Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up!
Phil Collins, No Jacket Required and Testify: Deluxe Editions (Atlantic/Rhino)
No Jacket Required 2-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
No Jacket Required LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Testify 2-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Testify LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Phil Collins' No Jacket Required, originally released in 1985 and still the artist's most commercially successful album, is expanded to 2 CDs with the addition of thirteen bonus tracks: ten new-to-CD live performances and three demos. Phil also revisits 2002's Testify, still his most recent collection of original material, as a 2-CD set. Co-produced by Collins and Rob Cavallo, Testify featured new songs (all composed by Collins save one co-written with longtime collaborator Daryl Stuermer) as well as a cover of Billy Nicholls' "Can't Stop Loving You," a 1978 hit for Leo Sayer. The upcoming edition features ten bonus tracks including four B-sides, two demos, and four new-to-CD live tracks. Both original albums will also be reissued on vinyl. Read here for full tracklistings and more.
Metallica, Kill 'Em All (4-LP/5-CD/1-DVD Box Set) (Blackened) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Metallica revisits 1983's Kill 'Em All as a 4-LP/5-CD/1-DVD deluxe box set featuring remastered versions of the album on LP and CD augmented by three live sets from Paris, New Jersey and California on LP and CD; a picture disc recreation of the original "Jump Into the Fire" single (take heed: all offerings on vinyl will include download cards); plus a pair of bonus CDs featuring interviews, rough mixes and the contents of the "Whiplash" EP released in England. Another live set at Chicago's Metro, released in part on a VHS compilation in 1987, debuts in full here. The box also includes a hardback book of unseen photos and a collectible patch. Whew! The remastered original album will also be available on CD and vinyl. Read more here!
Metallica, Ride the Lightning (4-LP/6-CD/1-DVD Box Set) (Blackened) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Metallica's deluxe box set of 1984's Ride the Lightning includes the remastered album on LP and CD, plus four live sets from Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and England's Castle Donington (the latter three making their physical debut after being offered as downloads on Metallica's live archive site); a picture disc version of the "Creeping Death" single, featuring two non-LP B-sides; two more bonus CDs with radio interviews, demos and rough mixes; and a DVD featuring more pro-shot live footage for MTV, Danish TV and more. Physical swag in the box includes a hardback book of unseen photos, a mini-book of handwritten lyrics and three posters. Plus: the remastered original album will be reissued on standalone CD and vinyl! You'll find more info here!
Various Artists, The Collection: An Adventure in Sound (Audio Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Despite the nondescript title, this set features 14 tracks from the quadraphonic library of Sony on hybrid 4.0 channel SACD. Many of the artists featured are heavy hitters, including Bob Dylan, Santana, Miles Davis, The Jeff Beck Group, Henry Mancini, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The O'Jays, and Harry Nilsson. Expect some mind-blowing surround here!
Foghat, The Complete Bearsville Albums Collection (Bearsville/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
The Complete Bearsville Albums Collection contains newly remastered discs of all 13 of Foghat's landmark albums released on Bearsville Records, with its replica card wallet editions housed in a clamshell box.
Frank Sinatra, All the Way (Vinyl) (Capitol/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Frank Sinatra's All The Way album, originally released in 1961 by Capitol to round up twelve non-LP singles, arrives on 180-gram vinyl. This Billboard Top 5 album features the Oscar-winning, hit title track by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen.
Carly Simon, Anticipation (Hybrid Stereo SACD) (Mobile Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Carly Simon's sophomore album Anticipation (1971) joins Mobile Fidelity's previously released hybrid stereo SACDs (playable in all CD players) of Carly Simon and No Secrets. Anticipation features the hit title track as well as "Legend In Your Own Time," "I've Got to Have You," and more.
Bob Dylan, John Wesley Harding (Hybrid Stereo SACD) (Mobile Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Mobile Fidelity also has Bob Dylan's 1967 classic, featuring "All Along the Watchtower" and "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," on newly-remastered hybrid stereo SACD.
Original Music Theater of Lincoln Center Cast Recording, Kismet (1965) (Masterworks Broadway) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada)
Original star Alfred Drake, Anne Jeffreys and Lee Venora are heard on the RCA cast recording of this Richard Rodgers-produced revival of Robert Wright and George Forrest's musical based on the themes of Alexander Borodin. Note that Kismet is back in print from Masterworks Broadway only as a digital download or CD-R.
Graham Nash, This Path Tonight (Blue Castle) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
This Path Tonight is Graham Nash's first solo record of new music in fourteen years. The album's ten songs produced by Shane Fontayne reflect the many well-publicized changes in the legendary singer-songwriter's life over recent months. Amazon U.S. has an exclusive edition with a live DVD containing recent performances of Nash's solo and band hits. This Deluxe Edition is also available at Amazon U.K.! The album is also available on vinyl.
Santana, Santana IV (Santana IV Records) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Michael Carabello and Michael Shrieve are picking up where they left off on 1971's Santana III with this fourth LP from the famed quintet. This new 16-track album also features current Santana members Karl Perazzo (percussion) and Benny Rietveld (bass), with the one and only Ronald Isley guesting on two tracks. Also available on vinyl.
AC says
For those interested, the Metallica reissues (IMO) are horribly compressed. To my ears, they sound like utter garbage. The DCC Gold "Ride the Lightning" is so much better, it's ridiculous. It's pricey, but if you love the album, it might be worth it to you. And I don't consider myself a "pressing snob" by any stretch.