Finn draws on Radiohead, Wilco for new jams: New Zealand rocker Neil Finn has assembled a sweet group for his forthcoming charity album, a sequel to 2002’s Seven Worlds Collide. He will collaborate with musicians from Radiohead, Wilco, Modest Mouse and Soul Coughing, and all the proceeds will go toward Oxfam, an international organization that fights poverty and injustice. We love good music for good causes! [Stereogum]
After arrest, Kanye smears the paps: After a paparazzi frenzy on Friday, Kanye was arrested and released without charges in England. Later this weekend, he went off on the paparazzi, claiming that there should be a law preventing photographers from selling pictures without permission. “Let us not forget the paps killed Princess Diana,” he said, maintaining that “the paps” shouldn’t have the right to exploit his image. Fair enough. [MTV]
M.I.A. back in action: M.I.A. has returned from her post-Bonnaroo sabbatical and is doing songs for the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. She has been working with Bollywood’s prize composer A.R. Rahman, who did the score for the movie. “Paper Planes” is supposed to be in the movie (because where isn’t it used?), along with a few others. Slumdog’s out already in some cities, but no word yet on when the soundtrack is to be released. [Pitchfork]
A Colbert Christmas: Stephen Colbert’s Christmas album is due out on iTunes at the end of this week. This is exciting because it includes things like a Stephen Colbert/Willie Nelson duet called “Little Dealer Boy,” some songs by Feist, and absurd pictures of Colbert in furry yak boots. Besides Nelson and Feist, Toby Keith, John Legend, Elvis Costello and Jon Stewart also lend their voices to Colbert’s choir. [Pitchfork]
Black Keys vocalist goes solo: Vocalist and guitarist Dan Auerbach is breaking off from the Black Keys to do his own thing, at least temporarily. His solo debut, Keep It Hid, is due out in February, followed by his tour starting in D.C. Luckily, he says some of his solo stuff sounds like it could be Black Keys music, and then some of it is a potentially great adventure: his own design, bluegrass stuff he “grew up playing.” [Billboard]