The Music Court

As you may have been able to infer from the title, this Monday’s version of court links will be specifically focused on albums. An album that will be released tomorrow, and a guide to those that will be released throughout the year of 2010. Let’s begin.

There is a possibility that this may be a good year for music. With anticipated releases from Arcade Fire, Keane, Stone Temple Pilots, U2, Goo Goo Dolls, Maroon 5, Ozzy, and The Weepies (among many more) it would seem that 2010 may be a year that reaches back to older bands releasing more music while also sticking with bands like Arcade Fire to keep with the interesting Indie rock explosion. Billboard.com has been kind enough to put together an organized album preview. Enjoy!

Check it out: http://www.billboard.com/#/news/best-bets-2010-the-year-in-music-ahead-1004059387.story?tag=hppromo1

CD Releases (2/23/10)

Sticking with the theme of 2010 music releases let me preview and album that will be released tomorrow.

Of Men and Angels by The Rocket Summer

This is the fourth full-length studio album from the piano and guitar driven solo project of the talented multi-instrumentalist Stephen Bryce Avary. Avary writes every song on his record and he plays every instrument. Of Men and Angels is a 15 track exploration into the meaningful lyric of Avary and into his pop/rock sound.

Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Men-Angels-Rocket-Summer/dp/B0034BW9EM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1266853383&sr=8-1

Good morning readers. Let’s see what is new in the music world today.

Akon and his greatest find ever

Akon has been out of the news for a long time now. Have you heard about him for a while? Well, many people do not know this, but, in 2007 he signed a recently released Lady Gaga to his KonLive label at Interscope records. This marked him has RICH and the other label as STUPID. A big oops indeed. Lady Gaga has gone on to be a worldwide superstar and odd personality, matching esoteric style with eccentric music. Akon told the associated press, “She’s pretty much retired me. She was definitely a blessing. She came at the right moment. I’m glad I believed in her, boy. That goes to show you, if you believe in something strong enough, it will pay off.” Talk about a lucky break. Well, hey, it took The Beatles to propel Parlophone records (an EMI subsidiary) to new heights and it is still around today recording artists such as Coldplay and Kylie Minogue (Well, maybe not a superpower label any more).

Be My Yoko Ono

Talking about the Beatles look who is in the picture above. Courtesy of Rolling Stone we get to see Yoko Ono on stage rocking with a man who looks similar to John Lennon behind her. Probably because he is a Lennon, just the Sean variety. On Feb. 16 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music founding members of the Plastic Ono Band, a band that paired the likes of John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and numerous other famous musicians in a conceptual supergroup, as well as a few special faces like Eric Clapton and Paul Simon, rocked like it was 40 years ago. Yoko, who just became a 77-year-old today, certainly did not act her age and her vivacity made the reunion show a great success.

Check out the article by Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/02/17/plastic-ono-band-return-with-eric-clapton-paul-simon-in-brooklyn/

There was no embed on this video but it was too good to pass up. Check out “Give Peace A Chance”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLTw_ouiLCQ

God's Favorite Bands?

Are you a good music virgin? Let me point you to a place that knows their music. No, not Rolling Stone or Spin. No, not even MTV or VH1 (well, let’s be honest there is nothing worth mentioning there). Good music has been put together by a place you would never usually turn to for real good music. I mean, I like Vatican mass music just as much as the next guy. What!?! Did this guy just write Vatican.

The Vatican Official Newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, is your one shop stop for classic rock n’ roll albums. The list of music is “Our modest guide can point you on the road to good music,” according to the article. I am sure you are all wondering what is on this list. Probably “Creed” or some other religious bands. No. How do bands like The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon and Carlos Santana sound to you. Yeah, just because they are much more religious than most will ever be does not prevent them from smoking mary jane and staring at the wall while listening to “Brain Damage” off of Dark Side of the Moon or listening to the man that proclaimed that his band was bigger than Jesus (who is pretty big in their minds) sing about “Doctor Robert” on Revolver which may be a reference to Dr. Robert Freymann, who supplied amphetamines to famous people . Okay maybe that is going a little too far. Check out the rest of the list as well as humorous commentary: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/the-vaticans-names-its-top-ten-classic-albums/story-e6frfn09-1225830490764

CD Release for 2/16/10

Scratch My Back by Peter Gabriel

Are you a fan of interesting music experiences? Well, are you familiar with Peter Gabriel? Oh, you know his mainstream stuff like “Solsbury Hill” and “Shock the Monkey.” Well, let me introduce you to 60-year-old Peter Gabriel’s new album or fantastic orchestral covers of songs by artists like David Bowie and Lou Reed to name a couple. Gabriel is a musical genius and this fact is unknown by many. I plead to you, check out this album. It is a beautiful mix of musical creativity.

Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratch_My_Back

The 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival looks so amazing that I may need to drive the 12 hours to see it. Clapton’s 3rd event, raising money for his Crossroads Centre, the addiction-treatment facility on Antigua, will be a piece of music history. The list of stars performing is unbelievable. So unbelievable that here is the list:

Albert Lee
Allman Brothers Band
BB King
Bert Jansch
Buddy Guy
David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos
Doyle Bramhall II
Earl Klugh
Eric Clapton
Gary Clark Jr.
Hubert Sumlin
James Burton
Jeff Beck
Jimmie Vaughan
Joao Gilberto
Joe Bonamassa
John Mayer
Keb Mo
Pino Daniele
Robert Cray
Robert Randolph
Sheryl Crow
Sonny Landreth
Steve Winwood
Vince Gill
ZZ Top

Check out the rest of the article: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2010/02/10/eric-clapton-announces-2010-crossroads-guitar-festival-jeff-beck-b-b-king-john-mayer-more/

There is no better way to end an evening than with some melodious acoustic guitar. Today’s purveyor of the acoustic variety is English multi-instrumentalist, Mike Oldfied, whose style of progressive rock/folk (now more recently dance) has always been as easy to listen to as it is complex to play. Enjoy this video from Good Morning Britain.

Okay Fark. Since, I posted a video of Louis Armstrong playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” yesterday and you posted the same video to honor their Superbowl victory today, I will take your other choice to pay tribute to the once inept franchise that has now finally won their first Superbowl. So, enjoy the year-long party New Orleans and here is Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale playing Cale’s “Call Me The Breeze”

CD Release

“Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice” by HIM

For HIM fans excitement has brewed since the release of Venus Doom three years ago. Now, 2010 has brought HIM’s seventh studio album. Bits and pieces of the album can be heard on Youtube. The band has performed several of the new songs live including three which can be found on Youtube at my count. Also, the first single “Heartkiller” was released on Dec. 8 of last year. Yet, the entire 13-track album inspired by an ended relationship. Sound corny? Not by HIM standards. This is not on the surface stuff, HIM gets into the nitty gritty and you should definitely check it out.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Screamworks-Love-Theory-Practice-Limited/dp/B0030BOCEG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1265643427&sr=8-1