Left Coast Punk, MXPX

One of the originators of pop punk music, MXPX climax their anniversary celebration with a new EP entitled Left Coast Punk. This disc opens with “One Step Further” which ignites this firey traditional three-pronged assault on the senses with lightning-fast riffs and projecting bass lines that are so evident in most West Coast punk outfits. They added in some quirky doo-wop styled harmonies and etched in some whimsical refrains to give this track some character though.

Next was “Desperate To Understand” as it had more of a standard approach to its sound with the layered grooves and perky tones that have made this band successful for more than 17 years. It was quite indicative of what punk rock was and is now with the balance of aggressive beats and sugary lyrics. “Broken” however was more of a somber cut on this release as it had mellower melodies, sharp hooks and a morose vocal presence. This track was different from most MXPX material as it was biting and slightly graphic in its nature showcasing tons of depth.

Country star Jimmy Wayne will host a live Ustream video chat with fans beginning at 8 P.M. ET/ 7 P.M. CT on Nov. 23. This experience offers fans a chance to connect with Jimmy on his first-ever live video chat which will be accessible via Jimmy’s MySpace, Facebook and Twitter pages as well as The Valory Music co. Web site and Ustream.tv.

Jimmy and his band will also perform a special acoustic concert for the live audience featuring fan favorites and songs from his new album, SARA SMILE, which is available in stores that same day.

Jimmy, whom Billboard recently lauded as “easily the most soulful of today's young country crooners,” worked with three of the most sought-after producers in Nashville to craft his new album, SARA SMILE: Dann Huff (Keith Urban, Faith Hill), Mark Bright (Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire) and Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift).

His remake of the Daryl Hall & John Oates pop classic is the centerpiece of an album that showcases his depth and range as a vocalist as well as a songwriter.

There's a brand new mix tape from Idle Warship;Talib Kweli, Res & Graph Nobel which was put together by the incomparable Mick Boogie.

Check out the note from the group below for more info on the project:

"Idle Warship welcomes you to our first full length offering, Party Robot. This started out as a path to musical freedom. When we established Idle Warship, we did it for us. Now that we are giving you this music, Idle Warship no longer belongs to us, it belongs to the world. We don’t believe in labels for music. Labels may stop you from hearing something before you listen to it. We appreciate those who have taken this journey with us without judgment and enjoyed the ride. To everyone who purchased our music on iTunes and anyone who has bought a ticket to an Idle Warship show, this is for you. All my party robots stand up!"

The mixtape has been released with two different covers. Click either of the links below to download the mixtape with your preferred artwork:

Party Robot (robot cover):
http://usershare.net/hbrpluovpg5a

Party Robot (girl cover):
http://usershare.net/ne1lauhzio1y

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Singer/songwriter Josh Kelley goes back to his Georgia roots and joins the Universal Music Group Nashville family. Kelley signed with the label in September and is currently in the studio recording his forthcoming album, slated for release in 2010.

“Universal is a perfect home for me and my music,” said Kelley. “They have an awesome track record of allowing artists to be who they really are, and have already been so supportive of my new music. I’m stoked to be part of such a talented group of artists and staff.”

Prior to marrying his wife, actress Katherine Heigl, Kelley made his home in Nashville. He happily returns for this project and is eager to share new music with his fans.

“I could not be more excited about adding Josh to our UMG family,” said UMG Nashville’s VP A&R Brian Wright. “The creativity in his lyrics and passion to be the best artist he can be is second to none. Josh is an artist who sings from his soul and it makes you listen to every word of every song. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to hear this record.”

Check out what Entertainment Weekly had to say about Kelley’s turn at country music, here!:
http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/11/19/josh-kelley-goes-country-exclusive-first-listen/

For More information regarding Josh Kelley please visit www.joshkelley.com or www.myspace.com/joshkelley

Taco Bell® announced 100 bands that made the 2009 Feed the Beat™ lineup, which included Haste the Day. Celebrating its fourth year, Feed the Beat provides free food and marketing support to America’s up-and-coming rock acts.

This year, in addition to Haste the Day, touring bands from across the nation, including The All-American Rejects, Boys Like Girls, Forever The Sickest Kids, We The Kings, Atreyu, Owl City and more, will receive $500 in Taco Bell Bucks for free Fourthmeal, the late night meal between dinner and breakfast. More than just free food, bands also receive important marketing support for their music. Haste the Day is giving back to their community by donating a portion of their Taco Bell Bucks to a local Indiana non-profit, Wheeler Mission Ministries. For more information on this mission, visit their site http://www.wmm.org/.

With their Taco Bell® Bucks in hand, the band is hitting the road starting on Nov. 20, the Napalm & Noise Tour beginning in Illinois with All That Remains, The Devil Wears Prada and Story of the Year.

Behemoth will once again be returning to North American soil in 2010! This is their first tour in the region since their massively successful summer with the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest. Following Mayhem, Behemoth's Evangelion reached enormous heights, coming in at #56 on the Billboard Top 200, #61 on Canada's Top 200, and three weeks straight at #1 in Poland before being certified gold in their home country.

