Category: New Albums

Citizen Cope Is Anything But the Average Citizen

Posted by Kat – February 11, 2010

The gravelly and sultry voice of Citizen Cope, whose real name is Clarence Greenwood, has been enthralling both teens and mothers everywhere for years, but he dropped off the radar around 2006 when his last album, entitled Every Waking Moment, came out and then he seemed to have gone silent. But, it turns out that Cope has actually been incredibly busy, and his wide fanbase has been aware and waiting. It turns out that Cope has made a break for his own recording label, and his newest album has come out on Rainwater Recordings.

One of the major appeals to the band’s music is the intimate way that people find out about him and become a fan. Most of the fans that Cope finds these days come from word of mouth, from current fans telling people who might like the music and continuing the cycle. Also, the tours are very intimate as well, in small venues, and the most current tour is starting in February and continuing through April. For Cope, that is the most encouraged method of figuring out the music and to become a fan.

For the last four years, Citizen Cope has been working on his new LP “The Rainwater”, which is going to be his fifth CD. He used to be with Capitol Records throughout the 1990s, but then was dropped and worked with DreamWorks, RCA and Arista, until he finally decided that his more unique work wouldn’t work with a major record label. So, now that he’s got his own label, he has the chance to indulge the fans while being able to create on his own, and as his fans will say, he’s been on fire for this last tour. Also, a good portion of his concerts have already been sold out and will continue to be popular.

So if you like acoustic and rich vocals, then you certainly want to check out Citizen Cope.

Ready for Camp Bisco and Planet Anthem?

Posted by Kat – February 1, 2010

I don’t know about you, but I can’t NOT love a band with the name Disco Biscuits. This awesome electro-jam group have been quite popular for their fun sound and have had quite a following for some time. And they have finally given the dates for one of their more unique features as a band, their Camp Bisco, an arts and music festival that spans three days. Camp Bisco 9 will be taking place from July 15th to July 17th in Mariaville, NY, at the Indian Lookout Country Club. And it’s going to be an awesome time, as Disco Biscuits will headlining each night of the performances, and there are scheduled to be over fifty other acts throughout the festival.

Curious about the kind acts you might be seeing at Camp Bisco this year? Well, while the performances aren’t set in stone, some of the former performers were DJ Shadow, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Kid Cudi, and Damian Marley, just to name a few. And the camp isn’t just popular, it’s also been praised as a new kind of business model for when artists want to own and host their own live events.

To top all the good news off, Disco Biscuits will also be releasing their fifth album this March, on the 16th, entitled “Planet Anthem.” Given that the band has a new deal now with Warner Music’s Independent Label Group, you’ll see it distributed with them and also released by Diamond Riggs REcords. If you’re curious about what the album will sound like, then go ahead and look for the EPs “Widgets” and “On Time.” The EPs both offered different tracks from the new album, as well as giving different remixes so that their fans could get a chance to hear what was coming and weigh in on what the new album would be.

Erykah Badu’s Newest Tactic? Viral Videos

Posted by Kat – January 29, 2010

Ever subscribe to the Twitter feed of fatbellybella? Well, if you’re a fan of Erykah Badu, then you really should, as that is her official Twitter feed where you can find any news on her work at any time, any place. And yesterday, the feed sparked up new publicity about her new album to be released on CD on March 30th. It wasn’t about the actual album, titled “New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh,” but rather about something else related to it: viral marketing. I am a huge fan of viral marketing, so hearing that she was going to be pursuing something on that front as well.

If you check out erykahbadu.com, her official site, you can see the new promotional viral marketing video that she’s just posted today. In fact, her publicist confirmed what she’d tweeted about, and now the proof is in the website, as it were. By 3:30 today, the official video had popped up showing different snippets for the music video of “Jump In The Air,” a bonus track for her album. This song has guest appearances by Bilal and Lil Wayne and the album has been cited to be one that won’t disappoint.

