Grammy Reactions

It's official - the Grammys have gone populist. Don't worry the world hasn't ended yet, but the ever weakening credibility of the recoding industry has officially flown the coop. Watching the Grammy Awards was like watching your pet get hit by an 18 wheeler in slow motion.

Of course the awards show was filled with moments of splendor. The tribute to Michael Jackson was an excellent showcase for not only his music, but his undying vision for pop music. Congratulations to the Zac Brown band for being a country band and not blatantly pissing me off. The Dave Matthews Band rocked a splendid send off to their fallen band mate LeRoi Moore.

Fail awards of the night belong to a half assed performance by Bon Jovi, Just Beiber's inability to read a teleprompter, Lady Gaga's silver sparkle mountain hat, the use of auto tune by almost everyone who rapped or sang r&b and the actual grammy nomination board for nominating "I'm On A Boat" for best rap collaboration. I guess the whole evenging wasn't a waste - they didn't win.

Here is the list of winners from the awards I predicted as well as my reaction. You can see the full list of winner by click here.

Record Of The Year

Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon

This was one of the most polarizing songs of the year. Leon fans of old found it insipid and accused the band of selling out (OH NO!), while new fans came pooring in to help make the band one of the highest selling albums of 2009. Aware music fans didn't fall for it - apparently the Grammys did. Still would have liked to have seen Lady Gaga win this one.

Album Of The Year

Fearless - Taylor Swift

Last year's winner for best album of the year went to Robert Plant & Alison Kraus beating out Radiohead. This year it goes to Taylor Swift beating out Beyonce and an aging Dave Matthews Band. Swift won simply because she sold the most records last year. No surprises here.

Song Of The Year

All The Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce

I called this one. This song was everywhere and deservedly took home the golden gramaphone.

Best New Artist

Zac Brown Band

Something tells me that Zac Brown won simply because all of the other artists nominated have been around for 3 years or so. Still it's nice to see an earthy country band that's true to the music and awesome facial hair win.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Halo - Beyonce

I thought she wouldn't win, but I was pleasently surprised when her name was called. Beyonce's cleavage was perhaps another bright spot from the evening's festivities.

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

Make It Mine - Jason Mraz

Anyone but Mraz would've made me happy - sure enough the Grammys had to give me another reason to prove that God isn't real.

Best Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas

The most obnoxious song of the year wins the award long since delegated to recognizing the most obnoxious song of the year - nicely played indeed.

Best Vocal Pop Album

The E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas

Even though I correctly predicted this one, I still pulled a face palm when I heard they won. Perhaps Patrick Stewart can demonstrate (click here).

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance

Working On A Dream - Bruce Springsteen

Another one I pickted correctly. Bruce got his grammy - and I got another reason to queston my once high regard for the Recording Academy.

Best Rock Song

Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon

At least it wasn't "21 Guns" right? Still not saying much.

Best Rock Album

21st Century Breakdown - Green Day

Probably the biggest surprise of the evening. I would've thougth for sure that Dave Matthews Band or U2 would be crownd victorious. This album was 71 minutes of underaccomplished pop punk. Stop wearing mascara please! Bush isn't in office - you don't have to be as angry anymore.

Best Alternative Album

Wolfgang Amadeus Pheonix - Phoenix

Can't complain about this one. Either Phoenix or Yeah Yeah Yeahs would hav sufficed. Thank you Grammys for giving me some reasons to smile.

Best Rap Solo Performance

D.O.A. (Death Of Auto Tune) - Jay-Z

Jay-Z let everyone in the rap game know what was up. Auto tune was a joke and everyone that wasn't using it already knew. Glad to knew the recording industry agrees with me and Hova.

Best Rap Album

Relapse - Eminem

Fail. Epic Fail. But then again this was one of the weakest categories this year.

Grammy Predictions

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will take place this Sunday in L.A. as the recording industry celebrates the year in music. The Hanging Tree will follow the ceremony and keep you up to date on all the latest news and winners. Here is just a quick list of predictions from some of the major categories.

You can watch the awards on CBS starting at 8 p.m. Click Here to see the full list of nominees.

Record Of The Year:

Halo - Beyonce

I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas

Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon

Poker Face - Lady Gaga

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

Who Will Win:Lady Gaga has essentially taken over the world at this point. Look for "Poker Face" to pick up this award while Taylor Swift wins more important awards later in the evening.

Who Should Win: Frankly all of these songs irritate me with the exception of "Poker Face" - maybe I'm just picking favorite heres - or maybe I'm just right.

* * * * * *

Album Of The Year:

I Am... Sasha Fierce - Beyonce

The E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas

The Fame - Lady Gaga

Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King - Dave Matthews Band

Fearless - Taylor Swift

Who Will Win: Taylor Swift's Fearless was the highest selling album in 2009 - and it was released in 2008. Miss Swift and her marketing team have found a way to churn out one hit after another. She'll get the biggest award of the night - even though the nominees are incredibly weak compared to other years.

