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 The big music news of the weekend: In a People magazine cover story, singer Clay Aiken came out of the closet. That’s right, 2003 American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken — who sang in a boys’ choir as a child, who worked as a special-needs substitute teacher, who wowed American with his delivery of an Elton John ballad, who hosted a 2005 NBC Christmas special with special appearances by Barry Manilow and Will & Grace co-star Megan Mullally, who spent much of this year starring in a Broadway musical, and whose fan club membership comes with a tote bag and lip balm - is gay.
In coming weeks, look for rapper Chuck D. to announce that he is black, David Bowie to reveal that he is British, Kid Rock to admit that he likes skanky strippers and Lil Wayne to confess that he is the best rapper alive. Blender also hears that the Jonas Brothers will hold a press conference to confirm that they are related. |
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| Overheard on the Web: New Music Now! |
| Posted 9/18/2008 1:43:00 PM by Nisha Gopalan |
| Filed under: Alicia keys, American idol, Britney spears, Fantasia, Jack white, James bond, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Justin timberlake, Kanye west, Scott Weiland, Sleater-kinney, Spoon, Stone Temple Pilots, T.i., White stripes |
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With big fall releases on deck, there’s a bunch of new music trickling its way onto the web. Let’s give these leaks a whirl, shall we?
Remember that Jack White/Alicia Keys single from the latest James Bond film
we were talking about? Here’s a longer version of the riff-tastic theme
called “Another Way to Die,” with the duo lobbing stacatto vocals back
and forth. (Quantum of Solace hits theaters Nov. 14.)
Britney Spears joins the confection-as-booty-call oeuvre with her (alleged) latest offering, “Candy From a Stranger,” off her album Circus (out Dec. 2). Fuzzy and synthy and loopy—and auto-tuned within an inch of its life!—it’s a rudimentary thumper.
“Paralysis” is a verbally dexterous mid-tempo lament from Scott Weiland’s solo CD Happy in Galoshes (out Nov 25).
American Idolers Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia team up, then face-off to belt out the R&B groover “I’m His Only Woman” (oh no you’re not!) from Hudson’s self-titled album (out Sept. 30).
T.I. gets some payback from Justin Timberlake—on whose “My Love” the rapper guested—with the slick, buoyant track “Dead and Gone," off Paper Trail (out Sept. 30).
The omnipresent Kanye West and his vocoder pop up on the ironically upbeat “It’s Over,” from John Legend’s Evolver (out Oct. 28).
Somewhat related to all of the above: There’s also a live version (featuring Janet Weiss of the sorely missed Sleater-Kinney!) of a new Spoon song, “Who Backs Your Money?” floating around.
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 << The new American Idol judge is BFFs with Nick Lachey. [Billboard]
+ You'll never guess who Madonna is voting for ... [The Daily Swarm]
+ DMX contemplates escaping jail to eat a Big Mac. Damn Special Sauce! [TMZ]
+ We could listen to Young Jeezy talk about Michael Phelps for hours [Nah Right]:
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When these two soul slingers aren't selling hit
records, voicing animated flicks, winning American Idol competitions or
denouncing a woman's right to choose, they're out touring. That's right, like a
pair of traveling minstrels, R&B boy Jesse McCartney and barely legal diva
Jordin Sparks have joined forces and are coming to a town near you. Teenagers
rejoice, parents break down in tears.
