Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up!

Chet Atkins, The Complete RCA Victor and Columbia Christmas Recordings (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music are proud to present The Complete RCA Victor and Columbia Christmas Recordings from legendary guitarist-producer Chet Atkins on a deluxe 2-CD, 46-song anthology remastered by Vic Anesini at Sony's Battery Studios and featuring new liner notes by the set's compiler-producer, TSD's Joe Marchese.  These joyous and virtuosic recordings encompass rare singles, the complete albums Christmas with Chet Atkins (in both its original, long out-of-print 1961 version and re-recorded and remixed 1976 iteration) and East Tennessee Christmas, and numerous one-offs from various albums over the years.  Read more here!

Eugene Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Complete Columbia Christmas Albums (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Eugene Ormandy's 44-year tenure as music director of the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra remains the single longest affiliation of conductor and orchestra. Under the direction of Maestro Ormandy, the orchestra earned two Grammy Awards and three Gold records. Now, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music are thrilled to bring to CD both of Ormandy's original Columbia Records Christmas albums in one deluxe package. The Complete Columbia Christmas Albums presents The Glorious Sound of Christmas (1962) and A Christmas Festival (1964) complete on one CD.  This new edition has been remastered for the ultimate in symphonic holiday splendor by Mike Piacentini at Battery Studios and features new liner notes by Joe Marchese.  Get the track listing and more here!

Jim Reeves, Twelve Songs of Christmas: Remastered & Expanded Edition (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Real Gone Music brings late country superstar Jim Reeves' 1963 Twelve Songs of Christmas LP back to CD in a new edition featuring the original cover artwork.  It's been freshly remastered by Vic Anesini at Sony's Battery Studios and boasts two bonus tracks, "Snowflakes" and "Scarlet Ribbons."  Steve Harmon has provided the new liner notes.  Get the track listing and more information here!

Gene Clark, No Other: Expanded Edition [Various Formats] (4AD)

Limited Deluxe LP/2 SACD/BD/7-inch Boxset: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD Remaster: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD Expanded Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP Remaster: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Ex-Byrd Gene Clark's 1974 cult classic LP is going deluxe.  The box set (which appears to be sold out via 4AD and Amazon U.S.) contains the remastered LP pressed on silver vinyl, three SACDs (a multi-layer SACD of the original album housed in an authentic Japanese vinyl replica sleeve printed by the Ichikudo Company plus two further SACDs of session mixes and radio edits), an exclusive 7-inch single, a comprehensive Blu-ray disc which includes HD versions of all tracks, the new 5.1 surround mix of the album, the original 1974 stereo vinyl master, and an exclusive documentary by Paul Kendall (an edit of his acclaimed 2013 film, The Byrd Who Flew Alone: The Triumphs and Tragedy of Gene Clark), plus a hardbound 80-page book boasting essays, liner notes, and previously unpublished photos. In addition, all orders of the box set from the 4AD store will come with two additional 7-inch flexidiscs of "From a Silver Phial (Version 3)" and "Some Misunderstanding (Version 2)."  A single-disc remaster on CD and LP and a 2-CD highlights edition will also be available.  Read more here!

The Rolling Stones, Bridges to Buenos Aires (Eagle Rock Entertainment/UMe, 2019)

2-CD/SD-Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2-CD/DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
3-LP black: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
3-LP blue: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Bridges to Buenos Aires commemorates The Rolling Stones' hugely successful 1997-1998 tour.  The Buenos Aires show was recorded on April 5, 1998, the last night of a  five-night residency at the River Plate Stadium -- and features a very special guest appearance by Bob Dylan, who joins on "Like A Rolling Stone."  The complete concert has been meticulously restored for superior sound and vision.  It will be available on standard-definition Blu-ray or DVD or collected in 2-CD/DVD or 2-CD/SD-Blu-ray sets.  Vinyl aficionados can also enjoy a 3-LP set on either standard black or limited-edition blue wax.  Read more here!

The Police, Every Move You Make: The Studio Recordings (A&M/UMe)

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

Every Move You Make: The Studio Recordings is a the 6-CD version of the 2018 vinyl collection collecting The Police's five classic studio albums plus a bonus disc of twelve rarities entitled Flexible Strategies.  Get all of the details here!

George Michael and Wham!, Last Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Emma Thompson co-wrote and appears in this romantic holiday comedy set to the music of George Michael.  The soundtrack to Last Christmas features Michael and Wham! classics (including "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," "Faith," and of course, "Last Christmas") alongside one never-before-released track, "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)."  Available on CD, LP, and digital platforms.  Read more here.

Various Artists, Now 100 Hits Christmas (NOW Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The long-running NOW series has a 5-CD, 100-song collection of Christmas classics from an eclectic roster of artists past and present including Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson, Petula Clark, Engelbert Humperdinck, The Jackson 5, The Beach Boys, Sam Smith, Whitney Houston, and more.

The Nazz, Open Our Eyes: The Anthology (Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra reissue the 2002 double-disc, 35-song anthology from Todd Rundgren's early band The Nazz, right down to the original foldout artwork.

