend a great many concerts. Friday night, I was at Phoenix’s Chase Field to watch a Smashmouth concert after the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the St. Louis Cardinals. My radio station 98-7 The Peak (KPKX), where I am a weekend on-air personality, presented Smashmouth after the game. It was the first time I had seen them in concert in probably 12 years! They were still great, though a little older and a tad on the heavy side. But then again, so am I!
Sometimes it is easy to get jaded when you go to so many concerts, or to feel unexcited. Usually I do feel excited when going to any live show because I never know what to expect. But tonight I am especially excited to be attending the Mana concert at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix for Batanga.com because I have been a fan for a few years and I am finally getting to see them live.
Sharing my excitement hasn’t been so easy though. I am finding my white friends have no idea what I’m talking about when I say, “I’m getting ready to go see Mana tonight and tomorrow night and I’m so excited!” They say, “You’re going to see who?” Then I have to try to explain Mana to someone who has never heard of them.
Mana is one of the biggest rock bands in the world. If you’re Mexican, they are your U2, The Rolling Stones of the Latin world. The band has been around since the 1970s and like all legendary bands, has gone through many incarnations with members coming and going through the years.
More in part 2...
Posted by Heather Larson
Mana is huge in the States because we have a huge Latin population here, especially here in the Southwest. It’s the biggest band the mainstream doesn’t know about – and that’s OK with me. Mana is a band real music fans know about, regardless of their cultural heritage. I don’t see any reason why Mana can’t go mainstream in the U.S. They were already on the Grammy-winning Carlos Santana album Supernatural and have even won their own Grammy as a band. You may remember their song Corazon Espinado with Santana. If not, that’s OK.
Just like soccer, Mana is the biggest Latin thing in the U.S. that the white folks don’t know about. The only thing that will change that is if Mana does an English language album. I’m not sure if I see that day ever coming, but I wouldn’t be the least upset if it did. But I love them in any language and can’t wait to see them play tonight!
Posted by Heather Larson
I attended two shows last week. But the two concerts were a striking dichotomy. How many people can say they saw Don Henley, The Pretenders, The Stray Cats, and the Paid Dues independent hip-hop festival with acts like Brother Ali and Murs all in the same week? I did it, and I’ve lived to tell.
The radio station I work for here in Phoenix, Arizona put on its first ever “Festivus.” Our three-act show included Brian Setzer and a reunited group of Stray Cats that hadn’t played together in this incarnation in a good 15 years. Then there was Chrissie Hynde and her Pretenders. Our headliner was Don Henley of the Eagles.
Both The Eagles and the Pretenders are currently working on new albums, by the way.
Then I went to the Paid Dues independent hip hop festival for Melodytrip.com, a site for which I produce a weekly podcast. We cover music festivals of all genres all over the world.
I was really hoping Rock The Bells would come through Phoenix, but like many hot tours, it isn’t. But it’s sister fest, Paid Dues, was set to come through town. On a 107-degree day, the outdoor festival was the kind you attend because you love independent hip-hop. Around 1,500 showed up to show their love for hip-hop’s emerging acts like Brother Ali, Living Legends, Felt, and Murs.
I came away from the festival with Drunken Immortals (a local hip-hop act) on vinyl, a CD from The Insects, and later bought Brother Ali on iTunes because I just couldn’t stop thinking about his music after seeing him play live.
From The Peak’s Festivus, I came away knowing that anytime The Pretenders, Stray Cats, or Don Henley come through town again, they are not to be missed.
Posted by Heather Larson
DNA Tests Discover Two More James Brown Children
Who says major music headlines don’t pop up over the weekend? Two more children of James Brown have been discovered through DNA tests done on 12 people. The battle over the legend’s estate continues – now with this added wrinkle.
There is no confirmation on who the two kids are, but a South Carolina newspaper The Augusta Chronicle says one is 45-year-old Rhonda Petitt. Petitt apparently showed the publication a document which said there was a 99% probability she was Brown's daughter. She claims the singer picked her mother out of the audience during a Los Angeles concert in the early 1960s, thus beginning the hookup that led to her existence.
They broke up when her mother became pregnant and moved to Houston. Petitt's two daughters may at least be eligible for a trust the musician set up to pay for his grandchildren's education.
Brown’s will is currently being contested in court by his six kids… Add on two more plus grandchildren!
Countdown to Divorce: Usher Has Married Tameka
The single life is over for R&B superstar Usher who married his very pregnant (and much older) girlfriend Tameka Foster Friday. They did a civil ceremony in his lawyer’s office with his mother present. The wedding was supposed to have taken place last weekend in New York. Word is it got called off because Tameka wasn’t down with Usher’s pre-nup agreement. His mother, however, liked that pre-nup very much!
Why Beyonce Is Still Single
Jay-Z told New York’s Angie Martinez of Hot 97 that he hasn’t married Beyonce yet because he doesn’t like to make mistakes. That’s a fancy way of saying “I’m afraid of commitment.” But then again, he always had a great way of putting things otherwise he wouldn’t be the MC he is today.
Lauryn Hill on a Possible Fuguees Reunion
Lauryn Hill, formerly every B-girl’s fashion icon back in the days of The Fugees or “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” wears some crazy drag-queen type make up and has been looking less than fabulous lately. But she gave a interview recently in which she gave up this little nugget of info on any Fugees reunion that may or may not be in the works:
“I don’t know. I’m not going to say never because…I’m not going to feed anything either…It was a beautiful moment and we were able to do some really beautiful things…it was a special thing. It was a very special time. As far as a reunion, I don’t have the answer.”
Good News Gentlemen, Rihanna Is Single
She’s also never really had many relationships to put on her romantic resume. Oh, and she’s never been drunk either. So much for that whole “Good Girl Gone Bad” façade! Those tasty little factoids come courtesy of MAXIM Magazine.
Posted by Heather Larson
Here are my three favorite news stories for today! I’ll explain why after each story.
Kanye Track Makes Strong Billboard Debut
Kanye West has the strongest debut on the Billboard chart this week. His song, “Stronger” debuted at #47 on the Billboard Hot 100.
I have loved Kanye West since the very beginning of his career and it’s always good that he keeps coming back with something unique each time around. “Stronger” is a great song. It also marks the first time the Daft Punk sound has merged with hip-hop. I can imagine most people into their hip-hop have never bothered to listen to the dance music of Daft Punk. Maybe now that will change. I’m always an advocate for keeping an opening listening mind and think it’s great to hear Kanye and Daft Punk together.
Usher’s Wife Tameka Puts Hit Out On Sister Via National Enquirer
Tameka’s sister supposedly gave up the goods on her criminal past to Usher before the marriage. Now Tameka is mad and gave this quote to the National Enquirer:
“You are one dead bitch and you better watch your back, cause I’m putting a hit out on you!”
This is a pretty delicious rumor going around and I had to indulge. The Tameka bashing has been going on for some time now at various blogs and I don’t think I have anything to say that hasn’t already been said. So I’m just going to leave it at one simple thought directed at Usher: your fans will get over the Tameka thing if you provide us with a good album sometime soon. Don’t be known as the guy who became nothing more than tabloid fodder.
Madonna’s Adoption Not Going So Well
The adoption of David Banda from Malawi by Madonna isn’t going so well. An official who was supposed to travel to London to check on Madonna was denied travel to the country. Said official has dismissed suggestions that he personally asked Madonna for an air ticket. The adoption now has a chance of falling through.
This is the first story I’ve seen in ages where Madonna seemed vulnerable, whether the story is true or not. She always is on top of the world, always a winner. It isn’t often a story pops up that exposes any of weakness of hers, if she even has any.
Posted by Heather Larson
Isley was convicted of five counts of tax evasion and one count of failing to file a tax return.
He’s also extremely ill.
He’s also one of our cultural icons.
Does he deserve three years of incarceration?
I received the following letter from Def Jam:
LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO AN EXECUTIVE PRESIDENTIAL PARDON FOR THE LEGENDARY RON ISLEY AKA MR. BIGGS.
Join Def Jam today in helping to spread the word for the pardon of legendary American musician Ronald Isley. As a member of The Isley Brothers, Ronald Isley's career spans over 50 years, with countless accomplishments and a legacy of uniquely American music that has influenced everyone from the Beatles to Notorious B.I.G.
In an effort to protect Mr. Isley from incarceration for non-payment of taxes, we urge his fans to call, fax or email the White House immediately to help Ronald stay out of prison.
