Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up which just might be the biggest slate of the year to date!

Lou Reed, The RCA and Arista Album Collection (RCA/Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Legacy brings together 16 Lou Reed albums from his RCA and Arista years on 17 CDs, all remastered directly under Reed's supervision before his untimely passing in 2013.  An 80-page hardbound booklet with detailed liner notes, five art prints and a poster round out this limited edition package.  Read more here!

Prince, The Prince Movie Collection (Warner Home Video) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Warner Home Video bundles together Prince's three feature films (Purple Rain, Under the Cherry Moon, Graffiti Bridge) in newly-remastered transfers on Blu-ray.  While Purple Rain retains the bonus features prepared for the 2004 20th anniversary edition, the other two films add only trailers, dropping the bonus music videos included on the past DVD releases.  Each of the three films will also be available as a stand-alone Blu-ray release in a special purple case (naturally)!  You'll find more details here!

Percy Faith, The Definitive Collection (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

This 32-track remastered anthology from the legendary arranger-conductor Percy Faith spans 22 years of his career at Columbia Records and focuses primarily on his earlier years (including "Theme from A Summer Place," "Delicado" and "The Syncopated Clock") before he began covering pop and rock material in the 1960s.  I've written the new liner notes for this release!  Read more here!

Eddie Money, The Complete Hits and More! (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The new set highlights rocker Eddie Money and his time on Columbia Records from 1977-1992.  The Complete Hits and More! contains all of Money's charting hits like "Two Tickets to Paradise" and his biggest single "Take Me Home Tonight" which revitalized both his and Ronnie Spector's careers.  This set also contains the complete Livin' It Up EP for the first time on CD.  Read more here!

Micky Dolenz, The MGM Singles Collection (7a) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The team at 7a Records has expanded its acclaimed vinyl release of Micky Dolenz's MGM Singles Collection with a whopping 12 bonus tracks including some impossibly rare sides.  It all adds up to a new-to-CD feast that continues to celebrate The Monkees' 50th anniversary in high style!  Get the full specs right here!

Otis Redding, Complete and Unbelievable...The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul: 50th Anniversary Edition (Atlantic/Rhino)

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

The late Otis Redding's fifth and final album before his tragic passing, Dictionary of Soul boasted the hits "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" and "Try a Little Tenderness."  It's being reissued as a 2-CD 50th Anniversary Edition featuring the mono and stereo versions of the album plus five B-sides and outtakes and three live tracks.  Available on CD, DD and vinyl.  The vinyl pressing adds a bonus 7-inch single of "Try a Little Tenderness" b/w "I'm Sick Y'All."

Barry Gibb, In the Now (Columbia) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The Bee Gees' legendary Barry Gibb returns with his first solo album in decades and his first album of new material in over 15 years.  Released on Columbia Records, In the Now is a family affair, with Barry co-writing songs with his sons and keeping the flame of the Bee Gees burning bright.  In the Now is available in a 12-track standard edition and a 15-track deluxe edition (link to deluxe edition below).  On CD, DD and LP.

B.J. Thomas, All is Calm, All is Bright/Love Shines (Friday Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Friday Music brings to CD a pair of long-demanded, early 1980s gems from the great B.J. Thomas, just in time for the holiday season: 1985's Christmas set All Is Calm, All Is Bright, and 1983's contemporary Christian album Love Shines.

Cher, I Paralyze: Expanded Edition (Vibe On Records)

The one and only Cher's underrated 1982 Columbia album gets the deluxe, expanded treatment from Vibe On Records with ten bonus tracks, new liner notes, never-before-published photos, and a fresh remastering from Sony's Battery Studios!  This special release is currently available directly through Vibe On at the link above!  Read more about I Paralyze here!

Evelyn "Champagne" King, The RCA Hits and More! (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The Complete RCA Hits and More! brings together 26 remastered tracks from Evelyn "Champagne" King's tenure at RCA from 1977-1986 which saw the soulful diva have several dance and R&B chart hits like "I'm In Love" and "Love Come Down."  This set presents the songs in their 12″ or remix versions as opposed to their album iterations.  Read more here!

Mahalia Jackson, Mahalia Jackson Sings - The Great Television Performances (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The late Mahalia Jackson remains one of the most, if not the most, influential gospel singers in history.  She recorded many hugely successful albums for several labels, including a long tenure at Columbia and won several Grammy awards.  She was also an important figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.  She has received numerous reissues over the years.  One part of her career which has been overlooked though are the recordings she made for television in the early 1960s.  Hired after her performance at John F. Kennedy's inaugural ball in 1961, she recorded 58 performances to be used as "filler" on Sunday mornings.  Real Gone has collected 16 of these rare tracks for Mahalia Jackson Sings - The Great Television Performances.  You'll find more details here!

John Hammond, Mirrors (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Blues guitarist John Hammond made his debut on Vanguard in 1964 and recorded four albums between that and the next year.  By 1967, he had signed with Atlantic for one album.  As often happens in these cases, Vanguard put together an album of outtakes which became Mirrors, also released in 1967.  The record contains both acoustic and electric material with Hammond being backed on the electric side by members of The Band.  This is Hammond's only Vanguard album which has never before appeared on CD.  Read more here!

Sandy Bull, Fantasias for Guitar and Banjo (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Real Gone brings Sandy Bull's 1963 debut Fantasias for Guitar and Banjo to CD for the very first time. A multi-instrumentalist, Bull is accompanied only by drummer Billy Higgins (who had accompanied Ornette Coleman) on the record.  The first side was taken up completely by "Blend," a 22-minute composition by Bull which incorporates world-music influences.  While not a success at the time, Fantasia would be credited with influencing the world music movement and psychedelia.  Check more details out here!

Eden Atwood, I'm Glad There is You: The Best of the Concord Years (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Eden Atwood, a jazz singer and actress, signed to Concord Records in 1992.  During her tenure, she recorded four albums.  Real Gone has put together the first-ever compilation of her time at the label.  I'm Glad There Is You - The Best of The Concord Years collects 14 songs from all four of her albums.

ABBA, Arrival: 40th Anniversary Edition (Polar/Universal) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

ABBA's 1976 classic LP Arrival (featuring "Dancing Queen," "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "Money, Money, Money") is reissued on vinyl for its 40th anniversary in a new double-LP, half-speed mastered edition playable at 45 RPM for optimum sound!  Jan Gradvall supplies new liner notes.

Yes, Tales from Topographic Oceans various editions (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.

Various Artists, Jazz Haunts and Magic Vaults (Resonance) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Resonance Records offers an affordable sampler of the label's most significant releases with Jazz Haunts and Magic Vaults.  This 14 track compilation is all-killer, no-filler, with tracks from Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Lloyd, and Shirley Horn among its artists.  And that's not all.  This set also premieres a never-before-released 1950s track by Wes Montgomery ("The End of a Love Affair") and previews upcoming Resonance releases from Dennis Coffey ("Fuzz") and The Three Sounds featuring Gene Harris ("Blue Genes"). This is one sampler not to be missed.

Perry Como, I Think of You/In Nashville/Just Out of Reach/Today (BGO) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

BGO reissues four more Perry Como classic albums on two CDs including 1971's I Think of You, 1975's In Nashville and Just Out of Reach (produced by Chet Atkins) and 1987's Today (the crooner's final RCA studio LP).

Loretta Lynn, White Christmas Blue (Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The legendary country artist returns with her second album of 2016 and first Christmas release since 1966!  White Christmas Blue features Loretta's original title track, two remakes of her own compositions from 1966's Country Christmas, traditional carols and pop favorites.  Available on CD, DD and vinyl.