Who Should Win: I'm gonna vote for Lady Gaga on this one simply because I think she's more real than Swift - even though that's not saying much.

* * * * * *

Song Of The Year:

Poker Face - Lady Gaga

Pretty Wings - Maxwell

Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce

Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

Who Will Win: I find it hard to believe Lady Gaga will win both Record and Song of the year. I'll have to go with Beyonce on this one.

Who Should Win: Beyonce. Nothing says successful tune like having your music featured in an Alvin and the Chipmunks movie.

* * * * * *

Best New Artist:

Zac Brown Band

Keri Hilson

MGMT

Silversun Pickups

The Tings Tings

Who Will Win: MGMT have sold more records - which the recording industry takes into consideration. They'll win.

Who Should Win: Silversun Pickups

* * * * * *

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:

Hometown Glory - Adele

Halo - Beyonce

Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Sober - Pink

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

Who Will Win: Taylor Swift - she has to win more than 1 award right?

Who Should Win: Adele or Beyonce simply because they both have the best vocal talent of anyone nominated.

* * * * * *

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance:

This Time - John Legend

Love You - Maxwell

Make It Mine - Jason Mraz

If You Don't Know Me By Now - Seal

All About The Love Again - Stevie Wonder

Who Will Win: Whoever isn't named Jason Mraz (cough Maxwell)

Who Should Win: Whoever isn't named Jason Mraz (cough Maxwell)

* * * * * *

Best Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:

I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas

We Weren't Born To Follow - Bon Jovi

Never Say Never - The Fray

Sara Smile - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Kids - MGMT

Who Will Win: This is a hard one to call, I'm gonna vote The Black Eyed Peas simply because of it's popularity.

Who Should Win: I Like John Oates' mustache.

* * * * * *

Best Pop Vocal Album:

The E.N.D. - The Black Eyed Peas

Breakthrough - Colbie Caillat

All I Ever Wanted - Kelly Clarkson

The Fray - The Fray

Funhouse - Pink

Who Will Win: Black Eyed Peas are the safe choice

Who Should Win: If someone put a gun to my head I'd have to say The Fray or Pink... maybe Kelly Clarkson... Ok... any band not named the Black Eyed Peas or Colbie Caillat

* * * * * *

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance:

Beyond Here Lies Nothin' - Bob Dylan

Change In The Weather - John Fogerty

Dreamer - Prince

Working On A Dream - Bruce Springsteen

Fork In The Road - Neil Young

Who Will Win: Bruce has had a tremendous decade. He should easily pick this one up.

Who Should Win: Bob Dylan continues to show everyone why he's Bob Dylan.

* * * * * *

Best Rock Song:

The Fixer - Pearl Jam

I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - U2

21 Guns - Green Day

Use Somebody - Kings of Leon

Working On A Dream - Bruce Springsteen

Who Will Win: Something tells me that Kings Of Leon will easily walk away with this one. That song was everywhere when it first came out.

Who Should Win: Pearl Jam came out of nowhere and delivered one of their best albums with Backspacer. "The Fixer" deserves to get the trophy.

* * * * * *

Best Rock Album:

Black Ice - AC/DC

Live From Madison Square Garden - Eric Clapton & Jeff Beck

21st Century Breakdown - Green Day

Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King - Dave Matthews Band

No Line On The Horizon - U2

Who Will Win: Dave Matthews Band will be rewarded for making a fitting eulogy for their fallen friend LeRoi Moore.

Who Should Win: Honestly I'm gonna have to go with U2 on this one. Sure the album was a appointment sales wise, but It's one of the strongest albums they've ever made - and it's not an AC/DC Record.

* * * * * *

Best Alternative Music Album

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today - David Bryne & Brian Eno

The Open Door - Death Cab For Cutie

Sounds Of The Universe - Depeche Mode

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Phoenix

It's Blitz! - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Who Will Win: Depeche Mode made all these bands. David Bryne made these bands as well. Either one will probably take home the grammy.

Who Should Win: Phoenix or Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Both albums are equally infectious and equally worthy of winning. It's Blitz is a tad more consistent though.

* * * * * *

Best Rap Solo Performance

Best I Ever Had - Drake

Beautiful - Eminem

D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) - Jay-Z

Day N Nite - Kid Cudi

Casa Bey - Mos Def

Who Will Win: Kid Cudi has the biggest hit here. If the grammys want to fulfill their populist aspirations, better follow through.

Who Should Win: Eminem or Jay-Z. While each of their albums were lackluster, these tracks are some of the best songs they've made.

* * * * * *

Best Rap Album

Universal Mind Control - Common

Relapse - Eminem

R.O.O.T.S. - Flo Rida

The Ecstatic - Mos Def

The Renaissance - Q-Tip

Who Will Win: Flo Rida.

Who Should Win: Mos Def

Bullet Points - Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Vancouver Olympics

Teen pop princess Taylor Swift's latest single "Today Was A Fairytale" has broken a record for first week download sales by a female artist selling 325,000 copies. That shatters the old record held by Britney Spears and the 286,000 copies sold of "Womanizer".

