Korn's <I>MTV Unplugged</I>
Photo: Virgin Records

Who needs Guns N' Roses when there's Korn, the Arcade Fire and even Notorious B.I.G. to fry up the record racks?

Axl and his motley crew were set to deliver their Chinese Democracy Tuesday (March 6), but if you actually bought that notion, shame on you for believing him for the umpteenth time. In lieu of Rose's failed Democracy, we're building a new one that endorses a set of new leaders — well, for this week, at least — and designing a newfangled Bill of Rights to boot. Care to vote in this new democracy? Just kindly hand over your ballot — i.e., money — to your favorite local record store cashier or online retail outlet.

Presidential? Sweet: That's right, sweet Korn — the band recently hushed down for "MTV Unplugged" and whipped out black masks, Jonathan Davis' handwritten lyrics and a few cover songs. The commanders in chief, who dressed rather stately for the affair, brought along some honorary cabinet members in Evanescence's Amy Lee and the Cure's Robert Smith. The collaborative performances with those artists will appear on the CD, as will Korn's take on the Radiohead hit "Creep," but don't expect to find the first part of the show — including "Thoughtless" and "Here to Stay" — represented. Apparently those documents are classified.

A Notorious Anniversary: Since it's a compilation, Notorious B.I.G.'s Greatest Hits gets vice-presidential honors this week. The album coincides with the 10th anniversary of his death and chalks up 15 classic cuts, along with two unreleased songs: "Running Your Mouth," which was produced by Soopafly, and "Want That Old Thing Back," co-produced by Diddy along with Stevie J. (DJ Kay Slay, Mariah Carey) and Jonathan "Jon Boy" Jordan.

Sunshine State: Foreign-born secretaries of state aren't unheard of — any Henry Kissinger fans out there? — and we can't think of a band that's been creating a better image abroad than the seven-person squad that is the Arcade Fire. This week the Canadian band steps up with its second album, Neon Bible, which doesn't look too favorably on religion, television and, if rumor has it right, Jessica Simpson. We bet Condi already has songs like "(Antichrist Television Blues)" and "My Body Is a Cage" in her iPod.

Garden State: This week's undersecretary of state honors would have to go to one Jonny Greenwood, the Radiohead guitarist who is reaching across the globe for Jonny Greenwood Is the Controller. Ever the diplomat, Greenwood culled the Trojan Records archives to cobble together vintage recordings by Lee "Scratch" Perry, Gregory Isaacs and other reggae greats. It took him six months to compile 17 tracks, so don't think for a second that this disc was a rush job.

Fun House: Ever heard someone talk about "Those Stooges in Congress"? Well this week there really are, as we nominate founding members Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton and drummer Scott Asheton to be the respective speaker, majority leader and majority whip for the House of Representatives. Sorry, newcomer bassist Mike Watt, we're going to have to relegate you to caucus head. Expect the newly elected class to show some raw power as it pushes through its first piece of legislation in 33 years: The Weirdness features such measures as "Greedy Awful People," "O Solo Mio" and "End of Christianity." No decorum please!

Staff Infection: Conor Oberst probably wouldn't be President Bush's first pick if he were to replace Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove, given the Bright Eyes singer's scathing rebuke of the commander in chief on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" in mid-2005. Still, Oberst has proven he is a productive, sagely fellow who has a plan for every occasion. In fact, Bright Eyes have their act so together that this week they're dropping a six-song EP, Four Winds, to warm up fans for next month's Cassadaga LP.

They'll Do Abramoff Proud: Who better to assign as chief lobbyists than Big Business? The band consists of just two guys — bassist/singer Jared Warren (Tight Bros. From Way Back When, Karp) and drummer Coady Willis (Murder City Devils) — but their huge, bottom-heavy sound is enough to intimidate even the most honest politicians into taking dirty money. As it turns out, the Northwest pair are actually in a patriotic mood these days: One of the songs on their new album, Here Come the Waterworks, is called "Another Fourth of July ... Ruined."

Now that we've filled up the higher offices, it's time to roll out our Bill of Rights:

First Amendment - Freedom of Speech, Freedom to Assemble: No one knows his right to free speech better than Dave Mustaine. His band Megadeth have cranked out the DVD "That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires" for your viewing pleasure — it includes such outspoken song titles as "Set the World Afire," "Symphony of Destruction" and "Peace Sells." As for the assembly part, Toronto's Apostles of Hustle say in a recent press release that their National Anthem of Nowhere album title means that "Everyone who feels they have no voice or can't be heard can suddenly be united." So there.

Second Amendment - Right to Bear Arms: Who better to uphold this amendment than metal mavens Alabama Thunderpussy and their aptly titled new album, Open Fire? With new singer Kyle Thomas in tow, the band — which is actually from Virginia — unloads with "Whiskey War," "Words of the Dying Man" and "Void of Harmony" (wonder what that one sounds like ...).

Third Amendment - Quartering of Troops: Citizens can't be forced to provide places for soldiers to set up camp, but Air probably had no problem letting Jarvis Cocker and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon crash at their pad for Pocket Symphony. The French duo apparently have lots of room at their digs, actually: enough to house the Far East classical instruments that appear throughout their new LP, at least.

Fourth Amendment - Search and Seizure: Son Volt are searching for something — as anyone who has remedial reading skills will be able to tell by the band's new album The Search. Jay Farrar and the gang dabbled in lots of nontraditional instrumentation — horns, loops, pedals and the like — and, suiting this week's theme, even add in some political commentary with the lyric "When war is profit and profit is war," on "The Picture."

