Outkast: Idlewild [Original Soundtrack] - 12/6/05
 

from pitchforkmedia:

Outkast Set Release Date for Film, Soundtrack
Matthew Solarski reports:
So fellas: what's cooler than ice cold?? How about a two-pronged wintertime multimedia blitzkrieg? The loveable Outkast, who've catapulted from dirty south party-starters to international, genre-defying, mega-party-starters, are poised to capture the hearts of whatever demographic of the American populace remains free-hearted in this post-"Hey Ya!" era.

Their one-two punch: Idlewild, a feature film and concomitant all-Outkast soundtrack, slated for release in the coming months and sure to hit harder than Lindsay Lohan's Mercedes Benz. And, we hope, not flop harder than Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Idlewild the record drops first on December 6, allowing Outkast aficionados ample time to learn all the words so that Rocky Horror-esque sing-alongs may ensue one month later when the film arrives in theatres. The new disc essentially follows up Speakerboxxx/The Love Below as an Outkast record-proper, and according to Big Boi, features "a little more piano or whatever." I'm not sure what "whatever" sounds like, but if Outkast is dishing it out, you'll dance to it.

Idlewild the movie infiltrates motion picture palaces January 6 and stars both halves of Outkast, Terrence Howard, Macy Gray, Ving Rhames, and Patti LaBelle, among others. The period piece situates Big Boi and Andre 3000 in a 1930s speakeasy, where the former portrays the club's performer/proprietor and the latter its pianist. The film's rising action will involve Dre, Boi & Co. overcoming such obstacles as "gangsters" and "relationships." Idlewild marks music video director Bryan Barber's ("Hey Ya!", "The Way You Move", etc.) feature-length debut.

Idlewild the band couldn't be reached for comment, but we reckon they're weeping over their pints right now.

Thought the film was going to be broadcast on HBO. Oh well I'll pick up the CD and wait to rent the DVD.

Ive got a bad "jumping the shark" feeling about this. I hope Im wrong.

HBO Films produced the flick and Universal picked up theatrical distribution rights to it.

is this CD still coming out tomorrow? All I can find is one note from an interview from sept. I would think i would have heard more if it is indeed coming out tomorrow.

Nope. I'm pretty sure I heard it was pushed back to february.

well crap.

Looks like the release date is February 14th:

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from NME:

OutKast film nears completion
The band are also planning a Rosa Parks tribute
Outkast's long-awaited debut film 'Idlewild' is nearing completion, their manager has said.

Blue Williams has revealed that he is letting the rap duo create at their own pace, explaining the delay in the release of the movie.

"You gotta let creative be creative, that's what it is," he said. "It ain't always when I want it. What it comes down to is, even when I'm ready to hit people with the wham-wham, the guys gotta be ready. I might be sitting there with the ill marketing - 'We gonna do this, this and this' - (but) if they ain't ready, they ain't ready."

Williams explained that the band have about a week to finish the recording of the soundtrack to the film, but that they have chosen their first single and plan to shoot a video in the near future.

A new Outkast record, 'Rats And Roaches', hit the radio last year and some though it would be the first single. However, Williams insists that the track is an old recording that the group did with production team Organized Noize a while ago.

The first song to be lifted from the 'Idlewild' soundtrack is likely to be 'Train' - a solo offering from Big Boi - despite rumours that 'Idlewild Blues' would be the fans' chance to the hear a glimpse of the LP.

Williams told MTV News: "It looks like we're gonna start off with a new single that Big has, just to get the ball rolling. (The album) is still coming together. I'm letting them live. I don't know what's what yet."

The 'Idlewild' soundtrack is due to come out in the US on Valentine's Day (February 14), and the movie following on March 10, but the band's manager is not worried about the lack of time, or competition.

"There's not a lot of dopeness out there - ain't nobody coming and blazing it through," he said. "And we don't need 18 weeks of set-up. For us it's just, 'Let's get it out there, let's get the movie out.' The proof is in the pudding. All I gotta do is let people know the date (the album is coming out). Our fans will find it. We've got core fans and once we tell them the date, they gonna get it."

