August 2012
Traditionally a poor month for new product as most new releases get put on hold for the run down to Christmas. Still, there's a few interesting pieces worth investigating
6/8 - Roxy Music - Complete Studio Recordings (Virgin)
A comprehensive box set including each of Roxy's eight studio albums on CD (Roxy Music, For Your Pleasure, Stranded, Country Life, Siren, Manifesto, Flesh And Blood and Avalon). Each album has been taken back to its original form with flat transfers from the original analogue master tapes ensuring the audio sounds truer to its original LP sound. These are complemented by two bonus discs of singles, b-sides and alternative mixes, many of which have not been released on CD before. Included are such vital parts of the Roxy jigsaw as the single 'Virginia Plain'. One of the major influences on the punk movement and true innovators, this should be well worth an investment.
6/8 - Holograms - Holograms (Captured Tracks)
The UK release for the Swedish punksters' really rather good debut album. They are touring the UK later in the year with tickets available now, so go and give them your support.
6/8 - The Specials - More ... Or Less (EMI)
A two-disc live album from the kings of Two Tone.
6/8 - Nick Cave - Reissues (Mute)
Mute continue to repackage the former Birthday Party singer's solo works, with Abbatoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus and Dig, Lazarus Dig!! the latest to be overhauled. The former is a 2CD+DVD package, the latter just a CD+DVD.
13/8 - Dead Can Dance - Anastasis (Plas)
The first album in six years from Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. Don't expect much of a sea change. Released ahead of the band's sold out show at the Royal Albert Hall.
13/8 - The Kinks - At The BBC (Sanctuary)
A limited edition collectors' 5CD/DVD set collated from all of the BBC-owned Kinks recordings that still exist in the archive. Thirty-seven tracks from 1964-67, twenty-eight from 1967-72 and sixty-six later recordings. The DVD includes fifty-nine clips from various TV broadcasts including Top of the Pops and The Old Grey Whistle Test. Comprehensive notes accompany this very nicely produced set, which will retail at around forty quid.
20/8 - Bloc Party - 4 (Frenchkiss)
After plenty of questions over their future, Bloc Party have reunited to record their fourth album with an apparent harder streak to their earlier work. Available as a picture disc vinyl release and a deluxe CD containing two extra tracks. Why not just add them to the normal CD, so everyone can get them without paying a premium?
20/8 - Six Organs Of Admittance - Ascent (Drag City)
Ben Chasny reunites with Comets On Fire to produce a new Six Organs album. One of the few genuinely interesting and challenging psych bands and we await with fascination to see what this reunion has spawned.
27/8 - Race Horses - Furniture (Stolen)
Another genuinely interesting band, the Welsh indie popsters follow up the surprising Goodbye Falkenburg with their second album.
Coming Soon
Not a huge amount announced at the moment but Muse release The 2nd Law on 17/9 and a new Nine Black Alps album is due out in October.
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