With the nation still fighting COVID-19, Record Store Day here in the U.S. looks a little - make that a lot - different this year.  The usual offerings have been split among three dates with Drop 1 taking place tomorrow, August 29, at your local independent record retailer.  Drop 2 is September 26, and Drop 3 is October 24.  Every retailer is handling the Drop a bit differently thanks to the necessary accommodations for social distancing, smaller crowds, and better safety precautions.  So please check in with your favorite store to find out more information.  Below, you'll find a list of some highlights due in stores tomorrow.  Visit RecordStoreDay.com in the U.S., RecordStoreDay.co.uk in the U.K., and RecordStoreDayCanada.ca in Canada for the complete list, and sound off below as to which titles you're most anticipating!  And don't forget to bring your masks and hand sanitizer!

All descriptions below are based upon those provided to us, and not written by the staff at The Second Disc.  Have a great - and safe - time tomorrow! - Joe, Mike, Sam, and Randy

America, Heritage II: Demos (Omnivore Recordings, LP, 1,700 copies)

Eleven previously unissued demos and alternate tracks from 1971-1976, including the long-rumored 13 minute acoustic jam "Jameroony."  Liner notes by the band's Gerry Beckley.  Read Joe's review of Heritage II, out now on CD, here, and check it out at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada or your local record shop!

SIDE A:  1. Cornwall Blank (Demo #2), 2. Jameroony (Acoustic Jam), 3. Mandy (Demo)

SIDE B:  1. What Does It Matter (Demo), 2. You (Vocals/Strings Excerpt), 3. Mad Dog (Demo/Track Mix With Backing Vocals), 4. Simple Life (Alternate Mix), 5. Lovely Night (Demo), 6. Today's The Day (Alternate Mix), 7. Amber Cascades (Acoustic Mix/Take 3), 8. Letter (Alternate Mix)

The Black Keys, Let's Rock (45rpm Edition) (Nonesuch, 2LP, 5,000 copies)

Exclusively for Record Store Day, The Black Keys will be releasing the limited edition 45 RPM version of their chart-topping 9th album "Let's Rock." The album, which was originally released on June 28 via Easy Eye Sound/Nonesuch Records, has spawned three Top 10 radio singles and was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2019. The 45 RPM version of the album is limited to 7,500 pieces worldwide/5,000 copies in the US. It's a gorgeous 180-gram 2-LP set in a deluxe holographic gatefold jacket, with each piece individually numbered.

Black Crowes, Lions (eOne Music, 2LP, 3,000 copies)

A1 Midnight from the Inside Out 4:20, A2 Lickin' 3:42, A3 Come On 2:58
B1 No Use Lying 4:56, B2 Losing My Mind 4:26, B3 Ozone Mama 4:00, B4 Greasy Grass River 3:20
C1 Soul Singing 3:53, C2 Miracle To Me 4:42, C3 Young Man, Old Man 4:13
D1 Cosmic Friend 5:22, D2 Cypress Tree 3:40, D3 Lay It All On Me 5:29

David Bowie, CHANGESNOWBOWIE (Parlophone, CD or LP, quantity TBD)

CHANGESNOWBOWIE is a 9-track session recorded for radio and broadcast by the BBC on David's 50th birthday on 8th January, 1997. The broadcast originally featured an interview with David by Mary Ann Hobbs interspersed with specially recorded birthday messages and questions from the likes of Scott Walker, Damon Albarn, Bono, Robert Smith and many more. The interview and birthday messages do not feature on this album. This mostly acoustic session was a stripped back affair featuring some of David's favorites of his own compositions and was produced by Bowie himself, Reeves Gabrels, and Mark Plati.  Read more here.

The Man Who Sold The World / Aladdin Sane / White Light, White Heat / Shopping For Girls / Lady Stardust / The Supermen / Repetition / Andy Warhol / Quicksand

David Bowie, I'm Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) (Parlophone, 2LP or 2CD, quantity TBD)

I'm Only Dancing - Taken from recently discovered sources in The David Bowie Archive, I'm Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) was recorded mostly during David's performance at the Michigan Palace, Detroit on 20th October, 1974, with the encores taken from the Municipal Auditorium, Nashville on 30th November, 1974.

The Soul Tour was a radical mid-tour departure from Bowie's 1974 Diamond Dogs theatrical extravaganza. During a three week break in late 1974, the Diamond Dogs Tour's elaborate six-ton Hunger City stage set was drastically stripped back, and the tour's set list overhauled to include as-yet-unreleased tracks from the Young Americans sessions at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. The Soul Tour also featured a revamped band, augmented to include musicians and vocalists from those sessions, and rechristened The Mike Garson Band.

