New Music: You Remind Me That I'm Dying (And That It's Good To Be Alive)

          

The Big Moon have shared the single "You Remind Me That I’m Dying (and that it's good to be alive)," taken from their fourth album Forever. It is a title that sits at the center of a record about what’s left once you’ve ticked off the big milestones and come to understand how fragile life is. Back in 2024 Jackson was diagnosed with a cholesteatoma, a benign but destructive cyst inside the eardrum that has to be removed with surgery. "I permanently lost most of the hearing on one side, which was pretty much existential, because writing songs is my job and my identity," she says. She kept writing anyway but struggled. "I couldn’t hear properly, everything sounded out of tune and I was just struggling to find a point at all, just writing these miserable songs I couldn’t really hear." The way out was to change her outlook completely and write towards “a happy ending that didn’t exist yet.” As Jackson puts it: “I just decided to write songs for this imaginary time, one or two years in the future, when I would be all healed and happy again. I didn’t know if I would ever get to that point but, by projecting and almost tricking myself into it, it actually became a really nice way of writing.” The video has been edited by James Hankins

New Music: Much Love

           

The British indie band Editors have shared their new single "Much Love" alongside a music video. The song features on their new album "Surface, Echo & Sound" out yesterday,  Following on from 2022’s EBM, a collaboration with electronic producer Benjamin John Power, aka Blanck Mass, on Surface, Echo & Sound, Editors have found themselves somewhere new entirely.The band wanted to do something brand new and never afraid to musically explore different shades and colours, and this track is a vivid proof of that. The video was shot by the band’s guitarist Justin Lockey in the studio in Bogota, Colombia

Rocktrospectiva: Fastway's "Trick Or Treat Soundtrack" Turns 40

 

Released on 31 October 1986, a week after the released of the film "Trick Or Treat" it was the 4th., studio album by the Heavy Metal band Fastway and the soundtrack to the heavy metal horror film. The album spawned the single "After Midnight".

 

It was the final Fastway album to feature Dave King on vocals, and is considered to this date, one of the most influential and compelling heavy metal albums ever released to date. 

 

Trick Or Treat Soundtrack Track List: 

 

1. Trick Or Treat

2. After Midnight

3. Don't Stop The Fight

4. Stand Uo

5. Tear Down The Walls

6. Get Tough

7. Hold On To The Night

8. Heft (Originally released on the album Fastway)

9. If You Could See (Originallu released on the album All Fired Up)

New Music: Young And Dumb

           

Everything But The Girl have announced their eleventh studio album, "Blue Reservoir" and shares the album's first single, "Young and Dumb", is out now alongside an accompanying music video directed by Edward Bishop 

News: Everything But The Girl Announces New Album

Everything But The Girl, have announced their eleventh studio album, "Blue Reservoir". And is set for release on 19th February 2027 via Buzzin’ Fly/Virgin Music Group, the album's first single, "Young and Dumb", is out now alongside an accompanying music video directed by Edward Bishop.

The record follows 2023's "Fuse" and takes a more stripped-back, guitar-led approach, inspired by Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt’s return to live performance in 2025, including their sold-out residency at London’s MOTH Club.

"There was an intensity and simplicity to the MOTH shows that took us back to how we started out," shared Thorn. “Direct, rooted in guitar and voice, a few extra colours. We hadn’t been in that world for a long time and it just felt fresh and real.”

The experience also inspired Watt to buy a Spanish nylon-string guitar in January 2026, which became central to the album's writing process. Written in the following months, the 10-track release draws on Latin influences and British folk-blues, with lyrics exploring themes of memory and time.

‘Blue Reservoir’ was recorded largely live at London’s RAK Studios over 10 days in July 2026, with long-time collaborators Rex Horan on double bass and Evan Jenkins on drums, alongside Brazilian percussionist Fabio de Oliveira. The duo’s son, Blake Watt, also guests on two tracks.

The new album will be available on black and translucent blue vinyl, CD and Blu-ray featuring Dolby Atmos mixes, with the first 1,000 orders through the official store receiving a signed card. 

Rocktrospectiva: On Of The Darkest Albums Ever Released "Greetings From Timbuk 3" Turns 40

Released in October 1986 "Greetings From Timbuk 3" was the debut studio album by the US band Timbuk 3, the album spawned three singles, their only charting single, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades", which reached number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100, "Hairstyles And Attitudes" & "Life Is Hard".

Timbuk3 was the husband-and-wife duo of Pat and Barbara K. MacDonald, they were nominated for Best New Artist at the 1987 Grammy Awards but lost to Bruce Hornsby and the Range, this was in huge part cause the massive success by their hit single, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" an excellent track from that era that gets played for all the wrong reasons, many included in their proms parties but the truth is that Pat MacDonald wrote the song as a peppy take on an impending nuclear holocaust, the video also had a huge rotation on the MTV back then, the next track "Life Is Hard" — featuring a vaguely Western feel, reverb-heavy harmonica, and synthesized percussion that immediately reminds you the band Wall of Voodo,  not a bad tune, just a lot more understated.  "Hairstyles and Attitudes" a college-level creative writing assignment set to some semi-interesting music. 

