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Friday, June 24, 2022

Pride Month: LGBTQ+ Music News on George Michael, Darren Hayes, 'Love, Victor,' Greyson Chance, Pansy Division, Wrabel

GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, along with Sony Music Entertainment and Trafalgar Releasing, presented a clip from the new autobiographical feature documentary GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT.

Additionally, GLAAD.org has posted an in-depth interview with co-director and producer of the film, George Michael’s songwriting partner and long-time collaborator, David Austin. View the clip and the interview HERE.

Austin said, “We are very proud to Partner with GLAAD - George was proud of his sexuality and campaigned throughout his life for everyone to have the freedom to be who they wanted to be and love who they wanted to love.”

Throughout the film (in theaters now), Michael reveals the two distinct sides of his life: his very public music career and his private personal life that cameras never truly saw. Michael was heavily involved in and dedicated to the making of this documentary before his tragic passing in 2016.

Narrated by the late Grammy® Award winner himself, GEORGE MICHAEL FREEDOM UNCUT delves into the period after “Faith” leading up to, during and after the making of Michael’s “Listen Without Prejudice: Vol 1” album in 1990.

As the film clip posted at GLAAD illustrates, it was at this period of his life when Michael meets his first real love, Anselmo Feleppa. The film later explores how the legendary singer navigates both the heartbreak of Anselmo’s early tragic passing and the devastating loss of his mother.

The documentary features numerous celebrities, with contributors including Stevie Wonder, Sir Elton John, Ricky Gervais, Nile Rogers, Mark Ronson, Tracey Emin, Liam Gallagher, Mary J. Blige, Jean Paul Gaultier, James Corden, Tony Bennett, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, and Tatjana Patitz.

Sony Music will also release a deluxe, limited-edition Older box set in July. The set will also be available in digital/CD/2LP formats. Older was George’s third album as a solo artist. 

Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Greyson Chance's new single “Palladium” is available now across all streaming platforms. “Palladium” marks the first single from Chance’s forthcoming third studio album of the same name, which is set for release this fall on Lowly.

“Palladium” will follow the singer's 2019 full length release portraits, which has to date accumulated over 100+ million streams, and topped #5 on iTunes’ Pop Charts, #1 on Apple’s Music Breaking Pop Playlist, and #3 on Apple Music’s Best of the Week Playlist upon its release. The album was followed by a word tour that included 70+ sold out dates in North America, Europe, SE Asia, and China.

Get the new single HERE. Chance will embark on a European tour this summer with confirmed dates in London, Berlin, Madrid, and Paris. A U.S. tour is set for this fall with dates in Hamden, Seattle, Orlando, and Atlanta already announced. For more information, please visit GreysonChanceMusic.com.

Gay punk band PANSY DIVISION are celebrating their third decade with a trio of rare live shows. “It's great to have lasted this long,” laughs Jon Ginoli, vocalist/rhythm guitarist and band founder. “It's exciting to have people excited about wanting to see us play at this stage in the band's career.”

Beginning in 1991 when Ginoli surveyed the rock scene and saw not only a dearth of openly queer musicians but a complete lack of them, he formed what would be the first openly gay rock band featuring predominantly gay musicians. Thirty years later, the music scene has grown more and more accepting of LGBTQ+ artists that it’s almost dizzying. “There is so much of it now that I can't keep track of it, and that's a far cry from when we were starting out,” he says. “If more people had been out then, especially in rock, we might not have felt the need to start this band in the first place. But there wasn't, so we did, and being so open, unapologetic, blunt and fun about it means it still resonates today.”

Sidelined by the pandemic like nearly everyone in the music industry, Pansy Division is excited about the gradual return to live music… and with these three shows planned, it’ll be the first toe-dip in the live music pool. “I'm looking forward to these shows,” he says excited, especially happy to be back on stage instead playing a virtual "show" in front of an iPhone in his living room. “Playing solo shows over Zoom was fun, but it's hardly the same as being in the same room with an amplified group.”

Releasing their seventh album Quite Contrary in 2016, Pansy Division has been challenging the often exclusionary music world for continued acceptance. Having been championed early on by Green Day who took them on their Dookie tour (1994) and talked up by Howard Stern on his radio show, they’ve broken through the mainstream without having to compromise. Injecting humor into their sometimes playful, sometimes serious punk pop songs tinged with elements of glam, folk-rock and Britpop without being caustic, they’ve kept their raunch and raucousness balanced in equal parts. “We tried to turn our alienation into something positive,” says Ginoli. “Instead of being depressed about it, we tried to make music that would make us—and our audience—happy. We could laugh about it, so we put that joy into the music.”

Bringing that joy back into the clubs where it (and they) belong, Pansy Division are excited to be back. “We have played 976 shows in our 30-year career and we want to get to a thousand,” he laughs. “Since we all have our own lives and careers and are geographically separated from one another, it may take a while, but we hope to get there.”

Pansy Division are Chris Freeman (bass, vocals), Jon Ginoli (rhythm guitar, vocals), Luis Illades (drums) and Joel Reader (lead guitar, vocals).

Live dates:

June 30 – Palm Springs, CA @ The Alibi
July 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
July 3 – Oakland, CA @ Mosswood Meltdown Festival

The LOVE, VICTOR ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK SEASON 3 EP was released in conjunction with the series' third and final season streaming now on Hulu. 
This season finds Victor going on a journey of self-discovery — not only deciding who he wants to be with, but more broadly, who he wants to be.

With their post-high-school plans looming, Victor and his friends are faced with a new set of problems that they must work through to make the best choices for their futures. The series stars Michael Cimino, Rachel Hilson, Anthony Turpel, Bebe Wood, Mason Gooding, George Sear, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, Anthony Keyvan, Ava Capri, James Martinez and Ana Ortiz.

