Wednesday, September 24, 2003

Real work is calling me away from this blog for the next couple days. Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to say that I probably won't be able to do an update until Monday afternoon California time. Sorry-- but y'all don't click on enough ads and/or Amazon links for me to do this without working for The Man. :-)

In the meantime, if you are so inclined, please consider making a donation to Howard Dean's presidential campaign:


posted by Randy on 11:24 AM | permanent link to this entry

Tuesday, September 23, 2003

This Week's Releases of Note

• Speakerboxxx/The Love Below- Outkast
  
• Results May Vary (w/ Bonus DVD) - Limp Bizkit
  
• Some Devil - Dave Matthews
  
• Want One - Rufus Wainwright
  
• Stumble Into Grace- Emmylou Harris
  
• North- Elvis Costello
  
• Louisiana Hayride: Live Recordings- Johnny Cash (vintage live recordings from late, great Man In Black.)
  
• Louisiana Hayride: Live Recordings- June Carter (vintage live recordings.)
  
• The R in R&B Collection Vol. 1 - R. Kelly (greatest hits collection with all the right remixes included).
  
• In Other's Words - Dwight Yoakam (a compilation of previously released covers and soundtack contributions that is, strangely enough, missing his biggest hit-- a cover of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," as well as his version of "Suspicious Minds" from the "Honeymoon in Vegas" soundtrack.)
  
• Duck Season Vol 2 - DJ Babu (of Dialated Peoples and The Beat Junkies)
  
• Bazooka Tooth- Aesop Rock
  
• How We Do- Das EFX
  
• Murphy's Law- Murphy Lee
  
• Doll Revolution- The Bangles (the reunion album, with all new material.)
  
• Tacos Deluxe - Fabulous Thunderbirds
  

Get Your Pre-Order On (Next Week's Releases Of Note):

• Too Hot For T.V. - Bad Boy's Da Band (the debut album from those knuckleheads in "Making The Band 2.")
  
• Ownerz (Instrumental) - Gang Starr (if, like me, found the last Gang Starr album to have awesome production but weak lyrics, here is your chance to invinte our own rhymes over DJ Priemere's beats.)
  
• Life for Rent- Dido
  
• My Baby Don't Tolerate- Lyle Lovett
  
• Sacred Love- Sting
  
• Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook- Bette Midler
  

posted by Randy on 6:00 AM | permanent link to this entry

Monday, September 22, 2003

• F.C.C. Chief Talks of Frustration and Surprise(N.Y. Times free registration required)
  A very good piece about how FCC chair Michael Powell screwed the pooch with his efforts to change the media ownership rules. Well worth reading. The article hints that he may resign soon-- but I half expect Bush to appoint an even worse stooge to replace him.
  
  
• Trent Lott, populist hero (Salon subscription or wath-an-ad-day-pass required)
  The law of unintended concequences in action-- the Bush administration let Trent Lott go down in flames over his Strom Thurmond remarks and it cam back to bite them in the ass as Lott led the charge against the FCC changing the media ownership rules.
  
  
• Upstart Labels See File Sharing as Ally, Not Foe > (N.Y. Times free registration required)
  An old story, bit one worht repeating: when harnsessed correctly, file sharing can be good for labels an artists. Especially for smaller labels and artists without such mammoth overhead costs. This article actually has some numbers behind the assumptions-- basically pointing out that the now-pretty-big-Dashboard Confessional fan base was built by file sharing and his latest album has sold 256,000 copies in two months.
  
  
• Court scrutinizes P2P subpoena process
  A federal appeals court on Tuesday scrutinized the details of a 1998 copyright law, wondering whether it permits the wide-scale unmasking of alleged peer-to-peer pirates by the music industry.
  On the same note: File-Sharing Foes Spar in Senate Hearing
  
  
• Turn On. Tune In. Download. (N.Y. Times free registration required)
  Pretty decent editorial about the music industry's efforts to demonize file sharing. The writer saves the best for last: "By now, even if the music industry is right on the legal argument, it can't win the moral one."
  
  
• Everlast Signs With Island Def Jam
  Good to hear-- though the association with DefJam has me shook becuase I'm seeing them pushing hot beats on him instead of letting his creativity further blossom. He did great work once he broke the rap mold on Whitey Ford Sings The Blues and Eat At Whitey's. Here's hoping they let him continue on that same path.
  
  
• Madonna-Britney kiss angers Stevie
  "Real sexuality and sensuality is in the music, and all these girls, vis-a-vis, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and on and on, should go back to writing songs and start over because it won't last and they won't last," said Stevie Nicks. "When they are 55, they won't be around and that's sad because I think a lot of those girls are very talented. But they are signing their own death warrants."
  
  But wait, what about this:
  
  
  Don't playa hate-- partcipate!
  
  
• What If Madonna Had Kissed Pink? It Almost Happened
  My guess is the reaction would've been the same as the Madonna-Christina kiss: that's not the first time that has happened.
  
  
• Will the real Feminem please stand up? (Salon subscription or wath-an-ad-day-pass required)
  This artlice goes a long way to make a simple point: Sarai will not be the mystical "Feminem" that the industry seems to be looking for becuase she has no flow and her lyrics are wack. Still, it's a good read.
  
  
• Jay-Z, R. Kelly, Busta Record With Missy For Her New LP
  Although it isn't exactly known if all those songs will make the final cut. The album will be titled This Is Not A Test and is due on Nov. 25. Helloooooo Christmas list! I'll probably cop it before anyone can buy it for me, though.
  
  
  

posted by Randy on 12:01 PM | permanent link to this entry