the toppermost of 2013

Hello, my friends. Yes, I have returned from the wilderness. Actually, I didn't go anywhere. A series of business plans, musical endeavors, and odd back issues caused me to be blogless for a while. Now, I'm back, back, BACK!

Let's kick off this short entry with a list of my ten, favorite longplayers of 2013. Hopefully, at some point, I will be able to go into more detail about each one. I promise to try to post as much as possible without another hiatus. For the time being, let's just look at my top picks. Drum roll, please!

David Bowie - "The Next Day"
Disclosure - "Settle"
Agnetha Fältskog - "A"
Goldfrapp - "Tales Of Us"
Alison Moyet - "The Minutes"
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - "English Electric"
Pet Shop Boys - "Electric"
Prefab Sprout - "Crimson/Red"
ShyBoy - "Water On Mars"
Suede - "Bloodsports"

There you have it. Discuss amongst yourselves. There will be a quiz.

all she wants to do is dance

Lisa Stansfield ends her extended break from Planet Pop with "Can't Dance", the first funky single from "Seven", her forthcoming, apply-titled, seventh longplayer.



It has been nearly a decade since her previous album, "The Moment", grazed the charts. "Seven" features ten songs which were written with longtime creative and romantic partner, Ian Devaney.

1. Can't Dance
2. Why
3. So Be It
4. Stupid Heart
5. The Crown
6. Picket Fence
7. The Rain
8. Conversation
9. Carry On
10. Love Can

King George

A few days ago, we revealed a brand new tune from Boy George which will appear on his first solo longplayer in eighteen years! Now, he has unveiled the video for his latest single, "The King Of Everything".



George looks amazing! Simply gorgeous! He hasn't looked this fabulous in years. He looks fit and ready for a return to his rightful place in the pop pantheon.

I'm gonna take you higher

Next month, Keane will close the first chapter of their decade-long career with "The Best Of Keane". This, their first retrospective, pulls together 20 tracks from across all four of their albums - "Hopes And Fears", "Under The Iron Sea", "Perfect Symmetry" and "Strangeland".

"Higher Than The Sun", one of two brand new tunes, will be the first single from "The Best Of Keane". Check out the animated video which just hit the interwebs.



Very nice. Quite a lot of editing went into that. The song, while still maintain the essence of Keane, comes across something like hybrid of Coldplay and The Killers. Not necessarily a bad thing.

However, I think the band needs to stretch a little. They need to try some sonic experimentation like they did on "Perfect Symmetry". The results were unexpectedly spectacular. Right now, it feels like they are treading water. Although I liked "Strangeland", it felt like they reversed course after the shift of the previous album.

"The Best Of Keane" will hit the "shops" on November 11. It will be available in several different configurations including a single 20-track CD of hits. The deluxe edition of the collection adds a second CD of 17 b-sides plus a DVD of an acoustic gig which took place in August of this year. There is also a special super deluxe edition set which contains the two CDs and DVD plus a small, 100 page hardcover photo scrapbook.

The deluxe edition of "The Best Of Keane" features the following 38 tracks.

CD1

1. Everybody's Changing
2. Somewhere Only We Know
3. Bend And Break
4. Bedshaped
5. This Is The Last Time
6. Atlantic
7. Is It Any Wonder?
8. Nothing In My Way
9. Hamburg Song
10. Crystal Ball
11. A Bad Dream
12. Try Again
13. Spiralling
14. Perfect Symmetry
15. My Shadow
16. Silenced By The Night
17. Disconnected
18. Sovereign Light Café
19. Higher Than The Sun
20. Won't Be Broken

CD 2

1. Snowed Under
2. Walnut Tree
3. Fly To Me
4. To The End Of The Earth
5. The Way You Want It
6. Something In Me Was Dying
7. Allemande
8. Let It Slide
9. He Used To Be A Lovely Boy
10. Thin Air
11. The Iron Sea (Magic Shop Version)
12. Maybe I Can Change
13. Time To Go
14. Staring At The Ceiling
15. Myth
16. Difficult Child
17. Sea Fog (Live In Mexico City)
18. Russian

loose change

Alison Moyet is about to release the stuttering staccato of "Changeling" as the next single from her current, glorious longplayer, "The Minutes".

It's a strange choice for a single. Perhaps I should clarify. It's a bold statement. The perfect single to showcase Alf's edgier, more synth driven direction with collaborator and knob twiddler extraordinaire Guy Sigsworth.

But, if memory serves me correctly, wasn't this the first track from the album? That's what I find so odd about the choice of single. It was already the first taste we got of her daring, much welcomed direction. In these digital days, I guess it doesn't matter which song is the teaser track or an official single.

Anyway, she looks fierce in the clip. Dressed in a black neoprene number which gives her a slightly futuristic appearance, she stands defiantly against a backdrop of kaleidoscopic city scenes, her herky jerky motions adding an air of anxiety.



"Changeling" will hit the "shops" on October 14.

a perfect example

Barely done with the promotion for "Love Is A Bourgeois Construct", Pet Shop Boys launch right into their next single, "Thursday", which features a rap by Example, the UK's latest lyrical Jesse James.

For some reason, ver Boys didn't lens a video for their previous single. But they've decided to splash a little cash on one for their current platter. And this time, they actually appear in it. Shot in Shanghai, the clip premiered on the interwebs today.



"Thursday" was screaming to be a single right out the gate and is certainly a major highlight of "Electric", their twelfth longplayer.

