Brits Go Gaga- Miley Dominates Teen Choice- Dirty Sanchez Stabbing- 1st Group of Idols- Jonas Brothers Begin New CD- Richie and Madden Getting Hitched and more

Rufus Wainwright has announced details of his sixth-studio album. Called 'All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu' and released on April 5, Wainwright will support the album with a tour of the UK, which begins in London on April 13. more - more on this story

Shelby Lynne Acoustic Tour

Shelby Lynne will launch an acoustic tour in support of her upcoming album, Tears, Lies, And Alibis, with an intimate show at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, CA on April 22nd. U.K. artist Findlay Brown will open on all dates. Tickets for the U.S. tour will go on sale this weekend. (See below for a full itinerary.)

Tears, Lies, And Alibis, due out April 20th, marks the first release on Lynne's own newly founded label, EVERSO RECORDS, which will be distributed through Fontana, the award-winning independent distribution division of Universal Music Group.

She'll be performing at the Fontana party at SXSW on March 18th. Coming on the heels of Just a Little Lovin', Lynne's critically acclaimed 2008 tribute to Dusty Springfield, Tears, Lies, And Alibis affirms her position as a visionary, iconoclastic artist who deftly weaves country, soul, rock, blues, pop and folk influences to forge her own unique style. Like Identity Crisis (2003) and Suit Yourself (2005), this sparse, unguarded collection was produced by Lynne, who evokes a live-in-the-studio vibe from a stellar group of musicians. - more on this story

Mariah Carey Targets Remixed Duets

Mariah Carey has completed her 13th studio album, Angels Advocate, a collection of newly remixed duets with some of her favorite artists, performing Mariah's favorite songs from her #1 R&B album Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel (released September 2009). Angels Advocate, on Island Records, will be available March 30 exclusively at Target stores nationwide, iTunes.com/target and Target.com.

In advance of the Angels Advocate album release, two new Mariah Carey singles and videos will be released: "Up Out My Face" featuring Nicki Minaj has impacted at Urban and Rhythm radio formats and will be available for download Feb. 16 on iTunes.com/target. The video, co-directed by Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey, is added on BET, MTV Jams and MTV Hits. "Angels Cry" featuring fellow Island Def Jam artist Ne-Yo has impacted at Urban A/C radio and will be available Feb. 23 for download on iTunes.com/target. The video, also co-directed by Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey, is added on BET.

Both videos for "Up Out My Face" and "Angels Cry" can also be seen on #1 music network Vevo.com and both singles will be available on iTunes.com/target. - more on this story

Pet Shop Boys Announce Live DVD/CD Release

Pet Shop Boys return with Pandemonium, a deluxe DVD/CD set containing their entire live show at London's O2 Arena on Astralwerks on March 23, 2010.

Known for their spectacular live shows, Pet Shop Boys pull out all the stops for this dazzling performance, filled with dramatic set pieces, exhilarating music and show-stopping surprises. Featuring electrifying live arrangements of all their classic hits, and loaded with bonus material, Pandemonium is a must-have for pop fans.

The film has been made by David Barnard who directed Pet Shop Boys' 'Cubism' DVD of the Fundamental tour. The audio for the DVD was mixed by Dave Woolley. - more on this story

Robert Francis Spring Tour Plans

Atlantic recording artist Robert Francis has announced details of his touring plans for the spring. The Los Angeles-based troubadour will head to Austin, TX for the annual South By Southwest music conference beginning March 18th, playing a number of high-profile showcases (dates & venues listed below).

Afterward, Francis will join acclaimed U.K. five-piece Fanfarlo for a run of dates that begin on March 27th at The Loft in Atlanta, GA and continue into April (see attached itinerary).

The spring shows come as Francis' lead single, "Junebug" is set to impact on April 19th at Modern Rock and Triple A radio formats. Look for the companion music video to make its premiere shortly. The track is quickly garnering international acclaim overseas in Europe, where Francis has spent most of the year thus far. - more on this story

The Right Now Announce Spring Tour

YouTube fame and Facebook notoriety do not hold a candle to the soul band that tours with a toddler. The Right Now hits the road this spring to support their debut album, Carry Me Home, which drops March 3, 2010, in stores and online nationwide.

Stefanie Berecz, 24-year old lead singer of Chicago's sensational soul band, The Right Now, totes her baby girl, Angelene, on tour around the country because -- as she plainly points out -- "I wouldn't have it any other way. This is a family affair and this band is a huge extension of my family." Berecz's voice is lauded whenever and wherever she performs; her 2005 stint on P. Diddy's television show "Making The Band" only helped boost her career, and the accolades have been building ever since. The Reader has complimented her "big, fluid voice"; Time Out Chicago calls her soaring vocals "remarkable."

The record is written and performed by brilliant musicians at personal crossroads. According to keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter Brendan O'Connell, "The title Carry Me Home refers to the lullaby I wrote for Angelene, but also to the idea that we've all been through a lot over the past few years. It's been a struggle and we've finally made it home." Indeed, on the new release Berecz and The Right Now sound as comfortable as an Aretha record on a Sunday morning, pumping out the tightest, most dynamic brand of soul this side of Memphis. - more on this story

Like Trains & Taxis Set Album Release

Jersey-based band Like Trains & Taxis is gearing up to self-release their debut full-length album on April 6th, "Tales From A Revolving Door".

