John Dragonetti's self-professed enjoyment of both modern electronica and classic pop gets put to great use on the L.A. pair's second disc. "Honeysuckle Weeks" layers sun-dappled melodies into dreamy beatscapes, giddily mixing tambourines with drum machines.

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According to Allhiphop.com, former Death Row CEO Suge Knight was assaulted outside of a nightclub May 10.

I'm going to choose my words very wisely and assume the assailant was on some sort of drug because I've read Have Gun Will Travel, and you would have to ...

With so many other artists making that Earth-rocking apocalyptic electro (e.g. Justice and Busy P) that's so en vogue of late, Boyz Noise (aka Alex Ridha) stands out with his skilled hand behind the boards and the way he presents electro that's as toxically loud as it ...

Anti Atlas sounds a little like the music you'd make if you spent too much time around Thom Yorke--which Radiohead manager Chris Hufford surely has. Hufford's return to recording is a narcotic--but never narcoleptic--brew of modern English down-tempo and classical strains.

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French Kicks can not be accused of musical laziness. They blend manic rhythms, crooning vocals, and keyboards atmospherics to truly unique ends. This New York-based trio utilizes the original post-punk ethos and suffuses it with pop melodies. If ambient music were disco, French Kicks would rule the dance floor.

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Seriously, this is just too easy. It's like Santa Claus arriving at your doorstep on Christmas morning with a bag full of presents and asking you to pick any gift you want. It's bad enough the horrific home video leaked, but he didn't stop there. He even ...

As "well-mannered" as Akron/Family is in person, their music remains impossible to compartmentalize. But that's not to say their mix of gentle folk harmonies and free-form grooviness isn't knockout beautiful. See what we mean as they chat about their latest album, Love ...

Outside the reputable Playboy brand, the folks behind the enterprise launched a fairly new program called "Rock the Rabbit", a six-page feature in Playboy magazine showcasing art, music, and fashion. Enlisting artists--both established and up-and-coming bands--to design artwork for Playboy's fashion line, the collection is then auctioned, with proceeds going to "Lifebeat: The Music Industry Fights AIDS".

And, what better way to promote a good cause than to throw a party where the Playboy bunnies come out at night to hop and rock and artists such as MGMT, Justice and Moby come out to play with music fans, and oh yeah--let's not forget the hottie-potattie playmates.

The new Ta'Raach project featuring Blu will instantly appeal to listeners of classic instrumental hip-hop, but it should also resonate with a newer generation: fans of Gnarls Barkley's eclectic rap-pop-gospel. These tracks are built in diverse, genre-bending, and deeply soulful fashion.

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Michael McDonald

Chances are, whether you're a fan or not, you've heard the blue-eyed soul vocals of Michael McDonald. He's best known for his formative years with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, however he's also had a remarkable career as a solo artist and a guest harmonizer on numerous pop hits such as Christopher Cross' "Ride Like The Wind" (he's the guy who echos "such a long way to goooo"). Basically, McDonald was the Timbaland of yesterday, as the go-to guy for hits in the '70s and '80s.

He recently released a Motown tribute album called Soul Speak, and even more recently--last night--he headlined the 50th anniversary gala at the NARM convention in San Francisco. He delivered a crowd-pleasing performance with originals such as "What A Fool Believes," "It Keeps You Runnin'," and covers such "Living For The City" and "Love T.K.O." And to top it off, BB King (who accepted an award earlier that night) came out and did the "The Thrill Is Gone" with McDonald and his band. Industry suits and biz-casual editors (like me) were all impressed.