Hi everyone,
Hope ye’r all well.. Settling back down after our day in the sun.. Great day all round.. Thanks so so so much to all of ye who came in and supported us…
Also a huge thanks to all the musicians who came in and performed for us.. Each and every one of them are quality to deal with.. They help to create the atmosphere as much as anyone else..
Thanks also to Bobby and Shane as always, to the shopping centre for being so accommodating, and also to Red FM who pushed us all week on the radio..
We all had a lovely day even though my head swam for most of the day.. All good though.. Thanks again everyone!..
Right so moving on to releases in the shop for the 27th.. We have the new DELORENTOS record ‘True Surrender’ on CD and LP.. We had the lads instore last Saturday. Brilliant performance, and thanks a million to them!
Right so moving on to releases for the 4th of May.. We have from WARNER brand new albums from DIMMU BORGIR, and PLAN B, as well as the vinyl release of the excellent album by REJJIE SNOW..
Sony for the 4th have the reissue of SIMON + GARFUNKEL’s ‘GREATEST HITS’ which is a MOV transition product, and the reissue of MICHAEL JACKSON’S ‘Dangerous’ on LP.
Universal for the 4th of May have the new album by GAZ COOMBES on CD and Indies only Pink Vinyl, as well as the new FRANK TURNER album on Polydor on CD and on vinyl, called ‘Be More Kind’.
Universal also has a BRIAN ENO ‘Music For Installations’ on Limited 9LP boxset, as well as a new album by IHSAH called ‘Amr’, and a vinyl release of the new KACEY MUSGRAVE album ‘Golden Hour’… Really good listen to be honest..
Last but not least from Universal are the vinyl reissues of the full ENIGMA catalogue on lovely coloured vinyl.. One press only.. All their albums including ‘MCMXC’ and ‘Cross of Changes’.. Both of those on red vinyl..
PIAS for the 4th have the new album by DAMIEN JURADO and KING GIZZARDS ‘Gumboat Soup’.. The 5th album of 7 they released last year..
PIAS for the 11th Of May have arguably the most important album of the year for the industry.. The new ARCTIC MONKEYS album ‘Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino’ is the album in question.. Can the band ‘crossover’ to people who don’t really consume music.. Probably the biggest band born this century.. Ok, Adele and Ed are bigger and have crossed over more, but the Monkeys are possibly the biggest band born this century… Old school way of releasing the album also… Zero going to be heard before it hits the shops, and I persume the streaming platforms.. I like that.. Good old fashioned anticipation..
Anyway, the assassin is back from yacht shopping and wants to tell ye about the one press only clear vinyl indies only version of the album.. Limited, and one press only.. May not even get what I ordered of it so let me or the lads know if you want a copy.. The price on this is 33EUR for the indies only one.. Standard vinyl available also.. Bit cheaper, available as CD also.. Vinyl includes downloads..
I was at Music Cork this past few days rubbing heads with the industry figures, shooting the breeze, discussing yacht prices and that.. More on that next week.. I’ll fill ye in then.. Been a messy week at the HQ, throw music Cork into the equation also…
So sin é for this week folks..
Thanks for listening,
Ray www.musiczone.ie
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Hi Everyone,
Hope ye are all doing well..
Bit of a long one this week with RSD Bits, so if the email cuts out before the end there’ll be a ‘View Full Email’ option to click below, hopefully it won’t come to that!
It has been a bit of a messy week with regards the new releases (sometimes after bank holidays it happens… Other times its down to someone dropping the ball in the supply chain)… Both occured this week…
The EELS album is delayed but I am told I should have it Monday (That’s today.. Friday, remember I one finger tap this on a Thursday night… Rainy night in Music Zone Corporation Home HQ… Quiet house other than that though… For now.. The rain could set off the nightwalkers at any moment though methinks so I will give a real update tomorrow (friday) on it because it was a drop the ball somewhere along the chain and we only twigged it Weds evening, thinking up to then it was delayed ‘cos of the long weekend… So PIAS/CINRAM told us we would have it Friday for sure, but I don’t think they ever got a box out to us in 24 hours so I aint holding my breath really to be honest… Monday or tuesday at worst… I ordered them on the 15th of March like!!).. So once again sorry for the mishap.. More concrete info tomorrow as in Friday… Confused??… Sorry about that also…
Uni new releases delayed but will be tomorrow… But wait, what we have got is KYLIE’S new album and new albums by BLACKBERRY SMOKE, LE GALAXIE, DAVID KITT, ELVIS, JOHNNY CASH and LORDE’s newest album gets its LP release, as well as reissues by LOVE and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN.
We’ve also decided to jump over to Instagram for our newest social media outing! So please give us a follow if you are on it, we’ll be putting up pictures of new releases each week, clips of upcoming videos, and general vinyl and music goodness! https://www.instagram.com/musiczone.ie/
Releases for next week the 13th of April are decent enough (as is May… New ARCTIC MONKEYS on the 11th of May, PINK FLOYD’s ‘Pulse’ on vinyl on the 18th of May… Nice and nice again)
Universal have a couple of U2 LP reissues and remastered versions of “Pop” and “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”… “Pop” may have been a disappointment to some at the time but I think it stood the test of time well and like it a lot … Personally I wouldn’t love “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”… It’s grand but that’s my opinion… One man’s meat another man’s poison and all that..
Here’s more info… Forgot to mention “Wide Awake In America” also reissued..
UMC/Island/Interscope are proud to announce the release of 3 new vinyl reissues from Irish rock giants, U2. All remastered and pressed on 180gsm vinyl, includes download cards.
Wide Awake In America is a four-track half live/half studio EP from 1985. Originally released only in North America and Japan, it was subsequently re-released internationally in the late 1980s. SThe artwork is a faithful reproduction of the original release. Download card with access to all tracks on the EP digitally, for the first time with this title on vinyl. All That You Can’t Leave Behind, the tenth studio album from U2, garnered multiple Grammy awards following its release in October 2000 and shot to #1 in 32 countries. The artwork comprises a 16-page booklet featuring lyrics and photography by Anton Corbijn. 3rd March 2018 marks the 21st anniversary of Pop, U2’s ninth studio album, which reached #1 in the UK, US, Ireland and 26 other countries around the world following its release in 1997. The artwork has been faithfully reproduced from the original release, including a gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeves and a lyrics insert.• Download card with access to all 12 tracks on the album digitally, for the first time with this album on vinyl.
Uni also have the METALLICA’s “5.98 Dollar EP : Garage Days Revisited” and remastered… Covers album they done in ‘87… There is a retail bricks and mortar only orange vinyl… Also on cassette and CD.. Debut album by ISAAC GRACIE out on UNI and new album from THE DAMNED called “Evil Spirits” , BARRY WHITE 2LP “Greatest Hits” and singles boxset, and second album from BREAKING BENJAMIN on Spinefarm.Lastly from Uni for next week the 13th are four JULIAN COPE LP reissues : Jevovahkill, My Nation Underground, Saint Julian and Peggy Suicide.
New MANIC’s album from Sony for next week “Resistance is Futile” on CD, DELUXE CD, LP and retail shops only white LP… Two words… Great Band…. Indies only 7” single out on the same day.
Reissues on LP by JEAN MICHEL JARRE of “Revolutions” and “Chronology”, as well as HENDRIX “Band of Gypsys” LP reissue.
New JOSH ROUSE album on Yep Roc via Proper out on the 13th also.
The Orchard have the new JOHN PRINE album on CD and LP “The Tree of Forgiveness” it is called..
PIAS have new albums by LAURA VIER’S, CONFIDENCE MAN and A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS.
ROM have some nice reissues, reasonable priced reissues of FATS DOMINO, NAT KING COLE, NINA SIMONE, HARRY BELAFONTE, BLUES LEGENDS and DYLAN IN JAZZ.
Warner have the DAVID BOWIE “Changestwobowie” on CD and very limited black and blue vinyl… The new NEIL YOUNG AND THE PROMISE OF THE REAL album on LP this week the 13th… CD next week the 20th… It’s a soundtrack to the film “Paradox” directed by his new muse Darryl and starring himself… Not sure of the plot, not sure does Croz play the villain or the prodigal son or if its a rockumentary … Not so sure about it full stop but I need to hear or see it first really…. Productive is our Neil in fairness to him.
Lastly from Warner is BEHEMOTH “Messe Noir” on 2LP OR CD/DVD or CD/BluRay.. The Satanist album live is what it is.
MOV have a reissue of MACHINE HEAD’s “ The Burning Red” on LP.
Right so, our Lineup of Music is sorted for RSD18… Fair bit of organising, and toing and froing involved believe me but we are set now I think… Try catch an act/band if you can, its part and parcel of the day for us.. We are trying to show off some of the talent our city has to offer so get in if you can or get back in if your an early bird… Lots of negatives can be said about RSD but it was our busiest day last year by over 100%… About 2 excellent weeks business in a day and the live music is part and parcel of it for us… The rugby gods shone on Munster last week some would say, and they seemed to have shone on the shop since by having the Munster fixture on the Sunday this year.. Hurrah!
Anyway the music of the rebel county (Mostly!!)
11AM : TRANSMISSION CLUB
Done an excellent 6 piece instore last year.. It was quality… Loads of talent here… Doing a full band set again.. 30 mins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VEh7fcLjA
12.30PM JOHN BLEK
Seriously good new album out, Catharsis Vol. 1, lovely lovely guitar work… Excellent solo performance in the shop last year for the launch of his new album… Worth a listen folks… Solo 30 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6iu9kJ3CWA
1.15PM THE SHAKER HYMN
Ok look shop favourites maybe… Really really rate these boys… New tune again top notch… Full band performance… Never had them in for a full band performance before so buzzing for this one… Note the time folks! 30 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWygV9dKVnE
2PM : AUGUST WELLS
Delighted to welcome the lads back, seriously great instore the last time round from Kenneth and John… They ooze class… In everything they do… Responded within a few minutes. “Yeah we will do it lads no problem” after I requested an RSD in store.. Not everyone says yes to us, au contraire dear rodders, au contraire… 2 pièce, 30 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVEdsTkn3gc
2.45PM LEFTBANK (Side Project of Ruby Horses Deckie Lucey)
Seriously respected musician and producer, spent a long time in the states… New album out this year… Couple of tracks from it… “When I’m Gone” featured in the Farrelly brothers show “loudermilk” and “ I just want to know for sure” was nominated for song of the year at Independent music awards in NYC….delighted to welcome him. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Hcz5ClHzu3NWjH9KXXBLb?si=Ln2uuwrOQhC5xZwcLgHa3g
3.30PM THE ELATION
Again delighted to have the lads in…up and coming Cork band… Only an EP out for now… Cracking cracking lead tune from it though…. Looking forward to seeing them… Full band set again. 30 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbw7NSUhmwI
4.15PM THE BURMA
Big friends of the shop… Third time in in 8 months… Must give them a rest for a while.. Really like their sound we do… 3 piece performance this time. 30 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DYubKO1aNE
We’ve ye spoilt like!!
So feel free to spoil us back… Loads of live music on but feel free to ring our till, thats what it’s about also… We will take ye’r money in a friendly, polite, considerate and kind way to the backdrop of live music… Sure couldn’t be better.
While i’m on the RSD thing… SONY and Warner fills are good enough but must hear back from a lot of others still… More info next week on all that and centre access times, where to enter and from what time.. Milk tray men coming through the roof at 3AM aside.