Fifth Amendment - Double Jeopardy: No, we didn't make this up: Christian rockers Relient K actually have a new song called "Plead the Fifth," perfect for our theme this week. On that song and one other, "Deathbed," frontman Matt Thiessen takes the perspective of a man living in the 19th century and spouts a conspiracy theory about Lincoln's assassination. That proves the pop-punks have been flexing their political-history chops — although ol' Abe would probably suggest they subtract one from the five in their new album title, Five Score and Seven Years Ago.

Sixth Amendment - Speedy Trial: On the subject of speed, "Pace Yourself" is sure to be the highlight on the Higher's second album, On Fire — a version of the song that was remixed by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump caps off the LP. Other songs on the Las Vegas band's album include "Rock My Body," "Insurance?" and "Our Movie Rules."

Seventh Amendment - Trial by Jury: Defendants facing a prosecutor and jury probably often feel like it's Them Vs. You Vs. Me, the title Finger Eleven have concocted for their fourth opus. The Ontario modern-rockers are already winning over radio with the album's first track, "Paralyzer." The band, which is touring soon with Chevelle, also chips in "I'll Keep Your Memory Vague," "So-So Suicide" and "Sense of a Spark."

Eighth Amendment - Cruel and Unusual Punishment: Cleveland's Chimaira deliver the biggest heavy-metal wallop this week with their fourth effort, Resurrection — their first since being dropped by Roadrunner. For even more cruel punishment, pick up the limited-edition version: It contains a bonus DVD with an hour's worth of footage from the making of the album, and more.

Ninth Amendment - More Rights: Citizens aren't supposed to be denied their rights in a democracy — so who's to say Albert Hammond Jr. isn't allowed to step away from the Strokes? For his maiden solo release, the guitarist roped in Ben Kweller, Jody Porter (Fountains of Wayne) and Sean Lennon. Coincidentally, Australian psych quartet Wolf & Cub have a song called "Hammond" on their own debut album. For Vessels, the Queens of the Stone Age and TV on the Radio tourmates also come up with "March of Clouds," "Seeds of Doubt" and "Conundrum."

Tenth Amendment - Powers of States and People: RJD2 is giving the power to the people with his new affair, The Third Hand. For the effort — his first since leaving Definitive Jux — the alt/hip-hop guru broke each song into individual tracks and posted them on Imeem so fans can remix them.

And for good measure, one for the high court:

Roe v. Wade: We imagine Maryland death-metallers Dying Fetus have something to say about this Supreme Court ruling, but we'll let their new album, War of Attrition, do the screaming instead. Songs include "Homicidal Retribution," "Unadulterated Hatred" and "Parasites of Catastrophe."

Song Title of the Week:

"Beneath the Wings of the Black Vomit Above" from Furze's UTD: Beneath the Odd-Edge Sounds to the Twilight Contract of the Black Fascist/ The Wealth of the Penetration in the Abstract Paradigms of Satan

New Releases:

