New year, new game. How about it? We get that enterprising DJs love to mash up Jay-Z and random rock acts. First it was the Beatles, then Coldplay, and now, ugh, Radiohead.
While these have been entertaining — and the Beatles one put superproducer Danger Mouse on the map — There can definitely be too much of a good thing. So, in an effort to head off the next bedroom bastardizer at the pass before he or she decides to meld some more Jigga peanut butter with someone else's musical chocolate, here are mash-up concepts we never, ever want to hear or write about: Read more...
We here at MTV News are a pretty diverse bunch, so the views expressed by some in our more official-type year-end lists (like James Montgomery's Top 25 Albums and Best Songs, and the Mixtape Monday Awards) are not necessarily shared by the rest of the newsroom. So we're giving everyone else a chance to chime in with their own lists and explain (or defend) their choices. You’ll find the staff faves of 2008 all together here.
By Nick Neofitidis, Field Producer
It's that time of the year, when you, our audience, get to butcher us over our top-10 lists on everything from movies to albums — so I lay myself at the mercy of the kids. Please be gentle.
10. Michael Jackson, Thriller 25 — OK, I may be cheating here just a bit, but there is no way a human being in this world with functioning ears doesn't hear some old-school Mike and just want to start busting a move. (I just moon-walked thinking about it.)
9. Radiohead, In Rainbows — Can't say that I am a huge Radiohead fan, but what these guys did to shake up the industry by offering up the album for download at whatever price you wanted is pretty damn genius.
8. Kanye West, 808's & Heartbreak — Rappers singing? Wait a gosh darn minute! Oh, wow — this isn't half bad! Love those glasses. Man, why Kanye always got such an ego? Did he just break that dude's camera? Still need a month to get used to this. Kanye makes me tired.
More of Nick's list, and he defends his number one album choice... after the jump!
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We started the third and final day of Lollapalooza with a toddler-friendly interview with Gnarls Barkley on the steps of the Kidzapalooza stage (in between sets from the Homemade Jamz Blues Band and the Jimmies, of course).
Cee-lo and Danger Mouse spoke about the mind-melting video for "Who's Gonna Save My Soul," and DM's upcoming projects (sorta ... "I've got stuff in the works, but nothing I wanna talk about," he mumbled), but what they really wanted to discuss was the set by they had just witnessed by the aforementioned Homemade Jamz.
In fact, they were so impressed that they brought 9-year-old drummer Taya Perry -- truly the finest mini kit-master in Tupelo, Mississippi -- onto the stage to take part in the interview. Because, after all, Gnarls loves the kids.
(Watch Gnarls after the jump!)
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Late yesterday, the MTV Newsroom was all aflutter with excitement, and not just because Brangelina might have just had twins!!!
No, it was because Beck's much-anticipated new album, Modern Guilt (which we sorta totally hipped you about back in May), finally made its worldwide debut via — of course — the vast file-sharing nether-regions of the Internet. And while some of the younger members of the News Team (ahem, Rya) have already criticized the album based on a few listens to one track, there's a whole bunch of us who couldn't wait to hear what Beck and co-producer Danger Mouse had cooked up, because we love both of them (and because we're old enough to remember the halcyon days of 1994, when "Loser" blared on every boombox and there was a flannel-clad chicken in every pot).
So what's the verdict? Was Guilt worth the wait? You can find out below the jump. Read more...
· Beck has finally confirmed the release date for his upcoming Danger Mouse-produced album, Modern Guilt. The 10-track LP — featuring the trippy first single, "Chemtrails" — will drop July 8. A release announcing the disc describes it as vacillating between "economy and experimentation, hybrid and pop classicism, while consistently manifesting Beck and Danger Mouse's shared interest in psych-rock, folk, electronic minimalism and orchestration." What, no space-age polkas? No drum-machine-assisted cumbias?
· Mötley Crüe shout at ... their former manager. The band has filed a suit against Burt Stein and his companies, alleging that Stein screwed them out of lots of cash.
· It's the battle of the century! Perez Hilton has been saying mean things about Lily Allen, and she's pissed! Go, Lily go!
· Michael Jackson might be coming out with his own clothing line. Blah, blah, blah, designer surgical mask joke.
This just in from MTV News intern Rya, who basically has opinions about everything:
Let me make this terse: I’m a gigantic Beck fan. Like, huger-than-huge. As in “I listened exclusively to Odelay for an entire year from ages 12-13.” Sold? OK.
Beck just released “Chemtrails,” the first cut from his new album, Modern Guilt. After a good 30+ listens, I’m ready to release my verdict: I feel like I just lost my BFF.
While I don’t want to say I’ve been less than pleased with Mr. Hansen’s repertoire for the past four-odd years, I will say that I only listen to three-ish songs on The Information. While the (Grammy-nominated! ooooh!) “Timebomb” did alleviate some of my worries that he might have lost all joy/spontaneity, I have since become concerned.
“Chemtrails,” like its namesake, is a total downer. But the song makes me sad for other reasons… Read more...
· Beck has released one of the new songs from his upcoming album with Danger Mouse. It’s called “Chemtrails,” and it’s trippy.
· Brian Wilson will play some North American dates this summer, leading up to the release of a new album in September.
· Janet Jackson’s set to tour this fall for the first time in seven years.
· Poor Danny Noriega. First, he was booted off "Idol,” then he had to call to get tickets to the show’s finale -- only to find it was sold out.
· Metallica are going to let fans watch them mix their upcoming album.
· Danger Mouse isn’t the only one busy working on side gigs: Cee-Lo is hooking up with Jack Black to cover the 1974 classic “Kung Fu Fighting.”
· Tila Tequila doesn’t have a lot of secrets, but if there are any left, she might spill them in her upcoming self-help book, “Hooking Up With Tila Tequila.” That's right -- self-help.
· “America’s Most Wanted” has nabbed its 1000th fugitive.
We hate to say we told you so...but, well, we told you so (or rather, our sources told us so and we told you, but, you know...whatever).
On Monday, we got the exclusive scoop that Beck is planning on releasing a below-the-radar album sometime in the "next 4-6 weeks" -- one produced by Danger Mouse and featuring appearances from a handful of talent, including Cat Power. And while neither Beck's publicist nor his label would confirm the news, we felt confident in our sources and went with it anyway -- just like in "All the President's Men!"
The story got picked up by the likes of Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Perez Hilton, but it wasn't until today that we got the official word -- or, rather, official press release -- that Mr. Hansen would, in fact, be releasing an album.
"Beck has recorded a new album, produced with Brain 'Danger Mouse' Burton, to be released this summer," the release read. "The as-yet-untitled album contains 10 new songs,...a tightly assembled group...that range in lyrical tone from introspection and social commentary to off-the-cuff wordplay and lighthearted humor...Musically, the album's ten tracks vacillate between economy and experimentation, hybrid and pop classicism."
Which is all a very longwinded way of saying "MTV Was Right." Now never doubt us again.
Though neither his publicist nor his label would confirm any of it, MTV News has spoken to several individuals close to Beck, and they all tell us that he's gearing up to release a brand new album in the very near future -- think the next 4-6 weeks -- through the Universal Music Group.
And that's not all -- we've also heard that said album will be produced by Danger Mouse and feature collaborations with a host of artists, including Cat Power.
Our amazing sources also say that fans can expect an official announcement about the album veeerrrry soon.
In the meantime, Beck is busy lining up appearances at various European summer festivals, in addition to a handful of shows on the West Coast in late August.
Anyway, don't say we didn't warn you...
