right

We're only getting started and - unsurprisingly - the new Depeche Mode album is already a formatting nightmare. [Is anyone else more ridiculous with their formats? I mean really...]

But hark, what's this? They announced formats for the 'Wrong' single, and there's only three of them! And on top of that, their configured in a way that makes some sort of logical sense:

7" - BONG 40
A. Wrong
B. Oh Well

CD1 - CDBONG 40
1. Wrong
2. Oh Well (Black Light Odyssey Remix)

CD2 - Maxi - LCDBONG 40
1. Wrong
2. Wrong - Trentemøller Club Remix
3. Wrong - Thin White Duke Remix
4. Wrong - Magda's Scallop Funk Mix
5. Wrong - D.I.M. vs Boys Noise Remix

I fully expect two or three 12"s with extentions, dubs and repeat mixes to be announced in the next week or so - don't quote me on this one, but I'm pretty sure every Depeche Mode single since 'Just Can't Get Enough' has had a 12" release - but as of right now I'm perfectly content pretending that they're not being ridiculous this time around.

Please don't let the 7" be a picture disc like the last album.

I'm so obsessed with this record it's starting to scare even me

Lots more "Yes"-related stuff lately, let's see...

Most importantly, they've put up 30 second samples of each track at iTunes UK. You don't need to be in the UK to listen to em, just go to the iTunes shop home page and then switch countries at the bottom of the screen. You can't buy it, but you can listen. And it sounds yummy.

Two. You can download their remix of Lady Gaga's 'Eh Eh [Nothing I Can Say]' thanks to Aol.co.uk. Honestly, I've grabbed it but haven't bothered listening to it yet, so let me know how it is.

Three. The Boys performed a massive 9 1/2 minute medley of the hits last night at the Brits - including parts of 'Love etc' and now-all-but-confirmed-second-single 'All over the world'. With MASSIVE Nutcracker Suite sample. Fantastic. My favorite part is about a third of the way in where they put the vocals from 'Go West' over the backing track of 'Paninaro'. Amazing. It's all over youtube, or right here:



The Brandon Flowers and Lady Gaga cameos were a bit pointless, but it's still fantastic. I was kind of hoping an audio of it might end up on a future b-side, but apparently it's the bonus track for pre-ordering the album from iTunes UK. So phooey.

Four. Umm..there was something else. Oh yes. You can pre order the album officially now at Amazon.co.uk and Recordstore.co.uk - the latter also has a bundle deal for the 2 'Love etc' CDs for 3.50. A steal. Still no vinyl formats listed anywhere for the album OR single. Double phooey. Please don't disappoint me on this one.

Five. They've announced two shows in London this summer, but that's it so far. US tour, yes? [I suppose we should nail down a US release first...] I'm expecting to travel to see them, but London might be a bit far.

Six. I'm listening to each album and its Further Listening disc in chronological order ahead of the actual album, hopeing it might help me forget we still have over a month to wait. Which means two things: one, I need to compile my own Further Listening discs for "Nightlife", "Release" and "Funtamental"; and two, I can decide once and for all if "Release" is the least best Pet Shop Boys album. [Hint: it is.] At the very least, I can finally decide of "Actually" or "Behaviour" is the most best. [Hint: it's "Actually".] Done and done.

I always forget how good "Please" is - especially the second half.

hott

That is the cover of the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, entitled "It's Blitz". It is due for release on April 14th in the US.

But that's not important as I'm willing to bet the music will in no way do that fucking HOTT artwork justice. [The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are fine, don't get me wrong, but I never really understood why everyone made such a huge deal about them.]

The single is pretty decent - various places have it streaming, like their myspace - so maybe they'll prove me wrong. I kind of doubt it, but maybe. Stranger things have happened.

But seriously. Album art of the year so far - yes, even over "Yes"...ok, well maybe tied with "Yes". De-licious.

like you didn't see this coming

Surprise, surprise - Ms. Repackage and Resell herself has a new box set coming out. From Björk.com:

Voltaic

We are announcing Voltaic, the celebration of Volta and the Volta live show. The release will consist of various live recordings from Paris and Reykjavik. The live set was also recorded in a studio in London, which will undoubtedly give us some rare glimpse into the development of the live set.

The release will be availble as Standard, Deluxe and Deluxe Vinyl.