· !!! - Myth Takes (limited editions come with bonus CD; Warp)
· The 69 Eyes - Angels (enhanced; Caroline)
· Air - Pocket Symphony (enhanced; Astralwerks) [Buy Now]
· Alabama Thunderpussy - Open Fire (Relapse)
· Anat Fort/ Perry Robinson/ Ed Schuller/ Paul Motian - A Long Story (ECM)
· Ryland Angel - Ryland Angel (Manhattan)
· Antibalas - Security (digipak; Anti)
· Apostles of Hustle - National Anthem of Nowhere (Arts & Crafts)
· Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (deluxe edition with book also available; Merge) [Buy Now]
· Assembly of Dust - Recollection (Hybrid)
· Patti Austin - Avant Gershwin (Rendezvous)
· Big Business - Here Come the Waterworks (Hydra Head)
· Blackfield - Blackfield II (Atlantic)
· Bright Eyes - Four Winds (EP; Saddle Creek)
Read: "Bright Eyes Slim Down With Single LP, Fatten Up With Loads Of Collabos" [Buy Now]
· Victor Calderone - Evolve (Ultra)
· Cassette - Beautiful California (Atomisk)
· Mary Chapin Carpenter - The Calling (Zoë/Rounder)
· Michael Cashmore - Snow Abides (Durtro)
· Cheeseburger - Cheeseburger (Kemado)
· Chimaira - Resurrection (limited edition comes with DVD; Ferret)
· Combichrist - What the F--- Is Wrong With You People? (Metropolis)
· Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy (Nonesuch)
· Dawn of Man - In the Bronze Age (EP; Postfact)
· Dying Fetus - War of Attrition (Relapse)
· Emmure - Goodbye to the Gallows (Victory)
· Finger Eleven - Them Vs. You Vs. Me (Wind-Up)
Read: "Finger Eleven Take The Gloves Off For Them Vs. You Vs. Me"
· Fulton Lights - Fulton Lights (Android Eats)
· Giorgia Fumanti - From My Heart (Manhattan)
· Furze - UTD: Beneath the Odd-Edge Sounds to the Twilight Contract of the Black Fascist/ The Wealth of the Penetration in the Abstract Paradigms of Satan (Candlelight)
· Golden Ball - The Antique Barking Swirls of Dawn (Honeymoon)
· Jeff Golub - Grand Central (Narada)
· Green Pitch - Ace of Hearts (Funzalo)
· Greencards - Viridian (Dualtone)
· Gruff Rhys - Candylion (Team Love)
· Albert Hammond Jr. - Yours to Keep (enhanced; New Line)
· The Higher - On Fire (Epitaph)
· Illinois - What the Hell Do I Know? (Ace Fu)
· Infernaeon - A Symphony of Suffering (Prosthetic)
· Joseph Israel - Gone Are the Days (New Door)
· Seu Jorge - Live at Montreux 2005 (Eagle Rock)
· Korn - MTV Unplugged (Virgin) [Buy Now]
Read: "Korn Quiet Down With The Cure, Amy Lee For 'MTV Unplugged' "
· Lanu - This Is My Home (Ubiquity)
· The Last Town Chorus - Wire Waltz (digipak; Hacktone)
· James Livingston - Fat Fingers (Helical)
· Lovedrug - Everything Starts Where It Ends (digipak; The Militia Group)
· Vusi Mahlasela - Guiding Star (ATO)
· Wynton Marsalis - From the Plantation to the Penitentiary (Blue Note) [Buy Now]
· Willy Mason - If the Ocean Gets Rough (Astralwerks)
· Moaners - Blackwing Yalobusha (Yep Roc)
· Shannon Moore - Evaporate (Water)
· MrNorth - Fear and Desire (Rock Ridge)
· No More Kings - No More Kings (digipak; Astonish)
· Onslaught - Killing Peace (Candlelight)
· Pantaleimon - Cloudburst (EP; Durtro)
· Paulson - All at Once (Doghouse)
· The Photo Atlas - No, Not Me, Never (Stolen Transmission)
· Kristoffer Ragnstam - Sweet Bills (Bluhammock)
· Relient K - Five Score and Seven Years Ago (Capitol) [Buy Now]
Read: "Relient K Pump Serious Rock, Sugary Pop In The Tank For Upcoming LP"
· Jeremy Riddle - Full Attention (Word)
· RJD2 - The Third Hand (XL Recordings) [Buy Now]
· Sasha & Shawna - Siren (Manhattan)
· Savoy Brown - Steel (Blue Wave)
· Sevendust - Alpha (7Bros/Asylum) [Buy Now]
· Shaw Blades - Influence (VH1 Classics)
· Siberian - Hey Celestial (EP; Sonic Boom)
· Son Volt - The Search (Legacy) [Buy Now]
· The Stooges - The Weirdness (Virgin) [Buy Now]
Read: "Iggy Pop, Stooges Complete First Studio LP In 33 Years"
· Sunny Sweeney - Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame (Big Machine)
· Kelly Sweet - We Are One (Razor & Tie)
· Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower (Saddle Creek)
· This Moment - Star Parallel (enhanced; Uprising) · Twisted Black - Street Fame (TVT)
· Kenny Werner - Lawn Chair Society (Blue Note)
· Wolf & Cub - Vessels (digipak; 4AD)
· Various artists - Jonny Greenwood Is the Controller (Trojan)
· Various artists - "300" soundtrack (special-edition digipak also available; Warner Bros.)
· Various artists - "The Namesake" soundtrack (Rounder)
· Various artists - "Stomp the Yard" soundtrack (Adrenaline)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material: · Gary Allan - Greatest Hits (MCA Nashville)
· Johnny Cash - Cash: Ultimate Gospel (Columbia/Legacy)
· John Coltrane - Giant Steps (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Doobie Brothers - Toulouse Street (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Grateful Dead - American Beauty (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· George Jones - 40 Years of Duets (Time Life)
· KMFDM - Nihil and Xtort (Metropolis)
· Love - Forever Changes (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Joni Mitchell - Blue (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Notorious B.I.G. - Greatest Hits (Bad Boy) [Buy Now]
· Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy (Jagjaguwar)
· Revolting Co--s - Cocktail Mixxx (digipak; Megaforce)
· Billy Joe Shaver - Greatest Hits (Compadre)
· Duncan Sheik - Brighter: A Duncan Sheik Collection (Rhino)
· Paul Simon - Graceland (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· The Stooges - Fun House (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Television - Marquee Moon (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Totimoshi - Ladrón (Volcom)
· Yes - Close to the Edge (mini-LP CD replica; Rhino)
· Various artists - Hightone Records Anthology: Rockin' From the Roots (Time Life)

Music DVDs:

· Canned Heat - "Live at Montreux 1973"/ "Boogie With Canned Heat: The Canned Heat Story" (Eagle Vision)
· Dixie Dregs - "Live at Montreux 1978" (Eagle Vision)
· Fats Domino - "Fats & Friends" (Time Life)
· Jerry Lee Lewis - "Last Man Standing Live" (Artists First/ Shangri-La Entertainment)
· Megadeth - "That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires" (Image Entertainment)
· The Steve Morse Band - "Live in Baden-Baden Germany March 1990" (Eagle Vision)
· Elvis Presley - "Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert - 'Live' From Memphis" and the two-DVD "He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley" (Spring House)
· Various artists - "Screaming Masterpiece" (Milan)

Coming Attractions:

March 13:
· Gillie Da Kid - The Best of the GDK Mixtapes (Babygrande)
· Lloyd - Street Love (Motown) [Preorder]
· Musiq - Luvanmusiq (Atlantic) [Preorder]

March 20:
· C-Murder - Screamin' 4 Vengeance (Capitol) [Preorder]
· Decemberists - "A Practical Handbook" DVD (Kill Rock Stars)
· LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (Capitol) [Preorder]
· Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Epic) [Preorder]
· Young Buck - Buck the World (Interscope) [Preorder]

March 27:
· Good Charlotte - Good Morning Revival (Epic) [Preorder]
Read: "Good Charlotte Don Their Dance Shoes For Feel-Good Revival"
· Jennifer Lopez - Como Ama Una Mujer (Epic) [Preorder]
Read: "Jennifer Lopez Says New Single Came From Marc Anthony's Dream"
· Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Ch-- (Koch) [Preorder]

• Korn
• Notorious B.I.G.
• Arcade Fire
• Relient K
• !!!

