Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up!

David Bowie, Cracked Actor: Live in Los Angeles 1974 (Parlophone/Rhino) (Amazon U.S./ Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Cracked Actor: Live in Los Angeles 1974 is the first authorized release of Bowie's Philly Dogs Tour show at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheatre, from September 1974.  First released earlier this year on vinyl only, some of this performance was featured in Alan Yentob's BBC documentary also known as Cracked Actor.  The original tapes for this show were finally brought together last November, and they have been newly mixed by Tony Visconti. Note that this is a different band and setlist than on David Live, also from 1974.  Read more here!  A 7-inch vinyl single of Bowie's "Be My Wife" b/w a previously unreleased live version of "Art Decade" from Perth, Australia in 1978 is also available today (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) as well as gold LP versions of Ziggy Stardust and Hunky Dory.

Big Star, The Best of Big Star (Stax/Concord)

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

Perennial cult band Big Star gets its first compilation in nearly 15 years with The Best of Big Star.  This new release collects (on one CD or 2 LPs, pressed at 45 RPM for optimal sound quality) 16 tracks from #1 Record, Radio City and Third; As a bit of a nod to collectors, six of the tracks are presented in their original single mix/edit forms - and four of those ("Don't Lie to Me" and "Watch the Sunrise" from #1 Record, "September Gurls" from Radio City and "Jesus Christ" from 3rd) appear to be making their debut on CD.  Watch this space for a full review!

Commodores, Commodores: Expanded Vinyl Edition (Motown/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada / Amazon U.K.)

For this new vinyl reissue of The Commodores' classic debut, Motown and UMe have gone back to the original production masters to offer seven of the album's nine tracks in longer versions, available for the first time on vinyl.  This black vinyl release also contains a replica of the original autographed poster inserted into copies of the original pressing.   Universal's official web store is offering a limited blue vinyl variant, 500 copies strong.  Read more here!

Rosebud, Rosebud: Expanded Edition (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Omnivore follows up its acclaimed reissue of Judy Henske and Jerry Yester's Farewell Aldebaran with another cult record from the duo! Rosebud was the name of the band and the album featuring Henske, Yester, Craig Doerge, and John Seiter. It was a rocky road to the band's sole LP; after recording was "completed" and the album "finished," Rosebud added bassist David Vaught. Further songs were recorded, and others removed in favor of the new material. Omnivore takes that original 1971 album (originally released on Frank Zappa's Straight label) and adds ten bonus tracks - seven of which are previously unreleased! The new liner notes feature quotes from Henske, Yester, and Doerge!  Watch for our full review soon!

The Rolling Stones, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones / Some Girls: Live in Texas '78 / Live at the Checkerboard Lounge (Eagle Rock)

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Some Girls: Live in Texas '78: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Live at the Checkerboard Lounge: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

This week, The Rolling Stones bring a trio of their concert films to CD form with stand-alone audio-only versions of Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones (recorded in Texas on the 1972 Exile on Main St. tour); Some Girls: Live in Texas '78 (recorded in Fort Worth after the chart-topping release of Some Girls); and Live at the Checkerboard Lounge (teaming Mick, Keith, Ronnie, and Ian Stewart with Muddy Waters on a 1981 Chicago night at Buddy Guy's club).

American Epic: The Best Of series (Third Man) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The American Epic series of releases continues with Third Man's individual vinyl LPs dedicated to the classic recordings of Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Willie Johnson, The Carter Family, the Memphis Jug Band, and Lead Belly, as well as genre compilations for Country, and Blues.  These 180-gram LPs are lavishly packaged with tip-on jackets.

Blue Cheer, Vincebus Eruptum Hybrid Stereo SACD (Audio Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Blue Cheer's 1968 debut album arrives on hybrid stereo SACD (playable in all CD players) from Audio Fidelity, capturing the hard rock band at their bluesy prime.  Features "Summertime Blues," "Rock Me Baby," and more!

Spirit, Spirit Hybrid Stereo SACD (Audio Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Audio Fidelity brings the 1968 Ode Records debut of American psych-rock band Spirit to hybrid stereo SACD (playable on all CD players) in an edition mirroring the contents of the 1996 expanded edition, which added five bonus tracks to the original album.

Various Artists, Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration of Sun Records (Americana Music Society) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada TBD)

A host of local Memphis artists pay tribute to the classic sound of Sun Records for this all-new tribute album, recorded in Sun's own vintage studios!  Producer-artist Luther Dickinson is joined by Valerie June, Shawn Camp, Bobby Rush, Alvin Youngblood Hart, the cast of the recent Sun Records television show, and more for this one-of-a-kind collection!  Read all about it here!  Also available on vinyl and digital.

Various Artists, Seafaring Strangers: Private Yacht (Numero Group) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The musical archaeologists at Numero Group have turned their attention to the "yacht rock" genre with this collection of Seafaring Strangers - little-known indie artists who surfed the same soft-rock wave as Ned Doheny, Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, and James Taylor.  Available on CD, LP, and digital.  (Release date is June 30 in the United Kingdom.)

 

Randy Newman, Cars 3: Original Motion Picture Score (Walt Disney Records) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Songs Only: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Randy Newman, soon to release his new solo album Dark Matter, revs up his musical engine with an all-new orchestral score for Disney-Pixar's third Cars film.  A companion "Songs Only" CD doesn't offer anything by Mr. Newman, alas, but has new music from Brad Paisley, Dan Auerbach and ZZ Ward featuring Gary Clark, Jr., plus covers by Lea DeLaria ("Freeway of Love"), Andra Day ("Glory Days"), Jorge Blanco ("Drive My Car") and James Bay ("Kings Highway").

The Dustbowl Revival, The Dustbowl Revival (Signature Sounds) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Americana band The Dustbowl Revival emphasizes its soulful side on this new 11-song set of potent and brassy rock-soul, without completely abandoning its retro folk and jazz roots.  The eight-person lineup welcomes guest Keb' Mo' on "Honey I Love You."  This album arrives as the band brings its joyful noise to venues around the United States this summer and into 2018!  Available on CD, LP, and DD.

Cheap Trick, We're All Alright (Big Machine) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick are back with a new, 13-song studio album, available as a Deluxe Edition CD as well as digitally and on vinyl.  The U.K. edition has a bonus DVD.