TRACKLIST:

1. “Mission” Vincent
2. “Dinner” Grag Queen
3. “Armageddon” Black Polish
4. “Only You” (Yaz cover) Jonah Mutono

Wrabel has released the deluxe edition of his 2021 debut album, ‘these words are all for you’ (via Big Gay Records/Nettwerk). Retitled ‘these words are all for you too’, the deluxe includes three new songs as well as remixes by Goldhouse and Japanese Wallpaper, and Wrabel’s recent collaboration with Cam on a refurbished version of “london” (the official video is out now: WATCH HERE).

Of the decision to release the deluxe edition LP, Wrabel said “putting my first record together after writing for more than ten years was one of the most difficult tasks I’ve had to accomplish. I am so very proud of the final tracklist, but there were a handful of songs that kept haunting me. I see this as another window into the world of the record.”

Recently, Wrabel guested on Tenille Townes’ “When You Need It” and on a rereleased version of Wild Rivers’ “Thinking ‘Bout Love”, as well as dropped the video for “wish you well” in tandem with an EP including alternate versions of the song.

Wrabel’s has toured alongside and collaborated with P!nk, has co-writing/performance credits alongside the likes of Kesha, Tenille Townes, Marshmello, Celeste, Backstreet Boys, Ellie Goulding, Louis Tomlinson, Louis the Child, Wafia, Cash Cash, and more. He’s released four previous EPs, has racked up 525 million streams across all DSP platforms. 

Track Listing:

wish you well
back to back (with Duncan Laurence)
nothing but the love
london
don’t pick up the phone
cars
let love in
it’s us (with Madi Diaz)
pale blue dot
love is not a simple thing to lose
closure
forest fire
all of a sudden
london (with Cam)
back to back (with Duncan Laurence) – Japanese Wallpaper remix
nothing but the love (GOLDHOUSE remix)

International platinum selling singer/songwriter Darren Hayes of Savage Garden fame has released his new single “Poison Blood,” detailing his experiences with depression and suicide. PRESS HERE to listen. Written, orchestrated and produced entirely by Hayes, the track articulates his family's history of depression and suicide. 

Hayes is marking his 20th year as a solo recording artist as well as the 25th anniversary of Savage Garden’s acclaimed debut, self-titled album. "Poison Blood" follows this year's previous singles: "Let's Try Being In Love" and "Do You Remember?," commemorating his return to music after a decade away. 

Says Hayes, 'Poison Blood' is a song about choosing to stay when everything else in your life is telling you to leave. I have a family history of depression and suicide and I talk openly about my own diagnosis in the hope that I might inspire someone who is struggling to seek help, as I have proudly done many times throughout my life"..."I describe my depression as a blessing, a gift and a curse all at once. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy and yet I’m aware I am a deeply sensitive person, and that my unique brain allows me to feel depths of emotions that many people don’t experience. I have learned to use those moments to channel melodies and stories that I hope are so real and so relatable they might reach someone else who is in pain, like me, and remind them to stay, like I choose to, every single day.”

He adds: “It’s significant to me that I’m releasing this song during world Pride, because so much of my own struggle with mental health in the past centered around my own internalized shame around my sexuality as a young person. Depression and suicide are significantly more prominent in the LGBTQI+ community so I hope this song is a comfort for anyone who needs reminding they are not alone.”

The multi-award winning songwriter and performer returned earlier this year with a headlining performance at the 2022 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration. Darren Hayes will return to Australian stages for the first time in over a decade in January/February 2023 with his ‘Do You Remember?’ Tour – 25 Years Of Savage Garden, Solo Hits And More. For more information and ticket info - visit www.darrenhayes.com.

Savage Garden (Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones) rose to fame in the late 90s courtesy of their hits "Truly Madly Deeply," "I Knew I Loved You," and "I Want You." Since its release in 1997, their self-titled debut album has been certified 12x Platinum in Australia, 7x Platinum in the US, and Diamond in Canada. They are one of only two Australian bands to have ever had two #1 singles in the US and are the reigning record-holders for the longest number of weeks on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay charts in the US for their singles "I Knew I Loved You" (124 weeks) and "Truly, Madly, Deeply" (123 weeks). Savage Garden, whose official YouTube channel has amassed nearly 900 million views, is Australia’s biggest and most successful musical duo.

Photos courtesy of Shore Fire Media, 42 West, Reybee and Press Here.

Friday, June 17, 2022

Paul McCartney box set assembled three albums

Written, performed and produced entirely by Paul McCartney, his three eponymous career-spanning solo albums (1970’s McCartney, 1980’s McCartney II, and 2020’s McCartney III) will now be packaged together and available in one special box set for the first time.

McCartney I II III box set will be available in three different formats – Limited Edition Color Vinyl, Black Vinyl Edition and CD – each including three special photo prints with notes from Paul about each album. The newly created box set cover art and typography for the slipcase are by Ed Ruscha. To pre-order McCartney I II III, please click HERE.

McCartney, the Number One Album was Paul’s first solo album released in 1970 and features tracks “Every Night”, and “Junk,” along with “Maybe I’m Amazed."

Just as McCartney marked the end of an era with Paul’s first release after leaving the biggest band in history, Paul did it again in 1980, this time signaling the end of '70s rock giants Wings. Taking a fresh approach to things, Paul wrote, performed, and produced the avant-garde masterpiece McCartney II, which reached Number One in the UK, and Number 3 in the US producing “Coming Up,” “Waterfalls,” and “Temporary Secretary."

