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Feb 9 2010 06:04 PM ET

Jewel tells EW about her 'Valentine's Day' soundtrack contribution—and her upcoming album

Categories: About Last Night, Buzzworthy, Country, Y'all!, Jewel, News, People, Soundtracks

The Valentine’s Day soundtrack—which, like the movie, features a star-studded line-up (Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, Amy Winehouse, and Leighton Meester all appear on it) hit stores today. And at last night’s premiere for the movie, Jewel talked to EW about her new country single, “Stay Here Forever,” which she contributed to the mix. “I heard the soundtrack folks were looking for one more song, and I submitted this one and they fell in love with it and made it the lead single,” Jewel says. “That’s pretty cool. I wrote it for my husband, Ty, and used how I feel for him as inspiration. It’s about being in love and how going on a great adventure is fun, but sometimes staying home with the one you love is even better.”

Jewel is also working on her next album—which she said will likely be out in June. “I am not quite finished with it but I am scheduled to put it out in June no matter what,” she says. “I have been cutting tracks in Nashville and finishing them at my ranch in Texas.”

So what’s the vibe of her upcoming disc? “It’s a little country,” Jewel says. “The Nashville and Texas vibes have found there way into the music for sure. There will be a lot of love songs on it, because I have always been influenced by what is happening in my life and right now I am in a very happy place.”

You can sample Jewel’s happy place by listening to “Stay Here Forever,” the track from the Valentine’s Day soundtrack, here:

I sort of dig it, in that fun country-pop crossover way. Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me in the comments below! (Reporting by Carrie Bell)

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

Feb 9 2010 05:32 PM ET

Bonnaroo 2010 lineup announcement in progress now! Kings of Leon finally confirmed!

by Whitney Pastorek

Categories: Bonnaroo

Attention, Mixers! The lineup for Bonnaroo 2010 is being trotted out as we speak in a MADDENINGLY SLOW FASHION over at the Tennessee festival’s MySpace page. Every six minutes, an animated cuckoo clock goes off, and another artist is spit out into a floating cloud. And while there is nothing quite as frustrating as sitting there for six minutes only to have the words “Medeski Martin & Wood” appear on the screen, there have been some awesome announcements so far, not least of which is the notion that the Flaming Lips and close associates Stardeath and White Dwarfs will be performing all of Dark Side of the Moon. I famously can’t stand Pink Floyd, but even I can’t wait for that.

UPDATE, 2:36 p.m. PT: Dead Weather added — is Jack White the first guy to play the ‘Roo three times with three different bands?

UPDATE, 2:33 p.m. PT: Billboard’s scoop on the Kings of Leon finally confirmed by the cuckoo clock.

UPDATE, 2:24 p.m. PT: Tori Amos, the Melvins, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band added. Time has lost all meaning.

UPDATE, 1:41 p.m. PT: If it’s possible, the ‘Roo just got hairier: country traditionalist Jamey Johnson and Akron rockers the Black Keys are on the clock. Also, They Might Be Giants. (But what’re we gonna do unless they are?)

UPDATE, 1:26 p.m. PT: Be they angels? Nay, they are but men — Tenacious D join the roster. Also, I have turned the sound off on the cuckoo clock.

UPDATE, 12:50 p.m. PT: Jeff Beck, and the flying flags of Dropkick Murphys. Meanwhile, Billboard has reported that Stevie Wonder and Kings of Leon will also be headlining. The cuckoo clock got scooped!

UPDATE, 12:18 p.m. PT: Bonnaroo shocker! Dave Matthews Band to play crunchy outdoor music festival! And in other Dave news, Rawlings!

UPDATE, 12:03 p.m. PT: Have been miraculously revived by addition of The National!

UPDATE, 11:50 a.m. PT: Fatigue setting in. I don’t even know who Neon Indian is.

UPDATE, 11:25 a.m. PT: I am going to be hearing this cuckoo clock music in my dreams. Oh, and Kid Cudi just popped up.

UPDATE, 11:01 a.m. PT: A bear just ate a robot to announce Gwar. Oh my x 2.

UPDATE, 10:42 a.m. PT: Jay-Z — who’s already headlining Coachella — was just added to the roster. Oh my.

The full lineup (so far) after the jump…

(Read full post)

Feb 9 2010 04:03 PM ET

White Stripes vs. Air Force Reserve ad: Musician addresses controversy: 'It's my responsibility'

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Legal Troubles, News, Television

With the White Stripes threatening “strong action” against a U.S. Air Force Reserve Super Bowl ad that they say ripped off their song “Fell in Love With a Girl,” both the Air Force Reserve and the company that produced the spot have denied knowingly copying the Stripes’ tune. Now a musician who worked on the ad, which has since been pulled from TV and the Web, is taking the blame — but he, too, insists any wrongdoing was unintentional. “It’s my responsibility,” Kem Kraft tells EW. “I’m the one who composed the music. And I had no idea it was like that [song].”

