T.I.
Photo: Getty Images/ Kevin Winter

T.I. adjusted his calendar Thursday (January 3) after an Atlanta judge postponed until February 19 a suppression hearing that had been scheduled for Thursday. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Grand Hustle rapper's lawyers are seeking to have evidence thrown out because they claim it was obtained as a part of an illegal search when T.I. (real name: Clifford Harris Jr.) was arrested in October for allegedly attempting to purchase illegal machine guns. Lawyers for the rapper filed a motion in November stating his vehicle had been searched without a warrant, consent or probable cause. He has been under house arrest awaiting trial after posting a $3 million bond in late October. ...

Chris Brown has hit a bump as he tours across the U.S. — the singer's set designer is suing him for breach of contract, according to TMZ. John Troxtel claims in a federal lawsuit he filed Christmas Eve that while he was paid for some of his labor, "extra work was required and requested." He says an oral agreement was made but that the touring company has refused to make good on its promise. Troxtel, who is seeking more than $1 million in damages, is also reportedly suing Brown for unjust enrichment. ...

Former B2K groupmates Dreux "Lil Fizz" Frederic and Jarell "J-Boog" Houston have released a statement through their publicist regarding the claims of sexual molestation Raz-B made against manager Chris Stokes in recent online videos. "We had nothing to do with the [videos], their release and/or their claims, we are unaware of any inappropriate behavior," the statement read. Raz-B later retracted and apologized for the accusations. Meanwhile, Raz-B's business partner had no comment on a new, recently surfaced tape of Raz-B, his brother Ricky Romance and Stokes, and said he didn't know when it was shot. ...

Nate Dogg suffered a stroke on December 19, according to a coordinator for the hip-hop crooner's recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise. Reports had circulated that the longtime Snoop Dogg associate had been admitted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in California after suffering a heart attack. Erica Beckwith, however, confirmed to MTV News that Nate Dogg was released on December 26 after being treated for a stroke and is currently in a medical-rehab facility to assist him in his recovery. ...

The Jonas Brothers have inked a fat deal with Live Nation, and it's being called the first of its kind for an up-and-coming group, according to Billboard. The multimillion-dollar agreement will see the band of brothers playing a jaw-dropping 140 shows at theaters and arenas over the next two years. Eight shows have been lined up so far for the Look Me in the Eyes Tour, in Tuscon, Arizona (January 31); Las Vegas (February 1); Los Angeles (February 2); Everett, Washington (February 5); Portland, Oregon (February 6); February 8 (Salt Lake City); El Paso, Texas (February 11); and San Antonio (February 12). ... Radiohead have, according to the U.K.'s The Times, agreed to a deal with iTunes — which some fans may have noticed, given that the band's In Rainbows album is now available through the online store. "In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever," Thom Yorke reportedly said about the release. ...

Bono has teamed with Hard Rock for a new tee that is benefitting the Wildlife Conservation Society's Conservation Cotton Initiative, which helps educate impoverished African farmers. The Bono Signature Series T-shirt, which will be available starting Monday at Hard Rock's terrestrial and online shops, is being made available via Edun, a socially conscious clothing company that Bono and his wife, Ali Hewson, launched in spring 2005. ... Bright Eyes mainman Conor Oberst, who toured as part of the Vote for Change Tour in support of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004, performed at a rally for another Democratic contender, Senator Barack Obama, in Iowa on Tuesday. According to The New York Observer, Oberst played for a crowd of approximately 1,000 Obama supporters and at one point told them, "I met the next president of the United States earlier today." But that's hardly the only star Obama has on his side. Scarlett Johansson was a special guest at a rally for him in Iowa on Wednesday night, according to The Nation. She reportedly spoke with a group of young supporters in Des Moines. ...

The Facebook profile cited in many articles (including MTV News') about Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the late Benazir Bhutto's son, is a hoax, according to a statement from Farahnaz Ispahani of the Pakistan Peoples Party. "The statement that's on [the Facebook profile] is not his statement," he told The New York Times. "It seems genuine but according to Mr. Zardari, and we checked with him, the Facebook statement has not been written by Bilawal." ...

