HIFI Magazine #1 (Apr/May 2011)

issue no. 1 // april/may 2011

16 WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW? On the cusp of what’s proclaimed to be

LCD’s final album, we wonder what’s next in line for frontman James Murphy

18 SON OF A PREACHERMAN

The 6th member of Maroon 5 talks about solo career, gospel roots

22 EBONY AND IVORY

The life and legacy of Teena Marie under a microscope

24 33 1/3 ALBUMS OF 2010

HiFi profiles the very best albums of 2010

30 45 SINGLES OF 2010

Radio favorites and released singles of 2010

get their crowning moment in the spotlight

46 MUSIC FESTIVAL MINI-GUIDE A 2-page road map to some of the biggest music fests this year

HIFI MAGAZINE. Volume 1, Number 1. Copyright 2011 by HIFI Media LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without proper permission is prohibited. This publication is published bi-monthly with two double-issues printed annually. Single copies: $4.99 U.S. per issue. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 317 Sheridan Road, Birmingham, AL 35214. Printed in the United States of America. SUBSCRIPTION INQURIES: admin@hifimagazine.net.

ADVERTISING INQURIES: ads@hifimagazine.net SEND FEEDBACK OR COMMENTS: jmatt@hifimagazaine.net HIFIMAGAZINE.NET

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HIDEFINITION HIFIDELITY DUE DATE THERMO-METER CHART BUZZ REVIEWS PICK OF THE LITTER CALENDAR FADE TO BLACK

FURTHER INSIDE FeATuRe PResenTATiOn:

FEaturEs

Album Reviews: Jamairoquai (Rock Dust Light star), The Decemberists (The King is Dead), Cake (showroom of Compassion), Linkin Park (A Thousand suns), James Blunt (some Kind of Trouble), Adele (21), Cage the elephant (Thank You Happy Birthday), Duran Duran (All You need is now), natasha Bedingfield (strip Me), Deitrick Haddon (Church on the Moon), eric Benet (Lost in Time)

top 21 Music Videos of 2010 gaga, big boi, arcade Fire and Kanye made the list. Pop some popcorn and watch our favorite music videos.

PiCK OF THe LiTTeR:

JuKEboX

shedding the Pounds: david archuleta and Ciara on Chopping block from record Labels archie and Ciara on the list of Jive layoffs.

Who could be next?

R.e.M., nicki Minaj and The strokes lands on our radar for the best singles and album tracks of the hour.

april 2011 Listen to new jams from hot acts like Lady gaga, Foo Fighters, Chris brown, r.E.M., the strokes, Miguel, amos Lee and others.

SM ALL B EGIN NINGS

What’d I say

We are 100% independent (for now). We may be are young and minature when compared to the big guys, but we have a big heart. It makes a big difference.

EdItor-at-LargE and PubLIshEr J Matthew Cobb ContrIbutIng EdItor Juaquin sims PubLICIty ManagEr Juanita Vann ContrIbutIng WrItErs brent Faulkner, ryan burruss

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WHAT’S AT HIFIMAGAZINE.NET

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Justin bieber & the attack on ‘rolling stone’ did rolling stone really cross the line in their interview with the bieb?

Chart buZZ

Lady gaga, Justin bieber, Cee Lo green, adele grammy performances ensures record sale increases.

MonstEr MashuP

Mike Posner on adele’s “rolling in the deep” hear the electro wiz’s remix of adele’s single.

HD

HI DEFINiTION

CALiFORniA GuRL POWeR Katy Perry poses with artist Will Cotton in Los Angeles at an exhibit displaying Perry - of course.

FALLinG in LOVe AGAin usher suited up ‘X-Men’ style as he wows audiences at DC’s Verizon Center during his OMG tour.

MORTAL COMBAT

‘HAnDs ALL OVeR’ HiM

The Black Keys and Vampire Weekend’s ezra Koenig enter a bloody duel on The Colbert Report to settle who should win a Grammy for Best Alternative Rock Album. All in the spirit of fun.

Maroon 5’s Adam Levine makes out with his new girlfriend, Victoria secret model Anne Vyalitsyna, on the set of the band’s new music video for “never Gonna Leave This Bed.” Levine, with the assistance from his girlfriend, also posed nude for the cover of the uK edition of Cosmo. The stripdown was for a good cause. He stripped down for the everyman charity to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer.

RADiO ACTiVATeD King of Leon’s Caleb Followill works his musical mojo before a crowd of thousands at st. Louis’s Verizon Amphitheater during a make-up performance. no piegons were allowed.

unDeR RAHM’s sPOTLiGHT Jennifer Hudson, while showing off her slim figure, belts her hits at a Rahm emanuelfundraiser at the House of Blues in Chicago.

TOO seXY FOR MY sHiRT Ambitous idol judges Randy Jackson and newbie steven Tyler show off their abs in “situation”-style with a contestant on the show’s season premiere.

PReGGY in PinK Wearing pastel beachwear, a pregnant P!nk makes her stroll down the beach with husband Carey Hart.

LADY sTeALeR During a live performance of an expletive-free “F*** You” on snL, Cee Lo Green reveals his all-lady rock band.

iCe sCReAM Guccie Mane shows off his latest ink - on his face!

Three scoops of ice cream on a wafer cone with “Brrr” etched on the inside. We don’t expect to see Ben & Jerry’s developing this into a flavor anytime soon.

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TRUE COLORS

DIRTY POLITICS

SCHOOL’S IN

PROPER GRAMMAR

Beyonce, usher and Mariah involved in controversy with Libyan dictator

Alice Cooper inducted into Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame

Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga Lady Antebellum wins big

Lady Gaga teams up with Polaroid

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HIFIDELITY sTAR POWeR: Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Blake shelton are the driving force behind nBC’s latest reality-TV franchise, “The Voice.”

NBC Finds Its ‘Voice’

Superstar judges, raw talent hopes to cut into Idol’s popularity

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iTH “AMeRiCAn iDOL” sLiDinG inTO its tenth season, nBC is hoping their next product of the “next-generation talent star search” will spark renewed interest in the aging singing reality-TV format. “The Voice” (premiers on April 26 ) plans to put unsigned acts on center stage to display their vocal abilities to an all-star panel of pop acts including Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and country star Blake shelton. The show, co-produced by Mark Burnett (Celebrity Apprentice, survivor), will be hosted by former MTV ‘TRL’ personality and talk show host Carson Daily. The selection of popular artists as co-hosts will definitely bring younger audiences - even idol followers - to the fourth-place network, in hopes to resuscitate their primetime line-up.

Different from idol, the panel will use absolutely no preconceived prejudices while judging due to their about-face positions to the acts in the early rounds of the show. The curious

panel will then used their arcade-game revolving chairs to face the singer for the first time. if more than one judge approves, the contestant then has the power to choose which panel member they will work with as a vocal coach. The game gets more interesting as the panel builds teams out of their selected contestants until one emerges as the “voice.” Viewers will be allowed to vote for their favorites until the teams are trimmed down to four contestants. The winner lands a national recording contract and a skimpy cash prize of $100,000. it has been confirmed that Frenchie Davis, an idol alum who endured scrutiny for posing in a nude photo spread leading to her disqualification, will be appearing on one of the show’s earlier episodes “i’m not looking for vocal acrobatics, who has the biggest range of high and low — i’m looking forward to getting moved,” Christina Aguilera said during a press conference. Adam Levine echoed her sentiments. “it’s less about being

judgmental and more about helping [singers] out,” he said.

The idea of “The Voice” comes from Holland, the land where “Fear Factor” and “Big Brother” originated. since “The Voice” premiered in Holland, the show has quickly become the most watched talent show in Dutch TV history. nBC hopes to re-create the same results in the united states.

The show could be a major hit for nBC since the show will air during the summer season, when networks traditionally struggle the most with new content and big ratings. For the last couple of years, nBC has proven to brave the sun during the hot months. With its twice-weekly "America's Got Talent," nBC scored high ratings, becoming the no. 1 summer series in total viewers for each of its five seasons. “America’s Got Talent” plans to return this summer on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. “The Voice” will air on Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m.

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HIFIDELITY Gifts for the Paparazzi Lady Gaga teams up with Polaroid, new album gets release date

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usic may be her forte, but being on the cutting edge seems to be quite attractive to Lady gaga. at last year’s CEs, gaga was named a Polaroid creative director. Early in January at a CEs presentation, she premiered the first prototypes to be experimented with her grey Label; a new line of gadgets and trend-savvy products Polaroid plans to mass produce, gaga revealed three of the products they’re working on: the bluetooth-enabled gL10 Instant Mobile Printer, the 12 MP gL30 Instant digital Camera (using waterproof, environmentfriendly ZInK technology and combines

the traditional instant Polaroid print with digital technology) and the gL20 Camera glasses. spectators were definitely in awe over the sunglasses, which Lady gaga proclaims to be “completely wearable.” they will allow you to take a picture of what you’re looking at and will allow the images to be displayed on a 1.5 inch LEd screens in front of the lenses. Pricing for the products have not been confirmed, but Polaroid plans to make the products available by the end of 2011. as for gaga’s upcoming second fulllength album born this Way , a release date has been scheduled for May 23.

Abuse Somebody

Twitter Wars

Kings of Leon, Glee’s producer involved in war of words

Kings of Leon may have gotten a bad rap for their attacks on Glee’s Matt Murphy using the power of Twitter, but they weren’t the only ones with crosshairs on their minds.

P!nK vs. CHRisTinA AGuiLeRA Xtina is recovering from her public humilation, but P!nk decided to add a little more heat to the fire. Xtina bit back.

In January, members of the rock band Kings of Leon exchanged tough words with ryan Murphy, producer of the FoX hit sitcom ‘glee’, over remarks he made about their decision to not have their music featured in the series. glee’s producers wanted to use the song “use somebody” in one of their episodes, but KoL responded saying they weren’t really interested and that they had not seen the show.

Murphy jumps on his twitter account and unleashes a barrage of anger against the rock band. “F**k you, Kings of Leon,” he said. “they’re self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture.” the Kings responded; hoping to calm the situation. “this whole ‘glee’ thing is a shock to us. It’s gotten out of hand. at the time of the request, we hadn’t even seen the show. It came at the end of that record cycle, and we were over promoting ['use somebody']. this was never meant as a slap in the face to ‘glee’ or to music education or to fans of the show. We’re not sure where the anger is coming from.”

KoL drummer nathan Followill decided to respond to the ‘glee’ producer directly using twitter: ”dear ryan Murphy, let it go. see a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra. Zip your lip and focus on educating seven year-olds how to say f***.”

Murphy accused Followill of homophobia when he took his frustrations to the hollywood reporter and even to gossip blogger Perez hilton. ”that’s [Followill] a homophobe badly in need of some education,” Murphy said to hilton in a statement. ”I’m all for mani-

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pink: "Out of Myself, Britney, and Christina- didn't everyone think i was gonna be the troublemaker?

Look Ma!! no Cuffs (sic)."

TheCAguilera: @pink was just in a car w/ a driver under the influence...Lets not forget about your past drug addictions..K, Rockstar! #Please RiHAnnA vs. CiARA Ri-Ri and Ci-Ci are duking it out. After running into the “umbrella” star at a party, Ciara commented on e!’s Fashion Police that Rihanna wasn’t the nice girl she expected her to be. And then the war of words began. rihanna: "My bad Ci, did i forget to tip you? How rude of me....You gangsta huh? Ha." ciara: "Trust me Rihanna you don't want to see me on or off the stage.” rihanna: "Good luck with bookin that stage you speak of.”

KAnYe WesT vs. BRiTneY sPeARs After their new singles battled it out for the no. 1 spot, Britney won and Kanye waged a “LOL” Twitter war. kanyewest: "Yo Britney, i'm really happy for you and i'mma let you be #1, but me and Jay-Z's single is one of the best songs of all time! LOL.” AdamLeber:(Britney’s manager): "Thanks for 'letting' us be #1. Much appreciated."

[CONT. FROM PG. 8] cures, don’t wear a bra. Would guess most gay dudes don’t.” Murphy also suggested that any material from Kings of Leon will not be considered for ‘glee’ in the future. Perez hilton championed Murphy’s defense and quickly labeled KoL’s drummer as being a homophobe, but hilton’s posts failed to mention Murphy’s earlier statements, in which he uses profanity and tells them to “f**k off.”

Murphy’s attacks against the Kings continued in the hollywood reporter when he states, on the record, that he ”finds that people who make those comments, their careers are over; they’re uneducated and quite stupid.” this time he’s referring to slash, who, unlike Followill, actually did make a crack about glee, calling it “worse than grease” as far as licensing goes. since Murphy’s diatribe went public, Followill quickly deleted the tweets and has since apologized.“I’m sorry for anyone that misconstrued my comments as homophobic or misogynistic,” Followill says. “I’m so not that kind of person. I really do apologize.”

Pay for Play Big acts like Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Usher performed for Libyan dictator

THIS JUST IN Lauryn Hill Disappoints at Atlanta Show After appearing on stage three hours late, Lauryn Hill disappointed anxious fans awaiting to hear the R&B recluse at a January 15 show. s2sMagazine.com mentioned that Hill finally took the stage after a local deejay tried his hardest to entertain patient fans with oldschool mixing. During her set, she ranted about performing the same hits night after night, while launching into “chopped and screwed renditions of her hits, backed by music that was way too loud.” Fans walked out and even booed the star. One fan stated, “They didn’t walk out—they stomped out!”

Record Sales Drop, Rap Sales Up in 2011

hIt LIst: beyoncé, usher and Mariah Carey are just some of the a-list talent that performed for Qaddafi events

rolling stone’s steve Knopper recently exposed some pretty controversial material when addressing some of the music industry’s biggest names, including Mariah Carey, beyoncé and usher taking in millions of dollars to play private shows for the family of Libya’s dictator, Col. Muammar-el Qaddafi - who is now being accused of suppressing his nation from their civil rights and killing thousands of civilians who have proactively been protesting against his leadership. howie Klein, former president of reprise records and now a leftist blogger, expressed his grief over the news. “When I saw beyoncé and usher...partying with these Libyan criminals - these are people who have stolen tens of billions of dollars from their nation. For very, very wealthy pop stars to take part in this kind of thing makes me want to puke.” according to media reports, Jay-Z, Lindsay Lohan, Jon bon Jovi and supermodels Miranda Kerr and Victoria silvstedt were also in attendance at the shows in 2009. randy Phillips, of aEg Live and representative of usher, had no comment on the matter. according to rolling stone, publicists and managers for the mentioned artists declined interviews and had no response to the questions at press time. since the story broke, Mariah Carey has publicly expressed “embarrassment” over her private concert and pledges to raise money for human rights with a future single. Following Carey’s apologies, beyoncé and usher has donated their Quaddafi earnings to charity. “I am sincerely troubled to learn about the circumstances surrounding the nikki beach st bart's event that took place on new year's Eve 2009,” says usher, in a recent statement. “I will be donating all of my personal proceeds from that event to various human rights organizations.”

Physical record sales (CDs) slumped in 2010, while digital singles increased by 1%. The grim news on disappointing record sales continues its ripple effect of the music industry’s economic crisis, but there’s one silver lining in the clouds to be thankful for. Led by eminem, Drake and B.o.B., rap experienced an increase in sales, rising 3 percent from 26,441,000 to 27,328,000. Other genres fell including country, dropping 5 percent. even with Taylor swift and Lady Antebellum having solid-gold success with their recent albums, country albums sold 3 million copies less that the previous year. Alternative was down 21 percent, Christian/Gospel 13 percent, classical 26 percent, jazz 25 percent, Latin 25 percent, metal 16 percent, new age 29 percent, R&B 17 percent and rock 16 percent.

Mixed Reviews for U2’s ’Spiderman’ Despite a few troubling spots including actor injuries and prop issues, producers have announced yet another postponement on the $65 million Broadway debut of u2's spiderman: Turn Off the Dark. Lead producer Michael Cohl stated that the production team “needs one more month to fine-tune the performance.” The delay will allow Bono and director Julie Taymor to tweak the soundtrack and develop a new ending for the show. The opening date for spider-Man was pushed up to March 15.

George Michael Faith Release Date: Feb. 1 (US)

’Faith’ Enlarged

George Michael’s crowning moment gets digitally remastered and box set treatment

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P i C / L e G A C Y is giving George Michael’s 1987 groundbreaking debut album Faith the royal treatment with a digitally-remastered disc, a newlyenhanced double disc version and a limited edition collectors’ box set.

The album’s release date is January 31 (February 1 in the u.s). The box set, priced at $141.57 at georgemichael..com, includes a vinyl replica of the original LP, a remas-

tered disc packed with 12" versions, remixes and B-sides, a DVD containing remastered music videos and a 1987 TV special with former Wham! partner Jonathon Ross along with a 60-page hard-bound book containing rare photos and memorabilia. The original banned music video of “i Want Your sex,” along with eight other concept videos will also be included into the set.

With chart-topping singles in-

cluding “One More Try,” “Father Figure,” “i Want Your sex” and the title cut, Faith cemented Michael’s place in pop music history after his departure from Wham!. After skyrocketing to no. 1 in the uK and the us, Michael had reached a populairty equal to that of elton John, Paul McCartney and Madonna. Faith was also notable for being the first album to debut at no. 1 on the R&B Albums’ chart by a white artist.

OUTSTANDING ITEMS APRiL 5

MAY 9

THe KiLLs BLOOD PRessuRe

THe ZOMBies BReATHe in, BReATHe OuT (uK)

APRiL 12 MY MORninG JACKeT CiRCuiTAL

MAY 10 WARRen HAYes MAn in MOTiOn

MAY 3

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sTeVie niCKs in YOuR DReAMs

BOOKeR T. JOnes THe ROAD FROM MeMPHis

BeAsTie BOYs HOT sAuCe COMMiTTe PART 2

THe CARs MOVe LiKe THis

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MAY 17 Ben HARPeR GiVe TiLL iT’s GOne

MAY 23 LADY GAGA BORn THis WAY

MAY 24 BRAD PAisLeY THis is COunTRY MusiC

HIFIDELITY Head of the Class

Alice Cooper leads the list of music icons to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chool’s definitely in for Alice Cooper since he’s at the head of the class of nominees selected to enter into the 2011 induction of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cooper, who made a name for himself with his theatrical rock in the late ’60’s and early ’70’s with hits like “School’s Out” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame along with other classmates Neil Diamond, Tom Waits, Darlene Love and Dr. John. Speciality Records’ founder Art Rupe and Elektra Records’ founder Jac Holzman will receive the Ahmet Ertegün Award, while Leon Russell (who released a successful duet album with Elton John on 2010) will receive the Award for Musical Excellence. The ceremonies were held on March 14, 2011 in New York.

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Need to know a little more about 2011’s inductees?

We’ve got the ultimate crash course.

Who Is…Alice Cooper?

Recorded major rock hits like ”School’s Out,” “Eighteen” and “No More, Mr. Nice Guy.” He successfully went on to record a handful of solo concept albums in the mid-’70’s and is currently working on a sequel to his 1975 solo debut Welcome to My Nightmare.

Biggest Hits: “School’s Out” (1972), “No More Mr. Nice Guy” (1973), “You and Me” (1977) Highest-Charted Single in U.S.: “School’s Out” (1972), ”Poison (Gold)” (1989); #7 Best-Selling Album: Welcome to My Nightmare (1975) On the Hall of Fame good news: “For a while, people didn’t take me seriously. it only took 45 years. I’m elated.”