An Update added here.. Got an email on Friday from Warner about ADA stock who they distribute for.. Not the best news.
“Hi Ray
Hope all is good with you sir. Just wanted to send you on a list of your allocation for this year’s RSD title. The only major issue we had was we over indulged on the Led Zeppelin and had to half most of the orders. On the ADA side of things there were a few lines that we got cut on completely. They were :”
So those couple we will not have on the day… Sorry.. None in the country, all for our friends overseas.. Warner Ireland are not happy either as you can imagine.. Apologies.. Still hopeful we might get a couple, but looking very unlikely unfortunately… Out of our hands, we’re sorry..
Oh sorry lastly on it,
Have been hounding MERCURY REV also and they said they might call in the morning to say hello but probably won’t play… If any of ye get chatting to them at their gigs in St Lukes… Ye might tell them we’re alright! And as well as Mercury Rev we could / will have another appearance added to our list by this time next week for RSD! But more on that next week!
Right so,
00:21 : Body and mind tired… Only one night walker so far, for only a minute earlier..
Sin é for this week
Thanks for listening
Ray musiczone.ie
Right so, releases then for next week the 6th of APRIL include (April looks a bit warmer to be fair and not just with RSD… RSD, oh more on that in the minute).. Via SONY, ELVIS PRESLEY “The Searcher” Original Soundtrack on 2CD, 3CD or 2LP, as well as JOHNNY CASH’s “Forever Words”… It’s a collaborative album consisting of 16 songs created from Johnny Cash’s unknown poetry, lyrics, and letters set to music by an astounding array of contemporary artists including Chris Cornell, Ruston Kelly & Kacey Musgraves, Rosanne Cash, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Brad Paisley, Kris Kristofferson & Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, and more.
Universal for the 6th of April have two different reworkings of ELTON JOHN’s Greatest Hits… First one called “Revamp” done by contemporary artists, and the second one called “Restoration” done by country artists.
Uni also have new albums by 30 SECONDS TO MARS, LISA STANSFIELD, WINTERFYLLETH on 2CD Digi and LP, and live albums by ALBERT HAMMOND and HALL & OATES “Live in Dublin” (not the more recent one where the sound quality was very questionable I believe but an older one from 2014 I think)..
Lastly from Universal is the LP release of the newest LORDE album “Melodrama” and a FRANK SINATRA Best Of 20 track compilation called “Baby Blue Eyes” .
Speaking of Uni and RSD… We didn’t get a great fill across their titles with them to be honest, allocated a good bit less than last year… I don’t envy their job I suppose… Trying to keep 45 shops happy with small qtys…. Bit like trying to feed the starving, we’re a bit like the box on the mantelpiece in the old days for lent… Uni ireland were promised 50% of the Gallagher allocation which would have been 375 but only got 20% .. Do the maths… We got into double figures but not enough to satisfy demand (sorry in advance).. The Bowie through Uni is also a big problem… Cut to 30% of what I ordered… Again late arrivers will be disappointed maybe even some early risers too… The other Bowie’s will be ok i’d say for a good part of the day anyway (again sorry… And I am… I really hate disappointing regular lads).. The Cures, Soundgarden and David Sylvian are also tight… Springsteen and Rage are tight with Sony… The Zeppelin is tight with Warner and I have not heard from the others yet… Look just keeping ye folks informed (would appreciate no return sure you’ll look after me emails about the above please lads and ladies… It kind of is what it is… Overall it will be a good fill… I have highlighted 9 titles of 500 that will be problematic so far (good ones I know!)… Most of the rest should be fairly ok I hope… That’s the day for yeah lads… The day’s core message is to support indie shops and drive customers to it’s shops by offering rare bespoke vinyl… Anyway look, just being honest with ye…. That’s that till next
On the entertainment side
THE SHAKER HYMN, AUGUST WELLS, JOHN BLEK, THE BURMA, LEFTBANK (side project of Ruby Horse) and TRANSMISSION CLUB are all more or less confirmed… Maybe a nice surprise or two next week as well we hope…. THE SHAKER HYMN are the most underrated band in the country in my opinion… Two fine albums out and the new tune is quality once again delighted to have them in for a full band set… A quick listen here… More on the bands so next week.
PIAS have one of my own favs in the new EELS album “The Deconstruction” on limited CD Digi, way more limited deluxe box set thingy with a few pink vinyl in it, the LP format of the album comes as two 10” records on yellow vinyl… Haven’t listened to any of it yet… Hoping for a nice surprise, don’t want to spoil it on myself like… new ones also from THE UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA and GOAT GIRL.. Iindies only formats on both these two also.. U.M.O. getting great reviews also.
I won’t bore ye too much like last week but funnily enough after my ramas about the state (good or bad) of the industry, the figures came through these last few days of how the music industry performed in the United States of Americaaa last year, 2017..
Here are the core points I suppose…
Total industry figure was 8.7 billion up 15% from 7,5 billion
Streaming was responsible for all the growth.
Streaming amounts to 65% of all paid for music consumed in 2017 in the States…. Like an Everly brother all they want to do is stream, stream, stream, stream… Whenever I want you all I gotta do is stream.
Physical is 17%.
Downloads are 15%
Synch is 3%
Physical was down 4% overall (which was much less of a decline than in recent years so there may be a settling down period… I doubt it!!)
Vinyl was up 10% to 400 million dollars but CD fell 6% to 1.1 billion dollars…
So that’s the nuts and bolts of it really folks…
CD still at 1.1 billion dollars.. Lot of cash
Overall positive for the industry… But for my part of it… So so… Nearly holding its own, so not too bad… Need to keep an eye over there, they cough we get sick type scenario..
Overall levels of turnover back to 2008 but still 40% away from peak levels…
Begs the question which im going to start asking… How much is the artist seeing?
If it’s 40% away from peak levels… Whats that 13 billion dollars… But grew 15% last year… If it keeps that up till surpass the peak in 3 years… Is the artist/band seeing it?
SPOTIFY are floating on US stock exchange next month I think..
Won’t bore ye anymore with industry stuff…. Would much rather talk about releases but a bit quiet there of late… It’s looking better later in the month.
Warner for the 6th of April have a 50th Anniversary Deluxe Boxset of LOVE’s “ Forever Changes”.. 4CD/DVD/LP in one boxset as well as the new album from KYLIE… A bit of a country album I think! Available on 6 formats… Great fun that for a retailer especially for an artist like Kylie… And lastly Warner have the new BLACKBERRY SMOKE album on Earache on CD, 2lp or indies only 2LP only 1K of them.
ROM have the second album from HINDS , a LEVELLER’S boxset on 2CD/2DVD which includes the documentary film, and the greatest hits on vinyl, MOBY “Play B-Sides” back again this time on black vinyl though, and a remix of the ZOLA JESUS album with bonus tracks.
The Orchard have the new album by LE GALAXIE “Pleasure” on CD and LP… Third album from them, May Kay formerly of FIGHT LIKE APES is now a full time member. Orchard also has an OTHERKIN Live LP, Kamelot new album and MASTERSYSTEM album which is a supergroup made of members of EDITORS and FRIGHTENED RABBIT. Well sin é for this week folks,
Hi Everyone,
Hope your all well..
Man it’s been a long day (Thursday) but i’m sure ye have about as much interest in listening to it as I have in telling it…
Reissues in the Music Zone Emporium Of Fine Things today include remastered versions of the RORY GALLAGHER catalogue…15 titles on LP… Sweet… Loads of “Rorys” around my age… The boy made an impact in more ways than one.. I know a lot of ye have wish listed to us the RORY Live in France RSD release… It will probably be the biggest RSD release the shop has ever had… I am mildly confident we will get a fairly decent fill on it but only 750 copies in the UK and here… Not a lot….. The Cork card will work in our favour I hope… But there will be big big demand for this so look all i’m saying is we can only do what we can do… Set your alarms now i’d say and no shouting at us please.. Life’s too short
As im on the RSD thing, there is a faller at the first… Disappointing one for a few JOY DIVISION fans i’d say but the WARSAW album is a goner… Got an email a few days back… Not happening, no real explanation..
“The WARSAW / WARSAW title has been CANCELLED and will not be available as part of our RSD offers. Please advise any of your customers that this release is on hold for the time being.”
Moving on so to releases for the 23rd of March Warner have the LED ZEPPELIN “How the West Was Won” remastered album on 4LP or 3CD or super douper deluxey boxset thingy ma job… Oh there is a Bluray audio format also…
Warner also has the new single from the MOZ man (heard rather mixed reviews of the gig lately in Dublin… Treading dangerous ground here Raymond boy better back off… Sorry didn’t hear anything actually) on 7” “My Love, I’d Do Anything For You” any truth that the Moz man didn’t write this and that it was a bunch of superfans??…
Speaking off superfans… We had a JACK WHITE Superfan in the shop last week, all the way from Canada… Was in Ireland on holiday, heard of the listening party, sought us out and won the second prize of the JW Tote bag… Superfan, superfan.. Knows JW from all the gigs he has been to… Follows him around on tour.. Gets his plecs.. Spends all his money on seeing Jack White… You get my drift… He didn’t want second prize though… This dude queued for 22 hours to get that RSD single (you know the one…the fastest single recorded, pressed and sold ever…3hours 55 minutes… I think, around there anyway…) by JACK WHITE a few years back, only 300 of them pressed… So our Canadian friend (and he was sound as a bell to be fair to him, I liked him) drew one of our regulars out of the hat to win the bespoke 7” which was to be draw in each participating store… Again around 300 i’d say.
Comp is over and our Canadian friend offers to buy the 7” from our guy, (our guy is sound as a bell also) our guy quickly glances my way… Shit, what do I do he is probably thinking, what will Ray think if I flip it here in front of him like… I aint flipping no way… “No your grand bud, sorry”
What was Ray thinking..?
Not a fan of flipping or people who flip to be blunt and honest… Mainly because it is done by someone who has no interest to ultimately catch someone who has loads of interest… Ye know the deal, it’s a tout basically… But here is a greyer area in the world of flippin… our guy likes JW a lot, turned up for the listening party sure, likes music a lot, supports the shop, supports the local scene… All good… Our Canadian friend is a superfan who really really wants the 7” record… Is it really flippin if they cut a deal…?
I didn’t give a flying hoot to be honest is what I was thinking in this example… I had to leg it from the shop soon after and our two main characters in our soap opera were still shooting the breeze (I think our Canadian friend was trying to prove his superfan wordiness by telling JW stories).
It ended with an offer of 200 euro for the one track 7”… A declined offer… He went back to Canada with an empty tote bag and a heartful of dreams…. Take your time me young bucko…. Man, our guy must have been tempted… 200 bucks… I’ll see him soon and find out, if he hasn’t flipped it on ebay for 500 and taken a holiday to Canada with other JW singles…
You swear I had time to one finger type that tale… Well I didn’t.
Lastly from Warners for next week are the first seven TOM WAITS Albums remastered on CD.
Pias have the new JACK WHITE album for the 23rd (oh no, not again!!) “Boarding House Reach” on XL in conjunction with Third Man Records (lovely, nutty note in shop from third mans Ben Blackwell up on the wall now).. Available on LP and CD… Diverse but interesting listen (one full listen at our parteee).. I have a few posters and button badges to give away to those who preorder the album with us… So let us know if interested folks…
PIAS also have the reissue of “Cease To Begin” by BAND OF HORSES on gold vinyl as well as debut “Everything All The Time” on red vinyl. Nice little album out via PIAS also next friday the 23rd, JOSIENNE CLARKE & BEN WALKER have a new album..
