Unforgettable...that's what he is. This year marks what would have been the 100th birthday of one of America's finest performers of popular song: Nat "King" Cole. In his decades-long career, Cole blazed the trail for many entertainers to come, influencing the likes of Count Basie and Ray Charles along the way. Universal Music Group will celebrate his milestone centennial with a pair of retrospectives this spring, plus a digital expansion of another vocal icon paying tribute to the
Esoteric Recordings Round-Up: Procol Harum, Anthony Phillips Expanded Reissues
Periodically this month, we'll be looking at titles released in the latter part of 2018 that we either didn't cover, or only covered briefly, the first time around! We hope you enjoy this look at "some nice things we've missed"... Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint has recently continued its ongoing series dedicated to the recordings of Procol Harum and Genesis founding member Anthony Phillips. Procol's Ninth may well be one of the most unusual albums in the band's venerable
Release Round-Up: Week of January 18
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Rush, In Rio [4-LP Vinyl] (Atlantic/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Recorded live during their 2002 "comeback" tour, Rush's In Rio was originally released on CD and DVD in 2003. Now, the 28-song set featuring hits and deep cuts from across their career arrives on vinyl for the first time, across four 180-gram discs. The collection includes all 29 songs from the Rio gig, plus two bonus tracks recorded at other stops during the
Locked Away: Keith Richards Premieres Unreleased Material on “Talk Is Cheap” 30th Anniversary
Keith Richards is set to have a busy year. He and The Rolling Stones recently announced a headlining slot at the 50th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival as part of the band's U.S. No Filter Festival. Now, Keith and BMG have teamed up for a special look at his debut solo album, Talk Is Cheap, due out March 29. Originally released in 1988, Talk Is Cheap found Richards leading an impressive roster of musicians, including Ivan Neville, Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker, The Memphis Horns, and even
What A Tale My Thoughts Could Tell: Real Gone Collects Gordon Lightfoot’s Complete 1970-1980 Singles in March
Next month, Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" celebrates the 45th anniversary of its single release. The tune marked the first Hot 100 No. 1 hit for the Canadian folk, folk-rock, and country singer-songwriter. On March 1, Real Gone Music will anthologize this period of Lightfoot's career with the release of the 2-CD The Complete Singles 1970-1980. Gordon Lightfoot began his recording career in Canada, releasing his first singles in 1962. He signed with United Artists in 1965 and released his
Dreams Do Come True: Run Out Groove Plans Four New Titles from Ronnie Hawkins, Better Than Ezra, Fred Neil, Incredible String Band
For the last several years, Run Out Groove, has given music fans the power to vote on new vinyl titles mined from the vaults of Warner Music. Over the years, some stellar titles just didn't get enough votes to move on to the pressing plants. Today, Run Out Groove announced a new partnership with vinyl micro-pressers QRATES to bring some of these worthy titles onto vinyl. The titles up for pre-order include: Better Than Ezra'sFriction, Baby, Fred Neil's Bleecker & MacDougal, The
Move On Up: Curtis Mayfield Albums Collected on “Keep On Keeping On”
2019 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Curtis Mayfield's solo career. He had previously spent 14 years as a member and driving force of The Impressions. His unique voice and guitar stylings, not to mention his exemplary songwriting skills, helped bring the world such classics as "It's All Right," "Gypsy Woman," and the iconic "People Get Ready." When Mayfield split with The Impressions in 1969, he forged a new chapter in his career and in soul music. His unique blend of gospel-influenced
On The Frontier: Esoteric Announces Renaissance “Ashes Are Burning,” Byrds’ Self-Titled Reissues, 1968 Box Set, and More
February promises to be a packed month for music fans, as Esoteric brings listeners a new, expanded reissue of Renaissance's 1973 classic, Ashes Are Burning, as well as a reissue of The Byrds, the reunion album by the legendary folk-rock group. Also on the way are reissues of Tear Gas's self-titled album, an expanded edition of Greenslade's Time and Tide, and a new 3-CD set called Revolution: Underground Sounds of 1968. Meanwhile, Esoteric's Reactive imprint will issue a 4-CD set
Review: Ministry, “Greatest Fits” (Run Out Groove Vinyl Reissue)
In the last few months, Run Out Groove has continued an initiative to get recent classics from the new millennium onto wax. With deluxe packaging and heavyweight, colored vinyl pressings, the label's limited-edition LP releases present Warner titles from the CD-era and beyond treasures in a unique and new way. Now, Greatest Fits, a 2001 compilation by industrial rock forerunners Ministry has received the Run Out Groove treatment with its first-ever vinyl appearance. The Second Disc was able to
Holding Court: King Crimson Announces 50th Anniversary Plans with New Single, Box Sets, Tour, and More!
