Where are those Beatles reissues?

"...the reasons hardly matter at this point: to collectors awaiting these releases, either on physical CDs (improved sound being the main point of remastering) or as digital downloads (where convenience trumps audiophile considerations), the inability of Apple and EMI to get this music onto the market is a symbol of how pathetic the record business has become, and how dysfunctional Apple continues to be."

Interesting article on the lack of Beatles reissues from the New York Times here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/arts/music/27beat.html/partner/rssnyt?_r=1

Actress, dancer, performer, music legend Eartha Kitt dies at 81

By POLLY ANDERSON

NEW YORK (AP) — A family friend says Eartha Kitt, a sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality, has died. She was 81.

Andrew Freedman says Kitt died Thursday of colon cancer and was recently treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York.

Kitt, a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" famous for her catlike purr, was one of America's most versatile performers, winning two Emmys and getting a third nomination. She also was nominated for two Tony Awards and a Grammy.

CityNews.ca Staff

She was one of three actresses who played The Catwoman on TV.

She was an Emmy winner and was also nominated for Tony and Grammy Awards.

And she was a singer most associated with an infamous Christmas song.

So it's ironic that she died on December 25th.

Eartha Kitt was an actress, dancer and a chanteuse whose most famous song may well be "Santa Baby," a sexy ode to St. Nick that still gets played on radio stations worldwide every year. She succumbed to colon cancer on Thursday.

Kitt began life as a poor child who worked in South Carolina cotton fields and rose to become a sophisticated symbol of elegance and sensuality.

She was a frequent guest on talk shows, like Johnny Carson, and became famed for her often sexy responses to provocative questions.

But Kitt is best remembered by modern generations as one of three women to have played Batman's nemesis on the iconic 60s TV show named after the cowled crusader.

Lee Meriwether and Julie Newmar also essayed the famous role, but it was Kitt who put her infamous trademark 'purr' to work and for many, she was the greatest of the trio.

Eartha Kitt was 81.

PLAYLIST: Insomnia Cafe - Season 2, Episode 6 - Holiday Special

The holiday edition of Insomnia Cafe will be available for free on iTunes later today. Here’s the full playlist, and clickable links to each artist’s website.

Doug Astrop - Welcome Home

Intro

Wiser Time - Blue Christmas
Colie Brice - Christmas Blues
Twisted Sister - I'll Be Home For Christmas

Talk

Darrell Smith - Away In A Manger
Mano Reza - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Project Grand Slam - Christmas And I'm Home

Talk

Darlene Love - Christmas All Over Again
George Fletcher's Bourbon Renewal/The Tequila Mockingbirds- It Ain't Christmas Without You
Adrienne Pierce - All That We Want

Talk

Crash Test Dummies - The Huron Carol

Visit our iTunes page and download the episode (Episode 9/Season 2, Episode 1) at: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=208833379

Download iTunes for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes

Send feedback to: insomniacafepodcast@gmail.com

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please consider making a small donation (using the button on the top right of this page) towards helping us buy necessary equipment, server space and our own dotcom domain.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

PLAYLIST: Insomnia Cafe: Season 2, Episode 5

The latest edition of Insomnia Cafe will be available for free on iTunes later today. Here’s the full playlist, and clickable links to each artist’s website.

Kelly Richey - If I Could Fly

Intro

Melissa Ferricks - Heart Beat
Grooveblaster with Anji Bee - Cities, Streets and Bebop Nights
Wendy And Lisa - Invisible

Talk

Lisa Markley - Song For Henry
Lee Coulter - I Would Love
Marianne Faithfull - My Friends Have

Talk

The Postmarks - 11:59 (Blondie Cover)
The Alder Fork - The Sunrises
Natalie Walker - Quicksand (Thievery Corporation Remix)

Talk

Bill Hicks - Moon Is Smiling

Visit our iTunes page and download the episode (Episode 9/Season 2, Episode 1) at: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=208833379

Download iTunes for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes

Send feedback to: insomniacafepodcast@gmail.com

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please consider making a small donation (using the button on the top right of this page) towards helping us buy necessary equipment, server space and our own dotcom domain.

Kitty, Daisy and Lewis return with a new single

London's finest exponents of authentic rhythm and blues, the incredible Kitty, Daisy & Lewis return this week with a double A side single, '(Baby) Hold Me Tight' b/w 'Buggin' Blues'. Like all of their excellent output today, this is a must-here, and is available now on 45rpm 7", 78rpm 10" (yes, that's right), CD digipak and download from iTunes. Don't miss it.

"A gift to those of us that still believe in magic" 4/5 Observer Music Monthly "A wonderful album: passionate, exuberant and fun" 4/5 The Guardian "The vibe is irresistible" Album of the Week - 4/5 The Times Since receiving raves reviews for their highly anticipated self-titled debut album, North London band Kitty Daisy & Lewis have been busying themselves writing new material and playing out live across the festival circuit this summer. Set to delight their ever growing fan base, the siblings gear up to release a fantastic double AA single on 15th December. (Baby) Hold Me Tight is a brand new non-album track written by Kitty. The perfect addition to a winter night in with a mince pie and glass of mulled wine, it's a blues tinged festive treat. Featuring Kitty on vocals and lead guitar, Daisy on Xylophone and with Lewis adding a smattering of jazzy percussion - it's so warming and beautiful it could even put Scrooge in a Christmassy mood. And to top it off, it features some smouldering horns performed by Eddy 'Tan Tan' Thornton – a Skatalites contemporary who's played on records for The Beatles, Sandy Shaw, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Lee 'Scratch' Perry and many more in his time. The double AA side track is the heart torn album highlight Buggin' Blues which was written and sung by Lewis and inspired by the great late Otis Spann (Chess Records). It sees Lewis take to the piano while Daisy bashes the rhythm out on the drums and Kitty plays the guitar. Like the album, these tracks were recorded in one take and in glorious, utterly digital-free analogue by Lewis and his father Graeme in their home studio in Kentish Town. A stickler for living and breathing the music they play and talk so passionately about, Lewis DJs, collects and even cuts his own 78rpm records himself when he isn't recording or performing with his sisters. In fact, their album is available as an authentic (to be seen to be believed) 1940s style hard-back 'Record Album' featuring five 10" records playing at 78rpm. The first of its kind to be made in over 50 years. And this single, like the others, will be available to buy as a 78rpm 10" record (as well as the more conventional 7", CD and download formats).

Video:

Bettie Page, 1950s pin-up queen, dies in L.A.

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bettie Page, one of America's most photographed pin-up girls during the 1950s, died in Los Angeles on Thursday from pneumonia, her agent said. She was 85.

Page was a ubiquitous sight during the 1950s, propelled to stardom when she posed for Playboy as Miss January 1955. Soon her image was gracing playing cards, record albums and bedroom posters across the country.

She stopped modeling in 1957, retreated from the public spotlight and turned to religion. She enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the 1980s, as a new generation of fans became obsessed with her legacy.

Her agent, Mark Roesler, said Page was admitted to a Los Angeles-area hospital four weeks ago. She never regained consciousness after suffering a heart attack earlier this month.

With her dark bangs, alluring blue-gray eyes and wide smile, Page cultivated an innocent girl-next-door persona. The one-time school teacher was nice, but clearly also naughty. Some of her photos featured spanking and bondage.

"Bettie Page embodied the stereotypical wholesomeness of the Fifties and the hidden sexuality straining beneath the surface," authors Karen Essex and James L. Swanson wrote in their 1996 book "Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-Up Legend."

Page professed to be mystified by all the attention, saying she never felt particularly attractive and had to wear a lot of makeup to cover up her large pores. After she found God, she was initially ashamed of having posed nude.

"(B)ut now most of the money I've got is because I posed in the nude," she told Playboy last year. "So I'm not ashamed of it now, but I still don't understand it."

Bettie Mae Page was born on April 22, 1923, in Nashville, one of six children. She and two sisters were sent to an orphanage after her father went to jail and her mother could not cope on her own. Page later described her father as "a sex fiend" who started sexually molesting her when she was 13.

Page, armed with an arts degree with Peabody College in Nashville, did her first modeling work in the 1940s after moving to San Francisco with the first of her three husbands. After they divorced in 1947, she pursued modeling in New York. Photos from a shoot with Miami photographer Bunny Yeager ended up in the pages of Playboy.

