Boston, MA—Known for bringing favored acts like The Juggaknots and Smiley Da Ghetto Child out of obscurity and back into the public eye, Amalgam Digital strikes once again, this time signing Kurious Jorge to the label. On Sept 18th 2007 Amalgam will be re-releasing “A Constipated Monkey” as a prelude to his sophomore album which features Mf Doom on production due early 2008. In anticipation of the re-release and his upcoming sophomore LP Kurious asserts “I’m real glad to be doing these projects with Amalgam Digital. This shits’ gonna be another fun record. That’s my word.”

Banking on the underground success of his singles “Walk Like a Duck” and “Uptown Shit,” Kurious Jorge (the rapper not the monkey from children’s books) released his debut album in early 1994. The album’s subtle mix of underground vigor and flavorful party anthems pleased many of hip-hop’s discerning aficionados. A guest list that included The Hieroglyphics’ Casual and DJ Lord Sear on the mic and a back-from-the-dead Bosco Money from Downtown Science, The Beatnuts and Pete Nice and Daddy Rich on production gave the album a session feel. The album’s wide range of samples, from The Black Byrds to Fifth Dimension, made for a quirky overall musical effect. Kurious does well to play up the strength of his honest style, a concise and careful delivery without sacrificing wit. In the end, the catchy single “I’m Kurious” positions itself as the album’s true watermark, while cuts like “Top Notch” and the B-side “Mansion and a Yacht” featuring Sadat X from Brand Nubian are also bona fide mid-’90s hip-hop jams. Of all the golden era rap records that are known to inspire feelings of nostalgia in today’s jaded listener, it is possible that Kurious’ “A Constipated Monkey” tugs at a b-boy’s heartstrings the hardest as it embodies the naturally positive and joyous attitude that is romantically linked to hip-hop of the past.

In addition, “A Constipated Monkey” Re-Release will feature several hidden bonus tracks (the B-Side classic “Mansion And A Yacht” and “I’m Kurious” Remix) not available on the original pressing.

Kurious Jorge with a J not a G!

It’s been a long time coming, but Median’s Relief, the highly anticipated debut album from Justus League member Median, is only eight short weeks away from landing on store shelves worldwide. The album, which hits stores September 25th on Halftooth Records, features outstanding production from 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Nicolay, Ant B, and more, as well as guest appearances from the likes of Joe Scudda, Chaundon, L.E.G.A.C.Y. and Spectac.

To hold fans over until the September 25th street date, Halftooth Records is offering a FREE mixtape download of Median’s Relief In The Making (mixed by DJ Low Key & hosted by 9th Wonder). The mixtape features production from 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Nicolay, Von Pea, M-Phazes and more, as well as tracks featuring Little Brother, Foreign Exchange, Kenn Starr, Tanya Morgan, Big Pooh and more. Median’s Relief In The Making features more than 60 minutes of head-nodding music from Median, blended seamlessly by Colorado’s own DJ Low Key and hosted by fellow Justus League member and long time collaborator 9th Wonder. The 29 track mixtape features some of Median’s most memorable guest spots and collaborations (”Shorty on the Lookout,” “Back At It Again,” “All That You Are,” “Scars,” “Be Alright,” “Get Ready”), several “best of” Median tracks (”Comfortable,” “Visionary,” “Doing Dances,” “M.A.D. (Median Alleviates The Drama)”), rare and unreleased tracks (”Yeah Right,” “Maglite” ), previews of tracks from his forthcoming album Median’s Relief (”Rize,” “How Big Is Your World?,” “Powershift,” “What Would You Do?”), as well as new and exclusive tracks recorded just for the mixtape (”Straight N Narrow,” “If Then Statement”).

With the recent release of his new chart-topping single “Rize” (produced by Khrysis) b/w “Love Again” (produced by Koen) & “How Big Is Your World?” (produced by 9th Wonder), as well as the release of Median’s Relief In The Making and the forthcoming release of his debut full-length album Median’s Relief, Median is well on his way to proving himself as one of Hip-Hop’s brightest talents and one of Hip-Hop’s future stars.

