Hi Everyone,
Hope you are all keeping well.
Warner for the 27th of February has arguably the biggest release of the week with ex Oasis man, Noel Gallagher’s second solo album.
I really like the new single “the ballad of the mighty I” with Mr. Marr on guitar….as good a tune he has had for many a day in my opinion.
It is available across three formats, standard CD, deluxe CD and LP with a copy of the standard CD included.
It is encouraging seeing more and more Vinyl releases with the CD thrown in or a download code with the LP.
Surely there is only a little extra cost involved in it for the record companies to throw in the CD or the code, so hopefully it will be the standard going forward.
The new Noel Gallagher record is 180 gram gatefold with the standard CD enclosed for 24 Euro….which I think is good value….only issue I see with it…..why not enclose the deluxe CD with the Vinyl??…..you are harming the super fan who likes to buy the physical product, be it CD or Vinyl records (who supports the industry we all work in, Mr. Record Company man) because this super fan wants the bonus tracks on the deluxe CD, so that customer is saying to him or herself “ shit, I want the record on Vinyl but I want the bonus tracks also, that’s going cost me 44 euro”…..do it right, treat people right, stick the deluxe CD in with the LP for 27 or 28 quid…everyone’s happy and the customer isn’t pissed off feeling they paid 20 euro for 4 tracks and a fancier box!
Sony has been putting a CD copy in with their big Vinyl releases of late also.
The new Dylan LP had the CD also thrown in for 22 euro….fair enough I think.
Speaking of the new Dylan album, we had a mad rush on it last Friday afternoon in Music Zone.
We sold about 8 or 10 copies in a few hours after JOE DUFFY done a special on the album on his radio show, for over an hour I was told.
It does go to show the power that a show like that has.
Customers were saying to me that Joe said it was Dylan’s best album ever…..I will repeat that…..his best album ever!!
IT’S A COVERS ALBUM FOR **** SAKE, HOW CAN IT BE ONE OF THE WORLDS GREATEST EVER SONGSMITHS BEST ALBUMS???
Joe had all sorts of people on the show telling Joe (as that’s what you do I believe, tell Joe) that it was his best album ever.
Bob himself would be saying get a grip Joe.
I don’t know which side of the fence ye sit on with this and maybe I will have to bring my bullet proof vest to work in the morning but I for one just can’t hear its greatness.
I always say it, it’s a game of opinions folks, but I for one think this album is grand…….just.
Its greatness seems to have descended from quite a few 5 star reviews and programs from button moon like Tell Joe.
Maybe the great emperor Dylan has just bought himself some new clothes….
Anyone who knows or owns the album, I would be really interested in your views….
Warner also for the 27th has a new CD release from THE OVERTONES with local boy Timmy Matley.
They have the VINYL releases of the RHIANNON GIDDENS and the PUNCH BROTHERS new ones, LP reissues from LES MCCANN “ invitation to openers” and MASTODON “ blood mountain”.
Warner also has the new album from EUROPE…who doesn’t remember the final countdown!
And lastly, a new record from OF MONTREAL, which Raymond here thinks is quite good.
PIAS have the other big release on tonight’s newsletter but it is not released till Friday the 6th of March.
Drum roll please….yep even though it’s a re issue….and yep even though its nearly 20 years old…..it is still and always will be a masterpiece.
Yep, its NICK CAVE’s hauntingly beautiful album “the boatman’s call” on double Vinyl with a download code, partly written about Miss P.J HARVEY I believe.
One of the most asked about records in the shop is nearly with us. A taste of brilliance below….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnHoqHscTKE
Not to forget, “THE GOOD SON” from NICK CAVE also gets the Vinyl reissue treatment that day…which is another fine album.
Pias also have new records from ENSLAVED, MATTHEW E.WHITE, a bunch of LP reissues from BROADCAST including “ the noise made by people” and a new single from PETE DOHERTY, a tribute to his friend AMY WINEHOUSE.
Sony has new albums from KELLY CLARKSON and BLUE for the 27th Feb.
Universal, (who also are moving house at the moment) have a couple of reissues from UB40 on deluxe CD and double LP “PRESENT ARMS” and “LABOUR OF LOVE” as well as the NEAL MORSE BAND new combo pack LP/2CD of the new album “ the grand experiment”.
ESSENTIAL releases for the 6th of March are attached which include County Down’s THE ANSWER and their new album “raise a little hell”….their 5th album now, a really hardworking band….i was quite randomly introduced to the lead singer Cormac at NEIL YOUNG down da marquee and he seemed like a really good lad….so I really hope they can persevere, and prosper.
Here are the REPUBLIC OF MUSIC releases for the 6th MARCH…
Singles this week, A Sagittariun “No Spring Chicken EP” on Hypercolour featuring 3-4-3 (Original Mix) + Rolando Remix & Delta House, on Ram the latest from Calyx & Teebee “A Day That Never Comes/Snakes & Ladders” and Interrobang?; Dunston Bruce, Harry Hamer of Chumbawamba and Stephen Griffin from the Regular Fries new project; “Are You Ready People” will be part 1 in a series of 3 7s. New Street Adventure release “The Big A.C.” on 7 on Acid Jazz & Reginald Omas Mamode IV gives us “Sunshine/Moneymaker” on Five Easy Peices.
To the albums…. Beam Up release “Innerstand” on BBE, Northern Lite release their 10th studio album and it’s called “Ten” on UNA Music & Saycet release “Mirage” on Meteors Music – catch them live at the Convergence Festival in March. Manchester’s Slow Show release their debut album “White Water” single Bloodlines getting plays across 6 Music, R2 & XFM, on double CD “Balance 27” comes mixed by Mixed By Magda & finally this week on a one week presale brought to you by Death Waltz Recording Co & One Way Static for the first on vinyl!! It’s Riz Ortolani’s 1980 score to Cannibal Holocaust.Get in!
I was reading during the week that the NME are only clinging on to existence as there readership figures have fallen to just over 15,000 per week, half the readership its sister mag MELODY MAKER had when they closed it about 10 years ago.
NME had weekly figures in the 70s and 80s in its heyday of 300,000….it has 5% of that now.
All media seems to be under huge pressure, (as I can partly vouch for!!)
The Irish Times also in print media this week have announced they will be charging people to use the digital version of their paper, I don’t know, is that a smell of the funeral pyre in the air…..all media have to find a way whereby the people who provide the content, be it high quality journalism, music, movies or whatever ….these people must get paid.
NME has being going 63 years and even though they could be found up their own backsides at times, it would be a shame if they were no longer… also, what would MOZ do….he must be having sleepless nights.
Few little bits of news, Blur announced a new album today….first with Coxon since 1999 and first since 2003…
JIMMY PAGE is on Matt Cooper tomorrow evening Friday…..strange one to be on really when you think about it….talking about the PHYSICAL GRAFFITI reissue amongst other things Zepp.
Bowie and Zepp new ones both in store now…..
Check out our website for what’s new on record…
Sin e for this week folks,
Thanks for listening,
Ray.