Kraft, 56, who earns his living in Salt Lake City composing and recording music for advertisements and films, was hired to work on the Air Force Reserve ad around last Christmas. “They said they wanted some high-energy music, and I gave them three demos, all of them a little bit different. They asked me to tweak the one that they preferred, so I beefed up the drums or whatnot, added some echo to my guitar part.”

Kraft says he was “absolutely” surprised to hear of the Stripes’ accusations this week. “I went to the website and I go, ‘Yeah, that kinda sounds close.’ [But] I don’t even listen to those guys.” Asked if he had ever heard “Fell in Love With a Girl” prior to the controversy, Kraft replies, “God, I might have somehow or somewhere. I don’t know. That’s not the kind of music I listen to.”

Now Kraft says he’d like to speak with Jack White to clear things up. “I would say, ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it sounded like your song. I had no intention whatsoever of copying you. If you need me to pay the money back that I made, which was 2,000 bucks, to you, I will do that if you want me to.’ This has gotten way out of proportion.”

Earlier:
White Stripes declare war on the U.S. Air Force Reserve
White Stripes vs. U.S. Air Force Reserve ad: Who’s to blame?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

Feb 9 2010 03:04 PM ET

White Stripes vs. U.S. Air Force Reserve ad: Who's to blame?

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Legal Troubles, News, White Stripes

The U.S. Air Force Reserve has issued a statement in response to the White Stripes’ allegation that a recruitment ad aired during the Super Bowl used an unauthorized version of their song “Fell in Love With a Girl.” Their answer, in brief: Don’t blame us. “The Air Force Reserve, through its advertising agency, hired Fast Forward Music of Salt Lake City to score original music for its commercial,” the statement reads. “There was never any intention to utilize any existing music, or to sound like any music by the band White Stripes, or any other musical performer. Any similarity or likeness to any other music is completely unintentional. This ad was produced specifically for airing regional during the Super Bowl in some local markets. It was scheduled to be pulled after the Super Bowl. It only ran one time.” A spokesperson also acknowledged that the Air Force Reserve removed the ad from its website today in response to the controversy.

Fast Forward Productions, in turn, is pointing the finger at someone else. “We hired a local musician who does stuff for us in the past,” Fast Forward owner Michael Lee tells EW. “He created the spot. Never had I ever heard the White Stripes song before. What we thought we had was original. He claims it is original. He said he didn’t use ['Fell in Love With a Girl'], so that’s all I know.”

We’ll keep you updated as we hear more. In the meantime, do the latest statements change your take on this story?

UPDATE: White Stripes/Air Force ad musician addresses controversy: “It’s my responsibility”

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

Feb 9 2010 12:37 PM ET

White Stripes declare war on the U.S. Air Force Reserve

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Legal Troubles, News, White Stripes

The White Stripes are fuming over a U.S. Air Force Reserve ad that aired during the Super Bowl, which they say used a re-recorded instrumental version of their breakout single “Fell in Love With a Girl” without permission. “The White Stripes take strong insult and objection to the Air Force Reserve presenting this advertisement with the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war that we do not support,” the band says in a statement posted on their official site. The statement goes on to threaten “strong action to stop the ad containing this music.” As of this afternoon, the Air Force Reserve has already pulled the ad from the Web.

We’ve reached out to the Air Force Reserve and the White Stripes for further comment. In the meantime, you can watch the Stripes’ “Fell in Love With a Girl” video below. Did you see the ad in question when it aired on Sunday? What do you think of this controversy?

UPDATE: White Stripes vs. U.S. Air Force Reserve ad: Who’s to blame?
White Stripes/Air Force ad musician addresses controversy: “It’s my responsibility”

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

Feb 9 2010 10:00 AM ET

Kidz in the Hall get personal on 'Land of Make Believe': The Music Mix interview

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Hip-Hop/Rap, Kidz in the Hall

Allow Kidz in the Hall to reintroduce themselves.

Rapper Naledge (pictured, left) and producer Double-0 (right) are spending the afternoon riding with me in a black SUV as their driver takes us on a full circuit around the island of Manhattan. Along the way they blast their third album as a duo, Land of Make Believe, which is due March 9. The University of Pennsylvania alums see it as their most personal release yet. “As an emcee, I’ve been good at expressing generalities and being playful and witty and telling allegories and fables and third-person stories,” says lifelong Chicagoan Naledge. “That’s not what this is. This album is me.”