The layout featured Page winking at the camera wearing only a Santa hat as she decorated a Christmas tree. Playboy founder Hugh Hefner described it as "a milestone in the history of the magazine," which he had founded less than two years earlier.

Later in life, Page was furious that Yeager made a fortune from the photos and never compensated her.

Some American lawmakers were not as impressed with her modeling abilities. Page was served with a subpoena to appear before U.S. Senate investigators trying to discover a link between juvenile delinquency and pornography. Page never appeared. Soon after, she completely disappeared from the scene.

After two other brief marriages failed, Page battled acute schizophrenia beginning in the early 1970s. Her comeback gathered momentum with the 1991 movie "The Rocketeer," based on a comic book where the hero's girlfriend was Page. Fan clubs and websites proliferated, and Page made a good living signing memorabilia at conventions. On the rare occasions that she gave interviews, she insisted that she not be photographed.

Page had no children. There was no immediate information about funeral plans.

(Editing by Eric Walsh)

SIX OF THE BEST: Roy Orbison

Saturday December 6th will mark 20 years since the death of Roy Orbison, the legendary singer, songwriter, and performer behind 'Oh, Pretty Woman', 'Crying', 'It's Over', and 'You Got It' (amongst countless others), and the man whom Elvis Presley declared 'the greatest singer in the world'.

In celebration of Roy, we're happy to make him the focus of the first edition of a new semi-regular feature, 'Six of the Best' in which we will trawl YouTube in search of the half-dozen videos that epitomize the character and talents of a particular performer or group. Enjoy.

6. Only The Lonely (1960)



This early performance from a Dutch television show perfectly illustrates the beginnings of Roy as unlikely rock n' roll superstar. Standing stock still, without an upward glance from behind his soon-to-be trademark shades, this is the very definition of cool.

Note: Speaking of cool, note the downright frosty looking audience. Bizarre!

This is a particularly interesting video when compared to the one below, taped mere months earlier, pre-image change.



5. Blue Angel (1982)
(from LIVE AT AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, available to buy on DVD)



A stellar performance of one of Roy's greatest songs. His ability to marry catchy, infectious tunes with unusual off-beat song structures remains unparalleled to this day. Back in 1960, this was the follow-up single to 'Only The Lonely', and inevitably, another smash hit. Here, more than two decades later, it sounds as vibrant and fresh as it must have done the day it was first recorded.

Note: Listen out for those impeccable high notes that he could always break out at the drop of a hat.

4. Crying (1987)



From the PBS special 'A Black And White Night', that in many ways served as Roy's epitaph, this fondly remembered performance of an unforgettably poignant track features Roy backed by an all star band including backing vocalists kd lang (with whom Roy had re-recorded the song as a duet earlier in the year, to great success), Jennifer Warnes and Bonnie Raitt; and legendary musicians Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and Jackson Browne. Of course, with his jet black hair, clothes and sunglasses against his pallid complexion, Roy was always meant to be seen in black and white.

3. Mean Woman Blues (1987)



27 years on, this rare performance of Roy's best rocker shows the man at his best - confident, accompanied by a truly swinging band, his effortless vocals probably superior to the original 1960's recording. This appearance on David Letterman was made to promote the then-upcoming Black & White Night special, which would seal the deal on an amazing career revival.

Note: Dave's flubbed intro, Paul Schaffer's frenetic accompaniment (and David Byrne-esque dancing).

2. You Got It (1988)

Click to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siB20alL-Wc

Roy's last televised performance, from Belgium's 'Diamond Awards' ceremony. This is also noteworthy as the only performance of this huge hit and radio staple from the 'Mystery Girl' album. Another great example of the commercial and creative high note on which Roy ended his remarkable career.

1. It's Over/Running Scared (1982)
(from LIVE AT AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, available to buy on DVD)



"Your baby doesn't love you anymore" - who else could open a song with such a blunt, bruising statement and take it to #1 on the UK singles chart?

Here together are two of Roy's most devastatingly powerful and dramatic ballads, from the absolutely essential 'Live At Austin City Limits' DVD. Recorded in intimate surroundings, the sound is pitch perfect as Roy's hauntingly beautiful voice takes flight. This rendering of Running Scared is easily the definitive version of this deceptively simple masterpiece. Proof, as if it were needed, that there will never be another Roy Orbison.

Note: The last note of this video, on the reprise of Running Scared's climax, has to be heard to be believed.

American folk music legend Odetta dies at 77

NEW YORK – Odetta, the folk singer with the powerful voice who moved audiences and influenced fellow musicians for a half-century, has died. She was 77.

Odetta died Tuesday of heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital, said her manager of 12 years, Doug Yeager. She was admitted to the hospital with kidney failure about three weeks ago, he said.

In spite of failing health that caused her to use a wheelchair, Odetta performed 60 concerts in the last two years, singing for 90 minutes at a time. Her singing ability never diminished, Yeager said.

"The power would just come out of her like people wouldn't believe," he said.

With her booming, classically trained voice and spare guitar, Odetta gave life to the songs by workingmen and slaves, farmers and miners, housewives and washerwomen, blacks and whites.

First coming to prominence in the 1950s, she influenced Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and other singers who had roots in the folk music boom.

An Odetta record on the turntable, listeners could close their eyes and imagine themselves hearing the sounds of spirituals and blues as they rang out from a weathered back porch or around a long-vanished campfire a century before.

"What distinguished her from the start was the meticulous care with which she tried to re-create the feeling of her folk songs; to understand the emotions of a convict in a convict ditty, she once tried breaking up rocks with a sledge hammer," Time magazine wrote in 1960.

"She is a keening Irishwoman in `Foggy Dew,' a chain-gang convict in `Take This Hammer,' a deserted lover in `Lass from the Low Country,'" Time wrote.

Odetta called on her fellow blacks to "take pride in the history of the American Negro" and was active in the civil rights movement. When she sang at the March on Washington in August 1963, "Odetta's great, full-throated voice carried almost to Capitol Hill," The New York Times wrote.

She was nominated for a 1963 Grammy awards for best folk recording for "Odetta Sings Folk Songs." Two more Grammy nominations came in recent years, for her 1999 "Blues Everywhere I Go" and her 2005 album "Gonna Let It Shine."

In 1999, she was honored with a National Medal of the Arts. Then-President Bill Clinton said her career showed "us all that songs have the power to change the heart and change the world."

"I'm not a real folksinger," she told The Washington Post in 1983. "I don't mind people calling me that, but I'm a musical historian. I'm a city kid who has admired an area and who got into it. I've been fortunate. With folk music, I can do my teaching and preaching, my propagandizing."

Among her notable early works were her 1956 album "Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues," which included such songs as "Muleskinner Blues" and "Jack O' Diamonds"; and her 1957 "At the Gate of Horn," which featured the popular spiritual "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands."

Her 1965 album "Odetta Sings Dylan" included such standards as "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," "Masters of War" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'."

In a 1978 Playboy interview, Dylan said, "the first thing that turned me on to folk singing was Odetta." He said he found "just something vital and personal" when he heard an early album of hers in a record store as a teenager. "Right then and there, I went out and traded my electric guitar and amplifier for an acoustical guitar," he said.

Belafonte also cited her as a key influence on his hugely successful recording career, and she was a guest singer on his 1960 album, "Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall."

She continued to record in recent years; her 2001 album "Looking for a Home (Thanks to Leadbelly)" paid tribute to the great blues singer to whom she was sometimes compared.

Odetta's last big concert was on Oct. 4 at San Francisco's Golden State Park, where she performed in front of tens of thousands at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, Yeager said. She also performed Oct. 25-26 in Toronto.

Odetta hoped to sing at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, though she had not been officially invited, Yeager said.

Born Odetta Holmes in Birmingham, Ala., in 1930, she moved with her family to Los Angeles at age 6. Her father had died when she was young and she took her stepfather's last name, Felious. Hearing her in glee club, a junior high teacher made sure she got music lessons, but Odetta became interested in folk music in her late teens and turned away from classical studies.

She got much of her early experience at the Turnabout Theatre in Los Angeles, where she sang and played occasional stage roles in the early 1950s.

