Young MC Stone Cold Rhymin' 20 Years Later

When it comes to playing it straight, Stone Cold Rhymin' is almost shocking in its innocence. Thirteen songs and zero curse words, the album endures as a quality listen because of Young MC's wit, wordplay, and dazzling elocution...not to mention the funkiness of the music. The album bridges old school sounds and what at the time passed for cutting edge production.

Twenty years after its original release, the "Delicious Deluxe Digital Edition" of Stone Cold Rhymin' comes with seven additional tracks not on the original LP. "Principal's Office (Impact Remix)" and "I Come Off (Southern Comfort Mix") are rare mixes from original 12-inches. "I Let Em Know (Matt Dike Remix)" is a promotional mix never before released commercially, while "Pick Up The Pace (1990)" first appeared on the soundtrack to the Steven Seagal movie "Marked For Death." The other three bonus tracks date from 2008's Delicious RMXXOLOGY project: Diplo's turbocharged versioning of "Bust A Move," Aaron LaCrate and Debonair Samir's massive club banger "Know How Theme" and the previously unreleased RMX of "Got More Rhymes" from MEN (the collaborative alias of Le Tigre's JD Samson and Johanna Fateman). - more on this story

Metric Fantasies Coming In April

PR reports: Following 2005's highly acclaimed Live It Out, Metric returns with their highly anticipated fourth full length studio album Fantasies, which will be available in the US April 14.

Written by the band in a farmhouse outside Seattle and by frontwoman Emily Haines while on a soul-cleansing sojourn to Argentina, Fantasies is a densely textured modern mix of psychedelia, electro, and rock with a "really big and really dreamy" sound, says guitarist/co-founder Jimmy Shaw.

Haines adds, "For me, the major influences on the record were the places we wrote it: Bear Creek, this utopian farmhouse studio, and then our own studio in Toronto, which definitely brought in the electro, dance and rock elements because the city feels so good right now and so many of our musician friends were around. And then for me, being in Buenos Aires, most of the songs I brought to this record came out of being in exile with just a piano and a guitar. And then in the final stages, mixing at Electric Lady in NYC brought everything around to where we first met Josh and Joules." - more on this story

Celebrity Rehab Finale

Vh1 reports: After 30 days of therapy and sober living, it is time for the cast members to leave VH1's "Sober House." During the final week, each reflects on what a life of sobriety will be like away from the house.

Watch the housemates' final farewell in the season finale of "Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House" airing Thursday, March 12 at 10:00PM (all times ET/PT) and see how they will adjust to the real world.

After an emotional journey, each of the housemates prepares to move out and rebuild a life of their own. Watch as Rodney King, Seth Binzer, Amber Smith, Andy Dick, Steven Adler, Nikki McKibbin and Mary Carey make their final steps toward recovery with the help of Dr. Drew. The decisions made in this time are crucial to their careers and future outside of the house, but will all the cast members be able to handle it on their own? - more on this story

Music Camp with Phil Vassar and Bo Bice

CMT reports: During a press conference held at the Gibson Showroom in Nashville, Tennessee, CMT's Top 20 Countdown host Lance Smith revealed a rare opportunity for one hundred country music fans to live out their fantasy of being a country music star.

CMT Camp Nashville, slated to take place in "Music City" May 21-25, 2009, is the first multi-artist country music fantasy camp of its kind. Campers will experience five days of "red carpet treatment" in the role of a country star, complete with a stay at the trendy Hotel indigo, a full entourage of roadies, stylists, tour managers, access to top rehearsal halls, private recording studio sessions, songwriting classes, vocal coaching by world-renowned Renee Grant Williams (Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Keith Urban), backstage parties at Nashville Palace and Nashville Cowboy, gourmet meals served by Shoney's Catering and the unique exclusive opportunity to learn, jam, hang and perform with country music greats including Bo Bice, Phil Vassar, Lady Antebellum, Ronnie Milsap, John Rich, Darryl Worley, Andy Griggs, Rhett Akins, Deana Carter, Jessica Harp and Henry Paul.

The experience will culminate with a Final Showdown, where campers will perform as the opening act for Phil Vassar and Lady Antebellum at the world-famous Wildhorse Saloon. - more on this story

George Jones Classics Revisited

PR reports: The original liner notes from 1972 say it all: "George Jones has been around long enough to be a household name to country music fans. Even though his unique phrasing and style, his trademarks, are still the same as his 'The Race Is On' and 'White Lightnin'' days, there's a subtle difference — a mellowing that comes from years of experience combined with the teaming of super-talented George and equally talented producer Billy Sherrill." On April 7, 2009, two of Jones' signature Sherrill-produced albums, A Picture of Me and Nothing Ever Hurts Me, will be reissued as a single CD by American Beat Records, now part of the Collectors' Choice Music family of labels.

Both A Picture of Me and Nothing Ever Hurts Me are regarded as George Jones classics, and both are recipient of rare five-star reviews on AllMusic.com. A Picture of Me reached No. 3 on Billboard's Country Album chart and featured two Top 10 smashes — the title track and "What My Woman Can't Do." A world-class songwriter in his own right, Jones nonetheless employed several of Nashville's finest to write many of the songs on these albums — then-wife Tammy Wynette ("Wine [You've Used Me Long Enough]"), Tom T. Hall ("Second Handed Flowers," "Never Having You"), Lefty Frizzell ("Mom and Dad's Waltz"), Bobby Braddock ("Nothing Ever Hurt Me [Half As Bad as Losing You]"), Freddy Weller and Spooner Oldham ("She Loves Me [Right Out of Mind]") and Peanut Montgomery ("The Man Worth Lovin' You," "We Found a Match"). In addition, The Jordanaires, best known as vocal accompanists on many of Elvis Presley's hits, provide background vocals here. - more on this story

West Memphis Three Tattoo Benefit

WM3 reports: On April 3rd, 2009, auction for tattoo artwork by Sean Herman will end to raise money for the defense fund of Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Jr., and Jason Baldwin. The three Arkansas men, dubbed the West Memphis Three, were convicted of the 1993 murders of three elementary school children.