Foo Fighters are following in Justin Timberlake's footsteps — the band is participating in this year's "My Grammy Moment" segment for the February 10 awards ceremony. Unsigned instrumentalists — sorry, singers — are getting the chance to perform with Dave Grohl and the gang as part of an orchestra, with the winner being showcased as the featured instrumentalist. Interested? Record a performance video that is no longer than one minute and reflects your talent and submit it here. A Grammy Awards panel will choose 45 quarter-finalists, after which the public will narrow down the group to semifinalists who will perform with the five-time Grammy-nominated band. ... Christina Aguilera and Katie Holmes, starring side by side in a new flick? Rumors are circulating online that the two have been tapped for an upcoming comedy called "Humboldt Park," but Rene Rigal, who is executive producing the flick, told MTV News in regards to the castings, "We haven't heard anything as of yet." ...

Mark this one with a "WTF?" on your calendar: Keytar-wielding indie-rockers and former You Hear It First artists Mute Math will open for Matchbox Twenty and Alanis Morissette on their Exile in America tour, which runs from January 25 in Hollywood, Florida, through March 18 in Las Vegas. ... Hot Chip will pad their February 5 release, Made in the Dark, with a smattering of shows in April. The British electro-poppers will play nine gigs, from an April 10 one in Philadelphia through an April 24 show in San Francisco. ... Meanwhile, Ween are barreling on with their longest tour in three years. The band will play six gigs in January — from January 23 in Washington, D.C., through January 31 in Orlando, Florida — and is slated to play February 1-2 in St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before jetting overseas. ...

Sketch-comedy duo Tim and Eric have a few friends you may know. Maroon 5 bassist Mickey Madden, Phantom Planet frontman Alex Greenwald and the Like singer/guitarist Z have chalked up covers of songs by the pair's fictional Casey and His Brothers group. Check 'em out on TimAndEric.com. ... Sean Penn will head the awards jury at this year's Cannes Film Festival, which is slated for May 14-25. According to AP, the "Into the Wild" director said "a new generation of filmmaking may have begun," and that there seems to be "a rejuvenation of cinema building worldwide." ...

The Offspring are nearly finished with the follow-up to 2003's Splinter. According to a post from frontman Dexter Holland on the punk-rockers' Web site, they're "taking a quick break from recording right now to be with our families. I've got two lyrics to do, a couple more to sing, and various musical tweaks and fixes to get done. Then, we'll be ready to mix." There's no release date for the album yet, but the Offspring "want to thank all our fans who have been so patient, and we want you to know that we've been in the studio nearly every day now for quite awhile working hard to make a great record," the post says. ...

Former Kid 'N Play frontman Christopher "Play" Martin was reportedly hospitalized over the weekend when his car was struck by another vehicle whose driver was wounded by a bullet. According to North Carolina's The News & Observer, the one-time rapper's car was struck after a man — suspected of fleeing from where a home robbery took place — was allegedly fired upon by local police. The man, identified as Raul Riva Aldamo, reportedly died as a result of the gunfire. Martin and his companion, Michelle Gonzales, were released from doctor's care on Wednesday, and according to a rep for Martin, he is at home recovering.

1.2.08

Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump has been named one of the un-sexiest men of 2007 by Boston alt-weekly The Phoenix. He lands at #95 on the list, right next to Larry King and Jon Heder. ...

Prodigy, who will start serving a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence on a charge of gun possession for which he was indicted in October, plans to issue his second solo album while behind bars. H.N.I.C. Part 2 will drop in March, feature production from Mobb Deep group mate Havoc and Alchemist, and be integrated with Voxonic technology, which converts a voice into hundreds of languages with near-perfect accuracy. Prodigy also released a statement regarding his upcoming sentence, saying, "Throughout my life, I have always lived through adversity. I'm a survivor. You don't understand the mental power that I have. While I'm locked up, I'm going to be writing lyrics, working on the script for my second feature film, 'Dope,' and finish writing an autobiography of my life, which will be finished by the time I'm released. My mind is going to be focused, and I'll have time to think and map out my entire plan. The experience will make me a tougher, stronger person. I'm gonna work on getting out faster, so I can get back to doing what I do best. When I get home, it's gonna be on!" ...