"What power of characterization and projection of mood are hers, even though plainly clad and sitting or standing in half light!" a Los Angeles Times critic wrote in 1955.

Over the years, she picked up occasional acting roles in TV and film. None other than famed Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper reported in 1961 that she "comes through beautifully" in the film "Sanctuary."

In the Washington Post interview, Odetta theorized that humans developed music and dance because of fear, "fear of God, fear that the sun would not come back, many things. I think it developed as a way of worship or to appease something. ... The world hasn't improved, and so there's always something to sing about."

Odetta is survived by a daughter, Michelle Esrick of New York City, and a son, Boots Jaffre, of Fort Collins, Colo. She was divorced about 40 years ago and never remarried, her manager said.

A memorial service was planned for next month, Yeager said.

___

Associated Press writers: Polly Anderson, Cristian Salazar

Tori Amos partners up with Universal Republic for forthcoming album

TORI AMOS PARTNERS UP WITH UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC RECORDS

NEW ALBUM ACCOMPANIED BY GROUNDBREAKING NEW VISUAL
COMPONENT DUE IN SPRING/SUMMER OF ’09

(New York, NY) Innovative; influential; poetic; bombastic – indefinable
multiple Grammy nominee, Tori Amos, has teamed up with Universal Republic
Records, it was announced today by Monte Lipman, Co-President and COO of
Universal Republic Records. “We’re honored to welcome Tori Amos into the
Universal Republic family,” stated Mr. Lipman. “It was Doug Morris
(Chairman & CEO, Universal Music) who originally signed Ms. Amos to her
first recording deal, and we’re excited that they will be able to continue
their association via Universal Republic. Tori has always exemplified the
truest spirit of the independent artist, blazing a path for nearly two
decades with a legacy of incomparable conceptual breakthroughs; as
singer/songwriter; as social commentator; and as one of our most thought
provoking visual performers. We’re thrilled to be in a position to help
facilitate the next chapter of her amazing career.”

In a unique venture in keeping with Ms. Amos’ and Universal Republic’s
unconventional approach to the artist/record company relationship, the two
powerhouses have joined forces to jointly navigate Ms. Amos next release, as
well as correlate other ventures in tandem with Ms. Amos’ prolific creative
output. Her upcoming Universal Republic debut (her tenth studio album), is
currently scheduled for a late spring/early summer 2009 unveiling. Every
track on the album will be accompanied by a corresponding ‘visualette,’
featuring footage that has been captured over the past year. Shot in HD and
Super 8, the visualettes will incorporate a documentary style. “Tori is
very much looking forward to a fulfilling creative relationship with Monte
Lipman and the great team he has assembled at Universal Republic,” stated
John Witherspoon, Amos’ manager, “The intricate development of this unique
Audio Visual component to Tori’s musical presentation, which she has been
crafting through her own Galactic Media company, is indicative of the
outlier creative and strategic opportunities both Tori and Universal
Republic hope to build upon in this extraordinary relationship.”

Ms. Amos’ most recent album, American Doll Posse, which has been hailed by
Rolling Stone magazine as ‘her best album in years,’ was released in 2007 to
a chorus of rave reviews. The captivating album, like many of her previous
efforts, was tethered to a strong conceptual theme, with Ms. Amos inhabiting
multiple archetypal female personae, a testament to her willingness to
continue to challenge the thematic landscape and emotional currency of the
female singer/songwriter.

With more than 12 million albums sold, and commanding a significant and
uniquely loyal audience from the rock, pop, alternative, and under-the-radar
regions of the music world, Ms. Amos has influenced a new generation of
artists in a myriad of platforms. Most recently, she was the catalyst for a
one-of-a-kind anthology chronicling her career, the 500 page Graphic Novel,
Comic Book Tattoo, featuring stunning visual interpretations of her songs by
more than 80 artists, (including an introduction by friend and creative
influence artist Neil Gaiman, creator of the Sandman series).

Regarded as one of the most compelling and emotionally fearless live artists
in music today, her American Doll Posse World Tour, launched in the summer
of 2007, saw her soar with her first full-fledged rock band in nearly a
decade. Media platforms such as the BBC lauded both her live show and album
as ‘returning Tori Amos back to the forefront of a genre she defined…still
pushing her own boundaries.’

Her genre-shattering breakthrough in the early 1990s, including1991’s ‘Me
And A Gun’ EP, and 1992’s masterwork, Little Earthquakes, single-handedly
revived the piano-and-singer motif in rock music. Little Earthquakes went
on to sell more than 3 million albums worldwide, with subsequent Grammy
nominated albums such as Under The Pink (1994), 1996’s Boys For Pele, 2001’s
Strange Little Girls, and 2002’s Scarlet’s Walk continuing to explore
broader themes.

Known for her extraordinary repertoire, groundbreaking videos and astounding
visual transformations, an assortment of compilations have been
intermittently released the past few years, including, A Piano: The
Collection, a Rhino Records 5 Box set of classics, rarities, and
never-before-released gems adroitly re-capping her career, a DVD compilation
of signature Amos videos, Fade To Red in 2006, and 2008’s Live At Montreaux,
a DVD release featuring the singer/songwriter’s earliest performances at the
festival in 1991/1992. In conjunction with her American Doll Posse Tour,
Ms. Amos oversaw the release of the web-compatible Legs And Boots series, a
complete collection of shows available for downloading, culled from her
North American live trek.

Nominated for multiple awards, including ten Grammy’s, Ms. Amos has been
working on a musical for London’s British National Theatre called The Light
Princess tentatively scheduled to debut in 2010.

Where is Axl Rose?

Close to ten years in the making (not 14 as reported elsewhere - work on the album as we know it began in 1999), innumerable lineup changes, leaks and litigation, Guns N' Roses 'Chinese Democracy' has finally seen the light of day. The much-anticipated album hit the shelves, digital and physical, last week.

However, with less-than-blockbuster sales and the album failing to top the charts in either the UK or the US, the mastermind/unhinged genius behind the whole project, Axl Rose, remains as elusive as ever. No GN'R tour dates are on the horizon, his bandmates are heading out with their side-projects, and Axl himself has yet to put in a single interview, performance, or public appearance to support his opus. The star of the show's absence from proceedings has led some to assume that the album has been released without his approval.

Then again, confounding expectations and conventions is what the mercurial Rose has always done best - and therein lies the strange duality of the music world's fractious relationship with him. Axl Rose is the last of his breed - the archetypal rock star, his individual characteristics read like a checklist for success and hero-worship: charismatic, inscrutible, defiant, unfathomable, uncompromising. Yet it is these very same qualities that have led to his condemnation by the press, more than happy to scoff at a 46 year old man trying to 'do it his way'.

In 1992, when the original band (or at least most of it) was still intact and at the height of their popularity, millions of fans around the globe flocked to hear Axl's trademark shriek and to see their anti-hero, subtle as a brick to the face, running from corner to corner of the stage in a kilt and Charles Manson t-shirt, while Slash looked on from behind a wall of hair, cigarette dangling from his lip, for two and a half hours of blistering, epic rock n' roll.

In 2008, hip-hop is music's dominating force, the 'Use Your Illusion' era band are long gone, and even the majority of 'rock fans', somewhat tragically, would prefer to spend an evening in the company of Chris Martin, oddly sexless, standing stationary in a comfy sweater, bleating his environmentally conscious musings into a downturned microphone. At some point, outlandish behavior, a bizarre appearance and a take-no-prisoners attitude became outdated traits for a rock star. Could it simply be that Guns N' Roses time has passed?

Perhaps so, perhaps not. After all, in recent years 'Chinese Democracy' has been the subject of more articles than virtually any new album in that timespan, lending credence to the theory that Axl Rose doing nothing is more interesting than the released-and-quickly forgotten efforts of the majority of music's current flavors of the month. One thing is for sure: if the album is to reach the audience it deserves, Axl, with the support of his new Gunners (all stellar musicians, as the album and 2006 tour amply showed) is going to have to get out there and show the world why they used to love him (no pun intended), or at the very least, loved to hate him.

Stay tuned to Insomnia Cafe for our final verdict on 'Chinese Democracy', and further GN'R articles.