I'm Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) follows on from the previous Record Store Day 2 LP release Cracked Actor (Live Los Angeles '74) and is an incredible historical document of a performer and band at the height of their live powers. The artwork for both the 2 LP and 2 CD releases is based on the original design for the programs available at venues for dates on The Soul Tour. The Soul Tour has taken on mythical status among Bowie fans, as the tour only visited 17 cities in the East and South of the U.S.. This is the first time that any audio from this incarnation of the tour has ever been officially released.

Introduction - Memory Of A Free Festival / Rebel Rebel / John, I'm Only Dancing (Again) / Sorrow / Changes / 1984 // Moonage Daydream / Rock 'n' Roll With Me / Love Me Do > The Jean Genie / Young Americans // Can You Hear Me / It's Gonna Be Me / Somebody Up There Likes Me / Suffragette City // Rock 'n' Roll Suicide / Panic In Detroit / Knock On Wood / Foot Stomping > I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate > Foot Stomping / Diamond Dogs > It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It) > Diamond Dogs

Ron Carter, Foursight (IN+OUT Records, 2LP, 650 copies)

180g audiophile double vinyl with 3 bonus tracks not available on CD! Gatefold Cover. Each copy is hand-numbered and hand-signed by NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter, Guinness Book of Records holder of being on more than 2,250 Recordings.

Cominando / Joshua // Little Waltz / Seguaro / Cominando, Reprise // Nearly / You And The Night And The Music // My Funny Valentine // Mr. Bow Tie

Gary Clark, Jr., Pearl Cadillac (ft. Andra Day) (Warner Records, pearl color 10″, 3,000 copies)

Exclusive RSD 10″ single from the multiple GRAMMY© Award winning artist Gary Clark, Jr. Originally released on his acclaimed 2019 album "This Land", this limited edition release includes two remixes of the track "Pearl Cadillac" featuring Andra Day, and is pressed on pearl colored vinyl.

Dr. John, Remedies (Get On Down, mardi gras splatter LP, 1300 copies)

Arriving on the heels of the socially conscious Babylon, Dr. John's 1970 album Remedies marked his 3rd studio release under his eccentric, voodoo-inspired "Night Tripper" persona, and his first not to be produced by Harold Battiste; he instead turned to famed rock producer Tom Dowd. Featuring a psychedelic and progressive take on Dr. John's signature style of swampy, hazy New Orleans boogie-woogie rock, undoubtedly inspired by his then recent stint in a psych ward.

1. Loop Garoo 2. What Goes Around Comes Around 3. Wash, Mama, Wash 4. Chippy, Chippy 5. Mardi Gras Day // 1. Angola Anthem

Billie Eilish, Live At Third Man Records (IGA, blue LP, 17,000 copies)

Live recordings from Billie's acoustic set at Third Man Records in Nashville, pressed on opaque blue vinyl with black paper sleeves. Includes an exclusive poster.

1. all the good girls go to hell 2. ocean eyes 3. bad guy 4. Idontwannabeyouanymore 5. bury a friend // 1. come out and play 2. COPYCAT 3. i love you 4. Bellyache 5. when the party's over

Steve Earle, "Times Like These / It's About Blood"  (Modern Harmonic, 7″, 1,350 copies)

This is a limited edition 7″ recorded during the Ghost Of West Virginia recording sessions (that new album, based on Earle's music for the off-Broadway play Coal Country, came to record stores May 22). "Times Like These "is exclusive to this 7" and "Devil Put The Coal In The Ground" will be on the new album.

"Times Like These / It's About Blood"

Brian Eno, Rams: Original Soundtrack (UME/USM UK, white LP, 2,500 copies)

RAMS: Original Soundtrack Score is the complete soundtrack from the film Rams, produced and directed by Gary Hustwit. All instrumentals are previously unreleased and are written, performed and produced by Brian Eno. This Record Store Day release is pressed on solid white vinyl.

1. Bright Clouds of Metal, 2. Harmonic Guitar, 3. Unusual Temperament, 4. A Warm Sweet Bed, 5. Beautiful Metals, 6. Designer Piano // 1. Generative Lounge, 2. Design as Reduction, 3. Al'Khwarizmi Piano, 4. Shimmering Future, 5. For A New Design

Glass Animals, Tokyo Drifting (Republic, picture disc, 2,000 copies)

Glass Animals will be putting out a special 12″ picture disc, featuring smash single "Tokyo Drifting" featuring Denzel Curry and an instrumental version of the track, exclusively for Record Store Day.

