OMD

OMD are currently on tour in North America with B-52’s and Berlin.

This week: reviews of new albums from Sonny & The Sunsets, Unlikely Friends and Holiday Ghosts, plus new Slumberland band Jeanines, more Wannadies reissues, and a British synthpop comp.

The B-52’s are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year — their classic debut LP came out in 1979 — with a big tour that also includes synthpop icons OMD as well as fellow ’80s-era band Berlin on most dates.

This week: the brilliantly bonkers debut album from audiobooks; OMD vinyl reissues; the new album from synthpop vets Blancmange; the haunting debut single from London’s POZI; and Norwegian house producer Bjorn Torske.

This week in the basement: a box set of Liverpool post-punk; German shoegazers Jaguwar; two duos featuring members of classic UK indie groups; and more.

It’s officially End-of-the-Year list season as Rough Trade Shops — always first out of the gate — have announced their Top 100 Albums of 2017…

Plus: check out an “extended mix” of album highlight “What Have We Done.”

The veteran synthpop band’s new album Punishment of Luxury is out September 1.

Also includes Passion Pit, Death Cab, The Decemberists, Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Ryan Adams, Cheap Trick, Weird Al, and… Sir Mix-A-Lot, plus many more.

Last year, The Barenaked Ladies went on the “Last Summer on Earth” tour with Violent Femmes and Colin Hay. It remains to be seen whether the earth will see another summer (probably), but they must think there will be as BNL are doing another Last Summer on Earth tour this year, and will be bringing out a couple ’80s synthpop vets — OMD and Howard Jones — this time…