The situation is especially urgent because Mr. Isley is currently scheduled to report to begin serving a 3 year sentence on August 7th of this year.
In lieu of the recent charges brought against Mr. Isley, he is currently in the process of a total restitution of his financial obligations to the IRS. Mr. Isley has also offered to perform for troops at various military bases to help heal the country and show his support for their tireless efforts to protect this country.
It is important to point out that Ronald Isley has no prior criminal record, and has been a law-abiding, taxpaying employer since 1956. There is also concern that due to a variety of health issues, (Mr. Isley suffered a stroke in 2004 and was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2006) without proper care Mr. Isley's health could decline further and there is genuine concern as to whether he could survive a lengthy incarceration.
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers are an important part of this country's musical history and a part of the Def Jam family so let's band together to keep one of our living legends out of jail.
See the links and numbers below for ways you can show your support:
1. To contact the President of the United States:
Call: 1-202-456-1414
Fax: 1-202-456-2461
Email: president@whitehouse.gov
2. To contact The Congressional Black Caucus:
Go to www.congressionalblackcaucus.net
Click on “meet reps” and find your representatives.
3. To contact your local senator or congressperson: www.congress.org
Take Action
There is, at this point, little over a week to take action if you want to help Ron Isley avoid prison time. If Scooter Libby can be pardoned, why not Ron Isley? Hasn’t Isley done more for our society?
Posted by Heather Larson
If someone calls you “Krispy,” that is a good thing. Especially if it comes from Memphis rapper Kia Shine, who says being “krispy” is being fly and fresh.
Yes, Kia Shine’s song/newly coined term has a lot to do with fashion and looking right.
He came from the Memphis underground and is now on Universal Motown Records. He resisted the crack hustle growing up because he knew God had other bigger plans for him.
The first plan unfolded in a corporate job. Kia worked for casino conglomerate Harris Entertainment and did well. So well, in fact that he got promoted to a job in Las Vegas. But Kia turned it down and answered music’s call instead.
He started by selling beats and was soon successful in selling to heavy hitters like Juvenile and Ludacris. He signed the best local producers in Memphis and his company did well but ultimately failed.
That is when Kia transitioned from producer to rapper.
"Due Season" Drops Tuesday, July 31
Fast forward to now and Kia Shine’s first album, “Due Season” is due to be released this Tuesday, 7/31. He’s already an award-winning rapper, having won the 2007 Southern Entertainment Award for the Independent Artist of the Year.
As I write this, Kia Shine is performing in Dallas. Monday (7/30) he’ll be on Rap City at 5:00 p.m. EST and for Tuesday, he treats Memphis fans to an in-store at Spin Street from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Links:
Are You Krispy?
Krispy Video
Kia Shine’s MySpace Page
Posted by Heather Larson
1. His self-titled debut “Sean Kingston” is in stores July 31.
2. He’s Jamaican, but you probably could have guessed that. He was actually born in Miami though. What you may not have guessed, however, is that…
3. His grandfather is the legendary Jamaican producer Jack Ruby. Buju Banton is a close family friend.
4. He is only 17 years old!
5. “Beautiful Girls” was produced by J.R. Rotem. Kingston says, “I heard the track ‘Stand by Me,’ one night in the studio, the radio was on. I asked J.R., did anybody ever use this sample? He made the beat right there on the spot and I wrote the words down while he played it back to me. I loved the way it turned out and I think my sound is a lot different than what else is out there. It all just worked and we knew we had something special with the track. I’m also singing about something people can relate – being in love and this other person who you think is your world tells you they want to end the relationship.”
6. There are no “curse words or negative slang” on his album. Kingston says, “I write my own songs so it’s like if I can write a great track without using those words than that’s the style for me.”
7. He wrote a song, “Dry Your Eyes,” about having to see his mom and sister go away to prison. He was only 14 when his mother went away.
8. He went to acting school when he was younger. Younger? He’s only 17 now!
9. “Beautiful Girls” is #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart right now.
10. Last summer, he was homeless for a week and slept in a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida bus stop until an aunt in Boynton Beach gave him a place to crash.
Posted by Heather Larson
Whether today brings about any change remains to be seen, but for now, it’s a good time. I’ve been watching all day online at the <a href="http://liveearth.msn.com/">MSN site</a> because I can’t find it on TV. I gave up. Maybe I didn’t try hard enough. Someone told me it was on NBC but I turned on the channel to find golf.
Golf is so not green. All the water wasted on keeping golf courses green? Please.
I turned on MTV to find the Tyra Banks modeling show. I turned on VH1 to find gossip crap shows. The best TV coverage I saw was quickie reports every once in a while on CNN. How lame.
I Don’t Want My MTV If It Lacks Live Earth
Two of the biggest music channels don’t even carry 2007’s biggest live music event. A concert so big, it’s on six continents and I can’t even find it on TV here in America. Instead I have to watch a bunch of semi-pretty chicks compete for materialism and vanity on MTV with more materialism and vanity on VH1!
OK, I’m Done Complaining Now
So I turned to the Internet, which is really becoming my official boob tube alternative. I’ve seen Joss Stone do a duet cover of the Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter” with an African artist I don’t know but she’s fantastic. I think that is the official cover song this year. Patti Smith covered it on her latest album of covers.
I also saw Bon Jovi, Kanye West, and a super-hot Alicia Keys with gorgeous long, wavy hair in a hot pink dress. Did I mention she looked hot? Smokin’! And her singing, as usual, was awesome. Kelly Clarkson was putting on a good show; I just couldn’t understand watching her today why the girl couldn’t sell enough concert tickets for the summer and had to cancel her tour. So far, I think Alicia Keys’ performance and Kanye West doing his new song, “Stronger” have been my highlights.
For more Live Earth enrichment, read about how Mike D of The Beastie Boys is raising his kids to be green.
Posted by Heather Larson
Dave Matthews Gives Advice For How To Conduct Oneself In The Potty
Just like Sheryl Crow told us not to use more than one or two sheets of TP a little while back, now Dave Matthews is giving some eco-friendly potty advice as well. He tells the current issue of Rolling Stone magazine (with The Police on the cover) that you should only flush if you’ve made a biscuit. Ok, his exact words were as follows. Quote: “Don’t flush it unless it’s a turd.” Matthews was asked by the magazine what people could do in their everyday lives to help the environment. Just what we need – the dirty hippies at Dave Matthews Band shows now refusing to flush the potty in addition to not washing their feet.
‘Lil Wayne Addresses The Carter III Leak Issue, Looks For Dates in Internet Video
Alicia Keys Becomes a Movie Producer
Alicia Keys has found herself a movie to produce called “Catfish” written my emerging screenwriter Charisse Waugh. The film is based on a true story about a Mississippi black woman who fights a corporation that has ruined her small town. Keys and business partner Jeff Robinson started their New York production company Big Pita, Little Pita as a way to champion voices not heard every day. Keys discovered the script at Tribeca Film Festival’s All Access program. The goal of the program is to foster relationships between filmmakers and those from underrepresented communities. Sounds like Tribeca’s mission was accomplished with Keys picking up “Catfish.” She calls the script “deeply moving.”
Gwen Stefani & No Doubt Surprise Irvine With Shows
Diddy and Suge Are Getting Along?
Weezer Is Back!
ITunes Sells More Music Than Target and Amazon
Madonna Doesn’t Want To Party With Janet Jackson.
Rufus Wainwright Drank Him Some Beyonce Haterade
“I’m really sick of Beyonce. All of her songs are formulaic and produced in a way that's utterly mesmerizing in the basest way...But hey, it's your life, you know?"
BET Awards Photo Gallery.
Here’s the new Amy Winehouse video for “Tears Dry On Their Own.”
Jennifer Hudson & Jennifer Holliday Duet At BET Awards.
Rumors About Romance Between Ciara and 50 Cent Refuse To Die
Icky Thump Sets The Charts On Fire For the White Stripes.
Posted by Heather Larson
Ever misunderstand lyrics in a song? Of course you have! Everyone has! There’s even a website dedicated to misheard lyrics.
It’s amazing how one can clearly understand Bruce Springsteen lyrics while another cannot.
The Better Half and I were in the car and the new Timbaland song came on. We were immediately confused in a couple different ways.
First off, who is the chick singing? We’d never heard that voice before and were a little miffed as we’re used to hearing the voice of Nelly Furtado aside gruff Timbaland.