"Tokyo Drifting feat. Denzel Curry" / "Tokyo Drifting (Instrumental)"

Philip Glass, The Essential (Classical Music On Vinyl, 5LP, 1,500 copies)

Available on vinyl for the first time as a limited and numbered edition of 1,500 copies. The package includes an 8-page booklet and info on the Philip Glass series on Music On Vinyl, coming in 2020 / 2021. Deluxe Lift-off Box Set with blue foil embossing. Includes 4 printed innersleeves, an 8-page booklet + glossy picture.  The best / most memorable selections from Naqoyqatsi, Einstein On The Beach, Satyagraha, Akhnaten, In the Upper Room, Songs from Liquid Days, The Photographer, Glassworks, Itaipu and more. Collaborations with Suzanne Vega, Linda Ronstadt, the Kronos Quartet and Yo-Yo Ma are all featured.

Andrew Gold, Something New: Unreleased Gold (Omnivore Recordings, gold LP, 1,200 copies)

Andrew Gold's first recordings as a solo artist. Contains 12 previously unissued demos from 1973. Liner notes by Peter Asher. Pressed on colored vinyl for RSD and already available on CD at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada or your local record shop!

1. Something New (Band Version), 2. Come Down To Me (Solo Demo), 3. What You Do Is What You See (Solo Demo), 4. The World Tomorrow Brings (Solo Demo), 5. You Are Somewhere Within Me (Solo Demo), 6. Sometimes When A Man's On His Own (Solo Demo) // 1. Prisoner (Band Version), 2. Ten Years Behind Me (Solo Demo), 3. Timothy Corey (Solo Demo), 4. Almost Love (Solo Demo), 5. Penny Arcade (Solo Demo), 6. Don't Bring Me Down (Solo Demo)

Al Green, Green Is Blues (Fat Possum, green and blue LP, 3,000 copies)

Al Green's first release for Hi Records, celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special split green/blue 180g vinyl release, with liner notes and a tip-on jacket. Available first at record stores for Record Store Day 2020.

1. "One Woman" 2. "Talk To Me" 3. "My Girl" 4. "The Letter" 5. "I Stand Accused" 6. "Gotta Find A New World" 7. "What Am I Gonna Do with Myself?" 8. "Tomorrow's Dream" 9. "Get Back Baby" 10. "Get Back" 11. "Summertime"

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM

Bob James, Once Upon a Time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance, 2,500 copies)

Once Upon A Time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions is a previously-unissued release of studio recordings from pianist Bob James captured at Wollman Auditorium in New York City in 1965 by Resonance founder and co-president George Klabin.This limited-edition (of 5,000 copies worldwide) 180g LP features James in two different trio settings - one from early 1965 with bassist Larry Rockwell and drummer Robert (Cleve) Pozar, and one from October 1965 with bassist Bill Woods and drummer Omar Clay - performing a mix of jazz standards and original compositions. The title track, "Once Upon A Time" recently re-named by James as an homage to the ONCE Festival of New Music in Ann Arbor, MI which ran from 1961-1966 and holds a special place in his musical career.  The deluxe gatefold set includes an extensive booklet with essays by writer/musician Hank Shteamer and original recording engineer George Klabin, plus a new interviews with Bob James, and rare photographs from the 1960s. Mastered by Bernie Grundman, cut at 33 1/3 RPM and pressed by RTI.  A CD edition arrives on September 4 at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada and your local record shop!

January 20, 1965 (with Larry Rockwell on bass and Robert Pozar on drums):
Serenata (5:46) / Once Upon A Time (7:00) / Lateef Minor 7th (7:36) / Variations (6:22)
October 9, 1965 (with Bill Wood on bass and Omar Clay on drums):
Airegin (4:42) / Indian Summer (5:10) / Solar (5:22) / Long Forgotten Blues (9:01)

Bert Jansch, Live in Italy (Earth Recordings, 2LP, 450 copies)

Previously unreleased live recording of Bert Jansch's stunning concert in Mestre at the Teatro Corso, Italy 1977. The performance also features appearances from Martin Jenkins, Sam Mitchell and Leo Wijnkamp, Jr.  Includes download card.

