Hi Everyone,

Hope all is good.

Interesting week in the music biz….

Universal for the 6th of March have the new Madonna album “rebel heart” (her 13th….unlucky for some…sorry cheap gag).

Now I must admit I only saw a brief bit of the Brit Awards (did see Royal Blood, and they rocked in fairness and an interview with Simon Cowell which was rather cringey…anyway)

But I must admit when I heard this morning that Queen Madge took a tumble last night at the Brits, my cynical hat went on, and I wondered whether it was another one from Bono’s book of album launch stunts, volume 4.

This fall has gathered a huge amount of interest around Madge and her new record….

But, having watched it, Madge did look rather shaken after the incident….and she was never that good an actress anyway…or was she?

Her new album has quite an electronic feel to it and sounds much much better than her last two offerings MDNA and HARD CANDY.

Quick story….i remember getting the deluxe version of Hard Candy for a customer when it came out….he had told me he wanted the deluxe, I said its about 15 quid more, (which is a lot more) he said grand job, he wanted it….i said grand job, thought there would be a few more songs on the deluxe and maybe a book, but never checked.

Deluxe came in, and soon after did the Madonna fan….as we chatted at the counter he excitedly opened the deluxe which was in a larger slightly fatter box than the normal.

Inside was a standard CD copy of the album and a transparent wrapper with 5 or 6 sweets in it…..15 quid for 5 pieces of hard candy…..i wonder did he eat them?

As you might imagine, he didn’t offer me one!!

Maybe he kept them….they might be worth more now!

One last thing on this Madonna release….it is on 4 formats….2 LP, standard CD with 14 tracks, deluxe CD with 19 tracks and super deluxe CD with 25 tracks.

I would be one for quality over quantity myself.

Universal also has the LP reissues of CREEDENCE CLEARWATER albums and DEEP PURPLES “live at long beach”.

They have a soundtrack to the movie “I’ll be me” which is based on, and has the music of, one of country music’s greatest ever, GLEN CAMPELL, as he struggles with Alzheimer’s disease…. and they have a album by Nate MENDEL ( FOO’S bassist ) under the pseudonym LIEUTENANT.

LASTLY, Universal has a compilation album of classical and easy listening tracks curated by Marty Whelan of Lyric FM. (aimed at the mammy’s day market…hint hint)

Pias have some great releases for the 6th and the 13th of March…

They have the new BJORK album “VULNICURA” out on the 6TH as well as her complete back catalogue (7 albums) getting the Vinyl reissue treatment on the ONE LITTLE INDIAN label….some limited coloured Vinyl available….I have my hat in the ring so I am hoping I will get the coloured ones, but can’t promise.

BJORK turns 50 this year (she still doesn’t look much over 15) and has being one of the most influential musicians of the last quarter of a century….the SUGARCUBES were going since the mid to late 80’s id say.

This is her 8th solo album and she has nearly reached 17 million sales….

Pias have an EP release by GLEN HANSARD for early march called “the songs of Jason Molina”.

JASON MOLINA was SONGS:OHIO and a friend of Hansard’s, who slipped into alcoholism which ultimately killed him last year I think.

This is a benefit EP.

PIAS also have an ANNE PEEBLES essential CD and a new live album by SOILWORK as well as HOUNDMOUTH’s second album which I for one like the sound of…sample below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8wifV5RYr

Lastly from Pias is a debut album by a guy called TOBIAS JESSO JNR….only came across him this week while researching the new releases and im hooked.

Its simple piano laden melodies but with a lovely vocal and texture to it…I hear a bit of Elliot SMITH, RANDY NEWMAN and even LENNON in it.

Is there a new star born or is it I am just a sucker for piano based stuff…..he reminds me a bit of the kid who used play piano in FAME , the TV show back in the day….maybe his name was TOBIAS JESSO!!

Essential for the 13th of March has SETH AVETT/JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD sings ELLIOT SMITH as well as the LP release of newest JULIAN CASABLANCAS.

PROPER for next week have the Vinyl release of our own GEMMA HAYES last album “bones and longing”.

Warner has a blast of Vinyl releases for the 6th of March including two CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG reissue and CAPITAL LETTERS “HEADLINE NEWS “reissue.

Warner also has the brilliant POGUES catalogue getting the LP reissue treatment….some real crackers there including “ RUM, SODOMY AND THE LASH” and “ IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD”……the MUSIC ZONE corporation is 20 Euros a POGUES record…..my friends in the forbidden forest are 17 sterling plus delivery….

More or less just LPs on Warner new ones for this week… incredible……as one old codger once said “and the first one now, will later be last, the times they are a changing”

SONY has a new one from REBACCA FERGUSON, SOUND OF MUSIC 50TH ANNIVERSARY release, two RIOT LP reissues and a new VACCINES 7” single.

Music on Vinyl have a few nice releases towards the middle and end of March including NINA SIMONES last studio album “ a single woman” for the very first time on Vinyl.

JAMES TAYLOR “OCTOBER ROAD” is again a first timer on Vinyl.

Music on Vinyl also has reissues of WARREN ZEVON’S excellent debut, ALAN PARSON’S debut after he left the project “ try anything once” with the floydesque “ Mr. time” track, and reissues also from GEORGE BENSON, SERGIO MENDES and WILSON PICKETT.

Plastichead sent a small list of RSD 15 stuff out…

As with other RSD years….i can’t keep stuff…. but by letting me know you like the look of something….then there is a greater chance it will be in shop on the 18th April.

We have been playing the new NOEL GALLAGHER album quite a lot and really liking it,….one of ye guys sent this in to us last week after the newsletter with the words exchanged or not exchanged between the two parties…….snap taken on BONDI BEACH 2002….the rock star is on the left by the way…..words exchanged below the snap

“Bondi beach 2002. Had seen oasis the night before ….they were shite…liam barely spoke in-between songs…didn’t wanna be there I feel. Didn’t tell noel that(I call him noel). City were beaten 3-0 by leeds the day before also….did tell noel (I call him noel) that. He knew, we chuckled. Rock’n’roll stories ray….cant beat em.”

The Music ZONE corporation is running a nice competition since Tuesday to tomorrow Thursday, to win a copy of the lovely NICK DRAKE CD BOXSET……CHECK IT OUT ON TWITTER,,,RT AND FOLLOW TO ENTER….OR SHARE AND LIKE ON FACEBOOK……IF YOU’RE NOT ON EITHER FAIR PLAY TO YA….JUST POP A COMMENT ON THE MUSICZONE FORUM ON THE WEBSITE….will be a competition every week going forward for the time being anyway.

https://musiczone.ie/mzforum/viewforum.php?f=1

Sin e for this week,

Thanks for listening,

Ray.