Rhapsody: The Mix: Rhapsody Exclusives Archives

South Park Sessions: Thao & Mirah

By RhapsodyTV

September 26, 2011 10:44 AM

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South Park Sessions is a new Rhapsody TV project wherein we invite our favorite musicians out to a lovely park near our San Francisco offices for a stripped-down, intimate, (hopefully) sunshine-filled private show. Indie-folk sirens Thao & Mirah were kind enough to take the plunge and go first. And so, live from South Park in SF, here's an exclusive performance of "Hallelujah," a highlight from their self-titled debut album. Enjoy.

The power of one woman with a mic and a guitar is a force to be reckoned with. Now double that. Thao Nguyen (of The Get Down Stay Down) and singer-songwriter Mirah do just that on their debut, adding tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus as producer for a trifecta of Bay Area female fierceness. The quirkier spots point to Garbus, like the clickety-clackety punch of opener "Eleven"; her eccentric touches balance beautifully with Thao's subtle grit and Mirah's softer inclinations. Whether they try on waltzing folk, sun-kissed acoustic, loopy pop or big-band jazz, it all fits like a glove. [Stephanie Benson]

September 11, 2001 Scrapbook

By Rhapsody Editorial

September 7, 2011 10:04 AM

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We all reacted to the horrible events of September 11, 2001, in our own ways — wherever we were, whatever we were doing, whichever CD or radio station or fizzy pop single we first reached for to help us cope. Here, Rhapsody's editors offer their own musical perspectives, from saber-rattling country to hopeful worship music, from pop-punk bromides to plaintive protest songs, from the momentary tentativeness of comedy to the fieriness of hip-hop to the transcendence of jazz. As Sonny Rollins put it, "Maybe music can help. I don't know, but we have to try something." Here's what we tried.

Sifting Through the Ashes in New York City

I was in Park Slope, Brooklyn, that morning, about to board the subway for work in Lower Manhattan, when my roommate told me I should turn the TV on. After the second plane hit, I went up to the roof of our apartment building and watched the smoke. Cars were dusted with ashes as far south as where I lived. I spent the day switching between staring at TV news and trying to drown out the hell in my head (and the fear that the Army might call me back up) with desolate ambient doomsday metal: Neurosis, My Dying Bride, Amorphis droning about mushroom clouds.

Continue reading September 11, 2001 Scrapbook.

Kevin Fowler's Chippin' Away: An Extended Look

By Linda Ryan

August 5, 2011 1:00 PM

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Texas native Kevin Fowler has been happily pitting his rock-infused honky-tonk against Nashville's pop hooks and spray-on tans for more than a decade. For a while, he was one of Texas' best-kept secrets -- and with two failed attempts at aligning himself with major-label muscle, it looked like it might stay that way. Bloodied but unbowed, Fowler is nonetheless back for another round - and Chippin' Away just might be the KO he's been waiting for.

Lyrically, Chippin' Away covers all the requisite bases. Songs about trucks? Check. Songs about pretty girls? You betcha. Songs about drinking? In abundance, my friend. And while the subject matter might not break any new ground, Fowler sings them all with the nervous excitement of a freshman at senior prom.

Fowler's current single, "Hell Yeah, I Like Beer," starts as a bar pick-up song, and quickly morphs into an anthemic affirmation of love for the crisp, golden amber. One listen to this fist-pumping ditty and beer lovers will surely start quoting such lines as "It's good for your heart, it's good for your mind/ It's good for getting through a lonely old night." Or perhaps, "Everybody knows you shouldn't drink too much/ So why's it always seem like there's never enough/ Hell yeah, I like beer." Whether this happens under the influence or not is entirely up to you.

There are plenty of first-rate songs on Chippin' Away, including the heartland rocker "That Girl," the good-time twangin' tune "Girl in a Truck," the heartfelt tearjerker "Daddies and Daughters," and the loud and rockin' "Beer Money." In a year already filled with a bounty of decent country releases, Chippin' Away, is one of the best to date. And it's available a full week early, only on Rhapsody.

Click here to listen to Kevin Fowler's Chippin' Away

The Leak: Steven Curtis Chapman's re:creation

By Wendy Lee Nentwig

August 2, 2011 1:46 PM

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During his nearly 25-year career, we've watched Steven Curtis Chapman grow from a baby-faced, be-mulleted Kentucky boy to the winner of more than 50 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, including seven wins for Artist of the Year. Through it all, he's always been honest and open as he chronicled his own journey through song, resulting in music so universal it easily became the soundtrack for our lives, too. His new album, re:creation, finds Chapman revisiting some of his classic tunes, giving them a creative overhaul and a more organic, stripped-down sound. Time and experience have given these old lyrics new meaning, as well. In addition to nine revamped fan favorites, the record also delivers four brand-new tracks and a classic cover — and Rhapsody has it all for you to experience now, a week before the album is available anywhere else.

Hear our exclusive leak of Steven Curtis Chapman's re:creation.

Also, read more about it in our recent interview with Chapman.

The Leak: Luke Bryan's Tailgates and Tanlines, A Rhapsody Exclusive

By Rob Harvilla

August 2, 2011 9:56 AM

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Luke Bryan makes you want to own a truck, and that's the highest praise you can give a country artist in 2011. He's mentioned his preferred mode of transportation in nearly every song he's released (key track on his 2007 debut, I'll Stay Me: "We Rode in Trucks"), a trend that continues on his third album, the appropriately named Tailgates and Tanlines. Scantily clad ladies dance upon a truck (or a tractor, whichever they prefer) on the smash hit "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)"; later, he uses one to flee civilization and trawl for catfish down in the swampy, deserted "Muckalee Creek." Practically every other song finds him attempting to bed some foxy Southern lass in the sort of bed you can't buy at IKEA. The dude is a one-man auto-industry bailout.

He's also bright, cheerful, affable and not at all unsavory in, say, the Toby Keith vein. (See Keith's recent "Get Out of My Car" for a taste of his rapport with the ladies.) Tanlines is tremendously appealing pop-country with surprising muscle, not to mention a tricky combination of sexy and wholesome, adult and almost childlike. "Tangle me up like Grandma's yarn," Bryan drawls to the shaking country girls. Lines in other, equally triumphant choruses include "Girl you make my speakers go 'boom boom'" and "I got a catfish line goin' 'bump bump.'" He reminisces: "In that moonlight/ I saw her tanlines." He woos: "You're lookin' so damn hot." He mourns: on the solemn post-mortem love song "I Knew You That Way," he claims to know his lover "Like teardrops know the words to 'Amazing Grace.'"

Continue reading The Leak: Luke Bryan's Tailgates and Tanlines, A Rhapsody Exclusive.

