Tegan and Sara
Photo: MTV News

By their own admission, Tegan and Sara are addicted to heartbreak, so when it came time to write songs for their just-released Sainthood album, they didn't stray far from what they know — cheery topics like eternal damnation, obsession and earth-shattering loss.

Of course, they also took inspiration from one other source: Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series.

"I read all the 'Twilight' books while we were recording Sainthood, and [producer/ Death Cab for Cutie guitarist] Chris [Walla] and I were talking about it a lot, because after we finished our record, he was going to record with Death Cab to do their song for the 'New Moon' soundtrack," Tegan Quinn told MTV News last week. "So me and him would geek out with each other and talk about it, and he'd actually be doing a job — he'd be producing our record — and I'd be on the couch [paging through], and he'd be like, 'You're on the third book already?' We nerded out with one another."

The "Twilight" series doesn't actually stray all that far from the topics Tegan and her twin sister Sara have been singing about for more than a decade now. The books are, at their very core, about love and loss (a point Death Cab made when we spoke to them about "Meet Me on the Equinox," the first single from the "New Moon" soundtrack), which sort of makes Tegan and Sara an intriguing fit for the soundtrack to "Eclipse," the next "Twilight" film.

So, if they were asked, would T&S be able to channel their inner Death Cab and contribute a vampiric love song?

"We would not say no," Sara laughed.

"We've basically become 'Death Cab for Tegan and Sara' [anyway], since Chris has produced our last two albums," Tegan joked. "It's like that movie 'District 9,' where the guy turns, like, half prawn. We're kind of like half Death Cab for Cutie. If I pulled up my pant leg right now, you'd see, like, Ben Gibbard's leg."

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

• MTV.com Exclusive: Tegan & Sara

• Tegan & Sara

Tegan and Sara
Photo: MTV News

Tegan and Sara have been a band for 14 years and six albums, but there's one thing the twins have never tried until new album Sainthood: writing music together. On the just-released record, produced by Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie, the Decemberists, the Postal Service), the duo put their heads together to write "Paperback Head."

Sara summed up the process with one word: "Awkward. Not just because it was Tegan, [but] I don't think I would project a level of comfort with anyone. It's such an intimate time. I've never approached music as a collaborative effort. It's one part of our career that we actually do alone."

"Only one song we collaborated on made the final 13," Tegan said of "Paperback Head." "But we wrote 51 songs, some together, some different. ... It's exciting to know there's something to look forward to -- that there will be more writing and collaboration."

The sisters also collaborated to come up with the album's title, Sara explained: "Tegan and I, because we write independently, always look to have our album titles be ... not conceptual, but at least ... "

"Inclusive," Tegan jumped in.

"Yeah, or thematically easy to take what Tegan's talking about [or] what I'm talking about and have them under the same theme umbrella. ... Sainthood was definitely not a religious title. We were thinking more well-behaved, devoted. When you set your sights on someone but it's taken to the next level, your pursuit is of them but it's also turned inward, like how you're going to deal with pursuing this person and bettering yourself and projecting an image that you think is attractive to the person you're pursuing."

When we pointed out that obsession has always been a theme for Tegan and Sara, citing fan favorite "Living Room," Tegan completely agreed. "Every time we start writing a new record, I always think, 'OK, this is the record where I'm going to start exploring other topics,' " she said. "And then I'm like, 'What other topics am I going to explore, really?'

"I mean, I did [explore] a bit on Sainthood. ... 'Hell,' 'Don't Rush' and 'The Cure' [all co-written with AFI's Hunter Burgan] I wrote about my neighborhood, which I used as a metaphor for my relationship. I tried to step outside, but it was still like masking my narcissism," Tegan laughed.

"I don't know about narcissism, but we grew up on love songs, and we grew up on the classic kind of pop songs that were written," Sara added. "They're torch songs."

"Music is about love," Tegan said. "Music is love. Music is the way you talk to the person you like."

"Usually the bad parts of love -- and by bad, I mean the soul-wrenching, heart-ripping-out parts of love," Sara agreed.

• Tegan & Sara

Britney Spears
Photo: Hot Shots Worldwide / Splash News

Britney Spears' no-show at her court-ordered deposition on Wednesday will be addressed in court "probably within the next 30 days," Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan told UsMagazine.com, and according to The Associated Press, the attorney will file papers requesting that sanctions be imposed on her before the next court date, on January 23. "This can be done with her participation or without it. But it doesn't help anyone not to obey court orders," he told UsMagazine.com. "We will go forward, and she can respond in any way that addresses her failure to appear." The lawyer had previously told People.com that he was planning to ask the court for "some kind of remedy" regarding the matter, calling the singer's absence at the deposition a "willful non-appearance." According to Kaplan, he learned moments after the singer was due to arrive at the deposition that she wouldn't be going due to a "medical condition." "But she was in fact out later that day and night," he told People.com. "It's not fourth grade, where you get a doctor's note and it's all OK. She was ordered to attend. And if there's a legitimate reason for her not to attend, she would have to establish that." The attorney said he would ask the court to have Spears pay for expenses incurred due to the missed deposition, but he added, "We're not interested in punishing her. We're interested in getting facts." ...

Radiohead apparently have a fan in Jay-Z. The hip-hop mogul told Billboard.com that the band's In Rainbows release scheme "was a genius idea. I'm sure someone [in R&B/hip-hop] will follow that model," he said, adding that he would be willing to follow in their footsteps. On a similar note, Jay addressed the rumors about him leaving Def Jam. "The model of selling CDs has changed," he said. "So doing things the typical way is not in the best interests of anyone and not exciting for me. My whole thing is, how do we invest in the future? If everyone is committed to doing that, then I'm sure there's a deal to be made." In the interview, Jigga also beamed about Feist ("I'm riding with [The Reminder] right now. Her voice is so distinctive and beautiful") and Amy Winehouse ("I'd love to work with her again. I hope she keeps herself together"), and revealed that he'll put out another album "if I'm inspired. I have one album left, right? If I'm inspired to make that album, then my contract is done and I'm not in the music business anymore, as far as being an artist. I can still make music. ... Who knows? The possibilities are endless — and without any pressure to sell anything, I could make whatever and do whatever with my music. Maybe the songs would just play in [my] 40/40 [Club]." ...

"Hannah Montana" tickets are so hard to come by these days, even Lindsay Lohan can't score 'em. According to People.com, the actress phoned into Las Vegas radio station Mix 94.1 on Friday (December 14) in an effort to get tix for her friend's nieces — the station's morning show had been giving away tickets to people who were able to get celebrities to call into the show. While on air, Lohan — who left rehab in October — talked about how she's been lately, saying, "I think my life is different now, and it's changed, and I'm growing up. I've gone through a lot, and I'm just a different person now." She later added, "It's amazing, everything's going so well." She also gave an update on her recent recording sessions: "I've been in the studio, and it's going really well, and I'm really excited, 'cause it's going to be more urban pop." Finally, Lohan revealed that she wants to head to Africa on a humanitarian mission in the near future. "I really love children," she said, "and it would be nice to give back." ...

50 Cent might have more beef coming his way — GZA dissed him during his club show at the Knitting Factory in New York on Thursday night, saying, Fif "ain't got no mother----ing lyrics," according to RollingStone.com. He also reportedly paid tribute to his fallen Wu-Tang Clan group mate Ol' Dirty Bastard at the gig, the first of a two-night residency during which he is performing his classic Liquid Swords album in its entirety. ...

Just in case you forgot that Tom Morello has a lot of friends, check out a partial list of the guests who performed with him Thursday night in Hollywood at his final Nightwatchman show of the year, according to RollingStone.com: Slash, Serj Tankian, Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall, Perry Farrell and his Satellite Party, Jon Foreman of Switchfoot, Filter frontman Richard Patrick, Mötley Crüe's Mick Mars and actor Tim Robbins. Among the songs Morello and the gang reportedly tore into were covers of Crüe, Who, Phil Ochs, Thin Lizzy and Woody Guthrie tunes. ...

Despite UsMagazine.com's Thursday report that Jessica Simpson's "Blonde Ambition" flick is going straight to DVD, People.com says the movie actually get a limited theatrical run in the actress' home state of Texas. "Blonde" will be shown in eight theaters starting December 21, and if it does well, could see a wider release, according to the site. The DVD of the comedy — which co-stars another Texas native, Luke Wilson — will hit stores January 22. ... The reunion tour by the Police was the highest-grossing tour of 2007, raking in more than $212 million while selling 1.8 million tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore. It was followed by another boomer-riffic reunion tour — Genesis came in second on grosses of $129 million, followed by Justin Timberlake, who took in $126.8 million and drew more than 1.6 million fans worldwide. Also making the top 10 was Christina Aguilera, who nosed in at #9 on grosses of $48.1 million. Despite the massive grosses by the top acts, overall the magazine reports that North American concert dollars and attendance were down double digits for the year, with grosses slipping 10.2 percent and attendance down 19.2 percent. ...