- Michael

RECOMMENDED ALBUM: Marianne Faithfull - Easy Come, Easy Go





Marianne Faithfull - Easy Come, Easy Go

Naive Records

Out now (Europe),

Available December 9th, 2008 (US)

Easy Come, Easy Go is the 22nd album from Marianne Faithfull and was recorded in December 2007 in NYC at the famous Sear Sound recording studio.

Easy Come, Easy Go is the third album of Marianne’s to be produced by Hal Willner (the others being Strange Weather and Blazing away). Marianne and Hal have been close friends since they've met, back in 1982, and have worked together on many different projects over the years, (most recently on three songs from Marianne’s acclaimed last album "Before the Poison") but Easy Come, Easy Go is their first complete studio album since Strange Weather, more than 20 years ago.

Like that earlier album, Easy Come Easy Go is a collection of songs written by others and interpreted by Marianne. When Strange Weather was released in 1987, it was quickly hailed as one of Marianne’s finest recordings, so this time around the challenge was really high: Marianne and Hal had to make an album that was at least as good. Both artists have risen to the challenge beautifully: they achieve a timeless recording, a masterpiece.

All the songs have been chosen by Marianne and Hal, and range from Billie Holiday’s "Solitude" to "The Crane Wife" by current band The Decemberists. Other tracks are "Sing Me Back Home" by Merle Haggard, "Children of Stone" by Espers, the title track "Easy Come, Easy Go Blues" by Bessie Smith, Morrissey’s "Dear God Please Help Me", Dolly Parton’s "Down from Dover " and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s "Salvation". Easy Come, Easy Go also includes some interesting guest vocalists; Keith Richards appears on the aforementioned "Sing Me Back Home" Antony Hegarty on "Oo Baby Baby" and Jarvis Cocker on Sondheim’s "Somewhere". Other guest appearances on the album come from Rufus Wainwright who contributes powerful vocals to "Children of stone”' while his aunt and mother Kate and Anna McGarrigle enchant on the "The Flandyke shore". Warren Ellis plays his magic violin on 3 songs, and Nick Cave lends some vocals to "The Crane Wife". Sean Lennon and Teddy Thompson play guitar on a couple of the tracks, and Cat Power harmonizes on "Hold On, Hold On". The album was recorded live in the oldest recording studio in Manhattan the famous Sear Sound. The arrangements are by Cohen Bernstein and Weinberg Goldstein and were done specifically for Marianne. The String and Horn sections were led by L. Picket, and the band includes Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Rob Burger, Barry Reynolds and Jim White.

After the launch of the album, a short tour of the main capital cities of Europe will take place throughout November and December 2008. Marianne will recreate "Easy come Easy go" onstage using the same band as the recording sessions, complete with a horn and string section. As well as the new material, Marianne will be performing a selection of hits from her rich back catalogue; all in all it promises to be a fantastic show.

RECOMMENDED ALBUM: Lucinda Williams - Little Honey

Originally posted on the old site, October 2008.



Lucinda Williams - Little Honey

(Lost Highway Records)

Available now.

Lucinda Williams has always been adept at painting landscapes of the soul, illuminating the spirit’s shadowy nooks and shimmering crannies -- but she’s never captured the sun breaking through the clouds as purely as on her new Lost Highway release, Little Honey.

“I’m in a different phase of my life, so there are more happy moments on this album,” the singer-songwriter says of her ninth studio set. “ ‘Darkly introspective,’ is one phrase people have used to describe a lot of my songs. There are moody songs, but I’m looking outside myself a little bit more. These aren’t ‘boy meets girl, boy leaves girl, girl gets bummed out’ songs -- there’s a lot more than that going on.”

Williams wastes no time signaling that mood change, leading into Little Honey's opener, “Real Love” with a false start riff that's the six-string equivalent of a friendly wink – then sidling into the tune's hard-rocking vibe with a sensual slink that underscores the passion of finding exactly what that title indicates. The bluesy physicality of that tune is echoed in several of Little Honey's tracks, from the charmingly chugging “Honeybee” to the gorgeous melodies of “If Wishes Were Horses”.

“I’m stepping out and writing about things other than unrequited love. But because that’s not part of my experience anymore,” she explains, “doesn’t mean I’m going to stop being a songwriter. There are plenty of other important things to write about -- the state of the world, for one thing -- I don’t buy into the myth that because you get to a certain level of contentment, you have to throw in the towel.”

While Little Honey certainly has plenty to move the hips, Williams doesn't neglect her uncanny ability to do the same to the heart. The sparse delta delivery she affords “Heaven Blues” -- a keening consideration of what might await on the other side – hits home thanks to its arresting blend of hope and vexation, while the epic “Rarity” rides soft waves of brass (instrumentation never before heard on one of her discs).

“The one thing the songs have in common is directness,” she says. “The beauty of country and blues is their simplicity, it’s about getting things across in a really direct way. I’ve spent a while stretching out and going in different directions, which is my nature. But I feel that I can always embrace that original simplicity again -- that’s why I went back to record ‘Circles and Xs,’ which I actually wrote back in 1985.”

Over the course of a recording career that's now in its fourth decade, the Louisiana-born singer has navigated terrain as varied as the dust-bowl starkness of her 1978 debut Ramblin’ (recorded on the fly with a mere 250 dollar budget behind her) and the stately elegance of last year's West (which Vanity Fair called “the record of a lifetime”). Between those signposts, Lucinda Williams established a reputation as one of rock's most uncompromising and consistently fascinating writers and performers, earning kudos from artists as diverse as Mary-Chapin Carpenter (who helped win Williams a Grammy with her recording of “Passionate Kisses”) and Elvis Costello (who joins her for a duet on the Little Honey mini-drama “Jailhouse Tears”).

Williams learned the importance of professional integrity around the same time most kids are learning their ABCs, thanks in a large part to her award-winning poet father Miller Williams -- who invested her with a “culturally rich, but economically poor” upbringing where artistic expression was of primary importance. Later, she’d hone her vision playing hardscrabble clubs around her adopted home state of Texas, absorbing the influence of sources as varied as Bob Dylan and Lightnin’ Hopkins.

“I sometimes say I just started out singing folk songs acoustically by default,” she recalls. “Even when I was playing open mic nights by myself, I’d be sitting up on stage with my Martin guitar doing ‘Angel’ by Jimi Hendrix or ‘Politician’ by Cream alongside Robert Johnson and Memphis Minnie songs. It never occurred to me to pick just one style.”

She’s never settled for any sort of pigeonholing, entering the ‘90s with the slow-burning Sweet Old World -- a disc that, as much as any release, helped place the Americana movement at the forefront of listeners’ minds -- and cementing her own spot in the cultural lexicon with 1998’s rough-hewn masterpiece Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.

The latter disc earned Williams her first Grammy as a performer, but rather than try to capture the same lightning in a bottle a second time, she stretched her boundaries on 2001’s Essence, an album rife with both cerebral interludes and soul-stirring stomps. In recent times, Williams has broadened her palette even further through frequent collaborations with kindred spirits -- acts as varied as The North Mississippi All-Stars and Flogging Molly -- who share her uncommon sense of non-revivalist traditionalism.

Little Honey continues that ongoing forward quest, mixing country, R & B and blues-rock elements with adventurous aplomb. The disc gets an added octane boost from the powerful chemistry between the musicians, primarily drawn from Williams’ latest road band (now collectively known as Buick 6) -- includes bassist David Sutton, Eels veterans Butch Norton and Chet Lyster as well as longtime collaborator Doug Pettibone.

Williams augments that core unit with a passel of like-minded folks spanning a huge chunk of the musical spectrum, from octogenarian singing legend Charlie Louvin to power-pop vets Susannah Hoffs and Matthew Sweet, the latter of whom helped arrange the Spector-tinged “Little Rock Star” -- applying studio skills that prompted Williams to dub him “this generation’s Brian Wilson.”

“I feel that this is the most eclectic record I’ve ever done, and I’ve always been known for being eclectic,” she says. “ For this album, I was comfortable just letting the songs flow, and not worried about being so serious and heavy and having to top myself -- and I think that shows.”

She needn’t have worried for a minute because, with Little Honey, Lucinda Williams has indeed topped herself again.

RECOMMENDED ALBUM: Jolie Holland - The Living & The Dead

Originally posted on the old site, October 2008.