In a whirlwind six-years, 9th Wonder has already been a vital-cog in the success of Little Brother, been hailed as one of Hip-hop’s most ingenious producers, started a “Hip-hop in context 1973-1997” course at his alma-mater North Carolina Central University (alongside Chris Martin from Kid N Play) from the ground up and participated on a Grammy Award winning LP (Mary J Blige’s 2005 The Breakthrough) and worked with two other Grammy Award winners (Jay-Z and Destiny’s Child).

In addition to crafting the beats for Little Brother (2003’s The Listening & 2005’s The Minstrel Show), 9th Wonder has gone on to become one of Hip-hop’s most sought after producers, working with a wide-array of artists such as; Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child, Mary J. Blige, Lloyd Banks, Mos Def, De La Soul, Memphis Bleek, Jean Grae, Masta Ace, Murs, Buckshot, Masta Ace, Royce 5’9, Ras Kass, Consequence, Saigon, Sean Price and his Justus League cohorts among others. The vast diversity of the artists and genre’s 9th Wonder has worked with and in further demonstrates his ability as one of the most talented artists in music today; as his sound is infused with soul loops and jazz sentiment. 9th’s background in classical music and music theory gives his music a sonic breath and maturity that surpasses his years. Like the jazz greats Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, 9th “feels” his music and because of that intimate connection, he creates a sound that transcends Hip-hop, and becomes one with soul, jazz and R&B.

While 9th Wonder may have previously spent the majority of his time collaborating for other artists or in a group-setting, on 10-09-07 he finally strikes out on his own with his debut LP Dream Merchant Vol. 2. Littered with some of the finest established lyricists (Saigon, Royce 5’9, Mos Def, Memphis Bleek, Jean Grae, Camp Lo, Buckshot, Sean Price) Hip-hop has to offer, alongside some of the most-promising newcomers (Skyzoo, Torae, Joe Scudda and Kidz In The Hall’s Naledge) and former group-members (Little Brother) as well, making Dream Merchant Vol. 2 is a sonic and lyrical tour-de-force. When it came time to decide who he would collaborate with on Dream Merchant Vol. 2, as 9th relays the formula was pretty simple “basically it came down to who wanted to work with me. I wanted to work with a group of artists where some you had heard of and some you haven’t, but all in all wanted to work with me, without having to go thru 50 different people to get to the artist. The artists that are on the album are cats who genuinely wanted to do music with me. That was more important to me then anything else.

Though Dream Merchant Vol. 2 is 9th’s debut, the concept for the LP was masterminded many years ago and like many things in 9th’s life, devised by fate “this record means allot to me! The crazy thing is, the actualization of Dream Merchant is an idea that is six-years old. My Uncle Fred has crazy records; he was an avid collector from his days in NYC back in the 70’s. Back in 1987, I went to visit him and my Aunt, they lived in the South Bronx (East 169th and Grand Concourse) and it was my first trip to NYC. I was only there for a week when the newspapers flashed “Scott La Rock killed” (crazy right). In 1991, my Uncle and Aunt moved to Winston Salem (North Carolina) and I was working in a UPS call-center in High Point (North Carolina) and made a crazy decision to quit my job and pursue music full-time. I went to visit my Uncle Fred afterwards, because I remembered all of those records he had when I was a kid. I went downstairs and the first record I pulled out of the crate was Jerry Butler’s “Dream Merchant.” I though the title was so fly, that I decided to do a compilation album with me doing all the beats and cats I knew that rhymed. I think more then anything; fate sparked my decision to do this all the way—just from that cover and that moment.”

While 9th is shouldering a lot of expectations from critics and fans alike for his debut, he has a more subtle goal for the project, as he laments “I put expectations to the side and just focused on giving the people something to listen too that they can enjoy.”

9th Wonder’s Dream Merchant Vol. 2 will be released on October 9th, 2007 on Six Hole/Hall of Justus Records, so save the date for 9th on the 9th!

Arista/SONY BMG recording artist Barry Manilow revisits the songs of the decade that launched his career - the Seventies. THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES is the next release in a best-selling series of tribute albums of popular music which includes The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties and The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties, whose cumulative sales with Ultimate Manilow have surpassed 5 million units. THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES will arrive in stores on September 18th in two distinctly unique packages, one an 18-song CD; and the other a two-disc set containing a 14-song Dual Disc (audio and video layers) plus a 9-song bonus CD.