In a scene that could have been cut from one of those 1980s John Hughes teen-angst movies, a custodian's impromptu after-hours karaoke performance of the Guns N' Roses classic "Welcome to the Jungle" at a Roxbury, Connecticut, high school almost ended in disaster. According to AP, police say a Booth Free School teacher, who was working after-hours and thought she was alone in the building, barricaded herself in her classroom when she heard someone singing the lines, "You're in the jungle, baby! You're gonna die!," over the loudspeaker, and thought it was a threat directed at her. Six troopers and three police dogs raced to the scene and found three teens — one of whom is a school custodian — who had been messing with the public-address system. The three were cuffed for 15 minutes during the investigation, and no charges were filed in the end. ...

Tegan and Sara will hit the pavement with Northern State for a monthlong European trek starting February 22 in England and winding down March 20 in the Netherlands. ... In other tour news, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have lined up a bunch of dates for January and early February. The soul/funk squad will begin its jaunt January 3 in Florida and bring it to a close February 2 in Nashville. ... Paramore, New Found Glory, the Starting Line, Bayside, Saves the Day and Chiodos will light up next year's Bamboozle Left fest, set to go down April 5-6 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, California. Two-day passes are on sale now. ... Chiodos have also been added to the bill for Linkin Park's upcoming U.S. tour with Coheed and Cambria. The trek launches February 12 in Omaha, Nebraska, and wraps March 10 in Sacramento, California. ...

Kill Rock Stars, Touch and Go and other indie labels have written an angry letter to Rolling Stone in response to the Camel cigarette controversy that was revealed last week. The labels — as well as state attorneys general and anti-smoking activists — are upset about a Camel ad that appeared alongside a cartoon-heavy indie-rock feature in the magazine's November 15 issue. "[We] wish to share our indignation regarding [the] pull-out editorial, which featured the names of our artists in conjunction with an ad for Camel cigarettes," reads the letter. "This editorial cartoon gives every impression of being part and parcel of the advertisement wrapped around it. The use of an artist's name to promote a brand or product should be done only with the artist's explicit consent, something that was neither solicited nor obtained from the labels or bands. ... Many of the bands named, and the labels that represent them, are very unhappy with the implication that they have any involvement with R.J. Reynolds and Camel cigarettes. We ask that Rolling Stone apologize for blurring the line between editorial and advertisement, and in doing so, implying that the bands named support the product being advertised." Skin Graft, Lovepump United, Lucky Madison, 5RC, Audio Dregs and Fryk Beat also signed the letter. ...

Side One Dummy's second annual Rock to Roll charity concert — which was held Tuesday and featured performances by Flogging Molly, the Bouncing Souls and others — raked in more than $35,000 for UCP Wheels For Humanity. The group helps people with disabilities become more self-sufficient and mobile. ... Sugarcult will stage their fifth annual Christmas Toys for Tots Charity show Thursday at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California. The benefit is being put on in conjunction with Toys for Tots, and attendees are asked to drop off an unwrapped toy at the Sugarcult merch table — those who do will get a gift bag of swag items from the band and other show sponsors. The gig will also feature New Year's Day, Lorene Drive, Them Terribles and Rocket. ... Speaking of rockets, Rocket From the Crypt, who ended their career with a Halloween gig in their San Diego hometown two years ago, are getting some posthumous love via a CD/DVD set immortalizing the show. R.I.P. drops February 26. But while RFTC are dead, John Reis is carrying on with a new project also featuring former Hot Snakes bandmates Gar Wood and Jason Kourkounis. The act — the name of which still hasn't been revealed — will dish up a yet-untitled album on March 25 and support it with a tour. ...

Tori Amos might seem genteel enough, but that wasn't the case at her concert in San Diego on Wednesday night, when she lashed out at a pair of fans who were disturbing the performance. According to a video on TMZ.com, the singer/songwriter ripped into two girls, saying, "It's a privilege to sit in the front row. I reserve those seats for people who appreciate music. Get the f--- out!" Her label reportedly responded with a statement, saying, "Tori doesn't sell front row seats to her shows. She'll pick fans that are in the back row and she will upgrade them. It is a privilege to get picked. Apparently these two girls were on their cell phones all night. ... It was her sticking up for her other fans that missed out on the opportunity." ...

Jack's back: Singer/songwriter Jack Johnson issued a new single, "If I Had Eyes," on Thursday through iTunes, with customers who preorder his February 5 album, Sleep Through the Static, getting the track for free. The LP was made using solar energy at Johnson's eco-friendly studios in Los Angeles, Billboard reports, and similarly, he will launch his next tour on Earth Day — April 22 — in his native Hawaii. ... Speaking of iTunes, Silverchair are putting out a new release exclusively through the online store on Tuesday. The Greatest View EP features four songs, including the title track — which was previously available on the band's 2003 disc, Diorama — as well as a pair of videos. ...

Score one for Nicole Kidman — the "Golden Compass" actress has accepted unspecified damages from U.K. newspaper The Daily Telegraph for falsely reporting she had breached the terms of a contract, according to AP. The paper had said Kidman — who has a promotional contract with Chanel No. 5 perfume — was carrying a bottle of a competitor's perfume while in London to hype her new flick, but her lawyer said the source of the report had invented the story. The Daily Telegraph is reportedly paying the actress' legal costs, as well as "substantial" damages. ... Johnny Depp might play a serial killer in his new flick "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," but he's actually a pretty nice guy — Autograph Magazine has named him the most gracious celebrity, in terms of signing autographs, for the third year in a row. Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Russell Crowe (yup, you read that right) followed behind Depp, while on the flipside, Will Ferrell, Scarlett Johansson and Tobey Maguire were named the worst celebrity signers. ...

Liza Minnelli collapsed onstage in Sweden during a show Wednesday and was later rushed to the hospital for medical treatment. A statement from her publicist Liz Rosenberg that appeared on the singer's Web site said she "became very ill shortly after the show began. ... She will now be seeing her doctor to determine what caused her dizziness and to collapse." After performing three songs at a holiday concert, Minnelli dropped her microphone and stumbled offstage, according to multiple reports. ...

Cast King, a country artist whose music will appear in Gus Van Sant's upcoming flick "Paranoid Park," died Thursday at his home in Alabama. He was 81. Locust Music, his label, is trying to raise money to help King's family pay for medical and funeral expenses — go to its Web site for more information.

12.13.07

Britney Spears' "Piece of Me" video is in place, even if it won't actually be out until January at earliest — People.com posted a sneak preview of it on Thursday (December 13). In the clip, her second one for Blackout, the singer and her dancers are chased by the paparazzi and duck into a club in an effort to escape. (Check out snaps from the "Piece of Me" video shoot right here.) Don't forget that Britney has reached out to fans to direct a separate "Piece of Me" video for her, with the winning clip to air December 20 on "TRL." For the "Britney Spears Wants a Piece of You" contest, MTV has opened its vaults of the footage shot of the pop singer over the years, and fans can access the goods via the MTV Video Remixer. Pick the shots you like, mash them up and hit "send" — clips can be up to 3:34 in length or shorter. The grand-prize winner also will receive a brand new Haier Ibiza Rhapsody device along with a one-year subscription to Rhapsody, as well as the entire catalog of Spears' CDs and DVDs released in the U.S. ...

Scott Weiland's DUI case will be continued on January 17, according to TMZ.com — the Velvet Revolver frontman was due to be arraigned Thursday (December 13). Maybe it would have helped if the rocker had gotten that news Wednesday night, when he allegedly ranted onstage at Velvet Revolver's show in Hollywood, the site reports. Weiland reportedly said his group is not the "Mormon Tabernacle f---ing Choir" and, a source allegedly told the site, steered clear of his bandmates backstage after the show and didn't have his picture taken. ... Scott Stapp is off the hook — a domestic battery charge against the rocker has been dropped after he completed terms of an agreement, including his required participation in anger management counseling, according to The Associated Press. The original charge was aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony but it was reduced to a misdemeanor on Monday. Stapp was arrested in May after his wife accused him of taking drugs and throwing a bottle at her. As part of his agreement, he also underwent a substance abuse evaluation and agreed not to have any weapons in his possession. ...

