As producers go, Dave Sitek isn’t exactly known for his light touch — he’s more on the Spector end of the spectrum. Best known as the guitarist and producer of his own band, TV on the Radio, Sitek is the primary architect of their sound. Artists go to Sitek and come out on their albums sounding like they’re floating in a dim, deep space filled with reverb and lonely times, annexed like an adjacent suburb to TV on the Radio’s own familiar sound. The hallmarks of Sitek’s studio work include guest appearances from one or both of TVOTR’s singers Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone, the low moan of Antibalas’ baritone horns and a female vocalist cooing — recessed ever so slightly in waves of twinkly, processed guitar din. These are constants, regardless of what band happens to be mic’ed up at the time.

The Magician’s Private Library, Holly Miranda’s recent debut for XL, is perhaps the first Sitek production (barring his work for TVOTR) that holds up under the pall. Miranda, a Brooklyn-based chanteuse/bandleader/songwriter is backed by a quartet, and as sweet and honeyed as her voice is, there is something tough and muscular that is able to best all that Sitek piles on. Her melancholy-baby blues voice is haunted by traces of her church-singing and jazz background, giving her a bit of quirky dexterity, as showcased on “Everytime I Go to Sleep.” Plenty of reviews compare her voice to that of Cat Power’s Chan Marshall — and they do have a similar sultry/sleepy tone — but where Marshall sounds weary, Miranda is witchy and commanding (especially so on “Joints”). On the album’s highlight, “Slow Burn Treason,” Miranda sounds like she’s just been roused from a nap and is singing her gorgeous dream. With sinewy-voiced Kyp Malone backing her, the song builds in intensity, and Miranda pleads to her dream girl, “Who’s gonna love you?” as if to convince her the question is rhetorical.

Miranda’s backing band is on the softer, more linear side of Brooklyn art rock — their downtempo tunes are awash in subtle atmospherics, lonely late night indie-rock hooks blended with bits of synthetic beats and percolating electro blips. But even with the band’s tight capabilities and Sitek’s long shadow curling around her, Miranda really and truly makes The Magician’s Private Library her own show.

Email music@nashvillescene.com.

I always found half asain children so pretty and their names even more pretty. Im just wondering why it’s so common among half asain people? For example I know twins who have the names, Aurora and Nova. And then there are a couple of celebrities like “Moon” (bloodgood) and “Apollo” (Anton Ohno) Perhaps it’s just coincidence?

Robbie Williams is reportedly locked in a dispute with his management over their plans for him to tour later this year.

Robbie Williams is “coming round” to the idea of touring.

The ‘Morning Sun’ singer – who admits he suffers from stage fright – is reportedly locked in a dispute with his management who are making plans for him to play a series of shows starting in November, despite his insistence he doesn’t want to go on the road.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “Tempers are fraying because Robbie is non-committal at the moment.

“He’s made no secret that he doesn’t want to tour this time round but his management firm, IE Management, are keen to get him out after such a successful comeback.

“He is beginning to come round to the idea but is still unsure. People are becoming restless.”

Robbie has only played a few one-off shows since his 2006 ‘Close Encounters’ world tour, which was blighted by cancelled dates and various personal struggles, and led to him being reluctant to play large amounts of shows.

But last week the pop star – who is engaged to actress Ayda Field – hinted he may be ready to change his mind during a performance in London.

He asked the crowd: “Who wants to see me on tour? I might do one later this year.

“Would any of you come and see me? If I do do it, I won’t be on drugs this time.”

Meanwhile, it has been announced that Robbie is organising another Soccer Aid match in aid of UNICEF.

The charity soccer game – which will take place at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on June 6 – sees a team of celebrities, led by Robbie, taking on a side of the sport’s legends.

A host of stars will be joining Robbie, including ‘Desperate Housewives’ actor Jesse Metcalfe, members of Westlife, TV chef Gordon Ramsay, presenter-and-comedian Patrick Kielty and boxer Ricky Hatton.

Robbie – an ambassador for UNICEF – said: “I am so excited Soccer Aid is back. It will be a great time for football, with World Cup fever at boiling point.”

This will be the third Soccer Aid match the 36-year-old star has organised.

