PJ Harvey, John Parish & other: May 2008

Friday, 30 May 2008

Bono becomes honourary Doctor of Law

Bono was awarded an honourary Doctor of Law Degree by Japan's Keio University at a ceremony held at the school yesterday (May 27).

The U2 frontman received the honour "in recognition for his work in the fight against poverty and AIDS in Africa," according to a statement issued by the University.

Bono was present at yesterday's ceremony, where he delivered a lecture to the students urging Japan not to ignore Africa at the G8 summit in July. The students reportedly greeted the star with rapturous applause.

Bono is currently in Japan to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
Find out more about NME.

Sunday, 18 May 2008

Bella Sonus

Artist: Bella Sonus

   Genre(s):
New Age

Discography:

Enamoured

Year: 2000
Tracks: 17

A duo featuring soundscape reckoner software engineer Henry Martyn Robert Metalworker and flamenco guitar player Angelis Suarez, Bella Sonus crafts a world-influenced trend of lavish electronica heavy on ambient tones and slow-tempo rhythms. Highly affective, the brace similarly works with background knowledge vocalists to farther their sound to more ethereal high that oftentimes drift toward simmer down tendencies. They debuted with Enamoured on Neurodisc in 2000.

Tuesday, 6 May 2008

Flight of the Conchords soar on U.S. chart

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A twin of Freshly Sjaelland comedians world Health Organization play struggling musicians on a cult run into television system evidence formally graduated to stardom on Wednesday when their debut album opened at No. 3 on the U.S. belt down chart.

The self-titled record album from Trajectory of the Conchords, wHO experience their possess present on cable channel HBO, sold 52,000 copies in the week ended April 27, according to trailing firm Carl Nielsen SoundScan.

In the process, they outsold pop god Ashlee Simpson, whose newly album opened at No. 4 with 47,000 copies. "False bittersweet World" simon Marks her showtime outlet that did non go to No. 1.

Mariah Carey outpaced everyone with gross sales of 182,000 copies for her reigning chart-topper "E=MC2."

Flight of the Conchords consists of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, whose quirky comedy series has south Korean won a devoted followers. The show is set in Freshly York, where their bumbling bid for stardom is met with spiritlessness by club owners and the public. Along the direction, they recount their experiences in witty tribe ditties. HBO has renewed the demonstrate for a indorsement time of year.

To begin with this year, Flight of the Conchords south Korean won the comedy Grammy for their EP "The Distant Future tense," which reached No. 116 on the Hoarding 200 chart.

Both albums were released by Seattle-based Pigboat Bug out Records, which is maybe best known for its success with grunge-rock trio Nirvana. The label is owned by Warner Music Group Corp.

The newly album's chart performance easily sets a fresh record for a New Sjaelland move, surpassing the No. 12 peak for pop-rock three Crowded House's self-titled 1986 debut.

(Reporting by James Dean Goodman)

Reuters/Nielsen

Friday, 2 May 2008

Jackman films Wolverine next month

Hugh Jackman is to begin do work next month on the eagerly-awaited 'X-Men' spinoff 'Wolverine'.
The Sydney Sunup Acclaim reports that the actor has completed work on the Baz Luhrmann film 'Australia' and will begin cinematography 'Wolverine' in January.
The film is a prequel to Wolverine's adventures in the 'X-Men' movies and will focal point on the character's origins.
'Wolverine' is due in cinemas in Crataegus laevigata 2009.

Thursday, 1 May 2008

Fu and Nij

Artist: Fu and Nij

   Genre(s):
Drum & Bass

Discography:

All The Things and The Begginn

Year: 2004
Tracks: 2

In Idol -like form, Leona Lewis wins big

It's for certain a goodness month to be a diva.

Years in front Mariah Carey is expected to storm the U.S. pop charts, import Leona Carl Lewis has become the first British people solo artist to make her debut at No. 1 on the Hoarding check, having sold 205,000 copies of her debut, "Spirit," according to Carl August Nielsen SoundScan.

Both artists, non surprisingly, have a connection to television juggernaut "American Idol," the vocal music competition show that's become a consistent provider of hits to the music industry. This was Mariah Carey week on "Paragon," in which the remaining contestants tackled the songs of the pop ace, and Harry Sinclair Lewis was the 2006 protagonist of likewise minded, Herbert Alexander Simon Cowell-produced British serial publication, "The X Factor."

