Twenty-one-year-old Esmee Denters, the Dutch songstress best known Stateside for her Youtube covers and Justin Timberlake connection (he signed her to his Tennman Records imprint in 2008), released her debut, Outta Here, in Europe last spring.
Now, she’s got a high-profile new video for the album’s third single, the Britney-eque “Love Dealer,” featuring an uber-casual Justin, looking very “hey, man, it’s laundry day,” on back-up; watch it after the jump:
Image Credit: Carin Baer/FoxA little Glee appears to be the cure for Bieber fever. Glee‘s The Power of Madonna soundtrack nabbed the No. 1 spot from Justin Bieber this week on the Billboard 200 album chart this week, selling 98,000 copies. It’s the highest debut yet for a Glee-related album, but also the lowest first-week sales: Glee Season One: The Music Volume 1 sold 113,000 copies its first week, while Volume 2 did 173,000.
Lady Antebellum moves from No. 3 to No. 2, selling another 83,000 copies of their Need You Now. Last week‘s No. 2, MGMT‘s Congratulations, fell out of the top 10 altogether.
With the blockbuster film more than a week away from release, AC/DC’s Iron Man 2 soundtrack debuts at No. 4, selling 76,000 copies.
Justin Bieber dropped to No. 3 with My World 2.0, while’s first installment My World is at No. 8. His label head, Usher, dropped from No. 4 to No. 5. His Raymond v. Raymond sold 52,000 units.
Selling 31,000 albums, Jimmy Buffett’s live Walmart exclusive Encores debuts at No. 7. The Zac Brown Band jumps from No. 15 to No. 9. And Lady Gaga‘s rounds out the Top 10 with her 2008 debut, The Fame.
What albums, if any, did you pick up last week? Surprised about this week’s numbers? Let us know.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Regina Spektor covers Radiohead’s “No Surprises” for charity
Grizzly Bear gives a new song to Washington’s Lottery ad: Watch and hear it exclusively here!
Tokyo Police Club, ‘Boots of Danger (Wait Up)’: A Music Mix exclusive stream
The Roots enlist Joanna Newsom, John Legend, Jim James for new album
Image Credit: Chad Sengstock; CBSIs David Letterman on his way to becoming a music-biz mogul? The Late Night host’s Worldwide Pants, Inc. has just started a record label called Clear Entertainment/C.E. Music. Letterman’s first signee, announced this morning via press release, is Huntington Beach, Calif. pop-punk quintet Runner Runner.
Runner Runner’s self-titled debut is due late this summer on C.E. Music in partnership with Capitol and MRV. You can hear lead single “So Obvious” right now on their MySpace. Their sound seems to be pretty generic mall-punk, but “So Obvious” is far from the least catchy tune I’ve heard this week. I could definitely see this becoming a hit. Give it a listen, then let us know what you think of Letterman’s new venture.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Kelly Clarkson tweets angrily about leaked song
Regina Spektor covers Radiohead’s “No Surprises” for charity
Grizzly Bear gives a new song to Washington’s Lottery ad: Watch and hear it exclusively here!
Tokyo Police Club, ‘Boots of Danger (Wait Up)’: A Music Mix exclusive stream
Following a six-episode run last fall, IFC’s Dinner with the Band returns tonight at 10:30pm EST, with guests like Rufus Wainwright (this evening’s inaugural sous chef/performer), Andrew W.K., the Mountain Goats, and Au Revoire Simone.
Host Sam Mason, a Manhattan culinary star known nearly as much for his tattooed, camera-ready panache as his high-profile restaurant gigs and outre cooking style, loves good music in the kitchen nearly as much as he loves a good olive confit.
After the jump, a playlist he composed for EW of some of his all-time favorites, including tracks from Beck, Devo, the Clash, Waylon Jennings, and (indeed) Steely Dan.
