Year: 2008

Wu-Tang mogul RZA will be teaming up with legendary Academy-Award winning composer Hans Zimmer, who is known for his work in Gladiator, The Lion King, The Thin Red Line. The two soundtrack veterans (RZA is well known for his work in Kill Bill) will be collaborating to do the complete score to the upcoming Vin Diesel movie, titled Babylon A.D.

During discussions of Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, the US State Department, which handles all US foreign affairs, diverted from the norm to address questions about Boy George. When asked what the department has against the singer who was recently denied a visa, Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey choked on his drink, then proceeded to reference one of Culture Club’s songs. The singer has a US tour scheduled and is appealing to the State Department to reverse the decision. Transcript below:

The hardcore outfit Cancer Bats have released their sophomore effort, Hit Destroyer, on Black Market Activities. Hit Destroyer sees the Canadian quartet retaining their soundscape, but maturing in both music and focus. The new album incorporates elements of past and present hardcore, all the while paving way for a much more enthralling direction in the genre.

In collaboration with longtime producer Nigel Godrich and his From the Basement television show, Radiohead has released ten live performance videos exclusively on iTunes. The videos were recorded at The Hospital studio in Covent Garden in one day and were directed by David Barnard. The videos feature live renditions of songs from In Rainbows as well as the bonus CD included in their deluxe discbox edition.

On July 5 through the 13th, Brooklyn, New York will be the site of the11 Afro-punk Festival. Starting on July 5th there will be nightly live performances at the BAM skatepark, which will run until July 9th. After that date, the festival will shift locations to Fort Greene Park until July 13th.

Though it has been nearly a decade since the Verve released Urban Hymns and that ever memorable single, “Bitter Sweet Symphony,” the long awaited return of this Brit-pop sensation is looming on the horizon. On August 19th the group will release it’s fourth disc, appropriately titled Four, on EMI Records. But for those fans who are impatiently awaiting the August release, the band has offered some consolation in the form of Four‘s latest single, “Love is Noise.”

Joining the long list of bands stretching from the Doors and the Velvet Underground to Belle & Sebastian and Modest Mouse that have taken their name from a work of literature, the Swimmers go one step further. Not only is their name derived from John Cheever’s “The Swimmer” but their debut full-length release was initially designed as a concept album to explore the themes of disillusionment and meaninglessness in that surreal 1964 short story.

After three weeks of seclusion in a Nevada, desert motel room, Ray Roposa emerged with the songs that make up City of Refuge, the latest disc from his musical project, Castanets. The disc, which is set for an Oct. 7 release date, features overdubs by friends Jana Hunter, Sufjan Stevens, Dawn Smithson (Jessamine, Sunn O, solo), Scott Tuma (Souled American, Boxhead Ensemble, solo), and co-producer Ero Gray.

Recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, King of Leon‘s latest album, entitled Only By the Night, will be released on September 23. Produced by Angelo Petraglia, Jacquire King and Kings of Leon, Only By the Night is the group’s fourth full-length LP. The group plans to embark on a tour of some of their biggest venues yet this summer after ending 2007 with performances at Radio City Music Hall and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Following the 2007 release of their latest, GRAMMY award-winning album We Are the Night, The Chemical Brothers will release a “Best Of” double disc compilation entitled Brotherhood on September 2. With a career spanning 13 years and nine million records sold, the group has become one of the most popular electronic and dance acts of all time.

On September 29, Mercury Rev won’t release one new album, but two. The first one, titled Snowflake Midnight , is a full-length consisting of nine songs – cognizant of the band’s luminous and mesmerizing songwriting. The second album, Strange Attractor , will be released the very same day via the web.