Robyn Loau is in the process of possibly the most drawn out comeback in musical history. The former Girlfriend frontwoman/all around Australian pop legend got the ball rolling way back in 2007 with "She Devil" (an event I celebrated here). Since then the delicious diva has recorded a theme song for The Biggest Loser, released an album originally recorded in 1997 and lent her vocals to a dance track about school bullying. Oh and she also blessed the Pop Panel with her fabulous presence. However, all of these activities were side projects. After three years of delays, Robyn is finally ready to unveil the official lead single from her comeback album "Only Human" and was kind enough to send me an exclusive sneak peak. "Never Let You Down" not only has the best cover art of 2010 (above), it's also the best song Robyn has recorded in over a decade. Penned by the 90s icon and Cameron McGlinchey (ex-Rogue Traders), the gritty pop/rock anthem reminds me of her seminal classic "Sick With Love". Only angrier and more upbeat. I also think the song is probably somewhat autobiographical given the bitter aftermath of Robyn's recent divorce - he tried to have her passport suspended, she tweeted about his deformed penis! Strike this up as another point for team Loau. "Never Let You Down" hits radio on the 27th of September with an iTunes release to follow shortly thereafter. Check out my exclusive preview below. Welcome back!
Welcome to possibly the weirdest Pop Panel yet. I'm not really talking about the song selection (although it is very random) but the judging. There's always a broad spectrum of opinion but we usually agree on a couple of tracks. Not this week. There were a lot of 5/5 ratings - albeit all for different artists! It's probably my fault. This is the first time I've just submitted 8 songs that I really like without any consideration for big new releases and hyped tracks. My taste is notoriously... eclectic, so I should have expected something like this! Anyway, I really love the winner and think she's a true Pop Trash Addicts diva. The following bloggers helped determine our deserving champion:
Even more exciting is the participation of one of my favourite Australian divas - the fierce and fabulous Robyn Loau. Robyn has featured on my blog many, manytimes over the years and I'm proud to welcome her as a celebrity guest judge. In case you've been living under a rock or are 12 years old, Robyn first came to fame in Australia as part of the legendary girlband Girlfriend. Take a walk down memory lane and check out their stunning #1 hit "Take It From Me". When those ladies parted ways (random fact - Siobhan is now a pole dancing instructor!), Robyn embarked upon her solo career and delivered one of the seminal pop tracks of the late 90s, the still amazing "Sick With Love". The diva's latest offering is a very unexpected change of pace. Robyn has teamed up with Josh Abrahams (of "Addicted To Bass" fame) for a dance track about the Columbine high school shootings! The song comes from Robyn's forthcoming second solo album. Check out the brilliant clip below and download it from iTunes now. I guess, it's time to get on with the judging. As usual the songs are listed from least to most popular.
This popular Dutch girlband filmed their video on location in... Morocco!
D'Luv: This makes that worthless hooker who sang "My Ass" sound like Maria Callas. 0/5 Mike: It's so refreshing to see a group of happy-go-lucky sluts dance around to a tacky party anthem without being styled to within an inch of their lives. I love them! 3.5/5 Paul: I'm not really sure what to make of this. It sounds a bit dated and a lot like something else but I can't really put my finger on what. It's still a million times more interesting than the Saturdays comeback song so it gets a 3/5. Poster Girl: Most of the Panel is going to hate this, aren't they? 3/5 Rob: I love Djumbo but Caracola got there first. This is sweet though. I'm not sure this is gonna travel well though with stories in the press regarding the relative strict religious regulations on parties. Nice attempt though. I would have picked Majorca though. They don't tend lock up gays there. 2/5 Robyn Loau: This track & video clip really gives me an insight to what it would be like to be blonde, skinny (with a sugar daddy)..."PARTY PARTY HO"!! 1/5 Tommie: Oh, they're singing about their hooking experiences in Dubai? I hear tranny cock is quite expensive there, so good for them! 4/5 Total: 16.5/35
UK cult icon Marc Massive is back with a cover of the Depeche Mode classic "Master & Servant".