Introducing Keri Hilson
Her name is Keri Hilson and she’s been around for a while, however she is not a star. Therefore, she will be able to have a long career in music as we eat celebrities. Her website says her album, “In A Perfect World” is due out later this year. It also says she guests on Diddy’s “After Love,” on his “Press Play” album. I am apparently person #7106 to view her on MySpace. Maybe you will be #7107?
Oh, but Keri Hilson has written a lot of songs for people. She wrote one of my favorites, Mary J. Blige’s “Take Me As I Am.” She wrote “Icebox” for Omarion. She’s also written for Avant, Toni Braxton, Ciara, Usher, Ludacris, Chris Brown, and Kelly Rowland.
So the other thing that confused us about Timberland’s “The Way I Are” were the lyrics. What is she singing that he can touch? The Better Half (yes, I will blame it one him) thought Hilson was singing, “You can touch my nuts for free.”
I kid you not.
I thought it was “You can touch my na-nas free.” Possibly The Better Half and I have one-track minds.
The lyrics are actually, “You can touch my love, it’s free.”
Also guesting with Timbaland on the track is rapper D.O.E. Most notable is his G Unit parody, “Me Unit,” as a mixtape. Timbaland heard the tape because a Bad Boy employee passed it to him and that brings us to “The Way I Are.”
I’ll just post the whole thing for you now:
“The Way I Are” By Timbaland and featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E.
Yeah!... yeah!... remember the time, baby... yeah!
[Bridge - Keri Hilson]
(Oh) Baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me
If we go and touch, you can still touch my love, it's free
We can work without the perks just you and me
Work it out 'til we get it right
[Verse 1 - Timbaland]
I ain't got no money
I ain't got no car to take you on a date
I can't even buy you flowers
But together we could be the perfect soulmates
Talk to me girl
(Oh) Baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me
If we go and touch, you can still touch my love, it's free
We can work without the perks just you and me
Work it out 'til we get it right
[Chorus] - Keri Hilson & (D.O.E)
Baby if you strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like you just the way you are
(I'm about to strip and I want it quick
Can you handle me the way I are?)
I don't need the G's or the car keys
Boy I like you just the way you are
Let me see ya strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like, I like, I like...
[The Way I Are lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]
[Verse 2 - Timbaland]
I ain't got no Visa
I ain't got no Red American Express
We can't go nowhere exotic
It don't matter 'cause I'm the one that loves you best
Talk to me girl
[Bridge 2 - Keri Hilson]
Oh, baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me
If we go and touch, you can still touch my love, it's free
We can work without the perks just you and me
Work it out 'til we get it right
[Chorus] - Keri Hilson & (D.O.E)
Baby if you strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like you just the way you are
(I'm about to strip and I want it quick
Can you handle me the way I are?)
I don't need the G's or the car keys
Boy I like you just the way you are
Let me see ya strip, you can get a tip
'Cause I like you just the way you are
[Verse 3 - D.O.E.]
Baby girl, I don't got a huge ol' house I rent a room in a house
Listen baby girl, I ain't got a motorboat but I can float ya boat
So listen baby girl, once you get a dose of D.O.E. you gon' want some mo'
So listen baby girl, when I'm naked I want you there, want you there, yeah.
(fade)
Posted by Heather Larson
My fellow Suite music feature writer Danny Brown, who does the indie music page here is at North By Northeast ALL weekend long!
That means Danny has another couple nights to go to take in as many of the 450 bands playing there as he possibly can. Go, Danny, Go!
It’s not like NXNE is so out of reach since you can get a wristband for $28 bucks that gets you in to see every band over four days at 40 clubs. As if you have time for that! Danny is already trying to catch as many bands as he can and he’s missing out on some he just can’t make it to. So you get more than your $28 worth.
I’m hoping to catch up with Danny sometime this weekend as he’s running around Toronto (by Skype since I’m in Phoenix, Arizona, USA) or at least next week once he’s had a chance to recover. It would be nice to talk to him for my weekly music festival podcast I do for MelodyTrip.com.
There are some cool headliners this weekend at NXNE:
*Buffalo Tom
*Urge Overkill
*Dinosaur Jr.
With A&R guys set to swarm Toronto this weekend, could Canada be on the verge of becoming the next big thing?
Posted by Heather Larson
Paula Abdul Freaks Out; Someone Tapes It
This is great! Sad, but oh-so-gossip-worthy. Listen here to Paula crying about fair treatment, a bad publicist, her Addison’s Disease, and a couple things I can’t quite make out.
Rihanna’s “Umbrella”
Nothing is better in the world of pop music today than a new Rihanna video. She’s number one all over the place right now. A quick check of iTunes shows she has the #1 song there too. She has the #2 video on iTunes.
Gwen Stefani’s “4 In The Morning”
What girl can’t dedicate this one to her boyfriend? That’s what a good pop song is about. I keep listening to it though and wondering if life with Gavin Rossdale of Bush is really that bad. Let’s see, I know there’s something that will compel you to watch it right now… Oh yes! Gwen Stefani in the bathtub! Go hurry and watch now.
New Paul McCartney Video!
I’m finally over the whole Starbuck’s record label thing since we’re finally getting new stuff from Sir Paul.
90s Alternative Rock Music
I know I shall now feel the shame of totally dating myself here, but 90s alternative rock is what I grew up listening to in the Bay Area on radio stations like the lond-dead 98.5 KOME and the still surviving Live 105. When I miss that stuff and want to feel young again, I tune into Big R Radio. Just go to the website and pick out the 90s FM from the drop-down menu. Some of the stuff you can hear there: Sonic Youth; Marilyn Manson; Lemonheads; No Doubt; that Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm song; and Stone Temple Pilots. I listen to Big R Radio on iTunes, so Mac users take note.
Posted by Heather Larson
Check it out; Rihanna’s “Umbrella” with Jay-Z is #1 in all kinds of places:
*Billboard Hot 100
*Billboard Pop 100
*Digital Song Charts
*#1 in the UK last week
The song “Umbrella” is on Rihanna’s forthcoming album, “Good Girl Gone Bad,” due out June 5. Before you mark that day on your calendar, mark June 3 because that’s the day Rihanna makes her U.S. television debut at the MTV Movie Awards performing the #1 hit with Jay-Z.
Her new album sets her up with the same producers again who created past hits “S.O.S.” and “Pon De Replay.” “Good Girl Gone Bad” will also reap the benefits of songwriting from two of the hottest songwriters today – Justin Timberlake and Ne-Yo. JT and Ne-Yo are turning into the Class of 2007 – the guys so in demand this year, we’ll be sick of them by November. But we certainly will never tire of their product and they are churning out the hits.
Rihanna’s stock is rising as she has also signed on to be a CoverGirl spokesperson. She may be prettier than Queen Latifah, Molly Sims, Christie Brinkley, and Keri Russell combined. She may even be more gorgeous than Tyra Banks… Rihanna may just be the best CoverGirl signed yet.
Before you think our newest superstar is all flash and no depth, think again. She started The Rihanna Foundation for terminally ill children across the globe. She’s gorgeous, talented, and has a big heart. As if her music weren’t enough, the reasons to fall in love with Rihanna never end.
Posted by Heather Larson
It's the long-awaited return of my Hotlist, so without further ado, I give you Heather's Hotlist #5.
<b>Peter Gabriel Launching We7</b>
Music downloads that are free because they contain commercials that eventually expire…we’ll see if it catches on. Music was never supposed to be so terribly commercial, but we all have to pay the bills.
Check out We7.com: http://www.we7.com/
Paul McCartney’s Album Is Almost Out
The marketing machine is in fair rotation already promoting the heck out of Sir Paul McCartney’s first album on the Starbuck’s record label. The big day is coming, so mark it – June 7. That’s the day you can go to Starbucks and say, “I’d like a half-caff soy, chai, caramel, mocha with whip and Sir Paul please.”
Coffee and music always went together, I won’t deny that. I heard a great many jazz records in my youth of being a barista at Mission Coffees and More in Fremont, CA. I heard some great stuff I had never heard before at Lux in downtown Phoenix the other day. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You break music in a good, independent coffee shop. Paul McCartney needs no breaking. He and this little band he was in called The Beatles broke us all in decades ago…
The Pharoahe Monch Remix of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab
I haven’t heard it on mainstream radio, but that’s exactly where it should be, save for Monch’s many cusswords and drug references. Anything that makes fun of the current sexiness of skinny white starlets checking into rehab is a friend of mine.
