Archive: April 2010 (131-139 of 139)

Apr 2 2010 05:58 PM ET

Horse Feathers: The Music Mix recommends

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Horse-FeathersImage Credit: Alicia J. RoseI seem to have a unlimited capacity for pastoral, pensive folk—I love it the way children love their favorite threadbare blanket, or the Hamburglar loves beef patties on a bun. And so I am celebrating the news that Portland, Oregon’s Horse Feathers will release their third album, Thistled Spring, on Kill Rock Stars April 20.

Frontman Justin Ringle inevitably draws comparisons to Sam Beam of Iron & Wine, and they’re not wrong; both unfurl their delicate acoustic ramblings with the same sort of whispery, lean-in-to-hear-me intimacy. (Also: beards). But I would recommend Thistled to anyone with Cass McCombs, Bon Iver, Will Oldham, and even Horse Feathers’ own onetime KRS labelmate Elliott Smith in their rainy (or any) day playlists.

Stream “Belly of June,” from Thistled, below:

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Renee Zellweger sings Bob Dylan! It’s uncomfortable!
New Green Day video, ‘Last of the American Girls’: Guns, golden sand, girls
Erykah Badu’s controversial “Window Seat” video: Matt and Kim’s Matt Johnson on inspiring her naked walk
Lollapalooza’s 2010 lineup: If you want it, you’ll have to work for it
Lady Gaga announces new album details: ‘It is the anthem for our generation’

Apr 2 2010 04:52 PM ET

Janet Jackson's new video for 'Nothing': Watch here

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janet-jacksonImage Credit: Quantrell ColbertJanet Jackson stars as Patricia Agnew in Tyler Perry’s new sequel Why Did I Get Married Too. She also performs the soundtrack’s lead single, “Nothing,” and today brings a new video for the airy ballad, on which she cries out for more communication in a troubled relationship.

Watch after the jump as Patricia attempts to make things work with her too drunk husband, destroys some furniture, and then has a good cry with her girlfriends.

Apr 2 2010 02:06 PM ET

Lil Wayne writes first letter to fans from jail

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lil-wayneImage Credit: Jonathan MannionLil Wayne will be a free man in approximately 215 days and 10 hours, according to the countdown ticker on the new site WeezyThanxYou. Wayne plans to check in once a week from his Rikers Island cell block via the site to tell fans how he’s holding up. Today he posted his first entry, aptly titled “Gone ’til November…“

“I’m in good spirits man,” Wayne writes. “For real.” He stresses that even though he’s stuck in prison, “My love and my spirit, however, know no boundaries.”

The message is surprisingly well written. In comparison to his poetic, but poorly spelled Twitter notes from his liltunechi account, Wayne appears clearheaded. Guess we can attribute that to the lack of weed to smoke or alcohol to sip in the bing?

Wayne says he lifts weights and reads the Bible during his spare time.  “Jail didn’t make me find God,” he writes. “He’s always been there.”

He also replies to three letters he received during his first month at Rikers, even asking for one fan’s book recommendations.

“The same way yall miss me, I miss yall, only 100 times more,” he writes in conclusion. “To those who hate. Hate is only a form love that hasn’t found a way to express itself logically. Keep sending the letters and I promise keep responding. Thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU. No matter what they do to erase me, my love for you will always be permanent. Remember that. Take care. God bless.”

Miss Lil Wayne yet? Do you think he’ll come back a better man? Let us know below.

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

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Erykah Badu’s controversial “Window Seat” video: Matt and Kim’s Matt Johnson on inspiring her naked walk
Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” video stirs controversy: Is the JFK imagery offensive?
Erykah Badu’s naked “Window Seat” video: What do you think of the provocative clip?
Lady Gaga announces new album details: ‘It is the anthem for our generation’
New Christina Aguilera, ‘Not Myself Tonight’: Listen and weigh in here!
Usher goes ‘OMG’ with will.i.am in new video: Watch it here

Apr 2 2010 12:31 PM ET

Renee Zellweger sings Bob Dylan! It's uncomfortable!

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Bob-Dylan-reneeImage Credit: Janet Mayer/PR Photos; Reuters/Rob Galbraith/LandovRemember like five years ago when Renee Zellweger was supposed to be working on a Janis Joplin biopic? (So were Zooey Deschanel. And Pink. And Brittany Murphy.)

In the interim, she seems to have given up the Me and Bobby McGee dream and moved on to another kind of musical-cinema venture, My Own Love Song (or as Videogum has dubbed it “Duets 2: The Squinty Eyed Female Crazy Heart.”)

The film, co-starring Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and featuring 16 original songs by Bob Dylan(!), stars Zellweger as, per IMDB, a paraplegic singer on a road trip to Memphis with her best friend.

See the trailer, which showcases her singing the new Dylan song “Life Is Hard” (so true, Bobby Z) and watch her take on Woody Guthrie’s ‘This Land Is Your Land” like she really, really means it, after the jump: READ FULL STORY »

Apr 2 2010 12:23 PM ET

Erykah Badu controversy continues: Dallas police 'definitely considering' disorderly conduct charge

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erykah-baduImage Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty ImagesThe controversy over Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” video has now reached the Dallas Police Department. A law enforcement officer tells the Music Mix that Badu may be charged with disorderly conduct for publicly removing all her clothes in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza during the music video shoot, confirming widespread reports. “It is something we are definitely considering,” says Sgt. Warren Mitchell.

