|
|
| The Crawl: Colbert Reports for Xmas Duty |
| Posted 9/17/2008 12:16:00 PM by Nisha Gopalan |
| Filed under: 50 cent, Alison Krauss, Crawl, Elvis costello, Eminem, Feist, Fountains of Wayne, Jack white, Jon stewart, Kanye west, Paramore, Robert Plant, Stephen Colbert, Stephenie Meyer, T-Bone Burnett, The Who, Twilight, Willie nelson |
|
 Stephen Colbert to host A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! Nov. 23 on Comedy Central. Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger wrote all original tunes for the occasion, which will feature a Colbert–Jon Stewart duet (on a tune called “Hannukah”) and performances from Elvis Costello, Feist, and Willie Nelson. A DVD of the proceedings will drop two days later.
[Reuters]
The latest Internet video meme is a freestyle rap battle—translated! [College Humor]
Hear a bit of the new Jack White/Alicia Keys collaboration for the new James Bond movie in a Coke commercial, then listen to White protest inadvertently shilling for the product. [Pitchfork]
50 Cent says there’s some new Eminem material afoot. [BBC]
Sorta like High Fidelity only real: man needs dough, puts his colossal record collection up for sale. (It's allegedly worth more than $50 million.) [Noise Addicts]
What’s Paramore up to, after their explosive VMA performance? Drumming up tunes about teen vampire-mortal lust: “[We’re] recording again for a possible shot at the Twilight soundtrack,” says singer Hayley Williams on her blog. [NME]
Instead of flipping out over swelling criticism of his new track “Love Lockdown,” Kanye West actually re-records it. [Kanye West's blog]
Roger Daltrey says The Who still want to record a covers album, only it’s now on indefinite hold cause producer T-Bone Burnett is still on the road with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. [Yahoo]
There is justice in the world! Sarah Silverman wins a music Emmy for “Fucking Matt Damon.” [Billboard]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Paramore
Central Park, New York City
To many people over 18, pop-punk group Paramore
are more famous for their unique major label deal than their music. The
so-called 360-deal means the band's label shares not just profits from
album sales, but from touring and merchandising, too. In return, the
label gives the band boosted promotional support in hopes of building a
rock hard fan base that will stick with Paramore through at least a few hair color changes. Though massive artists like Madonna and Jay-Z have signed similar deals, Paramore have become the de facto example of how major labels can still help new bands reach large audiences in the age of iTunes. And, as it happens, major labels couldn't ask for a better lodestar.
After a year on shelves, the quartet's sophomore album, Riot!, went
platinum in July. Their non-stop touring has led to bigger and bigger
venues across the world. They currently have 42 different t-shirts (not to mention
pencils, laptop skins and notebook refill paper) on sale at their online store. But to people under 18, none of this matters much.
Most of the rabid girls stuffed inside Central Park's Rumsey Field scream for Paramore — especially loveable and dynamic lead singer Hayley Williams — because they rock. Hard. And, in this case, all the kids are right. Riot!
is one of the best mainstream rock albums of the decade. The band are
stupendously tight and anything but amateur live. And a lot of their
t-shirts look pretty cool. Paramore are a great band, no matter how
they're making money. There's a lot to like. While Obama was wooing Hillary
supporters a couple time zones away in Denver Thursday night, Williams was offering
her own equal opportunity plea, giving the ecstatic girls in the front row the emo heroine they deserve. Meanwhile, the band stretched out several Riot! favorites to keep themselves (and their die hards) excited: the heavy "Let the Flames Begin" got a spacey new intro and a wicked, PJ Harvey-esque (!) breakdown that gives us plenty of hope for the future. And the
future seems like an inevitability for this group because, while
they're amazing at hitting teen demographics and catching the attention of a
generation raised on YouTube, they're also making vital music that their young followers can grow into naturally — deal or no deal. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 << Is it a sword? A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure accessory? A Mortal
Kombat prop? No! It's the ugliest guitar ever made! [Music Thing]
+ According to rumors, Rihanna has less money in the bank than your alcoholic uncle. [NME]
+
Sheryl Crow calls her new free MP3/voting strategy the the "Tupperware party
approach," officially making it uncool to give away free MP3s and/or vote. [AOL]
+ Paramore's Hayley Williams becomes the first emo blogger to dedicate a post to how not depressed she is. [Paramore Blog] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Paramore
"For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic" (live)
Considering
their blatantly commercial approach to the music business, skyrocketing popularity and
remarkable stage presence, you'd think there would be multiple official
Paramore live DVDs sitting on Walmart shelves all over the country right now.
Alas, there are none (though rumor has it the band taped a show on
their current tour for a future release). But fanatics wishing to
relive that Paramore live experience now have a respectable alternative to grainy YouTube videos thanks to, um, Walmart, which recorded a California show and are streaming six songs from the set as part of their Soundcheck
series. The band are in fine form, mostly playing songs from their
breakout LP, Riot! (though the group's most popular song, "Misery
Business," is oddly absent). "For a Pessimist" is classic Paramore as it
mixes rousing punk-rock triumph with tinges of broken-wing regret —
when leader Hayley Williams sings, "Why don't you stand up and be a man
about it?" the line is an indictment and a brush off at the same time.
A perfect teaser for the inevitably brilliant, big screen, surround sound Paramore picture disc. 
>> Watch the entire six-song set here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 WHO: Paramore
WHAT: "That's What You Get" [Director: Marcos Siega]
WHY: After the high-gloss desert sheen of the "Crushcrushcrush" video, Tennessee's best pop-punk group go au natural for this clip, which finds them hanging out with buddies near their hometown. "Crushcrushcrush" painted them as bigger-than-life rock stars; "That's What You Get" brings them down to earth — Paramore are just like you and me. Impressively, the four piece are able to pull off both guises convincingly, though a pointless "teen trouble" narrative detracts from this clip's earthy charms. Even when lead singer Hayley Williams tones everything — including her eyeliner — way down here, her on camera charisma is startling and wonderfully unforced. This is suburban angst as cathartic as it is comforting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 << This Year's Breathless Hyperbole Award goes to genre-busting Brooklynite Santogold. [L.A. Times]
+ If her SXSW showcase (featuring vegetarian macaroni and cheese!) is any indication, Rachel Ray just may be indie music's hottest new tastemaker. [AP]
+ The Most Dangerous Show Award goes to F***ed Up, who incited a hectic mosh pit and nearly took down a shaky Austin bridge during an impromptu gig early Saturday morning. [NME] + Paramore are not breaking up. To prove it, they played an exclusive set in Austin on Friday sponsored by (who else?) Hot Topic. [MTV] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 << A note to nervous Paramore fans: Though the band cancelled their European tour due to "internal issues," they are not breaking up and lead singer Hayley Williams isn't having a baby. They just can't stand looking at each other (possibly!). [MTV]
+ Ne-Yo has a serious conehead thing going on in this mug shot. [A Hot Mess]
+ Radiohead (yes!) and Jack Johnson (um ... dude?!) will headline this year's All Points West music festival, the three-day, NYC-area counterpart to Coachella. [Billboard] + Lil Kim needs to either 1) stop going outside or 2) break every camera on earth because nobody likes photos like this one. [TMZ] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|