Bob Dylan’s new album Modern Times has been released to rave reviews in the US that show the 65-year-old legend has plenty to say about the changing times since his last record came out on September 11, 2001.
But in typical fashion, the gravel-voiced star of the 1960s known for mumbling his words says it […]
In a hip-hop world propelled by drum machines and other computerized instruments, there’s still plenty of room for the real thing — as well as for lyrics that say something beyond the usual bling and booty fare. The Roots have never compromised on that belief, and that creative fervor still fuels their work. The […]
Does it matter that Paris Hilton isn’t a great singer? Not really. On her debut album, she alternately coos, giggles, whispers and talk-sings her way through 11 dance/pop songs. Wisely, the producers and writers enlisted for the project don’t require Hilton to do more than she’s capable of; the result is an enjoyable romp. […]
Alto sax man Garrett drew album inspiration in large part from a 2005 trip to China. “Realization (Marching Towards the Light),” for instance, incorporates a Tibetan monks chant Garrett sampled, adding a deep resonance to the instrumental arrangement, which itself is rather minimalistic. On “Tsunami Song,” the presence of the Chinese ehru, played by […]
Atlanta rapper Young Dro made a good first impression with his effervescent summer hit “Shoulder Lean,” featuring longtime pal T.I., but his debut album, “Best Thang Smokin’,” does little to distinguish him from other Southern MCs who use showboating methods to get ahead. Dro’s originality lies more in his odd food-obsessed rhymes (”Diamonds look […]
Embraced by improv rock and old-time music fans alike, Old Crow Medicine Show is building a devoted fan base by playing great songs really well. Producer David Rawlings conjures an effortless back-porch feel on endearing cuts like the bluesy “Down Home Girl” and the spooky “Bobcat Tracks.” One wonders where they dug up traditional […]
“This Binary Universe” depicts the sights and sounds of a wondrous, ambient cosmos. The chill-out sector might assume that it’s background music, but BT has greater consciousness in mind with titles like “All That Makes Us Human Continues.” Celestial songs flow together and drift by leisurely, sometimes almost inaudibly. Occasionally disturbing the vast atmosphere […]
Tokyo’s subway allowed a publisher to display posters of a nude and heavily pregnant Britney Spears on Monday, overturning a decision to cover up part of the image for being “too stimulating” for young people.
The picture of the pop singer — nude but covering her breasts with her arms and crossing her legs at […]
Organizers on Monday switched the venue for Madonna’s Moscow concert from a hilltop site overlooking the city to a Soviet-era stadium used in the 1980 Olympic Games because of crowd control fears.
Police said they feared up to 250,000 people may try to get into the concert — Madonna’s first in Russia — which had space […]
Ricky Martin is known for his romantic ballads and uptempo, tropical dance fare, and during the recent taping of his first “MTV Unplugged” set in Miami, he offered both.
After the taping, an excited Martin announced he would go on tour in February, beginning in Puerto Rico, but had no further details.
What stood out during the […]
Barry Manilow’s pre-surgery routine included picking up an Emmy Sunday night. Monday he’s having hip surgery.
“This goes into the operating room with me tomorrow morning as a good-luck charm,” Manilow said as he hoisted the trophy for outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program.
Manilow, 60, had to cancel performances at the Las Vegas […]
It’s the same old song: Flashy news in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 while album sales continue to sag, a pattern that even a career-best opener by Christina Aguilera cannot bend.
Fact is, with her new Nielsen SoundScan mark and six new titles entering the chart’s first eight slots, the top 10 looks pretty […]
Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z are reportedly set to marry in a lavish $US3 million ceremony in late November.
The wedding will allegedly take place on the Caribbean island of Anguilla.
A source is quoted on website MSNBC as saying: “Beyonce has been telling friends it will be ‘the wedding to end all weddings’.
“She feels like she’s living […]
The flamboyant, Israeli-born rocker Gene Simmons has sent a televised message of support to an Israeli soldier seriously wounded in fighting in Lebanon, calling him his ‘hero.’
Simmons, 57, founded the heavy metal band Kiss in the 1970s and became famous for wearing white and black face makeup, spitting fire and sticking his tongue out […]
