Metamatic Forums Socialising The Green Room Best album/reissue of 2008

Well, it IS 2 months into the new year. Any finds yet

Nothing that immediately springs to mind - however, I've just found out that David Byrne has re-issued his album (Music For) The Knee Plays . This has long been one of my favourites, and I was led to understand that it was never going to make its way onto CD - but it has...

Originally written as interludes for Robert Wilson's 'CivilWars' opera more than twenty years ago, 'The Knee Plays' are released on CD for the first time. Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne has also recorded some previously unreleased material for the album of New Orleans influenced, brass based music. The package also includes a DVD of the music set to a slideshow of 400 black and white photographs of the opera's production shot at 30-second intervals.

Anyhow, I've already ordered my copy...

Rob

Ooh I've never heard that one!

Porcupine Tree - We Lost The Skyline

Mr Wilson on guitar doing some PT tracks. Very good indeed!

Baby Dee - Safe inside The Day

It has taken a while to get to grips with this album, and I week or so ago I was despairing of it and experiencing misunderstandings and disappointment.
That has inevitably turned out to be a good sign.
This is Dee's most accomplished album to date, and her first in collaboration with other musicians, including the sublime Will Oldham.
This is an intensely personal work, humorous, wistful and at times painfully honest. Dee can be nothing else,and immerses herself in the art of performance in a way that few others dare these days.
The extreme tenderness and fraility of Dee's voice can at first seem upalatable and its definitely an acquired taste, but patience and understanding brings sincere reward.

Fans of marc almond, anthony hegarty, current 93, bonnie prince billy etc should find this a refreshing challenge.

Be brave - try something different
I must confess, I cried...

Ive not found any good re-issues so far this year,
buy ive a good idea what they will be. Dont we.

Yes, we do.

You, me, and everyone.

It will be the Numan and OMD releases, thats for sure.

And hopefully some surprises from Mr Foxx.

Numan's - 'Replicas Redux' has to be my favourite so far this year, and probably for the rest of it too. Still looking forward to the OMD next though. Now if 'The Garden' was released this year i would not be able to pick the best from John's and Numan's.

I would not be able to choose either. I will simply rate both of them #1 reissues of the year.
As for OMD......

Yeah, to my mind Replicas has the biggest worldwide reputation and the most important change in direction for Numan, and The Garden was typical quality from John and superior in its song writing, from said Replicas.

Aidan John Moffat "I Can Hear Your Heart", for the packaging/sleeve design alone. Have yet to actually PLAY it of course. :p

Hayden's new one. Again, haven't actually PLAYED it yet. :p

I have also ordered the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds record. Should arrive Tuesday. Won't actually PLAY it for a little while. :p

I also like the look of the new Goldfrapp, nice photography but haven't actually heard any of it yet.

Anticipation is a good thing ...

These last two are on my list as well.
Nick Cave's new release Dig Lazarus Dig
is especially interesting.

I expect to be impressed with this one, as much as I expect to be disappointed with Goldfrapp. They are are on their last chance with me before I give up all hope for them.
It would be good to be wrong...

Mornin' all,

Am I the last to know 'The Anvil' gets re-issued TODAY!??

Visage, The Anvil,CRPOP6

The long overdue reissue of this classic 1982 album 'The Anvil', by the pioneers of the New Romantic movement, Visage.

The album reached No.6 in the UK album charts. The album produced two hit singles for the band, 'The Damned Don't Cry' (No.11) and 'Night Train' (No.12). Visage were a super group of their day, formed by Steve Strange and ex-Rich Kid Rusty Egan, they recruited Billy Currie and Midge Ure from Ultravox, Dave Formula and Barry
Adamson from Magazine and John McGeogh from Siouxsie & The Banshees.

Together they produced 2 innovative and commercially successful albums with the resulting 5 hit singles. This CD reissue features 6 bonus tracks not included on the original 9 track release. These include dance mixes of the hit singles 'Mind Of A Toy' and 'The Damned Don't Cry' and the rare b-sides 'Motivation' and 'I'm Still Searching'. The CD booklet features sleeve notes, discography and all the single sleeves taken from the original album. As the leading lights of the New Romantic movement, Visage's legacy is lasting. The band's reputation for producing quality electronic pop lives on.