So much for Jessica Simpson's "Blonde Ambition" — the actress' flick, inspired by the '80s classic "Working Girl," is going straight to DVD, according to UsMagazine.com. The comedy, which co-stars Luke Wilson, will hit stores January 22. ... If you think that lock of John Lennon's hair went for a lot of money — it was auctioned for $48,000 on Wednesday — wait till you hear how much a London dealer threw down for a handwritten, illustrated J.K. Rowling book: a cool 1.95 million pounds, the U.S. equivalent of $3.98 million, according to Reuters. The copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" — a book that is referenced in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — was auctioned Thursday in London, and the price is the most anyone has ever paid for a modern literary manuscript at auction. All proceeds will go to Rowling's charity the Children's Voice, which helps vulnerable kids across Europe. ...

A Louisiana judge denied a request from C-Murder to travel to Texas for Pimp C's funeral on Thursday (December 13). According to an AP report, the judge would not make an allowance for the trip for Murder (born Corey Miller), who is currently under house arrest awaiting a retrial for the 2002 murder of a teen inside a nightclub. ...

Ne-Yo is heading to Wal-Mart — but not to go holiday shopping. Instead, the R&B singer will be at the retail chain's location in Torrance, California, on Friday to help with a toy drive for inner-city children. ... Coldplay have unearthed their cover of the Pretenders' Christmas-themed "2,000 Miles" and posted it on Coldplay.com. The group recorded the song — which benefited Future Forests and Stop Handgun Violence — in 2003 and made it available for a limited time as a paid download on their site. "We love Christmas songs, but every time we try and write one it's awful," Chris Martin wrote in an accompanying post. "So we often cover them — well, once or twice, actually. In fact, the song I would most like to have written is 'Fairytale of New York' by de bloody Pogues of Ireland." ...

Shakira elbowed her way onto the list of Golden Globe nominees — her "Love in the Time of Cholera" contribution earned a nod for Best Original Song. "I composed 'Despedida' with all my love for [Gabriel] Garcia Márquez, who is for me a true genius and the most eloquent spokesman of my people," she said in a statement, referring to the author who wrote the book on which the film was based. Eddie Vedder's "Guaranteed" from "Into the Wild" also made the cut, as did the "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" tune "Walk Hard," which was penned and performed by John C. Reilly, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan and Judd Apatow. Similarly, three "Wild" Vedder songs and a trio of "Walk Hard" cuts have made the Oscar committee's list of tracks being considered for Best Original Song, according to a weblog on Variety.com. Fifty-nine tunes — including ones by John Legend, John Mayer, the Flaming Lips, Sondre Lerche, Rufus Wainwright, Sheryl Crow and Fountains of Wayne frontman Adam Schlesinger — are eligible for the award. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will screen film clips featuring the tracks on January 15, after which the actual nominees for the Best Original Song category will be determined. ...

R. Kelly's Friday night concert at the Forum in Los Angeles will be protested by black activists calling for action against the singer, who is facing 14 counts of child pornography, the Los Angeles Times reports. "It's like pulling teeth to get people to talk about this," one activist, Jasmyne Cannick, told the Times. "It's a challenge to get the black community to even discuss it. They're acting like he doesn't have 14 counts of child pornography against him. ... We're all acting like we don't have daughters and nieces and little sisters." But Kelly's manager, Derrell McDavid, didn't seem too worried when he spoke to the newspaper. "There's been no protests on this tour," he said. "It's just been a warm embrace and sold-out shows." ... Are the Smashing Pumpkins already working on new material? It seems that way — but this time around, fans won't have to wait nearly as long. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin wrote in a blog post on their Web site that they're in the midst of tracking, and hinted that the Pumpkins might have new material to release as early as January 1. "We are back in the studio recording some songs for a possible release worldwide," he wrote. "Look for these around the first of the year." ...

Snoop Dogg's Youth Football League is still going strong, and the rapper has plotted a third benefit show to raise funds for the project, which helps kids stay off the streets. "The kids in the league depend on me to keep it going, and giving 100 percent of the sales from this concert is my way of making it happen for all of them," he said in a statement about the show, which will take place Saturday at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, California. All proceeds will go to the league and be used for new uniforms, transportation, lodging and food for the upcoming Snoop Bowl, taking place during Super Bowl weekend in Arizona. ... Linkin Park's ambitious Music for Relief project has taken on another cause: raising money and awareness about the humanitarian crisis that has resulted in Bangladesh in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr. The outreach organization has launched an eBay auction featuring items by LP, Avril Lavigne, Smashing Pumpkins and Deftones, with all proceeds going to the international relief group Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere. ... George Clooney and Don Cheadle were honored in Rome on Thursday with a peace award for their efforts to raise awareness about the Darfur humanitarian crisis, according to AP. Also Thursday, they urged world leaders to provide helicopters for a peacekeeping force, partially led by the United Nations, that will take over security in the Sudanese area later in December. ...

Look, up in the sky, it's the Spice Girls! The reunited group has revealed the name of its Virgin Atlantic jumbo jet: Spice One. The name was chosen via an online contest, and the winner — who hails from Brazil — recently joined the ladies at their recent ceremony at Los Angeles International Airport. ... Three Thom Yorke remixes that were previously available on his Web site will be issued February 4 in the U.K. in the form of 12-inches. The remixes are by the Field, Four Tet and others. ... Lupe Fiasco has filled up his calendar with concert dates, promotional appearances in support of his sophomore album, Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool," which drops Tuesday. LupeFiasco.com will be relaunched that day, on which Fiasco will also play a gig at New York's the Fillmore at Irving Plaza. After that, he'll stage a December 20 in-store gig at the Bassment in his Chicago hometown; a "MySpace Presents the Release" show in Hawaii on December 27; and then set out on a tour that starts January 10 in Portland, Oregon, and ends March 25 in Fredricksburg, Virginia. In the meantime, stream The Cool in its entirety on MTV's "The Leak." ...

While less than 20,000 of the reported millions who wanted to see Monday's Led Zeppelin reunion in London were actually able to attend the gig, millions more briefly relived the experience vicariously through bootleg online clips. But, almost as fast as those clips showed up on sites like YouTube, they were reportedly taken down at the request of the band's management. Or perhaps at the request of Warner Bros., which owns the publishing rights to Zeppelin's catalog, according to Portfolio.com, which reported that individual clips began disappearing from YouTube on Tuesday afternoon "due to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group," which, incidentally, has a licensing deal with YouTube for its content. However, the story got even weirder Thursday morning, when the Silicon Alley Insider revealed that a Brooklyn, New York, company called "GrayZone," which bills itself as the "bootbusters of the entertainment industry," took the initiative in sending out the takedown notices. According to the Alley Insider story, GrayZone apologized for erroneously issuing the notices and explained, "The error is ours alone. We acted without authorization from the band or Warner Music Group. Unfortunately, an automated system mistakenly attributed the removal of the content to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group. That was inaccurate. We have informed YouTube of the error and we regret any inconvenience this may have caused." Speculation had surfaced that the reason for the takedown might be tied to an expected DVD release of the event at some point next year. ... In related news, Robert Plant will tour next year, but not necessarily with Zep. He'll make the rounds with Alison Krauss, with whom he collaborated for their October release Raising Sand. The pair will trek through Europe in May. ...

There's a new "Jackass" movie coming, and you won't even have to leave the house to see it. The 64-minute "Jackass 2.5" will stream for free from Wednesday until December 31 at JackassWorld.com with previously unreleased footage and interviews. The movie, touted as the first-ever studio-backed feature streamed entirely online, is available to anyone over 17 who downloads the Microsoft Silverlight media player, which can be found at Blockbuster.JackassWorld.com. ... Janet Jackson has finally settled on a title, release date and lead single for her follow-up to last year's 20 Y.O. Discipline will drop February 26 and be preceded by the first single, the Rodney Jerkins-produced "Feedback," which impacts January 7. Ne-Yo, Jermaine Dupri, Stargate, The-Dream and others also lent their talents to the veteran singer's 10th studio effort, which was executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid. ... The Liars have lined up a headlining stint for next year as they continue to support their self-titled release, which came out in August. The band will set sail January 25 in San Francisco and play about a month's worth of gigs that will wind down with a February 22 show in Los Angeles.

• Britney Spears
• Jay-Z
• Radiohead
• Feist
• Lindsay Lohan

Photo: MTV News

On The Record: The 20 Best Albums Of 2007

This is not a perfect list, because this was not a perfect year. I think the general consensus is that something big happened (or is happening) in 2007, but no one seems to be able to agree on just what that "event of monumental import" was. Maybe it was In Rainbows, the OiNK bust or the defections of several high-profile artists from the major-label stables. Perhaps it was none of those things, and it's all still business as usual, but I sort of doubt it.

