BY David Byrne
with Tony Peregrin
Are you ever in search of a CD to play when you just want to hide from the paparazzi? Edie Carey sparks relief on her latest Another Kind of Fire, which is produced by Crit Harmon ( Martin Sexton, Lori McKenna ) . Here, the out Boston-based singer-songwriter offers leanings of adult contemporary, country and folk genres. The opening track, Hollywood Ending, holds its own among favorites like Jewel's Foolish Games and Nina Gordon's Tonight and the Rest of My Life. Carey performed at the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival this summer and is also a veteran of Northalsted Market Days. On top of touring regularly, Carey's work has been heard on TV shows like Charmed and Road Rules.
After a sell-out tour earlier this year, Tilly and the Wall returned to the Abbey Oct. 11. While supporting the band's sophomore effort, Bottoms of Barrels, Tilly and the Wall is headlining a tour, but to the beat of a different drummer. That's right; instead of using a drummer, the beat will be kept by tap dancer and percussionist Jamie Williams.
Soul superstar Angie Stone is currently starring on VH-1's Celebrity Fit Club. The I Wanna Thank Ya singer struggles with weight loss and tries to overcome health issues on this reality show. Few realize that Stone actually is a cornerstone of R&B music. She has influenced many and has collaborated with Mary J. Blige, Lenny Kravitz, Prince's protégé Jill Jones and, of course, D'Angelo ( her ex and son's father ) . Stone Hits: The Very Best of Angie Stone is currently out now on J-Records and iTunes finally has made the Freemasons' white hot remixes of Stone's club anthem, I Wasn't Kidding, available for purchase.
At last, fellow reality star Brooke Hogan scored a record deal with SMC/SoBe Entertainment. On Hogan Knows Best, Hulk Hogan's daughter deals with typical growing pains and the struggles of landing a recording contract. Of course, the young Hogan clashes with the Hulkster, whether it is about tampons, birth-control pills or the leniencies granted only to her brother. Unlike the radio hits by most of her contemporaries, the lead single, About Us, recounts life as a teenager instead of trying to make the statuesque blonde the next Lolita. Hogan's debut, Undiscovered, would make an ideal gift for any starry-eyed pop princess in your life or even your one gay friend whom you insist is still a 12-year old girl.
Robbie Williams does not need to work overtime to please his gay fans. For his latest album, Rudebox 74, Williams is collaborating with Pet Shop Boys's front man Neil Tennant on a number entitled She's Madonna. How did they come up with it? Apparently, as Guy Ritchie was breaking up with his then-girlfriend Tania Strecker, the Snatch director said, 'Look, you know I really love you, but she's Madonna.' The Rock DJ singer remains hopeful that Madonna won't be hung up and will appear in the video, considering the Pet Shop Boys remixed her No. 1 dance hit Sorry. While working on Rudebox 74, Williams had to decline participating in a Take That reunion tour with his former boy-band mates.
Few words can capture the hurt and insult that Jessica Simpson has issued upon legions of '80s aficionados with the song You Spin Me Round ( Like a Record, Baby ) from her latest album, A Public Affair. Here, Simpson incorporates the chorus of Dead or Alive's hit of the same name. Not only has Dead or Alive reissued this song multiple times since its initial release, but Crystal Waters creatively used the chorus for her song, Spin Me, in 1997 and Dannii Minogue sampled its Hit Factory beats for her 2003 anthem, I Begin to Spin Around. But Ashlee's big sister did not realize that this song was tapped dry already and cannot redeem herself, even if she made a video sporting an eye-patch, crimped hair and an oversized purple blouse with shoulder pads in the manner of Pete Burns. Simpson, however, should have tried getting a hold of a Pet Shop Boys track. Either Opportunities ( Let's Make Lots of Money ) or In Denial would have been a much better fit for the Newlyweds starlet. Remember, Jessica pulled off sampling without a hitch on I Think I'm in Love with You, which had John Mellencamp's Jack and Diane riff. Don't worry Dead or Alive fans; Burns is recording long-overdue new material in the studio after his stint on UK's Celebrity Big Brother and has penned his autobiography, Freak Unique.
Primal Scream is the epitome of the ever-evolving band. This British outfit has mastered everything from acid house to psychedelic pop and blues-influenced rock, as heard on its latest effort, Riot City Blues. Lead singer Bobby Gillespie was once the drummer for the band The Jesus and Mary Chain and bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield was in the Stone Roses. Sounding similar to 1994's Give Out But Don't Give Up, Riot City Blues features Will Sergeant ( Echo and the Bunnymen ) , Warren Ellis ( Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds ) and Alison Mosshart ( The Kills ) , as well two of my favorite back-up singers, Juliet Roberts ( for Boy George ) and Sylvia Mason-James ( for Pet Shop Boys ) . Over the years, Primal Scream has had some remarkable collaborations, including Andrew Weatherall ( Two Lone Swordsmen, One Dove ) ; even supermodel Kate Moss cooed on One Velvet Morning. Riot City Blues is out now on Columbia Records and an overdue U.S. tour is in the works.