Rhapsody Radar, Interview: SMOD

By Rachel Devitt

June 22, 2011 10:05 AM

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Welcome to Rhapsody Radar, our series highlighting 24 up-and-coming artists we're thrilled about, augmented with all manner of playlists, videos and other such ephemera. Today we've got an exclusive interview with Sam Doumbia of Malian rap trio SMOD. Enjoy.

Even over email and through a French-to-English translator, Sam Doumbia of SMOD has a lot to say, and a compelling way of making people want to listen. It's a rather useful skill for a hip-hop artist to have. It's also not all that surprising, his being so outspoken and charismatic—after all, he's the son of Mali's Amadou and Mariam, the blind couple who've worked magic on Afro-pop. But he and his band are in the process of carving out their own legacy, one that's steeped in the power of hip-hop to simultaneously critique and celebrate, but laced throughout with new innovations in African musical traditions. In the process, they're changing the African hip-hop game, and bringing it to the attention of people around the world.

Here, Doumbia talks with Rhapsody about working with Manu Chao (who produced their new, self-titled album), the complicated influence of West Africa's griot tradition on contemporary hip-hop, and musical life in his hometown of Bamako, Mali.

Rhapsody: Tell us the story of how you came to make music together.

Sam Doumbia: We all met in high school in Bamako and started jamming in the classroom when the teacher was away. The jam session got deeper when we hit Faladié, a popular neighborhood where you could meet MC's just around any corner. The SMOD crew basically got stronger and stronger by battling with Faladié MC's every night.

Continue reading Rhapsody Radar, Interview: SMOD.

Summer Spectacular Survival Guide

By Rhapsody Editorial

June 14, 2011 10:01 AM

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Summer is here, and we all know what that means: beaches, barbecues, road trips, soaring temperatures, plummeting inhibitions, and generally lots and lots of what our good friends LMFAO refer to as "party rocking." We've put together the ultimate Summer Spectacular to guide you through it: learn what your favorite summer jam says about you and thrill to our epic, decades-spanning summer jam playlist, from "Heat Wave" to "Umbrella." Take a bluegrass-steeped road trip through the Blue Ridge Parkway. Explore our 10 favorite sticky Southern rock albums. Behold the literally (well, sort of literally) hottest heavy metal album covers of all time. Transport yourself with our surf-and-seagulls beach-centric playlist. Discover our favorite records of 2011 (so far). And most importantly, enjoy our exclusive leak of LMFAO's new album, Sorry for Party Rocking. Then go party rock yourself.

	Watch LMFAO answer your questions about shufflin' through the hard times and baby unicorns in LMFAO vs. The Box			The Best of 2011 (So Far): Killer records from Adele, Antlers, Raphael Saadiq, Blind Boys of Alabama and more
	Hotter than Hell: From Slayer to Deicide, kneel before the hottest heavy-metal album covers of all time			What Your Summer Jam Says About You: Take our eerily accurate personality test
	Ultimate Summer Jams: From "Heatwave" to "Umbrella," a decades-spanning playlist of the hottest hits			Road Trip: Journey through the heart of Appalachia with Del McCoury, Bill Monroe, Carolina Chocolate Drops and more
	Hot Southern Nights: 10 killer Southern-rock albums for a sticky, humid summer			Sounds of the Surf: The finest in beach-sound FX, brought to you by PJ Harvey, Otis Redding, M83 and more

TV on the Radio, Nine Types of Light

By Stephanie Benson

April 5, 2011 7:55 AM

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There's always been a restlessness to TV on the Radio's music, an immediacy that captures a timely sentiment and makes it timeless. In their decade of existence, the Brooklyn experimenters have often trudged through dim sociopolitical musings, while their whirlwind of avant electro-rock and soul-funk almost always has them sounding like they're in the midst of some natural disaster. Lead vocalist Tunde Adebimpe's deep howl is like the foghorn to fellow singer Kyp Malone's high siren, their vocals enduring the hypnotic squall of battered beats, swirling guitars, horns, woodwinds and synths mostly provided by fellow members Dave Sitek, Jaleel Bunton and Gerard Smith.

On their fourth album, Nine Types of Light, TVOTR hint at a slightly brighter new decade; even the title suggests an escape from the darkness. One significant word in particular keeps biting at Adebimpe's tongue: love. He questions and battles and ultimately embraces that four-letter monstrosity in nearly every track: "I'll defend my love forever," he sings in "Second Song" as Malone's manic falsetto makes its presence felt, and heavy beats and horns dance in delight to such a heroic proposition. "You're the only one I ever loved," he stoically claims on "You," keeping his balance over loopy rhythms and zigzagging synth lines. Yet the sweetest proclamation of devotion comes in first single "Will Do": "But I'll be there to take care of you if ever you should decide/ That you don't want to waste your life in the middle of a lovesick lullaby," Adebimpe cries, like a Romeo waiting for his Juliet to wake up, already.

Of course, this wouldn't be a TV on the Radio record without a few apocalyptic fantasies. "Killer Crane" and "Forgotten" are somewhat ominous ballads whose underlying drones are stretched taut like a rubber band that never slackens. Then there's the more agitated "Repetition," a feverish stomper about history's lessons unlearned. But nothing is quite as cynically upbeat as "No Future Shock," an actual dance tune that implores you to "shake it like it's the end of time."

But even through the foreboding and doom, love’s light keeps shining through. In "Keep Your Heart," Adebimpe wearily wonders, "If the world all falls apart/ How am I going to keep your heart?" By song's end, he's certain he will.

Jersey Shore Survival Guide

By Rhapsody Editorial

July 13, 2010 10:00 AM

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It seems like just yesterday that Jersey Shore burst onto the scene with its special mixture of spray tans and living, breathing bobbleheads. Now Angelina, J-WOWW, Snooki and their oily paramours are back for a little fun in the Miami sun. Rhapsody offers a sneak peek of the new season with our premiere of the Jersey Shore Soundtrack, Season 2. Also, be sure to check out our guide to all things New Jersey, including a playlist of Jersey anthems, a killer selection of hock house jams and our exclusive "In Da Club" radio station.