“New Amerykah” was originally supposed to be released in late February, but for whatever reason, was pushed back. It seems it will definitely be worth the wait, though, as the new album is going to come out through Universal Motown. Wondering why “Jump In The Air” is a bonus track instead of on the CD, it’s because it got leaked on the internet, changing things up a little.  But, taking a look at the different artists involved in the production of the album, it’s easy to see why people are so excited. 9th Wonder, J Dilla, James Poyser, and Madlib are involved, and others. It’s not going to be a disappointment.

Angels Advocate Will Be Released On March 30th

Posted by Kat – January 28, 2010

So, in this new age of music and technology, it’s hardly surprising that we get most of our brand new album information through things like Facebook and Twitter. Of course, some of that news is groundbreaking, and then some of it is… Mariah Carey releasing an album of remixes. Yes, you read that right. She’s not releasing a new album, she’s releasing an album of remixes. “Angels Advocate,” which was initially supposed to be on February 23rd, got hit with some undisclosed delays and was pushed back without a date. Until now. Today Carey tweeted that March 30th would be the new release date for the album.

If you were curious about what the album’s gonna be like, two of the songs on the album, “Up Out of My Face”, which has Nicki Minaj, and “Angel Cry”, featuring Ne-Yo, were just released earlier this week. And if you’re curious to see what videos directed by Nick Cannon and his wife, Mariah herself, then you can definitely find videos for both of those tracks online anywhere right now.

Of course, it isn’t like she won’t have some competition for this new release date, as Usher’s new album through Jive Records, “Raymond Vs. Raymond” will be debuting the same day and it’s a brand new album, not a remix. Granted, this new album is going to feature duets and remixes from the songs off her album last year, “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.” And if you want a dose of live Mariah Carey before the release of her album, you can find her on her “Angels Advocate” tour at the moment, which will be wrapping up with a neat bow on February 27th in Las Vegas at the Pearl Concert Theatre. We’ll see what happens next with her album in the next few weeks.

Looking For Gorillaz? The Wait Is Almost Over

Posted by Kat – January 20, 2010

Anyone else been missing our favorite cartoon grooving monkeys, the Gorillaz? I know I have. After Demon Dayz, the cartoon pop band created by Damon Albarn has been quiet, and people have been wondering when exactly they would even come back. After all, with an interesting niche like the cartoon band, no one wants to think that they’re not going to come around, but the fanbase could become disinterested. It doesn’t seem to be the case, though, and now, if you’ve been waiting, you won’t have to wait much longer.

The Gorillaz will be headlining the Coachella Festival this 2010, but you can expect “Plastic Beach,” a third album, to come out this March 9th. And what an album it’s going to be, too. With sixteen different tracks, the list of guest musicians is quite extensive. You’ll see Gruff Rhys of Super Fluffy Animals, Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, De La Soul, and Mark E. Smith of the Fall. Talk about an all-star lineup to fill the album.

So, if you’re waiting to hear what the album will be like, you don’t have to wait any longer. Tonight, “Stylo” is going to be hidding the radio waves everywhere, their first single of the new album. If you want to pick it up on iTunes stores, you can start on January 26th.

Anyone else been missing our favorite cartoon grooving monkeys, the Gorillaz? I know I have.

After Demon Dayz, the cartoon pop band created by Damon Albarn has been quiet, and people

have been wondering when exactly they would even come back. After all, with an interesting

niche like the cartoon band, no one wants to think that they’re not going to come around, but the

fanbase could become disinterested. It doesn’t seem to be the case, though, and now, if you’ve

been waiting, you won’t have to wait much longer.

