Elvis Presley to release orchestral album If I Can Dream featuring a duet with Michael Buble
An orchestral album of the late singer's classics will be released in October.
By Rob Copsey (@robcopsey)
Elvis Presley's music has been given an orchestral makeover for a new album of the star's classic hits.
If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will be released on October 30 via Sony Music Entertainment and features 14 orchestral re-workings of songs including Love Me Tender, Burning Love and Can't Help Falling In Love.
The collection also includes duets with operatic group Il Volo on It's Now Or Never and Michael Buble on Fever, as well as contributions from guitarist Duane Eddy on An American Trilogy and Bridge Over Troubled Water.
The full tracklisting appears below:
1. Burning Love 2. It’s Now Or Never 3. Love Me Tender 4. Fever (feat. Michael Buble) 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water 6. And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind 7. You've Lost That Loving Feeling 8. There's Always Me 9. Can't Help Falling In Love 10. In The Ghetto 11. How Great Thou Art 12. Steamroller Blues 13. An American Trilogy 14. If I Can Dream
"This would be a dream come true for Elvis," Priscilla Presley said of the project. "He would have loved to play with such a prestigious symphony orchestra.
"The music…the force that you feel with his voice and the orchestra is exactly what he would have done."
The release will tie in with a new documentary on Elvis this Autumn called Elvis And Me, starring Joanna Lumley. The show will see the actress travel to Graceland and meet some of Elvis’ closest surviving friends and family in order to uncover "the man behind the myth".
If I Can Dream is part of this year's ongoing 80th birthday celebration of Elvis, which also sees the release of The Complete '60s Albums Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 on iTunes this week (August 7) and the launch of Direct From Graceland: Elvis at the O2 on DVD.
The ladies of SWV are back with a new album coming this fall, and they’ve released a new single called "Ain’t No Man."
It's a solid jam that will have many women swaying in appreciation of the good men in their lives. "Yup, he know he got a Queen, / Now ladies if you got a King, say it with me now / Ain’t no man like the one I got," they sing on the chorus.
Their untitled album is slated to arrive on October 30th.
Andra Day unwraps a live music video for "Gold," an emotional and heartfelt record from her forthcoming debut album, Cheers to the Fall.
"In my relationship in the past, I was with someone that I wasn't good to, and that I was not faithful to," states Andra. "I used to be ashamed to talk about it, and 'Gold' was really my moment...It's basically a letter sort of to him, apologizing for what I've done."
"Gold" finds Day coming to terms with her own past infidelity after having a new partner be unfaithful to her.
"I see the reel now it's real to me / I gave up gold / For grains of sand / Slipping through my hand," she delivers astonishingly on the apologetic tune.
Andra's Cheers to the Fall is due out August 28th via Warner Bros. Records. The set features production from Adrian Gurvitz, Raphael Saadiq, and ?uestlove.
Last year LeAnn Rimes released the first of her three planned Christmas-themed EPs, 'One Christmas: Chapter 1', her first musical project since the end of her contract with Curb Records (her final album under Curb, 'Spitfire', was released in April 2013). She toured to promote the EP, and now this year she's back doing the same thing all over again.
The second EP, it was revealed yesterday (August 12), is due to be called 'Today Is Christmas', although a tracklisting has not yet been released. The first collection included six tracks (Silent Night Holy Night, I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas, Blue Christmas, Someday At Christmas, Hard Candy Christmas, White Christmas), so it is expected that the second will include a similar amount, crossing a number of different types of holiday numbers from different eras (as well as some originals). In conjunction with this, Rimes has given full details about her 'Today Is Christmas' tour, which will begin December 4 in Tacoma, Washington and come to a close on December 20 in Palm Desert, California, running the length of the West Coast.
"I wait for Christmas all year long; it's my absolute favorite holiday," Rimes stated. "I can't wait to share some of my new, original Christmas songs with my fans, as well as my favorite classics. I am looking forward to making more holiday memories with my fans this year." Singer/songwriter Elle Duke is set to open for Rimes on the ten festive dates.
While the release date for 'Today Is Christmas' has not yet been announced, it is expected to be around late October, since that reflects the release of 'One Christmas' and also other holiday-themed records each year. As usual, I'm sure Rimes will be on top vocal form and deliver a set of instant classics we'll all be raving about.
Let's also hope that while 2016 will bring the final instalment in the Christmas set, it'll also bring the hint of new, non-holiday music on the way from the country songstress.
