Have The Wiggles lost their wag with your preschooler? Is
Sesame Street too old for your old-skoolerz? It's John Linnell and John Flansburgh of
They Might Be Giants to the rescue, ready to cheer up those minivan blues. Following up on their kid-friendly
No! CD and
Bed, Bed, Bed book and CD set, this Tuesday the duo sings in salute of the alphabet in
Here Come the ABC's. The Walt Disney Records' CD spins 25 tracks, from the cool bounce of "E Eats Everything" to the tree-hugging "C Is for Conifers." It's cheerful and clever for the kids, but with enough inside zingers to make grown-ups smile, too. One bonus makes the CD as well, with their theme song to Playhouse Disney's new series
Higgytown Heroes. An accompanying DVD is also available featuring videos from the album, with both Johns appearing as sock puppet hosts created by Flansburgh's wife, Robin Goldwasser, and her wonderful Deeply Felt Puppet Theater ensemble. ...
This week the Beastie Boys go behind the curtain of Oz and become part of the new video game, "NBA Street V2." Not only does the band contribute "An Open Letter to NYC" to the Electronic Arts game's soundtrack, but they don New York Knicks jerseys and shorts in Dyckman Park for some serious street basketball. If a player has the skills to defeat the trio, it unlocks them to play in the rest of the game. Other artists on the soundtrack include House of Pain, Dirtbag and De La Soul. ...
Even as the technology changes as the ink on the page dries, Backbeat Books has just published an excellent state of the union in The Art of Digital Music. With a forward by Stewart Copeland of The Police, the 260-page book spotlights 56 artists, insiders and innovators and lets them enlighten, boast and prophesize about the musical relationship between man and machine. From familiar names like producers Glen Ballard, Bob Ezrin and Don Was, and musicians Alan Parsons, Thomas Dolby and Nile Rodgers, to the unsung "audio architects" that have invented so much of today's digital recording interface, these myriad voices share their secrets and dreams of the digital future. Just listen to pundits like Public Enemy founder Chuck D and acoustics Ph.D. Dr. Elizabeth Cohen and learn which way the wind is blowing. Further chapters illustrate gear to lust for, setting up your own digital studio, loop layering, the quandary of quantization, going mobile, wildly creative recording techniques and other happy accidents. The book features a bonus DVD as well, with interactive Flash demos and royalty-free loops and samples that compliment each interview.
Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Avril Lavigne Wednesday and Ani DiFranco Friday. The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Howie Day Wednesday, Unwritten Law Monday and Michael Buble Tuesday. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson features The Zutons Thursday and Steve Earle Friday. Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with master guitarist Warren Haynes Thursday. PBS' Austin City Limits features Damien Rice this weekend (check local listings for days/times).
New Releases Coming Tuesday
and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change ...
A-Lines You Can Touch (Sympathy For the Record Industry) debut from this cross-Atlantic girl group produced by Billy Childish; American Head Charge The Feeding (Nitrus/DRT) on tour next month with Slipknot; The Boils World Poison (Thorp) expanded CD reissue of this Philadelphia street Punk classic from 1999; Cruiserweight Sweet Weaponry (Doghouse/Heinous); The Ethan Daniel Davidson Five Free the Ethan Daniel Davidson Five (Times Beach) terrific album of lonesome Americana dirge and clever lyrical wit, including "Can't Drink You Pretty" and a cover of John Prine's "Your Flag Decal"; Dread Zeppelin Chicken and Ribs (Majestic) with X guitarist Billy Zoom, this new CD/DVD package features their twisted take on Carl Douglas' "Kung Fu Fighting"; Franklin Delano Like a Smoking Gun In Front of Me (File 13) from Bologna, Italy, this new album features guests Califone and producer Brian Deck of Red Red Meat; Everything But the Girl Adapt or Die: Ten Years of Remixes (EMI) import-only collection, featuring an acoustic mix of "Driving" and DJ Jazzy Jeff's reworking of "Mirrorball"; Mary Gauthier Mercy Now (Lost Highway) on the cover of this month's No Depression magazine; Goldfinger Disconnection Notice (Maverick) featuring mandolin and sampled voices on "Damaged"; A Guy Called Gerald To All Things What They Need (!K7) with guest Finley Quaye; LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem (DFA) two-CD set featuring the single "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House"; My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult My Life Remixed (Red Ant) with reinterpretations by producers Kemek the Dope Computer, Phunk Investigation, Grayarea and more; Porcupine Tree Warszawa (Madfish) recorded live in 2001 for Polish radio broadcast; The Smackdown Calling the Spots (Goodfellow) from Gothenburg, Sweden; Styx Wooden Nickel Recordings (Hip-O) two-CD set of their earliest material, featuring the hit "Lady"; Symphony In Peril The Whore's Trophy (Facedown) from Columbus, Ohio, the album's title is from Revelations: 17; The Wedding Present Take Fountain (Manifesto) first new album in eight years, featuring CD-ROM videos only found on the American version; Various Artists Chillout 06 (Nettwerk) with Talk Talk, Ian Brown, Ivy and The Real Tuesday Weld.