R.E.M. have christened their forthcoming album Accelerate and set an April 1 release date for the effort. The album was produced by Jacknife Lee (Bloc Party, Snow Patrol) and will feature "Until the Day Is Done," "Living Well Is the Best Revenge" and "Staring Down the Barrel of Middle Distance." Expect the band to tour in the spring. ... It's not like she was expecting an Oscar nomination, but a nod for the worst? In a poll conducted by AOL's Moviefone Web site, 58 percent of respondents gave Lindsay Lohan the dubious distinction of turning in the worst performance by an actress in 2007 for her role in "I Know Who Killed Me." Another one of Lohan's box-office bombs, "Georgia Rule," finished second among the more than 3.8 million voters, just behind the Eddie Murphy comedy "Norbit," as the biggest waste of $10. "Norbit" also earned the comedian the title of worst performance by an actor. ... Eddie Murphy and "Good Luck Chuck" producer Tracey Edmonds got hitched during an intimate New Year's Day ceremony on a private island in French Polynesia, according to People.com. Johnny Gill was reportedly Murphy's best man. ...

Radiohead singer Thom Yorke has hit back at the boss of his former label, EMI Music, after claims that the band had rejected a nearly $6 million advance for their new album while demanding the copyrights to older titles. In a December 29 post on the group's official Web site under the heading "FYI — if you care — for your information," Yorke wrote, "We did not ask for a load of cash from our old record label EMI to re-sign. That is a L I E. The Times in the U.K. should check its facts before it prints such dirt. What we wanted was some control over our work and how it was used in the future by them — that seemed reasonable to us, as we cared about it a great deal. [EMI boss Guy] Hands was not interested. So neither were we. We made the sign of the cross and walked away. Sadly." Yorke said the group was upset about the airing of "dirty laundry" in public. Separately, Yorke told BBC Radio 4 that releasing In Rainbows solely as a digital download — the physical album hit stores this week — would have been "stark raving mad" because 80 percent of fans still buy physical releases. "We didn't want it to be a big announcement about 'everything's over except the Internet, the Internet's the future,' 'cause that's utter rubbish," Yorke said. "And it's really important to have an artifact as well, as they call it, an object." Yorke, in one of his first public comments about the decision to release In Rainbows under a pay-what-you-wish scheme, explained that Radiohead had a "moral justification in what we did in the sense that the majors and the big infrastructure of the music business has not addressed the way artists communicate directly with their fans. ... In fact, they seem to basically get in the way. Not only do they get in the way, but they take all the cash." He also denied reports that In Rainbows was downloaded more than 1.2 million times in its first week, but, in keeping with the band's silence on sales, would not confirm how many times it was actually downloaded. "It's total nonsense. ... We're the only people who know, and it feels wrong to say exactly what happened," he said. "But it's been a really nice surprise and we've done really well out of it." ...

The presidential race will bleed over into late-night TV on Wednesday night (January 2) when David Letterman chats up Democratic contender Senator Hillary Clinton and Jay Leno welcomes Republican candidate Mike Huckabee on the respective comeback episodes of their shows. Chingy will perform on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," while Lupe Fiasco will play on the "Late Show With David Letterman," with Robin Williams also appearing. Letterman struck a deal with the Writers Guild of America that will allow him to return to air with writers, but Huckabee and Chingy will be crossing the picket line with their appearances on Leno's show, as the writers' strike continues. ... "L.A." Reid, Denzel Washington, Steven Spielberg, Brett Ratner, Billy Joel and others partied Sunday on a private yacht owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and Jon Bon Jovi and Robbie Robertson performed at the shindig, according to Fox News. ...

