Albums: Sleep Of Reason

The Pet Shop Boys', Neil Tennant is a talented singer and songwriter. Following the announcement of a new collaborative album with composer Mark Springer, the singer has now released it. Mark was part of Rip Rig + Panic, a post-punk band founded in 1980, which also featured Neneh Cherry. Since then he has worked primarily as a solo artist, composing piano music, and scores for TV shows. 

His latest collaboration is with Neil Tennant and Sacconi Quartet, a UK-based classical string quartet founded in 2001.

Announcing the news on Pet Shop Boys' social media, they posted the album's artwork writing: Composer Mark Springer’s forthcoming new album, "Sleep of Reason", which includes a collaboration with Neil Tennant, is now available to pre-order on double vinyl and CD exclusively at the Bandcamp 

The album is planned for release in April 2025 and consists of three major pieces inspired by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya: a piece for solo piano, a string quartet and a quintet for voice and strings. Mark Springer plays the piano, The Sacconi Quartet perform the quartet and they are joined by Neil Tennant on vocals for the quintet. The opening track "Phantoms and Monsters" can be listened to now at the Bandcamp link.'

Following the initial announcement, a second post confirmed the release date and that the album is available on CD. Neil told his fans: 'I just met the composer Mark Springer to get some CDs of his beautiful work, “Sleep of Reason”, the first part of which I sing on. It’s always exciting to get finished copies of a new record and this looks very handsome! It’s released on April 25th. Neil x'.

Speaking about the album, Neil said: "I bought a book of Goya's print series Los Caprichos which had inspired Mark's music and saw that the artworks were a satirical, cruel, nightmarish portrayal of the politics, corruption and culture of his era, exploring his dreams - or nightmares - while exposing the double standards of the ruling establishment.

"The lyrics I wrote for 'Sleep of Reason', in response to Los Caprichos, are intended to be sardonic and dreamlike, looking back to Goya's nightmares but then reflecting on my experiences in 21st Century popular culture and media in which I have located the 'monsters' Goya saw in his dreams.

"It often feels like we're living in an era dominated by monsters with their grotesque egos hollering through social media, unfiltered and untruthful, leaving a trail of wreckage behind them. Maybe it's always felt like that."

Sleep Of Reason The tracklist features 13 songs which are listed below.

1. Phantoms and Monsters

2. A Witch and a Devil

3. Truth is for Losers

4. Schmutzig

5. My Friend the Monster

6. The Madness of the Summer'

7. Morn

8. Noon

9. Night

10. Break

11. Fligh

12. Dark

13. Moon

New Music: Sleep Of Reason

           

To accompany the release of Mark Springer's "Sleep of Reason" album, which features Neil on vocals, a video for the opening track, "Phantoms and Monsters", has been created by John Maybury and Daniel Goddard with footage from their forthcoming film "Confessions of a Pin Eye Zombie", the new album is out now.

New Music: Alley

            

The legendary alt-rocker Suzanne Vega has shared today a new single "Alley" is the latest advance track from Vega's forthcoming Flying With Angels following "Rats," "Speakers Corner," and "Chambermaid." This one carries along its minor-key guitar tapestry on a propulsive drumbeat, sung by Vega at her breathiest and understated best.

New Music: Pink Elephant

           

Win Butler and his band have shard their Pixies-esque "Pink Elephant" song sees the group continue with their more restrained, guitar-focused approach.Speaking about the track  the frontman explained: "When you feel like you're making a record, sometimes a song contains the universe, that you know other songs – even if they haven’t shown up yet – are gonna show up. Cause they're related to the universe of that song. "It's like, if you're in a desert and you find a well. It's the only well in that part of the desert. And you see one animal walk up – you know other animals are nearby, 'cause everyone's coming to the same well. If you find that one exotic creature, other songs are gonna come to hang out in the same place." His wife and bandmate Régine Chassagne then compared the "Pink Elephant" single to the "Reflektor" and "The Suburbs" title tracks, and how they unlocked those albums’ respective worlds.