Who Is…Neil Diamond?

Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond has sold over 115 million records worldwide and remains the 3rd most successful Adult Contemporary artist ever, ranking behind Barbara Striesand and Elton John.

Recorded groundbreaking hits like “Sweet Caroline,” “Song Sung Blue” and “Cracklin’ Rosie.”

Biggest Hits: “Sweet Caroline” (1969), “Crackiln’ Rosie” (1970), “I Am…I Said” (1971), “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (1978), “Love on the Rocks” (1980) Highest-Charted Single in U.S.: “Cracklin’ Rosie” (1970), “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (with Barbara Streisand) (1978); #1 Best-Selling Album: The Jazz Singer (1980) On the Hall of Fame good news: “Any club that has Chuck Berry, Little Richard and the Everly Brothers is a club that I want to be a part of.”

Who Is…Darlene Love?

The go-to-girl for Phil Spector – along with her high school buddies The Blossoms - who sung for many pop/R&B acts in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s; sung leads to “He’s a Rebel” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love.”

Biggest Hits: “He’s Sure the Boy I Love” (1962), “Zip-a-dee Doo Dah” (1962), “He’s a Rebel” (1962) Highest-Charted Single in U.S.: “He’s a Rebel” (1962); #1 Best-Selling Album: A Christmas Gift for You (1963) On the Hall of Fame good news: “It’s wonderful. I always say, ‘Everything in its own time.’ This has been a great year for me. Now my movie has an ending.”

Who Is…Tom Waits?

Singer-songwriter Tom Waits is an experimenter who pulls from blues, jazz, vaudeville, parlor ballads and beat poetry to create music. Waits’ voice is clearly recognizable for its unique grizzled growl, has also composed film scores and has had his songs performed by the Ramones, the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen and the Neville Brothers.

Biggest Hits: “Jersey Girl” (1980), “I Hope That I Don’t Fall in Love With You” (1973) Highest-Charted Single in U.S.: No singles charted Billboard Hot 100 Best-Selling Album: Mule Variations (1999) On the Hall of Fame good news: “I am still recovering from the news.

I never really cared about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…but now I am surprised to discover how much I do care. I’m wondering if i did something wrong?”

Who Is…Dr. John?

With a gumbo style fused with Zydeco, gritty funk, psychedelic rock and jazz, Dr. John emerged out of the ’70’s with his New Orleans R&B sound, in which he called “voodoo music,” on a collection of critically-acclaimed albums including 1968’s Gris-gris, 1972’s Dr. John’s Gumbo and 1973’s In the Right Place.

Biggest Hits: “Iko Iko” (1972), “Right Place, Wrong Time” (1973), “Such a Night” (1973) Highest-Charted Single in U.S.: “Right Place, Wrong Time” (1970); #9 Best-Selling Album: In the Right Place (1973) On the Hall of Fame good news: “I feel great. Does that mean I’m going to get duct-taped to the walls at the Hall of Fame?”

comebacks of 2010

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ne of the most surprising elements of 2010 was the list of comebacks from acts with troubled careers. We’ve compiled the perfect list of stars that made the grade...and who simply underperformed in their quest towards renewed fame.

EMINEM ‘nem lived up to the album title of his 2010 disc, Recovery. now sober, the rap star ushered back into the Top 40 spotlight in a very big way, particularly with the no. 1 summer smash “Love the Way You Lie.” At the end of the year, eminem racked up ten Grammy nominations.

EL DEBARGE el DeBarge proved he still had the voice. His beloved return to the stage came with decent R&B singles, amazing performances on several award shows and lots of PR power.

2011 revealed he still had substance abuse problems, but 2010 was a marvelous year for the falsetto legend.

HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS

On the 25th anniversary of “Back to the Future,” Huey Lewis & the news made headlines again with their new album in over nine years. This time, it’s a covers’ album celebrating the stax vault. Released independently and mostly ignored by the immediate public, Lewis still managed to get some rave reviews out of the process and some major chart placements at u.s. indie (no. 15) and R&B (no. 18). Pretty good for an indie.

PHIL COLLINS still recovering from neck surgery and still suffering from hearing loss, Phil Collins - out of the blue - returned to the studio to document his first major attempt at a covers’ album. He revisits the golden empire of Motown on Going Back, brought along the remainder of the Funk Brothers and produces one of his best albums to date. Yahoo! called it “the comeback of 2010." seeing how far Collins has come, it makes sense for them to make that assessment.

CHRIS BROWN

After a number of Twitter apologies and completing his community service after his assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna, Brown took a few steps back (i.e. ranting at big-wig retail like Walmart, radio for Graffiti’s record sales). But Brown, a man of many talents, would resurrect once again. With a teary-eyed Michael Jackson tribute on the BeT Music Awards and a mixtape lifesaver (“Deuces”), Brown entered into 2011 with his head up. unfortunately, 2011 had even more troubles awaiting him.

R. KELLY untitled was an experiment gone wrong. it was a radical launch into superfreak territory. What Kelz needed was a respectable return to classy ballads with an occasional drift into “Bump ‘n Grind.” instead he goes totally retro on an album (Love Letter) that left most hungrier for the old Kelz.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA A tour cancellation, poor record sales, an unexpected divorce, a motion picture debut in a movie about an upscale posh strip club starring Cher. 2010 just wasn’t a great year for Xtina.

JONAS BROTHERS The good ol’ prettyboys of Disney discovered they were at the end of their rope in 2010. solo albums went unnoticed, a 3D bio-pic tanked and Disney decided to put the breaks on their cable show. it just wasn’t a good year to be a Jonas Brother.

BRET MICHAELS it seemed at first that Poison frontman Bret Michaels was on the right road to recovery.

His fight with substance abuse, his health scare and emergency surgery due to a scary brain hemorrhage clearly gave him the loads of sympathy, but his grassroots campaign to get on American idol and his shameful 2010 album release proved to be a really low blow.

DIDDY it’s been almost a decade since Puff Daddy, Puffy or P Diddy was something serious to the music world. Along with his countless 2010 appearances on the American Music Awards and American idol, the endless new artist discoveries being ditched to the side like yesterday’s hookers is beginning to feel like an act of desperation.

QUINCY JONES initially, we all thought the “We Are the World” remake was the beginning of the Apoca12

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lypse. We had no idea that the all-star Q:Bossa nostra album would leave us all feeling the end of the world was already here.

HIFIDELITY THE WINNERS

Below is a short list of the winners at the Grammys.

EGG-CELLENT ENTRANCE Lady Gaga stuns the Grammy crowd with creative egg-xperiment during her live performance of “Born This Way” at the staples Center in Los Angeles.

Great Grammys

Arcade Fire takes home the big win; Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga and John Legend & the Roots are next in line

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lthough rock music faltered in grabbing the attention of top 40 radio and with only one best-selling single from train in 2010, the crowning title for album of the year at the 53rd annual grammy awards, held on February 13, went to indie rock band arcade Fire for their breakthrough LP the surburbs. train also won a grammy for best Pop Performance by a duo or group for a live version of “hey, soul sister.” the black Keys won two trophies, even beating arcade Fire in the best rock Performance and best alternative Music album categories. the evening’s surprising upset went to jazz vocalist Esperanza spalding, who beat out other competitors Justin bieber, drake, Florence + the Machine and in the category for best new artist.

Country trio Lady antebellum took home the most awards with four wins. Lady gaga, bebe & CeCe Winans and John Legend & the roots also won multiple awards. While Eminem lead the list with the most nominations, he managed to take home two trophies. the big performances from Lady gaga (arriving to the show in an egg), the moving tribute to Lady of soul aretha Franklin and the ‘In Memoriam’ appearance featuring rolling stones’ frontman Mick Jagger proved to be exactly what the people wanted. the show’s ratings fared much better than before, with a 10-year high of 26.6 million viewers. all the big wins also added buzz on the billboard charts for a number of artists including Cee Lo green (who’s performance of “F**k you (Forget you)” with gwyneth Paltrow pushed the single back into the top 10). the Mumford & sons’ performance with rock legend bob dylan also boosted unit sales for the u.K. folk band’s debut LP, sigh no More, with 133,000 copies - a 169 percent increase. despite the big ratings and the evening’s spectacular performances, the grammys faced some levels of scrunity after the show ended.

Justin bieber fans hacked Esperanza spalding’s Wikipedia page and former music industry exec steve stoute purchased a $40,000 full-page ad in the new york times to attack the academy for being out of touch with pop culture and failing to recognize more youthful acts. he felt that that Justin bieber and Eminem were robbed of the big wins.

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“2011 Grammy Awards: Official Grammy Results”

record of the year “need you now” - Lady antebellum album of the year the suburbs - arcade Fire song of the year “need you now” - Lady antebellum best new artist Esperanza spalding best Female Pop Vocal Performance “bad romance” - Lady gaga best Male Pop Vocal Performance “Just the Way you are” - bruno Mars best Pop Performance by a duo or group with Vocals “hey, soul sister” (Live) - train best Pop Collaboration with Vocals “Imagine” - herbie hancock, P!nk, India.aire, seal, Konono nº1, Jeff beck & oumou oumou sangaré best Pop Vocal album the Fame Monster - Lady gaga best dance recording “only girl (In the World)” - rihanna best Electronic/dance album La roux - La roux best traditional Pop Vocal album Crazy Love - Michael bublé best rock Performance by a duo or group with Vocals “tighten up” - the black Keys best rock song “angry World” - neil young best alternative Music album brothers - the black Keys best Female r&b Vocal Performance “bittersweet” - Fantasia best Male r&b Vocal Performance “there goes My baby” - usher best r&b Performance by a duo or group with Vocals “soldier of Love” - sade best traditional r&b Vocal Performance “hand on in there” - John Legend & the roots best urban/alternative Performance “F**k you!” - Cee Lo green best r&b song “shine” - John Legend & the roots best r&b album Wake up! - John Legend & the roots best rap solo Performance “not afraid” - Eminem best rap Performance by a duo or group “on to the next one” - Jay-Z & swizz beats best rap song “Empire state of Mind” - Jay-Z & alicia Keys best rap album recovery - Eminem best Female Country Vocal Performance “the houst that built Me” - Miranda Lambert best Male Country Vocal Performance “til summer Comes around” - Keith urban best Country Performance by a duo or group with Vocals “need you now” - Lady antebellum best gospel Performance “grace” - bebe & CeCe Winans best americana album you are not alone - Mavis staples

AFTER REVOLUTIONIZING THE RHYTHMIC GENRE AND MONTHS OF OVERSATURATION, ACTIVISION IS SAYING

‘GAME OVER’

TO ‘GUITAR HERO’

BY J MATTHEW COBB

G

uitar Hero, one of the most celebrated rhythm game pastimes has received what most gamers dreaded but expected was coming: an expiration date. On February 9, it was announced by Activision Blizzard Inc. That they have indefinitely suspended all developments on the franchise.

Although the popular genre of rhythm games go back to 1998 with the introduction of Parappa the Rapper on the Playstation, Activision’s Guitar Hero - which made its debut in 2005 - offered home consoles the luxury of the arcade experience and breathed new life into the gaming genre.

As the brand expanded, so did the options and so did the instruments.

When 2008's Guitar Hero: World Tour landed on the market, players could now create the ultimate party with its new band peripherals of the wireless guitar, drums kit and microphone with an inner hunger for karaoke.

In the seven years of Guitar Hero’s lifespan, the game has had an enormous effect on pop culture by opening genres to other communities, providing music education to children, opening up the age bracket for games to older audiences and spreading the wealth of music across all aisles of race and nationality.

For the artists who contributed to its

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success, their music sales spiked. For persons without an inch of musical talent, their esteem was lifted, even establishing an unbreakable connection with the rock stars they’ve idolized. "An addictive videogame provides the illusion of musical mastery for even the least gifted,” said Entertainment Weekly in their end-of-the-decade “best-of” list for Guitar Hero 5. “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Tap, tap, tap.”

At its height, party nights were encouraged allowing Xbox, Playstation and Wii owners the privilege to rock out in their customizable fantasy bands.

As the recession of the late 2000's maximized, the demand for rhythm games and their spin-offs seemed to weane from popularity. At its zenith in 2008, the genre made a profit of $1.4 billion.

In 2009, that number dropped to $700 million, even with the market now flooded with similar competition and GH’s expansion packs. Former Neversoft project director Brian Bright stated that in 2009, GH was responsible for producing three games that year while also supporting the development of two additional games.

Kelly Sumner, former CEO of original GH publisher RedOctane, opened up about the franchise’s shutdown. “Not every game can be a billion dollar franchise, but maybe that's what Activision

wants," said Sumner, in response to Activision’s $99.9 million purchase of the franchise back in 2006. "There's no reason why Guitar Hero cannot continue.

It's a great product. My gut tells me there is still a significant market for Guitar Hero." Sumner even referenced Grand Theft Auto as a smart, reliable franchise that Activision should have followed closely. "Look at how TakeTwo has handled ‘Grand Theft Auto’.

"They haven't thrown products out there. They've nurtured it for over ten years and it is still a strong franchise."

To me, this is what separates a franchise from being "successful" to "great."

With the announcement of Activision pulling the plug on their Guitar Hero series, fans of the rhythmic genre worry if Harmonix will eventually do the same with Rock Band. Some are even worried if downloadable content will eventually cease to exist. In a despairing commentary on the Activision announcement, Gieson Cacho of A+E Interactive stated he “imagine that that most of these music games and their peripherals will end up in a dump somewhere.” He adds, “It may not be as big or as monolithic as the E.T. burial ground in New Mexico but it’s just as damaging to gamers’ psyche. Nineteen eighty-three, the year Atari fell, is still a boogeyman, spooking players on mes-

sage boards. There’s always an irrational fear lurking about the next big crash or a “Seduction of the Innocent” moment in the industry.”

‘Rock Band’ developers announced on Friday, February 11 that their company will continue the series using downloadable content, despite the “discouraging news” of Guitar Hero’s demise.

The developer will still release new songs for the series, and will continue as planned to release the Fender Squier Stratrocaster Guitar controller. As a sign of relief, John Drake of Harmonix also noted that most Guitar Hero peripherals will work on Rock Band, if gamers want to switch over.

The bad news on Guitar Hero’s fate has troubled many basement rockstars, but optimism on the genre still lingers in the air. "Music games, rhythm games, have been around since sticks and logs," said Stephen Jacobs, associate professor of interactive games and media at Rochester Institute of Technology. "(They) are not going away by any stretch of the imagination. But like with many 'new' games, when you are lucky in the industry you hit a chord, you hit a moment, and you are the thing. And that moment generally only lasts for a brief moment in time."

Meanwhile, karaoke bars, at-home party dens and online fantasy bands are still hoping to keep Guitar Hero’s memory alive. Some analysts predict that, after a little timeout, ‘Guitar Hero’ just might be resurrected. According to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, he’s keeping his fingers crossed. Kotick said that while music games weren't making much money right now, Activision might one day consider bringing the brand back, maybe even “re-inventing” it. It won’t be the first time a defunct gaming title has rose from the dead.

GUITAR HERO TIMELINE In five years, ‘guitar hero’ gave us plenty to rock to

2005

Video gaming controller maker redoctane and video game developer harmonix team up to produce a guitarFreaks-like game, a popular arcade game highly popular in Japan, into the Western markets. the game, packaged with a guitar-shaped controller resembling the gibson sg, was marketed to the Playstation 2 and became a surprise hit.

2006

In november, a sequel is released (guitar hero II); adding new game modes and note-chord combinations. the first wireless guitar controller is offered to the Ps2. the Xbox 360 version was released in april a year later with additional content not available on the Ps2 version. the bundled version of the games included a replica of a cherry red gibson sg (Ps2) and a gibson X-Plorer (Xbox 360). redoctane and activision’s work relationship with original artists and various instrument designers and equipment companies grow tighter.

MtV networks purchases harmonix and redoctane is acquired by activision for $100 million. neversoft is summoned to handle additional gh titles while expanding to other gaming console markets including nintendo ds.

2007

In July, guitar hero Encore: rock the 80's is released for Ps2. released in october, guitar hero: Legends of rock is the first installment in the series to focus on wireless guitars.

Legendary rock guitarists slash and tom Morello are playable characters. harmonix moves on to develop rock band; expanding on the gameplay with the inclusion of drums and microphone instruments.

2008

‘GUITAR HERO’ PLAYLIST

songs you either need to play on guitar hero... or download to your iPod. Message In a bottle - the Police do you Feel Like We do (Live) - Peter Frampton sultans of swing - dire straits shiver - Coldplay When you Were young - the Killers barracuda - heart bad reputation - Joan Jett Crazy train - ozzy osbourne are you gonna go My Way - Lenny Kravitz do It again - steely dan Livin’ on a Prayer - bon Jovi go your own Way - Fleetwood Mac no sleep ‘til brooklyn - beastie boys smells Like teen spirit - nirvana

In June, guitar hero launches first band-related title with guitar hero: aerosmith. the game bundle included a model version of the gibson Les Paul guitar with an aerosmith faceplate. Members of the band, including steven tyler and Joe Perry, performed motion capture in order to create their digital likeness for the game.

contains guitar hero III’s gameplay. scrutiny from the american society of Composers, authors and Publishers (asCaP) marred the console’s success after citing the arcade game was equivalent to “public performances.” guitar hero: Metallica was released in March 2009. since March 2010, the game has sold 1.5 million copies worldwide, with approximately 1 million units sold in north america. the extra “Expert+” difficulty level allowed drummers to use a second bass drum pedal to match the rapid drumming technique of Metallica’s Lars ulrich.

In June, guitar hero: smash hits focuses on some of fan’s favorite tracks from previous games. unlike the previous versions, each song is replaced by master recordings of the original artists along with some live recorded tracks.

2010

In september, guitar hero 5 was released; featuring a total of 85 songs from 83 different artists. a new ‘Party Mode’ allows players to jump in and out of gameplay without being penalized. Johnny Cash, Matt bellamy, Carlos santana, Kurt Cobian and shirley Manson are playable characters in the game.

In october, gh spin-off dJ hero - developed by Freestylegames and published by activision - appeared on the market. With a rotating turntable as the game’s primary controller, the game focuses on hip-hop and dance/electronica and over 94 remixes of two different songs from a wide selection of over 100 different songs. dJ shadow, J Period, dJ Jazzy Jeff, grandmaster Flash and daft Punk are playable characters in the game.

In november, band hero is released. the new spinoff focuses on pop music and other musical styles traditionally ignored in guitar hero - including funk, new Wave, r&b, country and disco. the game features 65 songs and allows taylor swift, adam Levine (Maroon 5) and the band no doubt as playable characters.

released publicly in december, guitar hero: Van halen included 25 songs from Van halen and included 19 guest acts such as Queen, Foo Fighters and Weezer. those who pre-ordered guitar hero 5 received a special promotion to get Van halen before the release date.

after rock band expands gameplay to include additional peripherals, guitar hero launches guitar hero: In september, guitar hero: Warriors of rock is released. the World tour; applying similar strategies and options. game is a return-to-roots product that focuses its purpose on a large number of real-life musicians are playable the earlier games. although full band play is allowed, the game characters in World tour, including the late Jimi focuses on difficult heavy metal and guitar “shredding” rather hendrix, billy Corgan, hayley Williams (of than the mainstream rock of World tour. gene simmons narParamore), Zakk Wylde, ted nugent, sting, travis rates the game’s “Quest Mode.” barker and ozzy osbourne. Except for hendrix, each musician lent their likeness to the set and perIn october, dJ hero 2 expanded on the world of its predecessor formed motion capture to be used in the character’s with additional gameplay modes, head-to-head dJ battles and a animations.

