"Weird Al" Yankovic's 'Mandatory Fun' tops chart

"Weird Al" Yankovic's 14th studio album, Mandatory Fun, has just debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200, Digital Albums and Comedy charts, selling just under 104,000 units in its first week.

This marks a personal first week sales best and first #1 album debut for Yankovic (pictured left, in the video for "Sports Song," alongside Riverside City College's Marching Tigers). The last time a comedy album topped the Billboard chart was 51 years ago, with Allan Sherman's 1963 release My Son, the Nut. It is also the largest sales week for a comedy album since 1994.

On Spotify, Yankovic sets the U.S. record for having the most tracks from one album in the viral top 10 at one time taking the first 4 spots. Additionally, Al saw an increase of 785% in streams across all his albums totaling 3.2 million streams including 2.1 million streams of Mandatory Fun. Yankovic topped Spotify's Viral chart globally.

Last Monday, Yankovic kicked off a week of promotion with the release of the first of 8 videos in 8 days. They have totaled over 46 million views combined. Yankovic teamed up with various production partners such as Nerdist Industries, CollegeHumor, Yahoo (Principato-Young Entertainment), Funny or Die and TruScribe, as well as talented auteurs like Liam Lynch, Jarrett Heather and Tim Thompson.

The RCA Records album features parodies of some of the biggest hits of the past year, including Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” (“Tacky”), Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (“Word Crimes”), Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” (“Handy”), Lorde’s “Royals” (“Foil”) and Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” (“Inactive”), plus several originals and pastiches (“Lame Claim to Fame,” “Sports Song,” “My Own Eyes,” “Mission Statement,” “First World Problems” and “Jackson Park Express”) along with Al’s latest accordion-fueled medley, “NOW That’s What I Call Polka!" 

Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist in history with over 12 million albums sold. Now in his fourth career decade, he has released 14 studio albums, won 3 Grammys (with 14 nominations) as well as awards for his songs "White & Nerdy," "Eat It," "Like a Surgeon," "Fat," "Smells Like Nirvana," "Amish Paradise," "The Saga Begins" and others.

Mandatory Fun Track listing:

1. Handy
2. Lame Claim to Fame
3. Foil
4. Sports Song
5. Word Crimes
6. My Own Eyes
7. NOW That's What I Call Polka!
8. Mission Statement
9. Inactive
10. First World Problems
11. Tacky
12. Jackson Park Express

The Raveonettes surprise new album out now

The Raveonettes' seventh studio release Pe'ahi suddenly arrived yesterday via Beat Dies Records.

In September, the band will tour in select U.S. cities. Tour dates below.

"The death of Sune's father on Christmas Eve 2013 had a profound effect on the way he completed the record. He disappeared into the process with more determination and ambition than I've seen before. And what he emerged with is more uniquely daring than any of our previous records. Even though this record was driven by death, to me it sounds full of energy and life," says singer/bassist Sharin Foo, in a press release.

"I wanted to immerse myself in the surfing history of Southern California, where both Sharin and I reside, and incorporate various elements from this specific culture into each song both lyrically and musically. I was inspired by the kids who changed the world through skateboarding and surfing, kids who weren't afraid and who never let their creativity and dreams die, kids who weren't in it for the money but only for thrills, pleasure and danger, kids who pushed the boundaries and invented a new way of living" says singer/guitarist Sune Rose Wagner.

"This album is a huge leap forward both sonically and musically for us," he continued. "We incorporated new ideas into each song such as choirs, harps, digital bit crushing, rhythmic changes, unconventional song structures, different ways of singing, staccato, machine gun guitar picking, and a somewhat schizophrenic universe. A very important element to this album is how each song consists of many different parts, not your usual verse chorus verse, etc. It's a very significant and surprising feature."

"We made a conscious decision to not have any ballads on this album. We wanted it to roar like Pe'ahi. This album would only have been possible to make on the West Coast. Sun, surf, the Pacific, vast spaces yet a sense of isolation. No distractions. 12 hours working days for 4 months straight."

Peʻahi is a place on the north shore of the island of Maui in Hawaii. It has lent its name to a surfing break, also known as Jaws. During off-season the spot is taken over by meth fuelled crazies and people are advised to not venture out there. In February of 2014, 27-year-old pregnant Carly Scott was murdered there.

