A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:
Gnarls Barkley, "Run" video. It's a takeoff on "Soul Train" with the unhip host (Justin Timberlake) dressed like "Thriller"-era Michael Jackson with Don Cornelius oversized glasses. The bright colors and pop-art optical effects make this forward-thinking flashback seem über-groovy.
Estelle, "American Boy." Dig the irony as the London singer pines for American boys set to a breezy international soul sound. Think Soul II Soul with a Kanye West rap cameo.
"Who Earns What," Spin. It's a music-biz survey of salaries --from bloggers ($35,000) to artist managers ($500,000). The big surprises: $150,000 for a rock photographer and for the singer in a Led Zeppelin tribute band.
JON BREAM, STAR TRIBUNE
TO CONTRIBUTE: POPMUSIC@STARTRIBUNE.COM
Bruce Springsteen, Xcel Energy Center. Great set. The "Magic" material sounded incredible and more urgent this time. Quite a thrill to finally hear "Darkness on the Edge of Town" and "Jungleland."
Bob Wooton with Six Mile Grove, Turner Hall in New Ulm, Minn. One-third of Johnny Cash's Tennessee Three was spot-on with his take on Cash's classics. SMG's Brandon Sampson played one of the best harmonica solos I've heard on "Orange Blossom Special."