Party Play mode similar to guitar hero. songs included music from Kanye West, dr. dre, Lady gaga, rihanna, david guetta, 2009 tiesto and Kelis. david guetta and deadmau5 are among the Konami and activision partnered to design guitar playable stars in the game. hero arcade. distributed to arcades, the game

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?

James Murphy is calling it quits for LCD Soundsystem, so what’s next for the electronica king?

BY J MATTHEW COBB

N CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW ALREADY: LCD SOUNDSYSTEM IS A band. On the road, James Murphy takes his entourage of seven - including Nancy Whang, Pat Mahoney, Tyler Pope and Gavin Russom - with him to recreate his in-studio experiments with unbelievable proportions. The boombastic electrons coming from their intergalactic arrangements, Atari bleeps and percussive drumming have wowed crowds globally since they decided to take on an exhaustive year-long, 113 date tour for most

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of 2010. That is because, on the record, LCD Soundsystem is bowing out gracefully - closing on a high-note. According to Murphy, the fat lady is getting ready to sing her first note after a decade of releasing interesting dance music. He is now looking to the next frontier, wherever that is. But there may be a silver lining in the clouds regarding the band’s fate. After critics worldwide from Rolling Stone to The Guardian exalted This Is Happening, LCD Soundsystem’s third and purportedly final album, as one of 2010's top releases, the final question everyone’s raising isn’t really “when’s the end.”

Instead it’s “what’s coming up next?” ewind back to June 11, 2010 at Bonnaroo; a month after the release of This Is Happening. The band takes the stage around 9:15 p.m. and rocks through songs like “Us Vs. Them” and “Pow Pow.” The band’s energy could be summed up to a dance-electronic alternative of the Flaming Lips. The crowd gets hyped as if they were the guests at a super electro-fueled Studio 54. With Murphy working the stage, sweating profusely in the God-forsaken 100 degree heat, the crowd’s participation went from wild to wacky in a matter of minutes. While performing “I Can Change,” a naked man is seen charging towards the stage. Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, facing the sound stage to witness LCD in action, tries to pin the guy down.

Thankfully, Coyne is relieved when security guards whisks the drunken lad away at last.

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“For those of you who can't see what’s going on here on-stage,” said Murphy, “shit just got weird.”

Their appearance at Bonnaroo was just the beginning of their long expansive roadtrip, now including major festivals stops at Chicago’s Pitchfork and in a cluster of international destinations in the UK, Spain and Australia.

But the grueling regimen of touring is becoming less attractive to Murphy. So is recording. “I’m not having a nervous breakdown or a coke problem,” Mur-

phy, 40, said in a interview with SPIN Magazine in January. “I’m not feeling oppressed by my bandmates, my ego isn’t driving me to make a solo record.

I’m not forming a supergroup with the guitarist from some band I share a drug dealer with. The idea of mixing punk and dance music was like an explosion in my head, and three albums feels like the natural arc for that.” urphy stepped out of anonymity after working as a DJ and throwing parties. Meanwhile, he’s creating his own mixes - a creative response to the boring music already existing in music clubs - with his own custom-made mixes and feels the need to showcase his inspirations. This is how “Losing My Edge,” Murphy’s very first single with LCD Soundsystem, emerged. In it, Murphy explores his paranoiac frustrations with his competition and those that profit off of others’ successes (“I’m losing my edge/The kids are coming up from behind”). And then out of nowhere, Murphy goes through a shopping list of musical giants in his vinyl collectionincluding Lou Reed, the Fania AllStars, Todd Terry, the Bar-Kays, A-ha and Gil Scott-Heron using the gusto of an endless rant. Since then, Murphy has had to downplay that paranoia after critics unanimously celebrated his style of punk electronica on LCD’s debut self-titled LP. “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House,” one of the album’s singles, is a tongue-in-cheek homage to the popular electro-house duo. Using fear to fight fear, he wounds up celebrating his competition and experiencing even greater success.

The single was featured in a number of video games and even earned a Grammy nod for Best Dance Recording.

2010 was a very good year for LCD Soundsystem, whose album This Is Happening debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on the Dance/Electronic chart survey; dethroning Lady Gaga’s The Fame from the top spot. Towards the final days of 2010, their album continued its reign on the Dance/Electronic charts; un-

M

veiling its mainstay power and dominance when the album climbed 14-6.

With a popular Spike Jonze-codirected music video for their kick-off single “Drunk Girls” and a sensational buzz developing over danceaholic gems like “Dance Yrself Clean” and “I Can Change,” the record went on to sell well over 100,000 copies. When asked what kind of music LCD Soundsystem makes, Murphy laughs and responds by saying, “You know, Top 40.” ctober 15, 2010 was initially marked as the band’s final date. And there they were at the Hollywood Bowl on the band’s expiration date, playing before a crowd of 14,000. “We started playing ‘Home’ at soundcheck, and I got chills,” Murphy recalls in SPIN. “There’s a sense of responsibility when you’re playing to that many people, but it didn’t feel overwhelming; it felt like a gift.”

In May 2010, Murphy did elaborate with Zane Lowe of UK’s Sooner about life after LCD. “More DFA, more production, more remixes, more deejaying, more gear design, more surfing.,” he says. “There’s so many opportunities to work with artists that I’m interested and have a lot of respect for that I just couldn’t do. Now I’m just eager to try and do new things.”

Towards the end, LCD Soundsystem didn’t show many signs of a climatic breakup in the forecast. Despite writing a protest anthem directed at their record label on “You Wanted a Hit” (“You say you wanted a hit/Well maybe we don’t do hits”), LCD’s distributor, Capitol Records, released a live-in-studio collection called The London Sessions in early November.

Tour dates continued to fill their concert calendar, until their farewell stint at Madison Square Garden on April 2.

For sure, they don’t do pop hits, even though their albums grazed the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. And sure, synthpop is the craving of the hour, even though LCD’s synthpop isn’t necessarily poppy. But it’s quite obvious that the game is far from over for Murphy & Company. Meanwhile, we are left wondering...what happens next.

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Son

of a Preacherman How a preacher’s kid found his calling in R&B and wound up touring with Adam Levine’s rock band without losing his soul

By J Matthew Cobb f you’ve gazed deeply into the background of a Maroon 5 show lately, you may have noticed a stark difference. Other than drummer Matt Flynn, the newest recruit added to the California-based rock/pop band line-up replacing an injured Ryan Dusick, they’ve got someone else on board. He’s black, wears Buddy Holly glasses and usually wears when dressing casual - some form of plaid or something that came off the racks of Hot Topic. PJ Morton’s not your ordinary cat. One look at him and you’re probably thinking he doesn’t even belong in a set of cool California hippie rockstars like Maroon 5, but once again that’s where the eyes deceive you. Right

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now he’s the most misunderstood cast member of the group, but his hard work and voluminous resume gives him an advantage - enough addendums to remedy him from those premature assumptions.

Over the years, the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/producer has released five independently-released albums using the kind of soul music Stevie Wonder would’ve played with on Songs In the Key of Life. Beyond that, he’s written and produced for some of the best in R&B and gospel, including India.Aire, Musiq Soulchild and Kierra Sheard. And in the gospel market, he’s been the recipient of of several Dove and Stellar Awards, even garnering the

coveted Song of the Year at the Stellars for his DeWayne Woods’ gospel radio smash “Let Go, Let God.” Paul Morton, Jr. was born into a family of preachers; planted in the rich, diverse culture of New Orleans. His father, Paul S. Morton unquestionably one of the most influential preachers of the last thirty years and the presiding principal over a league of churches known as the Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship is a gospel singer who has recorded with some of the greats in gospel music: Thomas Whitfield, Shirley Caesar, BeBe Winans, Kurt Carr, even the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.

Even in a house filled with lots of gospel music, PJ had no problem picking up on the music of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, James Taylor and the Beatles; all music entities he says shaped his musical being. Now a handful of mixtapes and indie releases deep into Morton’s solo catalogue, his most latest treasure of original songs found on Walk Alone brings together everything he knows and loves musically into one warm cohesive collection. Smooth adult contemporary soul, folksy pop, AM soft rock, funky youthful R&B and his Daddy’s gospel all make up the totality of Morton’s most recent solo record. “This record is the first record I’ve done that kinda touches all of me,” Morton recounts, while stooped comfortably in a plush chair backstage before a Sunday evening show at Birmingham, Alabama’s WorkPlay Theater. “Like on my album Perfect Song, I went straight pop - straight Beatles. But this is really a combination of everything.” Without any major label support, the album was fortunate enough to earn a resting place at No. 55 on Billboard’s R&B Album charts. It’s Morton’s highest performed LP to date and it’s an accomplishment that he’s most thankful for. n 2009, Morton’s public profile raised a bit when CNN interviewed him during a segment of

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CRAnK uP THe ORGAn: Morton works the keys onstage at L.A.’s Greek Theater for Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.

“Faces of Faith.” CNN News correspondent T.J. Holmes addressed the war of “secular vs. sacred” music and put Morton, author of his self-published book, “Why Can’t I Sing About Love?,” directly in the middle of the age old debate. Morton’s decision to sing love songs created major conflict amongst staunch conservatives believing it’s unfit to do both. One of the outspoken skeptics challenging Morton’s career decisions, on-air, was gospel recording artist Tye Tribbett. Recounting the Scripture found in Matthew 6, Tribbett said that no man can serve two masters. “You gotta love one and hate the other,” Tribbett, once a former R&B artist, recalls. “At some point you’re not going to be comfortable doing both and I couldn’t.”

Gospel media, particularly the blogs, prematurely spun the debate as being a gospel beef war. If it had been mainstream, it would have had the ripple effects of Nas versus JayZ. Pivotal and paramount indeed.

Morton tried to clear the air by posting a personal video on his YouTube channel addressing the critics, while also responding to Tye Tribbett’s response. Still, it wasn’t enough to mitigate the fires on the blogs and to silence the noise coming from rancored naysayers. Although the beef is now considered

old news, Morton has moved on from the whole episode and doesn’t even think about the Tye vs. PJ showdown. “We haven’t really talked it all the way out, not really,” he says. “But there’s no beef in it all.

Tye and I have been friends for years. On this, we just disagree. I’m kinda done with it.”

Months after the heavy profiled CNN segment, Tribbett experienced a media bombshell of his own, when he was now the subject of scrutiny after his private laundry made headlines on blogs and message boards over an extramarital affair; something he kept secret from the public until it came time to promote Fresh, his first solo album without his longtime background choir Greater Anointing. orton fully understands the paradoxical nature of some Christians and believes traditions of ole hinders the progress of true understanding, and from an artistic perspective, a person’s freedom. “I believe the mind is a very strong thing, but it’s mostly about tradition. You know, the Bible says faith comes by hearing. And that’s not only [CONTINUED ON PG. 44]

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ebony and

IVORY

THE RECENT PASSING OF TEENA MARIE LEFT A GAPPING HOLE IN THE WORLD OF R&B, BUT AS ONE OF THE genre’s most celebrated post-racial artists, her legacy IS SURE TO endure

By Ray Mark Rinaldi 22

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t's hard to understand now just how far ahead of her time the R&B artist Teena Marie was back in the day.

It's not just that she was laying down radio-friendly raps years before any other woman, or that this white girl who sang soul — sang it — was a postracial icon decades before we began taking that term seriously.

Marie was the rare woman in charge of her material. For much of her career, which took off in 1979, she wrote, produced and performed her own records, a feat few female musicians, and only those of some renown like Joni Mitchell, were able to pull off at the time. Record labels and radio stations and the men who ran them controlled nearly everything then.

Teena Marie — funkster, crooner, Christian, pioneer and, lately, obsessive Tweeter — had mostly faded from the spotlight by the time she died Dec. 26 at the age of 54. But no doubt, she laid down the grooves (her word) that a certain breed of female pop star has channeled since. It was because Marie was talking "Square Biz," platinum-style, in the early '80s, that gals like Gaga or Ke$ha, can speak a verse and not get laughed out of the music business today.

For sure, Marie proved versatile over the decades. Belting Philly-style on "Fire & Desire" with Rick James; cooing through "Ooo La La La"; pumping up the disco for "Behind the Groove"; rocking out with her guitar on "Lovergirl."

But there was a visceral sameness there, and it was soul. Black soul.

Sweaty, unembarrassed, plaintive, melismatic, obvious and romantic. So black that she released her first album on Motown's Gordy label. So black that her last album included the song "Black Cool," written for President Barack Obama. "I'm a black artist with white skin," she once said.

And her era welcomed it. In the same decade when Madonna was writhing around in lingerie, Teena Marie was reinventing blue-eyed soul. Sexual and self-determined, she could be raw like Teddy Pendergrass, unafraid like Patti LaBelle, outrageous like Prince. She was butch and bold in her swagger, as much brothah as sistah, really.

Marie was aware of the identity conflicts and used them to make art. From

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1981's "Square Biz," a No. 3 song on Billboard's Black Singles chart:

"I've been called Casper, Shorty, Lil' Bit And some they call me Vanilla Child/ But you know that don't mean my world to me, 'Cause baby, names can't cramp my style."

How does a girl who was born Mary Christine Brockert, raised in Santa Monica, Calif., and once reportedly starred in a high school production of "The Music Man," transcend race without offending everyone?

In Marie's case, it may have been about honoring the source material and representing it in bits and pieces.

In the same song, she points out:

"You know I love spirituals and rock/ Sarah Vaughan, Johann Sebastian Bach/Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni just to name a few."

Later, she added to that list of influences. Bob Marley, John Lennon, Jesus Christ, Lauryn Hill, Chaka Kahn, Stevie Wonder, Aaliyah and Mitchell herself all got credit in 2004's "Makavelli Never Lied." You could hear each of them in either the words or the beats.

There are major biographical notes that define Teena Marie's career. That first mysterious album in 1979, which spawned the hit "I'm a Sucker for Your Love" but failed to present a photo of its singer; a trick meant to hide her race from African-American record buyers.

There was her successful suit against Motown three years later, a move that got her out of a restrictive contract and established the Brockert Initiative, a precedent that still keeps controlling labels in check.

There was the notorious affair with James. There was that big-time move to Epic records, which resulted in her grandest hit, "Lovergirl." There was that late career comeback on popular hiphop label Cash Money records, which restored her earthy cred. There was a daughter, Alia Rose, now 19, whom she doted over.

But Marie's star had limits, and there are reasons for that. Career- wise, she always seemed to be winging it, and she indulged herself in a style of vocal

histrionics that turned off some listeners. Her emphatic and unrelenting sincerity could be cloying.

White audiences came and went. She was never a media darling or Grammy winner. And while black radio and audiences embraced her, she wasn't quite the "Ivory Queen of Soul" the week's obits trumpeted her as.

That fickle following was reflected in the way her music charted. Her breakthrough LP, Wild and Peaceful went to 18 on the Black Albums chart, but barely broke the top 100 on the broader (and whiter) Albums chart. Conversely, "Lovergirl" made it to No. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. But the album that spawned it, Starchild, reached only No. 9 on the Black Albums chart. Whose Teena Marie was she?

The answer: She was her own. She ran the show, the music, the image, all of it.

Late in her career, like a lot of musicians, social networking allowed her to free herself of media gatekeepers and reach fans directly. She did that frantically, freely handing out her likes and loves. She posted 30 times alone on Dec. 23.

Of course, a smattering of late-career Tweets doesn't say it all. They don't note that she was laying the groundwork for hip-hop years before Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifah or Salt-N-Pepa made their splash, more than a decade before Missy Elliot got any respect.

But they do add a personal touch to the story. In the posts leading up to her last one on Christmas Day, Marie offers props to the Temptations, the Dells, Sarah Vaughan.

Her 140-character messages offered a pass into another world, an old-school world. Teena Marie's world.

RAY MARK RINALDI is the A&R editor for the Denver Post. Reprinted with permission.

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T’S NEVER EASY PIECING together “end-of-the year” lists like this. Personal favorites are usually first to get cut from the final ballot and best sellers are usually next in line on the chopping block. But we feel we’ve done a decent job with our list. There’s the occasional snacks and binge-craving fast food (for those who can’t get enough of the easy-and-accessible stuff) and then there’s the handful of LPs with the guiltless organic touch. In the end, we feel our list kinda covers it all. But of course, these things are never really perfect.

In our world, we will pretend it is.

INCOGNITO Transatlantic RPM British acid jazz architect Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and Co. made every attempt to flicker their starlight across the Atlantic on their 30th anniversary record. Squeezing in Chaka Khan and Italian singer Mario Biondi on a delicious cover of Boz Scaggs’ “Lowdown” may be Transatlantic RPM’s guilty pleasure but the wonderfully written soul homage “1975" and powerful performances from Maysa, Leon Ware and Tortured Soul’s John Christian-Urich prove to be pretty tough to ignore. There’s many nostalgia moments Incognito thimbles through like Stevie Wonder, Roy Ayers and Steely Dan’s Aja - but bands with thirty years behind them have a hard time sounding this good.

GORILLAZ Plastic Beach Like a burning bush moment, Damon Albarn’s amalgam universe of cartoon fantasy makes more sense in today’s decaying music world.

The illusionary band returns with their brand of alternative hip-hop while creating a rock-pop adventure fueled with sensible protest and metamorphic teachings dealing with the disparity of civilization as we know it. Snoop Dogg enters the vortex of Gil Scott-Heron, Lou Reed plays the role of the wise sensei and a gutsy Bobby Womack uses his ad-libs to assert the “electricity is love” motif. With two great records behind them, Plastic Beach definitely stands out as Gorillaz’ magnum opus.

MARVIN SAPP Here I Am A year after his crossover hit “Never Would Have Made It” sprung to the R&B charts, gospel singer Marvin Sapp found himself once again dominating headlines. This time, Here I Am, proved to be just as incredible as the gold-certified Thirsty. With yet another introspective crossover hit on his sleeve (“The Best In Me”) and lots more joyful contemporary grooves in place (“Keep Holding On,” “Wait”), Sapp seemed right at home with his latest soundtrack for a funky Sunday morning.

SADE Soldier of Love It’s still a mystery that the English band Sade, led by the beautiful Helen Sadu, could take a ten year break and entered back into the studio without losing momentum. In fact, Soldier of Love, on the surface, feels like session work abstracted from Lovers Rock. There is a variegated symphonic presence resinating throughout all of its offerings, from the easy “Babyfather” to the dark, hypnotic beats that seems to simulate a more militant version of Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” on the title track. Sade is more vibrant, more aggressive than usual - as if Adu and her three-piece band discovered some fountain of youth during their absence.

SHERYL CROW 100 Miles from Memphis Missouri native lays aside most of her countryfolk reputation and recalls the blues and soul of the neighboring Memphis on 100 Miles From Memphis. To her hardcore fans, it was a complete 180 of what she was used to. Here she brings in Keith Richards on an Al Green-inspired “Eye to Eye,” revives Terence Trent D’Arby’s “Sign Your Name” with Justin Timberlake on background and sings of content serenity on “Long Road Home.” As unsual as it seems, Crow’s newfound love for Beale Street blues, Stax 45's, sunny ‘70's AM rock and Hi Records’ attitude proved to be a welcoming trend for the singer-songwriter.

