SATURDAY NEWS WRAP #33

• EMI has announced the local release for the new album from US indie five piece The Decemberists. The new album, entitled ‘The King Is Dead’ (pictured), will head into stores in Australia on Friday January 14.
• UK dance gods The Freemasons are headed back to Australian shores for a couple of star turns on New Years Day. They’re scheduled to play gay dance parties in both Melbourne and Sydney on New Years Day and will be bringing house diva Katherine Ellis along for the ride.
• Country siblings The McClymonts have a brand new single at Aussie radio. ‘A Woman Is A Flame’ is the fourth single to be lifted from their ARIA Award-winning album ‘Wrapped Up Good’, which has also been certified gold following sales of more than 35,000 copies.
• Congratulations must go to Melbourne based photographer Kane Hibberd who’s been recognised by UK music magazine NME for his spectacular live concert photographs. He clinched second place in the mag’s inaugural Photography Awards.
• The Country Music Channel has announced new prizes for the 2011 CMC Music Awards. The viewer voted awards encompass CMC International Artist Of The Year, CMC New Oz Artist of The Year, CMC Music Video Of The Year and CMC Oz Artist Of The Year. The public voting will commence on Wednesday December 15, while viewers can already nominate from 50 selected videos HERE.
• The Bag Raiders have announced a date change for their forthcoming show in Adelaide. Due to “unforseen circumstances”, the band will now play the city’s HQ Bar one night earlier – on Thursday November 25. All other details remain the same.
• MAX Tropscore will return in 2011, once again giving punters the chance to showcase their wares in the fields of music and film. Entries are now open for next year’s event, with all the guff you need HERE.
• EMI has announced the release of a brand new album for rock outfit Motorhead. The new LP, entitled ‘The Wörld Is Yours’ will see an Australian release on Friday December 10.
• With Guns ‘N’ Roses headlining the entertainment at the Sydney 500 V8 Supercars event next month, organisers have now revealed the local artists who’ll join them on stage. They are Spiderbait, The Delta Riggs, The Angels, Mondo Rock and James Reyne.
• Rihanna’s certainly kicking goals over on the US charts this week, as she becomes one of very few artists to have ever had two singles simultaneously in the US top five. But her feats don’t stop there. Her new single ‘What’s My Name’ rocketed from No.60 to No.01 on the Billboard singles chart. Her previous single ‘Only Girl (In The World)’ has become her eighth No.1 on the US dance airplay charts, surpassing even Madonna (on seven).
• Also kicking goals over on the US singles chart this week is Katy Perry’s latest single ‘Firework’, which moves up into the top ten – a jump of 19 places.
• And on the Billboard album chart, Taylor Swift maintains her stranglehold on the No.1 spot with her album ‘Speak Now’, while fellow country star Jason Aldean debuts at No.2 with his LP ‘My Kinda Party’. Mariah’s in at No.4 with her new Christmas LP ‘Merry Christmas II You’, while further debuts come courtesy of Neil Diamond and Brad Paisley. (Strangely No.5 on the chart was missing at the time of publishing (HERE).

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