Bill Cosby to release rap album titled State of Emergency

Since the dearly departed Cosby Show went off the air in 1992, actor, comedian, and Jell-O pudding pusher Bill Cosby has become a popular talking head, appearing most recently on MSNBC's Meet the Press to discuss the state of African-American culture in the 21st century: The much-loved television comedian (and one of the finest positive fatherly role models on any channel, now or then) has been subjected to a plethora of backlash in response to his very public criticism of young African-American males, and in particular to the statements he has made about gangsta rap. Cosby has been the subject...  read more

Mr. Bragg to release Mr. Love & Justice

Legendary British songwriter Billy Bragg will release his new album Mr. Love & Justice April 22 on Anti- Records. And while his fans may have grown a little impatient over the last six years since the release of Bragg’s last album England, Half-English, they’ll have to forgive him when they hear the schedule he’s been keeping. After collaborating with Wilco in 1998 and releasing an album of unpublished Woody Guthrie songs in 2000, Bragg was commissioned to write new lyrics for Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” The new lyrics were unveiled during a 2007 performance at London’s Royal Festival...  read more

Aceyalone, Del, The Cool Kids to perform at A3C 2008

Atlanta hip-hop staple Brian Knott announced today via Creative Loafing's "Crib Notes" blog that the city's annual A3C festival has confirmed several acts. Among them are Del the Funky Homosapien (who Paste recently caught up with - Q&A coming soon), fellow Californian Aceyalone, the Cool Kids (who just finished up a national tour with M.I.A.), Guilty Simpson, and Blu & Ta’Raach (aka C.R.A.C.). The festival will take place over a three-day stretch at the CW Midtown Music Complex (AKA: The Loft, Center Stage and Vinyl for you non-ATLiens out there) from March 20 to 22. Discounts are currently available on...  read more

Erykah Badu releases video in anticipation of AmErykah

Eight years since her last full-length album, Erykah Badu returns with her next project, New AmErykah. As previously reported, this album will be released in two full-length parts, the first of which hits stores on Badu’s birthday, Feb. 26. Until then, this video for “Honey” should bate fans’ appetite with yet another story from the books of Baduizm. Following her calling card of amazing concept videos, this one pays homage to local record stores. The video is a series of reverse cameos, with Badu singing through the album covers of classic artists such as Diana Ross, Ohio Players and the...  read more

Alicia Keys, Treemo partner up for charity

Alicia Keys has teamed up with Seattle based media sharing company Treemo to start the As I Am contest to benefit the Keep a Child Alive charity. The contest is going to donate one dollar for every user who signs up, with a limit of $10,000. Based on the Alicia Keys song “Superwoman” off her third studio album, the contest encourages fans to upload a video, picture or text about someone they know as a “Superwoman.” Aside from being a multiple Grammy winning singer/songwriter, Keys is also the Global Ambassador for KCA, the mission of which is to provide...  read more

Rykodisc celebrates 25th anniversary with free downloads

Warner Music Group subsidiary Rykodisc is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and will release five free downloads from its catalog each month to commemorate the occasion. Rykodisc made a name for itself in the early '80s as the first label to release music exclusively in a compact disc format. Founder Jac Holzman was well-known throughout the music industry, and promoted the label as an artist-driven haven for creativity. Today, the label is home to artists including Frank Zappa, Joe Jackson, Morphine and Elf Power. The label had made strides in the digital and environmental world over the past year...  read more

Nathaniel Mackey

Reviews of Bass Cathedral—the fourth installment in Nathaniel Mackey’s...  read more

Cate Kennedy

The debut short-story collection by Australian writer Cate Kennedy...  read more

Son of Rambow trailer hits the web, movie coming in May

With all the hubbub around this year's Sundance, it's easy to forget that some of the most critically acclaimed films from Sundance 2007 still haven't made it to theaters, despite getting picked up by studios. The best example of this is Son of Rambow, the second film by the British director/producer team Hammer and Tongs, aka Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith. Despite a warm reception in festivals throughout 2007, the film seemed destined to be forgotten. Luckily, though, the feature will finally see a release through Paramount Vantage later this year. While it's Hammer and Tongs' second feature, they...  read more

Guillermo del Toro to direct The Hobbit films

We don't usually write these things until they are 100%, set-in-stone facts, but this story just seems too good to wait. Earlier this week, it was announced that Guillermo del Toro, whose Pan's Labyrinth both frightened and moved audiences in 2006, is in talks to direct The Hobbit and its sequel. A film clip translated by fansite TheOneRing.net then announced that Toro had moved beyond that phase, saying, "Today it is our pleasure to announce something that everyone was hoping for, Guillermo will direct The Hobbit." Fanboys worldwide, commence rejoicing. Toro's name had been previously thrown around, as well as...  read more

