Morningwood

Mary J. Blige Outfoxes Jamie, Recovers Billboard Crown

18 Jan 2006 09:22:00 EST

Blige and Foxx trade places as Carrie Underwood and Eminem hang in the top five.
By Chris Harris

Mary J. Blige's The Breakthrough
Photo: Geffen

Since the release of Mary J. Blige's latest offering, The Breakthrough, and Jamie Foxx's second studio LP, Unpredictable, the two R&B artists have waged a fierce battle for the coveted top spot on Billboard's albums chart.

According to the latest SoundScan figures, sales of just over 118,000 copies secured Mary J.'s The Breakthrough a week-four coup, dropping Foxx's Unpredictable to #2. Foxx's LP sold over 103,000 copies, nudging total sales of the album past the 1 million mark. Blige previously bested the Oscar-winning actor in the first round by a 130,000-copies-sold margin, but Foxx turned the corner and took back-to-back #1s during weeks two and three.

Blige and Foxx's Billboard tussle has had its fair share of spectators, but none have had what it takes to intervene. The Breakthrough and Unpredictable were the only two albums on this week's Top 200 to crack 100,000 scans. The closest challenger to the Blige/ Foxx reign was America's newest "Idol," Carrie Underwood. Her debut, Some Hearts, climbs two chart positions this week to finish third with 77,000 copies sold. Newlywed Eminem's Curtain Call: The Hits slips one spot to #4 with 76,000 copies flying off shelves. And Notorious B.I.G.'s Duets: The Final Chapter jumps from #7 to #5 with just over 52,000 sales.

The usual suspects round out Billboard's Top 10: Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi holds the chart's #6 slot with 50,000 copies sold; Nickelback's All the Right Reasons follows at #7 with sales nearing 48,000; Chris Brown's self-titled debut surges four spots to #8 with just under 47,000 scans; Black Eyed Peas spend a third-straight week at #9 with sales of 40,000 and change for their Monkey Business; and the career-spanning The Legend of Johnny Cash collection claims this week's #10 with nearly 40,000 discs sold.

Sales of the Strokes' First Impressions of Earth plunged 65 percent its second week in stores. The New York band's third LP slipped from #4 to #18 with 31,000 copies sold.

It wasn't the most remarkable week for debuts, but several newcomers did manage to infiltrate Billboard's latest albums chart. Orange County, California, hardcore act Bleeding Through's The Truth was the highest-charting of this week's newcomers, finishing at #48 with sales of 17,000 plus. The self-titled debut from New York rockers Morningwood opens at #102 with close to 9,000 scans. The soundtrack to "Underworld: Evolution," which features contributions from My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights, Slipknot and Alkaline Trio, follows at #106 with over 8,000 copies sold. And the soundtrack to the Disney Channel Film "High School Musical," featuring a bonus track from B5, debuts at #143 with 6,500 copies sold.

Check out the feature "Throwback With Mary J. Blige" for more on Blige's musical Breakthrough.

Head to on Overdrive to get up close and personal with Mr. Unpredictable.

Related Artists

New Releases: Hawthorne Heights, We Are Scientists, Morningwood, Sharissa

9 Jan 2006 08:44:00 EST

Also due Tuesday is the 'Underworld: Evolution' soundtrack and albums by Bleeding Through and BR5-49.
By Kurt Orzeck

Hawthorne Heights' This Is Who We Are
Photo: Victory Records

Reaching New Heights: They've rammed a couple songs deep into your consciousness ("Ohio Is for Lovers," "Niki FM"), spent 50 weeks on the Billboard albums chart and have a big tour with Fall Out Boy coming up — but now Hawthorne Heights are showing their true colors with their debut DVD, "This Is Who We Are." The disc offers sneaks of three new tunes ("Light Sleeper," "Where Do I Stab Myself in the Ears" and "This Is Who We Are") and is rounded out by radio-show clips, TV spots and the inevitable behind-the-scenes footage.

Exclusive Evolution: Hawthorne's "Where Do I Stab Myself" finds itself remixed Legion of Doom-style on the soundtrack to "Underworld: Evolution." Sixteen bloody tracks are stacked onto the platter, some of them chopped into remixes, and they're all exclusive (well, for now, at least). Linkin Park's Chester Bennington puts Julien-K in a stranglehold on "Morning After," while My Chemical Romance, Cradle of Filth, Atreyu, Slipknot and Alkaline Trio also rise to the occasion. Meat Beat Manifesto, in the meantime, devolve to their earlier sound with "Suicide," which marks their first use of vocals in six years.

