Kings of Leon sneaks back into instant dominance

On day in which some of the highest profile rock albums of fall 2010 saw their release, including Linkin Park (read the Beatweek Magazine cover story interview), Weezer, Robert Plant, and the solo debut of The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers, another rock outfit quietly dropped a bomb that we all should have seen coming: despite not seeing release for another five weeks, the pre-order version of the new Kings Of Leon album Come Around Sundown, is (at the moment) the fourth best selling album in all of iTunes.

Remember them?

The Tennessee rockers, who’ve been quiet since winning the “record of the year” Grammy early this year, are back. If it seems like a quick turnaround from 2008′s Only By The Night, it’s only because the familial quartet’s last album remained in the public eye for as long as it did, based on the extended success of hit single Sex On Fire and then prolonged further by the success of Use Somebody. The new album’s huge advance sales are no doubt in part due to pure anticipation based on the previous one, but another part of that has to be the strength of the new single Radioactive. And no, it has nothing to do with the song of the same name from The Firm a generation ago. Kings of Leon’s take on the title is infectious in different manner, as the song’s urgent refrain “It’s in the water” is unlikely to leave your head again once you’ve heard it, making Radioactive arguably even catchier than either of the band’s previous two big hits.

So far I’ve only heard the single, but it sure makes me want to hear the rest. I had assumed all along that Taylor Swift’s new album would be the biggest release of October 2010. Now I’m starting to wonder if the Kings Of Leon followup (whoops, almost instinctively typed “Followill”) might be even bigger. What do you guys think? Will the rock or the country rule the month? Comments below. In the mean time, feel free to peruse our new Linkin Park cover story interview, as they’ve already claimed ownership of September.

Bush song “Afterlife” sounds just like 2010-era Bush should sound like

The new Bush single “Afterlife” won’t hit iTunes for another ten days, but Gavin Rossdale and the gang have posted a streaming version of the song to their website – which you have to log into with your Facebook account to hear. But fans of the band may find doing so to be well worth it, as Afterlife is instantly recognizable as being a Bush, but like Rossdale’s 2008 solo project, sounds like it belongs in the current century. Afterlife is also instantly catchy enough that it’s almost certain to become a major radio hit, no small feat for a band that packed it in nearly a decade ago. Bush’s reunion, however, is no surprise – Rossdale told Beatweek back in 2008 that his solo project was originally intended to be a Bush reunion album. If you want to hear Afterlife right now on Bush’s official website, it’s right here.

Maroon 5 music video for new single Misery: watch it now

The good folks at MTV have invited us to share with you the brand new music video for the new Maroon 5 single “Misery” from their forthcoming album Hands All Over. Of the video shoot, Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine said, ““It was great to be back on set with the guys again. Everyone in the band really dug the concept and it was fun working with director Joseph Kahn. I am looking forward to our fans getting to check it out!”

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(apologies to iPad and iPhone users, it’s in Flash/Shockwave format)

Bush is reuniting for new album, Gavin Rossdale makes it official

Frontman Gavin Rossdale has confirmed that his band Bush is reuniting, after having been on hiatus for most of the past decade. In addition to touring, the newly reconvened Bush will be releasing a new album entitled Everything Always Now in the fall, with a lead single entitled Afterlife. The return of Bush comes after Rossdale launched a successful solo career over the past two years. The reunion is not surprising, as Rossdale told Beatweek in 2008 that his solo album Wanderlust was originally intended to be a Bush album, but that he had had trouble getting other members of the band on board with the idea of touring.

In the mid-nineties, Bush spawned a number of hit singles including Everything Zen, Comedown, Glyrerine, Machinehead, Swallowed, and The Chemicals Between Us.

Maroon 5 new single “Misery” is upbeat, funky and accessible

Maroon 5 have just sent over their lead single “Misery” from their forthcoming album Hands All Over, and despite its title and equally downtrodden lyrics, the song is an upbeat funky number – and based on a few listens, it might be the most widely accessible song the band has released yet. Yes, all the recognizable Maroon 5 elements are there: Adam Levine’s smooth high pitched vocals parceled over the measures, confessional midsection, exposed guitar lines at just the right time. Nevermind that the key lyric of the song is I am in misery, there ain’t nobody who can comfort me; Levine sings it with such seeming joy, and the music behind it is so hoppy, that you find yourself paradoxically singing “I am in misery” along with him, just as joyfully as he is. And unlike some of the weightier funk on Maroon 5′s previous album, “Misery” is a song that you’ll have trouble remaining still in your chair while listening to.