Staind's Aaron Lewis, along with members of Boston, Tesla, Stryper and other bands, will join host Dee Snider of Twisted Sister at the fifth anniversary Relief Fund Charity Concert, to be staged February 25 at Providence, Rhode Island's Dunkin' Donut Center. The event is being put on by the Station Family Fund, a group founded by survivors, family members and community members affected by the Station fire, the February 2003 nightclub tragedy that claimed 100 lives. Proceeds from the show will go to the survivors of the fire, many of whom did not qualify for Social Security benefits. ...

The lineup for Dave Mustaine's Gigantour 2008 has been revealed. The trek, to launch in mid-April and run through late May, will feature his band Megadeth, as well as In Flames, Children of Bodom, Job for a Cowboy and High on Fire. ... P.O.D. have set an April 8 release date for When Angels & Serpents Dance, the band's forthcoming LP. The record will feature a guest appearance by Suicidal Tendencies mainman Mike Muir. ... Former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland's band, Black Light Burns, have begun work on material for their second album, which is set for release in early 2009. Borland said in a statement that the new stuff is "a lot more guitar-heavy than it is synth-heavy. The feeling/tone is a little more fun and weird compared to the darkness of the first album." The effort follows the band's debut disc, last year's Cruel Melody. ... Hatebreed were forced to postpone the final concert in their Stillborn Fest series after guitarist Frank Novinec broke his ankle. No word yet on when they'll make up the gig, which was supposed to happen Sunday in Rochester, New York. ...

A lawyer who previously represented Death Row Records boss Marion "Suge" Knight in a $130 million lawsuit over ownership of the onetime gangsta-rap powerhouse is asking a judge to set that judgment aside. According to the Los Angeles Times, in a hearing set for Wednesday attorney Dermot Givens is asking that the judgment be voided because of what he claims is new evidence that the plaintiff, singer Lydia Harris, and her imprisoned drug-dealing husband, Michael, allegedly duped a Los Angeles judge into ruling against Knight. The motion contends that Harris hid from the court that she had filed for bankruptcy five years before suing Knight and that she never claimed an ownership stake in Death Row during that legal proceeding. The motion also alleges that recent sworn testimony by the couple shows that Michael Harris, an alleged crack kingpin, was the real party of interest in her lawsuit against Knight; Michael Harris sued Knight in 1996 claiming he helped finance Death Row, and was awarded a $300,000 out-of-court settlement. Lydia Harris filed a separate suit in 2002 claiming that she and Knight started the label together and that he cheated her out of millions in profits. ...

James Brown's final recordings have been caught up in the legal feud over the late rock legend's estate, according to The Associated Press. Brown recorded an album in Los Angeles in summer 2006, but courtroom disputes over who should get his music royalties are preventing the release of the tracks. More than 50-60 additional unreleased songs recorded by Brown are also reportedly in the archives. ... The Jersey Boys have a bit of a problem on their hands. Tommy DeVito, ex-bassist of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons — on which the "Jersey Boys" story is based — is being sued by the widow of a man who also wrote a story about the group, according to TMZ. Donna Corbello says her late husband Rex Conrad Woodard's yet-unpublished book was the basis of the Broadway smash, and she is reportedly seeking a declaration that he is the volume's "joint owner" so she can get some of the future profits from the production. The suit was recently filed in a district court in Texas. ...

It's Hammer time all over again. MC Hammer is about to launch a new Web site that he hopes will rival YouTube as the online hub for sharing and watching dance videos, according to AP. He is the co-founder and chief strategy officer of DanceJam.com, which will go live later this month and profit from Internet advertising. Perhaps the site will reverse Hammer's hard luck — he filed for bankruptcy in 1996 with nearly $14 million in debts. ... Evan Farrell, an indie-rock bassist who played with the Magnolia Electric Co. on tour and, earlier this year, left the Rogue Wave fold, died the weekend of December 22-23 after sustaining injuries from a house fire in Oakland, California. He was 33. "He was a fixture in our community and a bright spot in all of our lives," Secretly Canadian, the label the Magnolia Electric Co. call home, said about Farrell in a statement. "He was exceptionally talented, funny and genuine."