There's definitely a movement afoot, though. And these 20 albums were all part of it — some because they changed the flow of the industry, others because they were simply released in 2007. Below, you'll find game-changers, weirdo-folk, not-punk punk albums, expansive-yet-minimalist electro — and absolutely no Neon Bible. And, like I said, you'll probably find some faults with my list (I probably should've included Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and Bruce Springsteen's Magic, for starters) but I'd like to think that's also why it's also a pretty good one: After all, there was no clear-cut choice for Album of the Year in 2007, just a whole lot of efforts that could possibly lay claim to the title (or couldn't, depending on who you asked). If we learned anything, it's that practically everyone could agree on positively nothing. And if that's not a pretty accurate assessment of the past 12 months ... well, then I don't know what is.

Also, I'd love to hear your feedback and read your lists, so feel free to e-mail me at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

20. The Go! Team, Proof of Youth
The sound of the blog bubble bursting, complete with '70s guitars, double-dutch cadences, thunderous drumming, glorious fuzz and a cameo by Chuck D. Unfairly abandoned by pretty much everyone who loved the Go! Team's 2004 debut, Thunder, Lightening, Strike (because it's basically the same record), Proof of Youth stands as an example of the inherent stupidity of today's fast-moving blogosphere, and a cautionary tale to bands like the Black Kids and Vampire Weekend. If only all failures sounded this good.

The Best Of 2007 The Top Albums: MTV News Staffers Pick Their Top 10 Albums The Biggest Arrests: Paris Hilton, T.I. And More Had An Arrest-Ing 2007 The Hottest Couples: 50 Cent And Ciara And More Smoking-Hot Couples For the rest of MTV News' year-end top 10s, check out our Best of 2007 page, where you'll find the hottest hip-hop, catchiest singles and more.

19. Black Moth Super Rainbow, Dandelion Gum
Stuff a vocoder in your mouth. Strap a pair of Casio keyboards to your feet. Wander the Mojave Desert for a month. Do the Black Moth Super Rainbow. Gleefully psychedelic, completely nonsensical, unbelievably sunny folk-tronica from the wilds of Pittsburgh. Every bit as WTF as the name implies.

18. Patrick Wolf, The Magic Position
A guy who looks like an extra from "The Legend of Zelda" releases the year's most melodramatic album — 40 minutes of gilded, whimsical, overly indulgent Baroque-pop, full of stabbing violins, synthesizers that pop like fireworks and chiming church bells; becomes even more flamboyant (if that's possible); establishes himself as a sex symbol on both sides of the aisle; has onstage meltdown in NYC; threatens to quit the music industry via a messageboard post; recants his threat days later; then starts a feud with fellow balladeer Mika over "authenticity." And you thought you had a busy year.

17. The Shins, Wincing the Night Away
Not only is this album better than you remember, it's also probably the only thing on this list that the dude in the cubicle next to you owns (well, this or Kanye). Packing away the sunny, strummy indie-pop for darker, nocturnal mood music, the Shins crafted a weird winner that somehow managed to debut at #2 on the Billboard albums chart (despite leaking to the Internet like three months early), and finally get them out from underneath the shadow of that dude from "Scrubs." Hopefully.

16. Kanye West, Graduation
The swagger is nothing new. Neither is the lack of humility. But never have both sides of Kanye co-existed so successfully on one record (maybe Daft Punk helped broker the peace). On Graduation, West reveals the complexities contained within himself, looking back while moving forward, slowing down a step — really, there's nothing on here that grabs you with the immediacy of "Jesus Walks" — to bask in his successes, while still holding his competitors in check and keeping one eye toward the future. A truly accomplished, truly human album that still manages to work in a song based around a Steely Dan sample. And that's much harder to do than it looks.

15. Okkervil River, The Stage Names
World-weary, scruffy rock from the weariest, scruffiest band in Austin, Texas, Stage Names is beautiful, tear-in-yer-beer stuff, but it's also probably the most self-aware album released this decade (either this or Panic! at the Disco's A Fever You Can't Sweat Out) full of too-smart references to the Beach Boys, Marcel Duchamp artwork, Paul Simon and Nena's "99 Luftballons." It's meant to be a concept record of sorts, about the exploration of high art and low art, which sort of explains the tender ballad about the death of porn star Savannah. Sort of.

14. Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedala
Sumptuous, swirling pop from Sweden's finest troubadour. Sonically, it's all over the map: booming orchestral numbers, sparkly samba, morose Northern soul, all sung in Lekman's sleepy, mahogany-rich baritone. Also, "I took my sister down to the ocean/ But the ocean made me feel stupid" is probably the most emo line of the year. Deep, man ... deep.

13. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
Just last week, I named James Murphy's "All My Friends" as "the best song of 2007," and the album is nearly as good. Building on the, well, dancey-but-not-dance roots he's been laying down for a few years now, Silver is the record in which Murphy puts electroclash (remember that?) to bed for good and establishes himself as a truly important artist: the kind of guy who's not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve (check "All My Friends" or "New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down"), or get funky in really goofy ways, or record a 45-minute exercise track for Nike. And we need guys like that.

12. The National, Boxer
The sound of sepia. Sad like the photos you see pinned to the walls in really old bars. Beautiful like being drunk on a rooftop in Brooklyn, the city twinkling in the distance. Painful like the hangover the following morning. The songs on Boxer are all of those things, often at the same time. A remarkable record.

11. Feist, The Reminder
Sure, there's the song that sold the iPods, but there's also the churning, torch-y "My Moon My Man," the heartbreaking "The Park" and the slinky "Brandy Alexander," to name just a few. Intimately performed, expertly arranged indie balladry, with Leslie Feist's voice weaving through it all: lithe, supple, sexy and undeniably powerful. Probably — OK, undoubtedly — the breakthrough album of 2007.

10. Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals
What world music would sound like if it was played by a bunch of hipsters from Williamsburg. Hints of African guitars, drone-y Eastern European notes, Celtic rhythms, plus chants, chimes and handclaps, all whirled together into a heady sonic brew. In a thousand years, when they excavate Bedford Avenue, they'll probably discover copies of Cymbals and think we were a much more evolved society. Either that or really big fans of Forest for the Trees.

9. Deerhunter, Cryptograms
If you believe the rumors (and given the generally terrifying WTF-ness of Deerhunter, I do), Cryptograms is really two albums in one: the first half — from "Intro" to "Red Ink" — was recorded in one manic session, on a single reel of tape, with frontman Bradford Cox still battling the lingering effects of walking pneumonia. The second half (starting with "Spring Hall Convert" and ending with "Heatherwood") was recorded in another one-day session, on another reel of tape. That the two halves are so sonically disparate — one murky and atmospheric, the other luminous and relatively straightforward — not only lends credence to those rumors, but also speaks volumes about the ever-evolving talent of the band itself, and makes Cryptograms an experience unlike most you'll hear this decade. And given that Deerhunter are currently on hiatus, that experience might — unfortunately — only be a one-time thing.

8. Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Not as accessible as Good News for People Who Love Bad News, not as good as The Lonesome Crowded West (or The Moon & Antarctica, for that matter), We Were Dead represents Modest Mouse at the great divide: On one side, the past. On the other, the future. So, accordingly, the album borrows equally from both, packed with rambling, shambling guitar exercises and (relatively) straightforward radio rock. There was even a slow number or three. That the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart seemed to be the most amazing thing of all, and it only gave MM the validation they deserved. No matter where Isaac Brock and company decide to go from here, they've already won.

7. Panda Bear, Person Pitch
Like the Animal Collective that begat him, Panda is less about making music and more about stringing together atmosphere, creating pockets of sound as big as entire universes. Here, he collects the wooshes of subway cars, the crunch of gravel under boots, wind, water (and a bunch more), and combines them with some really beautiful vocal harmonies, a little acoustic strumming and the occasional odd "woo-hoo" to create an album that's warm like an old blanket but also chilly like a snowdrift. Bizarrely accessible, sort of spooky, and really all you could ask for from so-called "experimental rock."

6. The Field, From Here We Go Sublime
A masterwork of techno (do people still even use that word?) both minimal and maximal, Sublime — the handiwork of Swedish DJ Axel Willner — recalls cellular division, slowly melting ice caverns and fields of blossoming sunflowers, often in the same song, and often using little more than a bass line, a kick-drum and a looped sample. Devastating in its simplicity and scope, it's more intelligent dance music than Intelligent Dance Music, which may not make sense, only it does. You get me?

5. Tegan and Sara, The Con
An album of beautiful complexity and brutal honestly, The Con covers all manners of love, loss and heartbreak, and does it all with a restraint and a maturity that belies the Quin sisters' age. W-a-a-y more confident and ballsy than any "follow-up to a breakthrough" album should be, yet still self-effacing and full of enough doubts to fill 1,000 diary pages. Expertly helmed by producer Chris Walla, it's a record that unfurls gradually, revealing just a bit more with each listen. For some reason, it reminds me of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, though I can neither explain nor condone that statement.

