Groove Armada 'Get Down' Donni Hotwheel Remix

Utada - Come Back To Me

Click to launch the video for "Come Back To Me"
the first single taken from "This Is The One"
 
ISLAND DEF JAM RECORDING ARTIST
UTADA
TO UNVEIL NEW SINGLE “COME BACK TO ME”
 
In the small world of pop artists who write their own music enters the big voice of artist/songwriter Utada who is set to reveal her new single “Come Back to Me” this month.  Utada, already one of the world’s biggest recording artists, will digitally release her new album "This is the One" on March 24, 2009   (available digitally via Itunes)on The Island Def Jam Music Group.
 
“Come Back to Me”, the soulful yet energetic ballad produced by the hitmaking team Stargate (Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Beyonce), will officially debut on pop radio on February 9th and will be available via iTunes. The sparkling, mid-tempo hit showcases the 26-year-old singer’s powerful husky-sweet vocals and natural effervescence, placing her indisputably into the landscape with major female artists like Madonna, Beyonce, Rihanna and Mariah Carey.
 
Utada’s forthcoming album is comprised of 10 self-penned songs recorded with top producers Stargate and Tricky (Britney Spears, Madonna, Mariah Carey). Recording took place in New York, Atlanta and Tokyo.
 
On creating the album Utada comments, “I like to make music that’s mutli-layered. You might just want to dance, without really diving into the lyrics. And then if you like words, you might notice the references I make to Captain Picard or Winona Ryder. Both things are equally important to me—to be catchy, so when you hear it on the radio it sticks out, and to have that depth. "
 
Producer Stargate comments, “Working with Utada was great. She walks in, has confidence about her, integrity, and a voice that you can’t believe. We were really blown away.”
 
Born and raised in Manhattan and educated at Columbia University, Hikaru Utada had strong ties to Japan as her father, Utada Teruzane, was an accomplished musician and producer and her mother, Keiko Fuji, was a successful Japanese enka (ballad) singer. With such a musically prolific family, Utada would reside between New York City and Tokyo and the recording studio literally became her second home. By age 11, Utada had written and recorded her first song. By the time she graduated from junior high school, the bi-lingual singer had signed onto a major record label EMI and released her first Japanese album.  With a number of album and single releases over the last ten years in Japan, the young star has become one of the most successful and acclaimed pop singers in Japanese music history with record sales of over 52 million.     
 
 
www.utada.com

Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe

ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE
APRIL 21, 2009
 
 
Groundbreaking, chart-topping electro legends Depeche Mode are proud to announce the release of their long-anticipated new studio album, Sounds Of The Universe on April 21, 2009 (Mute/Capitol).
 
Eclectic and energized, the band’s new release is their most dazzling and diverse album in decades. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, Depeche Mode returned to using a lot of vintage gear, from analogue synthesizers to drum machines, in order to conjure up the retro-futuristic arrangements featured on the album. Lyrically the release contains many of the group’s enduring obsessions plus more overt black humor than any of their previous collections.
 
Like with their 2005 studio album, Playing The Angel, Sounds Of The Universe featureswriting credits for both Martin Gore, the group’s primary songwriter, and Dave Gahan who after honing his talents on two solo albums, has earned his place as Depeche Mode’s second writer. The release also marks a reunion between the band and producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves, Elbow), who worked with band to help give their new album its timeless sound. The first single from the release, “Wrong,” grabs the listener’s attention from its first stack-heeled, staccato shriek. Over stomping beats, screeching synthesizers, and Dave’s overlord chant, “Wrong” already feels like a Depeche Mode classic. Other standout tracks include Martin’s velvet-lined Scott Walker croon on the sensual lounge-music ballad “Jezebel,” to the sci-fi gospel-blues hymn “In Chains” and “Hole To Feed,” which marries modern electronics to a floor-shaking, bone-rattling Bo Diddley beat.
 