"Facts About Cats" — Barbara, she’s got this weird sometimes and this track is proof of that. The arrangement breathes a little better and you’re not clobbered over the head with the subject matter.  "I Need You" a kinda of a love song althought it is a little bit sad, especially when you know that Pat and Barbara divorced in 1995. Here comes the politicial "Just Another Movie" this is one of the darkest songs on an album that isn’t all that cheery to begin with. "Friction" another lovely tune just like "I Need You", tought this seemed to be more elaborated with better melodies and some nice guitar playing.  “Cheap Black and White” and oftenly overlooked tune that had enought quality to be considered a single at the time,  

"Shame on You" — Barbara the singer gets the mic again for the longest track on the album.  Like most of the songs on Greetings From Timbuk3, "Shame on You" sports a decent arrangement but is undone by ham-fisted lyrics.  And finally "I Love You in the Strangest Way" — An interesting coda for the album, and pretty much the complete antithesis of their biggest and well-known hit featuring nothing more than Pat and Barbara’s vocals, an acoustic guitar, and a mandolin.  

Timbuk3 released four more studio LPs (and even became a quartet in 1991), an EP, and a live disc before calling it quits in 1995.  The breakup coincided with Pat and Barbara’s divorce, the album has gained a cult following since their heyday and its considered one of the most darkest albums ever to have yielded a hit single.

Greetings From Timbuk 3: 

 

1. The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades  

2. Life Is Hard

3. Hairstyles And Attitudes

4. Facts ABout Cats

5. I Need You

6. Just Another Movie

7. Friction

8. Cheap Black & White

9. Shame On You

10. I Love You In The Strangest Way 

In Memoriam: Legendary Actor "Patrick Stewart" Dies Aged 86

 

 

The Yorkshire-born Shakespearean actor who became a global star as Jean-Luc Picard and Charles Xavier died at his home in Los Angeles, his family said.

Patrick Stewart, the British actor who spent decades in classical theatre before becoming one of the best-known faces in science fiction as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died at the age of 86, his family said on Thursday 

He died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles after "a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia", his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said. The statement said he had been surrounded by family and friends, music, prayer, tears and laughter, and spoke of an enduring reminder of his invincible grace. 

Stewart was born in 1940 in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. He spoke publicly about growing up with a father who was violent towards his mother, and later supported the domestic-violence charity Refuge. He trained as an actor and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s, where he spent much of the next two decades on stage.

His career took a huge changed in 1987 when Robert Justman, a producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation, saw him reading Shakespeare at a lecture at UCLA and brought him in to audition, against the doubts of the franchise's creator, Gene Roddenberry. Stewart won the part of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, expecting the series to last a single season. It ran for seven seasons and was followed by four films. Picard, a captain who preferred diplomacy to force, made Stewart a star well beyond the theatre; he returned to the role in the series Star Trek: Picard from 2020 to 2023.

Then from 2000 he also played Charles Xavier, the telepathic founder of the X-Men, in Bryan Singer’s X-Men and its sequels, up to James Mangold’s Logan in 2017. Stewart said he admired both Picard and Xavier for their morality, kindness and compassion, 

Stewart never left the theatre. He played Macbeth, toured his one-man version of A Christmas Carol, and appeared with his close friend Ian McKellen in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot in London and on Broadway. He was knighted in 2010 and published his memoir, Making It So, in 2023. 

He is survived by his wife, the singer Sunny Ozell, and his two children, Daniel and Sophie.

In Memoriam: The Berlin-Born Actress "Elke Sommers" Dies Aged 85

 

 

The Berlin-born actress who became one of the few German stars of 1960s Hollywood died in Los Angeles, three months after her husband. Sommer who became one of the few German stars of 1960s Hollywood, has died aged 85. She died of heart failure at her home in Los Angeles, the German newspaper Bild reported, citing close friends. She was days away from her 86th birthday 

Her death came three months after that of her husband, the German hotelier Wolf Walther, who died of cancer in the summer. 

Born as Elke Schletz in Berlin in 1940, the daughter of a Protestant pastor, and was evacuated with her family to Bavaria during the war. She grew up in Erlangen and trained as an interpreter, but in 1958, on holiday in Italy, she was crowned Miss Viareggio and spotted by the director Vittorio De Sica, then a string of Italian comedies followed.

Her gift for languages took her into English-language films. Her Hollywood breakthrough came in 1963 as Paul Newman's lover in The Prize, for which she shared the Golden Globe for most promising newcomer. A year later she played a maid suspected of a string of murders opposite Peter Sellers in A Shot in the Dark, the sequel to The Pink Panther

She went on to star alongside giants actors at the time such as James Garner and Dick Van Dyke in "The Art of Love" and Bob Hope in "Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number!," made two cult horror films with the Italian director Mario Bava, and appeared in the 1974 Agatha Christie adaptation And Then There Were None and the British comedy Carry On Behind. In all she made about 100 film and television appearances, and also worked as a singer, stage actor and painter, she used to signing her paintings E. Schwartz.

In the mid-1980s she became embroiled in a long-running feud with Zsa Zsa Gabor after they appeared together on the TV show Circus of the Stars; Sommer was eventually awarded $3.3m in damages for defamation. 

Her first marriage, to the US writer Joe Hyams, ended in divorce. She and Wolf Walther, together since 1989, married in Franconia in 1993; she had no children. The couple divided their time for years between the village of Marloffstein near Erlangen and Los Angeles. Her parents are buried in Marloffstein, where she is also wanted and is going to be laid to rest

New Music: Wings Of Love

            

Erasure have released the official video for ‘Wings of Love’, the first single from their upcoming twentieth studio album, “Radio!! Radio!!”, due out on March 12, 2027, via Mute. On ‘Wings of Love’, the duo revisit the synthpop language that shaped their early work, giving it a more reflective perspective. The production stays lean, with the melody carrying much of the song's weight as Bell sings about love, time and the lasting significance of the people who remain close to us. Concept on the video has been created by Victoria Topping Artist and Wobblylobster Studio, who turns the album artwork into a three-minute animated science-fiction story. Its narrative follows a familiar storytelling tradition while exploring an idea that has long captured the imagination of science fiction: the possibility that machines and robots might have dreams of their own. The result gives the visual identity of “Radio!! Radio!!” a life beyond the album cover.