In Memoriam: The Anarchic Pere Ubu's "David Thomas" Dies At 71

The legendary US musician who was a major influence on post-punk and alt-rock scenes thanks to his spirited, chaotic style, David Thomas, who fronted the wild and free-thinking American rock band Pere Ubu, has died aged 71.

A statement on Pere Ubu's Facebook page said that he died "in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest step-daughter by his side. MC5 were playing on the radio." The statement continues: "He will ultimately be returned to his family home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be "thrown in the barn" … We'll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can: "My name is David Fucking Thomas… and I'm the lead singer of the best fucking rock and roll band in the world.'"

That band were indeed a force to be reckoned with, channelling the raucous, raw energy of garage rock into adventurous songwriting decked out with saxophones, funky bass and Thomas’s spirited exclamations. With a post-punk spirit even before punk had properly got going, Pere Ubu were a big influence on the alt-rock that emerged in the 1980s including bands such as Pixies amongst others.

Born in Miami and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Thomas formed his first band Rocket From the Tombs in 1974, who, despite some notoriously energised live shows couldn't find a record deal and never put out studio material, then formed Pere Ubu, taking their name from a character in a play by absurdist French writer Alfred Jarry. "It was a name that wouldn't mean anything to 95% of an audience," he later said. "I wanted to create a band that Herman Melville, William Faulkner or Raymond Chandler would have wanted to be in."

The debut single "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" was released in 1975, and the band impressed an A&R at Mercury Records, which created a whole new imprint for their 1978 debut album The Modern Dance. Described as "harsh and wilfully ugly" in Rolling Stone, it contained superb vocal performances from Thomas, such as the exhilarating rant of Life Stinks, and while it wasn’t a commercial success it chimed with a growing post-punk movement. The band broke up briefly in 1979, then for a longer period after fifth album Song of the Bailing Man. Thomas put out a series of records away from the group, with backing bands such as the Pedestrians and the Wooden Birds, before Pere Ubu reformed in 1987. 

This was the beginning of the band's most commercially successful phase, with a major label behind them, prompting minor MTV hits such as Waiting For Mary, and appearances on British TV.They released 14 albums in the following years, with Thomas the sole founder member leading a changing lineup of more than 20 musicians.

Thomas also had intriguing side projects, such as an appearance in Rogue's Gallery, a star-studded concert series performing pirate songs he also performed What Will We Do With a Drunken Sailor on a 2006 album that also featured Sting, Lou Reed and Nick Cave and a 2002 West End production of "junk opera" Shockheaded Peter. 

After living with kidney disease, Thomas had been recording an album that "he knew was to be his last". The album will be completed after his death, along with an autobiography and an archival project of live concerts.

News: The Pet Shop Boys Official Remixes For Tina Turner And The Hidden Cameras

This Friday, The Pet Shop Boys and Neil Tennant released a pair of remixes and a collaborative album called with composer Mark Springer called "Sleep of Reason", the remix of Tina Turner's song "Hot For You Baby", which was released for the first time earlier this year, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of 'Private Dancer

 

The original song was recorded at the time Tina recorded her breakthrough solo album "Private Dancer". It was written by Australian duo George Young and Harry Vanda and produced by John Carter, but did not see an official release until earlier this year, after it was unearthed.

Sharing the details of the new release, alongside another remix, the "West End Girls" band wrote: 'Pet Shop Boys are happy to reveal two new remixes for Tina Turner and The Hidden Cameras, both of which are released digitally today and available to hear now.

'The first track is a PSB remix of Tina Turner’s "Hot For You Baby", a previously undiscovered song from the 1984 "Private Dancer" album recording sessions.

The second track is The Hidden Cameras' new digital single "How Do You Love?", which is streaming now and will also be released as a limited edition twelve-inch vinyl on Friday, 9th May. All details are available on The Hidden Cameras official website.

Rocktrospectiva: The Haunting And Shimmering "Night Owls" Turns 35

Released on 25 April 1990 "Night Owls" was the second studio album by Belgian trio Vaya Con Dios, again produced by Dani Klein And Dirk Schoufs, the album spawned three singles "Nah Neh Nah", "Night Owls" & the hit "What's A Woman?". 