Unfortunately the rest of Maroon 5′s Hands All Over won’t be released until September 21st – three months from today – but “Misery” just set the bar high for the rest of the new album.

Filter set to release new album The Trouble With Angels in August

Richard Patrick and his industrial band Filter will release their new album The Trouble With Angels in August, with new single “The Inevitable Relapse” set to surface this month. Patrick refers to the single as being a “love song” despite its title and exceedingly hard edge which evokes Filter’s earlier days of albums like Short Bus and hit songs like Hey Man Nice Shot. Filter is also known for ballads like “Take a Picture” and their 2008 album Anthems For The Damned; Patrick spoke with Beatweek extensively about Filter at that time in a cover story interview.

Goo Goo Dolls new single “Home” tomorrow, new album August 31st

Goo Goo Dolls will release their ninth album entitled Something For The Rest Of Us on August 31st, and will release new single “Home” tomorrow June 8th in iTunes. The album is produced by Tim Palmer and is the first Goo Goo Dolls record since 2006. According to lead singer Johnny Rzeznik, “I wanted some of the material on this album to address the disillusionment of the difficult period we live in; I wanted to give a voice to the emotional uncertainty that accompanies hard times. “So many people are struggling to keep it together through tough economic conditions and two wars that seem to have no end in sight. The ones who bear the brunt of these burdens are everyday people. That’s who I want to speak to.”

In the mean time, Goo Goo Dolls are currently on a U.S. tour which will run through August.

The full track listing for Something For The Rest Of Us, according to Warner Bros Records:

“Sweetest Lie”
“As I Am”
“Home”
“Notbroken”
“One Night”
“Nothing Is Real”
“Now I Hear”
“Still Your Song”
“Something For The Rest Of Us”
“Say You’re Free”
“Hey Ya”
“Soldier”

Katy Perry releases California Gurls single, Teenage Dream coming 8/24

The countdown to Katy Perry’s sophomore album has begun, as its title, release date, and first single have been revealed. Entitled “Teenage Dream,” the album will hit streets on August 24th. Lead single “California Gurls” has been sent to radio, a song Katy says will “melt your popsicle,” which she wrote after hearing Jay-Z’s New York City anthem “Empire State of Mind” and deciding that Los Angeles needed an anthem of its own. The song, which is already available in iTunes, features Snoop Dogg.

After Teenage Dream’s August 24th release in the United States and Canada, it’ll hit the rest of the world on August 30th.

We haven’t yet spoken with Katy Perry about her upcoming sophomore album, but here’s what she told us about her debut album when we first spoke with her back in 2008.

Bret Michaels sends “Wasted Time” to iTunes

Fresh out of the hospital, singer Bret Michaels is wasting no time – pardon the pun – when it comes to picking up where he’d left off. This week sees the release of his new single “Wasted Time” in iTunes ahead of his forthcoming album release entitled Custom Built. The new single, an upbeat ballad, which had previously been featured in snippet form on the rocker’s official website while he was still in the hospital, is currently on the top 100 rock singles chart in iTunes. Despite the seeming relevance of the song’s lyrics to the life-threatening ordeal that Micheals just went through, the song was in fact written and recorded before his health issues began.

Michaels had been starring in reality television show Celebrity Apprentice prior to his medical problems; still no word on whether he’ll return to the show in any capacity, nor is there an official release date yet for Custom Built.

Adam Lambert set to release “If I Had You”

Adam Lambert’s third single “If I Had You” is set to hit the radio in the United States, even as Lambert himself prepares to shoot the official music video for the song. The new single arrives just as his previous single “Whataya Want From Me” has reached platinum status in the U.S., after the lead single title track from his debut album For Your Entertainment hadn’t performed as well stateside. Last month Lambert confirmed to Beatweek Magazine that “If I Had You” would be his third single, and explained why he chose the song for radio airplay: “And I like the sentiment. I like what it’s saying. I think it’s a positive message.”