Today Is Christmas tour dates:
Dec. 4 — Tacoma, Wash. @ Emerald Queen Casino Dec. 5 — Bellingham, Wash. @ Mount Baker Theater Dec. 6 — Grande Ronde, Ore. @ Spirit Mountain Casino Dec. 8 — Santa Rosa, Calif. @ Wells Fargo Center for the Arts Dec. 11 — Tracy, Calif. @ Grand Theater Center for the Arts Dec. 12 — Merced, Calif. @ Merced Theatre Dec. 13 — Malibu, Calif. @ Pepperdine University Dec. 18 — Chandler Ariz. @ Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino Dec. 19 — Laughlin, Nev. @ Edgewater Hotel & Casino Dec. 20 — Palm Desert, Calif. @ McCallum Theater of the Performing Arts
Keith Richards 'Talk Is Cheap' and 'Main Offender' albums get digital release
Keith Richards' first two solo albums "Talk Is Cheap" (pictured at left) and "Main Offender" (pictured at right)
Virgin Records
Talk Is Cheap and Main Offender (the first two solo albums from Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards) are finally getting a digital release on all major global digital services on Aug. 14, 2015. The albums (originally released on Virgin Records/EMI) will be reissued by Richards' Mindless Records and will be available for stream and download, according to a press release from Richards' publicity team. Richards' third studio solo album, Crosseyed Heart, is set for release on Sept. 18, 2015.
Here is more information from the press release about the digital reissues of Talk Is Cheap and Main Offender:
Richards' first solo album, Talk Is Cheap, was RIAA-certified gold upon its initial release in 1988. Produced by Richards and partner-in-crime Steve Jordan, the album gave birth to Keith’s X-Pensive Winos band featuring Waddy Wachtel, Ivan Neville, Charley Drayton, and Sarah Dash. Some of the notable players on the record include Patti Scialfa, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker, ex-Rolling Stone Mick Taylor as well as the legendary Willie Mitchell and the Memphis Horns. Writing in 1988 in Rolling Stone, David Fricke called Talk Is Cheap “deliciously long on grooves” and “a joy to be heard in a pop era where too many records are ten-percent inspiration and ninety-percent remixing.” Talk Is Cheapyielded the hits “Take It So Hard,” “You Don’t Move Me” and “Struggle.”
1992 saw the release of Main Offender, which was produced by Richards, Jordan and X-Pensive Wino Waddy Wachtel. Recorded in California’s Bay Area and New York City, Main Offender reunited much of the cast of Talk Is Cheap and produced the hits “Wicked As It Seems” and “Eileen.” Reviewing the record for All Music, Cub Koda described Main Offender as “delightfully focused.”
Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocal Competition: Who will win 2015 Sassy award?
Take a look at what went on at the 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. The 2015 competition is now underway.
NJPACtv
At the height of the golden age of jazz, nobody could touch the Grammy-winning Sarah “Sassy” Vaughan. By the mid-‘40s, the expert bop-phraser grew into the legendary jazz vocalist who set the bar high for everyone. Gifted with a four-octave range and the capability of rivaling trained opera singers, Vaughan earned her place in the pantheon of jazz from the hardcore musicians who accompanied and admired her: the Earl Hines Band, Billy Eckstine, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, Quincy Jones, and Miles Davis, to name a few.
In 1942, Vaughan was discovered at an amateur singing competition at the Apollo Theater. She won of course, opening up the possibilities for herself and all women who followed in her tremendous footsteps.
Today, young, aspiring jazz singers by the hundreds dream of doing the same thing when they enter the annual Sarah Vaughan Internation...ompetition, considered one of the few prestigious openings for females in a male-dominated field.
Last year, Ashleigh Smith, a then-25-year-old Georgia native, won the big money and the Concord Record deal. The 2014 Sassy award winner had previously submitted herself for consideration in 2012, but came up short, as a runner-up. Smith joins a distinguished group of Sassy winners that include Cyrille Aimée and Jazzmeia Horn.
The 2015 competition began accepting vocal submissions on April 17 and will continue to do so until September 1. Then, it’s up to the online voting public to help decide. On October 8, the submissions will be narrowed to five finalists. These top five singers will perform live at NJPAC’s Victoria Theater November 15, in hopes that the judges will see the next Sarah Vaughan. This year’s judges include returning Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride.
On Friday May 8th, I had a chance to escape the heat and relax in the media tent with the band, Haerts. Nini Fabi (vocals), Ben Gebert (keyboard), and Derek McWilliams (bass) stopped by for Concerthopper’sfirst interview for this year’s Shaky Knees Music and Arts Festival in Atlanta, Georgia (May 8th-10th, 2015). The band was formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2012, after longtime friends and collaborators Nina and Ben signed with Columbia Records. Their debut release, Haerts, was met with great reviews as it was produced by the band and Jean-Philip Groble a.k.a. St. Lucia.
