Your weekly music roundup ending April 1st, 2015.
Paul McCartney to re-record The White Album for G.O.O.D Music
Following a string of unexpected collaborations with hip-hop and now fashion magnate Kanye West, it seems Sir Paul McCartney has taken a liking to the rapper’s vigorous work ethic.The pair have agreed to work on more projects, with McCartney himself suggesting his next one will be his most controversial. “I’ve been meaning to go back to The White Album. As talented as my band mates at the time were, and they really were, that album never felt right to me. I need a new pair of ears to guide me through it all again and if anyone can do that, surely it’s Mr. West,” McCartney said. Representatives for both McCartney and West have also confirmed the project is set to be released on G.O.O.D Music, with the label’s extensive catalogue of artists slated to make appearances in one form or another. Because “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” could really use a Pusha T verse about selling bricks of cocaine.
Metallica to release Lulu: The Complete Sessions box set
While not exactly a critical darling, Metallica’s joint album with the late Lou Reed, Lulu, proved to be a lengthy endeavour. At a staggering 87 minutes in length, the project flirted with each party’s respective sounds in an attempt to craft an ambitious, uncompromising epic. Whether it proved successful or not is debatable but Metallica haven’t given up on it just yet! While news regarding a new studio album remains non-existent, the thrash metal quartet has announced plans to release a fully-featured box set detailing the lengthy Lulu sessions. Packaged in a handcrafted mannequin bust, Lulu: The Complete Sessions is an extensive 7-disc set comprised of virtually every recorded tape from the collaborative effort; included are numerous in-studio Velvet Underground reprises, such as a “shredding version of ‘The Murder Mystery,’” as well as an entire disc of false starts and impromptu Lou Reed mantras. One disc is said to feature the “definitive version” of Lulu, featuring “more guitars, more percussion, more Metallica,” while another features an a cappella, Lou Reed-only take on the material. Whichever side you wanted more of, Lulu: The Complete Sessions is bound to deliver one way or another!