Boyz II Men Review 20 Years of Hits

Aug. 21, 2011

Boyz II Men Review 20 Years of Hits
Boyz II Men are prepping to celebrate 20 years in the music biz with - what else? - a new album - that’s set to include some new tracks and several revamped versions of their classic ‘90s hits. Simply named Twenty, the album will feature the Boyz - now a trio (Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Wanya Morris) following the departure of Michael McCary - mostly singing their standard romantic songs and hoping to both reach their older fans, plus a new generation…
Interlochen music festival faves Ra Ra Riot, still promoting their 2010 album The Orchard, have confirmed an extensive schedule of live shows that will keep the band on tour through most of this fall. While a new Ra Ra record isn’t in the works just yet, the band’s bass player, Mathieu Santos, has a solo album just out titled Massachusetts 2010. In the meantime, fans will be able to catch the band at the Fuji Rock Festival, East Hampton NY’s Music to Know Festival, and additional stops in Minneapolis (10/2), Grand Rapids MI (10/4), Toronto (10/6), Los Angeles (11/10), and Chicago (11/18)…
Switchfoot will release their eighth studio album, Vice Verses, this upcoming fall, and worked with Weezer producer Neal Avron on the set, which was recorded primarily in Switchfoot’s own San Diego home studio. Said to be an album of “polarity” and opposites - highs and lows - the band also plan to launch a fairly extensive world tour alongside the new album to help promote all of the new songs; the album itself will hit stores on September 27…
And Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch recently met with the British government to try and help prevent the same sort of situation that led to the recent death of the singer. Her father’s goal is to improve drug rehabilitation facilities in England in order to help keep young people out of drug and alcohol situations that “could be avoided.” Mitch Winehouse made the presentation in memory of his daughter; the Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee agreed to take a second look at adjusting how accessible rehab facilities are to those in need…
MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
For those of you who enjoy traveling to music towns, Austin, Texas is calling you September 16-18 for the 2011 Austin City Limits Festival. This year’s headliners include Coldplay, Kanye West, Arcade Fire, and the always-cool Stevie Wonder; get the full schedule (and more info on the whole event) at www.ACLfestival.com/schedule…

MINI MODERN BUZZ:
Alt-rockers Bush’s next album, The Sea of Memories, is now set for release in September on their own Zuma Rock Records as produced by Bob Rock…
Psych-popsters Real Estate will drop their latest set, Days, on October 18th, with the first single “It’s Real” preceding the album’s release…
Morrissey is reportedly planning to publish his autobiography in December of 2012…
The Drums will be returning with their sophomore full-length album, which they’ve dubbed Portamento, on September 13…
Lollapalooza guru Perry Farrell and his band Jane’s Addiction will return to the stores in September as well, with their next album, The Great Escape Artist, which will feature single “End to the Lies”…
The 2011 DeLuna Festival is now set for Pensacola Florida in October, and will feature over 80 bands in only the fest’s second year; 2011’s big ticket performers include Ra Ra Riot, Weezer, The Shins, Cut Copy, Manchester Orchestra, and Cake…

And these artists are now set to release their new albums this very week… 12 Stones’ Only Human… Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks’ Mirror Traffic… Ganglians’ Still Living… and Chelsea Wolfe’s Apokalypsis… and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com