The Observer published a very nice collection of photographs put into a slide show with audio explaining the meaning of music to New Orleans natives and how musicians are still trying to keep the city’s cultural heart beating.

The slideshow was made after the floods in New Orleans and is showing the passion people find in music even in harsh conditions. Excellent.

New Orleans has always been an important music center, specially for Jazz, Funk music and Rap. Artists like Louis Armstrong and Phil Anselmo (Pantera) are some of the artists with a deep influence in music comming from New Orleans.

find the whole article and slideshow here

It seems it is the comeback’s year – after recent news on Pink Floyd reuniting, Depeche Mode touring again, Tom Waits releasing a new record, same for Bob Dylan and more, I was also reading today that Iron Maiden is planning to release a new record in September. To be entitled ” A Matter of Life and Death”.

They just announced their tour dates in Europe and Japan and they sold out almost everywhere…not this is something !

[via music.com]

As artists reach a great longevity in music, their latest releases are becoming more and more not only new works, but remakes of their old tracks or just new songs they found somewhere in the drawer.

Likewise, Tom Waits is to release a new album, a 3-CDs one with over 60 tracks, some of them being old songs which did not find a place on a record so far, others being songs from films and compilations. As the name of the album says it – “Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards” – they are songs which were never put together in a proper manner so far.

Still, this does not diminish the value of the set, which I am sure can be marked as a classic in Tom Waits’ discography of over 27 albums so far.

And, speaking of clasic Tom Waits works, here is one of them to download: Tom Waits – Jockey Full of Bourbon.

Via “I Guess I’m Floating” I just came across the news that Bob Dylan will release a new album, called “Modern Times“. And some special bonuses are in for the ones who pre-order it via iTunes, like four videos and a digital booklet.

Nice, looking forward to it ! The full album is to be released in late August.

Digging a little deeper, here is the tracklist:

When I first listened to it, it took me back almost 10 years ago, to the high-shool years of rock (and roll). Giving the same feeling as the old heavy / speed metal bands like Metallica (first albums), Slayer, Motorhead and others were inspiring back then, the “Christ Illusion” album is one of the best Slayer produced in years.

The lyrics are also in the fashion of their most popular themes – religion, war and violence. Probably the album will not top their best so far, like Reign in Blood for example, but it is a remarkable album nonetheless, specially considering the longevity of the band – and Tom Araya still has that awesome screaming in his voice :)

As time has passed, I am sure I am not listening to Slayer the same way I used to, but hearing them play like in the early years certainly gives a nice impression and brings back some good memories.

The full album can be listened to (but not downloaded) on MySpace/Slayer. Also, here is a live performance of The Cult.

After playing all across Europe – including Romania - on their “Touring the Angel“, Depeche Mode want to keep their fans on that high mood and are planning to release a DVD with their Live in Milan performance.

The release date is announced as September 26 and the first trailer can be seen here.

There are about 30 tracks on the DVD, plus some additional ones on the CD comming in the package. Also, a 20 minutes documentary and press kits will be on the discs.

I mentioned in an earlier post how sometimes a song just sticks into your memory relating with a particular place, moment, person or feeling you experienced when first hearing it. It happened several times until now and I still have songs remained like post-its attached to moments far away in time.

Likewise, this weekend’s song has to be The Roots – The Seed 2.0, which I listen to few times just before leaving Vama Veche and just before a beautiful road-trip through Dobrogea. The song just has that kind of rhythm which makes you dance on a deserted beach, holding a bottle of rum :)

The video is here and the song to download here. Also, a lot of other live songs from the Roots available on www.therootslive.com.

I was just reading today that Meatloaf is preparing to “resurect the bat” and release the third part his well known opera, “Bat Out Of Hell”.

The first album was released in 1977 and immediately made him a star. The following part, “Bat Out Of Hell II”, was released in 1993 and the famous “I Woud Do Anything For Love” became an instant success in the UK and all over the world.

Now, 13 years after, he will release the third part, which is to appear in stores in October under the title “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose“.

The track listing will look like this:

1. The Monster Is Loose 
2. Blind As A Bat 
3. It’s All Coming Back To Me Now (Featuring Marion Raven) 
4. Bad For Good 
5. Cry Over Me 
6. Land Of The Pigs 
7. Monstro 
8. Alive 
9. If God Could Talk 
10. If It Ain’t Broke Break It 
11. What About Love 
12. Seize The Night 
13. The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be 
14. Cry To Heaven 

I know it can be frustrating when you turn on to a radio and you hear your favourite song….just ending.

Well, someone noticed some potential in this and developed Yes.com, a website which tells you what song is playing on the radio in this very moment. Also, it makes some rankings on the most played songs on each radio and it has a connection to iTunes, if you want to buy that song. Of course, it is only available for the US now, based on your zip code.

I think it might be a good idea, even though in Romania post people are listening the radio in their cars – so it’s quite hard to check the web in order to learn what is on every station. Plus, we have too few radio stations to be worth the effort.

Still, if this would be integrated with an alert system – receive an SMS alert when a song of your choice is playing on a station – it might turn up into a nice business model.

Even though I think his songs are somehow much too romanced for my taste, I must admit that “The Blower’s Daughter” is a nice song. So, for all you Damien Rice fans, the I Am Fuel, You Are Friends blog has some new and unreleased songs of the Irish guy [link].