Track here “Chicago” from it.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVyOmZfvKu8
The LP format of this album contains a Bonus CD featuring 3 unreleased tracks available to indie retailers only.
PIAS also have the new PREOCCUPATIONS album as well as a blast of reissues by SHINS “Chutes Too Narrow”, “Wincing The Night”, “Oh Inverted World” all on different coloured vinyl with codes via Sub Pop..
MOV for the 23rd have a press of JJ CALE “COLLECTED” on 3LP… I hope individually numbered gold vinyl… 3K of them.
UNIVERSAL for the 23rd of March have the the new NOW Compilation 99.. New albums by RICK PARFITT (only solo album in fact) DON MCLEAN, TONI BRAXTON, as well as a Live album by THUNDER across 5 formats, MARILLON live reissues, ZAPPA “The Roxy Performances” across 7 CDs and the new SLOW RIOT single on 7” orange vinyl (good new band…tune here)
SONY for the 23rd have the new GEORGE EZRA album “Staying at Tamaras” on CD and indies only white vinyl as well as MILES & COLTRANE “The Final Tour” Bootleg Series Volume 6…. CD only i’d say.
THE ORCHARD have the new HUDSON TAYLOR EP on the 23rd.
PROPER have a sadly timely release of PLANXTY “One Night in Bremen” live album… The sad passing of LIAM O FLYNN during the week… I think it is fair to say one of Ireland’s greatest ever musicians.
Sin e for this week’s episode folks
Thanks for listening
Ray musiczone.ie
Just started listening to the Choice Awards on 2FM…. Missed a few of the acts so hope I didn’t miss our Cork representatives MARLENE ENRIGHT and TALOS… Best of luck from Musiczone Towers to both and all acts involved to be fair… Cork have an outside shot…. Fionn Regan maybe or Talos has a great shout in my opinion…
So Record Shop Day 2018 is getting close… 6 weeks tomorrow.. (must getting cracking on the entertainment for the day).. Thanks a million to those of ye who put ye’r wishlists through to us…. We will do our very best to get them ordered but then unfortunately after that we can’t make any promises…. Which I think most of ye appreciate… The day was set up to support independently owned record stores and to drive customers to our shops on the third saturday in April (April 21st this year)
So thanks a million for ye’r wishlists and really hope to see ye on the day…
We will i’m sure have a very good selection and fill as in other years… If your record is slightly obscure to the rest of the world, obviously not to yourself, you might let us know over the weekend so we will try our best to get it ordered… Ideally need anymore wishlists by Tuesday at 6PM please… Universal needs to be sent up by Weds at 6PM… So email it through if you want.
(CHOICE : LIVE COMMENTARY)
Man, TALOS was impressive… I missed Marlene, she must have been on early.. Heard Fionn, Talos and now James Vincent McMorrow. All cracking..
(BACK TO IT)
Let me please bore ye with examples of where I may have a problems…
I buy direct from Holland for Music on Vinyl records all year round but unfortunately for me MOV use a third party distributor in the UK for their RSD releases…. So every year I have trouble getting MOV RSD stock…(It’s a bit frustrating for me as you can imagine).. I have an account with the third party but have no real trade history with them (even though I buy a lot of MOV product all year, hence the frustration part!).. So I tend to get little or nothing in a lot of years… This year I am promised product… Time will tell… A word of warning Sufjan fans that’s all (including myself).
Secondly, two of the smaller distributors I just don’t have accounts with…. There are about 20 distributors in total… So 90% I deal with… Those smaller guys I just never hardly need anything from them except a few RSD titles maybe (carriage is a big issue if you need 3 records, can be 12 sterling a box shipped)… But other than that all good… So look thanks for allowing me to bore ye folks… Get your lists over before Tuesday and we will do our best or more importantly just show up on the day… Sin é on RSD ‘till next week..
Oh yes it is, oh no it’s not actually…. I made a few typos on Tuesday Eve getting the lists ready for ye guys (only get it a short time before ye see it , so apologies, only human, we are supposed to make mistakes as Billy Joel might say).. Just not so many… The Frankie Goes to Hollywood set is 60 Euro and not 25 as I put down… Sorry… Some of the others are 2 or 3 quid either way from the price I quoted.
Video from the last few weeks up now, hasn’t been one in a while so a nice few bits in it www.musiczone.ie/videos
Ok so on to releases for the 16th of March.. PIAS have a nice couple of releases for the 16th including a new album by THE DECEMBERISTS called “I’ll Be Your Girl” on CD and LP and an indies only white LP via Rough Trade.
PIAS also has the new YO LA TENGO record on CD or 2LP indies only coloured vinyl via Matador… Two nice ones methinks. PIAS also have COCTEAU TWINS reissues on LP via 4AD.. “Head over Heels” and “Treasure”, as well as a remix album of “Drunk” by THUNDERCAT called “Drank”.. And lastly from PIAS for the 16th is a collaboration debut album CREEP SHOW featuring JOHN GRANT on vocals with electronic band WRANGLER… Worth a listen also.
SHIPS won the Choice Prize for album of the year… Congrats!…don’t know the album to be honest but must remedy that..
WARNER for the 16th have “You’ve come a long way baby” LP reissue on 2LP and CD… 20TH Anniversary as well as a KRAFTWERK 18 Track Best Of type compilation and PARADISE LOST reissue of “Host” on cd, and first time on vinyl for it.
REPUBLIC OF MUSIC has an unreleased radio session from 1974 by SUN RA called “Of Abstract Dreams” on CD and LP
THE ORCHARD for the 16th have the new FRATELLIS album as well as a new CASEY album
PROPER for the 16th have some ALARM reissues and a live album from Paul Draper of MANSUN on DLP
UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP (UMG) now have the rights to the RORY GALLAGHER catalogue (i’d imagine it was a few pounds) and they are releasing his 17 solo titles on CD on the 16th of March and 15 of them on LP on 180 gram with codes… I probably have said this a 1000 times to people but what a loss to the city…. He may have even come down from the Well Road for an instore for RSD… What a loss.
UNI have new albums on the 16th by KIM WILDE, ALEXANDRA BURKE and a Debut by FICKLE FRIENDS as well as Best Ofs by MUDDY WATERS and ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER and a new 12” by DJANGO DJANGO . Lastly from Universal is the 2LP release by JOHN WILLIAMS of “Star Wars – The Last Jedi” and there are two KEANE LP reissues “Perfect Symmetry” and “Under The Iron Sea”, and lastly a Northern Soul Volume 3 7x 7” boxset.
Moving on to releases for Feb 23rd Warner have the break outs from the latest BOWIE box set… So these breakouts include “Heroes” “Lodger” “Low” “Scary Monsters” “Stage 2017”… : “Low” would probably have been my own personal favourite Bowie album up until “Blackstar” which I love… Have been listening to “The Next Day” a bit recently also… “Valentine’s Day” is a great song… Bowie is excellent in the video… I really hope this shooting in Florida on Valentines Day had no sad or sick connection.
What do be going on like…19 year old kid murders 17 teenagers with their whole lives to live… Life is so precious and so fragile… How can this occur? Is there “evil” in people… Are they born “evil”… Mental health issues?… Or is there something or things in his 19 year story that will point us to the answer… Ah man it just makes no sense.
Some of you have probably seen the video to the SUFJAN STEVENS track “John Wayne Gacy” (incredible but harrowing song) where there is real footage of Gacy as a child and you wonder how that, granted somewhat needy, little boy turned into a serial killer….??
This would have happened some day with this “evil” kid… Could it have been stopped? Who knows..
Man, Bowie would be crying if he thought his song had any impact on this person’s actions… At most I think it was just a deluded soundtrack to that troubled “evil” persons disgusting carnage…
Valentine told me who’s to go
Feelings he’s treasured most of all
The teachers and the football star
It’s in his tiny face
It’s in his scrawny hand
Valentine told me so
He’s got something to say
It’s Valentine’s Day
Warner also on the 23rd have a new album by VANCE JOY “Nation of Two” and some reissues by KREATOR and DIMMU BORGIR as well as a B-Sides CD by AIRBOURNE.
Sony for the 23rd have a JIMI HENDRIX 7” and not a whole lot more to the best of my knowledge.
PIAS for the 23rd have the second album by one half of THE KNIFE, yes the highly anticipated FEVER RAY album “Plunge” will be with us next Friday…. Eight years since debut… Available via Karins own label Rapid (I think its her label anyway) and available on CD, standard LP and DELUXE DOUBLE GATEFOLD LP with a red blood gel outer sleeve… Only problem is that version aint out till MARCH 30TH… Bit of a mebs I know… Sorry.
PIAS also have a new album by BON IVER band mate S.CAREY on CD and indies only coloured LP as well as a reissue of the debut record by FUTURE ISLANDS on copper coloured vinyl.
Lastly from PIAS is a Live LP by British beat poet MICHAEL HOROVITZ called “Bank Busted Nuclear Detergent Blues”…. The wha….. He is joined on this recording by Damon Albarn on keys, Graham Coxon on sax and guitar and Paul Weller on organ and guitar… Not a bad backing band…. I personally believe (far from a very positive starting point for me) that history will be very kind to Damon Albarn… Maybe, I said maybe, suspect musical beginnings but always pushing forward, innovative, inventive, interesting…. The three eyes… Write it down folks… Future of music marketing.. I do believe he will leave a fine musical legacy.
Universal have the excellent “CONCERT FOR GEORGE” on LTD 4LP set, 2 CD/2 BLURAY , 2 CD/DVD or 2CD out on the 23rd of Feb…
On November 29, 2002, one year after the passing of George Harrison, Olivia Harrison and longtime friend Eric Clapton organized a performance tribute in his honour. Held at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the momentous evening featured George’s songs, and music he loved, performed by a lineup that included Clapton, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr, Dhani Harrison and many more. Available in a 2CD, 2CD/2DVD, 2CD/2Blu-Ray and 4LP format. The 2-CD set offers a collection of stunning renditions of some of the most significant music of the 20th century, including “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (performed by Clapton, McCartney and Starr), “Taxman” (performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and “The Inner Light” (covered by Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar). The new combo package comprises 2-CDs and 2-DVDs (Blu-Ray format also available). The DVDs contain the full concert, plus a theatrical cut which includes interviews, rehearsals and behind the scenes footage. Directed by David Leland (credits including the feature Wish You Were Here, and the Traveling Wilburys video “Handle With Care”), CONCERT FOR GEORGE has earned a Grammy® Award for Best Long Form Music Video. The Blu-Ray also includes the feature “Drummers.” (Not on DVD format). Also available for the first time on vinyl, this 180 gram 4-LP Box Set includes the complete sound recordings from CONCERT FOR GEORGE, featuring a special, etched mandala-design on side-8
UNIVERSAL also for the 23rd have via EAGLE ROCK, THE DOORS “Live at the Isle of Wight 1970” on DVD, BLURAY or CD/DVD…. This film/footage has historical importance I suppose as it was the very last filmed performance by the fantastic THE DOORS…. Is everybody in, is everybody in…
Universal also has new albums by MILESTONES and DAN GILLESPIE-SELLS (The Feeling), a new EP by ALICE COOPER and the vinyl releases of the POST MALONE “Stoney” on double orange coloured LP.