The Gorillaz will be headlining the Coachella Festival this 2010, but you can expect “Plastic

Beach,” a third album, to come out this March 9th. And what an album it’s going to be, too. With

sixteen different tracks, the list of guest musicians is quite extensive. You’ll see Gruff Rhys of

Super Fluffy Animals, Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, De La Soul, and Mark

E. Smith of the Fall. Talk about an all-star lineup to fill the album.

So, if you’re waiting to hear what the album will be like, you don’t have to wait any longer. Tonight, “Stylo” is going to be hidding the radio waves everywhere, their first single of the new album. If you want to pick it up on iTunes stores, you can start on January 26th.

Vampire Weekend Doesn’t Disappoint With “Contra”

Posted by Kat – January 11, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, fans everywhere of Vampire Weekend had been treated to their music video from their newest album “Contra,” but that wasn’t the only bit of viral marketing that everyone was subjected to. Over the last few months, images of a young blonde woman kept popping up all over the internet on banner ads everywhere. Her expression was indiscernible and her clothing seemed quite timeless. If you went ahead and clicked the actual ad, you’d find yourself brought to the Vampire Weekend site. Of course, up until today, no one quite knew what it was supposed to mean.

Today, “Contra” was released to record stores everywhere and the mystery of the enigmatic blonde girl was finally solved. It turns out that the picture was meant to represent what Vampire Weekend has been classified up until now – preppy, perky and pop. But the new album that Vampire Weekend has made is anything but pop, perky or mundane. Their new album is not the watered down version of their personal style, and as the lead singer has said, this new album is really Vampire Weekend, instead of a sample of what they could do. Of course, their first album was met with both fantastic and lukewarm praise, as some critics felt that Vampire Weekend was ripping off of Peter Gabriel far too much.

Well, fear not, Vampire Weekend fans, that isn’t the case here. The band has unleashed their talent, their propensity to have fun, and their desire to make sure they they’re doing something new, but also something that they planned. It turns out that their success has been somewhat planned so far, as the band suspected a full first dose of Vampire Weekend might have turned their fans off. Instead, using their style as a second album has given them the punch and the umph they need to succeed!

Shakira Shows Her Animal Side

Posted by Kat – December 18, 2009

If there’s one thing anyone can say about Shakira, it’s that she knows how good she looks, how sexy she is, and she’s perfectly comfortably using it. And as if we hadn’t noticed when she released her single “She Wolf,” her new album of the same name really has taken every bit of sexuality Shakira could put into a song and use it to create something very different and fun.

“She Wolf” is filled with all sorts of influences, not the least of which is the brutal assertion of sexuality. The songs are filled with guitars, disco work, synth, clarinet, moaning and sitars to create something that spans from today’s hot pop rock all the way back to R&B and 80′s influences. Granted, this isn’t necessarily something that you would expect from Shakira, and it shows as being just a little forced for her.  But, while it may not be the best thing that Shakira has done, the album has a few shining stars in it that really show a different kind of album for her. From “Gypsy,” which utilizes tabla, banjo, sitar and mandolin to “Why Wait,” which is much more synth based, the album really plays around with styles. There are samples of Led Zeppelin that really drive the hits home.

The real downside to the album, though, is the bonus tracks, which offer incredibly little, really. The number “Give it Up to Me” with Lil Wayne really doesn’t do much at all, and it looks like the album could have been released a lot earlier without the blah last number. Overall, though, it’s a strong, different album for Shakira to come back to the spotlight with. Will it be enough to keep her star shining until her next album, we’ll have to wait and see, but if this “She Wolf” can do anything, it’s make one heck of an impression.

Susan Boyle’s Dream Continues to Shine

Posted by Kat – December 14, 2009

It seems only yesterday that the world was completely swept away by the surprising and unexpectedly beautiful voice of Susan Boyle. A contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, her plain appearance seemed to be a sign that she would never make it past her audition. In fact, renowned “world’s crabbiest judge,” Simon Cowell, was ready to sweep her off the stage before she’d even opened her mouth. But, Susan’s voice has completely taken the world by storm, garnering standing ovations on the show and the much-deserved success of a woman whose talent was only unrecognized because of her lifestyle.