The numbers are good enough propel Swift to the number 1 on the Billboard's Digital Songs chart. However Swift will have to settle for the second slot on the Hot 100 as "Tik Tok" by Keisha will keep the top spot for a 6th straight week.

This will by Swift's first chart topper for the Digital Songs category. "Today Was A Fairytale" will be featured in the film Valentine's Day which features Swift along with a healthy spoonful of mellow drama - just like all of Swift's music.

Things continue to look up for the squeaky clean performer this Sunday at the Grammy Awards where she is nominated in 8 categories including Best Record, Best Album and Best Song. The Hanging Tree will keep you up the minute on all things Grammys this Sunday.

* * *

While The Who are sure to bring the goods for the Halftime Show, Carrie Underwood has been tapped to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl XLIV with Queen Latifah performing "America the Beautiful".

Other notable stars to perform "The Star Spangled Banner" are Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel and, perhaps most famously, Whitney Houston (see her performance below).

* * *

As the Winter Olympics in Vancouver are just a stone's throw away, many artists such as Wilco, Feist, Devo and The Roots are set to perform during the games.

The band's will take the stage during the Victory Ceremonies where winners in various events are awarded their medals. You can see the list of performers here.

Review: Magnetic Fields - Realism

(To Stream The Entire Album, Scroll Down To The Lala.com Player Below)

Magnetic Fields, spear headed by Mr. Insecure himself - Stephin Merritt, is one of the most prolific bands to never receive attention outside of their own genre - and that was the plan all along. Since 1991 Merritt and company have been more than content to churn out music to their own liking and let the tunes speak for themselves. Perhaps the band is more famous for their prolificness as opposed to their deadpan approach to pop. Why else would you name an album 69 Love Songs if it didn't contain just that?

Realism is a companion album to 2008's Distortion. While the latter is a whirl wind of feedback as well as a melancholy experiment in garage fuzz, the former is the band's first foray in folk music sprinkled with Victorian chamber pop and hints of country twang here and there. You can't have one album without the other or else you loose the full intent behind Merritt's master plan - to make you feel as sad and isolated as him.

Magnetic Fields has rarely been about giving you the immediate luxury of melody. Merritt's voice is a lonesome bass that sounds like hollow cannon fire. His approach is to concoct impassive vocal lines blended with instruments that scream of sunshine and rainbows. Everyone else may be having a hootenanny but he's off in the corner sulking, and that's the whole marketing campaign for this band - singing about the end of the world with a smile on your face. Sure it may not be unique, but it's genuine enough to make these tunes believable.

Merritt displays his dismal disposition with a surprisingly wry smile from the get go on Realism. "You Must Be Out Of Your Mind" opens the album with an inner longing for revenge mixed with a happy go lucky feel. "Why would I want to talk to you? I want you crawling back to me down on your knees." All the the best lines on the album are delivered with little or no emotion. It's so tenderly vague that you can interpret his blank chimes for however you seem fit.

Not everything is for Debbie Downers (sort of). Songs sung by pianist, drummer and band manager Claudia Gonson are the pick me ups that keep Realism from being too much of a bummer - even if her tunes are all about the same themes as Merritt's (disenfranchisement, sadness, loneliness etc). But Gonson gives her performances more oomph which makes her tracks a bit more buoyant. "Interlude" proves my point.

Yet Magnetic Fields remain's Merritt's brain child. So it would only makes sense that the best material is reserved for himself. "I Don't Know What To Say", "Better Things" and album's best song "Walk A Lonely Road" are the sound of a master manic depressive aged 44 years sounding as hopelessly frail as a child on the playground with no one to call a friend. He knows how to pull heart strings, but does so without being blatantly calculated - (cough Green Day).

These songs are concise and compact. At 12 tracks and only 33 minutes, there isn't a grand statement to be found in each song, but if you take the time to add up the individual elements then Realism becomes something more tangible than your average musician wallowing in his own self hatred - it becomes a group therapy session.

Sure this record won't lift you out of your bad mood, and the fact that it's dependent on another album to achieve its goals doesn't help either, but when songs are this drearily catchy and modestly simple, you can't help but give it the benefit of the doubt for being what it is - blissfully crafted mopey pop. Smiles!

Grade: B

Realism - The Magnetic Fields

The Who Announce Plans For Halftime Show

In a recent interview with Billboard.com, Pete Townshend, guitarist of The Who, announced the band's plan regarding the set list for the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime show on February 7th in Miami.

"We're kinda doing a mashup of stuff," the guitarist told Billboard. "A bit of 'Baba O'Riley', a bit of 'Pinball Wizard' a bit of the close of 'Tommy', a bit of 'Who Are You' and a bit of 'Won't Get Fooled Again'. It works - it's quite a saga. A lot of the stuff we do has that kind of celebratory vibe about it - we've always tried to make music that allows the audience to go a bit wild if they want to. Hopefully it will hit the spot."

The medley approach makes sense considering the band's extensive catalog. Other halftime acts such as Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney have done the same thing. It's quite a task to cram a career's worth of material into a microscopic 12 minute time slot.

