DELUXE EDITION DREAMLAND – Chris Rea: Whatever Happened To Benny Santini?

From the beginning of his career in the late 70s through to his peak in popularity at the turn of the 90s, Chris Rea was a very prolific artist. In a thirteen year stretch, he released eleven albums. In the twenty first century, the very idea that a band or artist could average almost one album per year for so long is almost an alien concept.

Given Chris’s popularity – especially in Germany – it’s strange how these albums have been overlooked with regards to expanded reissue. However, each one – barring 1978’s ‘Whatever Happened To Benny Santini?’, which spent years in an out of print limbo – is still only available in the same CD pressing made in the late 80s.

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Sleeper – London Astoria, April 1994

The Britpop years between 1993-97 brought wave after wave of great music.  From the well documented – Oasis, Blur, Suede and Pulp – to those lesser talked about years later – Gene, Marion, Menswear – each act brought their own slant to classic retro styles, often centering around guitar driven pop-rock.

Among the big players were Sleeper.  Sleeper were special.  With a musical grounding that mixed the pop hooks of Blondie and the proto punk-pop of The Undertones with lyrical narratives that were often interesting, their first two albums (‘Smart’, 1995 and ‘The It Girl’, 1996) have really stood the test of time.

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ZWAN – Live at Rock am Ring 2003

In just two short years, Zwan demoed and recorded a huge amount of material.  Whether in their electric format (The True Poets of Zwan) or stripped back and more acoustic driven (Djali Zwan), the Billy Corgan-fronted project showed a great depth and inventiveness.

Always a prolific writer, with Zwan, Corgan occasionally showed off his power pop influences (‘Lyric’, ‘Yeah’) alongside expansive prog rock indulgences (‘Jesus I/Mary Star of the Sea’).  While not always championed by everyone, this varied approach to material ensured Zwan’s only studio album remains a thrilling listening experience years after the event.

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Watch the new video from Ferris & Sylvester

London based folk/Americana duo Ferris & Sylvester release their debut EP ‘The Yellow Line’ on Friday 23rd June.  Just ahead of release, they’ve shared an atmospheric video for lead track ‘Berlin’, which you can view in full below.  For fans of Lewis & Leigh and the quieter aspects of Mazzy Star, the EP is a must-hear.

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Watch the new video clip from No Vacation

Wistful pop and summer days seem to be at the forefront of No Vacation’s new single.  Accompanied by a suitably light video clip (available via the embedded box below), the dream pop act invite you to explore their ‘Mind Fields’…

The track comes from their forthcoming album, to be released in June 2017.  Regarding the video clip, in the band’s own words, “It’s about realizing that nothing is ever as good as it seems, yet embracing the freedom of letting it all go.”