 

It was a mangificent and solid album, empowered by its three singles the up-tempo latin and jazz rock tune "Nah Neh Nah" which had huge airplay on the MTV Europe at the time, then it was the nice "Night Owls" and their biggest hit "What's a Woman?", a  soul ballad, that did well across Europe, and became a number one hit in the Netherlands and Belgium and spread the fame of the trio in several continental Europe countries.

 

The band was a hell of a experience sound thanks to their unexpectedly uplifting, and yet completely captivating style of jazz/blues swing, salted liberally with smokin' horns, the singer Dani Klein's uniquely talented vocals provided the essential touch, and brought a very satisfying taste of something at least once removed from the usual musical fare found on radio back then.

 

Tought about the title cut "Night Owls" a swinging danceable tune, or the hard to the bone "What's A Woman" for a real lowdown wailin' blues lament. The second album from the Belgian combo full of stylish eclecticism through a 12 track collection of different musical styles with no filler tracks at least for me. From the Stax soul in What's A Woman, a touch of jazz in Travelling light, and a smattering of Piaf in the French chanson on "Quand Elle Rit Aux Éclats" the band successfully employed influences from South American rhythms, some Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and even the rockabilly from the Stray Cats, nevertheless the lead singer Dani Klein's distinctive voice was the main attraction on this record. 

 

Night Owls Track List: 

 

1. Nah Neh Nah

2. Far Gone Now

3. Sunny Days

4. Sally

5. Something's Got A Hold On Me

6. I Don't Want To Know

7. What's A Woman?

8. Night Owls

9. Pack Your Memories

10. With You

11. Travelling Light

12. Quand Elle Rit Aux Éclats 

New Music: Achilles

           

"Achilles", is the new single from The Divine Comedy, taken from the band's forthcoming album, Rainy Sunday Afternoon, Achilles is yet another example of Neil Hannon's peerless songwriting. Hannon explains the origins of the song: "I saw a man this morning who did not wish to die". So begins the opening lines of Patrick Shaw-Stewart’s 1915 poem, "Achilles in the Trench". I read a newspaper article about it around the time of the various WW1 centenaries and was very struck by it. The growing dread of the young classics scholar as he waits to board a troop ship for Gallipoli. ‘Shells and hells for me’. It made me feel tremendously grateful to have grown up in the postwar oasis of calm. To have made it to my forty-third birthday, outliving Shaw-Stewart by some fifteen years. I trust he wouldn't mind that I pilfered a few of his lines. I hope it draws attention to his writing, his sacrifice, and the sacrifice of his contemporaries. Especially in these fraught times.” Achilles was written, arranged and produced by Neil Hannon. The video was directed by his long-time collaborator, the French director and photographer Raphaël Neal. It's the sixth video he's made with The Divine Comedy. "The Achilles music video is probably my favourite work I’ve ever done for The Divine Comedy." Raphaël Neal explains "In the past, our videos often had a narrative, but this time, there would be no story, Neil visualising instead a tableaux-based studio video. Some scenes, like the one where the WW1 soldier imagines himself as Achilles, illustrate the song and the original poem by Patrick Shaw-Stewart. Others take us somewhere else. Yet they all say something about the themes of the song: getting older, reflecting on death and, at the heart of this existential struggle, bravery."

New Music: Dreams

           

The Knocks & Dragonette are meticulously crafting their upcoming album "Revelation", and now they shared their latest single "Dreams," it's an impressive tracks in line with the already explosive offerings single the project released before, now with "Dreams" they elevates the era with its captivating synth-hued dance-pop vibes, promising a standout hit. This powerful collaboration is above all shaping up to be a defining moment in their storied careers.

Rocktrospectiva: The Chaming Simple Pop On "Everybody Knows" Turns 35

Released on 23 April 1990, "Everybody Knows" was the debut album by English dance-pop singer Sonia, released in April 1990. The album was predominantly written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and includes the UK and Irish number one single "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" and the UK top 20 hits "Can't Forget You", "Listen to Your Heart", "Counting Every Minute", and "End of the World". At the time of release, Sonia became the first female UK artist to achieve five top 20 hit singles from one album.