2010 looks to be the year of The Who as the band are said to be hard at work on another album, plan to tour the U.S. later this year and are rumored to have their own version of the Rock Band video game franchise in the works.

Review: Lil' Wayne - Rebirth

Rebirth is an idea that has roots grounded in the glamorous days of the 1970s. Big stars with even bigger egos attempting to conquer the world by all means necessary. Take Keith Moon, iconic drummer of The Who, for example. Not only did he outplay everyone on the sticks, but he also made a solo album and was featured in films. Sure in his often intoxicated mind he was a one man show capable of being all things to all people, but everyone not named Keith Moon shook their head in disbelief when he wasn't behind the drum kit.

Fast forward 40 years and the same concept of world domination still lives - even more so in the rap game. Why stick to music when you can have a clothing line, a record company, an energy drink, your own video game and starring roles in straight to DVD action films where you will always be the stereotypical black man (Oh Snap!)?

Even better yet, why just limit yourself to hip-hop when you can mash it with "rawk" to instantly forgettable results? I don't know if Lil' Wayne ever got the memo, but rap-rock is dead and for good reason. No it isn't because there was something wrong with frat boys like Fred Durst and those numb skulls from pre 2003 Papa Roach, something was flawed with the whole idea itself. The concept of rapping over brash guitars never seemed to come off as something genuine. It was always a fad and even the fact that Lil' Wayne is Lil' Wayne can't change that.

However Rebirth does bring something new to the table that Limp Bizkit didn't use - auto tune (surprise!). It's the gift that keeps on irritating and Weezy uses the voice fixing program to full effect as it serves the basis for every melody that exists on the album. Songs like "American Star", "Prom Queen" and "The Price Is Wrong" are simplistic and one dimensional as Wayne tries to rely on computers to lift his southern croak above the backdrop of stale guitars and stiff drumming that might as well have come from a drum machine - wait...

Not all is colorless and grating. There are moments where Wayne's brilliance comes out of hiding. "Drop The World" is him sticking to what he knows works best - straight forward hip hop filled with ballsy beats and bragging rhyme. No guitars or auto tune to be found here - just a fine cameo from Eminem. "Ima pick the world up and drop it on yo' fuckin' head" he boasts. Oh my Weezy! Too bad it's hard to believe your gangsta claims after a toss off album such as Rebirth.

The only stand out track where Wayne seems to pull off his rap rock ambitions is "Runnin". The best parts of slow jams and emo power ballads are paired to surprisingly effective results. I still can't tell if I like this song because of Wayne's delivery or the appearance of up and comer Shanell who blasts the song to another level with her over the top vocals abilities. But at this point I'm not going to try and analyze a bright spot on Rebirth as I may find a reason to regret my initial thoughts.

It seem as if Weezy has surrounded himself with "yes" people. No one has the gravitas to tell this multi-platinum stud when he is in the realm of irrational thought. "Oh really? You wanna make that kind of album? Sure that's a great idea! No I'm not being sarcastic at all".

I have every reason to believe that this was a genuine attempt by an artist to expand his creative capabilities as opposed to a quickly assembled album to cash in on the hype for Tha Carter IV due later this year. When he was recording Rebirth I'm almost positive that he thought he was making something beneficial for mankind. While he gets an A for effort the results are just about what you would expect - muddled, mix mashed, inconsistent and at times ear shatteringly awful. Instead of trying to be reborn, Wayne should reevaluate this plans for world domination. Anyone up for a Lil' Wayne shoe brand?

Grade: D+

Bullet Points - The White Stripes, Them Crooked Vultures, The New Pornographers

The White Stripes will release their first official live album on March 15th to coincide with the DVD release of their new documentary Under Great White Northern Lights which follows the band as they trek across Canada in 2007.

Tracks from the album are taken from the tour which was documented by director Emmett Malloy.

The rest of the tour was cancelled after drummer Meg White complained of anxiety.

Track Listing:

• "Let's Shake Hands"
• "Black Math"
• "Little Ghost"
• "Blue Orchid"
• "The Union Forever"
• "Ball And Biscuit"
• "Icky Thump"
• "I'm Slowly Turning Into You"
• "Jolene"
• "300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues"
• "We Are Going To Be Friends"
• "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself"
• "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn"
• "Fell In Love With A Girl"
  
• "When I Hear My Name"
• "Seven Nation Army"

* * *

Super group Them Crooked Vultures will perform on Saturday Night Live on February 6th with douche bag Ashton Kutcher hosting the festivities.

The band has recently been out of the states playing shows in Europe. This will mark their first show in the U.S. since November of last year.

The SNL performance will also be the kickoff to 3 new tour dates in New York, Charlotte, NC and Atlanta. Click here for more details.

TCV are also scheduled to play at Coachella on Friday April 16th with Jay-Z and LCD Soundsystem as the other headliners. Watch a performance of the band's current single New Fang below.

* * *

The New Pornographers have announced a new album due May 4th titled Together.