Rock royalty King Crimson celebrate their golden jubilee this year and yesterday, January 13 - exactly 50 years since their first rehearsals - the band announced a wealth of new projects and plans to celebrate the momentous feat. Along with an upcoming documentary and ongoing download series, fans can expect a new tour, vinyl reissues, box sets, and live releases from the vault. We'll have full details for each release as they're announced, but to whet your appetite, here's a look at what the
A Long Night Spent With You: Taking Back Sunday Celebrates 20th Anniversary on New Compilation “Twenty”
Taking Back Sunday is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and to mark the occasion, they have embarked on a tour and are releasing a career retrospective collection. Out today from Craft Recordings, the simply-titled Twenty gathers nineteen songs from the band's career and adds in two new studio recordings. The alternative rock band was formed in Long Island, New York by guitarist Eddie Reyes in 1999. The line-up has fluctuated a bit over the years but the main members over the
Jeff Larson Looks to Past and Present on New Pair of Releases
On two new releases, California singer-songwriter Jeff Larson has dynamically showcased the multiple facets of his musical personality. Five Hours to L.A., a Japan-exclusive CD release on the Vivid Sound label, is a revised and revisited version of Larson's 2000 release Room for Summer, meaning that some songs have been dropped, and others have been added, to make a new listening experience. It features many of his close musical collaborators including Jeffrey Foskett, Gerry Beckley, and
Breakfast In Bed: Eddie Hinton Saluted By Dusty, Cher, Box Tops, More On New Ace Collection
As a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Eddie Hinton played on countless recordings by the likes of Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Otis Redding. But there was another side of the guitarist that led Jerry Wexler to once proclaim him "the next big thing." Hinton was a persuasive performer and moreover, a fine songwriter. In collaboration with Donnie Fritts, he penned what's likely his most famous song: "Breakfast in Bed," first recorded by Baby Washington but made
Release Round-Up: Week of January 11
Welcome to today's Release Round-Up! Taking Back Sunday, Twenty (Craft Recordings) 1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada This 21-track anthology, available on single CD, double LP, and digital formats, celebrates 20 years of Taking Back Sunday drawing on all seven of the band's studio albums as well as newly-recorded material. Watch for more coverage of this title later today! The Flying Burrito Bros., Burrito Deluxe
Review: Permanent Green Light, “Hallucinations”
Power-pop and Paisley Underground acolytes had reason to celebrate in late 2018. Omnivore Recordings released a brand-new compilation album called Hallucinations, a collection of cult classics, deep cuts, and rarities from the '90s rock group Permanent Green Light, who were the torch-bearers of the psych-rock scene in L.A. early in the decade. The Second Disc was able to hear the new set and are delighted to report back on the excellent comp, which puts on full display Permanent Green Lights's
“Harmony in My Head: UK Power Pop and New Wave, 1977-81” Collects Costello, Squeeze, Nick Lowe, Searchers, More
In recent years, Cherry Red Records has made waves with their box set celebrations of music eras gone by. From late-'70s Scottish independent releases and '60s Baroque pop, to '80s shoegaze and even the avant-garde sound explorations of Edgard Varese and Karlheinz Stockhausen, the label has a reputation for their meticulous deep-dives into music subcultures. In November, Cherry Red put the spotlight on the late-'70s U.K. pop-rock scene with Harmony In My Head: UK Power Pop & New Wave,
Superstar: Cher’s “3614 Jackson Highway” Expanded For Vinyl Premiere From Run Out Groove
2018 was a great year for Cher, with a starring role in the blockbuster Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the release of her hit album Dancing Queen, the opening of Broadway bio-musical The Cher Show, the reissue on vinyl of the smash Believe album, and a prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. 2019 looks to be shaping up as another banner year for the consummate entertainer. Run Out Groove has just announced that the expanded edition of Cher's 3614 Jackson Highway, first issued on a Rhino Handmade CD in
Self Made Man: Real Gone Collects John Hartford Rarities on “Backroads, Rivers, and Memories,” Due in March