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES continues the productive and successful reunion between Manilow and Clive Davis, Arista founder and BMG U.S. Chairman & CEO. Davis has been Manilow’s hitmaking collaborator on virtually all his recordings, since they first worked together on “Mandy,” his debut #1 single as the first artist signed to Arista by Davis in 1974, the first year of the label’s existence. The two produced The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties and The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties together, and that magic has carried over to the new album as well.

Comments Clive Davis: “No one can reinvent these great classics better than Barry Manilow. He breathes new life and vitality into these truly wonderful songs and they sound fresh and timeless. We continue on the mission to bring to a new generation the great songs of a different era.”

Special pre-order campaigns for THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES at the www.manilow.com website will ensure fans of receiving the new album in its very first week of release.

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES is a fan’s dream wish-list of favourites covering both sides of the Atlantic, from The Beatles’ “The Long And Winding Road,” to Elton John’s “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word,” as well as duets with Melissa Manchester on Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend” and with Rosie O’Donnell on Elton John’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” Other selections include Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the Hollies’ “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” Albert Hammond’s “It Never Rains In Southern California,” and The Carpenters’ “(They Long To Be) Close To You.”

Manilow’s tributes are flawlessly performed and arranged, starting with an homage to the Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were,” Frankie Valli’s “My Eyes Adored You,” the Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart,” and the Christopher Cross masterpiece “Sailing,” produced by Walter Afanasieff.

The 18-song single CD package of THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES presents Barry Manilow’s new versions of 10 classic songs by other artists from the ’70s, plus first time ever, stripped-down acoustic versions of eight of his own titles. These range from “Mandy,” “I Write The Songs,” and “Could It Be Magic?,” to 1976’s “This One’s For You” and “Weekend In New England”; from 1978’s “Can’t Smile Without You” and “Copacabana,” up to “Even Now” and “Somewhere In The Night.”

The two-disc package of THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES contains a Dual Disc (CD + DVD) with new versions of 14 classic non-Manilow songs from the ’70s on the audio layer, and “The Making of the Album” with Barry reflecting on the great music and the decade on the video layer. The bonus CD will contain stripped-down acoustic versions of nine Barry Manilow titles.

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE SEVENTIES follows two hit albums released last year: The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties (released January 31) and The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties (released October 31), making 2006 the first year since 1981 that Manilow had two albums of new material top the charts in the same calendar year.

Oakland, CA, August 8, 2007 – Nearly two years since the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album The Minstrel Show, North Carolina’s Little Brother returns with Getback, a slim and trim 11 track album slated for release this fall on ABB Records.

The new album features production from Illmind, Hi-Tek, Nottz, Denaun Porter and 9th Wonder, as well as guest shots from Lil’ Wayne (the playful “Breakin My Heart”) and fellow Hall of Justus family members Jozeemo and Darien Brockington, (the bittersweet thump of ‘That Ain’t Love’ and the vibrant ‘Two Step Blues’ respectively).

The inspiration for Getback came out of a desire to “get back” to the original reason Little Brother wanted to make music in the first place; simply for the love and fun of it. Frustrated with “the industry”, they wanted to return to that place in their hearts that made them want to create music. “When I sat down to write my first rhyme I didn’t say, ‘Maybe if I write this, the people at Clear Channel will love me…I never gave a sh*t about that…so when I saw myself caring about that, I knew it was a problem and I had gotten away from the original reasons why I started making music.”

The album is a return to basics for the group and hope this time around the real focus is on the music itself and not what label they’re on, how many records they’re going to sell or who’s in the group. “I think this is the closest we could get to the feeling and energy we had when we made our first record” says Rapper Pooh “Back in 2001 no one knew who we were or that we were even making music. Fast forward to 2007, fresh off Atlantic, the three man group now a duo, people either counted us out or don’t know what to expect anymore. That gave us the freedom to be just that, free.”

Formed in 2001 at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, Little Brother has become one of the premier names in soulful hip-hop. With influences that range from the expressive boom bap of A Tribe Called Quest to the rugged back and forth chemistry of EPMD, the group’s members, Phonte and Big Pooh, have become essential names in hip-hop circles worldwide.