(Read full post)

Feb 8 2010 01:57 PM ET

'Everybody Hurts': the new video for Simon Cowell's Haiti-relief song will make you cry

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: Bon Jovi, Buzzworthy, Charity, Leona Lewis, Marilyn Manson, Susan Boyle, Things That Are Beautiful

Last week, dozens of bold-faced names gathered to sing a new edition of “We Are the World,” but the music industry’s outpouring of support for the devastation in Haiti doesn’t stop there. The star-studded, Simon Cowell-produced remake of the R.E.M. classic, “Everybody Hurts,” hit U.K. radio last week. The song is melancholy and inspiring, especially considering the contributions from such folks as diverse as Leona Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Susan Boyle, Rod Stewart, and Jon Bon Jovi. But it’s the recently released video, which is filled with tragic images from the mess in Haiti, that will get your waterworks really going:

How many times during that six minutes did you whip out your cell phone and text $10 for Haitian relief? Yah, that’s what I thought. I can’t wait to see my cell phone bill this month.

But, Music Mixers, what are you thinking of this R.E.M. remake? Are does it move you to give? Buy? Do you think that this is better than the forthcoming “We Are the World” remake will be?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

Feb 8 2010 12:27 PM ET

Josh Turner Q&A: Country star has faith, several hit songs, and no idea who Rick Astley is

by Whitney Pastorek

Categories: Country, Y'all!, Josh Turner, Q&A

Josh Turner is the youngest male member of the Grand Ole Opry, and why wouldn’t he be? The guy’s sold millions of records and scored two No. 1 country hits (“Your Man” and “Would You Go with Me”), and his baritone could melt paint off a Buick. On the eve of his fourth album, Haywire — whose first single, “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” is on its way to the top of the charts, too — we interrupted Turner’s tour rehearsals to chat, and apparently ask a real stumper of a first question.

Entertainment Weekly: Are you going to be offended if I sometimes think of you as country music’s Rick Astley?
Josh Turner: Country music’s what now?

Country music’s Rick Astley.
I don’t know who that is. [laughs]

You remember Rick Astley!
No, I don’t.

[Lamely sings] “Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down…” He was a pop singer in the 1980s. Are you too young to remember?
I’m not too young, I just didn’t listen to pop music in the ‘80s.

He was this young, good looking guy, but he had this crazy deep voice that sounded like it was coming out of someone else entirely. You remind me of him.
I’ll take it as a compliment. (Read full post)

Feb 8 2010 09:31 AM ET

Super Bowl goes indie rock: Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear soundtrack ads

by Simon Vozick-Levinson

Categories: Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Television, What's That Song?

My friends and I just about stood up and cheered when Volkswagen’s big Super Bowl ad aired last night. Not just because we’re fans of Tracy Morgan and Stevie Wonder, who make cameo appearances in the spot, or because we enjoy the immortal sport of punch buggy — but because the ad was accompanied by the bright piano chords and sweetly rising harmonies of Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks,” one of the best singles of last year. Great tune + funny ad = win.

Speaking of Wins, indie rock got some more shine last night from all those NFL promos using Arcade Fire’s 2004 breakout song “Wake Up.” (In a generous gesture, Arcade Fire donated all of the no-doubt hefty licensing fees to Haiti relief.) Who knew the Canadian band’s emotional music would go so naturally with the all-American macho display of the Super Bowl?

Watch the Grizzly Bear/Volkswagen ad again below, then let us know: What was your favorite music moment in last night’s Super Bowl ads?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)

Feb 7 2010 08:27 PM ET

Super Bowl XLIV halftime show: Were the Who football wizards?

by Clark Collis

Categories: Music, Reviews, Television, The Who, Things That Are British

Why did I volunteer to write about the Super Bowl halftime show? Because I was looking forward to making some cheap gags about old age, decrepitude, and people who threaten to leave us before they get old, and yet never do.

Alas, Brett Favre didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. So, let’s talk instead about The Who, the latest in a now fairly long line of veteran rockers entrusted with the task of entertaining an audience of millions without repeating Janet Jackson’s mistake of flashing too much flesh.

Actually, it could be argued Who guitarist Pete Townshend failed on the latter point given he repeatedly exposed his stomach as the band performed a set that included snippets from “Pinball Wizard,” “Baba O’Riley,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” But mostly it seemed to me that the whole shebang served as a reminder of what a terrific live act they remain, as well as freshly proving there are few things cooler than drum cymbals decorated in a “mod”-stylee.

What about you? Did the British legends talk to all the generations out there? Or was this just The Who by the numbers?

(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)