Not to bore ye with the details (not that boring really) but we have run into a short-term childcare problem so Raymond is going to be missing on thursdays for a month or two i’m afraid… Not ideal to be honest but sure ‘tis grand too in a very important way… Apologies in advance… Bob is moving hours around to do Thursday for me… I was talking to two wise men during the week in the shop and they passed on a worldly message or two… 1. Family and friends should be numero uno (all the rest is fluff was one man’s message) and 2. One thing you wont regret when your 65 is that you didn’t work hard enough… So true… No basis on what’s going on with me, that’s just circumstance but it made me feel ok about the decision… Any of ye need ye’r kids minded on a thursday as well fire em over to me sure….
Proper for 23rd of Feb have new albums by GRANT LEE PHILLIPS and JOHN MAYALL as well as a live HAPPY MONDAYS LP from Barcelona.
THE ORCHARD have the debut record by Bray natives WYVERN LINGO on the 23rd on CD and LP via Rubyworks.
Nice price on the CD of 10 euro and 20 quid for the lovely LP…. Really excited and looking forward to this record as well as the In-Store on Monday the 26th of Feb at 5PM…
Want a signed copy and few good tunes….. You have been warned.
THE ORCHARD also have the first five FELT records reissued on VINYL.
REPUBLIC OF MUSIC have a 3LP set on mono of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to MAGNOLIA… score by Jon Brion and songs by AIMEE MANN…. Pricey pricey though as a lot of the Mondo stuff is.
Sin e for this week i suppose folks,
Thanks for listening
Ray musiczone.ie
Bits and pieces in the Musiczone.ie emporium for today include new albums by BRIAN FALLON (GASLIGHT ANTHEM), MAX RICHTER, MGMT, TOTO, FRANZ FERDINAND, JOAN AS POLICEWOMAN, EZRA FURMAN and JONNY GREENWOOD as well as reissues by NINA SIMONE and ELLA FITZGERALD and a live DVD by ROBERT PLANT.
We got copies of the SHAME album back in… Good auld old fashioned punk rock n’ roll… Refreshing to hear it to be honest…. Bit of bite and venom in it… We do like it in the siopa… Sky Blue vinyl still left.
We should have the new LOST BROTHERS LP and CD ‘Half Way Towards Healing’ here today as well I hope… Direct from band… No record company or distribution company involved… Sweet to deal with it from our end though… No bother (i’d like to think we are the same)… I suppose lots of bands like THE LOST BROTHERS, HAM SANDWICH, who could be signed and would have no bother getting distribution from numerous distributors… Decide to paddle their own canoe… If it’s just distribution on offer… Why would they bother… The band press the record/cd…. Sell it to distribution company who take their 25/30% and sell to the retailer who does the same… I suppose i’d argue that we as front line retailers give the record visibility, play it and talk about it… Distribution only does what it says on the tin… So why use it… Now the cloat of a big record company is probably different as you will get media exposure and radio plays… But just distribution?…a band can use its website and retail shops direct….you would be amazed though how many bands/artists are slow to deal direct though… Feel they will sell more off own their website and see no need to have bricks and mortar visibility… Again I would argue gently that we can offer something more… ButIi would I suppose.
Anyway i suppose…. Changing times all the time…. Not a whole pile happening so far this year on the release front, aside from CALEXICO and to a lesser extent NILS FRAHM and GLEN HANSARD... The shop has felt it… But till bounce back later in the year id say… March looks decent enough on the release front and I know off a few beauts RSD wise coming our way on APRIL 21… Come on, cut me some slack it’s been quiet, im allowed mention RSD.
Right so releases for the 16th of Feb… WARNER have the REJJIE SNOW CD… LP later… End of march I think, as well as new albums by THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT (Indies only orange vinyl on this one) and LAURIE ANDERSON and the KRONOS QUARTET “Landfall” on CD and LP.
PIAS for the 16th of Feb have the third installment of the BELLE & SEBASTIAN EP Trilogy as well as a CD release of the Three EPs combined and a 3EP Boxset also… One of my fave bands.
PIAS also have new albums by CAR SEAT HEADREST and MARLON WILLIAMS, a reissue of ELLA & LOUIS “Porgy & Bess” , a reissue on DLP of SUN KIL MOON’s “Ghost of the Great Highway” on Rough Trade, the new EP by RIDE and lastly WILD BEASTS “Best Of” type compilation… Indies only double coloured LP.
The Orchard have a new album by NEAL MORSE “Life and Times”, more acoustic based I think, a reissue on vinyl for the 10th anniversary of FRIGHTENED RABBITS “Midnight Organ Fight” and lastly an ARCH ENEMY 12LP box set … 200 bucks or three for 600 bucks if ya want three…1500 in the world pressed.
Music on Vinyl have a reissue (I think or is it a first timer) of the NEW YORK DOLLS “Live from Royal Festival Hall 2004” on hopefully pink vinyl… Supposed to be in fine form the band were on the night.
Finally got in from MUSIC ON VINYL the THIN LIZZY “Collected” DLP… It looks great to be fair…. Order got cut but have 4 still left to sell… 2500 pressed on silver vinyl… Should be plenty around on the black vinyl going forward if interested… MOV do their stuff really really well to be honest… Well pressed (old EMI pressing plant in Holland), well presented and price is ok for what you get I feel, and their distributor has the best system I deal with for ordering… Simple simple simple…. With all the majors if something is out of stock you have to reorder it… I.e Inxs “Kick” is out of stock… Every week after I must think and do another order for it… Crazy… For feeling so blue… Every week until its back in stock… MOV have a live programme for stock where you can attach customers names to it, do whatever you want and all very simple… Never have to think about ordering it again… Once its back in stock.. Notification… It’s back in stock… Will be with your next order… Bada bing…
Anyway again… UNIVERSAL have the second album by BORNS called “Blue Madonna”,, a VAN MORRISON Live DVD on Eagle Rock filmed at the BBC Radio Theatre, an LP reissue of KENDRICK LAMAR’s “Damn” on limited clear vinyl this time, and a reissue of 2PAC’s second album “Strictly For my N.i.g.g.a.z”… Never ignorant getting goals achieved.
Ok so the debut album by WYVERN LINGO is going to be with us on the 23rd of FEB… On your radar…???… I got an email from Shane about two years ago i’d say, sending me a link to these girls from Bray… Shane probably has the best ear in the shop (sorry Bob!) and he was mightily impressed with this band… Roll on two years and the self titled debut album is about to be released via Rubyworks and WYVERN LINGO are going to grace our little stage on Monday the 26th of Feb at 5PM…. Time isn’t great I know but this band is Quality with a capital Q, and it’s a fine coup for us to get them in…. So we would really love not to have egg on our faces at 5.30 on Monday the 26th… If you get me drift like… Really looking forward to it… Funky, soulful tunes with blissful harmonies… Proper musicians with proper tunes… It should be a good one.
Hi Everyone,
Hope ye’r all doing ok..
Dolores buried this past week… Ah very sad for her.In fairness to the family… Allowing people i.e. joe public to show their respects… I’d say the mother is quality.. Terrible unimaginable thing to have to bury a child (at any age)..
Mark E Smith then this week… Maybe i’ll start looking for work as an obituary writer.. It seems like it’s going that way…
What would you say about Mark E…!
One of many many stories i’m sure, but one I read was via a record company when he was asked could they use a bit from an interview of him as an intro for a song for a new band… Mark E didn’t do email so the girl looking for the clip wrote to him and asked him… “Can’t use it” was the reply.. “Use anything else but not that”… Included in Mark E’s reply was a cassette tape… The girl, hoping for some incredible moment on the tape dashed to get a player somewhere…. C90 tape was blank, empty, zilch…. Nothing on it…. Brilliant brilliant brilliant Markie boy!
I must admit THE FALL stuff kind of passed me by to be honest… Must dig into a bit of it…I know there are 5 or 6 of ye who kind of swear by Mark E and I would trust ye’r judgements so will go digging… Interesting dude by all accounts!!
So a nice little roster of releases for today to be fair. All can be viewed in this week’s video here :
Before we move on to releases for the 2nd Feb (spring is in the air) there is something a need to address… We have received numerous emails in December from various organisations… Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, NME to name a few… All asking the same question.. When is the Musiczone.ie Top 20 albums of 2017, decided upon by the Musiczone.ie corporations shareholders and customers, going to be released into the public domain?
When, when, when…?
Not saying outright that these organisations were trying to get a feel from the corporations customers about what was good or not… But we were hounded..
Is that smoke ye feel blowing up towards ye’r bellies by now… Oh yes it is…
Anyway without further ado…
Here ‘tis like :
20. MAGNETIC FIELDS
19. LIAM GALLAGHER
18. RANDY NEWMAN
17. MOUNT EERIE
16. ARCADE FIRE
15. PARAMORE
14. ROGER WATERS
13. SLOWDIVE
12. ROBERT PLANT
11. BONOBO
10. TALOS
9. JOHN BLEK
8. PROTOMARTYR
7. SUSANN SUNDFOR
6. RYAN ADAMS
5. PHOEBE BRIDGES
4. LAURA MARLING
3. FLEET FOXES
2. WAR ON DRUGS
1. THE NATIONAL
The National won handy enough to be honest in the polls… The top 3 appeared quite a bit… More spread out after that…. And the winner of the 50 Euro voucher is… Drum roll please…
Dave From Cork!! (How many Dave’s are there in Cork? We’ve got great nick names for all our customers don’t we?)
Right so on to the 2nd of FEB Warner have new studio albums by SIMPLE MINDS (indes only coloured vinyl with an etching on side 4… The 20th album by the lads).. SAXON “Thunderbolt” on MC, CD, RED INDIES LP and a Box containing the lot, the RAE MORRIS new album and lastly the new CORROSION OF CONFORMITY on LP.
PIAS have the new FIELD MUSIC album for the 2nd of Feb again as an indies only coloured vinyl on pre-orders only, as well as some old rock n’ roll LP reissues from the likes of CHUCK BERRY, EDDIE COCHRAN, ELVIS and also JACQUES BREL and JOHN COLTRANE.
THE ORCHARD for the 2nd have new albums by AWOLNATION and JOHN OATES (HALL & OATES)
ROM have the repress of THE LEVELLERS 3 LP greatest hits.
SONY have new album by JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE called “Man Of The Woods”… The title does not instill confidence in me… Book by cover Raymond please.. Now now.
Uni have a couple of MAGAZINE LP reissues, MUDDY WATERS – Best Of LP in mono, METALLICA “And Justice For All” LP reissues, as well as new albums by POPPY ACKROYD CD and LP, IAMX “Alive In New Light” and JOHANN JOHANNSSON “The Mercy” OST on CD only. Lastly from Universal we have a super douper deluxe boxset thingy of the first ROXY MUSIC album as well as a BEE GEES live DVD and Bluray “One For All Tour In Australia”
Just on the whole albums of the year thingy… Game of opinions I think we said in the past once or twice.. Here’s my choices..
6. Happy Abandon – Facepaint : I really liked it, still do… Great orchestral feel to a lot of it, played it a load all year… Really like it
5. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me : A sparse album about death, pain and loss basically… No cheerios with warm milk in this one….. But if you can take it it’s really worth the listen if only for a reality check… Phil Elverum wrote this album about the cancer that came into his family’s life and ultimately took his wife… Maybe if you have suffered loss in recent times you may get something out of it… It’s a bloody harrowing listen… Opening line
“Death is real, someone is there and then their not”
I came very close to buying the records in for the shop direct from the record label in the states but I had to buy 20 to get them shipped and just was a bridge too far I thought…. Harrowing but recommended.
