RIAA Looks To Own You and the Rest of the World

In a move that I just can't seem to wrap my head around, the RIAA has turned its unwanted attention upon the very people the group exists to protect. The RIAA is now pressing to lower the royalty payments made to musicians and artists for music tracks sold digitally. Artists are presently entitled to 13% of WHOLESALE, but the RIAA believes they should only receive 9%.

After years of PR that tried to convince the populace the RIAA is trying to stamp out piracy to protect musicians, the group has now made it blatantly clear the only individuals it aims to protect are those in charge of the major music labels, a group of aged executives who have massively failed to shepherd their businesses into the digital age. Now that the existence of both the RIAA and the major labels benefits neither musicians nor consumers, we can only hope that their decline has reached the critical mass that will drag them under the wheels of technologic progress and into the graveyard of history. Also read about the RIAA's plan to raise illegal downloading penaties to $1.5 Million per album!

Saving my pennies for a good lawyer,

Josh

Diddy on his soapbox

In case you havent seen it....



Remeber when it was "Vote or Die". Now its "Please Vote"? Does he get money for every person under 30 who votes? What is his deal? He can't care this much about voting. Remember when a jury had to "Vote or Die" on whether or not Puffy shot up a club when he was going out with J-Lo. I'd vote for that.

Adam

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static
Released - February 5, 2008 / Brushfire Records

Lets just get it right on the table. I use to be a hippie. I had long hair, I went to Bonnaroo, I burnt incense, I wore corduroys, I had a soul patch, the list goes on. Along with being a hippie I was optimistic. Optimistic life was fun and enjoyable. And it was, in high school and college, but the real world is another story. Now there are just flashes of fun. A little fun hangin with friends here, or going out to drink there. However. Bills arent fun. Work isn't fun. Responsibility isn't fun. When I was in high school I didn't have any of those things so life was fun. The soundtrack to that fun ws Jack Johnson.

I was a huge Jack Johnson fan, and his music brings me right back to those times. Brushfire Fairytales is a great album, easily his best, but something has happened. I'm not sure it happened to Jack Johnson, i'm pretty sure it happened to me. I've grown up. His music doesn't provide a soundtrack to my life as it once did. It is now a mockery to the freedom and fun I didn't realize was so precious.

As he released new albums over the years I cared less and less. From Brushfire Fairytales to On and On to In Between Dreams, I played each album less and less. Brushfire came out only 5-6 years ago, but those are like dog years. So much happened in those years that I feel vastly different from the the 2002 version of Adam.

So, when I heard he was coming out with a new album I wrote it down on my calendar and pre-ordered it from itunes. Eventhough I had little interest in the album and wasn't that fond of the first single, "If I Had Eyes". Maybe I'm trying to recapture those precious years before the memories begin to fade.

I know a lot of people say all his songs sound alike. Maybe they do. AC/DC made the same song over and over again and they kick ass, right? So I say, keep writing the same song Jack Johnson! There is always someone who needs a soudtrack to their life.


(I've seen interviews where Jack Johnson has said this album may be a little darker than previous ones. I think it is totally true. There seems to be a lack of fun, up-beat, put a smile on your face, pop songs. So if your looking for "bubble toes" Jack Johnson maybe you should think twice before buying this album.)


Rating - 6

Favorite Song - "Hope", "If I Had Eyes", "Sleep Through The Static"


Slow Down Everyone Your Moving To Fast,

Adam

Around The Way News

Kanye West has launched a new search engine, searchwithkanyewest.com.

Here is the first thing I'm am going to search on his site......Google.

What if the site becomes a hit and Kanye becomes a verb like google. "Yea, I couldnt remember when Sandlot came out so I Kanyed' that shit".


A man was arrested in Florida for singing a Lil Boosie song. Thank God. Whatever it takes to get all of this crappy music to disapear, im all for. I can't wait to see a SWAT team raid a Soulja Boy concert and arrest all 15 people on the stage with a microphone.


