March 18, 2024

Gnarls shout out to James Brown via a new single

Nov. 30, 2008
Gnarls Barkley has just unveiled four different versions of their James-Brown-themed track “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul” on a nifty new digital EP of the same name that’s out this week on Atlantic Records. “...Soul” appears in its original version, as well as the demo version, an instrumental take, and as the audio from MTV’s “52 Bands.” Also included on the EP is a live version of “Neighbors” as performed at Athens, Georgia’s 40 Watt Club (the town where Danger Mouse himself went to college), and extra half-instrumental/half-vocal track “Mystery Man”...
Singer-songwriter Jesse Malin used to play covers when he started performing in support of his debut disc, and when people started requesting some of the covers almost as often as his original songs, he started joking around about recording a covers album. Well, that quip has become a reality, as Malin’s On Your Sleeve is out now in the U.S. on One Little Indian Records, although it’s been out in the UK since April. The set - which Malin says is more of a “tip of the hat” to musicians he admires, as opposed to a “karaoke set” - includes Malin’s takes on songs by Paul Simon (“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”), The Rolling Stones (“Sway”), Harry Nilsson (“Everybody’s Talking”), Neil Young (“Looking for Love”), and The Hold Steady (“You Make Them Like You”)...
Good Charlotte have had some of their biggest hits remixed on their new The Greatest Remixes set, which is in-stores now. All the songs are from albums that the band’s released over their 12-year career to date, and arrives via Epic Records. Remix artists that took part in the set included Teddy Riley, who remixed “I Just Wanna Live,” Patrick Stump (“Little Things”), Troublemaker (“Where Would We Be Now”), The Academy Is... (“Hold On”), and The Game (“Fight Song:)...
NYC power popsters Nada Surf are the subjects of a box set out this week from Barsuk Records. Limited to 1,000 numbered copies, the set will contain all five of the band’s studio albums on vinyl, plus a 24-page book with photos/lyrics, a vinyl repressing of the band’s first single, a pile of rare bonus tracks and B-sides, and a download code for MP3s. Nada will be touring early this month, too, with stops in Boston (12/2), Philadelphia (12/4), Washington DC (12/5), NYC (12/6 and 12/7), and Hoboken, New Jersey (12/8)...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
When Simple Plan singer Pierre Bouvier discovered that his brother had been diagnosed with cancer, he turned to songwriting as a method of therapy; and one of the resulting songs was the track “Save You.” Now, the Simple Plan Foundation is donating net proceeds from digital downloads of “Save You” to various cancer-focused charities; so download the song now through the end of January at www.simpleplanfoundation.org, and you’ll be helping others, as well...

MINI BUZZ:
The Streets have announced two new 2009 live dates; Mike Skinner and crew will now play six UK/Ireland dates in January, including stops in Liverpool (1/22), Dublin (1/25), and London (1/29)...
Indie hip-hop duo The Cool Kids are set to headline the fourth annual Bounce Tour, which is set to promote the new 2K Sports basketball videogame NBA 2K9; in addition to their tour spot, The Cool Kids will also be playable characters in the game itself...
Boston indie-rockers Letters to Cleo will reunite after an eight-year hiatus for a quartet of live shows this fall; the band, including original vocalist Kay Hanley, will play shows in Los Angeles, Boston, and NYC...
Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis is adapting his autobiography, Scar Tissue, for an upcoming series that’s slated to run on HBO...
Ra Ra Riot have added dates to the second leg of their U.S. tour, too; they’ll visit Burlington, VT (12/3), Swarthmore, PA (12/6), and Athens, GA (12/13) in support of their latest album, The Rhumb Line...
Merge Records have gathered together a top-notch list of indie artists for their subscription-only boxed set (available via the Merge Records website), Score! The First 20 Years; the set will include a covers album (with tracks contributed by The National, Ryan Adams, and Death Cab for Cutie, among others), a remix album with tracks from Battles, Caribou, and Kieran Hebden (also among others), an art book, and 14 curated complilations...
Want to score a new CD or DVD? Well, here are this week’s new releases for you (and your wallet) to pick from... ON CD: Razorlight’s Slipway Fires... Metro Area’s Fabric 43...Tunnel Trance Force’s Tunnel Trance Force... The Hollies’ Special Collection... Penicillin’s Supernova... and a groovy enhanced version of Beck’s Sea Change... ON DVD: Foo Fighters: Live at Wembley Stadium... Alison Krauss’ A Hundred Miles or More: Live from the Tracking Room... and Morrissey: Live at the Hollywood Bowl ... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your fave musicians? Send ‘em to Kristi at
modernrocker@gmail.com

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