Disc One:
1. Joy Division - Digital
2. Cabaret Voltaire - Baader Meinhof
3. A Certain Ratio - All Night Party
4. OMD - Electricity (Original version)
5. Joy Division - She's Lost Control
6. The Distractions - Time Goes By So Slow
7. Joy Division - Transmission
8. The Durutti Column - Sketch For Summer
9. X-O-Dus - English Black Boys
10. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
11. A Certain Ratio - Shack Up
12. Section 25 - Girls Don't Count
13. Crawling Chaos - Sex Machine
14. A Certain Ratio - Flight
15. The Names - Night Shift
16. New Order - Ceremony (Original version)
17. Minny Pops - Dolphin's Spurt
18. John Dowie - It's Hard To Be An Egg
19. Crispy Ambulance - Deaf
20. Section 25 - Dirty Disco

Disc Two:
1. New Order - Everything's Gone Green
2. Tunnel Vision - Watching The Hydroplanes
3. The Durutti Column - Messidor
4. A Certain Ratio - Knife Slits Water (LP version)
5. Royal Family and the Poor - Art on 45
6. Swamp Children - Taste What's Rhythm
7. New Order - Temptation
8. 52nd Street - Cool As Ice
9. New Order - Blue Monday
10. Cabaret Voltaire - Yashar (John Robie Remix)
11. Quando Quango - Love Tempo
12. The Wake - Talk About The Past

Disc Three:
1. New Order - Confusion
2. Marcel King - Reach For Love
3. Section 25 - Looking from A Hilltop (Restructure)
4. Stockholm Monsters - All At Once
5. Life - Tell Me
6. Durutti Column - A Little Mercy (Duet)
7. James - Hymn From A Village
8. Kalima - Trickery
9. A Certain Ratio - Sounds Like Something Dirty
10. Quando Quango - Genius
11. Happy Mondays - Freaky Dancin'
12. Miaow - When It All Comes Down
13. The Railway Children - Brighter
14. Biting Tongues - Compressor
15. New Order - True Faith
16. Happy Mondays - 24 Hour PartyPeople

Disc Four:
1. New Order - Fine Time
2. Happy Mondays - W.F.L. (Think About The Future)
3. Revenge - Seven Reasons
4. Happy Mondays - Hallelujah (Club Mix)
5. Electronic - Getting Away With It
6. Happy Mondays - Step On
7. Northside - Shall We Take A Trip
8. England & New Order - World In Motion (Lionrock Remix)
9. Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro
10. The Durutti Column - Home
11. Electronic - Get The Message (DNA Remix)
12. Northside - Take 5
13. Cath Carroll - Moves Like You (Remix)
14. The Other Two - Tasty Fish (12" mix)
15. Happy Mondays - Sunshine and Love

(Seriously, this clip is totally NSFW. So don't click if you're in an office.)

Other notes from the interview he granted yesterday:

• He's getting in touch with himself again. "I love listening sessions, because it feels like Christmas Day when the parents get to see their kids open up the gifts. I feel like I try to give the gift of music. This album is based off the devastation and the hurt that I’ve felt the past year. All the hurt that I’ve felt within the past year from all the losses that I’ve endured, have sort of settled me into being this fucking super-famous alien, where everywhere I go, somebody wants a fucking photograph…it’s hard when you not really a celebrity, but you’re just a real person that ended up being famous for your craft."

• The Blueprint 3 is delayed until early '09, but Lil Wayne has a new record coming out soon. "It’s rumors of another album coming soon. I’m not gonna put that pressure on myself. I’m probably coming with another tour in June though. But, that’s where I’m at with my life right now. I really wanted to release this music, and I forced L.A. [Reid] to give me this release date. I was like, 'Don’t fuckin’ wait months and months to set it up. Just give people the music!' I’m constantly making music; we almost finished with Jay. Jay’s album is coming in February… There’s a new Wayne [click to read] with special packaging that’s coming before this Christmas is out. We’ve got a new record on there together. So we still got a bunch of shit."