Snoop Doggs UK ban has been lifted......along with the cloud of smoke he left too. Thank You! I'll be here all day!

Snoops upside your head,

Adam

Bon-A-Who?

NME.com will be announcing a surprise Bonnaroo headliner tonight at midnight. Bonnaroo takes place June 12 - 15 in Manchester, Tennessee.

Who could be a surprise headliner? Ben Harper. No. Jack Johnson. No. DMB. No.

So........maybe its Justin Timberlake. Could you imagine the calm and laid back hippie rebellion that would ensue. I'd be psyched to watch JT. I saw his HBO concert. That dude puts on a damn fine show.

Really, though, what would happen if it was someone like Timberlake. Would hippie's really boycott? I doubt it. Who cares anyway, you know there just going to announce its DMB anyway.

I Don't Wrestle, I Beat Bitches up!

Adam

Grammy Picks

Record of the year:
Irreplaceable- Beyonce
The Pretender- Foo Fighters
Umbrella- Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
What Goes Around....Comes Around- Justin Timberlake
Rehab- Amy Winehouse

Adam: Easy pick. Umbrella. Althought my heart is with the Foo.
Josh: Foo Fighters deserve this win, but the trophy goes to Rihanna


Album of the year:
Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace- Foo Fighters
These Days- Vince Gill
River: The Joni Letters- Herbie Hancock
Graduation- Kanye West
Back To Black- Amy Winehouse

Adam: I'd love to see Kanye win but I think its gonna be Vince Gill.
Josh: Foo Fighters take top honors. Vince Gill? Really Adam?


Song of the year:
Before He Cheats- Carrie underwood
Hey There Delilah- Plain White T's
Like a Star- Corinne Baily Rae
Rehab- Amy Winehouse
Umbrella- Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

Adam: Toss up between Umbrella and Delilah. Ill go with Delilah.
Josh: My sleeper pick of the awards. The Umbrella and Delilah votes cancel each other out and Corinne Baily Rae sneaksin for the win.


Best new artist:
Feist
Ledisi
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Amy Winehouse

Adam: Very simple. Taylor Swift. Maybe Winehouse but I doubt it.
Josh: I've been thinking about this one since the nominations were announced. My first thought was Winehouse, but since crack-gate, i'm leaning towards Feist. Screw it, crack never held Whitney down...take it Amy.


Female pop vocal:
Candyman- Christina Aguilera
1234- Feist
Big Girls Dont Cry- Fergie
Say it Right- Nelly Furtado
Rehab- Amy Winehouse

Adam: Grammy's love X-tina. Im still pissed she won best new artist over Kid Rock.
Josh: It saddens me to see that Fergie is even nomiated. Rehab wins.


Male pop vocal:
Everything- Michael Buble
Belief- John Mayer
Dance Tonight- Paul McCartney
Amazing- Seal
What Goes Around...Comes Around- Justin Timberlake

Adam: Timberlake.
Josh: I'm also picking Timberlake. But keep in mind how gay the Grammy's are for old people who just stick around for the hell of it. McCartney might have bought this one.


Pop performance by duo or group:
(You Want To) Make a Memory- Bon Jovi
Home- Daughtry
Make Me Wonder- Maroon 5
Hey There Delilah- Plain White T's
Window in the Skies- U2

Adam: Here is my lock of the night. U2. Bet all the money you can on this pick. U2 craps grammy's.
Josh: I heart Maroon 5.


pop collaboration with vocals:
Steppin' Out- Tony Bennett and Christina Aguilera
Beautiful Liar- Beyonce and Shakira
Gone Gone Gone- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
The Sweet Escape- Gwen Stafani and Akon
Give It To Me- Timbaland with Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake

Adam: X-tina and Bennett.
Josh: I agree. It's all about pairing the old classic artist with the hot young one. I've never even heard this song and I already know it's going to win.