Following the soundtrack, Outkast's Big Boi said last year that he and bandmate Andre 3000 would be releasing a new studio album called 'The Hard Ten'. However, Williams has said that nothing has been confirmed.

He explained: "I think that was the original name for it, but I don't know when it's coming. As soon as they drop an album and everyone gets an opinion of it, they get the urge to go in (the studio) and do (another) one right away. Sometimes they'll be like, 'We gotta reload up.' I don't know what it will be this time."

"I think after your fourth and fifth album, it starts to feel like a job, too," he added. "Sometimes you gotta do other things. Like how Dre enjoys acting and it's fun and fresh to him, I think Big Boi feels the same way about Purple Ribbon Records. I think fresh things give us fresh perspectives to come back and do what we do, but there's no timetable on that (album)."

Williams also revealed that another project Outkast are looking at is to make a tribute record to the late influential human rights icon, Rosa Parks.

The group are also planning a TV special in honour of Parks, with their manager saying: "We're trying to do a tribute special for her and get a lot of entertainers involved. Then turn the special into a DVD we can put in the schools and let teachers have it to show kids. It'll be performances, people speaking on there, a history montage. A nice special that would give her just do especially for people who don't know what she did."

"I thought it would be a great way to show we always had good intentions," he added.

Parks passed away in October last year at the age of 92 and had sued Outkast over the use of her name on the band's 1998 'Aquemini' album for defamation and trademark infringement because they did not ask permission to use her name.

The group were protected under the First Amendment, but a second suit, this time directed towards the duo's record label, was launched later by her lawyers.

Talking about the tribute project, Williams said: "It was my idea to figure out how we could ensure that everyone always understood we always had good intentions towards Ms Parks."

Can't wait for the album even if the movie sounds tres cliche'd. I can deal with that... so long as the soundtrack is as good as, say, "That's the Way of the World" or "One Trick Pony". Does anybody even remember those movies today?

Is this album still coming out on the 14th? For something that's slightly more than a week away, I haven't heard ANYTHING about this album, nor can I find any listing on amazon or anywhere else.

Me too but I get that feeling about every Outkast release because I know they are going to push my boundries of how far is too far, which is usually a good thing.

It seems odd to me that Outkast has zero web presence.

Amazon does not have this listed.

I'm willing to bet it's pushed back even further.

no date? damn.

I believe it's now been pushed to April.

any updates? seems weird there hasn't been any press, since there has been a trailer made and everything.

What's going to make it out first? This album, the new Fugees, or Chinese Democracy? :p

We should wager on this.. ;)

Or Detox.

Aug. 22 according to the last sentence of this article from MTV.com news:

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/153...headlines=true

UPDATE

from NME.com

Outkast have announced the first single from their long-awaited 'Idlewild' album.

'Mighty-O' is out on August 7, preceding the album, which is released on 22 August.

The band have also confirmed the release of their first feature film, also titled 'Idlewild'. The film is now to be released on September 15.

'Mighty-O' is the first joint OutKast single to be released since 'So Fresh, So Clean' from 2000's 'Stankonia'.

The duo's last release, 2003's 'Speakerboxx'/'The Love Below', was a collection of two solo albums by the pair.

The album 'Idlewild' has, like its visual counterpart, been postponed since late 2005.

I've heard Mighty-O, wasn't that impressed with it. I did read in EW that Andre 3000 wasn't happy with that song choice as lead-off single, so hopefully that means there is better material on the album.

have to say - I'm really looking forward to the movie

you can listen to some tracks on their website.

Morris Brown is a great, great, great song. I love it. So damn catchy. Great, tripped otu music video too. I think it's only big boi on that track.

http://www.outkast.com/

Unfortunately for those of us who loved their first 4 albums, this will be more of the same like Speakerboxxx/THe Love Below. The Mighty O is one of the only tracks both men rap on, and most of their songs are solo or with other artists.

The Outkast we all grew to love in the 90s is gone forever. So, if you enjoy hearing Andre 3000 sing some corny songs then this should be the record for you.

:( :( :(