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05/13/2008
Old 97's return with new album
When the Old 97's joined Elektra Records in 1996, they celebrated by writing "The One," a snarky ditty comparing signing a major record label contract to robbing a bank.
Time to hail Death Cab
Making the jump from an indie label to a major one can spell disaster, and many a fan heralded the demise of Death Cab for Cutie following its unfairly criticized Atlantic debut, 2005's Plans .
05/12/2008
And then there were three ...
Another year, another American Idol season containing mild controversies, contestants we love to hate and moments of Paula madness.
05/09/2008
Preview: Dolly Parton at Nokia
As long as she has makeup, wigs and wardrobes, country queen Dolly Parton will continue to perform for adoring crowds.
05/07/2008
Marvin Gaye's story, remixed
Marvin Gaye is a daunting documentary subject for one simple reason: Almost everything there is to say about the late singer has already been written.
Police will give final concert in New York
The Police will cap their reunion tour with a final concert this summer in New York, where they started out 30 years ago.
05/06/2008
Still having a good time
People still talk about the last time DJ Jazzy Jeff was in town. It was in 2005 at Minc in Exposition Park, and Jeff – best known as Will Smith's former music partner – played a slew of oh-no-he-didn't retro hip-hop hits.
Earning 'Trust' of fans
Trust Me isn't just the title of British artist Craig David's fourth studio album. The two-word combination might best serve as instructions for listening to the disc.
05/01/2008
Kanye's go for takeoff
For Kanye West, "Stronger" isn't just a song: It's a mission statement after the unexpected death of his mother in November. On the eve of his new Glow in the Dark tour, he wrote about Donda West's passing on his Web site, kanyeuniversity.com.
04/30/2008
Stacey kept faith after 'Idol'
As a season seven finalist on American Idol , Phil Stacey stood out for his upbeat personality and openly religious style. His debut as a country music singer follows suit: His songs are filled with breezy pop hooks and positive themes that sometimes cross into spiritual messages.
Get your karaoke on at MySpace
NEW YORK – You're sitting at home online and suddenly you get an irresistible urge. You absolutely have to belt out R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" and share it with the world.
LENNON LYRICS HIT AUCTION
04/29/2008
Madonna morphs again
Once again, Madonna has reinvented herself. On Hard Candy , her 11th studio album and swan song on longtime label Warner Bros., the Queen of Pop veers toward hip-hop by recruiting producers Timbaland and Pharrell Williams. And the results sound surprisingly natural.
The Roots keep on 'Rising' with new CD
Global warming, African genocide, consumerism gone wild: Philadelphia's legendary Roots crew keeps a bumping-if-apocalyptic vibe going on Rising Down . The ominous beats grind and pound as frontman Black Thought and a host of guests, from rap vets Mos Def and Common to up-and-comers Truck North and Chrisette Michele, drop science on a world gone mad.
04/28/2008
Prince caps off Coachella
 Prince was thought to be a performer who would appeal widely to Coachella's diverse audience. Associated Press Prince hit the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with that announcement, heralding his arrival as the much-anticipated headliner of the summer festival.
04/25/2008
CAREY GETS SIXTH NO. 1
Mariah Carey's E=MC2 was No. 1 on the Billboard pop albums chart, selling 463,000 U.S. copies. Billboard
04/23/2008
TV TONIGHT
Like Shannon said, "let the music play." [Pleased at own reference to '80s hit.]
04/22/2008
In tune with Castro
 When Idol is over, Jason Castro may move to Los Angeles to pursue his career, according to his friends. Getty Images ROCKWALL – The crowd that gathers on most Tuesday nights at the new Hilton Hotel in Rockwall is on a mission. The roughly 350 people are there to watch local resident Jason Castro perform on American Idol – and get him through to the next round.
Bragg tackles two facets of himself
AUSTIN – "I don't mind being labeled a political songwriter," says Billy Bragg. "What upsets me is being dismissed as a political songwriter."
Ashlee crafts a guilty pleasure
Elvis Costello has argued that there is no such thing as pop-music authenticity, and if he needs a 21st-century Exhibit A, he should cite Ashlee Simpson.
04/18/2008
Placing some Big bets
Vegas, baby, Vegas. Team Sure Shot moved headquarters to Las Vegas this week so we could place our bets on who's going to secure hardware in Quick 's Big Thing next Thursday.
04/16/2008
Feist's musica; trek hits Dallas
Since September, when "1234" showed up in TV ads for the iPod Nano, Feist has gone from obscure singer-songwriter to hipster sensation.
CD Review: Mariah Carey
Mariah rehired The Emancipation of Mimi 's producers for another album of candy-coated dance-club tunes.
