Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
ARTIST:Erasure
RELEASES: Wonderland, The Circus
BACKSTORY: The classic synthpop duo this week reissues, in the U.K., remastered editions of their first and second full-length albums in deluxe 2CD/1DVD packages stuffed with bonus remixes, B-sides, unreleased material, live sessions, music videos, TV performances and vintage concert footage (see full tracklists here).
BUY IT: Amazon.co.uk (Wonderland, The Circus)
ARTIST: Brian Eno
RELEASE: Drums Between the Bells
BACKSTORY: The latest from the famed producer and master of ambient electronic music is a 15-track collaboration with poet Rick Holland, a project started in 2003. The album is available in both a single-disc edition and a 2CD set that comes in a hardback book; the second disc features instrumentals. And there’s a double-vinyl release, too.
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD, 2CD/book, vinyl, digital)
ARTIST: The Damned
RELEASE: Machine Gun Etiquette Anniversary Live Set
BACKSTORY: The long-running U.K. punk act this week releases a 2DVD/1CD box set celebrating its third album Machine Gun Etiquette, originally released in 1979. The set includes a CD and DVD chronicling a 25th anniversary gig in Manchester, plus a bonus DVD with live and studio footage from the late ’70s and beyond.
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD/DVD)
ARTIST: Blondie
RELEASE: Panic of Girls
BACKSTORY: The New Wave legends — anchored by original members Debbie Harry, Chris Stein and Clem Burke — already released their ninth studio album as part of a “fan pack” 132-page magazine, but this week it arrives in the U.K. in a standard CD release (but it won’t be out in the U.S. until September (see tracklist here).
BUY IT: Amazon.com (CD)
Nice
Erasure is touring some South American countries, I’m in Perú, and they’re playing here August 18. Their shows are great fun. I remember seen them back in the early 90s in L.A. And, it’s not the first time they come to Peru, they, came back in 93 (I believe) when things were kinda difficult down here, and not many artists were willing to run the risk of paying us a visit. So, thanks Vince and Andy.