Arms-race mastering is losing musical detail, listeners and engineers complain
Wall Street Journal Sep 25, 08 4:20 PM CDT
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Some fans have a surprising problem with Death Magnetic , the new Metallica album, the Wall Street Journal reports: It’s too loud. Since the advent of the compact disc, musicians have pushed mastering engineers to make albums as loud as possible. As a result, a new CD like Death Magnetic is four to eight times louder, at the same stereo volume, than a 15-year-old disc.
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Cyrus upset by reports of on-set mischief
People Sep 22, 08 5:18 PM CDT
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Tweens can rest easy: Miley Cyrus says she remains devoted to alter ego Hannah Montana and her TV series. Gossip sites buzzed this weekend with reports that Miley and dad/co-star Billy Ray Cyrus had caused scenes on set and talked openly about leaving, but Disney reps dismissed the reports as empty rumors. Miley is “really upset by the gossip,” a source told People .
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Aussie power rock group gets back to roots with album you can only get at Wal-Mart
Rolling Stone Sep 9, 08 9:55 AM CDT
(Newser)
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After an 8-year hiatus, AC/DC is back—in black, one might say, as their album Black Ice is poised to go on sale exclusively at Wal-Mart stores Oct. 20, Rolling Stone reports. In 2 months of studio work, the Aussie rock icons churned out 15 new songs (including four with the word “rock” in the title) and plan a massive world tour beginning in October.
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Seeming iPod focus may make tomorrow's event 'underwhelming'
Reuters Sep 8, 08 1:32 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Apple's shares have been off as much as 5% today ahead of a much-publicized event tomorrow at which the company is expected to drop a new iPod Nano and give an update on iPhone sales, Reuters reports. One analyst worries the news will underwhelm; another says the dip isn’t unusual: It's “a ‘buy on the rumor, sell on the news’ kind of stock.”
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But delivers uninspiring 'performance'
ABC News Sep 8, 08 4:00 AM CDT
(Newser)
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Comeback kid Britney Spears swept three MTV Video Music Awards last night—but delivered an uninspired performance, reports ABC News. Fans had hoped Spears' appearance would redeem her image after the star's last addled MTV performance. But Britney delivered a meek Valley Girl skit with Superbad star Jonah Hill, lamely inquiring, "What is your deal?" when he began to make out with her—and a stiff teleprompter read.
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In the lyrics of popular music, where have all the cars gone?
Washington Post Sep 7, 08 2:18 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Songs paying homage to cars exploded onto the scene in the earliest days of rock 'n' roll, but since the the Beach Boys described the workings of their "409" and Bruce Springsteen sang about "Racing in the Street," auto-themed rock seems to have gone the way of the Delorean, the Washington Post reports.
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OPINION
Commercials, YouTube and 'iconic' movie scenes make old faves unlistenable
College Humor Sep 7, 08 12:29 PM CDT
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Some songs simply can't survive the ravages of pop culture. Scott Bennett on College Humor, runs down some tunes he can no longer listen to: "O, Fortuna:" Jackass turned this "orchestral masterpiece" from Carl Orff into something that went from evoking "the struggle of mankind" to "Chris Pontius in a banana Hammock." "Just What I Needed:" "Nothing will kill a song you love"—the Cars' classic, in this case—"faster than a repetitive beating in the form of awful commercials." Thanks, Circuit City.
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Study says music reflects our personalities
Independent (UK) Sep 6, 08 6:11 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Our favorite music speaks volumes about who we are, according to a new psychological study. It turns out that Indie fans are miserable, and metal heads act a lot like classical music lovers. The Independent breaks down personalities by genre: Indie: Low self-esteem and lazy, not to mention selfish and unkind. Rock: Hard-working and creative, but also unfriendly and hardly generous.
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GLOSSIES
Rolling Stone tracks down six up-and-comers
Rolling Stone Sep 1, 08 11:11 AM CDT
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Maybe you've heard of them, maybe you haven't, but six up-and-coming bands are defining rock and pop this year, according to Rolling Stone . Next big things or one-disc wonders? Check them out, then listen up by clicking the link below: Low Vs Diamond: cinematic rockers from Los Angeles go epic in the vein of Coldplay.
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INTERVIEW
Says his peers are loath to concede
critical mistakes
Gelf Magazine Sep 1, 08 10:51 AM CDT
(Newser)
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You may have missed it, but the New Yorker pays attention to pop music. Flip past articles on dead American poets and you might find insightful, sometimes scathing, music critiques by Sasha Frere-Jones. The musician and critic sat down with Gelf Magazine to discuss the problems with defining indie rock—and owning up to mistakes he’s made in missing the mark.
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"Gimme More" singer will instead focus on next album
Associated Press Aug 28, 08 3:52 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Britney Spears won’t be doing it again, after all. The singer, whose erratic performance at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards had her critics buzzing, won’t be staging a comeback for this year’s ceremony. Instead, Spears, a nominee for video of the year, will focus on her next album, “which is going amazingly well,” said her manager.
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Upset teens entered contest, never judged
Chicago Tribune Aug 27, 08 5:59 PM CDT
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Legions of young Jonas Brothers fans showed up for a concert as instructed with "thinking green" posters—only to see most of them summarily dumped in the trash, the Chicago Tribune reports. The teens had created the posters for a Chevy-sponsored contest in hopes of winning the top prize: meeting the trio in person. Chevy reps trolled the parking lot beforehand to view entries, but most were never judged because there were too many.
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It's not too late to add these tunes to your playlist
Salon Aug 18, 08 1:12 PM CDT
(Newser)
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Salon’s critics pick the songs that sizzle in summer 2008—from Estelle and Kanye West's sartorial lust to Tilly and the Wall's bubble gum New Wave: Estelle with Kanye West, “American Boy”: Elegant English beats blend with in-your-face American lyrics. Jonas Brothers, “Burning Up”: Saccharine silliness that fills a hole in our inner 13-year-old, boy-band-loving hearts. Ida Corr, “Let Me Think About It”: Sexy beats that have kept us dancing (and Corr in the Top 10) for 40 weeks.
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