So Hip It Hurts

tonight, tonight, tonight

2012-01-26T11:03:00.004-05:00

Has it really been seven years since the might Saint Etienne have released a studio album? Well, Bob, Pete and Sarah are about to return from the wilderness and have treated their loyal following to the release of "Tonight", their brand new single, or "impact track" as an increasingly cold and loveless industry likes to call it these days.

"Tonight" was produced by Tim Powell who twiddled the knobs for "Together" by Pet Shop Boys and worked deep inside the Xenomania compound for years. It also benefits from being mixed by Richard X who lovingly sprinkles some electronic fairy dust across the track. It's a jaunty, little number that sounds like the perfect follow up to "Method Of Modern Love", the single plucked from "London Conversations: The Best Of Saint Etienne", their most recent career retrospective released way back in 2009.

Bob Stanley describes "Tonight" as being about "the anticipation of going to see your favourite group. For some reason, I imagine this show is at the Forum in Kentish Town. The whole album is about the power of pop, how it affects and shapes your life." And their you have it!

The song has all the hallmarks of a great Saint Etienne single. There's a sense of uplifting melancholy which beautifully compliments the descriptive lyrics and thumping, rhythmic undercarriage. It's all topped off with the Cracknell coo. Truly special!

"I've Got Your Music" will the first official single from "Words And Music By Saint Etienne", only their eighth studio album in a two decade career. It will be available shortly before the new longplayer hits the "shops" in May. Huzzah!

wired for sound

2012-01-25T18:52:00.010-05:00

Hue And Cry, the brotherly duo of Pat and Greg Kane, have always been one of my favorites. They returned to the pop fray in 2008 with "Open Soul".

Now, they follow up that longplayer with "Hot Wire", their 13th studio album on March 19. A week earlier, they will issue "Duty To The Debtor", the first funky single from the elpee. And they've just lensed a video for the track.

Full on Crescent City soul with a splash of Stevie Wonder and a dash of Sly And The Family Stone. I swear I can hear Allen Toussaint weaving his magic inside the grooves. The boys have even managed to slide in an old school New Orleans style brass band toward the end. Just my cup of java!

The official tracklisting for "Hot Wire" includes the following ten tracks.

1. Duty To The Debtor
2. Little Man
3. Hand And Heart
4. Fail You Better
5. If You Want Changes
6. Summer Head/Daze
7. Carlos Takes The Fall
8. I Can Have It All
9. Irreversible Situation
10. Darkness Falls

If you're a obsessive fan like I am, then you will wanna splash some cash on the deluxe edition collector's box set which comes with loadsastuff! Limited to 1,000 copies, this unique collection includes "Hot Wire" on a gold coated CD and heavyweight vinyl in addition to two bonus tracks including "Tell Me" and "The Thing Is...". Plus, a CD single of "Duty To The Debtor", with an edited and remixed version of the track, will feature among all the bonus goodies.

Pat and Greg have even managed to put together a DVD featuring a video documentary which gives a unique insight into the process of producing an album including the writing, recording and mixing of the music as well as the creation of the artwork for the packaging.

As if that wasn't enough to tempt fans into purchasing the deluxified edition of "Hot Wire", H&C have included the official promotional video for the "Duty To The Debtor" with a special 5.1 remix of the track. In addition, there is a fly on the wall feature of the song being recorded featuring an interactive multi angle experience where the viewer can choose what to watch. The DVD ties up nicely with a personal video message from the band. These guys know how to please their fans!

Rounding out the ultimate collector's set are a booklet of song lyrics, lithographic print, keyring, bumper sticker, badge and a certificate of authenticity hand signed by the boys. They've putted out all the stops! Get yours now before they're gone!

a little more love

2012-01-19T10:12:00.004-05:00

Every once in a while, an inspired remix brings life back into a classic or a forgotten gem. This year, I'm putting cash money on a reworking of a long, lost single by one of the UK's finest blue eyed soul singers of the female variety. Step up Lulu! She's back, back, back!

After nearly 50 years since her first single, "Shout", Lulu is about to storm the dancefloors and, hopefully, the charts. Production team, The Knievels, have reswizzled "Love Loves To Love Love", her single from 1967 which only limped to a paltry #32 on the UK chart.

Here's the blazing original.

Not sure why it wasn't a bigger hit first time around. And now, here's the newly remixed version by The Knievels.

Magic! Reminds me a bit of treatment Junkie XL did on "A Little Less Conversation" which became a hit for Elvis Presley in 2002 after it barely scrapped into the US singles chart at #69 in 1968. Amazing what a little dance loop, some perfectly placed synths and a little fairy dust can do for record.

As a young marketing manager at EMI in the 90s, I had the opportunity to work with Lulu when she released "Independence" in 1993 which just missed the top 10 of the UK singles chart when it peaked at #11.

One of my favorite singles from Lulu's 90s repertoire was released the following year after she hit the top spot with Take That on their rendition of "Relight My Fire". "Goodbye Baby And Amen" only peaked at #51 in the UK singles chart, but I loved it and did my best to issue it in the US without luck.

the next step

2012-01-18T23:27:00.004-05:00

Promotion for Emeli Sandé's debut longplayer, "Our Version Of Events", is in full swing. "Next To Me", the third single lifted from the elpee, has just dropped. And to mark its release, Emeli has lensed a video for it.

This time around, it's a more subdued affair. No gritty street scenes in London or Los Angeles. The video was shot in an empty warehouse and Emeli's bleached quiff gets full attention.

Another magnificent single. It kinda falls in Cee-Lo Green territory, which is not a bad thing. After all, who doesn't like a sprinkling of retro R&B in their day? My only complaint about "Next To Me" is something most people won't be bothered by. I think her vocal is swimming in too much reverb. I think a drier, more organic treatment would've suited her voice and the track much better. Splitting hairs, I suppose.

There is a lot of promise for Emeli. I'm really looking forward to hearing the entire album. Word on the street is that it leans heavily on ballads which would be a shame considering the way her first three singles have positioned her.

Turns out Emile's first name is Adele. What are the chances? Can you imagine the discussions about that at the label? The execs must have been falling all over each other in a panic. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at those meetings.

all you need is now

2012-01-06T09:05:00.002-05:00

I adore the worldwide web. Where else can you opine, spew your blatherings and be recognized for your innermost thoughts being blurted out in a public forum?

Having been a busy bee, I haven't properly announced and reviewed my fave raves of 2011. So, I've decided to place my top ten albums of last year in alphabetical order, on their own, without commentary. Over the next few days, I will expand this entry to include my ramblings on each one. I know you're quivering in anticipation.

It was a year of near drought for pop music elpees. We are back to the Sixties! The single is king. The year fluctuated between anemia and euphoria. There would be a purple patch of longplayers and then an extended dearth of material punctuated by a fun, effervescent, standout track. 2011 was inconsistent at best.

Without further delay, let me introduce you to my ten favorite longplayers of 2011.

CocknBullKid - Adulthood
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
Erasure - Tomorrow's World
Foster The People - Torches
Darren Hayes - Secret Codes And Battleships
Penguin Prison - Penguin Prison
Roxette - Charm School
Sneaky Sound System - From Here To Anywhere
Will Young - Echoes
Patrick Wolf - Lupercalia

Honorable mentions include "Panic Of Girls" by Blondie, "50 Words For Snow" by Kate Bush" and "Credo" by The Human League.

Lavish them with praise. Roll your eyes in disgust. Whatever you do, please do it with equal parts passion and dignity! Roll on 2012!

let me take you dancing

2011-12-25T12:29:00.003-05:00

As another year comes to a close, the music market settles down for a brief period of time which allows for a few new releases to gain some maximum impact before the new year kicks in. It's an old marketing trick from way back.

This year's smash hit hopeful is "Tonight In Babylon" by Loverush UK! featuring Bryan Adams. It's not scheduled for a full release until February. So, it's being given an upfront promo push in order to capitalize on the quiet space in the calendar.

Oh yes, the gravel voiced, Canadian rocker is back, back, back! And he's no stranger to the dance and trance crowd. Cast your minds back to the summer of 1999 when Bryan teamed up with Chicane for "Don't Give Up", a bonafide dance classic. I believe the technical terms is "choon".

Please pass the poppers!

I supposed Mr. Adams is looking for a bit of a resurgence. If his new, room booming dance anthem is anything to go by, perhaps his next album should feature a more synth and rhythm combo. It's something he hasn't really attempted on a full longplayer. What has he got to lose?

singled out

2011-12-11T06:18:00.009-05:00

After a decade of singles and five longplayers, Goldfrapp have parted with Mute, the label they called home since their debut. To mark the occasion, Alison and Will are about to release the appropriately titled, "The Singles".

Featuring a meager twelve singles and two new recordings, "The Singles" gives a cursory overview of the duo's magnificent history. However, it's beyond comprehension why overlooked gems such as "Caravan Girl", "Pilots (On A Star)", "Twist", "Fly Me Away" and "I'm Alive" have not made the cut, especially when there is plenty of room on the disc for their inclusion.

The super lush and blissed out "Yellow Halo" is the first of two new tracks to be released from "The Singles" which hearkens back to the sound of "Seventh Tree". And that's not a bad thing, mes chattons! They've even managed to lense a little vid for the tune which is accompanied by a stunning set of visuals. Let's check it out.

"Melancholy Sky", which Goldfrapp performed live on their last tour, is the second of two new songs. "The Singles" will hit the "shops" on February 6. The following is the official tracklisting.

1. Ooh La La
2. Number 1
3. Strict Machine (Single Mix)
4. Lovely Head
5. Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
6. A&E
7. Happiness (Single Version)
8. Train
9. Ride A White Horse (Single Version)
10. Rocket
11. Believer
12. Black Cherry
13. Yellow Halo
14. Melancholy Sky

simply Christmas

2011-12-05T21:13:00.007-05:00

As the Simply Red moniker is put to rest in mothballs, Mick Hucknall appears in his solo guise for only the second time.

"Happy This Christmas" is a brand new single and the first festive release of any kind for Mr. Hucknall. It's a jaunty, jolly tune with a soaring chorus and all the hallmarks that make a great song for the season.

Since, Mr. H has some cash to splash courtesy of the Simply Red royalty treasury, he's seen to it that a suitably festive video was lensed for the song.

"Happy This Christmas" will be hit the "shops" on December 12.

once more with feeling

2011-12-03T11:39:00.002-05:00

In six, short years, The Feeling have manged to release three longplayers and nearly a dozen cracking singles. Their blend of ELO meets Squeeze with a touch of ABBA melancholy has been well received by fans and the casual music consumer.

Now, on the back of the release of a new version of "Rosé" for the Burberry Body marketing campaign, the epitome of the band as brand concept, The Feeling have seen fit to issue their first singles retrospective.

The tracklisting for "Singles (2006-2011)" features all eleven of the band's singles plus two favorites and the new recording of "Rosé" wrapped up in one convenient package.

1. Fill My Little World
2. Sewn
3. Never Be Lonely
4. Love It When You Call
5. Rosé
6. Strange
7. I Thought It Was Over
8. Without You
9. Turn It Up
10. Join With Us
11. Set My World On Fire
12. A Hundred Sinners (Come And Get It)
13. Leave Me Out Of It
14. Rosé (Unplugged at Abbey Road for Burberry Body)

Would've been nice to have a companion DVD in a limited edition set. Although, I love each of the singles housed within the collection, I can't help but feel there is a whiff of ye old bargain bin about the entire affair. The cover art is dreadful. Could The Feeling be down the dumper as "Smash Hits" used to say?

No matter, I still have a soft spot for the lads. And I'm a lucky ticket holder for their Christmas gig in London on December 21.

In the meantime, let's check out Dan Gillespie Sells and co. as they run through eight of their singles in eight minutes for our amusement.

Huzzah! Who doesn't love a megamix or a medley? "Singles (2006-2011)" will hit the "shops" on December 5.

star trekkin'

2011-11-24T18:11:00.005-05:00

After 30 years working on their respective ongoing music projects, Vince Clarke (currently, one half of Erasure) and Martin L. Gore (as a member Depeche Mode) have come together for the first time since 1981 as VCMG to release a brand new album preceded by a series of EPs.

Referenced during interviews and tentative discussions in the press, Vince and Martin, two electronic music pioneers, have finally given the green light and announced the first fruits of their labor with "EP1/Spock". The EP, due to hit the "shops" as a digital download on December 12 and followed by a 12" single a week later, will feature four tracks, the original version of "Spock" alongside three remixes.

"Spock", a techno inspired number, has been lovingly reswizzled by Edit Select (aka Tony Scott), Regis and XOQ, the alter ego of Californian producer Überzone/Q who mixed the forthcoming VCMG longplayer which is due next year.

fresh kicks

2011-11-24T00:29:00.006-05:00

On March 26, 2012, Paul Weller will issue "Sonik Kicks", his eleventh, solo longplayer. If you add in studio albums from The Jam and The Style Council, PW has released a total of 23 albums since "In The City", The Jam's debut elpee in 1977.

The first single to be plucked from it's digital grooves is "Around The Lake". It's a driving and slightly ominous recording which features Paul's vocal swimming in reverb, a clutch of psychedelic noises and a little farfisa line dotted throughout.

Strangely enough, it feels a bit 60s over 80s for me. While maintaining some elements of The Who, The Stooges and The Faces, I can't help but think the single wouldn't sound out of place on an early album by The Cure or Siouxsie And The Banshees.

PW seems to have more fire in him at times than many artists nearly a third his age.

Incidentally, rumor has it that "Starlite", Paul's most recent single which had a touch of TSC about it, will not feature on "Sonik Kicks". Well, that would be quite 80s in itself, n'est-ce pas?

panic on the streets of London

2011-11-20T22:37:00.003-05:00

Must dust this thing off from time to time. It's all gone a bit mental at So Hip It Hurts HQ. A little plug, darlings. Keep an ear out for a few, brand new tracks I produced for Bright Light Bright Light and Fingersnap (aka David McAlmont and Guy Davies). That's where much of my creative energy has been flowing these days. But enough, shameless self promotion.

The mighty Duran Duran return with "Girl Panic!", the second single from their latest longplayer, "All You Need Is Now". Another return to the sound of their halcyon days when Nagel prints and eyeliner were everywhere. Actually, go to any suburban hair salon in the US and you will still find copious amount of both. Some things never change.

Anyway, the marketing and promotional campaigns behind a new Duran single would not be complete with a video from the lads. This time, like many times before, they have splashed some cash on a new clip. Shot in London, the video for "Girl Panic!" finds some role and gender reversal wrapped up in a massive, sprawling, nine minute, fashion drenched extravaganza. It's the 80s all over again, my friends.

Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen and Cindy Crawford all star in the video. I will leave the surprise unspoken. If you haven't seen the clip before, you will find that it has a few twists that make it quite unique. Let's take a gander.

A little wink and a nod to George Michael ("Freedom 90") and Robert Palmer ("Addicted To Love") with that piece of celluloid. "Girl Panic!" is, without a doubt, one of the best videos of the year and a high water mark in the Duran Duran canon. It was expertly directed by Jonas Åkerlund who has lensed many clips including "Frozen" by Madonna.

Now, where is the companion album of Night Versions you're supposed to be releasing, laddies? We, the fans, demand it!

money, money, money

2011-11-15T21:09:00.012-05:00

Penguin Prison has been out and about promoting their debut, self titled longplayer and now the fifth single has been plucked from its grooves. "Don't Fuck With My Money" sits somewhere between Prince, Hall And Oates, Duran Duran, and INXS. It captures the vibe of the MTV era without ever aping any particular artist or song.

And let's face it kittens, it's all about timing! Considering the current political climate, what would be a better time than now to lense a video for the single? And smack in the middle of Occupy Wall Street. The clip was shot at Zuccotti Park in NYC which was cleared of protesters and their tents earlier this weekg. Synchronicity and serendipity unite!

For sure, the Penguin Prison album is one of the highlights in a year that has seen a distinct return to intelligent pop which has long been dormant over the last two decades. Expect to see it in my top five elpees of the year.

Also, Penguin Prison has been responsible for some seriously good reswizzlings include tracks from Darren Hayes, Kylie Minogue, Goldfrapp, Ellie Goulding and Jamiroquai, among others. If you get a chance, check out Chris Glover and co. in a live setting near you!

gone daddy gone

2011-11-06T20:52:00.008-05:00

My sincerest apologies for being AWOL for a short while. It's been quite manic at So Hip It Hurts HQ. Between productions, DJ gigs and songwrting sessions, not to mention running a local business, time has slipped ever faster into the future without an update to my lovely blog. I can assure you, I plan to do my best to stay on top of things.

So, it's my pleasure to return with a beautiful, new platter from an artist many people are earmarking for big things well into 2012 and beyond.

After the monumental success of "Heaven", Emeli Sandé was always going to have a tough time following it with something even remotely epic. A career defining song, "Heaven" pushed all the right buttons without sounding like anything else out there.

Now, Ms. Sandé moves forward with "Daddy", the second single from her forthcoming longplayer, "Our Version Of Events". Seeing as her debut elpee is scheduled for release on February 6, I suspect a third single will see the light of day a few weeks ahead of it.

Thankfully, "Daddy" mines the same ground as"Heaven". There is a distinct trip hop undertow in the clattered rhythm and ominous strings combo. It's all very 90s in its inspiration while establishing a very 21st century sound. Nary a dubstep breakbeat in earshot. Huzzah! A daring move in this cookie cutter climate. One I'm pleased she has stuck with.

As for the video, Ms. Sandé has traded London for Los Angeles which hints at a more global launch for her anticipated debut. Labels aren't splashing cash in many directions these days. I suspect there is quite a lot of support for Emeli's album.

Nothing groundbreaking. She has a striking look that will burning a unique image behind the retinas. The key here is that Emeli Sandé doesn't oversing. No melismatic overstatement. She simply sings the song. Beyoncé, please take note.

One confusing note to end on, not sure why producer Shahid Khan, aka Naughty Boy, is namechecked in the artist credit with Emeli. Has he contributed something unique to the performance that I haven't discovered?

