New Music: The Man Who Stole Your Soul

            

Legendary Scottish singer, songwriter and producer Midge Ure has released a new single, "The Man Who Stole Your Soul", offering the latest preview of his forthcoming album "A Man Of Two Worlds," due out on May 8 through Chrysalis Records. The track arrives as Ure prepares to launch a global tour spanning the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand later this year. The new single "The Man Who Stole Your Soul" captures that perspective. According to Ure, the song reflects his concerns about social and political division, particularly in the United States, and the broader climate of tension shaping international discourse. About the album, "A Man Of Two Worlds" represents a significant addition to Ure's catalogue, not only because it ends a 12-year gap between studio albums but also because of its distinctive structure. The double album is divided into two conceptual halves. The first section, titled World One: Music, contains eight instrumental compositions. The second, World Two: Songs, features eight vocal tracks.

 

New Music: I Can Take The Sun Out Of The Sky

           

The incredibles Brigitte Calls Me Baby are sharing the video of their brand new single "I Can Take The Sun Out Of The Sky" taken off their second acclaimed studio album "Irreversible." Directed by Alec Basse, the video leans into a stylised, magazine-inspired concept—bringing the band's world to life through a nostalgic, print-era lens. "It's like a magazine where you can enter the world of the band," frontman Wes Leavins explained in a new Rolling Stone interview, hinting at a visual that doubles as a meta-commentary on the band's growing critical acclaim. The instantly gripping—balancing an open-road sense of freedom with an undercurrent of melancholic grandeur. Now this is one of the standout moments on Irreversible, a record that sees the band evolving into a more expansive, emotionally charged version of themselves.

New Music: House Of I

           

The Afghan Whigs have premiered the video for their new single, "House Of I." The black-and-white clip was filmed in Malibu, California, under Scott Marshall direction and features shots of people wearing skull masks skateboarding and surfing. There’s even a dog dressed as a skeleton. The song "House of I" dropped in March and marked the first new Afghan Whigs material in four years. The Afghan Whigs will launch a U.S. tour celebrating the band’s 40th anniversary April 25 in Woodstock, New York.

New Music: Vendetta

            

Temples have returned with their latest single  "Vendetta", offering another glimpse into their upcoming album "Bliss" set for release on the 26th June via V2 Records. With "Vendetta" sees the band pushing further into electronic territory while retaining the psych-rock foundations that have defined their sound. Built from two originally separate ideas, the track merges gritty guitar work with shimmering synths and a driving, club-ready rhythm. Frontman James Bagshaw describes the track as a collision of influences, blending elements reminiscent of Daft Punk and Avicii with the band's own sonic identity.

New Music: Gasoline Girls

           

Amos' new album In Times Of Dragons comes out in a couple of weeks, and after shared the early tracks "Stronger Together" and "Shush." She's got another one today Amos' florid, majestic new track "Gasoline Girls" hits right in that Tori Amos zone, as she meets a lesbian motorcycle gang while escaping her corrupt "lizard demon" billionaire husband.  . In a press release, Amos says, "This is a metaphor for many different transformations — from a teenage girl becoming a woman, to shifts in gender identity or fundamental belief systems, to the life changes that come with pregnancy, motherhood, and eventually menopause. The song explores the emotions that come with leaving one version of yourself behind and stepping into another.

News: Oasis, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Sade, Billy Idol, And Joy Division/New Order Among 2026 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees

Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah, Oasis, Sade and Joy Division/New Order will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with first-time nominees Wu-Tang Clan and the late Luther Vandross.

The list was revealed on Monday night in the US, during an airing of American Idol. To be eligible, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior. Nominees were voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals.

Soft rocker Collins, who already is in the hall as a member of Genesis, has released hits including In the Air Tonight and One More Night, and has earned eight Grammys, including album of the year in 1985 for No Jacket Required.

Soul-jazz vocalist Sade, also nominated in 2024, is known for songs including Smooth Operator and The Sweetest Taboo. The Wu-Tang Clan have been hailed as rap innovators since their game-changing 1993 debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).Iron Maiden, nominated twice before, helped power the new wave of British heavy metal with albums such as The Number of the Beast. Vandross, who has sold more than 25m albums, and had the hits Here and Now and Any Love, died in 2005 and inspired Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s track Luther.

This year, the hall is embracing the sound of Manchester, inducting post-punk pioneers Joy Division and New Order – which share most of the same members – as well as Britpop’s recently reunited Oasis. Idol, also English, has brought a punky sneer to pop with songs like White Wedding and Rebel Yell. The induction will be held on 14 November at the Peacock theater in Los Angeles.

Our favourites nominees who missed out this year were INXS, & Jeff Buckley

In addition to the performer category, the Hall of Fame celebrates the contributions of inductees across three special categories: early influence, musical excellence and the Ahmet Ertegun non-performer award.

The early influence category this year will honour Queen Latifah, Cuban singer Celia Cruz, Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, rapper MC Lyte and country rocker Gram Parsons. The musical excellence category will honour songwriter Linda Creed and producers Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin.

More than 50 years after his death, Ed Sullivan, the legendary host of the eponymous TV show, will enter the Hall of Fame with the Ahmet Ertegun non-performer award: a recognition of the Sunday night show that became a launchpad for so many musical icons of the 1950s and 1960s, and helped break down racial barriers in American entertainment.

New Music: Joy

           

The LA-based band Dogstar (guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose, drummer Robert Mailhouse and bassist Keanu Reeves) share their new single “Joy,” the latest song off their forthcoming 4th studio album All In Now About the track single: "Where does 'Joy' begin? It begins with ethereal, dreamy reverb guitar that sets a tone. I bought a new guitar – a vintage Gibson ES335 Hollow Body that I brought in. It gave us some new tones to explore and opened a new avenue for us to explore," Domrose shares. The band also shares their new music video, directed by Carlos Garcia Medina, for “Joy.” The new song follows the album’s first single and music video for “All In Now.”