Weird Science: Speaking of evolution, after months as fixtures on mtvU — with "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" and "Inaction" — We Are Scientists are finally letting loose the anxious, caged beast that is their debut LP. And it's got three cats on the cover. The Scientists expand their zoo with "Cash Cow," elsewhere making their "Great Escape" and solemnly declaring "This Scene Is Dead." That's With Love and Squalor, in stores meow.

Morning Glory: Brooklyn's Scientists have to make some room for fellow New York rookies Morningwood, who are sporting their self-named maiden release this week. Produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters), the record finds 23-year-old crooner Chantal Claret urging listeners to "Take Off Your Clothes," "Ride the Lights" and take it to the "Nth Degree" — on a dance floor, one can only hope.

Song Title of the Week:

"Let Jesus Make You Breakfast" (BR5-49's Dog Days)

Other Notables:

Sharissa's Every Beat of My Heart: R. Kelly's found himself caught in a number of different, uh, dilemmas in his "Trapped in the Closet" series, but he digs himself into deeper drama on Sharissa's sophomore LP, Every Beat of My Heart. On the duet "In Love With a Thug," Sharissa bemoans the drug dealer she fell in love with, voiced by Kelly. On a lighter note, the starlet finds hip-hop happiness with Wyclef Jean on "Take Me as I Am," goes clubbin' with the Game on "I'm Hot" and teams with Millie Jackson on "I'm Through," which is a play on Bobby Womack's "I'm Through Trying to Prove My Love to You."

Various artists' Hands Across the Water: A Benefit for the Children of the Tsunami: With the one-year anniversary of the Asian tsunami still fresh in mind, a bevy of folksters from the U.S., Scotland and Ireland are making another push for relief. All proceeds from the item — which features Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, John Prine and many others — go to relief efforts.

Mass' Labour of Love, Rema-Rema's Wheel in the Roses and the Wolfgang Press' The Burden of Mules: Seminal indie-rock label 4AD is digging through its warehouse to revive three early releases, all on CD for the first time (but limited to just 1,000 copies apiece). Post-punks Rema-Rema, the label's first artists under the name 4AD, find four early tunes retouched (one was later covered by This Mortal Coil, one by Big Black), while the only album put out by Mass — an arty group featuring three members of Rema-Rema — has original show flyers and some other cool stuff. Related project the Wolfgang Press are also recalled with a revitalized version of their debut.

New Releases:

Armik - Desires (Bolero)
Avid - Altered States (Jetspeed)
Vicky Beeching - Yesterday, Today & Forever (Sparrow)
Bleeding Through - The Truth (Trustkill)
BR5-49 - Dog Days (DualTone)
Eric Burdon - Soul of a Man (SPV)
Brandi Carlile - EP (Columbia)
Chloë - Walking in the Air (Manhattan)
Conga Fury - Dear Friends (Six Weeks)
The Cottars - Forerunner (Rounder)
Dion - Bronx in Blue (Dimensional Music Recordings)
Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage (Sanctuary)
Drop Dead Gorgeous - Be Mine, Valentine (EP; Rise)
Mary Duff - When Your Old Wedding Ring Was New (Beautiful Music Co.)
John Lord Fonda - Debaser (Citizen)
Frankel - Chatterbox EP (Three Ring)
Glasshead - Daydreams on Jupiter (New School)
Delta Goodrem - Born to Try (DualDisc same day; Epic)
Hurt Locker - Fear in a Handful of Dust (Napalm)
It Dies Today - Forever Scorned (EP; Victory)
Living Loud - Living Loud (Capitol)
Erwin McManus - Barbarian Way: Unleash the Tamed Faith (Thomas Nelson Publishing)
Mairead - Raining Up (Manhattan)
Meav - A Celtic Journey (Manhattan)
Members - At the Chelsea Nightclub (Captain Oi)
Mercury Radio Theater - Blue Eyed Model (Lujo)
Morningwood - Morningwood (Capitol)

Buy Now: Morningwood (Capitol)

Public Announcement - When the Smoke Clears (Boss Entertainment)
Randy - Randy the Band (enhanced; Fat Wreck Chords)
The Satelliters - The Satelliters (Dionysus)
Sharissa - Every Beat of My Heart (Virgin)

Buy Now: Every Beat of My Heart (Virgin)

