Release Round-Up: Week of October 23
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!
Elvis Costello, Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album (UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Elvis Costello has compiled a 2-CD companion release to his recently-released, utterly engrossing memoir Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink. Featuring songs that “offer the deepest emotional connection to the themes and stories in his book,” Unfaithful Music & Soundtrack Album non-chronologically spans the onetime Angry Young Man and latter-day Renaissance man’s entire recorded discography, from 1977’s My Aim is True to 2013’s Wise Up Ghost, his collaboration album with hip-hop group The Roots. In addition, two unreleased tracks premiere here along with three “audiobook sketches.” In addition to The Roots, other Costello collaborators featured here include Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint, Brian Eno, The Brodsky Quartet, Steve Nieve, and of course, The Attractions and The Imposters. You can find the full tracklisting and more here.
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, Completely Under the Covers (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
This 4-CD box set collects all three Under the Covers albums released by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs paying tribute, respectively, to the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and adds a fourth disc with 15 bonus tracks, for a total of 60 songs. This bonus disc rounds up most of the exclusive tracks previously associated with Under the Covers. The box also includes a 48-page booklet with track annotations by Sweet and Hoffs!
Original Broadway Cast Recording, A Chorus Line: 40th Anniversary Celebration (Masterworks Broadway) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Masterworks Broadway expands the classic Original Broadway Cast Recording of Marvin Hamlisch, Ed Kleban, Nicholas Dante and James Kirkwood’s A Chorus Line with eight never-before-released work tape demos of Hamlisch and Kleban presenting the score (including cut songs) to director/choreographer Michael Bennett. These illuminating fly-on-the-wall bonus tracks – including an early opening number, “It’s All in Here,” which may have been inappropriate for the show as it developed, but once more reveals Marvin Hamlisch’s great melodic gift – are worth the price of admission alone. A 180-gram vinyl reissue of the original remastered album (with download card for the additional material) will also be available next week from Analog Spark (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.).
a-ha, Stay on These Roads /East of the Sun, West of the Moon /Memorial Beach Deluxe Editions (Warner/Rhino)
Stay on These Roads: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
East of the Sun, West of the Moon: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Memorial Beach: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
As with previous a-ha deluxe editions, all lovingly compiled by longtime a-ha fan and reissue producer/engineer extraordinaire Bill Inglot, these reissues feature the remastered original albums augmented with a host of bonus tracks, some released (remixes and live material which appeared on various 12″ singles over the years) but most unheard (bonus discs for Stay on These Roads and Memorial Beach feature entirely previously unreleased tracks). East of the Sun, West of the Moon comes with a bonus DVD featuring Live in South America – a recording of the band’s 1991 Rock in Rio set making its debut on the format. You’ll find full tracklistings and more right here! These arrive in the U.K. today with U.S. shipments beginning next Friday!
The Kinks, Sunny Afternoon: The Very Best of The Kinks (Sanctuary) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
This 2-CD, 48-track collection ties in with The Kinks’ smash hit West End musical Sunny Afternoon, featuring the original Kinks recordings of songs performed in the musical and more, including demos, interviews, and BBC performances.
Jack Bruce, Sunshine of Your Love: A Life in Music (Polydor/Universal U.K.) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
The late Jack Bruce’s extraordinary career is captured on this 2-CD set featuring his work with Cream, The Jack Bruce Band, BBM and solo, for a total of 35 scorching tracks.
Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Christmas Album (Herb Alpert Presents) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
1968’s classic Christmas Album from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass is back on CD from the artist’s newly-minted Herb Alpert Presents label. This reissue of the original A&M album has been freshly remastered and features memorable TJB takes on “The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Winter Wonderland” and more!
Charlie Rich, 25 All-Time Greatest Hits (Varese Vintage) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
This new release from Varese Vintage compiles all of Rich’s biggest hits recorded for RCA and Epic Records, including five No. 1 Country hits which crossed over to the pop charts: “The Most Beautiful Girl,” “Behind Closed Doors,” “There Won’t Be Anymore,” “A Very Special Love Song,” and “I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore.”
Mighty Clouds of Joy, It’s Time / Kickin’ (Safety Zone)
It’s Time: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Kickin’: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Two albums of funky R&B and soul from the classic gospel group come to CD. It’s Time features the classic Philly soul stylings of MFSB legends like Norman Harris, Vince Montana, Bobby Eli, Ronnie Baker, and Earl Young as produced by southern soul great Dave Crawford. Kickin’ teams producer Crawford with arranger and Motown alumnus Mike Terry!
Various Artists, Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins (Eight 30) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
An array of Americana’s finest have teamed up to pay tribute to Mississippi native and Venice Beach street performer Ted Hawkins. Hawkins’ career was unlike any other; the longtime busker earned a coveted five-star review from Rolling Stone for his 1982 debut album Watch Your Step but hardly recorded again until his 1994 LP The Next Hundred Years. Hawkins’ songs, blurring the lines between blues, country and folk, are recorded on this new set by artists including James McMurtry, Kasey Chambers and Bill Chambers, Mary Gauthier and Tim Easton.
Rod Stewart, Another Country (Capitol) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Rod Stewart returns with his second consecutive album of original material after a spate of covers-oriented releases. Target has an exclusive edition of Another Country with two bonus tracks (for a total of 17 songs) also available on the U.K. Deluxe Edition (linked to below)!
Harry Connick, Jr., That Would Be Me (Columbia) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
The jazz hero, piano man, crooner, and American Idol judge returns with a set of original material produced by Eg White (Sam Smith, Adele, Florence and the Machine) and Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Pink). Target has an exclusive edition with two outtakes including what would have been the title track, “That Would Be Me.”
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London once exported the Buddy Holly-musical to my hometown. Wouldn’t mind if they do the same with “Sunny Afternoon”.