	Find the rhythm with these classic jock jams		Sweat it out with our In Da Club radio station
	From the Boss to Bon Jovi, revisit these classic New Jersey anthems		Hot fun in the sun with these summer and disco house hits

Summerfest Day One: Usher, Cheese Fries and the Poptimist's Perspective

By Rachel Devitt

July 1, 2010 12:01 AM

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Ah, Summerfest. A wonderland of cheese fries, overpriced Miller products and classic rock jam sessions. At least at first glance. Rhapsody's here in Milwaukee, hanging out at the massive, annual festival, an 11-day extravaganza featuring more than 800 bands. Our own Classic Rock Crate Digger, Justin Farrar, is spearheading the Summerfest coverage, and quite frankly, it seems to be very much his territory. Over the course of day one, we chatted up excited Moody Blues fans (everyone's favorite "Nights in White Satin" played tonight), interviewed Puddle of Mudd and got lost in one of Umphrey's McGee's epic grooves. But hold onto your favorite Gaga t-shirt, pop fans: there's a place for us here, too. In fact, Summerfest has quite a lot of spaces for fans of pop (not to mention just about everything else). My goal over the next few days is threefold: One, I want to dig out the pop nooks and crannies in the Crate Digger's coverage. Two, I want to see if we can find common ground between the rockers and the popsters. And three, I want to try to figure out what makes the World's Largest Music Festival -- the "Big Gig," as it's known -- just so big and so well-attended year after year. Oh yeah, and I want to eat some cheese fries. Like, a lot of them.

Let's start with the pop fare. Summerfest's range varies widely. The headliner for the entire festival is Tim McGraw -- and then the country coverage all but drops off until July 4, when Carrie Underwood takes the stage. Tomorrow features a bunch of good hip-hop. And today, tucked into a day that seemed to be overrun with jam bands and post-grunge outfits, was none other than Usher. That's right: the R&B singer known for his fly dance moves, impeccable style and ability to make the ladies say "Yeah!" rocked Milwaukee's Marcus Amphitheatre tonight. And oh, what a show. Opener Lyfe Jennings managed to get the crowd both warmed up and in a thoughtful mood, performing new material from his upcoming album like "Statistics" (which encourages women not to fall into the booty call trap) and older faves like "S.E.X." Then Mr. Raymond took the stage.

Continue reading Summerfest Day One: Usher, Cheese Fries and the Poptimist's Perspective.

Rock Star Recipes: Holiday Edition 2009

By Lauren Tabak

November 24, 2009 1:32 PM

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Hawk Nelson
It wouldn't be the holidays without eating, gift-giving and more eating. We put the word out to some of our favorite artists -- A Fine Frenzy, 30h!3, Zac Brown, and many more -- and they got back to us with their favorite holiday recipes, including photos. So preheat your ovens, throw on one of our holiday playlists and enjoy the culinary stylings of Rhapsody's own Top Chefs.

Label Spotlight: Metal Blade Records

By Jen Guyre

July 15, 2009 9:00 AM

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Founded in 1982, Metal Blade Records was young metal fan Brian Slagel's DIY solution to the absence of metal music in record stores across the nation. In a time of tape-trading and word of mouth propelled by a burgeoning underground scene, he saw an opportunity missed by major labels to get metal out to the masses, and nearly 30 years later Metal Blade is still thriving and bringing metal to your doorstep. Boasting an eclectic roster, from Florida death metal legends Cannibal Corpse to Polish black metal heroes Behemoth, as well as Christian metallers Whitechapel, thrash apprentices Lazarus A.D. and heralded deathcore outfit Job For a Cowboy, Metal Blade is a veritable heavy music institution. Here's a taste of some Metal Blade essentials, available for streaming exclusively on Rhapsody.

Continue reading Label Spotlight: Metal Blade Records.

Killswitch Engage: Starting Over

By Jen Guyre

June 30, 2009 4:00 PM

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Killswitch Engage have been growing in strength since their first self-titled album was released a decade ago. Now, as they unveil their fifth album, they find themselves at the top of their game. Co-produced by Adam D. and Brendan O'Brien, the second coming of Killswitch Engage displays the powerful combination of technical musicianship and catchy melodies that these frontrunners forged and cultivated. Listen to the new record here, plus take a look at our thoughts on the album, read our Q&A with members Mike D'Antonio and Justin Foley, dive into Mike D's top 10 essential albums, and listen to playlists featuring the best of Killswitch and their Massachusetts contemporaries.

BROWSE: Check out Rhapsody's review of Killswitch Engage (II).

INTERVIEW: Check out our exclusive chat with KsE's Mike D'Antonio and Justin Foley.

EXPLORE: Dig into Killswitch's "Top 10 Essential Albums"

HEAR: Listen to a playlist of essential Killswitch Engage jams.

PLAY: Blast this Massachusetts Metalcore playlist.

RADIO: Hear what's new and awesome in metal with "Fury".

Continue reading Killswitch Engage: Starting Over.

Q&A: Metric

By Stephanie Benson

April 16, 2009 7:54 AM

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From left to right: Joshua Winstead, Emily Haines, Joules Scott Key, James Shaw

After spending time apart focusing on other projects (Broken Social Scene, Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton), Metric unite for their first album in nearly four years with new release Fantasies. We got a chance to talk to guitarist Jimmy Shaw about the band's time apart, their writing process, how songs pass the "road test" and the Beatles vs. the Stones. Plus we got to pick his brain about such topics as fantasies, Fleetwood Mac moments, soaring pterodactyls and underground roller-coasters. Yeah, it's not all shop talk here.

Rhapsody: So, how do you guys celebrate a new release?
Shaw: Actually, last night it was a combination of champagne, a drink that we made up on tour called the Ginger-E (a mottled ginger, lime and tequila) and a chocolate fondue. I'm not going to lie to you.

Rhapsody: Did you practice some of the new songs at live shows to see how the audience would respond to them?
Shaw: It's funny the way we did it. We booked a tour and we did a lot of writing in 2007 ... By the end of that year we felt like we were really close to having a finished record. So, we booked a U.S. tour and played 30 days all across the U.S., and it was totally awesome. And we had a great time. By the end of it, we looked at each other and said, "I don't think this is good enough." We put it through the road test and most of it didn't pass … We virtually went back to the drawing board and started again. That's when Emily [Haines] went down to Buenos Aires and everybody sort of disbanded for a minute. I went into the studio and wrote some tracks. At that point it was more like knowing what you want to do by process of elimination. And that's how most of the songs on this record were actually written.

Continue reading Q&A: Metric.

House and Om (and a free MP3)

By Philip Sherburne

March 19, 2009 9:00 AM

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Om Records may be a San Francisco institution, but the label's sensuous aesthetic has always seemed better suited to more tropical climes. (Whether downtempo or deep house, there's typically little fog in the skies of any given Om release.) Hence the Om: Miami series, an annual love letter to Miami's springtime bacchanal known as Winter Music Conference. Following editions from 2006, 2007 and 2008, Om: Miami 2009 brings together cuts from roster stalwarts like Mark Farina and Fred Everything with floor-tested selections from Om's circle of friends and allies, including Sebo K's runaway hit "Diva" and M.A.N.D.Y. vs. Booka Shade's Laurie Anderson-sampling "O Superman." Mixed, as ever, by the appropriately named DJ Fluid, the set emphasizes subtle blends over DJ acrobatics; while the tracks are made for dancing, the subdued session works just as well at home or at the office (where you may be sitting online browsing last-minute airfares to Florida).