The Damned Don't Cry / Anvil (Night Club School) / Move Up / Night Train / The Horseman / Look What They've Done / Again We Love / Wild Life / Whispers / Bonus Tracks We Move (Dance Mix) / Frequency 7 (Dance Mix) / The Damned Don't Cry (Dance Mix) / Motivation / I'm Still Searching / The Mind Of A Toy (Dance Mix)

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/newreleases.php


I hope it's been remastered properly and the Peter Saville/Helmut Newton artwork hasn't been messed about with.

Morning Garry,

Not the last no, but those of us that do know are already i bit miffed by the track selection too. Theres been talk on 'many forums' but the main one being good old E.V.

Hi Newvox,

Yeah I thought the tracklisting was odd too so I did a bit of digging - this is not a good sign;

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/crzone/can_you_help_us.php



I've read elsewhere that some Cherry Red CDs are ripped from the vinyl and not direct from the master tapes! I don't own many Cherry Red CDs but the artwork repro is poor and the sound quality also.

Ive had a few cds from Cherry Red Garry, and i always think of them as a label that relys on compilations etc. I dont know about ripping from vinyl, but i would say for them they dont try milking Ultravox's back catalogue like Disky and a few others did. My main concern with this release is that it dont detract from the possible 'real' remasters that people have been wanting. Especially now that Visage are working on new songs.

really?

Without meaning to break the thread, I have just been shopping invested my son's pocket money in the following albums:-

Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsDig Lazarus Dig
Went for the limited edition with booklet.
Doesn't seem worth the extra money...

Barbara A l'Atelier
Looking forward to this. A real bonus that just happened to be lurking in HMV!! Beautifully packaged with photos, biographical notes etc. which is ironic compared to...

Goldfrapp Seventh Tree
Judging by appearances only (I know, I know...) this is not looking hopeful. Pile em high, sell em cheap.
I hope I can get over my reservations.
But at point of sale, this is already onto a loser

A few interesting nights ahead checking these out. Twenty years from now, my son will understand.

You need to join E.V. Garry.

Heh! Cheers Newvox!

If I do, I'll be the first to start a 'DO NOT RE-ISSUE THE STRANGE CRUISE ALBUM! NEVER NEVER EVER RE-ISSUE THE STRANGE CRUISE ALBUM! EVER!' thread

Hmmm.. I may be wrong but I'm sensing that you don't like Strange Cruise album.

Garry, you will have to think of something else.

http://www.ultravox.org.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=000094

Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! brilliant! Glad I'm not the only one!

If you've not heard it - you are very, very lucky. I found a promo copy in Camden two weeks before its release date (was it actually ever released?) - I had a sense of forboding when all I had to pay for it was 50p! Imagine all the worst parts of 'Beat Boy' (sax, guitars...basically the tracks JJ Jecczalik wasn't on) mixed with the evil that is Wang Chung and that nasty, tinny guitar / sax-jazz era of Johnny Hates Jazz etc were all found on a master tape in a skip and then you got Strange in to record the vocals whilst he's "not quite checking into Reality Hotel just yet" and you're halfway, just halfway to how bad it was.

Even the words 'Strange' and 'Cruise' to this day give me a 1000 yard viet veteran stare - just swap "LOOK OUT! CHARLIE IN THE BUSH!" for "LOOK OUT! STRANGE DOING JAZZ ROCK!"

I'm saying this from the one searing memory of playing it only once 20+ years ago...perhaps it got better with age...ha! who am I kidding!?

And whatever happened to Wendy Cruise?

Your spider-sense is tinglin' Illektrik!

I'm intrigued in a morbid fascination kind of way. I now have to hear this album...

yeah me 'n all .. I see there's a rapidshare link on the EV thread .. I might just be tempted ..
it's the usual story ..you have to experience the 'ugly' to appreciate 'beauty' ..

Well, my first purchase of a 2008 release is a disappointment. BSP: Do You Like Rock Music? is no Open Season so this one will NOT be included here.

