Album of the Week: Heartless Bastards – Arrow

Although their band name conveys a cold distance, Heartless Bastards is anything but. Erika Wennerstrom’s silky, soulful voice guides the band’s new album, Arrow, and has critics decreeing it their best yet. Although sometimes compared to The Black Keys, Heartless Bastards bring a different sound to the table and artfully combine ethereal lyrics and hard-hitting garage rock.

Bonnie Prince Billy to release book

Bonnie “Prince” Billy, also known as Will Oldham and also the genius behind Palace Music and Palace Brothers, will release a new book April 5 in the UK (September in the US). The book collects conversations from Oldham and Alan Licht, an American composer and journalist. Will Oldham is an atypical music figure, and any book related will be a strange, fantastic ride.

Morrissey to reissue Viva Hate

The album that sparked Morrissey’s successful, 23-year solo career will be reissued by EMI. A few changes include new liner notes by Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, and the song “Treat Me Like a Human Being” will replace “The Ordinary Boys.” The album will also featured restored cover art, and the booklet contains previously unreleased photos.

Beach Boys announce new tour

With their announcement to headline Bonnaroo and their performance at the Grammys, The Beach Boys revealed on Tuesday an expansive North American tour. Most popular for their summer, beach-friendly tunes, The Beach Boys reached massive commercial success in the 1960s and rivaled The Beatles as the top rockers in North America. The Beach Boys won’t be playing any shows in the Show-Me State but will be playing at The Chicago Theatre. With these recent developments, it seems that the boys are back.

Beyoncé prepping two new albums

Beyoncé doesn’t understand the term “maternity leave.” According to Ryan Tedder (singer/songwriter for OneRepublic) she has two albums that are in the works. MTV news reports that one album might be related to Clint Eastwood’s upcoming film, A Star is Born. Either way, if you thought that motherhood would derail the superstar’s career—Think again.

Johnny Cash gets royal treatment

Nashville will be the new site for a museum to one of the greatest Tennessee country rockers of the 2oth century. The announcement was made with three generations of Cashes present. The museum will be located downtown on Third Avenue South and will hold artifacts and documents depicting the life of Johnny Cash. The first phase of the museum is due to open in the summer.