Music news

By Matt Kearney

Posted on March 17, 2005, at 12:00 a.m.

The Backstreet Boys promised that the first single from their forthcoming new album would be a shocker – and for some, it will be. Though usually songs marking a return are fast-paced, this lead-off song is – brace yourself – a power ballad.

Called “Incomplete,” the first Backstreet single will go to radio in two weeks, though some stations have already played leaked versions. The midtempo track begins with a haunting piano melody and uses dark chords to underline a theme of regret and longing. One such verse goes: “I try to go on like I never knew you – I’m awake but my world is half asleep – I pray for this heart to be unbroken – But without you all I’m going to be is incomplete.”

While not a drastic change from their past material, the single does exhibit some changes vocally and musically, especially in the bridge, where Nick Carter’s solo rock forays are most evident. Detractors might say the sound is a bit dated, but fans will likely applaud the more mature direction.

Excerpted from MTV.com

After taking more than a year off from performing, Coldplay returned to the stage over the weekend, headlining influential public radio station KCRW-FM’s annual “A Sounds Eclectic Evening” concert on Saturday at the Universal Amphitheatre. The band warmed up the night before at the Troubadour in West Hollywood.

And while Martin stumbled through the opening of “Politik” during the encore of the KCRW show, the singer more than made up for it by treating fans to five new tracks from “X&Y,” due June 7, and six old favorites.

Coldplay showed confidence in their new material, opening the set with an ambitious, Radiohead-ish tune, and later boasting that a different new number is “f*cking good.”

Excerpted from MTV.com

Pearl Jam are almost finished with their follow-up to 2002′s Riot Act. The band plans to spend the next three weeks in the studio recording vocals and mixing. If all goes according to plan, the yet-to-be-titled disc could be released as early as May.

“There’s a lot more up-tempo stuff,” says drummer Matt Cameron. “It’s a lot more rockin’ than our last one.” Song titles like “Severed Hand,” “Worldwide Suicide” and “2×4″ seem to reflect that harder edge. Though the track listing has not been finalized, other candidates include “Marker” and “Cold Concession.”

Cameron, who teamed with guitarist Mike McCready on the track “Unemployable,” characterizes the sessions as more collaborative. “We reworked everything together in the studio,” he says. “It’s a really healthy environment. Everyone really just wants to dig in and make the songs as good as they can be.”

Pearl Jam hope to support the new record with a summer tour.

Excerpted from RollingStone.com

50 Cent’s “The Massacre” slaughtered the competition this week, selling another 771,000 copies and maintaining its spot at No. 1, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Despite a dip in sales from last week, 50′s record still outsold the competition by over 500,000 copies, marking yet another blockbuster week for the Queens rapper.

50′s chart competitors include crooner Jack Johnson and Latin diva Jennifer Lopez, both of whom released albums last week. Johnson’s breezy “In Between Dreams” blew into the No. 2 slot, up one from last week, selling 118,000 copies. He knocked Lopez down two notches to No. 4. Lopez’s album, “Rebirth” sold 86,000 copies. This continues a sales slump for Lopez whose debut last week charted higher but sold about 50,000 fewer copies than her 2002 disc “This Is Me . . . Then.”

Besting Lopez, novice rapper the Game’s album “The Documentary” rose two places to No. 3 this week, selling 87,000 copies. And Green Day gained momentum with their concept album, “American Idiot,” selling 77,000 copies to round out the Top Five.

Excerpted from

RollingStone.com

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