Björk did document the tour extensively and now we will be able to enjoy this work in a new light and new sound.

DISC ONE (AUDIO) Songs From The Volta Tour Performed Live At Olympic Studios
DISC TWO (DVD) The Volta Tour Live In Paris, Live in Reykjavik
DISC THREE (DVD) The Volta Videos and the video competition
DISC FOUR (CD) The Volta Mixes.

We will have more on this release very soon as we are building our special.
A pre order link is on its way! And here is Pre Order

Release date is yet to be confirmed. we predict March! :).

--

Action Records lists the release date as March 3 on their pre-order list, but who knows - it could be anything with her.

I'm actually quite excited for this - I never bought any of those fucking singles box sets as they were way too pricey and super excessive, even for her. Now, here they all are in one nice little package - with stuff not available in the original pressings - for the price of one of them. Come on...you knew it was going to happen!

The live DVD is exciting too - I skipped out on this tour so it'll be nice to have a document of it. As disappointing as "Volta" was, it had her strongest string of singles in ages - outside of the weak 'Declare Independence', of course - and had some great mixes backing them up. It's on the "to buy" list.

ahh yes...but mostly, no

So.

Pet Shop Boys finally released format information for 'Love etc.' via their website, and this is what we'll be getting come March 16th:

CD1
1. Love etc.
2. Gin and Jag

CD2
1. Love etc. (Album version)
2. Love etc. (Pet Shop Boys mix)
3. Love etc. (Gui Boratto remix)
4. Love etc. (Kurd Maverick remix)
5. Love etc. (Frankmusik Star & Garter dub)
6. Love etc. (Kurd Maverick dub)

Digital Bundle 1
1. Love etc.
2. We're all criminals now
3. Vulnerable
4. Did you see me coming?

Digital Bundle 2
1. Love etc. (Pet Shop Boys mix)
2. Love etc. (Gui Boratto remix)
3. Love etc. (Kurd Maverick remix)
4. Love etc. (Frankmusik Star & Garter dub)

Two things.

One - a digital only proper b-side? No.

Two - no vinyl format? I want - nay, need - a 12" format with the artwork in all its minimal glory to hang on the wall next to the LP of "Yes". They had so better be forgetting to have listed one - with 'We're all criminals now', please - or I'm gonna be a bit upset.

They learned from the mistake of not releasing a commercial remix format for 'I'm with Stupid', but they've replaced it with a new mistake.

:(

fantastic

I know I'm late to the game, but I'm all about La Roux at the moment. New single 'In For The Kill' is a bit OTT, she howls more than sings the lyrics and there's a lot going on all at once that makes it a but sensory overload - and it's all the more fantastic for it.

Anyways, according to recordstore.co.uk, it is going to be released on a 2-track CD [yawn..] and - wait for a it - a shaped picture disc 12".

It's 1985 all over again, and I fucking love it.

new Bishop Allen up for pre-order

I suppose the subject says it all...

Bishop Allen's third LP "Grr..." is up for pre-order from their website. If you order it from them - which you should - it will be shipped to you for it's March 10th release date AND you will get emailed a download link a week prior on March 3rd. They did that with their last album as well, which is always nice. Hooray!

They've also posted 2 mp3s on their website from the album to tide you over even until then - album opener 'Dimmer' as well as 'The Ancient Commonsense of Things'. Both are, of course, completely charming in that Bishop Allen way, and both bode well for the LP.

However, there's no LP pressing this time. Sad. :(

just not sure

So the new Saturdays single is going to be a cover of Depeche Mode's 'Just Can't Get Enough' - a song which, let's be honest, is the perfect candidate for a hi-NRG girl group make over. It's not exactly the most subtle thing in the Depeche Mode back catalogue, now is it?

Anyways, the video is out there now and it looks and sound something like this:



Hrm. I guess in theory that's the perfect cover version, but I just can't make up my mind about it. I don't think it'll be getting much play from me, but it could be a very very good thing for the girls. We'll see.

oh Christ

Good news - Elbow is coming to the US for a summer tour!

Super bad news - they're fucking opening for motherfucking Coldplay.

Dammit. I really don't want to have to fight to spend who knows how much money on Coldplay tickets to see Elbow, but I might just have to. It's been almost 8 years since I last saw them, and they are doing the Toronto date, so....

Is it worth it?





