I honestly don’t think that I’ve ever taken a cue from MTV but I was flipping through the channels and came across the video for “Daylight” by NYC hipster hype du jour Matt & Kim. The hook was embedded deep…

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

The return of American Idol (and my overall ambivalence towards it) reminded me that 2009 will bring the release of young Josiah Leming’s record. You may recall Josiah as the most talented contest to not make it past the second round of auditions last year. After some additional exposure via the Ellen DeGeneres show Warner Bros. scooped up the singer and sent him to London to record his debut record.

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

What is it about the great white north that fosters such beautiful, introspective and intimate music? I suppose that I could make some crack about folks being locked up in their cabins for months on end, but in reality it’s more attributed to the fact that the Canadian government actually provides funding for the arts. Regardless, there is an abundance of wonderful music coming from our neighbors to the north and my most recent find is The Olympic Symphonium.

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

For the first time in nearly a year Prince has an official web presence again. It’s a place holder at the moment but promises many of the features of the NPGMC. The media player is playing “Crimson & Clover”, “(There’ll Never B) Another Like Me” and Bria Valente’s ““Here I Come”.

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

The marketing machine behind Lily Allen’s new record It’s Not Me, It’s You, due out February ‘09, is in full swing and it’s certainly got my attention. Her video for the first single “The Fear” puts the foul mouthed popster in an Alice in Wonderland world complete with living presents and balloon festooned dancers.

[Peep the video and a bonus track at ickmusic.com]

I guess it takes well over half a dozen greatest hits packages to land at “The Definitive”. And while the word does not get bandied about as much as “The Essential” it certainly implies some form of completeness to it. Unfortunately this latest Rod Stewart collection falls short in a few places…

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

Gettin’ Up

The Abstract returns with a super dope solo joint (I’m one of the hopeful that there will be another A Tribe Called Quest record one of these days). It’s classic Tip flow with a positive message. The single is already available but the full length The Renaissance drops November 4th.

[Peep the video at ickmusic.com]

Time may be on Mick’s side but these days I can’t seem to find time to dedicate to writing insightful reviews of the stacks of CD’s sitting on my desk and all the news swirling around the internets. Did you hear that Chinese Democracy is actually coming out?

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

There is a misnomer that the sugar laden pop with a twang that passes for country music these days is the real deal but leave it to a duo from far across the pond to serve up a reminder of what ‘real’ country sounds like. Husband and wife duo Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson…

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]

Fri 10 Oct – Jason Mraz, Lisa Hannigan

Despite listening to him since his days at Java Joes, Friday night was my first experience seeing Jason Mraz live. I was not alone in my first experience as it was Mr. A-Z's first show at the legendary Radio City Music Hall, a that fact did not seem lost on him as he pulled out all the stops for what was one of the most entertaining and memorable shows I've attended in the last few years.

[Read the rest at ickmusic.com]