• He's not behind all the leaks of his material. And he seems to have a healthy attitude about the current depressed sales climate! "Also, 'Robocop' is completely different on the album. 'Paranoid' is different. I did not leak those, and I did not leak the 'Heartless' video. Motherfuckers is leaking my shit. The only shit I leaked was 'Heartless' and 'Love Lockdown.' Them the only joints I actually put out. Basically, the label moved it up to get more sales and shit. If I get the sales, then cool. If I don't, then, hey... I'll have to bare the burden, because I've been a cocky motherfucker and talked my shit and all that. And the people would love to see me not sell...hey, it is what it is. That's the way life is, man. But hopefully I sell."

Speaking of leaks, a bunch of other tracks from the album leaked last night; nine of the allegedly eleven tracks are out there. I'm still partial to "Coldest Winter"—hey, wait a second, why didn't he mention Tears For Fears when he was listing his inspirations?

Breaking: Kanye Talks Album Leaks, Auto-Tune, And More [HipHopDX]
American Psycho - Entire Phil Collins Scene [YouTube]

Axl Rose's forever-in-the-making opus comes out the day before at Best Buy (thanks to the big-box store's release week), and while I suspect that first day will see a lot of sales, things will really heat up at week's end, thanks to Black Friday and its potential for people falling over themselves to score $49 DVD players for their friends and relatives. Who will "win" this battle is a bit up in the air—and much less fraught than the Kanye Versus Fifty Oh My God battle that we devoted so much virtual ink to last year—but I'm going to give the edge to Axl, thanks to the sorta-lukewarm response many self-proclaimed Kanye fans on the Internet have given to the already-leaked tracks, the extremely pent-up demand for this record (it has, after all, been 15 years of silence) and the likelihood that Best Buys everywhere will be filled with huge displays of the record. Now, if Detox somehow got into the mix, the story could be very different...

The best day for music this year? [HamptonRoads.com]

A CNN premiere! Everyone's getting into the bypassing-MTV act these days.

News [Backstreets.com via Billboard]
Bruce Springsteen - Workin' On A Dream [YouTube]

MINNEAPOLIS, October 22, 2008 – Best Buy and Geffen Records announced that one of the most highly anticipated albums of all time, Guns N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy, will be available beginning Nov. 23 at Best Buy and BestBuy.com on CD, vinyl, and digital downloads. The title track, the first single from the album, was released to radio today, October 22. Chinese Democracy is the first album of new material from one of rock’s most influential bands since the 1991 simultaneous releases of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II.

“The release of Chinese Democracy marks a historic moment in rock n’ roll,” said co-managers Irving Azoff and Andy Gould. “We’re launching with a monumental campaign developed by Gary Arnold and the Best Buy team that matches the groundbreaking sound of the album itself. Guns N’ Roses fans have every reason to celebrate, for this is only the beginning.”

“Chinese Democracy is one of the most highly anticipated albums in music history, and Best Buy is thrilled to deliver this explosive and previously elusive release to Guns N’ Roses fans. Longtime fans will be rewarded for their patience and loyalty to this great band, while a new generation of fans will be blown away,” said Gary Arnold, Senior Entertainment Officer for Best Buy. “Axl Rose is one of the most dynamic and gifted writers and performers in modern music. Best Buy is excited to work with Axl to make the release of Chinese Democracy THE musical event of 2008!”

“Guns N’ Roses is THE premier American rock band,” commented Steve Berman, President, Sales and Marketing, Interscope Geffen A&M Records. “Partnering with Gary and everyone at Best Buy to release one of rock’s most anticipated and legendary albums is truly a moment in music history. We’re thrilled to be able to announce that Chinese Democracy is coming, it’s coming this year, and it’s coming to Best Buy.”

Produced by Axl Rose and Caram Costanzo, the album, which will be released on Black Frog/Geffen Records, includes 14 tracks. “Shackler’s Revenge” debuted September 14 through the Rock Band 2 videogame and “If The World” can be heard in the film Body Of Lies, which premiered on October 11.