Cat and Mouse, Daybreak, Blues Run The game, Bittern, Kingisher, Come Back Baby, Running From Home, Pretty Saro, Alimony, Avocet, Una Linea Di Dolcezza, Sweet Mother Earth, Angie, Cluck Old Hen (Unrehearsed Number with Martin Jenkins, Sam Mitchell, and Leo Winkamp Jr), Encore No.1 (Improvised number with Martin Jenkins, Sam Mitchell and Leo Winkimap Jr), Encore No 2, "Jigs" (Martin Jenkins Solo)

Elton John, Elton John (UMe/USM-UK, 2LP purple, 7,000 copies)

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Elton John's first U.S. album (and second overall) with this limited edition Record Store Day exclusive deluxe gatefold 2LP version. Pressed on transparent purple vinyl, the first disc features the 2016 remaster of the original album, while the second contains a selection of bonus tracks from the 2008 CD Deluxe Edition, never previously released on vinyl, as well as two previously unreleased demos of 'Border Song' and 'Bad Side Of The Moon'.

1. Your Song, 2. I Need You To Turn To, 3. Take Me To The Pilot, 4. No Shoe Strings On Louise, 5. First Episode At Hienton / 1. Sixty Years On, 2. Border Song, 3. The Greatest Discovery, 4. The Cage, 5. The King Must Die // 1. Your Song (Piano Demo), 2. I Need You To Turn To (Piano Demo), 3. Take Me To The Pilot (Piano Demo), 4. Sixty Years On (Piano Demo), 5. Border Song (Piano Demo), 6. Bad Side Of The Moon (Piano Demo) / 1. Thank You Mama (Piano Demo), 2. All The Way Down To El Paso (Piano Demo), 3. I'm Going Home (Piano Demo), 4. Bad Side Of The Moon, 5. Grey Seal, 6. Rock And Roll Madonna

Jethro Tull, Stormwatch 2 (Parlophone, LP, 6,500 copies)

Stormwatch 2 features the tracks from the Stormwatch 40th Anniversary Force 10 Edition that were not on the original vinyl album. All tracks have been remixed by Steven Wilson.

1. Broadford Bazaar 2. Crossword 3. Dun Ringill (Early Version) 4. Dark Ages (Early Version) // 1. Urban Apocalypse 2. Kelpie 3. Man Of God 4. Sweet Dream Fanfare 5. Sweet Dream (Live)

Alfredo Linares y Su Sonora, Yo traigo boogaloo (Vampisoul, LP, 500 copies)

A1. "Boogaloo En Ambiente" A2. "La Sonora Llegó" A3. "Como Yo No Hay Dos" A4. "Peruvian Guaguancó" A5. "Congalanque" / B1. "Yo Traigo Boogaloo" B2. "Probándolo Se Sabe" B3. "Linare's Blue's" B4. "Sabor Tropical" B5. "Tutu Tata"

John Lennon/Yoko Ono with The Plastic Ono Band,  Instant Karma (2020 Ultimate Mixes) (UMe, 7″, 7,000)

Written, recorded and released January 1970, in a span of just ten days, "Instant Karma!" was to become one of John Lennon's most popular singles, reaching No. 5 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the U.S. Featuring George Harrison alongside bassist Klaus Voormann, drummer Alan White and keyboardist Billy Preston, it marked the first time any Beatle collaborated with legendary producer Phil Spector, who later that year worked on the band's final album (Let It Be) and solo albums from John and George. Newly mixed audio. Artwork is a faithful reproduction of original U.K. sleeve.  You'll find "Instant Karma!" on the upcoming Gimme Some Truth: The Ultimate Mixes box set.

Instant Karma! (2020 Ultimate Mix) / Who Has Seen The Wind? (2020 Ultimate Mix)

Bob Marley and The Wailers, Redemption Song (UMe/Tuff Gong/Island, clear 12″ single, 7,000 copies)

A recreation of the original limited edition U.K. 12″, this 40th Anniversary edition will be available in the U.S. for the first time. Pressed on clear vinyl, the B-side features the rare "Band Version" of the song, and a live "I Shot the Sheriff" from the 1977 Rainbow Theatre concert, both on vinyl for the first time in 40 years.

