Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!

Cilla Black, Cilla/In My Life (SFE/Cherry Red) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Cherry Red’s Strike Force Entertainment imprint has two more reissues in the ongoing series of definitively remastered and expanded Cilla Black albums. First up is the late vocalist’s debut album Cilla (1965) with In My Life (1974), the latter of which is making its premiere on CD in full.  This 2-CD set adds 26 bonus tracks, three of which are new to CD.

Cilla Black, Sher-oo!/Modern Priscilla (SFE/Cherry Red) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

SFE’s second two-fer presents Black’s third and tenth albums, Sher-oo! (1968) and Modern Priscilla (1978), now with 21 bonus tracks, eleven of which are new to CD.  Read our review of both two-fers here!

Various Artists, Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Smithsonian Folkways) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

To celebrate the fiftieth year of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has released a new box set.  The 5-disc collection is presented as a large-format, 12″x12″, 136-page book and includes previously unreleased recordings from the vault of WWOZ Radio and beyond. It totals roughly 300 minutes of music spanning the years 1974 to 2016. Disc 1 spotlights jazz, while Discs 2 and 3 feature R&B, blues, and gospel. Disc 4, meanwhile, celebrates Zydeco, Cajun and other New Orleans regional music, and Disc 5 brings the funk, along with rock, blues, and hip-hop. Among the legendary artists present are Irma Thomas, Professor Longhair, The Dixie Cups, The Neville Brothers, Allen Toussaint (appearing solo and with Bonnie Raitt), Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dr. John, Terence Blanchard, and Trombone Shorty. Read more here!

Thomas Newman, American Beauty (Original Motion Picture Score) (“Red and Black Haze” Limited Vinyl Edition) (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Real Gone has a vinyl premiere for Thomas Newman’s score to the 1999 Academy Award-winning American Beauty. The film, directed by Sam Mendes, stars Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Allison Janey, Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Wes Bentley, and Chris Cooper was released in September, 1999.  Its plot revolves around unhappy couple Lester and Carolyn Burnham (Spacey and Bening) and the problems which ensue when Lester becomes obsessed with his daughter’s friend Angela (Suvari).  The film, directed by Sam Mendes, stars Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Allison Janey, Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Wes Bentley, and Chris Cooper was released in September, 1999.  Its plot revolves around unhappy couple Lester and Carolyn Burnham (Spacey and Bening) and the problems which ensue when Lester becomes obsessed with his daughter’s friend Angela (Suvari). 

David Newman, Galaxy Quest (Original Motion Picture Score) (“Blue Galaxy” Limited Vinyl Edition) (Real Gone Music, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

From last week comes Real Gone’s reissue of a title by another Newman: David, Thomas’ brother. Directed by Dean Parisot, the 1999 film is an affectionate send-up of the original Star Trek series (both on and off-screen).  Starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, and Sam Rockwell, the movie centers around the cast of a 1960s science-fiction television show who get kidnapped into outer space to help an alien race who mistake them for their onscreen roles. The score did not receive a commercial release at the time and was finally put on CD in 2012 by La-La Land Records.  LLL’s presentation is reprised on Real Gone’s vinyl release.  The LP is housed in a gatefold jacket featuring production stills and comes in two versions: a blue “Galaxy” vinyl limited to 1,400 copies, available at general retail and a glow-in-the-dark vinyl, limited to just 100 copies, available directly from Real Gone’s website.  Read more about both Newman soundtracks here!

Rare Earth, Grand Slam (LMLR/Culture Factory) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Culture Factory continues its series of reissues from the Rare Earth discography with the CD debut of the psychedelic soul-rock band’s 1978 album for Motown’s Prodigal label.  Tracks include reworkings of Norman Whitfield’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “I Wish It Would Rain” and Barry Gibb’s “Save Me, Save Me.”  As usual for the label, it’s housed in a Japanese-style paper sleeve with OBI strip.

Howard Jones, Transform (BFD) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The “No One Is to Blame” and “Things Can Only Get Better” artist returns with his first new album in nearly a decade.  Available on CD, LP, and digital formats.

Original Broadway Cast Recording, The Cher Show (Warner Bros.) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The Tony-nominated Broadway musical comes to CD today starring Stephanie J. Block, Teal Wicks, and Micaela Diamond as the great lady in three stages of her remarkable career.  The cast recording features their versions of such indelible hits as “Believe,” “Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves,” “Just Like Jesse James,” and more.  Available on digital, CD, and LP (with the latter arriving June 21).