Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up!
The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones in Mono (ABKCO)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
The Rolling Stones in Mono captures, on 15 CDs or 16 LPs, the original mono albums released on both sides of the Atlantic between 1964 and 1969 including the exceptionally rare mono editions of Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967), Beggars Banquet (1968) and Let It Bleed (1969). Exclusive to the box is Stray Cats, a single-CD/double-LP collection of mono single-only material and odds and ends, including the first legitimate CD release of "Con Le Mie Lacrime," an Italian-language version of "As Tears Go By." The cheeky sleeve design to Stray Cats recalls the art to Beggars Banquet, which will be presented with its original "bathroom wall" cover now present on most CD reissues. Every disc has been newly-remastered by Bob Ludwig, and the 48-page booklet has an essay by David Fricke! Read more here!
Jimi Hendrix, Machine Gun: The Fillmore East First Show 12/31/69 (Experience Hendrix/Legacy)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
On December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles took New York's Fillmore East by storm with four exhilarating, adventurous performances fusing R&B, soul and hard rock with an improvisatory sensibility. Machine Gun: The Fillmore East First Show 12/31/69 presents the first of the group's four sets, complete and in sequence for the very first time. Newly mixed from the original one-inch 8-track master tapes by Eddie Kramer, this landmark release, produced by Janie Hendrix, John McDermott and Kramer, will arrive on CD, 180-gram vinyl, SACD and DD. (The SACD, along with an SACD of 2013's People, Hell and Angels, can be ordered from Acoustic Sounds now.) Read more here!
Sting, The Studio Collection (A&M/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
This new 11-LP set covers all of Sting's eight solo albums between 1985 and 2013 in deluxe fashion, featuring meticulously recreated packaging, new vinyl masters cut at Abbey Road Studios for all albums, and the debuts of both Brand New Day (2000) and Sacred Love (2003) on the vinyl format. The box comes ahead of Sting's ninth solo LP, the rock-oriented 57th & 9th (which the press release states will "complete" The Studio Collection - we're currently unclear if that means there's room for it in the box when it debuts November 11). You'll find more details right here!
Temple of the Dog, Temple of the Dog: 25th Anniversary Editions (A&M/UMe)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD/DVD/BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
For its 25th anniversary, A&M/UMe are pulling out all the stops with a four-disc CD/DVD/Blu-ray deluxe edition of the 1991 grunge classic. Double-disc, CD and vinyl editions are available, too, and you can get all the specs on the various editions here!
Erroll Garner, Ready Take One (Octave/Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Late jazz pianist Erroll Garner's Ready Take One, presenting fourteen previously unreleased selections by Garner released between 1967 and 1971, is the first album of all-new Garner material to be released in almost 25 years. The performances on Ready Take One have been culled from seven sessions held in 1967, 1969 and 1971 in locales including New York City and Chicago. Among the tracks are six previously unreleased Garner compositions ("High Wire," "Wild Music," "Back to You," "Chase Me," "Latin Digs" and "Down Wylie Avenue") and a host of standards ranging from Duke Ellington's "Caravan" and "Satin Doll" to Cole Porter's "Night and Day" and Garner's own immortal "Misty." Garner also tackles Bobby Hebb's pop hit "Sunny," "Stella by Starlight" and more. Read all about it here!
Syreeta, The Rita Wright Years: Rare Motown 1967-1970 (Ace) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Ace has a remarkable collection from the late, great Syreeta chronicling her first recordings at Motown from 1967-70. Unbelievably, only two were issued at the time of recording. That means a whopping 17 tracks are seeing the light of day here for the first time. Syreeta was teamed with many of Motown's top producers of the period, including Ashford & Simpson, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Hal Davis, Hank Cosby and her future husband Stevie Wonder. A Motown must-have! Watch for a full review soon.
Various Artists, Let It Be: Black America Sings Lennon, McCartney and Harrison (Ace) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Following Come Together: Black America Sings Lennon & McCartney, Ace adds the Fab personage of George Harrison for this volume featuring 22 Beatle-penned tracks by legendary artists including Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Mary Wells, Gary U.S. Bonds and many others! Watch for a full review soon!
Yes, Tales from Topographic Oceans (Panegyric)
3-CD/1-BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2-CD/2-DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Panegyric continues its multi-format Yes reissue series with 1973's Tales from Topographic Oceans in 3-CD/1-BD and 2-CD/2-DVD editions featuring brand-new stereo and surround mixes by Steven Wilson plus a host of extras. Read here for specs on both formats. UPDATE: These have been briefly delayed until next Friday, October 7!
Emerson Lake & Palmer, Trilogy / Brain Salad Surgery / Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends, Ladies and Gentlemen (BMG)
Trilogy: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Brain Salad Surgery: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends, Ladies and Gentlemen: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
BMG continues its CD/140-gram LP/DD reissue series for Emerson Lake & Palmer with another stab at three more titles from the prog-rockers' classic discography c. 1972-1974. Each deluxe title features liner notes by Chris Welch and remastering by Andy Pearce. Trilogy has a 2015 remaster of the original album on CD 1, and Jakko M. Jakszyk's 2015 "Alternate Album" assembly on CD 2. Brain Salad features a 2014 remaster of the original album on CD 1, and Jakszyk's 2014 "Alternate Album" on CD 2. Welcome Back promises to be newly remastered by Pearce from the original master tapes.
