I’ve spent a lot of time lately listening to A Carnival Of Sorts, the 38-track R.E.M. tribute album from the U.K. alt rock website God Is In The TV. The musicians GIITTV compiled for this album come from around the world, with very few of them being familiar names. But so many of their interpretations, whether faithful or adventurous, are fun and inspiring. I’m hoping to do a full review sometime soon.
Likewise for the new Strange Tide release from ANC4. ANC4 being the band’s name, and not a website like God Is In The TV. This is the album to play when acquaintances ridicule your love of power pop. Once they hear the rapidly ascending, “Eight Miles High”-inspired guitar playing on “Go Easy,” their smirks will change to wide-eyed admiration as they admit, “Okay, now I get it.” There are plenty of other energetic gems among the 16 tracks here, including my theme song, “The Man Who Is Afraid Of Everything.”
The recently released Blue Weekend from Wolf Alice also has me hooked. Which is no surprise, considering how much I enjoyed their first two albums. Led by vocalist-guitarist Ellie Rowsell, the U.K. band crafts gorgeous ballads such as “Lipstick On The Glass” and “No Hard Feelings” and then breaks loose on the hard-edged “Smile” and “Play The Greatest Hits.” I’m going to see Wolf Alice at The Vic in Chicago on November 8, if the world is relatively normal at that point.
The Pretenders will release 3-CD deluxe editions of their first two albums on November 5, along with limited-edition red and clear vinyl versions. The Second Disc website, always an essential source in these matters, has the full track listing for both Pretenders and Pretenders II. The new versions are available for pre-order on from Pretenders HQ.
As I suspected, there will be a 2021 Black Friday Record Store Day, to go along with the two RSD Drops that took place over summer. As with last year, the Record Store Day people delayed announcing their post-Thanksgiving event, but it’s been a vinyl tradition for some time now. The list of Black Friday limited-edition releases is available now on the official RSD site, and as usual, it offers records in multiple genres. I’ve already added The Three Kisses Of Love LP by the Bee Gees and the 40th Anniversary 12-inch single of “Gloria” by U2 to my wish list.
The dBs have an album of vintage material coming out on October 15, and it’s going to be available in various enticing package deals. Fans can choose to purchase I Thought You Wanted To Know: 1978 – 1981 as a double gatefold LP or a CD separately, together, or together with a t-shirt. Prices range from $14.99 for the CD to $70 for the t-shirt, CD and LP. The 23-tracks include demos and live recordings from the band’s earliest days.
The U.K. indie label Mega Dodo will be releasing a 10th Anniversary edition of Mordecai Smyth’s debut album Sticky Tape And Rust that will feature 32 bonus tracks. I’d like to think one of them will be called, “Terry Flamm Made Me An Honorary Citizen Of Palatine,” but I doubt that will happen. Here’s a sample of what I wrote about the CD when it first came out in 2011: “The first act signed to the fledgling indie label Mega Dodo, Mordecai Smyth draws upon the satirical side of the original British Invasion, with an added dose of vintage movies and TV shows. The lyrics often deal with murder, mayhem, and the supernatural, but in such an absurd way, listeners are more likely to be amused than frightened.” Cheers to Mr. Smyth and Mega Dodo.
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