New Music: Happy New Tears

           

Sire Records release "Happy New Tears" by Morrissey. The song will be available as a digital download. On May 22, Sire Records will globally release a Deluxe 12-inch vinyl disc of Notre-Dame, from the album Make-up is a Lie. The 12-inch will include both Hello Hell and Happy New Tears available for the first time on vinyl. Also, the disc will include a previously unreleased orchestrated version of Notre-Dame, with all strings recorded in Paris. The 12-inch is pressed on colored vinyl. The Notre-Dame live shot by Dave Mushegian. Apparently the shot was taken at Lucca, in Italia, 2025. Additional photographs by Ryan Lowry.

New Music: Raindrops

           

Rick Astley shares the new single "Raindrops" on time when it comes as his huge UK and Ireland headline arena tour gets underway in Glasgow tonight. Good vibes all the time to describe Rick's joyous, hit-packed live show and that feeling pulsates throughout "Raindrops". It is punchy, anthemic pop-rock with an exhilaratingly soulful hook that makes a passionate plea to be given another chance. In the process, it also encourages us to keep the faith that good times will soon follow bad. The track was written solely by Rick Astley. It was produced by his long-term friend, the two-time Grammy. Rick says about the single: “‘Raindrops’ is about letting the person you love the most down. They’ve seen your worst and you want to know is this the end, you can feel the ‘Raindrops’ falling and know the pain you’ve caused but you’re asking for one more chance. Let the healing begin and let’s try again.

New Music: Going Shopping

           

After teasing the release of their long-overdue seventh record Reality Awaits earlier this week, The Strokes have shared the album's first single, "Going Shopping". Musically, it's pretty much what you would expect from The Strokes, with catchy hooks and playful percussion. The main point of difference is the use of auto-tune, with Julian Casablancas’ familiar twang featuring added robot distortion. Reality Awaits is The Strokes’ first long player since 2020’s The New Abnormal. Rick Rubin was tapped to produce, with the album dropping Friday 26 June via Cult Records/RCA Records.

 

Rocktrospectiva: The Groundbreaking "Jessico" Turns 25 Años

 

Released on 9 April 9, 2001, "Jessico" was the sixth studio album by the Argentinian band Babasónicos. The album propelled the band onto the list of Argentina's most important groups, at a time when the country was experiencing the infamous crisis of December 2001. Four singles were released from the album: "El Loco," "Rubí," "Los Calientes," and "Fizz." 

 

To understand the context of the album's release, 2001 was a chaotic year for Argentina, as the country was going through an economic and political crisis, leading many Argentinian citizens to emigrate to other parts of the world. On this album, the band showcased an innovative, fresh, and trendy sound, which, interestingly, remains a benchmark for Ibero-American rock to this day. It is said that their departure from Sony at that time and the loss of a member motivated them to create something great. The band had just released "Miami," the album that marked the end of their contract with Sony. 

 

Now this wasn't just another album; it was clearly intended to be, in its own unique way, the pop album that would cement their success. It offered a varied and playful sound, with hints of sensuality and a certain modern sensibility. Although somewhat disorganized, with too much irony and information overload (elaborate orchestrations coexisting with samples, rancheras, instrumental passages, and ballads), it was difficult for the general public to digest it according to the band's expectations, and this is what would ultimately define the album. With "Jessico," they had it all: a danceable, joyful, edgy, and sensual album. "Jessico" ushered in a new era and revolutionized the Argentine pop scene in a powerful and spectacular way. The band, then formed by Adrián Dárgelos, Gabo Manelli, Diego “Uma” Rodriguez, Diego “Uma-T” Tuñón, Diego “Panza” Castellano, and Mariano Roger, was about to make a breakthrough. 

 

From the very beginning, its quality was evident, starting with the opener, the magical and unusual "Los Calientes," a mellow rock track enveloping playful lyrics that put them back at their peak and which would become the fourth official single. Next came the playful and somewhat DEVO-esque "Fizz," followed by the odd track—perhaps due to the fish video featuring "Delectrico"—which would be the third single from the set. The album showcased their essence more than ever; the drums sounded better than ever, seasoning the rhythm and shaping the central sonic concept. Furthermore, Dárgelos' lyrics were better than ever, focused on seduction, hedonistic characters, and suggestive body language. Of course, special mention must be made of the bizarre and brilliant "El Loco," the album's first official single, which is probably the song that best reflects this spirit, introducing the sound of the koto to all Argentine radio stations. A strange ballad of metaphysical helplessness that positioned them at the top with both the public and critics. Also worth mentioning is the sensual "Rubí," which released two videos featuring a girl and a boy pleasuring themselves, as well as other tracks like "La Fox," "Tóxica," and "Atomicum," which gave flavor and vibrancy to an album that became a reflection of an era and which, 25 years later, is still widely discussed. 

 

The album undoubtedly stands out as the defining moment that separates two distinct periods for the band, both in terms of continuity and creation. It demonstrates their awareness of what was happening and how they used it to their advantage to create this masterpiece. This is why it was ranked as one of the best not only in the Argentinian scene but also across much of Latin America. Its reception was excellent, both from critics and listeners who continue to love it to this day.

 

Jessico Track List: 

 

1. Los Calientes

2. Fizz

3. Deléctrico

4. Soy Rock

5. Pendejo

6. El Loco

7. La Fox

8. Tóxima

9. Yoli

10. Rubí

11. Camarín 

12. Atomicum

News: The Strokes Announces New Album

A new Strokes album draws near. The band has shared a retro teaser video featuring a 1980s Nissan 300ZX and the tagline "In the Flesh, it's Even Sexier," which confirms that their seventh studio album is called Reality Awaits. It will be out June 26.

 

Reality Awaits will mark the first Strokes LP since 2020's The New Abnormal. That record earned Julian Casablancas & co. their first Grammy. In 2024, Casablancas' band the Voidz released the album Like All Before You. The Strokes are performing at Coachella this weekend. They’re also headlining Bonnaroo and Outside Lands in the summer.