1. Redemption Song // 1. Redemption Song (Band Edit Version), 2. I Shot The Sheriff (Live At The Rainbow)

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, "See Emily Play"/"Vegetable Man" (Legacy, 12″, 4,000 copies)

From the dynamic drummer heard on every Pink Floyd album, Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets offers the opportunity to experience the group's early body of work in concert, including songs from The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and A Saucerful Of Secrets. Alongside guitarists Gary Kemp (of Spandau Ballet), keyboardists Dom Beken and Lee Harris (of Ian Dury and The Blockheads), and longtime Pink Floyd touring bassist Guy Pratt, Mason drew rapturous crowds throughout North America and Europe in 2018 and 2019 - including dates at The Roundhouse in London, the historic venue that counted Pink Floyd as its first performance in 1966. Ahead of a dazzling audiovisual release of material from the Roundhouse sets during May 2019, this collectible 12″ single features two performances from those sets (including Pink Floyd outtake "Vegetable Man," played for the first time ever on this tour) backed by a custom etching.

"See Emily Play"/"Vegetable Man"

Thelonious Monk, Palais Des Beaux-Arts 1963 (Tidal Waves Music, 12″, 1,000 copies)

On this album, you'll find unearthed Belgian concert-recordings from 1963. The show consisted of 2 parts...both were recorded by the national Belgian broadcast company BRT/RTB who had the best recording-equipment on the market at the time. The set we unearthed here (the BRT recordings part) consists of tracks from Columbia albums which have now become omnipresent jazz standards.

This release is the product of a labor of love from a dedicated professional team of archivists and musical technicians who have spent the last 15 years carefully restoring and cleaning more than 80 years of Belgian audiovisual culture, bringing these audio-gems from their vaults in Brussels into the digital world and preserving them for future generations.

Tidal Waves Music now proudly presents the FIRST ever vinyl release (these recordings were never issued on ANY format before) of Thelonious Monk's Palais Des Beaux-Arts 1963. This unique piece of musical history is a collaboration between the Tidal Waves Music label, the VRT (Flemish Radio and Television organization) and Bozar (Centre for Fine Arts Brussels) with full approval of the Thelonious Monk Estate. This concert album comes as a deluxe 180g vinyl edition with OBI strip. Also included is an exact reproduction of the original concert poster from 1963...released exclusively for Record Store Day 2020.

1.Bye Ya 2.Monk's Dream 3.Drumsolo 4.Criss Cross 5.Epistrophy 6.Just a Gigolo

Paul McCartney, McCartney: 50th Anniversary Edition (Half-Speed Master) (UMe/MPL/Capitol, LP, 7,000 copies)

One of the greatest solo debuts in rock history, Paul McCartney's McCartney, will receive a special 50th anniversary release in a limited-edition half-speed mastered vinyl pressing for Record Store Day.  Originally released in April 1970, one month before The Beatles' swansong Let It Be, McCartney saw Paul getting back to basics. Writing every song and playing every instrument (with backing vocals from Linda McCartney), the eponymous album represented a creative rebirth, bursting with new ideas, experiments, playfulness and freedom. Sonically, McCartney's bare-bones home recording aesthetic imbued the album with an authentic lo-fi spirit, a much sought after sound that continues to retain a contemporary edge 50 years on. The 50th anniversary Record Store Day limited edition of McCartney was pressed from a master cut by Miles Showell at half speed using the original 1970 master tapes at Abbey Road Studios. It was made as a vinyl specific transfer in high resolution and without digital peak limiting for the best possible reproduction.

1. The Lovely Linda, 2. That Would Be Something, 3. Valentines Day, 4. Every Night, 5. Hot As Sun, 6. Junk, 7. Man We Was Lonely // 1. Oo You, 2. Momma Miss America, 3. Teddy Boy, 4. Singalong Junk, 5. Maybe I'm Amazed, 6. Kreen-Akore

Nat Turner Rebellion, Laugh To Keep From Crying (ORG Music, LP, 1,000 copies)

The first ever full-length release from Nat Turner Rebellion - a Philly soul and R&B group that broke up before their first LP could be completed. Laugh to Keep From Crying compiles the group's sought after singles and a wealth of never-released material sitting in vaults in Pennsylvania since the early '70s. As a group on the forefront of the Philly soul explosion of the 1970s and the back end of the Black Power movement of the late 1960s, they were tapped into the revolutionary soul music movement, both with their works and their invocation of the original Nat Turner Rebellion, and this album is their long overdue first dispatch.  The majority of the tunes were penned by frontman Joseph Jefferson (The Spinners' "Mighty Love," "One of a Kind (Love Affair), "Games People Play") with a couple from the team of Allan Felder and Norman Harris.  Much of Laugh to Keep from Crying is grittier than the usual plush Philly style, but there are flashes of that smooth soul sound, too.

