Crash Test Dummies tour announced

Brad Roberts has announced that Crash Test Dummies will be hitting the road for their first tour in 6 years, in support of forthcoming album 'Ooh La La', produced by Stewart Lehman. Original member Ellen Reid and long-term collaborator Stuart Cameron will be amongst the lineup. Don't miss this rare chance to catch the Dummies on the road.

May 11 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live

May 13 – Foxboro, MA – Showcase Live
May 14 – Northhamption, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall
May 15 – New York, NY – City Winery
May 16 – Vienna, VA – Jammin Java

May 18 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
May 19 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark

May 21 – Madison, WI – The Majestic
May 22 – Chicago, IL – Martyr’s
May 23 – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall

REVIEW: Goldfrapp - Head First

Goldfrapp - Head First

2008's 'Seventh Tree' was something of a departure for Goldfrapp, eschewing electronic pop glitz in favour of an organic, largely acoustic sound that spotlighted Alison and Will's accomplished songwriting and penchant for dreamy lyricism.

Two years on, 'Head First' sees the group returning to more familiar territory with a short, tight set of hooky, endearingly retro (see 'Believer') electro-pop reminiscent of Mute labelmates Erasure. It's all accomplished with a great deal of flair, and as on lead single 'Rocket' is every bit as toe-tappingly enjoyable as one would expect.

However it's hard not to feel that this is a step backwards. After all, Goldfrapp have already taken this genre to it's zenith with 2005's 'Supernature' (which spawned the global hits 'Ooh La La', 'Number One' and 'Ride A White Horse'). Solid, but somewhat unambitious.

Michael Jackson: landmark record deal announced

ESTATE OF MICHAEL JACKSON AND SONY MUSIC RENEW 30-YEAR RELATIONSHIP WITH LANDMARK RECORDING DEAL

New York, NY - Special Administrators for the Estate of Michael Jackson, John Branca and John McClain, and Sony Music will continue the label’s 30-year relationship with Michael Jackson and his music with a landmark recording deal, it was announced today.

With this new agreement, Sony Music’s Columbia Epic Label Group and Legacy Recordings will continue their term of rights to his catalog and also create new projects for Michael Jackson featuring the never-before-released Jackson recordings. The first project featuring unreleased music is expected for release in November 2010.

Rob Stringer, Chairman of the Columbia Epic Label Group comments, “Michael has always been a treasured member of the Sony Music family. We’re dedicated to protecting this icon’s legacy and we’re thrilled that we can continue to bring his music to the world for the foreseeable future.”

John Branca comments, “During his life, Michael’s contracts set the standard for the industry, reflecting his unique vision and talents that inspired and excited people in every corner of the world. By all objective criteria, this agreement with Sony Music demonstrates the lasting power of Michael’s music by exceeding all previous industry benchmarks. Each new generation produces countless new fans who appreciate Michael’s artistry, requiring a partner that has Sony’s wherewithal, business acumen and foresight to properly and respectfully showcase his genius well into the future.”

As a solo artist with Epic Records spanning three decades, Michael has sold hundreds of millions of records worldwide and released thirteen #1 singles. Jackson became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award. Sony’s Legacy Recordings has also created a number of successful projects such as the “Thriller” 25th anniversary album. The best selling album of all time worldwide by wide margin, “Thriller” showed the lasting power of Michael’s music by returning to #1 on the weekly sales charts in 2008.

John McClain comments, “Nowhere did Michael set the bar higher than he did with ‘Thriller,’ which nearly three decades after its release by Epic remains by far the best-selling album in history worldwide with music that transcends generations. We believe we have a partner in Sony that knows and appreciates Michael’s artistry as well as the passion of his fans. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Sony to preserve and enhance his remarkable musical legacy.”

This past fall, Sony Music released the #1 two-disc album companion to the motion picture Michael Jackson’s This is It ” which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Released by Sony Pictures, the film made history as the highest grossing concert film of all time and the recently released DVD took the #1 spot in DVD sales, breaking the record for first-week’s sales of a music film.

Source: Sony Music

Barenaked Ladies - You Run Away

From the album 'All In Good Time', released March 23rd (Canada), 29th (UK/EU), 30th (US).

Meat Loaf - Hang Cool, Teddy Bear

Meat Loaf
Hang Cool Teddy Bear

Coming April 2010

Some people think big. Some people think huge. And then there's Meat Loaf.

For the past 35 years, the man born Marvin Lee Aday has been a towering monument on the musical landscape. His legendary 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell transformed this former high school football player, nightclub bouncer and stage actor into one of the great American rock 'n' roll icons. That record, with its staggering operatic sound and impassioned vocals, has sold more than 43 million albums worldwide - still one of the biggest-selling records ever.

Meat Loaf's reputation as one of music's greatest artists was underlined by such masterpieces as Dead Ringer (1981), Bad Attitude (1984) and the Bat Out Of Hell sequels Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993) and Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006). Other artists might have tried to match his scale and copy his sound, but no one has come close.