"Daddy", accompanied by a cadre of remixes, will be available from all fine "shops" on November 20.

with or without you

2011-10-23T09:13:00.003-04:00

"Be With You", the second single from Erasure's latest longplayer, "Tomorrow's World", will be released as a seven track CD and download on November 21.

The tracklisting for it, which happens to be my favorite song on the elpee, will feature several remixes, an exclusive non-album b-side and another of Gareth Jones' very popular extended mixes. The following are the tracks which will be included on both configurations.

1. Be With You (Radio Version)
2. Be With You (Moto Blanco Remix Radio Edit)
3. Never Let You Down
4. Be With You (Love Is Coming - Extended Remix)
5. Be With You (Moto Blanco Club Mix)
6. Be With You (Starshapes Remix)
7. Be With You (Acoustic Version)

While I was disappointed with the remixes for previous single, "When I Start To (Break It All Down)", the inclusion of a Moto Blanco remix of "Be With You" will, hopefully, put things right. Let's hope for a pass the poppers moment which we haven't gotten from Vince and Andy for quite some time.

a little night music

2011-10-16T20:13:00.002-04:00

Tracey Thorn, everyone's favorite songstress, is about to return with a brand new single. Huzzah! Let's shed a little light on the situation.

In the summer of 2010, The xx asked Tracey Thorn and her long-time partner in EBTG Ben Watt to record a track from their debut album for a special compilation the band were commissioning. The collection was going to be covers of the album's songs by their favourite artists. Unfortunately, the project never came to fruition. However, before the collapse of the project, Tracey had sung her version of one the album most beautiful tracks, "Night Time".

Now, after being shelved for nearly a year, the track will appear on a three track EP. The appropriately titled "Night Time" will be available from all fine "shops" on October 31. It will be released in two configurations - a 12 inch single for those who love the smell of vinyl and a digital bundle for those who prefer their tunes in the shape of zeros and ones.

The tracklisting for the 12 inch single will feature "Night Time" as the lead track, natch! Tracey's EBTG partner, Ben Watt, guests on guitars and backing vocals which makes it the first time they have recorded together in over a decade. Additionally, it will include remixes of "Swimming", on of the most popular tracks from Ms. Thorn's most recent solo longplayer, "Love And Its Opposite". The track has been reswizzled by Visionquest and underground house legend, Charles Webster.

Visionquest urn in a slightly organic, beefed up version which is draped in shades of "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac. Mr. Webster turns in a sparkling remix with a slightly bossa nova feel to it. The digital bundle will include a dub mix by Charles Webster as a bonus track.

rise up

2011-10-15T10:43:00.003-04:00

A while back, we had a little chinwag with David McAlmont, one of the UK's finest vocalists. At the time, he was touring and preparing for a return with some newly recorded material. Now, he has confirmed his emergence for the studio with the "Smokehouse" EP.

However, there is a twist. Rather than a solo album, David has returned as one half of Fingersnap, his newly formed collaborative partnership with flame haired compadre and pianist extraordinaire, Guy Davies.

Of course, Mr. McAlmont is no stranger to this configuration as he started his career as part of Thieves with Saul Freeman, then reached the dizzying heights of the singles chart with Bernard Butler, has stepped in Shirley Bassey's diamante heels with David Arnold, and most recently stretched his considerable vocal talents on an album with Michael Nyman. Eclectic? Oui. Magnifique? Absolutment.

The first fruits of David's collaboration with Guy appeared as two new studio tracks on "Live From Leicester Square", a live album (natch!) featuring a number of songs from across David's nearly twenty year career. Two covers, "Isn't It A Pity", originally recorded by George Harrison, and the Tom Waits composition, "Grapefruit Moon" were featured as bonus tracks. Guy played piano on the entire project.

Lead song on the four track "Smokehouse" EP is "I Wanna Rise", which is home to a sparkling, soulful and uplifting chorus that wouldn't sound out of place on a Brand New Heavies album. That is not a bad thing at all by my standards as I am a massive BNH fan.

The track starts out with a sforzando string line built from of an amalgam of Motown classics. A hearty laugh from Mr. McAlmont reinforces his pleasure at being able to deliver another installment of quality songs. The first verse is little jarring upon first listen but starts to bleed into shape and find its roots by the time the Guy's piano appears just prior to the rise before the chorus. As I mentioned previously, it's a glorious payoff.

The boys even found time in their hectic schedule to lense a vid for the tune.

Ah, London is a fine locale for a music video. While Mr. McAlmont shimmies, shakes and shuffles, Mr. Davies seems a bit camera shy. Show us more of yer mug, Guy.

Second cut, "Some Kind Of Masterpiece", is a subdued affair with more Motown influences and David channelling a bit of Nina Simone. It is underpinned by Guy's left hand piano and tasteful rhodes. As with "I Wanna Rise", the string arrangement are lovingly draped across the track and give it a classic 70s soul vibe.

Next up is "Mister" which seems to detail a harrowing tale of spousal abuse dressed in an uptempo, 70s rock and soul hybrid with a handclappy rhythm at its core. The lyrics are visually arresting and David's powerful vocal performance slips in shades of Billy Preston and early Michael Jackson.

"The Bishop Of New Hampshire", the final track on the EP, is an elegiac, piano driven ballad which ends with a male vocal choir. It's another lyrically powerful song which seems to have benefited from David's work with Michael Nyman. The subject matter appears to have been ripped from the headlines of our ever present 24/7 news cycle.

All in all, the "Smokehouse" EP is a welcome addition to David's considerable catalog. Working tirelessly with Guy, both on the road and in the studio, has given birth and breath to a strong collaboration in the shape of Fingersnap. I am seriously looking forward to an entire album which will, hopefully, see the light of day in the very near future.

The "Smokehouse" EP will be available from all fine "shops" on November 14. If you wanna invest in a little communication with David, check out my recent interview by clicking here.

put your hands in the air

2011-10-04T20:54:00.005-04:00

Once upon a time, dance music had meaning. It had soul. It had melody! It had vocals! Then, in the late 90s, bedroom DJs took over the planet with a crate full of dubs and they killed it off. Now, it seems people are clamoring for substance. Something they can sing along with.

Great dance records are few and far between. However, I'm pleased to inform you that there has been a bumper crop of them floating around lately. And "Stronger" by house veteran, Erick Morillo, along with his sidekick, Eddie Thoneick, has enlisted the formidable vocal duties of Shawnee Taylor. Together, they have produced one of the most infectious and downright ass shaking club anthems of the last few years.

As a DJ, it's refreshing to be able to spin something with an uplifting vocal and a solid melody. It's a promising development. I feel like we haven't had many arms akimbo, pop house hybrids like this since the mid-90s when "Free" by Ultra Naté saturated the worldwide airwaves.

Let's hope "Stronger" is the start of a trend rather than an oasis in the musical desert. Please pass the poppers!

speaking Swedish

2011-10-01T08:27:00.003-04:00

Roxette return with "Speak To Me", the second single from "Charm School", their first album in a decade. It has been reswizzled into something more bang up to date on the production tip.

It's also the third single in Germany where they decided to follow up "She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio)" with "Way Out" before issuing "Speak To Me", a quintessentially Roxette-esque, signature ballad.

a bloody video with a twist

2011-09-21T08:08:00.003-04:00

Darren Hayes, everyone's favorite Aussie pop troubadour, keeps delivering some seriously good singles this year in anticipation of his forthcoming, solo longplayer, "Secret Codes And Battleships".

While the UK gets "Black Out The Sun", his home country is treated to "Bloodstained Heart", a gorgeous, epic ballad. And now, DH has lensed a video for it.

A bit of a plot twist in this one. Some deep meanings, as well. After three brilliant singles, "Secret Codes And Battleships" is shaping up to be one of my fave rave elpees of the year.

"Black Out The Sun" is available in Australia from all fine "shops" right now. It's parent album is scheduled for release on October 17.

snowbound

2011-09-12T07:52:00.005-04:00

Kate Bush has returned from the studio wilderness mere months after releasing "Director's Cut", a compilation of newly mixed and rerecorded editions of previously released songs.

“50 Words For Snow”, scheduled to hit the "shops" on November 21, will feature seven brand new tracks set against a background of falling snow. The following is the official tracklisting.

1. Snowflake
2. Lake Tahoe
3. Misty
4. Wildman
5. Snowed In At Wheeler Street
6. 50 Words For Snow
7. Among Angels

Don't call it a comeback. Don't call it a Christmas album. I can't help but wonder if she went through the trouble of recording over and hour of actual snow falling? That would be crackers!

black and blood

2011-08-26T19:01:00.008-04:00

Darren Hayes has released some deets about the second single from his forthcoming longplayer, "Secret Codes And Battleships".

"Bloodstained Heart" is scheduled to be released in Australia on September 5.

It's a beautiful ballad that starts with a lonely, throbbing guitar and builds through a beautifully heartbreaking chorus and ends with a brutally epic arrangement which would make Jimmy Webb shed a jealous tear. Simply gorgeous.

On October 2, the rest of the world outside Oz gets a different track, "Black Out The Sun".

It's another big pop number, but it's dressed in some hip hop inspired drum programming without the melody ever being compromised. The chorus is very expressive with a smattering of Middle Eastern flavored string arrangements laid over the top.

Three singles in and Mr. Hayes' next elpee sounds quite promising, indeed. "Secret Codes And Battleships" is due to be available from all fine "shops" on October 17. Many friends who have heard the new longplayer at recent playback sessions in London and NYC have indicated that this might be his finest and fully satisfying album to date.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the session during my recent visit to London as I was deeply ensconced in various studios across the capital working on songs for other artists. I guess I'll have to wait until the album is unleashed!

promises, promises

2011-08-23T06:47:00.005-04:00

Swedish DJ maestros, Drop Out Orchestra, have reswizzled, "Promised Land", an often forgotten, late 80s, dance jam by The Style Council, a record which itself was a cover of a Chicago house classic by Joe Smooth.

"Promised Land" was TSC's penultimate single before being shown the door by their record label. Paul Weller went on to tremendous solos success as the godfather of Britpop a few years later. Reinvention is the mother of popular music, my friends.

Well, they've certainly done the business once again. Drop Out Orchestra have taken the original and added tasty bits including a new, funky bass line, horny horns, some whooshes and a few electronic touches. Voilà! A reswizzled revisit of a a record that really should've been a hit upon its release back in 1989.

In a flash of synchronicity, Drop Out Orchestra have just been commissioned to put their delicate touch on Paul Weller's current single, "Starlite".

The sound of PW recapturing a bit of TSC sonic glory. We knew he had it in him.

heavenly action

2011-08-21T14:39:00.008-04:00

Hello, my lovelies. I'm writing this blog entry from a cozy little corner at Starbucks in Maida Vale which is located in the bosom of northern London. There are many songs being written in various studios throughout the capital this week. The journey to and from each session has been accompanied by one song which makes it's debut at #2 on the UK singles chart today.

The gloriously anthemic "Heaven" from Emeli Sandé has crashed the consumer consciousness in Great Britain and filled the airwaves with gospel voices set to a funky drummer beat. Yes, we have firmly revisited the sound of the 90s, ladies and gents. And it appears Emeli's producers have listened to copious amounts of "Blue Lines", the genre defining, trip hop, debut from Bristol's finest, Massive Attack.

But first, let's have a look at the video which was just lensed for "Heaven".

The twenty year cycle of nostalgia is in full effect for the 90s. Gritty street scenes, ashen faces, wandering homeless men and lost children. For a visual and sonic comparison, let's check out "Unfinished Sympathy", the track that launched the Massive Attack phenomenon. Pay particular attention the the string lines.

Of course, the two songs don't sound the same, but Emeli definitely captured some of the vibe. Big things are tipped for her. We will keep a watchful on this rising diva.

the centre of the heart is a suburb to the brain

2011-08-12T13:55:00.004-04:00

Erasure have just announced the details of "When I Start To (Break It All Down)", the lead single from their forthcoming, fourteenth longplayer, "Tomorrow's World". The single sleeve, like the album cover, has been designed by Tom Hingston and uses another sculpture by artist Kate MacDowell.

I must admit that I have always enjoyed the continuity of the artwork for Erasure's singles and album campaigns. Much like Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys, Vince and Andy put a lot of loving care into the visuals of their packaging.

The single will be available on CD and as a download on September 26. Additionally,
"When I Start To (Break It All Down)" will be available as a single track download a full month ahead of the extended configurations.

The full, official tracklisting for the single include the following:

1. When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Single Mix)
2. Tomorrow's World
3. When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Steve Smart & Westfunk Main Room Mix)
4. When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Kris Menace Remix)
5. When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Little Loud Remix)

"Tomorrow's World" is a cover of the theme music from the UK TV series of the same which inspired the album title.

And as if that wasn't enough good news for Erasure fans, the tracklisting for the deluxe edition of "Tomorrow's World" has been announced. The first disc will feature the album in its entirety. The second disc will feature exclusive mixes, a bonus track and demos from the album recording sessions. The tracklisting for the bonus disc will include the following tasty nuggets:

1. I Lose Myself (Extended "No Self Control" Mix)
2. Give Me Life [bonus track not available elsewhere]
3. Fill Us With Fire (Extended "Fired Up" Mix)
4. When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Frankmusik Remix)
5. Clash (demo version of "I Lose Myself")
6. Big Song (demo version of "Fill Us With Fire")
7. Major 7th (demo version of "Be With You")
8. Save Me (demo version of "You've Got To Save Me Right Now")

The mixes of "I Lose Myself" and "Fill Us With Fire" were produced by Erasure mainstay, Gareth Jones. "Tomorrow's World" is scheduled to hit the "shops" on October 3.

collages and codes collide

2011-08-07T22:39:00.003-04:00

Darren Hayes has revealed the gloriously colorful artwork for his forthcoming, fourth, solo longplayer "Secret Codes And Battle Ships". Is there a hidden message within its imagery?

First single, "Talk Talk Talk", is head and shoulders above much of the current pop pack. Let's hope everyone's favorite Aussie troubadour stacks the zeros and ones with more of the same shimmering goodness.

Apparently, the album isn't scheduled for release until October. However, Darren will be having exclusive playback sessions of the elpee throughout August in London, New York, Sydney and Brisbane. Such a generous chap!

never turn your back on Mother Earth

2011-08-07T08:03:00.003-04:00

Hard on the heels of the deluxe editions of their first two elpees, "Wonderland" and "The Circus", Erasure announce the release of their forthcoming, fourteenth longplayer, "Tomorrow’s World".

The album sleeve, another artistic triumph for the duo, retools the band's logo once again. The cover design is by Tom Hingston who has done magnificent work for artists like Massive Attack, Garbage, The Chemical Brothers and Robbie Williams among many others. It also incorporates sculptures made by Kate MacDowell. It's very pastel. No? Hearts flowers and butterflies, ahoy! Thankfully, no unicorns.

The album, the band’s first in more than four years, is produced by Frankmusik (a.k.a. Vincent Frank) and mixed by Rob Orton. We're still a big fan of Frankmusik's debut longplayer, "Complete Me", from 2009. Even though his new single, "Do It In The AM" is complete shit and giant step down from his pop glory, I'm really looking forward to his contribution to Vince and Andy's electronic odes to love. The first single plucked from it will be “When I Start To (Break It All Down)”.

The standard album features nine songs, but the deluxe edition will come with a bonus disc featuring remixes, demos and a bonus track. The full, official tracklisting for "Tomorrow's World", which is scheduled to be released on October 4, features the following tracks.

1. Be With You
2. Fill Us With Fire
3. What Will I Say When You’re Gone?
4. You’ve Got To Save Me Right Now
5. A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot
6. When I Start To (Break It All Down)
7. I Lose Myself
8. Then I Go Twisting
9. Just When I Thought It Was Ending

Have we lost what it takes to advance?

2011-08-05T13:01:00.008-04:00

Such is the question posed in "Sleeping Satellite" as covered by Kim Wilde on her latest album, "Snapshots", a collection of her fave raves. It does make you wonder about the validity of such a project. What is the motivation? Laziness? Lack of inspiration? No faith in original material? Just good fun?

Whatever the reason, at least KW has taken the opportunity to record some unexpected covers. And now, as part of an old fashioned double a-side single, Kim has decided to release "Sleeping Satellite" alongside "It's Alright".

She spent a few euros on a video, too. Amazing that she was able to squeeze out some cash from the label for two clips!

Love those retro looking, fingerless, black lace gloves!

And here's the original from Tasmin Archer which was a #1 hit in the UK way back in 1992.

The full, official tracklisting for "Snapshots" includes the following fourteen nuggets.

1. It's Alright (originally recorded by East 17)
2. In Between Days (originally recorded by The Cure)
3. About You Now (originally recorded by Sugababes)
4. Sleeping Satellite (originally recorded by Tasmin Archer)
5. To France (originally recorded by Mike Oldfield)
6. A Little Respect (originally recorded by Erasure)
7. Remember Me (originally recorded by Diana Ross)
8. Anyone Who Had A Heart (originally recorded by Cilla Black)
9. Wonderful Life (originally recorded by Black)
10. They Don't Know (originally recorded by Kirsty MacColl)
11. Beautiful Ones (originally recorded by Suede)
12. Just What I Needed (originally recorded by The Cars)
13. Ever Fallen In Love (originally recorded by The Buzzcocks)
14. Kooks (originally recorded by David Bowie)

all talked out

2011-07-31T16:34:00.003-04:00

Oh, we love a good mash up here at So Hip It Hurts HQ. Darren Hayes has been slogging around the globe promotion his fabulous new single, "Talk Talk Talk".

And now, everyone's favorite Aussie troubadour has chucked it in a high speed blender with the Hall And Oates "classic", "Out Of Touch", to magnificent effect. The resulting aural cocktail is called "Out Of Talk" and it is available from all fine digital retailers from today.

Good gravy! That's a nice mashie.

For the uninitiated, here are the separate parts!

it's alright

2011-07-28T08:03:00.007-04:00

Oh, dear. Over the last twenty years, there are two words the mere mention of which strike fear in the hearts of music lovers - "covers album". And now, thirty years into her career, everybody's favorite love blonde, Kim Wilde, has decided to fondle her favorite tunes and put them on display with her twelfth longplayer, "Snapshots".

