It seems that the Cherry Red family of labels’ slogan should be “expect the unexpected.” Each label is run by a different team, resulting in an extremely diverse array of offerings. Steve Stanley’s Now Sounds celebrates, but isn’t strictly limited to, the musical era of 1964-1972. Past reissues have encompassed such styles as harmony and sunshine pop (Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends, The Association), folk (Janis Ian), light psychedelia (Colours), “Bacharock” (The Golden Gate) and the sunkissed sounds of the West Coast (Mark Eric). Now Sounds has just announced two upcoming reissues that continue its mission of presenting long-lost LPs for a new generation.

Due on June 8 is Dion DiMucci’s 1969 LP Wonder Where I’m Bound. This album is a rare example of a vault collection being artfully assembled into a unique product of its own. Essentially a collection of studio outtakes – all dating no later than 1965 – excavated by the label in the wake of Dion’s 1968 “comeback” on the Laurie label with “Abraham, Martin and John,” Wonder Where I’m Bound features production on some tracks by Tom Wilson (of Simon & Garfunkel and Velvet Underground fame) and reveals the singer to have been an early proponent of what would become known as folk-rock. Its title track is a cover of a Tom Paxton composition, with orchestration added by renowned producer Jimmy Wisner to echo the sound of “Abraham, Martin and John.” Bob Dylan’s songs make their compulsory appearance via “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and the lesser-known “Farewell.” DiMucci foreshadows his later blues explorations (such as 2006’s Bronx in Blue on Razor & Tie 79301 82960-2 and 2007’s Son of Skip James on Verve Forecast B0010173-2) with Woody Guthrie’s “900 Miles” and even references his own doo-wop roots with a reworking of “A Sunday Kind of Love.” Anthologies have covered Dion’s Columbia era before, but 4 tracks make their CD debut here, as does the album in its complete, original sequence.  While there are no bonus tracks, one can typically count on Now Sounds for lavishly annotated and illustrated liner notes.

While Dion is practically synonymous with the street corners of New York City, Now Sounds turns to the West Coast for its July 6 reissue of the self-titled album Jamme, originally released in 1970 on John Phillips’ short-lived Warlock Records label. Don and Keith Adey formed the duo, and were joined on the LP by session vets Larry Knechtel on bass and Jim Gordon on percussion. Phillips himself produced in his home studio (with such luminaries as George Harrison and Keith Richards reportedly in attendance), and with this release, another chapter of The Mamas and The Papas story is unearthed. Now Sounds have secured no fewer than 6 unreleased tracks to bolster the LP’s 10 songs, and have also added both sides of a mono 45, bringing the grand total to 18 songs. Harmonies are of course on display, and the label likens the album’s sound to that of artists as different as Badfinger, Emmit Rhodes, Buffalo Springfield, The Bee Gees and even Big Star. For Mamas and the Papas fans and those interested in the further musical explorations of Phillips, this looks like a must-have release. The booklet features unreleased photos and new liner notes by Mamas and the Papas historians Jeffrey A. Greenberg and Chris Campion with full cooperation of Jamme. This disc also should be a fine complement to Varese Vintage’s ongoing “Papa John Phillips Presents” series, the latest title of which is Many Mamas, Many Papas (Varese 067016), slated for June 29 release and comprising 2 discs of primarily-unreleased recordings from a latter-day incarnation of the fabled group.

Check out Amazon pre-order listings here and here, and read the track listings after the jump!

Dion – Wonder Where I’m Bound (Now Sounds CRNOW17, 2010)

1. I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound
2. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue
3. A Sunday Kind of Love
4. Knowing I Won’t Go Back There
5. 900 Miles
6. Now
7. Southern Train
8. The Seventh Son
9. Farewell
10. Wake Up Baby
11. Baby Please Don’t Go

Originally released as Columbia 9773, 1969

Jamme – Jamme (Now Sounds CRNOW18, 2010)

1. Poor Widow
2. She Sits There
3. Jan
4. Strawberry Jam Man
5. Richman
6. My Old Lady
7. Changes
8. Empty Feeling
9. Scarborough Rose
10. Matthew O’Grady
11. Thanks to the Man in the Rabbit Hat
12. Changes (Alternate Take)
13. Strawberry Jam (Alternate Take)
14. Empty Feelings (Instrumental)
15. What Makes the World Go Round (Demo)
16. That Girl Has Got a Hold on Me (Demo)
17. She Sits There (Mono)
18. Poor Widow (Mono)

Tracks 1-10 from Jamme (Dunhill/Warlock LP 50072, 1970)
Tracks 11-16 previously unreleased
Tracks 17-18 from Dunhill single 4231, 1970