ConcertHopper (CH): Hello. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down with me. I know how hectic it has been for you all with the press and media dragging you around since your performance on the Piedmont Stage the afternoon.
Nini: You’re welcome. It has been a great experience today here at Shaky Knees. We have enjoyed ourselves.
CH: So you recently signed with Columbia Records in 2012. How has the journey been since playing as Ben & Nini to the newly formed Haerts?
Nini: It has been a progression since the early days with just Ben and myself. We were both younger and the performances were really raw. The whole process was raw in a sense. Since forming Haerts, with the addition of Derek McWilliams, more structure has been introduced and we are becoming a live band. We are not trying to recreate what we did in the studio. We are developing into this live band.
CH: What was the inspiration behind your debut album, Haerts?
Nini: There is no real concept behind the making of the album. This is 100% of our lives at the time. A reflection of our feelings and emotions. Experiencing new things in New York City. The lyrics are a stream of consciousness in which we tried to crystallize the themes. If I had to say three constant themes that appear throughout the album, I would say longing, heart-break, and hopefulness.
CH: Does any track stand out to you individually?
Ben: “Hemiplegia” from our self-titled EP (2013) which was produced by St. Lucia.
Derek: “Hope” off of Haerts.
Nini: You develop different relationships with the songs. You get mad at them at times. You change the way you see them. You re-imagine them into something else. Right now, I would say “All the Days”.
CH: The album, Haerts, was produced, credited to, both Haerts and Jean-Philip Groble a.k.a. St. Lucia with additional credits to Andy Baldwin. How has it been working with Jean and having his help on the album?
Nini: We met through a mutual friend and it was a natural process at the time. Haerts did not exist at this point so we were all just getting to understand each other. He pushed us to new steps, new sounds and new musical elements. He taught me a lot about vocal arrangements.
Ben: Back then we had no expectation and we just wanted to create something special and beautiful.
Nini: We wanted to bring across a certain feeling with every song. Jean helped us accomplish these feelings.
CH: Well I know you all need to get going. I want to thank you three for taking time out of your busy festival schedule to sit and talk with me. I wish you all a safe journey and good luck on a great career.
Nini: Thank you and we enjoyed it. Thank you for doing some research on us before coming. This was a great time.
The Weeknd has had no trouble blowing up the charts with his last two singles, making fans eager for the Aug. 28 release of his new album, Beauty Behind The Madness. He unveiled the album's tracklist via social media Tuesday (Aug. 4), and fans have two more reasons to be excited: Ed Sheeran and Lana Del Rey.
Both Sheeran and Del Rey will be featured on the 14-song record, slotted one after the other. Sheeran teams up with The Weeknd for "Dark Times," while Del Rey appears on the song "Prisoner."
Sheeran had sneakily hinted at their collaboration in June with a cryptic tweet that read "DRKTMS," which The Weeknd retweeted yesterday following the tracklist reveal.
Beauty Behind the Madness is The Weeknd's follow-up to 2013's Kiss Land and will include his top 10 smashes "Can't Feel My Face" (currently No. 2 on the Hot 100) and the Fifty Shades of Grey hit "Earned It."
Prior to the album's release, The Weeknd will perform at Billboard's inaugural Hot 100 Music Festival. Check out the rest of the lineup and get your tickets here.
Lauren Ray will release her new EP "Paying for Love" on Sept. 18
Lauren Ray
If you're a resident of Nashville and think Lauren Ray's face looks familiar, you might be right. The UK-based singer-songwriter spent several weeks in Music City this spring recording her new EP, "Paying for Love", due to be released Sept. 18 on Tamlan Records.
While in America, Ray enlisted the help of songwriters Ian Dench and Martin Sutton to co-write "Paying for Love." They're an eclectic pair, having worked with a wide range of artists that includes Jordin Sparks, Beyonce, and Leann Rimes. But that genre crossing talent works well with Ray's music. While "Paying for Love" is firmly a singer-songwriter album, anchored both by Ray's understated piano work and her strong vocals, there are more than a few influences from other genres. Lead single "Come to Me" works equally well as an Americana album track and as a pop single, with Ray and her co-writers crafting enough hooks to draw in fans of Taylor Swift or Natalie Imbruglia, while never losing sight of the home made ethos that makes a good Americana album.
Ray's diverse influences are no accident. As young as she is, she's packed in a lifetime's worth of globe trotting, born to a Polish/South African father and an English/Irish mother, Ray grew up in South Africa, Austria, Poland, and the UK before settling down in London to begin her music career, which has taken her to Los Angeles and Nashville. This migratory life seeps into every song on "Paying for Love", with the kind of complicated love songs that are born of spending life losing and making new friends. It's a tale of love grounded in reality, less about starry eyes and passionate kisses than about two people working through their differences in any way they can.