One of the nice surprises about the first single plucked from Kim's new elpee is that it isn't an obvious choice.

Well, it doesn't blow me away but it's alright. Literally. KW has reached back into the 90s for some inspiration in the shape of "It's Alright", an anthemic choon originally recorded by East 17. It was a #3 hit in the UK singles chart way back in 1993. That's nearly twenty years ago for those that feel like counting.

If you look closely at the video, you will see Kim's brother, Rick, on keys and Nick Beggs, member of Kajagoogoo, on bass. Oh, the life of a trainspotter.

Here's the original hit by Brian Harvey and co.

Nice hats, lads.

I'm not a fan of covers albums, but I quite like her "interpretation" of the East 17 "classic". Good thing she left out the rap in the middle eight.

Of course, KW is no stranger to cover versions. Her stellar rendition of "You Keep Me Hangin' On", a hit in the 60s and 70s by The Supremes and Vanilla Fudge, respectively, was revived by Kim in the 80s. She hit #2 in the UK with it in 1986 and then topped the US singles chart with it the following year.

"Snapshots" will be available from all fine "shops" on August 21.

tears dry on their own

2011-07-24T10:36:00.012-04:00

At first, I was going to refrain from adding my tiny voice to the clattering din. Social media can overwhelm the senses every now and then. And in times of "news" overload, it's easy to feel like the information highway is crashing down around us all. This week was particularly difficult, but we soldier on. That is the essence of the human spirit.

With the passing of Amy Winehouse, I thought it best to find an oasis of peace. No need to contribute my thoughts. Enough would be more eloquently said across the interwebs. Then, pieces fit together throughout the day as I disengaged from my online activities. No smartphone. No computer. No internet connection. No zeros and ones. However, the music never stops at So Hip It Hurts HQ whether it's on the old victrola or deep inside the confines of my head.

Randomly but obviously, Adele came blaring out of someone's parked car on the steamy city streets. Oddly, I heard Duffy trilling outside an Indian restaurant in Greenwich Village. Some old school Ashford & Simpson turned up inside a tiny record emporium in SoHo. And images of London, my second home, started filling my headspace. Naturally, thoughts turned to the Amy Winehouse tragedy. So talented. So young. So successful. So fleeting.

At times like these, my mind doesn't turn to the burn and churn news conglomerates. I don't chatter on about how sad it is. Instead, I look inward and relive the beauty of the art. It's the optimist inside. The indelible mark of someone's talent never fades even after their physical presence has.

While people ponder her motivations, judge her movements and spin tales around someone they don't even know, it's the art that speaks most clearly to the heart and shines brightly through the media smoke.

Amy's croaky, bourbon soaked, lovelorn vocal delivery is a treasure. The modern amalgamation of Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra and Dinah Washington. In these times of pristine, nondescript, sanitized, auto corrected, robotic vocal blanching, Amy's voice truly stood out among the pack.

Add to that a lyrical prowess and wit of someone twice her age, it's mind numbing to try to comprehend from where all that substance came from. There's a deeper story there. One we may never uncover now that Amy has floated into the ether.

Rewind to 2003. I recall seeing a raven haired beauty peering over the record rack at me. The sleeve seemed to beckon me. Who was this statuesque figure?

My trusty music guide's eyes lit up. He didn't have to utter a word. I knew he thought I would dig the sound captured within the grooves of the vinyl tucked inside the rose hued sleeve. Indeed, I was smitten with Amy's debut single, "Stronger Than Me". Unfortunately, the great British public, or at least the radio pluggers and programmers, were not yet entranced by her slurry, urgent, soulful delivery. As a result, the single limped in at #71 on the UK chart.

Pinned against a hip-hop track and a simple, jazzy guitar figure, Amy delivers a sultry tale detailing the disappointment in her love interest's lack of conviction. The other side of love - unrequited, lost and gone astray - seems to have been a recurring theme in Amy's work.

However, the sparkle of humor, even dark at times, could be heard glimmering deep inside her lyrical weave. In fact, it was one of the few times I've heard a female singer question her male love interest's sexuality by asking him if his weakness meant he's gay. Not politically correct by any means, but daringly insightful in the context of the song's message. Amy was not afraid to wear her thoughts and emotions on the very end of her sleeve.

And who would've had the audacity to release "Fuck Me Pumps" as a single, let alone write, record and feature it on their debut longplayer? Guts, determination, drive and vision all wrapped up in the unlikeliest of tattered bouffants.

Amy's debut album, "Frank", garnered quite a lot of attention, but it didn't bother the charts too much. Initially, it peaked at #13 and she was left to create the follow up. Greatness wasn't immediately expected. But with every passing month, her label couldn't contain their excitement over the developments. Little by little, the press and lucky insiders were made privy to the magic being constructed in the studio.

Many column inches have been dedicated to Lady Winehouse following her magnificent sophomore effort, "Back To Black", in all of its doo wop, 60s girl group, boozey, blusey glory. Grit and grime with a heartache chaser sung by a woman wiser than her years in some ways.

Rock n' roll was built on talent like Amy's. It was always the outsiders, the strangers and the challengers that pushed the limits of music. They pulled from the past, got inspired by the progenitors of their chosen genres, and blazed a trail into the future. Sadly, some of them burned out in a brilliant flash rather than simply fade away and tread on past glories. Amy Winehouse has entered that pantheon of performance like many before her. A bewitching force of nature like no other.

Without digging too deeply into the obvious touchstones, I'd like to share my fave rave from "Back To Black", "Tears Dry On Their Own". It's based around the chord sequence from "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", hence the Ashford & Simpson writing credit. The song encapsulates the elation and subsequent fall from grace that Amy, much like many great loves, experienced and endured.

Unfortunately, these days people are more interested in tragedy than talent. Titillated by someone's misfortune rather than find inspiration in them overcoming their personal struggle. So, for a moment, think about the people Amy left behind. Her family, friends, fans and musicians. People that might find consolation in her art. Art left to shine in the light of her short, sharp legacy while we reflect. Even though we are saddened to hear of her passing, tears do, indeed, dry on their own.

fire and ice

2011-07-14T11:46:00.007-04:00

When I worked at EMI, I was in charge of the repertoire for all EMI owned labels of which Chrysalis was one of them. I had my eye on several key acts which had yet to have comprehensive retrospectives produced for them. Icehouse was near the top of my list.

However, I was never able to access the band's formidable catalog due to a contract restriction which didn't allow us to compile their repertoire without full consent from front man, Iva Davies. Of course, the legal department didn't allow for any negotiation on our part, so the ability to produce a singles collection for Icehouse became less of a possibility and eventually, the band took full control of their catalog away from EMI.

Now, after more than 20 years since a patchy greatest hits was made available, Icehouse, best remembered in the US for a clutch hits like "Electric Blue", co-written by John Oates, and "Crazy", will release their first, comprehensive hits collection. "White Heat: 30 Hits", scheduled to hit the "shops" on August 26, will feature all of the band's singles in chronological order across two CDs. Additionally, the set will include a DVD with all 32 of its music videos.

The following is the official tracklisting for "White Heat: 30 Hits", which has been overseen by Iva Davies, features all of Icehouse's internationally released singles.

CD1

1. Can’t Help Myself
2. We Can Get Together
3. Walls
4. Icehouse
5. Love in Motion (Original Single Mix)
6. Great Southern Land
7. Hey, Little Girl
8. Street Cafe
9. Glam
10. Taking The Town
11. Don’t Believe Anymore
12. Dusty Pages
13. No Promises
14. Baby, You’re So Strange
15. Mr. Big

CD2

1. Cross The Border
2. Crazy
3. Electric Blue
4. My Obsession
5. Man Of Colours
6. Nothing Too Serious
7. Touch The Fire
8. Jimmy Dean
9. Big Fun
10. Miss Divine
11. Anything Is Possible
12. Satellite
13. Big Wheel
14. Invisible People
15. Love In Motion

DVD

1. Can’t Help Myself
2. We Can Get Together (Australasian Version)
3. We Can Get Together (International Version)
4. Walls
5. Icehouse
6. Love In Motion (Original Single Version)
7. Great Southern Land
8. Hey, Little Girl
9. Street Cafe
10. Glam
11. Taking The Town
12. Don’t Believe Anymore
13. Dusty Pages
14. No Promises (International Version)
15. No Promises (UK Version)
16. Baby, You’re So Strange
17. Mr. Big
18. Cross The Border
19. Crazy (Australasian Version)
20. Crazy (International Version)
21. Electric Blue
22. My Obsession
23. Man Of Colours
24. Nothing Too Serious
25. Touch The Fire
26. Big Fun
27. Miss Divine
28. Anything Is Possible
29. Satellite
30. Big Wheel
31. Invisible People
32. Love In Motion
33. Sister (from "Countdown 1980")

all is fair in love and warning

2011-07-13T18:52:00.009-04:00

Penguin Prison, one of my current fave raves, just released "Fair Warning", the fifth single from their forthcoming, self-titled, debut longplayer. It's an elpee crackling with top tunes. Each one a single contender in its own right.

And, as if by magic, Chris Glover and co., have lensed a video for their latest offering. Let's take a peek.

Stylish, colorful and bristling with energy, the video is exactly the visual component needed to bring Penguin Prison into a more human realm. Until now, it seems Mr. Glover has remained slightly reluctant to plaster his face and stamp his personality on the project.

"Fair Warning" is available now from all fine online retailers. A raft of remixes will be released next month. Look out for its parent album this fall.

talk of the town

2011-07-10T13:21:00.007-04:00

Aussie pop minstrel, Darren Hayes, has returned with "Talk Talk Talk", the first single from his forthcoming, fourth longplayer, "Secret Codes And Battleships". The song has a giant, anthemic chorus which is preceded by more understated verses that feature some nifty electronic shadings. Darren's voice has rarely sounded stronger and more confident.

It looks like Darren is pulling out all the stops with the video. It's a suitably stylish visual extravaganza rarely seen these days.

Plus, he's given his new single an old fashioned, non-album b-side in the shape of his interpretation of "Angel", an often overlooked chestnut originally released by Madonna way back in 1985.

"Talk Talk Talk" is available now from all fine online retails. Expect a bundle of reswizzlings to be hit the "shops" on July 31. The song has been reworked by 7th Heaven, Club Junkies, Fred Falke and Penguin Prison. A nice line up!

Also, Darren will deliver an old school extended version and a clever mash up which features the vocal of "Talk Talk Talk" over the instrumental of "Out Of Touch" by Hall & Oates. Looks like he's covered all the bases. Kudos to his management team for pushing all the right buttons.

the big sky

2011-07-02T08:47:00.003-04:00

The Human League are mere moments away from plucking "Sky", the third single from their current longplayer, "Credo". The radio edit just showed up on the interwebs. Despite a lukewarm reception to the new elpee, their first in a decade, there are at least five very strong songs among the eleven tracks.

Although I like "Sky" quite a lot, I would've opted for the more muscular sounding, "Egomaniac", which was released as a single in Germany.

"Sky", replete with a raft of requisite remixes, will be available from all fine online retailers on July 25.

adult education

2011-06-24T19:13:00.011-04:00

In these media saturated, overpopulated web based days, it's a lot more difficult to promote "the next big thing" than it was before the interwebs crept into everyday living. That has led to a more grass roots approach to getting music being found. People share their latest fave raves via social media.

Strong word of mouth still builds a base like it did in the "golden days" of the 60s, 70s and 80s. However, when there is little to no airplay for an artist, it's up to the chain link effect to come into play between music fans. Also, live gigs still manage to get the point across best.

Last week, when I was in London on another songwriting sojourn, I went to a multi-artist gig which included some unknowns, almost knowns, nearly knowns and well knowns. It was an eclectic mix, but one artist stood out. She is CocknBullKid and her debut longplayer, "Adulthood", which I was aware of but had not heard, was purchased immediately after her acoustic performance. Such was the power of her songs and understated performance.

Anita Blay, for she is CocknBullKid, has released several singles from "Adulthood" and there is no sign of stopping. Fourth single, "Yellow", has just been unleashed and a video was lensed for it. Let's take a gander.

Well, that continues the low-fi, DIY nature of all the videos for each single plucked from her elpee. "Yellow", like much of "Adulthood", has Motown overtones while sporting a mid-90s indie feel to it and a big, gospel tinged chorus. It smart pop with heart, mind and soul.

Here are the vids for previous singles, "One Eye Closed" and "Hold On To Your Misery".

My favorite track from the album has to be "Asthma Attack". It speaks to my heart right now, particularly that my love affair with London has grown stronger over the last couple of years.

Fantastic lyrics! A brilliant pop song which deserves to be heard by a wider audience. I love the Morrissey influenced la la lines.

"Adulthood" will surely place inside my top five albums of the year. Highly recommended!

hurricane Grace

2011-06-05T10:20:00.005-04:00

Sweet baby cheeses! Does this woman ever take a bad photo? She is a timeless, epic figure. It's probably best Grace Jones never broke through to the mainstream. She's always been about the slightly edgy, darkened corners of our minds.

Now, nearly three years after she released "Hurricane", her first new longplayer in nineteen years, Grace is about to reissue it with a bonus disc featuring dub versions of all nine tracks from the album. The collection includes "Sunset Sunrise" which will be given away as a free mp3 download.

If you got 'em, smoke 'em. Here's Grace!

she's on the phone

2011-06-04T16:44:00.001-04:00

I'm a few days late on this one, but Robyn continues to write rules on how to be a proper pop star. Great song. The lyrics are direct and easily relatable. Simple yet effective video. Love the pink, high heeled trainers. Score another one for the Swedish pixie.

It seems like forever since this single was plucked from the third installment of Robyn's "Body Talk" series. How long before she delivers some new music?

taboo you

2011-06-04T15:00:00.009-04:00

Time to get back on top of things, kittens. Much has been happening around So Hip It Hurts HQ. Apologies for the short respite from the blogosphere. I assure you it wasn't intended.

Now that I've been spending loadsatime in London, I have had the good fortune to hang out with many of my friends there. Many of them are as music obsessed as I am. This makes me endlessly happy. Of course, we turn each other on to lots of music.

So, I decided to post this lovely slice of springtime. Swedish swizzlers, Drop Out Orchestra, have taken Sade's 1985 snare drum serenade, "The Sweetest Taboo", and turned it into a blissed out, dubbed up groover. Mostly instrumental, they've added some soulful flute interludes and electronic noodling. Heady stuff, ladies and gents.

This will forever remind me of London in the spring, enjoying delicious meals with good friends, sipping a hearty glass of vino - merlot, if you must know - staring out over a lush, green park and thinking endless possibilities about life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

Yes, this little reworking, creatively titled "The Swedish Taboo", sets my romantic mood in motion. Kisses to you, my lovelies!

loved up and languishing

2011-05-20T21:48:00.005-04:00

Kylie Minogue, everyone's favorite Aussie pop rocket, will finally release "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)" on June 5 in the UK. The single will include the Pete Hammond remix that Kylie shared with fans during the European leg of her current tour. Additionally, it will include, "Silence", a previously unreleased song.

1. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)
2. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) (Pete Hammond Remix)
3. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) (Basto's Major Mayhem Edit)
4. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) (Live from Aphrodite - Les Folies)
5. Silence

Not sure why the long wait between singles. It has been more than five months since "Better Than Today" crashed out at #32 in the UK singles chart. The project lost momentum immediately after the first single. It seems "Aphrodite" has been plagued by stop start stuttered marketing. A kiss of death these digital days. Someone is driving the car without both hands on the wheel.

And where is the deluxe edition of "Aphrodite"? Most certainly, EMI needs a boot up the arse.

master of puppets

2011-04-30T13:17:00.006-04:00

When Depeche Mode announced they were going to release another album featuring remixes and reworkings of tracks from across their substantial catalog, I must admit that I could barely muster up an indifferent yawn.

However, after listening to some of the selections from "Remixes 2: 81-11", it's clear there is a lot of life in the electro goth gods.

Norwegian electronic duo, Röyksopp, have turned in a gorgeously understated reswizzling of "Puppets", a track buried within DM's debut longplayer, "Speak & Spell". A youthful and nearly unrecognizable vocal from Dave Gahan is laid over a shimmering and beautiful crafted, handclappy rhythm track. Dozens of tasty synth lines keep the mix interesting throughout. This should be the sound of summer 2011.

Also, the nearly epic, Eric Prydz remix of "Never Let Me Down Again" is sure to go down a storm at your local discotheque. Based around the song's familiar guitar figure, the track is just itching to break into the full song. I'm not a fan of dubs, but this one ranks highly in my book.

That said, I'm not sure why they decided to release a new slate of remixes for their iconic track, "Personal Jesus", as the first single from the project. "Puppets" would have made a more interesting choice.

"Remixes 2: 81-11" will be released on June 6 in the usual fan friendly, wallet draining set of configurations including a single disc version, a triple CD edition and massive, six vinyl LP box set.

same old scene

2011-04-16T16:31:00.003-04:00

Sophie Ellis-Bextor's long awaited, often delayed, fourth longplayer, "Make A Scene", is about to hit the "shops" on Monday, April 18. Fans in the UK will have to wait until June 6 to get their hands on it.

Why the extended delay? This album has been bouncing around the release schedules for the better part of the last eighteen months. I'll believe it's actually coming out when I have a copy of it in my hot, little hands.

The tracklisting for "Make A Scene" features the following fourteen tracks.

1. Revolution
2. Bittersweet
3. Off & On
4. Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)
5. Not Giving Up on Love
6. Can’t Fight This Feeling
7. Starlight
8. Under Your Touch
9. Make A Scene
10. Magic
11. Dial My Number
12. Homewrecker
13. Synchronised
14. Cut Straight To The Heart

"Starlight", produced by Richard X, will be the next single from La Bex.

light and love

2011-04-07T06:10:00.005-04:00

In a surprise move, it appears Sony are going to release a FIFTH single from Hurts' debut longplayer, "Happiness". Is this 1985?

"Illuminated" is scheduled to be released as a double a-side with "Better Than Love" at the beginning of May. You might recall that "Better Than Love" was the first, official single from Theo and Adam.

