The News Review:
- Daft Punk | Music Artist | Videos News Photos & Ringtones | MTV
- In college towns across USA record stores bite the dust
- Gossip at the Shepherds Bush Empire London W12
- Local bands to play ’80s night at Brewery
- New album ‘Odd Couple’ is fitting for Gnarls Barkley
- Interview: X’s Exene living the good life in rural Mo.
Daft Punk | Music Artist | Videos News Photos & Ringtones | MTV
MTV.com – Mar 25, 2008
cover of a Beach Boys song was derided as “daft punk”). Subsequently ditching the almost inevitable creative cul-de-sac of rock for the more appealing rush of the dancefloor the pair released their debut single “The New Wave” in 1993 on the celebrated Soma label. Instantly hailed by the dance music press as the work of a new breed of house innovators the single was followed by “Da Funk” the band’s first true hit (the record sold 30000 copies worldwide and saw thorough rinsings by everyone from Kris Needs to. Although the group had only released a trio of singles (“The New Wave” and “Da Funk” as well as the 1996 limited pressing of “Musique”) in early 1996 Daft Punk were the subject of a minor bidding war. The group eventually signed with Virgin with their first long-player Homework appearing early the following year (a brief preview of the album “Musique” was also featured on the Virgin compilation Wipeout XL next to tracks from Photek… As with the earlier singles the group’s sound is a brazen dancefloor-oriented blend of progressive house funk electro and techno with sprinklings of hip-hop-styled breakbeats and excessive crowd-firing samples similar to other anthemic dance-fusion acts such as. After four long years of eagerly awaiting a follow-up to their brilliant debut Daft Punk finally issued Discovery in March 2001. The live record Alive 1997 followed near the end of the year and a by now predictable four-year wait preceded the release of Human After All in early 2005. One year later the duo released a compilation Musique Vol. 1: 1993-2005 and in 2007 their second live record Alive 2007.
In college towns across USA record stores bite the dust
International Herald Tribune – Mar 25, 2008
Arboria and Vibes have closed. Iowa City Iowa used to have BJ's Sal's Music Emporium and Real Records. has lost at least a half dozen — Cheapo Discs All the Rage Rocky Mountain Records and Tapes and others. Albums on the Hill a holdout across from the University of Colorado's campus is down from 18 full-time employees to three part-timers. “I'm just trying to decide when I'm going to go online and close my brick and mortar” said Greg Gabbard owner of City Lights Records in State College near Penn State's campus… Colleges talk a lot about diversity but you often find more of it browsing record stores near campus than in the cafeteria. Customers are black and white well off and poor. You'll find cool high school kids next to older collectors professors and students ranging from straight-laced pre-professionals to punk rockers. “This is one of the few places I can consistently find things I'm interested in” David Crotts said as he flipped through CDs at Schoolkids' going-out-of-business sale recently. An MBA student at UNC he first shopped at Schoolkids when he was a teenager in nearby Burlington. He has about 500 CDs but most people he knows just download music. “It's not surprising but it's disappointing” he said.
Gossip at the Shepherds Bush Empire London W12
Times Online – Mar 25, 2008
Little known before the band released their third album Standingin the Way of Control two years ago Ditto is now a fully fledged pop divafeminist spokesperson gay icon newspaper columnist TV presenter magazinecover girl and friend to the stars. So far so impressive. In front of a capacity crowd in London the Arkansas-born singer was clearlyscreeching to the converted. Dressed in an electric-blue party frockmismatched pink and yellow shoes and an artfully coiffed bouffant thatslowly disintegrated during her frenzied performance Ditto could easilyhave stepped out of a John Waters movie… Sparking a riotous stage invasion it still soundedmagnificent. A moot point for Gossip now is what happens when their media honeymoon cools. Should the fickle pop-lifestyle magazines suddenly deem Ditto no longer“cool” it is debatable whether their music would have mass appeal on itsown merits. This was an exciting show fronted by a big personality but shewill need a few more big tunes to navigate her band beyond the rocky watersof novelty hipster mascot status.
Local bands to play ’80s night at Brewery
Daily Collegian Online – The Daily Collegian Online – Mar 25, 2008
will feature Pennsylvania-based bands The Scraps Hollywood Babylon and the Barroom Pirates. “I’m really excited about this show” Cherry Darling promoter Meredith Rebar said. “Since it’s an ’80s theme people are encouraged to dress up in their ’80s gear and enjoy some really good music. The Scraps is a straight-up punk band from Hollidaysburg and has been together since 2003. Marty Scrap lead vocalist said the band is significantly influenced by bands like the Ramones and the Queers. The band’s recently-completed new record Therapy for Retards which features 14 songs can be purchased at their shows or on their MySpace.
New album ‘Odd Couple’ is fitting for Gnarls Barkley
USA Today – Mar 25, 2008
1 on iTunes’ download chart. “We make music for people who really love music and I don’t think those people are sitting around waiting for us to make one song that they like” says Danger Mouse (Brian Burton). “That’s not what we do. What they do is mesh sounds and concepts that are an alternative to just about anything else on the market. Danger Mouse’s psychedelic blend of retro soul pop and punk playfully underpins Cee-Lo’s cryptic musings. On Run (I’m a Natural Disaster) the frenetic foreboding first single Cee-Lo (Thomas Callaway) squalls “Run children run for your life… “That’s not what we do. What they do is mesh sounds and concepts that are an alternative to just about anything else on the market. Danger Mouse’s psychedelic blend of retro soul pop and punk playfully underpins Cee-Lo’s cryptic musings. On Run (I’m a Natural Disaster) the frenetic foreboding first single Cee-Lo (Thomas Callaway) squalls “Run children run for your life. ” The video which features a barely recognizable Justin Timberlake raised concerns that its trippy strobe effects could cause seizures; editing fixed the problem. Next single Who’s Gonna Save MySoul is a bluesy lament and other tracks deal with psychosis (Would Be Killer) jealousy (Neighbors) depression (A LittleBetter) and deceit (She Knows). “People may associate the album with darkness but it’s the same dynamic as night and day” says Cee-Lo.
Interview: X’s Exene living the good life in rural Mo.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Mar 25, 2008
I like including some psychedelic word play as well. RC: Do you have any favorite bands at the moment?EC: I don’t listen to a lot of new music. I like the Sadies but they’re not really that new are they? The Geargrinders (St. Louis) are back together which makes me very happy! I went to the garage festival in St. Louis (Show Me Blowout! at the Off Broadway) which was really fun. RC: Do you have any views on how punk fashion has evolved and the popularity of Hot Topic?EC: I don’t think Hot Topic is a bad thing.