with or without you

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.