Archive for the 'Sounds' Category

Rising British sensation Estelle has been tearing up the UK and International charts with her smash hit single ‘American Boy’, which features one of our favorite American Boys, Kanye West.

Estelle’s latest album Shine has been getting rave reviews in the International press, and justifiably so. It’s a great record.

J&R will be giving out a free autograph booklet and remix CD with the purchase of Shine. The booklet and remix CD are exclusive to J&R and will be available until supplies last. You won’t be able to get it anywhere else, so act fast! The offer is available in store and online.

In the world of indie pop, there are lots of bands but few who stand out in the crowd. One of the best new indie pop records in a long time, one that clearly stands head and shoulders above the derivative and the boring records that flood shops every week, is The Rhumb Line by Ra Ra Riot.

Formed in Syracuse, New York by a group of Syracuse University students, Ra Ra Riot burst quickly onto the scene with an incredible live show that made them famous on the blogosphere before they even had any records to sell. After self-releasing a five song EP, they toured with bands such as The Editors and Tokyo Police Club, picking up new fans along the way. Now, finally, at long last, their first album is out. Featuring catchy hooks and driving beats, it’s the perfect soundtrack to the slow winddown of summer. Want to catch them live? They’re performing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien on September 2nd and then return to NYC in October for shows at the Bowery Ballroom and the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Don’t miss out!

J&R: You’re a Grammy award winning musician who needs no introduction to our readers. Tell us about your past. How did you get involved in music and did you always aspire to be a singer?

Ashanti: Growing up listening to loud music at home with family and at family barbeques, my family just loves good food and good music. No, I never aspired to be a singer, it just happened accidentally.

J&R: Who were some of your musical influences?

Ashanti: Blue Magic, Heat Wave, Mary Jane Girls, Mary J. Blige.

J&R: Apart from your illustrious music career, you’re also an accomplished actress. Did you plan on going into acting after establishing a music career?

Ashanti: Yes, definitely, I wanted to try acting! I did a few High School plays and always wanted to try it and see if I enjoyed it.

J&R: Your latest album, ‘The Declaration’ is the first studio album where you got different producers outside of The Inc. family. What led you to make that decision?

Ashanti: It had been 4 yrs. Since my last album and I wanted to grow and try things differently. I had a blast working with so many different producers.

J&R: What can we expect from you in the future? Are you currently working on any upcoming projects?

Ashanti: I am currently working on some film projects and of course more music. I have plans to do a tour very soon.

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Ashanti will be part of the Musicfest lineup performing on Saturday August 23rd in City Hall Park, located directly across the street from J&R Music World on Park Row. The show starts at 1pm, and it is completely FREE!

J&R: How would you describe the musical style of The Boxmasters?

Mike: The Boxmasters combine the music of the British Invasion (The Beatles, Stones, Animals) with Electric Hillbilly music from the early 60’s (Del Reeves, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, The Wilburn Brothers) to make our own sound. We use vintage instruments and guitars to help us capture that sound and Billy writes some amazing songs that are stories of people from the lower middle class lifestyle. Sometimes the man is the ass, and sometime’s it’s the women, but we’re equal opportunity offenders.

J&R: Tell us how The Boxmasters tour is going so far this year?

J.D.: The tour is going great! People are really responding to the music and are picking up a lot of copies of the CD after they hear the show. They really respond to songs like “Yesterday’s Gone” because they recognize the song, but aren’t exactly sure why. And songs like “I’ll Give You A Ring (When You Give Me Back My Balls)” are big hits as well. We have a really great band and are having a blast getting out and playing for everybody.

J&R: Billy, who is the most memorable movie character you’ve played and why?

Billy: Ed Crane in “The Man Who Wasn’t There” because he was a man who was trying to find his place in the world. The character is probably the closest to who I actually am.

J&R: Did you always envision yourself having an acting and singing career simultaneously?

Billy: Absolutely. I’ve found a really good balance and i could never give either one up.

J&R: Who are some of your musical influences?

Billy: Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, The Beatles, Del Reeves, Johnny Cash, Frank Zappa, Traffic, Michael Nesmith, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Louvin Brothers, Wilburn Brothers.

J.D.: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Stones, Creedence, Old 97’s, Steve Earle, Will Kimbrough, and Billy is an amazing musical historian and has turned me on to so many songs and groups that it’s hard to tell you exactly how much I’ve learned.

Mike: Willie Nelson, Johhny Cash, Buck Owens, Cream, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top.

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Be sure to join us at J&R on Monday, August 18th at 5:30pm, as we welcome The Boxmasters! They will be here to sign copies of their self-titled CD “The Boxmasters”.

J&R: You are well known for playing Lieutenant Commander Data on Star Trek, how did you get this role and were you a fan of Star Trek?

Brent Spiner: Not much mystery here. I auditioned. My agent sent me the script and I thought the character of Data could ultimately be fun and interesting to play. Also, I was convinced that the show (which was pre-sold for a year) couldn’t last very long and I wouldn’t be stuck on a t.v. series. I could pay my debts off and get on with my career. I clearly have no talent for determining what will succeed or fail. I think I had about six auditions for the part and finally, to my good fortune, they gave it to me.

J&R: Your latest CD ‘Dreamland’ has you teaming up with Maude Maggart. How did you two come together?

BS: I had put a script of sorts together and was looking for a female vocalist to sing with. While driving down Pacific Coast Highway listening to the Jonathan Schwartz show, I heard this miraculous singer doing a Cole Porter number called, “Looking at You”. I was completely overwhelmed. I knew at that moment I had to have her on my CD. I got in touch with her publicist and sent her the script and, thank God, she agreed to do it. She is such a great artist and a wonderful young woman as well. It was thrilling working with her.

