Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
Siouxsie and the Banshees
RELEASE: Spellbound: The Collection
BACKSTORY: The Banshees this week release a new budget-priced, 18-track compilation in the U.K. featuring “Peek-A-Boo,” “Hong Kong Garden,” “Cities in Dust,” “Kiss Them For Me,” “Happy House” and much more.
BUY: Amazon.co.uk
Alison Moyet
RELEASE: minutes and seconds — live
BACKSTORY: Released in the U.K. last fall, Alison Moyet’s new live album arrives in the U.S. this week, featuring performances of solo cuts and Yazoo classics such as “Situation,” “Only Love” and more.
BUY: Amazon.com
Sparks
RELEASE: Kimono My House
BACKSTORY: The third Sparks album receives a 40th anniversary vinyl reissue this week, with the newly remastered album paired with a second LP featuring previously unreleased demos from the Mael brothers.
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Bryan Ferry
RELEASE: Avonmore
BACKSTORY: The Roxy Music frontman’s 14th solo album, which was released on CD and digitally last November, arrives in a new vinyl pressing this week in both the U.S. and U.K.
BUY: Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk
Has the Peepshow mastering issue been resolved now on current copies available to buy?
All that but no Christine?? Pass.
Nice collection. I wonder what the packaging looks like (photos, lyrics, liner notes, etc.). Now, if we could only get the second Siouxsie album release date, preferably w/ an 18-track song list. That would be a SUPERNATRUAL THING! (lol).
Sadly, I’m not familiar with most of Sparks’ output. Is Kimono My House a good place to start?
That would be my recommendation! Arguably their best, and certainly one of the best of the 70’s.
If you like this one, then move on. If not – they don’t get any better! They can be an acquired taste.
Their output though strong is spotty. No. 1 in Heaven is also a good one, but not “typical”. I’d also recommend recent efforts next, such as Lil’ Beethoven.
I think “Angst In My Pants” is another really good Sparks album. It is sort of their new wave album. Has kind of a Devo feel to it in places. TonyM is right. They are an acquired taste. “Kimono My House” is a great album, but “Angst” might be an easier entry point. Those guys have pretty much played and recorded every style of music over the course of their history, so you have to do a little research to find out which records fall into which genres.
I’d start with “Propaganda” (my particular favorite)