New Music: Merchandise- Little Killer

Florida post punk band Merchandise are back with a new single, and by the sounds of it, they are anxious to show off the new wave side of their band, If you are familiar with these guys, you know a lot of their songs clock in at over six minutes. Not on their new single "Little Killer", however, as the poppy, 80's sounding tune is just over three minutes long. Maybe their new new wave sound is the influence of producer Gareth Jones, who worked with some of that era's biggest standouts including Depeche Mode, Wire, and Erasure. Check out the music video for the track below, which features the band reenacting that era and doing their best impersonation of the Bunnymen or the Mary Chain.

"Little Killer" is taken from Merchandise's new album After The End, which is out August 25th via 4AD.

New Music: Ghost Beach- Moon Over Japan

Not sure how I missed this great tune when it first came out last July. Blink in the music blogosphere and you always miss something, I guess. Anyhow, Ghost Beach have sort of reissued "Moon Over Japan" and have offered it as a free download on Soundcloud. The song is an anthemic, glistening, 80's synth pop jam that comes off like Kim and Jessie era M83 mixed with a hint of Tears for Fears (The bell sound on the track sounds almost exactly like the bell sound in "Shout") and Level 42. Grab it below:

R.I.P. Divinyls Singer Christina Amphlett

One of my many teenage music crushes passed yesterday following a battle with breast cancer......

Christina Amphlett and her band The Divinyls were responsible for the sexually suggestive hit "I Touch Myself" back in the early 90's that prompted many young hormonally unbalanced boys to instantly fall in lust with the singer.

Primarily known as a one hit wonder group in this part of the world, back in their home country of Australia they were very well known and had several chart smashes. As proof listen to the band's new wave hit "Science Fiction" above.

New Music: Pat Jordache- steps (Damaged Goods)

Is it me or does this Pat Jordache sound like Stephen Merritt and his 80's synth pop act Japan......

Of course, this is not the 80's and this song is not Stephen Merritt, rather Pat Jordache is another modern artist who likes to take us back in time to when new wave ruled the airwaves. Jordache is a Montreal based artist who used to be in the band Sister Suvi with Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs fame and now makes his own solo material.

Jordache is working on his follow up to his excellent 2011 LP Future Songs and to tide us over he just came out with saxy new single steps (Damaged Goods). Listen below:

For fans of Japan, Talking Heads, Ice Choir

Five Star Songs: Wall of Voodoo-Far Side of Crazy

I was perusing through the used vinyl at the record store yesterday when I came upon an old Wall of Voodoo album from 1985 titled Seven Days in Sammystown. I looked at the track listing on the back of the LP and noticed the first song, Far Side of Crazy. I then I had one of those " I remember that song" moments. I recalled seeing the video for the song on a Sunday Morning music show on the CBC called Switchback, thinking it was really cool, and then never hearing it again.

Wall of Voodoo will always be remembered for both their lead singer Stan Ridgeway and for their hit song Mexican Radio. The band broke up after the US Festival in 1983 and Ridgeway went on to forge a successful solo career. It didn't take long for the band to be revived with the help of new lead singer Andy Prieboy. The album Seven Days in Sammystown was a critical failure, except for the lead single Far Side of Crazy which did well in Australia.

The song lyrics are really dark and try to delve into the mind of John Hinckley, the murderer who killed John Lennon. The music is really cool and has guitar that is reminiscent of the Enrico Morricone spaghetti western sound.

Watch the video below and don't be creeped out too much by the weird clown.

New Band- Mode Moderne

Mode Moderne are a five piece band from Vancouver that specialize in dark gloomy new wave dance music. The throwback new romantic sound reminds me of 80's bands like Modern English, Blue Peter and New Order.

The band just released an EP, Strange Bruises, which was put out on Vancouver based Light Organ Records. Watch the video for the song Nightly Youths, stream the track Foul Weather Fare and then go to Soundcloud to stream the entire EP.



Mode Moderne "Nightly Youths" from Light Organ Records on Vimeo.

Favourite Songs- Altered Images Dead Pop Stars

Wow....this song was released in 1981 and is still relevant today.

"dead pop stars rotting in the studio
pretty bodies make the little girls scream
dead pop stars here them on the radio
pretty bodies every little girls dream"

Altered Images were a Scottish new wave/post punk band and a favourite of John Peel's. The band,were most obviously, influenced by Siouxsie & The Banshees and their first two singles were produced by Banshee's bassist Steve Severin. Sadly, the band didn't last very long only recording three albums and disbanding in 1983.
This song laments the popularity of pop stars that are being played on the radio and how they fade away after their 15 minutes are up. The only difference between today and 1981 is that some pop stars don't seem to be going away i.e Justin Bieber.

Altered Images-Dead Pop Stars