Sia - Colour the Small One (Astralwerks)
Darden Smith - Field of Crows (Dualtone)
Sons of the San Joaquin - Way Out Yonder (Dualtone)
Soweto Gospel Choir - Blessed (Shanachie)
Switched - Ghosts in the Machine (two CDs; Corporate Punishment)
Tango Red - The Campaign (Reprise)
The Transit War - ¡Ah Discordia! (Orange Peal)
UHF - All Our Golden Tomorrows (Second Story)
We Are Scientists - With Love and Squalor (Virgin)
Read: "We Are Scientists Hope Giving Advice, Running From Bears Is Formula For Fame"
Buy Now: With Love and Squalor (Virgin)
Various artists - A Bluegrass Tale: Pickin' on Nickel Creek (CMH)
Various artists - Afterdark: Milan (Kinkysweet)
Various artists - Another Brick in the Wall, Vol. 2: The Remixes (Cleopatra)
Various artists - All Shook Up: A Reggae Tribute to the King (Trojan)
Various artists - Alright This Time Just the Girls, Vol. 2 (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Various artists - The Bluegrass Tribute to the Strokes (CMH)
Various artists - Chicano Rap Con Reggaetón (P.R.)
Various artists - Funeral: The String Quartet Tribute to My Chemical Romance (Victory)
Various artists - Hands Across the Water: A Benefit for the Children of the Tsunami (Compass)
Various artists - Heartbreaker: Pickin' on Tom Petty (CMH)
Various artists - "Glory Road" soundtrack (Hollywood)
Various artists - "High School Musical" soundtrack (Disney)
Various artists - "Underworld: Evolution" soundtrack (Lakeshore)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

16 Horsepower - Hoarse (Alternative Tentacles)
The Autumn Offering - Revelations of the Unsung (Victory)
Chet Baker - Chet Baker Plays for Lovers (Concord)
Regina Belle - Love Songs (Columbia/Legacy)
Tony Bennett - Tony Bennett Sings for Lovers (Concord)
Black Market Baby - Coulda Shoulda Woulda: The Black Market Baby Collection (Dr. Strange)
David Bowie - David Live (with unreleased material; Virgin)
Dave Brubeck - Dave Brubeck Plays for Lovers (Concord)
Buckwheat Zydeco - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Buckwheat Zydeco (Island)
Chicane - Behind the Sun (Xtravaganza)
Climax Blues Band - Rich Man (Fuel 2000)
John Denver- Love Songs (RCA)
Bill Evans - Bill Evans Plays for Lovers (Concord)
Phyllis Hyman - Love Songs (Arista)
The Incredible String Band - The Circle Is Unbroken: Live and Studio 1967-1972 (live; Castle/Ryko)
Etta James - The Definitive Collection (Geffen/UME)
Etta James - Love Songs (RCA)
Brenda Lee - The Definitive Collection (MCA Nashville)
Julie London - The Very Best of Julie London (two CDs; Capitol)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Family (Geffen/UME)
Mass - Labour of Love (4AD)
Stephanie Mills - Gold (Hip-O)
The Move - Message From the Country (Capitol)
John Jacob Niles - I Wonder as I Wander: Tradition Years (Empire Musicwerks)
Dolly Parton - Love Songs (RCA)
Rema Rema - Wheel in the Roses (4AD)
Reverend Horton Heat - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Reverend Horton Heat (Hip-O/UME)
Lionel Richie/ Commodores - Gold (two CDs; Motown/UME)
The Righteous Brothers - Gold (two CDs; Polydor/UME)
Nina Simone - The Definitive Collection (Hip-O/UME)
Sloan - Between the Bridges (Koch)
The Statler Brothers - Gold (Mercury Nashville)
Talking Heads - Fear of Music, More Songs About Buildings and Food, Remain in Light and Talking Heads 77 (DualDiscs; Rhino)
U.K. Subs - Complete Riot (New Red Archives)
Kyle Vincent - Gathering Dust - Rare & Unreleased, Vol. 2 (Songtree)
Andreas Vollenweider - White Winds (enhanced; Kin Kou)
Grover Washington Jr. - Gold (Hip-O/UME)
The Wolfgang Press - The Burden of Mules (4AD)
Various artists - Blues Gold (Hip-O/UME)
Various artists - Classic Railroad Songs From Smithsonian Folkways (Smithsonian Folkways)
Various artists - TBS Tunes: Fun Tracks Wisecracks (Rhino)

