Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Blondie- Necessary Evil

'Necessary Evil', scheduled for release in September 2007, is Deborah Harry's fifth solo album. It includes 17 tracks, including the first single "Two Times Blue", released on iTunes June 6, 2007. The album has already been released in the UK. It will be released in the USA on October 9, 2007.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Instant Hit: Figures On The Beach- Paris

"Paris" is one of the outstanding tracks by the American band Figures on the Beach. They started as Detroit pioneers but changed their style a bit after moving to Boston. There released three singles and two albums. "Paris" is taken from their second album Standing on Ceremony released in 1987.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Siouxsie Sioux- MantaRay

Siouxsie Sioux, the iconic frontwoman of both The Siouxsie & The Banshees and The Creatures, has made a solo comeback with her new album, 'MantaRay.' This release marks her return to the music scene after an illustrious thirty-year career. The album has already been released in the UK under Universal Records, with the US release scheduled for October 2, 2007. 
The album gained positive reviews from music critics, including Pichfork Media. The first single fom the album is "Into A Swan" and it was released three weeks before the album release.




Saturday, September 22, 2007

Alison Statton

Alison Statton was a member of the English Post Punk group Young Marble Giants. Best known for her feather light charming voice she was involved in several music projects in the early and late 80’s including Weekend and Young Marble Giants.

Source: Wikimedia commons

Cardiff-born singer Alison Statton's first group, Young Marble Giants, lit and carried a bright torch for the lo-fi indie scene that would flourish in the '90s It was one of the quirkiest and most idiosyncratic groups to emerge from the UK independent scene. YMG were New Wave more in strategy than in sound, subverting conventional pop/rock methods by stripping both song construction and instrumentation down to its essence. A reverberant funky bass, a shrill organ, short choppy bursts of guitar, a softly ticking drum machine - this was all the trio needed. Their haunting, spacious sound was made both more intimate and foreboding by Alison's dispassionate, almost neutral vocals. During the YMG period, they released only one single "Final Day" in 1980.

Her subsequent group, the coolly jazz-inflected Weekend, anticipated the suave cocktail pop that Everything but the Girl, Sade and others would popularize. Their sole album, 'La Variete', appeared in 1982, and was followed by the EP 'Live At Ronnie Scots', recorded in March 1983 by which time the project had run its course. Simon Booth went on to form Working Week, while Alison and Spike quit London and returned to South Wales, where they continued to write as a duo. After the end of Weekend, Statton she took an extended break from music, went back to university, but re-emerged near the end of the '80s in a duo with Manchester guitarist/songwriter Ian Devine (ex-Ludus). The pair made two albums of spare, Celtic-flecked folk-pop, covering tunes by New Order ("Bizarre Love Triangle" on The Prince of Wales) and Crystal Gayle ("Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" on Cardiffians) in the process. Throughout the '90s, she released a batch of recordings with Weekend's Spike as Alison Statton & Spike.

Today professional and family commitments mean that neither Alison nor Spike can commit to music full time. Alison trained as a chiropractor, and now has her own practice in Wales, while Spike once again lives in London. Thankfully, however, the duo continue to work on that elusive third album.

http://www.ltmpub.freeserve.co.uk//

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Duran Duran- Falling Down

"Falling Down" is the first single from Duran Duran's album 'Red Carpet Massacre' which is due to be sent to radio on September 25, 2007. It is a solid and radio friendly song with laid back atmosphere that reminds of some old Duran Duran Duran songs like "The Chauffeur" and "Save A Prayer". Nothing new, the usual pop sound with more or less chart potential. Check the link!



Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Instant Hit: Dead Or Alive- The Stranger

"The Stranger" marked Dead or Alive's third single release and their debut for Black Eyes Records in 1982. Unlike the sound that later brought the band worldwide success, this track diverged into tribal post-punk territory, characterized by dark tones and gloomy vibes. The B-side of the single was "Some of That."

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Leisure Process

Leisure Process was a short lived New Wave duo comprised of sax player Gary Barnacle and singer Ross Middleton. Gary Barnacle was a saxophonist and brass instrument arranger primarily noted for session work, during the 1980's, with a large number of popular music acts including Kim Wilde, Visage, Dalek I Love You and Level 42. Ross Middleton was a member of the UK outfit Positive Noise before he teamed up with Barnacle.

Together they formed Leisure Process in 1981. Leisure Process was produced by Marin Rushent and it released several singles in 1982 and 1983 but never managed to record an album. Even though they provided similar sound to some of the popular groups at that time, they remained as an 80’s obscurity. Their sound was a synthetic with Middleton’s manic vocals and Barnacle’s excellent sax solos. At some points it reminded of Human League especially when you compare “Love Action” with “Love Cascade”.