1. LAURA MARLING – Semper Femina : Top class record start to finish, vocals melodies the whole shooting gallery spot on… Highly recommended.
Opinions opinions opinions….
Heres a few more from ye’rselves with some top 5s.. A nice few reviews left by ye so thank you.. Just to note from Bob-Man, this email may cut because of the reviews taking up a bit of space.. If it does, down the bottom of the page there should be a ‘view full email option’. Not sure if it will, but just in case!
1. The National: Sleep Well Beast
This one caught me by surprise. Was always aware of The National but I never really gave them a listen, always meant to but always forgot. Pure luck I was looking for something new to check out and put on the first track ‘Nobody Else Will Be There’ and it knocked me for six. Kept listening to it….definitely one of the tracks of the year for me. The album itself is a real slow burner….like all great albums, it’s a grower. Each listen keeps getting better. Songs like ‘Guilty Party’ and ‘I’ll Destroy You’ are incredible examples of this. Beautiful melodies that built and built. You hear something new every listen…when the drums kick in on the 1min 20s mark on ‘Guilty Party’….doesn’t get better than that. The only track I’m not fussed about really is ‘Day I Die’..1 out of 12 though, not bad. This album was a nice surprise for me and has been on steady rotation.
2. Feist: Pleasure
A close second. I’m a big fan of Feist. Her 2011 album ‘Metals’ was my album of the year back then so I was really looking forward to this and it didn’t disappoint. It’s essentially a Lo-fi break-up album. The sound she’s able to get out of an acoustic guitar is amazing…almost growls. Really beautiful songs. Again, takes a couple of listens but with songs like ‘Lost Dreams’ and ‘Century’ you can’t go wrong.
3. Bonobo: Migration
Another favorite artist of mine….if you’re into electronic music. Bonobo has released some amazing albums, 2013’s ‘North Borders’ is a highlight. Migration came out in January 2017 so really early on and initially I wasn’t that blown away…guess I wasn’t in the mood. But I rediscovered the album later on in the year and it just clicked. This album warrants headphones, beer/wine/coffee (whatever you tipple) and to be listened to in 1 sitting. Some lovely slow building songs here. Song’s like ‘Break Apart’, ‘Outliers’ and ‘Kerala’ really set the scene….he’s a master at creating beats (yes I said beats) and melodies.
4. LCD Soundsystem: American Dream
Another group (man?) that I’ve always heard about but never checked out. Something in my brainbox told me this year to check out their new one and it was awesome. It starts off so well…’oh baby’ a slow building synth masterpiece. And when the bass comes in on the second number ‘other voices’..wow…seriously stick on this song and at the 0:15s mark hear that bass and try not to move….holy shit!!! Very clear Talking Heads and Bowie influences here..so much so that friends have gone ‘Is that David Byrne?’. But it’s a solid album…the drumming and bass playing is top notch.
5. Four Tet: New Energy
One for the electronic heads out there. Big fan of Four Tet…his album ‘Rounds’ should be mandatory listening for everyone thinking of getting into electronic music (or just everyone)! His last few albums/releases have been very ‘house/techno’ heavy which isn’t really my cup of tea..a bit too 90s for my blood. So I was very pleasantly surprised when he dropped the first track from this album ‘Two Thousand and Seventeen’. An ambient style slow drum beat with a beautiful melody. He’s gone for more of an ambient style on this album and I can’t recommend it enough. Songs like ‘LA Trance’ are amazing in the headphones..when the drums drop..holy shit!!
—-
1. Cigarettes After Sex – Cigarettes After Sex
A really strong debut from a band that have taken a while to release their first full length. Dreamy, sensual noir pop which couples sweet echoey guitar tones with soft, breathy vocals. One album in and they already have a perfectly defined sound. My favourite album of the year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-rbSNzU_b8
2. Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps
A sombre collection of songs from an LA singer-songwriter. Very direct and personal, but tender and ethereal without sounding self indulgent. ‘Ghostly’ is the word I think describes it best. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sfYpolGCu8
5. Lil Peep – Come Over When You’re Sober P1 Pennsylvania artist Lil Peep’s genre-mashing of emo/alt rock and hip hop makes for a strikingly dark record, his vacant delivery echoing the depression and frustration in the lyrics, where he discusses drug use, the rock ‘n’ roll life and his mental health. A tragic listen given his death in August aged just 21, cutting short a career that no doubt had a lot more to give. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAMgQQMZ9Lk
Honourable mentions go to albums by: St Vincent, Wolf Alice, Liam Gallagher, Fionn Regan, SZA, The War on Drugs, London Grammar, And So I Watch You From Afar, Harry Styles, Gorillaz and Marlene Enright.
Just before I go i’d like to thank ANNA MITCHELL AND BAND and THE ACADEMIC for two memorable in-stores last week
Sin é for this week folks
Thanks for listening,
Ray musiczone.ie
Sad sad week for the music world again… Another unexpected death of a 40-something Rock Star…. And this time one of our own.
Man, I was fond of Dolores and played those first two Cranberries CDs to death… She was a couple of years older than me and maybe I had a thing for her… Couple of years older, couple of miles up the road.. A rock star at what 21… “Leave me alone ‘cos Ii found it all, 21, 21, 21 today”.
She then soon goes on to sing about being “Empty”…
I remember playing those albums in my bedroom the day of my own 21st… Trying to get a power nap before the night ahead… Excitement beat the sleep.. But I can remember as if it was yesterday listening to those two albums on my discman in the bedroom… That’s what music can do for you… It’s like a time capsule tablet in lots of ways… I remember what I was thinking that afternoon listening to those songs… That voice was just spectacular… The songs were well crafted and well wrote… Haven’t played them in a good few years but dusted them off this week and still sound great… Ah sure it’s terrible.
There’s a customer who comes into me who has met Dolores 4 or 5 times, as one of his best mates has done a lot of work with her down through the years… He spoke so highly of her…a A complete lady he said, gentle, kind, caring, quiet and unassuming, the papers may down through the years have painted a rougher edge on her and granted she made mistakes from time to time but I would believe my guy to be honest… His mate (who is fierce well known also) is devastated by it…
When you are catapulted into stardom like that… A slip of a thing from Ballybricken… Quiet, kind, gentle by nature, then this world, this industry can eat you up and spit you out… She suffered for her stardom I think like, so many more, and she was raised to see life as fun and take it if she could.. I really hope it didn’t wear you down Dolores. Rest in Peace.
Right so plenty of releases for next week the 26th and a few good ones also to be fair.
Really delighted to have the release of the new NILS FRAHM album on the Erased Tapes label… “All Melody” is the title… He is German (and arguably the best at what he does) so it probably does what it says on the tin… Thanks to Sparrow for the tip towards Nils a couple of years ago… Plenty piano, synths and pipe organ… Available on 2LP or CD…
Another nice one for the 26th out via City Slang is the new CALEXICO album …Their 9th studio album… Fine band… “The Thread That Keeps Us” sounds A-Okay from the few bits I heard… Available to indies as a limited 2CD or 2LP deluxe editions, each with 7 bonus tracks.
Another cracker… This time a reissue from Sony is the legendary JEFF WAYNE’S WAR OF THE WORLDS 40TH Anniversary Replica double gatefold sleeve with lyrics booklet… The JOE SATRIANI new LP is out next friday also the 26th.
SONY also have nice reissues also including COHEN’s “Live In London”… Quality… COHEN’s “Greatest Hits” and SANTANA’s “Greatest Hits”..
Pias have a new NIGHTMARES ON WAX album for the 26th called “Shape The Future”.
Warner for the 26th have the new album from BETH HART and JOE BONAMASSA on Provogue on CD and Indies only 2LP Red Vinyl with codes and a bonus track with the vinyl… You probably know what your getting with it but always of high quality.
Warner now have distribution of the Nuclear Blast Label, and Universal have the Because Label… Big changes in the January transfer window… So via Warner/Nuclear Blast comes the new MACHINE HEAD album “Catharsis”. their ninth studio album on 2LP LTD 180g gatefold and CD with bonus DVD Ltd Digi, or 2lp picture disc or standard CD… New MARMOZETS album on the 26th also… Ltd blue vinyl… PHIL CAMPBELL (MOTORHEAD) has a new album, TESTAMENT reissues on Nuclear blast and lastly reissue of ALICE COOPER’s “Killer” on red and black swirl vinyl.
UNIVERSAL for the 26th have some KILLERS LP reissues…. “Sawdust”, “Day and Age”, “Sams Town” and “Direct Hits”.
Universal have the new DJANGO DJANGO album “Marble Skies” on CD and indies only coloured vinyl as well as BOB SEGER’s new album on LP.
More reissues from Universal include FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON “LIFEFORMS”, BEAUTIFUL SOUTH “WELCOME TO” and THE HOUSEMARTINS “LONDON 0 HULL 4” in your best soccer score readers voice… You know the one.
Here’s my own top ⅚ albums of the year..will elaborate a bit next week… Time can be my enemy.. Time is a funny thing… For another day though as well.
I must tot up the results folks… Will get out soon… That time thing again
Other really notables for me were
SEAMUS FOGERTY
NADINE SHAH
JASON ISBELL
MARK EITHEL
MARLENE ENRIGHT
QOTSA
It’s a game of opinions folks… Makes the world go round.
Proper for the 26th have a JOHNNY DUHAN “Best Of”, and MUDDY WATERS “Live at Rockpalast” CD/DVD…
THE ORCHARD have new releases from TURIN BRAKES, MARY GAUTHIER and ALESTORM, as well as “Live in Birmingham” from STEVE HACKETT 2CD/DVD job..
MUSIC ON VINYL have some nice ones coming… STATUS QUO – Collected, TINDERSTICKS – SIMPLE PLEASURES EXPANDED EDITION with 12 bonus tracks… Nice.. BETH HART Reissues of “Leave the Lights On” and “37 Days”.
Speaking of cracking albums… ANNA MITCHELL’S album is a beaut… She is with us tomorrow for an instore Saturday at 1PM with full band… Magic!… Some great songs with some fine musicians… And do you know what, our saturday sessions are free…. Give it a shot, lights are low… Normally a cracking atmosphere…. Hope to see ye there folks… Really really do… Even if it’s to mind one of my kids.. No problem!
Bits and bobs on the physical record front in the little siopa today include the new BECK album on standard red vinyl, or the indies only yellow version or limited digipack CD…. We were let down at the 11th hour for the Deluxe DLP version with the interchangeable sleeves….. No one person’s fault but from our place in the world it makes us looks like muppets… We received a mail on Weds afternoon which said
“The UK didn’t allocate us any stock so none of our stores were supplied. I’m really sorry, we’re looking into how it happened now”.
These things happen I suppose but as I have wrote on these pages in the past when you are up against “free” and you’re up against massive online corporations… We need to not f**k up and certainly not as often… And to be honest I have a story every week so we all have to improve… Anyway sincere apologies to any of ye I let down with it… Not good enough I know… I plug it to ye 7 days ago to find out two days ago it ain’t happening… So look sorry (a btw no winners here folks … Not I, not my customers, and not Universal Ireland… Brexit up and running or maybe tis back to #noirishneedapply…. Not good enough full stop)..
