Rather than full-on push the envelope for its sophomore effort “Our Earthly Pleasures,” U.K. rock act Maximo Park seems more content on simply pumping it up a little, adding a guitar layer here, a synth slide there and at times even smoothing out the jangly, edgy guitar found scattered all over its 2005 debut, […]
After dubious novelty singles like “Hollaback Girl” and “Wind It Up,” Gwen Stefani proved her mettle as a deserving millennium mainstay on previous “The Sweet Escape,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. “4 in the Morning” is even more gratifying — a melodic retro ballad that could have come from 1983’s […]
Brit bad girl Amy Winehouse is one of the mainstream print media breakouts of the year — and consumers are responding, with debut “Back to Black” in the top five on the Top Digital and Top Internet charts and top 10 on the Billboard 200. “Rehab,” the follow-up to alluring first single “You Know That […]
It sounds like Kaiser Chiefs were held up in the studio with their Beatles collection, judging by “Ruby.” Throw in a sprinkle of XTC and a dash of Blur, and you have the ingredients for a Britpop revival. Frontman Ricky Wilson has a lilt in his voice as he sings verses of regret — “Due […]
Country radio programmers reluctant to embrace such previous high-octane singles as manic “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” or incendiary “Kerosene” should find it easier to spin Miranda Lambert’s latest effort. Culled from her new sophomore set, she and co-writer Travis Howard draw on real-life experience to paint this portrait of small-town life–the characters and drama that populate American […]
Young Jeezy’s street dreams of success with feature group U.S.D.A. (United Streets Dopeboyz of America) might not come as easily as his early platinum career. Meshing his two proteges, Atlanta’s 4th-ward Slick Pulla and Panama City, Fla.’s Blood Raw, U.S.D.A. is creating minimal mainstream buzz but plenty of controversy with debut “White Girl.” Sorry, teeny-boppers, […]
The long-enduring Andy Bell and Vince Clarke have accomplished the seemingly impossible. For nearly 30 years, despite changes in in pop tastemaking, they managed to segue from contemporary to endearingly retro back to refreshingly auspicious with a pop/synth signature that has only occasionally strayed. “I Could Fall in Love With You,” from upcoming “Light at […]
After so many singles where former ‘N Sync’er JC Chasez attempted to prove how far removed he is from his pop roots — via urban/hip-pop, drum ‘n’ bass and faux rock — he at last surrenders to what he does best. Granted, the ballad “You Ruined Me” resembles Nick Lachey’s “What’s Left of Me,” but […]
The surviving members of the Beatles are set to release a never-before-heard new single.
The track, called Now and Then, is based on a John Lennon recording, given to Sir Paul McCartney by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono in 1994 as part of their Anthology project.
According to friends this may now be the “one last great […]
R. Kelly has written a new song, “Rise Up,” about healing in the aftermath of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech. A gunman killed 32 people and himself on the university’s campus in Blacksburg, Va.
“Rise Up” will be available digitally May 15, and 100 percent of the net proceeds from its sale will […]