A1 "Laugh To Keep From Crying" A2 "Tribute To A Slave" A3 "Fatback" A4 "Care" A5″ Love, Peace & Understanding" A6 "Can't Go On Living"
B1 "McBrides Daughter" B2 "Fruit Of The Land" B3 "Plastic People" B4 "Never Too Late" B5 "Getting Higher Together" B6 "Going In Circles"

Charlie Parker, Jazz At Midnite (UMe/Blue Note, LP blue, 4,000 copies)

Stunning performances recorded live in 1952 and 1953 at the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., now available both as a standalone album and on vinyl for the first time. Features stellar band members Max Roach, Charlie Byrd, Zoot Sims and more. Pressed on midnite blue vinyl; includes original liner notes from producer, Bill Potts, and designed like a classic 1950s Blue Note LP.

1. Ornithology, 2. Out Of Nowhere, 3. Cool Blues, 4. Anthropology // 1. Scrapple From the Apple, 2. Out of Nowhere/Now's the Time

Pink Floyd, Arnold Layne Live 2007 (Legacy, 7″, 7,400 copies)

To celebrate Record Store Day 2020, Pink Floyd release a live recording of the band's first single, original singer and songwriter Syd Barrett's best-known song, "Arnold Layne". The limited-edition, one-sided Record Store Day 7″ represents the last live performance of the song by Pink Floyd with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright, all together in 2007. This special performance of "Arnold Layne" took place at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert at The Barbican on 10 May 2007, with Pink Floyd members augmented by Jon Carin on keyboards and vocals, and Andy Bell from Oasis on bass guitar. After a star-studded line-up throughout the evening, Pink Floyd took to the stage for an incredibly emotional finale. The B-side features an etching that echoes the sleeve and the song's lyrics.

A: "Arnold Layne (recorded live at the Barbican Centre, London at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert, 10th May 2007)" / B: Exclusive new etching

The Pretenders, Live! At the Paradise, Boston, 1980 (Rhino/Warner, LP clear and red, 6,500 copies)

In celebration of the band's 40th anniversary, this reissue of a promo-only Warner Bros. Music Show release is pressed on clear with red color-in-color vinyl and with new artwork, including photos from the show.

John Prine, The Atlantic Albums (Rhino/Atlantic, 4LP, 2,000 copies)

A special four-LP 180-gram box set from the legendary troubadour, containing his first four albums, presented in their original packaging: John Prine, Sweet Revenge, Diamonds in the Rough, and Common Sense.

Gene Russell, New Direction (Real Gone Music, clear/black swirl LP, 1,000 copies)

The first album released from the most sought-after label, bar none, among jazz collectors! Black Jazz was started by keyboardist/producer Gene Russell for Dick Schory's Ovation Records. Active only from 1971 to 1975, and reputed to be the first standalone jazz label started by an African-American since Sunshine Records in 1921, Black Jazz sought to expand minds as well as hearts, releasing spiritual, socially conscious music that explored such burgeoning genres of the era as funk, soul jazz, and free jazz. Real Gone Music kicks off its Black Jazz reissue campaign with the very first record the label released, entitled, fittingly, New Direction, and performed by label founder Russell. Oft-bootlegged, with original copies commanding princely sums, New Direction, while a fairly straight-ahead piano trio outing, sets the tone for the entire label with its modal and soul jazz flourishes, and features such sidemen as double bassist Henry 'The Skipper' Franklin and drummer Steve Clover. Co-produced by Real Gone's own Gordon Anderson and jazz reissue specialist Zev Feldman, Real Gone's reissue includes the distinctive original Black Jazz album art along with new liner notes by Pat Thomas, the author of Listen Whitey! The Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975. Transparent clear with heavy black swirl vinyl limited to 1,500 copies worldwide. Pressed at Gotta Groove Records for Record Store Day.  Real Gone's Black Jazz campaign continues with another three titles available in finer record shops everywhere now.

1. Black Orchid 2. Hitting the Jug 3. Willow Weep for Me 4. Listen Here 5. On Green Dolphin Street 6. Silver's Serenade 7. My Cherie Amour 8. Making Bread

Ravi Shankar, Chants of India (Dark Horse Records/BMG, 2LP red, 3,000 copies)

For the first time on vinyl, Ravi Shankar's 1997 collaboration with George Harrison, Chants of India. The album was produced by George Harrison and recorded in both India and at Harrison's Friar Park studio in England.  Celebrating Ravi Shankar's Centennial, this limited double red vinyl edition is housed in a gatefold sleeve with exclusive photo print.

