Kim Wilde Reissues

The first two albums by the British singer Kim Wilde have been released on CD trough Cherry Red Records. Her self-titled debut album reached no.3 in the UK and it contained the hit singles "Kids in America" and "Chequered Love" and her second album 'Select' was originally released in 1982 with hit singles "View From The Bridge" and "Cambodia". Both albums also include bonus tracks.

www.cherryred.co.uk/cherrypop/kimwilde

www.cherryred.co.uk/cherrypop/select

Metric vs Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Metric and Yeah Yeah Yeahs have both released their new albums in April. Metric have released their fourth studio album 'Fantasies' from which the first single "Help Me I'm Alive" was taken, as well as their latest release "Front Row" which was featured on the March 12th episode of Grey's Anatomy.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs came back for their third release. The album was produced by Nick Launay who also produced albums for Nick Cave and Arcade Fire. The first single "Zero" was released on February 24, 2009 is great synth pop anthem to rock and to dance to.

Pet Shop Boys > Rescue Shelter Boys!?

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in an electronics shop on Kings Road in Chelsea, London in August 1981 and soon recognized a mutual interest for dance music. Few years later they decided to form a band. Starting out, the two called themselves West End, because of their love of London's West End, but later they came up with the name Pet Shop Boys, which derived from some friends who worked in a pet shop, in Ealing.
24 years after their first hit "West End Girls" they were being asked by PETA to change their name. Their new name should be Rescue Shelter Boys!!! The musician refused but also added that none the less think (it) raises an issue worth thinking about.

More after the Jump
peta.pet.shop.boys

Next Wave: Little Boots

Little Boots is an electro-pop musician known as Victoria Hesketh. She sings, plays synthesizers, Japanese electronic instrument the Tenori-on, piano and the stylophone. She has released three singles, two EPs and she will release her debut album Hands in June. The album will feature a collaboration with non other but Phill Oakey from Human League on a song "Symmetry" as well as her latest single "New in Town" released on May 26, 2009.

www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic
www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk

Doves- Kingdom of Rust

Doves will release a new album on April 6, 2009. 'Kingdom of Rust' will be their fourth studio album and the follow-up to their album 'Some Cities' which was released four years ago.The album was preceded by first single "Kingdom of Rust" on March 30th. Doves also offered the album's lead track "Jetstream" as a free download on their website, starting from January 28, 2009.

www.doves.net

Retrovision: Silicon Teens- Memphis Tennessee

Instant Hit: Clan of Xymox- Stumble and Fall

'Stumble and Fall' was a third track from Clan of Xymox' s/t debut album which was released in 1985 on 4AD. There was another 4AD release which featured the remix version of the single "A Day" as well as the remix version of the song "Stranger". Wish I premiered it back in the day.

Propaganda

Propaganda was a German New Wave group from Düsseldorf which was formed in 1982. During 1984 and 1985 they released three singles and one album. Beside Kraftwerk, Aplhaville and Nena they are one of the few German New Wave groups that have gained commercial success outside Germany.

Propaganda was formed in Düsseldorf in the early 80’s by a former Krupps member Ralf Dörper. He decided to go on with new musical ventures and left his group. Ralf’s new project also involved new musical partners, Andreas Thein, a part- time DJ and their mutual friend Suzanne Freytag who was recruited as a vocalist. Propaganda was born and as a trio they began recording music. Their first musical venture was the cover of a song “Disziplin” which was originally performed by Throbbing Gristle which also gave them a TV airing. “Disciplin”, tough was never released as a single because Gristle refused to allow it.
Following the whole “Disziplin” project the band took new members, musician and composer Michael Mertnes and 19 year old vocalist Claudia Brücken. The band moved to UK and it was signed to ZTT records label. The new Propaganda line up was marketed as a twisted hellish version of Abba leaving Mertens in the background as the invisible fifth member. "Dr.Mabuse" was released in 1984 and short time after Thein left the group not satisfied with the record company which delayed the release of the Propaganda material.

1985 saw the release of Propaganda’s most successful single “Duel” which reached no 21 in the UK charts as well as the release of their debut album “A Secret Wish”. After their second appearance on ‘The Tube’ things went quiet for Propaganda, Claudia Brücken left the group in 1986 and the remaining members of the group took ZTT to court to release them from their contract.

In 1988 a new Propaganda line up gathered and began recording new material. Alongside Michael Mertens were the new line-up vocalist Betsi Miller, bassist Derek Forbes and drummer Brian McGee. The result was a new contract with Virgin and a new album release. The album ‘1234’was released in 1990 as well as the single “Heaven Give Me Words” which actually sounded more like Wilson Phillips than the old Propaganda material. It did not get much airplay either.

 

The original line-up of Propaganda met once more in 1998 with a new deal to record a new album which was never released until some songs from the album leaked via file sharing networks. In 2005 Mertens and Freytag resurrected the name Propaganda again while Claudia Brücken teamed up with Paul Humphreys of OMD for the Onetwo musical project.