If you are going to Miami, Om is planning an 11-hour shindig on Saturday, March 28, at Karu&Y, where the big draw will be an exclusive performance from the long-dormant Kruder & Dorfmeister. Rounding out the bill, Radio Slave, Mark Farina, Diplo, Chromeo, DJ Sneak, Mike Monday, Colette & Heather, Hipp-E and Charles Webster are just a few of the names making the night a worthy addition to your WMC plans. (Presale tickets are available here).

To celebrate the event, Om is giving away a free MP3 of Mike Monday's buoyant tech-house gem, "Salieri Complex (Club Mix)." Get it here, along with more of the week's free MP3s.

Listen Up to Lazarus A.D.

By Jen Guyre

March 3, 2009 12:04 PM

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This thrashing four-piece from Kenosha, Wisc., are not your average resurgence band. Sure, they've got the skate-punk-meets-metalhead swagger in spades, plus a rep for total liver destruction like their hard-partying predecessors and contemporaries, but Lazarus A.D. -- Dan Gapen (guitars/vocals), Jeff Paulick (bass/lead vocals), Alex Lackner (guitars) and Ryan Shutler (drums) -- are leaving the thrash-by-numbers sound for other new schoolers.

Instead, these guys boast a modern inflection on a classic style, leaving pummeling thrashers like "Last Breath" to demonstrate their fealty, slow burners like "Absolute Power" to show their forward thinking, and juggernauts like "Forged in Blood" to see where they meet in the middle.

If you're a die-hard thrash fan, you might remember Lazarus as the only unsigned band on Earache's kick-ass 2008 compilation Thrashing Like a Maniac. After being signed by Metal Blade Records, Lazarus A.D's debut The Onslaught is available exclusively here for streaming. You're welcome.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Lily Allen, P.O.D.

By Rhapsody PR

December 2, 2008 8:29 AM

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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:

Lily Allen, "The Fear" (Rhapsody Premiere)
Lily Allen's new single might have a shiny, pulsing electro-pop feel, but at it's core, it's got a heart of darkness.

P.O.D., Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
The Christian rap-rock ensemble at their furious live best. Features renditions of fan favorites like "Alive" and "Youth of the Nation."

Rhapsody Exclusives: T-Pain

By Rhapsody PR

November 11, 2008 8:10 AM

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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:

Rhapsody Exclusives: Katy Perry, Anberlin & More

By Rhapsody PR

October 28, 2008 8:14 AM

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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:

Katy Perry, "Hot N Cold (Rock Remix)" (Rhapsody Exclusive)

Anberlin, TK (Rhapsody Premiere)

The Higher, Rhapsody Original (Rhapsody Exclusive)

Rhapsody Exclusives: Coheed and Cambria, Little Big Town

By Rhapsody PR

October 21, 2008 12:45 PM

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Exclusive_thumb_2_2 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:

Coheed and Cambria, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusives)
On this exclusive four-track EP, New York progressive rock/emo quartet Coheed and Cambria strip down fan favorites and let their strong songwriting and tight musicianship shine.

Little Big Town, Rhapsody Orignals (Rhapsody Exclusives)
Little Big Town reel off harmony-laced favorites such as "Fine Line" and "I'm With the Band" with precision and charm.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Kid Rock, The Pretenders & More

By Rhapsody PR

October 7, 2008 8:21 AM

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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:

Kid Rock, Complete Catalog (Rhapsody Exclusive)
One part Skynyrd, one part LL Cool J, Kid Rock is an old-school emcee wrapped up in a Southern-rock package. We are proud to be the new exclusive home of his digital catalog, including his latest release, Rock N Roll Jesus, featuring the hit "All Summer Long."

Pretenders, Break Up the Concrete (Rhapsody Premiere)
Chrissie Hynde and co. return for their ninth full length, a set of songs that combine Hynde's tough-girl lyrics and a decided rockabilly sound.

Walter Meego, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Human emotions break through the synth-poppers' computer sheen on this live set. Features "Girls," "Keyhole" and more.

Jarboe, Mahakali (Rhapsody Premiere)
'Tis the season for something sinister. The experimental siren returns with her 14^th solo album. Featuring Pantera's Phil Anselmo.

Rhapsody Exclusives: F*cked Up, Jolie Holland & More

By Rhapsody PR

September 30, 2008 8:25 AM

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Exclusive_thumb_2_2 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:

F*cked Up, The Chemistry of Common Life (Rhapsody Premiere)
One of the most invigorating punk rock bands of the decade. In a rule-breaking genre, they break all the rules.

Jolie Holland, The Living And The Dead (Rhapsody Premiere)
Americana's dark angel warbles through a new effort of maudlin story-songs and jazz-inflected folk.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: F*cked Up, Jolie Holland & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Dungen, David Byrne, Brian Eno & More

By Rhapsody PR

September 23, 2008 1:32 PM

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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:

Dungen, 4 (Rhapsody Premiere)
The Swedish psych-rock revivalists return. 4 is a more jammy sounding affair than previous outings, with an almost improvisational feel permeating the music.

David Byrne & Brian Eno, Everything That Happens... (Rhapsody Premiere)
Two of the most groundbreaking and influential artists in modern music reunite (for the first time since 1981's My Life In the Bush of Ghosts). Everything... is a mature album full of elegant, atmospheric pop.

Jesus & Mary Chain, The Power of Negative Thinking (Rhapsody Premiere)
The Power of Negative Thinking is an 82-track collection of B-Sides, single versions, alternate takes and remixes from the legendary post-punk/noise-pop icons.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Incubus, Beyonc� & More

By Rhapsody PR

September 16, 2008 8:18 AM

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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:

Incubus, VH1 Rock Honors: The Who (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Incubus cover two classics from the Who ("I Can See for Miles" and "Can't Explain") on this exclusive live EP recorded at the VH1s Rock Honors concert.

Rihanna, "Vogue" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Beyonce, "At Last" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Keith Urban, "You Look Good in My Shirt" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Beyonc�, "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Solange, "I Decided" (Live From Fashion Rocks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
These exclusive tracks were recorded live at the annual Fashion Rocks Awards show. Check out some of pop's biggest stars covering some of the most stylish, sexy songs of all time.

Lesley Roy, "Unbeautiful" (Rhapsody Exclusive) This Irish-born singer-songwriter applies her smoky growl to this quiet-loud power ballad full of longing and regret.

