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Vampire Weekend Introduce New ‘Vampire Campfire’ Podcast

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As anticipation continues to grow for their long-awaited 5th studio album, Only God Was Above Us, Vampire Weekend have released the debut episode of their new podcast, Vampire Campfire. Hosted by Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio and Chris Tomson, and captured on a trio of Ikegami ITC-730AP cameras, the podcast will be released semi-regularly for the foreseeable future. Fans who tune in will be invited behind the scenes into a longstanding and formerly private Vampire Weekend ritual: the frequent campfire chats where Baio, CT and Koenig convene to discuss and brainstorm all things VW—and so much more. Observant listeners will spot the occasional Easter egg, while all will be treated to advance insights into the upcoming Only God Was Above Us album and tour — and will be invited to witness as the band members reminisce about the past and discuss important matters in the present, ranging from tour openers, set lists and the potential of a future album called The 40-Year-Old Email, to such controversial topics as the dominant type of taco shell and The Real World vs Road Rules. Future episodes will see the band delve deeper into the new album and will feature some very special guests. Listen to Vampire Campfire wherever you listen to podcasts, or watch it here.

Meanwhile, the recently announced Only God Was Above Us tour is almost entirely sold out, with over 250,000 tickets sold in the first few days. Sold out venues adding seats to accommodate overwhelming demand include New York’s Madison Square Garden and Boston’s TD Garden, while Colorado’s Red Rocks (with an added Dillon Ampitheater which also sold out immediately) and TD’s Pavilion at the Mann Center in Philadelphia both sold out in pre-sales alone. Only a handful of tickets remain for the remainder of the tour which kicks off on April 8th in Austin, TX for a very special eclipse show, which also sold out instantly. See below for a full routing.

Only God Was Above Us will be released on April 5th via Columbia Records. The 10-track magnum opus tops lists of most anticipated albums this year by Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Paste, Uproxx and others. Next week Vampire Weekend will release one more track from the album.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND Only God Was Above Us Tour 2024

Mon Apr 08 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater (Solar Eclipse)
Sat April 27 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival*
Fri May 10 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Block Party*
Thu May 30 – Barcelona, Espana – Primavera Sound*
Thu Jun 06 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Fri Jun 07 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sun Jun 09 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Mon Jun 10 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Wed Jun 12 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
Sat Jun 15 – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley
Sun Jun 16 – Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley (Matinee Show)
Tue Jun 18 – Burnaby, BC – Deer Lake Park
Wed Jun 19 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Thu Jun 20 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sat Jun 22 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
Sun Jun 23 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater (Matinee Show)
Fri Jul 19 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Sat Jul 20 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater
Mon Jul 22 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
Tue Jul 23 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater
Thu Jul 25 – Maryland Heights, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
Fri Jul 26 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Sat Jul 27 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Tue Jul 30 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Wed Jul 31 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Thu Aug 01 – Milwaukee, WI – BMO Pavilion
Sat Aug 03 – St. Charles, IA – Hinterland*
Thu Sep 19 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
Fri Sep 20 – Cincinnati, OH – The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park
Sat Sep 21 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
Mon Sep 23 – Rochester Hills, MI – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
Tue Sep 24 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Wed Sep 25 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
Fri Sep 27 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sat Sep 28 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at The Mann
Mon Sep 30 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
Tue Oct 01 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
Wed Oct 02 – Charlottesville, VA – Ting Pavilion
Sat Oct 05 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Sun Oct 06 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (Matinee Show)
Tue Oct 08 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion
Wed Oct 09 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
Fri Oct 11 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
Sat Oct 12 – Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Sun Oct 13 – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit
Tue Oct 15 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Thu Oct 17 – Austin, TX – Moody Center

*Festival date

My Next Read: “Hip-Hop Is History” by Questlove and Ben Greenman

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This is a book only Questlove could have written: a perceptive and personal reflection on the first half-century of hip-hop.

When hip-hop first emerged in the 1970s, it wasn’t expected to become the cultural force it is today. But for a young Black kid growing up in a musical family in Philadelphia, it was everything. He stayed up late to hear the newest songs on the radio. He saved his money to buy vinyl as soon as it landed. He even started to try to make his own songs. That kid was Questlove, and decades later, he is a six-time Grammy Award–winning musician, an Academy Award–winning filmmaker, a New York Times bestselling author, a producer, an entrepreneur, a cofounder of one of hip-hop’s defining acts (the Roots), and the genre’s unofficial in-house historian.