If "Paying for Love" is any indicator, Lauren Ray's name is one you're likely to hear again very soon. Whatever shores her muse takes her to next, she's an artist worth catching live. In a few years, you may be able to brag that you were there on the front end.
ALBUM REVIEW: LINDA RONSTADT – JUST ONE LOOK: THE VERY BEST OF LINDA RONSTADT
Published On August 13, 2015 | By Marcus Floyd | Albums, Music
30 studio albums, 15 compilation albums, 38 charted Billboard Hot 100 singles, 11 Grammy awards, sold-out stadium concerts, 2014 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee…the list of success goes on for celebrated music veteran Linda Ronstadt. For fans of Ronstadt old and new, a special remastered collection of the singer’s greatest hits has been compiled to give her legacy new life; Just One Look: The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt is going to be one of those musical treasures that you will hold close to your heart.
Remastering a trove such as Linda’s impressive hit list has proved such a gem, new life is continuously being pumped into the star’s iconic catalogue with each compilation release. Long time fans would get nostalgic as they listen to her debut track Different Drum, and they won’t be able to help but fall in love once again with her crooning voice in ballads like Desperado and I Never Will Marry. A taste of the power behind her strong voice could be heard carrying tracks such as Poor Poor Pitiful Me and Sometimes You Just Can’t Win: the diversity of her vocal work and ability to genre bend made it clear as to why she is one of the highest selling artists of all time. Even Linda’s duets impress, especially the emotional When Something Is Wrong With My Baby which she recorded with Aaron Neville, and again for Don’t Know Much.
It was obvious that Linda loved to experiment with different sounds and genres, and she happened to have the talent to do so, even rock wasn’t out of reach for the pop singer; Tumbling Dice won over the rock loving audience, but then there are also boppy and energetic tracks like Just One Look and How Do I Make You. It would have been fantastic to experience Linda touring this wonderful compilation, revisiting these memoirs on stage, but unfortunately her battle with Parkinson’s disease has disabled her from singing a note. Her spirit is kept alive through this compilation though, so it’s not all over. We can’t forget to mention the songs that stick with you though, Anyone Who Had A Heart is a favourite for fans old and new and the presence of Blue Bayou also deserves a mention.
Just One Look truly is one of the best greatest hit compilations, Linda Ronstadt was and still is a truly influential artist and each of the thirty tracks show that. Although Linda’s career took off in the 70′s/80′s her music is still just as relevant now, at the time she was dubbed ‘The First Lady of Rock’ and even as the ‘Queen of Rock’, she was a star. If you are a massive fan of Linda Ronstadt’s work you are bound to appreciate her talent once again with these remastered favourites, and if you are new to Linda, welcome to her legacy; Just One Look: The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt is quite the definitive collection.
‘Honest’ is a word that Ellinor Olovsdotter (a.k.a Elliphant) used a lot over the course of our fifteen minute phone conversation. Polite, funny and down to earth, Olovsdotter was also serious when she needed to be, and made it very clear that her fans mean the world to her. “You have to be humble,” she said at one point, her voice distinctly sincere.
Olovsdotter’s career under the Elliphant name officially began with the release of her single Tekkno Scene back in 2012. Since then the artist has moved from strength to strength, dropping a brilliant self-titled EP and A Good Idea, her debut Swedish album,within the same year. May 2015 saw the release of her new single, Love Me Badder, a song that shows off everything that makes Olovsdotter’s music great. Intelligent yet primal, the track is deeply based in the language of love and lust.
We spoke to Olovsdotter on the day of her sold out Sydney show about Love Me Badder, the opportunity disaster provides and the changing shape of inspiration.
Joseph Earp: Do you still get nervous before a show or is it just like, autopilot now?
Ellinor Olovsdotter: No, I get nervous…. I don’t really think about it. But like, if I go to the toilet before the show, [then] I know…You can’t cheat the diarrhoea.
I like to drink whiskey before shows. It feels like I need to ground myself somehow….Like, [otherwise] I fly away…I almost become like atoms…It feels like the body isn’t almost there. So usually I have a couple of drinks and land a little bit. But when I’m up there I have this feeling of control. It’s very interesting actually. As soon as you’re up there and you start singing, it’s like, you’re in control over your life again.
JE: When you’re performing…Do you feel like you’re thinking? You’re making every choice? Or is it almost like you’re floating?
EO: It’s something in-between. Like, you are floating, but it’s also scary in the sense that you’re like “oh, if I just stop singing now the whole song will stop.”…Sometimes, especially at the beginning of tours, like when I haven’t played for a while, I can get really like… “Woah. Really, I’m up here?” And then I think: “oh, maybe I’ll forget the next verse.” And then like, I just forget it. It’s almost like this force inside of your brain that is just fucking with you.