Following the D.I.Y. ethos of the New Brunswick, NJ music scene where they formed and developed, Like Trains & Taxis will be releasing the album on their own label, as they did their last two EPs.

Like Trains & Taxis combines a modern indie sensibility with traditional notions of songwriting, and a sound that evokes both the soul of Stevie Wonder and the off-beat nuanced approach of artists like Ben Folds or Fiona Apple. With a voice that captivates, and piano arrangements that perfectly support the poetic nature of the music, Like Trains & Taxis possesses a level of originality, intelligence, and an ability to move the listener that is rare in today's music – Metromix NJ recently praised the band, declaring "The EP sounds like what the world would still be listening to had Stevie Wonder not gone all adult contemporary on us a few years back or, to put it in other terms, like a much more soulful version of Spoon." - more on this story

Semi Precious Weapons Talk New Video

Semi Precious Weapons premiered their new video for anthemic track "Semi Precious Weapons" February 12 on MySpace and it is currently ranked as the #1 video!

The video was shot at Trash, a NYC nightlife party and features Lady Starlight, DJ Jess (party host) & more!

Below is a note from frontman Justin Tranter about the "Semi Precious Weapons" video. "We really really f*@king really wanted to make a REAL NYC party video. Every band, pop star, guitar player, and girl group has made a quote unquote Party Video. But we wanted ours to be real. So we asked DJ Jess if we could take over his "Trash" party downstairs at Webster Hall since we had played that party so many times before. And then we had our actually bff's and true fans fill the place. Lady Starlight, Darian Darling, Breedlove, Knehans, The Jocelyn, Mz Eddy, Stormy Leather and obviously us, Semi Precious Weapons all hung out, changed outfits, and lived life to create the best party video of all time. Champagne was spit, sex was had, filthy glaMOUR was created and The Precious Empire reigned supreme to create our dream rockNRoll party video." - watch it here

Old Man Luedecke Set Fiery March Release

Black Hen Music announces a March 16 release date for
My Hands are on Fire and other Love Songs, the latest CD from Juno-Award-winner and banjo songster Old Man Luedecke. Black Hen Music releases are distributed in the U.S. by Burnside Distribution.

My Hands are on Fire and other Love Songs teams up Luedecke (pronounced "LOO-da-ka") once again with Black Hen Music honcho Steve Dawson, who has produced all three of his releases thus far. Recorded largely "live off the floor" in Vancouver, the new CD features Luedecke's trademark banjo, acoustic guitar and vocals backed by a sympathetic band that includes Dawson on various instruments, bluegrass all-star Tim O'Brien (Steve Earle, Hot Rize) on fiddle, mandolin and backing vocals; Keith Lowe (Fiona Apple, Bill Frisell) on bass; and John Raham (Be Good Tanyas, Po' Girl) on drums. The album showcases 10 original songs and a cover of Canadian legend Willie P. Bennett's "Caney Fork River."

The music of Chris "Old Man" Luedecke has its foundation rooted firmed in the seminal sound of folk, bluegrass and Appalachian mountain music, echoing such legends as Ralph Stanley, Pete Seeger and Bascom Lunsford, yet the lyrics and melodies that he creates are contemporary, making it at once both familiar and original. - more on this story

Viva City Release Messed Up Song As They Prepare for US Dates

UK's synth-laden electro rockers Viva City are serving up their second single, "Have You Ever Felt So Messed Up," and are bringing their razor-sharp mix of catchy and gritty electro across the pond to the States with US dates, culminating in an explosive SXSW appearance.

Viva City, whose signature sound is most reminiscent of a swirling mix of Depeche Mode and Prodigy, have shred the stage with the likes of Friendly Fires, Ladyhawk, Maximo Park and have collaborated with dance-house phenom Don Diablo on the banger "Audio Endlessly". Their music has been applauded by UK critics and has garnered them extensive airplay on BBC and XFM Radio in the UK. BBC 6 Music proclaims the songs are "a slice of classic electropop…Sheer genius;" and TIME OUT declares their sound as "souped-up synth stabbing electro rock."

"Have You Ever Felt So Messed Up?" will be released in the US on March 22nd, 2010. Witness Viva City spark a hell of a party at SXSW 2010 in Austin, TX and see them spread their synth-rock wizardry throughout their pre-SXSW US tour dates. - more on this story

Festival NRMAL Announced

The first-ever Festival NRMAL (F/N), organized by NRMAL and Alianza Francesa de Monterrey, is introduced to the world March 13, 2010 in Monterrey, Mexico, on the grounds of the Alianza Francesa de Monterrey during the weekend prior to SXSW.

F/N brings a collection of emerging artists and musicians together to showcase their work in a small, intimate setting framed by a Mexican cultural landscape. Four stages with a capacity of 700 people each showcase independent bands on the rise to a young Mexican audience who would otherwise not have the opportunity to see them.

More than 40 international acts are performing, including: Yacht, Daedelus, Banda de Turistas, The Death Set, Nite Jewel, Yellow Fever, Julianna Barwick, Awesome Color, Tyvek, Golden Triangle, White Rainbow, Juiceboxxx, The Keyishe, Poirier, and Toy Selectah. A visual arts portion also characterizes the festival, featuring installations created specifically for the event. In the visual realm, Equipo Plastico from Spain and others take the lead. - more on this story