In this landmark book, Hip-Hop Is History, Questlove skillfully traces the creative and cultural forces that made and shaped hip-hop, highlighting both the forgotten but influential gems and the undeniable chart-topping hits―and weaves it all together with the stories no one else knows. It is at once an intimate, sharply observed story of a cultural revolution and a sweeping, grand theory of the evolution of the great artistic movement of our time. And Questlove, of course, approaches it with not only the encyclopedic fluency and passion of an obsessive fan but also the expertise and originality of an innovative participant.

Hip-hop is history, and also his history.

Big Bird & Snuffy Sing “That’s Why We Love Nature” With Brandi Carlile

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Join Big Bird, Snuffy, and their friend Brandi Carlile on a whimsical adventure through nature in this delightful song from Sesame Street.

Mesa, AZ Musician Defies Odds: Gene Moran Shares the Heartfelt Story Behind “Dead Man’s Guitar”

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Mesa, AZ-based Gene Moran, the “musician who shouldn’t be a musician,” is establishing himself as the modern rebel Americana singer/songwriter with his newest song, “Dead Man’s Guitar.”

“Dead Man’s Guitar” tells the true story of the first guitar Moran ever owned, which he received when his uncle Andy Arias passed away. Moran describes his uncle as the “best guitarist in Yuma AZ,” and credits his lifelong love of the instrument to the time they spent working on guitar together. Today, Moran finds his sound somewhere between the Hank Williams school of lonesome, the more experimental landscape of alt-rock, grunge and fuzz, with a sprinkle of unmistakably Arizonan desert rock. Though he’s now a seasoned live music professional, many may find it hard to believe that Moran once struggled with stage fright!

“Starting from when I was 15, I’ve always wanted to be in bands like my friends in high school,” he explains. “But I had a hang up about being disabled and playing on stage and thought I would look stupid.”

Moran was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological disability that affects fine and gross motor skills. Though his condition initially made learning an instrument look tremendously difficult, Moran’s desire to create his own music pushed him to find his own unique approach.

“I shouldn’t even be able to play the guitar,” he admits. “Because of the dexterity required to play the guitar I had to figure out a different way– By laying the guitar flat on my lap I was able to use my thumb to press down on certain strings and mute other strings to create chords. However, my dexterity limits my ability to play cover songs due to the complexity of how a traditional guitarist plays guitar. I figured being able to create chords is all you need to create songs. This forced me to start songwriting.”

Moran kept his songs to himself for nearly thirty years before having the courage to show a few of them to his friend Joe Peña, a respected songwriter from Tucson, Arizona.

“He said I was stupid for thinking I would look stupid playing on stage in my wheelchair,” Moran fondly recalls. “He also said it would be a shame if I didn’t share my songs and perform live. So, I took his advice, and I played an open mic night. My songs were really well received, and I never looked back.”

“Dead Man’s Guitar” belongs on every predictive song of the summer playlist, as it is sure to resonate in the hearts of those among us who understand the power of a worthy singalong– All of the tastemakers and community leaders who take great songs and turn them into classics. Be sure to give it a listen before it arrives at a campfire, block party, or other celebration of summer fun near you.

Golden Years: Dublin’s Alt. Rocker Conor Furlong’s New Comp Takes Stock Of All Our Yesterdays

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There’s no rule that says you can’t issue a career retrospective after only four years—especially when it isn’t just your own past you’re looking back on. With his new compilation, 2019-2023, Dublin singer-songwriter Conor Furlong recaps his achievements not only as an artist in his own right, but as a curator of our shared musical memories.

The 22-song collection is a crash course in Furlong’s expert command of styles ranging from grunge-infused rock to spaced-out ambient pop. And its release is being heralded by a double-A-sided single that brings together two of the best examples of his ability to pay homage while honing a sound that’s uniquely his own. On one side is “Teenage Fantasies,” the first single from his 2021 album, Recurring Dream; on the other is “Alien,” the spotlight track to 2019’s Rapid Eye Movement. Both songs share a grand flair for heart-rending emotion, with Furlong’s reverberating voice floating soft syllables above arrangements dripping with lush yet unforced majesty.

“Teenage Fantasies” is meant to evoke the spirit of 1991-1995, which Furlong calls “the last golden period of popular music.” Never let it end/ Put in it my veins, the song’s nostalgic refrain implores. Let me slip away/ In my fantasy. The accompanying video puts that yearning into fuller context, incorporating actual footage of American teenagers of the era hanging out and being themselves.