Best pop vocal album:
Lost Highway- Bon Jovi
The Reminder- Feist
It Won't Be Soon Before Long- Maroon 5
Memory Almost Full- Paul Mecartney
Back To Black- Amy Winehouse

Adam: This will be her only win. Winehouse.
Josh: I thought about snubbing Feist completely, but this one is hers.


Best Dance recording:
Do It Again- The Chemical Brothers
D.A.N.C.E.- Justice
Love Today- Mika
Don't Stop The Music- Rihanna
LoveStoned/I Think She Knows- Justin Timberlake

Adam: JT.
Josh: D.A.N.C.E. was one of my favorite tracks of 2007, but hearing "Don't Stop the Music" on every radio station every 15 minutes has me brainwashed. Rihanna wins, because I'm a slave to the radio.


Best Electronic/dance album:
We Are The Night- The chemical brothers
+ - Justice
sound of silver- LCD Soundsystem
We are pilots- Shiny Toy Guns
Elements of life- Tiesto

Adam: Justice
Josh: LCD Soundsystem. This one's too easy.



Solo rock vocal performance:
Timebomb- Beck
only mama knows- paul mccartney
our country- john mellencamp
radio nowhere- bruce springsteen
come on- lucinda williams

Adam: Bruce. Grammy's love old crap.
Josh: Bruce and The Grammy's go together better than peanut butter jelly time.


rock performance by duo/group with vocals:
its not over- daughtry
working class hero- green day
if everyone cared- nickelback
instant karma- U2
icky thump- white stripes

Adam: You not gonna pick U2? Maybe Nickelback, but thats like 1000:1.
Josh: U2. This is more predicatable than a Patriots super bowl win. (oops...)


best hard rock performance:
sweet sacrifice- evanescence
the pretender- foo fighters
i dont wanna stop- ozzy osbourne
sick,sick,sick- queens of the stone age
the pot- tool

Adam: Foo.
Josh: Fighters.


best rock song:
come on- lucinda williams
icky thump- white stripes
its not over- daughtry
the pretender- foo fighers
radio nowhere- bruce springsteen

Adam: I like White Stripes.
Josh: The universe might explode, but Foo Fighters beat down Bruce.


best rock album:
daughtry- daughtry
revival- john fogerty
echoes, silence, patience and grace- foo fighers
magic- bruce springsteen
sky blue sky- wilco

Adam: Bruce. Trust me, they like old crap. Remember when U2 swept everything with how to dismantle blah blah blah. Exactly.
Josh: Everything Adam says is right. Every year I say "but this is the year someone cool is going to win," and they never do. This is the year someone cool is going to win. Foo Fighters sweep the rock category. How's that for confidence?



best alternative music album:
alright, still...- lily allen
neon bible- arcade fire
volta-bjork
wincing the night away- the shins
icky thump- the white stripes

Adam: I say Arcade Fire over The Stripes for an upset
Josh: Flip that and reverse it. Stripes win. If the White Stripes lose, Jack White might kick everyone's ass in Arcade Fire.


female R&B vocal performance:
just fine- mary j. blige
when i see you- fantasia
no one- alicia keys
if i have my way- chrisette michele
hate on me- jill scott

Adam: Mary J. Another Lock.
Josh: Mary J. Blige is the U2 equivalent in the R&B category.


male R&B vocal performace:
woman- raheem devaughn
b.u.d.d.y.- musiq soulchild
because of you- ne-yo
future baby mama- prince
please dont go- tank

Adam: Prince by elemination.
Josh: I don't think I've heard any of these songs....Ne-Yo?



best R&B song:
beautiful flower- india.arie
hate that i love you- rihanna featuring ne-yo
no one- alicia keys
teachme- musiq soulchild
when i see you- fantasia

Adam: Alicia Keys
Josh: Alicia Keys.


best contemporary R&B album:
konvicted- akon
just like you- keyshia cole
fantasia- fantasia
east side story- emily king
because of you- ne-yo

