OMD - History of Modern Tour - Live In Berlin

OMD's History of Modern album was one of my favourites of last year, a real masterclass in how to do synthpop well. After all, as one of the chief innovators of the sound back in the early 80s, you'd expect them to know a thing or two about it.

The band are now set to release a live CD of the album's accompanying tour, recorded at The Tempodrome in Berlin on the 18th November.

As a special limited collectors edition, the CD also comes with an exclusive embossed book featuring photos and lyrics. It all sounds very glossy and fabulous indeed! As does this brilliant taster track from the album, a live version of the band's most recent single: History of Modern (Part 1).

The History of Modern Tour - Live In Berlin CD is released on the 8th August and can be pre-ordered here.

History of Modern (part I) - Taken from 'OMD Live in Berlin' by 100% Records

Nicola Roberts - Lucky Day (Live Video)

The place - Metro Radio Live - and Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts is giving the audience an exclusive performance of the song which will apparently become her second solo single, following Beat Of My Drum.

Entitled Lucky Day, I hear the track was produced in collaboration with electro-poppers Dragonette. From what I can make out in this clip, it sounds far closer to the sound many expected from Nicola when it was first announced she was going solo; those big, epic synth-ballads she did so well as part of Girls Aloud.

We've already had a taste of extra Nicola with Beat Of My Drum's excellent b-side, Porcelain Heart, and judging by Lucky Day, her debut album looks set to be absolutely out-of-this-world-amazing.