BIG BOI Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty If this had been an OutKast record, sales may have been threw the roof. Certainly Big Boi’s relevance in the rap game is paramount, but it seems as if audiences failed to appreciate him on his own. Even without Andre 3000's involvement (ultimately tied up in boardroom politics), Big Boi’s debut solo effort is a funky rap fest with straight-in-your-face attitude, street smarts and loads of crunk guests like Gucci Mane, Yelawolf, T.I., B.o.B and funk god George Clinton. And to know he did it all without a The Love Below second-half seems incomprehensible.

MUMFORD & SONS Sigh No More This newbie folk-country band from the UK pulls off some kick-ass Americana on their debut album, so much so that it seems they’re perfect for an Appalachian hoedown Banjoist Winston Marshall yields his instrument with the brazenness of a rowdy electric guitarist and their harmonies are tight as a barbershop quartet. Hard to believe that lead vocalist Marcus Mumford and his three country fried sidekicks, on their first LP, carve out an album that’s this sensible and embuic.

BROKEN BELLS Broken Bells After experiencing success with Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz and the Black Keys, producer Danger Mouse is constantly revealing to be one of the biggest music makers to be reckoned with. He teams up with the Shins’ frontman James Mercer for a joint effort that’s just as lucrative as St. Elsewhere and the Shins’ Garden State. Using songs like “Citizen,” “The Ghost Inside” and “Vaporize,” the twosome create a blistering hyperbolic stew of alternative indie rock and psychedelic pop that equally celebrates their points.

RAHEEM DEVAUGHN The Love & War MasterPeace Radio Rah consistently proves, even with a lavish marketing budget, to be the one of the hardest working professionals in the R&B business.

Using both Marvin Gaye’s love and war personalities (see What’s Going On and Let’s Get It On), DeVaughn tries his best to work both dimensions into one record. Usually with these kind of circumstances, the results would be ambitious but sloppy, but DeVaughn makes good use of the moments with Gaye-inspired swooning (“Garden of Love”), Curtis Mayfield preachiness (“Bulletproof”) and, of course, lots of luxurious sex appeal (“My Wife”). The bonus Deluxe Edition, featuring the Prince-esque “Hopeless Romantic,” makes it even harder for one to resist this kind of soul.

BEACH HOUSE Teen Dream Hazy, psychidelic-like pop swarms circles around Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally’s Teen Dream. With sustained ‘60's-styled organ chords, whammy guitar effects and Legrand’s relaxed vocals, this non-interruptive flow of therapeutic songs - from the opening choruses of “Zebra” to the nirvanic ballad “Walk In the Park,” to the meditative pop simplicity harnessed atop “Better Times” - proves to be so sublime.

EL DEBARGE Second Chance Call Second Chance a comeback - and a massive one at that. El DeBarge returns after a sixteen year hiatus with arguably one of the year’s best R&B albums. On Second Chance, DeBarge’s voice sounds unaffected and unchanged by the demons that once afflicted the talented singer.

BRENT FAULKNER

THE ROOTS How I Got Over If the fresh faces of late night proved one thing on their ninth set How I Got Over, they aren’t some washed-up desperados trying to find their street cred. Monolithically, Dice Raw and Black Thought carries the bulk of the lyrical burden, but the guest stars add another layer of sophistication and artfulness to the presentation. John Legend keeps the fire burning (“The Fire”) and some well-integrated rap-rock fusion sporting Monster of Folk creates a smart dub on their own hit “Dear God.” With ?uestlove’s organic productions, some trippy soul and end-time street logic, How I Got Over stands out as one of the smartest poetic deliveries in hip-hop’s modern-day almanac.

ROBERT PLANT Band of Joy As long as Robert Plant lives, he will probably be hounded with the questions concerning a Led Zeppelin reunion, but the former frontman feels comfortable in his sweet Americana flashback on Band of Joy. Buddy Miller seizes the album’s production while Plant reminisces of pre-Zeppelin glory days and even the highly overlooked Led Zeppelin III. The sweaty transport of this Sunday morning bayou soul and the covers of Richard Thompson and Los Lobos may be a bit old fashioned for Led heads, but Plant is doing music he’s yearned to create: “All money in the world can’t buy my love.” Now that’s a man on a mission.

KATY PERRY Teenage Dream It’s easy to not like Katy Perry on the surface.

She’s a cavity-giving, sugar-coated pop diva with nothing but sweet melodies and silly rhymes baked into her batch of cookies. Still, it’s everything that pop radio wants and she’s woman enough to supply it. Using the finesse of Madonna’s ‘80s records, “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream” and “Firework” all were addictive. Beyond the hits on Teenage Dream, Perry revealed a woman growing stronger in her art (“Hummingbird Heartbeat”) and unafraid to open up about her insecurities (“Who Am I Living For?,” “Pearl”).

MAMA’S GUN Routes to Riches This Brit-soul five-piece band gathers up an earful of Stevie Wonder and acoustic vibes akin to Hall & Oates on their first full-length album, Routes to Riches. The album sways from popsoul (“Chasing Down Shadows”), Maroon 5 uptempos (“Rico”) and dreamy Robin Thicke hypnotics (“Pots of Gold”) from frontman Andy Platts. When the album bows out with a fun live rendition of the Pointers’ “Yes We Can Can,” Mama’s Gun lives up to their Erykah Badu-inspired moniker using firepower loaded with blue-eyed funk.

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JAMIROQUAI Rock Dust Light Star Despite being withheld an American release date, UK acid jazz ensemble Jamoraquai - led by florid frontman Jay Kay - impressed the rest of the world with their impeccably original sonic booms from their seventh LP. The band cleverly breaks through the conventions of modern dance-pop to uncover a collection of experimental disco funk (“White Knuckle Ride,” “All Good In the Good”), dreamy soul (“Blue Skies”) and infectious rock-pop (“Hurtin’”).

ROBYN Body Talk Breaking all the rules with two EP’s and a fulllength LP done within six months, no one expected Robyn to take the crowning spot in synthpop. Body Talk mingles together five tracks from each of the EP’s while introducing five new tracks. While a bit risky, the end result felt more like a pretty good “greatest hits” album. The robotic production of Klas Ahlund, playful lyrics of “Don’t F**king Tell Me What to Do” and the progressive dance-pop of “Dancing On My Own” and “Hang With Me” proved to be some of the genre’s best of 2010. It’s like a healthy high-gloss blend of the Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga.

JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS Wake Up! One of the year's most surprising collaborative efforts help usher in the Second Coming of soulful R&B and funk using timely socio-political angst (“Compared to What,” “Wake Up Everybody”) and obscure ‘70s gems (“Hard Times,” “Humanity”); certainly strong enough to make what's old all new again.

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Radio was crammed with singles containing lots of girl power, rap-pop collaborations and electro-club locomotion. This was the year of pop; the dangerously-executed, sometimes provocative and edgy bubblegum celebrity pop. Not the innocent boy band pop of the ‘90's. Although digital singles sales only increased by 1% in 2010 (1.17 billion), compared with 2009's 1.16 billion, five singles were fortunate enough to crack the four million sales mark. Katy Perry tops the list with “California Gurls,” selling 4.40 million copies. It’s a bit off compared to 2009's No. 1 seller, the Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow,” which sold 4.76 million that year. Still, it was a very good year for Perry since three of her singles sat comfortably in the Top 40 of 2010.

EMINEM Recovery Perhaps not the very best rap album of the year, what Recovery does do is serve as a reinvention of an aging MC to make him ‘relevant’ once again. Eminem accomplishes this through and assortment of hits which include “Not Afraid” and a genuinely chilling duet with Rihanna, “Love The Way You Lie.” BF

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM This Is Happening On what is being purported to be his last album under the LCD moniker, James Murphy ups his ante using trance-like sonics and delicious punk-disco on a whirlpool of grooves like “I Can Change,” “You Wanted a Hit” and “Home.”.

When the album opens with the slow-moving grace of “Dance Yrself Clean” and finally unleashes itself using an onslaught of bass, synths and heavy percussion, you already know where the party is. This Is Happening is disco heaven, even in Gaga’s universe.

BRUNO MARS Doo-Wops & Hooligans As a gold rush hitmaker and a trusty guest vocalist on cuts anchored by B.o.B., Cee Lo and Travie McCoy, Bruno Mars certainly paved a dazzling walkway to his debut. On Doo-Wops & Hooligans, he effortlessly blends the doo-wop and pop together in one seamless fashion. Attached to a warm soothing youthful vocal, Mr. Mars blends the worlds of Jason Mraz and Michael Jackson without a trace of a whimsical gimmick in sight.

ERYKAH BADU New AmErykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh Besides exposing her super badonk on her controversial concept video for “Window Seat” and ruffling a few conservatives’ feathers, Erykah Badu left no stone unturned with the second installment in her ‘New AmErykah’ series. This time, Badu detours from the threshold of angry psychedelia from 4th World War and returns gooey soulful roots with a deeper focus on her ethos while working with analog, playing with strings, experimenting with heavier retro samples and pumping out cool beats on “Fall In Love (Your Funeral)” and “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long,” Badu made it easy to enter her America.

MAROON 5 Hands All Over If the Beatles morphed into some modern pop outfit without all the synth madness, Maroon 5 would be somewhere on that shortlist. Hands All Over, produced entirely by recluse hitmaker Robert John “Mutt” Lange, is a beautiful blend of rock and soul containing heartfelt ballads (“Just a Feeling”), retro pop gems (“I Cant Lie”) and funky R&B thrills (“Give a Little More”).

Adam Levine’s execution here is peaking and the collective songwriting is still intact. Only a band like Maroon 5 can make something so callous as “Misery” sound so good.

t

TAYLOR SWIFT Speak Now Speak Now was all the ammunition Taylor Swift needed to prove she was much more than Nashville’s Barbie doll. She penned the entire album on her own, her vocals improved drastically (even holder notes longer than before) and she’s playing with broodier and more sophisticated arrangements than her usual countrypop. Of course, she’s still hip to writing about her latest relationship disasters, but we can overlook most of the gloom when you get deep into easy ballads like “Back to December” and “Dear John.”

MGMT Congratulations With a post-Beatles aura and a more fervent push towards experimental rock, MGMT originally designed Congratulations as a full-length album with no room for radio-ready singles.

With their approach to the long-player experience, the psychedelic rock uptempo spike of the opener “It’s Working” and the serenading title track closing, which closes out the disc, provide some of the most extravagantly appealing druggy trances to hit a modern record. Everything else in between are mood-induced works of art cleverly showcasing the Brooklyn duo’s majesty for the album’s bold creative process.

{LINER NOTES} CHART POWER: #1, Billboard 200 GOING FOR THE GOLD: Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album and Best New Artist BIG SINGLE: “Find Your Love”, #5 pop BEST PICKUP LINE: “I really can’t complain, everything is kosher/Two thumbs up, Ebert and Roeper” from “Over”

DRAKE Thank Me Later Lil Wayne may very well be the most anointed rapper in the land, but 2010 was definitely Drake’s year. He practically owned the entire landscape of rap; guesting on dozens of hits singles and even showcasing his own. All thanks to Thank Me Later, the Canadian actor-turned-rapper n’ singer quenched the rhetoric of the naysayer with his successful debut LP. Under the shadow of dreamy R&B (“Fireworks”), heart-pounding hip-hop (“Over,” “Fancy”) and even a few etches of pop (“Find Your Love”), Drake was out to prove a point. We clearly got the message.

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t ELTON JOHN & LEON RUSSELL The Union At first, the pairing of Elton John and Leon Russell seemed a bit rusty for the Rocket Man’s closest fans. Russell’s a legend with pop classics coming out his ass but hasn’t had the best of luck in sprouting an album’s worth of good material since. But having the right environment, the right partner (including John’s association with Bernie Tauplin) and the right timing makes all the world of difference. The Union exposes some of the best work in John’s latter career and even takes him back to the glory of the early 1970's; when singer-songwriters were king and the spirit of rock experimented with everything from swampy country to bluesy gospel. It’s a respectful and entertaining return to Americana that should be afforded the opportunity to be canonized in history books.

{LINER NOTES} CHART POWER: #1, Billboard 200 GOING FOR THE GOLD: Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album BIG SINGLE: “Holiday”, #125 pop BEST PICKUP LINE: “My revolution thoughts, you little lies of desire/I wanna trace ‘em to the source and the wire” from “I Think U’re a Contra”

VAMPIRE WEEKEND Contra N.Y. indie band Vampire Weekend has all the sounds to earn them honorary seats in the United Nations. They play with Indian, Middle East, Jamaica, Mexico and Nicaraguan - sometimes all coming at you in one song. Although the giddiness and easy accessibility of their debut album is somewhat replaced with a more serious, awestruck reality on Contra, the moving classically-constructed arrangements and world instrumentation atop Ezra Koenig’s sincere lead vocals create a mystical ambience that feels reverential. Very few bands can pull off the adventurous and obscure sounds of “Holiday,” “Horchata” and the calming hymn-like “I Think UR A Contra.”

t

{LINER NOTES} CHART POWER: #2, Billboard 200 GOING FOR THE GOLD: Grammy nominations for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group BIG SINGLE: “Radioactive”, #37 pop BEST PICKUP LINE: “Hate to be so emotional/I didn’t mean to get physical/But when he pulled in and revved it up/I said ‘you call that a pickup truck?’” - from “Pickup Truck”

CEE LO GREEN The Lady Killer “F**k You” was a groundbreaking crossover success of a single and one that Cee Lo probably didn’t expect. What he did anticipate, however, was the public’s yearnings over his palette of strong material emphasizing thick melodies, the best of Motown and the right amount of air pressure under his wings for a steady takeoff.

Without a trace of a flaw, The Lady Killer is an excellent album and puts the “Crazy” songster in a creative league way above his R&B counterparts.

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KINGS OF LEON Come Around Sundown If U2 ever needed the perfect concert opener, Kings of Leon should come to mind. The Followill brothers did their best to follow-up their best-selling 2009 LP Only By the Night with something a tad bit different. They go for relaxed, hazy rock and downtime country while pumping out some of the best arena-rock of their career. The spiritual sing-a-long “Radioactive” reminded us of their U2 similarities as the lyricism and energy recalled the Battle and Hum era, but songs like “The End” and “Pickup Truck” demonstrated the kind of smooth rock that best summarizes the Eagles’ Hotel California.

THE BLACK KEYS Brothers Like the Rolling Stones on a psychedelic hippy binge, the Black Keys kicks out Muddy Waters blues across a canvas of experimental garage rock that sucks listeners into its moodiness.

With a little nostalgia seeping through their choice of recording at Alabama’s Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, the boys play with a cool cover of Jerry Butler’s Philly soul “Never Gonna Give You Up,” dig into Woodstock instrumental jams like “Black Mud” and hooks the ear with rewarding cuts like “Tighten Up” and the brooding hip-hop friendly “Next Girl.” Even down to the packaging, the Black Keys finds clever ways to make the compact disc feel cool again, including the retro-cover art and the melting, heat-sensitive CD label.

{LINER NOTES} CHART POWER: #17, Billboard 200 GOING FOR THE GOLD: Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album BIG SINGLE: “Tightrope”, never charted BEST PICKUP LINE: “If you wanna be free/Below the ground’s the only place to be” - from “Cold War”

JANELLE MONAE The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III) Seemed like everyone was trying to whip up a concept album this year and trying to out-do the last one, but if one needed a first-class trip into a realm of futuristic propensity or just an outer body experience highlighted with hard rock ascents, brooding psychedelics, electropop wizardry and funky eclipses, Janelle Monae did her homework to make something that seemed so chaotic sound so celestial. Certainly most slept on the album due to its zany explorations and probably downloaded the retroJames Brown workout of “Tightrope” thinking that was all Monae had to offer. Unfortunately, they missed the hottest cosmic slop since the landing of the Mothership.

ARCADE FIRE The Suburbs Recently lauded with a prestigious Grammy award for ‘Album of the Year’, The Suburbs has the ‘goods’ to back it up. Channeling minimalism and clever songwriting, The Suburbs eclipses Arcade Fire’s last offering and is easily one of the best alternative rock albums of recent times. BF The Canadian eight-piece rock band led by Win Butler pumps everything they have musically into an album chronicling the anarchical contradictions of suburban living. You would think on an album with this kind of real-life subject matter that it would slow down Arcade Fire’s muse. They do fierce (“Month of May”), but they stand tall on the melodrama ballads (“Modern Man,” “City With No Children”) and moody rock (“We Used to Wait,” “Ready to Start”). Play this body of work all the way through and you’ll notice how each track compliments the next, like a Handel oratorio. JMC

{LINER NOTES} CHART POWER: #1, Billboard 200 GOING FOR THE GOLD: Grammy win for Record of the Year BIG SINGLE: “Ready to Start”, #117 pop BEST PICKUP LINE: “So can you understand?/Why I want a daughter while I'm still young/I wanna hold her hand/And show her some beauty/Before this damage is done” - from “The Suburbs”

KANYE WEST My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Certainly the year’s definite stunner. Its paranoiac stories, delicious line-up of stars, precocious genrebending and epic ballads - topped with fiery Kanye pepper (“Gossip, gossip, nigga just stop it/Everbody knows I’m a mother f**king monster”). Sure his image in 2010 matches the equivalence of a douchebag; launching tirades at former presidents, country-pop divas and talk show hosts, but none of that had an perverse effect on his musical fantasy. JMC After the release of the critically divisive 808s & Heartbreak which found West singing via auto-tune and supported with surprisingly minimalist production, West ‘reigns himself in’ to make his most epic and unique effort yet. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is easily the year’s best hip-hop album and the year’s most captivating album overall. BF

{LINER NOTES} CHART POWER: #1, Billboard 200 GOING FOR THE GOLD: Didn’t make deadline, try again next year BIG SINGLE: “Runaway”, #12 pop BEST PICKUP LINE: “Let’s have a toast for the jerkoffs/That’ll never take work off/Baby, I got a plan/Run away fast as you can” - from “Runaway”

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k ERTAINLY MOST OF 2010 was bombarded with futuristic synthpop uptempos - made just for the club. It proved to be the excess of the Black Eyed Peas’ party hits from the year before. Aside from the year having very little input from rock bands, 2010 came with some nice surprises from some of country music’sfinest champions, rhyme-spittin’ emcees, heavyweight debuts from newcomers (Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe just to name a few) and some really catchy experimental dance music (and no, Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair” doesn’t count). And now, without more ado, we salute 2010’s very best in singles-ville.

45.

Rick Ross feat.

Chrisette Michelle and Drake “Aston Martin Music”

42.

John Legend & the Roots “Shine”

40.

Rihanna feat.

Drake “What’s My Name”

Ross, with the vocal help of Chrisette Michele and the double-decker contributions of Drake, brags about the good life in a car worship anthem that chronicles the timelessness of Notorious B.I.G..

The sole original on Legend & the Roots’ Wake Up! disc is an inspiring gospel number revealing the genuine heart of a humanitarian (“Ordinary people need a hero/Don’t put out the light”). Our world felt a little bit brighter after hearing Legend’s sermon.

On the surface, RiRi sounds like she’s suffering from dementia.

