June 2008 Archives

by Sarah Bardeen

This past weekend, thousands of Brits (and citizens of various other kingdoms, fiefdoms and republics, for sure) gathered at the Vale of Avalon to watch some of their favorite artists pull musical swords from the stone at the annual Glastonbury Festival. Typically, the main talking point before, during and after the festival is the weather, as past Glastos have left audiences to fend for themselves against torrential rains and ensuing fields of mud. But this year, organizers of England's premiere summer music festival booked Jay-Z to headline Saturday night, and the choice set off a different kind of storm: one of debate, disses and drama.

by Chuck Eddy

When somebody tells you a new dance-pop album (or really, maybe a new anything album) is mind-blowing because it “mixes up lots of different genres,” take their claim with a grain of salt. Not that mixing genres is bad; it’s just that that’s what dance-pop has always done - usually without making a big whoopdydoo of it. This year, for instance, the self-titled debut by Philly-to-Brooklyn hipster heroine Santogold will inevitably finish the year near the top of critics’ polls. Which is fine, because it’s a pretty good record. But it’s no more “eclectic” than the significantly more lively and songful self-titled debut by suburban L.A. Mexican-American quinceañera-pop duo Prima J, which will struggle to get reviewed in any magazine not targeted at Latin teen girls.

Song:  C'est Pas De L'Amour 
Album: Extraordinary Rendition
Artist: Rupa and the April Fishes
Selected by: Sarah Bardeen
Date: June 30, 2008

San Francisco's Rupa has the carnival thing down cold -- plus she can sing in French, English and Spanish, which makes her a darling of the town's multilingual underground. Throw your beer stein into the fireplace and join the chorus!

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by Stephanie Benson

(photo by Jeremy Stanifer)

I could throw in a lot of burly Pacific Northwest lumberjack jokes or overgrown face fuzz and flannel/plaid/paisley-wearing cracks here, but that all seems a little too obvious for the Fleet Foxes. The scene at San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill last night was indeed fairly scruffy -- the exception being guitarist Skye Skjelset, whose clean-cut, skinny jeans-with-vest hipster style gets the most live-review flack according to his bandmates. The mostly hirsute quintet stole the attention of even the most girly chicks and modish boys in the crowd, using “Chill out, dude” poise and a humbled presence, but also nimble guitars, deft mandolin plucks, maraca shakes, tambourines, crashing cymbals and gospel-inspired a capella.

by Chuck Eddy

Today sees the release of the new Angeline Jolie film Wanted, a non-stop, CGI-affected thriller about a secret coven of assassins and their brand new recruit ... or something. The film is not only an opportunity for people who like to see Angelina Jolie curve bullets and show of her various expressionistic, vaguely Celtic tattoos, it's also a chance for folks to hear Danny Elfman's film score -- and, for the first time in a while, a new rock tune from the former Oingo Boingo frontman, "The Little Things." And being generous people -- and not assassins -- Rhapsody wants to give it to you for free.

Song:  Digital Bath
Album: White Pony
Artist: Deftones 
Selected by: Stephanie Benson
Date: June 27, 2008

Okay, so the meaning of the song may be just a tad disturbing: "digital bath" refers to electrocution. But its intrigue is equivalent to that of a great horror flick. As a menacing drone swells into wicked beats and Chino Moreno's cathartic wails scream out, "I feel like more!" beware of a sudden spike in blood pressure and fear of who or what may be behind you.

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by Stephanie Benson

Rhapsody's Ones to Watch artist for June, the Ting Tings’ De Martino gives us an inside look at the nearly instant phenomenon with a track-by-track synopsis of the making of We Started Nothing. He goes in-depth about the woes of being a signed band, why you should avoid buying the Chinese version of their album, and why they want to prove they "started nothing."

by Chuck Eddy

Montgomery Gentry is my favorite band (not just country -- rock, too) of the decade. I keep waiting for them to put out a lousy album, but after six, they haven’t come close. And the gap between the one I like most (2001’s Carrying On) and one I like least (1999’s Tattoos and Scars) isn’t really all that great. Their new Back When I Knew It All  falls somewhere in the middle, which by definition makes it one of the better albums I’ve heard this year. Here are some thoughts on its songs ...