Little Brother released their debut album, “The Listening,” on ABB Records in 2003 to widespread critical acclaim. After receiving props from hip-hop luminaries such as Pete Rock and DJ Premier, and touring nationally and internationally with the likes of Hieroglyphics and The Roots, the group signed a deal with Atlantic Records in 2004. Their sophomore effort, “The Minstrel Show,” was released on Atlantic in 2005 to a mass of critical praise and media controversy. The video for ‘Lovin It,’ “Minstrel Show’s” lead single, was deemed ‘too intelligent’ by the BET network and was subsequently banned. Similarly, the group’s 4.5 mic rating in Source Magazine was challenged for political reasons, forcing the magazine’s editor-in-chief Fahiym Ratcliffe to resign from his position.

After the release of “Minstrel Show,” the group released a pair of stellar mixtapes; “Separate but Equal” with DJ Drama (2006) and “And Justus for All” with DJ Mick Boogie (2007). Boasting collaborations with Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Kardinal Offishall and Ray Cash, “And Justus for All” continued Little Brother’s long running streak of critical admiration, receiving an XL rating in XXL Magazine, and made free to the public via internet download. Shortly after the release of “Justus,” Little Brother left the Atlantic label.

COLUMBIA RECORDS ANNOUNCES THE RELEASEOF NEW PATTI SCIALFA ALBUM, “PLAY IT AS IT LAYS”

Artist’s Eagerly-Awaited Third Solo Album Available Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

Columbia Records is set to release “Play It As It Lays,” the eagerly-anticipated new album from American singer-songwriter-musician Patti Scialfa, on Tuesday, September 4th, 2007.

Patti Scialfa will make a series of rare live TV appearances the week of her album launch including both “The Today Show” (NBC-TV) and the “Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS-TV) on Tuesday, September 4 as well as “The View” (ABC-TV) on Thursday, September 6. (Please check your local listings).

“Play It As It Lays” is the first album of new music from Patti Scialfa since the release of her critically acclaimed “23rd Street Lullaby” in 2004 and is the artist’s third solo album since the release of her debut, “Rumble Doll,” in 1993. “Play It As It Lays” premieres 10 new songs, written and performed by Patti Scialfa, showcasing the artist’s soulful command of melody and language in a series of expressive and intimate musical narratives incorporating elements of roots rock, folk, country, street corner doo-wop, girl groups and more into a sound and sensibility uniquely her own.

The album is produced by Patti Scialfa, Ron Aniello (Lifehouse, Guster, Barenaked Ladies), and Steve Jordan (Patti’s co-producer on “23rd Street Lullaby,” Jordan served as musical director for the PBS series “Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues” and has produced albums by Keith Richards, John Mayer, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and others).

“Play It As It Lays” features Patti (vocals, acoustic guitar, banjo, Wurlitzer organ) backed by the ‘Whack Brothers’ Rhythm Section: Cliff Carter (keyboards), Steve Jordon (drums and percussion, acoustic guitar), Nils Lofgren (guitars, pedal steel guitar, dobro), Bruce Springsteen (Hammond B3 organ, acoustic guitars, electric guitar, harmonica) and Willie Weeks (bass). Additional players on the album include co-producer Ron Aniello (guitar, keyboards), Crusher Bennet (percussion), Jeremy Chatzky (bass), Mark Stewart (cello, guitar, banjo), Scott Tibbs (synthesized strings), and Soozie Tyrell (violin, background vocals), with whom Patti gigged back in her early musical busking days. Other background vocals are provided by Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Cindy Mizelle and Curtis King.

Each of Patti Scialfa’s previous solo albums – “Rumble Doll” (1993) and “23rd Street Lullaby” (2004) — received four-star reviews in Rolling Stone magazine who praised her “…clear-eyed joyfulness and unpretentious appeal…(evoking)…a woman not haunted by her past but enriched by it.”

www.pattiscialfa.net

www.columbiarecords.com

New Collection Follows the Six-Million-Selling Blockbuster Success of Her ACM-Winning Album of the Year, “Some Hearts”

Nashville, TN – One of this year’s most anticipated albums is set for release October 23, as two-time GRAMMY winner and reigning CMA and ACM Female Vocalist Carrie Underwood delivers her new 19 Recordings/Arista Records/Arista Nashville collection – the follow-up to her multi-award-winning juggernaut debut, Some Hearts.