Look out below as Twista unleashes his Kamikaze this week. In less reckless new-releases news, Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams drops her second solo album, Do You Know, and the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews Band, P.O.D., Creed and Nickelback prove they're Committed 2 Rock on this "positive music" compilation.

Stereolab's 10th full-length album, Margerine Eclipse, sticks to the group's tried-and-true sound despite the absence of singer Mary Hansen, who was killed in 2002 (see "Stereolab Singer Killed After Being Struck By Car" ). The song "Feel and Triple" is a tribute to her.

For a change of mood, check out Voodoo Child, otherwise known as Moby, and his Baby Monkey, a straightforward dance album inspired by a party Moby attended in an abandoned railway tunnel in Glasgow, Scotland.

For the generally morose Elbow, it takes a Cast of Thousands to help them lighten up a bit. Meanwhile, another downer band, Starsailor, reveal that Silence Is Easy.

Finally, Air's two-disc set, Talkie Walkie, co-produced by Nigel Godrich, features the group's usual dreamy fare plus some instrumentals, including "Alone in Kyoto," which appeared in "Lost in Translation." 10-4. Over and out.

Out Tuesday, January 27:

• 10,000 Maniacs - Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings (Elektra)
• Against All Authority - Live at the Fireside Bowl (Liberation)
• Air - Talkie Walkie (Astralwerks)
• A. Skillz & Krafty Kuts - Tricka Technology (Finger Lickin')
• Bayside - Sirens and Condolences (Victory)
• Cheryl Bentyne - Talk of the Town (Telarc Jazz)
• John Berry - I Give My Heart (Clear Sky)
• Blueridge - Side by Side (Sugar Hill)
• Greg Brown - Honey in the Lion's Head (Trailer)
• Chemlab - Oxidizer (Invisible)
• Bradley Cole -In Our Time (Nomadic)
• The Cure - Join the Dots: B-sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (Elektra)
• Felix Cutillo - Visage II (Europa Pop)
• Jon Delerious - No Warning (Nordic Trax)
• Discordance Axis - Jou Hou (Hydra Head)
• DJ Cam and Tassel & Naturel - Fillet of Soul (Inflamable)
• Dave Douglas - Strange Liberation (Bluebird)
• Down to the Bone - Cellar Funk (Narada)
• Drugmoney - MTN CTY JNK (Hybrid)
• Elbow - Cast of Thousands (V2)
• Darren Emerson & Mutiny - Underwater Episode 2 (Underwater)
• Emery - The Weak's End (Tooth & Nail)
• Fantômas - Delirium Cordia (Ipecac)
• The Flatlanders - Wheels of Fortune (New West)
• Front Line Assembly - Total Terror (Cleopatra)
• Marvin Gaye - Concert Anthology (Cleopatra)
• Gentle Giant - Playing the Cleveland (United States Dist.)
• Ghost - Hypnotic Underworld (Drag City)
• Gorerotted - Only Tools and Corpses (Metal Blade)
• Hammerfall - One Crimson Night (Nuclear Blast)
• J Majik - Fabric Live 13 (Fabric)
• Jay-J - Loveslapped Vol. 3 (Loveslap!)
• The Kiss of Death - Kiss of Death (Tribunal)
• Leahy - In All Things (Narada Jazz)
• Lil' C-Style - Blacc Balled (Rumm)
• Long Since Forgotten - Standing Room Only (Rocketstar)
• The Love Project - The Love Project (Narada)
• Meat Beat Manifesto - In Dub (:\ run)
• James Moody - Homage (Savoy Jazz)
• No Motiv - Daylight Breaking (Vagrant)
• Nodesha - Nodesha (Arista)
• The Notwist - Different Cars and Trains (Domino)
• Organic Infest - Way to Temptation (Crash Music)
• Pig Destroyer - Splits Collection (Robotic Empire)
• Poster Children - No More Songs About Sleep and Fire (Hidden Agenda)
• Premonitions of War - Life in Kowloon (Victory)
• Pyrexia - Cruelty Beyond Submission (Crash Music)
• RBX - Ripp Tha Game Bloody (Street Muzic)
• Remembering Never - Women and Children Die First (Ferret)
• Rosana - Marca Registrada (Universal Latino)
• Katy Rose - Because I Can (V2)
• Roy - Big City Sin and Small Town Redemption (Fueled by Ramen)
• Dani Siciliano - Dani Siciliano Likes (¡K7)
• Mindy Smith - One Moment More (Vanguard)
• Southern Culture on the Skids - Mojo Box (Yep Roc)
• Stampin' Ground - A New Darkness Upon Us (Century Media)
• Starsailor - Silence Is Easy (Capitol)
• Stasis - Past Movements (Peacefrog)
• Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse (Elektra)
• Symphorce - Twice Second (Metal Blade)
• Tarbox Ramblers - A Fix Back East (Rounder)
• Telefon Tel Aviv - Map of What Is Effortless (Hefty)
• Tenki - View of an Orbiting Man (Future Appletree)
• Throbbing Gristle - TG+ (Mute)
• Tiamat - Prey (Century Media)
• Ron Trent - Abstract Afro Journey (King Street Sounds)
• Trio Eléctrico - Echo Porcours (Stereo Deluxe)
• Twista - Kamikaze (Atlantic)
• Vesania - Firefrost Arcanum (Crash Music)
• Voodoo Child (a.k.a. Moby) - Baby Monkey (V2)
  Read: "Moby Goes Ape On Voodoo Child Techno Release"
• Weird War - If You Can't Beat 'Em, Bite 'Em (Drag City)
• Michael Whalen - From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds (Valley Entertainment)
• Michelle Williams - Do You Know (Music World)
• The Working Title - Everyone Here Is Wrong (R2)
• Yes - Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection (Rhino)
• Z-Man - Dope or Dogfood (Refill/Hiero Imperium)
• Various artists - City of God Remixed, Volume II (:\ run)
• Various artists - Committed 2 Rock (Time Life)
• Various artists - Deep Sensations (Sunswept)
• Various artists - Desert Grooves (Water Music)
• Various artists - Disneymania 2 (Walt Disney)
• Various artists - Favela Chic Postanove 3 (Milan)
• Various artists - Pedro Almodovar: Talk to Her - Viva Tristeza (Milan)
• Various artists - Smooth Sax Tribute to Stevie Wonder (Tribute Sounds)
• Various artists - "The Triplets of Belleville" soundtrack (Higher Octave)
• DVD: Celia Cruz Azúcar! (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: Dr. Chesky's Magnificent, Fabulous, Absurd & Insane Musical 5.1 Surround Show (Chesky)
• DVD: C-Murder - Straight From the Projects: Rappers That Live the Lyrics (Image Entertainment)
• DVD: Paul Oakenfold - A Voyage Into Trance (Hypnotic)