Below the belt, she’s playing with smooth reggae, soothing synths and an infectious sing-a-long chorus that isn’t as numbing as Willow’s “Whip My Hair.”

44.

41.

39.

Nicki Minaj “Your Love”

A dreamy Annie Lennox loop smoothly pressed against enhanced bass and Minaj’s in-and-out rap/sing mashup that entrances on every listen.

43.

Mike Posner “Cooler Than Me”

B.o.B. feat.

Bruno Mars “Nothin’ On You”

Bruno Mars’ Smeezingtons deliver a romantic slice of hip-hop-meetspuppy love pop for B.o.B’s cool oneliners (“Baby you the whole package plus you pay your taxes/And you keep it real while them others stay plastic/You’re my wonder woman, call me Mr. Fantastic”).

John Mayer feat.

Taylor Swift “Half of My Heart”

Mayer delivers a gripping countryrock groove that comfortably contrasts against the seriousness of the lyrics. Along with his saddened vocal, Taylor Swift echoes the warmth of a Stevie Nicks solo.

Synth wiz kid Mike Posner combines some Rod Stewart ‘80's new wave (“Young Turks”) with futuristic synthpop and creates a delicious dance tune that’s all about being the baddest bitch.

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MIKE POSNER

JOHN MAYER

38.

Rihanna “Rude Boy”

31. Rihanna

Eminem feat.

“Love the Way You Lie”

Rihanna digs up one spicy naughty term, decorates it with some entrancing reggaeton and gives it a little more racy coloring (“Take it, take it, baby, baby/Take it, take it, love me, love me”). She’s a woman in control of her sex and it feels so right when the club beats and ragamufffin style takes over.

37.

Kid Rock “Born Free”

Like a Seventies AM rock gem in the 8-track player, Kid Rock hits the road with a sunny feel-good anthem.

Definitely his “Born to be Wild” moment, but without the drugs.

36.

B.o.B. feat.

Hayley Williams “Airplanes”

A touch of alternative rap boasting the seriousness of Eminem. Hayley Williams of Paramore carries the chorus while B.o.B. creates a perfect blend of alternative rock and hiphop; and still good enough to startle bubblegum pop radio.

35.

Eric Benet “Sometimes I Cry”

Benet, emotionally charged and pleading with Phillip Bailey fervor, uses his falsetto throughout most of the song. He climaxes with high notes that will leave the spine tingling in awe.

BRUNO MARS

34.

Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are”

The Alex da Kid classical pop arrangement on this power ballad tries to coax Eminem and Rihanna out of their claustrophobic room of volatile rants and raging lyrics. The drama in Eminem’s latest episode seemed to really hit a nerve with the immediate public during the summer.

30.

Katy Perry feat.

Snoop Dogg “California Gurls”

Dreamy romance perched on top of Hallmark poetry and Mars’s bright serenading - it remains the year’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You.”

Anything you could ever used to describe a Valley girl fits merrily into Katy’s bubbly soda pop jam.

33. “Radioactive”

29.

A gospel chorus marinated in the ooze of U2's Joshua Tree theology, resulting in a remarkable epiphany spurring from the remnants of their 2008 hit, “Use Somebody.”

A sexy, flirtatious brew of organic soul that’ll make you strut through a public park without any clothes on.

This just in: Erykah Badu proved it was possible.

32.

28. “Misery”

Kings of Leon

Robyn “Hang With Me”

2010's biggest dancing queen nails a delicious synthpop groove with all the right bright curves for the dance floor and all the magic of Madonna’s irresistible ‘80's pop records.

Erykah Badu “Window Seat”

Maroon 5

Only Maroon 5 could construct a song on the destructive grounds of Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie” and make it sound so irresistible.

One second the pain hurts, the next second it feels so right.

HITS KEEP COMING 2010 delivered multiple hits for a cluster of artists on the Billboard Hot 100. Check out a few who dominated the list.

Lady Gaga 6 Drake 18 Rihanna 10 Katy Perry 8 Eminem 13 Taylor Swift 20 Trey Songz 6 Nicki Minaj 15 Usher 11 Lil Wayne 22

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BAD GIRL GONE GOOD: Along with her individual album hits, Rihanna’s multiple appearances on the Hot 100 in 2010 comes from a number of guest spots, including Eminem, David Guetta and a charity single with Jay-Z, Bono and The Edge.

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27.

Jaheim “Ain’t Leaving Without You”

A sample from a forgotten ‘80's disco record (Whatnauts’ “Help Is On the Way”) comes to live on Jaheim’s finest uptempo track to date.

26.

Arcade Fire “We Used to Wait”

22.

Trey Songz feat.

Nicki Minaj “Bottoms Up”

Trey is used to swooning ladies in bed, but “Bottoms Up” is his biggest entrance in clubdom. He’s as entertaining as Usher on this summer jam - then comes Nicki Minaj with a guest cameo that almost outshines the vocal. Her rap is much more than the icing on the cake. It’s the damn oven.

The spurring moods, constant piano Robyn plunks bubbling over Win Butler’s paranoiac lead vocals are the quin“Dancing On My Own” tessential elements of brooding artsy rock.

Robyn puts her pen to work on a song about loneliness in the club. She turns the sadness into a triumphant Chris Brown feat. disco burner with a chunk of self-adTyga & Kevin McCall miration atop a warm ‘80's pop melody, machine gun electronica and “Deuces” galactic synths.

Instead of tossing up a middle finger at a past fling, Chris Brown uses the Taylor Swift alternative by using two fingers in“Back to December” stead with the “peace” sign. The vulgarity gets in the way of the groove, but Brown hasn’t sounded this confi- More mournful transparency from dent and ballsy in quite some time. Taylor’s diary. This time, it’s presumably about Taylor Lautner and finds our country star rushing to the wintery hills of December.

21.

25.

20.

24.

P!nk “Raise Your Glass”

A tipsy celebration using a slice of college fun, beefed up with alcoholic worship and freaky cheeky attitude.

23.

Ke$ha “We R Who We R”

19. Bruno Mars

Travie McCoy feat.

“Billionaire”

Bluesy reggae grooves and sunny pop thrown into one of 2010's best crossovers in rap. If one is ever feeling broke and hopeless, this is the perfect getaway.

18.

Ke$ha gets the party crunk for the Alicia Keys nobodies of the world, the gods of “Unthinkable clublife: “We’re dancing like we’re (I’m Ready)” dumb-da-da-da-dumb/Our bodies going-nu-nu-nu-numb/We’ll be forever young-yu-yu-young/You know A steamy Quiet Storm ballad playing we’re superstars/We are who we with Sade vibes and Art of Noise’s “Moments in Love.” Alicia Keys are”). takes Barabra Mason’s love-ready hunger to the next level.

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TOP 20 BEST-SELLING SONGS OF 2010 Radio was crammed with singles containing lots of girl power, rap-pop collaborations and electro-club locomotion. This was the year of pop; the dangerously-executed, sometimes provocative and edgy bubblegum celebrity pop.

Not the innocent boy band pop of the ‘90's.

Although digital singles sales only increased by 1% in 2010 (1.17 billion), compared with 2009's 1.16 billion, five singles were fortunate enough to crack the four million sales mark. Katy Perry tops the list with “California Gurls,” selling 4.40 million copies. It’s a bit off compared to 2009's No. 1 seller, the Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow,” which sold 4.76 million that year.

Still, it was a very good year for Perry since three of her singles sat comfortably in the Top 40 of 2010.

17.

Kanye West “All Of the Lights”

A bundle of stars assembled like one Glee choir echo Kanye’s sentiments.

The feel-good orchestration and Rihanna’s vocal on the chorus is good enough to challenge Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind.”

16.

Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”

Lady A knows how to insert just enough melodrama to not easily go into blues. But the morbid atmosphere of loneliness (“It’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk/And I need you now”) is saved by the country-pop gloss and glimmers of passion in Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott’s duet. Although released in 2009, its reign tripled in its popularity and airplay in 2010.

15.

OneRepublic “Secrets”

A Top 40 pop/rock ballad displaying a gorgeous backdrop of strings and raucous drums. As the principal songwriter, frontman Ryan Tedder once again puts his best foot forward with his euphoric glimpses into symphonic rock.

14.

Bruno Mars “Grenade”

12.

Katy Perry “Firework”

Based on the title alone, we could easily imagine Katy Perry taking this song into the deep ends of freakdom. Rather than rushing into the campiness of double entendre, she opts for an uplifting “It Gets Better” mantra decorated with bubblegum pop.. Still, individual interpretation is up for grabs.

11.

Janelle Monáe “Tightrope”

9.

MGMT “Congratulations”

Floating on a psychedelic draft and with the trance-like pacing of Prince’s “Adore,” MGMT declares in their heartfelt ballad their yearning for credibility and respect while protesting the selfish systematics that troubles the integrity of the music biz. Without getting bitchy about it, the song’s tapestry is smouldered into an innocent open letter to their followers and finds them not asking for much: “All I need's a great big congratulations.”

8.

Big Boi feat. Cutty

7.

Maroon 5

“Shutterbug” Lightning speed lyrics, James Brown funk, some Motown tinkering and a nice dose of “classy brass” gave us all While digging for snazzy Whodini the impulse to cut a rug. The Godfa- beats (like “Five Minutes of Funk”), Big Boi cleverly brings electro-R&B ther would’ve been proud. and some of that Stakonia hip-hop together for one funky dance floor workout.

10.

Kem “Why Would You Stay”

In the same song, Kem pleads for redemption in a troubled relationship while questioning its continuation.

Using his most sophisticated set of lyrics to date, Kem is man enough to admit his errors: “I know you deserve a better man/Girl, I was a fool to ever let you down but I want you to stay.”

“Give a Little More”

Funky MJ riffs topped off with some ‘80's disco-soul are all the key ingredients Maroon 5 needs to get the party started. Sad thing about it, the party ends in just three minutes. 3 minutes is good for the radio, not good for the party.

Bruno Mars suits up for combat on an epic ballad perfect for daytime drama. His love is far greater than his lover’s: ”I would go through all this pain, take a bullet straight through my brain/Yes, I would die for ya baby, but you won’t do the same.”

13.

LCD Soundsystem “I Can Change”

Across a kaleidoscope of Atari bleeps, James Murphy kicks out a pleading apology done up the occasional swoops of delicate falsetto. He gets maximum results on the presumptuous sing-a-long chorus.

LADY ANTEBELLUM HIFIMAGAZINE.NET

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6.

Train “Hey, Soul Sister”

Along with the sunny ukulele strumming and the recognizable “Hey, hey, he-e-e-e-ey” tag, Patrick Monahan’s effortless vocal on the flirtatious pop single, “Hey, Soul Sister,” is the closest a rock group will ever get to pop without sounding desperate. Train does a damn good job at creating one irresistible uptempo gem for all the genres to loathe over. It’’s all embedded into one catchy lyric: “The way you can cut a rug, watching you is the only drug I need/So gangsta, I’m so thug/You’re the only one I’m dreaming of.”

5.

Mark Ronson & the Business International feat. Q-Tip and MNDR “Bang Bang Bang”

The electro wizard behind Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black record pumps out a spunky crossbred tribute to ‘80's pop and dapper hip-hop.

Its whirlry synths, its affirmation for Japanaese pop and the catchy French line in the chorus (”Je te plumerai la, tete” meaning “I shall pluck you”) promises endless plays.

3.

Katy Perry “Teenage Dream”

With the help of Max Martin and Dr. Luke, Katy Perry pulls all one of the best instant pop songs of 2010 using innocent lyrics full of youthfulness and a sing-a-long melody that sticks immediately on its first listen. Great job, Ms. Perry. Now we need a cure to rid this super cool tune from repeating over and over in our heads.

2.

Sade “Soldier of Love”

Sade’s return single contains heavy percussion, hard hip-hop energy, edgy guitar riffs and the smooth silkiness of Helen Adu’s gliding vocals.

Just when you thought Sade was only good enough for adult contemporary, she comes back with attitude.

1.

Cee Lo Green “F**k You”

Who would’ve thought combining the sweet soul of Motown with a potty-mouth rant would resulted in one of the most catchiest, most exhilarating retro-pop tunes of the year.

CEE LO GREEN

4.

Kanye West feat.

Pusha T “Runaway”

Spasmatic keyboard sounds, constant piano plinking and cloudy drums hold down the fort on Kanye’s epic ballad. It’s also the perfect “kick-rocks” anthem for all the haters: “Let’s have a toast for the douchebags.” Revenge never sounded this sweet.

ON THE .NET LISTEN TO ALL FORTY-FIVE OF OUR SELECTIONS AT

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MY PLAYLIST Everybody iPod is different from the next. Our own Brent Faulkner gave us his ten personal favorites that dominated his iPod playlist from 2010.

1. “Monster,” Kanye West featuring rick ross, Jay-Z, nicki Minaj & bon Iver “Monster” may be Kanye West’s most genius cut of his career. While all the artists shine brightly (including a killer verse by West himself), it is nicki Minaj who steals the show on this unstoppable ‘juggernaut.’

2. “F**k you,” Cee-Lo green as shocking as it should be, “F**k you” is not only one of the year’s biggest hits, but also one of the most memorable songs in recent times. While this expletive heavy ditty should sound malicious, the contradictoryhappy production counteracts the harsh message of this novelty cut.

3. “If It Wasn’t For bad,” Elton John & Leon russell already receiving a grammy nomination (it’s parent album will be eligible next-go around), “If It Wasn’t For bad” is one of the year’s very best rock numbers. the songwriting by russell is impeccable and the chemistry between the two is stunning.

4. “tighten up,” the black Keys the black Keys certainly blew up with their most recent effort, brothers. “tighten up” was a shining moment from this effort, fusing indie-rock, blues, and soul perfectly.

5. “Love the Way you Lie,” Eminem featuring rihanna no rap/sung collaboration was bigger than #1 hit “Love the Way you Lie,” finding a reinvigorated Eminem rediscovering his ‘mojo.’ rihanna proves to be the perfect collaborator, lending her distinctive pipes on the instantly recognizable hook. there is no dispute why “Love the Way you Lie” was nominated for multiple grammys.

6. “Just the Way you are,” bruno Mars the year’s best and most sincere pop performance, “Just the Way you are” rejects modern pop gimmickry in favor of solid lyricism and a touching, nuanced and poignant performance.

7. “bittersweet,” Fantasia In a competitive field of solid r&b performances, “bittersweet” shines easily. Fantasia’s distinct voice has never sounded more nuanced and the songwriting and production aid in putting “bittersweet” ‘over the top.’

8. “roman’s revenge,” nicki Minaj featuring Eminem Pink Friday, Minaj’s chart-topping debut launched numerous hits, perhaps none more interesting than “roman’s revenge.” If for nothing else, the clever hook (“rawh rawh like a dungeon dragon”) makes the song. her collaborator, Eminem is in a particularly ‘twisted’ mood on his featured verse.

9. “need you now,” Lady antebellum the best country cut of the year, Lady antebellum’s “need you now” is a great representation of a nuanced, vocal performance. transcending country, this record exhibits solid production work, telling songwriting, and exudes a wide-spread appeal.

10. “It’s Working” MgMt MgMt’s second album Congratulations off-putted some fans, but there was instant universal acclaim for opening cut “It’s Working,” one of the best alternative cuts in recent times. With solid songwriting and psychedelic production work, “It’s Working” is easily one of 2010’s best.

reviews COOL CAT IN THE HAT After a brief hiatus, Jay Kay and the cool boys are growing up and piling on heartier genre experiments than before

r

egardless of what style its wrapped in these days, dance music is now the new crack of pop music. black Eyed Peas, Ke$ha, gaga and rihanna have their hands wrapped around the magnetic club beats like the donna summers of the seventies. so explain why Jay Kay and his faceless tribe of funksters known as Jamiroquai have had the roughest time trying to make a sale in the states. It shouldn't be that hard since the british acid jazz band, with their sneaky funk sounds and disco-influenced beats, have managed to go platinum worldwide with each album release since their 1993 debut Emergency on Planet Earth. Five dance singles from their catalog have soared to no. 1 on the dance charts. those facts alone prove that Jamiroquai's presence is far from being labeled an overseas novelty. after finishing out at sony with a greatest hits LP, Jamiroquai releases rock dust Light star, their sixth studio LP, on their new music home at Mercury. Frontman Jason "Jay" Kay has now crossed the threshold of 40 and has said on a number of occasions that "laid-back" will be the order of the day for him. "Cosmic girl" is now thirteen years old and Kay is ready to mature with the music. but the new beginning at Mercury is light years away from being translated as an "adult contemporary" record. the funk is very much alive, the arrangements are still extravagant and the interplay with genres and styles feel secure. Produced by brad spence and Charlie russell, rock dust Light star can be described as a boeing 737 trip with an immaculate takeoff, very little turbulence and a delicious landing. "White Knuckle ride" takes off with uptempo get-down disco, breezy daft Punk synths and Chic guitar riffs. the serene synths on the chorus are a beaut, but the bass lines of the verses and how Jay Kay glides his silky soulful vocals downward (“I’m

{ } RECORD RATING kkkkk Classic kkkk Excellent kkk Good kk Fair k Poor

serious/trouble genie’s on the way”) are deeply entrancing. the sounds are what you’d expect from today’s Jamiroquai. "smoke and Mirrors" and the throbbing '70's funk of "all good In the Mood" keeps the cool dancing tempo alive, but rock dust Light star does a marvelous job in squeezing in sufficient mood changers and ballads. "blue skies," a string-enhanced ballad, allows Jay Kay to serenade ears with virtuosic skill using aC charm. songs like "two Completely different things" and "never gonna be another," with its lounge jazz coolness, keeps the romance burning, like Maxwell would do if giving a Chic soundtrack. unbelievably so, rock dust Light star poses to take on genre-bending styles unlike any of Jamiroquai's former albums, but it's not done in the way that will disfranchise their fans or label them "sellouts."

JAMIROQUAI Rock Dust Light Star (Mercury)

"hurtin'" rocks like a sweaty southern rock number stamped with the Lenny Kravtiz and allen toussaint design. "she's a Fast Persuader" acts more like an afterhours club event loaded with lush keys, Louie Vega-inspired techniques and rapid MJ phrasing. "hey Floyd," an amalgam of Police reggae, roy ayers funk and Curtis Mayfield soul, provides the perfect finale for the disc. on the surface these combinations on one song sound perplexing, but Jamiroquai creates an even-out symphonic trifecta landing them safely on dry ground. rock dust Light star is probably the band's most adventurous and most confident record to date since their expansion on the genres seems to be a bit more obvious this time around. but make no mistake about it – it remains an example of what they do best. Funky uptempos while challenging dance music with some balance. you can't live your life high all the time, otherwise you're going to crash. Modern dance music definitely stands in need of that proverbial injection.

hymn” and its peppier companion “June hymn.” also in this vein, and easily the King Is dead’s brightest gem, is its pacifying closing number “dear avery,” a pleading reminder from loving father to prodigal son that home still offers something truly worth the effort of returning. Perhaps it’s the song’s perfect blend of the old decemberists’ sound with their current exploration of folk, or maybe it’s the pensive (and less frequent for this release) minor tones and mournful pedal-steel guitar solos, but either way, “dear avery” is the best conclusion to this rootsy jaunt the band has offered. thus, while fans of the oft-quirky quintet might be disheartened by this fairly-drastic stylistic excursion with tracks that occasionally start to run together out of sameness, these fans might also develop a new appreciation for the band’s previous work, having been offered a closer look at the river of inspiration that’s been nurturing the decemberists’ endearing style all-along. ryan burruss

JAMES BLUNT Some Kind of Trouble (Atlantic)

J MatthEW Cobb

SPIN THIS: “White Knuckle ride,” “good In the hood,” “blue skies

THE DECEMBERISTS The King Is Dead (Capitol)

returning to one’s roots might seem unnecessary for a relatively young band that has already achieved critical praise for their hybrid of folk music and indie rock, but frontman Colin Meloy and his oregon-based band the decemberists have done just that with their sixth studio release, the King Is dead. While this might seem a strange turn for a narrative-driven band – whose last two albums were a rock opera and one centered on a pair of Japanese folk tales – perhaps the decision to turn towards traditional folk music, was a logical move after all. thus, gone are the elaborate orchestrations and dramatic lyrics of 2009’s the hazards of Love, replaced here by simple folk melodies and instrumentation crafting tales of everyday rural life.

