Daydream

Beautiful Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins releases her new album "Daydream" on October 10th. This will be followed by a UK tour throughout January and February 2012. Album already pre ordered and tickets for Symphony Hall already booked, so way ahead of the game with this one!

The lead single is "Break It To My Heart" & the video can be viewed here:

Katherine Jenkins - Break It To My Heart (Video)

I also have to say it was a wonderful, if surreal, experience watching Katherine Jenkins duet with Cheryl Baker on the recent series of Popstar To Operastar. Love them both to bits!

Who's Afraid...?

Back in 1984, when there still such things as "cassingles" (singles on a cassette, much better than yogurts on a stick), The Art Of Noise released an album. It was called "Who's Afraid Of The Art Of Noise". I still have a copy on vinyl where it currently lives between albums by Jon Anderson and Asia.

However, there is now a bright, sparkling CD/DVD edition that incorporates the original album and all kinds of bonus audio visual material. Hurrah! Full track listing is as follows:

Disc One (Audio)


1.  A Time For Fear (Who’s Afraid)
2. Beat Box (Diversion One)
3. Snapshot
4. Close (to the Edit)
5. Who’s Afraid (Of the Art of Noise)
6. Moments in Love
7. Memento
8. How to Kill
9. Realisation

Bonus Tracks

BBC live session November 1984
10. ‘Too Busy Talking’
11. Close (To The Edit)
12. 'Exploring The Jungle’
13. Moments In Love
14. ‘Arranged In A Circle’
15. Beat Box (Diversion Seven)

BBC live session March 1985
16. From Science to Silence
17. Beat Box
18. Moments in Love

Disc Two (DVD)

A Feast of Reason – All Art:
1. ‘So What Happens Now?’
2. Beat Box
3. Close (To The Edit) Version One
4. Closer (To The Edit) Cinema Version
5. Moments In Love
6. An Art of Noise live at The Value of Entertainment, June 1985
7. Moments in Love Live Around The World, Summer 1999
8. Beat Box and Close (To The Edit) Live At Coexistence, June 2000

All Noise:
9. Close (To The Edit) Version Three
10. Moments In Love Version Two
11. Close (To The Edit) Version Two
12. Beat Box (Edit)

13. ‘So What Happened Next?’. When Art of Noise met Kenneth Williams (and Other Commercial Breaks):
14. Who's Afraid Of The Art of Noise? TV Commercial
15. Close (To The Edit) TV commercial (“so cuddly”)
16. Close (To The Edit) Cinema Trailer, Take One
17. Close (To The Edit) Cinema Trailer, Take Two
18. Close (To The Edit) TV commercial (“so cosy”)
19. Moments In Love TV Commercial
20. Moments in Love TV Commercial (Edit)
21. “Sleak Hectoring”
22. Art of Noise At The End of a Century

Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd's entire back catalogue has been remastered this year. Three of the albums have been selected for expanded "Experience" and "Immersion" editions. The first of these editions "Dark Side Of The Moon" is released on 26th September with "Wish You Were Here" (7th November 2011) and "The Wall" (27th February 2012) to follow.

Full details of the remasters can be found at this website here:

Why Pink Floyd

There is also a video showcasing the Immersion Edition of "Dark Side Of The Moon" which can be viewed here:

Dark Side Of The Moon: Immersion Edition Video

50 Words For Snow

Amazing news today is that Kate Bush releases a new album on 21st November - my birthday no less! How exciting!

Entitled "50 Words For Snow" it runs for 65 minutes and features seven new tracks:

1. Snowflake
2. Lake Tahoe
3. Misty
4. Wildman
5. Snowed In At Wheeler Street
6. 50 Words For Snow.
7. Among Angels

It's the second release on Kate's own Fish People record label. Further details can be found here:

Kate Bush Official Site

Tea & Symphony Volume VIII

Tea & Symphony Volume VIII: "Disco In Excelsis" is released today. Another double CD via Manchester, Mykanos, London & Bloxwich... 

A Few More Miracles...

The final batch of Queen CD remasters have been released this week. Bonus tracks for each album are as follows:

The Works

1. I Go Crazy
2. I Want To Break Free (Single Remix)
3. Hammer To Fall (Headbangers Mix)
4. Is This The World We Created (Live In Rio 1985)
5.  It's A Hard Life (Live In Rio 1985)
6. Thank God It's Christmas

A Kind Of Magic

1. A Kind Of Magic (Highlander Version)
2. One Vision (Single Version)
3. Pain Is So Close To Pleasure (Single Version)
4. Forever
5. A Kind Of Magic (Demo)
6. One Vision (Live At Wembley 11/11/86)
7. Friends Will Be Friends Will Be Friends

The Miracle

1. I Want It All (Single Version)
2. The Invisible Man (Demo)
3. Hang On In There
4. Hijack My Heart
5. Stealin'
6. Chinese Torture
7. The Invisible Man (12" Version)

Innuendo

1. I Can't Live With You (1997 Rocks Retake)
2. Lost Opportunity
3. Ride The Wild Wind (Early VersionWith Guide Vocal)
4. I'm Going Slightly Mad (Mad Mix)
5. Headlong (Embryo With Guide Vocal)

Made In Heaven 

1. Heaven For Everyone (Single Version)
2. It's A Beautiful Day (B Side Version)
3. My Life Has Been Saved (1989 Version)
4. I Was Born To Love You (Vocal & Piano Version)
5. Rock In Rio Blues
6. A Winter's Tale (Cosy Fireside Mix)

As a Queen fan I have to say these remasters are a bit of a mixed blessing. Yes it's good to have them available, the inclusion of some of the B sides, bonus tracks and 12" mixes are fantastic and the works-in-progress, paticularly on "Innuendo" make for fascinating listening.

However, to voice a common complaint, these 2CD issues could have gone SO much further! Take 1984's "The Works" for instance. Without even venturing into the realms of unreleased material you could also have included the 12" Mix of "Radio Ga Ga", plus the extended versions of "I Want To Break Free", "It's A Hard Life" "Man On The Prowl" and "Keep Passing The Open Windows" to make it something truly special.

Perhaps all these tracks are being kept back for something really special. I hope so. If not then the Queen Remasters, whilst welcome, represent a bit of missed opportunity to present the music of Queen afresh, in the grand, original and spectacular fashion befitting of them.

Tell Me Something New: Creature

This month's featured new artist is Canadian band Creature. They released their first album ("No Sleep At All") in 2008. The first track from their new album is entitled "So High" and is a rather fab affair with shades of Blondie, Dragonette (am I the only person in the UK that likes them?!) and Goldfrapp. The video, which is all zombies, fetish gear and post-apocalyptic disco can be viewed here:

Creature - So High (Official Video)

The new album, recorded right here in England is apparently due later this year. Further information can be found on the band's official website here:

Creature Official Website