BUCK C. COOKE | 3.19.2008
allergy medicine, umbrella and wallet, because
some of the biggest names in music are readying
their next projects for our hungry ears.
The South’s favorite party band, the B-52’s,
release “Funplex,” their first studio album in 16
years (March 25). The band returned home to
Athens and definitely reconnected to the funky
fusion that landed them on the map so many
years ago.
The group retained its command of groovy
beats, tight harmonies and irresistible sound on a
title track to include remixes by CSS, Peaches
and Scissor Sisters. A club tour goes down before
the B-52’s hop on the second True Colors Tour
this summer.
Speaking Athens, R.E.M. returns with their first
studio album in four years. “Accelerate” (April 1)
is a return to guitar-focused songs, as evidenced
by “Supernatural Superserious.” Longtime fans
should eat up the whole album. The deluxe
version on iTunes features live tracks recorded in
Athens and two non-album tracks.
Along the same lines, Counting Crows return to
their roots with “Saturday Nights and Sunday
Mornings” (March 25). Aside from a title we can
all relate to, the album harkens the band’s early-
90s origins. Half of it is rock-oriented, and the
other half is low-key, hence the title.
“Late Show,” a trippy collection of dance tracks
(April 1). His choice of vocalists are eclectic, to
say the least, including Grandmaster Caz, one of
the writers of “Rapper’s Delight,” who joins Moby
for “I Love To Move In Here.” The project is “a lot
more dance-oriented and electronic than my last
few albums, probably as a result of all of the DJing
I've been doing lately,” Moby has said.
Aussie-born gay icon Kylie Minogue releases
“X” stateside with a bonus track for U.S. fans: a
version of “All I See” featuring New York rapper
MIMS (April 1).
Mariah Carey releases one of the most
anticipated albums of the year, “E=MC2,” her
eleventh album (April 15). As a follow-up to “The
Emancipation of Mimi,” the best-selling album of
2005, this one puts a great deal on the line for a
career that has shown great promise but also
great inconsistency.
The lead single, “Touch My Body,” finds Mariah
mining the unsuccessful waters of sexual
innuendo that lead her into career doldrums.
Here’s hoping that the rest of “E=MC2” is more
like her smash hits of yesteryear.
whipped the internet into a frenzy with speculation
and anticipation over her new album, “Hard
Candy” (April 29). The album marks a return to
the R&B vibe of 1994’s “Bedtime Stories” but
with a hip-hop feel of today. Madonna collaborates
with Pharrell, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland,
and if internet leaks are to be believed, the debut
single will be “4 Minutes to Save the World,”
featuring Timberlake, Timbaland and more horns
than you can shake a stick at.
comes to the music industry in springtime.
Depending on your tastes, check out Panic at the
Disco with “Pretty. Odd” (March 25); hunky “Idol”
country singer Josh Gracin and “We Weren’t
Crazy” (April 1); Gnarls Barkley with “The Odd
Couple” (April 8); Spice Girl Mel C goes adult pop
for “This Time” (April 8); Ashlee Simpson and
“Bittersweet World” (April 15); and Bette
Midler's greatest hits package “Jackpot! The
Best Bette” (April 29).
In May, look for Peter Cincotti (May 6), a kids
album from the Barenaked Ladies (May 6), a selftitled
sophomore album from Gavin DeGraw (May
6), the debut from UK smash Duffy (May 13), new
material from disco diva Donna Summer, original
material from Alanis Morissette (May 20), and a
debut from the silver screen' Scarlett Johansson
(May 20). Missy Elliott is also scheduled to
release an album in the spring. Details
forthcoming.
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