With McCartney III Paul went back to basics again. Released in December 2020, just two years after Paul’s Billboard-topping Egypt Station album, “Rockdown" saw Paul turn unexpected time on his hands into an opportunity to get into the studio on his own. The intimate and loose record features “Find My Way” and the now live favorite “Women and Wives.” Upon release, McCartney III charted at Number One on the UK’s Official Album Charts and Number One on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart.

Paul will headline the Glastonbury Festival on June 25.

FORMAT INFO:
Slipcase cover art and typography by Ed Ruscha (all formats)

1) Limited Edition Color Vinyl
· Three-disc 180g audiophile vinyl set (McCartney - clear, McCartney II -white and McCartney III - creamy white vinyl)
· Three x 8 x 10” photo prints with introductions from Paul
2) Limited Edition Black Vinyl Edition
· 180g audiophile vinyl set
· Three x 8 x 10” photo prints with introductions from Paul
3) CD
· Limited Edition three-disc set
· Three photo prints with introductions from Paul

Sting spruces up 'The Bridge'

Sting’s 2021 album The Bridge is now available in a deluxe version 
including six tracks recorded at the Pantheon in Paris, as well as "Por Su Amor," the Spanish version of his song "For Her Love," a duet with Latin American singer/songwriter KURT.

The private concert at the Panthéon in Paris was part of FIP's 50th anniversary, under Foucault's pendulum (pendulum installed in evidence of the earth's rotation). 

This new edition is available now at all digital retailers and in 2CD physical format on July 8. Sting is set to embark on his "My Songs Tour" European summer leg, including various music festivals, followed by the newly announced Fall dates. Complete tour itinerary can be found at: www.sting.com/tour.

The 30-minute acoustic concert, “Sting Live At The Panthéon” program, was available on Arte Concert’s website and garnered more than 5 million views since its release with TV broadcast from May 30 in France and Germany.

About The Pantheon: 

The Paris Pantheon is a monument managed by the Center des Monuments Nationaux. The Pantheon, located in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, symbolizes the continuity of the History of France. Built by the architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot from 1764, this monument was initially to become a church. In 1791, during the French Revolution, the National Assembly decided to make the building a necropolis of the Great Men of France, honoring the characters embodying the great values ​​of the Republic: Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola , Jean Jaurès, Pierre and Marie Curie, Simone Veil and Joséphine Baker, among others.

Content and track listing: 

2CD: in a 3-fold digisleeve including the deluxe version of The Bridge (13 tracks), a 2nd CD including 6 tracks played live at the Pantheon, as well as "Por Su Amor", the Spanish version of his track "For Her Love", in duet with the Latin American artist KURT. The package is completed by a 24-page booklet including Sting's personal notes on each song from The Bridge.

CD - 1 THE BRIDGE (DELUXE)
Rushing Water
If It’s Love
The Book of Numbers
Loving You
Harmony Road
For Her Love
The Hills on the Border
Captain Bateman
The Bells of St. Thomas
The Bridge
Waters of Tyne
Captain Bateman's Basement
(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay

CD2 FIP Session Live in Paris at the Pantheon
Shape of My Heart
Fragile
Message in a Bottle
If It’s Love
Rushing Water
For Her Love
Por Su Amor feat. KURT (BONUS TRACK)

Two Door Cinema Club wants you to 'Keep on Smiling' with September album

Two Door Cinema Club's fifth studio album, Keep On Smiling, arrives via Glassnote Records on September 2. The album is available to pre-order/save now. Alongside the album announcement, Two Door Cinema Club have released the first single taken from the new album, “Wonderful Life.”

Afforded the time and space to fully immerse themselves in the writing and recording process, the band adopted a freer, more collaborative approach to the creative process with Keep On Smiling. The album was written and produced by the band both during and coming out of lockdown, with additional production from Jacknife Lee (Bloc Party, The Killers) and Dan Grech Marguerat (George Ezra). The artwork was created by acclaimed British artist, Alan Fears, known for his vibrant, 80s-inspired style and pop culture references, his signature colorful, theatrical, often humorous and elementally positive paintings lend themselves perfectly to visually encapsulate the themes of Keep On Smiling.


Track listing:

1. Messenger AD
2. Blue Light
3. Everybody's Cool
4. Lucky
5. Little Piggy
6. Millionaire
7. High
8. Wonderful Life
9. Feeling Strange
10. Won't Do Nothing
11. Messenger HD
12. Disappearer

Festivals:

July 01 - Down The Rabbit Hole, Netherlands July 07 - Atlas Festival, Ukraine
July 09 - Nos Alive, Portugal
July 10 - Mad Cool, Spain
July 14 - 17 - Benicassim, Spain
July 16 - Community (HEADLINE), London

EU tour dates:

September 28 - Paris
September 30 - Brussels

October 01 - Amsterdam
October 04 - Hamburg
October 05 - Berlin
October 07 - Munich
October 08 - Cologne

North American tour dates:

October 28 - Richmond, VA @ The National
October 29 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
October 30 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
November 1 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
November 2 - Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
November 3 - Washington DC @The Anthem
November 5 - Toronto, ON @ History
November 6 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theater
November 7 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theater
November 8 - Minneapolis, MI @ First Avenue

November 10, - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
November 11, - Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
November 12, - Salt Lake, UT @ The Union
November 14, - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
November 15, - Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
November 17, - San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast OA

Out now: Paul Kelly ponders 'Time' on new compilation

I'm always glad to hear about another album project of any kind by my former interview subject Paul Kelly. Get all the details below...

'Time' is a new compilation from acclaimed Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly. It also is the theme underlying the 30 songs on this digital retrospective, via Gawd Aggie/Cooking Vinyl Records out now. Time also represents the first in the series of themed compilations that are scheduled to be released every few months over the next year.