Chinese Democracy is being released in three formats: CD, Vinyl LP (with a free digital download of the tracks), and as a digital album. Pre-orders at www.BestBuy.com/chinesedemocracy begin today.

Guns N’ Roses Management Officially Announce “Chinese Democracy” Release, Formats [RS]

Last time we heard much from Eminem—in 2005—he served up a mixed bag of various bad signs, including insiders mumbling that he'd lost his ability to make hits somewhere. There are already some warning signs of impending disaster, with Elton John reportedly jetting to Detroit in order to work on some sort of duet/continued flogging of their show of solidarity at the 2001 Grammys. Still, Dr. Dre is taking care of the beats and apparently Eminem is focused on returning strong.

Detroit hip-hop artist Trick Trick, whose upcoming album "The Villain" includes contributions from Eminem, said the material he's heard is "old school with a new twist" — and finds the rapper embracing his early musical persona.

"I can tell you this much: Slim Shady is back. Not Marshall Mathers," he said. "Slim Shady, that jackass everybody fell in love with? Yeah, he's back."...

Eminem will arrive at a pop-music world in transition. Hip-hop sales are down, club music is morphing, the Top 40 demographic is older. His own fan base has matured: The class of '99 has its 30s in sight.

Despite that, said radio industry observer Sean Ross, the rapper will likely enjoy big-time buzz. At his peak, after all, Eminem "was the Rolling Stones of 1975 to a 17-year-old."

"It's certainly gotten harder, but at this moment, there's nothing else so phenomenal that he wouldn't get attention," Ross said.

To me, hearing the same misogyny and random bursts of juvenile hate speech from a 36-year-old man sounds like the worst listening experience ever. But who can explain the market these days? Maybe you can:

Eminem hits the mic again [Detroit Free Press]

While we have all individually expressed our positions on the candidates that we support we feel that many of the interviews and press for the record have skewed us into a partisan band. While it may be obvious where we stand. We never intended to be the band that shoved our ideas down peoples throats. We only hope people look at the bigger picture and investigate the issues further on their own.

While personally I feel this is a mushy-headed way to look like you're encouraging active participation while avoiding the hard work of taking a stance—sort of along the lines of that specious McDonald's "Vote: Any Reason Is A Good Reason" campaign I see on the sides of buses; you sure about that, Mayor McCheese?—fair enough, boys. Unfortunately FOB's attempt to not draw attention away from the election may have backfired with its underage fans:

i am soooooooooooo dissapointed

probably more thna the rest of u guys because the album was goin to come out on my BIRTHDAY i was soooo exited it was liek fate... but now :(:(

stupid american elections! damn you democracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 1:52pm on October 13th, 2008 by bigmac93

Stupid American elections, indeed! Call me when it's Nov. 5.

An Important Message from Fall Out Boy... [Fall Out Boy official site]

One independent chain told Undercover News that, “we have been able to order Black Ice in from Argentina for $8.25 per unit and will be able to sell it for less than the Wal-Mart price”.

The ease of buying from anywhere in the world makes a farce of the “exclusive deal”.

By forcing the real music stores to shop internationally for their stock, SonyBMG America will be the loser in the deal.

“We can buy from anywhere,” the store source said. “With technology and international accounts, if a major like SonyBMG America decides they don’t want to do business with us, we will do business with other territories. Why should we allow them to disadvantage our businesses and piss off our customers”.

The value of the US dollar right now has made it simple to do deals internationally and allow stores to shop for the best price.

Sure, the dollar has shown gains against the Aussie dollar recently, but last I checked, record sales were still kinda crappy, and small businesses weren't having the easiest time getting credit that they could then blow on multiple import copies of a single album by a band whose last album didn't even crack the seven-figures-sold mark. And it came out in the diamond-award-encrusted heyday of 2000! Wouldn't it be cheaper for these shops to hold their noses and use Wal-Mart as the wholesaler, the way independent record stores did with the Eagles album last year? And, more importantly, is this story overblown "reportage," or another piece of evidence that the nation's independent record-store owners may not be as good at this whole "business" thing as you'd think?