D'Luv: Who tossed Pete Burns' slumped-over carcass into a shopping cart and wheeled him up to a microphone again? 1/5 Mike: Fuck off, haters! This is brilliant. I can almost smell the lube and leather in the air. Enjoy this anthem from the comfort of a sling in your favourite S&M dungeon. 5/5 Paul: Oooh Depeche Mode are the band to cover this year aren't they? Red Blooded Women, The Saturdays and now Massive Ego who sound more like Depeche Mode than Depeche Mode currently do! I'm always up for a good old S&M session (the tune, pervs!) and I suppose this is what the song would sound like if Marilyn Manson covered it. Not awful per se. 2.5/5 Poster Girl: Depeche Mode are one of those groups whose songs I tend to love in any modern incarnation--cover, sample--but of whom I've never listened to an album, which says a lot about both the quality of their songwriting and how, to my ears, the songs benefit from modern production. I kind of like this, but maybe we could just cut to the chase and have DepecheMode*Teens instead? 2.5/5 Rob: Okay, I really like this. For sure it's a cover, but this is how pop should be these days even when the texture of the sound isn't necessarily original. I love a bit of electroclash. It's also nice to hear the band tease out some early 90's-esque house wonderful trinkets of baselines in this pop polemic. Well done! 3/5 Robyn Loau: I think I'd need to take enormous amounts of drugs to really get the full effect of this track, but I'm currently breastfeeding so...no can do, boys! 3/5 Tommie: Fuck off and die. This Marilyn Manson wannabe does not even deserve to exist in the same universe as the awesome Depeche Mode! I feel aurally raped. 0/5 Total: 17/35
The Australian electro keeps on coming with the 4th single from EOTS’s debut album.
D'Luv: Daft Punk did this song ten times better. It's called "Digital Love." And, sorry, kids, but doing white-haired Adam Lambert drag in the video doesn't make the music any better. 1/5 Mike: Empire Of The Sun are one of my favourite bands but this is a curious single choice. It's a bit too soft and atmospheric for radio and too slow for the clubs but I do love it. 4/5 Paul: God the first forty seconds are some of the most boring pretentious music I've ever heard but then mercifully it gets marginally more interesting. Not much though. 2/5 Poster Girl: I put this on play while I was doing something else and was surprised when what felt like twenty seconds later I heard it fading out. If I force myself to focus, there are things I like, but if it's so easy for a song to blend into the background when there is no other background noise, I don't think I can justify giving it as high a score as I'd like. 2.5/5 Rob: Finally some class. This is one of my favourite songs from "Walking On A Dream". It's more subdued than their previous epic singles but this subtlety is its warmest element. Sometimes you don't have to scream it - you just have to whisper. 5/5 Robyn Loau: Nice art direction in this clip. I've always had a thing for blond haired/blue eyed guys... I wonder if he'd go out on a date with me? 3/5 Tommie: Did he just sing "no, no sheeps at all"? Are they from New Zealand? I do not approve of fucking animals, thank you very much! 0/5 Total: 17.5/35
@m8er – Kill The Bitch (Below)
Sydney’s @m8er is generating controversy with her debut single – which lists the celebrities she would like to kill.
D'Luv: This chav broad should go to England and visit Lady Sovereign, because that pussy ain't gonna eat itself. 1/5 Mike: I can't help feel that @m8er is jackin' CC Martini's swagga but I'll forgive her for producing the year's first LOL-worthy anthem. I sense a future Pop Trash icon in the making. 5/5 Paul: Oh. My God. Not only has she stolen the riff from MJ's "They Don't Care About Us", but the feisty little minx isn't pulling her punches lyrically either. I don't know whether to be horrified or highly amused so I will go for the latter. As someone on youtube commented, personally i'd like to fuck this song up the ass! What a compliment! The song is actually shit, but just for the audacity of it... 4.5/5 Poster Girl: 3 points awarded for a good beat, 1 deducted for awful, lazy lyrics, and 1 more for @m8er's noncomittal singing style - if you're going to be engaging in a controversy-courting list of all the ways you'd like to kill people, shouldn't there be some more vitriol in it? Sorry, but the girls you're listing off here have released better singles than this. That beat is worth rescuing, though. 1/5 Rob: Ah, I am absolutely sick of this sort of crap. Give this silly excuse for a human being a Simone de Beauvoir book. I mean it's sorta funny to hear celebrities being ripped to shreds but this attempt has been heard and seen all before. It would nice to see another woman celebrating her sisters rather than appropriate male heterosexist norms in a feeble bid to annihilate the successes of her very own gender. 0/5 Robyn Loau: Yes @m8er, these girls are annoying. Respect goes to anyone that can rebel against being politically correct. 3/5 Tommie: NOW we're talking! It's catchy, controversial and lyrically funny! This is what Pop Trash Addicts is all about. 5/5 Total: 19.5/35
Elly just punched another hole in the ozone layer getting her hair ready for La Roux's latest video.