"A pile of people criticise these shows and demand if we'll always find out a unfeignedly international asterisk," Cowell said. "Strangely sufficiency, I said at the rootage of that particular year that my main determination was to find an artist world Health Organization could sell altogether over the creation."

The soft-spoken John L. Lewis, wHO worked odd jobs as a receptionist and waitress piece pursuing a music calling, said she was talked into auditioning for "The X-Factor."

"I had watched the evidence, simply I ne'er mentation I was passing to go and do it," she said. "But mortal said I should hardly try it, and it was an chance. At the ending of the solar day, you should take every opportunity that comes your means."

Although other winners of "The X-Factor" haven't been presumption a strong U.S. tug, Lewis' "Heart" has a coeval R&B sound that should be familiar spirit to American audiences. Crush ace "Haemorrhage Dearest" is a slow-building Eli Whitney Houston-influenced number, and to a greater extent eudaemonia num- bers such as "Forgive Me" spit in roughly hip-hop flourishes.

"I first studied classical, and and so went into wind and blues," said Carl Lewis, wHO cites American English vocalists such as Eva Cassidy and Minnie Riperton as influences and is signed to Cowell's Syco Medicine.

Lewis' "Spirit" also represents the number 1 full-on partnership 'tween Cowell and Baron Clive Davis' J Records. Stuart Davis has overseen the careers of many an "Idol" maven, including Emmett Kelly Clarkson and Daughtry, simply he said that Lewis' television connectedness was being overblown in the media.

"I've never signed anyone from 'Star Search,' " he said.

In time Davis and Cowell designated Carl Lewis as a star-to-be and lined up A-list producers such as Akon and Stargate for her "Spirit." The record album arrived on these shores afterward securing a No. 1 post in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, where it became the fastest-selling debut when it was released in Nov.

Shortly later, Meriwether Lewis performed at Davis' celebrated pre-Grammy party in Feb, an event that has helped set up the careers of Alicia Keys, Mario and Maroon 5, among others.

She too received virtually constant quantity praise on the Net from chit-chat blogger Perez Hilton and benefited immensely from a Marchland show on "The Oprah Winfrey Show", in which she performed "Hemorrhage Love." Shortly after, "Haemorrhage Beloved" went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles charts.

This week, "Spirit" coasted to the top of the U.S. pop charts, easily leading the runner-up, George II Strait's "Jongleur," which sold 59,000 copies. Beyond Harry Sinclair Lewis, other luminary entries this week admit actor-turned-singer Ray J, wHO lands at No. 7 (39,000 copies), and the CD button of the straight-to-Web attempt from Baseball club Column inch Nails, "Ghosts I-IV," at No. 14 (26,000 copies).

With Carey's "E=MC2" hit next week's chart, Carl Lewis isn't expected to replicate at the top, merely her momentum shouldn't slow. Next hebdomad, she's specify to appear on "American Matinee idol."

"I feel care I'm just now acquiring started," C. S. Lewis said. "People ar just sort of hearing close to me, and I hope this is stage setting me to do more things and have a long career."

Cowell described Lewis as "real, rattling, very shy."

"I don't need to constitute names," he said, "only you run across a passel of these artists at the moment world Health Organization ar literally thawing toss off in public. This girl is the nail opposite. She's a home-loving, serenity, shy person world Health Organization loves tattle. That's the end of it."

As for the criticism that "Perfection" and its like lay technique o'er art, Cowell has heard it. "I worry about this," he said. "I'm interested in the somebody as considerably as the talent. . . . I'm not interested in telling robots."

todd.martens@latimes.com

Greg Joy

Barbara Streisand Donates Millions To Hospital

Barbara Barbra Streisand lately donated $5 1000000 to Cedars-Sinai Medical examination Center for a newly women's center center, infirmary officials announced. The Barbara Barbra Streisand Women's Cardiovascular Research and Education Program is expected to expand enquiry about female eye disease and raise awareness about it in the community, according to a statement released by Cedars-Sinai. "Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of women," said Dr. Eduardo Marban in the statement. "The medical checkup system has failed to recognize female-pattern heart attack systems; stream testing and treatments ar geared toward male physiology."Barbra Streisand reportedly has donated nearly $16 meg from her recent concert tours for education, the environment, women's health and other civic concerns.

Ryoji Ikeda