I'm looking forward to 'Quaristice' the new one from Autechre - even if opinion on it is divided, they'll usually get my vote of confidence as they're constantly innovative.

The Anvil reissue is news to me too, but most welcome, I've wanted it on cd for a long time. Sure, it's got an odd choice of bonuses but the putative remasters with crucial cuts from the correct eras could be a long time coming.

I've got a couple of Cherry Red releases: The Best Of The Mobiles and Landscape's From The Tea Rooms Of Mars..., I'm not sure which master sources were used for them but the sound quality is pretty good.

Yes, I will be getting The Anvil reissue also. Only unknown is when it will be released over here.

Not moi, Garry. Mr. Normall. But I have to agree with you about my spider-sense, it is tinglin' :p

Into The Gap from the Thompson Twins has just been re-released too. It has an extra CD of mixes etc.

Got to dissagree Maryann....

I love this album so it should be on here. and live they are awesome at the moment.

Thanks for the news on The Anvil I've just ordered a copy.

I like Cherry Red.

A few years back I also bought From The Hell Holes Of Mars To The Tea Rooms Of Uranus and in the sleevenotes they had an e mail address for any suggestions of albums the could look into re-releasing. I mailed them to ask for the albums Blancmange, Happy Families, Mange Tout and Pete Wylie Sinful. I thought no more of it until a few months later I got a mail back explaining that Sony wouldn't play ball on the Wylie album and London Records wouldn't part with the copyright as they were happy to make money Licensing Living on the Ceiling, etc to these endless 80's compilations. But they now had something in the pipeline regarding a DVD and they later released Live at the Hacienda. Not sure if it was me or not but at least they took the time to respond.

Oops!

I knew you would object to my objections, Gaz.

I'm waiting for my (signed) copy of Dazzle Ships to come thru before I post it here ... oops already did.

Me too! Hope I do get a signed one.

yeah well don't say it too loud all they'll ALL want one. :rolleyes:


edit: according to the official forum those who ordered signed ones will have to wait longer cos they still have to be signed, ahem... may have to make do with i-tunes for a while - extended Telegraph top download I see. (Apologies Rob, this should be on the other thread perhaps..)

Looks as if the lastest Visage - 'The Anvil' cd will not be part of the definitive released versions, but rather a nice stop gap for now. Latest news at E.V. Linky .

I had a sinking feeling about the whole thing when Cherry Red was mentioned. They try, but quite frankly, it would probably be better if I dig out my vinyl (buried in Sheffield somewhere)and rip it myself.

Yes i know what you mean, its not quite what we all had in mind with the new material in process and the chance of some quality remastered re-issues. Having said that, its no guarantee the back caltologue will still be out, but this one is unlikely to detract from them.

It's odd the way various labels treat albums; I had a look at the Edsel re-issues of the Thompson Twins albums 'Quick Step & Side Kick' and 'Into the Gap' yesterday. Digitally remastered, restored artwork, 2CD editions with the original cassette mixes, re-mixes & b-sides - clearly a lot of thought, research and effort went into the re-issues, very much like the effort that went into the 'Metamatic' Special Edition - it makes me realise more and more the effort Rob and Cerise put in to the Foxx/Ultravox re-issues.

Why can't all record labels think like this?

Its a fairly basic format to stick to really. Just have to remaster the album followed by its singles b-sides in release order, then the remixes in order. If you run out of cd space on one, then its the album on cd1, and b-sides and remixes on cd2. Artwork needs to be quality reroductions of the original artwork, and extended artwork inside. Your right that the Ultravox! and 'Metamatic' are about the only ones at this level of doing the whole remaster thing. Im pleased with how the OMD ones are going too, but not the Numan albums from '78 to '80. Telekon was a catalogue of mistakes in itself.

Looks like more effort than I relised goes into these re-masters. Having read the above posts here is a news page from someone who runs a Thompson Twin fansite and had been involved in the planning. Not sure if it was just a low point for him but if these figures are right then how can they possibly make any money?

