Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!

Various Artists, The Great Songs of Christmas: Classic Carols and Pop Favorites (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music proudly present the first new volume of The Great Songs of Christmas in nearly 50 years bringing many of the exclusive tracks featured on Goodyear’s original 1961-1970 series together.  Expect to hear rarities from Percy Faith, Andre Kostelanetz, Johnny Mathis, Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence, and Ray Conniff, and even more new-to-CD tracks from The Harry Simeone Chorale, Andre Previn, and Mahalia Jackson plus special, never-on-CD bonus tracks from the W.T. Grant’s Very Merry Christmas Series by Mark Lindsay and Gary Puckett!  It’s all wrapped up in a deluxe package remastered by Vic Anesini and styled after the original series, with track-by-track liner notes from TSD’s Joe Marchese.  Read more here!

The Beatles, The Singles Collection (Capitol/Apple/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The limited edition release of The Singles Collection includes The Beatles’ original A- and B-sides on 22 vinyl singles, plus a newly created 23rd disk featuring “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” both single A-sides released to promote the multi-volume Anthology project in 1995 and 1996. The draw for collectors here is the packaging: each single features meticulously recreated cover and label artwork from different countries on all six inhabited continents on Earth.  All tracks have been newly remastered from the original tapes, and cut for vinyl at – where else? – Abbey Road Studios. The set also comes with a 40-page book of photos and ephemera along with essays by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett.  Read more here!

Harry Nilsson, Losst and Founnd (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Gotta get up!  The late Harry Nilsson’s final recordings are, at last, being unveiled to the world on Omnivore’s Losst and Founnd.  Produced by Mark Hudson, the album features Nilsson originals plus covers of songs by his friends Jimmy Webb and Yoko Ono.  Guest musicians include Webb, Van Dyke Parks, Jim Keltner, and Harry’s son Kiefo.  Get more details here, and click here for our full review!

Grateful Dead, Ready or Not (Grateful Dead/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Curated by Dead archivist David Lemieux, Ready or Not features nine unreleased live versions of late-period Grateful Dead songs that debuted on concert stages in 1992-1993. The tracks here were taken from concerts held between 1992 and 1995. The album’s track list showcases what might well have been the band’s next official studio album following Built to Last. It arrives on CD, digital formats, and limited edition (10,000 units) 2-LP, 180-gram vinyl.  Get the track listing and more here.

Jimi Hendrix, Songs for Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts (Experience Hendrix/Legacy)

5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
8LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Songs for Groovy Children: The Fillmore East Concerts arrives on CD and digital formats on November 22, with a vinyl release to follow on December 13. This collection assembles all four of Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, and Billy Cox’s legendary Fillmore East shows from December 31, 1969 and January 1, 1970 in their original performance sequence (though still missing some tracks). The 5-CD or 8-LP set presents over two dozen tracks that have either never before been released commercially or have been newly pressed and newly remixed.  This marks the most comprehensive release ever of the Band of Gypsys material.  Read more here!

Leonard Cohen, Thanks for the Dance (Columbia/Legacy)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP black: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP white: Barnes and Noble
Merch bundles: Leonard Cohen Online Store

Leonard Cohen’s final recordings arrive today. Thanks For The Dance was produced by Cohen’s son Adam, who followed Leonard’s wishes to complete the musical sketches that remained after You Want It Darker.  Contributions came from many of Leonard’s closest collaborators and most celebrated acolytes.  Javier Mas, the Spanish laud player who’d performed with the elder Cohen since 1979, traveled from Barcelona to track his parts; the Shaar Hashomayim choir, who were part of the sonic signature of You Want It Darker, contributed to a song; members of Arcade Fire and The National contribute vocals along with Damien Rice and Feist; Daniel Lanois contributed to the album’s arrangement; and Jennifer Warnes provides background vocals.  Watch this space for our review!

a-ha, Hunting High and Low: 30th Anniversary Edition (Warner/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada)

The 2015 deluxe edition of a-ha’s smash 1985 debut is getting revisited by Rhino, sans the DVD of six music videos which was originally included.  Disc One has the original, remastered album, while Disc Two boasts 25 demos, Disc Three has 15 singles, B-sides and extended versions, and Disc Four takes in ten previously unreleased alternate mixes.  It all adds up to another chance for those who missed out on this stellar set the first time around!  Get more details here.

Stanley Black and His Orchestra, Christmas Holiday for Romance (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Real Gone premieres on CD the lone Christmas album from beloved British arranger-conductor Stanley Black.  Christmas Holiday for Romance features his lush renditions of songs both familiar and little-known from both sides of the pond.  TSD’s Joe Marchese has penned the new liner notes, and Mike Milchner has remastered at SonicVision.  Read more here!