Image Credit: Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty ImagesTrifle with unreleased Kelly Clarkson material at your own risk. As noted by Idolator, the online leak of a track known as “Cleopatra” today has inspired not one but two furious Twitter messages from the star. First, about an hour ago: “‘Cleopatra’ is NOT a song on my next record! It was written for another artist! I have no idea how it leaked, it’s a rough demo, unfinished!” Then, minutes later: “I’m so tired of disrespecting, lying, sneaky little trolls that pretend to be human.” At least, we’re assuming that the second tweet was also about “Cleopatra.” It’s possible that Clarkson just coincidentally bumped into a mean old troll guarding a bridge shortly after hearing of the leak.
Funny thing is, “Cleopatra” is not bad at all. It’s clear enough that it’s an unfinished demo, and Idolator is quite right that it leans more toward hip-hop/dance-pop than anything Clarkson has done in years. Still: Kinda catchy! Let us know what you think of this contretemps in the comments below.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Regina Spektor covers Radiohead’s “No Surprises” for charity
Grizzly Bear gives a new song to Washington’s Lottery ad: Watch and hear it exclusively here!
Tokyo Police Club, ‘Boots of Danger (Wait Up)’: A Music Mix exclusive stream
The Roots enlist Joanna Newsom, John Legend, Jim James for new album
Regina Spektor has just released a cover of Radiohead’s “No Surprises” to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders. The 1997 original is very close to a perfect song, and for me it’s hard to imagine anyone but Thom Yorke singing it right. Spektor’s spare version, just her and a piano, has just about won me over, though. She’s smart enough not to distract from that heartbreakingly beautiful melody with any production tricks or vocal theatrics. Well done.
100 percent of the proceeds (both Spektor’s and Radiohead’s) are going to a very worthy cause: Doctors Without Borders provides crucial medical care to the victims of earthquakes, war, and other disasters around the world. So check out Spektor’s “No Surprises” after the jump (clip via Stereogum). Then, if you like it, please do consider spending $1.29 on it at iTunes. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: CSI: Robert Voets/CBSRobert David Hall has been holding it down as medical examiner Al Robbins for ten straight seasons of CBS’ hit procedural CSI. Who knew the actor’s true passion was country music? Hall’s debut album will arrive June 1. It’s called Things They Don’t Teach You In School, after an RDH original about real-life lessons found only outside the ivory tower’s confines. For instance, one thing they definitely don’t teach you in most schools is that the guy who plays the coroner on CSI is actually a pretty solid singer and guitarist, at least judging by the streaming samples on his website.
Check out Robert David Hall’s music on his site, then let us know if this is an album you might buy.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Grizzly Bear gives a new song to Washington’s Lottery ad: Watch and hear it exclusively here!
Tokyo Police Club, ‘Boots of Danger (Wait Up)’: A Music Mix exclusive stream
The Roots enlist Joanna Newsom, John Legend, Jim James for new album
Green Day thrills Broadway crowd with surprise ‘American Idiot’ set
Image Credit: John Ewing/Retna Ltd.According to Billboard, the men of Weezer have left Geffen Records, their label home of 16 years, and plan to strike out on their own. “We’re always planning and scheming something,” bassist Scott Shriner told the trade mag. “We’re always working on some new music. I can’t really go into any detail about that yet, but we’re all writing and working on new stuff.”
But a rep for the band tells EW.com that although the band has fulfilled their contract with Geffen, they’re negotiating a possible new contract with the label, and nothing has been decided about their future at this point.
The band is planning a deluxe reissue of their so-underrated-at-the-time-it-almost-made-Rivers-Cuomo-lose-his-mind 1996 sophomore release Pinkerton, and pulling together an “Odds and Ends” collection of B-sides and rarities. “There’s so many cool things that we’ve recorded for records that never made the [albums], I think they had to get out there,” Shriner told Billboard. “Finally it’s going to happen.”
