The Beastie Boys Ready “Check Your Head” Reissue
Fast on the heels of the Paul’s Boutique reissue, March 30th will find the Beastie Boys re-releasing the album that followed Paul’s, 1992’s Check Your Head. The Check Collector’s Edition will come in various formats, from digital to CD to vinyl, along with the B-sides and other bonus tracks from the era.
Buying the Digital Deluxe version will also score you the music videos — complete with band commentary — from Check’s singles. The digital reissues will be released March 30th, while their physical counterpart hits stores April 7th.
For the hardcore fans, an ultra-deluxe 4 LP 180HQ vinyl version packaged in a fabric-wrapped hardcover coffee table book case will be released with a limited run of 2,000 copies, according to a press release.
The Beasties’ Website has been updated to celebrate the Check Your Head reissue, with the band’s performance on the Arsenio Hall Show embedded on the site. Additionally, the Beasties announced today that they’ll headline Los Angeles’ storied Hollywood Bowl on September 24th in anticipation of their new album, due out later this year. The group will also perform at this year’s Bonnaroo, and are among those rumored to being playing Lollapalooza in August.
In addition to the Paul’s and Check packages and the new album due out later this year, the band is also expected to reissue 1994’s Ill Communication at some point before the summer. Some online retailers are listing an April 21st release date for that album. As Rock Daily recently reported, the Boys are hard at work on their first album since 2007’s instrumental The Mix-Up. For more on the new LP, which currently sports the title Tadlock’s Glasses, check out Beastie Boys Finishing Up “Weird” New Album.
New CD Releases, March 17: Willie Nelson, Marianne Faithful, Static-X, The Script, BoA, and more!
Willie Nelson "Naked Willie" (Sony)
Willie fans haven't been hurting for new products to buy. The country legend quickly follows this year's collaboration with Asleep at the Wheel, "Willie and the Wheel"--which itself followed two 2008 albums: the solo outing "Moment of Forever" and the Willie/Wynton Marsalis affair, "Two Men With the Blues"--with the release of "Naked Willie."
This 17-track CD mines Nelson's early career as a professional songwriter, from 1966 to 1970. Fans might know these songs, but they've never heard them like this before.
The story is that Nelson and his longtime harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, went back to the original multi-track recordings and re-mixed the songs, stripping away all the high-gloss production tricks (big string sections, tons of back-up singers, etc.), which were so prevalent at the time, in an effort to find the essence of each song.
* * *
Marianne Faithfull Easy Come, Easy Go" (Decca)
The acclaimed songbird, who has collaborated with everyone from David Bowie and Nick Cave to Roger Waters and Metallica, returns with her 22nd album, "Easy Come, Easy Go," which follows 2005's "Before the Poison."
Produced by longtime collaborator Hal Wilner--who has previously worked with the likes of Lucinda Williams and Lou Reed--"Easy Come, Easy Go" consists of all covers and includes songs originally made famous by Dolly Parton, Brian Eno and the Decemberists, among others. The disc is also rich with guest stars, such as Keith Richards, Rufus Wainwright and Cat Power.
* * *
Static-X "Cult of Static" (Reprise)
The metal mavericks are back with their sixth studio album, which follows 2007's "Cannibal." The first single is the track "Stingwray," reportedly a reference to lead singer Wayne Static's wife, Tera Wray, and her Corvette Stingray.
"Cult of Static" was produced by John Travis, who also was at the controls for "Cannibal." The new album features the tune "Lunatic," which appeared earlier on the "Punisher: War Zone" soundtrack, as well as a guest appearance by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine.
* * *
The Script "The Script" (Sony)
The Irish pop/rock trio has already achieved much success on the other side of the Atlantic. The band's eponymous debut was released in late 2008 in Europe and has since gone on to multi-platinum sales figures. Now, the Script will try its luck in the US as it sees the stateside release of its self-titled disc. We can think of no better time for an Irish act to release an album than on St. Patrick's Day.
