soul searching

With their promotion machine in motion, Depeche Mode are ready to drop the second single from "Delta Machine". "Soothe My Soul" is another in the Basildon boys' ever growing arsenal of stomp n' boogie blues numbers.



They certainly haven't lost their penchant for something slightly sleazy. And Dave's vocal gets more lascivious sounding with every new album. The chorus nearly borders on being joyous! A rare excursion into uplifting sonic territory for DM.

a little more conversation

Texas are back, Back, BACK! Sharleen Spiteri and co. are about to unleash "The Conversation", their eighth studio longplayer and their first one in eight years. It's also the collective's return since bandmember Ally McErlaine was hospitalized after he collapsed with a massive brain aneurysm in 2009.

Furthermore, "The Conversation" marks their departure from Universal where Texas spent their entire career. [PIAS] Recordings is their new home.

The first single from their forthcoming album is the title track. It's a dark, bluesy number almost hinting at their modest beginnings while still keeping the pop shine they developed during their



The tracklisting for the album include the following twelve tunes.

1. The Conversation
2. Dry Your Eyes
3. If This Isn’t Real
4. Detroit City
5. I Will Always
6. Talk About Love
7. Hid From The Light
8. Be True
9. Maybe I
10. Hearts Are Made To Stray
11. Big World
12. I Need Time

"The Converstaion" will hit the "shops" on May 20 in two configurations, the standard twelve track version and a two disc, deluxified edition with a bonus disc of live recordings of song from across the band's nearly twenty-five year career.

this girl is on fire

Thanks to a bit of geo blocking, those of us based in the USA were denied access to the video for "When I Was Your Girl" for nearly a week! Outrageous! Thankfully, we waiting patiently for it. Panic was held at bay.

Of course, the single is the first to be lifted from Alison Moyet's eighth solo longplayer, "The Minutes", even though a previous track, "Changeling", was leaked a couple of weeks ago as a little taster of things to come. Comparing the two tracks, it's easy to believe the album will features a wide variety of sounds.



Alison looks absolutely stunning. Such a gorgeous woman with a stunning voice. To these ears, the feeling, fire, emotion and passion of the song is reminiscent of her Jules Shear cover, "Whispering Your Name".

"The Minutes, which hits the "shops" on May 6, had its knobs twiddled by electronic master, Guy Sigsworth. This bodes well for the album as it puts Alison squarely back in the shoes she wore when she was one half of Yazoo in the early 80s, while still maintaining the singer/songwriter sound she started developing with "Hoodoo" and carried on through "Essex" and "Hometime". This is not a retro retread!

The following are the eleven songs that make up the entirety of "The Minutes".

1. Horizon Flame
2. Changeling
3. When I Was Your Girl
4. Apple Kisses
5. Right As Rain
6. Remind Yourself
7. Love Reign Supreme
8. A Place To Stay
9. Filigree
10. All Signs Of Life
11. Rung By The Tide

Hard to believe next year will mark the 30th anniversary of her solo elpee, "Alf".

Oh, my morning monkey.

This is a year of triumphant returns from many quarters. The Blow Monkeys just splashed their new video across the interwebs. The single, "Oh My", is the first taster from their forthcoming album, "Feels Like A New Morning".

It's a slinky groover that features a circular riff which runs around throughout the song while Dr. Robert ruminates about the pitfalls that come with the race for riches.



While it's closer to the slower, blue-eyed soul of breakthrough album "Animal Magic", the album is rumored to feature a few grittier, T. Rex inspired songs, a sound which dominated their debut "Limping For A Generation". Apparently, there are a couple of dance oriented tracks, but nothing as housed up as the Chicago flavored barnstormers they released toward the end of the 80s and in the early 90s.

"Oh My" will be released on April 1. "Feels Like A New Morning" will hit the "shops" on April 29.

British electric foundation

It was only a matter of time, with the expulsion of Parlophone when Universal devoured EMI, that Pet Shop Boys would find themselves a new home for their recordings. And that's exactly what they did recently.

After a staggering 29 year relationship with the iconic UK label, Neil and Chris have parted ways with them and signed a deal with the ever-growing Kobalt Label Services. Such a sexy name, n'est-ce pas? It sounds like they are signed to an insurance company or a car manufacturer. Still, PSB have not had much luck with Parlophone over the last half-decade even in the face of career defining albums like "Yes".

Having just released "Elysium", their eleventh longplayer, only six months ago, ver Boys are on track to release their twelfth elpee, the suitably titled "Electric", this June. And by the sound of the snippet below, it's an electronic album with splashes of Giorgio Moroder, nu disco and trance. An update on the sound that made them popular nearly 30 (*cough*) years ago.

Certainly, it's more dance friendly than its mellowed out predecessor. This should be music to their fans' ears who, in general, found "Elysium" to be rather dull. Personally, I grew to love it after only a handful of listens. It was refreshing to hear PSB wrap themselves in a slightly different sonic soundscape.

Produced by electronic wunderkind, Stuart Price, "Electric" will be accompanied by a tour which is sure to feature quite a few tunes from the album, as well as a helping of songs from "Elysium". Here's a little taster of what to expect from the forthcoming PSB longplayer.

metropolis on top of us

OMD have just unleashed the official video for "Metroland", the first single plucked from their forthcoming longplayer "English Electric". It's another beautifully animated clip which, like the previous one for "Atomic Ranch", seems to honor or, perhaps, vilify life in suburbia. Let's take a peek.



The digital bundle of "Metroland" features the full length version alongside a radio edit, four remixes and a non-album b-side. More bang for your buck! The single hits the "shops" on March 25. The tracklisting includes the following:

1. Metroland
2. The Great White Silence
3. Metroland (Radio Edit)
4. Metroland (Manhattan Clique Remix)
5. Metroland (Appropriately remixed by Metroland)
6. Metroland (Jonteknik Remix)
7. Metroland (Roger Erickson Remix)

A plus

Nearly ten years after her last album, and a staggering 27 years since she released an elpee of original material, Agnetha Fältskog breaks her long silence with "A", her fifth English language.



She still looks gorgeous! A bit too much photoshop on the sleeve. Still, her beauty radiates and her voice melts my heart. The album was produced by Jörgen Elofsson who has worked with Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Westlife. It also feature a duet with UK "X Factor" man of the moment and Take That tunesmith Gary Barlow.

The first single to be plucked from the album is "When You Really Loved Someone", a sumptuous ballad with sweeping strings and soaring chorus.



A video has been lensed for it which features Agnetha singing on the stage at Ulriksdals Palace in Stockholm. Her performance is intercut with flashbacks of an actress, playing a young Agnetha, and her love interest. Scenes of unabashed teenage love and its ensuing drama set the scene for Agnetha's memories.



"When You Really Loved Someone" is available from all fine digital retailers worldwide with the exception of Germany which decided to release "The One Who Loves You Now".



A little advice to interviews during Agnetha's promotion activities. Please don't ask her about an ABBA reunion. The answer hasn't changed.