As one of the most influential bands of the post-punk era, with global sales in excess of 100 million, Depeche Mode belongs to a select premiere league of super groups who have survived from the early 1980s with their ideals, creative vision and core members intact. Formed in 1981, Depeche Mode - Martin Gore, Dave Gahan and Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher - continue to win critical and commercial acclaim across the world both in the studio and on the road. All of the band’s 11 studio albums have reached the Top Ten in not only the UK and USA but 20 plus countries around the world including Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Belgium. Additionally, since their inception Depeche Mode’s live shows continue to be a must-see attraction, with the group playing to 2.8 million people across 31 countries on their last tour alone.
 
www.depechemode.com 
 

Check out the video for "Wrong" taken from Sounds Of The Universe.
 

TUNE IN- Chris Cornell Worldwide Exclusive Listening Session

Chris Cornell to Exclusively Stream “SCREAM” On MySpace for TWO Days ONLY

New York, NY- March 3rd 2009- With one week until record release, Chris Cornell is giving his fans the opportunity to hear the album as it was intended-in full. Cornell will be streaming his anticipated 3rd solo album, Scream, produced by Timbaland, on MySpace for 48 hours starting at 12pm EST today, March 3rd till 12pm EST Thursday, March 5th.

Scream is a seamless work. Timbaland makes inventive use of Cornell’s soaring melodies and incisive lyrics, setting his intense vocal performances against a lush, expressive soundscape and irresistible stutter-step beats. The inventive new work looks to spearhead a brave new world of cross-genre collaboration.

The 13-track album is due out on March 10th via Interscope/Mosley Music. Chris is currently on tour in Europe and will kick off his multi-city US tour on March 28th in Dallas, TX. Scream showcases a new, seductive sound - dark, multi-layered and full of puzzles and surprises. The songs bring a new cinematic scope to Cornell's performances, with potent visual imagery echoing the non-stop musical assault from his internationally acclaimed live band. "Musically, this is the most ambitious thing I've been a part of. It's almost like a movie soundtrack," says Cornell, who while on tour will also be playing other music from throughout his two-decade, 14-album career.

Out of a seemingly unlikely collaboration, comes an instantly familiar sound which defies genre’s and pushes the envelope of sound.

*TUNE IN to the Worldwide Exclusive Listening Session*
Be the 1st to hear SCREAM!!

http://www.myspace.com/chriscornell

Chris Cornell - Scream

SOUNDGARDEN AND AUDIOSLAVE FRONTMAN READYING FOR RELEASE OF UPCOMING THIRD SOLO ALBUM SCREAM, PRODUCED BY TIMBALAND
 
The eagerly anticipated 3rd solo record from Chris Cornell, entitled Scream, will be released this Spring, on March 10th, via Interscope Records. Best known as the acclaimed lead singer and songwriter for Soundgarden and Audioslave, Cornell and producer Timbaland have created a 13-track, inventive new work which looks to spearhead a brave new world of cross-genre collaboration.

The two artists were introduced at the suggestion that Timbaland create remixes for Cornell’s 2007 solo album, Carry On. Not content to merely remix a few songs, Timbaland proposed that they record an entire album. Work began in early 2008 in Miami, and 5 tracks from the album are already creating a buzz on the internet and on radio, including “Scream,” “Part Of Me” “Long Gone” and “Watch Out.”
 
Scream is a seamless work. Timbaland makes inventive use of Cornell’s soaring melodies and incisive lyrics, setting his intense vocal performances against a lush, expressive soundscape and irresistible stutter-step beats. Like so many genre-busting musical innovations of the past -- including David Bowie’s disco collaboration with Nile Rodgers, “Let’s Dance” – Scream is a testament to Cornell’s ever evolving musicianship and artistry.
 
A musical tour de force, Scream’s album opener “Part of Me” acts as the smash club hit on the record and “Long Gone” showcases Chris’s stunning vocals and emotive melodies. Despite its varying moods, the album is a cohesive collection of songs produced by two of the most acclaimed American hit-makers on the music sphere today. As Cornell recently told veteran rock journalist Matt Pinfield, "If you get into a kind of comfortable corner, where you're doing what you're used to, you can get locked in that corner and stuck there, and you're done. That's never going to happen to me." Cornell says, “The whole album is a pretty radical musical departure for me. It is the highlight of my career.” 