In addition to the obvious folk influences on the King Is dead, Meloy has admitted a particularly strong compositional nod to the work of r.E.M., so much so that the legendary band’s own Peter buck laid down guitar and mandolin parts for three of the album’s more-notable tracks. In fact, so strong is Meloy’s fondness for r.E.M.’s work that it can even be heard in songs not featuring buck’s recognizable strumming, most-prominently the rousing call-to-arms “this Is Why We Fight.” While the album’s first single “down by the Water” bears a striking resemblance to r.E.M.’s “the one I Love,” the remaining two buck feature tracks are noticeably stronger. the cheery pastoral number “don’t Carry It all” hearkens back to a time when the community had to pull together in brotherly goodwill to survive. the oddly-sunny “Calamity song” unites present-day paranoia with the album’s otherwise rural themes for an interesting near-anachronistic lyrical brew. another collaboration of note is that with famed folk singer gillian Welch, whose fitting timbre lends authenticity, effectively balancing Meloy’s often near-inappropriate-for-the-genre tone. as it stands, the frontman seems quite aware of this fact, offering some of the softest tones of his career in the lullaby-like “January

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SPIN THIS: “dear avery,” “don’t Carry It all,” “Calamity song”

ADELE 21 (XL/Columbia)

adele’s 2009 debut album, 19, quickly established the London singer as a rare alternative to those fascinated by the amy Winehouse movement. In a matter of months, adele’s brilliance had won over the hearts of the academy (she won best new artist) and even wowed the brIt awards – ultimately beating out duffy and the Jonas brothers for Critics’ Choice – using a kind of bemoaning soul music that’s usually ferments in 40-something veterans, like a grand marshal of the blues. out of nowhere, the brute debut came out the gates swinging with the blue eyed soul thriller “Chasing Pavements”; unable to grab hold to a top 40 playlist, adult r&b or adult contemporary platform. still, with the help of a strong grass-roots strategy and lots of hard work, adele became an overnight sensation – proving once and for all that there was life after back to black. two years later and adele’s hoping to keep her creative juices flowing while also breaking that accursed sophomore jinx with 21. this time around the ballsy folk-soul singer is surrounded by a squad of super-producers including rick rubin, Paul Epworthand, onerepublic frontman ryan tedder along with a more brooding, matured sound that proves to be a bit of a detour from 19‘s solemness.

21 also inherits a multitude of deeper, more melodramatic contrasts; Lady antebellum pop, soulful americana, ‘70′s r&b and tent revival gospel are just some of the ambitious hues, but like robert Plant’s brilliant americana teaser band of Joy, 21blows new life upon the substance that easily turns novice audiophiles into vinyl junkies. “the scars of your love they leave me breathless/I can’t help feeling/We could have had it all,”adele sings as she empties out her heart on “rolling In the deep” while using the angst of Mahalia Jackson’s “sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” but quickly shifts her trajectory from mourning into optimism as the choir chants and sunday morning handclaps in the background echo her freedom. ryan tedder designs “rumour has It” around a Melanie Fiona-meets-the black Keys’ tour de force. “turning

BLUNTLY SPEAKING Feel good pop-soul balladry highlights Brit singer’s third disc

b

ritish singer/songwriter James blunt returns to the u.s. market with his third effort, some Kind of trouble. blunt has never managed to recapture the success of his ubiquitous number one hit, “you’re beautiful” from 2005’s platinum certified back to bedlam. his second effort, 2007’s all Lost souls fell short of all expectations. In some Kind of trouble, blunt continues the formula of previous efforts – sensitive, though well crafted songs highlighting his oft-times whiny, high-pitched vocals. smartly, the songs are ‘short and sweet’ all clocking in under four minutes. It may not win over new fans, but blunt’s third album supplies his discography with another capable, consistent effort. “stay the night” opens the album brightly, with soulful production work supporting blunt’s distinct vocals, one would expect it to sound desperate, however, “stay the night” comes across as natural and unforced. the songwriting is a highlight, particularly the singer’s affinity for catchy choruses, which remain a fixture on some Kind of trouble. “dangerous” contrasts the optimism exuded by the opener in favor of a darker, more malicious tone, highlighted by blunt singing “she is dangerous, she is dangerous...she’s all dressed up and knocking at my door.” “best Laid Plans” is valedictory, a gem melding soul, pop and rock while yielding a vulnerable, yet strong vocal performance by blunt. “so Far gone” yields another standout refrain, though “no tears,” a touching ballad, is the better overall track, exuding the best lyricism of the album. the refrain is somber and well penned: “For the life that you led, you had angels in your head, did you hear them singing in the end... I’ve been everything I wanna be, so no tears...” “superstar” yearns to be commercial yet independent, given its refrain, referencing the demise of america via ‘reality tV.’ both “these are the Words” and “Calling out your name” are good, but definitely not home runs. “heart of gold” restores some grandeur, though it is not unlike his other ballads. “I’ll be your Man” picks up a faster tempo, clearly blunt’s idea of ‘fun’ - quasi-effective given blunt’s moody musical personality. “If time Is all I have” is the tried-and-true blunt that we’ve come to expect, while “turn Me on” is a shocking, overt departure from the singer who rarely ‘breaks a sweat.’

If some Kind of trouble suffers any huge impropriety, it is the distinction between the songs themselves. Much of the material is so similar and rehashes previously used harmonic progressions that it is hard to pinpoint distinct moments. this may be the flaw that prevents this effort from being one that is incredibly memorable. brEnt FauLKnEr

SPIN THIS: “stay the night,” “dangerous,” “best Laid Plans,” “no tears”

tables” – co-written with tedder – is a pop signature masterpiece loaded with adele’s emotive vocals alongside a ballet swarming with seducing strings and swooning piano executions. as the album gallops halfway into the set, rick rubin’s offerings grant adele ingenious neo-soul vibes (“he Won’t go,” “Lovesong”) and a proud gospel-soul ‘Purple rain’ moment with “one and only.” When the dan Wilson-penned closer “someone Like you” finally enters, adele’s voice proves to be groundbreaking, soaring into the clouds with the ingenuity of a new generation dusty springfield. at the helm of 21′s irrevokable execution is knowing adele is co-writing every chapter offered and even lending her production intelligence when permissible, so even with all the super producers and songwriters on board, adele is a woman in total control of her craft. Far better than its predecessor, 21 has all the key ingredients to indoctrinate itself into the annals of music history and all the hopefulness of a desperate follow-up. here’s looking to 23, everybody.

J MatthEW Cobb

SPIN THIS: “rolling In the deep,” “one and only,” “someone Like you”

ing Cake’s full instrumentation in what probably amounts to the musical high point of the entire album. unfortunately, most of showroom lingers in mediocrity. despite acceptable efforts with the breakdown in “sick of you,” the hit-or-miss country number “bound away” and the soberingly poignant “the Winter,” the rest of the album continues to misfire, adding up to Cake’s lowest point in their roughly 20-year career. In the end, perhaps the band should have just stuck with what they do best – after all, although their first five studio releases did sound quite similar, they also managed to sound similarly-inspired, showing that - for Cake at least – if it ain’t broke, it don’t need fixin’. ryan burruss

SPIN THIS: “Federal Funding,” “teenage Pregnancy”

ERIC BENET Lost in Time (Reprise/Warner Bros.)

CAKE Showroom of Compassion (Upbeat)

It’s one thing to note the unique quality of a band’s first major release, but it’s quite another when the first five studio albums sound pretty much the same. after years of recreating their instantly recognizable sound, California altrock band Cake and frontman/songwriter John McCrea decided to finally succumb to their inevitable sonic evolution - even if they didn’t really have it in them. While many of the familiar elements that once so clearly defined Cake’s quirky, raw sound are still present in their sixth studio release, showroom of Compassion; the attitude of the music and the quality of the typically clever/sarcastic lyrics offered have all been toned down - so much so that this album could’ve been promoted as a follow-up to their last release (b-sides and rarities) without anyone the wiser.

While showroom starts off on a mellow note with the trudging bluesy “Federal Funding,” the track might represent the album’s lyrical high point, as McCrea humorously pokes at the government’s bureaucratic flaws: “you’ll receive the federal funding, you can pass the simple test.”

From here, the tempo picks up slightly with the vocal-sample-laden “Long time” before introducing us to one of the odder compositional swerves on the album: a semi-classical element awkwardly working itself into only a few tracks, beginning with the lackluster “got to Move.” For starters, the decision to place this slower song after two others was a misstep, but the real clincher is the vocal melody’s uninspired resemblance to beginner’s Mozart pieces that kids learn early in their piano studies. Follow this up with a forgettable cover of an obscure Frank sinatra ballad, and one’s left wondering if a true Cake song will ever emerge from this borefest. sure enough, the next track, “Mustache Man (Wasted),” is typical of the material fans have grown to love since Cake’s 1994 debut, complete with up-tempo surf-rock-guitar-meets-disco-horn lines and even a lyric lifted from their breakout hit “going the distance”: “he is racing, he is pacing.” Following this is the rare Cake instrumental, “teenage Pregnancy,” representing both the album’s most classicallyminded track and most-successful stylistic departure. beginning with one of the only occasions the band has used a piano on record (another being Fashion nugget’s “daria”), the track evolves into a lilting, somber rock number featur-

Crock-pot soul music is a crooner’s best reward and Eric benet, a man with a reputation for intimate romance ballads, goes the familiar route while etching together a tribute to gamble & huff soul and thom bell mechanics on his fifth album. throughout the eleven track set, benet keeps his hands wrapped around Philly soul while allowing album producer george nash, Jr. enough room to organize delicate symphonic suites that best suits the Luther Vandross-type balladry. Lost in time opens with familiar stylistic and Patti Labelle echoes on “never Want to Live Without you” and later finds benet pouring out his weary heart on the falsetto-drenched “sometimes I Cry.” the latter is the glue that keeps the album attached to benet and his art, rather than drifting into the chambers of derivative captivity. the smooth crooner punctuates the right notes and sails into his highest confidence without fearing he’s gone too far. he often juggles back and forth with other hues from the ‘70's, like Cheryl Lynn disco keepsakes (“Feel good”) and dreamy stevie Wonder moments (“summer Love”), but he finds himself falling in love again with russell thompkins’ regimen. “always a reason” sounds like “break up to Make up” and the title cut recalls the delfonics’ “didn’t I blow your Mind.” guest appearances also create a posh acceptability for Lost in time. Chrisette Michele’s jazzy tones on “take It” and Ledisi’s bright executions on the disco-thrilling “good Life” keeps benet sounding as if he’s high on red bull. the biggest cameo surprise is witnessing o’Jays’ frontman Eddie Levert preaching to the choir alongside the percussive tempos of “back stabbers” and “997 arguments” on the social protest of “Paid.” some will find the album’s troubling spots to be in how the songs easily ride decent grooves, but never grip the ears like its many predecessors. the old-school revisits aren’t entirely surprising and don’t possess enough fiber to replace their vinyl influences, but there’s a delicate charm submerged beneath benet’s creations allowing the songs to paint lasting impressions. Instead of returning to the studio with a deliberate Maxwell knock-off, benet returns with a respectable homage reflecting one of r&b’s most influential and versatile eras. J MatthEW Cobb

SPIN THIS: “never Want to Live Without you,” “Paid,” “sometimes I Cry”

HERE COMES THE SUNS Alt-rock outfit teams up with Rick Rubin on protest record

W

e all know the era when record labels invested time and money into developing their artists’ careers has long gone, every now and then the listening public is rewarded with a group that manages to push through the commercialism to earnestly develop their voice. While this sort of musical evolution may be a unexpected by Linkin Park’s original fans, with their fourth studio release a thousand suns, there is no question that the once-angry Cali boys that comprise the grammy award-winning rock outfit have all grown up.

With each successive album, it’s been clear that Linkin Park has been setting out to reinvent themselves; but it wasn’t until teaming up with legendary music guru rick rubin for their third release Minutes to Midnight that they began their most drastic transformation: the stripping away of the near-gimmicky nu-metal guitars and angry rap lyrics in exchange for simpler, more-refined textures and lyrics with the air of artistic intention. Enter a thousand suns, the similarly doomsday-themed follow-up, with rubin once again at the helm, and its frequent dark interludes amidst an unexpectedly ballad-heavy album, and one can hear that Linkin Park is now quite a different beast.

It all begins with the ominous pair of intro tracks “the requiem” and “the radiance,” complete with a haunting sample from the infamous father of nuclear science himself, J. robert oppenheimer, effectively laying out the premise for this concept album: warfare and living through the resultant devastation. From here, the mood shifts gears with the contemplative “burning in the skies,” the first of arguably five ballads on the disc (a highlight being the sunny, reggae-influenced “Waiting for the End”), accounting for over half of the full-length tracks present. In fact, it’s not until the half-way point of the album, with tracks like the stripped-down fist-pumper “blackout” and the fiery, noisedriven hip-hop tune “Wretches and Kings,” that the band revisits its typical alt-metal fare. they quickly retreat back to down-tempo ballads before ending with a questionable acoustic guitar number featuring the overly-heavy belting of lead-singer Chester bennington; for contrast, check out the rapper Mike shinoda’s surprisingly pleasant crooning.

While these might not sound like the hallmarks of a release demonstrating a band’s evolution, a thousand suns value cannot be weighed with a quick summary. rather, this is a true concept album for which real appreciation could only be attained via a thorough listening from start to finish. It’s the details in the segues, the choice of samples from historical speeches and the subtle paring down of unnecessary instrumental clutter from previous efforts that really illuminates how inspired the band has been in recent years. yes, the album might be too ballad-heavy, and its lofty thematic intentions might be off-putting for long-time followers, but a thousands suns is the work of a band that knows where they’re going – they are in the driver’s seat and show no sign of stopping. ryan burruss

LINKIN PARK A Thousand Suns (Machine Shop/Warner Bros.)

SPIN THIS: “the requiem/the radiance,” “blackout,” “Waiting for the End”

NATASHA BEDINGFIELD Strip Me (Capitol)

strip Me, pop vocalist natasha bedingfield’s third u.s. release, showcases a talented singer who sometimes works with undercooked material. Like previous releases unwritten and Pocketful of sunshine, bedingfield’s songs on strip Me yield themes of inspiration, empowerment and encouragement. though uplifting throughout, sometimes the uplifting tone grows slightly schmaltzy, exuding blandness and monotony as opposed to inspiration. Even through the filler cuts, bedingfield’s golden pipes always manage to shine through. an instant hit, “Little too Much” opens the effort soundly, with driving guitar and full-bodied bass, buttressed by pounding percussive accompaniment. “all I need” proceeds with mixed results, finding its muse vocally commanding, though the production work is overwrought and indistinctive from its parent cut (it lifts off of rap-rocker Kevin rudolf’s “Let It rock”). ryan tedder of one republic atones on the boards for the memorable title track “strip Me,” a fine blend of pop and r&b, as well as its solid, though less satisfying follow-up, “neon Lights.”

“Weightless” and “Can’t Fall down” are enjoyable, but suffer from a lack of more developed songwriting, a major issue with strip Me. “try” proves to be a winner, finding bedingfield among her most inspired vocally. the songwriting isn’t too shabby, even though lofty and ornate in schmaltz: “It’s never too far, it’s never too late, to tell someone you’re the only one even if it’s hard, it’s never to late if you love someone then you try...” “touch” contrasts the loftiness of “try” with shallower, sexualized lyrics, with the pop chanteuse barely breaking a sweat as she sings “so we dance and we love and we touch, touch, touch” on the sim-

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plistic chorus.

From that point on, strip Me truly becomes a mixed bag. “run-run-run” rivals the gimmickry of previous hit “Pocketful of sunshine” without dare eclipsing it while “break thru” compromises negates it inspirational underpinnings because of a lack of exciting lyricism. “no Mozart” is a small triumph; while “recover” is merely average. a ‘stripped’ version of “Weightless (Less is More Version)” shows off bedingfield’s soulful vocals without the inhibitions of overproduction. the deluxe edition yields five bonus cuts, best of which is “Easy,” bedingfield’s collaboration with rascal Flatts taken from the band’s most recent effort, nothing Like this. brEnt FauLKnEr

SPIN THIS: ““Little too Much,” “strip Me,” “Weightless”

DEITRICK HADDON Church on the Moon (Verity)

Imagine if you will, the superstar sparkle of Kirk Franklin and the bravado of Michael Jackson entangled around fashionable hip-hop beats and urban contemporary extravagance. It’s probably the safest way to describe urban gospel star deitrick haddon. he’s since dropped his choirboy image for the cool street evangelist look since 7 days, his 2006 project produced by hip-hop duo tim & bob. on his fifth studio album for Verity, haddon plays with the concept album motif of ne-yo’s Libra scale to kick off a futuristic gospel sound that plays with the Legos of Lady gaga and black Eyed Peas. It’s highly ambitious, crammed

tightly with eighteen tracks loaded with lots of cyber-pop and even auto-tune. Club bounce surfaces on “reppin’ the Kingdom,” where haddon steps back from the spotlight to allow fellow gospel contemporaries J Moss, Canton Jones and tye tribbett to work in their verses. “show stopper” swerves into Chris brown-style pop, while the rodney Jerkins-produced “Power,” “one More Chance” and “Fighting temptation” keeps him on the precipice of r&b crossover. Melodic ballads do offer up some needed balance on the lengthy set. his finest intimate moment, while staying in the realm of extraterrestrial fantasy, is “gravity,” where haddon deals with the pressures of Earth:“Wanna share with the world the peace that I’ve found/but gravity keeps on bringing me down.” halfway into the set, the mood shifts from Lowrider crunk to worshipful gospel (“you are My strength,” “Well done”). “baby you’re a star” is the second half’s biggest reward, where haddon dons Pink’s “F**kin’ Perfect” without having to rush to the closest confessional.

It’s best to describe Church on the Moon as being two albums in one (much like Janelle Monae’s archandroid), but it would have been far superior had it been trimmed of some of the unnecessary gristle and fat. then, Church on the Moon would have felt a bit more definitive. although most concept LPs are usually half-done and bear a sense of incompleteness, haddon’s adventure doesn’t suffer from that crisis technically. Instead, after you surpass the halfway mark, it’s more of a long space trip that leaves you wishing you were back at home on Earth.