31st October 2007 APO and Set fall thru the net.
The re-issues will NOT be happening. Sorry but it really isn't financially feasible at all to do this. The cost of licencing and remastering are way too much for anyone to contemplate. Here come's the truth. Bothe CD's would sell less than 10,000 copies WORLDWIDE. That's a MAXIMUM income for any label of £2,000. Licencing alone comes to £80,000 MINIMUM. It's not going to happen - Sorry - Neither is ANY future re-issue program.

I am writing this with a heavy heart. There is NOT enough demand for the project to happen and therefore, This is the end of the line.

I have devoted enough time and effort to do this. I have been kicked enough. It's time for someone else to try to do it.
BMG and Warners know the score and now so do the Twins fans. It's regurgerated Greatest hits from now on.
We just aren't a large enough or organised enough movement to make it happen.
So, I am officially leaving my 15 year old dream alone for the time being.
Thank you SOOOOO much to everyone who supported this dream.

What a relief that John owns all his solo material.

I can't complain with the remasters of recent years from John, Ultravox, Numan and OMD.

Visage could be the only let down :rolleyes: but thanks to fans out there I have the non-album tracks on some smart CDRs.

Chris C

Nick Cave's Dig Lazarus Dig!!!

The last song, More News from Nowhere is compulsory listening.
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Hard to imagine that Cave could get even better, but he's just an inspiration

Hi Newvox,

I'm intrigued - what's wrong with the 'Telekon' remaster? (Although I am annoyed they didn't follow the original vinyl sequencing when it came to placing 'I Die: You Die' and 'We Are Glass')

Thats one of the problems with it Garry, the fact that the tracks are in the original master tape order. These days its easy to change the order with an mp3 programme, or just programme the cd player as we know. The real problems with 'Telekon' is 'I Die, You Die' should have been the UK version and not the US one IMO. Worst of all though is 'Remember I Was Vapour' and 'The Joy Circuit' are mixes without some of the main instruments needed for those very songs. Most noticable is the viola missing from the left channel on 'RIW Vapour'. The best cd version of 'Telekon' is still the double album 'Telekon / I Assassin' Bega 19. Even this version has 'We Are Glass' midway through the album. It is at least the original album and singles tracks though.

I was quite pleased it had that different version of ID:YD .. and I must admit I didn't miss the viola .. sorry!

Cheers Newvox,

Got to admit though, I never noticed the differences in ‘I Die; You Die’ and ‘…Vapour’ either! Will have to dig out the vinyl now!

No the ID YD is def different cos it's got the 'frightened by the telephone' lyric .. took me years to work out why they published in in Smash Hits lyrics bt wasn't on my 7" ...

I can't remember the last time I played the original 7" version - must be late 80s at least!

I'm so used to the US Mix/Alternate mix with the extra lyric.

Hercules & Love Affair

An excellent mix of influences spanning from 70's disco right through to electro.

Antony (Antony & The Johnsons) provides vocals on a few of the tracks.

So far this year I can only say Replicas Redux.

I now have it confirmed guys that the remaster cd changes are exactly as i thought.

And as for the 'Replicas' remaster, well its a catalogue of mistakes in itself too.

Yes we def need a Gary Numan thread ..

What mistakes are those?

Rob

Hi Rob,

Firstly, the best remaster of 'Replicas' for sound quality is the version on the double cd album 'Replicas' / 'The Plan'. When the single album cd was released some years later, BB had reverted back to the old analogue tape version. The whole album has conciderably less treble, and on tracks like 'It Must Have Been Years' theres clicks and pops throughout the entire song. If ever there was a need to discuss whether an album had been remastered or not, it was this one.
Less important 'We Are So Fragile' should have followed after 'Do You Need The Service?', and 'We Have A Technical' was not the original, but a remix. The artwork was great though.

Popped to Sister Ray last night and picked up the new CD issue of ‘The Anvil’.

First – the artwork: Back in 1981, this album had a sleeve designed by Peter Saville, with photography by Helmut Newton. This edition has had that artwork rendered by…er….um…whoever was passing the scanner at the time.

When you consider the band stories/trials and tribulations going on during the making of this album, you’d think there’d be a lot you could do relaying such history through the sleevenotes. Sadly what you get reads like a cut and paste job from Record Collector magazine; ‘Track ‘Blah (Dance Mix)’ came out on catalogue number POSPX 7654765476347…’ so riveting a read, it makes the Yellow Pages look like ‘Ulysses’.

