Though there’s plenty of room to be proven wrong, it’s possible R. Kelly just released the greatest album of 2007 (or at least, the most compelling). Somewhat surprisingly, his long-awaited Double Up LP shows that Kelly has actually escalated his sexually tinged lyrics (see “Sex Planet,” “Get Dirty,” and “Havin’ a Baby”), rather than toning them down. Sure, you might not find Double Up in the reviews section of XLR8R, but everyone needs a slick album of sensual contemporary soul, and the king of R&B has served it up–doubly.

If you ever have a hunch that a piece of music may be legitimate, check London-based archival label Soul Jazz’s catalog. If it’s there, you know you’re safe. The label’s newest release, Box of Dub, is a collection of dubstep that features Kode9, Burial, and Paul St. Hilaire. It is now official: dubstep has been redefined.

Police drummer Stewart Copeland finally realized that his band is terrible. Well, he was upset enough about the second stop of the band’s world tour to let everyone know via his blog. Copeland said that Sting looked “like a petulant pansy” when leaping in the air to signal a transition between songs, and further commented that the show was “unbelievably lame,” which seems obvious even if you don’t consider the series of blunders he outlines.

Gang of Four, garage rock, and writer Charles Bukowski may sound like a college freshman’s narrow range of interests, but they are also the influences of Strokes’ guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. Hammond has recently finished a screenplay adaptation of Bukowski’s Pulp, which is being shopped around Hollywood. Bukoski’s wife has approved the script, and Hammond is hoping to have a hand in casting. This should be interesting.

Previous Week In Music Entries
May 25

May 18