Jazmine Sullivan, Bust Your Windows (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Check out the brand new single from Missy Elliot's Philadelphia soul prot�g�. This former gospel singer is certainly a rising soul star.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Cut Copy, No Age & More

By Rhapsody PR

September 9, 2008 8:01 AM

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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:

Cut Copy, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
The Australian electro-rock trio floss all their bright neon ghost colours on this live EP. The band plays four songs, including a sumptuous version of "Hearts on Fire."

No Age, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
An epic exclusive live EP from the critically adored Los Angeles noiseniks. This guitar-and-drums duo kick up a storm of near-shoegazer noise over their garage barrage.

Jessica Lea Mayfield, With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, (Rhapsody Premiere)
This Ohio singer-songwriter has a plaintive, dreamy voice that calls to mind a more country-stained Chan Marshall (Cat Power). With Blasphemy..., her debut album, was produced by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys.

Phil Vassar, "Prayer of a Common Man" (Rhapsody Exclusive)
In honor of Feeding America's National Hunger Action Month, Rhapsody is proud to be the exclusive online home for country artist Phil Vassar's new single, "Prayer of a Common Man." Part of the proceeds will go toward Feeding America's charitable work.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Santogold, Tokio Police Club & More

By Rhapsody PR

September 4, 2008 11:04 AM

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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:

Santogold, FNMTV (Rhapsody Exclusive)
One of the breakout stars of the year, Santogold performs her rollicking hip-hop-reggae-pop hybrid live on FNMTV. This exclusive single features "L.E.S. Artistes" and "Creator."

Tokyo Police Club, FNMTV (Rhapsody Exclusive)
These Canadian post-punks deliver an atmospheric and moody take on the garage rock of the Strokes on this live single. Recorded at FNMTV and featuring their fan-favorite, "Graves."

Donnie Klang, Just A Rolling Stone (Rhapsody Premiere)
Diddy's blue-eyed soul prot�g� makes his full-length debut. Filled with come-hither lyrics and bedroom beats and featuring the Wham!-sampling "Pretty Girls."

Tricky, Knowle West Boy (Rhapsody Premiere)
The trip-hop pioneer returns with a decidedly modern sound, aided by acclaimed producers Switch and Bernard Butler. Features the single "Council Estate."

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Santogold, Tokio Police Club & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Lil' Wayne, Jonas Brothers & More

By Rhapsody PR

August 27, 2008 1:30 PM

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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:

Jonas Brothers, A Little Bit Longer (+ FNMTV Bonus Tracks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Maroon 5, It' Won't Be Soon Before Long (+ FNMTV Bonus Tracks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Miley Cyrus, Breakout (+ FNMTV Bonus Tracks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Panic at the Disco, Pretty Odd (+ FNMTV Bonus Tracks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Lil' Wayne, The Carter III (+ FNMTV Bonus Tracks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Bad (+ FNMTV Bonus Tracks) (Rhapsody Exclusive)

Some of the biggest and best albums just got bigger and dare we say it ... (yes, we dare) BETTER. The teen pop of Miley and the Jonas Bros, the R&B and hip-hop of Rihanna and Lil' Wayne, and the rock of Maroon 5 and Panic at the Disco have all expanded their waistlines a little. We've added exclusive live tracks to the artists' latest albums, culled from their performances on FNMTV.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Lil' Wayne, Jonas Brothers & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Death Cab For Cutie & More

By Rhapsody PR

August 19, 2008 12:11 PM

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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:

Death Cab For Cutie, KFOG Private Concert (Rhapsody Exclusive)
On this exclusive EP, Death Cab For Cutie get all hush-hush (even more than usual) with five acoustic takes on some of the finer songs from their last two albums.

Delta Spirit, Ode to Sunshine (Rhapsody Premiere, Exclusive)
This newish San Diego band plays an intoxicating brand of soul-rock that calls to mind everyone from the Strokes to Dexy's Midnight Runners to Traffic.

Backyard Tire Fire, The Places We Lived (Rhapsody Premiere)
No Depression-style country played with a deft and subtle touch. Backyard Tire Fire spin yarns about the heartbreak found in everyday life.

J.J. Grey & Mofro, Orange Blossoms (Rhapsody Premiere)
Firey blues-rock from the Florida panhandle. J.J. Grey & Mofro concoct a sticky, syrupy sweet mix of Southern rock and soul.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Clipse, Stereolab & More

By Rhapsody PR

August 12, 2008 8:46 AM

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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:

Clipse, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
On this exclusive live EP, Clipse perform three songs from their critically adored Hell Hath No Fury, lighting up the Austin, Texas, stage with tales of the highs and lows of the drug game.

Stereolab, Chemical Chords (Rhapsody Premiere)
With their ninth studio album, the analog-synth wielding, Krautrock-rocking, French-language-singing Marxists revise their well-worn, much-loved template with some of their best songs in years.

Ha Ha Tonka, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
This Missouri outfit are making a name for themselves as a rowdy barroom indie rock band. On this exclusive live EP, they kick out the jams (well, four of 'em) from their debut album, Buckle in the Bible Belt.

Alex Woodard, Alex Woodard (Rhapsody Premiere)
Tried and true American folk-rock in the vein of Mellencamp, Petty and Dylan. Alex Woodard ties his literate, narrative-driven lyrics to a jet-engine rhythm.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Janelle Monae, Jennifer O'Connor & More

By Rhapsody PR

August 5, 2008 8:35 AM

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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:

Janelle Monae, Metropolis (Rhapsody Premiere)
With pipes like Shirley Bassey and a decidedly Ziggy Stardust-way of looking at things, Janelle Monae bursts on to the scene with this bizarre-but-funky concept record about an alien/robot in love with a human.

Jennifer O'Connor, Here With Me (Rhapsody Premiere)
Brooklyn-based alt-country siren presents a polished version of the urban rock'n'twang sound. Here With Me features buoyant numbers full of tasteful playing and gorgeous harmonies that float for miles.

Various Box-Sets (Rhapsody MP3 Deal)
So, a few weeks ago, we here at Rhapsody inadvertantly ran a heavily discounted box-set promotion (your friendly neighborhood message board may have made note of it). At first we said, "ooops;" but it worked out so well, we decided to do it again, on purpose. So for a limited-time only, we want to offer you MP3 box-sets from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Bob Marley, Black Sabbath, and Thelonious Monk, at a great big discount. It's not like we're giving it away - but its close.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Janelle Monae, Jennifer O'Connor & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Lil' Wayne, Sugarland & More

By Rhapsody PR

July 29, 2008 8:11 AM

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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:

Lil' Wayne, FNMTV Live (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Weezy, the Robitussin-fueled mystic of New Orleans and super of the Carter, brought his particular brand of wildly popular gibberish/genius to the FNTMV stage. And we have the raw evidence to prove it happened: two exclusive live tracks ("A Milli" and "Lollipop") recorded under Pete Wentz's adoring gaze and accompanied by the screams of America's youth.

