This week’s new releases include a brand-new studio album from Echo & The Bunnymen (‘Meteorites’), plus audiophile vinyl reissues from Depeche Mode, a new They Might Be Giants compilation, a 7 Seconds studio record, two Suzanne Vega reissues and a new compilation of Factory Records acts.
Tonight’s edition of “Dark Wave” on Sirius XM’s 1st Wave featured brand-new music from Morrissey, Echo & The Bunnymen and The Mission, plus favorites from Magazine, Xmal Deutschland, Cabaret Voltaire, Lard, Sheriekback, Lords of the New Church, Siouxsie and the Banshees and more.
Martin Lister, the keyboardist and musical director for German synthpop group Alphaville (“Forever Young”) since the mid-1990s, died unexpectedly this past week, the band today announced, saying, “We are all speechless and shocked” and that “Alphaville will never be the same again.”
The Cure is set to headline the Bottle Rock Festival in Napa Valley, Calif., next weekend, but that won’t be Robert Smith and Co.’s only appearance in Northern California: San Francisco radio station Live 105 has announced it has booked the band for a “secret” show that is to be announced on air at 3 p.m. EDT Friday.
It’s been a big week for R.E.M. fans — even bigger than we thought, with not just the release of the band’s 1991 and 2001 “MTV Unplugged” sets and the previously reported digital collection of I.R.S.-era rarities, but also a digital companion featuring a whopping 131 tracks from the band’s Warner Bros. period.
He may be releasing an expanded vinyl reissue of 1983’s Soul Mining next month, but Matt Johnson isn’t only looking backward: He’s recorded not one but two new film soundtracks under the The The banner, new music composed for the independent films “Hyena” and “Penthouse North.”
With Echo & The Bunnymen’s 11th studio album Meteorites set for release in Europe one week from today, the band this morning began streaming the record — which Ian McCulloch calls “more edgy than anything I’ve ever done” — in full via both The Guardian in the U.K. and VPRO in the Netherlands.
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 