Currently residing in Paris and Los Angeles, Chris Cornell has been heralded as the chief architect for grunge, writing a string of hits for Soundgarden, including the Grammy Award-winning "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman," After recording  the last album with Soundgarden, Cornell continued to shine as a critically acclaimed solo artist. "Can't Change Me," the first single from his 1999 solo debut Euphoria Morning, was nominated for a Grammy Award, while a reworked version of "Mission" was included on the soundtrack to the film Mission: Impossible II. In 2000, Cornell put his solo career on hold to join former Rage Against the Machine members Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk in Audioslave. In 2006, Cornell co-wrote and performed the theme song for the James Bond film Casino Royale, entitled "You Know My Name." Cornell is the only American male solo artist to date who has ever been commissioned to write the theme song for the Bond franchise.
 
Out of a seemingly unlikely collaboration, comes an instantly familiar sound which defies genre’s and pushes the envelope of sound.  
 
Check out the video for "Scream"     
 
 
 Following shows in Canada and Europe, Chris and his live band will be heading across America during March and April, taking in major US cities from Dallas and New Orleans to Chicago and New York. 
March 27 : Austin, TX – Stubbs Bar-B-Q 

March 28 : Dallas, TX – House of Blues  

March 29 : Houston, TX – Warehouse Live  

March 31 : New Orleans, LA – House of Blues  

April 1 : Atlanta, GA – CW Center Stage 

April 3 : Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa 

April 4 : Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory  

April 5 : Washington DC – 9:30 Club 

April 7 : New York, NY – Webster Hall 

April 8 : New York, NY – Webster Hall  

April 10 : Boston, MA – House of Blues 

April 11 : Montclair, NJ – Wellmont Theatre  

April 13 : Cleveland, OH – House of Blues  

April 14 : Ann Arbor, MI – Michigan Theater  

April 15 : Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue Theatre 

April 17 : Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater 

April 18 : St Paul, MN – MYTH 

April 19 : Chicago, IL – Riviera Theater 
April 21: East St Louis, IL – Pops
April 22: Kansas City, MO – Harrah’s Voodoo Lounge
April 24: Denver, CO – Odgen Theater
April 25: Salt lake City, UT – The Depot Sun
April 27: Seattle, WA – Showbox So Do
April 28: Vancouver BC – Cammodore Ballroom
April 29: Portland OR – Crystal Ballroom
May 1: San Francisco CA – Grand Ballroom
May 2: Anaheim CA – House of Blues
May 3: Los Angeles – The Wiltern

http://www.chriscornell.com
http://www.myspace.com/chriscornell

Release date: Chris Cornell “Scream” ( Mosley Music Group/ Interscope Records ) available March 10, 2009

DJ Antoine - Underneath (Original Mix)

Great track via DJ Antoine.

Samy K & Diva Avari - Fu^kin Bitch

If you're offending by a whole lot of cussing, then don't watch this video. This is a new bitch track in the vein of Sweet Pussy Pauline. A bit repetitive, but I get a laugh out of it.

All you drummers!

Just stumbled across the fab drumming blog. Not only is it a great discussion on drumming, but it's peppered with sweet WAV loops for the DAW world. If I had more space in my place I'd set up my kit, get a six pack, and jam with the stereo all day! Hehe. But nah I've gotta do some laundry and get my oil changed.

Ryan Gruss is a vet session drummer who has now decided to blog about it all. Right here: ryangruss.com

Here are a couple of my faves from it so far.

This Korean drummer shows everyone exactly how fun it is to play the drums. I want to party with this guy!

Now check Kenwood Dennard give an indescribable solo/lesson/history on drumming.
Thanks to Ryan Gruss for the blog. Made my day!

Feeel The Rapture!

Pull it my selecta!