Sadly, upon first release, "Better Than Love" could only manage a lacklustre placing on the UK singles chart at #50. Honestly, the mixes weren't terribly exciting. However, fresh from their blinding reswizzling of Hurts' "Wonderful Life", Freemasons are having a go at "Better Than Love" along with Death In Vegas and Burns.

Now, let's step it up a notch, lads. Issue that Paul Van Dyk remix of "Sunday" and you will have a blindingly good single on your hands. If not that, at least put together one of those deluxe editions of the album that the labels are so fond of throwing out to a disinterested public. I would actually purchase that one! Make it happen!

opera lover

2011-04-04T20:58:00.007-04:00

Recently, on my little sojourn to the cloudy climes of London, I ran into Tracey Thorn at the local Starbucks. What are the chances? I was struck by how funny, warm and lovely she is. You'll be pleased to know she was rocking a rather fetching, purple, down parka.

During our brief, caffeinated encounter, I mentioned I planned on purchasing her next single as soon as it was made available. And as if by magic, "You Are A Lover", released as a translucent green, limited edition 10" single, has been made available to purchase today from the Strange Feeling website.

The tracklisting includes the dubby Clock Opera Remix of "You Are A Lover" on the a-side with the original mix and her gorgeous cover of Sufjan Stevens' "Sister Winter" featured on the flipside. Order your copy now, kittens!

Sade collected

2011-03-23T11:03:00.008-04:00

We're back online, mes chattons! After our brief sojourn to the UK, we've returned to find out that the ever elusive Sade will return with new material just over a year after her last studio longplayer, "Soldier Of Love".

"The Ultimate Collection", released on May 9 to coincide with her world tour, collects 29 soulful gems from across the Sade oeuvre. No word on weather the much sought after single versions will appear on the compilation. However, the double disc will feature three new recordings - "Still In Love With You", "Love Is Found" and "I Would Have Never Guessed" - plus a jacked up remix of "The Moon And The Sky" with dubious rap mogul Jay-Z. Yawn.

If they wanted some serious attention to this collection, the Ben Watt remix of "By Your Side" should have been slotted into the tracklisting at some point.

One of the tracks, "Still In Love With You", is a rather understated cover of a Thin Lizzy tune.

The following is the official tracklisting for "The Ultimate Collection".

CD 1

1. Your Love Is King
2. Smooth Operator
3. Hang On To Your Love
4. The Sweetest Taboo
5. Is It A Crime
6. Never As Good As The First Time
7. Jezebel
8. Love Is Stronger Than Pride
9. Paradise
10. Nothing Can Come Between Us
11. No Ordinary Love
12. Kiss Of Life
13. Feel No Pain
14. Bullet Proof Soul

CD 2

1. Cherish The Day
2. Pearls
3. By Your Side
4. Immigrant
5. Flow
6. King Of Sorrow
7. The Sweetest Gift
8. Solider Of Love
9. The Moon And The Sky
10. Babyfather
11. Still In Love With You
12. Love Is Found
13. I Would Never Have Guessed
14. The Moon And The Sky (Remix featuring Jay-Z)
15. By Your Side (Neptunes Remix)

Take a look at the cover art. Ms. Sade has never looked more sultry. All that time away from the studio has been kind to her.

step back in time

2011-03-22T15:11:00.006-04:00

Attention Kylie fans! It's time to put your hands up and smell the poppers! PWL alumnus, Pete Hammond, has crafted a frothy, SAW inspired remix of what will hopefully be the next single from Ms. Minogue's current longplayer, "Aphrodite".

"Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)" has been reswizzled into a glittering, early 90s, retro jam. Get ready to dance around your handbag!

It's a beautiful marriage of Kylie's PWL past and her showgirl present. Love the colorful little clip that's been put together for it. One litte suggestion. Someone should learn how to spell. When has "come on" ever been spelled "common'"? Have I missed something? Sorry, I'm a bit of a grammar granny.

Let's hope EMI do the right thing for once. Release this now!

incredible discussion

2011-03-21T22:03:00.006-04:00

With mere days before I jet off to London to see "The Most Incredible Thing" at Saddler's Wells, I'm getting acquainted with the score. The ballet, adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen short story of the same name, features the choreography of Javier De Frutos married to the electro symphonic stylings of Pet Shop Boys.

Check out this rather in depth interview with Les Boys as they enthusiastically discuss nearly every aspect of the ballet. Watch Neil's eyes widen as he talks about it. You can feel the passion he has for the entire project.

Always up for any opportunity to make their rabid fans froth at the mouth, PSB have collaborated with The Vinyl Factory once again for a limited edition package. "The Most Incredible Thing" will be released as an exclusive, deluxe, limited art edition. Only 500 copies will be made available worldwide which makes it an instant collector's item. Each set will be hand-numbered and signed by Neil and Chris.

The outer packaging will feature a silk cloth bound hard board slipcase. The contents will include a hardback book with seven record sleeves. Six sleeves will house heavyweight 180 gram vinyl records featuring the Pet Shop Boys’ music for the ballet as well as the original demo versions of each of the compositions. The demos will only be made available as part of this release.

The seventh sleeve contains an oversized foldout sheet music print signed by Neil and Chris. The ballet synopsis will be printed onto the record sleeves so that each has an accompanying narrative that reads like a storybook.

Be prepared to plonk down £350 for this pricey piece of PSB paraphernalia.

seafood for thought

2011-03-19T10:52:00.005-04:00

I'm a bit late on this one, but there's been a lot going on at So Hip It Hurts HQ this week as I prepare for my first trip to the UK this year.

The Human League, mighty masters of electronic pop, have lensed a vid for "Never Let Me Go", the second single from their forthcoming ninth longplayer, "Credo".

Surely, the video will win an award for best appearance of a mollusk in a music video.

Critics who have criticized the THL for the use of autotune in the chorus of this radio friendly gem, have missed the point. Phil Oakey and co. have always been about the sound of now without compromising their uncanny ability to fashion of cracking tune. After a few listens, I challenge you to escape the charms of this electro earworm.

the big smoke

2011-03-19T08:35:00.008-04:00

The interwebs have certainly been sprinkled with its fair share of less than flattering reactions to George Michael's drastic reworking of New Order's "True Faith", a single which was released this week in the UK for the Comic Relief charity.

The dreamy production features a heavily affected vocal and even dares to remove some of the original lyrics. Treating GMs vocal with a vocoder effect allowed for some interesting harmonics that would not have been able to be created naturally. At least that's how George explained and defended his use of it. Let's keep in mind that he hardly needs autotune. George is quite capable of staying in pitch.

So, it's clearly an artistic statement of some sort. At least he has continued be top of mind with something related directly to his career. It's a nice change of pace from him being slumped over the steering wheel of his car. Regardless of your thoughts on the merits of the single, it's all for a good cause with all the proceeds being donated to the Comic Relief charity.

Now, just days after the release of "True Faith", George revealed the video for it. Let's have a look.

Well! I heard George likes a good smoke! Oh, such delicious irony.

I like how the clip develops into a bit of a tribute to the original, Philippe Decouflé produced video from New Order. I'm especially fond of George's new found desire to look directly at the camera. Nice to see him ditch the sunglasses. Let's hope he continues the trend.

a little communication with David McAlmont

2011-03-16T12:57:00.007-04:00

It has been a good year for David McAlmont, ladies and gents. One of the UK's premiere vocalists, David has seen fit to return to the live stage and is currently playing to enraptured audiences with his unique blend of rock, soul and standards.

Simultaneously with his current tour, David has taken the opportunity to release "Live From Leicester Square", his first live longplayer which captured his vibrant performances in front of a sold out audience.

For the uninitiated, David's voice blends the unbridled joy Stevie Wonder, the world weary ache of Nina Simone, the grand dame diva delivery of Shirley Bassey and the passionate arch of Billy McKenzie sprinkled with lovely Princely funkisms.

Not only has David written some fine gems like "Yes" and "Falling", two collabs with guitar legend Bernard Butler, but he wraps his velvet pipes around some truly inspired covers like "I'm A Better Man" and "Never, Never, Never". All of these and more McAlmont magic are lovingly delivered on "Live From Leicester Square". The two disc set features his entire show with the CD including two, brand new, studio recordings - "Isn't It A Pity" and "Grapefruit Moon". The companion DVD is the visual document of the show.

"Isn't It A Pity" was originally written and recorded by George Harrison, but made equally as famous by premiere soul singer, Nina Simone. It is her version that inspired David to record the song and imbue it with his heartfelt vocal style.

Here's a recent, stripped down performance of "Isn't It A Pity" David did for UK station, Smooth Radio, accompanied by the piano stylings of his current collaborator Guy Davies.

Tom Waits has inspired and been interpreted by everyone from Rod Stewart to Annie Lennox. Now, David lends his formidable vocal prowess and uncanny, interpretive, pop sensibilities to Tom's work. The anthemic and slightly boozy "Grapefruit Moon" was originally recorded in 1973 and featured on Tom's landmark album, "Closing Time".

And now, here's a little taster of what you will find on David McAlmont's latest collection.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. McAlmont in between tour stops to discuss life, love and the pursuit of a sustainable career in the music "biz". He gave his time graciously and answered all manner of burning questions.

At the turn of the century, you recorded an album entitled "Be" for Hut. A couple of singles, "Working" and "Easy", were previewed and then the album never saw the light of day. Can you elaborate on the situation without causing any litigious activity? :) Will "Be" ever be released?

I don’t know if "Be" will see the light of day. I wanted to make a Myspace profile for it, but that site is a mess now so those plans stalled. I asked my manager to help me get dropped from Hut because of their bizarre attitude towards my work with the advent of Garage (the music) and Craig David. It got to a point where Garage was all the rage and a remix was commissioned on the song "Working". I was invited to re-sing the vocal by the remixer Sweet Pea. When I did, the record company thought I should do the same with most of the album. I was surprised when "Easy" became the single, but the reasons for releasing it were that it was the most Craig David-like thing I had recorded.

It has been stated that the first McAlmont & Butler singles were only ever supposed to be special events - little bursts of musical energy without the support of a tour or promotional activities. Someone once described them as brilliant flashes of light you had to catch before they diffused into the night sky. Were they only meant to be that way?

They weren't even supposed to be "they". They were supposed to be "Yes". Bernard had the glorious notion of making a one off musical statement, but a motley crew of record companies and managers prodded and jabbed us into doing more. The idea would have worked better in the download era.

How did it come to pass that you recorded the second M&B album? And why only one single, "Speed", on Rough Trade in 2006?

"Bring It Back" was a happy reunion. Bernard had gotten over the acrimony to the extent that he could hear my voice on some new music that he was writing. I was anxious to make amends and an opportunity arose. After "Bring It Back" was finished we started working on new material that got put on ice after a hideous experience at EMI, courtesy of one of the most odious characters I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. This experience was so demoralizing that Bernard and I went our separate ways for a bit; Bernard reteamed with Brett, and I made an album for my mom. "Speed" was something that we managed to salvage and release from that ignominious era.

How would you describe your clutch of shows in NYC last year? How did they come about? You mentioned they were your very first shows on American shores. Why such a long wait?

I was delighted to play in the states for the first time; that little cluster of shows felt timely and right; I was grateful and very happy. There used to be a lot of corporate nonsense: every time I went to one of those suspect, record company meet and greet events, the non-UK record companies would spout the same bull-crap, "We’re just waiting for the story." Consequently, I barely played out of the UK at all. The advent of social networking has changed everything: Facebook friends flew us to New York to perform a surprise birthday party; another Facebook friend got wind of it and said he’d arrange for us to play additional shows. That was all that was necessary. Amazingly, all of these US fans came to see it and me amazes me that getting me some American shows had been such a headache for "well-oiled" corporate machines.

In classic 70s and early 80s form, "Saturday" and "Look At Yourself" were stand alone singles in the 90s. Neither one was included on an album. Was there any conscious reason behind those decisions?

"Saturday" was a limited edition collectible that I created for the Pride festival of that year, but I absolutely adore that song. "Look At Yourself" was pre "A Little Communication". It was written early in the writing process and used as a water-tester. As I type this I am becoming aware of some real record company floundering. After its release we radically altered the musical direction and "Look At Yourself" became too noisy for the "A Little Communication" album.

Similarly, why was "The Coldest Day On Earth" not included on "The Glare", your collaboration with Michael Nyman?

Paul Morley invited us to contribute to his Guardian Blog in December of 2009, a month after "The Glare" was released. They asked us if we had a seasonal song and I thought that we could do something with Michael's "The Piano" theme as it was going to be a Guardian exclusive, but Michael's label fell in love with it and insisted that we record and release it.

Speaking of which, Mr. Nyman's audience seemed a bit puzzled by your collaboration while your fans rightly effused heaps of praise on it. Your thoughts?

There was a lot of bad will from Michael's fans. Some of them were downright offensive to me personally and surprisingly rude to Michael. I think they felt that I was the wrong kind of personality or voice. As fans of minimalism they perceived me as being too busy, too soulful, untrue to their vision of what Michael was, whereas my fans enjoy my collaborative spirit and enjoy the anticipation of who I will "collar" next. :)

You seem to enjoy recording covers. Your rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Conversation", from your first album, is outstanding. What is your criteria for recording a cover?

Thank you. If I respond to a song emotionally, which is to say if a song brings me close to tears, it's a no-brainer. I adore jazz standards and really can't get enough of them. Surprisingly I rarely touch the songs by artiste's that I hold most dear. I'm yet to cover Prince, Stevie or the Pet Shop Boys.

There seemed to be a few gaps between albums over the last decade or so. It appears you've come roaring back with Guy Davies as your musical compadre. What was the catalyst for your return? How did you and Guy strike up this current collaborative effort?

It's been a long friendship and we have a huge love and respect for each other. We're both looked upon as two talents with huge potential, and after my coming close to quitting and Guy's seemingly endless, mind-numbing stint in the private sector, we decided to commit to each other and "Do this thing!". It's the happiest chapter of my career. There have been gaps over the years and I have to file those under bad luck; I got frequently stonewalled by labels that didn't know what they wanted, although I did know.

The way you have taken social media and made it work in your favor is quite impressive. Hue And Cry, another favorite of mine, have approached their career in a similar fashion by engaging their dedicated fanbase. Was this intentional or did it happen organically (ie. by accident)? :) How do you find the experience of being laid bare to your audience, so to speak?

I've always been communicative. One of the early conflicts I had with "management" was the issue of me speaking to my audience. It was perceived by some as being "uncool" or "too cabaret". What pray is so wrong with cabaret? I had no idea what to expect when social networking was suggested, but you're right, I have really embraced it. I think the day I realized that I had an on-line audience was the day I grasped that I could create for and entertain that audience using social media, that it was just another set of raw materials. It's been life-changing.

You're about to undertake your first solo tour across the UK in quite some time. Why the lengthy break from the live experience?

Once again, bad luck: I'm not lazy, I'm incredibly creative, but my business acumen is bogus. That's why I need a compadre like Guy who addresses those gaps. It's quite different since we reconnected.

Prior to the current tour, you played a few, intimate salon dates. What was the thinking behind that? Will there be more salon appearances this year?

I saw Jane Siberry do a salon gig in Manchester and was blown away by the experience. I live for intimacy and interaction, so for me the home concert is incredibly powerful and moving and most of all true. I would love "salons" to be central to what Guy and I do, but I think that a lot of work has to be done to make them really take off.

Lastly, where do you find your fabulous, bejewelled baubles?

In London there is a lovely, eccentric ex-actor called Christopher St. James on Cecil Court off St Martin's Lane. His jewellery is incredibly beautiful and heart-stoppingly reasonable. Approach at your peril. He creates addicts.

With that, Mr. McAlmont was off in his tour van. Whooosh!

Please note that I will be tweeting, updating my blog and causing general mayhem at David's show at Dingwall's in London on March 27. Huzzah!

Kate's cut

2011-03-11T10:42:00.008-05:00

This just in! Be warned, it's a bit confusing. Kate Bush will release a (sort of) new album, "Director's Cut", on May 16. The longplayer, her first release since "Aerial" in 2005, will revisit some of her classic songs.

Released on her own Fish People label, Kate will feature new versions of songs from her albums "The Sensual World" and "The Red Shoes" which were released in 1989 and 1993, respectively. "Deeper Understanding", which originally appeared on "The Sensual World", will be issued as a single in April.

The album will be released in various fan friendly flavors. You can choose between four formats. A digital album. the standard CD, a two disc vinyl package, and a deluxe three CD set, including "Director’s Cut","The Sensual Word" and re-mastered edition of "The Red Shoes" in a case bound book.

Kate's label will be distributed through EMI, her home for the last 33 years. Not sure how I feel about her revisiting her mighty catalog with new versions of her work. Apparently, she has rerecorded some elements of the tracks whilst keeping the best musical performances of each song. An interesting concept, if nothing else.

Those of us who are looking forward to new material from Ms. Bush will have to wait a little longer. She is currently in the studio working on bits and bobs, but no release date has been scheduled for a full length album.

clamor for glamour

2011-03-06T11:08:00.007-05:00

Morrissey is about to release yet ANOTHER compilation. "The Very Best Of Morrissey" will be issued by EMI on April 25.

A week earlier, the label will pluck "Glamorous Glue" as a single from it with various b-sides to entice Sir Moz's rabid fanbase. It will be released across three different configurations in order to insure maximum purchase potential.

The CD single will feature the lead track, which originally appeared on "Your Arsenal", backed with "Treat Me Like A Human Being". The 7" single and picture disc will both include "Safe, Warm Lancashire Home". Both b-sides are outtakes from the sessions for Moz's debut longplayer, "Viva Hate".

faith, hope and charity

2011-03-02T12:51:00.003-05:00

Color us with curiosity! George Michael, fresh from the clink and back promoting the deluxified edition of his landmark longplayer, "Faith", has decided to record a song for this year's Comic Relief.

Always showing the best taste in covers, GM will show off his soulful pipes on a rendition of New Order's classic 1987 single, "True Faith". Sense a theme?

Released ahead of Red Nose Day which will take place on March 18, "True Faith" will be released as a single backed with an instrumental version of the track as a b-side. It will be available digitally on March 13. A CD will be released on March 14. A music video is currently being lensed.

