Madonna to Return with 'Licorice'; Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is… for Warped 2008

Praised pop queen Madonna has named the follow up to 2005's Confessions on a Dance Floor, and the title is… drum roll please… Licorice, Billboard.com reports. The forthcoming record, the Material Girl's final set for longtime label Warner Bros. before she comes under contract with concert promoter Live Nation's new initiative, Artist Nation, will tentatively drop to store shelves in late April. "Candy Shop" and "The Beat Goes On," two new tunes that leaked online earlier this year, will both arrive on the forthcoming set.

Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is… for Warped Tour 2008

Officials for summer's premier punk rock extravaganza, Warped Tour, are already gearing up for the 2008 festival season and have announced Gym Class Heroes, the Academy Is..., and Relient K, among others, as performing acts for the nationwide outing, reports Alternative Press. Every Time I Die, From First to Last, and the Bronx are also among the 18 bands currently billed for the festival, for which dates have yet-to-be announced. [Via MTV.com]

Andrew W.K. Preps New LP with Lee 'Scratch' Perry

Ahhh… the wacky world of Andrew W.K.; the party-time rocker and motivational speaker has tapped non other than reggae legend Lee "Scratch" Perry for Repentance, his forthcoming set slated to arrive this coming spring via Narnack Records, TinyMixTapes.com reports. Having reportedly met at SXSW, W.K. and Perry soon began working on the new album in Anaheim, CA, and later moved to New York City to record vocals. Next, W.K. accompanied Perry to his Jamaica stomping grounds to mix the effort, which also features vocal contributions from Ari Up of the Slits and David Tibet of Current 93.