AC/DC Wal-Mart Deal Gets Thunderstruck [Undercover]

01. Wake Up New York (Intro)
02. Most Kings
03. Hades (Lucifer Pt. II)
04. Eternal Jewels (ft. Jay Electronica) [prod. by Jay Electronica]
05. Blueprint 3
06. Lucy (ft. Chris Martin)
07. The Audacity of Dope
08. S.L.U. Pt. 2 (ft. Nas, Andre 3000, and Young Jeezy)
09. Election Night (We believe in Obama)
10. Just Memories
11. Apostate (ft. Eminem) [prod. by Eminem]
12. Oasis
13. My Brothers Keeper (ft. Scarface)
14. Brooklyn Lost
15. Weeds & Concrete
16. Without Rain

David Cook
RELEASE DATE: Nov. 18.
LEAD SINGLE: Undetermined.
WHAT THE TITLE CAN TELL US ABOUT THE RECORD: The American Idol powers that be hope that you can remember David Cook after all these months.
BURNING QUESTIONS: Will the success—or failure—of Cook's album, which will be something of a departure for Idol coronation records as far as it being more guitar-based and less straight-up pop, result in the judges being more (or less) kind to post-grungers during the course of the competition? Did anyone at 19 Entertainment decide that Cook collaborating with Hinder was a good idea? (Please say no.)

The Killers, Day & Age
RELEASE DATE: Officially, "late November," although some sources have it pegged for Nov. 26.
LEAD SINGLE: "Human."
WHAT THE TITLE CAN TELL US ABOUT THE RECORD: I'm hoping that it's not the idea that their new sound is a fusion of Days Of The New and No Age, which is what popped into my head when I first saw the title.
BURNING QUESTIONS: Will the critical drubbing of the 2006 outing Sam's Town result in the Killers playing it safe on their third record? Is there going to be a slow grower as good as "Read My Mind" on this new album? And, finally, is "Human" going to be a cover of this Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis-produced classic?

(I actually think Brandon Flowers' voice would sound terrific on this song. Here's hoping!)

Britney Spears, Circus
RELEASE DATE: Dec. 2.
LEAD SINGLE: "Womanizer"
WHAT THE TITLE CAN TELL US ABOUT THE RECORD: You thought her whole VMA appearance was built on a sandpile of meta? You ain't seen nothing yet.
BURNING QUESTIONS: Will having Spears somewhat involved in the process of making the album result in another peppy dancepop album like Blackout, or will the world be treated to an album full of her explaining just what happened over the past two years over robotic beats by the likes of Danja and Dr. Luke? Did someone at Sony jokingly float the idea of her reprising her infamous Upskirt Incident Of 2006 in order to "poke fun" at her past, and was said suggestion taken seriously? Will bringing her back together with Max Martin result in gold being struck once again?

Looking at headlines from the past few weeks, both music-business-related and not, only adds to the feeling of uneasiness. The biggest brick-and-mortar retailer, Wal-Mart, is planning to whittle down its music-related floor space—and lesser music retailers like Borders are following suit; the economy's seemingly growing more sour; and the idea of MySpace Music sweeping in and saving the music world is looking less and less likely. Not to mention that in an increasingly crowded cultural space, it's harder than ever to break a new act—and even if something does hit a consciousness beyond niche appeal, album sales aren't a given, as Katy Perry's soft album sales and Atlantic's experimenting with Estelle have shown.

So big-name artists like the ones who are releasing all these albums are in a way safer for the bottom line, although one could argue that the number of times I've had to use the word "disappointing" when it comes to record sales lately might be an indicator that especially now, there's no such thing as a sure thing. And if any significant number of these albums should tank, the prospect of tumbleweeds rolling around the majors' release schedules in the earliest months of 2009 is even more real.

New Beyonce Album Arriving In November [Billboard]