SPIN THIS: “gravity,” “baby you’re a star,” “Power”

DAFT PUNK Tron: Legacy (Walt Disney)

Picture a musical rendition of the world of tron - a digital realm full of neon colors, sharp lines and high-speed action - and the first thing that comes to mind might be the music of French electro-house duo daft Punk. naturally, Walt disney Pictures had a similar idea when they hired the robot rockers to compose music for the score to the tron sequel tron: Legacy, interestingly to which the film was shot, contrary to the standard practice of adding the music afterwards. For any fan of daft Punk, or house music in general, this marriage between musical artist and film seemed utterly promising. alas, though the fruits of daft Punk’s efforts on tron: Legacy are certainly to the high standard expected of bigbudget hollywood films, the score fails to transcend the medium. It offers little in the way of their instantly-recognizable electro-funk in favor of a typical string-heavy score, arranged and orchestrated by film composer Joseph trapanese. In fact, though the soft light of daft Punk’s otherwise unmistakable sound does shine through the orchestral arrangements, the score often comes across as more trapanese than Punk. It leads one to wonder if, as in the original tron soundtrack’s dubiously-managed merging between famed synthesist Wendy Carlos and the London Philharmonic, Punk’s involvement here was largely a marketing stunt.

Fortunately, the first half of tron: Legacy starts off fairly strongly. Its strength could be attributed to several factors: Jeff bridges’ stirring voiceover on the looming “the grid,” the baroque-minded Carlos-esque “the son of Flynn,” the filter-swept “arena” or the could-be end title track “End of Line;” these daft Punk-heavy creations are of the most-inspired the album has to offer, despite being too brief to really let the duo stretch their compositional legs. Easily the highlight of the score and quite possibly the best example of daft Punk and trapanese at their most balanced is “the game has Changed,” an ominously moody slow-burner

full of foreshadowing with its lo-fi kick drum hits, repetitive string ostinatos, descending synthy minor scales and blaring horn blasts. as for the mostly-orchestral second half of the soundtrack, highlights include “solar sailer,” (with its echoes of blade runner) the squelchy dance track “tron Legacy (End titles)” and daft Punk’s official single off the album “derezzed,” which is perhaps the closest example of a typical daft Punk track found on the soundtrack. at the end of the day, what tron: Legacy has to offer is a well-stitched grafting of subtler daft Punk electronica onto the body of an otherwise above-average film score, but the fact that this isn’t the other way around might be disappointing to fans of the duo. What is on offer is not a failure to innovate by either daft Punk or trapanese, but the inability of the film’s producers to see past the hollywood conventions and push for the more transcendent score that daft Punk could have delivered. ryan burruss

SPIN THIS: “the game has Changed,” “derezzed,” “the grid”

CAGE THE ELEPHANT Thank You Happy Birthday (DSP/Jive)

Kentucky-bred indie-rock band Cage the Elephant make a ‘big’ splash with their sophomore LP, thank you happy birthday. Filled with dirty, overwrought garage-sounding guitars and plenty of electronic sounds, the palette of the album is rich. Creative for the most part, happy birthday is an ornamented effort that fuses a ‘greatest hits’ of altrock bands while adding their own ‘spice’ to the mix along with a few overly manic moments. “always something” intrigues with its splashy production work, which includes an array of electronic sounds, grinding guitars, and a thick bass line. accessibility is its strong point, granting the audience an inescapable groove

and a simple, yet catchy chorus: “It’s always something, before the late night, around the corning, there’s always something waiting for you.” “aberdeen” is more alluring, maintaining an infectious groove and providing more mind-boggling lyrics. “Indy Kidz” features a unique ‘wall of sound’ and is captivating; however its consummate length and liberal changes of style make the cut slightly unstable. the band’s intent? Most likely. “shake Me down” is nearly perfect, featuring epic moments that keep the “rock-n-roll” sensibility alive. the rub would be the over-compressed guitars, a predictable trend, though expected from such a punk influenced affair.

“2024” is solid, though not earth-shattering, while “sell yourself” epitomizes indie-rock gold. Featuring a great chorus and unique use of sounds, “sell yourself” makes one wonder if Cage the Elephant are the new alt-band to watch. “rubber ball” provides nice contrast, though the straight ahead rock-n-roll sound of “right before My Eyes” is the stronger showing. “around My head” is a clear winner, thanks to its clever lyrics: “I don’t think it’s very nice to walk around my head all night, got me tangled like a bread tie twisted, I don’t think it’s fair do you?” “sabertooth tiger” and “Japanese buffalo” embody punkrevivalism, but overindulge given the unmusical mix.

“Flow” is a departure from the rest of the effort but doesn’t eclipse gems like “aberdeen” or “around My head.” thank you happy birthday, in essence, may not be the second coming, but is a solid sophomore effort from rising stars. too loud and overindulgent moments make one ponder had Cage the Elephant just reigned themselves inmore, the effort would be nearly flawless. despite the ‘what ifs,’ the high energy - which is ‘spun like a spiderweb’- is superb in itself. brEnt FauLKnEr

SPIN THIS: “always something,” “aberdeen,” “shake Me down,” “sell yourself,” “around My head”

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF Eighties New Wave gents are back with their best album since Rio

b

rit pop/rock nu Wave phenoms duran duran return to their roots on their thirteenth LP. duran duran not only ends their three-year hiatus but cleverly hires nostalgia genius Mark ronson - the brains behind amy Winehouse’s back to black.- to get them back into their Eighties regimen. the nine-track all you need Is now parades through a maze of rubix cube pop and synth-driven techno rock. While recalling duran classics like “rio” and “hungry Like the Wolf,” ronson’s ear is tuned perfectly. the title track could pass as “hungry Like the Wolf’s first cousin while “runway runaway” revisits the post punk of their ‘80's catalog. It’s as if the record serves as a simplified return to tradition, but it’s much more than that. simon Le bon’s crooning remains youthful and vibrant, never forsaking the aural glow of past records. that, coupled with some of the group’s best compositions lyrically, gives duran duran the adroit capability to surpass the output of their more recent records. songs like the paranoiac gem “being Followed” and the epic electronica of “the Man Who stole a Leopard,” which features Kelis on a call-and-response chorus, are interesting stories coated with immersing melodies. on the latter, a victimized Le bon speaks of his wounds occurring from his mate’s “inner beast”as he sings, “you were once running wild hiding in the morning mist/game in bonds – I make you mine/I thought that I could resist/but the leopard in you silently preyed on me.” not everything assembled sounds like duran’s previous work. “blame the Machines” certainly has the ‘80's vibes, but aside from the rapid drum-board beats it sounds more like a devo-pop track. and “safe (In the heat of the Moment),” one of the album’s most delicious hot spots, rockets into infectious dance tempos using a Madonna disco-soul groove, spanking guitar riffs and ana Matronic rendering a debbie harry-does-“Vogue” inspired rap. after being shoved around by rock critics for being too boy band-ish during their height, duran duran’s relevance in today’s market feels so right. It’s almost easy to believe this would’ve been the perfect follow-up to rio. on all you need Is now, the former MtV heartthrobs look back at yesterday for inspiration, and have managed to uncloak a surfeit of possibilities for their modern-age revival. J MatthEW Cobb

DURAN DURAN All You Need Is Now (Skin Divers Digital/EX)

SPIN THIS: “safe (In the heat of the Moment),” “all you need Is now,” “the Man Who stole a Leopard”

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Loaded with lots of fiber...100% organic

PICK of the

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LITTER /

“i’M your Life,” ChriSette MiCheLe

While revisiting the piano lines of Lauryn hill’s “doo Wop (that thing),” Michele adds a little hip-hop swagger and some saucy daryl Coley jazz to a track that’s so rare in today’s r&B.

“SatiSfied,” Cee Lo Green

“WindoWS are roLLed doWn,” aMoS Lee

twangy nashville guitar plunks and Bill Withers soul decorate this heartfelt ballad into a Lady antebellum teaser.

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‘60's pop soul Motown-inspired track proves potty-mouth Green can do clean.

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“White knuCkLe ride,”JaMiroquai

“tree By the river ,” iron & Wine

With John Legend on board as a sophisticated hook singer, Lupe puts his smart rhymes to work on a dreamy ‘80's pop ballad that walks the lines of the police’s “every Breath you take.”

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“Shake Me doWn,” CaGe the eLephant on this almost-perfect rock ballad, the kentucky band doubles up on the crossover stuff as a whiny Matthew Shultz belts out a prayer: “even on a cloudy day/i’ll keep my eyes fixed on the sun.”

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“uBerLin,” r.e.M.

With rapturous country-rock guitar strings leading the way, Michael Stipe poignantly sings of life being a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, but the ups have the advantage: “i am flying on a star into a meteor tonight/i am flying on a star, a star, a star/i will make it through the day.”

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“MoMent 4 Life,” niCki MinaJ feat. drake perfect MC collaboration: king Minaj (that’s what she likes to be called) teams up with drake on a luscious ‘80's pop track that burns with hip-hop sophistication.

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“under Cover of darkneSS,” the StrokeS

on what is already staged as one of the best rock anthems of the year, the Strokes uncover an upbeat tune loaded with harmonic guitar lines so delicious that gamers will be searching downloadable libraries for a quick download for their personal rock Band cache.

“Safe,” duran duran feat. ana MatroniC Groovy Madonna disco riffs on top of Simon Le Bon’s vocals that are destined to open the glitzy golden gates of Saturday night fever for the millionth time.

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“never forGet you,” Lupe fiaSCo John LeGend

feat.

the song title describes this piece of smooth, relaxed folk-rock euphoria to a tee.

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With the right amount of classic disco and bubbly house bass, it’s pretty easy to dance the hell off of this Chic-absorbed funk track.

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“the GhoSt inSide,” Broken BeLLS

“roLLinG in the deep,” adeLe

in the hands of an angry, impassioned adele coming off the heels of a sour relationship, sorrow never sounded this sweet: “the scars of your love remind me of us/they keep me thinking that we almost had it all.”

James Mercer’s falsetto, psychedelic synth strings and hypnotic beats: Listen to those combinations and you can hear the ‘80's pop lusting over ‘60's druggy melodies.

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“tiGhten up,” the BLaCk keyS a solid work of swampy rock funk so immaculate...it’ll make kanye West stutter.

ON THE .NET Hear some of these selections in our April 2011 edition of ‘Jukebox.’

Go to

hifimagazine.net/jukebox to listen.

get more buz-z-z at www.hifimagazine.net

1 1 e.T. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

Femme Fatale 1 - Britney spears

2 --

Rolling Papers Wiz Khalifa

2

2

s&M Rihanna

3

3 Adele

21

3

5

Just Can’t Get enough The Black eyed Peas

4

1 Chris Brown

F.A.M.e.

4

3

F**k You (Forget You) Cee Lo Green

5

songs for Japan 6 Various Artists

5

Born This Way 4 Lady Gaga

6

-- Various Artists

6

7

7

2 Jennifer Hudson

i Remember Me

7

9

8

-- snoop Dogg

Doggumentary

the Floor 8 10 On Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

9

5 Kirk Franklin

Hello Fear

9

10

-- Mary Mary

something Big

in the Deep 10 17 Rolling Adele

11

8 Mumford & sons

sigh no More

11 11 Blow Ke$ha

12

12 Various Artists

The King of Limbs

nOW 37

Femme Fatale continues Spears’ golden streak of No. 1 albums, becoming her sixth number-one album in the US. The album sold over 278,000 copies in its first week.

Impressive week for gospel star Kirk Franklin, as he remains in the Top 10 on the second week of release for new album, Hello Fear. Urban gospel act Mary Mary also leaps upon the Billboard 200 with their latest LP, Something Big (No. 10).

8

Look At Me now Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes

Down On Me Jeremih feat. 50 Cent

F**kin’ Perfect P!nk

12 12 Grenade Bruno Mars the World ends 13 22 Till Britney spears

13 13

Greatest Hits...so Far P!nk

14 17

Loud Rihanna

14 14 Firework Katy Perry

15 11

never say never: The Remixes

Justin Bieber

4 Life 15 15 Moment nicki Minaj feat. Drake

16 10

Lasers Lupe Fiasco

Tonight (i’m Lovin’ You) 16 13 enrique iglesias feat. Ludacris and DJ Frank e

17 25

Teenage Dream Katy Perry

17 6

18

4 The strokes

Angles

Baby (Drop it to the Floor) 18 16 Hey Pitbull feat. T-Pain

19

Doo-Wops & Hooligans 21 Bruno Mars

20 20

Pink Friday nicki Minaj

The highly anticipated return album from the Strokes falls hard on Week 2, falling 4-18.

While sharing the top spot with rap god Kanye West, the pop star celebrates her fourth No. 1 single from her 2010 disc, Teenage Dream.

Not sure if its her day job on FOX’s American Idol that’s propelling the single’s success, but J-Lo’s “On the Floor” rises 10-8 on the Hot 100 survey. It’s her first Top 10 hit since 2003’s “All I Have.”

no sleep Wiz Khalifa

in the stars 19 27 Written Tinie Tempah feat. eric Turner i need a Doctor

20 19 Dr. Dre feat. eminem and skylar Grey

ReD letters determine new entry 00 Chart position on April 16 00 Chart position on April 16

The outspoken pothead rapper has alot to pout about after new single drops 6-17 in one week.

1 21 Adele

1 Katy Perry feat. Kanye West e.T.

2 Robbie Robertson

How To Become Clairvoyant

2

Just Can’t Get enough Black eyed Peas

Paper Airplane

3

Honey Bee Blake shelton

Wasting Light

4

s&M Rihanna

The King of Limbs

5

Till the World ends Britney spears

so Beautiful or so What

6

On the Floor Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull

7

Rolling in the Deep Adele

8

Blow Ke$ha

9

Born This Way Lady Gaga

3 Alison Krauss and union station 4 Foo Fighters 5 Radiohead

6 Paul simon

sigh no More

7 Mumford & sons Glee: The Music Presents the Warblers

8 soundtrack

Five years since Surprise, the singer/songwriter legend returns with his eleventh studio LP. Simon plans to go on a 17-date tour performing at small venues and clubs.

Femme Fatale (Deluxe edition)

9 Britney spears

songs for Japan

10 Various Artists

10

Tonight (i’m Lovin’ You)

All Of the Lights

2

s&M Rihanna

21st Century Girl

3

Born This Way Lady Gaga

Hold it Against Me

4

F**k You (Forget You) Cee Lo Green

Grenade

5

F**kin’ Perfect P!nk

i Do

6

Grenade Bruno Mars

Dancing Crazy

7

e.T. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West

8

Rocketeer Far east Movement feat. Ryan Tedder

9

More usher

2 Kanye West

3 Willow smith

4 Britney spears 5 Bruno Mars 6 Colbie Caillat

7 Miranda Cosgrove 8

Down On Me Jeremih feat. 50 Cent

1

Perfect 1 F**kin’ P!nk

Firework Katy Perry Born This Way

9 Lady Gaga

The music video for pop newbie Miranda Cosgrove seems to be a big hit with teens. The music video shows the iCarly actress cruising in a vintage red car and joining up with high school friends on a football field.

s&M

10 Rihanna

10

On their latest single, BEP makes a slight detour away from their familiar uptempo party jams. Alreading reaching No. 5 on the Billboard 200, “Just Can’t Get Enough” is proving to be a popular download in the iTunes’ rolodex.

enrique iglesias feat. Ludacris and DJ Frank e

Hold it Against Me Britney spears

=

=STATION PICK WWWQ-FM (99.7 FM) Atlanta, Georgia

Usher’s hometown is showing him“more” love on his latest single. So far, the song has reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

HIFIMAGAZINE.NET All charts placements above compiled on April 5 2011

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PJ MORTON [CONT. FROM PG. 8 ] hearing the right thing, but if you hear the wrong thing, it becomes truth to you.” Those traditions are strong in the black church and have remained a major stumbling block in the histories of gospel and R&B’s interrelations. In the late 1920's, Thomas “Georgia Tom” Dorsey experienced a major backlash from a number of Chicago churches as he introduced his rhythmic blues-influenced concoction of 21st century religious hymns inspired by his tenure performing with blues singer Ma Rainey and Tampa Red. The new music coming from Dorsey’s pen would later be called gospel music.

Sam Cooke, the sole architect of soul music, experienced the same form of rejection from the gospel world in 1957 when he finally decided to exit the Soul Stirrers to go solo and choosing to sing his golden secular tunes “You Send Me” and “Wonderful World” for pop audiences. Deep down inside, Morton knows there needs to be a responsible balance for both worlds. “My father’s been married almost thirty four years.

He’s not listening to ‘Amazing Grace’ when he’s alone with my mother. It doesn’t set the mood.

It just doesn’t do it.” espite his career as a indie soul artist or as a Maroon 5 supporting cast member, Morton doesn’t feel he’s abandoned his roots at all. In fact, he addresses those that feel

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as if he’s “backslided” from the faith on Walk Alone. He raps about his journey as a preacher’s kid on “Son of a Preacherman” (not to be confused with Dusty Springfield’s 1961 hit) while publicly accepting the sacrifices and choices he’s had to make as an artist. Being the only son of a prominent spiritual leader, he knows it’s almost impossible to try to walk a mile in his daddy’s shoes, but he’s comfortable wearing his own shoes. “I know what P.K.’s deal with overall, and God has blessed me with the gift of writing songs,” he says. “With that, I feel like I’m supposed to use that to speak to a generation and not just for myself. If there’s an issue overall, I want to speak on it. And that was my personal story as well.” n Walk Alone, he deals with matters of faith on songs like “Mountains and Molehills,” where Morton lays out encouraging proverbial messages across a breezy Beatles-esque melody wrapped tightly around a lush string arrangement. “It’s a special song that should resinated with all types of people, because everybody has dreams and everybody gets discouraged,” he says. “So being encouraged to try to fulfill their dreams...that’s a subject matter that crosses all genres, ages and ethnicities.

Everyone can relate.” Morton even joins up with his father on an inspiring duet on a remake of “Let Go, Let Go.” “My father loved the song a lot,”“he says. “And when we’d traveled across the world, we would sing it and the people would really receive it well. And in a different way from

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DeWayne’s. So that kinda was a last minute decision for the album. It was a good time for my dad and I to be able to work together and to sing together on record.” he idea of conceiving a full-length gospel record isn’t something he sees in the near future. While soul legends like Aretha Franklin and Al Green at the peak of their zenith have had no trouble producing gospel records, Morton - still comfortable with discussing his faith - isn’t troubling himself with the idea, as of yet. “It’s like when Stevie [Wonder] did with ‘Jesus Children of America’ or Carrie Underwood, more recently, when she did ‘Jesus Take the Wheel,” Morton adds. “I’m not going to step out of mainstream to do a gospel record. Music should reflect life. You don’t talk about Jesus twenty-four hours a day.

I’m a believer, so gospel will always be a part of what I do, but I wouldn’t [produce a record that reflected Jesus twenty-four hours a day.”

Ultimately, Morton’s mission is to do good music he enjoys. That path of enlightenment has led him to a once-in-a-lifetime gig with pop music royalty Maroon 5. Although he’s not part of the core that makes up Maroon 5, he settles comfortably in his oddball position as the sixth member, much like another musical prodigy known as Billy Preston, a gospel-trained musician, who recorded with the Beatles. Morton’s path towards his destiny mirrors the footprints of Preston in many ways. During the sessions of Get Back, George Harrison invited Preston into

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the studio after one of the band’s many quarrels.