Since their trials were chronicled by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky in the HBO documentary, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, a groundswell of support has formed around the Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin—support that includes a wide array of artists such as Metallica, Henry Rollins, Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Winona Ryder, South Park creator Trey Parker, and Jello Biafra.

Tattoo artist and activist, Sean Herman is donating time/work for a politically charged tattoo regarding the West Memphis Three. As a supporter, Herman is offering work to the highest bidder. Herman's work goes for $160 an hour. This auction will go to highest bidder for 5 (five) hours of work at a value of $800.00. - more on this story

Duran Duran Heads Up Lovebox Festival Lineup

Groove Armada reports: We are ever so slightly pleased to announce a one-off UK exclusive festival performance from Duran Duran at Lovebox, which takes place on the 18th & 19th of July. Adding more weight to the Main Stage on Saturday will be hip hop crossover collective N.E.R.D. featuring Pharell Williams, Florence and the Machine (who has just picked up the Critics Choice Brit Award), with the amazing Friendly Fires headlining the Gaymers stage.

Rounding off the first artists confirmed for Saturday are New Zealand's very finest musical exports, Fat Freddys Drop with their dubbed up reggae, ska, and fat bass funk.
On Sunday, having experienced rapid success with her brilliant self-titled album since her performance at last year's Lovebox, Ladyhawke is back once again. While there's still loads more to announce on all the stages and soundsystems we can reveal that Simian Mobile Disco will also be rocking one dance arena, and Lovebox would not be Lovebox without secretsundaze and the house of Horse Meat Disco.

As Lovebox Masters of Ceremonies, Groove Armada will of course be lending a steady hand to the tiller; performing on Sunday our only live festival appearance in the UK this year. We can assure you that we will be showcasing sounds from the new album with an all new live show! - more on this story

The Kings Of Rap: DMC Reality

PR reports: Hip Hop legend and 2009 Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels will host a new reality series from IME Entertainment entitled THE KINGS OF RAP.

The series, which is in development, is a positive-themed hip hop competition, and will offer aspiring musicians the chance to earn a record deal. Young hip hop artists must create music that anyone can listen to without being offended. Their music cannot glorify violence, degrade women or include the use of profanity.

The show will be shot at various locations in New York City, including famed Chung King Studios, known as the "Abbey Road of Hip Hop." [no word on where this show will air] - more on this story

John Keane Goes Down The Corduroy Road

PR reports: Up and coming alt-Americana quartet, The Corduroy Road, is currently putting the finishing touches on two new releases in John Keane Studios in Athens, GA. Keane, renowned for his work with REM, Widespread Panic, Uncle Tupelo, BR-549, B-52s and more, recorded and produced the 16 tracks that will appear on the "Just One Drop" EP and the full-length Love Is a War to be released on the upstart Athens-based label, Mule Train Records, in April and June respectively.

Since its inception, The Corduroy Road has molded roots in Americana, folk rock, and old-time country with the rawest of live performances. The group was founded by Drew Carman (vocals, banjo) and Dylan Solise (guitar, vocals) in early 2006. The two were born and raised in the Central Kentucky Bluegrass Region where they learned their craft until relocating to the musical gem of the southeast: Athens, GA. With the addition of John Cable on drums and Tim Helms on bass, The Corduroy Road quickly gained a reputation in Athens as one of the best bands on the scene after sharing the stage with such notable bands as The Avett Brothers, Paleface, The Packway Handle Band, Ian Thomas, Langhorne Slim, Drakkar Sauna and more.

In October 2008 the band released a 6-song self-titled EP and began incessantly touring the Southeast, rapidly building a loyal fan-base with their infectious live shows. Heavy airplay on Charlotte's WNCW is attracting attention to the band all over the Carolinas and beyond. GO TRIAD said "These six catchy, toe-tapping tunes feel like the kind of songs your friends end up playing around a campfire well into the night. They're familiar, bright and earthy." - more on this story

Sexy Songs Needed

PR reports: Liberator Bedroom Adventure Gear, a luxury and lovestyle brand that celebrates intimacy by inspiring romantic imagination, announced today the launch of Liberator Music, an online sound stage showcasing the musical talents of aspiring singers and song writers to millions of Liberator fans.

"Music has always played a part in romance so we realized that Liberator music would be the perfect addition to our lovestyle offerings," said Louis Friedman, Director and CEO, Liberator. "Our new music venue offers exposure to millions of romantically charged Liberator fans and is a wonderful opportunity for talented up and comers to be heard."

Artists are invited to submit original compositions from any genre of music (rock and R&B to jazz and blues, R&B, folk, etc.) so long as it embodies the essence of eroticism and reflects passion and modern sensuality. Each month, one artist will be chosen and featured on the site, exposing them to 15,000 unique visitors daily. - more on this story

. Lamb of God - Wrath

Since coming into their own with Ashes of the Wake, the members of Lamb of God have been trying to grow their sound without sacrificing their dedicated fan base. For that reason the new Wrath is a bit frustrating (3.5 stars) - Read the full Lamb of God - Wrath review

. U2 Month: October

October is U2s redheaded stepchild. Pegged by music historians as the typically difficult sophomore album, U2 lore remembers October more for the drama behind it rather than the music. (3 stars) - Read the full U2 Month: October review

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