* * *
BoA "BoA" (SM Entertainment)
Boa Kwon, better known simply as "BoA" (short for "Beat of Angel"), started her march to fame at an early age. The South Korean pop singer released her 2000 debut when she was just 13 and has since become a major star throughout Asia.
Listeners on this side of the Pacific now have the chance to get to know BoA, as she offers up her self-titled US debut.
More new releases:
Bonnie Prince Billy, "Beware" (Drag City)
Les Claypool, "Of Fungi and Foe" (Prawn Song)
Dudu Fisher, "In Concert From Israel" (Mesa)
Mick Fleetwood, "Blue Again" (429)
Gorilla Zoe, "Don't Feed Da Animals" (Bad Boy)
Annie Lennox, "The Annie Lennox Collection (Deluxe Edition)" (Sony)
Little Walter, "The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967)" (Hip-O)
Nick Lowe, "Quiet Please: The New Best of Nick Lowe" (Yep Roc)
Nils, "Up Close and Personal" (Baja)
Rˆyksopp, "Junior" (Astralwerks)
Randy Travis, "I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis" (Warner Bros.)
Twiztid, "W.I.C.K.E.D." (Psychopathic)
Bebo Valdes, "Juntos Para Siempre" (Red Ink)
Wavves, "Wavves" (Fat Possum)
Andy Samberg to host 2009 MTV Movie Awards
NEW YORK (AP) — Saturday Night Live star Andy Samberg will host the 2009 MTV Movie Awards.
It will be Samberg's first time as host of the event, to air live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., on May 31.
Samberg says he grew up watching the awards and was a writer for the show before landing his gig on SNL, so "it will be a sweet and satisfying homecoming. I can't wait to act really important."
Samberg, 30, has appeared on the NBC sketch comedy show for four seasons, building a fan base with quirky video shorts featuring himself, fellow SNL players and celebrity guests such as Justin Timberlake and Natalie Portman.
The MTV Movie Awards are presented in unconventional categories including "best villain" and "best kiss."
"MacGyver" being reassembled as feature film
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – It will take more than twine, bubble gum and a pencil to do it, but the science-oriented adventure series "MacGyver" is being developed as a feature film for New Line.
"MacGyver" ran from 1985 to 1992 on ABC. Richard Dean Anderson, later of "Stargate: Atlantis" and "SG-1" fame, starred as an incredibly resourceful secret agent for the Phoenix Foundation who frequently would escape from dangerous situations with ingenious and lightning-quick engineering trickery.
Two telefilms starring Anderson aired in the years after the show's cancellation. The character eventually achieved enough cultural recognition to become a reference for anyone attempting to jury-rig a solution out of household items. "Saturday Night Live" took the concept to the next level with its "MacGruber" spoofs starring Will Forte.
Raffaella De Laurentiis, daughter of veteran producer Dino De Laurentiis, is producing the movie through her Raffaella Prods. along with Martha De Laurentiis and series creator Lee Zlotoff. Dino De Laurentiis is executive producing.
No writer has been hired. The studio hopes to find a script that acknowledges the concept's pop-culture profile yet still makes for a serious and fun adventure movie.
"We think we're a stick of chewing gum, a paper clip and an A-list writer away from a global franchise," said New Line's Richard Brener.
Richard Dreyfuss finds "Happiness" on small screen
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss will star opposite Jason Biggs in "Happiness Isn't Everything," a comedy pilot for CBS.
"Happiness" revolves around adult siblings and their parents, who are over-involved in one another's lives.
Dreyfuss will play the pushy, loving and funny patriarch of the family, with Biggs playing his son.
Also cast in the pilot is Ben Schwartz as Biggs' explosive older brother.
Dreyfuss, who recently portrayed Dick Cheney in Oliver Stone's biopic "W," will next star opposite Nia Vardalos in the romantic comedy "My Life in Ruins."