In an effort to bolster AIDS awareness and prevention, the (Red) organization is working with Red Hot on a campaign for "an AIDS free generation by 2015."  Out of this campaign, (Red) Hot + FELA has emerged, along with this cover of Kuti's "Lady," performed by tUnE-yArDs , Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson , Angelique Kidjo and Akua Naru .  All info is provided by Life or Death PR & Management. (RED) MUSIC PUSHES FOR AN AIDS FREE GENERATION BY 2015 FELA KUTI'S "LADY" REMADE BY TUNE-YARDS, QUESTLOVE, ANGELIQUE KIDJO, AND AKUA NARU PITCHFORK PREMIERES "LADY" FROM FORTHCOMING (RED) HOT + FELA ON KNITTING FACTORY RECORDS + BEHIND-THE-SCENES ON OKAYAFRICA MONDAY MP3: "Lady" - http://soundcloud.com/knittingfactoryrecords/tune-yards-angelique-kidjo   (RED)Music is a centerpiece of the inaugural (RED) RUSH TO ZERO campaign (June 1-10) to raise funding and awareness to help deliver an AIDS Free Generation by 2015...

Aside from the occasional indulgence of a bought CD or album, and I mean really occasional, most of the year's music for me as been via promo. Financially speaking, if it wasn't for writing about music, I don't know how I'd hear anything. However, The Roots ' new album, undun , was released yesterday and I was sure to pick it up. I realize that Letters From A Tapehead probably doesn't spotlight hip-hop as often as it should. I will attribute this notable absence, unfairly I admit, to my personal preferences and taste, myself being a "music" fan and remaining mostly unimpressed with many of hip-hop's current big timers. This is a genre that has, unfortunately, left me locked into a certain era, a "back in my day" curmudgeon romanticizing the creativity brought to the music via turntables and physical technique, the self-promotion and word-of-mouth brought to the music via boomboxes and cassettes and the flow and craft brought to the ...

Appearing last night on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon , tUnE-YarDs got to perform her single, “Gangsta,” with Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter of The Roots . A cool performance ensued. Check out the clip. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

A cold Saturday and some free time prompted a 45 minute ride over to West Chester's Chester County Book & Music Company so I could spend a few gift certificates and lighten the back burner.  Most of my purchases were stragglers from 2010, a few things I've always meant to acquire and acquisitions based on some reconsideration. Chester County Book & Music Company , West Chester, PA: Menomena Double Seven Inch Barsuk Released: 7.27.10 I thought this was interesting find: Two edited singles from Menomena 's 2010 release, Mines , along with two unreleased tracks.  I haven't had the chance to give either single a spin just yet, though. Dinosaur Jr. You're Living All Over Me Merge Records Reissued: 3.22.05 Maybe I've become the 90s version of baby boomer arrogance and self-indulgent nostalgia, two things I've tried mightily to avoid.  All I know is I really wasn't ever a fan of Dinosaur Jr.   Ever.  It was never an outright hatred, mi...

The Beastie Boys were the guests on Jimmy Fallon's show last night, promoting their upcoming new album, Hot Sauce Committee , and their latest reissue of Check Your Head . As a musical segment, the Beasties got to jam on "So What'cha Want" with The Roots . Works for me: Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

So, it’s almost 2009 and I’m feeling a little burnt out. The general holiday pressures notwithstanding, trying to squeeze the rest of my 2008 “talkabouts” out this month, hoping to further shape my much “anticipated” Best Of list, was a bit tiring. I’m not Mick Jagger : Time is NOT on my side. So, in the interest of making sure my unfortunate stragglers get SOME due, here’s a list of what I failed to cover. My apologies to the following: Man Man Rabbit Habits Anti- Released: 4.8.08 Rating: 9.25 out of 10 “You think you’re so slick/I seen her lipstick ‘cross your dillsnick…” Juvenilia definitely penetrates the otherwise vibratory rush of xylophone that pushes through Man Man ’s “The Ballad Of Butter Beans.” But the Philadelphia-bred outfit’s tripping sailor music, a pop-ilicious combo of Waits -ian oceanic travelogue and Zappa lampooned avant-progression, is the work of musicians that take what they do very seriously. Rabbit Habits , their third album, crosses manic aggression (“...

r The Roots Game Theory Def Jam Released 8.26.06 Rating: 3.75 out of 4 This has been a strange millennium. The average Post-9/11 American is a mass of fucked up nerves, barely settling for its Paxil coma while its tied tightly around its need for immediate safety, satisfaction, and Starbucks; its one ear plugged into Clear Channel airwaves, fast food entertainment and news while a cell phone yaps away in its other indifferent ear, its face full of reality TV as it uncontrollably twitches with every flying plane heard zooming overhead or sheds a tear with every mention of the word “levee.” It’s been five years since the era-defining tragedy-turned-political strategy occurred, a full year since Hurricane Katrina exposed economic hardships at home and our lack of disaster preparedness, and we’re no more safe or certain about anything except that we’re very uncertain. As The Roots so succinctly put it: ”It don’t feel right .” Uncertain times create mood. I can only imagine that that m...