The Whigs play Sunfest
May 1, 2008
Sunfest played host to New Music Thursday which featured 15 breakthrough and lesser known acts including Landon Pigg, The Postmarks, The Whigs and Good Charlotte among others. This was where the underground bands were able to showcase their talents in front of a good sized audience. It was a good place for mainstream fans to be exposed to music outside the top 40.
The Whigs of Athens, GA are relatively new to the music scene - they’ve released two full length efforts to date. Their most recent album Mission Control has been getting decent exposure and they got to play the lead off single”Right Hand On My Heart” on the Late Show with David Letterman. This night they played a energetic set, forcefully strumming through the edgy chord progressions. Their lo-fi garage rock sound had a raw beauty to it. Precise yet unrefined the trio blasted into their songs with raucous abandon. Lead singer Parker Gispert growled over “Like a Vibration” with ferocious intensity. They maintained clamorous momentum from start to finish leaving a indelible impression as one of the best performers of this year’s Sunfest.
By Shaun Flagg
Photo: Joni Sansone
NEW ALBUM TRAILER VIDEO FROM GAVIN
May 1, 2008
WANDERlust is the provocative title for the intriguing first solo album by Gavin Rossdale – an inspired song cycle by the former leader of Bush that turns out to be a trip in its own right.
Streaming link of the WANDERlust Album Preview Trailer Video:
http://www.myspace.com/gavinrossdale
Tapes ‘n Tapes - Walk It Off
May 1, 2008
A common trait among second albums is a strong start and a weak finish. The opposite is true for Tapes ‘n Tapes’ second album.
Walk It Off doesn’t start off terribly, but it’s not altogether memorable either. It seems to hit its stride on “Conquest”, a brightly musical song.
But it isn’t until the seventh track that we see this band from Minneapolis in full bloom. “Demon Apple” starts a run of three songs that sell the whole album — the run also includes “Blunt”, a jagged tune, and “George Michael”, a song which does use a guitar line reminiscent of the ’80s pop icon and some cool drumming by Jeremy Hanson.
Walk It Off is a good second album if you’re already into Tapes ‘n Tapes. But if you’re looking for an introduction, better to head to The Loon.
By Jon Tully
Rating: 
Listen to “Blunt”
LEONA LEWIS’ “BLEEDING LOVE” IS HUGE
May 1, 2008
British sensation Leona Lewis has reclaimed the Number One position on the Billboard Hot 100 with her worldwide smash hit single, “Bleeding Love” for the third time. When her album Spirit debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart on April 16th, Leona was the first British female artist ever to score both a US Number One album and single in the same week.
“Bleeding Love” first reached Number One in the week of March 27, making Leona Lewis the first British female solo artist to top the Hot 100 in over 21 years. Now in its 11th week on the charts, “Bleeding Love” is also Number One on the Billboard Digital Songs chart and has sold over 1.5 million tracks in the US. Additionally, the ringtone was just certified gold this week with over 500,000 ringtones sold.
NEW VIDEO FROM RHONDA VINCENT HERE
May 1, 2008
Bluegrass queen Rhonda Vincent has just released her 10th career video – for the song “I Gotta Start Somewhere” from her latest album, Good Thing Going. The video, filmed in Bryson City, NC with Los Angeles director Dallas Henry, features Vincent trying to get over a broken relationship by retreating to the mountains. Vincent’s band, The Rage, make their video debut along with her driver, Yogi Bare. The video will premiere on the bluegrass.cmt.com blog to help launch this new CMT initiative – a blog devoted to bluegrass music – on May 1 and will debut on CMT Pure in heavy rotation on Monday, May 5.
The release of “I Gotta Start Somewhere” and the bluegrass.cmt.com blog coincides with the 20th Anniversary of Worldwide Bluegrass Music Month, an initiative that began in 1988 to develop a larger audience for bluegrass music. During the month of May, bluegrass devotees ensure that the month is filled with bluegrass events around the world.
WHOLE FOODS ENTERS THE MUSIC BUSINESS
May 1, 2008
GREG LASWELL CHOSEN AS DEBUT ARTIST IN WHOLE FOODS ARTIST DISCOVERY SERIES
CHECK OUT YOUNG JEEZY NEW SIGNEE ROCCETT
May 1, 2008
If you don’t know Roccett yet, the time is now. The west coast rapper, who is co-signed by Young Jeezy, is taking Carson, California on his back and taking the industry over. The CTE artist has pushed music to the limits with his latest track and mixtapes.
ROCCETT RIDE WIT A G VIDEO
ROCCETT - G-MOVE FEATURING GORILLA ZOE (Dirty)
ROCCETT - YOU CAN HATE ME (DIRTY)
GAME FEAT ROCCETT - BIG DREAMS GMIX DIRTY
CTE PRESENTS RESPECT DA SHIELD
ALICIA KEYS NEEDS A NEW BACKGROUND SINGER - YOU?!
May 1, 2008
Eleven-time Grammy award winner Alicia Keys is looking to find a new background singer through her MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/aliciakeys). The lucky winner will get a chance to tour with her as part of the worldwide Lexus Presents Alicia Keys As I Am tour.
People interested are asked to submit a 30 second or longer video of them singing an original song acapella to Alicia Keys’ Myspace page. Qualifications include being a female between the ages 21-30 with R&B/Soul singing experience. Contestant must also have a valid passport, and must be physically fit and able to dance. Deadline for submissions is May 5. A winner will be selected around May 15.
Ignited by her first two hit singles “No One” and “Like You’ll Never See Me Again,” Keys’ internationally-acclaimed third studio album As I Am (MBK/J Records), has sold over 5 million copies worldwide since its November 2007 release. The disc has claimed the #1 spot for several non-consecutive weeks on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart and the single “No One,” earned Keys two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Additionally, Keys received four awards at the NAACP Image Awards and was honored at the first annual BET Honors ceremony.
HOT VIDEO HERE FROM THE BAKE UP BOYZ
May 1, 2008
Straight out of Michigan emerges a second-generation rap family, The Bake Up Boyz. The group’s line-up consists of four “Wolverine State” natives with an affinity for fortune, fame and flossy things: Dirt, Bub, Loot 75 and Young Jino. As they prepare for their Spring 2008 album release, Fresh Out Da Kitchen, (Fharmacy/Barak/Phase One/EMI), they recently released the single and video for “Now I Can Do That” featuring Jim Jones.
Bake Up Boyz feat. Jim Jones “Now I Can Do That”
JULIANA HATFIELD IS NICE ON THE EYES AND EARS
May 1, 2008
Hatfield Debuts New Songs At Joe’s Pub In New York City On May 21st & Autobiography To Be Published By Wiley and Sons In 2009!