The album will feature, apart from the band's eclectic line up of prove solo men (and woman), Zach Condon of Beirut, St. Vincent's Annie Clark and Will Sheff of Okkervil River's.

The band also posted many pictures of the recoding process on their website. Click here to see them.

Conan Spends $1.5 Million For Rolling Stones

Now that Conan O'Brien is set to leave The Tonight Show the gigantic ginger is having oodles of fun at the expense of NBC's bank account.

On last night's episode O'Brien unveiled his latest brain child - "crazy-expensive" comedy bits that only serve the purpose of burning cash at the expense of the giant peacock. His first epically pointless idea? Dress up the world's most expensive car as a mouse and and show it off with the original master recording of "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones all to the tune of $1.5 million.

Cost to buy out Conan? $45 million. Cost to make NBC it it's own foot? $1.5 million. Cost of the feeling of "Satisfaction?" Priceless.

Gorillaz Release "Stylo", Confirm "Plastic Beach"

Only a few days after being announced as a headliner for the Coachella Music Festival, Gorillaz have just released their newest single "Stylo" (click on the title to hear the track) from their third album Plastic Beach due in stores March 9th.

"Stylo" features Bobby Womack and Mos Def. It's a much more low key effort compared to rest of their library. Nothing really jumps out and grabs you, instead it washes over you and immerses you in rhythm and fazed in synth funk. "Electric is the look," Damon Albarn sings. Mos Def plays a subtle role finding his voice within the beats. Mr. Womack however blasts the whole thing wide open with his soul filled croon.

You can see the album track listing below.

Track Listing.

• 1. “Orchestral Intro”
• 2. “Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach” (feat. Snoop Dogg and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
• 3. “White Flag” (feat. Kano Bashy)
• 4. “Rhinestone Eyes”
• 5. “Stylo” (feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def)
• 6. “Superfast Jellyfish” (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul)
• 7. “Empire Ants” (feat. Little Dragon)
• 8. “Glitter Freeze” (feat. Mark E Smith)
• 9. “Some Kind Of Nature” (feat. Lou Reed)
• 10. “On Melancholy Hill”
• 11. “Broken”
• 12. “Sweepstakes” (feat. Mos Def Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
• 13. “Plastic Beach” (feat. Mick Jones Paul Simonon)
• 14. “To Binge” (feat. Little Dragon)
• 15. “Cloud Of Unknowing” (feat. Bobby Womack)
• 16. “Pirate Jet”

Review: Spoon - Transference

Spoon were indie before indie was indie.This foursome from Austin, Texas has been making tunes since 1994 which makes them 112 years old in dog years. Logic would tell you in the era of You Tube stars like Lady Gaga and ever decreasing shelf lives for rock stars that the band would have been euthanized years ago.

But vocalist Britt Daniel and company have found a way to stay on top of the music world they inhabit - no matter what the rest of the scene looks like. Write catchy tunes, play it safe by keeping the lyrics transparent to appeal the masses and keep the music balanced with tight production and no nonsense arrangements.

Transference is the band's first album in 3 years and much like the bored and anxious kid on the cover, the band is looking around the room thinking, "Well, now what do we do after more than 10 years of solid songs? What more do we have to prove?" Not much actually - but that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing.

This album is Spoon's most low key effort. Nothing really jumps out and grabs your attention at the first listen. These songs are meant to grow on you over a period of multiple rotations. Sorry to all you impatient kids. Daniel wants to weed out fickle fans and clingers on leaving only those who truly understand what he's trying to do - be a Texas version of Fountains Of Wayne.

The meat and potatoes of Transference isn't served until the middle of the album. "Written in Reverse" and "I Saw the Light" are the more upbeat tracks that find the band singing about distressing themes with a smile on their face. "Someone call a hearse" Daniel sings. This is a common thread that connects Spoon's entire catalog. Sure there might be glitter and gold on the surface, but underneath lurks an uneasy and paranoid tone that always makes their tunes seem off kilter.

"Written in Reverse" features a stop and go guitar rhythm centered around minor chords that don't bode well for anyone. "I Saw the Light" finds the band exorcising their insecurities through and an extended jam where a rustic piano comforts their aching emotions. Imagine a lullaby for whiskey drinkers.

But that's not to say that this record is full of doom and gloom hidden behind clever pop hooks. "Trouble Comes Running" is the most rosy song on the album. At a compressed running time of 3:05 Spoon hit the ground running with chaotic drums and blistering melody.

"Goodnight Laura" the song that follows is a nice answer to the question. Daniel croons behind a lonely piano to a woman who must be as restless and subtlely paranoid as himself. Perhaps he didn't want to come off as too pretentious so he simply wrote a song about himself but changed his name.

For all that Spoon does right, there are some passable songs - specifically the firs third of the album. It just seems like this band has become a tad tired with their existence which makes Transference a struggle to instantly like - let alone love. Daniel weighs the whole thing down with his phoned in vocals and unenthusiastic approach.