“I wanted to make something that felt uplifting but also long for a time that seems lost to the modern era of phones and the internet,” Furlong says. “If I did my job right, the video should make you simultaneously elated and wistful.”

“Alien” takes the wistfulness to an even greater level, pleading I can’t take it/ Say you love me do to summarize five minutes of achingly plaintive popcraft. Its own video matches that melancholy tone perfectly, with slow tracking shots taking us down empty streets covered by a light layer of snow.

A future single from 2019-2023 will be a re-release of Furlong’s fan anthem “We’re Listening to David Bowie.” He’s unabashed in his admiration for the Thin White Duke, along with other giants like The Beatles, Paul Simon and Phil Spector, and he isn’t afraid to hold his own work to their standard. Bernard Herrmann’s scores for classic Hitchcock films also fire his muse. But his influences aren’t solely musical: When he looks at the paintings of Monet, Miro, Dali, Hundertwasser and Van Gogh, he finds himself trying to come up with words and melodies to match the immortal images they left on the canvas.

And as he’s now found out, putting together a greatest-hits record is an art in and of itself. Instead of sequencing 2019-2023 chronologically, he’s had great fun ordering its tracks to be “somewhere between a studio double album and a concert set-list,” with spacier selections like The Stars brushing up against grunge-rockers like Can I Make You Realise? for maximum drama and variety.

“I initially designed this compilation as a showcase for my music, but now, having spent time with it, it has taken on a deeper meaning for me,” Furlong reflects. “There is something very emotional in bringing together what you think is some of your best work over a period of time and presenting it to the world.”

To that, what else can be said but: Four more years!

Lisa Richard Releases Loving Gordon Lightfoot Tribute With “If You Could Read My Mind” Cover

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It isn’t always a wise move to cover an all-time classic. But if you want to know you’ve done it justice, there are certain signs you can watch for. Like looking out into the audience and seeing everybody on their feet.

That’s the reaction Canadian folk-country troubadour Lisa Richard received after she had performed a heartfelt rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” to a crowd of 4,000 at the 2023 Stan Rogers Folk Festival.

“It was a moment I’ll never forget,” Richard says. “I was surrounded by not only a beautiful crowd but other incredible musicians with whom I shared the stage. I could see tears in the eyes of the audience members in the front rows, as well as my peers on stage.

“You could hear a pin drop during the song, but what followed was an eruption of cheers and standing ovations from the thousands of people in the crowd. I was truly so touched by the positive and emotional response that I decided to make it official.”

The result is her new single, a studio recording of the song that features her backing band of Warren Robert, Dana Westall and Scott Ferguson as key collaborators. Neither a slavish imitation nor a disrespectful disfigurement, the cover retains the acoustic guitar and strings of the 1970 original but adds tasteful drumming and a skipping, almost country-fied electric guitar. Ferguson produced the track, and Robert provided the suitably haunting orchestral arrangement. Yet the focus remains on Richard’s affecting warble as she digs deep into the deceptively pretty-sounding chronicle of disappointment and divorce Lightfoot once took to the top of the charts.

“I’m super excited to share my version of ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ with listeners, alongside a music video crafted by the brilliant Scott Ferguson,” Richard says. “Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian treasure, and I hope this version will be one he would be proud of.”

This isn’t the first time Richard has gamely followed in the footsteps of an icon: A version of Dolly Parton’s immortal “Jolene” that she performed alongside Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers in Nashville has been seen by over 150,000 viewers online. And in her time in the spotlight, she’s variously been called “a soulful Anne Murray” and compared to the likes of Cher, Wynonna Judd and Tracy Chapman.

It helps that Richard is equally adept at country, pop, folk and rock. And the music world has duly taken notice of those abilities. Born in New Mills, New Brunswick, and now based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Richard has performed for audiences across North America and Europe. Her album, Promises Kept, was nominated for the 2022 Country Recording of the Year award at the Music Nova Scotia Music Awards (where Richard had been nominated for Country Artist of the Year in 2018). Her previous single, “Uniforms,” was named the 2018 CIOE East Coast Music #1 song of the year, achieved rotation on Sirius XM CBC Country radio, and was also featured on WSM Grand Ole Opry radio.

Richard has won the CBC Searchlight Top 10 Regional Contest (Nova Scotia) and was a nominee for multiple Josie Music Awards and International Singer Songwriters Association Awards. She’s recently showcased at NewSkool Rules in the Netherlands, as well as playing the 2023 East Coast Music Awards, 2023 CCMA Music Awards and that fateful gig at the 2023 Stan Rogers Folk Festival.