Meanwhile, Adam Lambert is currently in Finland as part of tour of Europe to promote the European release of his album.

New Bret Michaels song “Wasted Time” emerges

Bret Michaels Band guitarist Pete Evick has posted what he refers to as a “comped together” version of a new song entitled Wasted Time from the band’s forthcoming album entitled Custom Built. On the track, Bret Michaels sings along to a mid tempo pace on what sounds like it could be Poison ballad, minus a bit of the signature eighties feel – in other words it sounds more like 2010. Of Micheals and his current stay in the ICU due to a brain hemorrhage suffered a few days ago, Evick writes “Bret has ever really wanted to give is the gift of music. All he has ever asked for is the gift of music.”

Wasted Time, or at least the “teaser” of it, is currently streaming on the front page of bretmichaels.com, which has been temporarily stripped down to a text-based page to accommodate the recent increase in web traffic.

photo credit: Nancy Mazzel

Christina Aguilera video to premiere this Friday

Christina Aguilera’s newest song “Not Myself Tonight” from her forthcoming album Bionic was released as a digital single earlier this month, and now here comes the video. Directed by Hype Williams, the sensual video will debut in the wee morning hours of this Friday, April 30th, on VEVO. Access Hollywood will also be airing behind the scenes footage from the video shoot beginning on Thursday.

Aguilera, who has sold thirty million albums worldwide, is gearing up for a June 8th release date for Bionic.

Sarah McLachlan introduces new single

It’s been a busy 2010 so far for Sarah McLachlan, who after announcing plans to revere her Lilith Fair summer tour consisting of eighty-plus female musicians, will also be releasing her own new album The Laws Of Illusion on June 15th. In the mean time she’s pulled back the covers on her new single “Loving You Is Easy” which will officially available on May 4th but is currently streaming on her official website.

The Laws Of Illusion is the Grammy winning McLachlan’s seventh studio album and has been produced by Pierre Marchand.

New Rolling Stones song cracks the top ten

Plundered My Soul, the long-buried Rolling Stones song left over from the band’s Exile on Main Street sessions, has been released the “lead single” from the forthcoming Exile re-release, which will include several additional unreleased tracks from the Exile era. The song, which has been available for $1.29 in iTunes since yesterday, is currently in the number seven spot on the iTunes rock singles chart, behind song from artists like The Script, OneRepublic, and Daughtry.

Our critical assessment of the song is that it’s the best “new” material the Stones have released in more than a decade – and the impressive early charting of the single suggests that the Exile re-release (coming May 18th) may also fare better in terms of sales than some of the band’s recent album releases, which haven’t sold in huge quantities despite continued massive worldwide demand for the Stones as a live touring act.

Cypress Hill, Tom Morello perform “Rise Up” on Jimmy Kimmel

Veteran hip hop pioneers Cypress Hill return this week with Rise Up, their first new album in six years, and will kick things off with a live performance of the album’s title track on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight. Joining B-Real and Sen Dog for the television performance will be current Rage Against The Machine and former Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello, who also guested on the studio version of the song and also appears on Shut’ Em Down.

Morello is far from the album’s only collaborator, as Pitbull and Marc Anthony provide guest vocals for the song Armada Latina, which samples the Crosby Stills & Nash classic Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. Everlast, Mike, Shinoda, and Young De also make appearances.

Cypress Hill is on the cover of Beatweek Magazine’s April 20th issue, which will be released Tuesday morning and includes an in depth interview with B-Real. The issue can be viewed digitally, in full, on Beatweek.com.

Cypress Hill’s B-Real on meeting Rise Up collaborator Tom Morello

When the guys from Cypress Hill take the stage tonight to perform the title track from their new album Rise Up, they’ll be sharing the stage with Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who also participated in the new album. But lest you think the collaboration is some new flight of fancy, the two camps have known each other for nearly two decades. In our April 20th cover story (due out tomorrow morning), Cypress Hill’s B-Real tells Beatweek about his first interaction with Morello at one of Rage’s club shows back in 1992, at a time when Cypress Hill had just broken big and Rage was still a bit under the radar:

“I was in the mosh pit, moshing it up and they saw me in there. Called me out. ‘Hey we see somebody in the crowd and we want to invite him up on stage: B-Real of Cypress Hill!’ People looked around and saw me in the middle of the pit and immediately put me on stage.”