 

Reality Awaits Track List:

 

1. Psycho Shit

2. Dine N’Dash

3. Lonely in the Future

4. Falling out of Love

5. Going to Babble On

6. Going Shopping

7. Liar’s Remorse

8. The Fruits of Conquest

9. Pros and Cons

Rocktrospectiva: The Britpop Hidden Gem "Moseley Shoals" Turns 30

Released on 8 April 1996 "Moseley Shoals" was the second album by the British rock group Ocean Colour Scene which was released in 1996 during the zeitgeist of Britpop era. The album reached number two in the UK chart, and amassed 92 weeks on that chart, making it the band's most successful album in terms of weeks on chart, despite a later album reaching number one. The album spawned four singles "The Riverboat Song", "The Day We Caught The Train", "The Circle", & "You've Got It Bad". 

Ocean Colour Scene was formed in Birmingham in 1989, the Brit-pop band never made noise in the USA and thus their musical high point, 1996’s Moseley Shoals, has gone relatively unheard there. The story was this: after hearing a demo, Oasis' Noel Gallagher invited the band to support his tour.  With this recognition, major labels came calling and Moseley Shoals was released to critical acclaim from the famously hypercritical Brit press. The name of the album, of course, was a play on Muscle Shoals, the legendary Alabama town that housed a recording studio which began in 1969 and produced epic soul and rock music. Moseley was the name of a Birmingham suburb where three of the group’s original members were born.  This title plays warmly with the music inside, a combination of a little 90s brit-pop, big hearted classic rock, and blue eyed soul.

Immediately kicking things with "The Riverboat Song's" the Zeppelin-esque guitar and bass interplay, the band arrived with intention and a soulful force.  This music were different from Oasis's bombast or even Blur's punchy, quirk-pop. However, Moseley Shoals shone with a refined, timeless sound; a deep, melodic accessibility with songs arranged naturally and played with passion. Lyrics were earthy yet poetic, elegant and stylishly grounded. The most alluring element of all may be the understatement with which the band was able to play. Dripping with emotion, staying rooted in traditional song arrangements, they creatively play with melody and make Moseley Shoals a revelation for those of us struggling to remember what exemplary melodic rock sounds like.  

Tracks such as "Lining Your Pockets" was one of a few slow burners on Shoals that captivates with a Rod Stewart-era Faces feel. "The Day we Caught the Train" was stylized like Revolver-era Beatles with a gorgeous chorus.  It’s no wonder the song reached number 4 on British charts, a place where the appreciation for well played pop rock has never wavered. "One for the Road" was the best Bob Seger ballad he never played.  In the vein of "Night Moves", this one focuses on natural production.

The track "40 Past Midnight" was the most obvious overture to Moseley Shoals with bar room piano and agile guitar stabs from Steve Cradock that hook and dive.  There was an organic liveliness to the song and all of Moseley Shoals that allows the music to shine and flow naturally, as if it was recorded live and in one take. The album was blessed by iconic Brit Paul Weller's (The Jam, The Style Council) presence on organ, piano, and backing vocals for three songs.  With Weller and Gallagher’s stamp of approval Moseley Shoals was afforded an instant loudspeaker to all of Britain.  "Policeman and Pirates" was a quintessential example of OCS's ability to created gorgeous blue-eyed soul melodies inside classic rock structures.  There is a sweet affection to the song, one that can only come from a labor of love. "You've Got it Bad" used a filtered synth sound for texture, allowing it to play off and with punchy piano runs and a kinetically understated guitar solo. Coupled with Beatles-esque melodies, the band keeps finding gold in every song.

The album finished with "Get Away", the longest song on the album at almost eight minutes. Beginning with harmonica and acoustic guitar for two verses and then voraciously jumping into wah guitar and angry vocals.  Cradock played a liquid solo, and the song slows to a crawl again. These organic twists and turns make Moseley Shoals feel warm and welcoming, like the product of a real band full of heart. Soon the song turns into a rambunctious exploration of vibrant drums and refined yet ragged guitar noise.  Moseley Shoals breathes to a close with guitar feedback fading.

Curiously the first single taken from the album was "The Riverboat Song", which was popularised by Chris Evans on TFI Friday. "The Day We Caught the Train" reached number four in the charts, with "You've Got It Bad" and "The Circle" also reaching the top 10. 

 

Moseley Shoals Track List: 

 

1. The Riverboat Song

2. The Day We Caught The Train

3. The Circle

4. Lining Your Pockets

5. Fleeting Mind

6. 40 Past Midnight

7. One For The Road

8. It's My Shadow

9. Policemen & Pirates

10. The Downstream

11. You've Got It Bad

12. Get Away 

Rocktrospectiva: The Underrated And Hidden Classic "Real Life" Turns 35

Released on 8 April 1991 "Real Life" was the 9th., studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, by record label Virgin Records worldwide apart from the US, where it was released by A&M. The lead single from the album, "Let There Be Love", was released in March 1991 and achieved commercial success, reaching the top ten in territories including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden. A further three singles – "See the Lights", "Stand by Love" and "Real Life" continued this commercial success.

Commercially, the album continued a period of popularity for the band, reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and Norway. It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in the United Kingdom for sales in excess of 300,000 copies, whilst it was certified Gold in other territories including the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, on the other hand, the reviews critics were mainly negative.

It was the first album without founding member keyboardist Mick MacNeil as he left the band to spend time with his family. Peter-John Vettese played keyboards on the album. The rest of the band included lead singer Jim Kerr, guitarist Charlie Burchill who also took up keyboards, and drummer Mel Gaynor. Bass was played by Malcolm Foster. Stephen Lipson, who had co-produced Street Fighting Years produced the album and also played some bass parts. The track "Let the Children Speak" was based on the 1981 Simple Minds instrumental "Theme for Great Cities" from Sister Feelings Call. A re-recorded version of that piece, called "Theme for Great Cities '91", appeared as a B-side of the "See the Lights" single. "Travelling Man" bears some resemblance to the 1983 song "Waterfront" from Sparkle in the Rain.