All the moments in my shows that I have, like all the small performance moments and stuff – everything, even the interaction with my dj – all that happened naturally. There was never a plan how we were going to set it up. It just turned into like a very tight, good interactive set. All those things have just happened. So there is all that flow. But there’s also a feeling of responsibility. A big feeling of responsibility.
JE: Have you ever had a show in the early days that did go wrong?
EO: Yeah, I mean, until just recently I’m famous for always doing something. Like, singing one verse two times…That happens all the time.
Actually I also feel like it’s a challenge. If you come a place and you just sold fifteen tickets or something like that, that could be a disaster for some people. But for me, I kinda look at that more as an opportunity to just give those fifteen people the time of their life. I had a couple of shows when that happened and usually I’ll just bring everybody up on stage and I’ll go down and…I do the show from the floor.
JE: That’s awesome.
EO: That just…happened one show and from that day I was wishing it would happen again. [Laughs.] Because you can’t do anything like that if it’s not a controlled amount of people.
The worst shows that can happen are when people are drunk…Too drunk or distracted or…having conversations just in front of the stage while you’re performing. For me, I’m not a professional musician or anything. I can’t get into my music bubble and just forget about the world. I’m very much a performer.
It’s almost like a sexual experience for me. I’m really giving everything I got…And…[performing] is not like bicycling. It’s not like you jump on the bike and you just know. It’s always a new audience, a new energy to pick up on. It’s a big responsibility for both the audience and the artist to make this is a good experience…Exactly like a one night stand, you know? It can be shitty and it can be fantastic, it depends on how much you want to give.
JE: Particularly these days I think it’s people talking on their phones…Do you find that’s the big thing that will bring things down? Like, people sitting on their phones in the front row?
EO: Yeah, if they do that I will kick them, first of all. They’re not allowed to do that at my shows. But I mean, you can’t get away from the fact that people wanna film everything. I feel like in the future if there’s money in the project we could actually have a service for the fans… We [could] have someone that filmed the show and we put it out on the [web]page the next day and people can actually have a good filmed performance of the show…So maybe that would make people stop filming the whole show? I mean, they miss the show. It’s boring for them…They’re just doing it because they wanna grip the moment, they wanna keep it forever…
The world is changing all the time. This is the new world we’re living in with phones and stuff. I think it’s a little bit up to the artist…I think it’s up to the artist to find ways to get your people involved…To make them interactive in a good way.
JE: Do you find that people are trying to get you to act in a certain way, or…?
EO: Sometimes people call me a rapper which is like, obviously a misunderstanding because I’m not a rapper. I’m very much an artist. I’m just doing things. None of this stuff is my lifestyle. The hip hop is not my lifestyle. The pop is not my lifestyle. The reggae is not my lifestyle…This is just me expressing myself.
[Honesty] is the only strength I have really. I’m not amazingly talented, I’m not young, I don’t have a big butt, I can’t twerk. But I’m gonna be honest with that. I’m gonna be true with that…I’m gonna sweat, and I’m gonna spit, and I’m gonna be who I am. I think as long as I stay true to that to my purpose of being here, not trying to be something that I’m not…as long as I’m honest…
For example, the song that is out now, Love Me Badder is the first song that I didn’t write myself. It was the first song I ever sang that was written by another person. For me something like that is also important: to talk about that. “Oh, this amazing writer came in and gave birth to this song…” That’s the thing, it’s very important…You have to be humble.
JE: I love that because it makes it sound like for you the music is essential. Right? If you couldn’t make the music how do you think you would release that?
EO: I was doing art. I am an artist. That’s what I am. I do photography, and I always wanted to…question the world in some kind of provocative way through art. Music has been the first expression where people want more.
I forced it a little bit on people. Like when people were drunk, I’m like, “hi, are you drunk enough to listen to my poem?” Now it’s more like people wanna hear my music. And as long as people want that…That’s all I’m gonna go for. Like I said, I’m not here to like fulfil my childhood dream of being a popstar or being a famous person… I’m just here to, you know, not make anybody disappointed. I have a very loyal and a very true fanbase and that’s my inspiration.
JE: Are there artists who inspire you?
EO: I didn’t know any artists before I was Elliphant. I never had idols or anything like that…But through this I meet people all the time. All the people I’ve ever worked with…Like when I was with Charli XCX on tour, she really inspired me. I could see how hard she worked, and that this isn’t a fucking kindergarten, this is real…I met Azealia Banks the other day. She’s a big inspiration for me, like the fact she’s putting herself out there…She’s showing the world a real, frustrated young woman. I think that’s more powerful than showing people a straight face.
