Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
ARTIST: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
RELEASE: History of Modern
BACKSTORY: The classic synthpop outfit returns this week in the U.K. with its first new album in 14 years — and its first with its classic lineup (co-founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, plus Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes) since 1986’s The Pacific Age (the record arrives in the U.S. on Sept. 28). (Full tracklist here.)
BUY IT: History of Modern via Amazon.co.uk
ARTIST: Edwyn Collins
RELEASE: Losing Sleep
BACKSTORY: The former Orange Juice singer this week releases his seventh solo album, in the U.K., and his first since recovering from a life-threatening brain hemorrhage in 2005. The 12-track disc features guest appearances by the likes of Johnny Marr, Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera and Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos.
BUY IT: Losing Sleep via Amazon.co.uk
ARTIST: Swans
RELEASE: My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
BACKSTORY: Setting the Angels of Light aside, Michael Gira reconvenes his legendary no-wave act for its first studio album in 14 years, out this week. He insists, “This is not a reunion. It’s not some dumb-ass nostalgia act. … I need a way to move forward… (and) Swans allows me to do that.”
BUY IT: My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky via Amazon.com
More from Freebass, Jesus and Mary Chain and the Bangles after the jump…
ARTIST: Freebass
RELEASE: It’s a Beautiful Life
BACKSTORY: Just weeks after the bass supergroup —Peter Hook of New Order, The Smiths’ Andy Rourke and Gary “Mani” Mounfield of The Stone Roses — imploded, its debut album belatedly arrives on CD in the U.K. (a U.S. release is planned for December). The album was released digitally in April (see full tracklist here).
BUY IT: It’s a Beautiful Life via Amazon.co.uk
ARTIST: The Jesus and Mary Chain
RELEASE: Upside Down: The Best Of
BACKSTORY: The classic noise-pop outfit is anthologized this week in the U.K. with a new 2CD, 44-track set that includes two rarities: “45 RPM,” off a long-out-of-print 1995 compilation, and “All Things Must Pass,” recorded by the reunited JAMC in 2008. (See full tracklist here).
BUY IT: Upside Down: The Best Of via Amazon.co.uk
ARTIST: Bangles
RELEASES: All Over the Place, Different Light
BACKSTORY: The band’s first two albums, originally released in 1984 and 1986, respectively, this week receive expanded reissues on Cherry Pop; All Over the Place features just one bonus track (the B-side “Where Were You When I Needed You”), while Different Light has an eight-track bonus disc with assorted remixes and rarities.
BUY IT: All Over the Place, Different Light via Amazon.com
