It Don't Really Matter

The new Guns n' Roses tune Chinese Democracy (legally) hit radio stations (and this newfangled webternet) today. It rocks, dude. Ok, so it is rock. Whether it rocks or not is certainly a subjective assessment and I'm completely indifferent to it. I thought for sure that I would hate it, but I don't. I never thought that I would love it, and I don't. It's no Sweet Child o' Mine, but it's better than the bloated crap of November Rain. You can be pretty sure that this won't change the world.

Billboard has the tune and the initial reaction at rock radio. Defamer has the snarky take and a bit of the sordid tale of how the CD cd has come about. CD (allegedly) hits stores Best Buy 11/23.

Keeping company with this disaster

It was five years ago yesterday that Too Poppy favorite Elliott Smith died. The circumstances behind his death are still unresolved and the music world is less one talent. LAist has an interesting article which for me anyway gives an interesting perspective. If you're not familiar with his work, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Feel the Thunder

A few weeks ago we reported that Paul McCartney was reviving his Fireman alter ego in a whole new way. No longer would The Fireman be limited to electronic dance music - he was going to rock. The latest NPR's All Songs Considered features the new tune Sing the Changes and I agree with NPR, it is quite simply "inspired." This isn't some half-hearted, obligatory ethereal collaboration with Delerium. Somehow Youth has made Paul McCartney tap into his inner Peter Gabriel and that is evidently quite a great thing. Listen here.

According to NPR, Electric Arguments comes out November 25. This could represent a most welcome sea change of output for Sir Paul. I'm excited.

Because Down Is The New Up

I thought some might be curious to know how successful the "pay anything you want" experiment for Radiohead's In Rainbows was.

According to Warner Chappell, total sales figures for the experiment were more than the total income from Radiohead's previous release, Hail To The Thief. While a large percentage of people paid nothing, enough people paid something to make the experiment worthwhile and a "material impact" on Warner Chappell's bottom line.

No word on if they will do it again in the future. Read the full rundown if you're so inclined.

Maybe You Feel It Too

Keane's Perfect Symmetry is out today. They had me at cheap:

To celebrate the release, Amazon.com's download store are offering the entire Perfect Symmetry album for just $2.99. This offer is available until October 20th.

Boinggggg! Via Amazon MP3s

Where Are You Now?

I love when Popdose digs up an album or artist that I have assumed nobody appreciates nearly as much as I do. They've done it again today with The Devlins, this time featuring their excellent debut album Drift. Of course there's no mention of my favorite, Someone to Talk To, but the rest of the album holds up incredibly well to this day. This was one of my favorite albums to listen to as the sun set while driving that 5-hour strip of I-80 between Des Moines and Chicago in college. For some reason, it just seemed like the right fit as I recovered from two weeks of finals.

Rather than reminiscing, though, I was most interested in future plans: a solo album to be released sometime this year and a new Devlins album next year! Excellent.

Now, singer Colin Devlin strikes out on his own with a warm, intimate album of personal reflections helmed by superproducer Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright) ...
While The Devlins’ atmospheric grooves consistently transcended both genre and era, Democracy of One takes Colin Devlin’s reputation for erudite simplicity to another level. Devlin’s new songs explore the language of a seasoned songwriter both lyrically and sonically: lush arrangements play out like beautifully-choreographed battles between the inner self and the world outside, as that voice – part raspy speak-singing, part unpolished tenor – mingles with the surrounding guitar, piano and strings to reveal untold emotional nuances.

It reads beautifully and judging by the samples on HisSpace, the songs will live up to that description. I really appreciate Marchand's moody production. Can't wait to hear it all.

The Devlins at iTunes (can't find Drift, though, which seems to be out of print and not online)

It's No Better to Be Safe Than Sorry

Okay, we don't normally put these types of things up, but as a musical child of the 80's I simply couldn't resist. Enjoy.