D'Luv: I love this broad for the fact that, like Lady GaGa, she's reviving flamboyancy in pop. (That's right, haters — GaGa's gonna fuck you into the ground!) The song's a 4/5, but it gets an extra point for Elly's hair. 5/5 Mike: I like this song because it reminds me of La Toya. 3/5 Paul: Sigh. I just don't like her or her cheap casio sounding pop at all. Which makes it quite difficult for me to review this song. I don't hear anything innovative or particularly enjoyable for me here, Ugh, no I can't even get to the end of it, but thousands disagree with me, so I'm sure La Poux won't lose any sleep over it! 1/5 Poster Girl: Elly and Ben's steel drums and super-kitschy electro bleeps are entertaining for three minutes, but the song doesn't have any real sticking power for me. Listening to the rest of this week's singles got me to give this song an extra half point, though. 3/5 Rob: Everything about this grates on me. 1/5 Robyn Loau: This track has that "computer geek working in home/bedroom studio sound" to it & that's why I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! 5/5 Tommie: Yes, I get it, she's so androgynous, alternative and cool and I should like her. But I'm indifferent. And despite her trying to win me over with a La Toya reference, I'm not buying it. 2/5 Total: 20/35
Melbourne based pop duo switch things up with a ballad for their 4th single.
D'Luv: The only thing that keeps this from being completely dull is the fact that it sorta rips off Hole's "Malibu." Otherwise, it gets a little painful. 2/5 Mike: I love Dash & Will. Their album is amazing and this is a great little single. I just wish they'd hurry up and release "Too Young Too Dumb" and get the commercial breakthrough they so richly deserve. 4/5 Paul: How unassumingly charming. I mean it doesn't come out and hit you over the head as a brilliant song, but it's not entirely awful either. Sounds like the type of song the CW network execs would be clamouring over themselves to put in the new Melrose Place. All a bit pleasant really with no real va va voom. 2.5/5 Poster Girl: Pleasantly - but not more - sung, pleasantly - but no more - written female-vocalled singer-songwriter song that, without any sort of entry point for me, has gone in one ear and out the other. 2/5 Rob: Somewhat like watching paint dry. 2/5 Robyn Loau: I had seen their "Out Of Control" video on TV and thought that it was much more PAINFUL than this 4th single which I actually like very much. Great line... "sometimes it gets a little painful, cause it's real!" Well done, girls. I'm a sucker for pop! 4/5 Tommie: This actually reminds me of something No Doubt would record in 1996 - and that's no insult. Surprisingly good pop/rock tune. 4/5 Total: 20.5/35
Ozone's Dan "Crazy Loop" Balan returns with a typically quirky pop tune. The Romanian sensation gets a UK release in October.
D'Luv: Who needs the Beatles when we have this rock legend creating another smashing pop anthem? I'd bang this guy, but only if he's wearing the Domino's Pizza outfit. 5/5 Mike: An instant seratonin boost. It's great to have Dan back with his own unique brand of fabulous non-sensical lyrics and outrageous fashion. More please! 4/5 Paul: I was actually expecting some dreadful novelty hit sounding tune, not this quite accomplished electro pop tune that just charms from start to finish. I know I'm a bit schizophrenic when it comes to liking eurotrash pop dance tunes - I either get them (this one) or I don't (Kim Sozzi). So overall, I'm quite chuffed with this. Wonder whether he busts any of those moves in the sack?! 4/5 Poster Girl: Dan Balan's ditching of the guitars and returning to the Europop fold means more joyous synths and ridiculous yodeling-style vocal melodies, which is really what he's meant to be doing. It's do "Dragostea din tei," but really, what is? 4/5 Rob: Wow this is trashy. As in it's shit. 1/5 Robyn Loau: Well, I couldn't stop smiling throughout this clip so I guess it's got something going for it. I love the fact that this guy can dance. 2/5 Tommie: When I first saw "Mm-Ma-Ma" in the title I for some reason just assumed it would sample "Surfin' Bird" and automatically be amazing, but no one has thought of that idea yet it seems (JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE). As it is now, it's a bit of a novelty song and nothing special. 2/5 Total: 22/35
American dance queen's latest floorfiller is starting to get mainstream top 40 airplay.