Song:  Wolves 
Album: 8 Diagrams
Artist: Wu-Tang Clan
Selected by: Sam Chennault
Date: June 26, 2008

Spaghetti Western whistles, a nonsensical nursery rhyme from George Clinton, and Method Man’s declaration that “We living every day like tomorrow’s the last” lend this cut a “Shootout at the Shaolin Corral” vibe. Though this isn’t the album’s centerpiece (that honor is reserved for “Stick Me for My Riches”), “Wolves” nicely encapsulates the hi/lo pop-cult pastiche that made Wu-Tang’s 2007 comeback 8 Diagrams a blurry, psych-hop masterpiece.

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by Chris Ryan

(photo courtesy of Flickr)

Jadakiss once said he knew dudes who went to jail just to get their teeth fixed. Well, I'd like to say I went to the Demi Lovato show at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, Long Island, last night just to go to the Chili's next door (NYC may have the Met and Broadway, but it's fallow ground when it comes to chain restaurants). In truth, I went to find out why almost nine million people watched her Jonas Brothers-toplined Disney flick Camp Rock when it debuted this past weekend.

by Jen Guyre

Mötley Crüe has thrived for two and half decades of pure, uncut decadence. Now, Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee have returned with Saints of Los Angeles, their first album of new material in 11 years, and a namesake summer tour Crüefest. Rhapsody caught up with Vince Neil, while at home in L.A., to find out about the inaugural fest, their autobiographical album, and what's on the horizon for "the world's most notorious rock band."   

Song:  Second Chance 
Album: The Sound of Madness
Artist: Shinedown
Selected by: Mike McGuirk
Date: June 25, 2008

Jacksonville sons of Skynyrd, Shinedown are undeniably good at updating Southern rock, producing loud, loud, loud songs, and delivering it all in eminently digestible pop music trappings. “Second Chance” is from their new album, The Sound of Madness, and while the rockers are tough as nails and all that, this one’s really fun to sing along to.

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What's new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Scarlett Johansson, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Scarlett Johansson brings the lush, widescreen covers of several Tom Waits classics to life. Her smoky voice will make you hear these songs in a whole new way.

Various Artists, Red Records: The Color of Jazz (Rhapsody Premiere)
A fine compilation from the Italian jazz imprint featuring the work of Chet Baker, Joe Henderson and Charlie Rouse.

Thriving Ivory, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
A thunderous live set from Bay Area rock troupe Thriving Ivory. Raw emotion and trembling vocals matched by powerful pianos and roaring guitars.

In the above video, our intrepid reporter John Norris sits down with Anthony Gonzalez, who makes dream-like techno-pop as M83. John talks to Anthony about the influence of John Hughes' 1980s teen dramas on his new album Saturdays=Youth, French music and much more.

Further Reading:
"M83's Odes to Teenage Life" (MTV News)

Further Viewing:
Previous installments of John Norris Interviews... (PLAY)

Song:  Come on Over 
Album: Come on Over
Artist: Jessica Simpson
Selected by: Linda Ryan
Date: June 24, 2008

When Jessica Simpson purrs, “Leave your laundry on the floor, just come on over,” who is going to say no?  And when she instructs, “Don’t pack a bag. Don’t make me wait. I want to kiss that smile that’s on your face,” well, you listen. “Come on Over” is a sexy slice of country pop, and Simpson sounds surprisingly believable singing it.