John Hartford may be best known as the writer of the classic hit "Gentle On My Mind," but the legacy of the talented singer, musician, and tunesmith reaches beyond that iconic track. When he wasn't playing sidekick to "Gentle" singer Glen Campbell on TV's Good Time Hour or appearing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Hartford was also an in-demand, banjo-picking performer. He appeared for acts like James Taylor, Delaney & Bonnie, Seals & Crofts, and The Byrds. His unique, Flatt and
Back To The Garden: ‘Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration’ Tribute Concert Coming to Theaters in February, Soundtrack Arriving in March
Few musicians have had as lasting an impact on music as Joni Mitchell. In her four-decade career, she made groundbreaking music that traversed genres and continually stunned fans and critics alike. The music icon celebrated her 75th birthday in style last November, as Jörn Weisbrodt and The Music Center in Los Angeles hosted a pair of star-studded Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration concerts in her honor. The line-up (which Joni helped select) featured many of her closest friends and dearest
Sweet Memories: Elvis’ ‘The Best Of The ’68 Comeback Special’ Offers Highlights From Iconic Show Plus New Tribute
The celebration for Elvis Presley's '68 "comeback special" is continuing into the new year. Legacy Recordings and RCA have announced a new single-CD collection to coincide with an upcoming NBC-TV tribute to the original December 1968 broadcast. The Best of the '68 Comeback Special, coming on February 15, features highlights from the recent '68 Comeback Special box set with performances culled from both of the "stand-up" and "sit-down" shows recorded in June, 1968 for the special.
Can You Hear Me, Major Tom? Rare Bowie Demos Prepped For 7″ Vinyl Box
Parlophone has announced a new release of David Bowie rarities on what would have been the singer's 72nd birthday, to additionally mark the milestone of 50 years since the release of breakthrough single "Space Oddity." Spying Through a Keyhole: Demos and Unreleased Songs will feature nine rare recordings, including versions of familiar songs ("Space Oddity," "London Bye Ta Ta," "In The Heat Of The Morning") as well as the heretofore-unknown "Love All Around," a lyric of which gives the set
Can’t Help Myself: Smithsonian Folkways Announces Dave Van Ronk, Lead Belly, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee Vinyl Reissues
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is one of America's iconic record labels. When Moses Asch started Folkways in 1948, his goal was to create an audio encyclopedia of the world. And 70 years and one Smithsonian Institution acquisition later, it's safe to say they've stayed on track with that creed. Their repertoire now includes the 2,000+ classic Folkways titles, as well as the back catalog of other legendary labels like Cook, Paredon, Dyer-Bennett, Arhoolie, and The UNESCO Collection of
You Get What You Deserve: Omnivore To Release 1974 Big Star Concert on “Live On WLIR” CD/LPs
Few bands from the 1970s have seen as much resurgence in popularity as Big Star. Anchored by Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens, the Memphis-based power-pop group didn't make much of a commercial splash during their original years together, but their cult following has grown over the years. That's thanks in no small part to a series of fine reissues by Omnivore Recordings. In January, Omnivore will release Live On WLIR, a new, remastered version of Big Star's legendary 1974 radio broadcast. The
Got a Special Interest: Utopia Singles Collection and Reissue of Zappa’s “200 Motels” On the Way From Pledge Music
In recent years, many artists have teamed up with Pledge Music to bring their music direct to consumers. From small, independent do-it-yourself productions, to massive reissue campaigns by major artists (Cat Stevens' Back To Earth, for example), it's become one of many emerging avenues for artists who want to get their projects out there. Now, two projects by two heroes of "weird" rock have been announced - one a compilation of singles tracks from Todd Rundgren's Utopia, and the other a
Don’t Step On My Groove: Expanded Reissues of Bananarama’s “Drama” and “Viva” Arriving in January
There were few "girl groups" as prolific and successful during the MTV era as Bananarama. The London-formed pop group had a long string of Top 10 U.K. and U.S. singles during the '80s, including "It Ain't What You Do...," "Really Saying Something," "Shy Boy," and covers of Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and The Shocking Blue's "Venus." Their popularity on the charts and on the dance floor continues, with the group tallying up an impressive 28 Top 50 U.K. singles from 1982 to 2009.
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