A finalist has never been portrayed as openly gay during the past six seasons of “American Idol.” With more details about contestants’ personal lives being exposed — both on the show and unofficially online — that could change, and soon.

“It feels like we’re closer now than ever to having an openly gay contestant on the show,” says Jim Verraros, who came out after his run as a finalist on the first season of “Idol.”

“I’m not here to name any names, but I feel like there are some definite possibilities for this to happen this year,” he said. “Do I think it’ll happen? I don’t know. I hope it does.”

On Thursday, the current 16 semifinalists will be narrowed down to 12 finalists, who will perform live each week until the seventh winner of “American Idol” is selected by the voting public. At its core, “Idol” is a singing competition, but finalists’ popularity has always seemed to play a big role in who moves forward.

This week, a video of flamboyant current semifinalist Danny Noriega singing Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” and rapping about being gay — all while wearing a do-rag — was also posted on YouTube.

“Yeah, I’m gay,” raps Noriega in the video. “But you eat hay for dinner, ’cause you look like a horse … .”

Last week, “Idol”-bashing VoteForTheWorst.com posted photos of scantily clad semifinalist David Hernandez working at gay nightclub Burn, as well as rumors that he was a stripper at Dick’s Cabaret in Phoenix. Club manager Gordy Bryan told the AP on Monday that Hernandez did indeed dance fully nude and perform lap dances for the club’s “mostly male” clientele.

American Idol contestants gay or not gay? Who the fuck cares in this day and age anyways!?

It was easy to see, even back in the Veal days, that Luke Doucet was a guitar hero with many musical tastes. So it comes as no surprise then that Doucet’s latest album, “Blood’s Too Rich“, traverses a few familiar genres.
“Long Haul Driver” starts the record off right with country beats and a weathered intuition, all while telling the tale of a man’s tedious work on the road. As the album progresses, Doucet leaves behind the cheap motels and stale cigarette dankness to pursue a more upbeat, Shins-like bubbliness on “The Lovecats“. Further on in the disk Doucet finds himself delving into the more laid-back, acoustic folk tunes that reveal a pathway into the centre of his mind and heart. “Cleveland” rolls along for a good seven-and-a-half minutes, while “Beacon On The Southpaw” shreds some guitars alongside growling vocals. In its entirety, Blood’s Too Rich comes across as a neat little package decorated with warm colours and a Falcon-headed Doucet, but underneath the minimal artwork emerges a soulful, feel-good disc with a whole lot of zip and zeal.

To hear some of Luke’s new album click here.

“American boy band prepares to make a comeback after 14 years” reads the British magazine, NME’s headline. In the world of pop culture 14 years away from the spotlight generally sounds a death knell. Can the ‘Kids’ do it?
The immensely successful band, which broke up in 1994, are expected to make an official announcement in the coming weeks, according to People magazine.
NKOTB sold more than 70 million albums worldwide from 1984 to 1994. Original members include brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood and Donnie Wahlberg.
We’ll be sure to keep you posted on this monumental event.

There are some bands who deserved to be more known than they were. Now I’m not talking about one-hit wonders- although some on this list may have been- I’m referring to bands that for whatever reason just didn’t get delivered to the masses like they could have. On the other hand, they end up being little hidden gems that you can one-up your friends with later on on that mixed CD you’re planning as a home-craft Christmas gift for you friends. They’ll make an easy-made CD of the latest Indie Rock while you’ll wow them with vaguely recognizable excellence from the past.
Here’s my list of the Top 5 Should’ve Beens:

1. The Waterboys: Hailing from the U.K. and formed in 1983 by Mike Scott, their mix of Celtic folk music and rock’n'roll was dubbed “The Big Music“. This tag was later applied to Simple Minds, The Alarm, In Tua Nua, Big Country, the Hothouse Flowers and World Party. Their biggest hit this side of the Atlantic was “Fisherman’s Blues” from the 1988 album of the same name- a rollicking, Dylan-meets-Springsteen folk-rock track romantically portraying the workingman.

2. Mike Watt (Firehose, Minutemen): An American bassist/singer/songwriter, Mike Watt is best known for his Minutemen and Firehose projects from the 80s and 90s.
Like other’s on this list Watt never found mainstream success but he did influence others who did and is widely considered a key figure in the development of American alt-rock. The Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicated their breakthrough album Blood Sugar Sex Magic (1991) to him.
Mike tours relentlessly, possibly why he is known to nap up to five minutes before heading on stage. He’s currently on assignment as the bassist for Iggy Pop and the Stooges.

3. Dr. Octagon: Yet another incarnation of the brilliant and deranged underground hip-hop legend Kool Keith. Dr. Octagon is an extraterrestrial, time-traveling surgeon/ orthopedic gynecologist who has sex with his patients/nurses. The 1996 album “Dr. Octagonecologyst” is a prime example of the massively unpopular acid rap and pornocore genres that Kool Keith helped to start.

4. No Means No: The only Canadians to make this list, NMN hail from Victoria/Vancouver, British Columbia and were formed by the Wright brothers in their parent’s basement in 1979. No Means No are credited with being part of the genesis of math rock (Shellac, the Jesus Lizard, Polvo, Don Caballero, Battles, Drive like Jehu, Jawbox, Slint etc). NMN have toured incessantly since their formation and have developed a rabid following in Europe and North America. Their most successful album was 1989’s “Wrong” on Alternative Tentacles Records.