February 3:

• Five for Fighting - The Battle for Everything (Sony)
• Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder (Sony) Read: "Incubus Experiment With New Sounds On Crow Left Of The Murder"
• TLC - Now and Forever (La Face) Read: "TLC Hits Album To Feature Lil Jon, Unreleased Left Eye Track"

• Norah Jones - Feels Like Home (Blue Note) Read:"Norah Jones Returns Home With New Album"
• Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Virgin)
• Kylie Minogue - Body Language (Capitol)
• Various artists - "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" soundtrack (Capitol)

• Twista
• Michelle Williams
• Katy Rose
• Stereolab
• Voodoo Child

Air
Photo: Jason Campbell

No one will ever accuse Frenchmen Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel of being airheads. The duo, collectively known as Air, have released some of the most evocative and atmospheric electronic music in the past decade, and this year they'll continue to expand their artistry with two new albums.

The first, City Reading (Tre Storie Western), will be both airy and literary. The record, which comes out March 25, is a music-and-spoken-word rendition of Italian writer Alessandro Baricco's novel "City," about a young mathematical genius with a vivid fantasy life.

The production was birthed last summer when Baricco invited Air to perform live while he read excerpts from his book. The show premiered in November at the Teatro Valle in Rome, and met with such critical acclaim that the two decided to translate the project into an album.

For the disc, Air recorded over an hour of new instrumentals, which were mixed by Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, and combined with Baricco's readings. The track list will consist of three pieces, "La Putana di Closing Town," "Caccia All'uomo" and "Bird."

City Reading will mark the second time the group has written music for someone else's artistic endeavor. In 1999, Air created the dark, drifty score for Sofia Coppola's directorial debut, "The Virgin Suicides."

Air are currently in the studio working on more new material, and plan to release the follow-up to their 2001 album, 10,000 Hz Legend, before the end of the year.

• Air

Lil' Bow Wow is doing double duty behind the camera this week. Currently filming the movie "Like Mike" in Los Angeles, the rap pup will shoot the video for his next single, "Take Ya Home," out there on Tuesday. ... Dru Hill are at the halfway point in recording their third album. Woody, who left the group after its last LP to pursue gospel music, has returned to the fold. ... Metallica singer/guitarist James Hetfield and his wife, Francesca, welcomed their third child, daughter Marcella Francesca, into their family earlier this month. ... Kelly Price has been working with producers Warryn Campbell and Stevie J. on her next LP, Priceless, which is expected in June, with a first single due this spring. Among Price's guests in the studio are Faith Evans, Yolanda Adams and Raphael Saadiq. ...

Justin Timberlake, Brian McKnight and Jamie Foxx will join hoops stars and legends (including Earvin "Magic" Johnson) in the inaugural 989 Sports' All-Star Hoop-It-Up tournament. The games, which will put a celebrity, an NBA star, a WNBA star and an NBA legend on each team, will be held at the First Union Center in Philadelphia on February 9 during the NBA's All-Star Weekend. ... Björk is the first artist confirmed to play the third incarnation of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which will take place April 27 at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California, according to a spokesperson for the singer. Last year's festival featured Jane's Addiction, Weezer and the Roots. ... Jessica Simpson will speak to young women about inner strength as one of the "Cheerleaders of Life" at the sixth annual NFL Super Bowl Cheerleading Spirit Clinic Saturday afternoon at the Louisiana Superdome. Lesslee Fitzmorris, choreographer of the Super Bowl Pregame Show, will teach more than 1,000 attendees football fundamentals and cheering skills. ...