The massive, cross-format success of Some Hearts scored at country and pop radio with four #1 country airplay singles and Top 10 success at Hot AC and Mainstream Top 40, while the album soared to six-times Platinum certification (double platinum in Canada), becoming one of only two country debuts in history ever to reach that milestone.

Produced by Mark Bright, who helmed seven tracks on Some Hearts, the to-be-titled new disc is currently being completed, but will include additional songwriting from Carrie, who co-penned the album track, “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore,” on Some Hearts.

Released November 15, 2005, Carrie’s Some Hearts been #1 for a remarkable 27 of its 86 chart weeks – holding the #1 slot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart across multiple weeks in 2005, 2006, and 2007. With SoundScan sales of nearly 1,095,000 copies this year alone, Some Hearts is – 20 months after its release – the best-selling country album of 2007.

Hip-Hop Humanitarian launches an ANTI Human-Trafficking, ANTI Child-Pornography Campaign. IamConstance.org to provide victims with a voice

Los Angeles, CA – Mr. J Medeiros is an eloquent hip-hop artist on a mission to create massive social change through music, in more areas than one. In keeping with the release of his debut solo-album “Of gods and girls” on July 24th, 2007, Mr. J officially launches his anti child trafficking campaign “IamConstance.org” in Los Angeles today; a website that relates to the non-traditional, “hit” single off the album: “Constance”.

“Constance” is the true story of a girl raised in The Philippines, kidnapped, and forced into prostitution and internet pornography at a young age. The video for “Constance” (which has already compiled over 100,000 views on YouTube), illustrates how Americans support this scenario everyday through “legal” and “illegal” internet porn sites.

“People don’t see the connection between clicking on the internet here and someone being raped in a hotel room on the other side of the world,” exclaims J, “I want people to recognize our responsibility in what is happening here. Child pornography is a $3 Billion dollar market and the porn industry all together is $57 Billion worldwide; it brings in more money than professional football, baseball, and basketball franchises combined.”

The story of Constance aims to show the massive population of pornography users, that they may be fueling rape, abuse, human-trafficking, and child pornography. This is where the “IamConstance.org” campaign comes into play – the website hosts countless anonymous accounts from victims of trafficking, kidnapping and abuse. The purpose is to create change by revealing the magnitude of these atrocities.

The “I Am Constance Campaign” was born when J released the video online, and was immediately flooded with hundreds of YouTube comments, MySpace letters and personal accounts from women and men sharing their painful stories evoked by watching “Constance.” This sent Medeiros on a mission to tell these people’s stories, and show how many people are affected by this issue.

Mr. J’s hope is to increase awareness and accountability for these crimes. More than half of sexual assaults go unreported. J has partnered with organizations like humantrafficking.org, I Am Coming, and XXXchurch, in the hopes to break the silence about these crimes. They aim to rally support to demand that the UN increase minimum penalties for Human Trafficking worldwide. “800,000 women and children are kidnapped, trafficked and raped each year. That’s 2200 people each and every day, one every 39 seconds. Traffickers who are arrested may receive as little as 1 -4 years in prison. This has to stop,” demands J.

To watch the Constance video or to read like-minded “Constance” stories, go to:

www.IamConstance.org.

NATURE SOUNDS TO RELEASE EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED DEBUT FROM HAVOC OF MOBB DEEP

THE KUSH TO BE RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2007

Mobb Deep’s Havoc To Release Debut On Nature Sounds

NY, NY—–Nature Sounds Records announces the eagerly-anticipated debut, The Kush, from Mobb Deep’s Havoc.

Havoc is one half of the musical force that rap fans have to come to know and love as Mobb Deep. For the past 14-years, Havoc (along with partner Prodigy) have become one of Hip-Hop’s most influential entities and has released a string of indelible LP’s including acclaimed classics like The Infamous, Hell On Earth and Amerikaz Nightmare. To date, Mobb Deep has sold over 4 millions records.