Richard is about to head out on her Promises Kept tour, and of course “If You Could Read My Mind” will figure prominently in the set. You don’t need to be clairvoyant to know you shouldn’t miss it.

Elbow Release New Single “Balu” From Forthcoming Studio Album, Audio Vertigo

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Ahead of the release of their tenth studio album, Audio Vertigo on March 22, elbow reveal a further track from that album in the shape of “Balu”. Described by UNCUT as a gothic funk groove in a recent 4 star album review, the track title is a reference to the nickname of singer Guy Garvey’s nephew (‘a great bloke’) and provides further hints for fans of the gnarly, seedy grooves that power the album.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5zCxHFdFyn3bi9hA9EQ6u3?si=7717e6a8a0d24829

“Balu” shares much musical DNA with the wider album; a focus on rhythm, a willingness to experiment with new sounds, and a love of beats that reflects the freedom the band felt throughout the recording process.

Early critical responses to AUDIO VERTIGO, have been overwhelmingly positive with MOJO delivering a 4-star review and noting that their tenth is suitably landmark whilst PROG thrilled to the energising lattice of fizzing synths that is “Balu” before declaring that their 10th LP is special.

‘Balu’ is available as a digital download and to stream on all services.

The album, Audio Vertigo, will be released on March 22nd, 2024, on limited and standard vinyl editions, CD, and digital.

bludnymph Is Spotify’s RADAR Canada Artist For March

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What better way to kick off a new month than by discovering new music? Canada’s very own bludnymph has been selected as Spotify’s RADAR Canada artist for March.

Each month, a new artist graces the cover of the RADAR Canada playlist and have their top hits included on the list, as well as a billboard takeover at Toronto’s iconic Yonge-Dundas Square. bludnymph joins a number of emerging artists Spotify Canada has supported early in their artist journey, and at a time when she is rising in popularity.

Enchanting. Audacious. Mythical. The rising Canadian indie pop/dark rap artist Kya Hansen, better known by her music moniker bludnymph, emerges from her Canadian lair to push boundaries with her genre-bending dark rap infused pop sound. At the helm of the Nymph Cult, bludnymph has cultivated a dedicated fan base that is spellbound by her every lyric. Her debut EP “DROOL,” executive produced by Cirkut, is available now and exemplifies varying degrees of “spooky, magic, and sexy” – themes prevalent in all her music.

With over 55M Spotify streams combined, bludnymph is a Canadian artist poised to make her mark on the pop music scene.
Spotify’s RADAR program is grounded in supporting emerging artists from across the globe and by joining this acclaimed emerging artists program, fans will have the opportunity to learn more about the breakout artists with their “Clips” series and through short videos and editorial support on the official Spotify playlists. Check out bludnymph’s clips on the Spotify mobile app under the RADAR Canada playlist.

Sonopress Produces The World’s First EcoRecord And It’s The New Liam Gallagher & John Squire Album

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After months of preparation, Sonopress, a leading storage media producer, has produced and delivered the first EcoRecord order for its client Warner Music Group (WMG). It has manufactured sustainable LPs in orange for an exclusive release of the eponymous joint album from two of rock’s greatest icons, Liam Gallagher & John Squire. The new album is out now, released by WMG’s Warner Records label. The EcoRecord is available exclusively at Amazon worldwide as well as JB Hi-Fi in Australia.

The EcoRecord is a revolutionary new form of long-playing record that uses recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) instead of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as base material. No natural gas or steam is used in the production process, meaning that the environmental impact of the manufacturing process is reduced by up to 85% compared to the conventional method.

Sven Deutschmann, Managing Director of Sonopress, is very glad with the successful launch: “We’re delighted that Rock legends Liam Gallagher and John Squire have chosen to release an edition of their first joint album as an environmentally friendly EcoRecord. We’ve used the past few weeks to meticulously check every production detail, refine all production parameters, and optimize the quality of the finished product, so we could go into regular production at the beginning of the year with complete confidence. It’s great to be able to finally talk about the project after many months of hard work, the team at Sonopress have smashed it.”

Miriam Lessar, VP, Global Release Management, Warner Music International, adds: “We’re proud to launch this stunning sounding, vibrant EcoRecord alongside Warner Records, Liam and John, and Sonopress. We’re huge advocates of sustainability at Warner Music Group, it’s vitally important for its artists and employees, and we hope to continue to lead by example in the industry. This is just the beginning of our journey, with exciting innovations to come as we advance more climate conscious products aligned with our climate goals.”

