Category Archives: News

Where everyday posts will be.

Monsieur Seb’s Daily Music Suggestion: As the Phoenix…

LotD_Full

Legendary 80’s band Handful of Snowdrops make a surprise comeback!

It’s true! It’s confirmed! To mark its 20th anniversary, Handful of Snowdrops have launched the expanded and remastered reissue of their legendary first album Land of the Damned, just over 16 years after their eloquent final release, Mort en Direct.

In addition to its superior sound quality, the album has been expanded with the track Gabrielle MMIX, a totally new version of their seminal smash hit, Gabrielle.

This reissue will be available in a deluxe package that will see the CD arrive to your door accompanied by a T-Shirt and 11″x17″ poster.

But furthermore, each CD copy — deluxe or regular — of this very limited reissue will allow collectors to download a compilation of 12 early demos titled Groundwork for Fundamentals Vol. 1, literally a sonic history of the band’s formative years, from 1984 to 1986.

“For years, I thought that Land of the Damned went practically unheard of, especially outside Canada and the U.S.

“And then, along came the Internet: I began getting tons of emails from people around the world — especially Mexico and South America — telling me how much they loved that record.

“Still, it took me many, many years to be able to accept such praise and to finally come to terms with the fact that a 20th anniversary re-edition would not be such a bad idea, after all.”

That’s how Jean-Pierre Mercier, founder and leader of the band, recalls the genesis of this project — which most fans had given up on.

Yet, the band’s MySpace player has garnered over 26 000 plays in just over a year, digits that have no doubt helped convinced Jean-Pierre that this project was well worthwhile!

Land of the Damned (Expanded & Remastered) will only available online from HOS’ website (handfulofsnowdrops.com) and on their MySpace profile (myspace.com/handfulofsnowdrops) but exceptionally and for a very limited time, it will be availble from these two retailers:

Platine
155, chemin Ste-Foy
Québec, QC, Canada
G1R 1T1
Tél.: 418.529.4222

and

Mecanica
Av. Insurgentes Sur # 277 – 2
Col. Roma, Mexico DF
Tel. 91499967
mecanica.com.mx

Click here for the complete press kit (French and English press release and album cover art)

Monsieur Seb’s Daily Music Suggestion: Die Mensch-Maschine

kwerk

Mute has announced a major reissue programme for our beloved Kraftwerk to be released in early October, as reported here by FACT Magazine.

This reissue will coincide with the 35th anniversary of their Autobahn album.

The reissue, however, will not include the band’s first three albums — Kraftwerk 1 (1970), Kraftwerk 2 (1972), Ralf und Florian (1973) —, focusing on the better known part of their catalog, from Autobahn (1974) to Tour de France (2003), and including The Mix (1993).

Leaving out the first albums and including The Mix is a decision I find questionnable, but hey, I don’t work for Mute, do I?

As for Tour de France, it’s so recent, does it really need a remastered version?

In any case, I don’t want to sound like a party-pooper, I’m really happy about this news!

Entitled 12345678, the reissue will be available in these various formats:

  • 8 individual CDs presented in special slipcases featuring newly expanded artwork, including many previously unseen images all of which have been reproduced to the highest technical standards.
  • CD Box Set containing 8 CDs in ‘mini-vinyl’ card wallet packaging, plus individual large format booklets.
  • 8 individual heavyweight vinyl LPs with large format booklets.
  • Digital downloads

As a mini-grieving for the non-inclusion of their first albums in the reissue, I propose you listen or discover this track:

Kraftwerk – Ruckzuck (from Kraftwerk 1, 1970)
Kraftwerk – Ruckzuck