Time is a subject that has long been on Kelly’s mind. As he recently told Rolling Stone Australia, “I’ve always felt, from pretty young, that we don’t have much time.” It’s a topic he has returned to on the 25+ albums he has made since 1981, from the contemplations of a man near the end of his life (“I Wasted Time”) or a sweet declaration of undying love (“For the Ages”). He examines the passage of time while turning Shakespeare’s words into song (“Sonnet 60”) as well as utilizing common contemporary references, like watching Wheel of Fortune (“Little Aches and Pains”).

The 30 songs on Time range from his early work to his newer releases. “Before Too Long” and “Randwick Bells” are from Gossip, Kelly’s first album released in America, while “How to Make Gravy” is a track from his last record, Paul Kelly’s Christmas Train. Time contains a number of long-time favorites, such as “Before Too Long” and “When I First Met Your Ma,” as well as tunes from more recent releases like Thirteen Ways to Look At Birds (“The Magpies”) and Nature (“The Trees”).

Time features four songs that have never been released before. Three are recent live recordings: “Love Never Runs On Time” from 2021 and “Deeper Water” and “From Little Things Big Things Grow” from 2022. The fourth new song, the studio recording “Back to The Future,” serves as the perfect lead-off track for this album as it asks the musical question: “If we could go back to the future, would you?”

A legendary musician in his homeland, Kelly is described as the Australian Dylan and Springsteen. Besides winning a multitude of awards, Kelly also has received the esteemed honor of being named an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to the arts. 

Kelly found the process of constructing Time a great experience. “It’s fun just going through the catalog and putting together these themes,” he told Rolling Stone Australia. Music fans and Kelly aficionados can share in his experience with this collection, and look for additional editions on the road ahead.

Track Listing:

Back To the Future *
If I Could Start Today Again
Time And Tide
When I First Met Your Ma
The Pretty Place
Love Never Runs On Time *
Cities Of Texas
For The Ages
Before Too Long
The Oldest Story In The Book
Sonnet 60
Standing On the Street Of Early Sorrows
The Trees
I Wasted Time
From Little Things Big Things Grow *
You’re 39, You’re Beautiful And You’re Mine
Same Old Walk
Going About My Father’s Business
Winter Coat
Little Aches And Pains
Sonnet 73
Randwick Bells
Young Lovers
Song Of The Old Rake
To Be Good Takes A Long Time
Won’t You Come Around?
Deeper Water *
How To Make Gravy
Buffalo Ballet
The Magpies
* previously unreleased

Alphaville goes symphonic in September

Veteran synth pop group Alphaville is set to release a new symphonic double album; ETERNALLY YOURS on September 23 in North America via BFD (Bob Frank Distribution). Alphaville band founder Marian Gold partnered with film and television arrangers Max Knoth and Christian Lohr and the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg for re-imagined orchestral versions of classic hits from the band’s forty-year career such as “Forever Young” and “Big In Japan,” as well as one brand new song, title track “Eternally Yours."

Of the new project, Alphaville’s Marian Gold said, “ETERNALLY YOURS actually sounds to my ears as if were really the first Alphaville album – only that it wasn’t released forty years ago. We just didn’t have an orchestra at hand back then, but only synthesizers and rhythm machines.”

ETERNALLY YOURS will be available as a double-CD and a double black vinyl, as well as digitally. A gold double-vinyl will also be available on November 4. Click here to pre-order the album; click here to access the album cover art and see below for the track listing.

In advance of the release of ETERNALLY YOURS is the theatrical new version of the track, “Sounds Like A Melody,” taken from the project. The original version of the song was a Top 10 smash throughout Europe, the follow-up to the band’s debut hit single, “Big In Japan”. Click here to check it out.

Of his vocals, Gold explained, “When I do interpretations of songs from way back in the history of Alphaville, my voice already knows them. My singing results from a subconscious interaction, independent of any constraints or purposes of the mind. That is probably the main reason that the past four decades did not leave a significant trace on my vocal performance.”

Formed in Germany in 1983 by vocalist/lyricist Marian Gold and keyboardist Bernhard Lloyd, Alphaville topped the charts globally with such massive hits as “Big In Japan” and “Forever Young” (the latter making the charts not once but twice with two separate versions released years apart). ETERNALLY YOURS is Alphaville’s eighth album to date.

Track listing:

CD ONE:
1. Dream Machine
2. Summer In Berlin
3. Big In Japan
4. Dance With Me
5. Summer Rain
6. Apollo
7. Elegy
8. Lassie Come Home
9. MoonGirl
10. Welcome To The Sun

CD TWO:
11. A Victory Of Love
12. Sounds Like A Melody
13. Around The Universe
14. Eternally Yours
15. Diamonds Are Forever
16. Flame
17. Forever Young
18. Big In Japan (BassRoque version)
19. Sounds Like A Melody (chamber version)
20. Forever Young (petite version)
21. Big In Japan (Single Edit)
22. Sounds Like A Melody (Single Edit)
23. Forever Young (Single Edit)

The long-awaited return of Lightning Seeds arrives this fall

I interviewed Ian back in the day for his second album. Really looking forward to this one...

It’s been more than a decade since Lightning Seeds released a new album but now comes See You In The Stars, for BMG - out October 14. Listen to first track ‘Sunshine’ here. ‘Emily Smiles’, was co-written with The Specials' Terry Hall, whom Lightning Seeds leader Ian Broudie wrote Jollification’s ‘Lucky You’ with.

All songs were written and recorded over the last three years. The first two songs recorded were a pair written with the Coral’s James Skelly: ‘Great To Be Alive’ and ‘Live To Love You’.