New Music: The Place We Call Mars

           

Squeeze has shared a music video for 'the single "The Place We Call Mars", the latest track to be taken from their critically acclaimed album "Trixies." Considered one of the rare tracks of Trixies, 'The Place We Call Mars' is a vivid crime-scene vignette, another example of the extraordinary storytelling instincts that Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook were already developing when they first wrote the songs for the album as teenagers. It is a song whose journey stretches back more than half a century. Trixies was conceived in 1974, when Difford was 19 and Tilbrook just 16, at the very beginning of one of British music's most enduring songwriting partnerships. Set in and around a fictional nightclub, its cast of characters and interlocking stories were imagined years before Squeeze would make their first record. The black and white video has been Directed by Oska Zaky and Connie Virdie.

New Music: Borrowed Time

           

Julian Lennon has shared a cool and captivating video for his new single "Borrowed Love" the first cut from his upcoming new EP due late 2026, the video is based on a concept by Lennon featuring visuals by artist Caitly Grabenstein, the piece stands by incorporating over 100 collage artwork by the artist over a ten year period, the song is soft and nive with a message about the current times, many people around the world feeling this way. 

Rocktrospectiva: The Clever And Essential "Speak & Spell" Turns 45

Released on 29 October 1981 "Speak And Spell" was the debut studio album by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was the band's only album to feature founding member Vince Clarke. The album spawned the singles "Dreaming Of Me", "New Life", & "Just Can't Get Enough".

Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher had joined to form a band called "Composition of Sound" and saw Martin Gore play his Moog Prodigy synthesizer at a show at a local pub, after which the three joined up and turned Composition of Sound into an all-synth band, switching partly due to the cheap cost and convenience of the devices. Said Clarke, "Here was an instrument that didn't need its own amp – you could just plug it into the PA", and for local shows, the band would often carry their keyboards, the only equipment required, under their arms to the venue.

Together they played their first live show on 30 May 1980 in Basildon, UK. At their first show, Clarke was the singer for the band, but he felt that the band needed a front man to make their show more interesting, as Clarke was always standing behind his keyboard. The band auditioned several people to be their singer and selected Dave Gahan, and the band's next show on 14 June 1980 was the first with all four members performing. Said Gore of hiring Gahan, "It wasn't as if he was a total stranger. In fact, we've all known each other since schooldays. It’s much better that way. You can't possibly get on as well with newcomers who've been fixed up from adverts in the music press." By August they had a regular gig booked at a club named Croc's in Rayleigh, Essex, which they played at, amidst other live shows in the UK, for the rest of the year until a New Year's show on 3 January 1981. They officially changed the name of their band to "Depeche Mode" at Gahan's behest, who saw a French fashion magazine of that name; their first show under the new name was played on 29 October 1980 at a show at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London's Soho neighborhood. 

Gahan claimed that they were the first band to play at Croc's, saying "The resident DJ, Rusty Egan, liked us and so we then got a spot on one of the Thursday nights he was running at the venue." Due to Gore's and Fletcher's work and Gahan's university commitments, the band occasionally had to turn down live show opportunities when their daily schedules interfered. 

Depeche Mode's first official single, "Dreaming of Me", was released on 20 February 1981. The band took a few months to tour before returning to the studio in May 1981 to record their second single, "New Life", and its B-side, "Shout!", which was released on 13 June.

The band searched for a label, but was turned down repeatedly until they were referred to Daniel Miller, who had started his own label, Mute Records. Miller said of the first time he heard Depeche Mode play live, "Fad Gadget had just finished a sound check and normally I would have gone off with them, but for some reason I stayed behind and watched this group who looked like a dodgy New Romantic band. I hated the New Romantics but what came out of the speakers was incredible. I thought, 'Well, everybody plays a good song first' – but it just got better and better." Gahan later said that the band joined the Mute record label after being offered a "50/50 split, which meant we would have to pay half of all our bills, but we'd get half the profits", although Gore clarified in 1989 that the band actually got 75% of the profits in Europe, due to licensing deals.

According to Daniel Miller, who co-produced Speak & Spell with the band, it was a collection of songs the band had been playing live over the past year, plus a few new songs, although some songs from their live act did not make it on the record. One song that the band performed live, "Television Set", was co-written by Gore and a friend of the band, and the band likely did not record the song for inclusion on the album to avoid having to pay royalties to the co-writer. Of the songs that were recorded for the album, Clarke wrote most, with Gore contributing two tracks. Gahan recalled that, despite being all-synth, they used them traditionally in their songs, with a lead line, a bass line and a rhythm line.

Clarke was the only member of the band without a job during this time, so he and Miller would work on the album during the day, and the others would show up later after they were done with work. Miller brought an analog ARP 2600 synthesizer and sequencer into the studio to record. The studio only had an 8-track system, so the album was essentially recorded live, with little overdubs. Said Miller, "I would capture, as best I could, the atmosphere and the vibes of the songs the way I'd seen them live. Just to have a good electronic pop sound that wasn't a copy of something else."  

Clarke was the only member of the band interested in the production side of recording. Miller remembered that Gore and Fletcher were far more likely to goof around in the studio while Clarke and Miller worked on putting the songs together, which suited Clarke, who "was not without Control freak tendencies." Fletcher said "[Clarke] always wanted to do a lot in the studio, and the rest of us would feel restricted," noting that it was often uncomfortable for them to challenge Clarke in the studio. Miller and the band tested the final mix of the album by putting the album on cassette tape, getting in sound engineer Eric Radcliffe's car and listening to the album there, figuring that if it sounded good in the car it would sound good on any quality hi-fi system.