Matt Alber - "End Of The World" Video

| MATT ALBER | "END OF THE WORLD" VIDEO

Taken from Matt Alber "Hide Nothing" (Silver Label/Tommy Boy) available now

www.mattalber.com
www.myspace.com/mattalber

Annie Lennox - "Shining Light" Video

Click to launch the new video for "Shining Light"
Video directed by Phil Griffin
Taken f rom "The Annie Lennox Collection" ( Arista Records ) available Feb 17 , 2009

Annie Lennox will appear Tuesday, Feb. 10, on Good Morning America;
Wednesday, Feb. 11, on Live With Regis & Kelly;
and Friday, Feb. 13, on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.
A&E will air a special Evening With Annie Lennox on March 8.


www.annielennox.com
www.myspace.com/annielennox

Annie Lennox- The Annie Lennox Collection

ANNIE LENNOX RELEASES HER FIRST-EVER RETROSPECTIVE ON SALE FEBRUARY 17, 2009

**MOVED FROM FEBRUARY 10 RELEASE DATE**

TWO NEW SONGS AND LIMITED DELUXE CD/DVD EDITION AVAILABLE
EXCLUSIVELY WITH THIS COLLECTION


The Annie Lennox Collection paints a vivid portrait in song of the most successful female British artist in pop music history. Available on February 17 from Arista Records, this 14-song retrospective brings together the acclaimed artist’s finest solo work on a single disc for the first time, and includes a pair of new songs recorded exclusively for this release.

Spanning 15 years, The Annie Lennox Collection also available in a limited deluxe CD/DVD edition includes hits from her four top-selling solo albums Diva (1992), Medusa (1995), Bare (2003) and last year’s highly praised Songs of Mass Destruction (2007). The timeless music selected for this collection uniquely reflects the essence of the singer’s instantly recognizable brand of soul music on tracks like “Why,” “Walking on Broken Glass” and “No More ‘I Love You’s’” — a song that earned Lennox one of her four Grammys.

“It seems like the time has come to release the Collection,” Lennox says of her first best-of set. “I’m very proud of these songs. They are timeless and have become ‘classics’ in their own right.”

The two new songs that Lennox recorded specially for this collection include “Pattern of My Life,” written by Tom Chaplin of Keane. The second is a cover of Shining Light, a song originally recorded in 2001 by Ash. “I first discovered this song by Ash about six years ago, and I simply couldn’t stop listening to it. It’s so exultant that it virtually shimmers,” Lennox says. “Shining Light” is the retrospective’s first single and hitting the airwaves of Adult Top 40 and hot AC formats February 9. Look for the video to premiere exclusively on AOL Music this week.

On February 10, Annie Lennox will perform songs from her new collection and interview with New York Times chief pop music critic, Jon Pareles at The New York Times Talk Live - An Evening with Annie Lennox. Her promotional tour continues with performances on Good Morning America (ABC) February 10 and Live With Regis & Kelly (ABC) February 11. On February 13, Lennox will perform on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC) and the GRAMMY Museum at LA Live will host An Evening with Annie Lennox. The night will include an Audience Q&A session and special performance. A one hour 5-song performance and interview A&E Television Private Sessions will air March 8.

During The 2008 American Music Awards, Justin Timberlake presented Lennox with the Award of Merit. In years past this award has been given to some of the industry’s most influential artists. Previous honorees include Prince, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond and Gloria Estefan. During the show, Lennox give a special performance of Why which was her first appearance since having back surgery in August 2008.

“There are certain musicians that other musicians love, and she is one of those special artists, held in the highest regard by her peers,” Timberlake said of Lennox. “I love that she's always been on the cutting edge of fashion, she's always looked so so cool and taught us how to look cool. Then there's her humanitarian work. She's been an activist for just causes all over the world, mostly in silent ways that you've never even heard about. She does this from her heart, motivated purely by love."