The world’s first EcoRecords were produced on a new injection molding machine with nozzle contact pressures of up to 300 tons. The production line was completed at the end of last year along with other required special tools and additional equipment, which were also developed entirely by Sonopress. It used the same injection molding process that has been used for decades to produce laser discs, CDs, DVDs, and other digital storage media. The EcoRecord’s launch comes at a time when the global vinyl market continues to grow. According to the IFPI, revenues rose by 17.1% in 2022, the third consecutive year of double-digit growth.

Billy Idol To Celebrate 40th Anniversary Of ‘Rebel Yell’ With Deluxe Expanded Edition Due April 26

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Rock legend Billy Idol is set to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his landmark album Rebel Yell with a deluxe expanded edition due April 26 via Capitol/UMe/Universal Music Canada. Available for pre-order on Friday, March 8, the reissue includes a selection of previously unreleased songs and demos, the Poolside remix of Idol’s smash hit “Eyes Without A Face” and the never-before-heard Billy Idol/Steve Stevens original “Best Way Out of Here” from the original sessions. Idol’s never-before-released cover of the Rose Royce single “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” from the album’s original recording sessions will be available to download/stream on March 8 as well.

Originally released in November 1983, Rebel Yell is the twice-platinum follow-up to Idol’s self-titled debut. The album features the iconic singles “Eyes Without a Face,” Flesh for Fantasy,” “Rebel Yell,” and “Catch My Fall.” The reissue is available in 2xLP, 2xCD, and digital formats. See below for complete track listings.

Idol recently released the concert film Billy Idol: State Line, a Vertigo Live concert film documenting his April 2023 show at the famed Hoover Dam—the first-ever concert performed at the location—on DVD and Blu-ray following a successful limited theatrical run. The film highlights the history and significance of Hoover Dam and includes performances from two unique sets of Billy Idol’s iconic hits: a full band concert at sunset with special guests that electrified and illuminated the surrounding Black Canyon, and an acoustic duo set on the roof of the powerhouse at the foot of Hoover Dam straddling the Colorado River, directly on the Nevada/Arizona state line. For both sets, Idol is joined by his longtime collaborator and guitar player Steve Stevens, as well as special guests Alison Mosshart (The Kills, The Dead Weather), Steve Jones (Sex Pistols, Generation Sex) and Tony Kanal (No Doubt).

For 46 years, Billy Idol has been one of the definitive faces and voices of rock’n’roll. Between 1977 and 1981, Idol released three albums with Generation X as their camera-ready frontman. In 1982, he embarked on a transatlantic/trans-genre solo career that integrated the bold and simple lines of punk and rock’n’roll decadence. Touring consistently around the world for the last ten years and showing no signs of slowing down, Idol released both The Roadside EP in 2021 and The Cage EP in 2022 on Dark Horse Records, earning praise from fans and critics alike. In January, Idol cemented his name among Hollywood legends with the first Walk of Fame Star of 2023.

REBEL YELL (EXPANDED EDITION)
TRACKLISTS

2xLP

DISC 1—SIDE A

Rebel Yell
Daytime Drama
Eyes Without A Face
Blue Highway
DISC 1—SIDE B

Flesh For Fantasy
Catch My Fall
Crank Call
(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows
The Dead Next Door
DISC 2—SIDE A

Best Way Out Of Here
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
Daytime Drama (Demo)
Flesh For Fantasy (Demo)
DISC 2—SIDE B

Catch My Fall (Early Version)
Crank Call (Demo)
(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows (Demo)
Eyes Without A Face (Poolside remix)
2xCD/DIGITAL ALBUM

DISC 1

Rebel Yell
Daytime Drama
Eyes Without A Face
Blue Highway
Flesh For Fantasy
Catch My Fall
Crank Call
(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows
The Dead Next Door
DISC 2

Best Way Out Of Here
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore
Daytime Drama (Demo)
Flesh For Fantasy (Demo)
Catch My Fall (Early Version)
Crank Call (Demo)
(Do Not) Stand In The Shadows (Demo)
Rebel Yell (Session Take)
Blue Highway (Original Demo)
Flesh For Fantasy (Session Take)
Catch My Fall (Original Demo)
Motorbikin’ (Session Take)
Eyes Without A Face (Poolside remix)