Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!

Judy Collins, The Elektra Albums: Volume Two (1970-1984) (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Demon Music Group’s Edsel label is following up its July release of Judy Collins’ The Elektra Albums Volume One (1961-1968) with a second volume out today. The Elektra Albums Volume Two (1970-1984) finishes up the artist’s Elektra Records tenure, comprising these nine releases on CD in their original sequences: Whales and Nightingales (1970), Living (1971), True Stories and Other Dreams (1973), Judith (1975), Bread and Roses (1976), Hard Times for Lovers (1979), Running for My Life (1980), Times of Our Lives (1982), and Home Again (1984).  Out today in the U.K. and next Friday in North America.  We’ll have full coverage up on Monday!

Gerry Rafferty, Who Knows What the Day Will Bring? The Complete Transatlantic Recordings 1969-1971 (Cherry Red/Grapefruit) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The complete, early recordings of the Stealers Wheel and “Baker Street” singer-songwriter are collected on this new 2-CD set including both albums from The Humblebums (his collaboration with Billy Connolly) and Can I Have My Money Back? for the first time on CD in its original form.  Throw in copious bonus tracks including B-sides, outtakes, and eight previously unreleased alternates taken directly from the Transatlantic multi-tracks and you have the definitive chronicle of Rafferty’s early years.  Watch this space for full coverage soon!

Gerry Beckley, Five Mile Road (Blue Elan) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

America’s Gerry Beckley unveils an all-new studio album today.  Produced by Beckley and frequent collaborator Jeff Larson, Five Mile Road features twelve Beckley originals including one co-written with Bill Mumy (“Life Lessons”).  Larson, Mumy, Jason Scheff (formerly of Chicago), CPR’s Jeff Pevar, Poco’s Rusty Young, and The Beach Boys’ Jeff Foskett are among the guests on this stellar new LP.  Watch for our full review soon!

Herb Alpert, Over the Rainbow (Herb Alpert Presents) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Prolific trumpet legend Herb Alpert returns with a new studio album featuring his inventive reinterpretations of 11 standards and pop classics including “What a Wonderful World,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “You are So Beautiful,” “Nature Boy,” “Copacabana,” and of course, the title track, plus a new original song, “Skinny Dip.”  Available on CD and digital/streaming.

Allan Clarke, Resurgence (BMG) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The Hollies’ Allan Clarke releases his first studio album since 1990.  Resurgence, his ninth studio LP, brings Clarke out of retirement for a set of self-penned songs including “Long Cool Woman’s Back in Town” and lead single “Journey of Regret.”  Available today on CD and vinyl in the U.K. and next week in North America!

Robbie Robertson, Sinematic (UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The Band legend Robbie Robertson has his first new studio collection since 2011.  Sinematic was inspired by Robertson’s work on longtime friend Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film The Irishman and the documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band.  Van Morrison and Glen Hansard are among the guests on this 13-song set.  Available on CD, LP, and digitally.

T.G. Sheppard, Midnight in Memphis (Leopard) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Singer-songwriter T.G. Sheppard offers his first country album in 22 years with Midnight in Memphis, featuring a title track penned by his friend Barry Gibb.

Various Artists, Contemporary Broadway Revisited (Kritzerland)

Kritzerland has unveiled the latest in its series of reissues from producer-impresario Ben Bagley.  Contemporary Broadway Revisited has an all-star cast including Katharine Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Anthony Perkins, Margaret Whiting, Kaye Ballard, John Reardon, Fay DeWitt, and Helen Gallagher on songs by such Broadway tunesmiths as Jerry Herman, Kander and Ebb, and Bock and Harnick.  This remastered reissue is limited to 500 copies.  CDs will ship by the last week of October, but pre-orders typically arrive earlier when ordered directly from the label.  And that’s not all from Kritzerland…

New York Profiles: The Music of Norman Dello Joio (Kritzerland)

Kritzerland celebrates Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award-winning composer (and frequent Martha Graham associate) Norman Dello Joio with a new collection.  James Nelson has remastered these classic recordings in both mono and stereo. CDs will ship by the last week of October, but pre-orders typically arrive earlier when ordered directly from the label.

Original Broadway Cast Recording, Kean: Deluxe Edition (Stage Door Records) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Kean, featuring a score by George Wright and Robert Forrest (Kismet) and a star turn from the legendary Alfred Drake, was far from a success upon its Broadway debut in 1961.  But while the Tony-nominated show closed in just 91 performances, the Columbia Records cast recording left behind a stirring score sung powerfully by Drake and company.  Now, Stage Door is giving that album a 2-CD deluxe edition including studio cast and composer demos, an album covering the score by Robert Mersey and His Orchestra, and other selected pop covers by Judy Garland, Mitch Miller, The Living Voices, and others.  This deluxe edition, made possible by current U.K. public domain laws, is limited to 500 copies.