Among the many highlights on The Annie Lennox Collection is “Sing,” a song that references The SING Campaign, a humanitarian organization Lennox founded to raise awareness and support for the AIDS/HIV pandemic in Africa. “We’re still in the early stages, but this is a lifelong commitment on my part,” Lennox says. “I’m coming out from behind my singing voice to express myself in broader terms and help give a voice to those who don’t have the same opportunities as I do.”

A dynamic activist, Lennox recently received the Red Cross Services to Humanity Award, the YouthAids outstanding achievement award, was named the 2008 Glamour Inspirational Woman of the Year and sang for Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebration this summer in London.

In her 26-year career, both as a member of the groundbreaking Eurythmics and as a solo artist, Lennox has amassed sales of more than 78 million albums worldwide. Her towering achievements also include 34 hit singles, four Grammy Awards, 11 Brit Awards and five Ivor Novello Awards. The superstar has also won an Academy Award and Golden Globe.

To Listen to the retrospective please click the following: The Annie Lennox Collection
CD/DELUXE CD Track Listing

1. “Little Bird”
2. “Walking on Broken Glass”
3. “Why”
4. “No More I Love You’s”
5. “Precious”
6. “A Whiter Shade of Pale”
7. “A Thousand Beautiful Things”
8. “Sing”
9. “Pavement Cracks”
10. “Love Song for a Vampire”
11. “Cold”
12. “Dark Road”
13. “Pattern of My Life”
14. “Shining Light”

LIMITED EDITION DELUXE DVD
1. “Little Bird”
2. “Walking on Broken Glass”
3. “Why”
4. “No More I Love You’s”
5. “Precious”
6. “A Whiter Shade of Pale”
7. “A Thousand Beautiful Things”
8. “Sing”
9. “Pavement Cracks”
10. “Cold”
11. “Dark Road”

Website:
http://www.annielennox.com/

Akai MPK25 MIDI controller

Another new controller displayed at NAMM 2009 is the Akai MPK25. The appeal here is that the MPK25 combines 12 MPC pads, 25 keys, and 12 virtual knobs in a compact size. 4 banks give you 48 total samples with the pads- which are pressure and velocity sensitive. The keys are semi-wieghted and have aftertouch; the 12 virtual knobs feature bank change allowing for control of 32 parameters. Add to this an arpeggiator, transport controls, a modulation wheel, a pitch bend wheel, and you have a powerful, compact MIDI controller.

Akai's classic "MPC Swing" is also included and is the same feature that's on their MPC series drum machines. MPC Note repeat is there as well, allowing for quick rhythmic programming. The backlit LED screen is there to assist in choosing banks and other functions.

While the new APC40 is specifically aimed at Ableton Live users, the MPK25 is more versatile across the board with its combination of pads, keys, and knobs. So, if you're looking for a single and compact piece of control gear for writing music, the MPK25 is choice as it gives you control over all the basic, expressive MIDI controls. Additionally, the MPK25 has MIDI in/out connections, whereas the APC40 only has a USB connection. This all adds up to make the MPK25 a more flexible piece of gear than the APC40.

The unit is USB compliant, compatible with both Mac and PC, and is USB bus powered, shipping with a USB cable and Ableton Live Lite software.

MSRP is $399 with a street price of $299.

Keri Hilson- Turnin Me On feat. Lil Wayne

Click to launch the video for "Turnin Me On"

Keri Hilson

“Turnin Me On” feat. Lil Wayne

(Available now via Itunes and Amazon)

Taken from the album

“In A Perfect World” ( Interscope) available March 24, 2009

www.kerihilsonmusic.com

www.myspace.com/kerihilson

LMFAO is in Miami: video

Check out the new video from LMFAO- "I'm In Miami, Trick." "Trick" has been substituted for "Bitch" for the general release, although the unedited version is available and has already been serviced promotionally.