Macy Gray is the latest artist tapped to perform at next month's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, joining previously announced artists Dave Matthews Band, Foo Fighters and Creed as part of the Hallmark Olympic Celebration Concert Series, which runs from February 8-24. The raspy-voiced singer's set is slated for February 12, and more artists are expected to be announced in the days leading up to the event. ... Lo-Fidelity Allstars will release Don't Be Afraid of Love on March 5. The LP, which features a guest appearance by former Afghan Whig Greg Dulli, is their studio follow-up to 1999's How to Operate With a Blown Mind, which spawned the dance hit "Battle Flag." ... Ministry of Sound, one of the U.K.'s premier electronic music brands, is the latest to join the chillout fray with the release of the double-disc The Chillout Session on February 5. Soothing tunes from Radiohead (a rare Zero 7 remix of "Climbing Up the Walls"), Massive Attack, Air, Badly Drawn Boy, Sigur Rós and Underworld are included on the 29-track compilation. ...

01.25.02

P. Diddy will shoot the video for his next single, a remix of "Roll With Me," with director Benny Boom next week in New York. Boom also directed the clip for "Got Ur Self A ..." by Nas. ... Adema and Earshot will accompany Alien Ant Farm, Fenix TX and Glassjaw on the SnoCore Rock Tour, which kicks off February 15 in Providence, Rhode Island. Adema will join the outing on March 1; Local H have been added to the first three dates. ... The Goodie Mob's Cee-Lo will release his debut solo album, Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, on April 2. The first single and video from Cee-Lo, who is also a member of the Atlanta hip-hop collective the Dungeon Family, is "Closet Freak." ...

Hopefully the Spice Girls invested their fortune well, because they may have to fork over as much as $1.5 million to motor scooter company Aprilia. Three judges in a London Court of Appeal declared the ladies were guilty of misrepresentation for not telling the company of Geri Halliwell's plans to leave the group when they signed a sponsorship deal with the company. ... Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Toné! and Lucy Pearl will drop his solo debut, Instant Vintage, on May 28. D'Angelo guests on the album's first single, "Be Here," and will also appear in the video, which Saadiq will direct. ... Former Powerman 5000 bassist Dorian Heartsong (a.k.a. Dorian 27), who left the group in November under amicable circumstances, has resurfaced as the bass player for rock combo Flying Tigers. The band's self-titled debut will come out April 16. ...

Fresh off a tour with Sum41, Unwritten Law will kick off a headlining jaunt on February 12 in Tallahassee, Florida. The outing will support their fourth album, Elva, which hits stores on Tuesday. ... Rare tracks by Gallic acts such as Daft Punk, Air and Cassius will be released March 5 on My House in Montmartre. Highlights include Dimitri From Paris' remix of Alex Gopher's "Party People," Etienne de Crecy's remix of Air's "Modular Mix" and the Stardust favorite "Music Sounds Better With You." ... Also due March 5 is the self-titled debut album from Playgroup, the latest project from British producer and U2/Massive Attack remixer Trevor Jackson (a.k.a. the Underdog). Among the album's peculiar guests are Scottish artist Edwyn Collins, original riot grrrl Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre), Lucy Pearl singer Joi, and dancehall vocalist Shinehead on a cover of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover."

• Bow Wow
• Metallica
• Macy Gray
• Diddy
• Foo Fighters

Sigur Rós
Photo: Fatcat Records

HOLLYWOOD — Sigur Rós' voyage from Iceland to sunny California to perform at the Shortlist concert Monday proved worthwhile, as the dreamy rock quartet was awarded the evening's namesake prize.

The Virgin Megastore Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music, as it is formally known, was given to Sigur Rós along with $10,000 and a $10,000 donation to a September 11 relief charity in the band's name.

Sigur Rós, whose name means "Victory Rose" in Icelandic, claimed the trophy at the end of an eclectic concert at the Knitting Factory that included performances from them and fellow nominees Nikka Costa, the Dandy Warhols and Talib Kweli.

Videos from the other Shortlist Prize nominees — Ryan Adams, Air, Bilal, PJ Harvey, Gorillaz and Jay Dee — were shown throughout the evening, while the organizers encouraged the capacity crowd to check out all of the contenders. The nominees, whose albums qualified by having sold fewer than 500,000 copies, were narrowed in late summer from a list of 80.

Sigur Rós, whose powerful performance found lead singer Jon Thor Birgisson struck with so much emotion he turned his back to the audience and sat down on the stage for a song, was the clear favorite of the audience, which included many of the panel members who decided the winner earlier that evening at a private dinner debate.

Beck, who introduced the group with producer Ross Robinson, watched intensely from the balcony. Robinson declared that his favorite going into the voting dinner came out victorious. "They are like one of those leaf blowers that can come in and blow away all the garbage," he said.

Other panelists present at Monday's concert included the Roots' ?uestlove, Mos Def, Macy Gray, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, producer Steve Lillywhite and other insiders and music journalists. Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor and Lucinda Williams also submitted votes, though they could not make the event, according to organizers.

"We were politically correct for at least 95 percent of the proceedings, then when it came down to crunch time, there was more pugilism," ?uestlove said. "[The Short List] is necessary. It's bringing light into the world."

Music industry veterans Greg Spotts and Tom Sarig, who founded the Shortlist Prize earlier this year (see "Beck, Dave Grohl, Others To Recognize Best Non-Hit Album"), said the voting was so close they nearly called it a tie. Although they did not reveal who came in second, ?uestlove hinted it was Talib Kweli, who ignited the crowd by bringing Mos Def on stage for an impromptu Black Star reunion.

Other concert highlights included Costa's "unplugged," hit-laden set, and surprise acoustic opening performances by David Poe and Julia Fordham.

The Shortlist Music Prize is the first of many annual award events, according to organizers. Next up will be the Shortlist Fiction Project in early 2002.