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by Chuck Eddy

It's become this ridiculous cliché in recent years to pretend that "such and such people were the rock stars of their day," whatever that's supposed to mean. Just over the weekend, I saw the claim bestowed upon both early '60s advertising bigwigs (in a New York Times Sunday magazine piece about the TV series Mad Men) and old-time magicians (on Antiques Roadshow). But this morning, when I learned George Carlin had succumbed to heart failure Sunday evening in Santa Monica at the age of 71, the obits reminded me of something -- back in suburban Detroit, in 1974, when I was fresh out of eighth grade at Our Lady of Refuge, this fellow lapsed Catholic seemed to me like a bigger rock star than any rock star I could name, give or take maybe Elton John. And when you think about it, it was guys like Carlin and Cheech and Chong and Richard Pryor whose Watergate-era bullsh*t-detection and post-hippie potty mouths set the stage for what rock music -- or, even more maybe, hip-hop -- would eventually evolve into. So if George Carlin wasn't the rock star of his day, maybe spouting the seven words you can't say on television made him a rap star, at least.

by the Virgins

So, here we are in Seattle. We're playing at a place called Showbox. There's signs everywhere that say, "Snoop Dogg is playing at the Showbox's Dobo, not here," which should make for an interesting crowd. Also, the upcoming tours posted outside look great; Squeeze is coming here and Rza as Bobby Digital! Hope they both come to NY for the three or so days that we'll be home. We're gonna go take a look at the water and maybe go to the original Starbucks. I already saw the Space Needle so I'm good, basically. I'll leave another update post-show and maybe try and sneak into the Snoop Dogg show.
- Wade

by Chuck Eddy

In which two gutter-rock gangs with the same singer and three bands whose names kick things off with a bang are dredged up from the great cut-out bin in the sky -- along with an Irishman swinging on vines through the Italian jungle, and a pair of hard-drinking country oldsters dressed in Culture Club drag.

Song:  United and Strong
Album: Network of Friends 1 
Artist: Half Life 
Selected by: Dan Shumate
Date: June 23, 2008

Half Life was a jerky, wanna-be-English, oil-punk band from Pittsburg who formed in the mid ‘80s. The singer had a red mohawk and sneer just like Wattie from the Exploited, but you can’t fully blame a band from the northern capitol of Appalachia for wanting to pay homage to their heroes. Here, they more than channel another second-generation English punk band, Charged GBH.

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Get inside the lab with Cassie mentor/producer/pop star Ryan Leslie. Track Stars, a new online show from the good people at MTV.com, goes behind the scenes to find out what exact mix of art and science go into making a hit record -- in this case, Leslie's "Diamond Girl." On this premiere segment, watch him dissect the creative -- and seemingly physically tiresome (check those fast hands!) -- processes involved, while using words like "genesis," "foundations" and "bounce." Leslie also speaks on how necessity was the mother of his production prowess, flexes his freestyling techniques and even offers up a little motivational banter.

by Jen Guyre

Metal music has always seen the passing of trends. Glam took over the '80s in an androgynous wave, '90s death metal drowned itself in gore, and now, with the advent of a cartoon metal band, a thrash resurgence and the rise of the metal opera, it’s a tough call whether heavy metal is growing, laughing at its clichés or buying into them. And that’s exactly what Chicago-based blackened experimental quartet Nachtmystium examined when they took a step back from their corpse-paint-wearing, stage-name-toting black-metal beginnings.

Song:  Kusu Kalkmaz 
Album: Doublemoon Woman
Artist: Sultana 
Selected by: Rachel Devitt
Date: June 19, 2008

Nowadays, Sultana, a Turkish emcee, is respected for her easy flow, downtempo Turkish pop beats and politically inclined rhymes. But in 2000, she was an unknown upstart who came into overnight fame when this song was banned from radio and TV. Apparently, the title, which translates into "Can't Get It Up," was just a scooch too racy.