While Havoc’s partner Prodigy has already leaped into the solo-realm, Havoc has previously not done so due to a hectic recording schedule with Mobb Deep where he has produced some of the most essential Hip-Hop tracks of the last decade (“Shook Ones Pt.2,” “Drop A Gem On Em,” “Quiet Storm,” and “The Learning” among just a handful of classics) and due to the fact that he is one of Hip-Hop’s most sought after producers (as he has previously worked with a who’s who list of artists including: Nas, Capone & Noreaga, Foxy Brown, 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Lloyd Banks, The Game, Jadakiss, Lil Kim, Method Man, Notorious B.I.G., etc) as Havoc reaffirms “I was always ready (to drop a solo-album), but the reason why it took me so long is because the timing wasn’t right. I was always working on Mobb Deep material and working with other artists and I used allot of the material I was going to use for a solo-LP for Mobb Deep records.” However, that all changes with the release of Havoc’s debut, The Kush, (the prequel to his official solo-LP) on 9-18-07.

Havoc’s debut has been buzzed about for quite some time and is eagerly anticipated by the group’s fan base and fans of the duo’s hardcore brand of NY hip-hop. Over the years, Havoc’s eerily chilling production has influenced countless producers, set the bar for NYC producers and become the identity for the “Queensbridge sound.” That trend continues with The Kush, as the LP is entirely self-produced by Havoc and as he laments he’s keeping it grimy “basically, The Kush is dark and gutter, I really wanted to go that direction.”

Forsaking littering The Kush with numerous guest-appearances, Havoc choose to keep things entirely in-house and make it an all-family endeavor by design states Havoc “Besides Prodigy, I did not want a bunch of big stars on it, as it would have taken away from the real objective of the LP, which is grimy and down to earth.”

After working with virtually every big name artist in the Urban genre and creating some of the most timeless music Hip-Hop fans have had the pleasure to lay ears upon, Havoc did not need to step out of his zone to stay motivated for The Kush, as he states “the thing that keeps me motivated is just my love of music, I just love to create. The Kush represents me as an individual and my growth as a producer and lyricist.”

The Kush; another Queensbridge classic!

SONY BMG MUSIC (CANADA) INC.

Superstar Duo Brooks & Dunn Set for October 2 Release of New Album, Cowboy Town

First Single, “Proud of the House We Built,” Already Top 20!

Nashville, TN – They’re the most-awarded act in ACM and CMA history, and now 30-million-selling superstar duo Brooks & Dunn are poised to deliver their all-new Arista Nashville album, Cowboy Town, set for release on October 2.

With the first single, the Ronnie Dunn/Terry McBride/Marv Green-penned “Proud of the House We Built,” already soaring through the country airplay Top 20, Billboard cheered, “Brooks & Dunn persistently deliver well-written songs that speak to the heart of the American experience. Whether the topic is faith, fun or family, they create songs their audience can see themselves in.”

And with Cowboy Town, produced by the duo and Tony Brown, B&D are ready to unleash more of the best music of their career … and they’re every bit as excited as their fans. Dunn enthused, “This really is kind of like cowboys meet the Rolling Stones. There’s a bunch of fun stuff on there. And it sounds different than anything we’ve ever done.”

“The record took on a personality,” he continued. “It was just a few days ago that we decided to call it Cowboy Town. That song came along. Every time we got to a song meeting to finalize the record, we come in with a bunch of songs! We go, ‘What about this?’ They go, ‘Cut those, too!’”

Brooks declared, “We really need to get this out,” as Dunn laughed, “because neither one of us will let ourselves stop until this thing’s released!”

The duo’s most recent collection, the Platinum-plus Hillbilly Deluxe, launched four smash hits, including the title track; the award-winning “Building Bridges”; their 23rd #1 single, “Play Something Country”; and the ACM and CMA-honored Song of the Year, “Believe.”

In addition to anticipating the upcoming album, fans can be watching for the superstar Brooks & Dunn / Alan Jackson tour, on the road through this fall.

As an interesting point of trivia, is that Fez’ name stands for “foreign exchange student”, which means that his character was just never named. Could we also make that same deduction of the title of this series then? Perhaps, though aside from copious Star Wars and Korean War references, the only reason the show seems to be set in the past is to justify their pot smoking circle scenes (genius camera angles), the segues that most certainly inspired Gap commercials, and the ridiculously good fashion of the cast.