"Rivers of Ice" was based on "Dr. Mackay's Farewell to Creagorry", an instrumental written by accordionist Iain MacLachlan in 1958. It became famous after being adapted for the 1962 BBC thriller The Dark Island. "When Two Worlds Collide" is based on the title track "Real Life", as is the 1995 song "And the Band Played On", which subsequently appeared on the following album, Good News from the Next World. "Women and Ghosts" (included on the US edition of the 1995 single "Hypnotised") is a reworked instrumental version of the title track.

The band gradually transitioned into the '90s with this record and believe it or not, they once again retained their status of being a band focused on huge arenas and  hit making musical factory, the band modernized their sound by incorporating some newer sonic effects and dance elements typical of the  days, perhaps their lyrics were in certain ways weak, but the sound and modern pop sensibilites wer a different thing, "Let There Be Love" was the band's last major European hit, "See The Lights" are fantastic masterpiece was the only single to hit the Billboard top 40 besides their classic "Don't You Forget (About Me" also hit the No. 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart too as well. 

The album reached no. 2 in the UK, and no. 74 in the United States. All four singles from the album were Top 40 hits in the UK, including the Top 10 hit "Let There Be Love". In the US, "See the Lights" reached the Top 40. 

Ironically and despite its huge commercial success, the album received mostly negative reviews from critics. In Rolling Stone, Paul Evans said: "What might have been the band's most cohesive record misses, if only by frustrating inches. Perhaps the comparison with band's previous three albums played against it, something I firmly believe it was unfair.  

 

Real Life Track List:

 

1. Real Life

2. See The Lights

3. Let There Be Love

4. Woman

5. Stand By Love

6. Let The Children Speak

7. African Skies

8. Ghostrider

9. Banging On The Door (Intro)

10. Banging On The Door

11. Travelling Man

12. Rivers Of Ice

13. When Two Worlds Collide  

Rocktrospectiva: The Influential And Game-Changer "Blue Lines" Turns 35

Released on 8 April 1991 "Blue Lines" was the debut studio album by English electronic music group Massive Attack. The recording was led by members Grantley "Daddy G" Marshall, Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, and Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles, with co-writing and co-production by Jonny Dollar. It also features contributions by singers Shara Nelson and Horace Andy. Generally regarded as the first "trip hop" album, Blue Lines blended elements of hip hop (such as breakbeats, sampling, and rapping) with dub, soul, reggae, and electronic music.The album spawned four singles "Daydreaming", "Unfinished Symphathy", "Safe From Harm" & "Hymn Of The Big Wheel"/"Be Thankful For What You've Got". 

About the making of this classic album: "We worked on Blue Lines for about eight months, with breaks for Christmas and the World Cup," said Robert "3D" Del Naja, "but we started out with a selection of ideas that were up to seven years old. Songs like 'Safe from Harm' and 'Lately' had been around for a while, from when we were The Wild Bunch, or from our time on the sound systems in Bristol. But the more we worked on them, the more we began to conceive new ideas too – like, 'Five Man Army' came together as a jam." The group also drew inspiration from concept albums in various genres by artists such as Pink Floyd, Public Image Ltd, Billy Cobham, Wally Badarou, Herbie Hancock and Isaac Hayes. Daddy G said about the making of the album: We were lazy Bristol twats. It was Neneh Cherry who kicked our arses and got us in the studio. We recorded a lot at her house, in her baby's room. It stank for months and eventually we found a dirty nappy behind a radiator. I was still DJing, but what we were trying to do was create dance music for the head, rather than the feet. I think it's our freshest album, we were at our strongest then.

Blue Lines has been considered the first trip hop album, although the term was not widely used before 1994. A fusion of electronic music, hip hop, dub, 1970s soul and reggae, it established Massive Attack as one of the most innovative British bands of the 1990s and the founder of trip hop's Bristol sound. Considered as the "first masterpiece" of what later became known as trip hop, and described it as "filter[ing] US hip-hop through the lens of British club culture, a stylish, nocturnal sense of scene that encompassed music from rare groove to dub to dance."

The album featured breakbeats, sampling, and rapping on a number of tracks, but the design of the album differed from traditional hip hop. The album also marked a change in electronic and dance music, "a shift toward a more interior, meditational sound. 

Critic reviews praised the album and described the album as "the sleekest, deadliest, most urbane, most confounding LP 1991 has yet seen", put current changes on the dancefloor in perspective and map out blueprints for what must surely come next" and that "after Blue Lines the boundaries separating soul, funk, reggae, house, classical, hip-hop and space-rock will be blurred forever." At the Brit Awards' 1992 ceremony, Blue Lines was nominated for Best British Album.

The album reached number 13 on the UK Albums Chart; sales were limited elsewhere. Blue Lines proved to be popular in the club scene, as well as on college radio stations.

 

Blue Lines Track List:  

 

1. Safe From Harm

2. One Love

3. Blue Lines

4. Be Thankful For What You've Got

5. Five Man Army

6. Unfinished Symphathy

7. Daydreaming

8. Lately

9. Hymn From The Big Wheel 

Rocktrospectiva: The Clever And Catchy "Animal Magic" Turns 40

Released on 7 April 1986 "Animal Magic" was the 2nd., studio album from the British band The Blow Monkeys. It gave the group their commercial breakthrough after their debut album, Limping for a Generation, ironically the album had won critical acclaim but had only sold modestly. The album spawned four singles "Forbidden Fruit", the hit "Digging Your Scene", "Wicked Ways", & "Don't Be Scared Of Me". 