Lyrically, Clarke was not concerned about the meanings of his songs, saying "There were no messages in the songs at all – nothing!" He elaborated, saying "I like the sound of words, and the way words fit together and rhyme – things like that. Or the way they sound coming from my mouth. The sound of words rather than the meaning of words. 

Miller suggested the name for the band after the Speak & Spell toy, which had recently become available in the UK. The name was meant to indicate "a band taking its first steps", a nod to the toy's target audience of children. 

The importance of this album lies that this was the debut album of a then-unknown band called Depeche Mode—a group that would, over the years, solidify its status to become the living legends they are today. At the time, the band consisted of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andrew Fletcher, along with another member who would also prove pivotal to the 1980s synth-pop scene: Vince Clarke. Clarke—who went on to form Yazoo and, later, the equally legendary Erasure—participated only on this record; it is notable for a lighter sound compared to his later projects, and he also wrote nearly all of the tracks. 

The album featureed a light, melodic quality—distinct from the band's subsequent releases—which can be attributed to Clarke’s influence. Once Martin Gore took the reins, the band’s sound and lyrical content shifted toward darker, more eccentric territory. Critics found the material simple yet clever, offering far more to admire than to disappoint. The synthesizers that anchor most of the tracks are beautiful, and Gahan’s vocal performances are top-notch. It marked the beginning of the journey for one of the most incredible acts to emerge from the United Kingdom, serving as an essential piece for understanding 1980s electro-pop.

Speak And Spell Track List:

1. New Life

2. I Sometimes Wish I Wad Dead

3. Puppets

4. Boys Say Go!

5. Nodisco

6. What's Your Name

7. Photographic

8. Tora!, Tora!, Tora!

9. Big Muff

10. Any Second Now (Voice)

11. Just Can't Get Enough

Books: Tomorrow's Here Today

 

 

Few musicians have lived a musical life as rich as the songwriter and producer Ian Broudie. From recording the glorious uplifting psychedelic pop of his band the Lightning Seeds to producing bands like Echo & the Bunnymen and the Fall, Ian has journeyed from the energy and potential of the 1970s punk scene to the madness of '90s indie - and out the other side.Throughout nearly fifty years of making music, he has had a front-row seat working with generations of fantastic musicians in the creation of countless groundbreaking records. 

 

In Tomorrow's Here Today, he reveals what he has learnt about creativity, how to work with musicians touched by genius and what it is like to stumble through an exploding industry without losing sight of your dreams. Along the way, Ian shares how he wrote the million-selling album Jollification and how - along with the comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner - he wrote and recorded the only single in chart history to reach number one in the UK on four separate occasions. 'Three Lions' has since become the undisputed unofficial anthem of English football, soundtracking heartbreaking defeats as well as the wondrous victories of the Lionesses.

Following 2022's long-awaited Lightning Seeds comeback, Ian reflects on a life of cosmic adventures spent in thrall to the power of music. 

 

Title: Tomorrow's Here Today

Author: Ian Broudie

Pages: 254

Publisher: Bonnier Books UK 

Format: Hardcover 

New Music: Cocoon

           

The surviving members of Morphine have reunited to complete an LP called Cocoon, started and abandoned in 1998, a year before the on-stage death of singer Mark Sandman. Decades in the making, the eight-song album is the Boston-based alt-rock outfit’s first full-length since their fifth album, now the first title track single "Cocoon" has been shared. About the video: Edited by Don Kleszy On-Line + Re Mastering by Chad Smith Live Super8 footage courtesy of Tom Barman.

New Music: Lake Ontario

           

The legendary Canadian rocker Bryan Adams has just released his protest song and video about President Trump's bid to rename the Great Lake. deriding the Trump administration for its stupid effort to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America", the single comes off his forthcoming new album "How's It Goin" out November 6, this albums is Adams musical love letter to Canada, a series of odes to people, place and stories that have defined his homeland.

New Music: Where Will You Go?

            

W. H. Lung, has shared new single "Where Will You Go?," the track arrives ahead of the UK Band's biggest ever headline show in their hometown of Manchester, at Albert Hall on November 20th. The band had this to say on the single and reveal there are no solid plans to continue the group afterwards: "Where Will You Go?," our new single, is released today. This song is a reflection on the band's journey and a celebration of our time together over the last ten years. If the song feels like a goodbye it's because our ten year anniversary gig at The Albert Hall on 20th November is the last in the diary, and we don’t know when or whether we’ll be back.We hadn’t planned to write any more new material this year but when we made that decision the song and its lyrics came very quickly. Where Will You Go? is about the band, the band’s history and all the hope and ambition that attended our formation. It moves through the places we’ve lived and toured, from Leeds to Todmorden and from the US to Europe, and arrives at our uncertain future like a homecoming.

Rocktrospectiva: The Conceptual "The Stage" Turns 10

 

Released on 28 October 2016 "The Stage" was the seventh studio album by US heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. It was the first Avenged Sevenfold album in 11 years to not be released through Warner Bros. Records, due to a legal dispute between them and the band. It was also the band's first to feature drummer Brooks Wackerman, who joined the band in November 2015 but was not revealed as Arin Ilejay's official replacement until Ilejay's departure in 2015, because the band wanted to "make sure that it was a correct fit". The album spawned two singles "The Stage" & "God Damn". 