04/15/2008
Star takes Dallas honeymoon
 Merritt David Janes (left) reprises Adam Sandler's role in the stage musical version of The Wedding Singer. The Wedding Singer musical opens at Fair Park tonight, bringing with it a dose of leg warmers, fake Boy George hair and – of course – '80s music.
ACL lineup announced
The seventh Austin City Limits Music Festival announced its lineup today, and as usual, it's a mix of rock hipsters and grizzled veterans.
04/14/2008
There's no stoping her
In case you missed Mariah Carey on MTV's premiere party for The Hills or on the American Idol charity event "Idol Gives Back" or Saturday Night Live or on the new heavy-rotation Macy's ad, the singer would like you to know she has a new album, E = MC2 , in stores tomorrow.
04/11/2008
Enjoying the ride
Miranda Lambert has been a busy gal. The Lindale native is still touring off the release of her best-selling 2007 album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
04/10/2008
Classics don't age
It's a tired question about the very idea of getting tired. But it came up in conversation with Max Weinberg (right) quite naturally. While he chomped away at a late lunch after his flight from Vancouver touched down in Los Angeles, we suddenly found the oh-so-obvious query we'd ordinarily resist reflexively popping out.
04/08/2008
Rounding up a rock 'n' roll beast
 (From left) Tony Harper, Aaron Thedford and Jake Barnhart JASON JANIK/Special Contributor You'd be hard-pressed to find more viscerally efficient rock songs than those assembled by American Werewolf Academy.
Ray J revs up
Ray J is cruising down the Hollywood Freeway in his black Lamborghini when fans in a passing car recognize him. The singer/actor/sex-tape star slows down so they can snap a photo.
Lollapalooza at the lake
CHICAGO – Radiohead, Kanye West and Wilco are among the 90 bands and artists who will perform at this summer's Lollapalooza music festival.
CD reviews
The Black Keys, Jeff Bates
04/07/2008
'Juno' tunes made her a star
On The Boogie Spot, we continue our "Project PPT Track Leak" that will ramp all the way up to their April 15 nationwide release of Denglish . Today's choice is "Higher."
Quick's Big Thing Breakdown: Big Song
A closer look at one of the categories for Quick 's April 24 local-music awards show at the Palladium Ballroom. Get details on the show and vote online at QuickDFW.com/bigthing . BIG SONG
04/01/2008
Band moves to its own beat
 JASON JANIK/Special Contributor Last year, Denton electro-dance group Ghosthustler got mentions in Spin , on Pitchfork and on countless national blogs mere months after forming, mainly because of "Parking Lot Nights."
Other reviews
Moby isn't an artist who tends to repeat himself. But Moby decided to revisit his formative years,
03/27/2008
Outlaw country lives
Shooter Jennings is 28. He was born in 1979, during the heyday of disco and at the tail end of the classic rock era.
03/26/2008
Right time for Zane
 BRANDON THIBODEAUX/Special Contributor ALLEN – For Zane Lewis, patience is not a virtue. It isn't even a possibility. The way he sees it, he's got no time to waste.
La-teen-o invasion
The Hannah Montana madness moves into the Latin music world. But not because the Disney Channel star has all of a sudden translated her CDs into Spanish (let's not give her any ideas).
03/25/2008
Singer drops 'Past Life'
 Photos by JASON JANIK/Special Contributor It's been three years since fans last heard new music featuring the raspy voice of Collin Herring.
CD review: Counting Crows
Wild nights and early mornings. You hurt, you heal. You fall down, you pick yourself up.
03/24/2008
Parton invests in herself
Dolly Parton knows a good investment when she sees one, and these days she sees one in the mirror.
Beatles want tracks to stay unreleased
MIAMI – Lawyers for the Beatles sued Friday to prevent the distribution of unreleased recordings purportedly made during Ringo Starr's first performance with the group in 1962.
03/18/2008
Record Hop faces the music
 JASON JANIK/Special Contributor Denton rock band Record Hop doesn't have much time to recover from a busy South by Southwest week. After a handful of shows in Austin, the members are back home, preparing for next week's release of their second full-length album.
Varied projects keep Chrisette Michele busy
It's a painful confession to have to make, but let's keep it real; a lot of today's R&B music merits the description of "redundant and boring" more than it does "rhythm and blues."
Diddy 'shocked' at allegations
Sean "Diddy" Combs has denied a report by the Los Angeles Times that his associates were responsible for the 1994 robbery and shooting of Tupac Shakur at a New York recording studio, and that he knew about the attack in advance.
03/14/2008
CHARTBUSTERS
Usher's "Love in This Club" featuring Young Jeezy holds on to the top spot on the Hot 100 for a second week. The track continues to fend off Chris Brown's "With You," which rises one spot to No. 2, the same slot it peaked at two weeks ago. "Low" by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain is at No. 3.
03/12/2008
These acts will have you abuzz
South by Southwest has grown into such a chaotic event that it seems increasingly impossible for any one band to get a “big break” there.