Season six shows the gang going through the dramas of growing up, humping, getting married and starting their own (accidental) families. Should they leave the nest and their friends and go to college or stay secure and take jobs at home and perpetually live with their parents and their friends’ (alcoholic) parents?

Guest stars are plentiful, with Brook Shields becoming a permanent fixture as Jackie’s mom/Bob’s girlfriend, Shannon Elizabeth as the “librarian Barbie” that Kelso knocked up in the bathroom of a rock concert, Rachel Bilson as a rich girl that Fes tries to pick up at a wedding, and Seth Green as Mitch, Eric’s nemesis (his Newman, if you will).

The writing is sharp, the actors are easy on the eyes, and it seems that Casey/Werner have managed to pull off another sitcom triumph. It’s too bad that the official website is not a little more detailed: http://www.that70sshow.com/index_about.htm.

(more…)

Just when you are about to write off the celebutantes, one will attempt something so outlandish for attention that you just have to give them props. In the case of Nicole Richie, she has chosen to put out a book, a “fictional” account of an innocent starlette who is driven to substance abuse and arrest from the public pressure of living in the shadow of a talentless and power hungry evil daughter of a mogul (and being carted off to rehab in her Juicy suit). Uh huh. Our heroine, Chloe, is followed through her struggles as the sidekick who is taken advantage of by the diva, but it actually reads more like a tell-all without telling about Simone and her ignorance, who profits from Chloe’s every hardship as an excuse for attention.

Perhaps it was a way to get past the legal hoopla that would come along with a “real” tell-all about Paris Hilton, but this autobiography is a little too thinly veiled, and though it is entertaining (and worth the free read in an hour at your local major book chain), even your little sister can figure it out. So really, it is brilliant because it’s your little sister who cares about this type of thing. You might be concerned with the perpetuation of the stereotype that young women should never to trust their “friends” because we are always in competition. But, if this release prompts young folks to read, we can only hope that it will act as the jumpoff to developing a critical mind and the discussions they have about it will ultimately lead to bell hooks.

Examples of the gems that make this book not a total waste (not to mention, of course, the centerfold photoshoot of Nicole in deteriorating degrees of “coming undone”):

“I’m not judgemental, but I do know how to judge mentals.” (p16)

“There’s so much product it’s retarded.”

“We’d prefer it if you didn’t use that word.”

“Because regular people don’t know what product is?” (p71-72)

“I know, we barely have any black friends, I’ll have to phone BET or date Chingy or something.” (p145)

All ends well for our reluctant princess, as she is triumphantly affirmed of her worth with the engagement ring of DJ Ray on her finger and she reveals that the truth about diamonds is that the real diamonds are the people behind what they symbolize (family, friends, commitment and love). Like it would kill her to at least pay lip service to the reality of the diamond trade and how the hard rocks are really not a conscious girl’s best friend-at least Leonardo DiCapprio and Kanye did that.

Nerve Magazine has been called “Playboy’s body with the New Yorker’s brain” and the tentacles of its empire have grasped the realms of film, television, books and online personals. Their marriage to Urban Outfitters has allowed for the insemination of their “knowledge” into the curious cannon of “experts”. It is stated in the intro of their latest endeavor that the project was initially embarked upon with the expectation that humorously bad advice would be harvested and the result was that humorously good advice was extracted instead.
The full title is Sex Advice From…: DJs, Sorority Girls, Cowboys, Car Dealers, Bartenders, Pool Cleaners, Hairstylists, and More! though the most interesting entries come from the “everyman” categories, namely the Unemployed People and Stoners. Other notable categories that get points for originality are Aspiring Chippendales, Bloggers (yea! we are considered when people think of sexperts!), Deli Workers, Diplomats, Mensa Members, Vegans, Midwives, Santas, Sideshow Performers, Roller Derby Girls and Bike Messengers.
 