I mean, everything that comes my way either inspires me or makes me sick. It’s only those two.
Love Me Badder is out now. Living Life Golden will be released on September 25th, 2015.
Published On August 18, 2015 | By Marcus Floyd | Albums, Music
Ten years ago one of music’s highest acclaimed singer/songwriters embarked on his solo career, Rob Thomas sure has left his mark on the industry over the years. Not only has his writing with Matchbox Twenty earned him multiple Grammy awards and nominations, but his solo ventures have also helped staple him as one of music’s most distinctive and unique songwriters. 2005′s Something To Be spawned hits like Lonely No More and This Is How A Heart Breaks, while it’s follow-up album Cradlesong plagued the airwaves with Her Diamonds and Someday; after a six year break, Rob is back with some more solo work. His new album The Great Unknown has been highly anticipated and we can’t wait to give it a spin!
Lead single Trust You was definitely worth the wait, it was co-written with One Republic’s Ryan Tedder (you can tell!) and it’s so Rob Thomas yet so radio ready; the singer’s take on modern pop has always been a little left of centre, but that’s what makes his music sing. With Rob’s albums you get a bit of a mixed bag of upbeat, downbeat and all around tracks, right after we are treated to thumping goodness we are graced with the warm and subtle Hold On Forever. Title track The Great Unknown reminds us of the songwriter’s knack of writing an atmospheric and relatable ballad, then there’s the darker and more eerie Paper Dolls. The light hearted and easy going tracks like Heaven Help Me and Pieces also make the album an admirable listen; yet another diverse and attention grabbing release from the renowned singer/songwriter!
Rob Thomas has sat quite comfortably back in his throne, The Great Unknown was more like a reminder of what we already know about the gifted singer/songwriter; we get to appreciate his impact on the pop/rock genre once again. There’s enough track diversity to keep you hooked from beginning to end and you are enlightened by Thomas’ distinctive lyrical and vocal work, as well as his charm. A decent comeback to his solo career indeed, fans will devour The Great Unknown without hesitation.
Gregg Allman will release a new album and DVD, Live: Back to Macon, GA, on Aug. 7. The concert discs were culled from a Jan. 14, 2014, performance at the Grand Opera House.
The two-disc album and DVD include much of the same material; the video also features some interviews with Allman, who recorded the shows with his eight-piece solo band in front of an intimate audience of about 1,000 fans.
The track listing, which you can see below, includes many favorites from over the years, including “Statesboro Blues,” “Whipping Post” and “Melissa’ from his days as the Allman Brothers Band singer.
The concert was held in a theater that was built way back in 1884. The city has a long history with Allman: Macon is where the Allman Brothers got their start in the late ’60s.
Allman is currently out on the road for another solo tour. In between these two jaunts, he played a series of farewell shows with his longtime band. The Allman Brothers played their last concerts in October. Allman’s solo tour continues into September.
‘Gregg Allman Live: Back to Macon, GA’ Track Listing
CD 1 “Statesboro Blues” “I’m No Angel” “Queen of Hearts” “I Can’t Be Satisfied” “These Days” “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” “Brightest Smile in Town” “Hot’Lanta” “I’ve Found a Love”
CD 2 “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” “Before the Bullets Fly” “Melissa” “Midnight Rider” “Love Like Kerosene” “Whipping Post” “One Way Out”
DVD “Statesboro Blues” “I’m No Angel” “Queen of Hearts” Interview: What Macon Was to Us” “I Can’t Be Satisfied” “These Days” “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” Interview: Practicing in Macon “Brightest Smile in Town” “Hot’Lanta” “I’ve Found a Love” “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” “Before the Bullets Fly” “Melissa” Interview: We Worked Hard “Midnight Rider” “Love Like Kerosene” Interview: Songwriting for the Allman Brothers “Whipping Post” “One Way Out”
BONUS TRACKS: “Stormy Monday” “Floating Bridge” Feature: The Gregg Allman Band at the H&H
Cyrille Aimée Covers Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall”
Cyrille Aimée videos are becoming a fast fan favorite at Revive. We released the vocalist’s gypsy-soul treatment of Vanessa Paridis’ “Pourtant” late last week and we said that we would premiere another one real soon. Because we’re men and women of our word, we’re thrilled to be able to share with you Aimée’s version of the title track from Michael Jackson‘s seminal 1979 album, Off The Wall. Coming in as the eight track from her It’s A Good Dayalbum, Aimée’s cover of “Off The Wall” hits listeners with a funky 12/8 groove on the verse setting up the eventual chorus where the band digs in and goes into an easy swing. The arrangement also features a short solo taken by guitarist Michael Valeanu before the band enters the song’s apex on the bridge. Leave that nine to five upon the shelf and scroll down to listen to Cyrille Aimée channeling her inner MJ in “Off The Wall.” Like what you’re hearing? Support Cyrille Aimée and purchase It’s A Good Day via iTunes.