Vandanaa Trayee, Omkaaraaya Namaha, Vedic Chanting One, Asato Maa // Sahanaa Vavatu, Poornamadah, Gaayatri, Mahaa Mrityunjaya, Veenaa-Murali /// Geetaa / Mangalam / Hari Om / Svara Mantra // Vedic Chanting Two / Prabhujee / Sarve Shaam

The Who, Odds and Sods: Deluxe (UMe, 2 LPs, 7,000 copies)

This double LP compilation features alternative '60s hits and rarities from the catalog of Los Angeles' great White Whale label, including such artists as Jim Ford, JK & Co, The Clique, Nino Tempo & April Stevens, Lyme & Cybelle, and more. Two standard weight black vinyl LPs in a gatefold.  Produced by Andrew Sandoval, Steve Stanley, and Cary E. Mansfield.  Also available now on CD at  Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada!

1. You Got The Love, 2. I'll Be In, 3. Got A Good Love, 4. Little Girl, Little Boy, 5. We Must Find A Way, 6. Darlin' You Can Count On Me // 1. I Can't Get Nowhere With You, 2. Song #7, 3. Vegetables, 4. The Chair, 5. Goin' It Alone, 6. Sunshine Dreamin', 7. Land Of Sensations & Delights
1. Superman, 2. Look At You Now, 3. All At Once, 4. Time To Be A Woman, 5. Love Story, 6. If It Weren't For You, 7. Summer Dream // 1. Cheyenne, 2. My Door Is Always Open, 3. Constantly, 4. The Proud One, 5. Won't You Say You'll Stay, 6. In The Garden

Various Artists, Sunrise on the Blues: Sun Records Curated by Record Store Day, Vol. 7 (ORG Music/Record Store Day, LP, 3,500 copies)

This limited edition compilation LP was curated from the classic Sun Record Company catalog by participating Record Store Day stores, and marks the seventh installment of the 'Sun Records Curated by Record Store Day' series. Volume 7, Sunrise on the Blues, highlights some of the incredible blues artists in the Sun Records archive. While the iconic label is best known for launching the careers of superstars like Elvis and Johnny Cash, Sam Phillips' Sun Records initially started as a rhythm and blues label. The track list for this compilation was carefully curated by the hardworking people in record stores themselves. This Record Store Day 2020 exclusive release is limited to 4,000 copies worldwide.

SIDE A: 1. HOWLIN' WOLF "Everybody in the Mood" 2. LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FLAMES "Mystery Train"3. ROSCO GORDON "Let's Get High" 4. JOHNNY ADAMS "I Won't Cry" 5. EARL HOOKER "Going On Down The Line" 6. LOST JOHN HUNTER & HIS BLIND BATS "Cool Down Mama" 7. BIG WALTER HORTON "Grandma Told Grandpa"

SIDE B: 1. SLEEPY JOHN ESTES "Policy Man Blues"2. LITTLE MILTON "If Crying Would Help Me" 3. JAMES COTTON "Cotton Crop Blues" 4. DOCTOR ROSS "Cat Squirrel" 5. THE PRISONAIRES "That Chick's Too Young To Fry" 6. PAT HARE "I'm Gonna Murder My Baby" 7. JOE HILL LOUIS "We All Got To Go Some Time"

Many of the above-mentioned titles are available for Record Store Day worldwide, including in both the U.S. and the U.K., but we'd also like to spotlight a pair of releases which are exclusive to RSD U.K. and territories outside of North America.  The commentary below is our own.

The Valentines, 1967-1970 (Demon)

Forty years after Bon Scott's tragic death at the age of 33 in 1980, the AC/DC frontman remains a beloved figure.  He once topped a list of The 100 Greatest Frontmen of All Time; on another occasion, he was voted fifth on a list of 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time.  Yet before he took hard rock to the next level with AC/DC and even before going prog with Fraternity, Scott fronted pop groups in his native Australia - the most famous of which was The Valentines.  Demon has just revisited their discography on a new 180-gram vinyl compendium, simply and appropriately titled The Valentines 1967-1970.  It's been pressed on "peculiar" black and white swirl vinyl reflecting the front cover artwork (above).