4. The White Stripes, Icky Thump
To some, it's just another example of Jack White's ever-expanding ego. To others, it's another addition to his "guitar god" résumé. I think I fall somewhere in between. Sure, there's parts of Thump that are a bit much — mainly the bagpipes that drag down the middle of the record — but there's also plenty of great moments, too: the fret-melting majesty of the title track, the delightfully silly vaudeville of "Rag and Bone," and straightforward, floor-pounding rock of "Bone Broke." For the first time, White also drops the whole "magical bluesman" shtick and opens up a bit, and — surprise — he seems just as conflicted and unhappy as you or I. Which only makes him, and the entire album, that much more likeable.

3. Radiohead, In Rainbows
The album that changed everything, only it probably didn't (though it's nice to oversimplify sometimes). When all the smoke surrounding its release strategy cleared, fans were left with an album that either enthralled or mystified ... there really was no in between. For me, it was the former: Radiohead put away the electronics on this one and just decided to play, making beautiful, intricate songs about decidedly human things — failing relationships, infidelity, whatever the hell "15 Step" is about. It's the album that sounds like the next logical step, and while some didn't want to hear Radiohead slip gracefully into their 40s, that's what they got. And I'll take AARP Radiohead over almost any other band on the planet. They may sound old, but, dude, they are old. Except Jonny Greenwood. He's apparently a vampire.

2. Against Me!, New Wave
The massive choruses. The even more massive hooks. The major label. The big-name producer. The boy/girl duet. The protest song that made fun of protest songs. There probably wasn't a more unapologetic record made this year — seriously, New Wave might actually redefine the word "unabashed" — and Against Me! are totally aware of this, and they don't care what you (or the majority of their old fans) think, which is why Against Me! are awesome, and why this album totally rules. Punk rock is probably dead already, but if it isn't, well, this is the album that killed it off forever. Good riddance.

1. Wilco, Sky Blue Sky
When all is said and done, the sky is still falling and the rivers continue to run red with BitTorrent. The industry is dead, except that it's probably not. We are living in the future, only no one seems to realize it, because we might just be living in the past. You are part of the problem, and the solution, all at the same time. And none of this really matters. What cuts through the fog and the noise is simplicity. And on the surface, Sky Blue Sky is the most simple record of the year: straightforward like Summer Teeth, sparkling in execution, bravely unflinching in subject. It resonates because it's true and beautiful and seemingly not of this era. But it's also unfathomably complicated: a record about relationships, about being so in love and wanting to make it work so bad, about giving of yourself and taking from someone else about being back to back, in the foxhole — impossible Germany, unlikely Japan — against overwhelming odds, but determined to fight until the bitter end. No one said simplicity was ever easy.

• Radiohead
• Kanye West
• The Shins
• Feist
• LCD Soundsystem

Tegan and Sara
Photo: MTV News

"It's a political song ... but it's a personal song."

So says Sara Quin, one-half of the Canadian indie-rock duo Tegan and Sara, of the track "I Was Married." But the statement also applies to the dichotomy that runs throughout The Con, the group's recently released album. On the surface, it has the positive energy of a sunlit wedding ceremony. Dig deeper, however, and you'll find its heavier message on the public and legal obstacles for gay marriage, an institution that is not recognized in 49 out of 50 states in the U.S.

The song is certainly a statement, replete with confusion, anger and even sadness toward the government's "control against the rule of one magnet to another magnet," as the identical twins sing in the first verse of the song. As Sara explains, "There is homophobia in every corner and pocket of this world, but at the core ... you just love someone and want to make mixtapes for them" (both sisters are gay). But even in their most controversial and argumentative lyrics there is bittersweet harmony and optimism.

( Watch Tegan and Sara talk about the controversial song and their new album right here.)

With seemingly few artists in popular music speaking out on political issues, there is a boldness in the controversial lyrics of "I Was Married," which is why Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, who produced The Con, decided it would be the most intense way to start the record, according to the duo. The song begins and ends with softer lyrics about the innocence of the love between Sara and her partner, while the body of the song details the stone government buildings that serve as obstacles to the recognition of that love.

"There is a whole spectrum of feeling deceived, but also feeling uncontrollably attracted to something," Tegan explains. That sentiment serves as inspiration for "I Was Married" and the last track, "Call It Off," which lament both public and personal impediments to romantic union. Perhaps, then, the album is pessimistic by structure, as the "give up" song, as Tegan refers to "Call It Off," ends the story. At a recent show at New York's Hiro Ballroom, however, Tegan and Sara played the songs in reverse order, leaving the audience with the hope and inspiration of "I Was Married."

The album's three acoustic songs — "I Was Married," "Call It Off" and "Soil, Soil" — also play into the structure of the album. "We had this really interesting concept about book-ending the record [with acoustic songs] and then having one of them in the middle," Sara explained.

All of these contrasts make The Con a more cohesive and thematic album than their breakthrough 2004 release, So Jealous. "I love So Jealous, and I hate critiquing our albums too much because they become so special to the people that love them," Sara said. "But So Jealous was not as dynamic as our new album" (see "Twin Rockers Tegan & Sara Separate So They Can Continue To Work Together").

Whether The Con will be as ecstatically received by fans as So Jealous remains to be seen. "There were definitely parts of So Jealous that didn't feel as cohesive," Sara said. "Although it was a really strong album, it didn't have as much depth. I feel much more confident with the new album."

Seen a great show? MTV News wants your photos, videos and reports from all the latest concerts for our new You R Here community. Check out the site to read, rate and comment on reviews from around the globe. We'll put the best stuff on our You R Here blog, and even in on-air news!

• Tegan And Sara Court Controversy On New Album

• Tegan & Sara

Sum 41's <i>Underclass Hero</i>
Photo: Island

Forty two years ago Tuesday (July 31), J.K. Rowling was born — but don't worry, we'll spare you from a full-on Harry Potter motif this week ("The Half-Blood Prince," Harry's UNKLE Vernon, you get the drift). Instead, since this week is packed with so many artists who have something to say, we're going to lay it all out in front of you and let you decide if their two cents is really worth a dime.

Summing It Up: Blink-182, (+44) and Sum 41 walk into a bar ... oh, you do the math. Fitting right in with their brethren bands, Deryck Whibley and his gang are as brash as can be on their fourth studio album, Underclass Hero, which was named in honor of a United Nations worker who saved the band from a battle during the filming of the documentary "Rocked: Sum 41 in Congo."

Their Two Cents: Whibley said in a press release that the LP is "a deeply personal statement that reflects the confusion and frustration in modern society." If that's too abstract, look no further than the song "March of the Dogs," on which the band declares, "the president of the United States of America is dead." Oh, wait, but that's just supposed to be a metaphor.

Purple Prose: Don't have the new Prince album yet? He gave it away for free in editions of British newspaper The Mail on Sunday — and if that's not enough, he'll also be giving away more copies gratis at his upcoming London concerts. Planet Earth features contributions from former New Power Generation and Revolution members, including the mighty Sheila E.

His Two Cents: Prince decries war on the final track, "Resolution," asking, "How many people want resolution?"

Con Artistes: Tegan and Sara's The Con is a veritable party-in-a-jewel-case, what with Death Cab for Cutie's Christopher Walla and Jason McGerr, as well as the Rentals' Matt Sharp and AFI's Hunter Burgan, contributing to the duo's fifth studio LP.

Their Two Cents: An enigmatic post on the twin sisters' Web site seems to indicate that the album has three themes: "I. Fraud; II. Death; III. Confidence."

What-ever: Get out the flannel and stay out of the shower — the '90s are back this week with the return of Silverchair and Hanson. The former band's Young Modern — an album title that could not be more diametrically opposite to Silverchair's status — was partially crafted by heralded composer Van Dyke Parks and even features a medley track combining three songs. After years of wrangling with labels, Hanson — who, like the 'Chair, also formed in 1992 — are putting out their fourth album, The Walk, through their own 3CG Records.

Their Two Cents: We're not sure what Silverchair's modus operandi is these days, but Hanson have been very proactive about helping combat HIV/AIDS in Africa — they donated all profits from their "The Great Divide" single on iTunes to a nonprofit championing for the cause.

Tre Bien: Trey Anastasio doesn't have a whole lot to say on his new album, in a sense — The Horseshoe Curve is a wholly instrumental affair. For it, he called on Jon Fishman, John Medeski, a five-piece brass section, bassist, drummer, percussionist, keyboardist and the Nashville Chamber Orchestra — so the album can hardly be considered a solo outing.

His Two Cents: A portion of the proceeds from The Horseshoe Curve will benefit the Seven Below Arts Initiative, a nonprofit arts-education group Anastasio founded last year.

