Archive for the ‘Lee Hazlewood’ Category
Release Round-Up: Week of March 19
Duane Allman, Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective (Rounder)
A massive seven-disc box set celebrates the life and work of a guitar legend, gone far too soon. Read Joe’s review here! (Amazon U.S.)
Elvis Presley, Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite: Legacy Edition (RCA/Legacy)
The classic best-selling live album, taken from the famed TV special, is paired with a newly-remixed version of The Alternate Aloha (a rehearsal show recorded days earlier) and rare bonus performances. You’ll find Joe’s review here. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Bing Crosby, Bing in Dixieland / Seasons: The Closing Chapter – Deluxe Edition / Return to Paradise Islands: Deluxe Edition / On the Sentimental Side / Bing on Broadway / El Señor Bing: Deluxe Edition / So Rare: Treasures from the Crosby Archives / Bing Sings The Great American Songbook / Bing Sings The Sinatra Songbook / A Southern Memoir: Deluxe Edition / Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions (Bing Crosby Enterprises/UMe)
Originally released as part of The Bing Crosby Archive on Collector’s Choice a few years ago, these discs are reprinted by UMe for you to enjoy.
Bing in Dixieland: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Seasons: The Closing Chapter: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Return to Paradise Islands: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
On the Sentimental Side: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Bing on Broadway: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
El Señor Bing: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
So Rare: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Bing Sings The Great American Songbook: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Bing Sings The Sinatra Songbook: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
A Southern Memoir: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Bing & Rosie: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Lee Hazlewood, Trouble is a Lonesome Town (Light in the Attic)
A mightily-expanded edition of Hazlewood’s solo debut LP features a load of non-LP material and unreleased gems!
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
LP: Amazon U.S.
Del Shannon, The Complete U.K. Singles (and More) 1961-1966 (Ace)
Shannon was perhaps even bigger in England than Stateside, so it’s nice to see Ace lovingly anthologize his single sides on two discs. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Miles Davis, Live at Montreux 1991 (Eagle Rock)
Miles’ last appearance at the famed jazz festival, with the help of Quincy Jones and the Gil Evans Orchestra.
DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Blu-Ray: Amazon U.S.
Nat “King” Cole, Welcome to the Club / Harry Belafonte, Calypso (Audio Fidelity)
The newest hybrid SACDs from Audio Fidelity.
Welcome to the Club: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Calypso: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Various Artists, ICON (UMe/Capitol)
Available at the link above, another batch of the painfully thin Universal (and now EMI) compilation line, featuring a lot of comps by artists nobody needs and one actually worthwhile one by Belinda Carlisle with a new track.
“Trouble is a Lonesome Town” For Lee Hazlewood and Light in the Attic
The catalogue of the Cowboy in Sweden, Lee Hazlewood, continues its upgrade from the folks at Light in the Attic Records with the March 19 reissue of 1963’s Trouble is a Lonesome Town. The Mercury LP is the earliest of Hazlewood’s works to be rediscovered by the LITA team, and in fact, was Hazlewood’s solo debut. It follows the label’s acclaimed 2012 releases from Hazlewood’s own LHI label including an introductory compilation, a rare soundtrack, and a vinyl singles box set.
Trouble is a Lonesome Town predated Hazlewood’s Reprise Records debut The N.S.V.I.P.s, released the very next year. The colorful liner notes to that LP boasted that Lee was “impossible to explain. Basically a writer, Lee has created a number of great rock-and-roll smashes of the past decade. But at heart, Lee’s still a country-type fella. He chews straw a lot, stuff like that. He’s also one of the funniest guys ever.” All of those sides of Lee Hazlewood were fully formed by the release of Trouble on the Mercury Records label. The LP was loose concept album about that fictional town: “You won’t find it on any map, but take a step in any direction, and you’re in Trouble.” As he would on his future LPs for Reprise and LHI, Hazlewood blended his singular spoken-word passages with story-songs rendered in his laconic drawl. As confirmed by Light in the Attic, Hazlewood initially didn’t plan on a concept album. He commented in 2000, “That was a demo. I didn’t know it was a concept album. I wrote a complete story of a make-believe town.” Trouble haunted Hazlewood, though. Years later, in 1968, he proposed a half-hour television program also called Trouble is a Lonesome Town. Unfortunately, the series wasn’t picked up for production. The album was reissued on the LHI imprint in 1969 with new cover artwork, but LITA’s CD reissue (its first in nearly fifteen years) restores the original cover with Hazlewood sans his famous moustache.