“I always think music’s like attack and defense in football –or like politics – or like life. It’s about balance,” Ian Broudie says. “And achieving that is the challenge for me.”

On ‘Sunshine,’ he says, “The song is about the sun being the source of life. I’ve had many dreams worrying about the future of an uncertain world...But then the sun shines and everything feels more positive and hopeful."

In 33 years as a recording artist, the man who is Lightning Seeds has sold a million copies of Jollification, the 1994 album whose UK platinum success was spearheaded by UK hit single ‘Change’, and which Broudie recently celebrated with a sold-out, 25th anniversary tour at home.

That album, alongside ‘Pure’, ‘The Life of Riley’, ‘Lucky You’, and ‘Sense and Three Lions’, established Broudie as a well-known songwriter and also 
his production work on Echo and the Bunnymen’s ‘The Cutter’ to The Coral’s ‘Dreaming of You’, demonstrate that the Liverpudlian knows his way around a studio as well as he does a chorus.

Broudie initially signed to Rough Trade Records in 1989, only pressing up 500 copies of debut single Pure. But the single kept selling, requiring re-press after re-press. After many months and lots of graft, their “modest” grassroots campaign took off, with the song cracking the Top 20 in the UK and the US.

Debut album Cloudcuckooland was also a hit, and Lightning Seeds had a major label deal and a second album, Sense (1992), followed, as did another pop song that would become another Nineties fave, ‘The Life of Riley’, written for Broudie’s infant son.

Then came more success with Jollification.

A fourth time? Indeed: two years later, Broudie composed ‘Three Lions’ as the official England song for Euro ’96. With lyrics by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, the song hit #1 and regained the top slot two years later, during the 1998 World Cup in France. It was everywhere during last summer’s Euros, too. 

The album See You In The Stars will be available on CD and colored vinyl via US independent retail shops and also from the official artist store. Pre-save the album or pre-order formats HERE.

Track listing:

Losing You
Emily Smiles
Green Eyes
Great To Be Alive
Sunshine
Fit For Purpose
Live To Love You
Permanent Danger
Walk Another Mile
See You In The Stars

Ben Harper engages in some 'Bloodline Maintenance'

Ben Harper has shared new single “We Need To Talk About It,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services. An official visualizer is at YouTube HERE. Produced by Harper and Sheldon Gomberg, “We Need To Talk About It” is from Harper’s album, BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE, due via his new deal with Chrysalis Records on July 22. Pre-orders are available now HERE.

With Harper on guitar, “We Need To Talk About It” addresses slavery through a call-and-response with gospel backing vocals and rhythms augmented by an African talking drum.

LISTEN TO “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT”
WATCH OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
PRE-ORDER BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE

The new album is a work largely inspired by the loss of a longtime friend and the lingering influence of a mercurial and charismatic father, BLOODLINE MAINTENANCE sees Harper performing the majority of the instruments on his own, spanning guitar, bass, drums and an eclectic assortment of percussions including a plastic toy snare. His 17th studio LP – and first since 2020’s instrumental WINTER IS FOR LOVERS –and the first non-instrumental solo album of new songs since 2016. The new album features Harper’s famed lap steel playing. 

“It was like I was moving forward and venturing into places I had never been before,” he says. “Taking everything I’ve learned from every other record and kind of setting fire to it all and starting over. And I knew the sounds I was hearing in my head were so unorthodox that I had to do most of it myself.”

Over the years, Harper as won three Grammys (out of seven total nominations) for his own work while also producing acclaimed albums by Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Natalie Maines, Ziggy Marley, and others. Harper has also recorded with John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite, and Jack Johnson, Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and, most recently, Harry Styles, contributing his signature guitar work to the latter superstar’s chart-topping new album, HARRY’S HOUSE.

Track list: 

Below Sea Level
We Need to Talk About It
Where Did We Go Wrong
Problem Child
Need to Know Basis
It Ain’t No Use
More Than Love
Smile at the Mention
Honey, Honey
Knew the Day Was Comin’
Maybe I Can’t

Harper – joined by his longtime band, The Innocent Criminals – will do North American and European headline dates, festival performances and US shows alongside Jack Johnson, and a 15-night run supporting his recent collaborator Harry Styles at Los Angeles, CA’s Kia Forum. More headlining dates will be announced. For updates and ticket information, please visit www.benharper.com/tour.

WORLD TOUR 2022

JULY
3 - Casablanca, Morocco – Jazzablanca
7 - Cognac, France - Cognac Blues Passions
9 - Bruges, Belgium - Cactus Festival
10 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
11 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Abbaye de Neumünster
13 - Marostica, Italy - Marostica Summer Festival
15 - Nîmes, France - Festival de Nîmes
16 - Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France - Guitare en Scène
17 - Lucca, Italy - Lucca Summer Festival
19 - Nichelino, Italy - Stupinigi Sonic Park
20 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7 Summer Nights Open Air
22 - Barcelona, Spain - Festival Jardins Pedralbes
23 - Girona, Spain - Sons del Món
25 - Madrid, Spain - Noches del Botánico
28 - Carcassonne, France - Festival de Carcassonne
29 - Gignac, France - Le Festival Ecaussysteme à Gignac
31 - Colmar, France - Foire aux Vins d’Alsace

AUGUST
2 - Palmanova, Italy - Piazza Grande
3 - San Mauro Pascoli, Italy - Acieloaperto Festival
4 - Rome, Italy - Cavea Auditorium Parco Della Musica
6 - Taormina, Italy - Teatro Antico di Taormina
9 - Riola Sardo, Italy - Parco dei Suoni
11 - Brescia, Italy - Festa di Radio Onda d’Urto

