The Second Disc

The Complete Elvis Presley Masters. Go here. Talk below. Some reactions after the jump.

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If you’re one of the few dozen people who still reads Rolling Stone‘s Web site, the late-breaking “exclusive” that a new Michael Jackson compilation of outtakes is due in November sounds like a great bit of news.

But oops! Looks like RS got beaten to the punch by a four-month-old press release. But they’ve got quotes, so it’s legit, right? What’s that? The quotes were taken from articles from 2009? Oh. Whoops.

It’s sad that Roger Friedman has to be the closest to a journalistic authority in this case. The only new info to be gleaned from any source is:

• It’s going to be a short, ten-track album (per the RS story – complain all you want, but I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters was 11 tracks and it was awesome)
• Rodney Jerkins, who produced Jackson’s worst solo album, is working on compiling the set (also from RS)
• Longtime Jackson associate John McClain is also working on the set, but Jackson’s ace recording engineer Bruce Swedien is not (that’s from Friedman’s story)

Based on the gristle of information that’s come our way – things like how will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas and Akon will make appearances on the tracks (both produced material for Jackson before his death) – it’s safe to guess that this new comp will focus on latter-day material, with the fun, vintage outtakes to be saved for the inevitable reissues of the classic Epic LPs. Call it slick if you want, but at least fans won’t have to get the two Jacksons – the effortless hitmaker and the chipped trend-follower – intertwined.

When Lee Hazlewood died in 2007 after a brave battle with cancer, music lost one of its true eccentrics. With a resonant baritone, a keen ear for a melody and a dry wit, Hazlewood was an unlikely recording star. His first long-term collaboration was with guitarist Duane Eddy, with whom he produced a string of hit instrumentals. His second such collaboration was a career-defining one with Nancy Sinatra, effectively launching her career with 1966’s “These Boots are Made for Walkin’” on the Reprise label. For that hallowed company, truly The House That Frank Built, Hazlewood would also produce hits for Dean Martin, Dino (Martin), Desi (Arnaz, Jr.) and Billy (Hinsche), and the Chairman of the Board himself. The Ace label’s acclaimed Songwriters and Producers series now turns its attention to Hazlewood’s remarkable, diverse career with the August 30 U.K. release of Califia: The Songs of Lee Hazlewood.

While a classic Nancy and Lee duet (“Lady Bird”) kicks off the collection, its 25 tracks (recorded between 1956 and 1970, the most fertile period of Hazlewood’s writing and producing) show that there was a lot more to Hazlewood than just those classic pop platters. His work took in country, rock, easy listening, pop, and just plain weirdness to create a body of work that has stood the test of time. As is Ace’s custom for these sets, the songs are a mixture of hits, misses and obscure cover versions, the common denominator being the presence of the collection’s subject. Hazlewood wrote every song heard, and produced all but four. (They’re not in this disc’s purview, but fans of offbeat covers are encouraged to check out Nancy and Lee’s readings of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and “The Hungry Years,” among others!)  Hit the jump for more on Mr. Barton Lee Hazlewood along with the full track listing and discographical information! Read the rest of this entry »

Everybody loves a clown, so why don’t you? Many did indeed love acclaimed comedian and filmmaker Jerry Lewis, but it must have been a surprise when his 20-year old son, Gary, received quite a lot of chart love in 1965. Discovered at Disneyland and signed to Liberty Records by ace producer Snuff Garrett, Gary Lewis and the Playboys had a smash right out of the gate with “This Diamond Ring.” Hitting No. 1 in the middle of the British Invasion, that Al Kooper/Bob Brass/Irwin Levine song remains a 1960s perennial, its production a textbook example of a great pop record. (Just listen to Jimmy Radcliffe’s Drifters-esque demo, the soulful original by Sammy Ambrose, or Al Kooper’s own funky take, to hear just how ingeniously the song was rearranged for Lewis’ debut!) The next six singles for the young California band all went Top Ten, with “Count Me In” and “Save Your Heart for Me” stopping just short of pole position, and “She’s Just My Style” reaching No. 3. (The above-quoted “Everybody Loves a Clown” made it all the way to No. 4!) But Lewis was soon called on to serve in the Vietnam War, entering the United States Army on New Year’s Day, 1967. Before reporting for duty, he was assigned to build up a backlog of material with producers Charles Koppelman, Don Rubin and Gary Klein. The resulting solo LP, Listen!, is finally seeing CD release on August 30 in both mono and stereo from Steve Stanley’s Now Sounds label, which specializes in such pop/psychedelic treasures. Click on the jump for more about this lost solo debut from the Playboys frontman! Read the rest of this entry »