Sugarland, The Rhapsody Interview (Rhapsody Exclusive)
They're like Fleetwood Mac without the substance and spousal abuse. They're like the Dixie Chicks with a more varied gender breakdown. They're country. They're rock. They're pop. They're Sugarland. Get the inside scoop on the biggest band of the summer in this exclusive Rhapsody Interview. It's information for your ears.

G. Love, Superhero Brother (Rhapsody Exclusive Bonus Track)
The drinking man's Beck is back with another summer breeze to make you feel fine. Our exclusive version of Superhero Brother includes the bonus track "Dreamz."

Kidz Bop Kidz, Vol. 14 (Rhapsody Exclusive Bonus Track)
What's that sound? It's the usually inspirational (but occasionally creepy/Omen-esque) sound of of children belting out your favorite pop hits! It's Kidz Bop Kids! Nothing spells "W-H-A-T?!" like innocent future leaders of America giving their take on not-that-innocent tracks like Danity Kane's "Damaged."

Rhapsody Exclusives: Conor Oberst, Neil Halstead & More

By Rhapsody PR

July 22, 2008 10:00 AM

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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:

Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst (Rhapsody Premiere)
In the cowboy dramedy Rio Bravo, alcoholic gunslinger Dean Martin sang that a cowboy's three good companions were his rifle, his pony and himself. Well, two outta three ain't bad, and Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) is at his best when he's all by his lonesome. This is his first official solo album, and it's packed with tales of sad-eyed ladies and desolation row.

Neil Halstead, Oh! Mighty Engine (Rhapsody Premiere)
The man behind the stoned-country bliss of Mojave 3 and the shoegazer cacophony of Slowdive. His new solo effort (the follow-up to 2002's Sleeping on Roads) is about as heavy as a summer breeze and just as pleasant. The song "Elevenses" might be about hobbits, so ... at least he's got that going for him.

The Wombats, Ones to Watch Playlist
These Scousers, whose indie hit "Let's Dance to Joy Division" has delivered them into a strata of celebrity somewhere between the average United States postal worker and Queen Elizabeth, are using their new-found fame to spread the word about an important issue: their favorite songs. Check out their playlist, featuring tracks by Animal Collective, the Refused, Band of Horses and (yes, gold star for you) Joy Division.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Albert Hammond Jr., Thriving Ivory and More

By Rhapsody PR

July 9, 2008 8:17 AM

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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:

Albert Hammond Jr., �C�mo Te Llama? (Rhapsody Exclusive)
"Vacation" is not a word in the vocabulary of the Strokes' rhythm guitarist. �C�mo Te Llama? is Hammond Jr.'s second solo album, and it's filled with wiry psychedelic pop.

Thriving Ivory, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Thriving Ivory's widescreen rock 'n' roll comes to life on this Rhapsody Original. Your favorite tracks from their self-titled debut full-length, like "Runaway" and "Angels of the Moon," rendered perfectly.

The Raconteurs, "Salute Your Solution" (Rhapsody Exclusive)
The latest single from the Raconteurs uncovers the snarling hard-rock skeleton underneath the power-pop of their new album Consolers of the Lonely.

Delta Goodrem, Delta (Rhapsody Premiere)
The Australian piano-pop chanteuse makes her U.S. debut with this confident, assured self-titled album. Often reminiscent of Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan.

Wanted: New Danny Elfman Tune

By Rhapsody PR

June 27, 2008 9:14 AM

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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.

Continue reading Wanted: New Danny Elfman Tune.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Scarlett Johansson, Thriving Ivory & More

By Rhapsody PR

June 24, 2008 12:31 PM

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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.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Missy Higgins, Alejandro Escovedo

By Rhapsody PR

June 17, 2008 1:37 PM

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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:

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.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Sons & Daughters, Martha Wainwright & More

By Rhapsody PR

June 10, 2008 7:47 AM

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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:

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.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Sons & Daughters, Martha Wainwright & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Pela, Liam Finn & More

By Rhapsody PR

June 3, 2008 11:50 AM

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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:

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 H�sker D�.

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.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Aimee Mann, Joshua James & More...

By Rhapsody PR

May 27, 2008 11:46 AM

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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:

Aimee Mann, @#%&*! Smilers (Rhapsody Premiere)
Aimee Mann's new solo album is full of subtle, somber, contemplative, country-tinged tales of sorrow and regret. Features author Dave Eggers whistling and Mann's usual acerbic wit.

The Walk Up, Down on Pacific (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Tightly wound power pop not unlike a moodier version of The Futureheads or a less-dour Interpol. Down on Pacific is this New York City band's debut full-length album.

Joshua James, The Sun Is Always Brighter (Rhapsody Premiere)
James makes beguiling folk-rock in the vein of David Gray and Sarah Bareilles. The Sun... is full of lilting, hushed melodies and melancholy lyrics.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Mogwai, moe.

By Rhapsody PR

May 20, 2008 7:52 AM

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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:

Mogwai, Young Team (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Mogwai's post-rock-via-post-shoegazer debut full length album gets reissued with bonus material. Featuring a staggering live version of "Mogwai Fear Satan."

moe., Rhapsody Originals
Some of moe.'s finest grooves, heard they way they should be: live and alive, with improvisation aplenty. Featuring "Lazarus" and "New York City."

Rhapsody Exclusives: Lawson Rollins, Dan Zanes and More

By Rhapsody PR

May 13, 2008 1:29 PM

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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:

Lawson Rollins, Infinita (Rhapsody Exclusives)
Lawson Rollins is a guitar virtuoso best known for his work in the duo Young & Rollins. His solo debut features Latin and Middle Eastern sounds, along with vocals from Brazilian legend Flora Purim.

Blackstrap, Steal My Horses and Run (Rhapsody Exclusives)
Ultra-cool, ultra-dark Swedish garage rock. Blackstrap conjures up the rebel without a cause attitude of Jesus and Mary Chain and Primal Scream.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Lawson Rollins, Dan Zanes and More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Filter & Old 97s

By Rhapsody PR

May 6, 2008 9:20 PM

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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:

Old 97s, Blame It on Gravity (Rhapsody Premiere)
Rhett Miller and the boys are back with more rollicking alternative country. Angelic harmonies about devilish deeds sung over garage rock you can line dance to.

Filter, Anthems for the Damned (Rhapsody Premiere)
More industrial-dance barrages and post-shoegazer soundscapes from Richard Patrick and Filter. Features the single "Soldiers of Misfortune."

