While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it's no secret that listening audiences are also digital - catalogue music lovers, too - and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we've introduced a new feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter!
Public Enemy, Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black (Deluxe Edition) (Def Jam/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)
The legendary hip-hop posse celebrates the 30th anniversary of their fourth album with 13 bonus tracks, including rare B-sides and remixes of "Can't Truss It," "Nighttrain" and "Shut Em Down." (This is also the album that features the group's genre-bending collaboration with metal icons Anthrax, for a thrashing cover of "Bring tha Noise.")
Material Issue, What Girls Want / When I Get This Way (Over You) / Goin' Through Your Purse: Live in Chicago (2400 Trouble Makers Can't Be Wrong) (Mercury)
What Girls Want: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
Get This Way: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
Goin' Through: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
One of 1991's most underrated records, Material Issue's debut International Pop Overthrow is so beloved among power-pop fans that an entire festival is named after it. Ahead of a new documentary on the band, two EPs from the band's sophomore album Destination Universe (1992) have been delivered digitally with a host of B-sides and rarities, as has a 1994 live album recorded at the legendary Cabaret Metro in the band's hometown of Chicago.
Toni Braxton, Libra (Blackground 2.0/EMPIRE) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)
The penultimate Blackground catalog drop is a one-off album R&B icon Toni Braxton cut for the label in 2005, featuring production from heavy hitters like Babyface, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Soulshock & Karlin.
Paula Abdul, Opposites Attract (Virgin) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)
This chart-topping dance track is practically immortal thanks to its video - you know, the one with the rapping, dancing cartoon cat! Take two steps forward with this new-to-digital bundle of six remixes from the original 12" release.
Indigo Girls, Three Hits / I Don't Wanna Talk About It (Epic)
Three Hits: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
Don't Wanna: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
Another pair of early '90s Indigo Girls singles (including "I Don't Wanna Talk About It," from the soundtrack to 1993's Philadelphia) backed with a brace of live tracks recorded in 1992.
Benny Goodman, The Benny Goodman Story (Music from the Motion Picture) (Decca/Geffen) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)
Universal Pictures followed up a hit 1954 music biopic on the late Glenn Miller with this fascinating, semi-accurate 1956 picture, starring Steve Allen (at his peak as the original host of The Tonight Show) as the iconic bandleader and Donna Reed as his wife Alice Hammond (younger sister of the legendary music producer John Hammond, who sued the filmmakers for what he felt was a faulty characterization of himself). In what is perhaps a rare move today in the biopic world, Goodman himself - who'd ventured from jazz into classical at the time - recorded the music himself, revisiting classics like "Stompin' at the Savoy," "One O'Clock Jump," and of course "Sing, Sing, Sing."
The Producers, You Make the Heat (Portrait) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)
A beloved '80s power-pop nugget, the second album by Atlanta's The Producers - their final for the Portrait label - boasted production by Tom Werman (who'd helmed Cheap Trick's In Color, Heaven Tonight and Dream Police) and the cult mainstream rock hit "She Sheila." Definitely a forgotten favorite getting its due after nearly 40 years.
Mark Mulcahy, Live At Slims (1998) (Mezzotint)
From the Mezzotint archives comes a great live document from one of Mulcahy's first solo tours opening for Frank Black & The Catholics - which featured bassist David McCaffery and drummer Scott Boutier, Mulcahy's last rhythm section in Miracle Legion as well as Pete & Pete band Polaris. The result? A lively set featuring Mark's then-newest solo material plus classics like the Pete & Pete theme "Hey Sandy."
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Beggin' (Warner Music/X5) / Lesley Gore, It's My Party (Whipped Cream Mix) (Island/UMe)
Beggin': iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
Party: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify
Ask any young person and they'll tell you TikTok is the most happening app around. (I aged myself years typing that. -ed.) But it is a really great opportunity for earworms new and old to get stuck in folks' heads: this time last year, skater Nathan Apodaca filmed himself lip-syncing to Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" between swigs of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and the chart-topper attained its largest streaming week ever. So, now we occasionally discover new remixes of old favorites as a result of their surprise virality on the app. Case in point: Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons' "Beggin'" (a Top 20 hit in 1967, now paired with some European remixes from 2007), and a new mix of Lesley Gore's chart-topping "It's My Party."
Claudine Longet, The Best (A&M/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)
Universal has a surprise release: the 1998 Japan-only collection The Best (originally titled A&M Digitally Remastered Best) from Paris-born chanteuse/dancer/actress Claudine Longet. While Longet may be best remembered today for the fatal shooting of her then-boyfriend Vladimir "Spider" Sabich in 1976 - she was convicted of negligent homicide for which she served a short sentence - this collection places the spotlight on her earlier, enchanting body of work for A&M. Longet, then Mrs. Andy Williams, was signed by Herb Alpert after he heard her sing Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Meditation" on television. She went on to record five albums for the label, all rendered in her soft, breathy, and waiflike voice. Primarily working with producer Tommy LiPuma and arranger Nick DeCaro, Longet delivered lush yet delicate readings of songs from The Beatles ("Here, There, and Everywhere," "Good Day, Sunshine"), Francis Lai ("A Man and a Woman"), Burt Bacharach and Hal David ("The Look of Love"), Joni Mitchell ("Both Sides Now"), and Randy Newman ("Snow," "I Think It's Going to Rain Today"). All of those are here and more, including Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon's sunshine pop classic "Small Talk." She's joined on the album version of "Small Talk" by Tommy LiPuma; none other than Andy Williams sang the duet vocal on the single version. Upon leaving A&M, Longet moved to Williams' Barnaby label for another three albums (one of which didn't see release until decades later). Longet has eschewed the spotlight since 1977, but her beguiling, beautiful, and sometimes-haunting recordings for A&M have lived on in television shows such as Gilmore Girls and The Politician. The Best is a fine overview of an exquisite discography understandably overshadowed by the tragedy that followed.
Paul E. says
Thanks for the news on Public Enemy. It’s disappointing that the “Apocalypse '91” Deluxe Edition won’t be released across physical formats…I own the deluxe versions of “It Takes A Nation…” + “Fear Of A Black Planet”on CD and they are long out of print. Also strange they never expanded “Yo! Bum Rush The Show”.
RecordSteve says
Great write up=right on! Really enjoy the video add ons=keep up the good work.
Overall kudos to The Second Disc family=you guys are great promoters of music genres. God bless y'all c'ya on the flip side....
Joe Marchese says
Thanks as always, Steve!
Neal Alhadeff says
I look forward to this column every Saturday. Need to point out you’ve missed Lou Reed Live at Alice Tully Hall which had been a RSD vinyl-only, but was released for download and streaming September 24.