This past week saw pioneering British synthpop group Heaven 17 do something it never had done before: perform a live concert in the United States. Specifically, Martyn Ware and Glenn Gregory brought their live show to New York City’s Highline Ballroom on Wednesday night. Check out the setlist and video.
The weekly dribble of previously unreleased live versions of tracks off The Smiths’ classic The Queen is Dead continues this week, though, for some reason, this latest cut — “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out,” recorded Aug. 15, 1986 — was released on Spotify and not YouTube like its nine predecessors.
The envelope, please: Today we reveal the results of Round 4 of our new Slicing Up Eyeballs readers’ poll series, a ranking of all 209 songs recorded and released by synth-rock legends Depeche Mode from the band’s poppy beginnings in 1981 all the way up to the present day. Get the full list right here.
Now that we’ve unveiled the results of our latest Slicing Up Eyeballs readers poll — one that ranks all 209 songs recorded by Depeche Mode — it seems like we ought to throw the whole thing together into Spotify playlist of that ranked countdown. Well, minus the three songs that aren’t on the streaming service.
Frankie Rose, a former member of indie-pop groups including Vivian Girls and Dum Dum Girls, has recorded a front-to-back cover of The Cure’s 1980 sophomore album Seventeen Seconds that will be made available next month to members of the Sounds Delicious vinyl subscription service. Stream “A Forest” here.
The audiophile reissue of XTC’s fourth album, 1980’s Black Sea, is due out Nov. 10, and will include new 5.1 Surround, stereo and and high-resolution stereo mixes of the record by Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson, plus demos, instrumentals and music videos. More details here.
Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs. All releases due out this Friday unless noted. This week’s releases include David Bowie’s massive 11CD or 13LP box set ‘A New Career in a New Town (1977-1982).’
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ Bauhaus’ break-up, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk 
Q&A: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon on new album, changing the world with music 
Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division 