Sigur Rós' winning album, Ágætis Byrjun , which translates from Icelandic to English as "A Nice Beginning," was recorded in 1998, though was not released in the U.S. until May (see "Sigur Ros Get 'Nice Beginning' In U.S.").

• Sigur Rós
• Talib Kweli
• Gorillaz
• Nikka Costa
• Ryan Adams

PJ Harvey
Photo: Jason Campbell for MTV.com

PJ Harvey, Gorillaz and Nikka Costa are among the 10 finalists for the newly minted Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement in Music.

The artists and their albums — Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea, Gorillaz and Everybody Got Their Something, respectively — were selected by a panel of "Listmakers" that includes Beck, Trent Reznor, Dave Grohl and Mos Def, as well as music journalists and producers.

The Shortlist's shortlist was announced Wednesday at the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills, California, during a broadcast of Listmaker Nic Harcourt's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" radio program on 89.9 KCRW-FM, according to an award spokesperson. It was followed by a panel discussion that featured Listmakers Macy Gray and ?uestlove of the Roots.

Other artists competing for the honor and a $10,000 cash prize are Air (10,000 Hz Legend), Bilal (1st Born Second), Dandy Warhols (Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia), Jay Dee (Welcome To Detroit), Ryan Adams (Heartbreaker), Sigur Rós (Ágætis Byrjun) and Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek (Reflection Eternal).

The winner will be awarded at a concert and party in Los Angeles later this fall.

The Shortlist Prize was created to honor creative and adventurous albums regardless of genre, much like the U.K.'s Mercury Music Prize, which this year went to PJ Harvey (see "PJ Harvey Wins U.K.'s Mercury Music Prize At Worst Possible Time").

Only albums released in the U.S. after July 2000 that have not sold more than 500,000 copies at the time of their nomination were eligible, keeping with the founders' intent to focus on emerging artists rather than established superstars. In July and August, 15 Listmakers selected up to five LPs each for a "longlist" of 49 prospective albums, which was then narrowed down in September (see ).

Shortlist sponsor Virgin Megastore, in addition to providing the cash prize, will make a significant contribution in the winner's name to victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The finalists were originally to be announced September 14 in New York as part of the New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend Lecture Series, but the event was postponed and relocated following the attacks.

For feature interviews with Gorillaz, Bilal, Nikka Costa and the Dandy Warhols, check out "Gorillaz: In The Cage," "Bilal: Behind The Shades," "Nikka Costa: 7 Questions With Nikka Costa" and

• PJ Harvey
• Gorillaz
• Nikka Costa
• Air
• Beck

Air
Photo: Mike Mills

Mystery will be in the Air when the French electronic-pop duo launches a 16-date North American tour on June 14.

"It will be sort of a mysterious darkness on stage," Air's Jean-Benoît Dunckel said. "We really want to have a huge volume, with a precise mix. It will be for people who like to smoke some spliffs." Air, which includes Nicolas Godin sharing keyboard, guitar and vocal duties with Dunckel, will be backed on the tour by ex-Jellyfish singer and bassist Jason Falkner, ex-Redd Kross drummer Brian Reitzell and keyboardist James Rotundi. The duo will also play several Canadian shows as part of the tour, but those dates haven't been confirmed yet. Reitzell, who toured with Air on their 1999 jaunt in support of their acclaimed debut, Moon Safari (1998), and recorded with the duo on their score to the 2000 film "The Virgin Suicides," also plays drums on Air's second studio album, 10,000 Hz. Legend, which is due May 29. He joins Falkner, Beck, who provides vocals on two songs, and Sugar and Yumiko of Buffalo Daughter as contributors on the album, which Dunckel called "simple, sober and very well-built" (see "Air Find Power In Messing With Beauty On Second Album").

"When we play some instruments or keyboards, we feel it," Dunckel said. "It's like acting or something. [We take on] the personality of the song when we record. We look normal, but when we are recording or when we do some music, we are completely under a certain kind of charm, like a spell." Opening for Air on the tour will be fellow Parisian Sebastien Tellier, an innovative singer-songwriter whose debut, L'Incroyable Verité, will be released June 12 in the United States on Record Makers, Air's record label.

Air U.S. tour dates, according to their publicist:

• 6/14 - Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Live
• 6/15 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
• 6/18 - Atlanta, GA @ Earthlink Live Center Stage
• 6/19 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
• 6/21 - New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
• 6/23 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
• 6/24 - Boston, MA @ Avalon
• 6/28 - Pontiac, MI @ Clutch Cargo
• 6/30 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
• 7/1 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
• 7/3 - Denver, CO @ Ogden
• 7/7 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox
• 7/9 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
• 7/10 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
• 7/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theatre
• 7/12 - Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theatre

• Air

Air
Photo: Mike Mills

Marking a return to earth from their 1998 Moon Safari, the latest album by the French pop duo Air, 10,000 Hz. Legend, is short on the sweetness and light that defined their debut.

For Air's Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, the new album, due May 29 on Astralwerks, was first and foremost an opportunity to produce a swath of new moody but melodically gorgeous tunes. But, they explained, it was also a conscious effort to shed their reputation as musical softies.

"We wanted to have something simple, sober and very well-built, but at the same time to increase the originality," Dunckel, 31, said in a high-pitched thick French accent. "We wanted to f--- it up by adding some dirty electronic sounds and very weird things to make it nasty and special. Because, you know, sometimes we said a little bit too much nice ... sometimes the beauty has to be f---ed up to increase its power." The warm analog coziness of Moon Safari is still in effect on 10,000 Hz., only now it's haunted by a specter of dark emotion and irony, continuing down the spooky path begun by Air's score to last year's film "The Virgin Suicides." The juxtaposition of electronic and organic instruments, especially guitar, and vocals is particularly effective.