Click onto the links below to launch the video for

"I'm In Miami Trick" LMFAO

Quicktime:

Low quality

High quality

Taken from "Party Rock" (Interscope) available March 31st

Also, catch LMFAO on Last Call w Carson Daly tonight, Jan 20th

www.myspace.com/lmfaouno

www.lmfaonews.com

Ableton and Akai team up for a dedicated controller

NAMM 2009 is in progress and so far the most exciting news is Ableton finally developing a dedicated controller for its Live software. Add to that the expected 8.0 update, Share (for remote collaboration), MAX (toolkit for making new devices in Live), and you've got one of the hardest working, best producing music software (and now hardware) companies in the business.

Serato's recent partnership with Ableton yeilds no real news at NAMM.

Torq's recent release of their 1.5 software is awesome, but we must wait for them to iron out the kinks before committing to the upgrade. Full VST support, MTC (MIDI timecode) implementation, vastly improved time stretch algorithms are a few of the features that will eventually make it a true contender for the top slot for digital DJs, especially controllerists.

Native Instruments introduces a hardware controller dubbed "Maschine."

Akai's MPC controllers continue to dominate, now extending their concepts to units dedicated to Ableton and Native Instruments software. The classic hip-hop beat machine gathers no dust.

Rihanna releases Good Girl Gone Bad "The Remixes" Jan. 27, 2009

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR GRABS THREE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS
 
International superstar, Rihanna, is ready to release GOOD GIRL GONE BAD “THE REMIXES” a new version of her double platinum, chart topping album, GOOD GIRL GONE BAD.  This collection features new versions of Rihanna’s hits; remixed by today’s hottest dance producers including Tony Moran, Seamus Haji, Jody Den Broeder, Moto Blanco and Wideboys.
 
     GOOD GIRL GONE BAD (released on June 5, 2007) and GOOD GIRL GONE BAD: RELOADED, featuring 3 brand new songs (released on June 17, 2008) were catapulted past the 2 million mark by three smash # 1 singles, “Umbrella,” “Take A Bow” and “Disturbia.”  With her unprecedented chart success, Rihanna has sold over 10 million tracks.  The collection has three certified multi-platinum tracks “Umbrella,” “Don’t Stop The Music” and “Disturbia” and the platinum tracks “Hate That I Love You,” “Shut Up And Drive” and “Take A Bow.” 
 
     GOOD GIRL GONE BAD has earned Rihanna three additional Grammy nominations; Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals –“If I Never See Your Face Again” with Maroon 5, Best Dance Recording – “Disturbia” and Best Long Form Music Video – GOOD GIRL GONE BAD LIVE.  Last year, Rihanna was nominated for six Grammy Awards and took home “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” for “Umbrella.”
     GOOD GIRL GONE BAD was the third album release in less than two years by multi-platinum MTV VMA, Grammy, and American Music Award winning artist – CoverGirl and Gucci spokesperson.
     In addition to her busy working schedule Rihanna continues her tireless work with the Believe Foundation.  Rihanna created the Believe Foundation in 2006 to assist and inspire children in need all over the world. Believe gives children a chance to not only survive but a chance to thrive.  The foundation provides educational, financial, social and medical support whenever and wherever needed.
GOOD GIRL GONE BAD “THE REMIXES”
1. Umbrella featuring JAY-Z   - Seamus Haji & Paul Emanuel ~ 3:58       
2.  Disturbia - Jody den Broeder ~ 3:51 
3.  Shut Up and Drive - The Wideboys ~ 3:39    
4.  Don’t Stop The Music - Jody den Broeder ~ 3:09      
5.  Take A Bow - Tony Moran & Warren Riggs ~4:02        
6.  Breakin’ Dishes - Soul Seekerz ~ 3:19                
7.  Hate That I Love You featuring Ne-Yo -  K-Klassic ~ 3:58             
8.  Question Existing - The Wideboys ~ 3:40             
9.  Push Up On Me - Moto Blanco ~ 3:28                    
10.Good Girl Gone Bad - Soul Seekerz ~ 3:29             
11. Say It - Soul Seekerz ~ 4:20                    
12.Umbrella featuring JAY-Z -  Lindbergh Palace ~ 3:53       
 