Adam: Keyshia Cole.
Josh: This award goes to a female singer 99% of the time. Keyshia Cole.



rap solo performance:
the people- common
i get money- 50 cent
show me what you got- jay-z
big things poppin'- t.i.
stronger- kanye west

Adam: Kanye. I've gone from loving this song to never wanting to hear it again. I always liked Can't Tell Me Nothin' better though.
Josh: He saved the year for rap thanks to Daft Punk.


rap performance by duo or group:
southside- common featuring kanye west
make it rain- fat joe featuring lil wayne
party like a rockstar- shop boyz
int'l players anthem- ugk featuring outkast
better than i've ever been- kanye west, nas, krs-one

Adam: Two great Kanye tracks that are kinda on the DL. But I like Shop Boyz.
Josh: Can you imagine if Fat Joe and Lil Wayne won and all you hear over the P.A. system is "I make it rain, I make it rain, I make it rain on these ho's!" The reaction shots of all the old white people in the crowd would be priceless. Kanye's out of the running because he'll win too many other awards. Shop Boyz.


best rap/sung collaboration:
i wanna love you- akon featuring snoop dogg
kiss, kiss- chris brown featuring t-pain
let it go- keyshia cole featuring missy elliott and lil kim
umbrella- rihanna featuring jay-z
good life- kanye west featuring t-pain

Adam: Ella, Ella, Ella...
Josh: Under my Umbrella.



best rap song:
ayo technology- 50 cent featuring justin timberlake and timbaland
big things poppin- t.i.
can't tell me nothing- kanye west
crank that- soulja boy
good life- kanye west featuring t-pain

Adam: Kanye, Nothin.
Josh: I think T.I. won this last year, so that automatically eliminates him. I'm following Adam.


best rap album:
finding forever- common
kingdom come- jay-z
hip hop is dead- nas
t.i. vs t.i.p.- t.i.
graduation- kanye west

Adam: Graduation. Simple. Look for Nas to sneak in.
Josh: How can you say simple, immediatley followed by, "look for Nas to sneak in"? Graduation is the obvious choice.


female country vocal performance:
simple love-alison krauss
famous in a small town- miranda lambert
nothin' better to do- leann rimes
before he cheats- carrie underwood
heaven, heartache and the power of love- trisha yearwood

Adam: Hairy underpits.
Josh: Don't talk about my wife like that. That song was written about me by the way. winnahhh!



male country vocal performance:
long trip alone- dierks bentley
a woman's love- alan jackson
if you're reading this- tim mcgraw
give it away- george strait
stupid boy- keith urban

Adam: Why do all country singers names sound like porn stars. It's true. George Strait.
Josh: Dierks Bentley because it sounds like Dicks Bendy.



country performance by duo/group with vocals:
proud of the house we built- brooks & dunn
how long- eagles
moments- emerson drive
lucky man- montgomery gentry
sweet memories- the time jumpers

Adam: Emerson Drive.
Josh: Emerson Drive. I bought one country album in 2007 and it was Emerson Drive.



best country song:
before he cheats- carrie underwood
give it away- george strait
i need you- tim mcgraw and faith hill
if you're reading this- tim mcgraw
long trip alone- dierks bentley

Adam: Tim and Faith
Josh: Carrie underwood calls her ex Tony Romo to brag about her trophies; meanwhile he contemplates killing Jessica Simpson.



best country album:
long trip alone- dierks bentley
these days- vince gill
let it go- tim mcgraw
5th gear- brad paisley
it just comes natural- george strait

Adam: Dierks.
Josh: Brad Paisley. Can you tell we know absolutely nothing about country music?


best short form music video:
god's gunna cut you down- johnny cash
1234- feist
gone daddy done- gnarls barkley
d.a.n.c.e.- justice
typical- mute math

Adam: Feist
Josh: Adam's probably right, but I'd be doing myself an injustice if I didn't pick D.A.N.C.E.

