David Byrne & St. Vincent Brass Tactics EP

You may know David Byrne from his name-making reputation as an innovative avant-pop specialist (known mostly for his work with Talking Heads), and you may know St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) by her hypnotic voice, righteous (or riotous?) guitar rhythms and interesting songwriting. But together, they released an album, Love This Giant, last year that touched on each of their strengths; the album showcased funkadelic pop arrangements with brass accompaniment and Clark’s signature guitar work. According to various news sources, the EP contains a track that didn’t make it on to Love This Giant, a couple of remixes and two live tracks (“Marrow” by St. Vincent and “Road to Nowhere” by David Byrne). So, what are you waiting for? It’s free, yo!

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Jermaine Jackson

Upon reading that Jermaine Jackson was on a quest to find five Australian artists to turn into a modern-day Jackson 5, I was a little perplexed, maybe a little befuddled. Jackson 5 were one of my favorite groups as a youngster because they encapsulated the joy and freedom that many associate with childhood. In other words, they’ve always been a perfect soundtrack to anything resembling happiness (in my humble opinion). C’mon, who doesn’t love “I Want You Back”? Just take a listen to their greatest hits if you’re a skeptic. So, what exactly is Jackson trying to accomplish? Is he trying to revive the soul-group aesthetic of a past generation? Or is he simply trying to realign himself with pop culture to give his name some longevity and weight?

Your guess is as good as mine, but in an interview with UnderCover, Jackson states that “you just don’t see the kind of band or that kind of mania that the Jacksons created any more.” Jackson is even wrangling the kids online by using the Internet to give his endeavor an extra boost. Using online social media and a website, JJ5TV.com, where users and viewers can give their opinions and feedback, Jackson can pick the top five people to take JJ5 to the brink of stardom. (Oh yeah, JJ5 is the name of the group). So, keep your eyes peeled, your mouse in hand, and you could be one of the voices that decides who and what JJ5 will be—assuming you care, of course.

• Totally agree! (karchib86) [ Mon May 27 2013 1:54 PM ]