"For this album, we had some main ideas," Dunckel said. "We wanted to make a modern LP, and we wanted to mix computer and strange digital effects with the pure sound of an acoustic guitar. That's it." The eccentrically majestic pop tune "Radio #1" is as good a reference point as any for the album structure-wise, blending electronic gear, like drum machines and synthesizers, with acoustic guitar and backing vocals from past Air collaborator Jason Falkner (a former guitarist for Jellyfish). Likely to be the first radio single, it's the record's "Kelly Watch the Stars," if it can be said to have one.

"If we could imagine our own radio, we would play that kind of song," said Godin, who is also 31.

The song's video will be directed by the French team Alex & Martin, who designed the innovative punch-out cover of Air's Premiers Symptomes singles compilation, which was reissued last year, and who also created the robot costumes for fellow Parisians Daft Punk's recent press campaign.

Beck makes two appearances on 10,000 Hz. Legend, one of which is far more recognizable than the other. He recites an abstract poem amongst a swirl of brooding textures on "Don't Be Light," but he's at the forefront of "The Vagabond," a song about searching that features harmonica and a hand-clap chorus — a move that could be viewed as predictable.

Godin said the duo couldn't resist. "When we hear Beck's voice we hear hand claps. It's a Pavlovian reflex." In addition to the second release on their Record Makers label (the "Virgin Suicides" score was the first), a solo album by French singer/songwriter Sebastian Tellier, the duo will launch a world tour in June, beginning with a month of dates in the United States and Canada.

"We really want to have a huge volume, with a precise mix, in the darkness and mysterious," Dunckel said of their plans for the tour. "It will be for people who like to smoke some spliffs."

• Air

Fatboy Slim
Photo: MTV News

Previously unreleased songs by Fatboy Slim, Photek and Future Sound of London will be included on Rarewerks, a compilation of rare material on the dance-music label Astralwerks which is due January 23.

Rarewerks is the first in a series of collections Astralwerks plans to release highlighting rare and unreleased tracks from its artists' catalog. Among the other tracks, nearly all of which are gaining their first American release, are a Massive Attack trip-hop remix of Primal Scream's "Exterminator," from their 2000 album XTRMNTR, a Brendan Lynch remix of Air's "Casanova 70," from their 1997 debut EP Premiers Symptomes, and David Morales' "Latin Dub" remix of Basement Jaxx's "Bingo Bango," from their '99 LP Remedy. Sasha's extended trance remix of the Chemical Brothers' "Out of Control" will be released commercially for the first time on Rarewerks. The Fatboy Slim track, "How Can You Hear Us?," was recorded during the sessions for his 1998 album You've Come A Long Way, Baby, and was set to be included on the Amp 2 compilation, but "The Rockafeller Skank" took its place on the U.S. release for contractual reasons; "How Can You Hear Us?" remained on the album in the rest of the world. Also featured is the now-deleted Beta Band cut "To You Alone," a limited-edition single recorded by the Scottish quartet after the release of their full-length debut. "Live in New York" is the first release by the pioneering duo Future Sound of London since their 1996 album, Dead Cities. The track originally appeared on an advance sampler for their landmark 1995 double album ISDN, but wasn't found on its final version and will be available commercially for the first time on Rarewerks. Other notable tracks include a Groove Armada remix of Q-Burns Abstract Message's "Feng Shui" and French duo Cassius' remix of their own song "Foxxy."

• Fatboy Slim
• The Chemical Brothers
• Air
• Primal Scream

Having wrapped a series of dates opening for Neil Young over the weekend, Beck is turning his attention toward a variety of music and TV-related projects, including a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of the animated FOX series "Futurama."

Beck has already taped the voice-over for "Futurama," making him the second contemporary musical act to get "drawn in" to the show, the brainchild of "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening.

Last year, the Beastie Boys lent their likenesses and voices to an episode of "Futurama" titled "Hell Is For Robots" that began with the hip-hop trio's concert at "Madison Cube Garden" (see "The Beastie Boys Get Animated For 'Futurama'").

It apparently took a bit of persuading for Beck to get into the "Futurama" groove, as the avant garde singer-songwriter originally turned down the producers' offer to appear on the show, according to a source close to Beck.

No word yet on when Beck's guest appearance on "Futurama" will air, although the series' third season is currently scheduled to premiere on November 5.

In addition to the TV voice-over, Beck has also contributed to a pair of tracks on the new album by French pop outfit Air. Beck previously worked with Air on a remix to the group's "Sexy Boy" single.

The new Air record is tentatively due out next spring and comes on the heels of the band's original score for the film "The Virgin Suicides," an album that has already sold more than 72,000 copies since being released in February.

As for Beck, he recently teamed up with Timbaland to cut a cover of David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" for the soundtrack to the Baz Luhrmann-directed film "Moulin Rouge" (see "Beck, Fatboy Slim, Ozzy Among 'Moulin Rouge' Oddities").

Beck will also join Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, and the Dave Matthews Band in Mountain View, California on October 28 and 29 for the fourteenth annual Bridge School Benefit concerts (see "Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews To Play Bridge School Benefit").

Beck plans to warm up for the charity gig with a two-night acoustic stand at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, California on October 24 and 25.

• Air
• Beck

2004 Coachella Valley Music Festival

• The Pixies
• Beck
• Howie Day
• The Distillers
• Kinky

Air Photos

• Air