George Michael and all the members of New Order have graciously agreed to donate all royalties from the sale of the single to Comic Relief. Let's hope George gets the poppers out for this one! Can't wait to hear it.

And now, a taste of the original.

big trouble

2011-02-28T17:55:00.007-05:00

Take That are a bit predictable. N'est-ce pas, mes chattons? Second single in from "Progress", their sales busting, Stuart Price produced, number one longplayer, is a glam lite stomper featuring Mark Owen on lead vox with Gazza chiming in on the chorus.

The uptempo retro 70s rocker concept worked for "Shine", the ELO-esque follow up to "Patience". The same can't be said for "Up All Night" which followed the chart topping single, "Greatest Day".

Now that Robbie is back in the fold, will the dark, blustery, menacing, militaristic vibe of "Kidz" go over well in the charts?

The single is poignant and timely in the wake of the student riots in the UK. It reminds me of a time long ago when Duran Duran gave us "The Wild Boys" and Culture Club returned with "The War Song". They were muscular, dramatic, big beat numbers which were a bit harder edged for both bands. However, both Duran and Culture Club pushed the boundaries only four years into their chart run. It took ver That nearly twenty years to give us some rough edges.

With Take That's recent star turn on the this years Brit Awards with a clusterfuck performance of their latest single, the official vid couldn't be far behind. And as if by magic, here it is!

Well that certainly isn't a low budget clip, my darlings. They threw shitloadsamoney around on the production line for it. Where did the label stash the cash for that one?

Anyway, it's a jolly video with the five lads dressed in battle regalia, bringing the joy of song to the "kids" of planet Earth. Take That in the guise of pop warriors, ladies and gents! Is it me or is Robbie even present on the track? He doesn't even bother to lip sync in the vid, instead preferring to mug the camera only a few times.

gods and things

2011-02-27T17:35:00.006-05:00

Promotional efforts are in full effect for D:Ream with their new single, "Gods In The Making".

No promotional push would be complete without the requisite video. Of course, Pete and Al have seen fit to film one.

In these new DIY days, it's the technology that matters, not the perceived quality of the clip. And I like D:Ream's low-fi affair! It does the trick.

While we're on the subject of promotion, D:Ream have been making several stops at radio stations across the UK in the run up to the release of their brand new longplayer, "In Memory Of...", which is scheduled to be available from all fine "shops" on March 7.

Here's Pete with a couple of acoustic performances of "U R The Best Thing" and "Things Can Only Get Better" on a recent trip to Liverpool radio station Juice (*snicker*) FM.

A couple of thoughts. Firstly, please tell someone at Juice FM to dial down the reverb. Secondly, I think I have a little crush on Mr. Cunnah! More importantly, Pete's raw vocal really shines in an acoustic setting. It showcases the soulful nature of his voice which oftentimes can be overshadowed by production and effects.

Here's a little suggestion fellas... Record five acoustic performances in the studio with nothing more than guitar accompaniment. Maybe throw in a piano for good measure. Down and dirty. Some bonus stuff to enhance the next couple of singles or, perhaps, put together a special configuration of the album. You can pay me later for that idea. Large, unmarked notes will do. Thanks.

cinematic Sunday

2011-02-23T21:40:00.007-05:00

It appears that Hurts are getting quite good at this music video malarkey. Theo and Adam just unveiled the clip for "Sunday", the fourth single from their debut longplayer, "Happiness".

Let's take a look, shall we?

Visual non-sequiturs ahoy! One half of the vid wants to be "Heart" by Pet Shop Boys. The other half wants to be "Tron". Still, it looks expensive without being a budget buster. It seems like they did quite a lot with the little they had to work with. Keep in mind, nobody gets four singles from and album plus a video to accompany each one. So, kudos to Hurts for squeezing every sheckle they could out of the label. All in the name of art!

And if my ears don't deceive me, I believe the single mix is slightly reswizzled for maximum enjoyment.

Speaking of mixes, the Seamus Haji post production is quite danceable and pleasing to the ear. However, it appears the Paul Van Dyk remix is still very much under wraps. According to those in the know, it is stonkingly good.

Let's not forget that Hurts lensed a clip for their Christmas single, as well, which brings their total of music videos to five. I'd say it's time for the deluxe edition of "Happiness" with a second disc of mixes and a bonus DVD featuring all their videos and, perhaps, a live concert.

second helpings

2011-02-21T08:15:00.002-05:00

Blancmange, the maiden aunts of synthpop, have returned from the hinterlands with "Blanc Burn", their first longplayer in 25 years!

But don't just take my word for it. Hear it directly from Neil Arthur
Stephen Luscombe themselves!

Promotion for the album kicks into full swing with the release of the first single, "Drive Me".

It reminds me of "Chorus" era Erasure and some mid-90s squelchy house. The raw bass line gives it an bit of an indie feel.

The following is the official tracklisting for "Blanc Burn". The album will be available from all fine "shops" from March 7. Blancmange are back. Back! BACK!

1. By The Bus Stop @ Woolies
2. Drive Me
3. Ultraviolent
4. The Western
5. Radio Therapy
6. Probably Nothing
7. I'm Having A Coffee
8. Don't Let These Days
9. WDYF
10.Don't Forget Your Teeth
11.Starfucker

Some of their trademark Indian arrangements have remained in tact on a few of the album's tracks. You may recall they brought the exotic sounds of the tabla to the pop table with a little number called "Living On The Ceiling", their first of seven top 10 UK singles.

Duran deluxe redux

2011-02-15T11:17:00.006-05:00

Sir Nicholas Of Rhodes, the arch and arty member of worldwide superstar pop combo Duran Duran, has been up all night mixing some new material for the forthcoming physical configurations of their latest longplayer, "All You Need Is Now".

Please give him your undivided attention as he rattles off a number of upcoming special events for the fearsome foursome.

The fresh incarnation of "All You Need Is Now" will be available on CD, vinyl and a deluxe edition CD with a bonus DVD. The deluxified package will include an additional song called "Networker Nation" along with a DVD featuring rare studio footage, as well as exclusive commentary from the band about the nine songs on the previously released digital album.

The following is the expanded tracklisting for "All You Need Is Now".

1. All You Need Is Now
2. Blame The Machines
3. Being Followed
4. Leave A Light On
5. Safe (In The Heat Of The Moment)
6. Girl Panic!
7. A Diamond In The Mind
8. The Man Who Stole A Leopard
9. Other People's Lives
10. Mediterranea
11. Too Bad You're So Beautiful
12. Runaway Runaway
13. Return To Now
14. Before the Rain

The expanded physical configuration of the elpee features five new songs including "A Diamond In The Mind" (a reference to a lyric from the first single and title track of the album), "Other People's Lives", "Mediterranea", "Too Bad You're So Beautiful" and "Return To Now".

The addition of "Networker Nation" on the deluxe edition brings the tally of songs to fifteen. I'm curious as to where the other three songs will turn up. Nick mentions "Too Close To The Sun", "Early Summer Nerves" and "This Lost Weekend". However, none of them are featured on the tracklistings for any of the physical releases. Could there be another version of the longplayer in the works?

a league of their own

2011-02-12T16:51:00.009-05:00

The Human League, fresh from the release of "Night People", their first single in over a decade, return with the follow up, "Never Let Me Go". Both tracks have been plucked from "Credo", their forthcoming longplayer.

The icy drama of "Never Let Me Go" features a heavily yet tastefully auto-tuned Susanne Sulley over a track that tips its hat to Kraftwerk and almost comes across as a late 80s freestyle track. Nods to the Minneapolis sound, which THL explored on "Crash", their Jam & Lewis produced opus from 1986, are woven into the mix.

The track also is slightly reminiscent of Client with a just a hint of funk added to it. Let's listen. Shall we?

Phil Oakey's booming voice is less present yet still effective in the overall landscape of the song. "Never Let Me Go" will be available from all fine digital "shops" on March 21. The album, "Credo", will follow a week later.

"Credo" is The Human League's first new body of work since "Secrets" was released in 2001. Produced by I Monster, the nucleus of Philip Oakey, Susanne Sulley and Joanne Catherall are ably supported by long standing sidemen Neil Sutton, Rob Barton and David Beevers.

The following is the full, official, eleven song strong tracklisting for "Credo".

1. Never Let Me Go
2. Night People
3. Sky
4. Into The Night
5. Egomaniac
6. Single Minded
7. Electric Shock
8. Get Together
9. Privilege
10. Breaking The Chains
11. When The Stars Start To Shine

a thing about D:Ream

2011-02-09T11:20:00.011-05:00

D:Ream, the duo of Al MacKenzie and Peter Cunnah, makes the long trek back from obscurity with the imminent release of "In Memory Of...", their brand new longplayer.

If you don't remember D:Ream, allow me to give you a little refresher. They had two of the best singles of the 90s. Both are about "things". Both were released three times each. Both are pop "classics". Both will give you the uncontrolable urge to dance around your handbag.

"Things Can Only Get Better" was their big breakthrough in 1994 upon its second release. It went all the way to #1 and improved on its initial chart placing of #24 of the previous year. In 1997, the song was co-opted by the Labour Party in the UK for the General Election and peaked at #19.

"U R The Best Thing" incorporates a device which uses a single letter in place of a word. This was made most famous by Prince. For this reason, D:Ream was quite revolutionary as it predated texting. Attention young people. Ke$ha did not invent this concept.

After previewing two singles more than a year ago - "All Things To All Men" (More "things"! I sense a theme.) and "Drop Beatz Not Bombs" - all went dormant. Reenergized and ready for action, D:Ream are about to issue "Gods In The Making", the third single from their forthcoming longplayer.

Let's have a listen.

D:ream - "Gods In The Making" (Radio Edit)

It has a dark and lovely, epic feel to it. Love the flashes of diva house background vocals. Peter's voice sparkles with an unbridled urgency. It even has moments that remind me of Seal circa "Crazy" and bits that sound a little like New Order. Not exactly a bad thing!

"Gods In The Making" will be available from all fine digital "shops" on February 28. The album will follow a week later.

modern art

2011-02-07T13:10:00.011-05:00

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark has revealed the tracklisting for "History Of Modern (Part I)", the third single to be delicately plucked from the retro electro duo's current longplayer.

In a gloriously bold and quite right-minded move, the limited edition, twelve track digipak CD single will not only feature a clutch of fine remixes of the track, it will also include ALL of the b-sides which have appeared across the vinyl formats of the previous two singles, "Sister Marie Says" and "If You Want It".

As a bonus, Andy and Paul have slapped on their cover of "VCR" which was originally recorded by The xx. It's a stellar single package that shows OMD are listening to their fervently devoted fanbase. Huzzah and a champagne clink!

The following is the full, official and complete tracklisting for "History Of Modern (Part I)".

1. History Of Modern (part I)
2. History Of Modern (part II)
3. History Of Modern (part III & IV)
4. History Of Modern (part I) (Krystal Klear Remix)
5. History Of Modern (part I) (Roger Erickson Remix
6. History Of Modern (part I) (Selebrities Remix)
7. History Of Modern (part I) (OMD's Extended Remix)
8. History Of Modern (part I) (Remix Radio Edit)
9. VCR
10. The Grand Deception
11. Idea 1
12. Alone

OMD will crash upon US shores in March. We'll be visiting Andy and Paul backstage before the NYC show which has been moved from Webster Hall to Terminal 5 in order to accommodate a larger, loving audience.

absolutely Green

2011-02-05T15:20:00.008-05:00

Forget everything else you will hear before December 31. The brand new Scritti Politti single, "A Day Late And A Dollar Short", is the single of the year! Did you hear me? It is the SINGLE OF THE FUCKIN' YEAR! Sorry for the expletive. I just cannot contain myself.

Stop everything you're doing and listen.

Bam salute! Scritti Politti gettin' gritty! It's the audio equivalent of a bottle of poppers and a glass of the finest champagne rimmed with top grade cocaine! My goosebumps have goosebumps. It makes me wanna dance around naked and smash things. I love it SO very much, indeed.

The electro glam stomp gives it a feeling of urgency. Green Gartside's heavenly helium voice has never sounded better. And the Beach Boys inspired vocal harmonies on the intro and middle eight are beyond deluxe!

David Gamson, Mr. Gartside's collaborator from the the "Cupid & Psyche 85" era, has made a welcome return. Most recently, Mr. Gamson has produced tracks for Ke$ha and Adam Lambert. Both, quite frankly, leave me cold.

However, when you listen to "A Day Late And A Dollar Short", you hear the Scritti sound system bang up to date! Hard to believe it was written and produced by two men in their fifties!

If it was the new Ke$ha single, it would be a smash. Then again, it could NEVER be her new single or that of any of the current crop of pop pretenders. Why? Because it's far too intelligent and well crafted. The layers! The sonics! The production! Simply magnificent.

"A Day Late And A Dollar Short" is one of two new tracks on Scritti Politti's first ever career retrospective, "Abosulte", which is scheduled to hit the "shops" on February 27 after nearly a year of delays. No word on whether or not a companion DVD is in the works.

Let's hope Mssrs. Gartside and Gamson are working on a new studio longplayer.

I heard you making patterns rhyme

2011-02-02T17:06:00.012-05:00

The Fab Four once proclaimed, "It was 30 years ago today...". Slowly but surely, it crept its way into becoming an appropriate rock n' roll catchphrase as the youth of the 1960s began to slip into adulthood.

Now, one band I've been following since the very beginning is celebrating a landmark moment in their career. Today marks the 30th anniversary of the release of "Planet Earth", Duran Duran's debut single.

I distinctly remember the very first time I saw the video. As I've mentioned previously, my dad used to work at a production house in NYC that duplicated UK sourced videos for US labels. Everything was transferred from PAL to NTSC and lovingly delivered to the record companies for distribution to clubs and a fledgling cable channel called MTV.

The site of Simon Lebon prancing around in a tea towel made me feel a bit sexy before I explored the real meaning behind that twitch in my loins. I was very taken with Lord Nicholas Of Rhodes and his sense of "fashion". The pink feather duster wig. The frilly shirt. He looked like a futuristic, colonial soldier. Roger's awkward shyness and plain attire made him seem at odds with Duran's visual aesthetic. Still, he was droolworthy and I needed an endless supply of hankies. For my overactive saliva glands, natch.

Somehow, their rag tag look worked. The band were made up of distinct individuals not characters. The sum of their parts pulled all the threads together in a cohesive sonic and visual unit.

As a teenager in the shadow of the Manhattan skyline, I had no clue about the New Romantic movement. The music spoke to me. The Rum Runner and Blitz Club didn't even make a ripple on my radar until I started reading i-D and The Face, THE essential Brit mags for a self-proclaimed Anglophile. That was about two or three years after "Planet Earth" touched down on my small home stereo.

But what about the song? I remember being obsessed with the sound of it. I could pick out bits of Giorgio Moroder, Kraftwerk and Chic. The chorus could've been lifted from an old Bay City Rollers single. The past, present and future collided in one swift three and a half minute pop opus.

And what about the b-side? Strong enough for an a-side! I couldn't believe "Late Bar" had been relegated to the flip of "Planet Earth". In fact, when "Late Bar" didn't appear on Duran Duran's debut longplayer, I was shocked. I remember making a cassette tape of the elpee and adding the b-side to the end of it. There are few bands that boast b-sides as a-side contenders. And the mighty DD has had many of them.

So, here we sit with our lattes and iPads as Duran Duran release their thirteenth longplayer, "All You Need Is Now". Certainly a strong album. One worthy of their long and distinguished career. And "Planet Earth" doesn't sound out of step with the current league of electro flavored pop stars. It's deliciously retro and super fresh at the same time.

In terms of a timeline, imagine if The Beatles had released a new album in 1994. That's the length of time between Duran's debut and their current elpee. That blows my mind. I think I need to rest my weary head after that little realization.

And I'm not the only who can't bend their brain around that. Check out John Taylor's thoughts as he ruminates about that inaugural pop explosion. You can read his recollections over at the official Duran Duran website.

incredible selection

2011-02-01T14:21:00.009-05:00

Pet Shop Boys have revealed the tracklisting to the score of their forthcoming ballet, "The Most Incredible Thing".

Split into three acts, the music accompanies an adaptation of a story by Hans Christian Andersen set to choreography designed by Javier de Frutos. The score includes music and lyrics by Mssrs. Tennant and Lowe. So, one can assume there will be at least one pop nugget among the recorded material.

"The Most Incredible Thing" will hit the "shops" on March 14. The ballet will be performed at the legendary Sadler's Wells from March 17 through 26.

The following is the full, official tracklisting.

"The Most Incredible Thing"

CD1

ACT ONE
1. Prologue
2. The Grind
3. The Challenge
4. Help Me
5. Risk
6. Physical Jerks
7. The Competition
8. The Meeting

ACT TWO
9. The Clock 1/2/3
10. The Clock 4/5/6
11. The Clock 7/8/9
12. The Clock 10/11/12
13. The Winner
14. Destruction

CD2

ACT THREE
1. Back To The Grind
2. The Miracle - Ceremony
3. The Miracle - Revolution
4. The Miracle - Resurrection
5. The Miracle - Colour And light
6. The Miracle - The Meeting (Reprise)
7. The Wedding

modern dance

2011-01-31T13:00:00.007-05:00

I'm very impressed with the promotional campaign behind "History Of Modern", the latest longplayer from Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark.

Much like Bryan Ferry's current album, "Olympia", the long promotional tail has settled in across many months during a time when most acts can barely squeeze out a month of activity around the release of an elpee.

Paul and Andy are about to embark on another tour. This time, US shows are on the cards. And they are about to release the title track as the third single from "History Of Modern".

To mark the release of the next single, they will be issuing the title track as a limited edition collector's digipack CD and 10" vinyl.

The CD will include all the b-sides including their cover of "VCR" which was originally recorded by The xx. Plus, it will include three remixes of "History Of Modern (Part I)", an extended remix produced by OMD, and the newly mixed radio version. That's twelve tracks in total. A bumper crop of goodies for fans!

The 10" will include previous b-side, "The Grand Deception", OMD's extended mix of the a-side and '"VCR". And for all those who want to download the full bundle, it will be available from all fine online "shops".