SEPTEMBER
15-18 - Victoria, BC - Rifflandia Festival *
18 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
20 - Eugene, OR - Cuthbert Amphitheater
21 - Bend, OR - Clear Summer Nights
22 - Troutdale, OR - McMenamins Edgefield
24 - George, WA - Gorge Amphitheatre ^

OCTOBER
7 - Chula Vista, CA - North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre ^
23 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
24 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
26 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
28 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
29 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
31 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

NOVEMBER
2 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
4 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
5 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
7 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
9 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
11 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
12 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
14 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †
15 - Inglewood, CA - Kia Forum †

* Festival Performance
^ w/Jack Johnson
† w/Harry Styles

Jon Pardi becomes 'Mr. Saturday Night' on forthcoming album

Jon Pardi will release his fourth studio album, Mr. Saturday Night, on September 2 through 
Capitol Records Nashville. Pre-order a physical copy here. It features his chart-climbing single “Last Night Lonely,” latest release “Fill ‘Er Up” and 12 additional new tracks.

“A lot of time was spent living with the songs on this record,” shares Pardi. “There is more life experience on Mr. Saturday Night than any album I’ve released before. I chose ‘Mr. Saturday Night’ as the title track because it’s special to me. I’ve been hanging onto it for three years and can’t wait for people to hear it, and the rest of these songs.”

Setting the tone for Mr. Saturday Night, the project’s lead track “Last Night Lonely” has already hit Top 15 at country radio, while tallying more than 55 Million global streams. Pardi recently brought the fiddle and steel-drenched song to life with the official music video, hitting the famed Las Vegas strip.

Mr. Saturday Night is produced by Bart Butler, Ryan Gore and Pardi, the same team behind the boards of his critically acclaimed third studio release Heartache Medication. Nominated for Album of the Year by both the CMA and ACM, Heartache Medication was named one of the best albums of 2019 by Rolling Stone and Los Angeles Times.

Pardi is set to tour in July along with Lainey Wilson and Hailey Whitters. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit jonpardi.com/tour.

Tour dates: 

7/14 | Irving, TX/ Toyota Music Factory - Texas Lottery Plaza
7/15 | Belton, TX/Bell County Expo Center
7/16 | Oklahoma City, OK/Zoo Amphitheatre
7/22 | Sacramento, CA/Golden 1 Center
7/23 | Bend, OR/Hayden Homes Amphitheater
7/24 | Airway Heights, WA/Northern Quest Resort & Casino - Pend Oreille Pavilion
8/4 | Inglewood, CA/YouTube Theater
8/5 | Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara Bowl
8/6 | Las Vegas, NV/Red Rock Casino
8/19 | Lampe, MO/Black Oak Amphitheater
8/20 | Terre Haute, IN/ The Mill
8/25 | Raleigh, NC/Red Hat Amphitheater
8/27 | Sharpsburg, KY/Barnyard Amphitheater
9/8 | Rochester, MN/Mayo Civic Center Park
9/9 | Milwaukee, WI/BMO Harris Pavilion
9/10 | Sterling Heights, MI/Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre
9/15 | Bridgeport, CT/Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
9/16 | Big Flats, NY/Summer Stage @ Tags
9/17 | Huber Heights, OH/Rose Music Center
9/22 | New York, NY/Pier 17- the rooftop
9/23 | Gilford, NH/Bank of NH Pavilion
9/24 | Boston, MA/Leader Bank Pavilion
9/29 | Southaven, MS/Landers Center*
9/30 | Huntsville, AL/Von Braun Center*
10/1 | Nashville, TN/Ascend Amphitheater*

*Priscilla Block appearing in place of Hailey Whitters

Erasure continue 'The Neon' chapter with 'Day-Glo' in August

Erasure (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) have a new album, Day-Glo (Based on a True Story), due out August 12 via Mute on fluorescent green vinyl, CD, and digital platforms.

Day-Glo (Based on a True Story) and their 2020 studio album, The Neon, show two very unique sides of Erasure. With their core themes of love, understanding, and positively, this release marks the closure of this chapter of The Neon.

Listen to the first chapter of Day-Glo (Based on a True Story) here.
Pre-order the album here.

Vince Clarke, finding himself with unscheduled time to spend in the studio, began manipulating files for tracks from The Neon, their acclaimed 2020 album release. With no agenda in mind, gradually a hidden landscape in the tracks began to emerge – one that revealed a track within a track, another world within The Neon. Clarke explored this further, progressing some of the techniques he was using until the tracks that make up Day-Glo (Based on a True Story) started to fall into place.

Andy Bell then took these tracks into the studio and, with long-time collaborator Gareth Jones, began work on his parts. Although undoubtably Erasure, a sense of improvisation permeates the tracks as Bell worked on vocals that built, through collage, into the finished album.

The Neon went into the UK Official Albums Chart at #4, Erasure’s highest chart position since 1994’s I Say I Say I Say (which in turn was recently released as a deluxe 2CD expanded hardback book release).

Track listing:

1. Based on a True Story
2. Bop Beat
3. Pin-Prick
4. The Conman
5. Now
6. Inside Out
7. Harbour of My Heart
8. 3 Strikes and You're Out
9. The Shape of Things
10. The End

Simple Minds news

I interviewed Jim for the last album (see elsewhere on this blog), so I'm really excited about the new material...

Simple Minds have released “Vision Thing” - the first track to be taken from the band’s eighteenth studio album Direction Of The Heart. It is scheduled for release October 21 via BMG.

Currently playing shows throughout Europe, Direction Of The Heart is Simple Minds’ first album of new material since 2018’s UK Top 5 album Walk Between Worlds.

