A musical montage that has been written sometime ago is finally being read; The Script. Their self-titled album blends characteristic song construction with grainy contemporary narratives. The Ireland natives have an alt-rock sound, soft interior, and a hint of r&b on the side, as in their heartbreak smash Breakeven, “What am I supposed to do, when the best part of me was always you.” Rock influenced by Missy Elliot and TLC? Um, yes please.

If you aren’t into today’s pop-rock music, try reading from a different script. These melodies are instantaneously memorable, and the bright lyrics will grab your emotions as they unfold. Stand-out tracks such as We Cry and The Man Who Can’t Be Moved solidify that this is a band you need to know. Give your ears a treat to something intelligent, beautifully crafted and compelling. The heart of this band may not be breaking even, but it’s definitely breaking out.

Australian 4 piece EXPATRIATE have released their debut album entitled In the Midst of This. Recorded in Seattle USA with producer John Goodmanson (Death Cab For Cutie, Hot Hot Heat, Wu-Tang Clan), the album, is alive with gigantic, powerful songs, fluid melodies, lashing grooves and aggressive soundscapes.

As lead singer Ben puts it, “We wanted to marry our raw performance as a live band with our ability to amass layers of sound through our tinkering with technology and general studio knowledge; John (Goodmanson) was a great facilitator for bringing out the guitars, drums and volume”.

You can stream the band’s debut album, In The Midst Of This (that was released earlier this month), here.

English R&B singer Craig David is back on the music scene with a fresh new single and an upcoming album entitled Signed Sealed Delivered. The project will feature David covering hits from the Motown era and giving them a modern twist. The whole idea of an entire album of Motown covers just seems off to me, but knowing David’s talent, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Plus, I’m a sucker for an accent and nice lips when it’s on someone whose heart seems to be in the right place. David, when answering a fan’s question, proved this point when he said that above all, he just wants to be known as a good person. And that my friend, is way better than any amount of records he may or may not sell.

Check the clip, below.

Craig also appears on the cover of the new Big Issue (which for seventeen years since its inception, continues to offer homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to earn an income).

Move over Pauly D, there’s a new DJ in town!

Meet 69-year-old Ruth Flowers. The proud granny is becoming one of England’s most sough after DJ’s and is currently working on her first single. The remarkable lady explains that she first gained interest once she entered a club for a grandson’s birthday and realized that she loved to see the kids have a good time on the dancefloor. It’s clear that she’s just trying to live life to the fullest and who can hate on that?

This banner appears at the bottom of DJ Ruth Flowers’ website:
“I’d rather sign a contract with a record company than to sign up for the nursing home!”

To learn a little about Ruth, watch the video below.

Train was inescapable during the turn of the 21st century, when songs like “Calling All Angels” and “Drops of Jupiter” were topping the charts. Although formed during the glory days of post-grunge, they found more success in the pop/rock cluster, and continue to do so today. Hey Soul Sister, the band’s first single since 2001, is riding the track to success. Combine that unique feel with a catchy chorus, and you’ll remember why you loved Train so much.

Save Me San Francisco is an autobiographical statement of Train’s initial stages, and embodies not only the spirit of the album, but also the soul of Train for who they are. Be ready for a pleasant sonic experience which will show you these boys aren’t anywhere near the last stop. They’ve managed to stick to their sound, but also left room to expand their fanbase in the USA and the world.

“I’m so glad you have a one-track mind, like me…” — we’re glad too, Train; all aboard!

Nick: Bro, that headband looks um…
Joe: My headband looks what? Gay?! Well your face looks like a re–a, um, rrrhinoceros! A-ha! Take that suckaaa!

Certain words can sometimes speak louder than actions. There are numerous words that come to mind when I think of the pain and hurt that can be brought to others when we choose to be blinded by our speech. I think of times when I’ve spilled word vomit without thinking and how I felt when my words hurt those near and dear to my heart. And that’s why I love this project (and it’s just one word)!

I can think of several other words that need a pledge project like this one.

I just made a pledge, will you? Click here to make your pledge today, and be sure to spread the word.

Check out Joe Jonas promoting the cause, below. And if I were a tween (which I’m totally not!) I’d say: Joe is looking totes cutefest, but I’m not so we’re gonna forget that I ever mentioned it. K?! K. Good.