Back in the days when Stock, Aitken and Waterman (SAW) were ruling the charts in the mid to late 80s writing hits for Kylie, Jason Donovan, Donna Summer and many more. Sonia was the newest name to be added to this list when she recorded and released a classic pop track called "You'll Never Stop Me From Loving You" in June 1989.

Comparisons were made inmediately to Kylie straight away, which is fair comment production wise; You'll Never Stop could easily have fit on Kylie's 1989 album Enjoy Yourself. The difference was Sonia's soulful pop powerhouse vocal which really gets going as we hit the chorus.  Lyrically the entire album it deals with love and is actually a bit stalkerish. The song itself is classic SAW and is very much of it's time with that familiar drum loop used in so many of their tracks, but what helped it climb all the way to Number 1 on the UK's Official Chart was Sonia's instant likability.  

Sonia was an eighteen year old girl who never seemed to stop smiling and was very clean cut.  It's no wonder the Kylie comparisons came, although at the same time Kylie was starting to subtly move away from the cutesy look so Sonia felt like a natural successor especially having the SAW team behind her.

Unfortunately, the follow up track "Can't Forget You", peaked at 17, it was still unmistakably a SAW production, however the track was slightly more downbeat and mellow than it's predecessor.  The track was written specifically for Sonia after she had a chat with Mike Stock about her relationships.  It's a mid-tempo bop with another great middle 8. For her third single, Sonia released the uplifting "Listen To Your Heart " aand it gave her a second Top 10 hit when it peaked in January 1990 at Number 10. 

The four single gave an even dancier Sonia as SAW added hints of New Jack Swing on "Counting Every Minute" reached number 16 on the UK Official Charts and built anticipation for the debut album, which now contained four Top 20 hits. Sonia's debut album with her smiley face appearing not once, but five times on the cover; three of those pics with her wearing floppy hats, it was unashamedly pop and Sonia was the new girl-next-door with bags of energy and a powerful singing voice.  

The then standard 10 tracks, six were written by SAW, three were written by SAW studios extended family members Phil Harding, Ian Curnow and Bill Clift and the remaining track was a cover version, the album opened with the hit "You'll Never Stop Me From Loving You", with the likes as "Listen To Your Heart", and "Someone Like You" had a certain ABBA sound but with dance beats, "Counting Every Minute" and "Can't Forget You" are standard SAW but a certain Steps sound-a-like is hearing on "Now That I'm Without You", and certain slashes of Lonnie Gordon's "Happening All Over Again" sound, "Can't Help The Way That I Feel" leans slightly in to House sounds mixed with classic 80s tinkles.  

The penultimate track on the album is the final Harding/Curnow/Clift track "Climb To The Top Of The Mountain."  Featuring the ‘woo jack' in the background as featured in Counting Every Minute which appeared in several tracks in the late 80s and early 90s.  This was a positive track, where Sonia wants to shout from the top of a mountain about how great her relationship is – a nice contrast to some of the more downbeat lyrics elsewhere on the album. The album finished with the fifth and final single from "Everybody Knows" was a cover of the  1960's ballad End Of The World which went to Number 2 in the US and 18 in the UK for Skeeter Davis.  It gave Sonia a chance to showcase her voice and that's exactly what she does as she gives a subtle, yet emotional vocal telling the tale of the aftermath of a break up.  It reached Number 18 on the Official Charts in the summer of 1990 and was a great way to end the album.

The critics were mixed because the medias noted that as a Stock, Aitken & Waterman production, the album "style will come as no surprise - persistent, bubbling dance grooves topped off by the ultimate girl-next-door voice", and added that "every track is a potential single". with the pop sound at its most simple and all the more engagingly harmless".

 

Everybody Knows Track List:  

1. You'll Never Stop Me Loving You

2.  Everybody Knows

3. Listen To Your Heart

4. Someone Like You

5. Counting Every Minute

6. Can't Forget You

7. Now I'm Without You

8. Can't Help The Way That I Feel

9. Climb To The Top Of A Mountain

10. End Of The World