• T.I.
• Chris Brown
• B2K
• Nate Dogg
• Jonas Brothers

Ludacris' <I>Release Therapy</I>
Photo: Def Jam

Everybody Loves 'Cris: After years pushing the limits of the afro and mimicking Austin Powers, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is taking a turn toward the serious with his Release Therapy. The rapper takes a seat on the couch, mulling topics like child abuse and politics as Mary J. Blige ("Runaway Love"), Young Jeezy ("Grew Up a Screw Up"), Field Mob ("Ultimate Satisfaction") and Beanie Sigel ("Do Your Time") lift up Luda throughout. He does lighten up a little, though, on the Pharrell-produced "Girls Gone Wild."

Jackson Action: She's up against country hero Alan Jackson and his Like Red on a Rose and R&B crooner Freddie Jackson and his Transitions, but Janet hopes to edge them out with her own new album, 20 Y.O. With a five-part saga that includes the intro, three interludes and the outro, Janet manages to squeeze in 11 additional cuts, like "Get It Out Me," "Show Me" and "Do It 2 Me." The special edition boasts a bonus DVD with dance auditions, in-the-studio material and the making of the "Call on Me" clip.

Christmas in September: Aly & AJ get a jumpstart on the holiday-album thing with this week's Acoustic Hearts of Winter, which may or may not wind up being as successful as Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas, being reissued today. The sparkly CD has "Greatest Time of Year," which will also be on "The Santa Clause 3" soundtrack, plus "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Joy to the World."

Oh Brother: Horns, accordions and organ make their way onto Brother, Sister, the second offering from hippie Christians Mewithoutyou. Fans who preordered at Interpunk.com got an exclusive T-shirt, but everybody can get their ears on "A Glass Can Only Spill What It Contains," "Brownish Spider" and "In a Sweater Poorly Knit." Ex-Sunny Day Real Estate singer Jeremy Enigk joins them for two tracks, and Seattle's favorite producer, Brad Wood, twiddles the knobs.

Oh Sister: Scissor Sisters are loading up ardent fans with even more gifts with the deluxe edition of their Ta-Dah — it's got a bonus six-song CD with a demo, remix and four more tunes. Both versions find the burlesquers hailing "Paul McCartney" and declaring "She's My Man" and "Everybody Wants the Same Thing."

Weird Science: Leave it to "Weird Al" Yankovic to brew up good-natured send-ups of familiar Green Day, Chamillionaire and R. Kelly cuts. Straight Outta Lynwood, his first LP in three years, is a DualDisc frothing over with two stereo mixes, instrumental-only versions of all 12 tracks, an onscreen lyrics option, nine behind-the-scenes clips and six new videos. Now that's straight-up.

Breaking Their Silence: In case you missed them at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, the Warped Tour or MTV's very own "You Hear It First" series, this week will be your chance to hear electro wizards Mute Math.The New Orleanians' record is actually a joint effort between their own label Teleprompt and Warner Bros., an unlikely deal that should probably benefit both sides, seeing as how the band has sold more than 45,000 CDs on their own so far. The first 25,000 copies are slapped with a bonus live EP that has six songs — do the math.

Curse of the Bandino: Have enough Dave Matthews Band live albums but not enough sports memorabilia? Make an excuse for yourself with Fenway Park, Boston MA, July 7-8, 2006, a quadro-CD set that brims with a whopping 38 tracks over four discs. Copies ordered through the Live Trax 6 store will have a sticker commemorating the event, plus the chance to win a Red Sox jersey signed by Matthews.