Fergie – Big Girls Don’t Cry
Usually I am annoyed with her because she’s overexposed a la J. Lo in the early 2000’s. But this one is dang catchy, and I can’t resist catchy. Being as it was the first time I’d actually heard her sing, I was shocked to learn this was the My Humps Fergie. First time I heard this song, I thought it was a new artist! Kudos for Fergie for pulling out a good single in which we can actually hear her sing for once, right here and watch the video.
Posted by Heather Larson
Here’s the lowdown on who is singing what tonight on the Season Six American Idol finale. My hometown girl, Jordin Sparks, will be singing Christina Aguilera’s Fighter and On Broken Wing by Martina McBride. Future Backstreet Boy Blake Lewis will be singing She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5 and You Give Love A Bad Name by Bon Jovi.
Just those song choices alone show Jordin is going to be far more exciting tonight than Blake Lewis. We already concede she sings On Broken Wing better than Martina. We know she can belt out the Aguilera. As for Blake, what could be more vanilla than Maroon 5? A tired 80s rock song we’ve heard a million times in almost two decades now? Please. He can do much better. I’m already disappointed in him and the show hasn’t even aired yet.
Let’s check <a href="http://dialidol.com/">DialIdol.com</a> and see what the prediction is. Oops, too early to do that; we’ll have to wait until tomorrow. But a quick check of the homepage shows the site’s reminder that it was right last year. Taylor Hicks was indeed the winner last season.
Posted by Heather Larson
It was a good night on American Idol for a Jordin Sparks fun like myself. If you read my last blog, you'll know I was also particularly excited to see Elliot Yamin perform "Wait For You." It was nice to see footage of Jordin Sparks visiting her hometown of Glendale since I live close by in Phoenix. I've always liked her better than Blake Lewis, her only competition now. Simon Cowell must be steamed that his girl Melinda Doolittle didn't make it to the final two. Do you ever wonder if maybe that was a shocker engineered by reality TV?
If anything, I was hoping the final two would be Melinda and Jordin instead of Jordin and Blake. But the beat box boy made it all the way. I imagine that is the votes of the teen girl contingent showing through...
So here we go, to the homestretch! I'll be watching Jordin win next week and then will anxiously be awaiting a single, an album, anything I can own and listen to over and over again.
Posted by Heather Larson
I vaguely remembered Elliot Yamin from American Idol. I wasn't a fan of his while he was a contestant. I remember him as the funny-looking guy with the funny name. So I'm driving and I hear this song on KISS-FM here in Phoenix. (Full disclosure: I worked for the station when it was launched but currently work for 98-7 The Peak. So I'm a radio geek).
The song I heard on KISS is Wait For You by Elliot Yamin, but I didn’t realize that until after I heard it. First off, you can’t tell me this is a white dude singing an R&B song! But it is. It’s Elliot Yamin, the Idol contestant who was beat by Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee. I am actually not even sure of his cultural heritage, but I’ll go with Paula Abdul as my source because she called him “one funky white boy” during his run on Idol last year. But enough with what could be construed as the reverse racism. It really doesn’t matter what color you are as long as you can do the song justice, and Yamin does with Wait For You. There’s a lot of emotion in his voice, a lot of romance and the song and hey – I’m a chick. I go for that.
I can’t even tell you the lyrics to a Taylor Hicks song and he was the winner. I couldn’t even tell you the name of one Taylor Hicks song. I do sing along with the Katherine McPhee song, Over It. I dig that one too. But this Elliot Yamin song is the one I’ve already listened to over and over again, teenage-style, on MySpace.
You should probably visit Elliot Yamin’s MySpace page and listen to it too because it’s worth it.
Posted by Heather Larson
I was wrong! No, actually, my source was wrong about who would get kicked off American Idol last night.
It was DialIdol.com and here’s how it works:
You go to the site, download the software to dial your contestant’s number on voting night via the software. Then the software does all the voting work over and over for you. Either it gets a busy signal when it dials or your vote goes through. Then the data is added up and we find out who go the most votes on DialIdol.com.
In past episodes, it’s supposedly 85% correct, having correctly predicted Sanjaya Malakar would get kicked off American Idol the week that happened. It predicted Lakisha Jones and Chris Richardson would get kicked off this week – and that was only half right. Chris Richardson did get the boot as did Phil Stacey who fared a little better in the DialIdol results. Lakisha got lucky according to the DialIdol stats.
Good thing I didn’t go to Vegas on those percentages!
Link To The Week's Results on DialIdol.com:
Posted by Heather Larson
Not Only That, But My Source Is Supposedly 85% Correct Much Of The Time
Check back tomorrow (or later tonight depending on how fast I am) to see who does indeed get kicked off of American Idol tonight. Remember that two contestants are to be booted tonight. I predict that Lakisha Jones and Chris Richardson will get eliminated together tonight. I will even go so far as to say that my hometown girl, Jordin Sparks, will be the winner of American Idol this season.
If I can go run to Vegas real quick…oh, there’s not enough time to make it there before the show tonight unless I fly and given that it takes two hours at Sky Harbor. Yup, I’m out of time to go place my American Idol bets in Sin City for tonight.
Jordin, according to my source, is the mathematically predicted winner of the whole thing. Lakisha and Chris are predicted to go back to where they came from. I am anxious to see if my source is correct. Whether or not my source is indeed proven correct tonight, I will reveal my source tomorrow.
I definitely think Lakisha and Chris deserve to be kicked off. I actually don’t like any of the guys in the competition this year. They can’t sing, or they can but they can only sing boy band stuff. Boy bands are done which leaves very few career prospects. I admit fully to being completely biased towards Jordin Sparks because I am a resident of Phoenix, Arizona and she is from Glendale, the next town over. She is the best American Idol contestant we’ve had yet. Three of our former Arizona Idols are in a local car dealer commercial. I think that says it all.
Posted by Heather Larson
"American Doll Posse" From Tori Amos
It’s a pretty decent Tuesday for new music. Of course I’ll begin with one of my all-time favorites, Tori Amos, whose new album “American Doll Posse” is buyable today. I got mine on iTunes and have only had time to listen to it once through so far. I haven’t even had a chance to watch the two videos that came with it or take a look at the digital booklet. I can take care of a review for you in depth later. What I can tell you right now after listening to the album once is that it’s good. I haven’t even picked out my favorite songs yet, but there will be many. All the songs were so good I already feel overwhelmed! I suppose I need more time to digest this album.
"Because Of You" From Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo’s new album also hit stores today. Even my boyfriend who never likes R&B, soul, or Hip-Hop likes the <a href="http://popmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/new_pop_neyos_because_of_you">new Ne-Yo song</a>, “Because Of You.” The “Because Of You” album could just set it in stone that he’s a future music legend. He’s already written a ton of songs for other artists -- like Beyonce for starters -- at a young age and this is his second album already. That’s a sure sign of a guy who will have longevity in the business.
GiantMag.com says, “Where “In My Own Words,” Ne-Yo’s debut, highlighted the artist’s uncanny ability to craft crossover hits, “Because Of You” reveals his sense of the power and history of his genre, and the fingerprints of R&B crossover pioneers like Jackson, Prince, and even R. Kelly are found throughout.” I definitely hear the Prince influence in his songs, but not the Michael Jackson.
Other Highlights In New Releases This Week:
Baby 81 from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
This would be a rock n’ roll band, kids. The kind of stuff you catch live in a smoky club while drinking something from a longneck bottle.
Working Class Hero from Green Day
It’s a cover of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.” Therefore it’s just a single. You really can’t miss when you’ve got Green Day covering Lennon, can you?
"The Reminder" from Feist
I think I will have to purchase this one as soon as I get done reviewing Ne-Yo, Joe, and Tori Amos (although not necessarily in that order). I have a thing for chick singers, songwriters, singer-songwriters – you get the picture. What an original voice! As a radio veteran, I have to ask, where can I hear this on the radio? Why haven’t I heard this on the radio anywhere? Listening to Feist is like pondering the existence of God; the more you ponder, the more questions you end up asking.
"Based On A True Story" from Kimberly Locke
Called fat by lots of folks, including Simon Cowell of <a href="http://realitytv.suite101.com/article.cfm/is_american_idol_voting_sabotaged">American Idol</a> and Screech on VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club,” Kimberly Locke has a new album out. Perhaps you will interpret her as “phat” instead of “fat.” One can only hope a female artist can be recognized for more than looks, whatever they may be. She sings poppy, hooky, upbeat songs that are easy to sing along with. She may just be the definition of pop music for that reason.
