Recent Dark Wave Playlists

Stream: Xiu Xiu covers Erasure's 'Always' for split 7-inch due out on Record Store Day

Stream: Xiu Xiu covers Erasure’s ‘Always’ for split 7-inch due out on Record Store Day

Art-rockers Xiu Xiu are doubling up with tourmates Dirty Beaches for a split 7-inch to be released on Record Store Day — which falls on April 21 this year — and they’ve opted to cover Erasure’s 1994 single ‘Always’ for the release, which you can stream here via Pitchfork.

New releases: Killing Joke's 'MMXII,' plus The Smiths, Morrissey, fIREHOSE, Elvis Costello

New releases: Killing Joke’s ‘MMXII,’ plus The Smiths, Morrissey, fIREHOSE, Elvis Costello

This week’s new releases include ‘MMXII,’ the 15th studio album from Killing Joke, plus a reissue of Morrissey’s 1988 solo debut ‘Viva Hate,’ the new 2CD fIREHOSE anthology ‘lowFLOWs,’ a stripped-down version of Elvis Costello’s ‘Spectacular Spinning Songbook’ box set and U.S. editions of The Smiths’ reissues.

The Week in Rock: March 25-31, 2012

The Week in Rock: March 25-31, 2012

This week’s round-up of Slicing Up Eyeballs headlines includes news about New Order, Duran Duran, The Stone Roses, Ultravox, Peter Hook, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, Lee Ranaldo, Killing Joke, ‘Dance Craze,’ Echo & The Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant, The Cult, Dreams So Real and Soundgarden.

Duran Duran to follow South American, European concerts with U.S. tour this August

Duran Duran to follow South American, European concerts with U.S. tour this August

Duran Duran will return to American shores this August for another round of dates in support of ‘All You Need Is Now’, with at least a dozen shows scheduled so far — some of which are set for such off-the-beaten-path destinations as Kettering, Okla., and Mashantucket, Conn.

Echo & The Bunnymen's Will Sergeant brings 'My Own Worst Enemy' art show to L.A.

Echo & The Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant brings ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ art show to L.A.

Echo & The Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant will bring his art to Los Angeles later this spring for his first major U.S. exhibition, a show called ‘My Own Worst Enemy’ featuring abstracts, collages, screenprints and minimalist pieces that will from May 18 through June 16 at Substrate Contemporary Fine Art.

Video: 'Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska... Live!' — classic 2 Tone concert film

Video: ‘Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska… Live!’ — classic 2 Tone concert film

It’s an absolute crime that 1981’s ‘Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska… Live!’ isn’t available on DVD or Blu-ray, but at least we can share the full 85-minute concert film — featuring classic performances from 2 Tone-era acts The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Beat and more — via the modern miracle of YouTube

Video: Peter Hook talks Joy Division's 'Closer,' Martin Hannett at Amoeba Music

Video: Peter Hook talks Joy Division’s ‘Closer,’ Martin Hannett at Amoeba Music

During his last round of U.S. dates performing Joy Division’s two studio albums last September, Peter Hook dropped by Amoeba Music for an interview in which he discusses the making of ‘Closer,’ working with Martin Hannett, the band’s adoption of synths (‘I’ve never been interested in keyboards. I hate them’) and more.