Hot Licks: Dave Grohl did actress Juliette Lewis a solid by stepping behind the drum kit, as he's still wont to do from time to time, for her band's new album Four on the Floor. Juliette and the Licks deliver a barrage of garage-rock on "Mind Full of Daggers," "Death of a Whore" and "Sticky Honey."

Her Two Cents: Lewis says on her band's Web site that "the through line on this record is desire, in its many forms. Desire of dreams, love, redemption and the consequences of that; the unfulfillment, the betrayal, the pursuit, the need." Chew on that.

What Future?: Oliver Future, from Los Angeles! Well, they actually hail originally from Austin, Texas — The Austin Chronicle named them "Best Band in Austin," in fact — but they've since relocated to Tinseltown, and their new LP Pax Futura is "a love story of L.A. outcasts united," according to a press release.

Their Two Cents: In addition to revolving around the City of Angels, the album features the politically charged "Drowning Parade," a song about Hurricane Katrina.

Song Title of the Week:

"Lee J. Cobb Is Screaming a Lot" from Alamo Race Track's Black Cat John Brown

Album Cover of the Week:

Trey Anastasio's The Horseshoe Curve

Other Notables:

Various artists' "Friday Night Lights" TV soundtrack
No new Billy Bob Thornton material here, even though he starred in the flick version of the high school football saga — and is dropping a new album of his own, Beautiful Door, this week. Instead you'll find the Killers (?), Spoon (??) and Outkast (???), who apparently have this boob-tube program in common. Other indie luminaries abound: ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, José González and Explosions in the Sky, the latter of whom contributed heavily to the film soundtrack.

Chromeo's Fancy Footwork
Relying heavily on synth, funk and slow jams, the Montreal duo hope to make you fall in love ... on the dance floor. Noted Parisian producer Philippe Zdar mixed the disc, which features "Opening Up (Ce Soir on Danse)," "My Girl Is Calling Me (A Liar)" and "Bonafied Lovin' (Tough Guys)." These guys definitely qualify as runners-up for this week's best album cover — ch-ch-check it out right here.

The Red Chord's Prey for Eyes
Some Slayer fans might be flocking back to stores this week to pick up the re-release of Christ Illusion — it comes with two extra tracks, a bonus DVD and new cover art — but metalheads shouldn't look past Massachusetts death-grinders Red Chord. Tracked with Eric Rachel (Every Time I Die, Atreyu), the album was named after an inmate at a prison where the brother of the band's frontman, Guy Kozowyk, works as a guard. "The prisoner won't talk and gets into this dialogue via a notepad," Kozowyk recalled in a press statement. "After documenting that he can no longer talk because the devil removed his tongue, my brother checks the con's mouth with his flashlight. When he tells him that his tongue is definitely intact, the inmate replies with the cryptic message, 'Pray for Eyes.' " Creeped out yet?

New Releases:

· Alamo Race Track - Black Cat John Brown (Minty Fresh)
· Bishop Allen - The Broken String (Dead Oceans)
· Trey Anastasio - The Horseshoe Curve (Red Ink) [Buy Now]
· Marc Antoine - Hi-Lo Split (Peak)
· At the Throne of Judgment - Arcanum Order (Rise)
· Bloodhorse - Bloodhorse (EP; Translation Loss)
· Born Again Floozies - 7 Deadly Sinners (Triple R)
· Camp Lo - Black Hollywood (Traffic)
· Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Vice)
· Peter Criss - One for All (Megaforce)
· Billy Ray Cyrus - Home at Last (Walt Disney)
· Deepfield - Archetypes and Repetition (In De Goot)
· Driver of the Year - ... Will Destroy You (Future Appletree/ Nail in the Coffin)
· Evans Blue - The Pursuit Begins When This Portrayal of Life Ends (enhanced; Hollywood)
· Emily Haines - What Is Free to a Good Home (EP; Last Gang)
· Peter Hammill - Singularity (Fie)
· Hanson - The Walk (Three Car Garage) [Buy Now]
· Corey Harris - Zion Crossroads (Telarc)
· The High Court - Puppet Strings (I Surrender)
· James Holstrom - The Thieves of Kailua (Millpond)
· Joe Sh--head Keithley - Joe Sh--head Keithley and His Band of Rebels (Sudden Death)
· Lonnie Jordan - War Stories (Fantasy)
· Juliette and the Licks - Four on the Floor (enhanced; Militia Group) [Buy Now]
· The Lonely H - Hair (Control Group)
· The Lovemakers - Misery Loves Company (enhanced; Fuzz Artists)
· Manic - Another New Home (Suretone)
· Manic Street Preachers - Send Away the Tigers (enhanced; Red Ink)
· Marmoset - Florist Fired (Secretly Canadian)
· The Masons - Let You Down Easy (75orless)
· Mr. J. Medeiros - Of Gods and Girls (enhanced; Red Urban)
· Mobile - Tomorrow Starts Today (The Militia Group)
· Nodes of Ranvier - Defined by Struggle (Victory)
· Oliver Future - Pax Futura (Transit of Venus/ Fireproof)
· Portugal. The Man - Church Mouth (Fearless)
· Prince - Planet Earth (Columbia) [Buy Now]
· Puddle of Mudd - Famous (Geffen) [Buy Now]
· Marion Raven - Set Me Free (Eleven Seven)
· Joe Rathbone - Under the Scorpio Moon (enhanced; Zakz)
· The Red Chord - Prey for Eyes (Metal Blade)
· Robbers on High Street - Grand Animals (New Line)
· Aaron Ross - Shapeshifter (Grass Roots)
· Saving Jane - One Girl Revolution (Toucan Cove)
· Scenes From a Movie - The Pulse (One Big Spark)
· Matt Shulman - So It Goes (RNB)
· Silverchair - Young Modern (Eleven Music) [Buy Now]
· Will Stratton - What the Night Said (Stunning Models on Display)
· Sum 41 - Underclass Hero (Island) [Buy Now]
Read: "Sum 41 Kill President In New Song — Deryck Whibley Says It's 'A Metaphor' "
· Tegan and Sara - Con (deluxe edition with DVD due same day; Vapor/Sanctuary) [Buy Now]
· Billy Bob Thornton - Beautiful Door (New Door)
· John Vanderslice - Emerald City (Barsuk)
· Tiny Vipers - Hands Across the Void (Sub Pop)
· UNKLE - War Stories (Surrender All)
· Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros - Diamonds in the Sun (Palo Duro)
· Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators - Keep Reachin' Up (Light in the Attic)
· Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything (enhanced; Roadrunner)
· Yeah Yeah Yeahs - The Is Is (EP; Interscope) [Buy Now]
· Hans Zimmer - "The Simpsons Movie" soundtrack (limited-edition version with donut packaging due July 31; Adrenaline)
· Various artists - "Friday Night Lights" TV soundtrack (Adrenaline)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Chet Atkins - The Essential Chet Atkins (two CDs; RLG Nashville/ Legacy)
· Chet Atkins and Les Paul - Chester & Lester (RLG Nashville/ Legacy)
· Bobby Bare - Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies (two CDs; RLG Nashville/ Legacy)
· Johnny Cash - The Great Lost Performances (Island/UMe) [Buy Now]
· Dälek - Deadverse Massive Vol. 1: Dälek Rarities 1999-2006 (Hydra Head)
· The Doors - Live in Boston '80 (three CDs; Rhino) [Buy Now]
· The Eat - It's Not the Eat, It's the Humidity (with bonus CD; Alternative Tentacles)
· Merle Haggard - Kern River/ Chill Factor (two CDs; American Beat)
· Waylon Jennings - The Essential Waylon Jennings (two CDs; RLG Nashville/ Legacy) and Waylon (American Beat) [Buy Now]
· Bob Marley and the Wailers - Roots, Rock, Remixed (Quango/Rockr)
· Monster Magnet - 20th Century Masters: The Best of Monster Magnet - The Millennium Collection (A&M/UMe)
· Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen - Legacy Edition (two CDs; Legacy)
· Billy Squier - Signs of Life (American Beat)
· Riders in the Sky - Public Cowboy #1: A Centennial Salute to the Music of Gene Autry (Rounder)
· Sebadoh - The Freed Man (Domino)
· Slayer - Christ Illusion (with DVD; Columbia) [Buy Now]
· Tandy - To a Friend/ Did You Think I Was Gone? (00:02:59)
· The Thrillseekers - Nightmusic Volume 2 (two CDs; Water)
· Various artists - Monsters of Rock: Platinum Edition (Razor & Tie)
· Various artists - Quiet Storm: Gold and Summer of Love: Gold (two CDs; Hip-O)
· Various artists - Sound of the City: New York Area Doo-Wop (1956-1966) (three-CD box set; Time Life)

Music DVDs:

· Sammy Davis Jr. - "The Best of Sammy Davis Jr. Live" (Eagle Vision)
· Deep Purple - "Live at Montreux 2006: They All Came Down to Montreux" (HD DVD; Eagle Vision)
· The Dubliners - "On the Road - Live in Germany" (Eagle Vision)
· Waylon Jennings and the Waymore Blues Band - Never Say Die: The Final Concert Film (with two CDs; Columbia/Legacy)
· James Last - "Live in Berlin" (Eagle Vision)
· Pet Shop Boys - "Cubism in Concert" (Rhino) [Buy Now]
· Santana - "Hymns for Peace: Live at Montreux 2004" (HD DVD; Eagle Vision)
· Yes - "Live at Montreux 2003" (HD DVD; Eagle Vision)

Coming Attractions:

July 31:
· Common - Finding Forever (Universal) [Preorder]
Read: "Kanye West, Lily Allen Finding Something In Common"
· DevilDriver - The Last Kind Words (Roadrunner)
· Korn - Untitled (deluxe edition with bonus DVD due same day; Virgin) [Preorder]
Read: "Korn Are Cracking Up Over Eighth LP's 'Gothic Feel,' Munky Says"

August 7:
· Constantine Maroulis - Constantine (6th Place)
Read: " 'American Idol' Vets Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis Can't Stop Rockin' "
· Okkervil River - The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar)
· UGK - Underground Kingz (two CDs; Jive) [Preorder]
Read: "Ex-Con Pimp C Juiced For UGK Album, Says He Has Lessons To Teach"

August 14:
· Blaqk Audio - Cexcells (Interscope)
Read: "AFI Members Have Another Fire Inside: Side Project Blaqk Audio"
· Wayne Wonder - Foreva (VP)
· Various artists - "High School Musical 2" soundtrack (Disney)
Read: " 'High School Musical' Stars Dish On Sequel's Showstoppers, Love Triangles"

• Sum 41
• Prince
• Tegan & Sara
• Hanson

Def Jam Records has pushed back the release of Ludacris' Red Light District to December 7. The album, which had been slated to drop November 23, features DMX, Trick Daddy, Nate Dogg and DJ Quik, among others. ... Chingy is looking for a new label home, according to sources close to the artist. The St. Louis native, who is currently signed to Capitol Records, recently parted with Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace imprint, and several labels appear to be interested in signing him. While Chingy is looking for a new label, he has no plans to leave Capitol at this time. In fact, the rapper's sophomore set, Powerballin', is still slated for release via that label on November 16. ...

The Neptunes' Pharrell Williams has co-created a line of Louis Vuitton eyewear with head designer Marc Jacobs. The sunglasses were unveiled during Fashion Week in Paris last week. ... Stevie Wonder has become close friends with Alicia Keys since performing with her at the MTV Video Music Awards and is talking about recording with the singer. "Between Alicia, Lenny Kravitz and myself, there's no telling what we might do musically together," Wonder said at Friday's Ray Charles tribute concert. "I'm hoping to release my next project, A Time to Love, next year. Watching what's happening in the world and the debates, it's time to have love in the world." ...

The Young Voter Alliance, an umbrella organization that includes the Young Democrats of America, the League of Pissed-Off Voters, the League of Hip-Hop Voters, MoveOn Student Action and National Stonewall Democrats, has enlisted the help of mixtape specialist/ Eminem tour DJ Green Lantern to craft a mix CD, Shade 45 Sirius Bizness, aimed at getting young people out to vote. ... Two of Paris Hilton's projects are progressing full steam ahead — her album, now slated to come out on Warner Bros., which will also distribute her Heiress Records imprint, and her new season of "The Simple Life." Hilton's yet to decide on a title for the album, which has been reported as both Paris Is Burning and Stripped. And she's in the middle of locking down a variety of internships that she and pal Nicole Richie can complete for the show's third season. Details remain to be announced. ...

The new Queens of the Stone Age album is due in March, according to the band's official Web site. The album follows 2002's Songs for the Deaf. ... Why should G-Unit and Pharrell have all the footwear fun? Metallica have gotten into the shoe game with two lines of skate shoes from I-Path. Both versions of the shoe are available on the band's official Web site, www.metallica.com. ...

Ryan Cabrera has added several West Coast dates to his current tour. After two dates in Oregon, the outing will hit San Francisco on November 14, Hollywood on November 16, Las Vegas on November 17 and Anaheim, California, on November 18. ... Lil' Romeo, whose single "My Cinderella" was just released, will select a fan to be his "Cinderella" and star in his next video. Interested girls should attend Saturday's autograph-signing with Romeo and Master P at Wherehouse Records in Torrance, California. ...

Radiohead are getting ready to release "The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time," a 110-minute DVD that collects the Internet-only animations, short films and unreleased music that originally was broadcast on www.radiohead.tv, a Web site launched in conjunction with the band's last album, Hail to the Thief. Pre-orders are being taken on Radiohead's official site, www.radiohead.com. ... If you aren't privy to the world of Coheed & Cambria, then the title of their next album, Good Apollo: I'm Burning Star IV: Vol. One From Fear Through the Eyes of Men, might sound like nonsense. Actually, even if you're a fan of the conceptual metal band, the name of the follow-up to last year's In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 might be confounding. Hopefully when the album drops next summer, it will all make sense. ...

Madonna's English Roses collection — her new brand of girl's apparel, dolls, jewelry and rainwear — is currently launching in select Nordstrom stores, with some items also available on Nordstrom.com. Nordstrom is also creating an extensive in-store program around Madonna's brand, including fashion shows and tea parties. ... 311 have finished one song and have started several more for their eighth studio album, due in the spring. "We're going to work with David Kahne and Ron Saint Germain," singer Nick Hexum said. "David Kahne did those two new songs for the greatest-hits record and that was a great experience for me. He's such a great composer and rock and roll songwriter and player in his own right. I think it's kind of a dream team." Meanwhile, 311 will release the DVD "Live in New Orleans" on October 26. ...

Tegan and Sara are performing a free show at New York's SoHo Apple Store on October 16 at 3 p.m. The in-store kicks off their brief tour in support of their recently released album, So Jealous; the trek includes five Northeast dates, including another New York performance on October 21. The duo then head west to play the Bridge School Benefit concert — which also features Sonic Youth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ben Harper and Paul McCartney — in Mountain View, California, on October 23-24. ... Thirteen years after disbanding, influential indie rockers Slint will reunite to curate and perform at the next All Tomorrow's Parties festival, February 25-27 in the U.K. The Louisville, Kentucky, group released just two albums, 1989's Tweez and 1991's Spiderland, before its members went on to play in Tortoise, the Breeders, King Kong and Palace. ...

Virgin Electronics is the latest company hoping to lure users away from Apple's iPod. Smaller than a deck of cards, the Virgin Player, available later this month, holds five gigabytes of music, one gig greater than the capacity of the iPod Mini. ... Apple, meanwhile, may not be resting on its laurels in the face of all this competition. The company is reportedly working on a 60-GB iPod — with a color screen to display photos — to be released in time for the holidays. An Apple spokesperson, however, wouldn't comment on the speculation. ... In other Apple news, a new TV spot for iTunes and iPod featuring U2 and their new single, "Vertigo," is set to premiere on Tuesday (October 12). iTunes is the only place to download the first single from the band's new album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, due November 23. ...

10.11.2004

Incubus, Hoobastank and Breaking Benjamin, each huge fans of the video game "Halo," have penned songs inspired by the game for the soundtrack to its sequel, "Halo 2." Incubus were so moved by the groundbreaking first-person shooter, they wrote an epic, four-part operetta, appropriately named "The Odyssey," for the LP, which streets on the same day as the game, November 9. ...

Want to be Paris Hilton? There's a Halloween costume of the hotel heiress available on Buycostumes.com. The outfit includes a blue stretch denim lace-up tank top, matching ruffle skirt, removable "Hello My Name is Paris H." badge, and a stuffed puppy. The "Paris Heiress" costume isn't the only celeb outfit that's available — there's one for Kelly Osbourne wannabes as well, with a black jacket and attached pink tie and pinstriped black Capri pants. ... The long-talked-about movie Outkast's Andre 3000 and Big Boi are filming for HBO now has a title: "My Life in Idlewild." The flick is currently being shot in Wilmington, North Carolina. The duo have said they're in the process of recording a batch of new songs together for the film's soundtrack. ...

The video for Prince's song "Cinnamon Girl" doesn't premiere until next week, but it's already causing quite a stir. The clip, directed by video vet Phil Harder, features "Whale Rider" star Keisha Castle-Hughes as an Arab-American girl who is fed up with the anti-Arab sentiments she encounters in everyday life. The video concludes with Castle-Hughes' character fantasizing about exploding a bomb in an airport as a result of her frustrations. ... Christina Aguilera has begun work on both an English and a Spanish-language album. In the meantime, her first live DVD, "Stripped Live in the U.K.," is due Tuesday. ...