It will hit the "shops" on November 4 and will be available as a digital download, CD single and 12". The download and CD will feature the radio edit of the title track, as well as two brand new, non album b-sides - "No More Ballads" and "Odd Man Out". The digital configurations will also include a version of "Thursday" reswizzled by Tensnake. The 12" single will feature the album version alongside remixes by Tensnake and Eddie Amador.

So far, I have been nonplussed by the remixes of previous singles from "Electric". While the album is a spectacular high water mark for Neil and Chris, the remixes have left little to be desired.

lighthearted

With the recently completed promotion cycle for "Make Me Believe In Hope" squarely in the rearview, Bright Light Bright Light has already started looking forward toward the follow up to his magnificent, debut longplayer. London based, Welsh born tunesmith Rod Thomas returns with a brand new track and it's another gorgeous gem.

"An Open Heart", a glittering and throbbing slice of electronic pop, will feature on the forthcoming four-track EP, "In Your Care", and it premiered on the interwebs today. Take a listen.

Bright Light Bright Light - An Open Heart by brightlightx2

"In Your Care" will hit the "shops" on November 25.

the swing of things

On October 18, Robbie Williams will be back in the swing of things with his brand new longplayer, "Swings Both Ways". He's a cheeky lad! It's a frothy melange of covers and originals which are sure to bring a smile to your face and swivel to your wrist.

Not sure why RW has decided to return to the well a second time. His most recent longplayer, "Take The Crown", was favorably received. However, it almost feels like he's treading on the past glories of his immensely popular platter, "Swing When You're Winning", from 2001. Still, the new album looks like loadsafun even if I can't stand the sight of Michael Bublé who joins Mr. Williams for a duet. I'll be skipping through that track, thank you very much.

You'll be able to choose from two colorful varieties of the elpee. There is the standard version which includes thirteen tracks. Then, if you prefer a full calorie serving of Robbie, you can splash your cash on the deluxe edition which features sixteen tunes and four bonus videos.

Here's a little preview of what you can expect.



As you will note, there are a few guest stars in the ranks including Olly Murs, Lily Allen, the previously mentioned Mr. Bublé, the overwrought and overrated Kelly Clarkson, as as the wit and wisdom of Rufus Wainright. Oh, that Robbie is such a gay baiter. Still, Rufus is an inspired choice of duet partners. Additionally, some of the originals have been written with past collaborator Guy Chambers, which would've been exciting news about ten years ago.

The following is the tracklisting for the standard version of "Swings Both Ways".

1. Shine My Shoes
2. Go Gentle
3. I Wan'na Be Like You (featuring Olly Murs)
4. Swing Supreme
5. Swings Both Ways (featuring Rufus Wainwright)
6. Dream A Little Dream (featuring Lily Allen)
7. Soda Pop (featuring Michael Bublé)
8. Snowblind
9. Puttin' On The Ritz
10. Little Green Apples (featuring Kelly Clarkson)
11. Minnie The Moocher
12. If I Only Had a Brain
13. No One Likes a Fat Pop Star

The additional tracks on the deluxified edition of the album include "Where There's Muck", "16 Tons" and "Wedding Bells". These songs feature alongside four bonus videos, one for each of the duets.

night manoeuvres

This week, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark release "Night Café", the third single from "English Electric", their current longplayer. And they've added another animated video to their arsenal of vignettes which have been developed for select tracks from the album.

This time, they've opted for something a little tongue in cheek with a references to Edward Hopper's paintings such as "Early Sunday Morning", "Automat" and the iconic "Nighthawks". A somewhat humorous thread of violence, sex and tragedy features throughout.



Andy McCluskey explains the inspiration behind the video. "I was in New York for the first time in 20 years. I was feeling melancholy. It was -9 degrees, it was dark and I was on a street corner looking into an almost empty restaurant. How could I not be reminded of Edward Hopper's paintings?"

And OMD know what their fans want. Not only does the CD single include several remixes of "Night Café", it also collects many of the non-album b-sides from previous singles and features a brand new track, "Kill Me".

While the promotion cycle for previous single, "Dresden", has been completed, you can now download the remix of it which I produced for the band. I'm making it available for a limited time. It was a thrill to be asked to reswizzle the track. As a fan from the beginning, it is a career highlight for me.

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Dresden (Vinny Vero & Steve Migliore Remix) by vinnyvero

it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it

Boy George is a survivor. His ups and downs have been documented over many column inches over the years. Sadly, for the longest time, he was relegated to being some slightly reformed junkie who spent some time in the clink. Unfairly, his tremendous talent seems to have been glossed over by the sensationalism of his troubles.

Thankfully, it seems the gender bender extraordinaire has put that all behind him. He has slimmed down. He's sporting a lovely goatee. And he's back with "This Is What I Do", his first solo longplayer in eighteen (count 'em!) years. The first single from the album is "The King Of Everything" and it's an anthemic number which showcases his Bowie influences to fine effect.



But I still wonder, as many people must, what happened to the Culture Club album for which Mark Ronson was twiddling the knobs? And where did their 30th anniversary tour disappear to? Here's a clip of them performing "The War Song", a tune which George disowned for years, making a live appearance in concert about eighteen months ago in Dubai. Listen as they incorporate "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the middle of it.



The official tracklisting for "This Is What I Do" features the following tracks.

1. King Of Everything
2. Bigger Than War
3. Live Your Life
4. My God
5. It's Easy
6. Death Of Samantha
7. Any Road
8. My Star
9. Love And Danger
10. Nice And Slow
11. Play Me
12. Feel the Vibration

The elpee will hit the "shops" on October 28.