For the police to charge the singer, a witness would need to come forward and provide a statement as to Badu’s public nudity. Sgt. Mitchell is unsure of whether this has happened yet, adding, “[The investigation is] kind of in the limbo stage right now.”

If the police do end up filing a disorderly conduct charge, the case would then go to the Dallas City Attorney’s office. City of Dallas spokesperson Frank Librio tells the Music Mix that it would then be up to the City Attorney’s discretion whether or not to prosecute Badu. If prosecuted for and convicted of disorderly conduct, which is classified as a class C misdemeanor, Badu would face a fine not to exceed $500.

A request for comment from Badu’s reps was not immediately returned. We’ll keep you posted on any further updates in this case.

UPDATE: Badu has been charged with disorderly conduct. She faces a fine of up to $500.

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

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Erykah Badu’s controversial “Window Seat” video: Matt and Kim’s Matt Johnson on inspiring her naked walk
Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” video stirs controversy: Is the JFK imagery offensive?
Erykah Badu’s naked “Window Seat” video: What do you think of the provocative clip?
Lady Gaga announces new album details: ‘It is the anthem for our generation’
New Christina Aguilera, ‘Not Myself Tonight’: Listen and weigh in here!
Usher goes ‘OMG’ with will.i.am in new video: Watch it here

Apr 1 2010 06:44 PM ET

New Green Day video, 'Last of the American Girls': Guns, golden sand, girls

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Green Day’s back with a video for “Last of the American Girls,” off 21st Century Breakdown. It’s sort of a sequel to the 21 Guns video, in which album protagonists Gloria and Christian endeavored to make out despite having their apartment shot up by the cops. Not sure what happened to the boyfriend, but Gloria appears to have relocated her remaining possessions to the desert, where she is living a glamorously desultory life, complete with television and manicure supplies. Then she decides to blow up her car. Also, there are blond go-go dancers/American Apparel employees following her every move, while the ageless Billie Joe Armstrong and his punk band friends stand nearby and serenade her individuality. You can watch it after the jump. It’s super symbolic n’ stuff. Oh, Green Day. Remember that one time you named an album Dookie? READ FULL STORY »

Apr 1 2010 02:51 PM ET

Rihanna's still on top of Hot 100 singles chart as Train rides to No. 3

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rihanna-trainFor the third week in a row, Rihanna is pop music’s head honcho. “Rude Boy,” the latest single from the Bajan starlet’s Rated R album, sits at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. B.o.B’s “Nothin’ On You” featuring Bruno Mars remains at No. 2 for its second straight week.

Train’s folksy “Hey, Soul Sister” shot up from last week’s No. 7 to today’s No. 3, making this the highest they’ve ever been on the Hot 100.

But falling two spots from last week’s No. 3 seat is Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s “Telephone.” Guess the question that we asked last week has been answered. The buzz generated from Gaga’s racy prison love video is looking less likely to give her a third Hot 100 No. 1 single.

Hip-hop’s favorite son, Drake, took a bit of a hit. “Over,” the first release from his upcoming debut album, Thank Me Later, dropped five spots to No. 22. Its Anthony Mandler-directed video should propel it once it drops in a few days.

Those are the big moves on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Who do you think is going to knock Rihanna out of the top spot? What song do you wish you heard more of? Let us know.

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

More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Erykah Badu’s “Window Seat” video stirs controversy: Is the JFK imagery offensive?
Erykah Badu’s naked “Window Seat” video: What do you think of the provocative clip?
Sarah Palin’s first show won’t include LL Cool J, because he says so
Lady Gaga announces new album details: ‘It is the anthem for our generation’
New Christina Aguilera, ‘Not Myself Tonight’: Listen and weigh in here!
Usher goes ‘OMG’ with will.i.am in new video: Watch it here

Apr 1 2010 12:44 PM ET

Travie McCoy, 'Billionaire': Watch exclusive acoustic performance here!

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Gym Class Heroes frontman Travis McCoy — who, unbeknownst to me, has started going by the hella-street moniker “Travie,” presumably because his aunt asked him to — will be dropping a solo album, Lazarus, on June 8. The first single is “Billionaire,” an ode to what he’d do if he had a billion dollars. (Inflation’s a bitch, eh, BNL?) Anchored by a sweet vocal from Bruno Mars, it’s a jaunty little tune, and you can watch an exclusive acoustic performance of it, right here, right now, Mixers! Er, well, after the jump, anyway… READ FULL STORY »

Apr 1 2010 11:46 AM ET

Erykah Badu's controversial 'Window Seat' video: Matt and Kim's Matt Johnson on inspiring her naked walk

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matt-and-kimThe very first thing you see in Erykah Badu‘s “Window Seat” video, before the clothes start coming off, is a title card reading “INSPIRED BY MATT AND KIM.” That’s Badu’s way of acknowledging the Brooklyn indie-pop duo (pictured) who went au naturel in Times Square for their “Lessons Learned” video last year, inspiring her similar striptease in Dallas for “Window Seat.” (Badu’s video is streaming at her official site.)

The Music Mix rang up the group’s Matt Johnson this morning to see what he thinks of Badu’s video and the debate it’s sparked. He and Kim are in Atlanta at the moment, finishing up their still-untitled third album. “We’re in the last week of working 13-hour days, six days a week,” Matt says. “We’ve been pretty stressed out, but I know we’re making something really special…And I’m still trying to come up with the video idea that tops ‘Lessons Learned.’ That’s actually something I think about a lot.” Read on after the jump for our Q&A about “Window Seat.”

READ FULL STORY »

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