Written and recorded throughout 2016, The Stage was musically different for the band, marking a progressive metal sound. It is Avenged Sevenfold's first concept album, with its main theme being based on artificial intelligence and self-destruction of society. It is the band's longest studio album at 73 minutes and 35 seconds. In addition to being their longest album, The Stage features their longest song to date, "Exist", with a run-time of 15 minutes and 41 seconds. 

In interviews prior to the album's release, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance described the album as "pretty much completely aggro". The Stage has been described musically as progressive metal and heavy metal. The band continued to experiment with this album; "Sunny Disposition" features a section accompanied with brass instruments, while "God Damn" was one of the heaviest tracks on the album and has one of the most aggressive and fast-paced thrash metal riffs. The song also had a melodic bridge led by acoustic guitars, with M. Shadows' aggressive vocal style over it, creating a contrast. "Creating God" utilized a D major scale over a D minor progression in order to gave the chorus and solo a unique sound. 

"Roman Sky" included several orchestrated arrangements, similar to the ones throughout various songs appearing on City of Evil. "Higher" is one of the album's most melodic and progressive tracks. It features a female choir near the end, creating a very unusual and atmospheric outro harmonized with synthesizers, piano and a drifting bass line. The band's longest song to date, "Exist", in which Neil deGrasse Tyson makes an audio spoken word appearance at the end, which he wrote specifically for the album, showcases the band's further experimentation in progressive metal. Other songs also shown elements of thrash metal and progressive metal, with some songs using fast drum patterns, blast beat and rapid riff structure, along with thrash-style shouting at some points. The album also includes an influence from their earlier metalcore style, including metalcore-style riffs and breakdowns, with "Paradigm" going as far as to include screamed vocals. The song "Fermi Paradox" had a black metal influence in the instrumental, with the blast beats and guitar work, but the band chose to put clean vocals over it.

The Stage was Avenged Sevenfold's first conceptual album (2010's Nightmare was planned to be a concept record, but such plans were nixed following The Rev's death). The album's concept is based on the future, having such themes such as artificial intelligence and self-destruction of society. It includes a variety of science-driven themes including nuclear warfare ("Sunny Disposition"), a failed NASA test ("Higher"), Giordano Bruno's death sentence ("Roman Sky"), space exploration ("Fermi Paradox"), simulation hypothesis ("Simulation") and religion ("God Damn", "Angels"), all of these themes and events taking place on the same "stage": Earth. Thematically, the album deals with mankind's relationship with technology. Lyrical content of the album was inspired by the writings of Carl Sagan. 

The title-track "The Stage" talked about humanity and the way people have treated each other throughout history. It speaks from the perspective of a man growing up and realizing corruption of the world. Closing track "Exist" was made as the band's approach to sonically represent The Big Bang, with the instrumental part in the first section (0:00-6:55) representing the creation of the universe and the second section (6:56-15:41) of the song representing the creation of Earth.

The Stage received positive reviews from mainstream music critics. The album was described as a mix of Iron Maiden's anthemic style and Dream Theater's progressive songwriting. Metal Injection even went on to say that The Stage is a "masterpiece", stating 'with its brilliant composition, vast and strong collection of sounds, this is the Avenged Sevenfold record that shines the brightest amongst the stars. The Stage isn't just a great step up from their previous work, but an outstanding addition to the halls of metal and rock that will forever be remembered. The album was also praised for its dynamic range and mastering quality. Angry Metal-Fi called The Stage "the best sounding metal record of 2016", noting how Avenged Sevenfold managed to break free from the loudness war.

 

The Stage Track List:  

 

1. The Stage

2. Paradigm 

3. Sunny Disposition

4. God Damn

5. Creating God 

6. Angels

7. Simulation

8. Higher

9. Roman Sky

10. Fermi Paradox

11. Exist (narrated by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Rocktrospectiva: The Bigger Bolder "Ceremonials" Turns 15

 

Released on 28 October 2011 "Ceremonials" was the second studio album by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine. The band started working on the album in 2010 and finished it in 2011. The standard edition of the album was entirely produced by Paul Epworth, who also worked prominently on the band's debut album Lungs (2009).

Ceremonials received generally positive reviews from music critics, who drew comparisons to artists such as Kate Bush, while also praising the instrumentation, Florence Welch's vocals and the production of the songs. The album spawned five singles "What the Water Gave Me" was released on 23 August 2011 as a teaser for the album. "Shake It Out" was released on 30 September 2011 as the album's official lead single, becoming one of the band's most commercially successful singles to date. "No Light, No Light" was released on 16 January 2012 as the second single from the album, and "Never Let Me Go" was released on 30 March 2012. "Spectrum (Say My Name)" was released on 5 July 2012, and fuelled by a remix by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, became Florence and the Machine's first number-one single in the UK. The album's fifth and final single, "Lover to Lover", was released on 30 November 2012.

Lead singer Florence Welch entered the studio for a two-week session to record with producer Paul Epworth, with whom she worked on the band's debut album, Lungs (2009). She said that the two recordings that came out of that session were inspired by science because "a lot of her family are doctors or trying to become doctors, so much of her conversations are fixated on medical stuff." In an interview with the Gibson website on 17 February 2011, guitarist Rob Ackroyd stated, "Work on the second album has begun with Paul Epworth and there is talk of booking out Abbey Road for a month in April/May to record." 

In June 2011, Epworth told BBC 6 Music that the album would probably be finished "by the end of July" and described the sound as "a lot less indie and lot more soulful". He also indicated that there were 16 songs up for inclusion on the album, but that this would be reduced upon the time of release.