"The Return Of The Magnificent" by DJ Jazzy Jeff
Ok, where have I been? I didn’t know he was still making records. His stuff is certainly better than “Getting’ Jiggy With It.”* There’s actual Hip-Hop on this record with Pos from De La Soul on “Let Me Hear You Clap.” Big Daddy Kane and Method Man are two other big names on the album.
*I actually like “Getting Jiggy With It” and have played it on more than one radio station for many years now. But comparing that song to the new DJ Jazzy Jeff songs is indeed comparing apples to oranges.
Posted by Heather Larson
Katherine McPhee – Over It
It’s good ole pop music in the vein of something like JoJo. The song is light, poppy, well-produced, about love, and sung by a gorgeous songstress. It’s melodic with its vocal hooks and I like that. It gets stuck in my head. This is why we are pop music fans.
Listen to Katherine McPhee's Over It:
Mika - Grace Kelly
As much as I love the song Grace Kelly, the part that sticks with me most is the end where the woman’s voice says, “Humphrey! We’re leaving.”
More on Mika:
http://www.mikasounds.com/uk.php
http://modern-pop-music.suite101.com/article.cfm/mikas_life_in_cartoon_motion
The Loud.com Battle Rap Competition Has Begun!
If you think you have the skills to pay the bills, they provide the beats and an online multi-track editor. You can’t beat it! Ok, bad joke.
My article on beatmaker/producer Zukhan Bey, who is one of the judges:
http://popmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/heres_your_chance_to_be_a_rapper
Nickelback Raises $400,000 For Charity With Sales
Nickelback’s song If Everyone Cared has raised $400,000 for two different charities. One-hundred-percent of the proceeds from digital sales of the single are going to Amnesty International and International Children’s Awareness Canada.
Listen to If Everyone Cared By Nickelback:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=23380379
American Idol: It’s Safe To Watch Now
Now that the Sanjaya Malakar reign of terror is over, we can eat again and our ears our safe. My ears are very pleased with Jordin Sparks’ performance tonight. Simon told her the song was 60 years old and he thinks she could have a hit record with it. She’s my hometown girl and I really want to see her win the competition, but past contestants have proven you don’t need to win to succeed.
Paste Magazine
I am buying a subscription to Paste Magazine for the sampler CD alone. I bought last month’s issue and this month’s issue, therefore I was listening to sampler 30 until I got sick of it. Today I picked up the new issue and am now intent on digesting all of the music on sampler #31. Bright Eyes, Maria Taylor, Ricky Scaggs…these are just some of my new favorites from #30. This week’s iTunes free single of the week is Life Is Beautiful by Vega4 – also on Paste’s #31.
Check it out:
Posted by Heather Larson
Joe – Ain’t Nothing Like Me
Check out the full story on him, his new album, and his tour dates:
http://popmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/joe_to_start_touring_friday
Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare
They play Friday at Coachella in Indio, California and I so wish I could go, but I’ll be at a Fixx concert and then the McDowell Mountain Music Festival this weekend. (Oh, darn -- my life is so rough). It’s a fresh dose of the Brit punk everyone can agree on.
Arctic Monkeys New Song Brainstorm:
http://www.myspace.com/arcticmonkeys
Cornelius – Sensuous
This is your dose of fun, electronic sounds.
http://www.cornelius-sound.com/
Cowboy Junkies – At The End of Paths Taken
The album centers around the theme of family. That’s sure to be dark and scary…
Check it out:
http://www.myspace.com/cowboyjunkies
Patti Smith – Twelve
It’s an album of covers. She even does Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit and Tears For Fears’ Everybody Wants to Rule The World.
Listen to Patti Smith’s Cover of the Rolling Stone’s Gimme Shelter:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=163257274
New Kelly Clarkson Single – Never Again
You can buy it now on iTunes. It’s like Since You Been Gone but much more venomous.
Listen to Never Again:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=30712181
Posted by Heather Larson
The lyrics are simple and easy to remember, and as I’m quite stressed lately, it works for me to drive around saying, “This is why I’m hot.” It also helped me test out the sound of my rental car quite significantly.
They’ve got a new song out now called Like This. I’m taking my first listen right now as I write this…
After the first few bars, I can say the lyrics make it immediately clear what the song title is referring to:
“If good girls get down on the floor/tell me how low will a black girl go/she’ll probably pick it up, drop it down real slow/or she’s upside down on the pole.”
Yes, it’s that kind of Like This.
Now that I’m to the Like This vocal hook, I can say it’s just as catchy as This Is Why I’m Hot.
Now we have a woman’s voice doing the hook.
You want to listen to it too? How rude of me! Here’s the link so you can listen to it on MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/mimsfanclub
Now that I’ve gotten most of the way through the song, I think I hear a decent club song here.
Get To Know Shawn Mims
Shawn Mims is from upper Manhattan and both aforementioned songs are on his debut album Music Is My Savior. He comes from the Washington Heights neighborhood near Harlem – an area known for its hustling mentality. And we all know music is a hustler’s game.
Mims got his musical start when his mother bought him some DJ equipment. But before he desired to become an MC, he got most into engineering, producing, and being a good DJ. He lost both parents by age 13; Mims’ dad passed away when he was 11 and his mother died after giving birth to his sister when he was 13-years-old.
Mims worked hard in school getting good grades, but music was meant to be. It was a family connection that hooked him up with DJ Blackout of the Blackout Movement who would later produce This Is Why I’m Hot. This wasn’t Mims’ first song though. That would have been I Did You Wrong, which got regional airplay in 2003.
Posted by Heather Larson
My apologies for being somewhat behind on all manner of pop music news. I got into a nasty car accident on the 7th when my tire blew. The car is a total loss but I’m in one piece. So in between the horrors of car shopping, I’ll be getting caught up on pop music news & features for you. Let’s get caught up, shall we? It’s Tuesday so there’s new stuff on sale!
Tori Amos – American Doll Posse
I’m a huge fan of Tori and have been from the start. Maybe I’m dating myself here, but her first album was my first CD. Yeah, that was a long time ago.
You can pre-order her new album on iTunes right now. It’s not out until May 1. But if you buy on iTunes now as I have, you can get “American Doll Posse” in a deluxe version. This means you get to download the lead-off single “Big Wheel” right now and the rest will download on the 1st. You also get two behind-the-scenes videos and an enhanced digital booklet. Do you even read the digital booklets? I don’t. I should, but I forget about them. I like “Big Wheel” because it’s just classic Tori. She definitely keeps with the franchise sound on this one. Can’t wait to hear the whole album.
Avril Lavigne – The Best Damn Thing
Today Avril Lavigne gifts us with “The Best Damn Thing,” containing to single “Girlfriend” which is infectious. I love it; what a great pop song. I like to blast it on our JBL speakers to annoy my tough-guy boyfriend. Apparently everyone else likes “Girlfriend” just as much – it’s #2 on the iTunes singles list right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ25-glGRzI
Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero
Nince Inch Nails is also gracing us with a new album today. I’m downloading “Survivalism” right now off the NIN website. Trent Reznor has put it up there in Apple Garage Band format for not only your downloading pleasure but your production pleasure as well.
In an age where DRM is a daily buzzword, you can take this song in its multitrack pieces and rearrange it. You can deconstruct it, reconstruct it, remix it, rap over it, turn it into a country melody (as if that were possible), or whatever you can think of to do with it. Later on you can come back to the NIN website to find out about how to upload it.
As an audio production geek, I really just want to see how Trent Reznor mixed this song in Garage Band. Maybe I’ll screw around with it myself. Or not. But the point is that I can screw around with Trent Reznor’s production. I grew up on Nince Inch Nails. This is so cool!
Survivalism in Garage Band:
Posted by Heather Larson
If Sanjaya wins, I will…
This season’s American Idol phenomenon has inspired people to fast and have all manner of tantrums online. Its name is “Sanjaya” and it has also inspired online t-shirt sales at IfSanjauaWins.com. You get to fill in the blank after “If Sanjaya wins, I will…”
I’m still trying to fill in my blank. Likely my shirt would say, “Vow never to watch Idol again.”
It seems as though many are already taking that vow, t-shirt or not, as Idol attracts fewer viewers each week. This season is just not pulling the ratings the franchise is used to getting. Personally, I don’t think it’s all Sanjaya’s fault as the show has gotten terribly routine. It definitely needs some refreshing. To say it’s predictable is an understatement.