The Blow Monkeys were another British band that decided to incorporated R&B influences into its pop/rock sound, the band was led by Bruce Robert Howard, aka Dr. Robert, and managed to scored a Top 20 single in the U.S. with the engaging and catchy "Digging Your Scene," which featured nasal lead vocals and a swirling mixture of keyboards, guitar, and female background cooing. The Blow Monkeys possessed a quirkiness that set them apart from other bands of their style, and maybe this was the reason why the had limited further success in the  USA althought the band achieved another minor hit with "I Doesn't Have To Be This Way" included in the Police Academy 4 soundtrack. 

The band's 1986 album Animal Magic had other interesting tracks like the catchy "Wicked Ways" and the upbeat "Don't Be Scared of Me." Though the band overreaches a bit with the ballad "Heaven Is a Place I'm Moving To" and the title track's silly attempt at exotica, most of Animal Magic was indeed truly pleasant and intelligent enough to make it a better-than-usual release from a 1980s one-hit wonder.

The album displayed an intelligent collection of slick, soul-influenced, mid-tempo tunes. A couple of ballads offered some diversity: one of them, "I Backed a Winner (in You)", which was heartfelt track, mostly a cappella, with lead singer Dr. Robert, softly playing acoustic guitar while giving the lyrics its perceptive rhythm, where his vocals, and especially those of an aptly named ensemble, The Demon Barbers, acting as a sort of doo wop choir. Amongst the album's many gems is also a duet with Jamaican toaster Eek-A-Mouse on the duet "Sweet Murder".

The Sales of Animal Magic were boosted by the hit single "Digging Your Scene", which charted in the UK (peaking at No. 12), the rest of Europe and the US. The album's first single, the ballad "Forbidden Fruit", had been released almost a year before the LP. After "Digging Your Scene", two more singles were taken from the album, both of which, though catchy and cleverly built, but didn't replicate the same level of commercial success: "Wicked Ways" reached No.60 in Great Britain, and "Don't Be Scared of Me" charted at No.77 in UK.

 

Animal Magic Track List:

 

1. Digging Your Scene

2. Animal Magic

3. Wicked Ways

4. Sweet Murder

5. Aeroplane City Lovesong

6. Walking The Blue Beat

7. I Nearly Died Laughing

8. Don't Be Scared Of Me

9. Burn The Rich

10. I Backed A Winner (In You)

11. Forbidden Fruit

12. Heaven Is A Place I'm Moving To 

New Music: Cult Of Celebrity

            

Lambrini Girls; The British punks call out hypocritical elites on their first new music since Who Let the Dogs Out, the single "Cult Of Celebrity" sees Phoebe Lunny and Selin Macieira tear into the dark hypocrisy of the wealthy elite, particularly following the headlines of recent years. The new song comes with a devilish music video directed by Harv Frost. Lambrini Girls said when unveiling the track. “However, due to recent events come to light – it turns out that the elite are very much actually the devil incarnate, baby eating, pedos. What a fucking surprise! They had no souls to sell in the first place.”

 

Rocktrospectiva: The Tougher And Lushy "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" Turns 10

Released on 3 April 2006 "Ringleader Of The Tormentors" was the 8th., studio album by the English alternative rock singer Morrissey.  The album was described as showcasing "a thicker, more rock-driven sound", which Morrissey attributed to new guitarist Jesse Tobias. Spawning four singles "You Have Killed Me", "The Youngest Was The Most Loved", "In The Future's When All's Well" & "I Just Want To See The Boy Happy."  The album debuted at number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and number 27 in the US, and also reached number 1 in Sweden, Malta, and Greece.

Recording for the album commenced in late August 2005 in Rome, Italy. Mixing began in late October 2005. Initially, Morrissey was to record the album with producer Jeff Saltzman; however, he could not undertake the project. Producer Tony Visconti, of T. Rex and David Bowie fame, took over the production role and Morrissey announced that Ringleader of the Tormentors is to be "the most beautiful—perhaps the most gentle—so far". Visconti wrote on his website: "We have been working on the music and each day it just sounds better and better. I find every musician in the band a joy to work with. Morrissey's vocals are passionate and confident. Right now I'm at the mixing stage and most of the musicians have gone home. I am two-thirds of the way through one of the best albums I've ever worked on, with not only Morrissey at his best, but the plot has twists and turns which somehow involve film composer Ennio Morricone and an Italian children's choir. That should whet your appetite, you Moz fans, you!"

The album opener "I Will See You in Far-Off Places" had grinding glam guitars and a couple of waspish one-liners. The second track "Dear God Please Help Me" proceeded with a stately, lovely piano figure, a funereal organ and the image of Morrissey strolling through his adopted hometown of Rome in the usual melancholy haze, "so very tired of doing the right thing". Thinking about the metaphor here of Mozza testicles, "Dear God," he adds, as indeed you might if you were trying to walk through the Eternal City while suffering from distended testicles, "please help me."

The brilliant "You Have Killed Me" where Mozza compared himself to film director Pier Paolo Pasolini, who compellingly illustrated the downside of trawling the vias for a shag, when a bit of rough trade he picked up in Ostia ran him over with his own Alfa Romeo. Much of Ringleader of the Tormentors was given over to fretting about the effect that admitting sexual satisfaction - or, apparently more disastrous still, love - might have on Morrissey's image. "I am the same underneath," protested the album's remarkable centrepiece for many, "Life Is a Pigsty," as if trying to reassure both his fans and himself. The following song titled "I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now." It's all a bit ridiculous - in the admittedly unlikely event that Morrissey was filmed throttling a kitten, thousands of fans would storm the chatrooms claiming it was the kitten's fault - but nevertheless, this seems to have inspired some of his most impressive songs in years.

Then the "At Last I Am Born" was a fabulously overblown, deliriously joyful closer. Here, as a way to separate from "You Are The Quarry", the violins are not only real, but scored by Ennio Morricone. T Rex producer Tony Visconti lends everything a muscular authority. They have even splashed out on a children's choir, who turn The Youngest Was the Most Loved's refrain - "there is no such thing in life as normal" - into something impossibly moving.