ALBUM REVIEW: JORDIN SPARKS – RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW
Published On August 21, 2015 | By Susie Garrard | Albums, Music
Six years on from her last studio LP, the third album from Jordin Sparks is finally here. Right Here, Right Now follows a lengthy hiatus from the R&B singer, during which Sparks has made her foray into the acting world with roles in features films, including a remake of the 1976 Supremes inspired Sparkle. Sparks has also endured a number of personal changes, from her highly publicised split from Talk Dirty singer Jason Derulo, to a challenging switch of record labels.
Sparks originally announced that she was beginning work on her third album back in 2010, but acting commitments and difficulties with then label Jive Records put pause to the release. Now signed to Sony Music Entertainment subsidiary Louder Than Life, Right Here, Right Now is the product of a fresh start for Sparks.
Working with label founder and producer Salaam Remi, it’s clear that Sparks has taken that time well in hand. The album is a smooth collection of slow grind tracks, topped off with the bright vocals that first planted Sparks in the spotlight. Leaning more towards a sharper, cleaner sound than the big pop ballads of previous releases, tracks like It Ain’t You and Boyz In The Hood feel like 90’s urban hits. Remi has also brought in heavyweight collaborations with the likes of Shaggy and 2 Chainz, rounding off the album as a serious release.
Right Here, Right Now delivers a full on punch of feelings; packed with low light love songs and strong declarations in They Don’t Give and Tell Him That I Love Him. The album has the feel of both a break up release, also a move on. Describing the album as “pretty music with a bump to it”, Sparks hits the nail on the head, but also underplays the impact of the emotional contentof Right Here, Right Now.
3.5 / 5 stars
The Weeknd "The Madness" North American Tour Announced
The Weeknd Coachella 2015 (Photo : Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
The Weeknd has announced a 22-date fall North American "The Madness" tour in support of his upcoming album Beauty Behind The Madness. The tour will take over arenas all over North America, kicking off in his home city of Toronto on Nov. 3 at the Air Canada Centre. The tour will span a month and half ending in sunny Miami on Dec. 19 at the American Airlines Arena with stops in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Calgary and more in between. The "Can't Feel My Face" crooner will be joined on the road by Banks and Travi$ Scott.
The Weeknd's album Beauty Behind The Madness will be released on Aug. 28. The LP will feature the likes of Lana Del Rey, Ed Sheeran, Kanye West and more.
The Weeknd has been a force on the festival circuit so far this year, performing at events like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Hard Summer. Now he gets the opportunity to sell out his own arena tour.
Tickets for the tour go on sale the same day as the album release, Aug. 28 atLiveNation.com. See his full itinerary below.
11/03: Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre 11/06: Chicago, IL @ United Center 11/07: Detroit, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills 11/11: Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center 11/12: Boston, MA @ DCU Center 11/14: Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun 11/15: Washington, DC @ Verizon Center 11/16: New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden 11/18: Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center 11/24: Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre 11/27: Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre 11/29: Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome 11/30: Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place 12/02: Vancouver, BC @ Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena 12/05: Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena 12/08: Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum 12/13: Houston, TX @ Toyota Center 12/15: Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena 12/17: Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena 12/19: Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
Lana Del Rey 'Honeymoon' Tracklist, Pre-Order Information Announced
Lana Del Rey (Photo : Steve Jennings/Getty Images)
Lana Del Rey's new album Honeymoon is just one month away now, and finally fans have gotten the record's full tracklist. Following the release of the LP's title track and single "High by the Beach," today (Aug. 20), Del Rey rolled out the full 14-song tracklist for her Ultraviolence follow-up.
Del Rey made the tracklist announcement alongside a short video clip on her Instagram. The video features that signature Del Rey vintage sound, with dripping guitars and plenty of distortion. The video, shot through a nice old-timey filter, features Del Rey wearing a bright red hat and riding backseat in a convertible.
The caption of the video announced that Honeymoon will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, Aug. 21, and the full tracklist.
Lana Del Rey Honeymoon Tracklist:
01. Honeymoon 02. Music To Watch Boys To 03. Terrence Loves You 04. God Knows I Tried 05. High by the Beach 06. Freak 07. Art Deco 08. Burnt Notion (Interlude) 09. Religion 10. Salvatore 11. The Blackest Day 12. 24 13. Swan Song 14. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Honeymoon is Del Rey's third studio album, and it's due for release on Oct. 21. The album is currently being promoted by the dreamy new single "High by the Beach."