5. Joy Division: They’re probably the most famous band on here but they’re influence on indie rock and post-post whatever blah, blah music is huge while they’re life-span was so small that they deserve the number 5 spot. Plus the Ian Curtis-based movie “Control” is so beautifully shot and acted that if you were never a fan of Joy Division, after watching the movie you very well might be. “Love Will Tear Us Apart“- their biggest hit in America and one of the best song titles ever.

Brooklyn-based indie band The National recently released their latest for Beggars Banquet entitled “Boxer”.
The band was formed in 1999 by Ohio friends Matt Berninger (vocals), Aaron Dessner (guitar, bass, piano), Bryce Dessner (guitar), Bryan Devendorf (drums) and Scott Devendorf (bass, guitar)- former late 90s dot-comers able to finance their first two albums, “The National” and “Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers” on their own Brassland Records label. While these albums garnered them a small indie fan-base, it wasn’t until their 2005 move to Beggars Banquet Records and the subsequent release of “Alligator” that they were able to garner critical acclaim. The LA Times, Insound and Uncut all touted “Alligator” as an Album of The Year.

Now with “Boxer”, The National, led by baritone voiced Matt Berninger, has found an increased fan and peer base. The new album features contributions from Sufjan Stevens as well as Doveman (aka Thomas Bartlett). Their song “Slow Show” from “Boxer” was featured on NBC’s new series, Chuck.
If you like your indie rock swinging from moody and soulful, with a hint of Johnny Cash, to the upbeat and edgy of early Springsteen, then The National are well worth a listen.

To hear some of their songs click here.

I’ll leave you with a video of The National’s television debut performing “Fake Empire” off of “Boxer” on the David Letterman Show this past July.

The question is, how many times can an artist come out of retirement?
Critics shat on Jay Z’s first comeback, 2006’s “Kingdom Come”. It was too soft they said, too much about wealth and fame. Not enough of the street and the struggle. With “American Gangster“ he returns to his roots, filling in gaps about his father, money laundering, and what it feels like to be successful. “American Gangster” is a concept album/unofficial soundtrack to Ridley Scott’s film of the same name. The parallels are numerous- as in the intro where various definitions of a gangster are accompanied by sound clips from the movie. The 14 tracks follow the story from the uptown dope-king ambition of “American Dreamin’ “ to the big-payback crash of “Fallin’.” Jay Z evokes the 1970s drug underworld, playing on old heroin brand names (China White, Black Rain, 91/2 Weeks) in “I Know”.
Jay stands where Dylan did in the late Sixties; he wants to get back to making music without getting stuck under his own legend. With “American Gangster” then, he finds himself on the right track.

Now I’ll leave you with a video of Jay Z performing “American Dreamin” off of his new album, “American Gangster”. Enjoy.

Anthony Kiedis and his model girlfriend gave birth to brand new baby boy, Everly Bear. So Cute!!!

Lily Allen has just recently been named the new face of Agent Provocateur. Although she has been crying on her MySpace blog about being a fat pig! She claimed to be happy with herself. This week, reports are saying that she has dropped from a size 14 to an 8 and has shot a lingerie campaign. According to the Mirror, Agent Provocateur owners Serena Rees and Joe Corre were after a younger, fresher image. “They feel her natural, voluptuous curves will appeal to a lot of women.” Said an insider.

Although she has denied reports in the past, singer Rihanna is opening up about her brand new relationship with Josh Hartnett. (pictured below).

Unless they are lying through their teeth, the Mirror is reporting that Rihanna personally proclaimed her love for Hartnett to the 3 A.M. girls.

“I’ve fallen for him big time,” she is quoted as telling the paper at the World Music Awards in Monaco this past weekend. “I would be lying if I told you we were not more than just friends. He is so hot and he is really sweet to me. When we hang out it feels right - even though it’s still pretty new. I have so fallen for him, he’s lovely.”

 Take ‘er easy Rihanna!! dont scare him away!

Collaborative album projects can turn out to resemble a fresh-sounding, cohesively flowing mix CD, or a disasterous hodge-podge of conflicting ideas- depending on who the architect is. Fortunately for the newly released album called “This is a Landslide” from Intramural, on Slowdance Records, Denver Dalley is a fine craftsman. And he’s no stranger to collaborative efforts either. Dalley got his start in Omaha, Nebraska where he formed Desaparecidos with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and released one critically-acclaimed album called “Read Music/Speak Spanish” in 2002 on Saddle Creek Records before disbanding in 2003. After the cessation of Desaparecidos, Dalley moved on to the electronic-tinged project called Statistics as well as the aforementioned Intramural- a Nashville-based project also influenced by electronic music.

With Intramural, Dalley and co-producer Sam Shacklock have pushed the collaborative effort to a near-maximum. Ten of the eleven tracks have different singers from a swath of American indie rock bands, including Judah Nagler of The Velvet Teen, John Roderick of the Long Winters, Greg Dulli of the Twilight Singers and Tricia Kanne of Minipop.
Dalley considers the album very much a word-of-mouth recording project (he’s hoping to take it on the road one day but says that it would rely heavily on video installations to represent the vocalists).
“Basically”, he says, “it’s a cross-promotional effort showcasing each band to the others’ fan bases.”
“This is a Landslide” flirts with a dark, romantic pop edgyness, most evident in the vocals (at times distorted) and lush melodies, and is propelled by the muscular, occassionaly frantic undercurrent of electronic beats and programming giving the album a dark, seductive yet sublimating and epic feel.
INTRAMURAL is a music collaboration that refuses to establish roots and remain still.

To hear “This is a Landslide” by Intramural click here.