J&R: How would you describe your musical style?

BS: Do I have a style? I guess you’d say, a little bit of Broadway, a little bit of crooning, a little bit of every singer of Standards I’ve ever loved.

J&R: Who are some of your musical influences?

BS: Well, obviously, the Chairman. I think anyone who sings from the Great American Songbook owes a debt to Sinatra for showing us how perfectly it can be done. I actually think Maude may be that great one day. But I love a lot of singers. Tony Bennett, Vic Damone, Harry Nilsson, Doris Day, and of course Crosby who taught everyone how to sing.

J&R: Be honest, what’s your opinion about Trekkies?

BS: Well, if you mean the movie, “Trekkies”, I’ve never seen it. I hear it’s great, but I still haven’t seen “The African Queen”, so priorities…Now, if you mean the group of people who enjoy Star Trek on a grand scale, I’d say outside of Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa they are among the finest people on earth.

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Be sure to join us at J&R on Wednesday, August 27th at 12:30pm, as we welcome Brent Spiner! Brent will be here to sign copies of his new CD “Dreamland”. Along with purchase of the CD, fans will also be permitted ONE Star Trek item to get autographed by Mr. Spiner.

The New Jersey super rock band Bon Jovi will be in Central Park on July 12th to perform a free concert. According to the Associated Press, the concert is supposed to be the prelude to the July 15th All-Star baseball game, which will also highlight the final season at Yankee Stadium.

Bon Jovi performing for free at Central Park is sure to bring throngs of fans and onlookers alike. We’re sure this is going to be a popular show, so make sure you get there early to secure a good spot on the lawn.

Personally, I’m hoping they play “It’s My Life”. What about you? What is your favorite Bon Jovi song?

I first saw Bo Diddley at the Safari Motel in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was Spring Break of 1965 or 1966. Bo and his band set up on the second floor balcony and all of us middle-class white kids danced around the pool. As well as I can remember, Bo just did two songs– “Hey Bo Diddley” and “Say Man” — but he did them for hours.

I often wondered what he thought of us. I know what we thought of him — he was the coolest thing any of us had ever heard. When I got back to college, I bought every album I could get my hands on. To my surprise, the albums had the same spontaneity and humor as his live performance. I must confess that I’ve never listened to Bo Diddley on CD because I’m afraid that the warmth of his sound would be compromised.

But if you have a turntable (or even if you don’t), grab a handful of Bo Diddley records and have a party. Bo’s music lends itself to a party like none other, and from what I have read about Bo the man, he’d be overjoyed that you were partying to his music.

An Ivy League education, preppy clothing and a penchant for hip-hop lyrics, that’s what the dynamic duo of Naledge and Double-0 (better known as Kidz in the Hall) bring to the table. Originally from Chicago, they met at a talent show in the University of Pennsylvania and have been rhyming ever since.

Well, the Kidz are all grown up and have just released their sophomore effort titled The In Crowd. They were here at J&R to promote the album, and MTV was here to capture it all on tape. (See it here)

With guest appearances from hip-hop heavyweights like Bun B, Pusha T, Buckshot, Masta Ace, and others, the album is sure to please even the most discriminating hip-hop fan. The lead single off the album, ‘Drivin’ Down The Block’ is sure to be a favorite jam for those hot summer rides. Be sure to grab the album, it’s a stunner.

Check out the rest of the photos from their appearance on our Flickr account.

The title of Death Cab for Cutie’s second release for Narrow Stairs, is actually quite deceptive for anyone postulating the musical direction this Washington state indie-pop quartet has pursued on their sixth album. Though it would seem to imply a tightness and confined, perhaps, claustrophobic feel to the music, Narrow Stairs is, in fact, a spacious, loose album that reflects a different approach to writing and recording it from its two predecessors. Though Transatlanticism and Plans launched the band’s national success, they also saw Death Cab for Cutie—guitarist/vocalist Ben Gibbard, guitarist Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr—somewhat inadvertently veer from their original trajectory.

Narrow Stairs became the foursome’s opportunity to reconnect as musicians and bandmates, with one of the biggest changes being simply the way that they recorded it—basically live in the studio, with minimal overdubs. “The core of the album is still very much Death Cab for Cutie,” assures Harmer, “but I think that this record has a more immediate quality and a different kind of energy captured in these performances than the previous two albums.”

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Frank Sinatra grew up in Hoboken, N.J., just across the river from J&R. Crooner, singer, actor, Rat Pack leader, American icon, Ol’ Blue Eyes is rightfully considered a national treasure.

On Tuesday, May 13, Frank Sinatra, Jr. will appear at our Macy’s store, J&R Express, to autograph the brand-new Frank Sinatra collection Nothing But The Best, which is specially priced at $9.99. This is a single-disc compilation of the best of Sinatra’s Reprise years, and features 22 remixed and remastered classics, including the previously-unissued “Body And Soul”. And, as a special bonus, each CD will include a limited-edition commemorative USPS first-day-issue stamp. The stamp is being issued one day before the 10th anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s death.

So mark your calendar for May 13. Frank Sinatra Jr. will be autographing his father’s new album, “Nothing But The Best”, at J&R Express, in the basement of Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in New York City starting at noon. If you can’t make it to Macy’s, stop in to J&R Music World, 23 Park Row, and purchase “Nothing But The Best” in our Pop Music outlet.

In the meantime, check out some of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ best live performances:

Come Fly with Me
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Luck Be a Lady
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