Arcade Fire Video

Arcade Fire have put a interactive video version of the first track from their 2007 album 'Neon Bible' on their website. The mini black-and-white film for "Black Mirror" gives viewers the option of toggling layers of the track, including Win Butler's vocals and the band's guitars, on and off. The video itself is great to watch, but being able to mute and solo certain tracks, like vocals and guitar makes for a fun time-waster.

Check it out

-Josh

New Release Tuesday

Leave it to Jack Johnson to create an entire studio album using solar energy. The singer/songwriter, who will play his first U.S. show in support of Sleep Through the Static in Hawaii on Earth Day, April 22, said in a statement, "Some of the songs on this album are about making babies. Some of the songs are about raising them. Some of the songs are about the world that these children will grow up in; a world of war and love, and hate, and time and space. Some of the songs are about saying goodbye to people I love and will miss."

Hot Chip's Made in the Dark is also being released today. Recorded and self-produced at the band's London studio over the last half-year, the new songs are more rockin' than previous Hot Chip material, and fans who have caught their recent gigs are already familiar with some of them. Keep an eye out for the two-disc version of Made in the Dark — it has five live-performance videos, including a pair from the Glastonbury Festival.

Grammy winners in the house....10-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow releases her new album Detours, pseudo-jew and 4-time winner Lenny Kravitz drops It Is Time for a Revolution, and fellow 4-time Grammy winner k.d. lang gives us Watershed. Let's hope these veteran acts can boost an incredibly sluggish 2008 and a downright embarrassing last sales week. 64,000 last week? Really? That hurts.

Digging through the bargain bins,
Josh

Back Issues

A few weeks back, Rolling Stone ran an in-depth feature about dynamic range compression and the ongoing “loudness war.” This video primer is the best illustration of what’s happening, but here’s the gist for the vid-disabled: since the mid-90s music producers have mixed for loudness over range and clarity. The loudest elements of the original recording are tamped down—drum hits are clipped off or pulled closer to the rest of track—so that the entire mix can be pumped as loud as the format allows. Essentially, the peaks are trimmed to allow the mix to rest flat against the upper threshold for volume. The resulting mix is exactly that: loud and flat.

The logic behind the emphasis on volume is fairly obvious. In a crowded marketplace, records need to catch our attention, and volume demands this attention. So every band ends up shouting to be heard. Confronted with an unending assault of loud songs, listeners cannot adjust to a quieter, more complex recording. So, if a record comes on with the body of the song lower in the mix, the listener will be deaf to the different standard the song is aspiring to, and will dismiss it as uninteresting or weak. I know Pixies and Violent Femmes records to bear this yoke. It’s how I can listen to Doolittle and go ‘meh,’ and then put on Tapes ‘n Tapes or Bloc Party and consider that dynamic and compelling, at least until I’m aurally concussed.

There are a ton of worthwhile resources on the loudness war and ear fatigue, enough to overwhelm my time and limited patience for technical, esoteric details. What I don’t see a lot of, though, is discussion about the loudness war’s impact on our listening habits. Compression practices extend past mainstream radio—flat recordings are now the norm in modern music. If we’re listening to music differently, we must be developing different tastes. I wonder if we have come to favor certain genres or styles of music that play well loud and flat. What I’m saying is that dominant trends in modern music (the growing importance of the producer and the use of elaborate beats in rap and rock, to name two) coincide with the increasing reliance on compression in the mixing process. Compression is one of a handful of influences that have shaped modern music. Yes, I have examples. But, since I fear I’ve already kind of weighted down this blog with dry content, I’ll hold off for the moment. Expect installments throughout the week. First up: Nirvana…

-Ryan

Rhapsody Bitch Slaps Yahoo!

