Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up!

Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Grateful Dead/Rhino)

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

Often hailed as one of Grateful Dead’s most accessible albums along with its follow-up, American Beauty, Workingman’s Dead placed its focus on tighter songcraft in a country/folk-oriented vein that would later be described as “Americana.” It introduced the group’s first chart hit, the timeless “Uncle John’s Band,” as well as the favorite “Casey Jones” which has received substantial airplay over the years as well.  Workingman’s Dead: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will arrive as a 3-CD set. The original album has been newly remastered on the first disc. The second and third CDs present a previously unreleased concert from February 21, 1971 at Port Chester, New York’s Capitol Theatre.  A vinyl picture disc presents the remastered original album only.  Check out the digital release The Angel’s Share to explore the Workingman’s Dead sessions!

Donna Summer, A Hot Summer Night (Driven by the Music)

CD/DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 
2-LP Colored Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada

Driven by the Music brings this classic concert from Donna Summer to CD/DVD and LP.  It was recorded on August 6, 1983 as part of Summer’s Hard for the Money tour at the then-recently opened Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. In front of over 18,000 fans, Summer performed material from the new album (the smash “She Works Hard for the Money,” “Woman,” “Unconditional Love” with Musical Youth) and its 1982 self-titled predecessor (“State of Independence” with her daughter Mimi, “Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)”) as well as her beloved disco classics (“MacArthur Park,” “On the Radio,” “Last Dance,” and a medley from Bad Girls). She also looked back to the shelved 1981 LP I’m a Rainbow for “Romeo” (resurrected for the Flashdance soundtrack) and the Evita showstopper “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” and looked ahead to 1984’s Cats Without Claws for “Forgive Me.”  For this edition, the CD has been paired with a NTSC, region-free DVD as newly “restored from the analogue video tape.” The 2-LP colored vinyl iteration features the same 14 tracks as the CD and DVD.  A digital version of the audio will also be available.   Read more here, and watch this space for a full review!

Laura Branigan, Self Control: Expanded Edition (Cherry Pop) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Cherry Red Shop / Laura Branigan Online Shop)

Cherry Pop brings Laura Branigan’s platinum third album Self Control back to print in a deluxe 2-CD edition featuring a bonus disc of single sides and remixes.  This title has already been shipping from various outlets, but for those who haven’t purchased one yet, today is the official release date.  Read our review here!

Little Steven, Freedom No Compromise [CD/DVD] (Wicked Cool/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Little Steven’s 1987 solo album placed his fiery political lyrics against a backdrop of electronics, dance-rock, and world music.  Guests include Bruce Springsteen and Ruben Blades.  This edition premieres Bob Ludwig’s remaster on CD (previously available on the vinyl Rock ‘n Roll Rebel box) and includes an exclusive bonus DVD of 1987’s Live at the Ritz. The edition that’s currently streaming has bonus tracks only available on CD as part of Rock ‘n Roll Rebel.  Everything will be included in the upcoming CD/DVD iteration of Rock ‘n Roll Rebel.

The Monkees, Live: The Mike & Micky Show [Vinyl]  (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

To coincide with their latest run of joint performances, The Monkees bring the acclaimed Mike and Micky Show to LP.  (The CD was released earlier this year.)  The joyous and rocking 25-track package features Nesmith, Dolenz, and a killer band on hits and deep cuts alike from The Monkees’ debut right up through their most recent (non-holiday) studio album, Good Times.  It’s not just one of the best live albums of the year, but one of the best in recent memory.

The Foundations, Gold (Crimson Productions) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Crimson brings together 46 songs on three CDs from the classic R&B/pop group The Foundations including “Baby Now That I’ve Found You,” “Build Me Up, Buttercup,” “Back on My Feet Again,” “In the Bad, Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)” and many more including others from the hitmaking team of John McLeod and Tony Macaulay.  Due today in the U.K. and next Friday in North America.

Tammy Wynette, Gold (Crimson Productions) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Following their recent release from George Jones, Crimson Productions anthologizes Tammy Wynette on a new volume of Gold featuring 60 tracks on 3 CDs including “Stand by Your Man,” “D.I.V.O.R.C.E.,” “Woman to Woman,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” a dozen duets with Jones, and more duets with David Houston and Marc Gray.  Due today in the U.K. and next Friday in North America.

Barbara Mandrell, After All These Years: The Collection (MCA Nashville) (Barbara Mandrell Shop / Locate a Cracker Barrel)

Barbara Mandrell revisits her remarkable legacy with After All These Years: A Collection, a new 14-song vinyl anthology out today at Cracker Barrel stores nationwide and online.  It’s also out digitally.  Read all about it here!  And today’s the day when more of Barbara’s classic ABC/Dot/MCA period finally hits digital services!

Carol Channing, For Heaven’s Sake and True to the Red, White, and Blue (Time Life)

For Heaven’s Sake: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
True to the Red, White and Blue: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Hello, Carol!  The late Broadway legend’s final two studio albums, 2009’s spiritual For Heaven’s Sake and 2011’s patriotic True to the Red, White, and Blue have both been picked up for digital release by Time Life and arrive on digital/streaming platforms today.

Rufus Wainwright, Unfollow the Rules (BMG) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Rufus Wainwright’s new studio album Unfollow the Rules features twelve new songs from the singer-songwriter including “Damsel in Distress” and “Unfollow the Rules.”  Available on CD and vinyl.

Gordon Anderson, Moon Man (Real Gone Music)  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music)

Real Gone has a pair of releases today from label co-founder and all-around reissue guru Gordon Anderson including his original, full-length solo album Moon Man.  With influences like Neil Young, Joy Division, Pavement, The Byrds, and Television, it’s a rocking journey through the mind of the singer-songwriter-musician.  Moon Man throws garage rock, power pop, country, psychedelia, a dash of sixties heaviness, and a blast of good, old-fashioned rock-and-roll into a blender, all accompanied by Anderson’s accessible and semi-autobiographical (?) lyrics.  His earlier collection of home recordings, The Poppies, also sees its digital debut today.  Moon Man is available on CD and digital formats.

Burt Bacharach and Daniel Tashian, Midnight Watch (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Burt Bacharach and Daniel Tashian have delivered the second song from their upcoming EP Blue Umbrella, due July 31.  The moody, longing, and urgent “Midnight Watch” showcases another side of the melodic duo.  Available on Amazon, Spotify, and all usual digital service providers.

Elvis Costello, Hetty O’Hara Confidential (Concord) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Burt’s frequent songwriting partner Elvis Costello also has a new single today, and the pulp-fiction tale is another rocker recorded in Finland by the singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist.

John Lodge, In These Crazy Times (The Isolation Mix) (Listen here)

The Moody Blues’ John Lodge offers a musical observation on the world today with this new single recorded in isolation with a little help from his son Kristian on lead guitar, wife Kirsten on background vocals, and Yes’ Jon Davison also on backgrounds.