Getting back to the Roadrunner album cover art feature, MACHINE HEAD's 'The Blackening' Is One Of 'Ten Greatest Album Covers in Roadrunner History'
Voted on by the Roadrunner worldwide staff, showcasing the iconic vs. the blasphemous, the painted vs. the photographed, as well as the found art vs. the commissioned art, we give you the "Ten Greatest Album Covers in Roadrunner History" — one at a time.
Check back at http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/ every day as the label counts down to number one.
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Methusalem Preview New Album
The Dutch Heavy Metal band Methusalem has set the release for their new album "Unite and Conquer" on March 26, 2010. This self-financed album will be distributed by Rock Inc.
When the band decided that it was time for a new, full-length album, they threw overboard all biases about how heavy metal should sound and listened very carefully to what producer Arno Krabman from Graveland Studios had to say about their current style. The result is an album that features a bunch of songs that are all miles apart, some more traditional, some more modern, yet all fitting perfectly into Methusalem's philosophy. That philosophy is still to rock the world with hard rock and heavy metal, but in stead of living in the past, they've now made an album that remembers the past.
The album was mastered by an international mastering professional, Darius van Helfteren, who had also previously worked with Judas Priest and the Scorpions. He gave the album that last edge that it needed to sound truly great. Finnish graphic designer Jan Yrlund was asked to create the artwork and succeeded in capturing the overall lyrical theme of the album in the cover artwork.
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Five Jimi Hendrix Albums Land In The Top 100
Valleys of Neptune, the long-awaited album of previously unavailable Jimi Hendrix studio recordings, has debuted on the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart at #4, while four additional Hendrix catalog titles -- Are You Experienced (#44), Electric Ladyland (#60), First Rays of the New Rising Sun (#63), and Axis: Bold As Love (#67) -- have returned to the Billboard 200 four decades after their original release dates, a testimony to the enduring vitality and importance of the trailblazing artist-guitarist-performer.
A newly curated album of 12 fully realized studio cuts, more than a hour's worth of previously unheard Jimi Hendrix music, Valleys of Neptune, the centerpiece of the historic 2010 Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, rocketed to #1 on Amazon in anticipation of its release. The album debuted at #1 at Barnes & Noble, B&N.com, Borders, J&R Music World, Newbury Comics, Fred Meyer, Easy Street (Seattle), Bull Moose; #2 at Amoeba and Music Monitor; #3 at Target and Best Buy. Approximately 20% of first week's sales have been in the digital realm.
"The consumer response to Valleys of Neptune and the Jimi Hendrix catalog has been phenomenal," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Legacy Recordings. "It reminds us that his spirit still speaks to so many and inspires and motivates fans of all ages."
"It's really gratifying to know that my brother's music is still playing as vital a role in the culture today as it did when he recorded these tracks," said Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix LLC. "The acceptance of Valleys of Neptune and the classic catalog albums underscores the fact that his innovation and creative force are truly transcendent."
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STONE TEMPLE PILOTS: New Album Artwork Unveiled
According to The Pulse of Radio, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS unveiled the new CD at a private listening party on February 23 in New York City. The entire band was in attendance at the event, with The Pulse of Radio's reporter on the scene saying that singer Scott Weiland "looked the best he's looked in a long time." All 12 tracks from the album were aired, with The Pulse of Radio reporter calling the record "a natural, melodic progression for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, with BEATLES-esque harmonies, a lot of in-your-face, hard-rocking tracks, plenty of guitar solos and some astounding singing from Weiland."
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Smashing Pumpkins Set EP Release and In Store Performance
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope finds Billy Corgan and his Smashing Pumpkins releasing the 44-song project as free digital downloads. Periodically, the band will release bundles of these tracks as limited edition EPs. The first EP, Vol. 1: Songs For A Sailor", is set for release on May 25th. This very limited edition collectors EP will be packaged in a beautiful collector's silk-screened wooden box. Each box will contain a 4-song CD, a vinyl 7" and a hand-carved obelisk.
Exclusive Black Light Poster w/ Preorder! Starting April 17th (Record Store Day), fans who preorder the EP from their local indie record stores will get an exclusive black light poster!
The pre-order is exclusive to independent record stores.
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Dead Weather Set New Album Release
Antiquiet had this big news for Jack White fans: There have been a few rumors surrounding The Dead Weather's new album (some of which was spurred by Jack White himself on The Vault), but now we have what seems to be an official word on the title, release date and at least a taste of the first single. The first single will be called "Die By The Drop," and it will be released next week, March 23rd, with a b-side cut called "Old Mary."
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R.E.M Star To Take Part In Alex Chilton Tribute At SXSW 2010
The remaining members of Big Star are set to perform a musical tribute to their late bandmate Alex Chilton at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival on Saturday. The singer and guitarist passed away at a hospital in New Orleans on Wednesday, suffering from heart problems. He was 59.
Big Star, who had been booked to perform at the festival in Texas before Chilton's death, will be joined by a host of special guests. These include Mike Mills of the band R.E.M, who have spoken in the past about Chilton's impact on their music.
"It'll be just a cool way for us to all share that music Alex was part of," Big Star's Jody Stephens told Billboard.
The drummer added that he was “grateful” for the interest people have shown in the band in the days since Chilton's death. Born in Memphis, Tennessee in December 1950, Chilton originally found fame as a teenager with the Box Tops. But it was with Big Star where he became a hero for musicians around the world.
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Elton John & Leon Russell Complete New Album,
It's being reported that Elton John and Leon Russell have completed the recording of their upcoming album together and it is about to go to the mixing phase. According to songwriter Bernie Taupin's website, the album is expected to be released in the fall and will be a total of 16 tracks. Guests include Neil Young, Booker T. Jones, Brian Wilson, Robert Randolph and Jim Keltner. T-Bone Burnett is producing.
According to the site:
The trio has cut fifteen songs [now reported at sixteen] ranging from Stones like rockers, Country tinged ballads, Gospel and even a Sinatra like weepy similar to something torn from the grooves of “In the Wee Small Hours” As reported before it’s varied in scope and drenched in a rich tapestry of atmospherics. Don’t expect to hear the old EJ/BT sound; this is organic recording unlike anything you’ve heard from our duo before.
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Album Cover: Erykah Badu – ‘New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh’
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