Rhapsody Exclusives: Leona Lewis, Last Shadow Puppets

By Rhapsody PR

April 29, 2008 9:16 AM

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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:

Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love (Shapeshifters Vocal Remix)" (Rhapsody Exclusives)
Leona Lewis' mid-tempo slow dance gets turned into a fiery dance-floor revival. The Shapeshifters cut and paste Lewis' X-Factor-winning vocals over a hot club beat.

Last Shadow Puppets, The Age of Understatement (Rhapsody Premiere)
A collaboration between Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of the Rascals, The Last Shadow Puppets make startling baroque-pop in the vein of Scott Walker, Ennio Morricone and John Barry.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Leona Lewis, Last Shadow Puppets.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Kid Sister, Estelle

By Rhapsody PR

April 23, 2008 8:32 AM

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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:

Kid Sister, Pro Nails-Super High Shine (Rhapsody Exclusive)
With Kid Sister, tacky is the new cool. An ecstatic electro-hip-hop paean to the ecstasy of a well-done manicure with no less than Kanye West, the Lee Press-On Don, on the hook.

Estelle, Shine (Rhapsody Premiere + Exclusive Track)
The British singer/rapper gets by with a little help from the States; Swizz Beats, Wycleff and Will.I.Am add some Yankee flavor to this confident sophomore album

Julieta Venegas, El Presente (Rhapsody Exclusive)
This accordion-wielding Latin-pop dynamo offers up a live, acoustic take on her song "El Presente," culled directly from her forthcoming Unplugged album. Soulful, eccentric and real.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Lyrics Born, The Death Set

By Rhapsody PR

April 15, 2008 1:25 PM

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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:

Lyrics Born, Everywhere at Once (Rhapsody Premiere)
Welcome to an album where all your friends drive low-riders. Lyrics Born's latest solo salvo outside the walls of Blackalicious is situated deep in the bucket seats of some Bay Area funk. A fantastic hybrid of modern rap and classic R&B.

Play It Now

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Lyrics Born, The Death Set.

Rhapsody Exclusives: M83, Long Blondes

By Rhapsody PR

April 8, 2008 7:55 PM

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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:

M83, Saturdays = Youth (Rhapsody Premiere)
What happens when a synthesizer-wielding Frenchman with a proclivity for shoegazing noises and ambient beats decides to create a paean to a cinematic �80s he never lived? And make it a pop album no less? Strap in as M83 is joined by Romanovs� singer Morgan Kirby and electro-pop producer Ewan Pearson for a ride both Molly Ringwald and an average Berlin raver could appreciate.

The Long Blondes, Couples (Rhapsody Premiere)
There's no doubt that the world would be a better place if we had more women rocking. And that if they flashed the garage/pop/new wave hooks of this Sheffield, U.K. quartet (+ funny-named dude drummer), we could end global climate change, cure cancer and find lost puppies. What we would not be able to do is figure out romantic relationships, because the women would be singing about �em all the time. Like they do here. Which, come to think of it, only makes it more fun.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Van Morrison, more

By Chris Ryan

April 1, 2008 4:19 PM

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by Chris Ryan

Van_2

Exclusive_thumb_2 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:

Marie Digby, Unfold (Rhapsody Premiere)
And you will know her by the trail of her YouTube clips. The Internet sensation makes her official debut with this set of beguiling pop songs.

Van Morrison, Keep It Simple
Morrison goes into the mystic once again on his 33rd studio album. Keep It Simple does just that; sticking to blues vamps and hushed Celtic Soul ballads, with live-sounding production that suits Morrison's.expressive, legendary pipes.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Van Morrison, more.

Free MP3s: Young MC, Panda Bear, Tone-Loc RMXD

By Rhapsody Editorial

March 31, 2008 3:23 PM

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by Piotr Orlov

We all know by now that remixing classic songs -- like remaking classic films -- is the folly of the foolhardy. (Fatboy Slim's take on "Sympathy for the Devil" or Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes -- choose your pop-culture poison?) But every once in a while, a mash-up combo comes along that you can not argue with -- at least not before you've had a little taste, and maybe not even then. And whaddaya know, not only have we got a trio of said combos, pitting a few well-worn tracks vs. some of today's rhythm specialists, they're all free as air! How's that for a deal?

From the vaults of Delicious Vinyl Records, the late '80s/early '90s Los Angeles label that helped define hip-hop's New School, come remixes of their biggest artists: First off, B-more breaks specialists Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir pull up to the bumper of Young MC's stone-cold "Know How" and pimp into a 21st century ride. Then, Peaches, our favorite Canadian tart, drags Tone-Loc and his multi-platinum R-rated anthem "Wild Thing" into a XXX hot-tub orgy. You know you wanna hear that! (And a full album of Delicious Vinyl remixes is on the way...)

Continue reading Free MP3s: Young MC, Panda Bear, Tone-Loc RMXD.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Madonna & Justin, Black Tide

By Chris Ryan

March 18, 2008 12:56 PM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Madonna (feat. Justin Timberlake), "4 Minutes" (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Madonna has enlisted the talents of Timberlake and Timbaland to up jump her boogie and help out with beats, rhymes and her scheduled creative reinvention. The result is a blistering track that makes up for its vagueness, in regards to how they plan on saving the world, with a beat that'll rescue you from a boring night out.

Play It Now

Black Tide, Light From Above (Rhapsody Ones to Watch)
The young guns from Florida drop metal sing-a-longs of their own ("Warriors of Time") as well as pay tribute to their heroes with Metallica's "Hit the Lights."

Play It Now

Rhapsody Exclusives: Sheek Louch, Devotchka & More

By Chris Ryan

March 12, 2008 8:19 AM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Sheek Louch, Silverback Gorilla (Rhapsody Premiere)
The comic relief of NYC tough-guy clique The Lox, Sheek Louch comes into his own on his second solo effort. Silverback ... features Dipset collabos, an homage to Houston and plenty of the Yonkers bad boy's patented bluster.

Play It Now

Devotchka, A Mad & Faithful Telling (Rhapsody Premiere)
Devotchka offers another beguiling set of pan-global folk-rock. A gorgeous record for fans of Calexico, Gogol Bordello and Dresden Dolls.

Play It Now

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Sheek Louch, Devotchka & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Simple Plan, Vampire Weekend, Fat Joe & More

By Chris Ryan

March 4, 2008 3:20 PM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Simple Plan, Rhapsody Originals

Simple Plan's blueprint goes like this: emo-ish sentiment over arena-rock hooks and power-pop harmonies. On their eponymous full-length from last year, they added the stuttering R&B beats of acclaimed producer Danja. With this Rhapsody Originals recording, the Canadian band strips down their sound to the essentials and deliver soaring acoustic takes on songs likes "When I'm Gone" and "Your Love Is a Lie."