The meeting proved to be what the band needed to “get back” to work. The consummate organist played with the Fab Four on a number of the selections for The Beatles’ last studio album (Let It Be) and even on subsequent cuts used in the It Be” film and its companion album. Although Morton’s skills haven’t been asserted on a singleMaroon 5 record, his associations with the pop/rock band, after their 2010 fall tour season emerged, were neccesary. The sophisticated production of Robert Lange used on 2010’s Hands All Over created the perfect outlet for Morton to fill in the blanks on the bigger arrangements.

Like the Beatles, the rumor of an eventual dissolving of the band is something that has caused many hardcore fans of Maroon 5 to worry.

Adam Levine, frontman for the Cali quintet, suggested to UK’s Mail Online during a 2008 interview that he doesn’t see the band rocking forever like the Rolling Stones. “I’ve spent my 20's on tour and there’s no consistency in my life, which can take its toll,” says a concerned Levine. “Eventually I want to focus on being a completely different person because I don’t know if I want to do this into my 40's and 50's and beyond.”

“I’m a believer, so gospel will always be a part of what I do, but I wouldn’t produce a record that reflected Jesus twenty-four hours a day.” o far, Maroon 5 continues to sell out auditoriums, packed out music halls and to get ladies screaming at glass-shattering decibels. And as long as Maroon 5 is around, and if it’s God’s will, PJ Morton will be somewhere on that ride. If not, he’ll certainly be somewhere doing what he loves. On the idea of being signed to a major artist, he’s welcome to the opportunity, if it’s right. “I’ve always been a person who’s open to anything,” Morton adds.

“It’s mostly about the right situation, so if the right situation was major, I’d be down with it.

Unless something better comes up, I’ll be indie.

It works for me. I don’t mind being indie for the rest of my life. I call myself independently major, you know.”

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2011 MUSIC FESTIVAL MINI GUI M

ark your calendars. The 2011 music festival season is shaping up fast and it’s beginning to look a bit promising.

U N D E R

CONSTRUCTION

Despite the depressing news over 2010’s concert industry caving in, music festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo continue to defy the odds and point towards survival during the gloomy recession.

SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL George, WA WHAT WE KNOW? Revelations on the official line-up will be announced in early February.

rumor mill include Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade and Modest Mouse. So far, festival organizers ha announced the Foo Fighters will be playing.

MORE INFO? www.sasqutchfestival.com

A ticket to any of these shows guarantee a good time. To top things off, you can bet your top dollar that the show will go on. none of those pesky, ridiculous, at-the-last-minute cancellations here.

WHAT TO EXPECT? Coachella’s lineup is definitely one of the best (so far). It contains critically-acclaimed acts of 2010 (Black Keys, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, Cee Lo Green, Kings of Leon) and a strong cast of hip-hop and R&B performers (Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Wiz Khalifa). Duran Duran and the Strokes will certainly try out their new music from their latest LPs on the Coachella crowd.

WHO ELSE’S COMING? The National, The Decemberists, Robyn, Raphael Saadiq, the New Pornographers, Cage the Elephant, Ms. Lauryn Hill HOW MUCH? $269 MORE INFO? www.coachella.com

WHAT TO EXPECT? Hard to tell who the headliners were at Austin’s 6-day art-film-music fest since Mel Gibson was there to showcase his new film, The Beaver. On top of that, there’s the countless after-parties and daytime parties at the surrounding music halls and clubs containing acts who didn’t quite appear on the media’s radar. But 2011’s kick-off music festival contained a line-up that featured names like Kanye West & Jay-Z (whoa!), the Strokes (double-whoa!), Jack White, Big Boi, Das Racist and L.A. collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. WHO ELSE’S MADE IT? DeVotchKa, Yoko Ono, Queens of the Stone Age, The Dears, James Blake, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Los Lonely Boys HOW MUCH? $595 and up, for registration badges MORE INFO? www.sxsw.com

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WHAT TO EXPECT? Besides the scorching heat, Bonnaroo celebrates its tenth year of existence. Hip-hop stars Eminem and Lil Wayne is sure to rock the mic while Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons and Robert Plant & the Band of Joy will keep the rock crowds excited. Part of the big celebration: New Orleans funk-jazz legends Dr. John & the Original Meters plan to perform the entire ‘Desitvely Bonnaroo’ LP (Yes, that’s where the festival got its name).

WHO ELSE’S COMING? Robyn, Big Boi, Wiz Khalifa, The Black Keys, the Strokes, My Morning Jacket, Florence + the Machine, the Decemberists, Girl Talk, Widespread Panic, Gregg Allman, My Morning Jacket, Primus, Buffalo Springfield, Iron & Wine HOW MUCH? $249 for weekend passes, $23 daily MORE INFO? www.bonnaroo.com

IDE U N D E R CONSTRUCTION

Names circulating in the ave only

SUMMERFEST Milwaukee, WI WHAT WE KNOW? Promoters are still working on the line-up, but two confirmed acts have been revealed. Keith Urban will open and Katy Perry will close the week-long event.

MORE INFO? www.summerfest.com

WHAT TO EXPECT? Close enough for Woodstock. Now on its seventh round, Mountain Jam announces a line-up featuring returning acts Gov’t Mule, Michael Franti & Spearhead along with My Morning Jacket, Derek Trucks, North Mississippi All-Stars and the Warren Hayes Band.

WHO ELSE’S COMING? Avett Brothers, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Mavis Staples, HOW MUCH? $142-$172, excluding camping fees MORE INFO? www.mountainjam.com

WHAT TO EXPECT? This under-the-radar festival is a shindig that essentially promotes the Southern swamp rock of Creedence and glories over the AM-rock of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.

That’s enough to draw crowds out for a great classic rock revival. Expect festival hosts Allman Brothers Band and this year’s guests (Robert Plant & the Band of Joy, Steve Miller Band and Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings) to be the officiators.

WHO ELSE’S COMING? Widespread Panic, Galactic, Taj Mahal, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio HOW MUCH? $188 MORE INFO? www.waneefestival.com

WHAT TO EXPECT? Festival organizers of New Orleans’ two-weekend cultural festival wanted to diversify line-up with broader, eclectic acts in the world of mainstream rock and pop. While continuing to showcase the rich talent of New Orleans jazz and blues scene, the 42nd edition of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will feature big acts like Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, Arcade Fire, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, Jimmy Buffett, the Strokes and John Legend & the Roots.

WHO ELSE’S COMING? Wilco, Maze feat. Frankie Beverly, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Galactic, Fantasia, the Decemberists, Dr. John, Mumford & Sons, Cyndi Lauper, Lupe Fiasco, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Fourplay, Rance Allen, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, Vickie Winans HOW MUCH? $120-$160, for weekend passes, $40-45 daily MORE INFO? www.nojazzfest.com

WHAT TO EXPECT? Recovering from last year’s oil spill disaster, Hangout Music Festival - held on the sandy beaches of Gulf Shores - promises to deliver on the talent this time around. Paul Simon joins this year’s line-up along with the Black Keys, Cee Lo Green and Foo Fighters.

WHO ELSE’S COMING? Michael Franti & Spearhead. My Morning Jacket, Widespread Panic, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Galactic, Primus, Girl Talk HOW MUCH? $159-$174 MORE INFO? www.hangoutmusicfest.com HIFIMAGAZINE.NET

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TOURS FESTIVALS CLUB PERFORMANCES

Katy Perry ANNOUNCES CANDYCOATED “California Dreams” Tour

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aty Perry is taking her candy-coated pop on a worldwide tour. Her ‘California Dreams’ tour was announced back in October but U.S. dates have finally been revealed. 40 dates in North America have been added. Arenas are expected to smell like cotton candy as Perry approved the idea of inserting ”smell-o-vision” scent pumps into the venues. She’s got the hits to fill a veune (”I Kissed a Girl,” “Waking Up in Vegas,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “Firework”), but she’s not going alone. Robyn and Marina & the Diamonds will be opening for her. The tour opens in Atlanta. Georgia on June 7 and will conclude on August 14 in California, of course. [ DATES AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE ] » June 7 - Atlanta, GA @ Arena at Gwinnett Center » June 9 - Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena » June 10 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum » June 11 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center » June 14 - Raleigh, NC @ RBC Center » June 15 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion » June 17 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum » June 18 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden » June 19 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center » June 22 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena » June 23 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Petersen Events Center » June 24 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center » June 28 - Detroit, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills » June 30 - Toronto, ONT @ Air Canada Centre » July 2 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre » July 3 - Ottawa, ONT @ ScotiaBank Place » July 5 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena » July 7 - Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater » July 8 - Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena » July 9 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center » July 13 - Regina, SK @ Brandt Centre » July 14 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre » July 16 - Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome » July 17 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place » July 19 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena » July 20 - Seattle, WA @ KeyArena at Seattle Center » July 22 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena » July 23 - Boise, ID @ Taco Bell Arena » July 25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Energy Solutions Arena » July 26 - Denver, CO @ 1stBank Center » July 28 - Dallas, TX @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie » July 29 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » July 30 - Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center » August 3 - Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre » August 5 - Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theatre LA Live » August 12 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion » August 13 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl » August 14 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl

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CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS All press releases for North American tour and music festival schedules should be sent to:

calendar@hifimagazine.net

Social Distortion Kicks Off Spring Tour

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fter enjoying a successful summer tour in 2010, punk rock band Social Distortion plans to continues their tour expedition this spring in support of their seventh studio LP, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. Chuck Ragan and the UK band Sharks will be accompanying them on the U.S. leg of the tour. The tour opens on April 26 in Albuquerque, NM and plans to wrap up in Nashville, TN. Dates include stops in Nashville, Dallas, Boston, Baltimore, Orlando, St. Louis and Atlanta. [ DATES AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE ] » April 26 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre » April 27 - El Paso, TX @ Club 101 » April 29 - Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom » May 3 - Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club » May 4 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant » May 6 - Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room » May 7 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave » May 8 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s » May 10 - Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion » May 11 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE » May 13 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live! » May 14 - Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony Summit » May 15 - Providence, RI @ Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel » May 17 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVA » May 18 - Richmond, VA @ The National » May 20 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium

LIL WAYNE HITS THE ROAD WITH ‘I AM MUSIC ii’

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il Wayne will be hitting the road this spring for his ‘I Am Music II’ tour, the sequel to his record-setting 2009 trek that grossed over $40 million for the Cash Money rapper. Guests on board will include Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Travis Barker and Mixmaster Mike. The 24-city tour opens in Buffalo, NY and will conclude in Vancouver, British Columbia. [ DATES AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE ] » 3/18 - Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena » 3/19 - Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena » 3/20 - Baltimore, MD @ First Mariner Arena » 3/23 - Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum » 3/24 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena » 3/26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center » 3/27 - Long Island, NY @ Nassau Coliseum » 3/30 - University Park, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center » 4/1 - Chicago, IL @ United Center » 4/2 - Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills » 4/3 - Washington, D.C. @ Verizon Center » 4/6 - Miami, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center » 4/8 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum » 4/9 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena » 4/10 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center » 4/14 - New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena » 4/15 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Arena » 4/16 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » 4/19 - Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Arena » 4/23 - Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center » 4/24 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena » 4/26 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena » 4/28 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place » 4/29 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

footnotes

T In celebration of the 20th anniversary of their critically-acclaimed LP Ten, Pearl Jam is planning a two-day weekend festival involving several bands this summer.

While details are still being worked on, Pearl Jam will headline both nights.

T Mumford & Sons, along with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Meidicne Show will be performing for an entire week this spring in a vintage railcar at outdoor venues across the U.S. The mini-tour kicks off on April 21 in Oakland, Cali.

New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys team Up for 41-date summer mega tour

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his summer, boy bands will once again roam the Earth. Announced last fall, New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys will be hitting the road for the first time together on a joint tour encompassing 41 dates, according to recent press statements. Concert promoter Live Nation added sixteen dates to the “NKOTBSB” tour due to “overwhelming” demand for tickets.

Appearances on the American Music Awards (performing a medley including Backstreet’s “I Want It That Way” and New Kids’ “Hangin’ Tough”) and during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve helped stoke the fires of fans anxious to witness the best-selling boy bands in concert. The tour kicks off on June 2 in Uncasville, CT and will run through a number of cities including Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, Atlanta and Houston before wrapping up in Hershey, PA. [ DATES AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE ] » 6/2 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena » 6/3 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center » 6/4 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden » 6/5 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center » 6/7 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre » 6/8 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre » 6/9 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre » 6/11 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum » 6/12 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center » 6/15 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Consol Energy Center » 6/16 - Detroit, MI @ The Palace at Auburn Hills » 6/17 - Chicago, IL @ United Center » 6/18 - Chicago, IL @ United Center » 6/21 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena » 6/22 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena » 6/24 - Lafayette, LA @ Cajondome » 6/25 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » 6/26 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center » 6/28 -- San Antonio, TX @ AT& T Center » 6/30 - Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Center » 7/1 - Los Angeles CA @ Staples Center » 7/2 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion » 7/3 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center » 7/8 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome » 7/9 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena » 7/10 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena » 7/12 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place » 7/13 - Calgary, AB @ Calgary Stampede » 7/15 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center » 7/16 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center » 7/17 - Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center » 7/19 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center » 7/20 - Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center » 7/22 - Orlando, FL @ Amway Center » 7/23 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum » 7/24 - Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center » 7/26 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse » 7/27 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena » 7/29 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Boardwalk Hall » 7/30 - Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium

SADE HITS THE ROAD AGAIN

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his summer, Grammy-award winning Sade will be touring the U.S. to promote her best-selling 2010 LP Soldier of Love and her upcoming “greatest hits” disc, The Ultimate Collection (in stores May 3). The tour kicks off on June 16 and marks the band’s return to the big stage in over ten years. Sade will be joined with nine-time Grammy award winner John Legend. New dates have been recently been added to the itinerary. Below is a partial list of tour destionations. [ DATES AND LOCATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE ] » 6/16 - Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena » 6/18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Consol Energy Center » 6/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center » 6/21 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum » 6/22 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center » 6/24 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center » 6/25 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center » 6/28 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre » 6/30 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre » 7/3 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena » 7/6 - Boston, MT @ TD Garden » 7/8 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse » 7/9 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena » 7/10 - Columbus, OH @ Schotenstein Center » 7/12 - Atlanta, GA @ Phillips Arena » 7/13 - Atlanta, GA @ Phillips Arena » 7/15 - Ft. Lauderdale @ BankAtlantic Center » 7/16 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena » 7/17 - Orlanda, FL @ Amway Center » 7/23 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center » 7/24 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center » 7/26 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center » 7/28 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center » 7/29 - Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum » 7/31 - Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena » 8/3 - Detroit, MI @ The Palace at Auburn Hills » 8/5 - Chicago, IL @ United Center » 8/6 - Chicago, IL @ United Center » 8/7 - Chicago, IL @ United Center » 8/9 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center » 8/11 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center

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Queen of the Night

oleata holloway, 64, who recorded some of disco’s mightiest dancefloor jams including “Love sensation” and “relight My Fire,” died on March 21 from heart failure in a suburban Chicago hospital. holloway began her musical career filling in the role of shirley Caesar, who had departed albertina Walker’s Caravans to pursue a solo career. she recorded with the legendary gospel troupe during the late `60′s and early ’70′s but was quickly discovered by MFsb legend norman harris and eventually signed her to his gold Mine label, a subsidiary for new york’s salsoul records. her departure from gospel, beginning with elegant MFsb-decorated numbers like the sweet ‘n salty ”dreamin’” and the salsoul orchestra-anchored “runaway,” stirred many quarrels within gospel circles, but holloway stood determined in her ambitions as a r&b singer. she even drew a line on using the name of god in vain on her sweaty funk rumpers (“good gosh a mighty,” she says on “hit and run”). after her debut, disco started to seriously bubble up and her uptempo funk-based content started to increase. although she recorded ballads throughout her career, fans wanted more of holloway’s juicy dance grooves.

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gloria gaynor and donna summer were the leading ladies of the dancehalls, but holloway’s unabashed boldness placed her in a class above all the divas. the proof: her magical snap on “hit and run” is the common ground embedded in gospel royalty and sweaty blues. her voice starts to shrill – amped with high volume with the dexterity of a banshee – when her ad-libs kicks in. the ten-minute remix of “hit and run,” designed by legendary mixer Walter gibbons, became disco royalty and instantly made her a favorite in new york clubs and a flagship act on the small, independently-distributed salsoul label. after “hit and run” came a series of delicious dance tunes. “relight My Fire,” usually tagged along with the opening instrumental build-up of ”Vertigo,” was a song that was featured on producer/singer dan hartman’s relight My Fire LP. hartman sings the bulk of the song. but when the surprising vamp enters the picture, holloway jumps in with her well-trained gospel pipes, maximised with sanctified testifying. When the song starts to fade, holloway completely takes the song away from hartman’s grips. the song was epic, reaching no. 1 on the disco charts for six weeks straight and lit up disco clubs all over. In 1980, hartman returned the collaborative favor for holloway on her upcoming LP, and produced her super-sized, highly-sampled disco gem ”Love sensation.”

When the 1980’s appeared, disco faded and so did holloway’s musical career. by the time the 1990′s kicked in, holloway’s voice was re-discovered by younger generations. unbeknowest to most music lovers, holloway’s voice was the heartbeat behind Marky Mark & the Funky bunch’s “good Vibrations.” a year prior to that, black box used holloway’s vocal tricks on their dance hit “ride on time.” In 2009, “We’re getting stronger,” the b-side of “hit and run,” got a new lease on life when alicia Keys used its foundation on Whitney houston’s single “Million dollar bill.” younger deejays and remix giants added new mixes to “Love sensation” and pumped renewed interest into her invisible back catalog.

lest we forget... gary MoorE thin Lizzy guitarist gary Moore, 58, died of unknown causes at the Kempinski hotel in Estepona, spain. Moore began his on-and-off associations with thin Lizzy in the ‘70's and performed on their 1979 masterpiece, black rose: a rock Legend. Moore went on to record solo records and uK hit singles, including “Parisienne Walkways” and “out in the Fields.” In the us, Moore won accolades for returning to his blues roots with his albert King-george harrison-albert Collins collaborative LP still got the blues.

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natE dogg rap hook singer nate dogg, 41, died from complications arising from previous strokes in Long beach, California. nate dogg delivered the memorable vocals on familiar rap choruses on a number of Warren g and snoop dogg hits in the 1990's and early 2000's, like Warren g’s Michael Mcdonaldsampled ”regulate.” after recording a few ignored solo records, he continued to collaborate with fellow rap stars 50 Cent, Ludacris (“area Codes”) and appearing on ‘Em’s grammy-nominated “shake that.”

roZEtta Johnson r&b singer roszetta Johnson-scovil, age unknown, died of breast cancer in her hometown of birmingham, alabama on March 24.

Johnson’s career in soul/r&b was limited to a few session recordings on Clinton Moon’s Clifton records. With distribution from atlantic records, Johnson secured a top 40 r&b hit with the sam dees-penned “a Woman’s Way.” the song proved to be a precursor to the women’s lib anthems of betty Wright and shirley brown in the late seventies. she returned to her heart of gospel and jazz music later in her life.