Morning Glory: Cameron Crowe faves and former Boston Pops collaborators My Morning Jacket remind us what makes their live shows so memorable with Okonokos: Double Live Album, mixed by Bob Dylan buddy Michael Brauer and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig. The set actually precedes a more comprehensive document of MMJ's explosive concert. Let the press-release description do the talking: "Inspired by a fairytale-like performance in Tokyo, the band decided to adorn their mysterious set with qualities akin to an old growth forest, capturing the essence of a timeless, nameless, anonymous place. The theme of straddling the line between the surreal and the actual is introduced at the film's prologue when a cast of characters draped in Victorian-era costume, along with one alpaca, are introduced." Right on.

Song Title of the Week:

"Polyester Meth Zeus" from Velvet Acid Christ's Lust for Blood

Other Notables:

Botch's Unifying Themes Redux: Botch gave birth to These Arms Are Snakes, Minus the Bear and Roy, but the Seattle hardcore heathens are being judged by their own merits on this LP, the first in a series of discs culling the band's archives. Unreleased tunes, comp-only tracks and other rarities flesh out the set.

Ladyfinger (ne)'s Heavy Hands: The Omaha, Nebraska, group — who use that (ne) at the end of its name, just so you don't forget — drop a new disc on (where else?) Saddle Creek Records of Bright Eyes and Faint note. Speaking of which, Ladyfinger share members with the Faint, Mayday and the lesser-known Race for Titles and Bleeders for Treats. So if you dig that stuff, look no further.

Lucero's Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers: David Lowery of Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven fame stepped behind the boards to document this, the fifth opus by the soothing Memphis, Tennessee, band. Organs and pianos seep onto songs like "What Else Would You Have Me Be?," "I Can Get Us Out of Here" and "She's Just That Kinda Girl."

New Releases:

• Adem - Love and Other Planets (Domino)

Buy Now: Love and Other Planets (Domino)

• Airpushers - Themes for the Ordinarily Strange ... (Sarathan)

Buy Now: Acoustic Hearts of Winter (Sarathan)

• Aly & AJ - Acoustic Hearts of Winter (Hollywood)

Buy Now: Acoustic Hearts of Winter (Hollywood)

• Arma Secreta - A Century's Remains (Rithmetic)
• As Tall as Lions - As Tall as Lions (Triple Crown)

Buy Now: As Tall as Lions (Triple Crown)

• Bobby Bare Jr.'s Young Criminals Starvation League - Longest Meow (Bloodshot)

Buy Now: Longest Meow (Bloodshot)

• Jay Bennett - The Magnificent Defeat (Rykodisc)

Buy Now: The Magnificent Defeat (Rykodisc)

• Tony Bennett - Duets: An American Classic (Columbia)

Buy Now: Duets: An American Classic (Columbia)

• Bridges and Powerlines - Bridges and Powerlines (self-released EP)
• Brothermandude - Brothermandude (Adrenaline)
• Solomon Burke - Nashville (Shout! Factory)
• By the Tree - World on Fire (Fervent)

Buy Now: World on Fire (Fervent)

• Richard Cheese - Silent Nightclub (Surfdog)
• Mark Chesnutt - Heard It in a Love Song (CBUJ)
• Natalie Cole - Leavin' (Verve)
• Al Di Meola - Consequence of Chaos (Telarc)

Buy Now: Consequence of Chaos (Telarc)

• Dirty Projectors - New Attitude (Marriage)
• Enigma - A Posteriori (Virgin)

Buy Now: A Posteriori (Virgin)

• Escape the Fate - Dying Is Your Last Fashion (Epitaph)
• Dizzy Gillespie's All-Star Big Band - Dizzy's Business (MCG Jazz)
• Amy Grant - Time Again ... Live (Word)
• Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back (digipak; Last Gang)
• Hedley - Hedley (enhanced; Capitol)
• Honeycut - The Day I Turned To Glass (Quannum)

Buy Now: The Day I Turned To Glass (Quannum)

• Vanessa Hudgens - V (Hollywood)
• Alan Jackson - Like Red on a Rose (Arista)