Regarding the album's title, Welch told MTV News, "It was an art installation done in the '70s, this video piece all done on Super 8, this big procession of kind of coquette-style hippies and all these different colored robes and masks, and it was all to do with color, really saturated, brightly colored pastas and balloons. I saw it a couple years ago, and it was called 'Ceremonials' and then, like, Roman numerals after it. And the word sort of stuck with me, and I think the whole idea of performance, and kind of putting on this outfit and going out almost to find some sort of exorcism or absolution, to kind of get outside yourself, there's a sense of ceremony to it." 

Welch also revealed that she wanted to call the album Violence, stating, "I wanted to make an album that sounded like the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, the violence mixed with the classical Shakespearean drama mixed with the pop and the pulp, extreme neon stuff."

Ceremonials received generally positive reviews from music critics who called the album a "confident, cohesive effort" and found that "[t]he steady hand of Paul Epworth on production has helped Florence to take the winning formula of her distinctive vocals and melodies, the twinkling harps and thundering drums, and augment it with string arrangements, subtle electro touches, and gospel choirs." Others wrote, "Bigger and bolder than 2009's excellent Lungs, Ceremonials rolls in like fog over the Thames, doling out a heavy-handed mix of Brit-pop-infused neo-soul anthems and lush, movie trailer-ready ballads that fuse the bluesy, electro-despair of Adele with the ornate, gothic melodrama of Kate Bush and Floodland-era Sisters of Mercy."

Ceremonials Track List: 

 

1. Only If For A Night 

2. Shake It Out

3. What The Water Gave Me

4. Never Let Me Go

5. Breaking Down

6. Lover To Lover

7. NO Light, No Light

8. Seven Devils

9. Heartlines

10. Spectrum

11. All This And Heaven Too

12. Leave My Body

Rocktrospectiva: The Smooth Gentle "Rush Street" Turns 35

Released on 28 October 1991 "Rush Street" was the 3rd., studio album by singer and songwriter Richard Marx. Released in October 1991, it sold over two million copies in the United States alone. It was Marx's third consecutive multi-million seller in the U.S., the album spawned the singles "Keep Coming Back", "Hazard", "Take This Heart" & "Chains Around My Heart."

The album opened with "Playing With Fire." The track roared in with electric guitars and some fantastic rock vocals from Richard, with both getting some perfect opportunities to show off their power and raw energy. A bass from Randy Jackson bounces perfectly along, a good start, then "Love Unemotional" that kept up the tempo but delivered us a song about love makes – and whilst Richard once again sounds fantastic on lead vocals with  Luther Vandross on the backing vocals. 

Next was lead single "Keep Coming Back," and this time a much more mellow song. Richard delivered his more heartfelt vocals here with a softer tone, as the song plods along gently. Again, Luther was here on the backing vocals, most noticeably in the final third. "Take This Heart" was next, and this stood as the album’s third single. This was a nice up-beat track, that rolls along with great ease from verse to chorus and back. Once again, the brilliant vocals from Richard are here, a gave us some great pop-rock sounds when say alongside the electric guitar, and building up nicely for the big notes of the chorus. The hit single "Hazard" was somewhat breathy reflective song is a complete breeze as it gently meanders from the opening synths, to the keyboard-flute type instrument that flitters throughout. The track rightly deserved it’s hit status.

"Hands In Your Pocket" followed it, returning us to the harder rock sound, with Richard’s vocal taking a lower range. The bass and electric guitars chug this song along nicely, punctuated perfectly by the drum fills. Then it was "Calling You," opening with another nice bass line, which is swiftly joined by some softer vocals from Richard, although as the song evolves, it gives him the chance to show off his vocal range nicely. "Superstar" followed and this was a song about ‘a superstar’. “All you want’s a daddy, the one you never had” and “you’re a superstar but you don’t know who you are” he sangs. In later years, Richard revealed that the track is about Madonna, who he had previously appeared on her True Blue album, "Streets Of Pain", returned us to growling stadium-esque rock guitars – and there’s a lot of them here. Richard’s vocals sit perfectly on top duelling with the roar of the guitars, planked perfectly by his backing vocals. Then "I Get No Sleep," with Billy Joel on piano, Randy Jackson was back on Bass, and Cindy Mizelle one of the backing vocalists. This earned us a more mellow song initially but thanks to the piano, Joel helped to raise the pressure and the song blasts out towards the end with it. Richard’s vocals sound great here.

Now he had "Big Boy Now," again the piano, this time with Richard playing it. It’s a nice simple intro to the song, loaded with piano, bass, and vocals. Here the piano helped to ground the track, making it a more heartfelt song, even if it does still allow Richard to show off his vocal range again. Penultimate track "Chains Around My Heart" was next, and with it’s growling vocals, hard dramatic drum bursts, and guitars, places this track in ‘power rock ballad’ territory – flitting between soft, almost acoustic/breathy vocals and roaring chorus. The closer "Your World" with an intro with some great percussion and funky bass.

The songwriting and production were fantastic, the sound delivered a meaty slice of late-80’s-esque rock-pop belters mixed with power ballads. Hazard was clearly a highlight of the album, but so was the tracks Playing With Fire, Keep Coming Back, Take This Heart, and I Get No Sleep, perhaps the weaker and filler here was Hands In Your Pocket and Calling You marking the start of this. The inclusion of Randy Jackson and Billy Joel, along with backing vocals from Luther Vandross and Cindy Mizelle, ensured a wonderfully constructed sound according to its time.