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by Chuck Eddy

Complaints about Chicago-and-elsewhere’s supposed “hipster rap” scene, as outlined in this recent Chicago Reader piece, should be nothing new to anyone familiar with initial opposition to disco, punk, hair metal, “hipster metal” and any number of other apparently fleeting fads, including rap music itself almost three decades ago: the participants allegedly have no chops (“can’t rap” in this case), dress fruity, haven’t paid their dues, won’t be around a year from now, joke around too much in their lyrics, and don’t appeal to aficionados who consider themselves longstanding guardians of serious music. The usual Calvinist work ethic baloney. Which isn’t to suggest that the scene, if one actually exists, is worth defending; personally, I haven’t heard enough to know for sure. What I don’t get is how “Pro Nails” by Kid Sister and “Cappucino” by New Orleans’ the Knux are any less compelling than, say, “Say Yeah” by Wiz Khalifah (maybe the most energized hit that above-ground hip-hop has managed this year). And I really don’t understand what people have against Cool Kids.

Song:  Chico and the Man 
Album: The Best of José Feliciano
Artist: José Feliciano 
Selected by: Nick Dedina
Date: June 19, 2008

If there is one thing even better than José Feliciano covering a pop hit, it's a José Feliciano original. The English lyrics are better than anything uttered on the TV show, but as with many Feliciano numbers, the best part comes in the second half where he completely goes off in Spanish.

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by Chris Ryan

Of the many success stories in 2008 (the Celtics, Obama, landing on Mars), none is more surprising than the emergence of Katy Perry. The California-born singer-songwriter has melded her quirky, witty tunes with high-end/high-gloss production from a murderer's row of hitmakers (Dr. Luke, Max Martin) to make a debut album, One of the Boys, overloaded with would-be hits (to compete with her certified hit "I Kissed a Girl"). Here, Perry talks about song arrangements, the writing process and dealing with the inflated egos of producers.

Song:  You and Me Song
Album: Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack
Artist: Wannadies 
Selected by: Linda Ryan
Date: June 18, 2008

This Swedish band's "You and Me Song" is one of the most exuberant slices of power-pop ever made. The quiet, kitschy verse is quite a contrast to the chorus – which is an effervescent collage of ringing guitars, pounding drums and seemingly obligatory ba-ba-ba's. This one's a true power-pop lover's delight.

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Alejandro Escovedo, Real Animal (Rhapsody Premiere)
A Tex-Mex mix of Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen, Escovedo is a street poet with a true rocker's soul. Real Animal is co-produced by Bowie-collaborator Tony Visconti.

Missy Higgins, "Steer"/"100 Times Around The Bends (Live)" (Rhapsody Premiere)
The buoyant modern folk of Missy Higgins comes to life on this single. The B-side "Steer" was the number one single in Australia.

by the Virgins

June 6
We made it to Detroit with minimal border trouble! The dressing room was enormous.

by Chuck Eddy

Steve Stein (a.k.a. Steinski) did not invent the hip-hop collage - by 1983, when the ad-writing DJ and his studio-proficient engineer partner Douglas DiFranco (a.k.a. Double Dee) stirred up the World Famous Supreme Team, the Supremes, Indeep, somebody doing a Little Richard song, sundry playground and street sound effects, people repeating the phrase “Play it!,” and all sorts of other miscellany into their Tommy Boy Records-contest-winning “The Payoff Mix,” The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel was already two years old. And who knows how many live and radio mastermixes had never even made it to vinyl? Still - as Steinski’s new double album What Does It All Mean?: 1983-2006 Retrospective makes clear - he did maybe take the concept somewhere new.

Song:  Nostradamus
Album: Nostradamus 
Artist: Judas Priest 
Selected by: Jen Guyre
Date: June 17, 2008

New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends Judas Priest have moved from their Hellbent history to the world of concept records. In tackling the life of French astrologer Michel de Nostradame (known better by his Latin name Nostradamus), the result is nothing short of epic. Check out the momentous title track from their behemoth metal opera.