Melissa Errico, Legrand Affair: Deluxe Edition (Ghostlight) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

In 2011, Broadway star Melissa Errico entered the studio with famed French composer Michel Legrand, producer Phil Ramone, and the Brussels Philharmonic for Legrand Affair, a lush and beautiful rumination on Legrand's oeuvre.  Now, with both Legrand and Ramone gone, Errico is reaffirming her status as one of Legrand's premier interpreters with a deluxe, expanded 2-CD edition of the original album.  The Deluxe Edition features the original demos for the album produced by Ramone with the participation of Legrand on piano, David Finck on bass, and Steve Gadd on drums; as well as a montage of work tapes, new recordings, and the premiere of the final song Legrand penned with longtime collaborators Alan and Marilyn Bergman, "I Haven't Thought of This in Quite a While."

Margaret Whiting, Let's Fall in Love: The Lost Recordings Vol. 2 (Sepia) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Sepia pays tribute to the late, great vocalist Margaret Whiting with a second volume of rarities following up 2016's Dream: The Lost Recordings.  This 2-CD set is no less packed with exciting discoveries: 56 in total, including 30 songs she never recorded for commercial release.  Like Dream, these remarkable recordings  from 1946-1947 have been culled from the archives of radio's The Barry Wood Show and restored from original transcription discs.  Any Whiting disc is a master class in lyric interpretation; Let's Fall in Love promises to be the same.  Watch this space for a full review soon!

Natalie Cole, Holly and Ivy (Craft Recordings)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Natalie Cole's 1994 Christmas album returns to CD and 180-gram vinyl in a newly remastered edition for its 25th anniversary.  On Holly and Ivy, Cole gave an R&B styling to many of the classic songs popularized by her father at Christmastime including "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" and "Caroling, Caroling."

John Legend, A Legendary Christmas: Deluxe Edition (Columbia) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

John Legend revisits his festive 2018 Christmas album with four bonus tracks: "This Christmas," "My Favorite Things," "Christmas in New Orleans," and the controversial rewrite of Frank Loesser's "Baby It's Cold Outside" with Kelly Clarkson.  The two Target bonus tracks from last year ("O Come All Ye Faithful" and the acoustic "No Place Like Home") are not included, however.

Suede, Head Music: 20th Anniversary Edition (Edsel)

4CD/DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Edsel revisits Suede's chart-topping 1999 LP Head Music with a new 4-CD/1-DVD box comprising the original album, 10 B-sides, 30 previously unreleased demos, outtakes, alternates, unused mixes, live tracks, and rehearsals, and a DVD of six television performances.  The 3-LP vinyl edition has the original album plus the 10 non-LP B-sides.  Available today in the U.K. and next Friday in North America.

Humble Pie, Life & Times of Steve Marriott + 1973 Complete Winterland Show (Cleopatra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Cleopatra has a BD/DVD/CD set with the acclaimed 2015 "rockumentary" Humble Pie: The Life & Times of Steve Marriott plus copious bonus features (including full versions of songs excerpted in the film) on both BD and DVD and a CD of the band's 1973 Winterland performance: Hot N' Nasty 1973: The Complete Winterland Show.  All three discs are housed in an eight-panel digipak.

Dino, Desi and Billy, The Singles As & Bs (Wounded Bird) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Wounded Bird has given its usual no-frills treatment to the singles of Dino (Martin), Desi (Arnaz, Jr.) and Billy (Hinsche).  This 2-CD set has 32 Reprise sides from the Hollywood teen trio including such classics as "I'm a Fool," "Not the Lovin' Kind," "Tell Someone You Love Them," and "Lady Love" plus covers of The Kinks, Manfred Mann, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, Los Bravos, and even a tune from the Broadway musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman.  There is no indication as of this writing whether the tracks are in their original single versions, and those familiar with this Wounded Bird series know to expect no liner notes, discographical annotation, or any bells and whistles.  Still, this set offers an inexpensive way to pick up some fantastic and spirited pop from the talented threesome and producers such as Lee Hazlewood and Jimmy Bowen.

John Fogerty, 50-Year Trip: Live at Red Rocks (BMG) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

This concert was recorded on June 20, 2019 as part of John Fogerty's 50 year celebration of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Woodstock performance.  The 19-song concert features such Woodstock highlights as "Born on the Bayou," "Green River," "Bad Moon Rising," "Proud Mary," "Keep On Chooglin'," and "Suzie Q," alongside later hits like "Centerfield" and "The Old Man Down the Road."

Billy Vera, Rip It Up: The Specialty Records Story (BMG) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Singer-songwriter-historian Billy Vera ("At This Moment," "Storybook Children") has penned this eminently readable exploration of Specialty Records, the home of Little Richard and Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers.  Vera brings passion and knowledge to this compelling account of how Specialty became one of the most significant independent labels for African-American artists in the middle of the 20th century.  The paperback tome has a selection of photographs as well as an introduction by someone who was there: Specialty founder Art Rupe.  This is the fourth volume in BMG's RPM series of books.