Music: This Week's New Releases

Portishead: "Go on, drink it..."

Compiled By Noah Mallin

Portishead come back after 11 years with their atmospheric gloom-mongering intact. Their new one, Third (It's their third album, natch) is readily identifiable as the work of the pioneering trip-hop threesome but the beats have grown more abstract and the rich production is studded with off-kilter glitches and unexpected detours. Here's the video from "Machine Gun":

Philly's leading hip-hoppers The Roots continue in a serious vein with Rising Down. The new set won't feature the song "Birthday Girl" which the band's fans decided was just too darn commercial and lighthearted (though not creepy despite the fixation on the age of consent) to fit into the harsh survey of modern life that is the new record. Here's the video for "Risin' Up":

Santogold has been getting a great deal of hype around N.Y.C. for their self-titled debut. The duo of frontwoman Santi White and John Hill have weathered many an M.I.A. comparison but the album actually has a fair share of guitar based songs to go along with tracks helmed by Diplo and M.I.A. producer Switch. Here's the video for "L.E.S. Artistes":

Back in the early 70s Tom Petty was just a guy in this band Mudcrutch who moved out to L.A. in search of fame and fortune. The record company was all, "Dude, you don't need those guys Tommy -- you're the real star...ditch those losers..." And he was like, "Uh...Okay," and took off with guitarist Mike Campbell after one album. Guess the guilt has been eating him up 'cause he got the old band back together to record a new album. Here's the video for "Lover of The Bayou":

Finally Madonna does her embarrassing Mom who dresses too young and fakes a British accent routine on the lamely innuendo'ed Hard Candy (Mtume did it better with the song "Juicy Fruit" way back when..)

Music: Worst Rock Hall Inductee List -- EVER!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their 2008 inductee list and it took 600 'industry figures" to come up with a list this lame:


Madonna shares some love with younger husband Guy "Snatch" Ritchie

1) Madonna -- Not a surprise, the one shoo-in this year and deservedly so.


Cohen in his not so famous grey overcoat

2) Leonard Cohen -- Deserves a prize for schtupping Rebecca DeMornay surely, and he has done some wonderful records though "rock" is pretty loosely defined here.


Peter Noone and co. dispel those not-really-British rumours

3) The Dave Clark Five -- Insufferably twee third string British invasion band. Barely cool at the time with almost non-existent impact.



4) John Cougar Mellencamp -- I like Mellencamp fine but he's a Springsteen knockoff. He's being honored here for sales and longevity which I suppose count for something but aside from a few well-regarded late eighties albums there's not much here.


The Ventures pioneer business casual style

5) The Ventures -- Yes I love the "Hawaii Five-O" theme too, but should we put Harald Faltermeyer in here for having a synth-pop hit with "Axel F." from Beverley Hills Cop?

See my post on the shortlist to see some alternative acts that should have made the cut. Shame on the old fogeys at the Hall of Shame for such a depressingly uninspired list.

Music News: Rock and Roll Hall of Lame

The Shangri-Las: Still waiting for their induction...

The Rock Hall is set to vote on the next round of inductions and it's a very mixed bag, (the notes in parenthesis are my personal preferences):

Madonna (yes, she is that influential even if she is not "rock' per se)
The Beastie Boys (yes but not before Run-D.M.C. )
John Mellencamp (no, a handful of good songs should not make for a Hall of Famer)
Leonard Cohen (yes, one of the great American songwriters)
Afrika Bambaataa (yes, a rap and electro pioneer)
Chic (yes, one of the greatest and most influential disco acts)
the Ventures (no, too tied to the surf genre)
Donna Summer (no, not without Giorgio Moroder)
Dave Clark Five (no, second string British invasioneers)


Five of these lucky acts will be inducted March 10, 2008, at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Who could be here in their stead? The Replacements, Black Flag, Television, Cheap Trick, The Shangri-Las, The Chi-Lites, Joy Division, Jontahan Richman and countless deserving others...