Probably.

*sigh* We'll have to see.

they don't make them like this any more

"In the future, all this will be yours - so do what you like.
You'll be dead and gone before you find out how it works."

Fucking. Brilliant. I'd say I miss them - which I do - but if they did anything more than they did, it would've ruined the whole impact.

*sigh*

it's nice

Hrm.

update : After a few listens, I quite like it. Not the stormer I was expecting from a PSB/Xenomania collab - then again, if I was really paying attention to 'The Loving Kind', it would've been exactly what I was expecting - but it's quite good. I think the PSB Maxi-mix is going to be a stunner and I can't wait to hear what other remixers do with it. It bodes well for the LP, that's for sure - my knee-jerk reaction is what this is what "Release" should've been. Pbbbt.

update 2: So - not surprisingly - 'Love, etc.' is gone from YouTube today. Hope you enjoyed it while you could. Above is the supposed artwork in it's place. LOVELY!

something I don't understand

Maybe someone can help me out here.

So Saint Etienne apparently "want a Top 40" hit with their new single 'Method of Modern Love' - which is fab and, with the right push, probably could do it. Maybe, I don't know...the last single was apparently somewhere around 167 according to Wikipedia, so maybe not.

Anyways.

To help further their cause, they limited each physical format to 1500 copies. OK, physical sales aren't really where it's at anymore as much as it pains me to admit that. However, they've then limited sales of the physical formats to UK residents only. That's where I'm lost.

It was never my understanding that records sold in the UK but shipping to non-UK addresses didn't count towards the charts. I know that vendors have to participate in order for their sales to count towards the charts - which by itself kind of makes the charts seem silly as it's not really capturing every sale, but that's neither here nor there - and that there are legalities that make downloads unavailable outside their country of origin. Fine, I get it. However, how does me living in the US not count if I bought it from a participating vendor?

It's frustrating as I'm still totally a format whore and want to support bands I like who continue to put out physical formats for us stuck in the '90s to collect. As I've said before, I'm not even a huge Saint Etienne fan - I own exactly one album, "Sound of Water" - but a pairing with Richard X for an incredible slice of electro pop makes me want to support them. And they're telling me I can't as they reach for the Top 40. Silly, silly Saint Etienne.

Yes, there will be an "export version at some point", but why are they putting themselves through extra costs to make a fourth [and possibly fifth] physical format when the first three should work just fine.

Can someone please explain this to me? No one else I've asked seems to know either.

yet another post about Elbow

Elbow are contributing a cover of *shudder* U2's 'Running To Stand Still' to the forthcoming War Child benefit album entitled "Heroes". It is out February 24th in the US [a week earlier in the UK, they always get the good stuff early] and you can pre-order it from Amazon for a very reasonable $13.99. The full tracklisting is:

1. Beck (Bob Dylan - "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat")

2. The Kooks (The Kinks - "Victoria")

3. The Hold Steady (Bruce Springsteen - "Atlantic City")

4. Hot Chip (Joy Division - "Transmission")

5. Lily Allen feat. Mick Jones (The Clash - "Straight To Hell")

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (The Ramones - "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker")

7. Franz Ferdinand (Blondie - "Call Me")

8. Duffy (Paul McCartney - "Live And Let Die")

9. Estelle (Stevie Wonder - "Superstition")

10. Rufus Wainwright (Brian Wilson -" Wonderful & Song For Children")

11. Scissor Sisters (Roxy Music - "Do The Strand")

12. Peaches (Iggy Pop - "Search And Destroy")

13. Adam Cohen (Leonard Cohen - "Take This Waltz")

14. Elbow (U2 - "Running To Stand Still")

15. The Like (Elvis Costello - "You Belong To Me")

16. TV On The Radio (David Bowie - "Heroes")

An interesting mix, with Elbow being the biggest draw for me - but I'm also in for Hot Chip vs Joy Division and Lily Allen vs The Clash. The rest I could take or leave - and, really, I never got the big deal about 'Running To Stand Still' - but it's Elbow and it's for a good cause, so we're all buying it. Right?

A sneak peak:



Beautiful.



Also beautiful.

you could have it all

I have no idea how I missed this one.

Kaiser Chiefs and Girls Aloud performing a live medley of 'Never Miss A Beat' and 'Sound of the Underground'?



A-mazing.