The Rubber Room column is a weekly look at recent and notable releases that don’t fall into the rubric of traditional reviewed material—namely 7”’s, 12”’s, 3” CDs, EPs, cassette-only, DVDs and MP3-only releases.

U2
Neon Lights (Vertigo B-side)
[Island Records, 2004]

A not entirely expected Kraftwerk cover from the band who seem to be making an eternal comeback as the ‘greatest rock and roll band on the planet’. Not exactly a reinvention, more like a warming up of the original, making it a bit more human than the clipped vocal and the simple programming of the original. The band turn it into a pre-dawn stroll with Bono’s lazily sung “da-da-da” meandering through the connubial piano line which here sounds even closer to the melody of show tune “Memory” than ever.
[Scott McKeating]

Limp Bizkit
Untitleds (Streaming)
[Limp Bizkit Homepage, 2004]

Not only has Durst supplied us with many hours of mirth at his ridiculous and self obsessed blog entries (is there any other kind?), but he’s been kind enough to offer up a sample of some new LB sounds for those out there fiending for another “Nookie”. Reintroducing us to the newly reformed and loving it Limp is a very badly recorded squall of Borland guitar riffage under which Otto the muppet man lays down some clattering drums. Even these brief 30 seconds or so beats the white stuff out of anything on Results May Vary. Oh, and check the regularly update photo section for shots of the band ‘jamming’ with supplementary pictures of Durst’s new beard and Ross Robinson looking serious.
[Scott McKeating]

2Pac with Sleepy Brown
Hennessy (MP3 leak)
[???, 2004]

Is Eminem really the best man in Hip-Hop to be interpreting the leftover tapes, old verses and legacy of Tupac Shakur? I don’t know, but one thing I can say is that is certainly isn’t anyone from Death Row Records. After the dirty steaming arse that was their Nu Mixx Klazzics this leak from the forthcoming Loyal to the Game is an utter relief to those necrophiliacs who still care about Shakur’s work. The West Coast’s Red Spyda (the man behind Pac and 50’s “Realest Killas”) brings in Sleepy Brown on the hook for this swinging smooth revivial. Zombies never sounded so good.
[Scott McKeating]

Jay-Z & R.Kelly
The Best of the Both World’s Beef (Streaming Interviews)
[Hot 97, 2004]

I’ve never been the world’s biggest fan of Jay, and his Black Album claims to be.the greatest living are obviously bullshit. The above link is an interview with both him and R Kelly regarding the premature end of their Best of Both Worlds tour. For a UK citizen its interesting to hear the a full interview with as opposed to the tiny soundbites and the 3.6 seconds of coverage that the fall out got over here.
[Scott McKeating]

Rufus Wainwright and Dido
I Eat Dinner (Bridget Jones II OST)
[Bridget Jones, 2004]

Over a very typical, but still affecting Rollo backing track, Rufus Wainwright sings a lonely suburban British lyric, and at first I’m not sure its going to work for him. But bless his cotton socks, he makes it his own as he and cute breathy Dido trade lines making a very comfortable fit. I imagine this will be used in the movie over a montage of Renee looking out of a rain splattered windowpane and doing things that single people do like watching TV whilst holding cushions to their chests, buying microwave meals and ironing.
[Scott McKeating]