"Before Destruction" is too airy to be rooted to anything tangible. "Is Love Forever" is too short to really get a grasp on what the band is on to. "The Mystery Zone" is too long and "Who Makes Your Money" is simply too dull. These four flawed songs that open the album are some of the most forgettable the band have ever made.

However it's hard to hold this against the band. Their intentions are well but after being around for 16 years, the whole process of being in a band seems to be wearing on their creativity. There is good music aplenty offered just in uneven servings. With most of the members creeping up on 40, Transference is Spoon's first album where the longevity of their career can be questioned. I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Grade: B-

Johnny Cash Gets His Final Release

American VI: Ain't No Grave, the final recordings ever produced by the late Johnny Cash, are set for a February 26th release date which would have been the Man In Black's 78th birthday.

Like its 5 predecessors, the album was produced by Rick Rubin.

Covers on the album include "Redemption Day" by Sheryl Crow, "For the Good Times" by Kris Kristofferson, "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream" by Ed McCudry and "Cool Water" by Bob Nolan. The album will also feature the unreleased "I Corinthians: 15:55" which Cash composed during the latter years of his life.

The album had been a work in a progress since 2002 up until Cash's death on September 12th 2003.

Track listing is listed below.

1. Ain't No Grave
2. Redemption Day
3. For the Good TImes
4. I Corinthians 15:55
5. Where I'm Bound
6. A Satisfied Mind
7. I Don't Hurt Anymore
8. Cool Water
9. Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream
10. Aloha

Cast Set For "Yellow Submarine" Remake

Director Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future, Forrest Gump, The Polar Express) has taken it upon himself to remake the animated Beatles film Yellow Submarine and has announced who will voice the fab four in his Disney 3-D CGI feature.

Cary Elwes, famous for his role in The Princess Bride, will star as George Harrison, Dean Lennox Kelly will star as John Lennon, Peter Serafinowicz, who has appeared in Shaun Of The Dead, gets a crack as Paul McCartney and Adam Campbell, featured in Epic Movie and Date Movie will play Ringo Starr.

For the performance section of the film a Beatles cover band, the Fab Four, will be used for the motion-capture animation. However the tunes themselves will be 100 percent authentic Beatles originals.

The film is slated for a 2012 release date to coincide with the London summer Olympic games.

M.I.A. Debuts New Song

British / Sri Lankan sensation M.I.A. has just released her first new song since 2007 titled "Theres Space For Ol Dat I See". You can watch the video below.

If this song is any indication of what her next album will sound like expect a much more spacious atmosphere where M.I.A., whose real name is Maya Arulpragasam, will use singing and melody to fill the void left by a more straight forward production.

Her last album Kala was a celebration of third world pride and featured many exotic, yet hypnotic and intoxicating, beats that enabled her to build new world rhymes and chants as opposed to a melodic hook. I ranked it the 14th best album of the decade.

The as yet untitled record is due in the spring.

Bullet Points - Lil Wayne, Jimi Hendrix, M.I.A.

Lil' Wayne may be headed to jail for at least 8 months on weapons charges, but that won't stop Weezy from prepping his first disc since 2008's Tha Carter III - Rebirth.

Initially scheduled for a release last spring, Wayne acted his typical music delaying self and delayed his music typically. Record label Young Money has said the delay is due in part to Wayne's desire for the album to be "perfect". However the record has been slated for a February 2nd release date.

Rebirth is set to be the rapper's first rock record. 5 singles have already been released from the album and all have failed to meet the lofty expectations set by his previous work. Who ever would have thought that generic rock and irritating auto tune would sound so.... generically irritating? (case in point here)

500 copies of the record were mistakenly sent to those who pre-ordered it off of Amazon leading to the album's leak a few days later. Wayne has said that much of the album has changed and that "the 2010 Rebirth is not the 2009 Rebirth"

Am I the only one who smells yet another rapper who let fame go to his head? I'm going to predict the ending. This album will simply fall by the wayside and hype for Tha Carter IV will go down the drain.

* * *

Some of the final recordings Jimi Hendrix ever produced are finally getting the official release from his estate are slated for release on March 9th along with a slew of Hendrix reissues.

Valleys Of Neptune will feature a fair amount of unreleased tunes along with a few already well known Hendrix songs. Studio versions of "Hear My Train A' Comin'", a cover of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" and never before heard songs "Lullaby for the Summer", "Crying Blue Rain" and "Ships Passing Through the Night" are all included on the 12 song package.

The rest of the Jimi Hendrix Experience catalog will be reissued with each of the band's 3 albums packaged as a CD/DVD combo. The DVDs will contain documentaries that feature behind the scene interviews and clips about the making of the albums.

Hendrix's classic Woodstock concert is also getting a Hi-Def face lift as the historic set is being released on Blu-Ray. Just as September of 2009 belong to the Beatles, March will be the month of Jimi.

The track listing for Valleys Of Neptune as well as a demo of the self titled track is below.

