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| Hung Abuses His Inspiration |
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| Music - Music News | |||
| Written by John James | |||
| Tuesday, 30 March 2004 18:00 | |||
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• It looks like the meek will inherit a record deal, with underdog rising star William Hung getting the last laugh. The booted and humiliated American Idol contestant releases his debut album this Tuesday, ready to snuggle up to a place in music history next to other tone-deaf releases by Mrs.
Miller and William Shatner. Simply entitled Inspiration, Hung covers, or should I say abuses, all his favorites, from The Eagles’ “Hotel California” and Elton John’s “Rocket Man” to his overzealous take on Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs.” Not enough to rid vermin from your hovel? Crank up his take on the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” or “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from Disney’s The Lion King. Bundled with a bonus DVD of videos and a documentary on Hung’s rocket ride to cult stardom, the CD also features his own inspirational musings on gratitude, passion, and perseverance. Youch! • Lenny Kravitz and Lionel Richie have forged a musical friendship, with each artist showing up as a guest on the other’s new album. Look for Kravitz’s upcoming Baptism album to feature guests Richie and Jay-Z, with Richie’s upcoming Just for You to feature guests Kravitz and Daniel Bedingfield. • Calexico has pulled over its nonstop tour bus and found time to release a new six-track EP next week on the Quarterstick imprint. Split between originals and covers, the band has chosen an interesting mix of songs to interpret: The Minutemen’s “Corona,” French singer Francoiz Breuts’s “Si Tu Disais,” and Love’s “Alone Again or” with guest vocalist Nicolai Dunger. Cartoon Network fans will find a nifty treat inside, with the animated short film “El Kabong Rides Again,” featuring the song “Minas de Cobre” from the band’s last album. Television Alert: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes the Blue Man Group this evening, Puddle of Mudd on Thursday, Finger Eleven on Friday, and Nappy Roots on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman hosts The Walkmen this evening and Liz Phair on Thursday; Late Night with Conan O’Brien features Usher this evening overnight, The Sleepy Jackson on Friday overnight, and The Distillers on Tuesday overnight; and Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Dizzee Rascal on Friday overnight. New Releases Coming Tuesday, April 6: ... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change Ambulance Ltd. – Ambulance (TVT) highly anticipated full-length debut influenced by the Velvet Underground, Spacemen 3, the Kinks, the Beta Band, and Pavement Diane Anaid – Beautiful Obscene (Five Crowns) domestic release of this critics’ favorite from Australia Trey Anastasio – Seis de Mayo (Elektra) new instrumentals from the Phish guitarist, featuring a 66-piece orchestra The Beautiful Mistake – This Is Who You Are (Militia Group) Between the Buried & Me – Between the Buried & Me (Victory) domestic release, now enhanced with bonus video The Bottle Rockets – Leftovers and Brand New Year (New West) CD re-issues from 1998 and 1999 The Caribbean – William of Orange (Hometapes) The Damnwells – Bastards of the Beat (Red Ink/Epic) debut Danger Mouse & Jemini – “Ghetto Pop Life” (Lex) new EP from the Grey Album genius, with guests Tha Liks, The Pharcyde, and Prince Po of Organized Konfusion Dialted Peoples – Neighborhood Watch (Capitol) with guests Kayne West and Devin the Dude Tim Easton – Special 20 (New West) CD re-issue of his solo debut from 1999 Fire Divine – It’s All a Blur (Deep Elm) four-track EP featuring members of The June Spirit and A Life Once Lost Greyboy – Soul Mosaic: A Case Study in Beats, Soul, & Funk (Ubiquity) Ben Kweller – On My Way (ATO) on tour now with Death Cab for Cutie The Living Legends – Creative Differences (Legendary) eight-man crew featuring Sunspot Jonz and MURS, with a bonus “Legends 101” disc Local H – Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles (Studio E) Lock & Key – No Fate (Deep Elm) seven-track EP of post-hardcore emo Lola Ray – I Don’t Know You (DC Flag/Red Ink) Orange County quartet now signed to the boutique label owned by Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte Russell Malone – Playground (Max Jazz) part of the label’s string series of super-smooth jazz, featuring originals and covers of The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” and Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” Pat McGee Band – Save Me (Warner Bros.) Mocean Worker – Enter the MoWo! (Hyena) with guests Bill Frisell and David Fathead Newman, and samples from Nina Simone and Rahsaan Roland Kirk Moviola – East of Eager (Anyway) fantastic seventh album from this laid-back Columbus, Ohio, quintet, reminiscent of a stoned, sleepy back-porch hoedown Charlie Musselwhite – Sanctuary (Real World) with guests Ben Harper, Charlie Sexton, and the Blind Boys of Alabama The Narrator – Youth City Fire (Flameshovel) Nitzer Ebb – Body of Work (Mute) two-CD anthology Doug Powell – Day for Night (Parasol) new from the former Swag member Pro-Pain – Fistful of Hate (Candlelight) on tour this summer with new drummer JC Dwyer Proto-Kaw – Before Became After (Inside Out) new from Kerry Livgren of Kansas, featuring a cover of “Greenburg, Glickstein, Charles, David Smith, & Jones” by the Cryan’ Shames Pulley – Matters (Epitaph) the fifth album of Simi Valley punk, featuring major-league-baseball pitcher Scott Radinsky, formerly of Scared Straight The Roots – Tipping Point (Geffen) with guests Vernon Reid of Living Colour, Jill Scott, and Floetry Ron Sexsmith – Retriever (Nettwerk) with members of Travis as special guests Tamia – More (Elektra) with guests Gerald Levert, Fabolous, and Freak the Billionaire Tears for Fears – Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (Arista) the group’s first new music since 1989 They Might Be Giants – Indestructable Object (Barsuk) five-song EP featuring a cover of the Beach Boys’ “Caroline, No” Throbbing Gristle – Mutant TG (Mute) re-mix CD featuring Two Lone Swordsmen, Chris & Cosey, and Simon Ratcliffe of Basement Jaxx Tight Phantomz – Nightfool (Southern) CD EP from former members of Lustre King Toots & The Maytals – True Love (V2) with guests Ben Harper, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Ryan Adams, and Bootsy Collins various artists – Bring You To Your Knees: A Tribute to Guns ’N Roses (Law of Inertia) with Time in Malta, Dillinger Escape Plan, Most Precious Blood, and more various artists – Neo Soul (Tofu) compilation of Japanese hip-hop stars such as Toshi Kubota and Ken Hirai, influenced by the American soul sound of the 1970s Varnaline – Varnaline, Man of Sin, A Shot & A Beer, and Sweet Life (Cloud Records) CD re-issues Hayley Westenra – Pure (Decca) featuring a cover of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” Shannon Wright – Over the Sun (Touch & Go) blistering intensity from this terrific singer-songwriter, captured by producer Steve Albini on her third album
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