Bing Crosby and The London Symphony Orchestra, Bing at Christmas (Decca) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The perennial Christmas music of Bing Crosby gets a makeover with Decca’s release of Bing at Christmas, melding the legendary singer’s classic vocals with new orchestral backing tracks from The London Symphony Orchestra.  In addition to his classic duets with David Bowie and The Andrews Sisters, the late Crosby gets some new help from The Puppini Sisters, Pentatonix, and The Tenors.  Available in CD and digital formats.  You’ll find the full track listing here!

Jeffrey Foskett, Voices (BMG) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Longtime Beach Boys/Brian Wilson singer-musician Jeffrey Foskett has a vibrant new collection of lush harmony pop including songs from The Beach Boys (“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Good Vibrations,” both featuring Mike Love), The Association (“Everything That Touches You”), Bacharach and David (“I Say a Little Prayer,” vocally arranged by Brian Wilson), Neil Sedaka (“Laughter in the Rain,” featuring Valerie Carter), and many more.

Rod Stewart with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, You’re in My Heart (Warner/Rhino)

1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Target (U.S.) / Amazon U.K.

Following in the footsteps of artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to The Beach Boys, Rod Stewart has announced a collaboration with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. You’re in My Heart: Rod Stewart with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, like those other projects, takes classic vocals and pairs them with lush, newly-orchestrated accompaniment. Stewart is sweetening the pot, however, by premiering two new vocals: a duet of Motown favorite “It Takes Two” with Robbie Williams and a new solo track, “Stop Loving Her Today.”  The release is available as a standard 1-CD, 15-song edition and a 2-CD deluxe edition available in Europe through the usual channels and in the U.S. as a Target exclusive.  Also available digitally.  Get the full track listing and more here.

Tim Buckley, Live at the Electric Theatre Company, Chicago, 1968 (Manifesto (U.S.) / Edsel (U.K.)) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Manifesto in the U.S. and Demon/Edsel in the U.K. have unearthed a full-length concert from the late Tim Buckley recorded in Chicago between the first, abortive Happy Sad sessions and the later, released sessions.  This was a period of personal and musical searching for Buckley, and longtime fans will notice a number of familiar songs throughout this 2-CD set: “Sing a Song for You” and “Gypsy Woman” from Happy Sad, “Happy Time” from Blue Afternoon, and the covers “Dolphins” and “Sally Go Round the Roses,” both of which would appear on Sefronia.  There’s experimental, improvisational material here, too, on this set featuring Buckley backed by an unidentified bassist and conga player Carter C.C. Collins.  Bill Inglot has co-produced with Dan Perloff and Pat Thomas, who also provides liner notes.  Inglot and Brian Kehew mixed the show.  Available on CD, digital, and LP.

Beetlejuice: The Original Broadway Cast Recording [Vinyl] (Ghostlight/Warner) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

It’s showtime!  Beetlejuice returns to gleefully demonic life on Ghostlight/Warner’s cast recording of Eddie Perfect’s Tony-nominated score to the smash hit show currently packing ’em in at the Winter Garden.  Nominee Alex Brightman stars as Beetlejuice in a cast also including Sophia Anne Caruso, Kerry Butler, and Rob McClure.  The cast album has been streamed over 100 million times, but here’s your chance to own it on vinyl.  Also available on CD and in digital formats, and in an exclusive color vinyl edition at Urban Outfitters.

Various Artists, A Vintage Broadway Christmas (Stage Door) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

John Raitt, Barbara Cook, Leslie Uggams, Mary Martin, Elaine Stritch, Joel Grey, Eartha Kitt, and Pearl Bailey are just a few of the bona fide legends on Stage Door’s new 2-CD, 56-song collection of Christmas songs either from Broadway musicals (Subways Are For Sleeping, Flahooley, Greenwillow) or performed by Broadway stars.  With a number of tracks making their CD debuts, this set (made possible via current U.K. public domain laws) promises to be a collector’s dream.

Various Artists, Come On Up to the House: Women Sing Waits (Dualtone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Warren Zanes has assembled an eclectic roster of female artists to sing selections from the Tom Waits songbook.  Artists include Rosanne Cash, Aimee Mann, Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer, Kat Edmonson, Patty Griffin, and more.  Available on CD, vinyl, and digital/streaming services.

Various Artists, Hanukkah + (Verve Forecast) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Jack Black, Loudon Wainwright III, Adam Green, Yo La Tengo, and The Flaming Lips are among the artists featured on this diverse celebration of the music of Hanukkah produced by Randall Poster.