Scott shared lead vocal duties in The Valentines with future Divinyls manager Vince Lovegrove.  The two young men would trade leads, with the other adding tight harmony, as they honed their act in the mid-1960s Perth scene by performing live covers of soul and mod staples.  Wyn Milsom and Ted Ward on guitar, Bruce Abbott on bass and Warwick Findlay on drums rounded out the group's first core line-up. The Valentines 1967-1970 brings together all of the band's original mono A- and B-sides on the Clarion and Philips labels plus a radio advertisement and an outtake (first issued in 1988) for a total of 16 tracks.

Demon's set opens with the group's first single, from 1967 on the Clarion label (Arthur Alexander's "Every Day I Have to Cry" b/w Small Faces' "I Can't Dance with You") and moves chronologically from that point forward.  Having achieved success with that initial single as well as a sophomore release ("She Said" by The Easybeats' Stevie Wright and George Young b/w Phil Spector's Teddy Bears hit, slightly rewritten as "To Know You is to Love You"), The Valentines moved out of Perth and onto Melbourne.  As the sixties progressed, the band's sound began to shift, and Lovegrove also began to contribute original material alongside the expected covers.  The Valentines embraced beat-style pop with "I Can Hear Raindrops" and full-on into the realm of psych-pop with imaginative covers of The Easybeats' "Peculiar Hole in the Sky" and The Soft Machine's "Love Makes Sweet Music."  Parting with Clarion, though, the band took an unexpected turn and announced their intention to be a bubblegum group.  Ron Tudor's June Productions leased the band's next singles to Philips - bright confections such as the novelty-esque "Ebeneezer," Lovegrove and Scott's "Nick Nack Paddy Wack" (a riff on the children's nursery rhyme "This Old Man") and another song from the Easybeats' circle, "My Old Man's a Groovy Old Man."  The Valentines endured personnel changes and a marijuana bust before breaking up in June 1970 when Scott decamped to join Fraternity.  The Valentines: 1967-1970 LP is housed in a printed inner sleeve with credits.  This time capsule of '60s pop styles from garage to psych reveals that The Valentines left behind an enjoyable legacy of music.

Marc Bolan and T Rex, Shadowhead (Demon)

Like Bon Scott, Marc Bolan died tragically young (29 years old in 1977).  But the prolific artist recorded so much material that it's been revisited consistently in the CD and digital era in a variety of formats.  Shadowhead arrived on CD in Japan in 2001, collecting 15 then-unissued outtakes, work tapes, and session takes plus three bonus tracks.  Now, those core 15 songs are have been pressed onto 180-gram purple vinyl. These were recorded over five years (1972-1976) in seven studios in five countries, attesting to Bolan's spirited work ethic.  While some of the finished songs would be featured on subsequent Bolan compilations, other tracks showcased a particular song's development.  Musicians and singers on this set include Tony Visconti (who also produced some of the original sessions), Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman (a.k.a. Flo and Eddie), Gloria Jones, and orchestrator Jimmie Haskell.  Session chatter and false starts are peppered throughout.

Among the highlights, there are work-in-progress mixes of familiar tunes from The Slider ("Baby Boomerang" featuring Flo and Eddie, "Buick Mackane"), Tanx ("Rapids"), Dandy in the Underworld ("Hang-Ups"), Bolan's Zip Gun ("Precious Star"), Futuristic Dragon ("Dreamy Lady"), and on singles ("Midnight," a more robust mix of "Truck On (Tyke)," the dramatic "London Boys," "Lady," the frenetic "Fast Blues (Easy Action").  These all reflect Bolan's various musical obsessions.  While he famously and successfully transitioned from the folk-rock of Tyrannosaurus Rex to the bold glam of T. Rex, he incorporated the sounds of pop, heavy rock, rhythm and blues, soul, and even dance/disco into his compositions and productions.

Bolan didn't record too many cover versions, but Shadowhead collects a couple of them with Bobby Freeman's "Do You Wanna Dance?" (later reinvented in radically different interpretations by The Beach Boys and Bette Midler) and Ben E. King's Leiber-Stoller favorite "Stand by Me."  The bouncy take on the former doesn't benefit from Bolan's busy background vocal arrangement while the latter is approached in a similar vein but succeeds thanks to its simple sincerity.

Demon's vinyl premiere edition has a printed inner sleeve featuring track-by-track liner notes as well as credits, and the original CD artwork has been well adapted for vinyl by Jools Williamson and includes images of the original master tape boxes as well as photographs.  While T. Rex's catalogue has been very well-served on CD by Edsel through various reissues and boxsets, this vinyl presentation of the original  Shadowhead sequence still makes for a fine listening experience as it opens a window onto the recording session process for Marc Bolan and his musical guests.  Get it on!