Jolie Holland - The Living And The Dead

(ANTI)

In Stores Now.

The Living & the Dead is a work between worlds, of moving on and finding something new, of missed chances, and promises on distant horizons. From the past (the haunting simplicity of "Love Henry,"which Bob Dylan tells us pre-dates the Bible) to the future (the stunning emotional complexity of her song,"The Future"), the Texas-bred singer-songwriter navigates a new rock approach that is built upon the folk, blues and jazz spectors that populated her three acclaimed previous albums.

Holland composed these songs in her old home town of San Francisco, as well as on the road across North America and Europe. A few were born during a writing retreat in New Zealand. Arising out of her life stories, and from the rich estuaries of the mysterious tales of other adventurers, her songs are grounded by true experience.

The Living and the Dead is an exhilarating ride with a higher voltage than the previous albums, music that had already left fans and critics at a loss to describe her singular vision as performer and writer. Holland worked with co-producer Shahzad Ismaily (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Two Foot Yard, Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog) in sessions both in Brooklyn, New York and Portland, Oregon. With contributions from guitar maestros Marc Ribot (who played with Tom Waits and Elvis Costello) and M. Ward (who also produced one song and helped shape the sound of others) and drummer Rachel Blumberg (M. Ward, Bright Eyes, the Decemberists), Holland has created an album that serves as a career statement. Holland's voice is the same beautiful instrument, which has never before sounded so confident, relaxed or emotive.

With 2003's Catalpa (essentially home-made demos released due to popular interest and then nominated for the prestigious Short List Music Prize by Tom Waits), 2004's Escondida and 2006's Springtime Can Kill You (which Rolling Stone said "feels better than a good cry"), she evolved a sound that existed in its own time, as if it could have been recorded anywhere between God knows when and yesterday. The Living & the Dead shares that same quality, but its timelessness is rooted in the present. Take Holland's description of the song “Your Big Hands”:

"It's just terribly naïve—it’s the kind of song Daniel Johnston made me feel brave enough to write," she says. "It starts out with these beautiful dirty guitar chords from M Ward, almost like a Rolling Stones song...the overall feel of this song owes a debt to Waits' version of rock ala 'Downtown Train'...then, in the middle of the song, all that has disappeared...you feel as though you're wandering around in the woods--there are owls and shooting stars…but then the song burns out with a mess of distorted guitars.”

In many ways, this album is a chronicle of her own journey. The driven "Corrido Por Buddy" (about a friend who sunk so far into addiction that Holland didn't recognize him on the street) is both character study and self-examination/recrimination – a sense magnified for the singer by not just one, but two instances of eerily identical poltergeist phenomena in the studios while the band was recording "...Buddy." The phenomena were witnessed by three band members, and occurred both in Portland and New York, during the song's production.

"The Future" is a presentation of beautiful poetry which arose out of personal misery – "When I wrote that I was really kind of crying and holding on to the piano—it’s about the hell of breaking up and moving out at the same time.”

"Palmyra" is a prayer for the broken-hearted and traumatized, both individuals and communities. The first half paints a picture a love-lorn traveler pulling herself back together after a disastrous affair. The second half is lovingly and respectfully dedicated to the hard-pressed people of New Orleans' Ninth Ward, hallowed estuary of some of the finest music the world has ever witnessed.

Upon hearing the completed album, Holland says, "I hear a lot of interesting connections between the songs that I didn't premeditate. 'Sweet Loving Man,' (a very modern love song, based on South Louisiana dance music) is sitting right next to 'Love Henry' (which is ancient as hell.) The first song is about a lover who sets out to attempt a life free from heart-break, by any means necessary. And the second is a twisted tale of a scheming rich woman who kills her lover in a fit of jealousy. It's like putting two opposite colors next to each other on a painting.”

The perceived space between ancient and modern seems to fade away. If something speaks to you and is meaningful, dates can become irrelevant. In that way, Holland's work has always been characterized as timeless. This album lives and breathes through memories of the past via reflection and resurrection, and grows into the present tense. The Living and the Dead reflects those timeless elements that make Holland's songwriting so powerful. It's multi-faceted, emotionally rich, and a continuation of one songwriter's existence within her own worlds and outside others. Enjoy Yourself.

RECOMMENDED ALBUM: Vonda Shepard - From The Sun

Originally posted on the old site, September 2008.



Vonda Shepard - From The Sun

Available now in the US, European release to follow in November.



Vonda Shepard's career has ranged in scope from early hits in the late '80s with “Don't Cry Ilene” (Reprise Records) and “Can’t We Try” (with Dan Hill) to her work as an independent artist, and then as the voice of Ally McBeal, selling more than 12 million records worldwide throughout the span of the hit TV show.

Her magnificent new CD From the Sun finds her indie roots firmly planted. Infusing her deep and melodic songwriting style with splashes of powerful vocals, From the Sun is also Vonda’s first studio release since 2003 and her fourth collaboration with legendary producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman). Froom describes the album as “modern-day soul” with Vonda’s solid piano playing and soulful, blues-inspired voice driving the tracks.

From the Sun also features guitarist James Ralston (Tina Turner), bassist Jim Hanson (Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen), and drummer Matt Chamberlain (David Bowie, Tori Amos, John Mayer), as well as mixer/engineer David Boucher (Daniel Powter, Indigo Girls, Andrew Bird).

“I love performing live so much – I wanted to write songs that I could really wail on. I love the idea of making and releasing my own records exactly the way I envision them, then going on the road, getting the music out there and having a blast doing it all. I have tons of energy for music and life.”

From the Sun highlights the work of an artist who began performing original material at small L.A. clubs at age 14. Having released five studio albums of original material, a live retrospective and DVD, and four soundtracks for the series Ally McBeal since, Vonda is a remarkable talent with boundless energy and inspiration. Plans are underway for Vonda to support From the Sun with a U.S. tour, TV appearances, in-store performances and radio airplay. The CD will also be released in Europe November 14 on PanShot Records, and an extensive European tour will begin in early 2009.

At a time when pop stars come and go in the flash of a camera bulb, Vonda Shepard’s From the Sun is yet another reason to believe that there is an artist who stands apart, continues to bring us the quality of music that we crave, and is here to stay.

AVAILABLE NOW: Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer

Originally posted on the old site, September 2008



Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer

(Roadrunner Records)

Multi-talented songstress Amanda Palmer is set to release her first solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer on Roadrunner Records on September 16th. One half of the creative force behind The Dresden Dolls, Amanda has amassed mountains of critical acclaim touring the world as vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter for her band. By experimenting with broader musical stylings on Who Killed Amanda Palmer, Amanda showcases endless creativity, exposing herself as a woman whose artistic endeavors have no boundaries.

Who Killed Amanda Palmer began as a minimal affair: Amanda decided to record a solo album for piano and voice, made in her bedroom, finished in a week. During a chance meeting with Ben Folds in Australia, the two bonded over mutual loves and suddenly the record was moved out of the bedroom and into Folds' Nashville-based, piano-filled recording studio. With Ben Folds acting as producer, the songs on Who Killed Amanda Palmer (a name initially meant as a Twin Peaks reference that has since come to take on new meanings for Amanda) began to come alive, resulting in what is some of the best recorded work of her multi-faceted career.

Mixing the magical and the macabre, the mundane and the sentimental, Who Killed Amanda Palmer is a musical tour de force, the culmination of nearly ten years' worth of songwriting. Some songs on the album pop and twist with the intensity of their own subject matter while others are soft and intimate, revealing sides of Amanda not usually seen within her work in The Dresden Dolls. Featuring guest turns from the likes of The Dead Kennedys' East Bay Ray (on "Guitar Hero"), St. Vincent's Annie Clark (on a warped take on Carousel's "What's the Use of Wondrin"), cellist Zoe Keating, and string arrangements by master composer Paul Buckmaster, Who Killed Amanda Palmer gives Amanda's compositions new color via expansive instrumentation and glorious arrangements.

Who Killed Amanda Palmer will feature liner notes written by celebrated graphic novelist Neil Gaimen, with whom Amanda will be collaborating on a photography book in tandem with the album's release. Amanda is set to embark on a tour in support of the album this fall.

