Features / Release Round-Up

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!

The Archies, Sugar, Sugar: The Complete Albums Collection (Cleopatra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

At long last!  The complete albums of The Archies are being assembled in one 5-CD box set by Cleopatra Records.  You’ll find The Archies, Everything’s Archie, Jingle Jangle, Sunshine and This Is Love each in a mini-LP replica sleeve, along with a booklet containing new liner notes. Bubblegum never tasted so good as in these top-notch AM radio productions by Jeff Barry and co., featuring Ron Dante, Toni Wine and others!

Gary Wright and Wonderwheel, Ring of Changes (Esoteric) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Cherry Red’s Esoteric Recordings premieres the long-lost 1972 A&M album recorded by “Dream Weaver” Gary Wright and his band Wonderwheel, featuring  guitarist-singer Mick Jones, later of Foreigner, as well as bassist Tom Duffey and drummer Bryson Graham. George Harrison guest stars on this prime slice of classic rock recorded at Apple Studios on Savile Row in London!  This release also includes three bonus tracks – two related singles and one outtake!  Read more here.

David Bowie, Earthling (Parlophone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Parlophone has a straight reissue of Earthling, the electronica-influenced 1997 studio album from David Bowie (his 20th overall).

The Isley Brothers, Go For Your Guns: Expanded Edition (Iconoclassic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1977’s Go For Your Guns, the fifth album by the 3+3 line-up of The Isley Brothers, introduced the chart-topping single “The Pride” as well as the hits “Livin’ in the Life” and “Voyage to Atlantis.”  This No. 1 R&B/No. 6 Pop classic is reissued by Iconoclassic in an expanded edition featuring Mark Wilder’s remastering, new liner notes, and three bonus tracks previously released on The Isleys’ 2015 box set The RCA Victor & T-Neck Album Masters: “The Pride (Disco Mix),” “Voyage to Atlantis (Mono Single Version)” and “Livin’ in the Life/Go for Your Guns (Disco Version).”  (Note that these differ from the bonus tracks on Big Break Records’ 2011 reissue.)  Watch for this September’s release of The Isleys’ Groove with You…Live! from Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music!

Blood, Sweat & Tears, Greatest Hits (Stereo Hybrid SACD) (Audio Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Blood Sweat & Tears’ original 1972 Greatest Hits collection, featuring 11 songs including “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” “Spinning Wheel,” “And When I Die,” “I Can’t Quit Her,” “Lucretia MacEvil” and more, arrives on hybrid stereo SACD from Audio Fidelity.  This disc from the jazz-rock pioneers can be played on any CD player but will play in high-resolution on SACD players.

Loggins and Messina, Full Sail (Quadraphonic Hybrid SACD) (Audio Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Loggins and Messina’s 1973 Full Sail, featuring “My Music,” “A Love Song,” “Watching the River Run” and “Lahaina” comes to 4.0 surround SACD from Audio Fidelity!  This release is playable in stereo on all CD players.

Various Artists, Lost West End 2 (Stage Door) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Stage Door Records follows up its popular Lost West End with a second volume of rare songs from forgotten London musicals.  This time out, the 22-track collection features shows from 1970 to 2008:  ‘Isabel’s A Jezebel’ (1970), ‘Bordello’ (1974), ‘Jack The Ripper’ (1974), ‘Maggie’ (1977), ‘Dean’(1977), ‘Fire Angel’ (1977), ‘After Shave’ (1977), ‘Drake’s Dream’ (1977) ‘Flowers For Algernon’ (1979),‘Wild Wild Women’ (1982), ‘Blondel’ (1984), ‘The Importance’ (1984), ‘Winnie’ (1988), ‘Moby Dick’(1992), ‘Voyeurz’ (1996), ‘Boyband – The Musical’(1999), ‘Casper’ (1999) ‘Napoleon’ (2000), ‘Money To Burn’ (2003), ‘Murderous Instincts’ (2004), ‘Zorro’ (2008), and ‘Imagine This’ (2008).  Michael Crawford, Colm Wilkinson and Paul Jones are among the artists you’ll hear!  A 16-page booklet rounds out the set!