Thievery CorporationWhat? America’s political sentiment may be optimistic following Barack Obama’s historic presidential win, but leave it to electronic genre-hoppers Thievery Corporation to remind folks that all is not perfect. Using lyrical diatribes, bossa nova grooves, jazz fusion, and world music, the duo speak out about the war in Iraq, social unrest in the era of George W., and more on their impassioned fifth record, Radio Retaliation. And with a North American tour planned for this coming winter (tour dates below), the Corporation will be moving minds and shaking asses way into 2009.

Who? Rob Garza and Eric Hilton formed Thievery Corporation in the summer of 1995 over drinks and jazz records in their hometown, Washington, DC. After releasing a series of singles and records, the Corporation achieved widespread recognition for their third outing, 2003’s The Richest Man in Babylon. Radio Retaliation is Garza and Hilton’s first official release since 2006’s Versions. Over the course of their career, they’ve run the Eighteenth Street Lounge, a D.C. club and recording studio, where they’ve collaborated with a wide range of artists, including David Byrne, Norah Jones, and the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne.

Fun Fact:Thievery Corporation take a high-minded political approach to their art, but that doesn’t mean they shun capitalism; their music has been licensed for commercial use in various advertisements, movies, and video games, including The Garden State, The Sopranos, and strangely, Cricket 2005, a video game based on that wacky English spot called cricket.

Thievery Corporation Tour Dates:
1/27, Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
1/28, Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
1/29, Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
2/20, Chicago, IL (Riviera Theater)
2/21, Toronto, Ontario (Kool Haus)
2/22, Montreal, Quebec (Metropolis)
2/24, Boston, MA (House of Blues)
2/25, New York, NY (Terminal 5)
2/27, Baltimore, Maryland (Ramshead Live)
2/28, Philadelphia, PA (Electric Factory)
3/7, Miami, FL (Langerado Festival)

I’m proud to announce that my new album ‘Metamorphosis’ is finished! This is my first artist album, and producing it has been a great personal experience. Over the past two years, I have recorded songs with vocal artists such as Dallas Green, Molly Bancroft and Tiff Lacey. It has been great fun to work with such a variety of singers, and it resulted in a number of very catchy tracks.

‘Metamorphosis’ holds 13 tracks in various styles, and I hope that each and every one of you will enjoy the diversity of the album. The first single of the album is called ‘Try Again’, and features the beautiful vocals of UK singer Tiff Lacey. It will be released on Black Hole (more…)

Mel B thinks celebrities who don’t give to charity are “disgusting”.

The former Spice Girl believes everyone in the public eye should use their fame to help others and can’t understand why some refuse.

She blasted: “Do you know what, I think it’s disgusting when a celebrity isn’t doing something for charity.

“It feels so good and it’s so easy - when you’ve got the money and you’ve got the exposure - to give something back.”

Mel, 33, insists her involvement with numerous good causes has made her become a tougher parent to daughters, Phoenix, nine, and 20-month-old Angel.

She added: “If Phoenix starts crying because she wants something, I say, ‘What’s the matter? Are you hungry? In pain? No, well stop right now because there are a lot of children in the world a lot worse off than you.

“And the good thing is I can actually come out with the facts which I know now because I support a few charities like Oxfam.”

Last Saturday the band Two Way Radio won the Grote Prijs van Nederland (Big Prize of The Netherlands) in the Pop / Rock category. The Grote Prijs is the most important contest for new upcoming artists.

Two Way Radio consists of seven members, including three female singers and their music is a combination of solid rock, mixed with a clubby sound and electronica. The jury said the winners had made ‘the most progression’ of all finalists in their category this year. Two Way Radio have already supported the Editors and The Golden Earring during their shows in The Netherlands and they are now working on their first full album. Other winners this year were: Applescal in the category dance / producer, M.O> & Brakko for hip hop / r&b and Fabiana Dammers as the best Singer/Songwriter. Former winners in the history of the Big Prize of The Netherlands include; Junkie XL, Racoon, Total Touch and songwriter Lucky Fonz III.

The Pretenders’ latest album, Break Up the Concrete hits stores tomorrow, but we’ve got the whole record for you to hear right now. Click below to listen to each of the record’s 11 tracks, and check out our Q&A with Chrissie Hynde and behind-the-scenes footage of the band’s “Boots of Chinese Plastic” music video.

PRETENDERS ANNOUNCE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINING TOUR SINCE 2003; TOUR IN SUPPORT OF WIDELY ACCLAIMED ALBUM BREAKUP THE CONCRETE
The Pretenders announced a tour through North American starting January 29 at the Palace Theatre in Albany, NY with the final show taking place on March 14 in Reno, Nevada. The tour is the band’s first extensive headlining tour since 2003.

The Pretenders touring line up of Chrissie Hynde, (more…)

Keanu Reeves is a creature from outer space. More precisely, he is playing Klaatu, a superior being from beyond the stars who takes the form of a human male visiting a planet that, despite millions of years of evolution, remains too fond of violence for its own good.

”I could really relate,” says Reeves of his character, first incarnated in the now-classic 1951 movie “The Day the Earth Stood Still” by the equally impassive British actor Michael Rennie. “The character makes total sense. It’s the guys on Earth who are making war: Those are the ones who could be or should be looked at as being alien, if you know what I mean.”

The film, then and now, can be seen as embodying an antiwar message specific to its era — Korea then, Iraq now. But it’s also about the self-destructiveness of humanity, whether via wars or everyday aggression and violence.

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