Music News & Notes

Reverend Horton Heat adds dates behind first new album in five years

Psychobilly mainstays Reverend Horton Heat have expanded their current schedule through the end of 2009 as they look forward to their first new studio album in five years.

The trio, currently on a West Coast headlining leg, continues the outing tonight (7/15) in Missoula, MT. In late August, the group will head out in a support role with Motorhead on the iconic British speed-metal band's forthcoming North American tour, which kicks off Aug. 28 in Minneapolis.
The remainder of the itinerary shows a mixed bag of Motorhead support dates and headlining shows through the end of December, when the band will close out the year Dec. 30-31 with two shows at Anaheim, CA's House of Blues.

"Laughin' and Cryin' with the Reverend Horton Heat," due Sept. 1 on Yep Roc Records, is the band's first new album since 2004's "Revival."

"I really wanted to capture the feelings of recordings of the late '50s, early '60s," guitarist/vocalist Jim Heath said in a press statement, noting that the new album swings more toward the "billy" side of the "rockabilly" equation this time out.

Some fo the shows:
15 - Missoula, MT - Wilma Theater
16 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
17 - Salt Lake City, UT - Depot
18 - Billings, MT - Babcock Theater
20 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
21 - Madison, WI - The Majestic
22 - Milwaukee, WI - Miramar Theatre
23 - Sauget, IL - Pop's
24 - Kansas City, MO - Crossroads
25 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre

August 2009
21 - Bloomington, IL - Cefu Stage
22 - Rock Island, IL - Rock Island
23 - Waterloo, IA - Reverb
24 - Sioux Falls, SD - Nutty's
25 - Fargo, ND - The Venue
27 - Omaha, NE - Slowdown

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Lynam re-releases album 'Tragic City Symphony' with a new track

Alabama's Lynam, formed in 2001, has just signed a deal with Mascot / Megaforce Records.

Their most recent release, Tragic City Symphony, will be re-released on the new label. Due out in August, the newly improved Tragic City Symphony will contain an additional song - "Get Me Off."

Produced by Jason Elgin (Collective Soul, Maylene And The Sons of Disaster), the album also features guest spots by the band Hinder and Cinderella's Tom Keifer.

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TEENA MARIE releases new album ‘Congo Square.’

Soul songbird Teena Marie has released her 13th studio album, titled “Congo Square.” The disc was inspired by the historic New Orleans site of the same name situated just north of the French Quarter, and by the music played there that inspired some of the her favorite music legends.

According to history, in the early 1700s, Congo Square was a place where slaves were commonly allowed to gather on Sundays and they would set up markets, sing, dance, and play music.

Interestingly, just as the singer was putting the finishing touches on the new disc, she found out that her family is actually from that very area. In fact, it was revealed that her great grandmother was married in the church right next to Congo Square.

“So it is about family, and it is about roots,” Marie said of the new disc. “It is about the fact that you can be called from where you’ve been in your life and tied to that bond.”

Marie’s soulful voice has always been one of debate. She told EUR’s Lee Bailey that she’s often heard folks say, ‘No white woman can sing like that.’ The singer was quoted in Essence Magazine as calling herself “a black artists in white skin.” She explained that she’s always felt black music and that’s why she considers herself a “black artist.”

“Congo Square” has 16 tracks, 14 songs and two snippets: one, a piece for President Obama called “Black Cool.”

“It’s really just 14 songs, but it’s still a lot of music,” Marie said. “I had a lot to say and I wanted to have it like gumbo – I wanted to embrace everything that I loved.”

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Sir Paul Surprises NYC

Paul McCartney played a surprise mini-concert for thousands of New Yorkers in midtown Manhattan yesterday from the top of the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater, where he was taping a performance for Late Show With David Letterman. News of the event spread via Twitter and word of mouth, and nearby street corners were closed off to accommodate fans for the 5:30 p.m. set that recalled the Beatles’ famed Savile Row rooftop gig, when the Fab Four played atop the former building that housed Apple studios. In 1964, the Beatles made their U.S. television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in the same studio Letterman now inhabits.

McCartney, in town to inaugurate the Mets’ new home at Citi Field with three concerts beginning tomorrow, played the Beatles “Get Back” and “Sing the Changes” off his latest CD Electric Arguments for the broadcast, which aired last night.



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KORN Solo Effort

Korn frontman Jonathan Davis has inked a deal with Warner Music to release his debut solo album, due out either later this year or early 2010, Blabbermouth reports. Davis is also reportedly working on Korn’s ninth studio album, also expected out in 2010.

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Bee Gee's Tribute

The Bee Gees’ Barry and Robin Gibb have curated a new four-disc collection dedicated to the band’s legacy called Mythology. Each disc of the boxed set is dedicated to the highlights of each Gibb brother including Andy, who was not a member of the group. Additionally, the group will release the greatest hits comp Ultimate Bee Gees: The 50 Anniversary Collection. Both sets are out November 3rd.

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More Restocks: Vinyl Collective

ANDREW BIRD “Armchair Apocrypha” LP
BELLRAYS “The Red, White And Black” LP
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE “Something About Airplanes” LP re-issue
DEVENDRA BANHART ìNino Rojo / Rejoicingî 2xLP
GRANDADDY / POLYPHONIC SPREE split 7″
HEARTLESS BASTARDS “Mountain” LP
JAWBREAKER – Dear You 2xLP
KYLESA “Static Tensions” LP
PEEPING TOM ìS/Tî LP
RAMONES “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” 7″
SONIC YOUTH ìDaydream Nationî 4xLP
SONIC YOUTH ìRather Rippedî LP
SONIC YOUTH ìS/Tî dbl LP

Vinyl Collective.com

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It's Almost Sad To See

Where were they when is was alive?


More than nine million albums by – or featuring – Michael Jackson have been sold around the world since his death three weeks ago, a US media report has claimed.

The surge in demand for Jackson's music comes from fans looking to relive their idol and – in many cases – people who missed out on the star when he was alive.

Jackson, who died on June 25 of a suspected cardiac arrest, is continuing to dominate sales charts around the world.

In the US the singer currently holds the top-12 positions on the Billboard pop catalogue chart, with sales of his music jumping 37% last week alone.

A spike in sales is not uncommon in the wake of a musician's death, but few forecasters had predicted such a steep climb in Jackson's case.

The report in the Los Angeles Times said Jackson's record label, Sony, declined to comment on the total sales count, but did not dispute the figure of nine million