They’ve Done It Again – Delayed It, That Is

The next batch of Duran Duran reissues (Notorious and Big Thing) have been pushed back to September from July. Are you surprised? I’m not. Let’s hope EMI exists by the fall. (Thanks to Slicing Up Eyeballs and Duranasty for their patient reportage.)

Reissue Theory: Wang Chung, “Mosaic”

So…um, Wang Chung is reuniting. There aren’t really that many ways to set such a thing up. Sure, there’s this enthusiastic press release, detailing a new record and a tour – but other than that, there’s not much to say, I suppose.

Granted, that’s probably because Wang Chung (comprised of non-Asians Nick Feldman and Jack Hues) are seen by many as a one-hit wonder for inescapable party anthem “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” – a song that arguably hasn’t aged all that well (the departed Blender magazine placed it at No. 3 on the infamous 2004 list of the most awesomely bad songs ever).

There’s a lot to dispute over that status, as there were a few other Top 20 hits (the catchy, less-dated “Dance Hall Days” and the Top 10 “Let’s Go!”), but there was a fair amount of other, rather intriguing work the duo did as a New Wave band. Their debut (which featured “Dance Hall Days”) was a strong, atmospheric synth-pop affair produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum (who’d produced Tears for Fears’ debut LP The Hurting in 1983; Hughes would also produce their breakthrough Songs from the Big Chair in 1985). Their second record was actually the score from To Live and Die in L.A., a neo-noir film from William Friedkin, which gives them a sort of artistic cred that, say, Duran Duran never quite grasped at such a stage in their careers.

While their third and pentultimate record Mosaic – the biggest seller, going gold thanks to “Fun Tonight” – may not have been their strongest effort, its popularity would make it a worthy pick for some sort of expansion and reissue, especially as the Wang Chung flame burns yet again. This Reissue Theory look at that record just might make fans you-know-what you-know-when, after the jump.

Friday Feature: “Psycho”

It is one of the greatest motion picture scores of all time. A suspense classic that immortalized its composer and director for all time. Arguably the most influential in its style. And, half a century later, has never been properly released on any format, ever.

Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film, was a stunner from the get-go – not only unlike any film at the time, but unlike any in The Master of Suspense’s lengthy career. The film starts out simply: a conflicted young woman steals a hefty sum of money from her employers to create the life she’d always wanted for herself. While driving to rendezvous with her lover, she stops at a motel run by a quiet but kind young man who seems dominated by his mother. But then…well, even I won’t spoil this classic for the uninitiated, suffice to say that the plot twists and turns to fascinating effect. Maybe we should continue this conversation after the jump.

“Rated R” for Reissue

Here’s a brief tidbit about a forthcoming rock title due for a reissue. NME reports that Queens of the Stone Age are readying a 10th anniversary re-release of their first major-label LP, Rated R, for a July release.

QotSA frontman Josh Homme – also a key member of in-demand supergroup Them Crooked Vultures with Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones – confirmed that the set would likely feature extra material such as non-LP tracks and unreleased live recordings, possibly from the group’s first visit to the famed Reading Festival in the U.K. from a decade before.

In the meantime, hit the jump to reacquaint yourself with the album, and a few possible bonus cuts to boot.