For months -- years, even -- I've been checking the website of Veda Hille, the mastermind behind Duplex, who a few years back released the delightfully odd and incredibly tuneful Ablum (yes, that's how you spell it -- read the review here). Every time, no new news except for the occasional one-off Duplex live show.
And then Bill notices an entry -- a month old at that -- that says Duplex will be releasing their new album next month. That's right, Worser will be released May 7th June (updated info). Bad news/good news -- bad news (for me) that I missed the announcement of a new Duplex album.
Good news: The announcement of a new Duplex album.
Video: "Family Time" - Ziggy Marley (plus bonus video just because...)
Ziggy Marley is gearing up for the May 5th release of his Family Time family album. And what better way to gear up than by posting something on YouTube? Marley's video for the album's title track is way out in front of the 2009 competition for "Most Smiles in a Video." Also, "Most Cartwheels." (Pity, though, that it doesn't include my favorite part of the track, Marley's daughter Judah's singalong.)
Ziggy Marley - "Family Time"
(Hat tip: Warren)
Now, besides that, I should also note that Marley played the White House Easter Egg Roll. And, yes, there's video...
The Barry Louis Polisar Tribute Album: Potentially Awesome
No, that's not the name -- it's my verdict.
I've known for awhile of the tribute album consisting of Barry Louis Polisar covers, produced by Polisar's son Evan Aaron Cohen of the Radioactive Chicken Heads. But now it's got a name -- We're Not Kidding -- and, more importantly for the purposes of this website, songs for your listening pleasure.
I use that phrase "listening pleasure" advisedly, because the songs I've spun thus far have been uniformly winning. I started out with the familiar names -- Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, Elizabeth Street, Tor Hyams, Ham & Burger, The Boogers -- and all of those tunes worth the time. (Check out the electric guitar on Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke track.) And then I moved to the unfamliar, the top of the page. After 4 songs, some fabulous, none less than interesting, that's when I realized that this could be, well, potentially awesome.
A 2-CD set could be too much Barry Lou, but the combination of Polisar's songwriting with the varied musical approaches and high quality production (never Polisar's strength) make me very eager to hear the final product, set to be released this year.
Best Dancing Video Since "Thriller" (New Readeez Videos)
If dancing like this is somehow wrong, then I don't want to be right.
Readeez - "When I Dance"
Seriously, Michael, I think you've stolen my moves.
Anyway, there's some more Readeez news...
"Three Little Birds" Seems Obvious, No?
OK, yeah, we've already mentioned that Ziggy Marley is releasing Family Time, his first album for kids and families, next month. But now comes word via Billboard that he'll follow that a June release of a set of Bob Marley songs, revised and remastered with a children's audience in mind. According to Billboard, Marley took the original masters of eight classic songs and revised the instrumentation and arrangements, even using some of his father's alternate vocal tracks.
"It's a very different vibe, but still real Bob. It's not like fake Bob. It's still the real Bob...It's Bob singing and I'm playing, like an acoustic session almost. Anything I did on this record is soulful and musical. There's no gimmicks. I'm keeping true to the spirit of my father, to the spirit of his music."I'm curious, though I'm not sure what Ziggy could do to make songs like "Three Little Birds" even more accessible. Also: isn't everybody in the world required to own Legend? What's the market for this new album? In more Ziggy-specific news, Marley, who played the White House Egg Roll this morning, also "hopes to 'double up' and play special children's and family shows" during his tour with 311 this summer.
Reminder: Win the New Trout Fishing in America Book/CD
Just a reminder -- you have until tonight to enter my contest to win the new book/CD collection from Trout Fishing in America, My Name is Chicken Joe. The collection The Secret Mountain won't be released 'til April 21, so this is a case where you can, as the saying once went, WIN IT BEFORE YOU CAN BUY IT. Enter now.