Now, more than 30 years after he exploded onto the world stage, Meat Loaf is back with a new record, Hang Cool Teddy Bear (a title taken from a line in the classic Russ Meyer trash movie Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls). From opener Peace On Earth to closer Elvis In Vegas, its 13 tracks drag the classic Meat Loaf sound kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

"I wanted it big, I wanted it dramatic, I wanted a rock record," says Meat Loaf. "Yes, it sounds like a Meat Loaf record. But it sounds different too - it sounds new, it sounds fresh. It speaks to you in a different way."

Much of this newfound energy can be put down to Meat Loaf's working relationship with his new collaborator, producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance Paramore, Fleetwood Mac). For the singer, it was a chance to work with one of the hottest producers around. For Cavallo, it was an opportunity to work with a childhood hero and a proper rock 'n' roll legend.

"Rob is the Number 1 rock producer in the world because he leaves his ego out of the equation and gives an artist his voice, making it sound better than the artist could even imagine," says Meat. "I was like a fisherman looking for a big mouthed bass. I put on the right worm. The first song I played to him, I hooked him. The second song, I nailed him."

The pair hit it off immediately, and this electrifying creative partnership immediately raised the bar several feet. Meat Loaf brought more than 40 songs to the table, which the duo whittled down to the 13 that appear on the final record, including the furious ‘Living On The Outside’ and hilarious first single LosAngeloser.

But there was one other piece to the jigsaw: Los Angeles-based screenwriter and director Kilian Kerwin, a long-time friend of the singer. As with every classic Meat Loaf album, Hang Cool Teddy Bear has a bigger concept. It was one of Kerwin's short stories that inspired the singer to come up with the album's striking narrative.

"It's the story of a soldier," reveals Meat Loaf. "He's been in battle and he's lying face down on the ground. He can't move, but he turns his head and starts to see blood run across the ground, and so he thinks he's going to die. They always say you see your life flash backwards you when you're about to die. But his life flashes forward - into what possibly could happen. He sees what his life could be - the good and the bad. The songs are the different scenarios he finds himself in. It's not always the same time or the same place - but it's always the same woman. But I don't want to give too much away - I want people to work it out for themselves."

To flesh out his vision, Meat Loaf enlisted a set of elite musicians to play on the album, including guitarists Tim Pierce, Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins (who co-wrote two songs for the album), Paul Crook and Randy Flowers, legendary bass players Chris Chaney and Kasim Sulton, genius keyboardist Jamie Mulhoberac and the world’s greatest rock drummer (just ask Rob Cavallo) John Micelli. Hang Cool Teddy Bear also features a stellar array of big-name guests, including Steve Vai (who appears on Love is Not Real), former Queen guitarist Brian May (who appears on Song Of Madness and Love Is Not Real), American Idol presenter Kara DioGuardi (who co-wrote and sings on If I Can't Have You) and Hollywood star Jack Black, who duets with Meat Loaf on Like A Rose.

But the most surprising guest is Hugh Laurie - the English actor famous for starring in Blackadder and hit US TV show House. It was while making a guest appearance on the latter that Meat Loaf met Laurie and discovered that he was a classically-trained pianist. What else could he do but ask the actor to play piano on the song If I Can't Have You?

"He was really nervous at first," recalls Meat Loaf. "It was strange seeing someone so confident on a TV set walk into the studio like he's a quivering mess. But he nailed it. He's talking about playing it with us if we ever go on American Idol."

"What I love about Hugh, Jack and Kara," says Meat Loaf. "Is that sometimes you get people coming to the studio, and they have their manager and a bodyguard and an entourage - it's this endless stream of people. The 3 of them, they just drove up to the studio in their own cars, no bullshit no fronts, just real people. And I love real people."

But for all the star guests, Hang Cool Teddy Bear is Meat Loaf's album – his own dirty little secret. More than four decades into his career, the man - and his voice - is as big, bold and important as ever.

"How do I keep the fire burning?" he asks. "I don't know. I just do. I'd bet in advance that if I sat with somebody in a room and said to them, 'I'll give you five pounds if you don't go 'Whoah!' after the first song', they'd forget about the five pounds and they'd go 'Whoah!'. You can't help it. And it's like that across all the songs. This record is spectacular!"

Hole announce UK dates.

Following successful shows in Milan and Amsterdam, Hole have announced a forthcoming UK tour in support of 'Nobody's Daughter', the band's first album in over 10 years. The new lineup (of which Courtney Love is the sole original member) features Micko Larkin on guitar, Shawn Dailey on bass and Stuart Fisher on drums.

'Nobody's Daughter' is slated for an April release.

Hole will play:

05/03 - Glasgow O2 Academy
05/05 - London Brixton O2 Academy
05/09 - Birmingham O2 Academy

Tickets are on sale now.

Visit www.nobodysdaughter.com for further info.