A strong week for ’80s acts as Bruce Springsteen‘s new compilation Chapter and Verse débuts at number 2 on the album chart, followed closely by Marillion‘s F E A R at number 4, with Billy Bragg and Joe Henry‘s Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad entering at 28. On the day the Rosetta probe crash lands on Comet 76P, Rosetta by Vangelis enters at 40; while a new compilation Red Red Wine: The Essential UB40 charts at 59.
This week The Beat featuring Ranking Roger release Bounce, billing it as their first album in over thirty years, regardless of the fact they’re only one of two separate splinter groups formed by original ’80s members of the band. Also back after a long absence are Swiss electro eccentrics Yello with Toy, their first album in seven years. Deacon Blue release a new album Believers with formats including a deluxe box set with a bonus disc and a cassette of a live show from 1988. There’s a new album by The Mission Another Fall From Grace and the Pixies are back with Head Carrier. Even Shakatak are back with new album Times and Places. Finally, this week’s desperate compilation Classic 80s Party throws together sixty tracks from the usual suspects plus a couple of curve balls like The Violent Femmes’ Blister in the Sun and They Might Be Giants’ Birdhouse in Your Soul, which is from 1990 but who’s counting?