Fourteen-year-old professional skateboarder and snowboarder Ryan Sheckler paid $4,000 for a guitar signed by Blink-182 in an auction at Tony Hawk's Stand Up for Skate Parks benefit last week in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Pamela Anderson paid $6,000 for a date with David Spade and $2,750 for a bike signed by X-Games champion Mat Hoffman. Blink and Spade both performed at the benefit, which attracted such guests as Trent Reznor and Benicio Del Toro. ... Following in the footsteps of their future tourmates Good Charlotte, Sum 41 will perform at the Tower Records in New York's Greenwich Village on the day their new album comes out. The Canadian quartet will perform selections from Chuck and sign autographs on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ...

The legislative tide turned against the recording industry Friday when a bill that would facilitate slapping peer-to-peer networks such as Kazaa and Morpheus with lawsuits was effectively killed in Washington. The bill, known as the Induce Act, sought to hold liable anyone who induces another to infringe on copyrights, but the Senate Judiciary Committee passed on it. ... The only thing thicker than the stifling hot air at Spaceland in Los Angeles on Saturday was the mustache on Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse "The Devil" Huge. Actually, what was even thicker than that were the beats, provided by both Joey Castillo and surprise guest drummer Josh Homme, who sat at a second drum kit right next to Castillo. Among those taking in the show were Homme's squeeze, Distillers singer Brody Dalle, and ex-Queens of the Stone Age bassist Nick Oliveri, who was fired from the band earlier this year after a falling-out with Homme. ...

The first 500,000 people to buy copies of the PS2 video game "The Urbz: Sims in the City" will get a free iTunes card that will allow them to download three exclusive tracks from the Black Eyed Peas. The tracks include one new Peas song recorded in "Simlish," the fictional language used in the world of the Urbz, and a remix of their single "Let's Get It Started," also recorded in Simlish. These songs and other exclusive tracks are featured in the video game, which also boasts the hip-hop group as characters. ... Master P, who played with the American Basketball Association's Las Vegas Rattlers last season, has joined the Long Beach Jam. The rap mogul trained extensively over the summer and was invited to the Sacramento Kings' pre-training camp workouts. ... Meanwhile, P will guest star on an upcoming episode of "CSI: NY," for a story line involving a hip-hop artist stabbed to death after winning a DJ contest. The episode, called "Grand Master," airs on CBS October 20 at 10 p.m. ET. ...

Pharrell Williams and Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham have contributed to Vanessa Carlton's second album, Harmonium, due November 9. The singer's boyfriend, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, produced the project. ... Continuing their trek around the U.S. in support of their new album, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In), Chevelle will open a handful of dates for Korn, who are currently touring behind an album of their own, Greatest Hits, Volume 1. Chevelle join the tour November 11 in Fresno, California, and stay on until the November 24 show in Minneapolis. More dates are expected soon. ...

The first two albums from the Hives, 1997's Barely Legal and their 1998 EP, A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T, both originally available on Gearhead Records, are being reissued through Burning Heart/ Epitaph. The albums will see the light of day on October 26. ... When guitarist Terry Balsamo left the company of Scooter Ward for the opportunity to play with Evanescence earlier this year, it seemed like Cold were fast on the retirement trail, but things seem to be heating up for the Jacksonville, Florida, band. With a new label deal with Atlantic in place (ties with Geffen were severed in March), the group plans to start pre-production on the tentatively titled And a Sad Song Lives On this week. ...

The documentary "Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley" will premiere Saturday at New York's Two Boots Pioneer Theater as part of the CMJ Music Marathon. The movie features interviews with the late singer's family, friends and bandmates. ... Rap stars, take note: even indie rockers are getting into the mixtape game. Grandaddy have put together their own mixtape, Below the Radio. Due October 19, the collection includes some of the band's favorite tracks by Beck, Snow Patrol, Earlimart and Pavement, in addition to a new Grandaddy song titled "Nature Anthem." The group's fifth album is scheduled for a spring 2005 release. ...

It's Sammy Hagar's birthday this week, which means it's time for his annual Cabo Wabo Meltdown in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The six-day event started this weekend, with free performances by Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, Smash Mouth, Van Halen's Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith, Jerry Cantrell, the Cult's Billy Duffy, and Kenny Chesney. ...

• Ludacris
• Ryan Cabrera
• Pharrell Williams
• Alicia Keys
• Chingy

Tegan & Sara (file)
Photo: Sanctuary

Punky pop-rock duo Tegan & Sara love each other, but the identical twins had to move to opposite ends of their native Canada to be able to stand one another.

"When we're touring, we're with each other a lot," Tegan said. "When we're on the road 24 hours a day, it can be a bit much. So space is good."

"What she's trying to say is that we see each other more than enough even when we're living on different coasts," said Sara, the younger by all of eight minutes. She moved to Montreal in the last year, while her sister remains on Canada's west coast in Vancouver.

And though the 24-year-old twins spend their share of time apart, they reconvened last spring to record their third record and follow-up to If It Was You.

Released in September, So Jealous is the culmination of all the potential and promise Tegan & Sara have shown in the past, melding their emo tendencies with their blossoming pop sophistication. So global pop domination is just around the corner, right?

"We don't want to be like U2 or whatever," Sara said. "We don't need to achieve that kind of success. We're still working on that middle ground."

They might not have the most gigantic following, but the core is intense and deeply enamored of the duo's affecting pop songs. The list of name musicians who consider themselves ardent fans is long. Chrissie Hynde and Ryan Adams have both handpicked them for opening slots on their tours. Neil Young gave them their start (see "Tegan & Sara: Just Don't Mention The Name 'T.A.T.U.' ") and recently asked them to play his Bridge School Benefit concerts next to veterans like Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth. Additionally, the Canadian west coast indie-rock community — including the twins' rhythm section, New Pornographers producers John Collins and David Carswell — has taken the duo under its wing.

Like their previous offering, So Jealous is replete with pop anthems and emoesque manifestos on love and its aftermath. Living on separate coasts helped focus the vision.

"With our last album, we forced ourselves to record three to four days a week together," Tegan said. "So [writing apart] was less pressure. It allowed us to be a little bit more diverse on the record and gave it a new fresh sound because we weren't exhausted and hating each other."

Lending his services to the project was another admirer of the group, former Weezer bassist Matt Sharp, whose ghostly yet understated keyboards leave a significant imprint on the record.

"[Matt] originally was supposed to play on a couple songs," Sara said. "But he pretty much ended up playing on every song. I get nervous when I collaborate with people, but he was so shy, and he wanted to really complement what we were doing and also for us to approve. He ..."

"He was so thoughtful of our process," Tegan said, finishing her sister's sentence.

While So Jealous is full of love songs, the siblings — both lesbians — insist their lovelorn lyrics are universal. "Everyone can relate to [songs about] the politics of love and heartbreak and longing," said Tegan.

They recognize the trappings of being open, even if they downplay their sexuality.

"I don't know [if] love is necessarily political," Sara said. "But in this day and age, being open [and] comfortable with who you are can be political. Exercising our right to say and do what we want can be political just in itself."

The album's first single, "Walking With a Ghost," was written by Sara about her initial experiences of living in a new city without the comfort of friends or lovers. "It's kind of a cheesy metaphor for walking around the city feeling like the person I wanted to date was hanging out with me, but they weren't. Some would call it an imaginary friend; I call it a ghost."

The video is equally strange. Austere and spooky, it depicts the sisters as polarizing forces, dressed in either all-white or all-black. Tegan's character rips Sara's heart out, much to her dismay. The concept came to Sara after a wisdom tooth operation, when she was high on painkillers and had an "epiphany" about how she wanted the song to play out visually.

"I had to explain the [concept] to the record company," Sara said. "You [convey] your [ideas] like 'ripping hearts out' and then ask for $30,000 for the video, and they're like [terrified]. They didn't really have a response beyond, 'Uhhh, OK, I guess we'll trust you.' "

Tegan & Sara tour dates, according to their publicist:

• 9/27 - Toronto, ON @ The Mod Club
• 9/28 - Ottawa, ON @ Barrymore's
• 9/29 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rosa
• 10/13 - New York, NY @ Plaid
• 10/16 - New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom
• 10/17 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
• 10/18 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
• 10/19 - Ithaca, NY @ The Haunt
• 10/20 - State College, PA @ TBA
• 10/21 - New York, NY @ The Bowery Ballroom
• 10/23 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre (Neil Young Bridge School Benefit)
• 10/24 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre (Neil Young Bridge School Benefit)

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