black's blog: "usa today"

B-52's 'Love Shack' re-opens It's been 15 years since the New Wave quintet has put out an album, but the wait is almost over. The B-52's, who've holed up in Athens, Ga., for two months to record the still-untitled album, have put together 11 new tracks. The band plans on an early 2008 release. "There's more electronica on it," singer Fred Schneider said in an interview from his Long Island home. "It's up-tempo and a bit sexed-up. It's sexier than ever." Will the B-52's revamped sound resurrect their careers? Will they revamp their look too, or will Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson threaten Amy Winehouse's title as queen of the beehive?

The Long Blondes have plenty of bounce The dance floor was only half full, but that didn’t stop British dance punk band The Long Blondes from giving an energetic, commanding performance at Washington, D.C.'s Rock and Roll Hotel on Thursday night. Fronted by the oh-so-stylish Kate Jackson sporting a Parisian-style scarf, the band spun a steady four-to-the-floor beat, interwoven with highly danceable tunes like Separated by Motorways, Giddy Stratospheres and Once and Never Again. Songs from their debut album, Someone to Drive You Home, reflect a number of influences, blending the power of Blondie circa 1977, the playful innocence of '60s pop, the grit of The Ramones -– all dipped in the smoky, sweet Siouxsie-like voice of Jackson. Guitarists Dorian Cox and Emma Chaplin lent a rockabilly insouciance, and Screech Louder added fervor to tunes like Weekend Without Makeup with thunderous, rolling drums.

Afternoon news roundup Here are a few nuggets to shake you out of your midday slump: - It seems like Amy Winehouse is swimming in newlywed bliss. The singer, who married Blake Fielder-Civil in a small Miami wedding in May, says she'd happily hang up her career to be a mother.

Will the Spice Girls reunite? Posh seems to think so. The well-clad wife of soccer superstar David Beckham says that a reunion will "definitely" happen in the next few months. Victoria attended the U.K. Glamour awards Tuesday night, where she broke the news. "We'll see what turns out, but between you and me, I'm really hopeful that it definitely will happen," she said at the event.

R. Kelly's No. 1: Fans snap up 'Double Up' R. Kelly’s salacious Double Up, boosted by single I’m a Flirt, enters Billboard at No. 1 after selling 386,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Have u ever stopped and actually thought about the way the world is today? Mainly , the USA in general...About how the crime rate is constantly on the rise wherever u may go??? Its so very true, that our society is continually getting more and more violent.. More murders and still more drunk drivers killing innocent people... Its as though people never truly learn from others mistakes, only from there own, if they are lucky. And the war on the other hand, is soo stupid! I mean we going there to fight a neverending battle where we keep losing more and more lives. Like stuff never gets better. I dont know whats going on. Like even down the the youth of today's society.. The teenagers and young adults are becoming more and more careless. Which another, ongoing problem we have in society is the high birth rate with young woman. Me, personally, i feel this is soo tragic,and very depressing 2 realize. I mean, its like 1 of the saddest things in the world. because these young woman are already becoming mothers at the point in there life where they should b having fun and enjoying themselves and getting ready 4 the future, not nursing a baby. And due to the increasin problem amongst young adults, mainly the father's of these babies cause ongoing trouble for society in general.becuase the mothers are forced to provide on they own, and in turn, the babies grow up w/o a caring father...In turn causes a chain reaction of ongoing bad parenting. This is just one of MANY issues in America today. i dont know why i chose to discuss this as a blog. its just something i think about daily.