the new Jarvis Cocker single...

...is fucking FANTASTIC. I mean really, really good. And it's produced by Steve Albini.

LOOK AT THAT SLEEVE! SO GOOD.

I didn't care much for his first solo album, but based on this 'Further Complications' can't come fast enough.

new Kasabian stuff

Kasabian's third LP is finally on its way to us, a bit later than expected. That's the album artwork - I'm not too keen on it. The nod to the first LP's masked man is nice, but I find it a bit busy and the choice of red for their logo buries it a bit. Sad - I was a big fan of the art for both previous campaigns.

"Vlad the Impaler" was available for download from the official site a while back but is gone now. [You can find it if you look not too hard.] It wasn't as immediate as previous lead singles, however with some time it has proven to be a grower.

The video for the first "proper" single "Fire" is available to view at their website. I like it, but it is not at all what I was expecting. Not a bad thing, and now I have no idea what to expect from the album. Exciting.

Single on June 1st - no tracklisting yet, but please give us a Jagz Kooner mix - and album in mid-June. Supposedly the US release will be the day following the UK release, but we'll see.

Personally, I can't wait. Hopefully it won't be a disappointment like most of the rest of 2009 has been so far.

box sets done right: Girls Aloud

Say what you will about Girls Aloud, but it appears that they know how to take care of their [admittedly insanely obsessed] fans.

Just announced through their website, a limited edition of 5000 copies box set of all of their singles. Each single comes backed with every b-side from every format - physical, digital, CD, vinyl, doesn't matter, it's there. On top of that, stray compilation remixes get partnered with their appropriate single and random tracks that were on the best of bonus disc are with their parent single. We're talking everything here - if there was an edit version, full length, and dub version of a given remix, it's in here. Amazing. It'll run ya about $100 US, but some of us are crazy enough to fork it over. Ahem. [It's an instant collectors item so I will have no problem unloading it should I suffer from buyers remorse and/or decide I don't need a zillion remixes of "The Promise".]

The only downside is it does contain their abysmal cover of "Walk This Way" with the Sugababes from a few years ago, so I do finally have to buy that. Boo! [Though completist points for including it. Well played, girls.]

All packaged in a nice metal box too. Much easier than trying to track down a gazillion out of print CD singles and poor bitrate mp3s. Huzzah!

update: So it turns out there are a few things missing - the Jeremy Wheatley "Can't Speak French" for one. However, overall they did a better job than most compiling it and in this day and age that's good enough. Not letting us know when we ordered it that it's not shipping until the end of June - that's 2 months away! - when they've already charged us for it was a bit nasty, but there you have it.

single formatting done right: "Did you see me coming?"

So.

The official Pet Shop Boys site says "Did you see me coming?" is being released on June 1st on the following formats:


2-track CD
1. Did you see me coming?
2. After the event
Maxi CD
1. Did you see me coming? (PSB 12" mix)
2. The former enfant terrible
3. Up and down
12” Vinyl
1A Did you see me coming? (PSB 12” mix)
1B Did you see me coming? (Unicorn Kid mix)
2 The way it used to be (Richard X mix)
Digital Bundle 1
1. Did you see me coming?
2. Pet Shop Boys Brits medley
Digital Bundle 2
1. Did you see me coming? (Unicorn Kid mix)
2. The way it used to be (Richard X mix)
Digital Bundle 3
1. Did you see me coming? (PSB 12” mix)
2. The former enfant terrible (Bring it on mix)

Nice tracklist there. A Richard X mix of something was on my wishlist when talking about potential remixers with "the boys" and I rarely get my wish, so that's nice. Three new b-sides is also a treat, and a 12" format this time makes me super happy. All of this almost makes up for the second single not being "All over the world".

However.

I'm over these digital exclusive tracks. And that had better not be the artwork on the official site because it is fucking ugly. Oh well. It's more right than "Love etc." was, so I'll give them that.

record poor day

Today was the second annual Record Store Day...and I did not enjoy it one bit.

Mostly because neither store I went to had any of the Breeders handscreened 'Fate to Fatal' EPs - the physical format only available on this day at stores participating, supposedly - and now I have to settle for a digital copy come Tuesday from stupid iTunes.

It also didn't help that everyone was very pushy today - I was actually pushed out of the way of a box of records. OK, not very hard, but still...really?

And to top all of that off, I'm not at Coachella dancing in the desert to Hercules & Love Affair.