The tracklisting for Who Killed Amanda Palmer is as follows:

1. Astronaut

2. Runs in the Family

3. Ampersand

4. Leeds United

5. Blake Says

6. Strength Through Music

7. Guitar Hero

8. Have to Drive

9. What's the Use of Wondrin

10. Melissa Mahoney

11. The Point of It All

12. Another Year

AVAILABLE NOW: Darius Rucker - Learn To Live

Originally posted on the old site, September 2008.



Darius Rucker - Learn To Live

(Capitol Nashville)

It’s a voice that needs no introduction. Darius Rucker’s soulful, rich baritone instantly resonates as a comforting companion in this journey we call life.

On Learn To Live, his first project for Capitol Records Nashville, Rucker has created a work that is steeped in the country traditions of meaningful lyrics and resonant melodies, yet sounds completely modern.

As the best country albums do, Learn To Live takes the listener on a trip. The album’s arc covers major life themes such as falling in love, birth and death. “This CD is a journey,” Rucker says. “I realized I’m 42. I’m not going to write many songs about drinking, chasing girls or booty calls. I was going to write songs about having kids and stuff - songs about life.”

Guests on the album include Brad Paisley on the humorous “All I Want” and Vince Gill and Alison Krauss on the inspirational “If I Had Wings.” “Brad just showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. To me, he’s one of the best guitar players around,” Rucker says. Gill and Krauss made Rucker, the ultimate fan, dizzy with delight. “They sounded like angels. You have these two artists singing on top of my voice . . . it gave me chills.”

Rucker has always had a close kinship to country music and country artists. “Growing up in South Carolina, it was always around, always on the radio,” he says. First an acolyte of Buck Owens, Rucker naturally gravitated towards Dwight Yoakam, New Grass Revival and Radney Foster in his twenties. “When I first heard Radney’s voice on Foster & Lloyd’s ‘Crazy Over You,’ I thought, ‘this guy’s voice is bigger than Texas.’ I’m thinking, ‘this is cool songwriting.’ ”

Rucker’s career path veered first into pop as the lead singer/co-writer for the wildly successful Hootie & the Blowfish. The Grammy-winning group’s 1994 debut, Cracked Rear View, is one of the best-selling albums in history, surpassing the 16 million album mark.

Fans of the band, many of whom have made the natural migration from pop to country radio, realize that Hootie & the Blowfish’s catchy songs were rooted in the same elements that make great country music. In fact, Rucker says, “We talked about being a country band, and I just got outvoted! They also used to kid me about how I always was bringing them country songs that they had to turn into rock songs . . .” Therefore, making his first country CD was not so much a big leap for Rucker as simply a slight shift in Rucker’s musical evolution. As Billboard magazine noted, “There’s a sense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a member of the country family, rather than an interloper…Sounds like country may have a shining new star.”

As a student of great songwriting, Rucker earned his advanced degree while working on Learn To Live. “Writing with those songwriters was like going to Songwriting University,” he says. His professors/co-writers included such legendary writers as Rivers Rutherford (Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Gretchen Wilson); Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins) and Clay Mills (Diamond Rio, Reba McEntire). “So many people in pop try to write all these psychedelic crazy lyrics, and I’m sure I’ve been part of that - but that’s something you don’t find in country music. The thing I like most about country songs is that they keep it simple. I love that, and I love the melodies.”

Fellow South Carolina native Rogers also served as the album’s producer, a job he secured immediately after meeting Rucker: “In the first 30 minutes, we wrote ‘All I Want.’ The label asked if I wanted to meet the other [potential producers] and I said, ‘Never mind. I met my guy’.”

The success of first single, the bittersweet “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” shows that Rucker had country fans at hello. The single, co-written by Rucker with Clay Mills, soared into the top 15 at radio even more quickly than anticipated. “It just breaks your heart,” says Rucker of the song. “And it was country enough that it wouldn’t be perceived as me being pop and just putting fiddle on a song.”

That song and the universal emotion it evokes typifies the stripped-bare nature of Learn To Live. “I want people to take away a sense of realness,” Rucker says. “I want everybody to find a song on it that they can relate to and go, ‘Wow, I did that, too.’ ”

For Rucker, the welcome mat that country radio has laid out for him has been extraordinarily gratifying. “The reception has been unbelievable,” he says. But smart programmers know that teens raised on Hootie are now confirmed country listeners, so hearing Rucker is like hearing an old friend. “People listen to country music because they know it’s where you can find songs.”

While Hootie & the Blowfish are an ongoing project, Rucker’s solo career is taking center stage for the foreseeable future. He is devoted to promoting Learn To Live. “We’re taking a long time off,” he says. “It’s not, ‘make one record and go back to Hootie,’” Rucker says. “I’m making country music.”

Darius Rucker’s current hit, "Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It," has broken territory in country music that hasn’t been broken in two decades.

The Hootie + Blowfish singer is the first African-American artist to appear in country music’s Top 10 since Charley Pride last did that in 1988. In fact, the song Charley did it with has a title that now seems somewhat appropriate, "Shouldn’t It Be Easier Than This."

Ending that particular drought was not Darius’ intent.

"I was just trying to make a record that people wanted to hear," he told the Associated Press.

Darius didn’t particularly expect to become a country star, though he certainly liked the music. In fact, he did a Burger King commercial a few years ago dressed in a western suit while singing the country classic "Big Rock Candy Mountain." And in some ways, the transition to country has a bit of logic to it from his standpoint. He says Dwight Yoakam and Foster & Lloyd were both influential on his songwriting when he was coming up as a musician.

"Back in the day," he said, "I wrote a lot of country songs and we turned them into rock ‘n’ roll songs. Now I get to write those songs and play them as country."

www.dariusrucker.com

Our thoughts: Much has been made of Darius' transition to country music, but this new direction is unlikely to surprise long-term Hootie fans. Rucker has already long since proved himself an able contender in the country arena with songs like 'Desert Mountain Showdown' and 'One By One' from the band's 'Musical Chairs' album. Nevertheless, recording in Nashville has brought out the best in Darius' warm, rich vocals and pop sensibilities. The songs are catchy and sweet - though riddled with country cliches (i.e. what I learned on my father's knee, cautionary tales of drinkin' too much and waking up with an ex-girlfriend, driving away from her on a dusty highway) but its all so charmingly executed, it's impossible to dislike.

AVAILABLE NOW: Queen + Paul Rodgers - The Cosmos Rocks

Originally posted on the old site, September 2008



QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS - THE COSMOS ROCKS

(UK/Europe: Parlophone - US: Hollywood Records)

AVAILABLE NOW IN THE UK AND EUROPE
U.S. RELEASE DUE OCT. 28

Queen's first new studio release in nearly a decade and a half, features 13 brand-new songs entirely written, produced and performed by guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and vocalist Paul Rodgers, with Rodgers and May sharing bass duties. The album's lead single, "C-lebrity," arrives at radio on September 9th.

Recorded at Taylor's home studio, The Priory, in Puttenham, England, The Cosmos Rocks recalls the sound and vision of classic 1970s-era Queen. As the band says, "We believe that this is an album in the old sense of the word -- something you can put on and listen to all the way through, and it takes you on a journey. The subjects and moods in it are widely spaced, but nevertheless, a challenge to the listener to put his day on hold for an hour or so, be drawn in, make connections, and experience something new." The album's dedication to legendary Queen front man Freddie Mercury shows the band still feel his presence strongly enough to dedicate this entirely new work to him, nearly 13 years after Queen's last studio album.

In the case of Rodgers, who takes control as main vocalist on all thirteen tracks, he can stand assured in the fact that Mercury rated him as one of the best rock voices of his time. Freddie would make a point of dropping into various London venues where Rodgers was performing with his band Free and had often acknowledged Free's Fire and Water as one of the albums that most influenced Queen.

The Cosmos Rocks was recorded and mixed between November 2007 and August 2008, and co-produced and engineered by Joshua J Macrae, Justin Shirley-Smith and Kris Fredriksson. It marks the first album of newly recorded material from Queen + Paul Rodgers since they first set out on the road in 2005, and the first Queen studio album since 1995.