To get your mojo going, here is an exclusive preview of the remix of "History Of Modern (Part I)" by New York sensations, Selebrities.

on the seventh day

2011-01-29T09:52:00.004-05:00

Theo and Adam are at it again. "Sunday", the fourth and presumably final single to be plucked from their debut longplayer, is scheduled to be released on Feburary 27. It will be available in three consumer friendly flavors.

The digital download configuration will feature remixes from Seamus Haji and Tom Flynn. The following is the full tracklisting. Only the Glam As You mix has surfaced on the interwebs thus far.

1. Sunday
2. Sunday (Seamus Haji Remix)
3. Sunday (Midland Remix)
4. Sunday (Tom Flynn Remix)
5. Sunday (Glam As You Radio Mix)

The CD single will include "Live Like Heroes", another non-album track. The 7" single will replace that track with the Seamus Haji remix.

I'm really pleased to see the label continuing to back Hurts' musical endeavors. Theo and Adam continue to tour behind their current album, "Happiness", and visit ever larger venues.

Even the cover art for each single has shown a level of style and sophistication that few acts are afforded these days. That leaves an even bigger question mark as to the reason for the album sleeve being such a design disaster. It smacks of a hamfisted, taste impaired label exec insisting it have a photo of the group on it and their name be emblazoned across the top in oversized type. That's what passes as "marketing" at labels these days.

golden opportunities

2011-01-25T12:21:00.006-05:00

One of my fave raves at the moment is Penguin Prison, aka New York based singer/songwriter Chris Glover.

At seemingly random moments throughout last year, Penguin Prison dropped a couple of amazing singles on hot spot label, Neon Gold. Remember them? They breathed life into the careers of Ellie Goulding and Marina And The Diamonds before they were signed to major label deals.

Over the last twelve months or so, the gentle folk at Neon Gold have been nurturing Penguin Prison. They've been giving Mr. Glover and co. some time to ferment their musical wine. "Animal Animal" and "The Worse It Gets" slipped out on 7" single as tasty previews for Penguin Prison's debut longplayer.

Third single, "Golden Train", is their debut on Wall Of Sound, the UK tastemaker label that is home to Grace Jones and The Human League. Not exactly an unamazing place to be!

Although "Golden Train" has been knocking around a while, PP decided to lense an intimate, acoustic rendition of it in what appears to be an empty dining room in a local bed and breakfast.

The stripped back performance lets the song breath without all the production bells and whistles.

Here's the original version with all the accoutrements.

Lots of 80s influences going on. I detect bits of Hall And Oates, Thompson Twins, Scritti Politti, Blancmange and Talk Talk without ever sounding like any of them. The arrangements are interesting and substantial without overpowering the song at the heart of the recording.

And if you're a fan of mash ups, PP has fashioned a lovely little mashy of his top tune with Michael Jackson's funky "Workin' Day And Night" from his "Off The Wall" opus. Prepare to take a ride on your disco stick!

Wicked! I have dubbed it "Workin' On The Golden Train".

No word on the forthcoming album, though. But if it's even half as good as any of the expertly crafted singles release thus far, it's sure to be amazeballs. Penguin Prison even turn out mindblowing b-sides with consummate ease! Check out "Something I'm Not" which appeared as the flip side to "The Worse It Gets".

And they even have a deft hand a producing remixes! Two of my fave PP post productions include their reswizzling of Faithless' latest, Blancmange sampling single, "Feel Me", and "Get Outta My Way" by Kylie.

Very New Order meets the Thompson Twins! N'est-ce pas?

More plz! Clearly, I'm spreading the Penguin Prison love. Do yourself a favor and do the same.

a little night music

2011-01-24T07:35:00.001-05:00

Continuing on the Pet Shop Boys theme...

I've been waiting for "Night Song" to hit YouTube. It's the only track Neil and Chris have released from "My Dad's A Birdman", a children's play by David Almond. They graciously gave it away to members of their fanclub at the tail end of last year.

"Night Song" finds Les Boys in lush and lovely ballad mode. Neil sounds positively gorgeous.

The melody is tender and beautiful. The lyrics are terribly cute yet still quite smart. Perfect for children and parents alike. My favorite part is when Neil's backing vocals respond as the sound of singing swallows.

My only criticism is that the spoken bit around 2.18 sounds rushed. Of course, I'd love to hear "The Dumpling Song" and "Wings And Faith", the other tracks they penned for the play. "My Dad's A Birdman" spent its residence at the Young Vic in London from November 25, 2010 through January 1, 2011.

PSB's next foray into music accompaniment will be the score for their ballet, "The Most Incredible Thing". It will be available across a double CD set which is scheduled to hit the "shops" in March.

Performances of the ballet, choreographed by Javier De Frutos, will take place at Sadler's Wells in London, from March 17th through March 26th.

Guess who's making the transatlantic trip to see it? I will be tweeting, updating my Facebook status, uploading content to my blog and causing general mayhem at the final show. Watch this space, mes chattons!

here today, built to last

2011-01-21T23:40:00.011-05:00

In honor of the 25th anniversary of "West End Girls" reaching #1 on the UK hit parade, Andy Connell from Swing Out Sister has produced a smooth, laid back, instrumental cover of the Pet Shop Boys' first smasheroo.

A fine tribute to a British institution! Hopefully, SOS will turn this into a full fledged vocal track on their next longplayer.

Regarding his latest recording, Andy recently said, "A quarter of a century ago "West End Girls" by the Pet Shop Boys went to number one in the UK. We were just developing our sound at that time, and that record was a big influence on us. So, 25 years later, here's my little instrumental tribute."

If you think about, some of Swing Out Sister's first clutch of singles like "Blue Mood", "Surrender" and even "Breakout", have similar production elements to some of PSB's early singles.

this woman's work

2011-01-18T12:23:00.015-05:00

Rumors abound on the interwebs, mes chattons! Apparently, Kate Bush will be gracing our presence with some new material sometime this year. I think I might have peed a little!

Her spokesperson has been quoted in a carefully worded statement which indicates Kate is recording something new, but that doesn't necessarily mean she'll be releasing a full-length longplayer.

Seems to me that it will probably be a singles collection with a few new tracks tacked on the end for her salivating fans. By now, we are used to Kate's long droughts between musical rainshowers. Clearly, she's in no rush. After all, she has only released eight elpees in thirty years.

With her dedicated and patient fanbase, new music from Lady Bush is always seen as food from the gods. Since the release of "Aerial" in 2005, she has only released "Lyra", a song for the movie "The Golden Compass".

If a career retrospective is on the cards, it is long overdue. It's hard to believe "The Whole Story" was released in time for the Christmas market WAY back in 1986. In fact, it's the only hits collection Kate has issued to date.

As for new material, I hope she delivers more than one track. Kate's sumptuous, velvety soundscapes are beyond comparison. They live in a musical universe of their own. However, I'd like to hear something with a bit of tempo, as well.

When Kate gives good rhythm, we get this...

And when she goes all lush and lovey, we get this...

Gosh! The video for "This Woman's Work" brings me to the brink of tears everytime. Nearly everything Kate has released still gives me serious goosebumps. The strength and passion embedded in her work has not faded over time.

And who doesn't love the kooky, arty side of Kate?

Eccentric. Reclusive. Emotive. Genius. Always amazing! Kate really hasn't put a foot wrong. Let's hope she gets that new stuff in the "shops" tout de suite!

radio musicola

2011-01-15T20:07:00.010-05:00

Roxette crash back down to earth with their brand new single, "She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio)". It's all sweet 70s sounding bubblegum with a touch of rubber synth bass.

The verses are sound like a hybrid of "Mony Mony" by Tommy James And The Shondells - or Billy Idol, depending on the number of times you've spun around the sun - and "Pump It Up" by Elvis Costello. The chorus, a gigantic slab of sunny pop, is a certified winner!

Per Gessle certainly can write a tune. He deftly taps into the music of his youth with every strum of his guitar. Nicely done! Of course, it's Marie's voice, equal parts rock grit and heavenly tones, that sets the song on fire.

In anticipation of the launch of "Charm School", their first longplayer in a decade, the Swedish duo have lensed a video for their new single. Shiny backlighting, soft focus on Per and Marie, "youths" frugging their stuff at a party, and a hot dose of fun from all participants are the order of the day.

the gift of schizo

2011-01-12T19:44:00.010-05:00

After nearly a year since it was supposed to be released, the long delayed career retrospective from Scritti Politti will finally hit the "shops" on Feburary 28.

"Absolute" is a solid affair touching on nearly every aspect of their work. It's surprising that it took this long to assemble considering most of their contemporaries have been anthologized numerous times by now.

As a Scritti fanatic, I find very few faults with the tracklisting. However, it still remains to be seen if the single versions are going to be featured on this collection. Many of them have never appeared in the digital realm of zeros and ones. So, be prepared for some shouting if the album versions turn up on this compilation.

Without further hesitation, it is my pleasure to announce the official tracklisting for "Absolute".

1. Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)
2. Absolute
3. The Word Girl (Flesh And Blood)
4. Perfect Way
5. Hypnotize
6. Oh Patti (Don’t Feel Sorry For Loverboy)
7. Boom! There She Was
8. Umm
9. Tinseltown To The Boogiedown
10. Die Alone
11. Brushed With Oil, Dusted With Powder
12. Skank Bloc Bologna
13. The Sweetest Girl
14. Asylums In Jerusalem
15. Jacques Derrida
16. She's A Woman
17. Day Late And A Dollar Short
18. A Place We Both Belong

The scuttlebutt is that Green didn't want to include anything from "Provision" and several tracks from "White Bread, Black Beer". How could a masterpiece such as "Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy)" not be included?

Apparently, after a bit of to and fro, kicking and screaming, and some exasperating discussion, nearly every single seems to make an appearance on the collection with the exception of "Faithless", "First Boy In This Town (Lovesick)", "Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me", "Mystic Handyman" and "The Boom Boom Bap". But, at eighteen tracks, something had to be cut.

Nice to see "Brushed With Oil, Dusted With Powder", one of Scritti's most epic tracks ever, in the line up. Definitely one of their career highlights. "Skank Bloc Bologna" makes an unexpected showing.

Most significantly, we get two brand new songs - "Day Late And A Dollar Short" and "A Place We Both Belong" - both of which are written by Green and David Gamson. David is nearly single-handedly responsible for the unique, Farilight driven, Scritti Politti sound of "Cupid & Psyche 85". It will be very interesting to hear the fruits of Green's new collab with Mr. Gamson.

Lastly, I'm thrilled they put together a proper sleeve. The cover art stands in rank with their signature visual style.

love is love

2011-01-12T08:49:00.007-05:00

As January slips into February, thoughts of love start to bubble to the surface. For slurry chanteuse, Corinne Bailey Rae, love is overall theme of her forthcoming project, "The Love EP". Snappy title!

Consisting of five lovey dovey covers, the EP shows Corinne wearing her influences and inspirations on the very end of her neatly tailored sleeve.

First up is a daring choice - "I Wanna Be Your Lover", Prince's breakthrough hit from 1979. Who knew she had some sexy funk itching to get out?

The arrangement remains faithful to the original. Corinne could've gone more glossy and electronic with it, but she chose to pull back on the shimmer. The rag tag edges like the buzzy synths and slightly loose drumming give it a more live and honest quality. Surprisingly, her dreamy vocal suits the track perfectly. The extended, vampy jam at the tail end sprinkles in a bit of dark joy.

The rest of the EP includes her take on "Low Red Moon" by Belly, "Is This Love?" by Bob Marley, "My Love" by Paul McCartney and Wings and a live rendition of "Que Sera Sera" originally made famous by Doris Day.

"The Love EP" will be available from all fine digital outlets on Valentine's Day. Natch!

class act cat

2011-01-11T19:02:00.007-05:00

Jay Kay is a proper rock star. N'est-ce pas? The beautiful models, the fast cars, the stroppy attitude. It's all there. Then there are the undeniably amazing tunes.

Jamiroquai's highly anticipated longplayer, "Rock Dust Light Star", showed so much promise with the release of first single, "White Knuckle Ride", a dirty funk workout which stands among their best moments. The remix package was pretty wicked stuff, too.

Follow up single, "Blue Skies", was a mellow affair. Still, nicely done. Unfortunately, the album fell kinda flat for me. Being a massive fan, I felt a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, there are some fine moments on the elpee. It just doesn't sparkle from top to tail like previous efforts.

Now, the third single, "Lifeline", is about to be plucked from the album and a video has been cobbled together. It features lots of behind the scenes shots of Jay Kay and co. at various concert locations from around the globe. He looks like he's having the time of his life. But the clip is nothing special, IMHO.

However, do keep an eye out for Jay Kay's shapely posterior. He's a class act, kittens.

"Lifeline" is scheduled to be released on January 24.

one of the living

2011-01-10T19:42:00.002-05:00

Just when the world thought Frankmusik was going to be brushed under the rug as having one terrific longplayer, Vincent Frank returns under his superstar moniker with a new EP.

"Long Live Frankmusik" is a four track taster with at least two of its songs being earmarked for inclusion on his forthcoming, sophomore elpee, "Do It In The AM". Terrible title.

The EP includes two ballads - "Hurt You Again" and "Warrior" - which sorta made me think he was getting all slushy and syrupy on our collective asses. The latter of the two is a distinct treasure. When he's in downtempo mode, Frankmusik has a deft hand with layers and simplicity which go completely against the grain of his marketing brief as a techno electro wizzard.

"Warrior" is the better of the two with a delicately played piano which underscores Vincent's confident, emotive vocal. In all honesty, it's reminiscent of "Hide And Seek" era Howard Jones.

I would have preferred "Warrior" as the lead promotional push for Frankmusik's return, but I completely understand going with "The Fear Inside". It's a slab of dark anxiety laid over an electro production straight out of 1982. Sounds like someone has been listening to plenty of Arthur Baker records.

It also looks like someone's enjoying his move to Los Angeles. The video is more Hollywood gloss and less on the quirky Brit tip.

Then there is the uplifting, fizzy joy of "Our Discovery (Tribute To Daft Punk)" which cheekily references "One More Time" by Daft Punk. Glad to see he kept he isn't taking himself too seriously.

Final slot on the EP is home to "Hate Your Love", which features the middling talents of Digiraatii with whom I am not familiar. It's a bit of mess. Nothing memorable. Completely throwaway. Three outta four ain't bad.

If this all makes you tingle inside, then you'll be happy to know you can download the EP for free on Frankmusik's official website! It's a snip!

Let's hope he can get more of a foothold this time around. He might have what it takes to be the male version of Robyn.

everyday feels like Sunday

2011-01-07T13:35:00.001-05:00

It appears out favorite moody duo of the moment are going to pluck another single from their debut longplayer! Hurts are rumored to be releasing "Sunday" as the follow up to "Stay" which crashed out in the UK singles chart at a lacklustre #50.

It's amazing that the label would choose to go four or even five singles deep from "Happiness". In ye olden days (ie. the 80s) it would have been expected.

So far, only the Glam As You remix of "Sunday" has appeared on the interwebs. It ups the tempo and makes it a more poppers o'clock affair with more than a passing resemblance to classic PSB.

My only criticism of "Happiness" is that it could have been served better by including a few more uptempo tracks. Perhaps the single version of "Sunday" will be reswizzled for radio play and popular consumption with a bit more thump in the bottom end. Ooh er, missus!

once more into the bleach

2011-01-04T08:11:00.004-05:00

The new Blondie album, "Panic Of Girls", has been on the release schedule for AGES! Maybe they're working on a track with Sophie Ellis-Bextor? Oh, I kid.

Recently, two tracks from the band's forthcoming ninth longplayer appeared on a special cover mounted CD of "Parallel Lines", their evergreen, landmark elpee. This edition of the album was featured in "The Mail On Sunday" in the UK.

A third track, "Mother", is now available to download from the band's official website. Let's take a listen.

Love the shiny, jagged keyboard parts. It's got a nice shimmy to it when the chorus hits. Debbie still sounds like the pouting sex kitten of rock n' roll. Her shouty vitality is exactly how I think of Ms. Harry. The way she delivers the word "mother" must be a bit of nod toward "Psycho".

Pull your finger out, Debbie! We've been waiting.

ten for 2010

2011-01-01T09:04:00.009-05:00

As another year draws to a close, so many of us in the blogosphere must hunker down and review our faves raves from the previous twelve months. Getting stuck in the great Boxing Day blizzard was the best springboard from me to begin the simultaneously arduous and thrilling task of completing my list. Thankfully, 2010 turned out to be a banner year for music. One of the best on record if I recall correctly.

But first, a look forward. Which longplayers am I anticipating in 2011? Hue And Cry, The Human League, Duran Duran, The Feeling and Penguin Prison. I know Duran just released "All You Need To Know". But the iTunes configuration isn't the whole enchilada. The full twelve track experience will be issued in physical form in February. So, I'm gonna wait to review it. It's already one of my most played elpees of this year! Sure to be a top contender in the next.

And will someone PLEASE tell me where the new albums from Blondie and Sophie Ellis-Bextor have gone? Once imminent, they've slipped off the map. Can't bode well for either of them.

Without further faffing about, here are my ten favorite albums of the year listed in alphabetical order.

Marc Almond - "Varieté"

Taking on the dual roles of showman and troubadour for "Varieté", Marc Almond showed he could deliver his own, self-penned material with as much style, quality and panache as the covers he performs so exceptionally well. All of this during his rehabilitation from a near fatal motorcycle accident a few years ago.

From the Russian strains of "Najinsky Heart" to the gypsy peasantry of "Bread And Circus", the piano torch of "Lavender", the swinging 60s London glam of the title track, the entire longplayer hangs together thematically, lyrically and musically in a way that most artists can only dream of at any point in their career.

Even the limited edition version of the album is an embarrassment of riches for Mr. Almond as he presents another half dozen or so songs which are presented in a stripped back, smoking jacket, beat club production. Every track on "Varieté" is vintage Marc Almond, one of the UK's musical treasures.

The Divine Comedy - "Bang Goes The Neighborhood"

Neil Hannon, in the guise of The Divine Comedy, returned with a... bang! Natch.