:(

I love it when you take me in the white

Going into 2009, there were three albums above all others that I was most excited for. The Super Furry Animals album totally fucking tanked and broke my heart. The new Pet Shop Boys album is all kinds of amazing and is on constant play in my car. Of the third - and possibly my most anticipated - Charlotte Hatherley's 'Cinnabar City' we had heard very little.

Until now.

Skope Mag has hooked us up with a free download of the album's first single, "White". It's an indie-guitar-disco-glitterball covered masterpiece and generally makes 2009 a better place. Head on over to grab your copy and be prepared to have it on repeat for days.

We're also apparently getting a proper US release and tour for this one which has me all kinds of excited. Bring it.

a reissue I can get behind

FINALLY - the US remix of 'Rio' is getting an official CD release.

Posted on Duran Duran's myspace - and I'm sure other places:

Mining the DD catalogue, EMI will be releasing two gems on June 29th (UK)/June 30th (US): The DVD/CD DURAN DURAN – LIVE HAMMERSMITH ‘82! and DURAN DURAN: RIO (2 CD SPECIAL EDITION).


LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH 82! is a much anticipated release among followers of the band. Filmed and recorded in the latter part of 1982 as Duranmania was sweeping England, the performance at London’s Hammersmith Odeon includes “Rio,” “Hungry like the Wolf,” “Girls on Film,” fan favorite “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)” and more. The release also includes “Rio” era videos and two “Top of the Pops” performances.


The RIO 2 CD SPECIAL EDITION is made up of the UK release of the “Rio” album, the original US Harvest album remixes (enabling US listens to programme their CD to be able to listen to the original version), Manchester Square demos, B-Sides, remixes and other surprises.


Full track listing for both releases below.
Keep checking back to Duranduran.com for more information!

DVD/CD: Duran Duran – Live Hammersmith '82!
DVD:
Live at Hammersmith ’82:-
Rio
Hungry Like The Wolf
Night Boat
New Religion
Save A Prayer
Planet Earth
Friends Of Mine
Careless Memories
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)
Girls On Film
Rio era videos:-
My Own Way
Hungry Like The Wolf
Save A Prayer
Lonely In Your Nightmare
Rio
The Chauffeur
Top Of The Pops Performances:-
Hungry Like The Wolf (May 13th, 1982)
Rio (November 18th, 1982)

Duran Duran: Rio (2 CD Special Edition)
CD 1:
Original UK album
1/ Rio
2/ My Own Way
3/ Lonely In Your Nightmare
4/ Hungry Like The Wolf
5/ Hold Back The Rain
6/ New Religion
7/ Last Chance On The Stairway
8/ Save A Prayer
9/ The Chauffeur
Original US album mixes released on Harvest/Capitol ST-12211 released November 1982
10/Rio (US album remix)
11/My Own Way (Carnival remix)
12/Lonely In Your Nightmare (US album remix)
13/Hungry Like The Wolf (US album remix)
14/Hold Back The Rain (US album remix)

This enables the US listener to programme their CD to play the original US version of the album.


CD 2:
The Manchester Square demos (recorded 28th August 1981):
1/ Last Chance On The Stairway
2/ My Own Way
3/ New Religion
4/ Like An Angel
Non album singles and B-Sides:
5/ My Own Way (original 7” version) (3.39)
6/ Like An Angel
UK single B side
7/ Careless Memories (live)
UK single B side
8/ The Chauffeur (Blue Silver) (early version)
UK single B side
Versions & Mixes:
9/ My Own Way (Night version)
UK 12" single
10/Hungry Like The Wolf (Night version)
UK 12" single
11/ Rio (Night version)
Dutch 12" Carnival E.P
12/New Religion (Carnival remix)
Japanese 12" Carnival E.P.

13/Hold Back The Rain (Carnival remix)
US 12" Carnival E.P.


Digital only extras:
14/My Own Way (Instrumental version) (6.32)
15/Hold Back The Rain (Alternate remix) (6.38)

--

Digital only extras? Boo! I'll wait for a price point to make a call on the live package but I need the 2-disc 'Rio' in my hands yesterday. Maybe they'll follow these up with sets for 'Seven and the Ragged Tiger' and 'Notorious'. Please?

wrong!

The physical CD formats of Depeche Mode's "Wrong" will also apparently be released in cardsleeves.

Fuckers.