Go Getcha a T-Shirt:
Read About How Others Will Handle Impending Doom:
The Best Pledge of All:
Kevin Covais from Levittown, New York:
If Sanjaya wins, I will know for sure that I was robbed of my well deserved victory.
IfSanjayaWins.com Rating: A-.
He IS alive!
J.Lo Tanks, No one notices
What’s even more sad that no one has noticed J.Lo’s weak album sales is the responses I received from people asking me, “What new J.Lo album?” Ouch.
Fall Out Boy Civic and Civic Tour
This poor blog has been sitting around unfinished for days, and I must apologize! I got into a horrendous car accident that can only fall into the “lucky to be alive” category over the weekend after blowing a tire on the freeway.
The rental car company has given me a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid to drive around. It’s a sweet little ride and I even considered buying it for a moment so I went to the Honda website to find out that I can actually win one designed by Fall Out Boy! I totally signed up to win the eco-friendly, Van-Gogh themed ride from FOB. I doubt I’ll win since I have probably used up my good fortune free pass by surviving my accident. But as comic Judy Tenuda always says, “It could happen.”
There’s also a very nice little Civic Tour going on:
I see it comes to my city of Phoenix on June 22.
More Civic Tour Dates:
http://civictour.honda.com/tour/index.aspx
Check Out The FOB Civic:
http://civictour.honda.com/vehicle/index.aspx
I Continue To Stalk The Today Show
Chicago performs on the Today Show Summer Concert Series with America Friday, June 22. That’s shaping up to be a very potential magical musical day for me!
Posted by Heather Larson
After the last few days, I am absolutely in love with NBC's Today Show. I'm going to have to tune in every single day from now on. I'd turn on the program some days, but never every day. But the show has been so pleasing to my ear for three consecutive days, and as they say, the third time is a charm. I'm hooked.
Friday: Stevie Nicks sang Landslide live and flawlessly. I think I was the happiest I have ever been. I just had the show on and was getting ready to go out for the day. I wasn't really paying attention. But I heard the opening notes of the song and was transfixed.
Yesterday: Beyonce was on the show performing a couple songs and being interviewed by a very lucky Matt Lauer. Armed with a chick army of backup singers and guitar players, B did an acoustic version of Irreplaceable. She even sang part of it en espanol after admitting to Lauer that she speaks no Spanish at all.
After a break, B came back to do a less calm and intimate performance of a song I haven't heard before. (I have not bought a Beyonce album). She had two Robert-Palmer-video-type chicks playing keyboards on stage with her. I think she may have been better off not dancing for this one because the dance moves were Macarena style. What happened to the sexy slithering from the Beautiful Liar video with Shakira? (My boyfriend's favorite video). I also thought they were all dressed like the Femmebots from Austin Powers in their glittery dresses. Possibly this was a throwback to her Foxy Cleopatra days in Goldmember?
But still, silly getups and dance moves aside, Beyonce does not disappoint. She's still a fabulous singer. Maybe it was wise to wait on buying her album since B'Day is now re-released as of today with beaucoup extras.
Today: Martina McBride was singing her latest Anyway. I know what you're thinking - this is the pop music page, so where's she going with this one? First, I've never been a fan of McBride until this song and I love it. Listen carefully because I swear she sounds like Faith Hill. In fact, I thought this was a Hill song the first three times I heard it. Second, she's coming back to kick off the official Today concert series they do every year in a few weeks. So there will be even more good music to wake up and watch!
Posted by Heather Larson
Beyonce's B'day Deluxe Edition And Video Anthology Album
Beyonce's re-release of B'Day is in stores today. She held a couple songs back from the album for its first release and of course makes up for it now. She also shot eight music videos in two weeks for this release and it has not one or two - but six tracks in Spanish. The B'Day Deluxe Edition is a two-CD set and not to mention it's a Grammy-winning album that's been expanded. It's B'Day but on steroids. You also get five new songs from Beyonce plus her duet with Shakira, Beautiful Liar. Get the videos on the also released B'Day Anthology Video Album. That should be enough Beyonce to last you for a while.
Hilary Duff's Dignity
You may have heard her lead-off single With Love. You can buy that and the entire new album, titled Dignity on iTunes.
Fountains of Wayne's Traffic And Weather
This one's a four-star album according to Rolling Stone. Hilary Duff, however, is not.
Paul Wall's Get Money Stay True
Break 'Em Off featuring Lil Keke and I'm Throwed featuring Jermaine Dupri are two of the songs on this sophomore effort from Houston's favorite grill maker.
Kings Of Leon's Because Of The Times
I spy two five-star reviews of it on iTunes right at this moment. Rolling Stone gives it four stars. If you download this one from iTunes, you automatically get a free bonus track.
Non-Musical Release: Larry The Cable Guy's Morning Constitutions
It's not that I don't think Larry The Cable Guy's Morning Constitutions themselves aren't musical because I'm sure they are in a musical fruit kind of way. But this is a comedy CD all the way, newly released today for your laughing pleasure.
If it feels like I can't shut up about iTunes, please let me know what services you use. This is simply the service I use, so I'm familiar with what's going on with it. E-mail me your opinions here where it says Contact Me. I like mail.
Posted by Heather Larson
The New Maroon 5 Single
Just I have formerly whiffed on Fall Out Boy, I have not been into Maroon 5 for quite some time. Maybe I just can't be into a band everyone else froths at the mouth over. I loved that Harder To Breathe song before radio and the masses jumped all over it. Then people raved about their debut album. My best friend burned me a copy and I hated it. I listened to it once. But my romance with Maroon 5, long gone now, may be creeping back in just as I suddenly have a favorable opinion of FOB as well. And they're Emo... (I'll elaborate on my love/hate affair with FOB some other time).
I really like the new Maroon 5 song, Makes Me Wonder - check it out.
Maybe I'll once again try to get into the band on the strength of a catchy single. Or not.
The New Video From The Killers
Who knew they were into the hallucinogenic drug lifestyle? It sure seems that way from their video for Read My Mind. Hugs not drugs, kids. Somewhere Nancy Reagan is rolling in her grave. Wait, she's still alive? Just watch the video...
The Tempe Music Festival
This really deserves its own article, but for the moment I will say the Tempe Music Festival in Arizona is shaping up to be a wonderful experience. This year was the best one yet!
The Tempe Music Fest Bill 2007:
O.A.R.
The Fray
The Gin Blossoms
Lit
Everclear
Authority Zero
Yellowcard
Obadiah Parker Ft. Mat Wedle
The Smithereens
Cowboy Mouth
And those are just the names you'd recognize; there were many more bands playing!
The Gin Blossoms Performing Live
Rarely do you hear a live band sound that good. Lifehouse, however, who were on stage right after them on the other hand, not so much. We left as their first song, a horribly sounding and incredibly long jam was finally ending. Both bands were performing Friday night (March 30) at the Tempe Music Festival in Tempe, Arizona - right down the street from ASU. A "beach" park on a man made lake smack in the middle of a college town is the perfect location ripe to host 30 bands over two days. The Gin Blossoms are local and a favorite of anyone who's been in Arizona for a while. They have always been able to pull a crowd here and now I know why.
Posted by Heather Larson
It's the next installment of Heather's Hotlist!
Here's music I think is hot and worth a listen. I've been listening to a lot of Internet radio and jotted down some songs you may want to check out. The fun thing about this list is it's an eclectic potpourri of songs. Look them up at random and be pleasantly surprised! You may discover your next favorite artist.
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Bob Sinclair - Tennessee
Jaime Wyatt - Wild Wicked World
Backyard Tire Fire - Time To Go
Razorlight - In The Morning
Paula DeAnda - Walk Away
Mika - Grace Kelly
Hellogoodbye - Here In Your Arms
Martin Solveig - Jealousy
Eliot Popkin - Endless Ride
Listen to Macy Gray's Big Online
The next item in the hotlist is Macy Gray's new album, which you can listen to online at VH1.com. I haven't listened yet, but will be reviewing it at length very soon. Do check out my favorite so far of the songs I've heard - Strange Behavior. It will make you laugh and smile. I enjoy Macy Gray's dark, dry humor on this one. It also has a classic sound and excellent storytelling .