When you take the disc out of the tray, instead of having some of that Helmut Newton photography – you get adverts for re-issues of bands like Nena.

So what about the sound quality of the CD itself? Well, it’s a straight copy of the original CD issue by One Way Records back in the 90s. In case you’ve missed a thread or two – what Cherry Red have done is master the CD, from a CD – not original master tapes, so there’s no digital remastering from the original analogue masters. The same applies to two of the extra tracks; ‘We Move’ and ‘Frequency 7’ – because they were both extra tracks on the One Way edition. I’ve not given the new batch of extra tracks an in-depth listen, but I can’t hear any vinyl crackle yet!

A cursory listen - ‘The Damned Don't Cry (Dance Mix)’ was the vocal always that low in the mix? ‘Motivation’ and ‘I'm Still Searching’ sound a little bit muddy, and ‘Mind Of A Toy (Dance Mix)’ – sounds ok.

This re-issue has divided me a bit – it’s not completely the “cut ‘n’ shove” I assumed it was going to be…almost though. Part of me welcomes it; ‘good to have it on CD, mustn’t grumble at £7.99, at least it didn’t set me back £7,000,000 etc etc’ but part of me wants to scream ‘How can you not include ‘The Pleasure Boys’ 12”!? Or source from the original masters!? Are you insane!?? Etc etc’

Hmmmmmm….

Nice review Garry, and it seems to sum up most peoples devided thoughts. Theres those who bought it, those who didn't, those that ordered it, those that canceled it. I suppose for the price you get more than expected, but im holding out for the big remasters of the first three albums.......if it happens.

Cheers Newvox!

I know it's not everyone's favourite but I do have a soft-spot for the cassette edition mix of the 'Beat Boy' album - would love to see that cleaned up and remastered one day (along with the cassette only mixes of 'Berserker' and 'The Fury') but I reckon I'll have to stick with my own hissy attempt at mp3 conversion for now

I bought my copy of 'The Anvil' CD in summer 1986. I think it's worth something nowadays.

Best album/reissue 2008 for me is Telekon Live. No doubt about it.

So far I have to agree with you Maryann the best album so far this year as to be Telekon live. It's by far the best of all Gary's live CD's

Peter

Does the dvd count as well?

Certainly of the recent live ones.

I would say you have to go as far back as '81 for a better live show.
'Telekon Live' is IMO only bettered by the classic shows of '79-'81.

Well the only two remasters I've bought this year are 'The Anvil' and 'Dazzle Ships' - and guess which one wins

The sound quality on the new edition of Dazzle Ships is stunning - 'Telegraph' sounds like I'm hearing it again for the first time.

I've never heard 'Telegraph (The Manor Version 1981)'before - fantastic! Really playful with lots of energy. I can totally understand why they had to shelve it originally - but it's great to hear them clearly having a lot of fun on this. Good to have '4-Neu' and '66 And Fading' on CD too.

I've heard that this may be the last of the OMD remasters and that there are no plans to give 'Junk Culture', 'Crush' etc the same treatment - a shame as there was still life in the band before The Pacific Age set in.

Telekon live is just fantastic. Each track has a modern twist and a heavier edge, making them sound so fresh and exciting, they could have been written yesterday. Maybe not all of Numan's vocals hit the spot, but given that he's performing songs that may have been difficult enough to sing almost 30 years ago, he does a damn fine job.

The live mix of this album is absolutely superb, and as somebody who attended the tour, I can honestly say it sounds just perfect. Telekon Live is arguably one of Numan's best live releases. and ranks alongside my favourites, White Noise and Dark Light.

To be honest, I'm not much of a fan of the Living Ornaments albums. I find there's something slightly cringeworthy about Numan's early live vocals.

Those early live recordings fail to grab me in the same way his later ones do, despite heralding from his hayday, and I find a lot of the synths sound rather comical live compared to the studio versions. Obviously he is a more accomplished vocalist and performer now, so I guess his vocals were still pretty much in their formative stage at that point, and sometimes it is clear that his stage fright would get the better of him – but this does add an element of youth and vulnerability to those old live albums.