Tour Dates:

9/22 Bimbo's, San Francisco, CA
9/23 Observatory, Santa Ana, CA
9/24 El Rey, Los Angeles, CA
9/26 Double Door, Chicago, IL
9/27 Mid Point Festival, Cincinnati, OH
9/29 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
9/30 Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
10/1 The Black Cat, Washington, DC

theraveonettes.com

The Script return with new music in September

Highly successful Dublin pop/rock band The Script's next album, No Sound Without Silence, is due out Sept. 30. First single, “Superheroes” is at U.S. radio now and will be available digitally on July 29.

The trio's fourth album follows 2012's #3, which spawned the single “Hall Of Fame,” a #1 single with over 5 million sales, 133 million YouTube views, and over 100 million Spotify plays.”

After a worldwide touring cycle on behalf of the album late in '13, The Script entered the studio with “Superheroes,” emerging as one of the first songs written. It was inspired by one of their many sold out stadium shows in the U.S.

Among other songs on the new album are “No Good In Goodbye,” “The Energy Never Dies,” and “Man On A Wire.”

“This album is all about trying to bottle that energy when we come off stage,” says front-man, singer/songwriter Danny O’ Donoghue, “as well as that contemplative space between notes.”

A pseudo-video for “Superheroes” was released on VEVO and YouTube, with the official video for the album’s first single to be unveiled in early August. smarturl.it/superheroespseudo

Tour opening dates with OneRepublic commence later this month.

Better Than Ezra debut to get reissued

Liaison Records will release the 25th Anniversary Edition of Better Than Ezra's first studio album, Surprise on Aug. 19. Originally released on cassette only in 1989 by Swell Records, it has been commercially unavailable for over two decades.

Watch the lyric video for the first single, "Circle Of Friends"  on YouTube: http://youtu.be/l7EyZxRmFbY. It is also available for download on iTunes & Amazon.

 

Newly re-mastered, Surprise is the only Better Than Ezra album to feature all four original members -- Kevin Griffin (vocals, guitar), Joel Rundell (guitar), Tom Drummond (bass) and Cary Bonnecaze (drums).

 

Better Than Ezra formed in 1988 by Kevin Griffin and Cary Bonnecaze while attending LSU in Baton Rouge. With the addition of Joel Rundell and Tom Drummond, they moved into a house together and began focusing on writing their own songs which they would perform live and ultimately release on their debut studio album.

Cary recounts, "We recorded Surprise in a garage studio (literally) during the evenings and after classes, in the course of five days. Once we had the cassettes made, we approached a local record store off the LSU campus to sell the album and within days it became their biggest selling album.  We played bars and frat shows throughout the Southeast and sold Surprise wherever we could. Things seemed to be going well. Little did we know that within that year our world would change forever.”

On August 8, 1990, after playing a show at Murphy's Bar in Baton Rouge, Joel unexpectedly passed away. There is nothing like losing someone who you genuinely love and care for. It wasn't ‘like’ losing a brother, we did lose a brother. This 25th Anniversary release is dedicated to Joel.”

Continuing as a trio, Better Than Ezra released their second  album, Deluxe, in 1993 on Swell Records. In 1995, Elektra Records re-released it and the single, "Good,” which helped push the album to platinum status by the end of 1995.   

As Surprise celebrates its 25th anniversary, Better Than Ezra has gone on to scan nearly two million albums in the United States.

YES band news

On Sept. 23, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Yes’ Songs From Tsongas - The 35th Anniversary Concert - Special Edition on 2DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital Formats, and the first ever release of Songs From Tsongas as a 3CD set. 

The Special Edition contains two different concerts from Yes’ 35th Anniversary Tour in 2004, the last tour to feature the classic line-up of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman and Alan White.

In addition to the originally released Songs From Tsongas show, this DVD has an additional 70 minutes of never-before-released highlights from Lugano (see track list below). 

Disc One of the Special Edition DVD contains the whole concert from the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Mass., previously spread across two discs. This epic show features tracks from across the band’s career including an extensive acoustic section (tracks 11 – 18) and some tracks that have rarely been performed live. This entire concert is featured on the Songs From Tsongas 3CD.

Disc Two features a very different concert on the same tour filmed at Estival in Lugano, Switzerland. This outdoor show has a stripped down stage and full on rock versions of the acoustic tracks from Tsongas.

