Next Wave: Blondfire

Blondfire is the Brazilian/American brother/sister duo of Bruce and Erica Driscoll. They began under the name Astaire, but due to legal threats from the Fred Astaire estate they were forced to change their name. The siblings write/record/produce all their own songs and make a refreshing, UK influenced sound that is at once catchy, original, and undeniably their own. Despite their polished, pop hooks, the duo is the true definition of Indie.

Retrovision: Fay Ray- Heatwave

Instant Hit: East Wall- Eyes of Glass

East Wall released their only single "Eyes of Glass" in 1985 through ZYX Records. The single was issued as 12" only and included the vocal and instrumental version of the song. It was recorded in at the Master Studio 33 in 1984 and produced by Ray Masola. The duo recorded one album in 1981, entitled Silence.

Clinic- Do It!

A Liverpool based indie rock band noted for their often fast-paced, eclectic sound are set to relese their fifth album 'Do It!'. The album is going to be released on 8 April 2008. The single "Free Not Free" was made available on 1 February 2008 as a free download from clinicvoot.org.

Cut Copy- In Ghost Colours

'In Ghost Colours' is the second studio album by Australian band Cut Copy. The record contains 15 tracks including a song "Hearts on Fire" which was re-recorded. 'In Ghost Colours' has already been released in Australia, and it will be released in US on April, 7th and on April 14, 2008 in the UK.

dEUS- The Architect

Instant Hit: Cee Farrow- Lost And Memorized

Cee Farrow was one of the most underrated 80's stars led by Christian F. Kruzinski. They released their only album Red and Blue in 1983 and a year before that the famous Cee Farrow song "Should I Love You" for which they also recorded a slick music video. Cee Farrow tried a comeback in the early 90's, but failed to gain any success. Christian sadly passed away in 1993 due Brain disease attributed by Aids. "Lost and Memorized" was never released as a single, but remains as one of the unforgettable and most played Cee Farrows tunes.

R.E.M.- Accelerate

'Accelerate' is the fourteenth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on March 31, 2008 in Europe and a day later on April, 1, in North America. Produced with Jacknife Lee, Accelerate is intended as a departure from the band's poorly-received 2004 album 'Around the Sun'. The first single from the album, "Supernatural Superserious", was released in February 2008. The video for this single was already featured on this blog.

Echo & The Bunnymen- The Works

Echo & The Bunnymen will release their best of compilation “The Works”, a three CD retrospective which will feature 45 songs including Echo & the Bunnymen’s biggest hits. The record will be released on March, 31st 2008.

Next Wave: The Foxglove Hunt

The Foxglove Hunt is a project started by Rob Withem and Ronnie Martin. They got together in 2006 and recorded the album Stop Heartbeat which has recently been released. The album features ten synth-pop tunes with playful electronic synth pop sound including "Love My Way" which was originally recorded by the Psychedelic Furs back in the 80's.

Instant Hit: The Turqouise Swimming Pools- Burst Baloons

"Burst Balloons" was recorded in 1981 by the Turqouise Swimming Pools. This track later also appeared in 1982 on the compilation 'To The Shores Of Lake Placid' which was released on 'Zoo Records' and which also featured bands like Dalek I love You, Big in Japan, Teardrop Explodes and others. This song was written and performed by David Balfe and Troy Tate.

The Turquoise Swimming Pools - Burst Balloons

Retrovision: The Adventures- Broken Land

George Michael Hits America

After performing 80 shows in 12 European countries for a staggering 1.3 million fans over the past year alone, legendary superstar George Michael will be bringing his smash 25 LIVE tour to North American Arenas in the summer of 2008 in support of his new retrospective record. This will be Michael's first North American tour in 17 years

. The new record, titled Twenty-Five, will be released April 1st and is a 29-song, 2-CD set featuring several new songs (including duets with superstars Paul McCartney and Mary J. Blige.

More Info about the tickets in the comment.
George Michel Tour

The B- 52's- Funplex

'Funplex' is the forthcoming eighth studio album recorded by The B-52's during 2006 and 2007. The album will be released on March 25, 2008.It is the first album of new material that the group has released since Good Stuff in 1992, although the band did record two new songs for their 1998 compilation album Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation.