Play It Now

Vampire Weekend, Spanking New Session
The Ivy League Afro-pop/indie-rockers deliver a subtle and sunny acoustic version of their fan favorite, "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa."

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Fat Joe, Elephant in the Room (Rhapsody Premiere)
Elelephant in the Room sees Fat Joe swinging his trunk around, stomping over top-notch tracks from Scott Storch, Swizz Beats and a classic track from DJ Premier. Arguably Don Cartagena's most complete album to date.

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Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Simple Plan, Vampire Weekend, Fat Joe & More.

Exclusive Video: Simple Plan Live

By Chris Ryan

March 4, 2008 9:35 AM

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by Chris Ryan

Simple Plan's power-ballads and emo-dance (dancemo?) invasions seem effortless, no? No! They take blood, sweat, tears and the help of an acclaimed R&B producer! In these exclusive Rhapsody videos, the band breaks it down. Above, the boys talk about their new album, their old album and their new friend, gossip blogger Perez Hilton. Below, check out the band talking about its fruitful collaboration with venerated hip-hop producer Danja.

Further Listening
Simple Plan, Rhapsody Originals

Rhapsody Exclusives: Kelley Polar, Idina Menzel & More

By Chris Ryan

February 26, 2008 9:14 AM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Kelley Polar, I Need You to Hold on While the Sky Is Falling (Streaming Premiere)
Beach Boys harmonies, lush string arrangements (courtesy of a Juilliard education), bubbling synth work and a deep disco jones, Kelley Polar's second full-length will keep all us Chicken Littles happy for a while. An elegant and sensual collection.

The Afters, Never Going Back to OK (Rhapsody Exclusive)
This prayer and amplifier-friendly troupe hail from Texas, but its hyperactive power-pop has roots in the Brit-pop of the '90s. Songs like "Tonight" and the bittersweet title track are reminiscent of U.K. rockers like Stereophonics and Coldplay.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Kelley Polar, Idina Menzel & More.

Rhapsody Exclusives

By Chris Ryan

February 20, 2008 8:40 AM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Dirtbombs, We Have You Surrounded (Rhapsody Premiere)
A decidedly more psychedelic affair from Mick Collins' Detroit garage-rock superconductors. The sheer jet-plane-taking-off intensity of the album might actually stand as the closest approximation of the band's atomic live show.

Various Artists, Cell Block Female Quarters
Some of the world's greatest female toasters are on display on this rollicking compilation. Features Tanya Stephens and Marcia Griffiths.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives.

Rhapsody Exclusives

By Chris Ryan

February 12, 2008 8:37 AM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Josh Rouse, Rhapsody Original
Josh Rouse is your quintessential singer-songwriter. His gift, however, is in how he continually finds new and exciting ways to play with style and genre; bracing power-pop volume, mellow soft-rock cool and Nashville twang . Listen to him go all over the dial on this awesome Rhapsody Original live recording.

The National, Rhapsody Original
This Brooklyn quintet mixes the arena-ready catharsis of U2 with the mood and instrumentation of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds; but mixed with Matt Berninger's detailed lyrics of mid-life urban malaise they become something all their own. Hear them play songs from their breakthrough album, Boxer, on this Rhapsody Original.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Lenny Kravitz, Betty Buckley

By Chris Ryan

February 6, 2008 12:11 PM

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by Chris Ryan

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:

Lenny Kravitz, Rhapsody Originals
Lenny Kravitz kicks out the jams (timeless one's like "Are You Gonna Go My Way" and "Let Love Rule"), on this exclusive Rhapsody Originals recording. Any closer to the action and you'd be Lisa Bonet.

Betty Buckley, Quintessence (Rhapsody Exclusive)
Buckley's been seen on the run in Paris (Roman Polanski's Frantic) and she's been in the clink on HBO's prison-drama Oz. But, truly, her home turf is the great American songbook, which she tackles with verve on this Rhapsody Exclusive.

Rhapsody Exclusives

By Chris Ryan

January 29, 2008 10:20 AM

1 Comment | PERMALINK | No TrackBacks

by Chris Ryan

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:

Dead Meadow, Old Growth (Rhapsody Premiere)

Dead Meadow offers up another slab of their beatific, hippie-metal. Features some downright pastoral moments of acoustic folk, mixed in with their usual Sabbath-gone-camping feel.

Josh Ritter, Rhapsody Originals
When Josh Ritter looks at modern America, he sees a place not unlike the one John Steinbeck saw in The Grapes of Wrath; a country in depression. Inside his music beats the heart of a Guthrie, albeit one with a flair for contemporary production flourishes

Rhapsody Exclusives: Willie, Natasha, Louis, more

By Rhapsody Editorial

January 25, 2008 10:03 AM

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by Piotr Orlov

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:

Willie Nelson, Moment of Forever (Rhapsody Premiere) - Latest album from the outlaw country troubadour is produced by Nashville golden boy, Kenny Chesney, who adds a coat of polish to Nelson's weary and serene voice. Features a R&B-tinged cover of Bob Dylan's "You Gotta Serve Somebody."

Louis XIV, Slick Dogs and Ponies (Rhapsody Premiere) - Their name is borrowed from the 17th century French king, but Louis XIV's sound comes from the glam rock of the 1970s. Slick Dogs... has the swagger and swing of classic records from Bowie and T. Rex, but adds synths and beats found only in our modern world.

Natasha Bedingfield, Rhapsody Originals (Rhapsody Exclusive) - Natasha Bedingfield brings her sleek pop to life on this Rhapsody Originals EP. Features her heat-seeking hits "Unwritten" and "Love Like This."

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Willie, Natasha, Louis, more.

Rhapsody Exclusives: Cat Power, Drive-By Truckers, more

By Rhapsody Editorial

January 15, 2008 4:22 PM

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by Piotr Orlov

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:

Cat Power, Jukebox (Rhapsody Premiere) � Chan Marshall�s second album of covers is a full-band affair, and includes versions of Hank Sr.�s �Ramblin� Man,� Dylan�s Christian paean, �I Believe in You,� and a lazy, bluesy take on �New York, New York� for the Lower East Side generation. God bless the Chaircat of the Board!

Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation's Dark (Rhapsody Premiere) � The new standard-bearers of Southern Rock return with 19 songs of guitar brawn, 21st Century Dixie drama, and wisdom beyond their chord-count. Darkness at the edge of the trailer park.

Continue reading Rhapsody Exclusives: Cat Power, Drive-By Truckers, more.

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