Daily Reviews » Years

Hurts – ‘All I Want For Christmas Is New Year’s Day’

Admin — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:24:30 +0000

Poise and mystique are wonderful: more useful to a pop star’s life than towels and hot honey drinks.

Sometimes Hurts appear to have struck a deal in which they exchange everything other acts rely on – colour photography, songs about clubs, amazing choruses – for extra helpings of statuesque and aloof. It’s not a bad deal, but it does set a high bar for their music to leap over. Unfortunately, as far as these flappy ears can work out, their output thus far has struggled to do much more than knock the thing onto the crashmat with its face, and then, before anyone can giggle, blusteringly pretend that this is what was supposed to happen all along.

There has, however, been something of a penny-drop happening around this song. I’m starting to get what some of the fuss around Hurts might be about.

Apart from the poise and mystique stuff, obv. That was always great from the get-go.

(Here’s the video. It’s a swan wake.)

It’s partly that this really does have an amazing chorus, and on a Christmas single to boot. Great Christmas singles need to have amazing choruses, if only because so many of the poorer ones seem to come from a decision to make a festive hit at any cost, not from a good idea for a song.

It’s also partly because there is no better time to put out a mournful, dignified song about feeling slightly left out of a party, than right now. You get to throw in the tubular bells, the sleighbells, the twinkling piano and the booming drums, and all of that mournful huffing, and it sounds both magical and deep.

And if you know your Christmas pop, that piano is the key to things. It is repetitive and insistent, driving and fizzy, not unlike the piano in Bruce Springsteen’s astonishing version of ‘Santa Claus is Coming To Town’. Which means it tips the nod towards one of the best Christmas songs ever ever ever.

To have all that joy as a backdrop, and then set off on a long lonesome journey through the happiest and most sociable time of the year, and then to arrive under the banner of a funny title…well that’s the glitter on the ribbon on the wrapping paper on the expensive present, right there.

Download: Out now

www.informationhurts.com
BBC Music page

(Fraser McAlpine)

Buzzin Pop Music says: “Happy yet dark and with a nostalgic Christmas feel”

Popjustice says: “Massive chorus, job done”

View full post on BBC Audio & Music | Radio 1 Chart Blog

Public Image Ltd. “Rise” for First TV Performance in 18 Years

Admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:47:57 +0000

On last night’s Jimmy Kimmel Show, Public Image Ltd. rocked two of their greatest hits on a packed Los Angeles street to mark their first television performance in over 18 years. Fittingly, Public Image Ltd. welcomed the audience with “Rise,” perhaps the most famous track in the PiL catalog, before John Lydon sat down with the late-night host for an interview.

The outspoken Lydon once again proved to be a quote machine, telling Kimmel that he doesn’t listen to the radio because “it just annoys me to see how much I’ve influenced modern music without any appreciation.” (For the record, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tried to appreciate Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols, but they wanted nothing to do with their own induction.) Lydon also revealed that one of the members of his new PiL also toured with Spice Girls and Steve Winwood.

Public Image Ltd. will next play a warm show next week in preparation for their performance at the Coachella Festival. After that, they’ll hit the road for their tour in nearly two decades. Check out the Kimmel performance of “This Is Not a Love Song,” Lydon’s interview and PiL tourdates here:

“This Is Not a Love Song”

Public Image Ltd.
Apr. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia
Apr. 16 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
Apr. 17 – San Francisco, CA @ Grand Ballroom
Apr. 20 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at The Market
Apr. 21 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Apr. 23 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Apr. 24 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Apr. 26 – Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
Apr. 28 – Pontiac, MI @ Crowfoot Ballroom
Apr. 30 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre
May 2 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
May 4 – Boston, MA @ Royale Boston
May 5 – Boston, MA @ Royale Boston
May 7 – Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
May 8 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre L’Olympia de Montreal
May 11 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
May 12 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
May 14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Zoo
May 15 – Atlantic City, NJ @ The Borgata Music Box
May 16 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
May 18 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

View full post on Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily

The Wonder Years’ Danica McKellar Expecting First Child

Admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:36:12 +0000

Winnie’s preggers!

The Wonder Years star and math guru Danica McKellar is pregnant, according to People.

Wonder Years‘ Danica McKellar says “I do”

“I’m nearing the end of my first trimester and I’m so excited — I’ve been bursting to tell people,” McKellar told the magazine.

The 35-year-old former child star said she tried to put off the pregnancy test because …

Public Image Ltd. Announce First U.S. Tour in 18 Years

Admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:48:49 +0000

It’s been 18 long years since John Lydon and his Public Image Ltd. outfit have toured the United States, but ever since Coachella’s organizers announced the band would performing on the festival’s opening night, we’ve had our fingers crossed that the one-off show would turn into a full-fledged tour of North America (We were begging for a PiL reunion back in ‘08.) Now we finally have good news: today Public Image Ltd. revealed a 17-date trek that will take them from California to New York with a dozen stops in between.

