music
Meat Loaf kicking off new string of shows
When it comes to explaining lust or loss, nothing fits the bill better than a song by Meat Loaf.The 61-year-old rocker/actor has been wringing his heart into anthems like "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" and "I Would Do Anything for Love" since the early '70s.
Mangione considers himself a Gillespie disciple
To much of the public, Chuck Mangione may be a pop star who made a name for himself with a couple of AM radio hits nearly three decades ago, playing an exotic instrument.But at his core, Mangione has always considered himself a disciple of "Dizzy" Gillespie.
Pussycast Dolls ... Enigma ...Matt Duke
"DOLL DOMINATION," The Pussycat Dolls (Interscope)The Pussycat Dolls threw a good party with 2005's "PCD," but even at just 12 tracks, the release was too long.
Does rockers' support count at the voting booth?
As the candidates make a last dash toward the White House, there's one question that is not ringing out across America: "Are you going to the Rock for McCain concert?"While the polls reveal a tight race with the voting public, Barack Obama has the liberal pop-music world in the tank.But that's hardly a break from tradition.
Jessica Simpson delivers artless punch
"DO YOU KNOW," Jessica Simpson (Epic/Columbia)Country music is just as fertile ground for attractive blond singers as pop, and after years of proving herself too unhip and too unsavvy for pop music, it makes sense for Jessica Simpson to swap out one stereotype-loving genre for another and go country.
Popsters find they can hang with twang
Do you have a middling pop-music career? Are you a mortgage payment away from schlepping the RibFest beat? Do you wish people would stop calling you "Hootie"? Then maybe it's time to consider a career in country. After all, crossing over has never been easier.
Howard's overreaching effort isn't without merit
"SHINE THROUGH IT," Terrence Howard (Columbia)After first hearing actor Terrence Howard's new music release, "Shine Through It," many listeners will start thinking about the great films he's appeared in -- like "Crash" and "Hustle & Flow."