Anyway look… Also out for today are new albums by ST VINCENT,ROBERT PLANT (really liking), WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN, ENSLAVED, PINK (tapping this newsletter Thursday night and this is yet to arrive… Another little story… Fingers crossed for tomorrow… We may not have a queue in the morning for it but people will be in looking for it and once again we look like muppets : Update, it’s in!), COURTNEY BARNETT and KURT VILE and KING GIZZARD… We also have in today ASLAN “Made in Dublin” LP… First time on vinyl I would think but could not be sure… Only 1000 numbered copies… We have a few…MICK FLANNERY’s manager would have looked after ASLAN back at that time and I remember Lorcan telling me that “Made in Dublin” sold 35,000 physical albums over the counter week one of its release back in Nov 99…. PICTURE THIS were number one in Ireland last week, week ending Thursday 5/10/17 with 1,109 sales…. New FOOs album sold 277 that week to make number 10… Weeks Chart are correlated from a Friday AM to a Thursday PM… Some shift isn’t it…. Sob sob. Reissues out today include GREEN DAY, THE STONES,THE WHO and Mr L COHEN.
And of course, the video to see everything is up, so you can take a look on our Youtube.. Be sure to subscribe… Bob man says it helps.. Few guests on it today.. More of this lads.. Come on in and have a chat with us!..
Right so moving on to releases or the 20th… First up is THE SMITHS “Queen is Dead” deluxe reissue… On 2CD, or 3CD/DVD, or 5LP…. Tote bags up for grabs…. Here’s what’s in the sets..
5LP box – featuring the 2017 master of the album, additional recordings and the ‘Live In Boston’ recording. Housed in lift-off box with 2 double gatefolds and 1 single sleeve pressed on 180g heavy weight vinyl.
LP 1 – Original album: 2017 master Side A: 1. ‘The Queen Is Dead’
2. ‘Frankly, Mr. Shankly’
3. ‘I Know It’s Over’
4. ‘Never Had No One Ever’
5. ‘Cemetry Gates’ Side B:
6. ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’
7. ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’
8. ‘Vicar In A Tutu’
9. ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’
10. ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’
LP 2 & 3 – Additional recordings Side A:
1. ‘The Queen Is Dead’ (full version)
2. ‘Frankly, Mr. Shankly’ (demo)
3. ‘I Know It’s Over’ (demo) Side B:
4. ‘Never Had No One Ever’ (demo)
5. ‘Cemetry Gates’ (demo)
6. ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ (demo) Side C:
7. ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’ (demo)
8. ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ (demo mix)
9. ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ (take 1) Side D:
10. ‘Rubber Ring’ (b-side)
11. ‘Asleep’ (b-side)
12. ‘Money Changes Everything’ (b-side)
13. ‘Unloveable’ (b-side)
Tracks 1-7 and 9 are previously unreleased. Track 8 was released on 7” for Record Store Day. Tracks 10 and 11 are 2017 masters of b-sides from ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’. Tracks 12 and 13 are 2017 masters of b-sides from ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’.
LP 4 & 5 – ‘Live in Boston’ – previously unreleased Side A:
1. ‘How Soon Is Now?’ (5.25)
2. ‘Hand In Glove’ (2.58)
3. ‘I Want The One I Can’t Have’ (3.24)
4. ‘Never Had No One Ever’ (3.29) Side B :
5. ‘Stretch Out And Wait’ (3.09)
6. ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ (3.34)
7. ‘Cemetry Gates’ (3.01)
8. ‘Rubber Ring/What She Said/Rubber Ring’ (4.17) Side C:
9. ‘Is It Really So Strange?’ (3.23)
10. ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ (4.09)
11. ‘That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore’ (4.51) Side D:
12. ‘The Queen Is Dead’ (5.08)
13. ‘I Know It’s Over’ (7.39)
Recorded at the Great Woods Center For The Performing Arts on 5th August 1986.
Deluxe 3CD / 1 DVD box set – features the 2017 master of the album; additional recordings featuring demos, b-sides and alternative versions; the ‘Live In Boston’ album recorded at the Great Woods Center For The Performing Arts on 5th August 1986; and a DVD featuring the 2017 master of album in 96kHz / 24-bit PCM stereo and ‘The Queen Is Dead – A Film By Derek Jarman’.
Mcloone just played the new Moz single…it’s a dinger isn’t it!
Warner also have the new MARGO PRICE album on Third Man Records on LP and CD, as well as the next batch of PET SHOP BOYS Deluxe Reissues “Elysium” on 180gm vinyl or 2CD and “Yes” on 180gm vinyl, or 3 CD digipack.
WARNER also have reissues by synth pop legends TALK TALK “The Party’s Over” from 1982 as well as “It’s My Life”. Lastly Warner have new albums by TRIVIUM and EUROPE as well as a CD Boxset by DONALD FAGEN and a reissue by ENTOMBED.
SONY for the 20th of OCTOBER have the 25TH Anniversary of the brilliant GEORGE MICHAEL album “Listen with Prejudice” (still a good title… Hard to believe it’s nearly 12 months since his passing).. It’s available on CD as a box set, or on LP. Sony have more COHEN LP reissues including “New Skin, “Live Songs” and “Field Commander”. They also have a new WILLIE NELSON and Sons album, and ELO “Out Of The Blue” 2LP version picture disc…
Universal have the debut album by ONE DIRECTIONER, NIALL HORAN… Loads of expectant on this for him… Up the country, we wish him well… How many we will sell I wouldn’t be so sure… I hope for Niall and ourselves the record hits a nerve and it becomes a bit of a mini ED SHEERAN… Normal lad from Mullingar thrown into this business but in fairness to him he seems to have taken to it like a duck to water so we wish him well… Wrote some songs on this I believe… Quite a few stars would have started out as teeny pop stars to have a really good relevant career… Let’s hope Niall can do the same… The Beatles were the biggest boy band of their time…. Love love me doo… Etc etc…
UNI also have the second volume of JOE DOLAN with the RTE orchestra…Got a letter from them looking for a tv licence over the monitor for the cctv… Ye can visit me in jail folks…not a hope are they getting it…) UNI have a JESSIE WARE new album as well as a lovely limited MACCABEES vinyl boxset… Here’s the story with them : This limited edition one off run collection is displayed within an outer sleeve that slides off, revealing all 4 albums on heavy weight vinyl in a sleeve book, supported by a thick spine displaying all The Maccabees logos. It features reworked original album art designed by long-time friend Matt de Jong and includes a special bonus tracks vinyl of acoustic versions, b-sides and the unreleased track ‘Nimm’ from the Marks To Prove It album recording session. The ‘Elephant Days’ DVD is a feature length documentary about change, about time, about place. Made by James Caddick and James Cronin, it charts The Maccabees making their fourth and final record, Marks To Prove It, intertwined with the journeys of a series of amazing characters in Elephant and Castle. An insight into community, perspectives, unique character and redevelopment with original soundtrack by The Maccabees. Also included is a download card (featuring all of the albums, the bonus tracks and some additional rarities selected by the band, not found on the vinyl).Format: 6 x heavyweight black vinyl in vinyl book, printed inner sleeves, DVD in wallet, download card and O-card cover. Matt finish.
THE JAM “1977” 40th anniversary Box as a 3CD and a DVD, STATUS QUO“Live At The NEC” on limited 3LP or 2CD, and SLIPKNOT “DAYS OF GUSANO” on four different formats including 3LP and DVD all also out through Uni… The maggots were in flying form in Mexico .
UNI on the vinyl reissue front have the WALK THE LINE OST, some more Elton John including “One Night Only”, and the first four SCOTT WALKERALBUMS… “1, 2, 3,4”… CHRIS WOOD solo album also reissued as well as an issue of the new IAMX LP, and lastly but importantly the release of the new TORI AMOSalbum on LP..
THE ORCHARD for the 20th of OCT have a few nice ones including the THE THE “Radio Cineola: Trilogy” on CD, DELUXE 3CD AND DELUXE 3LP, LUCINDA WILLIAMS’ “THIS SWEET OLD WORLD”, which is a reworking of older album of hers… On CD and LP and the new BRAND NEW album is out next week via Orchard as well.
I’m writing this whilst travelling on a train to Killarney to collect a banjaxed car… Hopefully not banjaxed anymore… Not really holding my breath though… Hope the 1000 Euro to fix it will get me home… The auld wifi on the train ain’t the mae west and I forgot my little notes so I think i’ll tell a little a few jokes… What did the Kerryman say when he saw a Corkman with a broken car??… Aagghh wifi in cork… None past the county bounds…
REPUBLIC OF MUSIC have a reissue of the GRANDADDY album “Under the Western Freeway” on LP but ‘tis fierce limited and with ‘tis fierce expensive… Only 500 of these yellow and blue vinyl in the world, but 50 bucks for them, and they also have JOHN CARPENTER “Anthology Movie Themes 74 to 98” on sacred bones… Available as a CD, LP or LP with 7”.
PIAS for the 20th October have a BILL MACKAY/ RYLEY WALKER collaboration album called “SpiderBettleBEE” on Drag City on LP and CD, as well as a SPOON reissue of “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”.
Proper for the 20th have a SHIRLEY COLLINS “Introduction To” on CD and LP as well as some NICK LOWE reissues on Vinyl.
Music on Vinyl have the THIN LIZZY “Collected” 2LP set .
Sending this out a bit earlier this week. The #BlameBobby department got started last week, we were too late for an irate customer who’s fish n’ chips were ruined because they didn’t get there weekly newsletter early enough.. Any other complaints for the Bob man send them in.. #BlameBobby has a nice ring to it…
Sin e for this week folks, Thanks as always for listening, Ray www.musiczone.ie
Sorry in the delay in getting this out this week. Had live music all Friday evening for another wonderful Culture Night, and our IT Man was busy being a Rock-Star-Man.. Only getting to it on this lovely Sunday morning, so apologies.
Im off staging it the weekend as one of my best friends is planning to succumb to the temptations of marriage… Will kind of believe it when it’s done!! (Brilliant for him though)… So… I could be a bit tender early next week… Just said i’d tell ye that like, no idea why.
Lots of queries in the last few days about physical formats of the new MOZalbum… So we will have the Indies only 7” single in October, and four formats of the album… CD, LP, CASSETTE and Indies Only LP… Should have a bit of merch or posters or something on pre orders… Will confirm closer to the time… Out Nov 17th
Oohh another thing in case I forget… We will have LP copies of the Mic Christopher “Skylarkin” album with us very soon… First time on vinyl… We also got stock of the excellent first three albums by Marc O’Reilly on CD, well worth checking out, brilliant albums..
Ok so releases then for next Friday the 29th must kick off for us with theBOWIE LP and CD Boxset “New Career In A New Town”… The third in the series… Those interested know the drill with it…. Will email ye when the sets are in… The merch landed safe and sound today anyway… Should all be fine!!
Warner also for the 29th have new albums by DAVID CROSBY and CHRIS REA(haven’t heard much of these two yet but will investigate… both on CD and LP), a FEEDER Greatest Hits, an AIRBOURNE Boxset 4LP/DVD or 4CD/DVD…. “Diamond Cuts” it is called containing 4 classic Airbourne albums with bonus material…
Warner also for the 29th have a BOB MARLEY “Live in Santa Barbara” 3LP set… First timer on LP me thinks… BLACK STONE CHERRY have a new 6 track EP of cover versions and a new JAMIE LAWSON album, as well as a fairly limited PAUL WELLER 12” called “Mother Ethiopia” .
