Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!

CHIC, The CHIC Organization 1977-1979 (Atlantic/Rhino)

5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

This new box set, available in 5-CD and 6-LP formats, brings together new Nile Rodgers Signature Edition remasters of CHIC’s first three albums plus Sister Sledge’s CHIC-produced We Are Family and a bonus disc of period single edits and 12-inch mixes.  The vinyl edition includes additional text in the booklet as well as a bonus 12-inch replica single of the original Buddah release of “”Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)” b/w “Sao Paulo”.”  Read more here!

Various Artists, ’80s Symphonic (Rhino)

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

’80s Symphonic blends 15 original ’80s tracks from across Warner’s celebrated catalogue and blends them with brand-new, symphonic arrangements performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.  Among the tracks given the symphonic treatment are The Cars’ “Drive,” Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” a-ha’s “Take On Me,” and David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.”   While “Let’s Dance” was helmed by original producer Nile Rodgers, the other tracks have all been produced by Andy Wright (Simple Minds, Eurythmics, Jeff Beck) at Abbey Road Studios.  Available on CD and digital today, with vinyl to follow on December 7.  Read more here!

Sonny & Cher, Look at Us/The Wondrous World of Sonny & Cher/In Case You’re in Love + Bonus Tracks (BGO) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

BGO brings together virtually the entirety of Sonny & Cher’s Atco discography on this new 3-CD set including three complete studio albums and a disc of seventeen rare single sides.  John O’Regan provides the new liner notes.  Other than the complete Good Times soundtrack (recently reissued on CD by Varese Vintage) and a handful of foreign-language sides, this set is one-stop shopping for the beloved duo on Atco.  (A couple of single sides released on Reprise are still unavailable on CD: “Do You Wanna Dance” and “Let the Good Times Roll.”)

Lone Justice, The Western Tapes 1983 (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada TBD)

Omnivore takes listeners to the roots of Lone Justice with this six-song EP on CD and 12-inch LP.  The original demo version of “Drugstore Cowboy” has appeared before, but the remaining five tracks are previously unreleased.  Two would go on to appear on the band’s debut album.  Bernie Grundman has remastered.

Diana Krall, Stepping Out: Justin Time Essentials Collection (Justin Time) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Krall’s 1993 hit independent-label debut album featuring John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton is being reissued on CD with one new-to-CD bonus track, “Summertime,” plus the previously released bonus “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”