I listened many times to that snippet Midge put on Twitter back in autumn, but these last 10 seconds from the new snippet just sound astonishing, guess the title track will be a masterpiece!

Release date in Belgium is May 25th, lucky me!

Couldn't listen at work earlier (IT aka local Fun Police block YouTube ) so have just managed to watch and (more importantly listen) to the video clip.

Are we excited yet?

What do you think, folks?

edo, you're a lucky Voxer! Hopefully the micro-site/iTunes etc will have previews, otherwise we're looking your way to give us your opinion!

Very exciting! Title track sounds great (well the tiny snippet does anyway! lol). It might end up being one of the most respected releases of the year! I'm guessing its going to deserve some major recognition. Goooooooooo!

Watched the clip a couple of times after I got home this evening and it gave me goose bumps each time, just like when I first viewed it this morning. The snippet at the end is stonking. I haven't been this excited about a new album release since... about half my life ago.

Never lost my faith!
So stunning! So Ultravox!
For a split of a second I thought I was listening to... New Europeans.

Told you the album title makes more sense once you've heard (a bit of) the title track!

too right Cerise!!!

OhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGod!! Are they gonna pick tour dates that coincide w/olympics, or am I confused? Oh wait, maybe I'm not...

Hearing that clip is like hearing from a long lost friend for the first time in 28 years....

Listened to the track over and over again just not impressed first part is old ultravox very interesting 2nd part very midge ure solo its like "uvox" meets "pure" albums I will wait and hear the full track. The track thats sounds very like JM jarre sounds fantastic mixed feelings at the moment.

Will there be TV advertising of the album and singles as well?

Not to me...if the song is a critique of the X Factor dominated music industry, then I think it's quite appropriate and in the spirit of classic Ultravox. For example, some of the lyrics on Lament were very topical at the time...on White China and Heart Of The Country for instance.

I do agree with you, simon cowells manipulation of music is abhorent. I do think this album will be a million times better than U-VOX by the fact that warren has returned with his drums and percussion to the mix. The slight apprehension is because of U-VOX, the other track thats available on the net is fantastic its a bit like JM JARRE stuff but better, looking forward to hearing the full album though.

I agree with you Phil,the way that music went between the very late 80's and now is terrible, with only the occasional little grains of something worth listening to until the 80's decided to make a comeback,during the void (88-2011) I would be lucky to have bought 6-8 brand new albums in those 20 odd years,most of those were by a 70's/80's metal band,the other was Stiltskins' "The Minds'Eye" ,that says it all really, a shocking endictment on the music scene in that time which got steadily worse IMHO.Now that Ultravox,Duran Duran et al have come back to steer the wayward ship from a collision course with Port Cowell,I can only hope it'll start to turn round and get back on track.

You reckon? Much as we may love 'em I really reckon the music industry doesn't give a monkeys that Ultravox are back. I wish that what you say does become reality but I doubt it.

But at least we will enjoy it!

:-)

No arguement about the XFuctor stuff but the late 80s and 90's gave us the Indie music scene as a reaction to the stadium bands of the 80.s We got Iris, Interpol, Editors, Wolfshiem and more recently Mirrors thru that period. There has been some good music last 20 years....albeit somewhat on the margins..

I suspect that you're right, Si...

I agree. I don't have any expectations of hearing much airplay or 'chart' success other than maybe an initial burst of interest (and this will depend on how much promotion EMI do as well). I hope to be wrong, but much more important is the idea that I will have a new Ultravox CD (and maybe vinyl album?) in my hands... and another tour. When just 4 years ago even the thought of all 4 original members being in the same room seemed pretty unlikely.
I get the impression (and I could be utterly wrong or very naive) that the band have done this very much for themselves and their fans, because they wanted to. But not being motivated by commercial success, or it being secondary, means more freedom to create what you want to create, and to me that just adds to the excitement.
If they have generated in an Ultravox style anything approching the energy and enthusiasm that we all saw on the RTE tours, we should be in for a treat surely?

Totally agree that the return of Ultravox isnt going to set the general music world alight. I suspect a similar result to the OMD "History of Modern" album. One week in the top 50 , and then nothing. But the reunion isnt being done for commercial sucess

Well I'm sure they wouldn't say 'no' if it was a commercial success but the volumes are unlikely to be anything near what they would have experienced even with The Pink Thing. Perhaps a few thousand copies of the CD will be pressed up and a very limited run of vinyl if we are lucky. Then there will be the various digital downloads.

I'm not trying to talk the release down since I am genuinely excited about it and would love a CD copy, an LP and a 24 bit/96khz release in some format (DVD/Blu Ray/Download). If they are available I will buy them all!

The music industry cares enough that this is happening through a major label, unlike anything Midge or Billy (or the critically hailed John Foxx and the Maths) have done. That said, I don't expect much radio play or chart success. And none on this side of the Atlantic.

When I heard that the title would be Brilliant I thought "Hmmmmm could be asking for trouble from some sections of the music press" but then it's part of a tradition of one-word titles: Vienna, Quartet, Monument, Lament, TPT and even Revelation and Ingenuity. Come to think of it, there's never been an Ultravox album title with more than three words.

OMD returned with an excellent album a while back and, whilst it didn't set the charts aflame, it sold a good few copies to the fanbase. May I suggest that EMI set up a stall to sell CD copies of the album at the gigs? I suspect that many 'casual' fans who bought the hit singles in the 80s are not signed up to the newsletter and don't know about Brilliant. Many punters will be going to the gigs from a feeling of nostalgia and aren't necessarily rabid fanatics like us lot. Come on the lads!!

Looking at the clip of "Brilliant" in the making, It seemed a very relaxed atmosphere. None of this having to get the album done by a certain deadline, because we've a 2-3 album contract. The guys actually looked as if they were doing the album because they actually WANTED to do it. Can't wait for the release!

Yep, I think so too!

You've got a point Si! However,as I'm marking off the days until I get my paws on a copy,it appears I'm working myself into an impatient mess!! Right,I'm bailing out,,,,off tae the pub for the rest of the night! catch up with all you lovely folks later!!!

I really can't wait for this release. In the meantime I would be interested to know about the development of the album. For example,at any time did Midge,Billy,Chris and Warren actually all write and record together in the studio at the same time. From the snippets of info that I've picked up Midge, Billy and Chris recorded stuff together in Canada. Certainly Midge went to see Warren in Los Angeles whilst drums and percussion were recorded. Did the four of them get together at some point to work on the album. I'm kind of hoping that Warren and Chris are on backing vocals on the album. I used to like the contrast between Midge's lead vocals and Warren and Chris' backing vocals. However by the time of Lament Midge was handling backing vocals as well. I missed that contrast.Not a moan,just a personal preference.Roll on the end of May!!

Much as I love Midge's vocals, I'm hoping for a track with Warren on lead (Mr X/ Paths and Angles next gen)...

Sory if this has been posted before but it explains a bit more about some of the songs Here is the link: http://hangout.altsounds.com/news/146185-ultravox-brilliant-brand-studio-album-scenes.html