Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Music News & Notes

Blue Rodeo release new record to rave reviews

Canada’s multi-platinum selling band Blue Rodeo releases 'The Things We Left Behind' in the US. this week. This is the band’s 12th studio record and the most ambitious to date. In a time where bands are posting “tweet songs,” Blue Rodeo is releasing an old-fashioned 16-song double record on CD and vinyl, and garnering attention from a new generation of fans who are discovering the band for the first time. Here's a couple of early reviews:

“Blue Rodeo has the Americana earnestness of Gram Parsons with a generous touch of British Invasion pop... leading the pack is One More Night, a shuffle sung by Cuddy and propelled by soul-savvy electric piano, a chorus full of killer hooks, beefy guitar twang,... and lyrics full of the sort of dark wanderlust that would make Hank Williams proud.”
LEXINGTON-HERALD LEADER

“Cuddy and Keelor both seem to be taking stock, reflecting on the passage of time and the state of the heart with penetrating but poetic insight... An absolutely stellar outing, this is unquestionably the strongest statement yet from a band that continues to set new standards with each release. Highly recommended!”
BLOGCRITICS

=============================

JIMI HENDRIX 'Rock Band' Game Due Out Later This Year

According to Billboard.com, legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix will soon have his own "Rock Band" video game. Jimi Hendrix's stepsister, Janie Hendrix, who controls the late axeman's estate, let it slip during an Los Angeles Times interview that a Hendrix edition of "Rock Band" will be coming before the end of the year.

Read the entire report from Billboard.com.

http://www.billboard.com/

=============================

WOE OF TYRANTS: 'Threnody' Artwork Unveiled  (I love heavy metal artwork!)

Ohio's WOE OF TYRANTS will release its third album, "Threnody", on April 13 via Metal Blade Records. According to a press release from the label, "This time around, the guys have seriously turned up the shred-knob and churned out some of the most exciting songs we've heard swirling around the Metal Blade offices in quite some time. On this record, you'll find equal parts speed, groove and over-the-top guitar soloing. Headbanging will be mandatory."

Commented vocalist Chris Catanzaro: "We have a brand-baby-spankin'-new record that we finished recording at the end of 2009 with Jamie King producing, and to embrace the cliché, 'This is the most epic brutal stuff we've ever done and we're stoked on it!'

WOE OF TYRANTS will support OVERKILL on the band's 25th anniversary North American tour, dubbed Killfest 2010, in April/May 2010. The trek will span the length of the U.S., hitting spots in Canada, with one final show at New York City's Nokia Theater. Additional support on the tour will come from VADER, GOD DETHRONED, WARBRINGER and EVILE.

WOE OF TYRANTS' second album, "Kingdom Of Might", was released in January 2009 via Metal Blade Records. The CD was engineered in its entirety by Joey Sturgis of Foundation Studios (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, GWEN STACY, BROTHER VON DOOM).

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/wot

=============================

SOUNDGARDEN To Co-Headline This Year's LOLLAPALOOZA?

According to The Daily Swarm, the reunited SOUNDGARDEN is expected to co-headline the 2010 Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. Although promoters do not traditionally announce the lineup until spring, multiple industry sources have told The Daily Swarm that SOUNDGARDEN, GREEN DAY and LADY GAGA are locked in for the Aug 6–8 weekend event. Three more headliners are expected to be included when the complete lineup is announced.

The music world was rocked on New Year's Day (January 1) by the news — posted at singer Chris Cornell's web site and Twitter page, plus a new site called Soundgarden World — that grunge gods SOUNDGARDEN would reportedly reunite in 2010 after a 12-year absence. Rumors of a SOUNDGARDEN reunion have picked up steam in the last year, possibly because the band members are known to have gotten together to talk and three of them — all but Cornell — jammed together last March at a Seattle club.

Billboard.com, after the New Year's Day announcement was posted, reported that the band was in negotiations with several festivals, but that has yet to be officially confirmed or denied.

