New Wave Outpost Forum

This 'new' 5 track EP just came up on my Spotify recommends, it was released about a week or so ago. You just never know what you are going to get with these mixes of classic songs (especially ones you love from the day) but I'm really enjoying these versions, especially as they mostly stick to the original track. Only the Tiny Magnetic Pets steer away with their mix, and though I like them as a band their mix isn't something I'd play much. Overall, not bad at all!

Edit:
Additional: I'd totally missed this news! Probably old news to many on here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIWHaxcL1xQ

Sounds good. Lets hope that they set aside their differences and come up with fresh new material as well and record a full length album. But for now the orchestral album Ascension will do, similar to what Visage did a few years back.

I was so happy to see all 4 members back together again. Couldn't get into Mike Score and his new band. Hope this also results in a cool brand new album.

Besides the fact that Space Age Love Song is my second best AFOS song, this version with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra is great too...

Saw the documentary and hopefully 'good things' can happen again. Maybe.

yep, waiting on the new orchestral album.

will be a different sound for them.

later
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I was always lukewarm on AFOS. Without Paul Reynolds they held zero fascination for me. With Paul Reynolds back and an orchestra, and with John Bryan and Sare Havlicek producing I am confident that it will sound superb. I may have to get the album as my capitulation to AFOS - finally. The label is also selling a 5xCD box for $59 with four extra CDS of instrumental/orchapella versions, as well as the band re-recording their hits without the orchestra [also available as a DL album called "Aurora Borealis"], and the 8 track "Space Age Love Song" single. Only the box will contain "Aurora Borealis" on CD disc. Autographed postcards will be part of the bundle. Too rich for my blood but the orchestral commercial CD looks interesting. I was a much bigger Visage fan so I pounced on their bundle a few years ago.

postpunkmonk wrote:I was always lukewarm on AFOS. Without Paul Reynolds they held zero fascination for me. With Paul Reynolds back and an orchestra, and with John Bryan and Sare Havlicek producing I am confident that it will sound superb. I may have to get the album as my capitulation to AFOS - finally. The label is also selling a 5xCD box for $59 with four extra CDS of instrumental/orchapella versions, as well as the band re-recording their hits without the orchestra [also available as a DL album called "Aurora Borealis"], and the 8 track "Space Age Love Song" single. Only the box will contain "Aurora Borealis" on CD disc. Autographed postcards will be part of the bundle. Too rich for my blood but the orchestral commercial CD looks interesting. I was a much bigger Visage fan so I pounced on their bundle a few years ago.

thanks for the heads up. will be getting the box set.

the link is here:
http://www.augustday.net/


A Flock Of Seagulls: Ascension Limited Edition Box [ADAY 040]

Disc 1: Ascension [orchestral album]
Disc 2: Ascension [instrumental versions]
Disc 3: Ascension [orchapella mix]
Disc 4: Aurora Borealis – The Greatest Hits [re-recorded without orchestra]
Disc 5: Space Age Love Song CD single

later
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my short review:
---------------------
A Flock Of Seagulls [With The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra]: Ascension UK CD/DL [2018]

I Ran [Orchestral Version]
Modern Love Is Automatic [Orchestral Version]
Telecommunication [Orchestral Version]
Space Age Love Song [Orchestral Version]
Ascension
Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) [Orchestral Version]
Nightmares [Orchestral Version]
DNA [Orchestral Version]
Electrics [Orchestral Version]
Transfer Affection [Orchestral Version]
The More You Live, The More You Love [Orchestral Version]
Man Made [Orchestral Version]

if you don’t think the orchestral versions wont work, then this isn’t for you, so you should probably listen to the release without it.

i was skeptical too, especially after the disaster that was the midge ure release, and most other ones. only the pet shop boys and abc, are suited for an orchestra. i haven’t heard the visage,so i can’t judge that one. echo is coming out with one too, and ocean rain, was pretty decent.

anyways, the slower songs, and midtempo ones work out well, along with the radical reworkings of i ran, and wishing. i think it’s a good fit and most of the songs are ok. ascension is a 1 min 12 sec interlude, so nothing new there.

the guitar work is excellent. and i will be getting the deluxe set to check out the instrumentals and other versions.

overall, it’s a good release, and the song selection is limited to the first 3 albums, and covers most but not all of their singles. i wish they had done ‘never again the dancer’, but oh well. the only other problem is most of the songs are way too short. the main singles that everyone knows are well done, and ‘space age love song’ is a good single for song that had a basic release.

good job on this project, and hopefully there might be some more music from the original members. we’ll see.

later
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Great review. The samples make want to buy the boxset. I wonder if it will be a collectors item? It helps when it is not on digital download or file sharing sites.
I love AFOS, even the fourth album had some good moments and the b side eclipse of the sun was brilliant.
Many bands are doing this now but you are right that only some suit the arrangements. ABC for sure. I don't know why they haven't yet. Maybe also Alphaville and even perhaps OMD.

humanracer wrote:Great review. The samples make want to buy the boxset. I wonder if it will be a collectors item? It helps when it is not on digital download or file sharing sites.
I love AFOS, even the fourth album had some good moments and the b side eclipse of the sun was brilliant.
Many bands are doing this now but you are right that only some suit the arrangements. ABC for sure. I don't know why they haven't yet. Maybe also Alphaville and even perhaps OMD.

both the pet shop boys and
abc, they have:
--------------------------------------

For the pet shop boys – concrete live with the bbc orchestra, i don’t even like most of the songs, but boy do they sound good with an orchestra:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_ ... Boys_album)
https://www.discogs.com/Pet-Shop-Boys-C ... ster/30778

For ABC: look online or youtube for ABC – lexicon of love live with an orchestra,
toronto or this one:
In April 2009, ABC performed The Lexicon of Love album live at the Royal Albert Hall, accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Anne Dudley of Art of Noise, who arranged and played keyboards on the original record, conducted the performance.

or officially – the box within the box, lexicon of love 2 – with a live DVD of them at
Drury lane with an orchestra
https://www.discogs.com/ABC-The-Box-Ins ... se/9558641

psb in 2012:
https://soundcloud.com/rgvilela/pet-sho ... ncert-with
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/pet-shop ... a437e.html

also for ABC : They played live with the BBC orchestra in 2017
look on youtube for lots of clips
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/abc/2017 ... 68173.html

later
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OMD have done Proms tours in Germany and have had a pair of one-off dates with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The first of these gigs was released as a 2xDVD in 2009:

https://www.discogs.com/Orchestral-Mano ... se/2317911

The second of these special shows will happen later this year to commemorate their 40th year:

http://www.omd.uk.com/news/40th-anniver ... nic-shows/

I would expect another DVD or at least a CD of the latter show.