The lead single from the album is "C-lebrity" (which features guest backing vocals by Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins) and according to Roger Taylor -- and in keeping with many tracks on The Cosmos Rocks -- is the writer's skew on the times in which we live: "'C-lebrity' is really a comment on the current concept of fame, success and all that goes with it. Getting your face on TV is enough -- talent doesn't really enter into the equation. 'Celebrity' is an overused and devalued word today. I think the song shows we have lost none of the humor of Queen."

Other tracks on The Cosmos Rocks include "Cosmos Rockin'," "Time To Shine," "Still Burnin'" (a mission statement of why artists are compelled to create), "Small," "Warboys," "We Believe," "Call Me," "Voodoo," "Some Things That Glitter," "Through The Night," "Say It's Not True," (a new version of the track donated to Nelson Mandela's 46664 HIV Aids campaign), and "Surf's Up ... School's Out!"

The album will be released in two physical formats: standard CD and in double gate-fold vinyl. It will also have a special digital release.

"There's a lot of guitar orchestras and some of our old trademarks, but at the core of it you'll hear the three of us playing," says May. "People really, truly playing together in the studio -- you don't get that much these days."

Queen + Paul Rodgers embark on the first leg of their world tour with a 33-date Europe and Northern Eurasia run beginning mid-September. The tour reaches the UK on October 10 with 11 dates including two at London 02 and the tour's first leg final date at Wembley Arena on November 8. The tour hits North America in early 2009 -- dates and venues to be announced shortly.

This past June, Queen + Paul Rodgers gave thousands of fans a sneak preview of their new songs with an electrifying show-stopping set at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in London's Hyde Park.

Members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Queen formed in 1971, and over the ensuing 20 years wrote and recorded such multi-platinum albums as News of the World, The Game, A Night at the Opera, A Day At The Races, A Kind of Magic and Live Killers. Their timeless hits include "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Killer Queen," "We Will Rock You," "We are the Champions" and "Under Pressure." Queen has sold more than 40 million albums in the United States and bands like Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and My Chemical Romance have all cited Queen as a major musical influence.

Singer Paul Rodgers first burst on the music scene at age 18 with Free's "All Right Now," co-written by Rodgers. The song became a #1 hit in 20 countries. In 1973 Rodgers formed Bad Company, and as the main songwriter he wrote and produced six multi-platinum albums with the band. Their hits include "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Rock & Roll Fantasy," Shooting Star" and "Bad Company." In the 80s, Rodgers partnered with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page in The Firm. They released two hit CDs and had two top-grossing world tours.

May and Taylor joined forces with Rodgers in late 2004 when they performed at the first annual U.K. Music Hall of Fame Awards. In 2005 Queen + Paul Rodgers launched their first tour, which crossed the globe and included 32 sold-out dates across Europe and the U.K., ending with a spectacular show in London's Hyde Park. They followed this the following spring with a 23-date tour of the U.S. and Canada as well as Asia/Japan. During the tour, the band released a live concert DVD and CD release, Return of the Champions.

Queen + Paul Rodgers dedicate The Cosmos Rocks to legendary Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, who passed away in 1991.

Track listing:

1. Cosmos Rockin' (4:10)
2. Time To Shine (4:23)
3. Still Burnin' (4:04)
4. Small (4:39)
5. Warboys (3:18)
6. We Believe (6:08)
7. Call Me (2:59)
8. Voodoo (4:27)
9. Some Things That Glitter (4:03)
10. C-lebrity (3:38)
11. Through The Night (4:54)
12. Say It's Not True (4:00)
13. Surf's Up ... School's Out! (5:38)
14. Small reprise (2:05)

Produced and performed by Brian May, Paul Rodgers and Roger Taylor

Co-produced and engineered by Joshua J Macrae, Justin Shirley-Smith and Kris Fredriksson

All tracks written by Queen + Paul Rodgers

Extra backing vocals on "C-lebrity": Taylor Hawkins courtesy of RCA Records

This album is dedicated to Freddie Mercury




Our thoughts: While Queen without Freddie Mercury is a tough prospect, 'The Cosmos Rocks' is a solid effort - enjoyable, with occasional moments of greatness. Brian's riffs are as flamboyant as always, and Paul Rodgers' powerhouse vocal on 'Small' is a true highlight.

REVIEW: Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider

Originally posted on the old site, July 2008.



Alice Cooper - Along Came A Spider (Steamhammer/SPV)

1. "Prologue / I Know Where You Live" - 4:21


2. "Vengeance Is Mine" (Featuring Slash) - 4:26


3. "Wake The Dead" (Featuring Ozzy Osbourne) - 3:53


4. "Catch Me If You Can" - 3:15


5. "(In Touch With) Your Feminine Side" - 3:16


6. "Wrapped In Silk" - 4:17


7. "Killed By Love" - 3:34


8. "I'm Hungry" - 3:58


9. "The One That Got Away" - 3:21


10. "Salvation" - 4:36


11. "I Am The Spider / Epilogue" - 5:21

After a couple of forays back into the garage rock genre that he and the original AC band helped pioneer in the early seventies, Alice Cooper strides purposefully back into the heavy-rock, concept album format that he experimented with to critical acclaim but commercial indifference with 2000's 'Brutal Planet'. With 'Along Came A Spider', his 25th studio album, the inimitable Coop brings us the twisted tale of Spider, a serial-killer with the strange quirk of removing a limb from each of his victims to construct a replica arachnid of his very own.

As Alice himself has pointed out, each of the album's 12 songs plays like a taunting, mocking letter to the police, and the lyrics are appropriately delivered with that trademark sneer that his loyal audience know and love. While fans of the original Alice Cooper group may be disappointed to find that, musically the album is in fact quite upbeat (particularly on the rock-stomp 'I'm Hungry' and the opening 'I Know Where You Live') and lacking in the skin-crawling creep factor of Cooper classicks like 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry' and 'I Love The Dead', this is made up for in part by anthemic choruses and impressive musicianship. Frequent collaborator Slash lends his considerable chops to the album's first single, 'Vengeance is Mine'.

Highlights include the greasy, harmonica punctuated 'Wake The Dead', the now obligatory album ballad 'Killed By Love' and the gleefully perverse 'Wrapped In Silk'. The album's greatest moment, however, comes at the very end with a spoken outro delivering an excellent twist-ending that would be sure to surprise and delight long-term fans. Or at least it would, if the album's inner packaging didn't irritatingly give the game away.

Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable album full of spirited performances, great rock music, and a typically sick Cooper storyline. It may not rank amongst his very best, but it's certainly his best in years. Recommended.

Along Came A Spider is in stores and online now. The iTunes version includes 3 bonus tracks.

www.alicecooper.com

CONCERT REVIEW: The B-52's, Amsterdam 2008

Originally posted on the old site, August 2008.

Setlist:
Pump
Mesopotamia
Ultraviolet
Give Me Back My Man
Private Idaho
Keep This Party Going
Strobe Light
Juliet Of The Spirits
Roam
Funplex
Party Out Of Bounds
Hot Corner
Love In The Year 3000
Love Shack
-
Planet Claire
Rock Lobster
-
Channel Z

July 19th, 2008 brought America's long-reigning party band to Europe's premier party city, Amsterdam. For 32 years, The B-52's have thrilled fans with their hedonistic blend of killer hooks, bizarre lyrics, 60's girl group vocals, and of course the sprechgesang of the irrepressible Fred Schneider. While their profile had been significantly lower in recent years owing to a 16 year gap between albums, to the faithful The B's were never truly away, and are received with a riotous welcome from Paradiso's sold-out crowd.



There can surely be no stronger argument for music retaining youth than the B-52's. The glamourous-as-ever Kate and Cindy, have maintained their remarkable vocal chops and dance throughout, spurring on the audience from opposite sides of the stage like the experienced party hosts that they are. Fred, naturally, stalks the stage fully immersed in his carnival-barker mode, reminding all present of why he is possibly the most original and charismatic frontman to emerge from the late 70's. Over to the side, original B's drummer-turned-guitarist Keith Strickland (looking roughly half of his 54 years) provides solid musicianship throughout - the backbone of the whole show. Of the three backing musicians, only a slightly stone-faced keyboard player appears immune to the festivities. From the opening, a rollicking-rendition of Pump (from the new album), the audience are eating out of the band's collective hands.



