David Bowie's The Next Day

On David Bowie's 66th birthday, he returned with a surprising single, Where Are We Now, which was released on Bowie's 66th birthday. David Bowie's last album was 2003's Reality, and aside from one-off cameos with Arcade Fire and Pink Floyd, we haven't heard anything from him. Most assumed he was retired and would never release another album. This, from a man who in the 70s averaged an album per year. (and what a track record!). When news broke out of a new Bowie album, one wonders whether it is necessary, or how it will fit in today's culture. One thing one must remember about Bowie, he was never about fitting in. Always a trendsetter and always ahead of the game and unpredictable, this album reinvents Bowie once again. Some, like, Where are We now, are more reflective, a shoutout to his 70s Berlin work, (also the cover is his 1977 album, Heroes, with a white square over it, further alluding to his 70s work). Other songs are more rocking, such as the 2nd single, The Stars Are Out tonight (catch the video for it with actress Tilda Swinton), which is way more upbeat and rocking. What I love about this album is that it almost plays like a greatest hits collection, in which every song is completely different and offers something new every time you hear it. When you look at popular music today, you wonder where Bowie fits in. He's completely different than the manufactured pop stars, gangsta rappers and hipsters dominating the charts today. Despite that, this album went to #1 in over 12 countries, including his first #1 in the UK. In the Us it debuted at #2, behind Bon Jovi, which is still commendable. This album rocks and sways and it destined to be on many album of the year charts. There is a little something for everyone here. While not quite as bombastic as Hunky Dory, and Ziggy Stardust, this album will rank among Bowie's best! Check out these tracks.

The Stars Are Out Tonight:

Where Are We Now?:

I'd Rather Be High:

How Does The Grass Grow

Depeche Mode streaming new album, Delta Machine and Depeche Mode on David Letterman

Depeche Mode's 13th fulllength album, Delta Machine will be released on March 26, here in the US but you can listen to it about a week in advance on iTunes at the following link.

Here is what Dave Gahan had to say about the new album. “When we hit a wall where we realize the album is beginning to sound too normal, we’ll mess it up and really give it that organic Depeche Mode Sound. Delta Machine is no different, and I can’t wait for all of our fans to hear it.”

My opinion on the album is mixed. There are some good songs on it, it's an improvement over Sounds of the Universe but it's no Violator or Black Celebration. Maybe the songs will grow on me but we will have to wait and see. In other news, Depeche Mode also played some songs on Letterman. Check it out!

They did a 9 song set, performing some classics as well as some new songs in support of their new album. Here is the setlist:

01. Angel
02. Should Be Higher
03. Walking In My Shoes
04. Barrel Of A Gun
05. Heaven
06. Personal Jesus
07. Soft Touch / Raw Nerve
08. Soothe My Soul
09. Enjoy The Silence

enjoy!

Peter Murphy announces new tour, setlist to be composed of all Bauhaus songs

Peter Murphy, who continues to have a successful solo career (his latest album being 2011's Ninth) is going on tour again. This tour will mark the 35th anniversary of his former band, Bauhaus, and to celebrate, he will be touring the United States and Europe and performing all Bauhaus material. Bauhaus lasted from 1978-1983, after which Peter Murphy embarked on a solo career, and the rest of the band went on tour to form Love and Rockets, and Tones on Tail, with guitarist Daniel Ash releasing a few solo albums, and David J releasing a few as well. Bauhaus had a few reunions in 1998 and toured from 2005 (performing at that year's annual Coachella festival), touring with Nine Inch Nails in 2006, and releasing an album (Go Away White in 2008). The band seems to be broken up for good but I could see another reunion in the future. This is not the first time Peter has performed all Bauhaus material (he did a show in Santa Ana, California doing all Bauhaus songs and another where he performed the entire Deep album). This tour will be called the Mr. Moonlight tour: Celebrating 35 years of Bauhaus. Here is the press release:

In a news release, Murphy says, “Since 2006, I have included my Bauhaus work into my solo work as a way of tipping my hat to my own audience…those who discovered my early work as well as new and old fans of those years strong wishes to hear the music of my band crackle and spark in the live arena. Being the foremost advocate of this Bauhaus work, I decided the time was ripe to at last give a pure Bauhaus experience in one Mr. Moonlight world tour. Mr. Moonlight is alive and well, don’t doubt it.”

Tourdates are as follows;


Peter Murphy’s Mr. Moonlight Tour: Celebrating 35 Years of Bauhaus:
NORTH AMERICA
April 22: The Korova, San Antonio, TX
April 23: The Belmont, Austin, TX
April 24: Granada Theater, Dallas, TX
April 26: Numbers, Houston, TX
April 27: Spanish Moon, Baton Rouge, LA
April 28: Vinyl Music Hall, Pensacola, FL
April 30: Grand Central, Miami, FL
May 1: The Orpheum, Tampa, FL
May 2: Terminal West, Atlanta, GA
May 3: Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte, N.C.
May 4: U Street Music Hall, Washington, D.C.
May 5: Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
May 7: Webster Hall, New York, NY
May 9: The Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA
May 10: Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON
May 11: Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY
May 12: Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale, PA
May 13: Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
May 15: Deluxe at Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN
May 16: House of Blues, Chicago, IL
May 18: FMX Festival de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
EUROPE
May 22: Christuskirche, Bochum, DE
May 23: Substage, Karlsruhe, DE
May 24: Komplex Klub, Zurich, CH
May 26: Orion, Rome, IT
May 27: Magazzini Generali, Milan, IT
May 29: Sala Arena, Madrid, ES
May 30: Coliseum, Lisbon, PT
June 1: Bikini Barcelona, Barcelona, ES
June 3: AB, Brussels, BE
June 5: Trabendo, Paris, FR
June 6: Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL
June 7: Knust, Hamburg, DE
June 8: Loppen, Copenhagen, DK
June 10: Debaser Medis, Stockholm, SE
June 12: Tayastia, Helsinki, FI
June 14: Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK
June 15: Oran Mor, Glasgow, UK
June 17: Academy 2, Birmingham, UK
June 18: Academy, Bristol, UK
June 19: Islington Academy, London, UK
NORTH AMERICA
July 13: Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
July 14: TBA, Albuquerque, NM
July 16: Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO
July 17: Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
July 18: Visual Arts Collective, Garden City, ID
July 19: Showbox Theatre, Seattle, WA
July 20: TBA, Vancouver, BC
July 21: Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
July 23: The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
July 24: Las Vegas Country Saloon, Las Vegas, NV
July 27: Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
July 28: Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA

anyone interested in tickets: go to Peter Murphy's official website

some classic Bauhaus tracks:

Bela Lugosi's Dead:

 Lagartija Nick:

 She's In Parties:

 Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie cover):

 Mask:

 The Sanity Assassin:

Double Dare:

In The Flat Field:

Dark Entries:

 Who Killed Mr. Moonlight: