The Black Friday edition of Record Store Day is happening this Friday, November 26, and Real Gone Music has five titles premiering for the event.
These LPs are a happily eclectic lot: the most comprehensive vinyl overview of 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, a vinyl version of Dusty Springfield's complete Atlantic singles collection (which Real Gone released on CD earlier this year and includes comprehensive liner notes by our very own Joe Marchese), the vinyl debut of an initially unreleased Polydor album by blues guitarist Roy Buchanan, the first vinyl reissue of Miami glam-band Saigon Kick's second album, and the first appearance on vinyl for British singer-songwriter Rob Dickinson's solo debut album, augmented with bonus tracks. Whew!
We've provided Real Gone's full descriptions of the titles below for more details:
The Shangri-Las - The Best of the Mercury and Red Bird Recordings (2-LP Black "Tailpipe Exhaust" Vinyl, limited to 2,800 copies)
Can you believe there hasn't been a legitimate Shangri-Las collection issued on vinyl since, well, forever?! At least not since the advent of the CD era. But we're making up for lost time with this one; when it comes to Shangri-Las compilations, this one's (sorry) the leader of the pack! Twenty-five tracks newly remastered by Eliot Kissileff (10 in stereo, 15 in mono) from tape sources, presented in a 2-LP set pressed in (vroom! vroom!) clear with black "tailpipe exhaust" vinyl, and housed in a gatefold jacket with a four-page insert. Liner notes by Shangri-Las expert John Grecco featuring his personal reminiscences of such legends as producer "Shadow" Morton, engineer Brooks Arthur, and band manager Larry Martire and rare photos complete the best-looking Shangs package ever released. "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)" (the "Oh No" song of TikTok fame), "Leader of the Pack," "Give Him a Great Big Kiss," "I Can Never Go Home Anymore"...all your faves, sounding better than they ever have before!
Dusty Springfield - The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971 (2-LP Ruby Red Vinyl, limited to 3,000 copies)
In 1968, Dusty Springfield was already an international superstar with fifteen hits under her belt for the Philips label when she decided it was time for a change. What followed was one of the most legendary and momentous label moves in pop music history: Dusty decamped to Atlantic Records, where, under the tutelage of Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin, she recorded one of the greatest albums of all time, Dusty in Memphis, and scored such indelible hits as "Son-of-a Preacher Man" and "The Windmills of Your Mind" before moving on to Philly soul ("A Brand New Me").
We at Real Gone Music have closely examined this crucial period in Dusty's career over the years, with three previous releases. But there remains one facet of her Atlantic period which has remained largely untouched: her singles. The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971 presents the A- and B-sides of all dozen singles she recorded for the label in their original mono single mixes, on vinyl for the first time in over 50 years (most of these single mixes weren't even available on compact disc until our recent CD release). These singular sides highlight how the move to a more R&B sound at Atlantic (also aided by producers Gamble & Huff and Jeff Barry with such contributors as The Memphis Boys and The Sweet Inspirations) brilliantly capitalized on the smoky tones of Dusty's mezzo-soprano to create some of the most potent blue-eyed soul ever recorded.
Mastered by Mike Milchner from original tape sources, annotated by Joe Marchese, and featuring copious photos, The Complete Atlantic Singles 1968-1971 is an absolute must for any Dusty devotee or any soul fan to boot. Ruby red 2-LP gatefold vinyl pressing limited to 3,000 copies worldwide.
Roy Buchanan - The Prophet - The Unreleased First Polydor Album (2-LP Orange and Black "Fire" Vinyl, limited to 2,500 copies)
In 1969 - some three years before his self-titled debut solidified his stature as a pre-eminent Fender bender - Roy Buchanan signed with Polydor Records and began work on his first full-length platter. But it took 35 years before this material saw the light of day with the release of The Prophet: The Unreleased First Polydor Album on CD. Augmenting the 11-track running order that would have made up that disc, the single-CD package contained 30+ minutes of previously unreleased outtakes, including tunes documented at an aborted March 1971 session. This stuff is every bit as good as the official Polydor releases; the medley of "After Hours"/"The Messiah Will Come Again," for instance, might even be better than the respective later versions of those songs that showed up on Roy's albums. Never before on vinyl, The Prophet comes in a two- album set, pressed on orange and black "fire" vinyl (because you won't often encounter more fiery guitar work than what's here), housed in a gatefold jacket, and limited to 2,500 copies worldwide.
Saigon Kick - The Lizard ("Reptilian" Green Marble Vinyl, limited to 2,500 copies)
The 1992 sophomore release from this hard-rockin' Miami band ran the gamut from Beatle-esque pop to Led Zep heaviosity and went Gold in the process! The Lizard even scored a minor MTV hit with the acoustic song "Love Is on the Way;" that's how stylistically diverse this record is. Never released on vinyl in the U.S., The Lizard comes in reptilian green marbled vinyl limited to 2,500 copies worldwide, with jacket and printed inner sleeve, complete with lyrics.
Rob Dickinson - Fresh Wine For the Horses (2-LP Red and Yellow "Seahorse" Vinyl, limited to 2,000 copies)
The 2005 debut solo album from British singer-songwriter and ex-Catherine Wheel frontman Rob Dickinson. This first-ever vinyl release adds a bunch of extras that did not appear on the original CD, including the track "The End of the World" (recently covered by Billie Eilish), and a second disc with the Nude EP from the 2008 deluxe CD reissue, made up of acoustic versions of Catherine Wheel songs. Packaged in a gatefold jacket and pressed in red and yellow "seahorse" vinyl, limited to 2,000 copies worldwide.
If you would like to pick a copy of any of these releases, head to your local retailer participating in Record Store Day this Friday, November 26! View a full list of stores here.
Leave a Reply