As a Bonus Feature, the DVD includes another track “Ritual,” also filmed at the Tsongas Arena, and an interview with designer and Yes collaborator Roger Dean who created the brand new stage set for the shows.

TRACK LISTING:

Special Edition DVD, Blu-ray:
Disc 1 - Songs From Tsongas
 
1) Intro/Firebird Suite
2) Going For The One
3) Sweet Dreams
4) Your Move / All Good People
5) Mind Drive Parts 1 & 2
6) South Side Of The Sky
7) Turn Of The Century
8) My Eyes
9) Mind Drive Part 3
10) Yours Is No Disgrace
11) The Meeting (Piano Solo)
12) Long Distance Runaround
13) Wonderous Stories
14) Time Is Time
15) Roundabout
16) Show Me
17) Owner Of A Lonely Heart
18) Second Initial (Guitar Solo)
19) Rhythm Of Love
20) And You And I
21) Every Little Thing
22) Starship Trooper

Disc 2 - Live In Lugano
 
1) Intro/Firebird Suite
2) Going For The One
3) Sweet Dreams
4) Your Move / All Good People
5) Long Distance Runaround
6) The Fish
7) Owner Of A Lonely Heart
8) And You And I
9) Starship Trooper
10) Roundabout

3CD:
Disc One:
 
1) Intro / Firebird Suite
2) Going For The One
3) Sweet Dreams
4) Your Move/All Good People
5) Mind Drive Parts 1 & 2
6) South Side Of The Sky
7) Turn Of The Century
8) My Eyes
9) Mind Drive Part 3
10) Yours Is No Disgrace

Disc Two:
 
1) The Meeting (piano solo)
2) Long Distance Runaround
3) Wonderous Stories
4) Time Is Time
5) Roundabout
6) Show Me
7) Owner Of A Lonely Heart
8) Second Initial (guitar solo)
9) Rhythm Of Love

Disc Three:
 
1) And You And I
2) Ritual
3) Every Little Thing
4) Starship Trooper 

facebook.com/EagleRockEnt

Andrew McMahon (ex-Jack's Mannequin) tours with new single

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - the latest musical endeavor from the former frontman of Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate - has unveiled his new single, "Cecilia and the Satellite."

The track is from his forthcoming self-titled album, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, to be released this fall, marking his debut on Vanguard Records. "Cecilia" is an ode to his new daughter, where McMahon declares, "for all the things my hands have held the best by far is you."

McMahon says of the new name, "I suppose my wilderness is mostly an abstract one. Since putting Jack's Mannequin behind me, I have forced myself into strange spaces seeking new stimulus. New lights on the path to the high of a finished song. I've met amazing people in the process; people who have propped this mission up, adding a palate of sound and perspective. This new name carries with it the spirit of that collaboration."

He describes the recording process as moving "from more than one Southern California garage, to a cabin set deep in Topanga Canyon, to a shoebox studio in the thick of the Hollywood tourist traps. The only constants have been my keyboard and a desire to make my best music."

Currently on tour opening dates for Matt Nathanson and Gavin Degraw across the US, the singer/pianist will also be headlining shows beginning Oct. 14. Tour dates are listed below with more to be announced at a later date. For updates and more information visit: andrewmcmahon.com

SUMMER TOUR DATES

7/23/14 – Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion*
7/24/14 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center*
7/25/14 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Theatre*
7/26/14 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom %
7/27/14 – Portsmouth, VA @ Ntelos Pavilion*
7/29/14 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues Orlando*
7/30/14 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Love-Hollywood*
7/31/14 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre *
8/01/14 – Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Botanical Garden*
8/02/14 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues Myrtle Beach %
8/04/14 – Charlotte, NC @ Uptown Amphitheatre Charlotte*
8/05/14 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheatre*
8/06/14 – Glen Allen, VA @ Innsbrook After Hours*
8/08/14 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony~
8/09/14 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club~
8/10/14 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts*
8/12/14 – Baltimore, MD @ Pier 6*
8/13/14 – New York, NY @ Central Park Summer Stage*
8/15/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Man Center for Performing Arts*
8/16/14 – Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre*
8/17/14 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom*
8/18/14 – Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room
8/20/14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Hall of Homestead%
8/21/14 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues Cleveland%
8/22/14 – Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall%
8/23/14 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion*
8/24/14 – Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Melody Tent*
8/25/14 – Pomona, NY @ Provident Bank Park*
8/26/14 – Tempe, AZ @ Tempe Beach Park (Summer Ends Music Festival)

