Beatles Remasters Pack a Wallop

Now at Christie's; may fetch $11K

(NEWSER) - Looks like the stars were aligned for Ringo. A 1960 letter written by Paul McCartney sought a drummer for the Beatles two years before Starr joined the Fab Four. The note was discovered folded into a book at a Liverpool yard sale, the AP reports. It was a response to an ad placed by a drummer looking for a band. In the missive, McCartney offered the drummer—whose identity remains unknown—an audition. More»

Fab Four's iconic catalog was noted holdout

(NEWSER) - Fab Four fans, rejoice: Or at least hold your breath, because the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Steve Jobs' pending iTunes news is that Apple is nearing a deal to bring the Beatles' catalog at long last onboard. Apple is readying an announcement, anonymous insiders say, while also warning that plans could still change at the last minute. The Journal notes that an agreement would end decades of tension between the two giants; the Beatles originally sued Apple in 1978 for copyright infringement on their Apple Records and Apple Corp. Ltd. More»

Yes, they're mostly by George

(NEWSER) - Sam Greenspan admits he had a little trouble with this list for his 11 Points blog , but he toughed it out and came up with the best 11 Beatles songs written by Ringo Starr or George Harrison. The top five:

1. "Something" (George): "Arguably his best lyrics, melody and vocal performance all coming together on one track ."
2. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (George): On the other hand, this could have been No. 1, too.

'Sprawling' double album should please longtime fans

(NEWSER) - The Flaming Lips are no stranger to reinvention, having transformed “from garage-punk misfits into a splendorous, kaleidoscopic rock outfit,” then later “into a sophisticated, sincere symphonic-pop troupe bestowed with increasing commercial acclaim.” The release of Embryonic marks another sea change—and it’s the band's boldest effort since 1997's Zaireeka, writes Stuart Berman for Pitchfork. “There's a raw directness to Embryonic that's been largely absent from Lips records since the mid-'90s.” More»

Group is a welcome 'throwback' and—thanks to Hayley Williams—soars

(NEWSER) - Paramore’s third album will likely enter the charts at No. 1—and it deserves to. Not only is it “the group’s best record yet,” Brand New Eyes is “one of 2009’s most exhilarating releases,” writes Jonah Weiner for Slate. “That sense of exhilaration” is there because of “a reassuring, masterfully executed blast of the familiar,” including “a series of stadium-size vistas, full of cathartic rushes and sudden, dramatic plummets.” More»