What extras will you find on the generously expanded Trouble is a Lonesome Town? Hit the jump! Plus: a pre-order link and more! Read the rest of this entry »
The Year in Reissues: The 2012 Gold Bonus Disc Awards
Wow! Was it just over a year ago when a rather dubious report began circulating (that, shockingly, was picked up by many otherwise-reputable publications) that proclaimed the death of the CD was secretly scheduled by the major labels for 2012? Well, 2012 has come and (almost) gone, and it might have been the most super-sized year in recent memory for reissues, deluxe and otherwise, from labels new and old. Here at the Second Disc, we consider our annual Gold Bonus Disc Awards a companion piece to Mike’s own round-up over at Popdose, and we endeavor to recognize as many of the year’s most amazing reissues as possible – over 80 worthy, unique titles. We also hope to celebrate those labels, producers and artists who have raised the bar for great music throughout 2012. As we’re literally deluged with news around these parts, these ladies and gentlemen prove, week after week, the strength and health of the catalogue corner of the music world. We dedicate The Gold Bonus Disc Awards to them, and to you, the readers. After all, your interest is ultimately what keeps great music of the past alive and well.
With that in mind, don’t forget to share your own thoughts and comments below. What made your must-have list in 2012? Without further ado, let’s celebrate 2012′s best of the best. Welcome to the Gold Bonus Disc Awards!
Which releases take home the gold this year? Hit the jump below to find out! Read the rest of this entry »
Black Friday 2012: Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa Lead Off Packed Slate of RSD Exclusives
Here in the U. S. of A., Black Friday is almost upon us: that unusual date following the prior day of giving thanks, in which consumers make a mad dash to the local big-box store, mall or shopping center to procure bargains for the holiday season ahead. Retailers are controversially beginning Black Friday “festivities” even earlier than usual this year, with many sales starting on Thanksgiving Day itself and not even at midnight but in the early part of the evening. For a number of recent years, music buyers have had our own Black Friday, that day in April known as Record Store Day in which the aisles of our independent retailers are filled with hunters of collectible vinyl and CD releases. Record Store Day has in the past sponsored a mini-RSD event on Black Friday, but this year, the titles on offer are as enticing and nearly as plentiful as those on the main RSD itself. For some, this will be a source of frustration, for others, excitement.
This year’s line-up for Record Store Day – Black Friday brings titles from some of the biggest names in rock including The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Nirvana, plus cult favorites like Leonard Cohen, Lee Hazlewood and Frank Zappa, and country-and-western legends such as Wanda Jackson and Buck Owens.
After the jump and without further ado, we’ll fill you in on the crème of the reissued crop come this Black Friday! Just click for your full list of the catalogue releases to watch! Read the rest of this entry »
Lee Hazlewood Makes “A House Safe For Tigers”
One of our favorite characters here at Second Disc HQ is the one and only Lee Hazlewood. Whether singing psychedelic duets with the daughter of the Chairman of the Board, proving that Hollywood kids Dino, Desi and Billy were “Not the Lovin’ Kind” or going all twangy with Duane Eddy, Hazlewood made his mark wherever he went. Light in the Attic kicked off a new Hazlewood reissue campaign in April with the release of the deliciously offbeat The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes and Backsides 1968-1971, promising further treasures would be liberated from the vaults of Hazlewood’s own LHI Records label. That promise has materialized with the announcement of the August 21 reissue of A House Safe for Tigers.
A House Safe for Tigers is the soundtrack to one of seven TV movies Lee Hazlewood made with the director Torbjörn Axelman while living in Sweden in the early 1970s. Hazlewood had moved there to lay low and to help his son avoid the draft, but wound up finding happiness and creative freedom. This period of Hazlewood’s career has been the stuff of collectors’ circles, as many of his recordings made in Sweden never made the commute back to his native America. Originally only available in Sweden, the Light in the Attic reissue (to be available on CD, vinyl and special gold vinyl) marks the return of Tigers. Hazlewood starred alongside Axelman in the documentary-style “buddy movie” that might be thought of as a precursor to reality television. Hazlewood and Axelman reflected on their respective childhoods, sharing reminisces and encountering various people along the way. “It’s strange, very strange,” Hazlewood said. “But we meant it to be strange.” Adding to the strangeness (at least for any potential American viewers!), much of the film is in Swedish, and some even in Latin. The film’s title has been attributed by various sources to Buddhist prayer, or Asian or Swedish folklore, in which one’s home is blessed to be kept safe from metaphorical “tigers.” One version states that the presence of flowers strewn in the home will keep the tigers at bay.
Hit the jump for more, including order links and track listing! Read the rest of this entry »
Release Round-Up: Week of May 1
George Harrison, Living in the Material World / Early Takes Vol. 1 (Hip-O/UMe)
The big release in the U.S. today: Martin Scorsese’s documentary about the esteemed Beatle on DVD and Blu-Ray, and a 10-track disc of entirely unreleased demos and outtakes.
