Music News & Notes

Arctic Monkeys Unveil Flesh-Flashing Artwork

Arctic Monkeys have unveiled the controversial artwork to their upcoming new single 'Crying Lightning'.

Released as an iTunes download next Monday, July 6, and physically on August 17, the single cover features semi-naked (nipples and all), ultra-flexible girls balanced on a drum.

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Brooks & Dunn Releasing Hits

Brooks & Dunn, the most awarded duo in country music, are set to release their third greatest-hits compilation late this summer.

GAC reports that the career-spanning '#1s ... and then some' will be released on September 8 and will feature a whopping 30 tracks, 23 of which have topped the country charts. The duo's first four singles, taken from their debut album 'Neon Moon' are featured on the new collection as well. All four of those singles reached No. 1 on the country chart.

In addition to previous hits, the album will also feature two new tracks, 'Indian Summer' and 'Honky Tonk Stomp.'

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New Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Album

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will release their first new album in five years on September 22 via NGDB Records. Speed of Life features the core band of Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter and John McEuen.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were Americana long before anyone knew what roots music was. They formed in 1965 in southern California when the duo of Hanna and Bruce Kunkel hooked up with Les Thompson, Fadden and Jackson Browne at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Los Angeles. They played folk and jug-band music in the area for a few months until Browne left and McEuen joined the group.

In early-1967, the group signed with Liberty Records and released their self-titled debut. The single Buy For Me the Rain reached number 45 nationally and the album charted in the lower regions of the top 200.

Their followup albums, Richochet and Rare Junk did not do well and personel changes led to their demise in mid-1969. McKuen, Fadden, Hanna., Thompson and Jim Ibbotson reformed the group less than a year later and put out what would become their breakthrough album, Uncle Charlie and His Song Teddy. The lead-off song, Mr. Bojangles, sped up the charts to number 9, becoming their biggest pop hit.