Artist: Jeff Hanson
Songs: 'If Only I Knew'
Album: 'Madam Owl [iTunes]
Sounds Like: Elliott Smith, Damien Rice

Download: 'If Only I Knew' (MP3)

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Artist: Bloc Party
Video: 'Mercury'
Highlight: A Frankenstein-like experiment turns political in a world full of apes. Buy it on iTunes.

Stevie Wonder in the early 1970s was like Paul Bunyan -- chopping down everything in his path. Signed to Motown a decade earlier, at age 11, Stevland Morris was that rarest of pop performers: a child star who grew into astounding maturity.

Released in early August 1973, his LP 'Innervisions' was the centerpiece of a five-album run that began with the massive hit 'Superstition' and would round out with the 1976 opus 'Songs in the Key of Life.' 'Innervisions' would be the first of three straight Wonder full-lengths to earn Album of the Year Grammys. Despite such heady times, however, upon its release Wonder told a reporter that he was having strange thoughts, fearing for his life.

Greg Dulli has experienced indie hero worship before -- most famously when the Afghan Whigs' brilliant 1993 release 'Gentlemen' garnered the band both remarkable reviews and a major cult audience. But now 15 years older, Dulli is savoring the success of his current project, the Gutter Twins. A partnership with fellow indie stalwart Mark Lanegan, the album brought Dulli back to play on 'David Letterman' for the first time in a dozen years and earned the pair a spot at this summer's Lollapalooza.

The always outspoken and entertaining Dulli spoke with Spinner about working with Lanegan, returning to Sub Pop (his first home), upcoming projects, celebrity in the Internet age, and why classic-rock icons Lindsey Buckingham and Don Henley are lucky they didn't earn fame today.

How has working with another person accustomed to being a frontman affected you?

It's not as hard as you might think. Mark toured with the Twilight Singers, he did a hundred shows with us, so it wasn't like I didn't know how to do that. And, actually, we both discussed how it's a little easier when you're sharing the singing. You can breathe better, you don't get worn out as fast; all in all, it's a pretty positive experience. I'm sure that we'll both go back to doing our own thing and then we'll both come back to doing this again. In the best possible world, it's something we can do at a whim and probably for the rest of our lives.

Does the success of the project change your approach at all?

Our plan was to do this and then go back and do our own thing, and that is what we'll do. But will we come back and do another Gutter Twins record? Sure. I don't know when that will be. It may be 2012 or 2015 or 2020, but I know that we both want to do our own records next. And he's doing another Soul Savers record. Mark's much more busy than I am as far as with bands. He has, like, five; I only have two.

"If I eat you like a cannibal, ain't nothin' to it/Gangsta rap made me do it"
--Ice Cube's 'Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It,' from 2008's 'Raw Footage'

If he makes another sequel to 'Are We There Yet,' ain't nothin' to it. Gansta rap made him do it.

So long as musicians tour the globe, they'll keep on making detailed lists of their wacky demands. And we'll keep on poking fun at 'em. Enjoy the second chapter of our favorite backstage demands.

"One Small Bottle of Listerine Mouthwash ... Four Organic Lip Balms (Not Chap Stick)" --John Mayer

Look on the bright side: If you do end up hooking up with the unapologetic groupie "enthusiast" and celebrity serial-dater, at least he'll taste nice.

Beck will do something he's never done before on September 20 at the Hollywood Bowl: perform live with his father, arranger/conductor David Campbell, along with the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra. The show comes as part of Beck's current tour in support of his Danger Mouse-produced album, 'Modern Guilt.'

The elder Campbell has wriitten the strings for much of Beck's studio work, and has played on such landmark albums as Carole King's 'Tapestry' and Marvin Gaye's 'Let's Get it On.' He's also worked with artists including Paul McCartney, Green Day, Neil Diamond and the Rolling Stones.

Meanwhile, Beck will headline the San Diego Street Scene festival on September 19. That events also includes performances by Cat Power, the National, Black Crowes, MGMT, TV on the Radio and more.

"I'm just f------ sick of it. [I want to be liberated] from that word and all that I feel that the Streets should be." --Mike Skinner

The one-man hip-hop show, who will release his fourth CD in September, says he's done with the moniker.

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Always fear, Estonian singer Kerli is here to brings the little ones her latest Kerli Rhyme.
Buy 'Kerli' on iTunes

'Only in America' by Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn blasted over the loudspeakers Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention after Barack Obama concluded his history-making speech, accepting the Democratic nomination for president. Despite the nonpartisan, patriotic message of the hit country song, some may find it a bit of a surprising choice for Senator Obama. That's because the same song was used in President George W. Bush's 2004 re-election campaign. Brooks and Dunn were also supporters of the president, performing at a Republican rally the night before the 2004 election.

Still, the song was a natural fit to conclude Obama's speech, given its patriotic "dreams come true" message. And the country duo have not come forward with their political preference for 2008.

Listen to 'Only in America'

Buy It on iTunes
Can't find that song from that commercial? Send the commercial, movie or TV show to us at whatsthatsong@aim.com.