And in perhaps the best news of all, Cuomo is reportedly “100 percent again” after the horrifying Dec. 6 bus crash that broke three of his ribs and sidelined the band’s tour. They’ll be back on the road this summer, mostly playing festival dates (Bonnaroo!), and, one supposes, figuring out how to run their own record label.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
More from EW.com’s Music Mix:
Grizzly Bear gives a new song to Washington’s Lottery ad: Watch and hear it exclusively here!
Tokyo Police Club, ‘Boots of Danger (Wait Up)’: A Music Mix exclusive stream
The Roots enlist Joanna Newsom, John Legend, Jim James for new album
Green Day thrills Broadway crowd with surprise ‘American Idiot’ set
‘Gossip Girl’ star Taylor Momsen talks her debut single, upcoming album, and why she doesn’t like pants
Francis Farewell Starlite’s hairstyle—a James Dean-esque pompadour—and chic style scream “Star!” His vocals are vintage, like a raspy-smooth Joe Cocker, and onstage, his moves are grand, seemingly pulled and remixed from James Brown’s good-foot arsenal. As leader of his indie pop band, Francis and the Lights, he’s a fascinating eccentric. Don’t tell Starlite any of this, though. The 28-year-old isn’t a fan of comparisons.
In the few interviews Francis has given, writers inevitably wind up describing him as an elusive, coy character. He’s reserved. His words are brief, guarded even. “Let me think about how I want to answer that,” he’ll respond to a few questions during our interview. He doesn’t mind letting several moments pass before he gets out exactly what he wants to say. It’s refreshing in an era where most artists blurt out outrageous quotes and eventually cry foul after reading and eating their words.
The group has two stellar, five-song EPs, 2007’s Striking and 2008’s A Modern Promise. The introspective sets with bouncing, spacey beats have earned him a dedicated cult following. This summer the band’s set to release their third effort, It’ll Be Better.
Currently on tour with hip-hop’s young stud, Drake, Francis called in from his West Virginia-bound tour bus to introduce himself. Among other topics below, he opens up about why he’s curt, who or what “the Lights” are, his legal name, and how he found his life’s purpose on a train.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How are you enjoying the tour experience so far?
FRANCIS FAREWELL STARLITE: It’s been wonderful. I’m very thankful. It’s a very exciting tour. It’s an experience.
Drake fans are expecting a hip-hop show. How has the crowd been reacting to your performances?
It’s hard to say. In general, it’s been positive. We haven’t felt any negativity. I think there have been a couple of shows recently, once we’ve gotten our bearings straight, that have gone over very well. At least it felt that way, where we were able to bring people into our world. But it is a challenge, no question about it. I feel like every night we do a show, I have to just go out there and go to work. READ FULL STORY »
Washington State residents have a new enticement to buy a Lotto ticket, especially if they’re indie rock fans: Starting today, Washington’s Lottery will air an ad featuring a brand-new tune from Grizzly Bear. We here at the Music Mix love the Grizzly Bear almost as much as Jay-Z does, so we’re pleased to premiere the spot right here after the jump.
It’s a cool, trippy clip, no surprise given the level of talent involved. Ad agency Cole & Weber United hired auteur Patrick Daughters, who previously helmed Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks” video, to direct. Michael Rooney, the man behind (500) Days of Summer‘s beloved Hall & Oates dance sequence, handled the choreography. And of course there’s that perfectly lovely new Grizzly Bear tune. “It was a sunny day/I was on my way,” Ed Droste sings over folky instrumentation as we see a young woman’s life instantly transformed by a lottery ticket. “Dreaming of something more/My thoughts began to soar…” Keyboards joyously join the arrangement, and one starts to think that this song could have fit comfortably on Yellow House or Veckatimest. If only it didn’t end after 60 seconds!
Between this and the Volkswagen “Two Weeks” spot that debuted during the Super Bowl, Grizzly Bear seem like the go-to band for advertisers seeking a hip soundtrack. Watch the new Washington’s Lottery ad after the jump and let us know what you think.