Ringleader of the Tormentors had a mystery and magic of its own and received positive reviews from most critics, stating the album was musically, it's both tougher and lusher than You Are the Quarry, with proper orchestrations replacing that album's nasty synthetic strings.

 

Ringleader Of The Tormentors Track List:  

 

1. I Will See You In Far-Off Places

2. Dear God Please Help Me

3. You Have Killed Me

4. The Youngest Was The Most Loved

5. In The Future When All's Well

6. The Father Who Must Be Killed

7. Life Is A Pigsty

8. I'll Never Be Anybody's Hero Now

9. On The Streets I Ran

10. To Me You Are A Work Of Art

11. I Just Want To See The Boy Happy

12. At Last I Am Born

Rocktrospectiva: The Smooth And Setting The Tone "Mama Said" Turns 35

Released on 2 April 1991 "Mama Said" was the second studio album by US rock musician Lenny Kravits, the album had the collaboration of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash who co-wrote and played on the song "Always on the Run". He also played on the song "Fields of Joy". The song "All I Ever Wanted" was co-written by Sean Lennon. The album spawned five singles "Always On The Run", "It Ain't Over ('Til It's Over)", "Fields Of Joy", "Stand By My Woman", "What The Fuck Are We Saying", "What Goes Around Comes Around".

When Kravitz released his gold-certified debut album Let Love Rule through Virgin Records in 1989, the biracial, dreadlocked performer reintroduced the pop music landscape to the prolific, one-man-show dipped in a Sixties-themed vibe. Of course, something had changed when Kravitz, frequently told by record executives that his music wasn't black enough, came back and released his second album Mama Said.

The artist formerly known as Romeo Blue had just come off tour from promoting Let Love Rule, so he was seemingly well on his way to superstardom (or so we thought). His highly-publicized marriage to actress Lisa Bonet, known to television audiences as the free-spirited Denise Huxtable on both The Cosby Show and A Different World, was beginning to deteriorate, leaving a devastated Kravitz to find ways to deal with the heartache. His rising fame and success didn’t make things any better, he was mildly depressed, causing him to go into a brief period of hibernation. Still, with Mama Said, Kravitz, a love child of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, poured his respect and feelings onto wax. The only problem was, like the slew of major record companies that continuously turned down his demo tape, the music critics were equally as reluctant to really understand and appreciate his musical integrity.

Mama Said started off with "Fields of Joy," opening with a folky acoustic riff backing Kravitz's psychedelic vocals resembling post-Beatles John Lennon. Guitarist Slash contributes some funk/rock shredding to boot. The Guns N’ Roses member had a recurring role, joining Kravitz and Earth, Wind & Fire’s horn section, The Phenix Horns, on the Led Zeppelin-esque "Always On the Run." The track "Stand By My Woman" was one of the album's more remorseful moments, allowing Kravitz to be vulnerable over gospel-inspired pianos and organs.

Them the hit "It Ain't Over Til It's Over" earned Kravitz his highest pop chart position, peaking at No.2 . The single married his Curtis Mayfield-inspired falsetto with chunky Stax Records guitars and a lush MFSB-flavored (possibly Love Unlimited Orchestra) string arrangement. "More Than Anything In This World," was like many of Kravitz's latter recordings, presents his knack for laying down echoing vocals, specifically with an ambient Sunday morning feel. "What Goes Around Comes Around" revisited againg Mayfield.

The blues-influenced track "The Difference Is Why" and "When the Morning Turns to Night." "Stop Draggin' Around" poured Jimi Hendrix's guitar effects underneath a harmonious Sly Stone groove and vocal arrangement. The lullaby-resembling "Flowers for Zoe" was a tender hommage to his daughter, now young actress and singer herself. The echoing "All I Ever Wanted," was an auditory rendition of an empathetic Kravitz on bended knees, filtering Al Green’s spirit through Robert Plant’s screeching pipes.

The concerned "What the Fuck Are We Saying?," showed Kravitz taking crash courses in studying Stevie Wonder's lyricism on Innervisions and Brian Eno’s (or maybe Kraftwerk’s) synthesizer methodology. And finally "Butterfly" closer of Mama Said, resembling singer-songwriters like Jim Croce, Joni Mitchell, John Denver and even Lennon again. 

Critics were mixed some still considered him as remain a promising but minor artist. And keep borrowing those said musical elements, however, clearly worked to Kravitz's advantage. Mama Said became the entertainer’s first Top 40 album on the Billboard 200, peaking at #39. Basically, the album was not Kravitz's crowning moment in the studio and for record retailers, but definitely set the tone for what was about to come for Kravitz down the line. 

 

Mama Said Track List:  

 

1. Fields Of Joy

2. Always On The Run

3. Stand By My Woman

4. It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

5. More Than Anything In This World

6. What Goes Around Comes Around

7. The Difference Is Why

8. Stop Draggin' Around

9. Flowers For Zoe

10. Filed Of Joy (Reprise)

11. All I Ever Wanted

12. When The Morning Turns To Night

13. What The Fuck Are We Saying?

14. Butterly 

Rocktrospectiva: The Energetic "Super" Turns 10

Released on 1 April 2016, "Super" was the 13th., studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was released on the band's own label, x2, through Kobalt Label Services. Super debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart, and it was number one on Billboard's Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, the album spawned five singles "The Pop Kids", "Twenty-Something", "Inner Sanctum", "Say It To Me", & "Undertow".

Super was the second in a trilogy of albums produced by Stuart Price, preceded by Electric (2013) and followed by Hotspot (2020). As on the first album, the music on Super was purely electronic, with no additional instruments. Pet Shop Boys wrote 25 songs between November 2014 and July 2015, working in London and, mainly, Berlin. Twelve were ultimately used on the album, with an emphasis on upbeat electronic dance tracks.