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by Toshitaka Kondo

Plies’ two gargantuan "goon" chains and the ski mask he’s sporting on the cover of his sophomore album, The Definition of Real, don't exactly scream "sex symbol." However, the Fort Myers, Florida native has unwittingly become just that with his inclination for serenading females, in addition to reppin’ the streets. Anthems like “Shawty,” featuring T-Pain, made his debut, The Real Testament, one of the few hip-hop albums to legitimately go gold in 2007. Less than a year later, he’s doing it for the ladies once again with the Ne-Yo-assisted “Bust It Baby, Pt. 2,” which samples Janet Jackson’s “Come Back to Me.” Rhapsody sat down with Plies to talk about his edgy album cover, dropping his sophomore project on the same day (June 10) as Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III, and the benefits of media training.

by Jen Guyre

There's no denying Michael Jackson's long-standing influence on all things pop. Despite his legal woes and personal troubles, his untouchable '80s songbook still stands as a beacon of what pop music is all about and what current artists aim to achieve. To pay homage to his forgotten legacy, pop-punk superstars Fall Out Boy recorded their own version of MJ's "Beat It," with John Mayer taking on the unaccredited Eddie Van Halen solo. And with major label backing and a new video in rotation on MTV channels, this cover is pretty hard to miss.

Song:  Cradle Robbers
Album: Debutante
Artist: Nash Kato 
Selected by: Nate Cavalieri
Date: June 16, 2008

With tons of guts and attitude to spare, Nash Kato offers up a tribute to creepy love. One of the many tunes that makes his Debutante solo LP a completely bitchin' ride.

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by Angela Bruno

U.K. soul-pop siren Adele's ascent to critical acclaim was fueled by her descent into the dark shadows of heartache, a few well-timed songs on MySpace and a musical hodgepodge of influences � from Etta James and Billie Holiday to Bj�rk, Jeff Buckley and Jill Scott. Discovered on MySpace in the wake of the Amy Winehouse/Lily Allen frenzy and promptly signed to XL Records, Adele, now 20, conceived her debut album 19 (her age at the time of its creation), in the midst of a breakup. The result is a rollercoaster of an album full of stunning vocals, masterfully crafted song-poetry, pride and a complete surrendering to the urgency of emotion. Here, Adele speaks on how she got here start, her generation of neo-soul divas, working with Mark Ronson, and songstress and emcee Estelle's beefy dis.

Song:   Impossible Germany
Album: Sky Blue Sky
Artist: Wilco
Selected by: Sarah Bardeen
Date: June 13, 2008

I can't get enough of this song. Yes, there's a song here -- but it's really just an excuse for the sublime three-minute guitar solo. There's an alternative history of rock in there too, if you care to listen. Or else, just revel in Jeff Tweedy's passionately restrained playing.

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by Chuck Eddy

Elvis Costello changed my life. I graduated high school in 1978, then turned into a rock critic because, as a college freshman, I basically was Elvis Costello. (So: everything David Lee Roth used to say about rock critics was true!) I haven't cared about a Costello album since Punch the Clock, though (25 years and counting!), and I get defensive when new wave acts get compared to him. Joe Jackson or Graham Parker back in actual skinny-tie days? Okay, I'll buy that. The Fratellis, now? Not so much.

Song:  No Duermas Mas 
Album: Es Tiempo
Artist: Allá 
Selected by: Angela Bruno
Date: June 12, 2008

Latin pysch-rock band Allá simultaneously channels the improvisational spirit of Can – band leader Jorge Ledezma is one of Damo Suzuki's jam-session cohorts – and the revolutionary ideals of the Chicano movement. On "No Duermas Mas," which translates into "Sleep No More," Allá coos in your ears, massages your brain and awakens your consciousness.