I really want to hold onto to my Old Spice “I’m On A Horse” masculinity this morning but as you know, I’m not one to ever lie–when I googled “Shane MacGowan’s teeth”, I totally gasped like Bree Van de Kamp from Wisteria Lane. The rocker, who is known for his massive drinking binges, underwent expensive denture work last year after his bad habits led to his teeth rotting (and yes, I know it’s Monday and the last thing you wanted to read this morning is teeth rotting).

The good news though, is that MacGowan, 52, recently pulled together some of his closest friends (and some of the biggest names in the music/film industry) to create a single with proceeds going towards something besides his dental work.

Shane MacGowan & Friends present I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
A single in aid of Concern Worldwide’s work in Haiti

Featuring: NICK CAVE, BOBBY GILLESPIE, JOHNNY DEPP, CHRISSIE HYNDE, MICK JONES, CAIT O’RIORDON, GLEN MATLOCK, PALOMA FAITH & ELIZA DOOLITTLE

The single is released today, March 8th 2010, via download only. Or text SPELL (all in capitals) to 78789 (the text cost £1.50).

All proceeds go to Concern, a charity who have provided assistance to some of the poorest countries in the world including Haiti, even before the earthquake struck.

The track, a cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins 1956 hit I PUT A SPELL ON YOU, meshes Shane’s life long admiration for an artist who died ten years ago to the day that the earthquake hit Haiti and a fascination with a country, its people and in particular attracted by the nations “deep spirituality”.

Check out the video, below.

When I first heard Ian Axel I immediately felt moved. I was new to this giant spiderweb of a city, new to the chaos of New York that can sometimes swallow you whole. I can assure you that I felt like I was falling apart at the time–I had no job, not many friends, and my first love had just crushed my heart. But when I heard his song HOME via MTV’s Real World, even though I felt completely alone at the time, I felt connected again. To me, that’s music–the ability to give light and electricity to those who have burned out. I had no clue, that a little over a year later that I would have the chance to interview the same artist who truly affected my life.

In a humble and honest interview with BTB, I spoke with Ian on his new album, his life, and his ability to express the words he sometimes has trouble speaking, through the keys of the piano.

Ian, who says he is learning to love himself through this entire experience, spoke in a way that felt completely genuine. We talked about all things music, including my plea for him to spill some of his guilty pleasures. To see if I succeed, listen to the interview below. And please be aware that it’s a little lengthy! We got carried away.

Please be sure to pick up Ian’s album(s) on iTunes/Amazon and check out the video for THIS IS THE NEW YEAR (featuring Chad Vaccarino), below.

Ok-Go is one of those uproarious bands who are always coming out with something sparkling and unique. No matter what, we can always count on the band to bring something innovative to the music scene.

I don’t know about you, but Ok-Go is the band that really gave me my first hankering for some straight-cut, dazzling, power pop indie rock. You can’t snap a guitar string in the music world without bumping into ten generic indie bands, but Ok-Go is one of those that somehow manages to stand out against the crowd, bringing a jumpy, charismatic mood that cannot be beat.

The song ‘This Too Shall Pass’ has a slightly uneven but greatly appealing vibe, and gives one the urge to dance out of time just for kicks. Here I thought we’d only be lucky enough to get one music video for the song, but Ok-Go (as usual) is going above and beyond, created a second version to accompany the first.

Their music videos are never short of psychidelic (nor are their songs, actually). The video for their song ‘WTF?’ definitely earned its name in my book, with its constant delayed motion painting over the entire screen. But there was a time these guys didn’t have access to trippy or impressive effects for their videos, yet they succeeded in bashing everyone’s brains in none the less. I mean, this was the indie band that inspired a revolution of music videos. Their first single, ‘Here it Goes Again’, whose video featured unique choreography of the boys all jumping from treadmill to treadmill, was no more than a wicked home-made video posted on Youtube, yet it gained the group a wild amount of coverage and publicity. Before they (or anyone else) knew it, they were at the forefront of indie culture, sparking up the ideals and musical appeal therein.

It seems the first music video for ‘This Too Shall Pass’ readily lived up to the standards of its predecessors. The trumpet-playing sacks of grass, Sergeant Pepper-style band uniforms, and the fact that it was all shot live and in one cut, all certainly carries the mark of inherent strangeness. Yet the second version definitely takes the cake (and eats it too).

Check out the RGM version of ‘This Too Shall Pass’ below.