Jordin Sparks on American Idol
Jordin Sparks is my hometown girl and it's Jordin Sparks fever here in Phoenix, Arizona. She's actually from Glendale on the west side of town and the entire Valley of the Sun, as this area is called, is nuts for Jordin. Glendale is throwing a huge shindig tonight with thousands expected to turn out. Tonight, she performed I Who Have Nothing - a perfect choice because it's not a very well-known song. In the very least it is not an overdone song. She's a great performer with a super voice, good range, and her personality! Her personality is perfect! She comes off as warm, energetic, fun, youthful, and sweet. You can tell she's got a sense of humor. She's gracious and gorgeous too. I suppose I'm biased because she's my hometown girl but I think she's going to do so well and become very famous after Idol.
The Tobago Boycott
I'd like to initiate, if no one else has already, an official boycott of Tobago by all performers. Any country whose church leaders try to block an Elton John performance because they fear his mere presence on the island will turn residents automatically and magically gay is too backwards to deserve any cultural visits by artists from around the world. How about we all just boycott Tobago altogether, even? There are other less hateful islands where one can go for a vacation.
Posted by Heather Larson
Meeting rock bands is always difficult and awkward at best. The coolest, most humble rocker I have ever met was the late Benn Orr of The Cars. He did a concert for a station I worked at once upon a time, an all 80s concert, of course. He approached me and said, “Young lady, can you get me a pass like yours so I can make it to my show?” So I teased him and asked why he can’t just walk up to the stage and say, “Don’t you know who I am?” He told me has never once done that in his life and never would pull such an ego maniacal move. I fell in love with him right there and he was my pet for the day!
At the very same show, The Smithereens were playing and they were a totally different story. I was looking for my ward of the day – none other than Corey Feldman. I was in charge of him, getting him on stage, getting him to read our sponsors’ stuff, and things like that. Feldman is no easy guy to chase around and I lost him. I went looking for him in the dressing room and the door didn’t close behind me. One of the Smithereens guys looks at me and says, “Young lady, were you born in a barn?” Oh, to be chastised by a rock star! How weird. But back to my task of deciphering who’s who in Survivor.
One of our staffers with inside access to the band the day of the show breaks it down:
“Robin is the singer.
Frank is the guitarist.
Chris is the keyboardist.
Brian is the bass player.
Mark is the drummer.”
“They were all very nice, but after the whole day, I'd have to say Robin and Chris were the coolest,” says our insider. “Brian was great, but SO sick (allergies) by the end of the night.”
I’m thinking Mark was the guy I thought was so cool because he was the most sociable guy in my opinion, but all the guys were talking to someone different in the room. Mark seemed to be unloading some kind of trade secret on my boss or something. Perhaps I shall pump the boss for information tomorrow.
Overall, the guys were just cool. I think Mark was the one who hung out with us past clean-up time...Our insider was impressed with all the guys and said they were overall great people.
Posted by Heather Larson
I am obsessed today with the voice of Keyshia Cole. She's been around the music scene since about 2005, but something about hearing her on the new P. Diddy song, Last Night, finally got to me and hooked me in. Her voice has layers and flavors. A little bit of rasp and a whole lot of soul - hers is a voice that's been places. It's lived hard and fast but stayed as sweet as that first bite of the season's first strawberry. She's not just another cog in the pop music wheel like the rest of these singers that look and sound like they stepped off the factory assembly line. That voice sounds like an old soul trapped in the body of an early-20s girl - and that's not altogether a bad thing. Now that I'm done obsessing, just listen to this song and tell me I'm nuts.
P. Diddy on Yahoo!
Posted by Heather Larson
My radio station, 98-7 The Peak (KPKX-FM Phoenix), threw a party last night at "Peakerman's Penthouse" with Survivor. Yes, the 80s Survivor that brought us the joy of Eye Of The Tiger. I got to meet and greet the band and most of them were cool. The lead singer was very nice but the nicest guy of all was the drummer, I think. How nuts is this -- I didn't get the names of the guys and there was so much going on at the party, I'm not even sure which guy was the cool guy. I will have to try to figure this out on Monday after the hangovers are gone and everyone is back to work. I tried now to catch up with them on their website to set myself straight, but it's not clearly apparent from the site who's who. Highlights: Eye Of The Tiger is still an awesome song and it was fun to hear live from the band in the flesh. They had a tough time getting the harmonies right on High On You. The lead singer picked one of our listeners out of the crowd and sang The Search Is Over directly to her on the steps of the stage. Their opening band was a local one called The Rave who played covers for us and they were great.
Posted by Heather Larson
I debated on whether or not I should post about the death of Brad Delp, lead singer of Boston, here on the pop music blog. Afterall, Boston was a huge band in the 1970s, and you can bet many of today's singers secretly fashioned their voices after that of Delp. So instead of blogging about Delp myself, I'd like to point you to a moving tribute
from the Orange Country Register. Kate Luther also beat me
to the punch! (Good job, Kate!) I think of Boston more as classic rock, but in the band's hey day, it most certainly would have been considered pop - and pop gold at that.
The essential Boston tunes:
*More Than a Feeling
*Peace of Mind
*Long Time
*Hitch a Ride
*Don't Look Back
I think it's essential to understand the history of popular music in order to be a true music fan and appreciate the influences of the artists we hear today. So please take a moment to learn more about Boston.
Posted by Heather Larson
The Heather Hotlist Right Now:
Gym Class Heroes Cupid's Chokehold
It's a nice interpretation of Supertramp's Breakfast in America as far as samples are concerned. It's funny too, which always earns extra points. But without the Supertramp hook, what will the rest of the music from Gym Class Heroes sound like? I'm anxiously awaiting the next single already.
A Little Gnarls With Your Supertramp?
That reminds me, do you know I have recently heard Supertramp mixed with Gnarls Barkley? I think I've heard Crazy mixed with just about every song on the planet now. I love mashups, so I'll be writing about those often. Sometimes they come out sounding like two songs playing at the same time but sometimes, a great mashup happens. Speaking of...
Bangers & Mash Podcast
Especially Simon's mix of Toto's Africa with Groove Theory's Tell Me. That's what a good mashup is supposed to sound like. But can anything sound bad when sung by Amel Larriuex? I think not. That brings me to my next point already.
Amel Larrieux
There's absolutely no reason why this ex-singer of Groove Theory shouldn't be having hit records today like Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Erykah Badu, India.Arie, and Macy Gray. Look her up on iTunes to get a listen and follow this link to her site. It's tiramisu for the ears.
Hottest Music Video Ever
The Shakira & Beyonce Beautiful Liar video is smokin' right now and likely always will be. That's one of those videos we'll look back on in ten years like we look at the Janet Jackson video for Love Will Never Do right now. It's sex appeal to the nth degree! Of course, Janet's video had something for the girls too.
Mickey Avalon
Every time I hear Jane Fonda it gets better and better. Except I keep trying now to make a parody of it with the name "La Fawnduh" from Napoleon Dynamite. He's accumulated 215,015 friends at this point and if you remember at out last check-in with Avalon, he had 210,578 friends. It's a snowball effect now that he's all over alternative radio. Is the amount of MySpace friends a musician has a new way to measure success?
The Police New Release
I am counting the days until the new album from The Police is released. You knew it would come and Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys is talking about how it may be out in time for summer.
New Macy Gray
Macy Gray has a new single out and you can buy it right now on iTunes. It's called Finally Made Me Happy and is from her forthcoming album Big, which will be released on the 27th.
Posted by Heather Larson
Web 2.0 Gets Musical
While most people can't agree on the definition of "Web 2.0," all that really matters is that it makes life easier and more enjoyable as its early adopters try to make their fortune with unique ideas. Web 2.0 promises advances for college students, like ways to share notes and for business people as well. Then there's Web 2.0 just for fun, which offers ways for music fans to make use of the 'net like we used to do when Kazaa and Napster were still the new thing.
The Joy of MP3s Has Returned
Do you miss those days? Well, they're coming back amidst questionable legal rights. The site Soundpedia.com says it can get by streaming whole albums online because of the DMCA, or Digital Millenium Copyright Act, but I've heard otherwise from legal types.
Whether the DMCA really supports album steaming or not, Soundpedia is around for right now. It's a social networking site where users upload albums and then listen to them via a stream. So far, I've been able to stream the newest albums from Gwen Stefani, Daughtry, and Norah Jones. I think Stefani may not be worth an actual purchase but I wouldn't mind heading to my iTunes for Jones or Daughtry.