In our 4/20 cover story, B-Real tells Beatweek’s Lance Anderson about how new album Rise Up came to be, along with the story behind its other hit single Armada Latina (featuring vocals by Marc Anthony and Pitbull, and facetime from Stephen Stills) and a whole lot more. In the mean time, enjoy Cypress Hill and Tom Morello tonight at midnight on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC

review: “Plundered My Soul” by The Rolling Stones

Can you believe it… It’s almost as if Mick Jagger somehow knew nearly forty years ago that he’d someday be teasing us with that opening line to the “new” Rolling Stones song entitled “Plundered My Soul” which was actually recorded back during the Exile on Main Street sessions but never has seen the light of day until now. Released as an extremely limited thousand-copy run this week as part of Record Store Day, the song will actually serve as the lead single for Exile’s re-release on May 18th. Universal sent over an advance of the song, and after having spent some time with it, I can confirm that it definitely sounds like it was recorded in 1972 – that’s not a bad thing, mind you – and I’m also left to wonder how the band (and the label) managed to go this many years without finding a way to release it, seeing as how it’s a pretty darn good song.

It’s one of those plodding mid-tempo Stones songs with the meandering guitars in which Jagger’s vocals have a pliable relationship with the downbeat, and he sounds perfectly okay with the fact that he’s been taken by the lady who serves as the recipient of his lines even as he sings “I thought you needed my lovin’ but it’s my heart that you stole… I thought you wanted my money… but you plundered my soul.”

It’s not necessarily a vital song, and may not carve out a place in Rolling Stones history for any bigger reason than the novelty of having spent so many decades sitting in the vault before being sent to radio – and hey, it’s probably the best “new” Rolling Stones single in at least fifteen years.

I know, you don’t want to have to wait another month to hear the song – but if you’ve already waited four decades…

Deftones “Diamond Eyes” out May 4th

Veteran rockers Deftones are set to release their sixth album Diamond Eyes on May 4th, the Sacramento band’s first release since bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident. With Quicksand’s Sergio Vega filling in for Chi, the Deftones have already released the title track to radio and iTunes and will perform at the Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City on April 24th before beginning a string U.S. performances in El Paso on April 27th which will extend through May before the band heads to Europe in June. The music video for Diamond Eyes debuts on MySpace today.

Deftones tour dates can be found on their official site.

Stone Temple Pilots new self titled album due May 25th

Perhaps the most surprising survivor of the early nineties grunge scene, Stone Temple Pilots, who’ve been reunited as a touring act since 2008, have slated the release of a new self-titled album for May 25th and have made the album available for pre-order via iTunes. Immediately available is lead track and first single “Between The Lines” which has also begun surfacing on FM radio, a catchy up-tempo riffer of a song which sounds as if it could have come from the era of the band’s third album (think “Big Bang Baby”).

While “Between The Lines” does reference narcotics, fans of the band will be pleased to know that the drugs referred to in the past tense, perhaps confirming that lead singer Scott Weiland’s long running substance abuse problems may indeed be behind him – as also evidenced by the fact that his latest turn with the band has generally been incident-free, whereas in past decades, entire STP album launches had been derailed by Weiland’s narcotic-oriented unreliability.

Other songs on the new album carry titles including Huckleberry Crumble, Hickory Dichotomy, and Maver. The album artwork is pictured above.

According to iTunes, the album will only be available via iTunes and Target. The iTunes pre-order is currently available in deluxe ($14.99) and standard ($9.99) versions.

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Rolling Stones to re-release Exile on Main Street with unreleased tracks

April 8, 2010 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment 

Nearly four decades after its original release, Exile On Main Street will hit the streets another time as The Rolling Stones prepare to rerelease the 1972 album on May 17th in the United Kingdom and on May 18th in the United States. The album’s original eighteen songs will now be joined by ten previously unreleased tracks from the Exile era, including “Plundered My Soul” which will be released as a single – a funky mid-tempo number accompanied by a bari sax and female backing vocals [Editor's note: we've heard the new song, and it's good stuff, very 1972-ish].

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