DVDs:

Asia - "Ultimate Collection" (Classic Rock Legends)
Blues 'N' Trouble - "Lost Deposit" (with CD; Dark Peak)
Dubliners - "Dublin" (Dark Peak)
Bob Geldof - "Geldof in Africa" (two DVDs; Rhino)
Hawthorne Heights - "This Is Who We Are" (Victory)
Living Loud - "Debut Live Concert - Sydney Fox Studios, 2004" (Capitol)
Magna Carta - "In Tomorrow" (Dark Peak)
Kevin McDermott Orchestra - "Boxed Set" (Dark Peak)
Donnie Munro and Friends - "Boxed Set" (Dark Peak)
Motörhead - "Stage Fright" (SPV)
Mountain - "Live in Texas 2005" (United States Distribution)
Nazareth - "Naza' Live" (Dark Peak)
The Rolling Stones - "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" (Classic Rock Legends)
Kim Waters - "In the Groove" (Shanachie)
Various artists - "One for the Money: The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll" (Passport)

Coming Attractions:

January 17

Aaron Carter - Come Get It: The Very Best of Aaron Carter (Jive)
Buy Now: Come Get It: The Very Best of Aaron Carter (Jive)
Say Anything - Say Anything ... Is a Real Boy (J)
Too Short - Pimpin' Inc. (with DVD; Up All Night)

January 24:

Cat Power - The Greatest (Matador)
P.O.D. - Testify (Atlantic)
Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds (with DVD; Capitol)

"Yellowcard Move To New York, Write LP About Hating Los Angeles"

Buy Now: Lights and Sounds (Capitol)

January 31:

Heather Headley - In My Mind (RCA)
She Wants Revenge - She Wants Revenge (Geffen)
Warren Zevon - Reconsider Me: The Love Songs (Artemis)

Related Artists

New Releases: Strokes, Editors, Yo-Yo Ma, 'Grandma's Boy' Soundtrack

29 Dec 2005 05:31:00 EST

Also due Tuesday is 'Hip Hop Uncensored, Vol. 6,' a DVD featuring Kanye and 50 Cent.
By Kurt Orzeck

The Strokes
Photo: Colin Lane

Different Strokes: The cover of the new Strokes album, First Impressions of Earth, depicts a cosmic image not unlike what the beginning of the universe looked like — according to sources, anyway. But it's hardly a back-to-basics effort for the band, which, along with producer David Kahne (Sugar Ray, Fishbone), journey to a galaxy far, far away to explore big ideas and expansive sounds. As if a garage ever existed! Fans who didn't pre-order the disc through the band's Web site — which would have earned them a free "Juicebox" 7-inch — should be on the lookout for the First Impressions deluxe edition, which'll have some enhanced stuff that's so cool we can't even tell you about it. Songs include: "15 Minutes," "Electricityscape" and "Vision of Division."

MOST Wanted OST: One wouldn't expect Happy Madison's slapstick flick "Grandma's Boy" to have a taste-making soundtrack, but that's exactly what Adam Sandler and friends had in store for the companion, which is in stores now. The set features recent material by Paul Wall, Bloc Party, the Futureheads, Fischerspooner, VHS or Beta and Aphex Twin, plus an original song by Kool Keith and a selection from the indomitable Spin Doctors.

The Buzz Is Strong With This One: British hopefuls the Editors made a big splash in their homeland with 2005's The Back Room, but before that record finally gets a Stateside release in April, the band is slipping out a two-part single in the U.K. "Munich Pt. 1" has a cover of Stereolab's "French Disko" on the flip side, while "Munich Pt. 2" is backed by "Find Yourself a Safe Place," a remix of "Munich" by Cicada and a video for the song of the same name. Both could prove to be rather collectible if the British press is right about the Editors (hint, hint).

More Morricone: Mere weeks after Ipecac breathed new life into film composer Ennio Morricone's canon with a two-disc archival compilation "Crime and Dissonance," Sony Classical hath bequeathed another related catalog release: Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone, now made available in the hyper-quadraphonic Super Audio Compact Disc format. Think you might be a classical-music audiophile trapped in an R. Kelly fan's body? This disc should tell you one way or the other.