Still waving the flag for intelligently crafted songs with nods toward classic British pop of the 60s and 70s, TDC returned in grand style. Neil still kept the orchestral flourishes in tact, but delivered "Bang" with a slightly more low-fi approach. From the Blur-like "At The Indie Disco" to the Continental flavor of "Neapolitan Girl", the album fits in perfectly with previous TDC masterworks without ever sounding like a retread. One word... Bravo!

Bryan Ferry - "Olympia"

Ten years on from Bryan Ferry's last longplayer of original material, "Olympia" had a lot to live up to. Sure, it has many of the trademark soundscapes he's been known for. There are the languid electronics, the dream guitars, the slurry delivery of someone intoxicated by love and other musings. All of it is present. But there's a rugged undercarriage to the songs which seems to

"Olympia" is champagne and gelato. A swirling mixture of style with a soupcon of danger lurking around the corner. A stunningly beautiful goddess flashing a sinister, knowing smile encouraging you to succumb to the layers of sound.

Mr. Ferry has lost none of his ability to seduce and beguile. May "Olympia" be the next of many nexts.

Goldfrapp - "Head First"

Zippy synths. Breathy, insistent vocals. Pulsing beats. Goldfrapp returned from the pastoral excursion of "Seventh Tree", itself a work of beauty, with "Head First", an album that should've scaled the dizzy heights of the charts.

Urgent and sexy. The opening synth triptych - the high octane "Rocket", the slightly ethereal "Believer", and the anthemic "Alive" - set up the album nicely. All nine tracks are dotted with some unusual, early 80s influences including "Xanadu" and Kim Carnes, as well as the obvious ones like OMD and Kraftwerk, without ever sounding retro.

But it's more than a dance album. There's a lot of deep emotion running through its synthy veins which gives "Head First" a lot of heart and plenty of warmth. Plus it has a penis on the front cover. Look closely. Trying to find it is part of the fun.

"Head First" never left my playlist all year. Let's keep the fire burning for Alison and Will in the hopes they come up with the goods on their next, full length, studio effort. Perhaps it won't follow too long after their forthcoming greatest hits collection which is scheduled to drop later this spring.

Hurts - "Happiness"

Grand, eloquent, elegiac and moody . Hurts live an a sophisticated pop universe. Equal parts Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys, yet sounding like nothing else in the charts.

Unfortunately, Theo and Adam haven't lit the world alight with their debut longplayer. But those of us that savor their kind of magnificent melancholy and well written, melodic vignettes know they have put a lot of work into making the album special.

The album became a bit of event, which continues the DM and PSB comparisons as it has become both bands' calling card everytime they release one of their always anticipated longplayers. My only (minor) complaint is that the elpee lacks in the uptempo tune department.

"Better Than Love" is a driving, gothic number with shades of early New Order and bits of Sisters Of Mercy woven throughout. And that's the extent of anything that pushes the BPMs into the upper reaches. Strangely, they ditched the brooding, captivating title track, a and relegated it to a bonus track status on very few digital portals.

Also, the singles could have benefited from a different release sequence. Instead of launching straight out of the box with the magnificent and moving "Wonderful Life", they chose "Better Than Love" which would have performed better had it followed the clearly defined hit.

Overall, the album is lovely. Don't wait too long to follow it up with something breathtakingly beautiful, lads.

Kylie Minogue - "Aphrodite"

Everyone's favorite, Aussie pop rocket delivered another sparkling album. This time, she gave her fans what they wanted - an elpee of full on, straight ahead pop.

It's an album that burst forth with the euphoric energy that her fans loved on "Fever" and wanted her to capture again after the spiky electronics of "X". Nearly every track has a hands in the air moment whether it's the gorgeous strains of "All The Lovers", the pulsing, singleworthy "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)", the lovely Keane written "Everything Is Beautiful" or the mighty drumline excitement of the title track. Singles for days.

Unfortunately, in this era of lowest common denominator, identi-kit R&B dominating the charts, Kylie's brand of top shelf pop seems a bit out of step. Therefore, third single, "Better Than Today", fell short of the top 30 even with all the promotional stops pulled out in full force.

It clearly underscores the damage a wrong single choice can trip up an otherwise flawless pop longplayer. Surely, the rumored deluxe edition is right around the corner as Kylie ramps up for her forthcoming world tour. I'll be there. Will you?

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - "History Of Modern"

It is the year of the synth. And who better to make their return than OMD? Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphries reunited the original four piece and decided to embrace their origins.

After testing the waters during a reunion tour for their 30th anniversary and a celebration of their seminal longplayer, "Architecture And Morality", Paul and Andy realized there was a lot of life left in the old mare. They dug out their synths, hashed out a dozen new songs or so and set about capturing the excitement of their debut recordings. At the same time, their return made it very clear where current faves like The xx owe their debt of gratitude.

The lyrical bite of distorted opener, "New Babies: New Toys" lays out their manifesto with a succinct "fuck off" delivered to the impostors and detractors. OMD are doing what feels best.

Anthemic first and second singles, "If You Want It" and "Sister Marie Says", respectively, show their affinity for a finely tuned pop song. They revisit every aspect of their recorded work without ever sounding like they are trading on past glories. The strength is in the clean production which supports the melodic strength of every tune on this magnificent return to glory.

All the orchestral samples and choral pads are in tact from throughout their esteemed career. The synths sparkle, the effusive melodies twinkling like a million stars until they burst into a shower of fireworks across the pristine production. Lovely.

Robyn - "Body Talk"

For nearly a year, Robyn has been a whirling dervish. A Swedish dynamo!

When she revealed her plan of releasing three albums in 2010, many scoffed at the idea. How could she come up with the goods three times?

Firstly, she kept each release in the "Body Talk" trilogy trimmed down to about eight tracks with the third installment featuring the best of the first two plus five new tracks.

It may have sounded unorthodox first, but in this new frontier of wireless trading of zeros and ones, it seems to have worked. It also helped that she promoted each effort with the vitality and excitement of an artist in her prime. She embraced every opportunity to get the word out and incorporated eye popping visuals into every part of the media mix.

Standout cuts, "Dancing On My Own", "Hang With Me" and "Indestructible" are a clutch of the finest, tear stained dancefloor epics this side of the Stockholm archipelago. But Robyn proves she has a sense of humor inside her arctic heart. "Fembot", the Snoop Dogg assisted "U Should Know Better" and the expletive ridden "Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do" are the jammy jams with a wink and smirk to let her fanbase know she can party smartly with the best of the current R&B set. And who doesn't love to initiate slut mode at least once a day?

Scissor Sisters - "Night Work"

Sleaze is the word! Jake Shears and co. whipped up a frenzy. "Night Work", their difficult third longplayer, is a deep n' greasy blowjob in an amyl nitrate filled backroom in a backstreet leather bar in Berlin.

The Trevor Horn via FGTH inspired "Invisible Light", complete with Bee Gees falsettos and thunderous percussion may have set the tone, but a few surprises like the anthemic "Fire With Fire" sounded more like The Killers. "Any Which Way" is incendiary funk with a sexy, slippery backbone and more typical of ver Scissters previous work. "Running Out" and "Night Life" sound like they bastard child of Devo and The Cult. All meant with love, of course.

"Night Work" is the sound of a group trying to break out of the corner they might have painted themselves into with their first two albums. Equal measures of frivolity and anxiety may have built them to survive or burnt them out completely. We'll know after their mammoth world tour wraps up this year. Catch them while you can!

Tracey Thorn - "Love And Its Opposite"

Tracey Thorn is one of Britain's most gifted songwriters. Every word that falls from her mouth seems to carry massive weight despite the simplicity and directness of her writing.

"Love And Its Opposite", the follow-up to 2007's more rhythmic driven "Out Of The Woods", explores mid-life in all its glory and disappointment. This is particularly apparent on poignant tracks like "Oh, The Divorces" and "Singles Bar" - two locations many are surprised to find themselves when they've crossed the great divide into the second half of their planned obsolescence.

On Twitter, Tracey has a spiky sense of wit delivered with a dash of self deprecation. Much of it is her keen attention to detail and the gift of acute observation cloaked in a laugh. And that's where much of the lyrical content of "Love And Its Opposite" resides. With every tweet, you can imagine Tracey in her kitchen chuckling to herself in deep, Mutley tones at some of her wry commentary which touches on everything from gardening to "X Factor". Essential twitteratum.

Hardly a folk album, Tracey's third solo elpee showcases her as one of Britain's quintessential singer/songwriters. Everything in the writing, arrangements and production is never pushed or rushed. Its quiet elegance, urgent beauty and balance shows Tracey at the height of her lyrical prowess. Stripped of the thump of the dancefloor, "Love And Its Opposite" is a more direct route to the head and the heart which allows for a greater impact on the listener.

Highlights include the haunting "Kentish Town", the yearning "Why Does The Wind?", the Squeeze-ly "Hormones" and the ethereal glory of "Swimming".

And that sums up my musical excursion through the previous 52 weeks. For those keeping track, you can find my ten favorite longplayers of 2009 and 2008 by clicking here. Bring on the sound of 2011!

missing again

2010-12-29T09:24:00.005-05:00

Every now and then, labels like to remix and rerelease a tune in order to capitalize on an opportunity to reach a new set of ears. UK labels have been mining this particular vein for well over the last 25 years. Some experiments have worked while others have not.

In the 90s, it was de rigueur to mix and remix, ad infinitum. After the post rave comedown, the concept became less invasive with only a handful of singles being reswizzled. Some aimed directly at the heart of the dancefloor, while other were targeted to an ever dwindling television viewing audience through the use of commercial soundtrack placements.

These days, it seems labels are back in step with the remix game. We've seen Utah Saints and Guru Josh get a new coat of paint with varying degrees of success. Now, it's time for a rather unnecessary stab at Everything But The Girl's pivotal, dancefloor moment.

"Missing", originally issued at the second single from their seventh studio longplayer, "Amplified Heart", met with a resounding whimper when it first skirted with the UK singles chart in 1994. It reached an unimpressive peak of #69. EBTG were used to this kind of chilly chart reception even though the quality of their records were head and shoulders above many of their contemporaries.

Then, in 1995, Todd Terry was drafted in to give it the tossed salad treatment. Zing! An instant hit which raced all the way to #3 in the UK and missed out on pole position in the US by one spot. In fact, the song was such a massive success in the US that EBTG got labeled with the "one hit wonder" tag. In the UK, they capitalized on it and delivered, "Walking Wounded", one of their strongest albums and a bonafide classic.

Now, Dutch DJ, Fredde Le Grand, has been given the master tapes and brought it bang up to date with a newly reworked mix. This time, it's turned into a stadium sized anthem. No easy task considering the pedigree of the Todd Terry version.

Fedde's biggest hit to date is "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit", a #1 smash in 2006. He also hit paydirt with two further top 10 singles - "The Creeps", a reworking of a track by Camille Jones which hit #7 in 2007 and "Let Me Think About It" featuring Ida Corr which peaked at the runner up position later that same year. Now Mr. Le Grand puts his dirty Google fingers all over EBTG's landmark recording.

Ben and Tracey are no strangers to this situation. In 1994, Blanco Y Negro, the label to which EBTG were signed from 1983 to 1995, decided to capitalize on the success of "Missing" by issuing a hits collection (their second) and commissioning Todd Terry to give "Driving" a reswizzling. As you can imagine, they were not too thrilled with that opportunistic move.

I wonder what Ben and Tracey think about this turn of events more than fifteen years after they first released "Missing".

white hot wired soul

2010-12-27T17:02:00.002-05:00

Many of my favorite artists have embraced social media in all its many varied flavors. One group that takes full advantage of this new connectivity is Hue And Cry. Scottish brothers, Pat and Gregory Kane, returned to the pop universe in 2008 with their magnificently funky longplayer, "Open Soul". In 2011, they will return with another slab of soul with the follow up, "Hot Wire".

Recently, the brothers Kane started recording vocals for the tracks that will make the final rundown. They documented their first day on Pat's iPhone. Let's take a look.

Pat is channeling some serious Sam Cooke like nobody's business! Often, I find it interesting to observe the creative process from inside the studio. Getting to hear Pat's raw, acappella performances as he commits them to the digital domain sends shivers throughout my body. He has one of the finest blue eyed soul voices I've ever heard.

Gregory is quite a technical boffin. He's also a musician's musician. He answers most questions regarding their detailed writing and recording sessions. In fact, Gregory is a font of musical knowledge and fascinating stories. Ask him about his painstaking work and he will gladly respond. Obviously, it's a labor of love. Oh, hardy har! Did you see what I did there?

For instance, if you wanna know about the mic Pat is using in the above clip, Greg will tell you it's an AEA R84 ribbon microphone. It has graced a few recordings I've been taken under my watchful eyes and ears in the past. On record, it gives Pat's voice the sound of hot buttered soul.

And don't be fooled by the time between elpees from Hue And Cry. These men are not slouches! In between the last studio album and the next, they released "Xmasday", a joyous and soulful album of Christmas tunes, and "Bitter Suite, Again", the follow-up to the acoustic live album they released way back in 1989!

"Hot Wire" is one my most hotly anticipated longplayers of 2011. If you were a fan of the late 80s, sophisticated soul parade which included Love And Money, Level 42 and The Blow Monkeys, you'll definitely want to investigate Hue And Cry. Greg's masterful musicality and Pat's brain shredding lyrics make for some tremendous listening.

retro nuevo electronica tributata

2010-12-26T17:35:00.009-05:00

The end of the year always throws up a few little surprises. Foreshadowing of the year to follow.

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark will continue their rise from the ashes with the release of the third single from their current longplayer, "History Of Modern". "History Of Modern (Part I)" will carry the torch for the elpee as Paul Humphries and Andy McCluskey continue to tour Europe and make their first visit to the US for promotional duties.

Recently, a rough mix of their cover of "VCR" - originally recorded by flavor of the moment and media darlings, The xx - made its way to the interwebs. Let's take a listen.

Nicely done! Not too much different from the original. That makes sense since anyone with ears can hear OMD's influence on The xx. It even sounds a bit like "Heroes" by David Bowie.

Let's hope they make the wise decision to add a little fairy dust to this and put the final mix of it on the b-side of the CD single and digital download of "History Of Modern (Part I)". In fact, how about adding parts III and IV to it, as well, lads? Right now, those tracks are just sitting on the flipside of the 7" single of their most recent single, "Sister Marie Says". You can pay me in cash for that little bit of marketing genius. Large notes, please. Thanks.

Merry Christmas, Mr. McAlmont

2010-12-24T21:06:00.010-05:00

There has been a serious dearth of original Christmas songs making their way to market in the last few years. However, this year has seen numerous, high quality, festive offerings being released for the holidays, making it the jolliest season in recent memory.

Whether it's Hurts, Saint Etienne, Coldplay, Bananarama, Owl City and George Michael with newly penned tunes or Annie Lennox's beautiful longplayer of traditional carols, this Christmas is well packed with favorites for slinging garland around your tree.

With that said, David McAlmont, one of the world's finest vocalists, has contributed his entry to the ever expanding cadre of cracking Christmas songs.

"Merry Christmas Is You", a brand new song written with his current collaborator, master pianist Guy Davies, is tender and touchin. It is guaranteed to give you goosebumps and bring a tear to your eye. It's the ultimate, emotive double whammy. And David, as always, knocks it out of the park with his soaring, majestic voice.

In these glorious days of tweets and blogs, David has been one of the insightful few that has kicked down the fourth wall. He has allowed the world to have a glimpse into the inner workings of his creative process by giving his devoted followers a behind the scenes look at the making of "Merry Christmas Is You" across various social media platforms. The entire development unfolded right before the eyes of his dedicated fanbase.

David even lensed a video for his new Crimbo creation across the frozen tundra of Southwark Park in the very heart and hearth of London after last week's particularly heavy snowfall.

For those of you not familiar with David McAlmont, prepare yourself to be mesmerized by the beauty of his magnificent voice.

Egads! Apparently, pastels are back in fashion this winter. David would know. He has become one of the most fashionable popstars in Britain, following onward through an incredible lineage of suave and sophisticated singers. It's a rarefied group of smartly styled individuals which includes Bryan Ferry, David Bowie and Duran Duran. Make no mistake, David McAlmont is fashion forward and has seriously good taste in tailoring.

By the way, if you swing over to David's official website, you will receive "Merry Christmas Is You" as a free download simply by registering your name and information. We love it when pop glitterati give special audio baubles to their fans.

Recently, I had the tremendous pleasure of seeing David perform one of his very first shows on American soil. At the beginning of November, during a whirlwind trip to New York City, David enraptured a small group of attendees at Rockwood Music Hall, a new venue on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

He performed several songs from across his entire career including a few tracks he originally recorded as part of the duo, McAlmont And Butler. Two of the highlights were "Yes", a #8 hit in the UK back in 1995, and "Falling", which peaked at #23 in the UK singles chart in 2002.

Here's David's stripped down performance of "Falling" with nothing more than Guy Davies' rollicking piano accompaniment.

Sensational!

I first fell head over heels for David's voice in 1993 when I happened across the CD single of "Unworthy" by Thieves, his short lived, collaborative effort with Saul Freeman. Saul went on to produce a couple of albums as a member of trip hop collective, Mandalay.

Back then, during my tenure at EMI, I was in London for business and heard the song floating out of the sound system at HMV on Oxford Street. Immediately, I asked one of the sales staff about it and he directed me toward the bountiful singles section. "Unworthy" was mine for a snip!

I cherished "Unworthy" for a few years until I stumbled across David's self-titled, debut elpee at Rebel Rebel, my favorite record shop in NYC. Since then, I've collected everything David has graced with his vocal presence.

"Unworthy" is like a cross between Annie Lennox and "Heaven And Las Vegas" era Cocteau Twins. I simply cannot say enough amazing things about David. He's truly a gifted showman and singer. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on his back catalog. Oh, dear. That sounded a bit saucy!

Merry Christmas to you, kittens! Thanks for a splendid year.

electronica cinematique in retrospectum

2010-12-22T06:52:00.005-05:00

On Feburary 7, Claudia Brücken, the femme fatale of the synthiverse, returns to the pop landscape with her luxe brand of electronic cinematique when she releases "Combined", her first career retrospective.