The first single from the album was released digitally on 29 January 2008, and is the title track, "Funplex". The single was featured on this blog earlier this year.

Gang Of Four

Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Formed in 1977 by Leeds University students Jon King (vocals), Andy Gill (guitar), Dave Allen (bass), and Hugo Burnham (drums). Along with the Fall, Mekons, and Liliput they produced some of the most exhilarating and lasting music of the early English post-punk era of 1978-1983. They re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill. In 2004, the original line-up reunited.

In fact the term "Gang of Four" refers to the "big four" Structuralist theorists: Claude Lévi-Strauss, Michel Foucault, Roland Barthes, and Jacques Lacan, not to be confused with the Maoist Gang of Four in China. They play a stripped-down mix of punk rock, with strong elements of funk music, minimalism and dub reggae and an emphasis on the social and political ills in society. Song titles sounded like the titles of radical political essays: "At Home He's a Tourist", "Damaged Goods", "It's Her Factory", "Love Like Anthrax," "To Hell With Poverty," all of it openly challenging the audience's preconceived notions about rock music, performance, the cult of celebrity, and the nature of politics.

Their musical work was heavily influenced by a university-funded trip to New York, where they saw Television and the Ramones at CBGB. The Gang's debut single, "Damaged Goods" b/w "Love Like Anthrax" and "Armalite Rifle", was recorded in June 1978 and released on 10 December 1978, on Edinburgh's Fast Product label. It was produced by the Gang and Fast Product honcho Bob Last. It was a #1 indie chart hit and John Peel radio show favourite. Later, they were then signed by EMI records. The group's debut single with this label, "At Home He's a Tourist", charted in the British Top 40 in 1979.After three consecutive sensational albums, as well as a handful of EPs and singles including "I Love a Man in Uniform" and "Call Me Up" , Allen left in 1982 to form the more danceable and less overtly political Shriekback, while Gill, King, and Burnham recorded the misguided "radical soul/R&B" record Hard with veteran American producers Ron and Howard Albert.

Gang of Four experienced a mini-renaissance in the early '90s with the release of two excellent collections (A Brief History of the Twentieth Century and The Peel Sessions Album). King and Gill put together a new Gang of Four and released the tepid but not disgraceful Mall in 1991. The original lineup reconvened in 2004 to tour extensively and release 2005's Return the Gift, featuring re-recordings of their early material. They have always remained, to the ears of those opened wide by punk rock, an extremely important band.
Great news is that the guys are working on a new album which is scheduled to be released in June this year. They will also be playing few gigs in Europe. Belgrade and Zagreb are already confirmed for the 9.-10. of May 2008.

B-Movie's April Gig

Great news for all B-Movie fans as the band will play live gig on April 12th at the Metro 19-23 Oxford Street in London. Videos from their last gig, held in 2007 were already posted here earlier.

More info:

http://www.blowupmetro.com

Instant Hit: Afraid Of Mice- Intercontinental

The Liverpool based group Afraid of Mice released a number of singles in 1981 and 1982 before disbanding. "Intercontinental" was their second single issued on Charisma and also featured on their only self titled album released in the same year.

WAW: R.E.M.-Supernatural Superserious

The Kills- Midnight Boom

Midnight Boom is the third album from The Kills which is slated for release on March 10, 2008 through Domino Records (March17, 2008 in the United States)."Midnight Boom" refers to the moment the moon comes up and everyone else goes to bed.The album was preceded with a site, also titled Midnight Boom, dedicated to the videos and remix tracks for 'U.R.A. Fever' and 'Cheap And Cheerful'.

Miro Miroe

Miro Miroe, pronounced "ME-ROE ME-ROE" was born in Cricklewood, England in the early when Ian Ritchie met Miss Bee. Ian has a chemistry degree from Liverpool University, and Miss Bee started her entertainment career with Thames Television as a lavatory cleaner. Miss Bee was doing Blonde impersonations with "the most mediocre band in the world" and Ian was looking for a singer/lyricist. Evidently they met one night in a pub where Ian was performing jazz with a Texas guitarist, and Bee requested Wagner's "Ring Cycle." Bee sang "Die Walkure" while Ian played "Ornithology" in accompaniment.