 

Rush Street Track List:  

 

1. Playing With Fire

2. Love Unemotional

3. Keep Coming Back 

4. Take This Heart

5. Hazard

6. Hands In Your Pocket

7. Calling You

8. Superstar

9. Streets Of Pain

10. I Get No Sleep

11. Big Boy Now

12. Chains Around My Heart

13. Your World 

Rocktrospectiva: The Mixed "Dreamtime" Turns 40

Released on 27 October 1986 "Dreamtime" was the 9th., studio album by the Stranglers, the title track was inspired by a belief of the Indigenous peoples of Australia called Dreamtime. The album spawned the singles "Nice In Nice", "Always The Sun", "Big In America" & "Shakin' Like A Leaf."

The single "Always the Sun" peaked at No. 30 in the UK Singles Chart. Dreamtime itself reached No. 16 in the UK Albums Chart, the lowest charting studio album during Hugh Cornwell's recording tenure with the band (1977–90).

The album was produced by Mike Kemp and the band itself. It is often viewed as an inconsistent record, though it contains enough pleasant moments to make it an enjoyable listen. In a sense, it functions as a mini concept album: Cornwell’s vision was to explore an ancient culture—specifically, the Aboriginal concept of the "Dreamtime," the idea that life was merely a dream before existence itself began. 

Furthermore, this period saw Cornwell’s transformation from a rough-edged, unpleasant character into a sensitive gentleman in every sense of the word—a shift that left some long-time fans feeling uncertain. Nevertheless, the album yielded some strong tracks, such as "Always the Sun"—a polished, high-quality song that arguably deserved greater chart success. Another overlooked gem was "You'll Always Reap What You Sow," where country-inflected guitar work opened up new sonic horizons for the band. "Dreamtime" was another excellent track, distinguished by the inclusion of a xylophone and pleasing backing vocals.  

Other tracks on the album, such as "Was It You?", touched upon paranoia—placing the blame for everything on politicians—with percussion that lends the song an air of uncertainty and loss. "Ghost Train" picks up the pace, supporting surreal lyrics about ghosts reenacting life—a concept somewhat related to certain Indigenous beliefs. Then there was the single "Nice In Nice," a distinctly pop-oriented track inspired by the band’s arrest by French police for inciting disorder. "Big In America"—another single who had a small rotation on MTV—dealed with the idea of ​​"making it big" in the world’s wealthiest and most powerful nation. "Shakin' Like A Leaf" featured a powerful vocal performance and a thick bassline, though it ultimately failed to perform well on the charts. "Mayan Skies" a song that explored the Mayan culture, evoking vivid colors and a strong psychedelic feel, with Dave Greenfield’s keyboards providing the perfect finishing touch. Finally, "Too Precious" was a long, confusing track; despite its musical richness, the melodies feel odd, making it one of the album’s weaker moments. 

Critics were mixed despite the album was a solid effort from The Stranglers—they brought a greater sense of diversity to a scene still deeply entrenched in the punk rock of the late 70s. While it may not be their strongest release, it remains a worthy addition to any collection of the band’s work. Some reviews said that the Stranglers are "a prime example of a band that has streamlined their sound and still retained much of their bite as well as their signature. Others in contrary felt dissapointed about the record despite some good songs the rest was forgettable.

Dreamtime Track List:

1. Always The Sun

2. Dreamtime

3. Was It You?

4. You'll Always Reap What You Sow?

5. Ghost Train

6. Nice In Nice

7. Big In America

8. Shakin' Like A Leaf

9. Mayan Skies

10. Too Precious

New Music: Another Way To Cry

           

Texas release "Another Way to Cry" a brand-new, previously unreleased song, serving as a preview for the 30th-anniversary edition of Texas’s album "White on Blonde". Influenced by their passion for Northern Soul and featuring rich brass and string arrangements, the track sees Texas exploring new musical territory. "A good way to test a new song is to play it alongside your greatest hits—it either holds its own, or it falls flat on its face," says Sharleen Spiteri. "You could drop 'Another Way to Cry' into the setlist tomorrow, right next to all the big hits, and it would absolutely hold its own." The song is accompanied by a music video filmed in the Scottish Highlands and directed by Niall Trask (known for his work with Jamie T, Fat White Family, and Nadine Shah). It stars Sharleen alongside her longtime friend, the acclaimed actor Robert Carlyle. The video serves as a love letter to the film "Paris, Texas"

Rocktrospectiva: XTC's Finest Masterpiece "Skylarking" Turns 40

 

Released on 27 October 1986, "Skylarking" was the 8th., studio album by the English rock band XTC. Produced by US musician Todd Rundgren, under a loose concept album about a nonspecific cycle, such as a day, a year, the seasons, or a life. The title refered to a type of bird (skylark), as well as the Royal Navy term "skylarking", which means "fooling around". It became one of XTC's best-known albums and is often regarded as one of their finest albums. The album spawned the singles "Grass", "Dear God" & The Melting Place."

Like XTC's Dukes of Stratosphear side project, Skylarking was heavily influenced by the psychedelic music of the 1960s. Most of the album was recorded at Rundgren's Utopia Sound Studio in Woodstock, New York, with some work undertaken in San Francisco at the Tubes' studio; Tubes drummer Prairie Prince also drummed on the album. Rundgren played a large role in the album's sound design and drum programming, providing the band with orchestral arrangements and an assortment of equipment. However, the sessions were fraught with tension, especially between Rundgren and bandleader Andy Partridge, and numerous disagreements arose over drum patterns, song selections, and other details.

 

Upon release, Skylarking was met with indifference in the UK, peaking in the album charts at number 90, while both of its lead singles "Grass" (backed with "Dear God") and "The Meeting Place" peaked at number 100. In the US, "Dear God" became a college radio hit, causing US distributor Geffen Records to recall and repress Skylarking with the track included, and propelling the album to number 70. Following the song's growth in popularity, it was the subject of controversy in the country, inspiring many angry phone calls to radio stations and at least one bomb threat. "Dear God" proved to be the most successful, receiving heavy rotation on MTV and earning a nomination for Best Direction, Concept, and Innovation at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).   