Since 1984, when she burst onto the scene as a member of Propaganda with the dark and dangerous "Dr. Mabuse", Claudia has dotted the charts with a few musical offerings.

Her solo album, "Love And A Million Other Things", was just reissued to critical acclaim. And before Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark reunited, Claudia teamed up with Paul Humphries as Onetwo and released their debut longplayer, "Instead".

Now, "Combine" neatly captures nearly all of Claudia's finest moments on one collection including four brand new tracks. "Thank You" is the first single plucked from it for public consumption.

The track was written with and produced by the legendary Stephen Hague who has twiddle the knobs for a diverse array of acts from Pet Shop Boys to Blur, Erasure, New Order, Jimmy Somerville and Siouxsie And The Banshees.

"Combined" presents eight of Claudia's classic recordings. Propaganda are represented by the singles "Dr. Mabuse", "p:Machinery" and "Duel". "Absolutely Immune" and "Snobbery And Decay", her two singles as one half of Act with Thomas Leer, are included alongside her two solo singles from the 90s, the hypnotic swirl of "Kiss Like Ether" and the euphoric acid trip of "Absolut(e)".

All of these singles are combined - natch! - with four brand new works including the previously mentioned "Thank You" and "Night School", a second collab with Stephen Hague. Also featured is "This Is Not America", the David Bowie/Pat Metheny classic, recorded as a duet with Paul Rutherford of FGTH. The final new track is "In Dreams", a cover of Roy Orbison's "Blue Velvet" soundtrack gem in collaboration with Andrew Poppy.

Also included are two tracks from Claudia's current ensemble, Onetwo. The first is "Sequentia", which has remained previously unreleased until now, and "Cloud 9ine", a co-write with Depeche Mode's Martin Gore.

Unfortunately, for all the great material on "Combined", there is one glaring omission - "When Your Heart Beats Out Of Time", her duet with Glenn Gregory, he of Heaven 17.

The song, which has never made an appearance on CD, originally appeared on the soundtrack to the film, "The Shape Of The Universe (A Souvenir Of Insignificance)". Considering the track is controlled by ZTT, I'm surprised it isn't included on Claudia's forthcoming collection.

However, it looks like the extended version of it will make its debut in the digital domain very shortly when Salvo, one of the world's premiere reissue labels, releases the compilation, "The Art Of The 12". Oh, those cunning linguists!

Salvo's licensing deal with ZTT, the original house of excess, continues to turn up long out of print and much sought after gems. In the meantime, the single version of the Brücken/Gregory duet remains unavailable in the realm of zeros and ones.

Here is the full tracklisting for "Combine". Some tracks make their appearance on CD for the very first time.

1. Dr. Mabuse (A Paranoid Fantasy)
2. Duel
3. (The Beta Wrap Around Of) p:Machinery
4. Absolutely Immune
5. Snobbery And Decay
6. Kiss Like Ether
7. Absolut(e)
8. Delicious
9. Cloud 9ine
10. Thank You
11. Sequentia
12. Light The Way
13. This Is Not America
14. Night School
(…Encore…)
15. In Dreams

all you need is eyeliner

2010-12-21T08:32:00.009-05:00

The mighty Duran Duran deliver a double shot of goodness today. Firstly, they've unleashed the vid for their latest single, "All You Need Is Now". Let's take a look.

The boys are in fine fettle. Lots of eyeliner is the order of the day. Didn't they do the black jacket and tie shtick when they reemerged victoriously with "Ordinary World" back in *cough, sputter* 1993? And what's with the aluminum foil background? Budgetary constraints, lads?

Secondly, Duran Duran released their new longplayer today. Huzzah! Their thirteenth elpee, christened "All You Need Is Now", will require a deeper dive in between the moments of madness as we run up to Christmas. I've lived with it for about a week and I'm busting at the gut to write about it.

After several listens, it appears that Simon still loves to sing at the top of his range. This always causes problems for Monsieur Le Bon when the band hit the road. Often, in a live setting, he has to reach for the high notes from deep within and his voice tends to get a little screechy. Let's hope he does his vocal exercises before the boys go out on their impending, worldwide trek. Come around for some tea and honey, Simon. We'll make sure your pipes are in tip top shape before the tour.

I noticed a couple of things now that I have the proper artwork and credits. For instance, Dom Brown steps closer to being an official member of the group as he is credited with writing contributions on seven tracks on the album. Do they dare deliver him into the kingdom of Duran Duran with a permanent residence?

And don't forget, kittens, the album will feature three additional tracks when the band releases the physical configurations at the beginning of February.

Most importantly, they are doing it all without being signed to a label. DIY for Duran Duran, darlings! Excelsior!

Swedish Christmas spectacular

2010-12-18T09:01:00.000-05:00

What do you do when you've made a gazillion dollars as one of the biggest songwriting teams of all time? For Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, the bearded half of ABBA, you write a Christmas tune and torture the staff of the posh hotel you own in the heart of Stockholm by having them sing it for you. Then you further embarrass them by making a little video.

It's not a patch on "The Winner Takes It All"! I guess the guys have a lot of time on their hands. Who am I to question their business acumen? After all, ABBA are one of the progenitors of the "band as brand" belief.

I've been to Hotel Rival. It's a lovely, boutique hotel in the heart of Södermalm, the southern island of Stockholm. Numerous restaurants and cafes are dotted around that part of the city. I've been to most of the eateries in that part of town having spent a lot of time in the many studios which are tucked away in the alleys and basements all around that area of the mighty, Swedish capital.

Enough idle chat. Enjoy the jolly meriment provided by the men of ABBA. Merry Christmas, kittens! May all your days be filled with glitter and kisses!

one too many times to the well

2010-12-17T10:27:00.004-05:00

Here's Duffy's latest single, "Well Well Well".

I hear you roll your eyes in sarcastic disinterest as if I had somehow posted something I didn't know was well past its sell by date.

Take a listen to it. Watch it. Srsly! Go ahead.

Her vocal affectation attacks my ears like a rabid cheese grater. Such a shame, as I really like "Rockferry", her debut platter.

Then, unknowingly, as my eyes flitted across the credits on the single sleeve, the following words sent my system into anaphylactic shock - "Co-produced by Stuart Price". *abrupt record scratch*

Stuart, babydoll. What's with this bit of slumming? Duffy must have paid him a sizable chunk of the cash she copped from her Coke commercial.

Please keep it cool, Stuart. We're watching.

mixing it up with Bryan Ferry

2010-12-14T11:51:00.013-05:00

Bryan Ferry is always up for a nifty reswizzling. So far, we've been treated to post productions of "You Can Dance" and "Shameless", two jewels from his current longplayer, "Olympia".

Now, in conjunction with The Vinyl Factory, the UK's premiere company for vinyl collectibles, Bryan Ferry has revealed two limited edition 12" singles sporting some nifty remixes of two more tracks from his current tour de force.

The first 12" includes remixes of "Alphaville" by Leo Zero and Time + Space Machine. Remixes of "BF Bass (Ode To Olympia)", exclusive to the second 12" single, arrive courtesy of Boogie Corporation and West End Wolf.

A limited edition with only 300 copies of each 12" pressed for worldwide release.

Let's take a listen to the sprawling, nine minute mix "Alphaville" which was loving crafted by Leo Zero.

That one's got a bit of Roxy sparkle on it. Perhaps it's just a little on the longish side. It could do with a bit of tailoring. A nip here, a tuck there. In the recent past, Leo Zero has sprinkled a bit of reswizzling dust on tracks for Paul Weller, as well as Florence And The Machine.

So far, only a short taster of the sinewy and sexy West End Wolf remix of "BF Bass (Ode To Olympia)" has turned up. Here's a snippet of it accompanied by some behind the scenes footage of le photo shoot for the album cover.

Synthy synths and bass pops, ahoy!

Kylie catastrophe

2010-12-12T20:48:00.006-05:00

Sound the sirens. Ring the alarm. Kylie's latest single, "Better Than Today", has crashed out at #32 on the UK singles chart this week. *gay gasp*

Everyone's favorite Aussie pop rocket has not had a showing this dismal since "The One", the final single from "X", limped apologetically into the chart at #36 back in 2008.

With all the promotion afforded Kylie's last two singles, it does leave me scratching my head in wonder. I guess the days of releasing more than three singles from an album are over.

Kylie was always afforded the assurance of a top ten placing. And an album like "Aphrodite", which is filled to the teeth with great sounding, hit driven material, shows there is very little room for growth outside an act's fanbase.

I'm curious to see what Camp Kylie decides to do with the "Aphrodite" campaign from this point forward, especially with a world tour slated for next year. Perhaps the expanded deluxe edition that's been hinted at is about to materialize.

nu-di-ty

2010-12-12T13:11:00.007-05:00

Tits! Violence! Sex! Meat! Crazy, bearded men! Huzzah! What more could you ask for from a new Scissor Sisters vid?

"Invisible Light" is the third single to be plucked from "Night Work", their current longplayer. While the content of the clip is not particularly unusual for Jake, Babydaddy, Ana and Del, it's the fact that the single itself was the buzz track which set up the promotion of the album. An unusual move these days, and it gives the epic track as second lease on life.

snow and happiness

2010-12-06T07:19:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy time around So Hip It Hurts HQ, kittens. With a new business launching this week and a possible podcast in development for next year, the days have been filled with a flurry of activity. But enough excuses. Let's get to the music!

I'm a little late with this, but Hurts have a video for their forthcoming Christmas single, "All I Want For Christmas Is New Year's Day".

Epic! My current Crimbo favorite. This year is shaping up to have the most amazing Christmas tunes on record.

Hurts continue to deliver some of the best pop music of the moment. Without being too retro, they sound fresh without ever going all electro. Always striking the perfect balance of melancholy and euphoria. Suave and sophistication for the masses. And they are singlehandedly bringing the waistcoat back into fashion.

If they could only break out of the lower region of the singles chart. A massive hit would surely put them over the top.

lucky charm

2010-12-03T19:36:00.007-05:00

Swedish duo, Roxette, will return to the land of the living on February 11 with "Charm School", their first album in nearly a decade.

The first single plucked from their forthcoming eighth longplayer will be the cheekily titled "She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio)". It shows Per Gessle has lost none of his clever wordplay.

The single will hit the "shops" on January 10 and a video for the it should surface shortly. It will be followed by Roxette's first world tour since Marie Fredriksson was sidelined by a brain tumor in 2002.

Recently, Per and Marie road tested their live band Roxette when they headlined the "Night Of The Proms” concerts in front of more than 600,000 enthusiastic fans in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands.

Look sharp! Roxette have returned.

Do they know it's Christmas?

2010-12-01T19:32:00.005-05:00

Seemingly out of nowhere, much like the first, early snowfall of the season, Coldplay return with an unusual single. They've been toiling away in the studio on their forthcoming, fifth longplayer with Brian Eno at the helm.

Before we hear the fruits of their labor, Coldplay released a Christmas themed tune today to whet our appetites. "Christmas Lights" doesn't feature all the trappings of a festive single. No sleigh bells. No gifts under the tree. Not even a hint of evergreen.

It's a bit of a pub tune in the tradition of "Fairytale Of New York" by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl. The gorgeous, piano led melody has all the hallmarks of a classic Coldplay recording. The feeling of the song reminds me of some The Waterboys' finer moments.

Chris Martin and co. even snuck up on us with a vid which they lensed for "Christmas Lights". According to eyewitness reports, it was shot last week in London on the South Bank of the Thames opposite Embankment. Viva London!

Ah, yes. The old community theater shtick. It always works a treat. So rustic. So humble. Time to break out the Christmas crackers and mulled wine, kittens.

Kylie's snow job

2010-11-29T21:31:00.004-05:00

Everyone's favorite Aussie pop rocket has recorded a retro, Disney-esque rendition of festive chestnut, "Let It Snow". Kylie's Christmas carol will be available from all fine digital "shops" on December.

I wonder if that's a glimpse of what we can expect from Kylie's next project. She plans on recording orchestral and acoustic versions of her biggest hits. Step away from the studio, Kylie. That sounds like a potential fail if there ever was one.

The odd orchestral Christmas tune is lovely. No need to infuse your hits with valium and xanax, darling.

Christmas Hurts

2010-11-25T20:29:00.004-05:00

I never thought of Hurts as the sort of lads that would embrace the festive season. Looks like Theo and Adam have delivered one of the most magnificent Christmas tune since "Last Christmas" by Wham!

I'm completely in love with it. "All I Want For Christmas Is New Year's Day" will be available from iTunes on December 14.

It's grand and glorious! Who doesn't love Christmas bells? Let the shopping begin!

Tracey on the dancefloor

2010-11-24T23:30:00.002-05:00

Well, this seemed to swoop down out of nowhere. "Without Me" is a new Tracey Thorn song. It's a collab with Chicago DJ, Tevo Howard, which hit the "shops" this week.

Deep, dark and forlorn. It's all a bit "Temperamental" era EBTG. And that's no bad thing, my lovelies! Tracey continues to delight and surprise.

new, now, next

2010-11-22T19:57:00.012-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, get the glitter ready! Duran Duran will return on December 21 with their thirteenth longplayer, "All You Need Is Now". Knobs were sufficiently twiddled by man of the moment, Mark Ronson.

The cover art was revealed only minutes ago. That is the power of the interwebs, my children. Looks like Lord Nicholas of Rhodes had a bit of fun with photoshop and a box of fonts.

Actually, the artwork was created by contemporary English multimedia artist Clunie Reid.

You'll be able to download a nine track version of the elpee from iTunes before Crimbo. Then, in February, the Brummie lads will make deluxe editions of the physical configurations available with the tracklisting expanded to include three additional tunes.

The tracklisting for the nine track, digital edition of "All You Need Is Now" will feature the following songs.

1. All You Need Is Now
2. Blame The Machines
3. Being Followed
4. Leave A Light On
5. Safe
6. Girl Panic
7. The Man Who Stole A Leopard
8. Runway Runaway
9. Before the Rain

Next week, Simon, John, Nick and Roger will be shooting a vid for the title track from the album. It will be directed by Nick Egan who's no stranger to pointing a camera at the boys. He committed them to digital celluloid for "Ordinary World" and "White Lines (Don't Do It)" in the early 90s.

Since the album is supposed to be a return to the sound that made Duran Duran a household name in the 80s, I can't help but think Russell Mulcahy would've been the perfect choice for director of the first single from the new longplayer.

Join us now, my friends. We hail you!

2010-11-22T08:34:00.007-05:00

Today marks the official promotional launch for "Credo", the forthcoming longplayer from The Human League.

The first single from the elpee, "Night People", is available in the "shops" today. They've also lensed a vid for it which, in a stroke of serendipity, follows a cast of characters as they go through their weekend evening rituals. Wherever did they come up with such a genius concept?

I love the sound of this single. Repeated listens encourage the chanting of the chorus. The key to most singles from The Human League is contained within several blends. There's the one between Phil's urgent, booming voice and the chirpy tones emanating from the trilling vocal boxes owned by Susan and Joanne. Then there's the balance between the warmth of the vocals and the icy race of synths. Of course, there's the insidiously insistent chorus draped against a backdrop of stark, electronic instrumentation.

As for the video, I'm not sure I'm pleased with the current trend of "heritage" artists not making appearances in their own videos. I guess we can trace the line all the way back to hoary old rockers, Aerosmith, toward the end of the golden age of music video when they decided to let pretty boys and girls frolic around in cornfields instead of showing off in their own mini, music flicks.

Anyway, let's salute The Human League's mighty return! Huzzah!

leave your cornflakes in your freezers

2010-11-20T21:06:00.003-05:00

We are only about 48 hours away from the grand reveal for the new single from The Human League. "Night People" and its attendant vid clip will debut on ver League's official website on Monday morning.

In the meantime, the album version of "Night People" has hit the interwebs! Let's sneak a little listen.

It's like the missing link between "The Sound Of The Crowd" and "Empire State Human".

The "Night People" chant is infectious. The lyrics, robotically delivered on top of a slightly militaristic track, are seriously bizarre. Phil Oakey's ominous vocal tones tower over the track. Suzanne and Joanne deliver their lines in counterpoint with Phil in the verses in some sort of dueling shopping list of commands for the dancing masses. The song trails out with a completely different chorus coda which lifts everything into an arms akimbo moment.

It's the unmistakable sound of The Human League! "Night People" will be available on Monday, November 22. "Credo", its parent longplayer, will hit the "shops" early next year. Huzzah!

Kylie's arcade

2010-11-19T20:30:00.006-05:00

Kylie Minogue does not waste a precious moment of promotional momentum. Hot on the heels of her star turn with Taio Cruz on his new single, "Higher", Kylie pops out her own video for "Better Than Today". In case you haven't been paying attention - If you haven't. Why not? - it is Lady Minogue's third single from her current longplayer, "Aphrodite".

The video contains numerous recognizable images lifted from across the spectrum of pop culture. In fact, it's a melange of mixed media including references to Pac-Man, Daft Punk and Rocky Horror. She even has a gaggle of glam rock chicks wearing feathered frocks!

Watch Kylie whip her hair back and forth!

Surely, this is a foreshadowing of Kylie's forthoming Les Folies tour. She is such a petite kitten! N'est-ce pas? So lovable.

getting high with Taio and Kylie

2010-11-18T11:16:00.004-05:00

Could Kylie be vying for a chart double? Hot on the heels of her next single, "Better Than Today", everyone's favorite Aussie pop rocket has lent her vocal talents to a new version of Taio Cruz's next single, "Higher".

The video for the single has been lensed and the interwebs have it in their Google dirty clutches.

Is it me or does Taio seem uncomfortable in Ms. Minogue's presence? The poor guy has zero sex appeal. He doesn't have that certain something, that twinkle, that je ne sais quoi needed to ascend the heights of superstardom. Kylie, on the other hand, oozes star quality from every pore.

After the tepid performance of Kylie's last single, "Get Outta My Way", perhaps her "people" think a star turn on Taio's new slab of wax will increase her already omnipresent profile and solidify her chances of a top ten placing on the singles charts.

Could Kylie have a US hit on her hands courtesy of this duet? The universe wonders, watches and waits.