"JESSE &
JORDIN LIVE" Tour 2008
Dates:
Tue-Aug-05
Sacramento,
CA Sacramento Community Center
Theatre
Thu-Aug-07
Los Angeles,
CA Orpheum
Theater
Fri-Aug-08
Glendale, AZ
Jobing.com Arena (Theatre Set-Up)
Sat-Aug-09 San
Diego, CA Humphrey's Concerts By
the Bay
Mon-Aug-11 Salt Lake City, UT
Abravanel Hall
Wed-Aug-13 Denver, CO Ellie Calukins Opera
House
Fri-Aug-15
Minneapolis,
MN The State
Theater
Sun-Aug-17 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music
Theatre
Tue-Aug-19
New York, NY NOKIA
Theatre - Times Square
Wed-Aug-20 Boston, MA TBD
Fri-Aug-22
Atlantic City,
NJ The Ballroom at Boardwalk
Hall
Sat-Aug-23 Sewell,
NJ Commerce Bank Arts
Centre
Sun-Aug-24 Pittsburgh, PA
The Benedum Center for Performing Art
Wed-Aug-27 Toronto, ON
Sound
Academy
Fri-Aug-29
Washington,
DC DAR Constitution
Hall
Sat-Aug-30
Greensboro,
NC War Memorial
Auditorium
Tickets
will be available for purchase via Ticketmaster.com, Charge-by-Phone and at
select Ticketmaster retail locations as well as online at AEGLive.com.
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 David Cook
"Time of My Life"
So, for once, America's endless thirst for Nickelback-style rock works in our favor! David Cook is this year's American Idol and, as you can see, he's currently more popular than Coldplay, Rihanna and every other musician on earth according to iTunes.
Still, even the country's favorite reality show contestant can't turn the
inevitably heinous Idol winning song into something listenable. "I'm out
on the edge of forever — ready to run!" he sings, making utterly no sense. But most of the lyrics are squarely on other side of obviousness —
the song is called "Time of My Life," after all. Also, is Cookie trying
to tell the world something when he sings, "I've been looking for that
magic rainbow on the horizon"? (Remember, he doesn't have a
girlfriend.) Meh, probably not. All that said, though, we're genuinely excited for the
word nerd's big time debut — but please, more "Billy Jean," less "Time of My Life." 
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Fatality:
Illustration by Grant Siedlecki
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 << We're not sure which Idol finale rumor is more far fetched, the one about
Michael Jackson making an appearance or the one about Ben Stiller,
Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black backing-up a hologram Gladys Knight
(really). [Pop Crunch/TMZ]
+ Boy band svengali Lou Pearlman
gets a 25 year jail sentence after being found guilty of cheating
investors out of over $300 million and launching O-Town's career. [MTV]
+
N.E.R.D. aren't happy with just putting out mediocre rap rock records
anymore — now they're working on a feature length documentary all
about making mediocre rap rock records. [NME]
+ Who needs an iPod when you have a jacket that plays music (below)?! [Music Thing] |
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As we cross our fingers and listen to 7even
Year Itch: Collective Soul Greatest Hits 1994-2001 in anticipation of a
David Cook win tonight, here are some random observations from last
night's performance show (with handy YouTube links built in):
 << David Archuleta's vocabulary consists of exactly 47 words. At least 20 of those words are variations of the word "gosh."
+ Seacrest is not happy about Michael Buffer handling the show's intro.
+ If he had to go the U2 route, Cook should've sang "With or Without You."
+ Nothing represents the manliness of forced boxing metaphors like Andrew Lloyd Weber.
 << Proof that the judge's comments are premeditated, part one. Paula: "We have found what we're looking for."
+ We hope Jim Lampley was paid handsomely for his fight night "insights."
+ Every original Idol song must include the words "moment" and "my," not necessarily in that order.
+ Randy: "I love Collective Soul."
 << Did Cook really have to roll with the unplugged guitar in the finale?
+
Collective Soul's "The World I Know" is currently at no. 50 on iTunes and rising.
+ Proof that the judge's comments are premeditated, part two. Paula: "The sun will never go down on you."
+ Just remember, whoever wins could be as famous as Ruben Studdard! |
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We've hated Archuleta all season, but we have to admit he dug deep into his bag of heartless rubber soul last night to make David Cook sweat. So why is he on the wrong side of Dial Idol's predictor poll? As Andew Lloyd Weber might say, it's all in the eyes:
More Idol finale coverage — including a Paula Pun Watch — tomorrow!
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