Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
Thurston Moore
RELEASE: The Best Day
BACKSTORY: The Sonic Youth co-founder returns this week with a new eight-song solo album on which he’s backed by former bandmate Steve Shelley on drums and My Bloody Valentine’s Debbie Googe on bass.
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Billy Idol
RELEASE: Kings & Queens of the Underground
BACKSTORY: Billy Idol returns this week with his seventh studio album, and first in nine years. The 11-song collection features longtime collaborator Steve Stevens on guitar and is produced by Trevor Horn.
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Half Man Half Biscuit
RELEASE: Urge For Offal
BACKSTORY: Half Man Half Biscuit this week releases, in the U.K., its 13th album, and first since 2011. The 13-track record features “Theme Tune for Something or Other,” “Old Age Killed My Teenage Bride” and more.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Inspiral Carpets
RELEASE: Inspiral Carpets
BACKSTORY: The reunited Madchester vets this week release, in the U.K. via Cherry Red Records, their first new studio album in two decades. The 12-song collection will be released in the U.S. early next month.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Annie Lennox
RELEASE: Nostalgia
BACKSTORY: The ex-Eurythmics frontwoman this week releases a collection of covers of songs originally performed by the likes of Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Billie Holiday and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
BUY: Amazon.com
The Pop Group
RELEASE: We Are Time
BACKSTORY: The U.K. post-punk favorites this week reissue their 1980 compilation We Are Time, release a new compilation called Cabinet of Curiosities and packages them together as the 2CD set Curiosities.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Dexys
RELEASE: Nowhere Is Home
BACKSTORY: This 6-disc box set from Dexys Midnight Runners includes the film “Nowhere Is Here,” plus a full concert on DVD, three CDs of live material and a remastered edition of reunion album One Day I’m Going to Soar.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
A little off-format, but you forgot to mention Aretha Franklin’s new album. No disrespect to Annie Lennox, but I’d rather hear the Queen of Soul tackle the “great American songbook.”