Graham Parker, These Dreams Will Never Sleep: The Best of Graham Parker 1976-2015 (Universal U.K.) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Universal U.K. offers up a 6CD/1DVD career-spanning box set chronicling Graham Parker's 40 years of recording, both solo and with The Rumour. These Dreams includes 3 anthology discs, a disc of BBC live performances and a 2-disc, previously unreleased live concert from the last ever show with The Rumour in 2015 at London's Forum. The DVD boasts a previously unreleased live show at The Brook in Southampton with The Rumour, as well as Top Of The Pops and Old Grey Whistle Test TV performances from the late 1970s. The accompanying 36-page hardcover book includes a new essay by Holly A. Hughes, an interview with Parker, a poster, and three postcards.
Herb Alpert, Human Nature (Herb Alpert Presents) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Herb Alpert's new Human Nature looks to be an exciting set even by the high standards of the eternally youthful trumpeter. His fourth album in three years, Human Nature features five original songs plus reworkings of Steve Porcaro and John Bettis' "Human Nature" (the 1983 Michael Jackson hit), Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Alfie" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," and a world premiere composition from Bacharach and Elvis Costello, "Look Up Again." This release comes on the heels of a massive Alpert CD reissue campaign - check out the full details here!
Van Morrison, Keep Me Singing (Caroline) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Van Morrison returns with his 36th studio album! Keep Me Singing features 13 tracks - 12 originals including the instrumental "Caledonia Swing" (with Van on saxophone!) plus a cover of the blues standard "Share Your Love With Me." For the track "Every Time I See A River," Morrison has collaborated with lyricist Don Black ("Born Free," "To Sir with Love"). Available on CD, DD and LP.
Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale, Live in San Diego with Special Guest J.J. Cale (Reprise) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
For this 2007 concert, preserved on 2 CDs, Eric Clapton was joined by Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall II on guitars, Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon on keyboards, Willie Weeks on bass, Steve Jordan on drums and backing vocalists Michelle John and Sharon White. Clapton's longtime friend, the late J.J. Cale, sat in for five songs, including three from their 2006 Grammy-winning collaborative release The Road to Escondido. Available on CD, DD and vinyl.
John Prine, For Better, or Worse (Oh Boy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Folk hero John Prine is joined by Kacey Musgraves, Iris DeMent, Allison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, Lee Ann Womack and others on this all-new duets set. Available on CD, LP and DD.
Lalo Schifrin, Boulevard Nights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Varese Vintage)
Varese Vintage launches We Hear You, a new series of limited edition soundtrack releases with the score to Michael Pressman's 1979 film Boulevard Nights. Lalo Schifrin composed the flavorful, urban-themed score touching on jazz and disco, and George Benson is featured on the track "Street Tattoo" by Schifrin and lyricist Gale Garnett ("We'll Sing in the Sunshine"). Chas Ferry and Daren Chadwick have remastered, and Jim Lochner has provided the new liner notes. Limited to 1,500 copies. Expect a new title in the series every few months! Currently Boulevard Nights can be ordered directly from Varese!
Philip says
Still waiting for a reissue of Welcome Back My Friends..... to put the take A Pebble suite on one CD and add on a Pictures... encore. They must have one from the tour on tape somewhere!!
Bill B says
FYI: The Yes "TFTO" album doesn't actually come out until next Friday, Oct 7th.
Joe Marchese says
Yes, there seems to have been a delay! Thanks, Bill!
Murray says
The Rolling Stones Mono Box is available for streaming on Tidal, and I assume other streaming platforms. Nice to see since some of these massive box sets like Beatles Mono and Bob Dylan The Cutting edge aren't offered on streaming services. The recent David Bowie set Who Can I Be Now? is streaming as well, which is strange because (at least on Tidal) the previous Five Years set is NOT available.
Magnus Hägermyr says
Nice with some English pub rock on the table but to me the Graham Parker-box seems to be a kind of mishmash trying to be a career spanning-, rarity- and a live-box all in one packet failing especially in the first category. I mean just to cherry-picking on his 5 first studio albums can bring some head ace when all of the songs is more or less cheeries so the offering here can't do him any justise. Three sterling editions covering each of the themes would have been more proper.
For them who's not so familiar with Mr Parker there is a great Springsteen-entrance with the song "Endless Night" from 1980 where Graham and Bruce shares the mike. A splendid example of Power Parker Rock and some people says that The Romour was equal or even better than The E-Street Band.
Cora Fowler says
maybe equal but never better..............
alad says
Are those rare Mono Stones LPs (the last from 1969) actually dedicated mono mixes or just folddowns with a bit of EQ adjustments?