Rihanna “Good Girl Gone Bad: The Remixes” (Def Jam) available Jan 27, 2009
 
www.rihannanow.com

Maroon 5 - Call And Response: The Remix Album

MAROON 5 ANNOUNCES DECEMBER 9th RELEASE FOR
CALL & RESPONSE: THE REMIX ALBUM

REMIXES BY PHARRELL, DEERHOOF, OF MONTREAL, COOL KIDS, SWIZZ BEATZ
AND MANY MORE HIGHLIGHTED ON 18-TRACK ACTION-PACKED DISC

Multi-platinum Grammy winning quintet MAROON 5 has announced a December 9th release for CALL & RESPONSE: THE REMIX ALBUM (A&M/Octone), an exhilarating 18-track mixtape that features Pharrell Williams, Deerhoof, of Montreal, Cool Kids, David Banner, Paul Oakenfold and many more putting new twists on several of the band’s biggest hits.

“I’ve always found it really interesting that a group of people looking at the same painting can all see different things,” says Maroon 5 vocalist/guitarist Adam Levine. “That was the idea behind this record—to take a few of our songs and have them interpreted by some of our favorite artists. We were really blown away by what they came up with.”

CALL & RESPONSE: THE REMIX ALBUM pulsates with provocative renditions of songs culled from Maroon 5’s hugely successful debut, SONGS ABOUT JANE and its predecessor IT WON’T BE SOON BEFORE LONG. The two albums have made Maroon 5 one of the most successful bands to emerge this decade, with more than 14 million worldwide sales, a remarkable string of chart-topping hit singles, a trio of Grammy wins and an international fanbase whose members number in the millions.

The album introduces itself with a frenetic beat-breaking take on “If I Never See Your Face Again” by acclaimed hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz.

"Maroon 5 is amazing and I've been a huge fan for a long time,” says Swizz Beats. “I'm excited to be a part of the project and can't wait to work on the next one."

Among the many highlights on CALL & RESPONSE: THE REMIX ALBUM are stunning new versions of “She Will Be Loved” by Pharrell Williams, “Goodnight Goodnight” by art rockers Deerhoof, “Wake Up Call” by Mississippi MC David Banner, “Harder To Breathe” by retro-rappers The Cool Kids, “Sunday Morning” by The Roots’ Questlove and “Little Of Your Time” by indie pop darlings of Montreal.

"Maroon 5 is perfect for in da shower and the most exquisite nite clubs,” says of Montreal’s List Cristi. “We were psyched to work on ‘Little of Your Time’—that song is crazy catchy."

The full track listing for CALL & RESPONSE: THE REMIX ALBUM is as follows:

1. “If I Never See Your Face Again” - Swizz Beats
2. “Wake Up Call” Feat. Mary J Blige - Mark Ronson
3. “Sunday Morning” - Questlove
4. “Makes Me Wonder” - Just Blaze
5. “This Love” - Tricky Stewart
6. “She Will Be Loved” - Pharrell Williams
7. “Shiver” - DJ Quik
8. “Wake Up Call” - David Banner
9. “Harder to Breathe” - Cool Kids
10. “Little Of Your Time” - Bloodshy and Avant
11. “Little Of Your Time” - of Montreal
12. “Goodnight Goodnight” - Deerhoof
13. “Not Falling Apart” - Tiesto
14. “Better That We Break” - Ali Shaheed Muhammad
15. “Secret” - DJ Premier
16. “Woman” - Sam Farrar of Phantom Planet
17. “This Love” - Cut Copy
18. “If I Never See Your Face Again” Feat. Rihanna - Paul Oakenfold

Maroon 5 (Levine, guitarist James Valentine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bassist Mickey Madden and drummer Matt Flynn) recently wrapped up the final leg of their North American tour in support of double-platinum-selling album IT WON’T BE SOON BEFORE LONG. The disc, which entered Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 1, has spawned four straight hit singles, including No. 1 smash “Makes Me Wonder” (which also earned the band a Grammy for “Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals”), and top ten follow-ups “If I Never See Your Face Again,” “Won’t Go Home Without You” and “Wake Up Call.” Maroon 5 recently shot a video for the album’s fifth and latest hit, “Goodnight Goodnight,” with director Marc Webb (Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, Snow Patrol).

www.maroon5.com

Dido - Safe Trip Home

The journey is underway for Dido’s forthcoming album, Safe Trip Home, which will be released by Arista Records on November 18, 2008.