The album’s themes revolve around the cycles of life. It features fourteen tracks of refined, timeless pop, incorporating orchestral arrangements, a horn section, and keyboards, alongside the standard guitar, bass, and drums. The result is a highly sophisticated pop record that set them apart from everything else. Partridge and Moulding handled the songwriting, recording 20 tracks that were eventually whittled down to the 14 that made the final cut. 

 

Among the tracks initially left off was "Dear God"—which, as previously mentioned, ended up as a B-side to the single "Grass." It proved to be so popular—arguably even more so than "Grass" itself—that, in the end, it was "Mermaid Smiled" that was left off the album instead. "Dear God" tackles the act of questioning God, as well as the reasons for suffering in the world and the apparent lack of divine intervention. The song was very well-received, though it also sparked controversy in the United States; one religious fanatic even threatened to blow up a radio station with a bazooka if they continued to play it—yet this did nothing to hinder the song's success. 

 

The album's style can be broken down into several facets: there is a psychedelic phase—evident in tracks like "Big Day," "The Meeting Place," and "Earn Enough for Us"—that draws heavily from the style of The Beatles circa 1967. Other tracks, such as "Sacrificial Bonfire," are more refined and feature orchestral arrangements; some, like "Grass," are deeply sensitive; while others—such as "Season Cycle" or "That’s Really Super, Supergirl" (which could easily have served as a single)—are more melodic and catchy. 

 

The album stands as a fine example of sonic perfection that has endured over the years; it continues to captivate and impress, which is why it has seen several reissues. Following the correction of an audio error, a revised version—on both LP and CD, featuring the original cover art—was released around 2016. The album performed well and earned critical respect—a reputation that has only grown over time, regardless of shifting trends and musical styles. 

 

Skylarking Track List:  

 

1. Summer's Cauldron

2. Grass

3. The Meeting Place

4. That's Really Super, Super Girl

5. Ballet For Rainy Day

6. 1000 Umbrellas

7. Season Cycle

8. Earn ENough For Us

9. Big day

10. Another Satellite

11. Mermaid Smiled

12. The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul

13. Dying

14. Sacrificial Bonfire

15. Dear God

New Music: Look For Your Mind

           

The Lemon Twigs set high expectations for their new single "Look For Your Mind!" The title is plenty psychedelic. Neither title nor packaging deliver the volume or psychedelia they wink at. Instead, Look For Your Mind!’s pop feel lays the groundwork to delve into themes of paranoia and insecurity, the new track has been taken from the band's new album "Look For Your Mind", the accompanying video has been directed by Amber Navarro.

New Music: Random Violence

          

Hot Chip are sharing their new single "Random Violence" taken from their new album "A Long Way From Kansas" that marks a solid return after band members personal activities, this new track is a tribute to Keith McIvor (a.k.a. JD Twitch) of the DJ duo Optimo, who passed away in September of 2025. The video has been directed by Jack Cole. 

The Reissue: Reveal 25th., Anniversary

R.E.M.'s 2001 album "Reveal" will be reissued in November for its 25th anniversary. The band’s 12th studio album spawned two hits in the UK, including the top 10 single "Imitation of Life" and "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)". 

Despite both singles offering demos, alternate versions of album tracks, live cuts and non-album B-sides (2JN, Yellow River, 165 Hillcrest) none of these are included on any format of the anniversary reissue, with bonus audio content reserved solely for The Black Sessions Revealed, a 2001 concert recorded for Radio France.

The formats are 2CD+blu-ray and 2LP vinyl of The Black Sessions Revealed. The album is also available on vinyl although availability seems limited (at least for now). The official R.E.M. store also has exclusive coloured vinyl versions of both. There is no word on remastering, which suggests the album hasn’t been remastered.

The 2CD+blu-ray edition features the album on CD 1, The Black Sessions Revealed on CD 2 and a blu-ray which includes the album in 5.1 Surround and hi-res stereo. Presumably these are the same mixes that were put out 21 years ago on the CD+DVD-A reissue.

Ignoring non-album material from singles already marks this reissue out as imperfect, but not bothering to embrace modern immersive audio and just trotting out a 21-year old 5.1 mix (admittedly, a good mix) does not cut the mustard. It’s not the end of the world as we know it, but it’s disappointing.

Reveal will be released on 20 November 2026 via Concord.

Reveal 25th., Anniversary 2CD+Blu-Ray Track List: 

CD 1: Reveal:

 

1. The Lifting

2. I’ve Been High

3. All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star)

4. She Just Wants To Be

5. Disappear

6. Saturn Return

7. Beat A Drum

8. Imitation Of Life

9. Summer Turns To High

10. Chorus And The Ring

11. I’ll Take The Rain

12. Beachball

 

CD 2: The Black Sessions Revealed

 

Recording made by RADIO FRANCE for The Black Sessions –7 May 2001

 

1. Imitation Of Life

2. The Great Beyond

3. What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?

4. All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star)

5. Daysleeper

6. I’ve Been High

7. Electrolite

8. The Lifting

9. At My Most Beautiful

10. I’ll Take The Rain

11. The One I Love

12. She Just Wants To Be

13. Walk Unafraid

14. Losing My Religion

15. Man On The Moon

16. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)

17. Its the End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

 

CD 3: Blu-ray

 

1. Hi-Resolution Audio

2. 5.1 Surround Sound

3. Imitation Of Life (music video)

4. All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star) (music video)

5. I’ll Take The Rain (music video)

6. Reveal EPK