Music News: Kyp Malone, Britney Spears and Queen Latifah

Neil Finn (Crowded House) has put together a mega-group comprising singer Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), guitarist Ed O’Brien and drummer Phil Selway (Radiohead), and guitarist Johnny Marr (The Smiths) – and more – for Oxfam charity album The Sun Came Out. If helping kids isn’t your thing, Radiohead fans should get it for Selway’s singing debut. Check your nearest record store for a good cause it drops on 10 August.

Speaking of supergroups, hipsters have a new punk aggregation to worship. Almighty Defenders is made up of American garage rockers Black Lips and melodious Canadian doo-woppers The King Khan & BBQ Show. The collaboration was cooked up in Berlin, though we can’t imagine what went on in the studio – both bands are known for violent stage antics including random vomiting.

Breaking the conglomeration trend is TV on the Radio vocalist Kyp Malone, who just signed to ANTIunder the name Rain Machine. Expect some serious falsetto action from the bearded wonder.

Queen Latifah is rolling out her very own perfume line in a partnership with Parlux (also responsible for Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton’s fragrances). The company claims it is ‘reminiscent of aged Tequila… reinforcing Queen’s message of beauty from within.’ Uh, yum?

Some oldies never die: The Commodores are making a comeback. Bassist Ron La Pread has admitted to working on something secret with soul luminary and former bandmate Lionel Richie.

Britney Spears has supposedly been offered the lead role in Holocaust film The Yellow Star of Sophia Eton. Not sure if Brit-Brit is up to play a lovestruck time-traveller in this as-yet-director-less drama, but we’re intrigued…stay posted via Twitter. (@timeoutsingapore).

New releases

• Squarepusher, Solo Electric Bass 1, 17 August
• Lil Wayne, Rebirth, 18 August
• Amerie, In Love And War, 25 August
• Arctic Monkeys, Humbug, 25 August
• Felix Da Housecat, He Was King, 25 August