Vivabeat
Wild World: Live in Los Angeles 1980-84
(Liberation Hall)
The past few years have helped make Vivabeat, a short-lived LA new wave band, ripe for rediscovery: initially with a reissued studio album and compilation (Party in the War Zone, The House is Burning); and now, with its first live album.
Surviving bassist/primary songwriter Mick Muhlfriedel admirably brought some old live tapes up to speed using modern technology for this release. Recorded at The Whisky, Lhasa Club, and FM Station, these raw performances convey how Vivabeat was a spirited cross between Duran Duran and Berlin with a dash of Bryan Ferry, thanks to the late Terrance Robay’s stylish vocal delivery.
Highlights include a hyper “Pop Girl,” entrancing “Gray Gray Gray,” “The House is Burning” and hypnotic “Man from China.” Additionally, there are two rarities on this digital release: “Glisse le Rat” and “I’m Right.”
Info: liberationhall.com
The Blasters
Rare Blasts: Studio Outtakes and Movie Music 1979-1985
(Liberation Hall)
Arriving on Record Store Day (April 18), Rare Blasts is an entertaining compilation that was originally part of a 2025 career box set. It features rootsy, rollicking outtakes from the Phil and Dave Alvin-led, Downey band’s studio albums American Music, Nonfiction, and Hard Line, plus the Streets of Fire soundtrack.
John Doe of X, Stan Lynch (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), and soul singer Bobby King (Bruce Springsteen) are among the guests. Standouts include “Kathleen,” “Flat Top Joint,” and famed rock ‘n’ roll songwriters Lieber & Stoller’s “One Bad Stud.” The formats encompass limited edition translucent cobalt blue vinyl, CD, and digital. The label also reissued each studio album with archival photos and liner notes essays by veteran journalist Chris Morris. In the Rare Blasts liners, Dave Alvin says this about "Kathleen": "It's the best Blasters track we ever cut." All the reissues are highly recommended.
Info: liberationhall.com
Pretty in Pink
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(UMe)
A stellar Eighties soundtrack, Pretty in Pink is newly reissued on vinyl to commemorate the classic John Hughes film’s 40th anniversary. The gorgeous, limited edition pink LP variant features previously unavailable from Otis Redding ("Try a Little Tenderness") and Talk Back ("Rudy") tunes and a gatefold sporting multiple film stills of stars Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer, James Spader and others.
Certified gold soon after release, the track list includes a bumper crop of alt-rock/new wave acts like OMD (top 5 pop hit “If You Leave,” written for the movie), New Order (top 20 dance single “Shellshock”), Psych Furs (the title track which loosely inspired the script), Echo & the Bunnymen (a sublime "Bring on the Dancing Horses," also written for the movie), The Smiths (A short, but sweet "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"), INXS (the funky "Do Wot You Do"), and more. Hughes, often heavily involved in his excellent soundtracks, said the Pretty in Pink music “was not an afterthought.” It definitely showed here [Note: the standard black LP edition contains the original track listing].
Info: udiscovermusic.com, thesoundofvinyl.us
George Paul