After working with a line up of great artists Barnacle released a solo album Paradise in 2002.Here are some acts for whom Barnacle has contributed session work.
M-"Pop Muzik" (1979)
Positive Noise- Heart Of Darkness (1981)
Kim Wilde- Kim Wilde- "2 6 5 8 0" (1981)
Level 42-Level 42- "Heathrow" (1981)
The Clash- Combat Rock- "Sean Flynn" (1982)
Visage-"Night Train" (1982)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions- "Party Party" (1982)
Kim Wilde- Select- "Action City" (1982)
Visage – The Anvil (1982)
Kim Wilde- Catch As Catch Can- "Love Blonde" (1983)
Dalek I Love You- Dalek I Love You- "Lust", "12 Hours of Blues" (1983)
Soft Cell- This Last Night In Sodom (1984)
Lloyd Cole & The Commotions- Lost Weekend- "Lost Weekend" (1985)
The Damned- Phantasmagoria (1985)
The Dream Academy- The Dream Academy- "The Edge of Forever" (1985)
Level 42- World Machine (1985)
David Bowie- "Absolute Beginners" (1986)
Pet Shop Boys- Disco- "Suburbia" (1986)
Erasure- Wonderland- "Pistol" (1986)
Swing Out Sister- It’s Better To Travel (1987)
The Communards- Red- "For A Friend" (1987)
Level 42- Running in The Family- "Lessons in Love" (1987)
Rick Astley- Hold Me In Your Arms (1988)
Karel Fialka- Human Animal (1988)
Paul Hardcastle- No Winners- "Walk on the Light" (1988)
Hothouse Flowers- People (1988)
The Jeremy Days- The Jermey Days (1988)
Yazz – Wanted- "Fine Time" (1988)
The Beautiful South- Welcome To The Beautiful South (1989)
Bjork- Debut (1993)


Thursday, September 13, 2007

Annie Lennox- Songs of Mass Destruction

'Songs of Mass Destruction' is the title of the fourth studio album by Annie Lennox. The release date is currently scheduled for October 1, 2007, in the UK and October 2, 2007, in the US.
On August 15, 2007, the first single, "Dark Road", appeared on Annie Lennox's MySpace page. "Dark Road" will be released on September 24, and the second single "Sing" will be released on December 3, 2007.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Instant Hit: Kuruku- Just A Cat

Kuruki, a minimal wave project, emerged as a collaboration between Ghent-based musician Gerry D'Haeyer and Alain Bureau. The Belgian duo left a mark in the music scene with several singles and an LP during the early 1980's. Among their notable releases, "Just a Cat" stands out as their powerful and catchy second single, hitting the airwaves in 1983. The track showcased Kuruki's ability to create compelling and memorable sounds within the minimal wave genre during that era.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

The Beloved

The Beloved was a British music group which was formed in the mid 80’s. Before becoming the Beloved they went under the name The Journey Through which symbolically represented the musical journey which will follow throughout the years by transforming their sound from Post Punk psychedelia to electro pop.

In 1983, Jon Marsh placed an advert in the music press which read as follows:
"I am Jon Marsh, founder member of the Beloved. Should you too wish to do something gorgeous, meet me in exactly three year's time at exactly 11am in Diana's Diner, or site thereof, Covent Garden, London, WC2."
At the meeting in 1986, Cambridge (Jesus, mathematics) graduate Steve Waddington was present and the two formed the core, with Tim Havard and Guy Gousden completing the lineup. In 1986, the Beloved issued their first single, "A Hundred Words" a series of releases (including the EP 'Happy Now', the double A-sided single "Surprise Me"/"Forever Dancing" and the 1987 compilations
 'Where It Is' followed, but none garnered any significant critical or commercial success. Consequently, Gousden and Havard exited in 1987.
By 1993, Waddington left the group and was replaced by Jon Marsh's wife Helena, who was working as a purchaser for the Parisian fashion house Comme des Garçons, for the album Conscience. The band faced some controversy for the video of the single "Sweet Harmony" which consisted of a naked Marsh among a group of women, also naked (although it was shot and edited so as not to show anything which might cause it to be censored).After another three-year absence, they released X, a foray back into club culture.

Beloved's singles continue to be remixed and the band has not been formally wound up, but Jon Marsh has for some ten years been concentrating on his flourishing career as a club dj, as well as the raising of his young family. However, a new collaboration with Steve Waddington is reportedly in the works, and the Beloved has plans for a new album release some time in 2007.

The line up changes:
1984 -1987:
Jon Marsh - Steve Waddington - Tim Harvard - Guy Gausden

1987 - 1990:
Jon Marsh - Steve Waddington

1992 - ... :
Jon Marsh - Helena Marsh
The source:
http://www.thebeloved.com/

Monday, September 3, 2007

Instant Hit: Solid Space- A Darkness In My Soul

Solid Space was a brief yet influential British act that released a seminal album in the early 1980s. Their music can be described as catchy, well-composed, intergalactic DIY bedroom pop. One of their standout tracks is "A Darkness in my Soul." Despite their short-lived tenure, their album has left a lasting impact and was reissued thirty years after its original release, marking its first appearance on CD. In 2010, the song was covered by Led Er Est, further showcasing its enduring appeal. Fans can find support for this artist on their Facebook page.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Intaferon

Intaferon were an English Pop/rock duo consisting of Simon Fellowes and Simon Gillham. They were signed to Chrysalis Records. The duo are best known for “Get Out of London”. They released two more singles ("Steamhammer Sam" and "Baby Pain"), but never released an album. Their song, "Get Out of London" was featured in the 2001 Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movie Winning London. Singles were often featured on the channel four show 'Max Headroom'



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