It's a testament to the strength of the new material (largely written by Keith) that it stands so well along such all-time classics as 'Rock Lobster' and 'Love Shack'. The band too, appear delighted that the new material is so popular with the crowd - indeed after 16 years without new material, it must be a huge relief. This is not to say that 'Lobster', 'Planet Claire' and even the money-track 'Love Shack' aren't performed with all the flamboyant vitality that they deserve. Quite the opposite, and the clear affection that both the fans and the band have for these gems is undeniable.


Special mention must go to Cindy, who has on occasion been unfairly criticized for perhaps seeming a little less than exuberant. Tonight, she steals the show, dancing and rocking her way throughout the entire set with boundless energy and a smile on her face. Her gutsy, wild rendition of fan-favourite 'Give Me Back My Man' deservedly receives the biggest applause of the night.

Great chemistry, all the classics, excellent new songs and raucous performances from a band who stubbornly refuse to grow up. A party out of bounds, indeed.



Review by Michael Escritt. Photos by Merel Herder and Michael Escritt.

Please do not reproduce without permission.

The B-52's new album 'Funplex' is in stores and online now.

Catch The B-52's on tour in the U.S. this summer as part of the True Colors tour.

Visit www.myspace.com/theb52s for details

You can currently watch the entire concert for free at www.fabchannel.com!

CONCERT REVIEW: Nicole Atkins and The Sea, Amsterdam 2008

Originally posted on the old site, June 2008.

Nicole Atkins and The Sea

Bitterzoet, Amsterdam

May 2nd, 2008

Nicole Atkins - vocals, guitar

The Sea:

Dave Hollinghurst: Guitar

Dan Chen: Keyboard

Dan Mintzer: Drums

Derek Layes: Bass

Gillian Rivers: Violin

8 months after her breakthrough appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman, Nicole Atkins' ongoing tour in support of Insomnia Cafe's 2007 album of the year 'Neptune City' has brought her before a packed crowd at Amsterdam's small (and seemingly airtight) Bitterzoet.

With her stellar live band, The Sea, crammed alongside her on the club's tiny stage, any doubts about the group's ability to recreate the album's dreamlike, textured sound in a live environment are availed by the opening bars of recent single 'Maybe Tonight'. Of particular note is violinist Gillian Rivers, who's impassioned, virtuosic playing combined with Dan Chen's swirling keyboard flourishes adds an impossibly grandiose sheen to the performance.

Little can be said about Nicole Atkins' voice that we didn't already cover in our glowing album of the year article. In an era of multiple takes, pitch-correction and vocoders, hers remains a raw, visceral talent. Suffice to say, that her stunning vocals, alternately defiant and longing are every bit as disarmingly beautiful in concert as they are on record. Perhaps even more so, further enhanced as they are by her visible committment to each song, wrapped in The Sea's cascading waves of sound.

Over the course of an hour or so, we are treated to each of 'Neptune City's ten tracks, a swirling rendition of 'Carouselle' from the earlier 'Bleeding Diamonds' EP, and the impressive live debut of an as yet unreleased new song. Highlights include a heart-stopping 'The Way It Is' to rival the Letterman performance, a fist-pumping singalong of the album's most raucous track 'Brooklyn's On Fire', and Nicole's vivid descriptions of the sites and sounds of her home state ("Welcome to New Jersey - who farted?").

A surprise cover of The Doors' seminal 'Crystal Ship' makes for a powerful closer, displaying the versatility of both band and vocalist to a thoroughly impressed crowd.

Based on tonight's show, word-of-mouth will ensure Nicole's diverse fanbase continues to grow with each mesmerizing performance.

Nicole Atkins returns to the Netherlands for a show at Melkweg on July 7th. with upcoming festival performances in Sweden, France and England. A US tour follows in August.

Visit www.nicoleatkins.com for details.

PLAYLIST: Insomnia Cafe: Season 2, Episode 4: Patti Russo Special

Originally posted on the old site, November 2008.

Yes folks, our long-awaited new episode is finally available (or should be within a few hours of this post), and we've devoted the whole episode to one of my favorite women in all of music - known for her powerful, gutsy singing and equally knockout stage prescence, star of We Will Rock You, Queen collaborator, and Meat Loaf's leading lady for close to 15 years in his touring band The Neverland Express, the one and only Miss Patti Russo!



It was a real treat to be able to interview Patti earlier this year at Amsterdam's Heineken Music Hall, following an excellent performance from Meat and The Neverland Express as part of the Casa De Carne tour. She's every bit as warm, funny, insightful and ballsy as you'd expect, and the interview (originally intended to be 15 minutes) absolutely flew by. In fact, I decided that rather than including it as a section of a regular show, we'd bookend the conversation with a couple of her solo songs and put the whole thing out on its own.

The two songs of Patti's included in the podcast are:

Bring Me A Bible And A Beer (currently available to hear on her myspace - see below) and

Here We Are (available to purchase on iTunes)

My apologies for the poor sound on the actual interview. I made the mistake of thinking that the 120 euro digital recorder from Philips, bought especially for the occasion, might have some sort of quality surpassing my 15 year old micro-cassette dictaphone. I was wrong. Hopefully that won't spoil your enjoyment of what is, in my opinion, a very lively and fun interview. We discuss everything from her work with Meat Loaf, the time she met Cher, her favorite Queen songs, bibles, beer and much more.

Head over to our iTunes page right now to download the full episode for free!

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=208833379

For more info on Patti, check the following links:

Patti-Rocks (fan site)

Patti Russo's myspace

If you enjoy this episode, please consider making a small donation to Insomnia Cafe via Paypal at locusceruleusmedia@gmail.com - Insomnia Cafe is, and always has been an ad-free, non profit making blog and podcast. All travel expenses, equipment costs, etc. come out of my own somewhat thinly lined pockets. Donations will go towards helping us buy our own server space for the podcasts, a dot com domain, and yes, a functioning, decent quality digital-recorder.
- Michael

PLAYLIST: Insomnia Cafe: Season 2, Episode 3

Originally posted on the old site, September 2008. Here’s the full playlist, and clickable links to each artist’s website.

Black Velvet Elvis - The Girl With The Strawberry Hair

Melissa Ricks- Heartbeat
Kelly's Lot- Joan Of Arc

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis- Going Up The Country
Sharon Robinson- Party For The Lonely + interview

Billy Bragg- O Freedom
Jean Synodinos- Waiting For The Light To Change

David Bennett Cohen- Blues For A Summer Dream

Visit our iTunes page and download the episode (Episode 9/Season 2, Episode 1) at: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=208833379

Download iTunes for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes

Send feedback to: insomniacafepodcast@gmail.com

PLAYLIST: Insomnia Cafe: Season 2, Episode 2

Originally posted on the old site, July 2008. Here’s the full playlist, and clickable links to each artist’s website.

Marilyn Scott - Caravan

Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
Steve Earle - Ellis Unit One

The Dirtbombs - Wreck My Flow
Telling On Trixie - Atlantis
Hayes Carll - She Left Me For Jesus

Barenaked Ladies - Polywog In A Bog
Marie Crehan - Island Of Trees
Lisa Redford - Just Getting By

Horrorpops - Heading For The Disco
Mono In VCF - There's No Blood In Bone
Alice Smith - New Religion

Alice Cooper - No More Mr Nice Guy
Alice Cooper - I'm Eighteen

Visit our iTunes page and download the episode (Episode 9/Season 2, Episode 1) at: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=208833379

Download iTunes for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes

Send feedback to: insomniacafepodcast@gmail.com

PLAYLIST: Insomnia Cafe: Season 2, Episode 1

Originally posted on the old site, April 2008. Here's the full playlist for this episode, and clickable links to each artist's website.

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!
Alice Smith - Dream
Horrorpops - Thelma and Louise

The Postmarks - Know Which Way The Wind Blows
Maria Daines - Aunt Liza's Clock
Eilen Jewell - Heartache Boulevard

Eilen Jewell - In The End
Little Red King - Mimosa Sunset
Lisa Loeb - Airplanes

Tom Waits - You Can Never Hold Back Spring

Visit our iTunes page and download the episode (Episode 9/Season 2, Episode 1) at: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=208833379

Download iTunes for free at http://www.apple.com/itunes

Send feedback to: insomniacafepodcast@gmail.com