Maybe the "problem" with the Living Ornaments albums, is that you are only getting half of the show... they really need the accompanying visual!

What those albums do give you though, is the scale of the excitement and impact surrounding Gary at that time. There's a very special atmosphere to those recordings.

But anyway - back to the point... albums of the year for me so far are Telekon Live and Mike Oldfield's Music of the Spheres.

Having got them both the same week, both CDs are battling for iPod space!!

I guess we should already include 'A New Kind Of Man' to this list.

While I can't help with the Beat Boy album I'm certain that the original casette versions of both Berserker and the Fury were released by Numa Records on CD. They might still be available through NuWorld, under the Numa records section as opposed to the Eagle section which is the later re-issue featuring the original, shorter, vinyl versions with bonus tracks.

Hi Priest (or should be High Priest )

Cheers! I've had a look - unfortunately the NuWorld site doesn't give you the Numa catalogue numbers - so I've no idea if it's the right one or not.

Priest: the post you quoted actually reads like this:

Can anyone tell me if and where the Telekon Live cd is available? I've checked out Gary's official site and a few online retailers but I can't find it.

I'm suspecting it was a limited addition that has sold out.

Unlike many Foxx fans I've never been huge on Numan, probably the biggest reason being that I've never been keen on his voice. However, Telekon is a good album nevertheless and this make-over intrigues me.

Cheers.

I'm starting to prefer Telekon Live to the original!

The CD and DVD will be available soon on Gary's website, as he says in his last news entry.

Thanks Alex. Glad I haven't missed it!

Might be worth an e-mail to NuWorld to confirm which versions they are selling but the cassette versions were definitely used for the letter Numa releases as I got both when they were first released. I assume it is these later releases that NuWorld are selling as the original CDs were very limited.

Jori Hulkkonen "Errare Machinale Est" - every track is brilliant.

I hope/expect the latest Portishead and the reformed half of Tindersticks to join my final 10 for this year.

back to pop:
After letting me hear it about 400 times my daughter has convinced me that the Duffy album Rockferry really is quite good.

back to pop(2):
I heard the Last Shadow Puppets album and I liked the sound of it but I sort of get the feeling one could tire of it easily.

If you like your music loud but tasty :p ; Fear of A Blank Planet from Porcupine Tree. I think it's a record for these times that had to be made.

Its worth giving Cherry Red records a thumbs up too for their release of Visage - 'The Anvil'. Although its not what some of us had been wanting in a Visage re-release, it was at least better than the original cd versions.

are you sure? they MUST remaster junk culture!!! after that i don't care...

Agree: Junk Culture the last TRUE O.M.D. album!

I have a soft spot for Crush. Pacific Age was too trendy for me. After Paul left, he took the true spirit away for me. I would buy a remastered Crush -- no doubt.

Blue

I am bringing this thread back to life since 2008 is starting to wind down.


I am adding U2's Boy remaster deluxe edition to this list, specifically for the bonus cd.

There might yet be a NEW U2 album to add to the list!

Jori's effort, Hayden "In Field & Town", The Notwist "The Devil, You + Me" and Portishead "Third" have been the standouts for me.

Calexico and Lambchop are due. David Sylvian?

As for reissues, I understand there are one or two about to make an appearance.

The Chemical Brothers: Brotherhood

The Vox remasters are great guys.

Heard samples from every track, cant wait for the physical discs.

Someone at EV has just said they already have a promo of 'Vienna' remaster, and nothings happened to them. So with that in mind, id like to say that i have in fact had both 'Vienna' and 'RIE' for about a week.........and their Great!!

Joan As Policewoman - To Survive : Classic melodic torch songs.
Porcupine Tree - We Lost The Skyline : Great to hear Steve Wilson acoustic/unplugged.
Whiskeytown - Strangers Almanac Remaster : Ryan Adams at his best.

plus worth mentioning:

Hercules & Love Affair, Death Cab for Cutie, NIN.

Looking forward to hopefully some new stuff from The Blue Nile, David Sylvian and Ryan Adams!

