As part of EMI Music’s ongoing Electrospective campaign designed to celebrate the history of electronic music, Mojo magazine recently convened a roundtable discussion of the genre featuring, among others, synthpop pioneers such as Mute Records; Daniel Miller, Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware and OMD’s Andy McCluskey.

Dick Clark, who died Wednesday at age 82, and ‘American Bandstand’ played an important role in the ’80s, too, helping bring the burgeoning New Wave and college rock scenes to mainstream America at a time when the still-nascent MTV wasn’t universally available on American cable networks.

This week’s round-up of Slicing Up Eyeballs headlines includes news about Dexys Midnight Runners, Fad Gadget, Dalis Car, The La’s, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Morrissey, Dinosaur Jr, Killing Joke and The Godfathers — plus news of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s return to the U.S. this spring.

As the reunited Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark gets to work on its upcoming album, the group is treating fans to a glimpse at the making of their 2010 comeback ‘History of Modern’ in the form of a download of a demo version of ‘Green,’ which is available for free in exchange for an e-mail address.

As 2011 quickly winds to an end, we’re happy to roll out the first of four days’ worth of results from our second-annual Slicing Up Eyeballs Readers Poll, in which nearly 500 of you cast ballots for your favorite new, reissued and freshly compiled music of the year. First up: Your Top 10 compilations, box sets and/or live albums.

This week’s round-up of Slicing Up Eyeballs headlines includes posts about Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore and Vince Clarke, The Lucy Show, Simple Minds, Paul Weller, Throwing Muses, Elvis Costello and OMD, plus the opening of voting in the 2011 installment of the Slicing Up Eyeballs Readers Poll.

After extensive touring in support of their 2010 comeback ‘History of Modern,’ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will return to the studio early next month to begin work on a follow-up, already titled ‘English Electric,’ according to a post on the band’s Facebook page credited to Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys.

This week’s new releases include Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s ‘The History of Modern Tour: Live in Berlin’ CD/book combo, plus a 2CD reissue of Shriekback’s ‘Oil and Gold,’ a reissue of Sonic Youth’s 2008 Starbucks exclusive best-of ‘Hits Are For Squares’ and the archival ‘Live at Montreaux 1980’ from Rockpile.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will follow up this past spring’s North American tour — the classic lineup’s first U.S. concerts since opening for Depeche Mode’s breakthrough ‘Music for the Masses’ shows — with a return visit to the United States, Canada and Mexico this fall.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will release a 20-track live album and hardback book called ‘History of Modern Tour: Live in Berlin’ this August to commemorate the group’s rapturously received comeback last year. Stream one of the tracks here.

Martin Hannett help craft the sound of a generation, most notably through his sparse, reverb-heavy production of Joy Division — plus work with other acts from Manchester and beyond, including landmark tracks by OMD, U2 and New Order, as well as the debut single by The Stone Roses.

Seattle radio station KEXP (90.3 FM) filmed Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark playing a set last month during SXSW at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in Austin. Here’s ‘If You Leave’ and ‘Sister Marie Says.’

Reunited synthpoppers Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark wrapped up their first U.S. tour in 20 years on Tuesday in Hollywood, and ex-KROQ/current 1st Wave DJ Richard Blade offers up this quick backstage tour at the Music Box.