Behind the Rappers: Dying for some new Kanye and 50 Cent goods, but without all that singing and stuff? Might want to feast your eyes on "Hip Hop Uncensored, Vol. 6: Ready to Sign," an hour-long DVD that guides you along the roads that led the budding rappers to the big time. Also among the bevy of featured rappers is Lil Jon, Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, David Banner, Jadakiss, Juelz Santana, Jim Jones, Mike Jones and Cassidy.

New Releases:

16 Braz - The Transition (Aryell Global)
Ian Allen - Nova's Lounge (Mia Mind Music)
Jimmy Amadie - Let Groove (TP Recordings)
Beast With 2 Backs - The Sharpest Spires (So Snug)
Tina deVaron - Water Over Stones (IMAH)
Macka Diamond - Money-O (Greensleeves)
Eric Durbin - Welcome to Mercytown (Fillerup)
Imagination Movers - Eight Feet (Red Room)
Elliott James - Cinematic Life (Wateree)
JNM - Unaffiliated (JNM)
Angelo Latona - Unveiled (Mia Mind Music)
Max Lucado - Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot (Thomas Nelson Pub.)
Mato Luka & the Sound - Love in a Tornado (PPL/TCI)
Donald Miller - Through Painted Deserts (Thomas Nelson Pub.)
Nat - Hidden Adjenda (two CDs; Natalac)
The Oak Ridge Boys - You'll Never Walk Alone (Laserlight)
Leslie Ruiz - Leslie Ruiz (Whitaker House)
Karen Savõca - In the Dirt (Alcove)
Spicehouse - Tomorrow Is the Answer (Blue City)
The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth (deluxe edition due same day; RCA)
Read: "Secretive Strokes To Spread Love Over The Airwaves In 'Juicebox' Clip"
Buy Now: First Impressions of Earth (RCA)
Jennifer Terran - Full Moon in Three (Grizelda)
Triple - Triple (Backroom)
Mary Sue Twohy - Songs to Hang on Stars (Azalea City Recordings)
L. Zaide - Planet Chill: Memoirs of a Jazz Band (Rebel Phi)
Various artists - Best of Zydeco (Mardi Gras)
Various artists - Disco Inferno: Disco's Greatest Hits (Laserlight)
Various artists - Moments of Love: Ultimate Love Songs (Style)
Various artists - Reggaeton Con Rakata (Madacy Latino)
Various artists - Tributo a Juanes (St. Clair Entertainment Group)
Various artists - "Grandma's Boy" soundtrack (Epic)
Various artists - "Mrs. Henderson Presents" soundtrack (Sony Classical)
Various artists - "Shopgirl" soundtrack (Reincarnate Music)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Love Songs (Laserlight)
Go West - Greatest Hits Live (Laserlight)
Level 42 - Greatest Hits Live (Laserlight)
Bob Marley - Kaya and Soul Shakedown Party (Laserlight)
The Pointer Sisters - Greatest Hits Live (Laserlight)
Sarah Vaughan - Great Lady of Jazz (Laserlight)
Yo-Yo Ma - Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone (SACD; Sony Classical)
Buy Now: Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone (SACD; Sony Classical)
Various artists - Classic Soul: Greatest Hits (Laserlight)
Various artists - Crooners: The Love Songs (Laserlight)
Various artists - Greatest Hits of the '80s: A Decade of Great Music (Laserlight)
Various artists - Sultry Soul (Laserlight)
Various artists - Surfin' USA: Greatest Surfin' Hits of All Time (Laserlight)
Various artists - "Pink Panthers and Other Spy Themes" soundtrack (St. Clair Entertainment Group)

DVDs:

Various artists - "All Star Swing Festival" (Delta)
Various artists - "Hip Hop Uncensored, Vol. 6: Ready to Sign" (Nutz)

Coming Attractions: January 10:

Morningwood - Morningwood (Capitol)
Buy Now: Morningwood (Capitol)
We Are Scientists - With Love and Squalor (Virgin)
Various artists - "Underworld: Evolution" soundtrack (Lakeshore)

January 17:

Aaron Carter - Come Get It: The Very Best of Aaron Carter (Jive)
Buy Now: Come Get It: The Very Best of Aaron Carter (Jive)
Say Anything - Say Anything ... Is a Real Boy (J)
Too Short - Pimpin' Inc. (with DVD; Up All Night)

January 24:

Cat Power - The Greatest (Matador)
P.O.D. - Testify (Atlantic)
Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds (with DVD; Capitol)
Read: "Yellowcard Move To New York, Write LP About Hating Los Angeles"
Buy Now: Lights and Sounds (Capitol)