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by the Virgins

The Virgins, a not-so-innocent band of bad boys from New York City, are taking their fangs-out post-punk out on the road this summer, joining She Wants Revenge, Be Your Own Pet and Switches on the Nylon Music Tour. They're living the dream, but we get the next best thing: vicariously living the dream through the pages of their tour diary. Check out this exclusive peek at life on the road with the Virgins.

by Chris Ryan

Rolling Stone.com has some great photos from this past Saturday's Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, a day-long outdoor concert that featured Gnarls Barkley, Santogold, The Cool Kids and The Roots, themselves. Get your browser over yonder and check 'em out (and keep your peepers peeled for a shot of DJ Jazzy Jeff throwing down "Summertime" to the Philly faithful).

Further Viewing:
Roots Picnic photo gallery (Rolling Stone.com)

Song: His Majesty Rides  
Album: Subtítulo
Artist: Josh Rouse 
Selected by: Nick Dedina
Date: June 11, 2008

Smart songwriters always have their ears open and their crib sheet out. On this witty ode to relentless touring, Josh Rouse borrows some of the good keyboard vibes from Blues Images' "Ride, Captain, Ride" and comes up with his own song that literally sounds like a drive down to the beach.

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by Toshitaka Kondo

There’s a reason Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III has reached the rarefied air where hype and anticipation fuse into something monstrous. The New Orleans native’s sixth album has come to be viewed less a mere release and more a coronation. Since the man born Dwayne Carter proclaimed that he was “the greatest rapper alive” on 2005’s Tha Carter II, a heated debate has followed: does he really belong in the pantheon next to Tupac, Rakim, Biggie and Jay? Critics are quick to point out that Wayne’s buzz is built on guest appearances and mixtapes, that he had practically no hits of his own. But the rollout of Tha Carter III – featuring his first #1 pop hit (“Lollipop”), a single that debuted at #13 (“Got Money”), and a charting song that did not even get wide release as a single (“A Milli”) – has mostly silenced that criticism, putting it on track to be the biggest album of 2008 and building the myth.

Inevitably, Wayne’s story of Tha Carter III is going to be heard. But what about the men behind the album, the producers and engineers who created and recorded the tracks, and lived in the studios/labs while helping bring it to life? Rhapsody spoke to many of Wayne’s collaborators to get a track-by-track rundown of how C3 came to be.

In this exclusive video Rhap Session, actress Scarlett Johansson talks about her foray into the world of music: her album of Tom Waits covers, Anywhere I Lay My Head; working with Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio; and the differences between acting in front of a camera and singing into a microphone.

by Chuck Eddy

One frustrating trend in the marketing of country star Dierks Bentley is that Capitol Records has so often opted toward pushing his more tender lothario-songs-for-the-ladies as singles rather than energized ramblin’ man male-bonders such as, say, "Cab of My Truck" or “Modern Day Drifter.” I object on principle - but then again, nobody asked me. For his new Greatest Hits: Every Mile a Memory: 2003-2008, Dierks recruited fans to vote on the album title, handsome photos and which songs would get bonus live versions. Three thousand devotees enlisted. They’re tallied in small type on nine pages within the CD booklet, and eyeballing the list, I’d say four girls for every guy seems like a conservative estimate.

Song: It All Comes Down to You 
Album: Wheels
Artist: Dan Tyminski 
Selected by: Nate Cavalieri
Date: June 10, 2008

After singing the definitive version of "Man of Constant Sorrow," longtime Allison Krauss' cohort and bluegrass neo-traditionalist returns with his second LP as a bandleader. Tyminski’s finest moments, like this downhearted tune about falling out of love, are simple, heartfelt affairs featuring his clear tenor, acoustic picking and lots of big, blue harmony.

Play It Now

What'??s new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Sons & Daughters, Rhapsody Originals
The spiky, petulant post-punk anthems of Sons & Daughters come to life on this Rhapsody Originals live recording. Features the X-esque "Gilt Complex."