"The Pop Kids" was the first song written for Super. The music originated as a demo titled "Munich", written in that city by Chris Lowe during the Progress Live tour in 2011. Neil Tennant added the lyrics during the album writing sessions, telling a story about two students and their shared love of pop music. The music of "Twenty-something" was inspired by reggaeton, which Lowe heard at a club in Bogota, while the lyrics refer to young professionals in London. "Sad Robot World" was written after the duo were given a tour of the Wolfsburg Volkswagen Plant, where they saw cars being washed by robotic arms.

Some tracks on Super were largely instrumental, with only a few lyrics and non-traditional song structures. "Pazzo!", meaning "crazy" in Italian, was made using a collection of sounds saved from another track. "Inner Sanctum" celebrates an exclusive club experience; the duo imagined how it would sound in the Berlin nightclub Berghain as they worked on it. Tracks that were not used for Super included more conventional pop songs, as well as some dark, topical songs like "In Bits", which became a b-side of "The Pop Kids", and "The Lost Room", which was eventually released with other Super-era tracks on the Lost EP (2023).

Pet Shop Boys teased Super in January 2016 with an anonymous poster and social media campaign using the circle logo (pictured), leading to the now-defunct website What Is Super, which featured a brief music clip. On 21 January, the site went live with the album announcement, along with a video preview of the song "Inner Sanctum". Super was made available for pre-order on compact disc, vinyl, or digital download. 

The album was released with colour variations of cover. Each format was given its own fluorescent colour scheme. The different music streaming services also have their own colour schemes

Super received generally favourable reviews from music critics. Some described it as a record that's frequently playful, vibrant and witty and shows off all the hallmarks of classic Pet Shop Boys… 'Super' was confirmation of their position at the head of the pop pantheon with an album brimming with excitement and fizzing with energy". Other critics said that  Super was a grower and a brave rejection of pipe and slippers, embracing the mythical dance floor with admirably vacuous experimentation, even if it mines the mid-nineties, when dance music grew least interesting, but other stated that the album offered nothing new but definitely it was made for fans caused the brand was already established.

 

Super Track List:  

 

1. Happiness

2. The Pop Kids

3. Twenty-Something

4. Groovy

5. The Dictator Decides

6. Pazzo!

7. Inner Sanctum

8. Undertow

9. Sad Robot World

10. Say It To Me

11. Burn

12. Into Thin Air

Rocktrospectiva: The Sweet And Lighter Underrated "Book Of Love" Turns 40

Released on 1 April 1986 "Book Of Love" was the self-titled debut studio album by the US synth-pop band Book Of Love, the album apwned four singles "Boy", "I Touch Roses", "You Make Me Feel So Good", & "Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)". 

The Philadelphia-based synthpop quartet Book of Love released their debut, Book of Love, in the spring of 1986, when synthpop was at its peak in the mid-1980s. During 1984 and 1985, the band recorded various demos at the recording studio Noise, in midtown Manhattan. One of the demos was the song "Boy", a toe-tapping tale of teen-girl angst featuring tubular bells and a skip-along beat. Noise recording studio had many bells and chimes available at the band's disposal. Reflecting on that time, Ted Ottaviano stated, "I was fascinated with Altered Images and other bands that were incorporating bells and chimes into their music. Long brass chimes, tubular bells, whatever. It sounded right, for the time." Keyboardist Lauren Roselli gave a copy of the "Boy" demo to disc jockey Ivan Ivan, who had recently co-produced the dancefloor hit "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" by Dominatrix. Ivan forwarded the demo to Sire Records president Seymour Stein, who subsequently signed the group to his label in August 1984.

In 1985, the band began recording what would become their debut album at Unique Recording with Ivan Ivan as producer. The band recorded two tracks for the single, "Boy" and the band's theme song "Book of Love". "Boy" was released as a single, and became a huge dance club hit, peaking at no. 7 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

After having a hit with "Boy", the band quit their day jobs. While doing promotion for the single, the band met Depeche Mode at a party hosted by Rockpool (modern rock promotion company). Subsequently, the band was offered the opening slot on the North American leg of Depeche Mode's Some Great Reward Tour. Starting in Washington, D.C., on March 14, 1985, the band, still without an album, joined the tour with Depeche Mode, playing coast to coast throughout their fifteen North American tour dates.

Upon returning from the Depeche Mode tour, the band went straight into the recording studio to record "Happy Day" for inclusion on the UK single of "Boy". The remainder of the summer was spent on a small club tour of the southern states that the Depeche Mode tour had skipped over, and recording the songs "I Touch Roses" and "Lost Souls" for the next single. A second single, "I Touch Roses", was then released in September 1985. Daniel Miller, founder of Mute Records and producer of Depeche Mode, remixed the song as a single remix and an extended 'Full Bloom Version' for the European single that was released in early 1986. "I Touch Roses" became a big club hit, peaking at no. 8 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Because of the success of "I Touch Roses", the band got a green light to finish the album.

Up until the end of the summer of 1985, the band had only recorded five songs. ("Boy", "Book of Love", "Happy Day", "I Touch Roses", and "Lost Souls") Following the success of I Touch Roses", the band resumed work on the album in September 1985 at Unique Recording and Sigma Sound Studios in New York City, recording the seven new songs that would make up the rest of their debut album. Instruments the band used to record the album were various synthesizers (Oberheim Xpander, Yamaha DX-7, Casio CZ-1000, Roland Juno 6, Roland JX-8P), an E-mu Emulator sampler, piano, tubular bells, chimes, melodica, and both acoustic and electronic percussion (Yamaha RX-11 drum machine, Simmons Toms). The main songwriting duties on Book of Love fell to Ted Ottaviano, with Susan Ottaviano co-writing six of the tracks, and Jade Lee contributing to two. One of the songs recorded was a cover song of "Die Matrosen" ("The Sailor", in English), originally by the all-girl Swiss post-punk band LiLiPUT, which features a catchy chorus of whistling. Recording of the album was finally finished in January 1986.