FALL HEADLINE DATES:
 
10/14/14 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
10/15/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
10/17/14 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim's
10/18/14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
10/20/14 – Vancouver, BC @ Rio Theatre
10/21/14 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
10/22/14 – Seattle, WA @ The Neptune
10/23/14 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
10/25/14 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
10/26/14 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
10/28/14 – St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room
10/29/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
10/31/14 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
11/05/14 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House
11/22/14 – Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley
11/24/14 – Austin, TX @ Emo's
11/25/14 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Upstairs
11/26/14 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
11/28/14 – Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Live
11/29/14 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory 

~ = w/ Wild Party
* = w/ Matt Nathanson and Gavin Degraw
% = w/ Matt Nathanson 

Boz Scaggs, Los Lobos concert review: Riverside, Calif.

by Kelly Swift, from Anaheim in 2010

Boz Scaggs returned to the Fox Performing Arts Center for the second time in less than a year on Thursday night.

The 90-minute performance mixed selections from solid 2013 album Memphis with some of his biggest pop hits from the mid-1970s-to-early-'80s.  

For Memphis, the Grammy-winning singer/guitarist tackled songs by Al Green, Steely Dan, Jimmy Reed and others alongside such notable session musicians as drummer Steve Jordan (Keith Richards, John Mayer), bassist Willie Weeks (George Harrison, Donny Hathaway), guitarist Ray Parker Jr. (Rod Stewart, Smokey Robinson), keyboardist Spooner Oldham (Neil Young) and the Memphis Horns. Jordan also produced it.

 

The Riverside, Calif. concert opened with the chugging blues of "It All Went Down the Drain" from 1997's Come on Home. When Scaggs and his six-piece band did a supremely soulful cover of Willie DeVille's "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl," the Memphis highlight also became the first one this evening too. 

 

Moving from electric to acoustic guitar and seated for a brief spell, Scaggs - now 70 - did Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" in relaxed fashion. Here, he was aided by quiet piano and keyboard triggered strings. The self-penned slice of sublime R&B, "Gone Baby Gone" immediately followed. Traditional number "Corrina Corrina" boasted a peppier arrangement than the ballad version heard on Memphis.

 

Scaggs let the music do most of the talking, with just a couple simple songwriter introductions. Conversely, a group of chatty concertgoers in the orchestra section wouldn't quiet down. More attentive fans instantly cheered the opening notes to a jazzy "Harbor Lights." 

 

Saxophonist Eric Crystal really shined on "JoJo" and let impressive backing vocalist Conisha "Ms. Monet" Owens do the heavy lifting. She stole the spotlight with some vamping on a buoyant "Miss Sun" and got it all to herself amid a fun version of the Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing." That finally got the crowd up and dancing and engaging in some call and response vocal action. 

Later, "Lowdown" gave the players a chance to take brief solo turns and "Lido Shuffle" still had plenty of kick. For the encores, Scaggs played the sleek R&B of "What Can I Say?" - another track off his quintuple platinum 1976 LP Silk Degrees - and the 15-minute blues excursion from 1969, "Loan Me a Dime."

 

Launching the Fox proceedings was Chicano rock mainstay Los Lobos, whose 65-minute set frequently sizzled and went down a storm with the Riverside crowd.

 

The East LA sextet dedicated their stage time to legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter, who died the day before. "We're gonna miss that man," said co-lead singer/guitarist Cesar Rosas, after the fiery blues of Sonny Boy Williamson's "One Way Out." During the epic rollicking groove of "That Train Don't Stop Here," Rosas reiterated they were "sending love" Winters' way. 

 

Still focused on 1992's Kiko, the band locked tightly into the moody ambience of that album's title track. "We got a soulful thing going on," noted Rosas, who also teasingly asked everyone if they wanted to hear "La Bamba" yet.

 

Instead, the group engaged in some fine rock 'n' roll, including "I Got Loaded," a jaunty "Don't Worry Baby" (where ultra cool sax man Steve Berlin displayed why he's been such a sought after studio musician for decades) and finally, Richie Valens' "La Bamba" segued into an ebulliant take on the Young Rascals' "Good Lovin.'"