You Still Don't Get To Own These MP3s
While I can stream these all I want, I still can't transfer MP3s to my iPod so I can listen to them on the treadmill. But if Soundpedia.com can force someone like myself to both sample and purchase new music I otherwise wouldn't take the time to, then it accomplishes more than the music industry has been able to achieve with a busy person like me. I sit on the computer all day as I work and need something to listen to, so I check in with Soundpedia and hear a whole album. It's been a nice alternative lately as I've been unable to get onto the stream for some of my favorite Internet radio stations.
Find a Song Quickly With MP3Realm.org
The other site operating on what may be questionable digital rights is MP3Realm.org, another genius site from the new class of Web 2.0 sites popping up. This site helps you find a song quickly. Say you want to hear U2's Beautiful Day or Fall Out Boy's This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race. You can find the song in seconds and listen to it in its entirety.
Picking Up Where iTunes Falls Short
iTunes hasn't come close to being able to do either of these things. You can't listen to an entire album or song before you buy. The song "hooks" provided by iTunes are also atrocious. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to a "hook" on iTunes and not even been sure if it was indeed the song I heard on the radio.
One thing is for sure, I'm on the hunt for more fun Web 2.0 sites that will enrich our music listening experience online. I'll let you know as I find them, but start with Soundpedia.com and MP3Realm.org and let me know what you think.
Posted by Heather Larson
Being Called an Art School Geek Isn't an Insult!
The writer of thePaste article Kendall links to talks about a friend who once argued, "David Byrne is an art-school geek who can't find his vocal range." Say what you want about Byrne's vocal range, but allow me to just point out the whole art-school geek thing! When is that a bad thing? I feel compelled to remind you Pete Townshend of The Who was an art school geek before his band made it big!
David Byrne Online is a Must-See!
David Byrne's website is one of my favorite rock websites. It's a great place to get completely in touch with both his music and visual art. You can check out Byrne's photography, a documentary, films, installations, his journal and so much more.
Few rock stars put this much effort into sharing their creativity into their websites and keeping it current. You can even listen to Byrne's own version of radio - an Mp3 play list. If you've found this page, you likely enjoy music, art, and any form of creativity. If that sounds like you, David Byrne's website is a must-do. Bookmark it today!
Read more of Kendall Defoe's writing here. It's about Led Zeppelin!
Posted by Heather Larson
Tongues are wagging about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsyWlcQAy-Q">Britney Spears</a>' new haircut in the best gossip story to hit the news since Anna Nicole Smith passed away...so it's the best story in about a week. Britney Spears went into a salon, asked to have her head shaved and was refused. Apparently nobody tells <a href="http://celebrities.suite101.com/article.cfm/britney_spears_parties_in_l_a_">Britney</a> "no" because she grabbed the clippers and did her own bootcamp-esque hairdo. Wow.
Then she got a couple tattoos -- a cross and a pair of lips. Not sure what that's about, but it's safe to say we can let the Joan Jett comparisons begin. There's no apparent reason for this outburst of self hair styling except that Britney is reportedly tired of people touching her and messing with her hair.
I could go deeper and predict an impending mental breakdown, but the gossip rags are all over that already. I'd just like to point out that <a href="http://celebrities.suite101.com/blog.cfm/britney_spears_underwear_mia">Ms. Spears</a> is now famous simply for <a href="http://protestantism.suite101.com/blog.cfm/britney_spears">being famous</a>. When is the last time you heard a new record from her?
Check out the YouTube video of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsyWlcQAy-Q">Britney's new 'do</a>!
Posted by Heather Larson
The Police will be marking their 30th anniversary with a reunion tour that has 14 dates so far:
5/28, Vancouver, British Columbia at GM Place
6/6, Seattle, WA at Key Arena
6/9, Denver, CO at Pepsi Center
6/15, Las Vegas, NV at MGM Grand Garden Arena
6/16, Manchester, TN at Bonnaroo Festival
6/18, Phoenix, AZ at US Airways Center
6/26, Dallas, TX at American Airlines Center
6/30, New Orleans, LA at New Orleans Arena
7/2, St. Louis, MO at Scottrade Center
7/22, Toronto, Ontario at Air Canada Centre
7/25, Montreal, Ontario at Bell Centre
7/28, Boston, MA at Fenway Park
8/1, New York, NY at Madison Square Garden
8/3, New York, NY at Madison Square Garden
I bet their ears are burning from all the fans saying over and over, "It's about damn time!" I'm already planning to be in attendance at US Airways Center here in Phoenix with my girlfriend who pointed out as all girlfriends do that Sting is looking pretty delicious these days.
Must be the...well, you know.
I also apologize for posting this on what is now official Wednesday where I am (12:01 a.m.) I suppose I could give some sort of excuse here, but I've really just been having too much fun playing radio on The Peak and going to see the Blue Man Group perform tonight, also at US Airways Center where The Police will be performing in four months and 4 days.
Not that I'm counting. After waiting for 23 years, who is counting?
Posted by Heather Larson
1. "We're The Police and we're back!" Those were the sweetest words we've heard in 23 years and their performance of Roxanne could only leave a fan wanting more.
2. Justin Timberlake's What Goes Around Comes Around was a nice performance with JT on piano and then doing a very Time-magazine-person-of- year-is-you kind of video blog/performance with the camera at the end.
3. The Dixie Chicks Not Ready to Make Nice beat Mary J. Blige, Carrie Underwood, Corinne Bailey Rae, and James Blunt for Song of the Year - and I was completely shocked! It was number one for ages on Vh1's Top Twenty Video Countdown last year, but I'm kind of biased to Ms. Blige...
4. Cee-Lo from Gnarls Barkley can sure sing! Just when I thought it was going to be a simple, sparse performance, the choir showed up. Nice.
5. Rapper Common presented an award wearing a grey leather jacket...and he's a vegan so I'm assuming that would be faux leather?
6. I rather enjoyed it when Ludacris gave a shout-out to Oprah Winfrey and Bill O'Reilly. Sadly, it was followed by "This is for my father who is in critical condition."
7. Mary J. Blige did a very "wow" performance. If the voice of God has a sound, it is the sound of her voice.
8. Best New Artist went to Carrie Underwood - and her career swiftly ended. Kidding. I think this Best New Artist winner may have a chance at long-term survival.
9. Christina Aguilera sang James Brown's It's a Man's World for a fantastic tribute. But when will she tone down the makeup and the hair?
10. Does it get any more elite than Mary J. Blige, Ludacris and Earth, Wind and Fire performing together? That was awesome.
11. The Chili Peppers paid tribute to jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman with a crude sign that read "love to Ornette Coleman" sitting on stage during their performance.
Posted by Heather Larson
It looks like you felt that the three best contenders for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards were the Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium, Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere, and the requisite Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveSounds. Nobody had love for the Dixie Chicks, which wasn't a surprise, considering all the controversy surrounding them.
Not too many of you seemed to care about John Mayer either. Is that because Jessica Simpson is possibly tarnishing his image? His street cred (so to speak) as an artist may be in danger now that America's favorite little ex-wife/pop tart is his arm candy. We'll find out tonight when the Grammy awards air at 8/7 Central on CBS!
I may as well throw in my prediction for Album of the Year before the show airs and I truly think it may be Justin Timberlake's night to shine. The buzz surrounding him has been unbelievable lately with that album getting accolades from anyone and everyone in the music industry. I also think that anyone with the gall to bring sexy back deserves some kind of little statue to bring home and prop up next to their high-definition flat panel TV that they never watch because they're too busy making movies and music.
At any rate, all eyes will certainly be on Justin Timberlake to see who he brings as his date to the Grammy Awards tonight. Will it be Scarlett Johansson or Jessica Biel? Will JT help the gossip rags foam at the mouth tonight by bringing one of the lovely celebeauties he's been linked to, or will he be a true gentleman and bring the most important woman in his world - mom Lynn Harless?
Posted by Heather Larson
The Police are opening the Grammy Awards tonight with their first performance together since 1984. They've been rehearsing at the Whiskey in Los Angeles, which you can only get into if you hold a special membership at the band's website. But I don't think The Police will be discriminating when it comes to selling tickets to their reunion tour to mark their 30th anniversary. We can only assume that is what is to be announced tomorrow at a press conference. Unless they want to announce another breakup due to irreconcilable differences, in which case the crowd would certainly riot. So expect me to be posting some tour news in the next 24 hours or so... A summer of Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers touring the world would be the minimum of what a fan of the Police could hope for. They certainly owe us that much!