"You Make Me Feel So Good" was released as the first official single from the record on July 31, 1986, and became Book of Love's first CHR radio hit. In April 1986, a music video was filmed on location in New York City for "You Make Me Feel So Good" and released in late July along with the single to promote the album. In 1986, Depeche Mode once again asked the band to be their opening act. Finally with an album to promote, Book of Love toured as the opening act on the massive Depeche Mode Black Celebration Tour, joining the band's first European leg on April 29, 1986 in Hanover, West Germany, and playing 48 shows in twelve weeks throughout the full North American leg which ended on July 15, 1986, in Irvine, California.

A second official and final single taken from the album, "Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)", was released in April, 1987. The song was a dance club hit, peaking at no. 17 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, becoming as popular as New Order and Depeche Mode singles in clubs at its peak. "Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)" is an ode to Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani. The track was penned by Jade Lee, Susan and Ted Ottaviano (no relation), who had all been art school students and were inspired by the Italian painter's paintings and history.

The four-minute 'Requiem Mass' remixed version of "Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)" was featured in an episode of Miami Vice on November 6, 1987, and both the original single and 'Requiem Mass' remix were used in the 1987 film Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Upon release, Book of Love did not chart, receiving little attention among the large number of new wave and synthpop albums at the time. Four of the album's tracks were released as singles, which charted successfully on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and Hot Dance Singles Sales charts in the US.Meanwhile some critics called the album's music as sweeter and lighter than much of this genre, and vocalist Susan Ottaviano has a matter-of-fact phrasing style that keeps it all from getting too sweet."

 

Book Of Love Track List:

 

1. Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)

2. You Make Me Feel So Good

3. Still Angry

4. White Lies

5. Lost Souls

6. Late Show

7. I Touch Roses

8. Yellow Sky

9. Boy

10. Happy Day

11. Die Matrosen

12. Book Of Love&

Rocktrospectiva: The Underrated "From Luxury To Heartache" Turns 40

Released on 1 April 1986 "From Luxury To Heartache" was the 4th., studio album by the British pop group Culture Club. It was the last studio album released by Culture Club until 1999's Don't Mind If I Do. The album spawned three singles "Move Away", "God Thank You Woman" & "Gusto Blusto". It was an album that was intended to restore Culture Club reputation as a chart force to be reckoned with, but instead of that, the album accelerate their demise from music. 

From Luxury to Heartache was produced by veteran pop and R&B producer Arif Mardin, who replaced Steve Levine, the producer of Culture Club's previous three albums, in a bid to revitalise the band's sound. Due to lead singer Boy George's growing addiction to drugs, recordings dragged on for so long that Mardin had to disband the sessions and leave it up to engineer Lew Hahn to record the final vocals. The final credit on the album gave production credit to both Mardin and Hahn on all tracks. Songs like "Gusto Blusto" and "Reasons" took days for the addicted singer to finish.

Following the release of the album, rumours of George's heroin addiction began to circulate in the press and in British and US tabloids, and by the summer of 1986, he announced that he was indeed addicted to drugs. In July, he was arrested for possession of cannabis, several days later, keyboardist Michael Rudetsky, who played on the album and had co-written "Sexuality" with George, was found dead from a heroin overdose in George's home.

The band come from what critics called a disaster with Waking Up With The House On Fire, the Culture Club album that had failed to scale the giddy heights of its two predecessors. So, t was clear that the band who'd defined the early 80s but had started to seriously flag by its mid-way point needed to mix things up for studio effort number four. 

In this case, From Luxury To Heartache proved to be the final nail in the coffin of their golden years.  After all, its 10 tracks were recorded amidst seemingly insurmountable tensions. Not only had the on/off Boy George and Jon Moss just gone through their messiest split but the former had suddenly gone from a virtual teetotaller to a full-blown heroin addict within a matter of months. With Boy George wrapped up within the grips of his addiction, studio sessions reportedly also became delayed and interrupted so frequently.

Considering this difficult inception, and unlike other albums from their heyday, this never received the remastering treatment, while lead single Move Away is its only track to have regularly featured in the band's reunion setlists, which it's a pity cause "God Thank You Woman" it's a fine track/single too as well.

The multiple Grammy award-winning producer Mardin had also just worked his magic on another British pop act’s masterpiece, Scritti Politti’s Cupid & Psyche 85. He adopted a similarly maximalist approach here, filling almost every second with his bank of synths and drum machine beats, perhaps a little but overproduced, even the mighty tones of Jocelyn Brown – joining ever-present Helen Terry on backing vocals – struggle to make themselves heard. Arguably, Culture Club have never sounded more vibrant than on the slap-bass funk of Gusto Blusto, one of many kiss-offs no doubt aimed at the drummer in the room, 

Perhaps, the biggest misstep about From Luxury To Heartache wasn't the decision to take a break from regular producer Steve Levine or its failure to embrace the music emerging from the New York club circuit, but its choice of singles. Move Away might have given the Club their final UK Top 10 hit. Second single God Thank You Woman peaked at No. 31 was even more pedestrian, combining faux-gospel pop with the kind of corny sentiments. It’s quite possibly the group's weakest single for several critics, but it works for me, at least after heard it being played on the A-Team episode which was a plus to me, ironically and despite of this, the record development in the US was even worse. "Gusto Blusto was a failed in the charts, and the final single "Heaven's Children" despite it was scheduled for released was cancelled. 

Despite the album was an interesting reinvention for the band despite it didn't changed anyhting, within a year the band broke up and Boy George embarked on a solo career. George’s drug habits only became even more serious and his relationships with Mikey Craig, Roy Hay and Moss even sourer.

 

From Luxury To Heartache Track List: 

 

1. Move Away

2. I Pray

3. Work On Me Baby

4. Gusto Blusto

5. Heaven's Children

6. God Thank You Woman

7. Reasons

8. too Bad

9. Come Clean 

10. Sexuality