Lastly from Warner are a blast of LP Picture Disc reissues… 4 from MASTODON, 3 from MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE and 2 from GREEN DAY… “Dookie” and “Revolution Radio”…
Sony for the 29th of September have the DAVID GILMOUR “Live in Pompeii” release across 5 formats… The 2CD is 18 EURO, DVD is 20 euro, Bluray is 22 euro, 2CD/Bluray is 55 euro, Vinyl Box is 75 Euro… Here is some more info on the release…
“In 2015 David Gilmour set out to play a series of concerts in historic venues across the world. The following year he became the first performer to play the amphitheatre in Pompeii in front of a live audience since the gladiators in 79AD. It was a return to Pompeii for David, having first performed there in 1971 for Adrian Maben’s legendary concert film, Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii. In Roman times the Pompeii amphitheatre was known as a “Spectaculum” and David worked with longtime collaborator and maestro of colour and light Marc Brickman to bring the spectacle back to the Spectaculum” – Polly Samson, 2017
On July 7th & 8th 2016, David Gilmour performed two spectacular shows at the legendary Pompeii Amphitheatre in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, 45 years after he first played there for Adrian Maben’s classic film, Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii. The concerts were the first-ever rock performances played to an audience in the ancient Roman amphitheatre, which was built in 90 BC and entombed in ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. David Gilmour is the only performer to play to an audience in the arena since the time of the gladiators, almost 2,000 years ago. Speaking about the Pompeii shows David Gilmour commented “It’s a magical place and coming back and seeing the stage and the arena was quite overwhelming. It’s a place of ghosts…” The concert performance film, David Gilmour Live at Pompeii, was shot in 4k by director Gavin Elder and includes highlights from both shows. The concert is a spectacular audio-visual experience, featuring the famous huge circular cyclorama screen as well as lasers, pyrotechnics and stellar performances from an all-star band. DAVID GILMOUR – LIVE AT POMPEII FORMATS 2 x CD Standard package – 21 tracks. CD1 – 74 mins CD 2 – 74 mins
1 x Blu-ray Standard package Pompeii concert 96/24 PCM Stereo & 96/24 DTS MAA Pompeii Then & Now Documentary
2 x DVD Standard package Pompeii concert Stereo PCM, 5.1 Dolby Digital, 5.1 DTS Pompeii Then & Now Documentary
Blu-ray + CD Deluxe Edition Boxset 2 x CDs, 2 x Blu-rays (special packaging) South America 2015 / Wroclaw 2016 / concert footage / tour documentaries, feature length BBC documentary, photo booklet, Pompeii Guide, 4 x postcards & poster.
Vinyl Pompeii concert on 4 x LPs 2 x gatefold sleeves / poly liner inner sleeves / booklet / download card / slipcase.
DIGITAL DOWNLOADS HD downloads via portal tbc
Sony also have a new album from MILEY CYRUS entitled “ Younger Now” as well a LP release of MUNDY’s excellent debut album “Jelly Legs” for the first time… Would be about 16 or 17 years after its CD release id say…
Sony also have a new MICHAEL JACKSON compilation called “Scream” on CD and a Glow in the Dark DLP, as well as KHALID’s debut album ,and a reissue of “Piano Solo” by the wonderful THELONIUS MONK.
We are running a nice competition / giveaway in conjunction with Warner around the the release of the new LIAM GALLAGHER solo album… As You Were… Folks…Calm down, calm down… If you preorder the album with us, CD, Standard LP or Indies only white vinyl (don’t hold me to the colour, I think the indies only is white vinyl, ‘tis a different colour to the standard anyway)… As You Were.
So we have some sweet pieces of LG merch to give away with the album…. I have 12 pieces of merch… If 12 of ye preorder there’s a piece of merch each… If more than 12 then I will have a draw and lose a few people but will give a quid or two off the album as a consolation… You win even when you lose… Huuhhh… That could be a party political election slogan… There are 8 LG ‘RKid’ Tee Shirts… Potluck on your size i’m afraid… It might give you an excuse to eat more cake or less cake for that matter… So no promises re tee sizes… We have one LG hat… Ye know the ones…. Fits most heads i’d say… ‘RKid’ on it again.. But the real piece de-resistance of the merch and only a few of them in the whole country is a LG Branded Hip Flask… With the message ‘WHO THE F**K IS LIAM GALLAGHER’ on it… Be worth more than the record i’d say… So alright alright… As You Were, As You Were…. (I’m probably gonna borrow one for the weekend but i’ll wash it and all before I bring it back… There’s a warning label on the flask that it must only be used for alcohol etc etc… ‘Tis gas when you see it like… So that’s the story with it… ‘Guess who’s back, smileys back, back again’…
Throw your order our way if you’re interested…. Sound!!
I presume the hip flask will be most sought after or maybe the hat or the tees so will be a draw to decide you gets what kind of thing… So for the final time… As You Were.
UNIVERSAL for the 29th of September have the PEARL JAM Live Concert “Let’s Play Two” on CD/DVD or DLP… Best price on the LP IS 37 EURO… Let us know if you want… Sterling is a bit of bitch to me off late but I will always try and be as competitive as I can… The biggest dog in the sky is 34 sterling on this one so i’m on the dancefloor I think… These were recorded over two nights at Chicago’s Wrigley Stadium last year.
UNI also have the new second album by WOLF ALICE… A band moving in the right direction it sounds to me…. On CD, LP and Indies Only LP… If new to you have a quick listen here.
THE ROLLING STONES – “Sticky Fingers” Live From The Fonda Theatre from 2015 on DVD, BLURAY, DVD/CD and 3LP/DVD, as well as new albums by SHANIA TWAIN and DEMI LOVATO.
We got a nice enough response to the Facebook Group thing and a bit of activity on it in the last 7 days… The more on it the better it will be and to be fair one or two of ye know a thing or two about a thing or two in the music world so we would like ye to join… Bit like me with the IT stuff… So rather than me hogging that department young Bobby is going to show ye the easiest way to access the group….
Easiest way from what I can gather guys (hard to tell exactly as the group thing on Facebook constantly changes) is to follow the link below, and click ‘Request to Join’ (or something along those lines), and we’ll add you in!
If that doesn’t work, pop us an email at shop@musiczone.ie with the title ‘Facebook Group Add’, and just link your own Facebook profile, and I will add you into the group individually. (May have to send a friend request from my profile for that, but if you unfriend me after I promise I won’t be offended, my own page has a lot of Man City and soccer spam on it!).
Back to Ray talking now after this, said i’d point that out, all the changing of voices in this newsletter is making it like a T.S. Elliot poem…
PIAS for the 29th of Sept have some nice bits including new albums by KADAVAR, PRIMUS and PROTOMARTYR, Indies Only coloured on the latter… They have a new KAMASI WASHINGTON 6 Track EP… Hood value on that one, and a remix album as an indies only release of MARK LANEGAN’s “Gargoyles”, and finally ACCEPT “Restless and Alive” as a 2CD.
Proper have a career spanning ‘Best Of’ by PAUL CARRACK, and a MATT MONRO ‘Best Of’ also.
Not much more to mention from the others that I can think of…
On the local scene JOHN BLEK has a new solo album ‘Catharsis Vol. 1’, out on the 6th of October and we have had an advanced copy for a week or two now… We love it in the shop… It’s another excellent record… Constant spins getting here, barely has been out of the CD player for two weeks now… He wrote a lot, if not all of it lying in a hospital bed trying to fight off some mystery illness / virus for over a month… Fine record once again.
John will be in launching the album with us on Saturday the 7th of October… Time TBC… Between 12 and 1 i’d say, where he will perform tracks and sign copies of the album on LP and CD… Should be a nice one.
So on to releases for the 22nd of September.. Firstly from Universal is the new album by THE KILLERS on CD, deluxe CD and high street only limited gatefold pink vinyl…. Just to tell ye something easie enough to deduce… High street onlys refer to all record shops… Including the chains… But not to the big onliners… Indies only refers to the smaller guys or the smaller guys who really are a corporation! Ha!… Anyway new KILLERS album… 5th album I think?…
Universal also have a new VAN MORRISON album “Roll With The Punches” on CD or 2LP… Some old R&B covers and some new self penned tunes also… Loads of Van stories always going around… Heard one during the week where it is said… Not by me now Van like (in case he comes after me and kicks the shite out of me)… It is said that when he played the Marquee here in Cork he said to the promoters that if there was any traffic delay en route to the venue he was turning around and coming back to the hotel… Traffic equals no gig… The gig went ahead, he must have got an escort or something.. Eh hem….. Any Van stories folks..?
We are going to, or the IT department (Bobby) is going to set up a Facebook group page for customers of the shop… Ye folks… Where we can all share muso stories, recommendations, trivia etc etc etc… We are going to be the administrators… I know nothing about Nosebook so i’ll ask Bob tomorrow about it… Do ye need to send us ye’r nosebook addresses or what?
We tried a forum back a few years on the website but it was spammed to shite so this hopefully should work nicely… It’s a private group with people of similar interests… We are in one with all the UK indie shops and I know the lads in Rollercoaster in Kilkenny have a very good one… New Malojian album coming via those boys soon I think… Looking forward to that.
*IT Department Here guys.. Have the Facebook group set up at the following link, I think you’ll have to request to join but for anyone who’s interested join away here! Whoever wants to start off the discussions, feel free to! We hope over the next few weeks to get this set up as a good spot for all types of music chat!* https://www.facebook.com/groups/115929649078755/
Sorry anyway, new Van album out next Friday… Heard a couple… Sound alright…
UNI have new album by THE HORRORS as well as some WINTERFYLLETH reissues on CD and Coloured LP, and lastly from Uni is the 50th Anniversary remastered DLP/DCD of “Their Satanic Majesties Request” by THE ROLLING STONES… Limited i’m told, expensive too though.
Warner for the 22nd have the new BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION album “BCCIV”… Supergroup featuring Joe Bonnamassa, Glen Hughes and Jason Bonham released via Mascot records on CD / Deluxe CD with two bonus tracks, and indies only orange flavoured vinyl…. Only kidding… Coloured… Not sure how it tastes to be honest…
Warner also have via Parlophone the next in the series of BOWIE’s 40th anniversary 7” Picture Discs… “Heroes” is up next… Some of ye will hold off buying it I know until Saturday the 23rd, as that’s the real anniversary 23/9/77… Don’t worry lads, I understand ye… I might recreate 1977 for the day in the shop… Flares, medallions the whole deal..
Warner also has new albums by MACKLEMORE and AMADOU & MARIAM as well as a BRIAN WILSON Anthology across his solo albums on 2CD or 2LP, KARL JENKINS “ Adiemus, Songs of Sanctuary” on blue vinyl, and lastly MASTODON have a new EP on CD of 4 new songs… Unusual enough thing for an established band to do in today’s industry… An EP on a CD…
Myself and the eldest born went in to RYAN ADAMS at the weekend… I kinda had a few mixed feelings after it… It sounded brilliant.. Really brilliant… There wasn’t a bum note the whole night…. Musically it was spot on…. I would run in tomorrow night to see him again, and the two hours flew by… All good so Raymond what’s wrong with ya… But I felt a certain detachment from it or more so I felt he was detached somewhat from it…. Not too pushed about the 15 words of interaction during the night… That wouldn’t really bother me even though I feel Cork crowds like to be loved!… We’re like labradors..