Hey i was wondering if Emma Stone had any myspace, twitter, Facebook, or any other thing like that.

A good reason to get up on a Sunday morning?
What say you?
Y/A Wanted this in fantasy sports!
I would be a top competitor in that sport! lol
For the people that dont know, Steve Jones is the very tasty bit on channel 4! Turn over now and have a look! yummy!

Ok. Well. I want to learn the dance to the song sexy back by Justin Timberlake, but I don’t know the moves. Can you help me out?

Mia Maestro is in negotiations to play the lead in “Cutthroat,”marking a last-minute recasting for the ABC dramedy pilot.

Additionally, Treat Williams is set to co-star opposite KateeSackhoff in ABC’s drama pilot “Boston’s Finest,” Donnie Wahlbergand Len Cariou have been tapped as leads in CBS’ untitledBurgess/Green drama pilot, Melissa Sagemiller has joined NBC’s”Rockford Files” and Anthony Ruivivar has been added to ABC’s dramapilot “The Whole Truth.”

“Cutthroat,” from 20th TV, centers on Nina Cabrera (Maestro), anupscale Beverly Hills widow and soccer mom who runs aninternational drug cartel.

Maestro replaces “Without a Trace” alumna Roselyn Sanchez,originally cast in the role. The pilot, directed by Bronwen Hughes,begins production this week.

The Argentinean-born Maestro is best known for her role on ABC’s”Alias.”

“Boston,” formerly the untitled Richard Hatem project, centers on adetective (Sackhoff) who teams with a disgraced ex-cop to solvecrimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground.

Williams will play the ex-cop’s former partner, an old-schoolpoliceman. He is repped by APA and the Schiff Co.

The Burgess/Green project is a multigenerational show revolvingaround a family of New York cops.

Cariou (“Damages”) will play a retired NYPD police chief, a blunt,honest man. Wahlberg (“The Zookeeper”) will play his grandson, asmart, determined, rumpled detective with a quick fuse and a familyman who served in Iraq.

“Rockford” stars Dermot Mulroney as roguish private detective JimRockford. Sagemiller, coming off playing an assistant districtattorney on TNT’s “Raising the Bar,” will play his competent,on-the-spot attorney and on-again, off-again girlfriend.

The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced “Truth” is a legal drama that showsthe defense and prosecution sides equally. It revolves around NewYork prosecutor Kathryn Pearle (Joely Richardson) and defenseattorney Jimmy Nolan (Rob Morrow).

Ruivivar (“Traveler”) will play Nolan’s longtime associate.

March 16, 2010by Elizabeth Willoughby

Last year, actor Hugh Grant gave his support to healthtalkonline.org, a website that offers health advice and videos of real patients telling about their experiences with particular diseases.

“The principle idea,” says Dr Anne McPherson, one of the developers of the website, “is to get the widest possible range of experiences that people have for each disease or health issue, rather than just one or two, and to analyze that and have it available in a format which patients can access – to learn from, to get support from – their carers can also get that – and to help them make choices about treatments.”

Last summer McPherson turned to Grant, whose mother had died of pancreatic cancer, to help with the new part of the website dealing with that disease.

“One of the big differences between this website and other health websites that you might find on google,” Grant said in a BBC interview, “is that this one is run by top Oxford doctors and researchers. That’s why it wins all these awards. Whereas the vast majority of these health websites you end up on when you google with hypochondria in the middle of the night, and no one knows that better than me, is they tend to be sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. They’re just not in the same league when it comes to reliability.

“I don’t think there’s any substitute for hearing first hand other patients’, or people who’ve been close to patients, experiences of these things. Especially on a website that is so carefully balanced and researched.”

Now, McPherson is approaching Equilibrium to develop the bipolar disorder branch of healthtalkonline.org.

I’ve been involved in a two-year lawsuit against the Episcopal Diocese of NY, which has revealed a corruption within the Church as startling as Watergate. I think George Clooney might be interested to make a film, or perhaps just to give legal support. Reliable way to contact him, other than through a fan club? Other ideas?

I am 5’8 and 175 lbs. I have some fat around my torso that I can shed, but how do I do that, and how can I get my body to look like Christian Bale’s in American Psycho, for those who have seen the film. Or just any body that looks thin with some muscle.