Oooh - I don't know this name

The word 'torch' is very appealing. I need to find out more.
Thanks for posting!

Don't forget the very wonderful Baby Dee released Safe Inside The Day in January...

Well 'TGS' should be added now as one of the best reissues, apart from the fact of brilliant remastering, cd 2 is worth its weight in gold.

Well, now that Britney Spears and Take That are due tomorrow (some obsession with circuses there: but remember that Erasure got there over 20 years ago ), I think we're done for new releases this year so this is my final list:

THE TOP GROUP - SUPERB AND IMPORTANT
Jori Hulkkonen "Errare Machinale Est"
Hayden "In Field & Town"
The Notwist "The Devil, You + Me"
Portishead "Third"
Soft Cell "Heat: The Remixes"

THE MIDDLE GROUP - POTENTIALLY GREAT BUT HAVEN'T HEARD THEM QUITE ENOUGH YET
REM "Accelerate"
Lambchop "OH (ohio)"
Calexico "Carried To Dust"

THE LOWER GROUP - POTENTIALLY GREAT BUT HAVE BARELY PLAYED THEM FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!"
Aidan John Moffat "I Can Hear Your Heart"
The Flaming Lips "Christmas on Mars OST"
Damien Jurado "Caught in the Trees"

I didn't buy the Goldfrapp one in the end.

Was that it? Seems a short list. Perhaps the expenditure on Foxx rereleases was to blame?

The best things I have heard this year are

Savoy Grand "Burn The Furniture" (released in 2001)
The Blue Nile "High" (2004)

Yes, I think so. I spent an awful lot of money on CDs this year -- about the same as in previous years, perhaps a bit more -- and yet I have very little that's really new to show for my expenditures!

Sorry if it is poor etiquette to reply to your own quotes, but I am MORTIFIED to find I missed Tindersticks - "The Hungry Saw" off my list - this is probably my album of the year! Funny how the brain works (or doesn't).

I love Tindersticks and am happy to see them turning up in a best-of list but "The Hungry Saw" sounded kind of watered down and by-the-numbers to me and I lost interest after a couple of plays. I guess I should give it another shot. Still, it wasn't as tremendous a disappointment as Martina Topley-Bird's "Blue God"—what a letdown.

I think Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Dig Lazarus Dig!!" will top my list for favorite of the year. Second place is a tie between TV on the Radio's "Dear Science" and Empire of the Sun's self-titled debut (yeah, I know, it's a bit ridiculous, but I can't help it!). I liked Jori Hulkkonen's "Errare Machinale Est" but don't listen to it much (except for the John Foxx track, of course).

In no particular order…

Best New Albums of 2008

Apparatus & Hand - Junk Receiver (Broadcasts From Bug Powder Radio)*
F*** Buttons – Street Horrrsing
The Advisory Circle – Other Channels
John Foxx & Louis Gordon - Impossible
Portishead – Third

*I know it’s from 2007, but I heard it in 2008 and as far as I know, it’ll probably see daylight in 2009 – since it’s from the year 2028 anyhow, none of this matters.


Best re-issues of 2008

Ultravox – Rage In Eden
John Foxx – The Garden / The Golden Section / In Mysterious Ways
Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark – Dazzle Ships
Suicide – Live 1977 – 1978
Fripp & Eno – No Pussyfooting


Best compilations of 2008

Mary Anne Hobbs presents Evangeline
John Foxx - Glimmer
Various - Some of the Interesting Things You'll See on a Long-Distance Flight
Various - Here We Go – The Other Side of Metal Beat
Various - An Anthology of Noise and Electronic Music Vol.5

Erm….Not a reissue, not a new album 2008

John Foxx & Louis Gordon – Neuro Video
John Foxx & Louis Gordon – A New Kind of Man
Phonorama – Phonorama CD
Various - Warp Spring Sampler 2008
Various - Wire Tapper 19


They also served 2008

Stereolab – Chemical Chords
Small Faces - Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake (1 millionth re-issue…at least)
T.O.N.T.O.s Expanding Headband – Zero Time
Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue
The Passions – 30,000 Feet Over China
Martha & The Muffins – Danseparc

Gazza