1. Stone Free
2. Valleys Of Neptune
3. Bleeding Heart
4. Hear My Train A Comin'
5. Mr. Bad Luck
6. Sunshine Of Your Love
7. Lover Man
8. Ships Passing Through The Night
9. Fire
10. Red House
11. Lullaby For The Summer
12. Crying Blue Rain

* * *

After breaking down pop barriers with her 2007 album Kala M.I.A. decided to have a baby before changing the world for a second time. In a recent article for Rolling Stone the British / Sri Lankan super star talked about her plans for her next album due in the summer.

You can read the article here.

New Gorillaz On The Way

All signs are pointing to new music from animated band Gorillaz by the end of the month with a new album released sometime before the end of March. Did you just feel your nipples get firm? Me too.

To be honest I thought another Gorilliaz album was out of the question just a few years ago when mastermind behind the successful animated experiment Damon Albarn said that 2-D, Murdoc, Noodles and Russel were to be retired (read the article here).

Well apparently someone stopped feeding Albarn crazy pills because he's been hard at work on new material for his cartoon brainchild since September of 2008. Initial reports had the album, officially dubbed Plastic Beach, coming out in March of 2009. Needless to say nothing ever materialized.

Only 3 demos have seen the light of day. Albarn appeared on Radio 1 in Great Britain a year ago to play a trio of tunes titled "Electric Shock", "Broken" and "Stylo" (you can here all 3 demos below).

Now it appears that the ball is rolling once again. EMI, the band's label, said a new Gorillaz record would hit shelves before the end of the fiscal year - that being late March. The website All Access has listed "Stylo" as the first single from Plastic Beach with a release date of January 26th. A countdown on Gorillaz.com also coincides with that date. Ain't that a cowinkydink?

Rumored to appear on the album are the likes of Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed and Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees. A colorful cast of characters indeed.

Q Magazine has reported that the album will drop March 8th. We can only hope.

Review: OK Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky

It usually doesn't bode well when one of your music videos becomes more popular than you or your band ever will be. Thus is the case for Chicago's OK Go. When the band's only hit "Here It Goes Again" became the biggest novelty video this side of Weezer's "Pork and Beans" the band was forever doomed to one hit wonderdom. I suppose every band feels they have to justify their existence at one point in their career - enter the band's third album Of the Blue Colour of the Sky.

There are 4 kinds of bands. Bands who age gracefully (U2), bands who reinvent themselves (Radiohead), bands who tend to remain the same yet never come off as static or bland (The White Stripes) and bands who fall apart when faced with the prospect of thinking outside the box (the majority of bands around today). I bet ya can't guess where OK Go fall in line.

Blue Colour is a strange arrangement of half-assed attempts to write songs paired with a terrible sense of experimentation. Instead of taking a unified step forward, OK Go put too little eggs in far too many baskets. They want you to dance, mellow out, be philosophical and actually think that this album is worth your attention all at the same time.

Vocalist Damian Kulash exercises his frail falsetto to exhaustion on the album's "ever so cleverly titled" opener "WTF?". "Do I make my own decision here or am I under your control?" he sings to a faceless bombshell. A stanky synthesizer and low fi bass buzzes mix awkwardly with lightning guitar shreds. While the effort is genuine the results are passable at best.

So goes the rest of Blue Colour. If this album was a steak the whole thing would be undercooked. Each track is littered with moments of forgettable hooks and stale melodies that never pack enough punch to stick with you. In one ear out the other. Imagine if The All American Rejects tried to cover a TV On The Radio album... yeah it's that strange to listen to.

There are bright spots sprinkled through the mediocrity. "Skyscrapers" is the most thought out tune. Kulash stands on the brink of suicide while singing this redemptive tune. Sure it may sound like U2's fantastic "Moment Of Surrender" but I suppose I'm simply giving the song credit for not being an instant write off.

At the end of the day, all I could think about while listening to these 13 toss offs was how these 4 indie nerds would look dancing on treadmills. So after wasting an hour of my time with this album I went to You Tube and watched the summation of this band's entire career in 3 minutes.

Grade: D

Review: Vampire Weekend - Contra

In 2008 this quartet of Columbia grads took the indie world by storm with their unique blend of fluffy stop and go rhythms, inoffensive guitar licks, ska aspirations and pop sensibilities coupled with light hearted feelings about weekends at Cape Cod and other non life threatening conditions on their self titled debut. Sure their music wasn't more than skin deep, but self aware indie pop never hurt anyone.

Contra is the band's inevitable attempt to grow up and broaden their horizons. Several influences are put to use and many musical textures and sub genres are thrown against the wall as Vampire Weekend hopes that something sticks. Believe it or not, this awkward smörgåsbord is kept in tact by the band's singular vision for melody and playful tunes.

Just because you graduate doesn't mean you stop absorbing information. Front man Ezra Koening and company went back to school and learned a thing or two from their indie accomplices such as TV on the Radio, Phoenix and Fleet Foxes. Vampire Weekend picked apart their peer's tunes to their bare bones and carefully added them to their already eclectic repertoire.