I felt he was somewhat detached from the band and as the gig went on I felt from the crowd as well… Maybe t’was just me… Having said that I am humming tunes all week… No pleasing me i’d say… The Ryanites as well as the Bowieheads will be out for me now… The sooner we get that Nosebook private group up the better… We can have a bit of craic or at least I can… The admin person holds the key… Bit like sitting in Graham Norton’s red chair for ye guys.
ROM have the new TRICKY kid album “Ununiform” it is called and I have been uninformed that it must all be in lower-case…
The Orchard have the new JOSH RITTER album on CD / Deluxe CD or a limited indies only yellow vinyl version… Orchard also have SATYRICON “Deep Calleth Upon Deep”
CARGO have a couple of beauts for the 22nd although i’m hearing the new HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER album could be moved back a bit… So it might be 22nd… But def the 22nd is the GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR new album on CD and indies only fancy LP… there is a 30th anniversary edition of “George Best” by THE WEDDING PRESENT as well.
PIAS for the 22nd of Sept have new albums by CRADLE OF FILTH, ENTER SHIKARI, METZ and a new 6 track EP by THE LEMON TWIGS… The 3 former ones are all forms of indie only coloured vinyl type thing although CRADLE maybe a picture disc… METZ are one of Toronto’s finest…
Moving to Cork’s finest we have a blast of stuff to mention on the local scene…
Firstly, one of Cork’s finest young bands CROJAYN were in store Saturday tomorrow the 16th at 1PM launching their second EP… Really great upcoming young band… So from one of the finest young bands to one of the finest “old” bands…
THE SHAKER HYMN are back with a new track from an upcoming third album… These boys have all the talent in the world just need a bit of luck….I think they had a track from the second album used in the film “Handsome Devil” which they got a bit of traction from… Heres the new track… Ala Supergrass and The Beatles in parts… Fine tune again from the lads. http://thethinair.net/2017/09/premiere-the-shaker-hymn-dead-trees/
We are involved in Culture Night which is Friday Week, the 22nd of Sept where we have live music in the shop from 4PM to 7PM… Here’s a lowdown…
Up first we have Queensland, Australia boy-o PEPI MARA in to give us some folk tunes from his EP ‘Leap’, and he’s on at 4PM.
Then second up at 5PM is Cork Indie / Lo-Fi rock group THE BURMA, who are promoting their second EP ‘Her Eyes On Horizions’. The lads just launched the second single from this EP yesterday so check it out here, it’s a cracker.
And finally.. Finally.. The Bob-Man is doing an in-store with his band SMALL DOSE… Well that’s a lie.. Bob broke the news during the video that it will only be half of SMALL DOSE. A very small dose.. Joking aside himself and Sophie will be performing acoustic versions of their tracks for the first time live, and he assures me that it will be as cracking as ever.. Here’s a little taster of an acoustic track, ‘The Door’, recorded a short while back https://soundcloud.com/bobby-buckley-2/small-dose-the-door-acoustic And just to convince ye to come in even more, another exclusive track, ‘Ivy’, for ye from the Coughlan’s gig over the summer. Another track he assures will work acoustic. He hopes i’d say!
Bobby’s SMALL DOSE lads are on at 6PM!
So thats Culture Night in Music Zone Next Friday 22nd September :
Pepi Mara 4PM-4:30PM
The Burma 5PM – 5:30PM
Small Dose 6PM – 6:30PM
So sin e for this week folks,
Thanks for listening
Ray musiczone.ie
Hope ye’r all doing ok… I know there is a few of ye going through shite of late… It’s never far away from anyone… No fairness in it…. Just try get through it I suppose as best you can… On one of those notes, a good lad that comes in here to us can’t make it to Ryan Adams on Saturday night (tomorrow!) so we would like him to get his 80 quid back for his two standing tickets and maybe put a smile on one of ye’r faces… So first back to us will get the two tickets…. For 80 quid like.
Releases in the shop this week since the 8th include THE NATIONAL’s new album “Sleep Well Beast”… We have been relatively fortunate lately that our fills of the indies only have been quite good…. No disasters really of late… The major biggie I remember was for RSD14 when my PIAS order got lost…Never got a morsel of it… Hard for some people to understand that you see, but it’s quite a regular occurrence… We are on a Facebook group with all the UK indie shops and every week, I mean every week, there are massive cock ups…. So we have escaped thus far well since then anyway with the most important stuff… Got a fright with THE NATIONAL though as I received an email last Thursday / Friday showing me the invoice which means it shipped… 3 boxes… Got the CD and other Pias New Releases on Monday but no vinyl… No great info coming back either… Fairly nervous by Weds morning but landed thank god… Not so much the monetary loss, but you as in me, ala the shop looks like a right plonker… Inept plonker… Sometimes that maybe the case (We fuck up too… I will put the hand in the air then) but in general not so… We need 3 or 4 people to do their job correctly for the product to hit the shelf on time or at all… Me to notice and place the order in time, the rep to key the order on the system and allocate the records to the right shop (wrong shop happens a lot), the faceless person in the warehouse who needs to put the correct records in the box for the correct shop…. It seems to be harder than we would think… And the van drivers, generally one lad in UK and one here…. The guys that handle it at the couriers depots also… Maybe 7 or 8 hands in total so things can go wrong… there was a lad opened his box of National stuff in the UK and handwritten next to the vinyl was OOS… Out of stock… None… Zero… He wasn’t the only shop… When that day arrives here, try remember this story… We ain’t automated…. A lad who has a record shop in Margate put up a post a week or two ago when he got zero Ghostpoet… Rep got distracted he thinks and never keyed the order… He had none on release day and Obaro who lives around the corner popped in… Like me not having the new MICK FLANNERY album on release day… (although Mick wouldn’t give a shite id say… ‘Aahh tis grand Ray, sure these things happen’)
Anyway, deep breath after that… We have for release this week THE NATIONAL, NEIL YOUNG, THE WATERBOYS (some great albums recently like WAR ON DRUGS and QOTSA and these three mentioned above sound like really good albums also…. THE WATERBOYS is a lovely album… Quirky, cleverly worded songs, well crafted with lovely sounds and melody… Really enjoying it…) TORI AMOS (CD only), SPARKS, ALVVAYS, DIZZEE RASCAL, PAUL BRADY (CD only), STEVIE WONDER,MAZZY STAR, NICK MULVEY, JACK JOHNSON, FREEand DAVID RAWLINGS LP.
Right so releases for next week the 15th of Sept… First up SONY have the new FOO FIGHTERS record on CD or Vinyl…. The two singles sound strong… “Concrete and Gold” it’s called.. Sony also have CAROLE KING “Tapestry : Live in Hyde Park” on CD/DVD, a new album by WYCLEF, reissues by SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE and PARADISE LOST on LP and a brand new DEPECHE MODE 12” called “Backwards”…
Lastly from Sony for next week the 15th of Sept, and the demand for it was big when the CD/DVD was released what maybe two years or more now i’d say… Album of the year on a lot of polls was it 2016 or 2015 was BEYONCE’s “Lemonade”… Finally gets its vinyl release.
MUSIC ON VINYL for the 15th have SCREAMING TREES “Sweet Oblivion” on flaming coloured vinyl (picture of Patrick Street on a Saturday night on the cover)… Only 1500 of these boys and girls.
UNIVERSAL for the 15th have the second album by mercury prize winning artist BENJAMIN CLEMENTINE… Worth a google of this dudes story, homeless at one point… Uni also have a new album by double named now YUSEF/CAT STEVENS called “The Laughing Apple” , a new RINGO STARR album and a STEVE MILLER hits compilation.
UNI also have the Soundtrack and the Score to the new Ken Burns TV series “Vietnam”.. The Score is done by scoring duo TRENT REZNOR and ATTICUS ROSS (some would wish Trent had attentions turned away from scores and back to NIN stuff) as well as a new album by RICKY ROSS (DEACON BLUE) on CD and LP, and DIO 5 classic albums box, some CHINA CRISIS CD reissues and the Soundtrack to TABOO on CD by MAX RICHTER.
Nearly there with the UNI stuff but probably their biggest next week via Caroline is the debut album by supergroup PROPHETS OF RAGE… I’m liking this, rap rock with some of the greatest from both genres… POR consists of Morello, Comerford and Wilk from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and CHUCK D and DJ LORD from PUBLIC ENEMY, and B -REAL from CYPRESS HILL… Politically charged rap rock.
Another supergroup next GIZMODROME who are Stewart Copeland (The police) Mark King (Level 42) Adrian Belew (King Crimson) and Vittorio Cosma… Don’t know much or anything at all about this.. But an interesting line up it must be said.
Last two from UNI are the next couple of STYLE COUNCIL LP reissues on Vinyl “ Modernism” on yellow vinyl and “Confessions of a Pop Group” on white vinyl and finally MADONNA “Rebel Heart Tour” on 2 CD, Bluray, DVD, DVD/CD, Bluray/CD.
PIAS for the 15th have ANGUS & JULIA STONE’s new album… Class…indies only clear double vinyl from the Aussie siblings as well as a new FINK album.
ROM for the 15th have the score to HOT FUSS 10th anniv edition by David Arnold.
The Orchard for the 15th have the new ARIEL PINK album “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson” who was a real life LA musician who disappeared off the face of the earth and was long presumed dead only to resurface after 35 reclusive years to pen his tragic life story and a series of blogs on youtube.
ORCHARD also have LOU REED / KRIS KRISTOFFERSON album and MOTLEY CRUE REISSUE of “Girls, Girls, Girls” on CD/DVD or LP, and four Paradise Lost LP reissues as well.
Warner for the 15th have a new GARY NUMAN album “Savage ; Songs From a Broken World” on CD, Deluxe CD, LP and Cassette…. An album set in an apocalyptic, post global warming world in the future.
Warner also have the 20th Anniversary Edition of “Nimrod” on yellow vinyl DLP by GREEN DAY as well as a reissue of LINDA RONSTADT’s “Simple Dreams” on CD or LP and 7”, and also a new MICHAEL MCDONALD record where he is surrounded by quality… On the record with him are Warren Haynes, Marcus Miller and Robben Ford.
Lastly two legends have best of type things with Warner… PRINCE ‘4Ever’ gets its vinyl release as a 4 LP boxset with 40 tracks…. Bout 60 bucks… And the mighty THE DOORS have a singles collection as CD or 2CD / Bluray or a 20×7” singles boxset…. So all 20 US singles with corresponding B-sides with original sleeve art in an ornate lift top box…. Nice… Nice.
So a bit to chew on again this week… Mainly posters of different shapes and sizes landed for the National… Carrot, no carrot…
Couple of great in-stores …. So Saturday last, the 9th, we had ATLAS ZERO on the stage to launch their debut EP… Excellent up and coming 3 piece with some great tunes…They were great and attracted a good few passers by in… Check them here….
And we are delighted to announce that we have our good friends and resident RSD performers CROJAYN back in this time to launch their second EP…. Ye know we think the world of these kids so that should be a smashing gig, really talented guys with great musicianship and tunes… If you like your rock old school and bluesy… I think the lads are going to play from 1 pm till 2.30 on the Saturday the 16th… Bright bright futures ahead for both bands so if youre around pop in for our Saturday sessions. With the very best of young Cork talent on display.
Sin e for this folks,
Thanks for listening
Ray musiczone.ie
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