D'Luv: Proof that boring dance music doesn't just come from Germany. Despite an okay beat, this is really a snooze. Of course, looking over the rest of this week's offerings, I see the worst is yet to come. 2/5 Mike: I used to think Kim was the poor man's Kristine W, which is probably as low as it's humanly possible to go. Thankfully, "Feel Your Love" has finally slapped some sense into me. This is one of the year's best dance tracks - pretty, floaty and instantly catchy. An extra half point for looking so fucking sexy in the video. 5/5 Paul: Sozzi Kim but I am not being won over by your cheap and cheerful brand of Cascada dance pop. If this was a supermarket, she would be in the own name budget brand aisle of the store. I do like her triangular earrings though so a solid 1.5/5. Poster Girl: This is pretty, but it doesn't press hard enough towards either tear-filled dance or the uplifting kind, which means, probably unfairly, it left little mark on me. 2.5/5 Rob: Okay, the styling is amazing but people are just gonna refer to Lady GaGa. The song is pleasant though. Tina Cousins was doing this years ago. 3/5 Robyn Loau: Classic dance floor anthem, beautiful voice. Stunning clip, so brilliantly simple but looks big budget. Love her mirror ball wedge platforms. I would mug her for those, then wear them at Stonewall! 4/5 Tommie: Anyone registered at FlopPop.com has been brainwashed to like Kim Sozzi and I'm no exception! "Feel Your Love" is a dance triumph and makes Dannii stab her vagina with a dildo in frustration that she didn't record it first! 5/5 Total: 23/35
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the impending release of Robyn Loau's debut album - more than a decade after it was recorded! Well, the time has finally come. "Malaria - The Lost Album" hits iTunes tomorrow with a physical release to follow on the 14th of July. The album will also be released on a USB wristband, making Robyn one of the first Australian artists to take advantage of this exciting new technology (see pic below). Now that the decade long dramas surrounding the release of "Malaria" have finally been resolved, one question remains: Was it worth the wait? The answer is a resounding YES! As much as I love "Malaria", I found it very difficult to review. It's hard enough to judge an album that was recorded 10 years ago but it's almost impossible to be objective about something you have anticipated listening to for more than a decade. I didn't want my unrealistic expectations to affect my enjoyment of the album, so I prepared myself to be letdown. I wasn't. "Malaria" is a stunning accomplishment from beginning to end. The writing is dynamic, Robyn's vocals are exquisite and the production is superb. Perhaps the biggest achievement, however, is how little "Malaria" has dated. The album holds up brilliantly against anything recorded in 2008. The songs sound as fresh today as they did in 1998, which is obviously a huge indication of their quality. Here are some my thoughts on the tracks:
1. Song 4 U
This sets the tone of the album perfectly with its intriguing blend of genres and beautifully detailed production. "Song 4 U" is a perfect chill out anthem, walking the line between trip-hop and jazz. Think Portishead on Valium! I love the little flourishes, like the quirky squeaking gate sound effects and Robyn's growls. A beautiful and disarming opening track.
2. Got That Kinda Feelin' (Float On) Directors Cut
"Got That Kinda Feelin' (Float On)" was the 3rd single from "Malaria" way back in 1998. I've always adored this song and could never understand why it was so shamefully overlooked on release. Everything about this anthem screams class, from the breathy layers of vocals to the clever sampling of The Floaters' 70s classic "Float On". If anything, "Got That Kinda Feelin' (Float On)" was probably too delicate and subtle for mainstream success. Make sure you check out the stylish video clip (below). This is probably my all time favourite Robyn track.
3. Sick With Love
Time hasn't robbed Robyn's solo debut and biggest hit of its edge. "Sick With Love" is still as raw, confronting and insanely catchy as it was the first time I heard it in 1997. This song brings back so many memories of my teenage years. As a huge Girlfriend fan, I still remember being shocked by Robyn's new sound and even slightly scared of the video clip! I'm no longer frightened of Gothic Robyn, just in awe of her talent. An Australian classic.