Alanis Morissette 'Jagged Little Pill' 20th Anniversary Reissue Includes Unreleased Demos
Alanis Morissette's massively successful breakout album Jagged Little Pill is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and to celebrate, the pinnacle album is getting a deluxe reissue. Today (Aug. 20), Rhino Records announced that the record will be getting a new remaster and a four-disc collector's edition due for release this fall.
As Consequence of Sound reports, the new reissue ofJagged Little Pill is due out on Oct. 30. The Jagged Little Pill repackaged will include two discs in all deluxe editions of the album, featuring a newly remastered album and 10 previously unreleased demo tracks. The newly unearthed songs include cuts such as "King of Intimidation," "Closer Than You Might Believe" and "The Bottom Line."
For those who really want to dig in to Jagged Little Pill, there will be a 30,000 copy run of the four-disc collector's edition of the album. In addition to the previously mentioned discs one and two, the expanded version will also feature a copy of the 2005 release ofJagged Little Pill Acoustic as well as a previously unreleased set from Morissette's first concert in Europe.
The set will also include personal photos and an essay penned by Morissette herself reflecting on the Jagged Little Pill era.
Check out the full four-disc tracklisting below:
Disc One: 2015 Remaster
01. All I Really Want 02. You Oughta Know 03. Perfect 04. Hand In My Pocket 05. Right Through You 06. Forgiven 07. You Learn 08. Head Over Feet 09. Mary Jane 10. Ironic 11. Not The Doctor 12. Wake Up 13. You Oughta Know (Jimmy The Saint Blend) / Your House (A Capella)
Disc Two: Demos (Previously Unreleased)
01. The Bottom Line 02. Superstar Wonderful Weirdos 03. Closer Than You Might Believe 04. No Avalon 05. Comfort 06. Gorgeous 07. King Of Intimidation 08. Death Of Cinderella 09. London 10.These Are The Thoughts
Disc Three: Jagged Little Pill Acoustic
01. All I Really Want 02. You Oughta Know 03. Perfect 04. Hand In My Pocket 05. Right Through You 06. Forgiven 07. You Learn 08. Head Over Feet 09. Mary Jane 10. Ironic 11. Not The Doctor 12. Wake Up / Your House
Disc Four: Live At Subterranean, London 09/28/95 (Previously Unreleased)
01. All I Really Want 02. Right Through You 03. Not The Doctor 04. Hand In My Pocket 05. Mary Jane 06. Ironic 07. You Learn 08. Forgiven 09. You Oughta Know 10. Wake Up 11. Head Over Feet 12. Perfect
Brandi Carlile Premires 'Wherever Is Your Heart' Music Video and Documentary [Watch]
2015 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival - Day 4 (Photo : Jason Merritt / Getty Images)
Brandi Carlile announced a new documentary Wednesday chronicling the band's recent tour done almost entirely without a PA system and the film's trailer serves as the official music video for the single "Wherever Is Your Heart."
When the country/Americana singer took off on her Pin Drop tour last October, she did so without any amplification. Carlile along with long-time writing partners the twins Tim and Phil Hanseroth relied on the projection of their voices, some acoustic guitars and a lot of foot stomping to get their music out to the audience for the first leg of their tour. As the year went on, they plugged in to play songs from the group's 2015 album The Firewatcher's Daughter.
The documentary and music video, which premiered on Rolling Stone CountryWednesday (Aug. 19), show behind the scenes footage of what it was like for this group to go through such an ambitious tour alongside their friends and family.
In recent years, the touring crew has grown substantially despite the drop in electricity as the musicians' families grow. Phil Hanseroth married Carlile's sister some years back making Brandi an aunt and Tim an uncle to the pair's newborn, who joined them on the tour. Because of their closeness in family and professionally, everyone came along for the tour and off the road they all live close by, spending weekends together when they are on break.
That closeness is evident in the video where you can see late night campfires, family diners, morning workouts, general goofing around back stage and Carlile helping take care of her new nephew. "Wherever Is Your Heart" itself was co-written by the Hanseroth twins and Carlile to express that closeness that they all feel, on and off the road.
The group still has a number of tour dates left to play this year through October. Check out the full list of tour dates on Carlile's website. Watch the official music video and documentary trailer below.
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The Weeknd Coachella 2015 (Photo : Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Lana Del Rey (Photo : Steve Jennings/Getty Images)
Alanis Morissette (Photo : Sonia Recchia/Getty Images)
2015 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival - Day 4 (Photo : Jason Merritt / Getty Images)