=============================

Bear Hands Debut US Release This Week

Just when all the fuss is exploding on the Brooklyn indie art and pop rock scene, Cantora Records are ready to unleash Brooklyn's Bear Hands US debut single "What A Drag" on February 16th.

But this band doesn't sound like they are remotely influenced in the least by what's going on musically around them. They're breaking the mold making them a truly refreshing and stand out group, opening their own rift, letting everyone know there's a new sheriff in town. "What A Drag" will be available digitally, in addition to a 1000 limited run pressing of white vinyl.

=============================

COVERDALE/PAGE - Special Edition On The Horizon?

In 1993, WHITESNAKE vocalist David Coverdale and LED ZEPPELIN guitarist Jimmy Page joined forces under the moniker COVERDALE/PAGE and released a self-titled album.

Although there are no plans for the pair to record any new material or reunite for any shows, Coverdale reveals that "EMI have recently been making overtures to me about putting a 'special edition' together after they heard there were several unreleased tracks... but, time & resource is the problem...

We've been archiving lots of tapes, cassettes & videos at home recently & we have discovered a ton of the demos Jimmy & I made which could be very interesting for some people to hear...

We also filmed a lot of our writing & recording sessions... so, I feel we could put a terrific 'special' together that would be a treat to have... but, in reality, JP & I have never discussed re-issuing, or making another CP album... There is always the possibility of something happening... I just can't see it in the forseeable future as I am busy with 'all things Whitesnake'...

Personally, I am thrilled I had the opportunity to work with one of my musical heroes... & to maintain a healthy, loving friendship with him...

At times, I feel some people don't understand that Whitesnake is my passion... I don't really look beyond what is possible outside... It's a very broad canvas for me to paint on... no boundaries... no restrictions... Oh... & I'm my own boss... Not too shabby..."

=============================

Robert Plant Working On New Solo Album

Robert Plant is apparently in the midst of recording a new solo album entitled 'It�s Rude To Say No'. Zeppelin fansite Lemon Squeezings reports that Plant has been in Nashville working on the new record with producer Buddy Miller and that the new album will be released later this year.

The news comes via a reporter for the Herald Courier who was doing a piece on musician Darrell Scott, who apparently appears on the new record.

Scott is quoted as saying "Those two-plus weeks were some of the most memorable times I've ever had in the studio. ... The number-one thing is that Robert loves music. You think they're posing and just getting through it, but I was humbled with how Robert Plant loved the music -- old country, blues, rockabilly."

=============================

ELP News

Emerson, Lake and Palmer are playing a high profile reunion gig this summer but before that gets started, two of the band's principles will treat lucky North American fans to a special unplugged tour. Here is the official Announcement: Keith Emerson and Greg Lake to tour USA in an exclusive intimate evening of musical retrospective highlighting the iconic music of Emerson Lake and Palmer, the Nice and King Crimson:

The two man show with keyboard legend Keith Emerson and the famed voice and guitars of Greg Lake is an intimate "unplugged" prelude to the highly anticipated reunion of Emerson Lake and Palmer at the High Voltage Festival in July, 2010 in the UK. It is unlike any show either of the two have performed before.

The fabric of the show is the iconic music composed by Emerson and Lake throughout their careers and audiences can expect new perspectives as well as new arrangements of classic favorites as Keith and Greg relate the stories of their songs and discuss the compositions and people that influenced the celebrated music the two created with the progressive rock bands that went down in history as the super groups that began a rock and roll era: King Crimson, the Nice, and Emerson Lake and Palmer. The show is completely new – the two have never performed together in this personal setting and audiences will be treated to an emotional perspective and a rare and personal insight into the music they love during an evening they won't forget, in an intimate theatrical setting far different from the theatrics of Emerson Lake and Palmer. - Dates and ticket info here:

http://www.keithemerson.com/

No comments:

Post a Comment