The Beach Boys, 50th Anniversary Collection ‘ZinePak (Capitol/EMI)
A new compilation/mini-booklet, available exclusively at Walmart stores in America, that features classic Beach Boys singles alongside the first-ever album appearance of the band’s new recording of “Do It Again.”
Greg Phillinganes, Pulse: Expanded Edition (Big Break Records)
The famous session keyboardist’s 1984 solo album, featuring the Michael Jackson outtake “Behind the Mask,” gets expanded and re-released in the U.K. by Big Break.
Lee Hazlewood, The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes, & Backsides (1968-1971) (Light in the Attic)
Released on vinyl for Record Store Day, this compilation of solo tracks from the “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” writer/producer gets a CD release today.
A diverse offering from the fine folks at Real Gone, including two reissues of classic Dead shows.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, We Salute You (Warner Bros.)
In honor of their recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, the Chili Peppers release this digital-only EP of B-side and non-LP covers of their fellow inductees.
Bowie, McCartney, Joplin, Springsteen, Clash, Davis, Small Faces, More Lead Record Store Day Pack
We’re just three weeks away from Record Store Day on April 21, and following individual announcements from fantastic labels like Omnivore Recordings, Concord Records, Sundazed Music and Rhino/Warner Bros., we can finally reveal the full line-up of RSD-related goodies!
These limited editions, available at independent music retailers across the U.S. and even internationally, are primarily vinyl releases in various formats (7-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, etc.) and range from replicas of classic albums to EPs and singles premiering exclusive content. Some of our favorite artists here at TSD HQ are represented, including David Bowie, James Brown, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Lee Hazlewood, Janis Joplin, Buck Owens, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Bruce Springsteen, and even the “odd couple” pairing of Neil Young and Rick James as members of Motown’s The Mynah Birds! All told, there’s plenty for fans of rock, pop and jazz on offer this year!
Without further ado, hit the jump for our exhaustive list of RSD releases related to the catalogue artists we celebrate each and every day here at The Second Disc. For those in need of a checklist, you can find a downloadable PDF here of the complete list, and this official Record Store Day list also includes all of the releases of a more recent vintage. Sound off below on which title you are most eagerly awaiting, and thanks for supporting your local independent record retailer! Read the rest of this entry »
Cowboy in Sweden: Light in the Attic Preps Lee Hazlewood Retrospective, Plus Rare Stax Recordings of Wendy Rene Collected
Though he had many chapters in his career, there was only one Barton Lee Hazlewood. The man who famously taught Nancy Sinatra to “sing like a 16-year old who goes out with 45-year old truckers” also played a pivotal role in the career of Duane Eddy and produced hits by Dean Martin, Dino (Martin), Desi (Arnaz, Jr.) and Billy (Hinsche), and the Chairman of the Board himself. But Hazlewood continued to create works of both eccentricity and beauty long after he departed Reprise Records in the 1960s. The Ace label has compiled collections dedicated to Hazlewood’s songs and outside productions as well as his complete 1965-1967 recordings for MGM Records (made in between stints at Reprise) while Rhino Handmade has surveyed his solo years at Reprise. Now, the dedicated musical archaeologists at Light in the Attic are launching a series dedicated to Hazlewood’s own LHI label, and the time couldn’t be more right. Between 1968 and 1971, Hazlewood not only recorded his singular, often psychedelic brand of country/folk/pop/rock but recorded numerous other artists for both singles and albums. Light in the Attic promises that this exciting new series “will include material from LHI (remastered for the first time from the original analog tapes), along with Lee’s output for other labels, rarities, unreleased gems, and the films of Torbjörn Axelman.” Well, we’re sold!
The campaign kicks off with the release of The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes and Backsides 1968-1971 on CD on May 1. (A special vinyl edition will precede the CD release on April 21 to coincide with Record Store Day.) Ann-Margret, Suzi Jane Hokom and Nina Lizell are among the female artists who provide counterpoint to Hazlewood’s gruff tones, following in Nancy Sinatra’s bootsteps. One unreleased track has even been included, an outtake entitled “I Just Learned to Run.” Wyndham Wallace contributes all-new liner notes to the set. A personal friend of the late artist, Wallace writes that his friend was “a curmudgeonly, unpredictable sort at the best of times, as impatient with his own talent as he is with other people.” Indeed, it’s hard to pigeonhole the versatile composer, lyricist, singer and producer.
Hit the jump for much more on the Cowboy in Sweden, plus the scoop on Ms. Wendy Rene, early Stax/Volt heroine! Read the rest of this entry »
The Rebel Kind: Ace Preps Lee Hazlewood Compilation
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 »