4. Love Addiction
The second single from "Malaria" was another stunning slice of homegrown pop. The opening strings give way to a beautifully understated hip hop beat, evoking memories of the fabulous Neneh Cherry. I honestly don't think Australia was ready for this in the 90s. Robyn was at least 10 years ahead of her time. The CD single includes a remix featuring EMF's James Aitken, which generated some buzz for Robyn in the UK at the time. I vastly prefer this version. Check out the funky video clip (below).
5. Cry
"Cry" was going to be the 4th single from the album but was never released despite a video clip being filmed. It's a crying shame - pardon the pun - because this stunning ballad could have been a huge hit. The orchestration is exquisite and Robyn's voice gives me shivers. Robyn should perform this song live more often, I had forgotten how utterly beautiful it is. The long sought after clip will finally be available on the "Malaria" USB.
6. Turn Away
After several mid-tempo tunes, Robyn channels her inner rock chick on "Turn Away". The lyrics are cute ("you spin me out with ya attitude!") and I love it when Robyn shows her wild side. The almost tribal breakdown towards the end is also an interesting touch. Very original and mysterious. Again, this could have been recorded in 2008.
7. People
One of the strangest tracks on the album with unusual percussion and vocal layering, "People" is also one of the few songs that I don't really love. The lyrics are obviously personal and I appreciate the message about gaining control of your life but this is a bit of mess to my ears. Robyn's voice gets lost in the madness and there's not much in the way of a chorus. An interesting experiment.
8. Suburbia
If I'm not mistaken, "Suburbia" was written for or inspired by Robyn's feature film debut as a Bottle-O bitch in "Idiot Box". The lyrics about disaffected youth clearly reflect the film's content and Robyn's character. I really like this song. It's very catchy and walks the fine line between having a message and preaching with fine skill. Robyn would return to this theme with the amazing Columbine shooting inspired dance anthem "Hard" almost ten years later.
9. Onion
Any song that begins with heavy breathing is usually OK with me. "Onion" is a laid back affair with crisp beats and some truly beautiful guitar work. I love the chorus - "you got me cryin' like an onion" says it all really. This wouldn't sound out of place next to recent recordings from Duffy or Adele (if either of those tarts possessed Robyn's vocal ability), the retro sound on display here isn't worlds apart. Quality.
10. Ziggy
"I already know, baby your IQ is low" has to be one of the best opening lines in musical history! This upbeat number begins with some random chanting and drum rolls before breaking into a perky little pop tune. It doesn't make a lot of sense but it sure is fun.
11. Just When I Needed You Most
"Malaria" closes with another inspired chill out anthem. "Just When I Needed You Most" is clearly inspired by the Bristol based trip-hop sound of the 90s (think Lamb and Portishead) without sounding derivative. It's intriguing to hear a local act dabble in such a specific sound with the confidence to bring their own ideas to the table. A fitting end to a great album.
Also includes:
12. Got That Kinda Feelin' (Float On) US Mix
13. Sick With Love (Josh G Abrahams Remix)
14. Love Addiction (Jungle Mix)[Featuring EMF's James Aitken]
I'm delighted that "Malaria" has finally seen the light of day but also quite sad that such a great album has been gathering dust for the past decade. No wonder the local industry is falling apart at the seems when something this extraordinary is binned in a record company merger. Fans of homegrown pop need "Malaria" in their collection.
I can't believe it! Robyn Loau's brilliant debut album is finally set to take Australia by storm in a fortnight - after a delay of more than TEN YEARS! "Malaria" should have been Robyn's ticket to solo superstardom after leaving Girlfriend. The album's first single, "Sick With Love", proved to be a huge commercial and critical success in 1997 and the following singles all generated massive airplay. The buzz surrounding "Malaria" reached fever pitch when Rolling Stone gave it a 4 star review (unheard of for a local pop act at the time) but the album tragically fell through the cracks in a record company takeover, imbuing it with an almost mythical status among Australian pop fans. I did manage to hear the album years ago at a Girlfriend fan meet (don't judge me!) and I'm sure I have a bootleg of it on casette somewhere but this gem deserves an official release. Expect a full review in the near future but I can definitely say that "Malaria" has been well worth the (decade long) wait! Here's the tracklisting:
Song For You Got That Kinda Feelin' (Float On) the directors cut Sick With Love Love Addiction Cry Turn Away People Suburbia Onion Ziggy Just When I Needed You Most Got That Kinda Feelin' (Float On) US radio mix Sick With Love Josh Abrahams aka Puretone remix Love Addiction (Remix)
I'll post more details as they come to hand. I believe there's a big surprise in store for us regarding the format! In the meantime, let's revisit Robyn's amazing and slightly scary "Sick With Love" video clip. Can this iconic track really be 11 years old?