‘Vision Thing’ has music written by guitarist Charlie Burchill and lyrics by frontman Jim Kerr, who pays tribute to his “best pal” and late father. 

Most of Direction Of The Heart’s tracks were created and demoed in Sicily, where both Kerr and Burchill live. Unable to come to the UK because of quarantine rules, the album was recorded at Hamburg’s Chameleon Studios.

Here they produced the album - later enlisting Andy Wright (Massive Attack, Echo & The Bunnymen) and Gavin Goldberg for additional production. Band members, bassist Ged Grimes (who co-wrote two of the new songs, ‘First You Jump’ and ‘Solstice Kiss’), drummer Cherisse Osei and vocalist Sarah Brown joined them on some of the tracks, recording their parts separately in London.

Album guests include Sparks’ frontman Russell Mael (‘Human Traffic’) and songwriter and former Grimes music partner from Danny Wilson, Gary Clark (‘Vision Thing’, ‘First You Jump’ and ‘Natural’), recorded their respective parts in home studios.

Jim Kerr on Direction Of The Heart:

“How to make a feel-good ‘Electro-rock’ record, during the very worst of times? Direction Of The Heart is the result of that challenge. Who would have thought we’d have so much fun creating it?”

Track listing: 

1. Vision Thing 
2. First You Jump
3. Human Traffic
4. Who Killed Truth?
5. Solstice Kiss
6. Act of Love
7. Natural
8. Planet Zero
9. The Walls Came Down

Deluxe version bonus tracks:

10. Direction of the Heart (Taormina 2022)
11. Wondertimes

Friday, June 10, 2022

REO Speedwagon reissue 'Building the Bridge' album; on tour now with Styx, Loverboy

Jimmy Buffett’s Mailboat Records has re-released REO Speedwagon’s 1996 “lost album” Building the Bridge. It is available on CD, and for the first time, at all major DSPs in digital formats. Additionally, Building the Bridge will be available on vinyl in Q4 2022. Visit reospeedwagon.com for more information.

Fans attending REO Speedwagon’s upcoming “Live & UnZoomed” tour dates will have the opportunity to purchase Building the Bridge CDs on site for $20, with net proceeds to benefit “Rock to the Rescue.” Rock to the Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by Styx and REO Speedwagon with a mission to build strong, healthy communities through the support of grassroots causes across the country.

REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin said, “Building the Bridge was the album that truly solidified the current REO lineup, and its songs are some of our strongest ever. From the title song, which I sang with Bill Clinton on his 1996 campaign trail, to ‘Haven’t We Lost Enough (I Still Love You)’ which I co-wrote with my musical hero, Stephen Stills, to the production collaboration with the late great Greg Ladanyi, I feel this record is pound for pound one of our best. Plus, it has been out of print, and unavailable for downloads and streaming…until now. Eric Boulanger at The Bakery has re-mastered the record and our friends at Mailboat Records have updated the artwork and re-released the album across all platforms and physical options, including vinyl. We will be donating CD net proceeds to the Rock to the Rescue Foundation during our 2022 summer tour with Styx and Loverboy. I am excited to give new life to this long forgotten, but powerful album.”

REO Speedwagon and Styx’s “Live & UnZoomed” co-headlining tour, with special guest Loverboy, runs through September 18 (see below for the complete routing). General public tickets for “Live & UnZoomed” dates are on sale now at LiveNation.com. Styx and REO Speedwagon are also offering VIP packages via their own sites at REOSpeedwagon.com and StyxWorld.com.

REO Speedwagon remained busy throughout the pandemic before the band was able to return to the road. Beginning in April 2020, Cronin began a series of webisodes from his home titled “Songs & Stories From Camp Cronin.” Consisting of anecdotes and acoustic performances from him and his family, the series posted 24 episodes.

Cronin and members of REO gave back over the past 16 months by participating in charity events for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Marilou & Mark Hamill’s USC McMorrow Neighborhood Academic Initiative, John Oates’ “Oates Song Fest,” “Stars to the Rescue,” Acoustic-4-A-Cure, and more.

Additionally, while Cronin began keeping a journal of the band’s 2016 UK tour, he never stopped writing and completed what turned out to be his life story, as well as his telling of REO Speedwagon’s history. He says, “Putting out an autobiography is risky. Once it’s out there’s nowhere to hide!” More information on his autobiography, “Roll With the Changes: My life within and without REO Speedwagon,” will be released shortly.

Track listing:

1. Can't Stop Rockin'
2. Haven’t We Lost Enough (I Still Love You)
3. Building The Bridge
4. When I Get Home
5. Then I Met You
6. Look The Other Way
7. After Tonight
8. Hey, Wait A Minute
9. One True Man
10. She's Gonna Love Me
11. Ballad Of The Illinois Opry

Tour Dates:

Fri. 6/10 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
Sat. 6/11 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Mon. 6/13 Rogers, AR Walmart Amphitheatre
Tue. 6/14 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
Fri. 6/17 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Sat. 6/18 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amp.
Sun. 6/19 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Fri. 7/8 Denver, CO Ball Arena
Sat. 7/9 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Tue. 7/12 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre
Wed. 7/13 Ridgefield, WA RV Inn Style Resorts Amp.
Fri. 7/15 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Sat. 7/16 Irvine, CA FivePoint Amphitheatre
Tue. 7/19 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amp.
Wed. 7/20 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
Fri. 7/22 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amp.
Sat. 7/23 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
Sun. 7/24 Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Fri. 8/5 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amp.
Sat. 8/6 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
Mon. 8/8 Nashville, TN Ascend Amphitheater
Wed. 8/10 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Fri. 8/12 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Sat. 8/13 Camden, NJ BB&T Pavilion
Tue. 8/16 Toronto, ONT. Budweiser Stage
Wed. 8/17 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Fri. 8/19 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
Sat. 8/20 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sun. 8/21 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Sat. 9/3 Duluth, MN Amsoil Arena
Sun. 9/4 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
Tue. 9/6 Moline, IL TaxSlayer Center
Fri. 9/9 Syracuse, NY St. Joseph's Health Amp
Sat. 9/10 Burgettstown, PA Pavilion at Star Lake
Tue. 9/13 Huntsville, AL Orion Amphitheater
Wed. 9/14 Greenville, SC Bon Secours
Fri. 9/16 Bridgeport, CT Hartford Healthcare Amp
Sat. 9/17 Gilford, NH Bank of NH Pavilion
Sun. 9/18 Bangor, ME Darling's Waterfront Pavilion