Buy Now: Like Red on a Rose (Arista)

• Freddie Jackson - Transitions (Orpheus)

Buy Now: Transitions (Orpheus)

• Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O. (Virgin)
  Read: "Jermaine Dupri Promises Mariah, Janet Duet On New Album"

Buy Now: 20 Y.O. (Virgin)

• Boney James - Shine (Concord)
• Keith Jarrett - The Carnegie Hall Concert (two CDs; ECM)

Buy Now: The Carnegie Hall Concert (ECM)

• Jupiter Rising - Jupiter Rising (Chime)
• Kaskade - Love Mysterious (Ultra)
• Eric Klinger - The Book of Mourning (Da' Core)
• Ladyfinger (ne) - Heavy Hands (Saddle Creek)
• The Lemonheads - The Lemonheads (Vagrant)

Buy Now: The Lemonheads (Vagrant)

• Jeffrey Lewis - City & Eastern Songs (Rough Trade)
• Jerry Lee Lewis - Last Man Standing (Artist First)
• Michael Lington - A Song for You (Rendezvous)
• Lucero - Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers (Liberty & Lament)

Buy Now: Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers (Liberty & Lament)

• Ludacris - Release Therapy (Def Jam)
  Read: "Therapy Session: Ludacris Previews New LP, Shows Off Home Studio"

Buy Now: Release Therapy (Def Jam)

• Dave Matthews Band - Fenway Park, Boston MA, July 7-8, 2006 (four CDs; RCA)
• Paul McCartney - Ecce Cor Meum (EMI Classics)
• Audra McDonald - Build a Bridge (Nonesuch)
• Stephanie McKay - Stephanie McKay (EP; Astralwerks)
• Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood - Out Louder (Indirecto)
• Mewithoutyou - Brother, Sister (Tooth & Nail)
  Read: "Mewithoutyou Confront Rock's Limitations: 'You Can't Give People Hugs In A CD' "
• Travis Mitchell Band - Forget What's Wrong (Rock Ridge)
• Stanton Moore - III (Telarc)
• Mute Math - Mute Math (Teleprompt/ Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Electro-Poppers Mute Math Work Hard To Bring Back The Keytar"
• My Morning Jacket - Okonokos: Double Live Album (ATO/RCA)
• Nina Nastasia - On Leaving (Fatcat)
• NewFound Road - Life in a Song (Rounder)
• Only Son - The Drop to the Top (Cassette)
• Oohlas - Best Stop Pop (Stolen Transmission)
  Read: "Oohlas Have Spastic Frontwoman, Ex-Everclear Drummer — Is Fame On The Way?"
• Cale Parks - Illuminated Manuscript (Polyvinyl)
• Rhapsody of Fire - Triumph of Agony (special edition; Steamhammer)
• Samiam - Whatever's Got You Down (Hopeless)
• Saosin - Saosin (Capitol)
• Mark Schultz - Broken & Beautiful (Word)
• Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah (deluxe edition due same day; Motown Universal)
• Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars - Living Like a Refugee (digipak; Anti)
• Sol.iLLaquists of Sound - As If We Existed (Anti)
• Sparklehorse - Dreamt for Years in the Belly of a Mountain (Astralwerks)
• Mario Vazquez - Mario Vazquez (Arista)
  Read: " 'Idol' Dropout Mario Vazquez Shows 'Grittier' Side On Debut, Hopes For Spot On Christina Tour"
• Velvet Acid Christ - Lust for Blood (Metropolis)
• Paul Westerberg - "Open Season" soundtrack (Lost Highway)
• Westbound Train - Transitions (digipak; Hellcat)
• Wolf Eyes - Human Animal (digipak; Sub Pop)
• "Weird Al" Yankovic - Straight Outta Lynwood (DualDisc; Jive)
• Richie Zito Project - Avalon (Frontiers)
• Various artists - Think Global: West Arica Unwired (World Music Network)
• Various artists - Why the Hell Not ... The Songs of Kinky Friedman (Sustain)
• Various artists - "Dora's World Adventure!" soundtrack (Nick)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

