Category: Alternative (Page 146 of 155)

Billy Bragg says, “Hey, pal, it ain’t called YourSpace…”

June 9, 2006 / Will Harris

Billy Bragg, often referred to by the British press as “the big-nosed bard of Barking,” has pulled all of his music from his official MySpace page, citing statements in the company’s contract which allow News International – the Rupert Murdoch company that owns MySpace – the right to reuse content without any payment to the artist.

“The real problem,” says Billy, “is the fact that they can sub-license it to any company they want and keep the royalities themselves without paying the artist a penny. It also doesn’t stipulate that they can use it for non-commercial use only, which is what I’d want to see in that clause. The clause is basically far to open for abuse and, thus, I’m very wary.”

Good on you, Billy…though what’s most surprising about this story is that no-one else has ever noticed this information before. Guess that shows how closely people read the fine print on MySpace…

Alternative, Artists, News

Finally, someone understands what music downloaders want…

May 31, 2006 / Will Harris

…and, unsurprisingly, it’s Rhino Records, who’ve already been catering to the music geek community for years with their Rhino Handmade label.

It hasn’t been publicized nearly enough, but if you visit the label’s website, you’ll see a link to a new section simply called “Digital.” It’s not a particularly glamorous section; in fact, the intro only consists of three sentences.

Sometimes great albums go out of print. It’s just a fact of life. Here are some from the Warner Music Group vaults that we’ve brought back as high-quality digital downloads.

The downloads are 99 cents per track, and they cover various genres, but those who’ve wanted to hunt up certain out-of-print discs but couldn’t afford the eBay pricetag will be giddy to hear things like Guadalcanal Diary’s Jamboree, Marshall Crenshaw’s Downtown and Mary Jean & 9 Others, the Dream Academy’s self-titled debut, or the Dead Boys’ We Have Come For Your Children will now have their chance. Selection is pretty limited at the moment, but here’s hoping the endeavor proves successful enough to cause the Warner vaults to be opened wide…

Now, there’s one thing you should note: as it stands right now, these tracks are available as WMA downloads for Windows users only.

Which sucks.

But, still, it’s a start…

Alternative, Artists, Country, Hip Hop, Jazz, Music Labels, News, Pop, Rap, Rock, Songs

Snow Patrol: “Hands Open” & “Chasing Cars”

May 25, 2006 / John Paulsen

Fans of Snow Patrol’s third album should be satisfied with their fourth, Eyes Open. Give the boys credit, they stuck to the template that made Final Straw such a success. “Hands Open” is this year’s “Chocolate,” while “Chasing Cars” seems to have the same framework as “Run.”

You can hear both songs on the band’s My Space page.

Alternative, Artists, Deep Cuts, Pop, Rock, Songs

This week’s Next Big Thing From The UK: The Upper Room

May 25, 2006 / Will Harris

The lads in The Upper Room have taken their sweet time getting around to recording and releasing their debut album, Other People’s Problems, which is being released in the UK on May 29th.

To put that statement in better perspective, their first single, “All Over This Town,” emerged way back in the summer of 2004…so it’s taken two years to get from there to here. In that time, however, the band has built a solid fanbase, as well as a strong reputation amongst their peers and with the British press. Once you’ve read that New Musical Express describes The Upper Room’s material as “the kind of soaring, anthemic, quintessentially English pop music that sends us weak at the knees,” well, that ought to be enough praise to send you running to the band’s MySpace page to hear a few tracks.

If this gets released in the States, count on these guys to get the same kind of buzz that Keane did.

Alternative, Pop

Hey, better watch it there, Chief…

May 24, 2006 / Will Harris

Ricky Wilson, lead singer of the Kaiser Chiefs, can’t seem to go more than a few weeks without getting wounded in some fashion or other.

* In March 2005, he hurt his ankle.
* In August 2005, he hurt his ankle again.
* In October 2005, he collapsed in mid-show.

And since he can’t help but keep topping himself, now he’s gone and gotten himself hit by a car.

On the band’s website, it was announced that “Ricky was hit by a car whilst walking across a pedestrian crossing in Leeds town centre mid evening on Sunday. He’s the luckiest man alive, because he is still alive, it sounds daft, but a ‘Ricky trademark jump’ has probably saved his life. The jump meant he was flipped over the top of the car, hitting the windscreen, rather than getting trapped under it. He was crossing on a green pedestrian light. Whether it was a joyrider, wreckless driving or drunk driving we still don’t know. Police are investigating – we’d like to thank the witnesses that have come forward so far. Ricky has escaped with minor injuries, a broken toe and bruising.”

All I know is, if they don’t find the guy who did this, well, I predict…

Nah, I can’t do it, it’s too easy.

Alternative, Artists, News, Rock