Synthesizers and marimbas, which were featured in the band's first record, get more exercise and become the basis for the groove each song is built around. While the Vampire Weekend of two years ago would slyly sneak a floating guitar riff on top of a funktastic poly rhythm, the six string is now forced to find a niche within the song as opposed to carry it on its back.

The album's opening tracks "Horchata" and "White Sky" are precisely placed at the beginning to introduce you to the band's new experiment in hi-fi. The laid back atmosphere of their previous work remains but a new sense of musical depth breathes new life into what easily could have been a stale repeat attempt to duplicate simplicity. Lush backing vocals and more pronounced drumming truly expand this band's once minute sound into something more tangible.

While Vampire Weekend break new ground, they still possess the same tools that made them a a buzz worthy band to begin with. Steady paced tunes that never outstay their welcome remain the essential ingredient for success. These Ivy Leaguers are smart and know that to bring new sheep to the fold and keep the same flock - you have to please everyone.

That's the purpose a song like "Holiday", "Taxi Cab" or "Giving Up The Gun" serves. The rhythmic groove, happy go lucky spirit, accessible melody and riffage of old is there, but everything seems to have a bit more gloss to it. The band gave their own material a face lift with brighter production and more thought out arrangements. They even try to show off their inner T-Pain as they awkwardly use auto-tune on the mis-mashed "California English".

As the music has slightly matured, so has Koening. His vocal style mimics that of Paul Simon making him come off as a young boy who desperately wants nothing more than to be a man. He may have a part time job as a rock star, but he still sends his parents letters home asking for more cookies and fresh whitey-tighteys.

And that's the appeal of a band like this. Their tunes are easy listening for the warped tour crowd as well as self aware college kids who won't admit that they are self aware (a.k.a. some kid named Jon LaFollette - wait...). While this kind of music may not provide the lyrical fortitude that some die hards search for in their favorite bands, Vampire Weekend own the blue print for ready made feel good rock.

Grade: A-

Some Stories I Missed Over The Holidays

Hey everyone. Since December was completely dedicated to my 100 Best Albums countdown, I didn't get a chance to really write any news blogs on here. So here are some stories from the past few weeks which I'm just now getting a chance to bring you.

* * *

The Who Protested as Super Bowl Pick

Child advocacy website abusewatch.net has recently petitioned the NFL to have The Who removed from playing the Super Bowl XLIV Halftime show in Miami on February 7th.

The group objects the the band's selection due to guitarist Pete Townshend's 2003 arrest by British police for using his credit card to view child pornography online. Townshend claimed he was researching child abuse for his own autobiography. Townshend was never charged but did receive a caution and was placed on a British sex offenders' watch list until 2008.

"The Who is a great band. Pete Townshend is the only issue here," said Evin Daly, found and CEO of abusewatch.net

The NFL has released a statement standing behind their choice for The Who.

"UK police cleared him since he was doing research for a project on child abuse," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.

* * *

John Frusciante Quits Chili Peppers

Rumors about Frusciante's departure had stemmed from reports that the rest of the Chili Peppers were in the studio working on the follow up album to 2006's hit or miss Stadium Arcadium without their long time guitar player.After a year long hiatus The Red Hot Chili Peppers have reentered the studio to begin work on another album. However they will be doing so without guitarist John Frusciante who recently took to his MySpace to tell the world he had exited the band.

"To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction," Frusciante said. He also says he quit the band over a year ago with "no drama" and that "I have to be what I am, and I have to do what I must do."

This marks the second time Frusciante has left the band doing once before after the band released their classic album Blood Sugar Sex Magik in 1991 before returning in 1999 while the band recorded Californication.

Josh Klinghoffer, who played back up guitar with the Chili Peppers on their last tour has been named Frusciante's replacement.

* * *

Kanye West Back In The Studio - Where He Belongs

Kanye West has virtually disappeared from the

landscape of pop since he infamously rushed the stage at last year's VMAs and then had a mental breakdown the following night on The Jay Leno Show.

However a new year has found Mr. West back in the studio as he prepares to once again make headlines for his music opposed to his actions and ego.

West took to his website to post a blog where he laid out his plan for the next record.

"It's funny how so many rappers get worse as their careers stretch out but true poets get better," West said. "We will follow in the footsteps of Maya Angelou, Gill Scott Herron and Nina Simone. Their work improved with time."

West does have lofty expectations to live up to. While his last record 808s And Heartbreak was met with mixed to positive review, This first three albums were all met with universal acclaim from critics and fans alike. But I suppose that if Kanye does stumble, no one will do it in a more arrogant manner. I HAD ONE OF THE BEST CAREER BLOW UPS OF ALL TIME!

* * *

Taylor Swift Holds On To 2009 Sales Crown - Barely

Teen princess supreme Taylor Swift held off new comer Susan Boyle to claim the highest selling album of 2009 with her second album Fearless.

Swift's sophomore effort, which was released in 2008, sold 3.1 million units barely outselling Scottish singing sensation Susan Boyle by roughly 300,00 copies.