Miro Miroe were signed on CBS and released three singles including “Nights Of Arabia”, the first single which did do fairly well. Unfortunately this was a massive surprise to CBS, who did not have enough copies made to properly service the record. The sales and chart position faded away as there was no re-stocking of the single in the shops. No promotional video was ever made. Two more singles were released. “Islands” from the Colin Thurston sessions and “Ready, Steady” which was produced by Steve Levine. Again, limited copies were pressed, insuring no possibility of chart success.

Later Ritchie went on to produce Pete Wylie, Roger Waters, Hugh Cornwell and Laurie Anderson amongst others.
in 2014, after more than thirty years, all their recording material has been released on CD under the title 'The Face'. This record is available on CD Baby.

Retrovision: Zaine Griff- Figures

The Charlatans- You Cross My Path

'You Cross My Path' is the tenth album by British band The Charlatans, released on March 3, 2008 as a free download from the XFM website. The album will then get a physical release, in the form of CD and vinyl 45 box set on May 19, 2008.

Bauhaus- Go Away White

'Go Away White' is the fifth studio album by British gothic rock band Bauhaus. It will be the band's first new album since 1983. This will be their final record and the end of the band. There will be no tour to support the album. The release date, March 4, 2008.

http://www.bauhausmusik.com/news/index.html

Instant Hit: Fiction Factory- Ghost of Love

"Ghost of Love" was the second release for the British group Fiction Factory. This single was released in 1983 on CBS and appeared as both 7" and 12" record. The band didn't last long and disbanded soon after the album release in 1985.

Joy Division Documentary

According to NME.com, the release of the Joy Division documentary has been announced. It was directed by directed by Grant Gee and it is the great answer to Anton Corbijn's movie "Control" which was released in 2007.

The new documentary examines the band’s story through never-before-seen live performance footage, personal photos, period films and newly discovered audiotapes. There are also interviews with Tony Wilson, the boss of the band's label Factory Records, who died last year. The rest of the band also contribute, as does Annik Honore, the Belgian journalist who Curtis was havingan affair with.

http://www.nme.com/news/joy-division/34685

OMD- Dazzle Ships Reissue

Great news for OMD fans. Their album 'Dazzle Ships' album from 1983 is scheduled to be reissued on 3rd March 2008. The new release will feature remastered tracks, bonus tracks and sleeve notes along with new sleeve art which recreates the original 1983 vinyl sleeve.

http://www.omd.uk.com/html/news.html


Twenty Five Years ago:

WAW: Dave Gahan- Saw Something

Goldfrapp- Seventh Tree

'Seventh Tree' is the fourth studio album by the British electronic duo Goldfrapp. It is scheduled for release by Mute Records on February 25, 2008 in the United Kingdom and the day after in the United States.
Goldfrapp have described the album as a "sensual counterpoint to the glitterball glamour of Supernature", their last studio album from 2005. The album's first single, "A&E", was released on February 11, 2008 and is already in the top 10 of the UK singles charts.

Instant Hit- The Associates- Boys Keep Swinging

"Boys Keep Swinging" was a debut single by the Scottish group The Associates. This song was actually released before the original one which was written and performed by David Bowie. By infringing the copyright, the band attracted a good deal of attention back then, but it remains as one of the best cover songs ever recorded.

Next Wave: The Mary Onettes

The Mary Onettes is a Swedish band which was formed in 2000. The band was under influence of some 80's music groups including Echo & the Bunny Men and The Cure. After some line up and label changes, they were finally settled with the Swedish indie label ‘Labrador’ which really understood their artistic vision. After releasing few EP’s in the recent years they finally released their self-titled album The Mary Onettes

www.themaryonettes.net
http://www.myspace.com/themaryonettes

Martin Dupont

Martin Dupont was French group from Marseilles formed in the early 80’s. The group consisted of Alain Seghir, Brigitte Balian, Beverly Jane Crew. The first single “Your Passion” was released on Turquoise and later LP were released on the Facteurs D'Ambience label, formed by Alain Seghir and Alain Arnaud. Their music style was classified as minimal synth darkwave mixing with both male and female vocals. They released three albums between 1982-1987 and one single, after what they split in 1987. 

