Features / Release Round-Up

This week’s Release Round-Up is headlined by a legendary singer-songwriter’s first appearance on Second Disc Records, plus an array of box sets, reissues and beyond from across the musical spectrum!

Paul Williams, A Little on the Windy Side: Expanded Edition (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

The newest release from our very own Second Disc Records imprint of Real Gone Music is here!  The first-ever American reissue of Paul Williams’ 1979 Portrait Records album has been newly remastered and features four bonus tracks – three previously unreleased outtakes and one rare mono single version!  Read more about this release here!

Robin Gibb, Saved by the Bell: The Collected Works of Robin Gibb 1969-1970 (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Reprise/Rhino has a real treat for Bee Gees fans in the form of this 3-CD box set featuring 63 rare tracks from Robin Gibb – a staggering 47 of which have never been released!  This set includes the full Robin’s Reign album, the reconstructed Sing Slowly Sisters, and a bonus disc with live recordings, demos, foreign language tracks and more!

Little Richard, Directly from My Heart: The Best of the Specialty and Vee-Jay Years (Specialty) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard’s Specialty and Vee-Jay years are the subject of this new 3-CD, 64-track anthology, including all of the piano pounder’s greatest hits as well as B-sides and rarities!  Watch for our full review soon!

Iron Butterfly, Ball: Expanded Edition (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Iron Butterfly’s Top 5 sophomore album spawned hit singles “Soul Experience” and “In the Time of Our Lives.” Real Gone expands it with two bonus tracks previously included on a long out-of-print 1999 reissue (“I Can’t Help But Deceive You Little Girl” and “To Be Alone”) but gives the whole set a fresh remastering and new liner notes.

Black Oak Arkansas, The Complete Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

This onetime limited edition 2-CD release from the southern rock/boogie heroes, drawn from a 12/1/72 show at the Paramount Theater in Portland and a 12/2/72 show at Seattle’s like-named Paramount Theater, returns from Real Gone Music!

Lesley Gore, California Nights: Expanded Edition (Ace) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Ace expands Lesley Gore’s classic 1967 album featuring the title track by Marvin Hamlisch and productions by both Bob Crewe and Jack Nitzsche.  Ace’s reissue adds an additional dozen highlights from Lesley’s 1965 albums My Town, My Guy And Me and All About Love plus three mid-’60s recordings that first surfaced from the Mercury vaults in the 1990s.

Heatwave, Too Hot to Handle: Expanded Edition / Central Heating: Expanded Edition (BBR)

Too Hot to Handle: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Central Heating: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Big Break Records returns with two expanded editions from the catalogue of Rod Temperton’s Heatwave! Check back later today for our full coverage of both titles!

Silver Convention, Summernights: Expanded Edition (Big Break) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

The 1977 album by the “Save Me” and “Fly, Robin, Fly” Euro-disco girl group returns in expanded form on Big Break Records!

George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Me and the First Lady/We’re Gonna Hold On/Golden Ring (BGO) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

BGO brings together three albums from George Jones and Tammy Wynette on two CDs, from 1972, 1973 and 1976, respectively.

Charley Pride, Country Charley Pride/The Country Way/Pride of Country Music/Make Mine Country (BGO) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

BGO combines four albums from country legend Charley Pride – originally issued between 1966 and 1968 – on a new, slipcased 2-CD set.

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Django and Jimmie (Legacy Recordings) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard team up for an all-new set with a title paying tribute to legends Django Reinhardt and Jimmie Rodgers.  The 14 tracks include “Django and Jimmie,” “It’s All Going to Pot” (about one of Willie’s favorite subjects), “Missing Ol’ Johnny Cash” featuring Bobby Bare, Merle’s “Somewhere Between” sung by Willie, and Willie’s “Family Bible” sung by Merle!

Bessie: Music from the HBO Film (Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Queen Latifah headlines this soundtrack to HBO’s biopic about blues legend Bessie Smith.  The 17-track album debuts seven new performances by Latifah including “Young Woman Blues,” “Preachin’ The Blues,” “Long Old Road,” “Down Hearted Blues,” “Work House Blues,” “Weepin’ Woman Blues” (a duet with Pat Bass) and “Gimme A Pigfoot and A Bottle Of Beer (2015 Remix),” a remix of Bessie Smith’s original recording featuring newly recorded instrumentation and vocals by Queen Latifah.  Other performances on the CD include Carmen Twillie’s “Prove It on Me,” Tamar-Kali’s “See See Rider,” Cécile McLorin Salvant’s “Laugh Clown Laugh,” two instrumentals by Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, and a selection of original period recordings by artists including Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller.

David Shire, Return to Oz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada) (Amazon U.S.)

Here’s one you might have missed.  Intrada has recently issued for the first time in full David Shire’s rousing score to Walt Disney Pictures’ L. Frank Baum-inspired dark fantasy Return to Oz!  This cult favorite score can now be heard on 2 CDs containing the actual film cues and the specially-assembled original LP version!

Alan Parker, Jaws 3-D: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Intrada) (Amazon U.S.)

Intrada also has the world premiere complete release on two CDs of composer Alan Parker’s action-packed score to 1983’s Jaws 3-D!