Leading up to the release of her third album, film directors from around the world have been invited to make a series of short films to spotlight each of the album's 11 songs. Filmed at locations though out the globe (Mumbai, Rio, Bangkok and more), each film will examine a day in life of people in different countries. online at: www.SafeTripHome.com

In the coming weeks, Dido will host upcoming listening parties outside of London and Los Angeles, where Safe Trip Home will be played its entirety. Afterwards, she will meet fans.

Safe Trip Home is currently available for digital pre-order from the iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com). Customers who pre-order the album from iTunes will instantly receive Dido’s new single, “Don’t Believe In Love.” Two digital versions are available through iTunes: a standard and a deluxe that features bonus content. The deluxe version contains three bonus tracks “For One Day,” “Summer” and a remixed version of “Northern Skies,” a video for “Don’t Believe In Love,” digital liner notes, plus the pre-orders-only track “The Day Before The Day 5/4.”

Recorded in Los Angeles and London, Safe Trip Home is produced by Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Kanye West, Rufus Wainwright, Eels) , Ark—the new production company founded by Rollo Armstrong (Faithless) and Dido. The new album includes smoldering, soulful songs that feature Dido playing guitar, piano, bells and the trusty recorder she toured Europe with as a prodigious pupil of London’s Guildhall School of Music. She’s even responsible for some of the album’s drums (most notably on the sumptuously melancholy “Quiet Times.”). The record also includes “Grafton Street,” a song Dido co-wrote with Brian Eno.

Safe Trip Home follows the global, chart-topping success of Dido’s two previous albums: No Angel and Life for Rent.

Don't Believe in Love (WM, Streaming, 2,204k, Video)

Best Of Hilary Duff

It’s almost unfair to ask Hilary Duff to pause – even for a moment – to reflect on her accomplishments. After all, she didn’t reach the pinnacle of success by looking backward. Yet with the release of "Best of Hilary Duff," the 21-year-old singer/actress seems to do just that. The Hollywood Records collection features hits from each of her previous CD releases, including remixes of a few classic tunes. Best of all, the set boasts two new songs, "Reach Out" and "Holiday," both of which point to Hilary’s bold new musical direction.

"What’s nice about it is being able to relive moments," she says of the new album, "from the beginning to where I am now." And where is she now? The debut single, "Reach Out," is a hip-hop flavored rocker combining Hilary’s edgy vocals paired with guest rapper, Prophet, and a sample from the 1989 Depeche Mode classic "Personal Jesus." Says Hilary, “It’s a fun club song about a girl who really wants this guy. She thinks she can’t live without him."

The other newly recorded track, "Holiday," was co-written by Hilary with her sister Haylie Duff and producer Ryan “Alias” Tedder from One Republic. Hilary counts it among her personal favorites. "It’s about someone leaving," she says, "their bags packed like they’re taking a trip. But the person’s really going forever. Writing the song was tough. I guess I was in a healing mode."

Also included on "Best of Hilary Duff" are early hits like "So Yesterday," "Why Not" and a remix of "Come Clean," both from 2003's "Metamorphosis" CD. From her self-titled 2004 set, "Fly," and from "Most Wanted," a new remix of "Wake Up." And from last year’s "Dignity" album, "With Love," "PlayWith Fire" and a remix of "Stranger."

With this album, fans can chart Hilary’s musical growth, from ingénue teen sensation to mature artist. "I like so many different kinds of music," says Hilary. "I’m all over the place with my musical taste, so I like having lots of influences. I’m excited about music and getting the itch to write again."

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