Retrovision- Ultravox!- Hiroshima Mon Amour -live-

The B 52's- Funplex

"Funplex "the long-awaited first single from the forthcoming B-52s album, is now available via iTunes!With its propulsive guitar hooks, dance-inducing drums and the B-52s' unmistakable vocal style, "Funplex" is instantly recognizable as prime B-52s, and serves as a perfect introduction to one of the most hotly anticipated album releases this year.

The album 'Funplex' is in stores March 25th on Astralwerks Records.

Instant Hit: Anna Domino- Rhythm

"Rythm" is a another great record which was released on 'Les Disques Du Crepuscule' in 1984 by the American singer Anna Domino who came to live in Brussels during the mid 80's. Some of her later songs were produced by Alan Rankine from the Associates.

Hot Chip- Made In The Dark

'Made in the Dark' is the third studio album from British electronic indie pop band Hot Chip. Containing thirteen songs, the album is scheduled for on February, 4 2008.
The band have said the album will have a rockier sound than previous records, along with the usual electronic elements. The first single from the album is "Shake a Fist", which was released on 12" vinyl single at the beginning of October 2007.

Tent

Tent were Dutch New wave group who released two mini albums in the mid eighties. The group was formed in the early 80’s and consisted of Anja Bienold (keyboards, vocals), Karel Van Dijck (bas), Kees Wassenaar (drums) and Tjebbo Van Dijk (keyboards).

They music was mostly synth-pop driven and all their songs that were featured on the two albums were sung in English. The first LP ‘Without Shelter’ was released in 1983 on Wereld Rekord and the masterpiece “Miles and Miles” was the only single from the album. The second album ‘Uncertain and Wild’ appeared two years later on a small record label in Netherlands. It featured the songs “The Boys” and “You Will Fall”. I assume the band split after the second release. Enjoy the songs!

Instant Hit: Telekin- Imagination (Extended)

Telekin (originally les enfants terribles) was a Los Angeles based group formed in 1982.  They released their only single "Imagination" in 1984/85 through Pick Up Records and Metronome. Their master recordings were remixed and released in the Netherlands and their single was produced by Craig Leon. Unfortunately, this was their only official release. They disbanded a year later. 

Xiu Xiu-Women As Lovers

'Women as Lovers' is the sixth studio album by American indie band Xiu Xiu. It will be released on January 29, 2008 by Kill Rock Stars, and shares its title with the Martin Chalmers translation of Elfriede Jelinek's 1975 novel 'Die Liebhaberinnen'.

The album is reported to be "more approachable or communicative on a basic human level" than anything else the band has released. The first track, "I Do What I Want When I Want", was released on December 11 via Pitchfork Media's "Forkcast", and is also available free of charge from Kill Rock Stars' webstore.

Lost Videos: November Group- Put Your Back To It

Ant Muzak DVD

Ant Muzak has been released on DVD. The dvd contains ‘Ant Muzak’, together with it’s 2 companion pieces BLAKE’S JUNCTION 7 and WORLD OF WRESTLING; all written by Tim Plester and directed by Ben Gregor. The dvd also contains some 55 minutes of “bonus material”, which includes a never before seen ‘Ant Muzak’ trailer and an exclusive 8-minute “behind-the-scenes” ‘Ant Muzak’ featurette, which contains footage of Gary Tibbs dancing the Prince Charming down a supermarket aisle.

http://www.adam-ant.net/

British Sea Power- Do You Like Rock Music?

'Do You Like Rock Music?' is the third album from the Brighton-based English band, British Sea Power. It was released on 14 January 2008 in the UK and is scheduled for release on 12 February 2008 in the US. The album is preceded by the Krankenhaus? EP, released on digital download on 8 October 2007."Waving Flags" is the first single from the album.

