Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
Grant Hart
RELEASE: The Argument
BACKSTORY: The Hüsker Dü co-leader this week releases a double album based on John Milton’s epic “Paradise Lost,” on which Domino Record Co. says Hart “distills its essence into pop and rock concoctions that nimbly flit through the history of 20th century music” (see full tracklist).
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Curt Smith
RELEASE: Deceptively Heavy
BACKSTORY: As Tears for Fears return to the studio this summer, co-founder Curt Smith last week digitally released his fourth solo album, an 11-track collection featuring songs such as “Beautiful Failure” and “Some Secrets.” A CD release is expected later this summer (see full tracklist).
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Julian Cope
RELEASE: Revolutionary Suicide
BACKSTORY: The former Teardrop Explodes frontman this week releases, in the U.S., a new solo album featuring 11 tracks on two CDs, songs “that teem with outrageous orchestrations and compellingly-crafted words of protest, activism and historical richness.” It was released last month in the U.K.
BUY: Amazon.com, iTunes
Cabaret Voltaire
RELEASE: Red Mecca
BACKSTORY: Mute Records launches a new Cabaret Voltaire reissue campaign with this week’s release, in the U.K., of the first pressing of Red Mecca on vinyl since 1990. The limited-edition, 180-gram audiophile pressing is remastered by engineer Stefan Betke and includes the album on CD, too.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
The Birthday Party
RELEASE: Mutiny!/The Bad Seed
BACKSTORY: Drastic Plastic Records this week releases a limited-edition double 12-inch from Nick Cave’s pre-Bad Seeds band that collects the two EPs on 180-gram, 45 rpm vinyl and includes a bonus 7-inch featuring two previously unreleased tracks from the Mutiny! sessions.
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Section 25
RELEASE: Eigengrau
BACKSTORY: The classic Factory Records post-punk act this week releases, in the U.K., a new collection of remixes of its tracks by an assortment of avant garde/industrial acts, putting a new, darker and harder spin on some of its best-know songs, including “Dirty Disco” and “Desert.”
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Icehouse
RELEASE: The Best Of
BACKSTORY: The Iva Davies-led Australian act this week releases, in the U.K., a new best-of that collects 20 songs spanning the years 1981 to 1993, including tracks such as “Crazy,” “Electric Clue,” “Street Cafe,” “Hey Little Girl,” “Great Southern Land,” “No Promises” and many more.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