As Rolling Stone previously reported, Lydon and Public Image Ltd. reunited late last year for a series of shows in the U.K., and as evidenced by the performance of “Rise” up top, Lydon still sounds great tearing through material from Album and First Issue. Those U.K. shows marked PiL’s first concerts in 17 years, when the band toured in support of their last album, 1992’s That What Is Not. While the days of guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble rocking with PiL have passed, the current lineup includes drummer Bruce Smith and guitarist Lu Simmonds, both PiL vets dating back to 1986, and new bassist Scott Frith.

Lydon and company promise more U.S. dates will be announced in the near future, so don’t despair if your local market isn’t on the current itinerary:

Public Image Ltd.
Apr. 16 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
Apr. 17 – San Francisco, CA @ Grand Ballroom
Apr. 20 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at The Market
Apr. 21 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
Apr. 23 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Apr. 24 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Apr. 26 – Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
May 2 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
May 4 – Boston, MA @ Royale Boston
May 5 – Boston, MA @ Royale Boston
May 7 – Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
May 8 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre L’Olympia de Montreal
May 11 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
May 12 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
May 14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Zoo
May 15 – Atlantic City, NJ @ The Borgata Music Box
May 18 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

View full post on Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily

Drake: Next Kanye West Album Will Be ‘One Of The Best Of Last 10 Years’

Admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:37:54 +0000

‘Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,’ the young MC says of working with the superstar producer/rapper.
By Jayson Rodriguez

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Drake in GQ magazine

Photo: Paola Kudacki/GQ

Drake is hard at work on his forthcoming major-label debut and has tallied some time in the studio with Kanye West, so far, among others.

The So Far Gone rapper revealed to GQ that he’d spent some time in Hawaii recently with West working on his album as well as the Chicago superstar’s next effort.

The Lil Wayne protégé may be hip-hop’s next big thing, but he told the magazine — which featured the Toronto native in a dress-shirt selection photo spread — when it comes to dividing ‘Ye’s attention between both projects, it’s not exactly a 50/50-type thing.

“More like we work on his album until he gets tired,” Drake joked about the process. “His album is going to be one of the best hip-hop albums of the last 10 years.”

The 808s & Heartbreak rapper has had a huge influence on Drake’s career, even before they collaborated on the shoot for “Best I Ever Had” — last year Drake spoke to MTV News about West’s work, which he credited with shaping his own career.

“Before I ever got the chance to meet him, Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,” Drake said. “We always, always, always took the time to listen to Kanye’s music and appreciate it beyond. We searched the samples and we find out where his inspiration came from, because he has one of the best ears in music, period. He knows how to recognize great music that’s not his. He knows how to utilize great sounds and great music. So before I met him, I had the utmost respect for Kanye West. I’d even go as far as to say he’s the most influential person, as far as a musician, that I’d ever had in my life.”

West has kept a low profile in recent months following his stunt involving Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. And although his behavior has been admonished, West remains popular among his fans, ranging from kids to adults. The range in West’s fanbase is something Drake has also been praised for, which the younger MC credited to the combination of his foul mouth and clean image.

“I say ‘bitch’ and sh— like that, but I’m parent-approved,” he said, poking fun at himself. “Parents are like, ‘That’s an intelligent young man, that Drake.’ ”

Do you think Kanye West’s next album will be one of the best ever in hip-hop history? Who do you think will have the better album: Drake or Kanye? Let us know in the comments below, or upload a video to Your.MTV.com!

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Drake
href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/west_kanye/artist.jhtml">Kanye West

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Ellen Renewed for Three More Years

Admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:10:41 +0000

Ellen DeGeneres‘ Emmy-winning syndicated talk show has been renewed for three years, the TV distribution arm of Warner Bros. announced on Wednesday.

Ratings: Ellen gives Idol a boost; Lost takes a dip

“I’m so excited to sign on for three more years at NBC,” said DeGeneres, who has taken on the additional job of American Idol judge. “They were the ones that believed in my show from day one. So, I’m thrilled to know I’ll be here ’til…

20 Years Of Defending Death Row Inmates

Admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:02:06 +0000

Attorney David Dow has made his career on arguing on behalf of inmates sentenced to death. Many of his clients have died — most of them were guilty. In his new book, The Autobiography of an Execution, Dow argues that they should have been sentenced to life rather than death.

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‘Man In White’ Reveals Twain’s Haunted Final Years

Admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:43:47 +0000

Mark Twain remains a beloved literary figure even a century after his death, but in his new book, Mark Twain: Man In White, Michael Shelden says the author’s last years were extremely tumultuous — and widely misunderstood. Shelden explores Twain’s emotional struggles and triumphs, and describes the complex relationships in the years before his death.

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View full post on NPR Topics: Books