03/11/2008
Laura Palmer's stage background plays into her songwriting
 Jason Janik / Special Contributor With a voice that's alternately bright and brassy and a keen razor wit that could slice through a glacier, Laura Palmer's onstage guise is anything but shtick.
03/10/2008
SXSW local music guide
So you're heading to South by Southwest this week without a badge or a wristband, huh? Here are a few day parties with familiar faces and good North Texas music. Find more day parties at showlistaustin.com.
03/05/2008
Like Radiohead, Reznor gives away new music
Radiohead's name-your-price download strategy, in which the band offered its latest album, In Rainbows , to consumers for whatever price they chose, has been the talk of the music world for months.
CD review: 'Robotique Majestique' by Ghostland Observatory
Austin's Ghostland Observatory is on the cusp of international stardom thanks to its fusion of glam rock and house-mix electronica, its do-it-yourself mantra and its festival-stealing live sets.
03/04/2008
Giants turn focus back to adults
After 25 years, the few bands still together are likely to be playing the Vegas circuit or another reunion tour, strumming the same old tired hits that made them famous years before.
Justice at the palladium
More people know who Justice is because of the ornery Kanye West than because of the French electronica duo's music.
02/29/2008
Sour Grapes, sweet show
 Photos by JASON JANIK/Special Contributor If you've seen graffiti murals in Oak Cliff, there's a chance that members of the Sour Grapes crew painted them.
02/28/2008
Jonas Bros. relate to fame
Every generation has a musical act that, for whatever reason, makes teenage girls lose their freakin' minds. Think Elvis, New Edition, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys. Now it's the Jonas Brothers.
02/27/2008
Trent Willmon keeps it cowboy
 'My life right now is pretty doggone good,' Trent Willmon says. COURTNEY PERRY/DMN Trent Willmon is mining the cowboy culture. His new CD, which hit stores yesterday, is titled Broken In , like a comfortable pair of Wranglers or a trusty quarter horse.
Justin to induct Madonna in Rock Hall
Justin Timberlake will induct Madonna into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Maxim apologizes for review fiasco
Maxim magazine has apologized for publishing a negative review of the Black Crowes' new album by a writer who hadn't listened to the whole CD.
Alanis is ready to dance again
For someone whose biggest hit is "Ironic," Alanis Morissette's life couldn't be described as such.
02/26/2008
What critics are saying ... about Janet Jackson's new album
"On her Def Jam debut, the beats are as crass and processed as Jackson's heavy breathing, so she sounds more like a sex droid than a blow-up doll, which is way hotter
02/21/2008
Live Dylan through the years
If you didn't get tickets to one of the shows in Bob Dylan's three-night stand this weekend at House of Blues, you're probably out of luck. All the shows sold out shortly after going on sale. But even if you did get tickets, you still might be out of luck. Dylan's shows in North Texas over the last 20 years have been remarkably hit-or-miss. You can tell from these excerpts of Dallas Morning News reviews that ran after the concerts: SEPT. 8, 1990
02/20/2008
Catch up with LaKisha Jones
Two years ago LaKisha Jones was working as a bank teller in Maryland. These days, the only money notes she deals with are the ones she belts out eight times a week in Broadway's The Color Purple .
02/19/2008
Melodica Magic
 Photos by JASON JANIK/Special Contributor In every corner of Mwanza Dover's Lakewood apartment, there's a reminder of how much he loves music. Shelves are stacked with vinyl albums, guitars and amp cables litter the floor, and Dover sits at a sort-of command center with a laptop displaying iTunes at the ready.
Tonight: Jill Scott at Nokia Theatre
Jill Scott is a performer who isn't so much seen and heard as she is experienced, evoking the spontaneity of jazz and the confessional vibe of a poetry reading. Her following has only multiplied since her 2000 debut, Who Is Jill Scott? , which went platinum.
02/15/2008
Rapper brings Dallas a 'Taste' of L.A.
 Slim is a Pittsburgh native but now calls Los Angeles home. Associated Press Pittsburgh Slim's song "Girls Kiss Girls" launched a bidding war over which record label would sign him.
Tale of the tune
The inspiration: Folmer was inspired by the idea of finding a deep connection with someone simply by hanging out with them for a day. In this case, though, there's a bit of uncertainty about where the relationship is headed. "It's all about being with someone in a really idyllic moment, with the knowledge that they are leaving soon."
Breakout band One Republic playing here Sunday
So you thought you were going to get to see adult contemporary rock's newest overnight phenomenon before it soared to Fray-like levels of popularity, huh?
02/14/2008
NYC DJ Roxy Cottontail bounces into Dallas
Roxy Cottontail is a New York City DJ and party promoter, but her reputation is spreading in Texas.
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