• Tori Amos - A Piano: The Collection (five CDs; Rhino)
• The Black Crowes - The Lost Crowes (two CDs; Rhino)
• Tommy Bolan - Whips & Roses II (Steamhammer)
• Botch - Unifying Themes Revisited (Hydra Head)
• The Byrds - There Is a Season (box set with four CDs and one DVD; Columbia/Legacy)
• Farmer Jason - A Day at the Farm With Farmer Jason and Rockin' in the Forest With Farmer Jason (Rhino)
• Fear Factory - The Best of Fear Factory (Roadrunner)
• Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas (Capitol)
• Jerry Garcia - The Very Best of Jerry Garcia (two CDs; Rhino/ J. Garcia)
• David Gray - Sell Sell Sell (Nettwork)
• George Harrison - Living in the Material World (limited-edition version with DVD due same day; Capitol)
• Holy Moses - Finished With the Dogs (Locomotive)
• Ill Niño - The Best of Ill Niño (Roadrunner)
• Waylon Jennings - Nashville Rebel (four-CD box set; RCA Nashville/ Legacy)
• John Lennon - "The U.S. Vs. John Lennon" soundtrack (Capitol)
• Little Feat - The Best of Little Feat (Rhino)
• Ziggy Marley - Love Is My Religion (Cooking Vinyl)
• Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball: The Complete Concert (two CDs; Arista/Legacy)
• Steve Reich - Phases: A Nonesuch Retrospective (five-CD box set; Nonesuch)
• Sepultura - The Best of Sepultura (Roadrunner)
• Type O Negative - The Best of Type O Negative (Roadrunner)
• Fats Waller - If You Have to Ask, You Ain't Got It (three CDs; Bluebird/Legacy)

Music DVDs:

• Depeche Mode - "Touring the Angel: Live in Milan" (with bonus CD; Reprise)
• Dwarves - "Fefu: The DVD - Special Edition Director's Cut" (Music Video Distributors)
• Hot Tuna - "25 Years and Runnin': Live at Sweetwater" (Vestapol)
• Isis - "Clearing the Eye" (Ipecac)
• Buddy Rich - "Jazz Icons: Live in '78" (TDK)
• Seven Witches - "Years of the Witch" (Screaming Ferret)

Coming Attractions:

October 3:

• Beck - The Information (Geffen)
  Read: "Beck Giving Fans Sticky Fingers With Quasi-Hip-Hop Album"
• Evanescence - The Open Door (Wind-Up)
  Read: "Amy Lee Says New Evanescence LP Has More Sensuality"
• Killers - Sam's Town (Island)
  Read: "Killers Album Preview: Massive Sound, Epic Ballads, Big Ideas Fill Sam's Town"

• The Blood Brothers - Young Machetes (V2)
• Rod Stewart - Still the Same ... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (J)
• Various artists - "American Hardcore - The History of American Punk Rock (1980-1986)" soundtrack (Rhino)

• C-Murder - The Tru Story ... Continued (limited-edition version with DVD and bonus tracks; Koch)
• Glenn Danzig - Black Aria II (Megaforce)
  Read: "Glenn Danzig Preps 'Final' Tour, Film, Box Set And, Uh, Dolls"
• Xzibit - Full Circle (Koch)
  Read: "Xzibit's An Indie Rapper Again, With Game And Quik In Tow"

• Ludacris
• Janet Jackson
• Aly & AJ
• Mewithoutyou
• Scissor Sisters

Photo: Niki Crosby

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Photo: Niki Crosby

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Eminem, Flaming Lips, More Get Freaky At 2009 Voodoo Festival In New Orleans

• Eminem
• The Flaming Lips
• Wolfmother
• Janelle Monae
• Silversun Pickups

MTV.com Exclusive: Mute Math

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You Hear It First: Mute Math Photos

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