Martha Wainwright, I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too (Rhapsody Premiere)
Wainwright's second album is a gorgeous, literate record about heartbreak. Features Pete Townshend and Donald Fagan, as well as brother Rufus Wainwright.

In his latest exclusive video interview, our intrepid reporter John Norris takes on the primitive-blues punks the Black Lips. In this clip, the band talks about their move to Vice Records, their gonzo/guerilla aesthetic and their boredom-alleviating tour bus hotline (949-TEN-SH0P, someone will pick up).

Further Viewing:
Past John Norris Interviews...[PLAY]
Black Lips Live & Unplugged [PLAY]

Song: Cars That Go Boom 
Album: Cars That Go Boom 
Artist: L'Trimm
Selected by: Mike McGuirk
Date: June 9, 2008

Tigra and Bunny, rappers from Florida with totally awesome accents, had a Top 40 hit with this in 1988. If you’ve never heard it, you’re in for a treat. If you remember it, you may want to put your Day-Glo spandex on and find the video on YouTube. Kinda tough to ever get sick of this. 

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by Chuck Eddy

So if Disney’s Jonas Brothers (whose next album is said to be inspired by the Animals, Young Rascals and Elvis Costello by the way) are the Beatles, would that make Nickelodeon’s Naked Brothers Band the Monkees? (Which would in turn make Hanson, um - Buddy Holly and the Crickets, I guess?) Okay, perhaps that analogy doesn’t hold water. Nonetheless, judging from the Nakeds’ new album, it might be time to start taking them seriously.

Song: Mykonos 
Album: Sun Giant EP 
Artist: Fleet Foxes
Selected by: Stephanie Benson
Date: June 6, 2008

Irresistible harmonies? Yep. Delightfully carefree beats? Check. Catchy melody that won't totally drive you crazy? Absolutely. There may be a glimmer of the Shins here, but Fleet Foxes offer more than enough a cappella finesse and acoustic charm to deserve all the buzz surrounding their self-titled debut. 

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by Chris Ryan



As part of their special 100 Greatest Guitar Songs issue (which we blabbed about here), Rolling Stone has been talking to some of the most talented axe men of today and yesterday. On this fine Thursday, RS.com has an interview with Mars Volta noisenik Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. He talks about first being introduced to the thrash of Black Flag, the math of Robert Fripp and King Crimson and how he used to wish Led Zeppelin would've just dropped the annoying singing and guitar playing.

Further Reading:
Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitar Songs (Rolling Stone.com)

by Chuck Eddy

Lots of rocking lady singers among this fortnight's batch of forgotten wonders, yay! Not to mention three atomic acts, some prehistoric old dudes, and the band that composed the theme song for what some consider the greatest television show of all time.

Song: My Girl
Album: Best Thang Smokin’
Artist: Young Dro
Selected by: Toshi Kondo
Date: June 5, 2008

For those that feel hip-hop is too homophobic, T.I. and Dro hilariously extol the benefits of having a girlfriend ... that got a girlfriend. You know, the simple pleasures. Sharing never felt so good. 

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by Chris Ryan

Rollingstone.com has a fascinating interview with R&B legend Al Green that's well worth a read. Green talks about working with The Roots' Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (whom he calls a "visionary") on his new, very retro/Hi-Records-sounding LP Lay It Down, as well as his dream to collaborate with Marvin Gaye that regrettably never came true.

Further Reading:
Al Green Interview on Rollingstone.com

Love advice from the man that said, " I need a leech"? Well, yes. Tha Carter proves he's quite the Casanova and gets his Dr. Ruth on for the pretty damn entertaining VH1 segment "Ask Weezy." He tackles some tough issues: If you could have sex in space with one woman, who would it be? Is it appropriate to freestyle in bed? What do you do about a lazy lover? How do you know if you're wasting your time? From mature words of wisdom to the brutally honest, watch the greatest rapper alive put Cupid out of a job. More videos after the jump.