Robyn Loau has been one of my favourite local divas since the glory days of Girlfriend, so I jumped at the chance to attend last night's intimate showcase at Slide. Accompanied by only a piano, Robyn performed a delicious selection of Girlfriend hits, solo material and cover versions - all interspersed with funny anecdotes and memories from her almost 20 year career in the music industry. The result was something closer to a one woman stage show than a concert in the traditional sense but the concept worked brilliantly and I loved every minute of it!
The show kicked off with a pitch perfect rendition of "Purple Rain", which perfectly highlighted Robyn's exquisite voice. She then told a cute story about her days at the Johnny Young talent school (I wonder if she ever ran into Dannii) and channelled her inner child to re-create her first ever professional performance, tutu and all! That was followed by a fun cover of "Dancing In The Street" before Robyn got around to my favourite topic - Girlfriend! I loved hearing about the formation of the group, particularly when Robyn described some of the girls as "hideous". Take that Siobhánn! Robyn announced a special "celebrity" guest would be joining her to perform Girlfriend's massive #1 hit "Take It From Me" but it only turned out to be Flop Stars Live runner-up Miranda Murphy (below). The performance was really cute. Miranda wore the famous Girlfriend flower hat and they sounded great together. It's nice to know that Miranda's not living in a cardboard box in the Cross.
The highlight of the entire evening for me was hearing "Without You", Girlfriend's sappy 1992 top 20 smash hit. I don't care about the embarrassing lyrics or the dreadful video, "Without You" was The Friend's classiest moment! It was always going to be tough to top the Girlfriend flashback but Robyn came very close by introducing her father (below) to the stage to sing a duet. It was lovely and inspired me to listen to "Siva Pacifica" on my Ipod on the way to work this morning. Speaking of former triumphs, Robyn announced that her unreleased 1997 opus "Malaria" will finally be hitting stores in June or July. If her stunning performance of "Sick With Love" is any indication, it will be worth the 11 year wait!
Next on the setlist were fabulous covers of Des'ree's "Why Should I Love You" and Incognito's "Still A Friend Of Mine". Robyn then asked one of her music students to perform a song before launching into her stunning 2007 comeback anthem "She Devil". Unfortunately, Robyn didn't re-create Toadie's lingerie parade but she did change the lyrics to "She Devil blew a fart"! The show closed with a fantastic cover of Margret Urlich's "Only My Heart Calling" (now there's another diva long overdue for a comeback) only to return with an eerily good version of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights". The perfect end to a fantastic evening. Make sure to keep an eye on Robyn's Myspace for album and tour updates.
Robyn Loau is in the process of possibly the most drawn out comeback in musical history. The former Girlfriend frontwoman/all around Australian pop legend got the ball rolling way back in 2007 with "She Devil" (an event I celebrated here). Since then the delicious diva has recorded a theme song for The Biggest Loser, released an album originally recorded in 1997 and lent her vocals to a dance track about school bullying. Oh and she also blessed the Pop Panel with her fabulous presence. However, all of these activities were side projects. After three years of delays, Robyn is finally ready to unveil the official lead single from her comeback album "Only Human" and was kind enough to send me an exclusive sneak peak. "Never Let You Down" not only has the best cover art of 2010 (above), it's also the best song Robyn has recorded in over a decade. Penned by the 90s icon and Cameron McGlinchey (ex-Rogue Traders), the gritty pop/rock anthem reminds me of her seminal classic "Sick With Love". Only angrier and more upbeat. I also think the song is probably somewhat autobiographical given the bitter aftermath of Robyn's recent divorce - he tried to have her passport suspended, she tweeted about his deformed penis! Strike this up as another point for team Loau. "Never Let You Down" hits radio on the 27th of September with an iTunes release to follow shortly thereafter. Check out my exclusive preview below. Welcome back!