Grizzly Bear to perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall

As if we haven't covered Brooklynites Grizzly Bear enough in the past week or so, more news has flown in via a little bird (that we fondly call "Press Release") that the quartet will co-headline a show with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on March 1. Although they won't play together at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Philharmonic will perform pieces chosen to mirror what has inspired Grizzly Bear, and the band will play a regular set with songs from Yellow House. Tickets are $24-$34 and went on sale here last Saturday (Feb. 2). Not too shabby for a genre-crossing...  read more

AMC Theatres to hold Best Picture marathon in late Feb.

Looking for a way to numb your butt somewhere other than on the couch and be the only person in your office and/or circle of friends who can pontificate authoritatively about all five of this year's Best Picture nominees? Well, AMC Theatres has a seat waiting for you on Saturday, Feb. 23, when they'll screen Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood, Atonement, Juno and No Country for Old Men one after another during the chain's annual Best Picture Showcase. (Speaking of those five specific films, take a gander just to the left of this parenthetical aside to cast your...  read more

The Office's B.J. Novak plans stand-up tour

For as impressive as Conan O'Brien and David Letterman’s furry faces were, in these dry days it's refreshing to see striking writers channeling their energies into less hirsute, more directly entertaining endeavors. Take one Mr. B.J. Novak, for example. Better known as temp-turned-corporate-shill Ryan from NBC's The Office, Novak recently announced a smattering of (read: four) college campus tour dates via his MySpace page. (By the way, his Top 4 friends are way funnier than yours.) On the heels of his recent appearance at Boston's Northeastern University (you go, Kappa Sig!), he’ll make stops at the College of William and...  read more

Peter (of Bjorn and John) Morén's debut gets date

From one of the happiest countries in the world comes a rather melancholy album. Peter Morén sheds his two partners to bring a much more low key and acoustic sound than he did as part of the widely acclaimed Swedish indie trio Peter Bjorn and John. A product of more than two years' worth of recording and mixing in U.S. and Swedish apartments and studios, The Last Tycoon will come out April 8 on Quarterstick Records. When asked about the album's lyrics, Morén—the same lyricist of Peter Bjorn and John's breakout hit Writer’s Block—described it as “the usual lyrical psychobabble,...  read more

Honeydripper

Take a bigoted white sheriff (Stacy Keach) who is at odds with an independent...  read more

Band of the Week: Mahjongg

The back cover of Mahjongg's latest album, Kontpab, doesn't deliver much immediate information. There is no tracklisting, no band member names, not even a copyright date—just a monochrome graphic that resembles TV static. But a closer look...  read more

Ruby Tuesday to feature music of the Rolling Stones

Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, writers of last year’s Beatles-inspired musical Across the Universe, are working on a new animated film. This time, though, they’re setting their sights on the music of another legendary 60’s rock band – the Rolling Stones. The film, titled Ruby Tuesday, tells the story of a single mother searching for happiness in New York City. Clement and La Franais finished writing songs for the film well before the Writers Guild of America strike began last November, though plans to start production on the film next month have been put on hold until the writers...  read more

Travis Morrison invites All Y'all to his winter tour

Bet Travis Morrison is sick of his name always being preceded or followed by the words "former Dismemberment Plan frontman." Unfortunately, that's what happens when you're part of the best band of the '90s (sorry, every other band). Morrison's second solo album (and his first with new band The Hellfighters), All Y'all, is still streaming on his website, long after last year's Aug. 21 release on Barsuk. After last April's D-Plan benefit reunion shows, Morrison quietly shoved All Y'all into the world with just a tiny East Coast tour behind it. He'll remedy the situation by cutting a wide swath...  read more

The Eels announce U.S. tour dates

Yesterday, the Eels announced via both their Myspace blog and their website that their winter/spring tour has been extended to include dates on the shores of the continental United States. Now Eels fans in the U.S. no longer have to be jealous of people in Europe. (Well, at least not for their ability to see the Eels in concert. Depending on what happens come November, we may have plenty of other reasons to be jealous of them, outside of music. Sigh.) This announcement comes on the tail of not one, but two releases, put out by the band on...  read more

The Rustic Contemporary Sounds of Anna Kramer & the Lost Cause

Rootsy garage rock plus cheerful irreverence equals big fun  read more