Song: Rebel Rebel
Album: The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions Feat. Seu Jorge
Artist: Seu Jorge 
Selected by: Sarah Bardeen
Date: June 4, 2008

Check out the lead track off of this Brazilian singer's album of Bowie covers. Jorge was an oddity among oddities in the Wes Anderson-directed weirdness The Life Aquatic, but when he opens his mouth to sing, nobody's confused. The guy rules. 

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by Chris Ryan

Check out this video from last night's Daily Show featuring the B-52's mainman Fred Schneider giving an inspired reading (or as Jon Stewart calls it, "a coat of Schneider") from the new tell-all/tell-off book by former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan. (via Videogum)

What'??s new? What's good? What will you find here that you won't hear anywhere else this week? Sit back, relax and click through to the premieres, the originals and the exclusives available only on Rhapsody! This week:

Pela, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
This up-and-coming Brooklyn indie-rock band drops four live songs ion this exclusive EP full of heart and soul. For fans of Springsteen and Hüsker Dü.

Liam Finn, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Liam Finn, son of Crowded House auteur Neil, plays four live songs of lilting beauty and quiet poetry on this exclusive EP.

Sloan, Parallel Play (Rhapsody Premiere)
Sloan's latest has a snarling punk edge that's been lacking from their last, more refined LPs. A welcome return to juvenile delinquency.

by Chuck Eddy

Bo Diddley, who died Monday at 79, inherited a beat that's been traced back through the '30s fieldworker blues chant "Chevrolet" to the millenium-old West African rhythm Kpanlogo, and he helped invent rock 'n' roll, funk, hard rock, disco, heavy metal, '80s pop, new country and rap music with it. (Via talk-rhymed first-person braggadocio in the latter case -- and "Say Man" has to count as one of the original dis records.)

Song: Visit From the Dead Dog
Album: The Beautiful Lie
Artist: Ed Harcourt 
Selected by: Nick Dedina
Date: June 3, 2008

While most songs featuring dead dogs tend to be morbid and sentimental, this Ed Harcourt ditty uses the expired canine as a flash bit of symbolism. The tune is a pop frolic that balances complex lyrics with a stone-skipping melody and the kind of trumpet solo that Burt Bacharach used to merrily toss around his songs like so many discarded chihuahuas.  

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by Sarah Bardeen

Orishas fanaticos -- check out the cubano hotties in a some-discretion-advised video for "Bruja" from the band's upcoming release Cosita Buena. It sounds pretty cool, but who could pay attention to the music with all this fantastically trashy action. It's modeled on the cult classic Faster Pussycat Kill Kill by Russ Meyers -- lots of voluptuous women, random violence and frightened men -- and it features Spanish actress Rossy de Palma. Oh, and Yotuel takes his shirt off. Check it!

Bo Diddley’s pre-language rock 'n' roll rhythm, the “Bo Diddley Beat,” was permanently embedded in the human consciousness in 1955 when Ellas Otha Bates (a.k.a. Ellas McDaniel, a.k.a. Bo Diddley) appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show playing it, instead of the Tennessee Ernie Ford song he had agreed to perform. The rest is indeed history as Diddley remains one of the three most important figures in the creation of rock 'n' roll and its subsequent offshoots. Like Chuck Berry's and Little Richard’s, Diddley’s influence was pervasive, and instrumental in the formation of the rock vocabulary -- legend has it that early Rolling Stones shows featured the band simply playing the "Bo Diddley Beat" for the entire night to a roomful of ecstatic kids.

Song: Don't Think I Don't Think About It
Album: Don't Think I Don't Think About It
Artist: Darius Rucker
Selected by: Linda Ryan
Date: June 2, 2008

What's a Hootie to do when the Blowfish have deflated? Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker is the latest singer to try his hand at country, and surprisingly, he sounds like a natural. "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" is a twangy, roots-kissed song about choices and regret that's tailor-made for some heavy rotation.  

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