The consensus is that oral sex is good, people who don’t do it suck (or don’t for that matter), and taste, smell and sight are important, so it goes to show that people are more concerned with the “sense” in sensual than we are quick to give them credit for (there will be a Watch Mojo video clip about this subject coming up so keep your eyeballs peeled and your ears perked). The questions also seemed to be focused on the topics of hair, availability, and not ignoring the balls (the testicular kind).
 

The best way to end a review on a book that is such an eclectic mélange is to let the content speak for itself. Here are a few entries that are simply priceless:
 

When a male model was asked the “line” that differentiates degrees of same sex interaction, he responds, “…That’s the line. You can’t put the private part in your mouth. It works the other way too, two guys or two girls making out is just that, until something puts something in their mouth”. He also advocates carrying lube everywhere, just in case. Another male model responds to the same question, “If they’re still there for breakfast, you’re bisexual”.
 

The element of unexpected is strong in sections like the Cowboy section, and with the Deli Worker, who responds to the question of “What product do you sell that’s best for self-stimulation?” with “I believe Dawn dish liquid will serve all purposes. It can lube, and the bottle can stimulate.  It’s definitely a two in one.” It makes you wonder about the field research that people conduct to arrive at these results.
 

My personal favorite person polled is a Competitive Eater because she shows some real innovation and thought in her answers. When asked about food’s role in the bedroom, she responds, “Not to be close-minded, but I don’t want a man to be eating a peeled banana out of my asshole. Also, if you like big burly men like I do, you know that whipped cream of chocolate syrup and copius amounts of body hair just do not mix”. Also, her rules of being a fuck buddy are right on the money, “The Fuck Buddy Club is like the US Senate-most people don’t get in, and the ones that do aren’t sure how they got there. They’re both exclusive, but the difference is that they pass laws and we hump. Don’t make a big deal of it, and you’ll keep coming back term after term”. See? I bet that will make you think twice the next time you want to dismiss a competitive eater as a mere dumdum.

There are always going to be the people who defend OJ, but they are the same people who believe that Elvis (or Tupac for that matter) are still alive, that pork is the “other white meat” and that reality shows have anything to do with reality.

There’s a lot of controversy around the non-release of the “If I killed that bitch, here’s how I did it” book, but I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about a less known actually released OJ Simpson book, Letters to OJ.

OJ claims that he’s responded to every letter that’s he’s ever received, even the racist ones, though his claim that “until I read the obscene letters, I was sure this type of thinking had died in America in the sixties” (p116) is only one of the statements that make the average intelligent reader stop and say, uh huh. Others include his equating his situation with that of Job after he read the Book of Job for the first time (he really came into his faith throughout his whole ordeal) and got a mean case of Athlete’s Foot, so for him, those were the “boils” that led to his understanding of that position(p132). He constantly brings up Quincy Jones and his “beautiful interracial kids” as someone who mirrors his situation, and how they “never talked about their kids as being interracial”, though he continues his half-assed (and I say this because he’s really picking and choosing what sides of the race card he’s playing) diatribe to summarize his trip to Africa with the statement that “back then, I thought that racism was a black/white thing, then I realized it was a black/black thing” (p114). It’s not to say that internalized racism/complicity is not an important part of every discussion or race relations, but come on! He tells the reader of his policy to send back any allowances sent from kids, even though he needs the money because those kids who sent their love “even if you did it” were also sending their money. Right, because he wasn’t asking why kids would be sending their love to a murderer? I’m just saying…He also dismisses the issue of domestic violence by only including letters on the subject by veritably crazy people (the kind of folks who write incoherent and random letters on any subject) and saying that calling the police (the now famous 911 tapes) were Nicole’s way of “getting control” of the situation. He also seems a little bit disrespectful of his slain wife’s memory, as he talks of “my girlfriend, Paula Barbieri, a beautiful model”. In fact, OJ seems quite preoccupied with looks, bashing the media for its terrible treatment of him, as if he deserves some kind of special treatment because he’s so good-looking (there are many, many letters included to the effect of “You are the most handsome black man I’ve ever seen” and “You are a gorgeous man who’s never done anything wrong”) and such an accomplished athlete and actor (yes, he takes every opportunity he can to remind us of his part in the Naked Gun). Well, Mister Simpson, any way you look at it, you’re looking awfully guilty, whether you want to tell us about it or not.