Instant Hit: A Drop In The Gray- A Place For You

 The American New Wave group A Drop in The Gray released their debut "All the Same" through Geffen records in 1984. The single was backed by "Fall and Cry" and both songs were included on band's only album Certain Sculptures which was released in 1985. Sadly after another single release the band split. 

WAW: Tunng- Bullets

Next Wave: Phenol

Here one of my recent discoveries on the internet. The British group Phenol who is fronted by singer Meritxell Lavanchy. The group also features Edie Langley on backing vocals, Sean Brighton guitar, a new Mac and a keyboard bought on eBay. Their sound is influenced by Depeche Mode, Propaganda, Lene Lovich and many other great 80's New Wave bands. Currently they are recording with non other than Martin Rushent who also worked with Human League and the Stranglers. Will be looking forward to that one.

More info:
http://www.phenolmusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/phenolmusic/

Rheingold

Rheingold was a German New Wave group that consisted of Bodo Staiger (vocal, guitar), Lothar Manteuffel (text) und Brigitte Kunze (keyboard). They sang both in German and English and released three LP’s and several singles between 1980 and 1984.

Before they formed Rheingold, Bodo Steiger sang together in a band with Marius Müller-Westernhagen. Inspired through the Dusseldorf's music scene and fellow Germans Krafwerk, Steiger formed Rheingold who was named after the opera of Richard Wagner. Lothar Manteuffel wrote the songs and Brigitte Kunze did some vocals on their first self-titled LP that was released on Weltrekord.
Their most successful single “Dreiklansdimensionen” was released in 1980 as well as the singles “Fluss” and “Fan Fan Fantastisch”. “Fan Fan Fantastisch” apperaed on their second album ‚R’ which was released in 1982. This song was also on a soundtrack to the film 'The Fan' which cast also included Bodo Staiger in the main rolles.

Rheingold also released English versions of the songs in England and USA, not with much success as they hoped though. Neither did their last album show more success and so the band split and they never released music under this name. Lothar Manteuffel teamed up with former Kraftwerk musician Karl Bartos to form Electric Muzic and Bodo Staiger was working with ex Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flur and today he’s busy as a music producer.

B-Movie's Reunion Gig

The original line up of B-Movie met last year for a fantastic reunion gig. The gig was held on 11th November at the Social in Nottingham. Here are two videos from this gig taken from Youtube. Big thanks to JoBeaufoix!

Remembrance Day


Nowhere Girl

Best Albums of 2007

Best Albums of 2007!

01. The Mary Onettes- The Mary Onettes [Labrador]
02. The National-  Boxer [Beggars Banquet]
03. Chromatics IV: Night Drive [Italians Do it Better]
04. Devastations-  Yes, U  [Beggars Banquet]
05. The Shins-  Wincing the Night Away [Sub Pop]
06. Andrew Bird-  Armchair Apocrypha  [Fat Possum]
07. Arcade Fire-  Neon Bible  [Merge]
08. Glass Candy B/E/A/T/B/O/X [Italians Do it Better]
09. Interpol-  Our Love to Admire [Capitol]
10. Sally Shapiro-  Disco Romance [Diskokaine]

Instant Hit: Lotus Eaters- Love Still Flows

The Lotus Eaters made their debut in 1983 with "The Pictures of You" which remained their biggest hit. They released their only album No Sense of Sin in 1984. "Love Still Flows" was one of the outstanding tracks on the album which was not issued as a single. It perfectly displays Lotus Eaters' melancholia and gentleness. 

The Magnetic Fields- Distortion

The new Magnetic Fields album is set to be released on 15, January 2008 on Nonesuch Records. The album is already available on amazon.com where you can here samples of the songs.

Metamatic- The John Foxx Official Website

This is a new entry to the blogroll. It's the official John Foxx page where you can get info regarding John Foxx' Ultravox era and his solo work. The Metamatic site contains the the gallery, discography, merchandise, lyrics sections as well as the forum. Enjoy your visit!

http://www.metamatic.com/