Yahoo! will cease operating its online music subscription service and switch its customers to RealNetworks Inc.'s Rhapsody music service. This new deal (purchase) between the companies (by Rhapsody) calls for Yahoo to promote Rhapsody on its site. According to Yahoo reps, this move will allow for Yahoo to focus more on free and ad-supported music.

Under the Yahoo-RealNetworks partnership (buy-out), subscribers to Yahoo Music Unlimited will be shifted to the Rhapsody service sometime in the first half of this year. Yahoo subscribers' music library and payment plans will remain the same for a limited time after the switch, but those wishing to remain on Rhapsody eventually will be required to sign up at Rhapsody's rates, which conveniently are more expensive. A yearly subscription to the current Yahoo model runs users $5.99 per month. Rhapsody memberships are $12.99 per month. Read the article here. Warning: It's pretty boring.

YahoooOOOOOoooo!
Josh

Mashup Monday

I finally came across a Vampire Weekend song that doesn't completely suck! One of my favorite sites, The Hood Internet, posted this song earlier last week and I thought I would share. Enjoy!

Vampire Weekend vs. Styles P

Beginning today, Jukebox Future will be providing you with some of the best mashups, remixes, and covers every Monday. And as always, if you have one that you think we should post, let us know!

-Josh

Sarah Silverman: I'm Fuckin' Matt Damon

Sarah Silverman would probably make the best girlfriend in the world, but I just can't help thinking that making sexy time with her would be like doing one of my cool guy friends.

-Josh

New Jay-Z track "Ain't I"

Looks like Hova's back to doing what he used to do best; putting albums out on an every 8 month average. The Timbaland produced track appears on the new DJ Clue Mixtape I Am Legend Part 1, where we hear Clue promoting Blueprint 3, possibly Jay's upcoming album title.

A spokesperson for Jay-Z said that, while the song may be new to the general public, it is an old recording that was previously unreleased. Jigga's rep also said he has made no announcement about a new LP, Blueprint 3 or otherwise. But it's hard to believe that this is an old recording. Especially when you hear Jay-Z rapping "I took a pay cut to become a exec/ So the next motherfucker can earn his paycheck."


It's a hard knock life,
Josh

Gnarls Barkley Leaked Track

Guess who just made your weekend and came across the Gnarls Barkley leaked track, titled "Run" off their upcoming album The Odd Couple. You can sex me later for this....I'm off to McGillan's.


Here's to getting sued,
Josh

Weekend Warriors

Let's be honest here. You're going to be way to busy to go to shows this weekend. A little american institution we like to call the Super Bowl is peeking around the corner and you still need to:

1.) Hit Rent-A-Center for that 50'' HDTV.
2.) Set Up shoddy stadium seating in your 12X12 living room, much to the shagrin of your all-to-understanding girlfriend.
3.)Buy a keg of Pabst, Beast, or Natty Light (whatever's on sale).
4.) Set things straight with your bookie and asure him that after you win your Super Bowl bet, everything between you two will be ok and the whole season's mess will be cleaned up.
5.) Spend all of Saturday memorizing random, unimportant statistics that will make you seem smart in front of all your friends on Sunday.
6.) Hit the grocery store at sprint speed to get chips, salsa, clam dip, little weiners with that tasty sauce, and those little scallops wrapped in bacon.
7.) Call all the Giants fans you know and invite them to your shindig, just to see the look on their faces when the clock hits 00:00 and Patriots superiority reigns triumphant.
8.) Call every Eagles fan you know, laugh hysterically, hang up.

If you're un-american and support terrorism, I did come up with a few places for you to hit up this weekend:

Friday: Check out Ports of Call and In The Fur, playing North Star. 9p.m. $8.

Saturday: Crooked Looks headlines The Khyber, but get there early to see East hundred. 9p.m. $8.

Sunday: If it wasn't Super Bowl Sunday, I'd be first in line to see Dan Deacon at First Unitarian. I'm always up for a sweaty dance party, just not this day. 7:30p.m. $10-$12


I better go get working on that list,
Josh