AltWeeklies Wire
Major Labels Could Learn a Thing or Two About File-Sharing from Lil Waynenew
Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III, which came out June 10 on Universal subsidiary Cash Money, was one of the most anticipated albums of 2008, even though the sheer amount of material Wayne has already released in the past year -- including dozens of web-only tracks and several album-length mix tapes -- threatened to try his fans' patience as well as overload their hard drives.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
06-24-2008 |
Music
Sub Pop's Twentieth Anniversary Spurs Denver's Unlikeliest Band Reunionnew

The Fluid was the first group based outside the Pacific Northwest to ink with Sub Pop, the indie that served as the launching pad for what became known as the grunge sound; as such, it became a key component of a musical revolution that helped define the late-'80s/early-'90s rock era.
Is Hipster Metal for Assholes?new
Lately, like scores of other music critics, I've been getting into some "hipster-metal bands," so named because guys like us listen to them. Real metal dudes hate people like me. And that certainly includes D.X. Ferris, my co-worker and author of a new book about Slayer's Reign in Blood, which is apparently some sort of classic metal album.
Cleveland Scene |
Michael Gallucci and D.X. Ferris |
06-20-2008 |
Music
How US Terror Policy is Ruining Your Summer Concert Seasonnew

Summer concert season has just begun, but some of your favorite acts won't be coming to a city anywhere near you -- they'll be stranded in visa purgatory.
Boston Phoenix |
Jason O'Bryan |
06-19-2008 |
Music
Where's This Year's Song of the Summer?new
After Gnarls Barkley raised the bar, we're still waiting for this summer's hook-filled hit. And Walter Meego has my vote.
New York Press |
Greg Burgett |
06-19-2008 |
Music
Airness Achieved at Minneapolis Regional Air Guitar Championshipnew

What is "airness," and how does one know when "airness" has been achieved?
City Pages (Twin Cities) |
Andrea Myers |
06-18-2008 |
Music
Witness: Young Jeezy Received Kilos of BMF Cokenew

Testimony offered yesterday in the federal government's cocaine-conspiracy case against alleged Black Mafia Family member Fleming "Ill" Daniels revealed a stunning allegation: According to a witness, Atlanta hip-hop superstar Jay "Young Jeezy" Jenkins received kilos of cocaine from BMF.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Mara Shalhoup |
06-16-2008 |
Music
Why Jim DeRogatis Pleaded the Fifth in the R. Kelly Trialnew

What possible crime could the Chicago Sun-Times music critic have been concealing when he repeatedly -- 15 times in all -- answered questions put to him in court by invoking his constitutional protection against self-incrimination?
Chicago Reader |
Michael Miner |
06-16-2008 |
Music
Tags: journalism, media, Chicago, law, courts, R. Kelly, Fifth Amendment, Jim DeRogatis, reporter's privilege
How One Ohio City Got Revenge with the Crappiest Music Sub-genre Evernew

Music authorities and health officials alike are concerned that the shitgaze (named for it's resemblance to shoegaze and because, well, it sounds shitty) may be a new low for even the most snobbish indie-rock fans.
San Diego CityBeat |
Seth Combs |
06-11-2008 |
Music
Bands Fume Over Bounced Checks from Bay Area Indie Music Festivalnew

The main promoter behind the inaugural event has yet to pay almost half the talent that performed there last year, including the headliners. These artists have made repeated attempts to contact the company, locally based 3 Udders Productions, without getting a cent.
imeem Cashes In as Mixtapes Go Viralnew

Labels and artists say imeem.com is lighting up their radar lately thanks to the San Francisco tech company's reinvention of the humble mixtape. Each month 22.5 million people log in and create playable lists of their favorite tracks (muxtapes), then share them with their friends via e-mail, MySpace, Facebook, and instant message.
East Bay Express |
David Downs |
06-11-2008 |
Music
Scramble for Africa 3.0: Indie Bands Lead the Charge in Sonic Imperialismnew
Vampire Weekend and other indie participants in the sonic Scramble for Africa 3.0 obviously see midcentury and postcolonial African pop culture as a cheap date, a provider of organic rock mystery where one can queue for heaping sides of hi-life, soukous, mbaqanga, mbalax, juju, rai, township jive, and Ténéré desert blues.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Kandia Crazy Horse |
06-11-2008 |
Music
Hip-Hop is My Crazy Girlfriendnew

Like many young passionate relationships, as we got older, hip-hop and I drifted apart. My sensibilities remained progressive, my humor became more biting, and my patience for ignorance became shorter than ever. And hip-hop? Well, we all know what happened to hip-hop.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
06-10-2008 |
Music
Chicago's 'Hipster Rap' Scene Attracts the Inevitable Backlashnew

Most criticism of hipster rap only goes clothes deep, and even for relatively philosophical haters like Unkut.com's Robbie Ettelson, the sight of a rapper in anything but baggy jeans and a hoodie seems to trigger homosexual panic.
Chicago Reader |
Miles Raymer |
06-10-2008 |
Music
Warner Bros. Vet Launches Music Site for Baby Boomersnew
Bill Bentley creation Sonic Boomers is a website featuring music from the sixties and seventies.