Now, six short months after her initial appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle’s first album has been released and has broken the 1 million sales mark just in the U.K. alone, and the album was only released two weeks ago. A true sort of diamond in the rough story, Susan Boyle has gone from being a simple Scottish woman living a life on anonymity to being one of the proud emblems of the British spirit, perservering and daring to dream a dream.
It’s no wonder that Boyle’s main hit was “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, given how difficult the global economy has been for so many people, but now it’s definite that Boyle won’t have those concerns to worry about for a little while at least. In fact, in the U.K., Boyle has beat out the sales of Lady Gaga’s new album The Fame Monster, as well as Michael Buble’s Crazy Love. It seems that no one is immune to the charm and brilliant voice of Boyle, as people from all over the world with all sorts of tastes in music have been buying her album.
How will Boyle fare in weeks to come? Who knows, but one thing is for sure: Boyle is certainly happy to have her dream come true.

Ke$ha Gets In Your Face With Tik Tok

Posted by Kat – December 10, 2009

When it comes to the electro pop scene, the music can be very hit or miss, either reminding us of a million other songs or really bringing something different that catches everyone’s ear. And just like Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” completely sucked us all in last month, Ke$ha’s single “Tik Tok” has managed to stay number 3 on the Hot 100, and that’s just the single. Only released September 23rd, everyone seems to have the same question over and over again – “What is it about this song that everyone likes?”

Sure, we all love the catchy lyrics, and even the most closeted pop lover isn’t afraid to turn this beat up in their car, but what is it about Tik Tok that keeps us putting it on repeat but then we don’t talk about how much we love Ke$ha? Maybe it’s the lyrics of this brand new hit that has us all wondering why we even like it. After all, the song is entirely about dropping everything to go party and booze it up. The music video expresses this same kind of teenage rebellion as Ke$ha stomps out of her house half-dressed while her 1950′s housewife mother drops a plate of perfectly made pancakes onto the floor. And at the end, Ke$ha is giggling a bit like an overly toked-up stoner in someone’s bathtub somewhere.

There is no denying that the musical track is perfect for dancing, but on top of the lyrics, Ke$ha’s voice also seems to be a complete stereotype-breaking one. While it is heavily vocoderized during some of the lyrics, her voice just doesn’t have the smoothness that many pop stars have these days. That isn’t a bad thing, but it does make us all take notice that Ke$ha is not afraid to jump onto the scene and party until the beat stops.

Rihanna Has Gone Totally Rated R

Posted by Kat – December 4, 2009

If you thought that Rihanna had started to show her “Good Girl Gone Bad” side last year, then you may not be able to handle the powerhouse experiment into Rihanna’s bad-ass side in her new album, Rihanna Revealed, Rated R. As if to signal a total break away from the bad press she’d gotten over her altercations with Chris Brown, Rihanna is showing her stronger side and bringing the sexy with it.

Take a listen to Rihanna’s track “Rock Star,” a song practically drunken on its electric guitars. This song is a break-out number for the singer, showing that she is not afraid to kick asses and take names later. In fact, some of her lyrics in that song “Got my middle finger up/ don’t really give a f—k” show the rebellious side of her that no one has really been able to see thus far, and she does it with heavy eyeliner and a wicked, edgy hairstyle that shows no one’s her boss any more.

In “G4L,” the audience gets hard-hitting, heart-pounding drums while Rihanna gives a powerhouse performance about how she’s done taking disrespect from anyone. And just like that, tracks “Hard” and “Wait Your Turn” give kick-ass lyrics that show Rihanna’s complete change from good girl who might be going bad to a bad girl ready for action. While songs like “Photographs” do show the softer, more sorrowful side of this artist, giving fans of Rihanna a whole new image for her. If you like the sound of pulsing drums accompanied with genuine ballad vocals, then “Stupid In Love” will really win you over. Rihanna clearly took some inspiration from her past experiences to create an album that is sure to change the way the public sees Rihanna.