The fans have spoken and their return to North America will be a triumphant conquest presented by Revolver Magazine in association with Affliction, ESP Guitars and with on-line media partners KillerTours.com and VampireFreaks.com. Supporting Behemoth on the Evangelia Amerika tour will be Septic Flesh from Greece and Shining from Sweden.

Tickets will go on sale beginning on Nov. 20. BEHEMOTH
Evangelia Amerika tour presented by Revolver
In association w/ Affliction and ESP Guitars
Tour w/ Septic Flesh, Shining
w/ specials guests TBA on select dates
01/07 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts
01/08 W. Springfield, VA Jaxx
01/09 Raleigh, NC Volume 11
01/10 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
01/11 Tampa, FL State Theatre
01/13 Austin, TX Emo's
01/15 Tucson, AZ The Rock
01/16 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues
01/17 San Francisco, CA Slims
01/18 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater
01/19 Seattle, WA El Corazon
01/21 Calgary, AB Republik

Phantom Communique, the Los Angeles quartet formed by former Bleed The Dream singer Brandon Thomas, will begin selling its 4-song debut EP at all upcoming shows, giving a taste of their forthcoming full-length debut.

Entitled The Wolf And The Sheep, the full length disc will be released Feb. 23 2010. The band will play a local show with Key Club resident faves Steel Panther on Monday, Nov. 23.

The band was formed during a personal breaking point for vocalist Brandon Thomas. Having just parted ways with the successful but tumultuous band Bleed The Dream, with whom he had toured the world and released two full-lengths discs, Thomas was determined to flex his artistic muscles again, and quickly assembled the kind of ragtag misfits that would help bring his musical visions to fruition under the Phantom Communique banner.

Teaming up with longtime friend, and former guitarist in Opiate for the Masses, Jim Kaufman, the new band was quickly welcomed into the fold of Kaufman’s new label, American Voodoo Records.

Gritty, emotionally stirring and vibrant with vitriol, Phantom Communique possess a dynamic and undeniable spirit. With a respect for the rock of old and a knack for heavy hooks, the Los Angeles foursome perfectly captures that spirit in the studio.

For more info on Phantom Communique see:

www.myspace.com/phantomcommunique

Slayer and Megadeth; two legendary thrash metal forefathers will embark on something that's been in the making for years. They'll join forces to co-headline "American Carnage," the most blistering, the most explosive and the most eagerly anticipated mega-tour of the winter - and you do not want to miss it.

"American Carnage" will kick off on Jan. 18 in Seattle, WA for a 26-date trek across North America that will include the six Canadian dates postponed earlier this month. Tickets for most shows go on sale on Nov. 20.

This is the first time that both groups have toured the U.S. together since 1991's epic "Clash of the Titans" tour. To celebrate that and in recognition of the tough economic times that many of their fans are having, Megadeth and Slayer have decided to roll back the price of a chunk of tickets at each U.S. show to the "1991 price" of $10. These specially-priced tickets will be limited and when they're gone, no more shall be available. Megadeth has also teamed with iloveallaccess.com to provide an Ultimate Fan Package including premium seats, meet and greets, pre-show parties and more.

At the same time that Steven Tyler has decided to take a break from the band Aerosmith, his bandmates are expressing concerns over the aging rocker's well-being. Specifically, they believe that he may again be abusing illegal drugs.

Drummer Joey Kramer said:

"I think that he needs help and that attention needs to be put to his health."

And by that Kramer isn't referring to the broken shoulder that Tyler suffered in August when he fell off a stage during a concert.

Tyler has battled an addiction to drugs in the past. Just last year in May 2008, Tyler checked himself into rehab. At the time, his turbulent relationship with his girlfriend was said to be part of the reason. She was quite the party girl and their relationship was on-again-off-again for more than two years. Others, however, suggested at the time that his relapse might also be connected to Tyler's various health issues in recent years, leading to a dependence on pain killers.

Back in May 2008, one of his friends commented:

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN recently finished the recording of their highly-anticipated album, OPTION PARALYSIS and are releasing it on their brand new label PARTY SMASHER INC / SEASON OF MIST. It was recorded in Orange County, Calif. with long time collaborator / producer Steve Evetts (The Used, Glassjaw, Every Time I Die) and will be officially available on March 23, 2010.

THE band has released studio reports and music snippets on its Myspace page (www.myspace.com/dillingerescapeplan ), to give fans a taste of what their musical paralysis feels like. Their previous work has been praised nearly universally by press worldwide “If you really want to know (their) songs,” says The New York Times “…you have to listen repeatedly and concentrate” calling them “extreme musical craft.”

Known worldwide for their outrageous live shows, the band is set to head out on the road in December with friends, THURSDAY. “Call them insane, call them suicidal, call them out of control, but don’t call The Dillinger Escape Plan lazy. The band’s members put 100 percent into every performance,” says Guitar World. This is not a show you will want to miss.

The critics said of their last album, Ire Works…

“The Dillinger Escape Plan … and the sound they pioneered [are] only getting stronger.”

– Alternative Press