Pixies news

The Pixies will release their eighth studio album, Doggerel, on September 30 via BMG, which is now available to pre-order HERE. They launch the album alongside its lead single ‘There’s a Moon On’.

On the album, guitarist Joey Santiago says, “This time around we have grown. We no longer have under two-minute songs. We have little breaks, more conventional arrangements but still our twists in there.”

Vocalist/guitarist Black Francis adds, “We're trying to do things that are very big and bold and orchestrated. The punky stuff, I really like playing it but you just cannot artificially create that shit. There's another way to do this, there's other things we can do with this extra special energy that we're encountering.”

Instead of building upon rough ideas in the studio, Black Francis turned up to sessions with 40 songs prepared. Sessions started late in 2021 with producer Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Ghost) working with Francis in Massachusetts, before they headed to LA to finish tracks with the rest of the band.

Their input would be vital. Santiago contributed his first two Pixies songwriting credits, with music for ‘Dregs of the Wine’ and lyrics for Doggerel. Meanwhile, drummer David Lovering and bassist Paz Lenchantin both confess to feeling reinvigorated by the process.

In addition to digital / streaming formats, Doggerel will also be issued in a variety of physical configurations. There will be a range of gatefold colour vinyl options: the standard red vinyl, a yellow vinyl will be available exclusively from select independent stores, and an orange vinyl that is only available from the Pixies’ official store - which also offers an exclusive red cassette. The formats are completed by a deluxe CD. (Artwork for all formats is available HERE.)

Pixies’ UK summer tour dates include large outdoor headline shows in Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle plus a BST Hyde Park show as guests to Pearl Jam. Please see their website for a full list of all international dates.

Track listing:

‘Nomatterday’
‘Vault of Heaven’
‘Dregs of the Wine’
‘Haunted House’
‘Get Simulated’
‘The Lord Has Come Back Today’
‘Thunder & Lightning’
‘There’s A Moon On’
‘Pagan Man’
‘Who’s More Sorry Now?’
‘You’re Such A Sadducee’
‘Doggerel’

Out next week: ‘Life Is Yours’ by Foals

After completing a UK headline tour which included a four-night run at London’s Olympia in front of a combined audience of 40,000 people, Foals are set to take the sounds of their ‘Life Is Yours’ album to major festivals this summer. Recently, the UK band 
unveiled the single "2001" in advance of the album's June 17 release.

"2001" elevates the disco and funk influences of Foals’ recent tracks "Wake Me Up," "2am," and "Looking High." Singer Yannis Philippakis says, “'2001' feels like a postcard from the past. We moved to Brighton around that time, we were a young band, and there was the feeling of the first taste of independence. The moment you get those freedoms, you’re surrounded by temptation. The references to beachside candy and Brighton rock are symbols for drugs and hedonism. This was written in the depths of the pandemic winter, and there’s an escapist desire to break out from the feeling of being cooped up, both in terms of the pandemic and adolescence."

The "2001" video transports those themes to Costa Brava, Spain to place the song’s nostalgic ambience firmly in the here-and-now. Two young men lug their sofa from their apartment to soak up some rays on the beach. Other vignettes of coming-of-age experiences follow their every move, from the effortlessly cool group of young women who observe their struggle with nonchalant indifference to a couple kissing. When one of the men chews a sweet that everyone seems to be consumed by, his summer day takes on a new hallucinogenic edge. The video’s modernist nostalgia is heightened by its aesthetic – a washed out palette and Polaroid-style framing. It was directed by ESTEBAN (Arca, Peggy Gou) for the creative production company CANADA.

"2001" was written by Foals – Yannis, Jack Bevan and Jimmy Smith. The track’s production was led by A.K. Paul and John Hill (Cage The Elephant, Florence + The Machine), with co-production from Miles James.

‘Life Is Yours’ is available to pre-order HERE 

The zoetrope format sold-out its entire 5000 copy pressing in a matter of days. Another essential release for vinyl connoisseurs and Foals collectors comes with the long-awaited vinyl repress of their debut album ‘Antidotes’, which will be manufactured using recycled vinyl records – a process that ensures that each individual record is unique. Both ‘Life Is Yours’ and ‘Antidotes’ are also available as specially priced bundles.

Foals will perform on ‘Later… with Jools Holland’ on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Saturday, June 11. 

Track listing:

Life Is Yours
Wake Me Up
2am
2001
(summer sky)
Flutter
Looking High
Under The Radar
Crest of the Wave
The Sound
Wild Green

UK Tour dates:

JUNE
22 – 26th – Glastonbury
27 – Dublin, Fairview Park
29 – Manchester, Castlefield Bowl, Sounds of the City

JULY
8 – Leeds, Millennium Square, Sounds of the City
9 – Glasgow, TRSNMT
23 – Latitude Festival (HEADLINERS)