Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today!
Al Stewart, Songs on the Radio: The Complete U.S. Singles 1974-1981 (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music)
This definitive, first-ever singles collection from singer-songwriter Al Stewart brings together the A- and B-side of every single during the period in which Stewart catapulted from folk clubs to the mainstream. Stewart bridged the gap between FM rock and AM pop on such classic tracks as "Year of the Cat," "Carol," "On the Border," "Time Passages," "Midnight Rocks," and "Song on the Radio." Every track on Songs on the Radio: The Complete U.S. Singles 1974-1981 is presented in its original U.S. single version. Every one of these A-sides is a unique single mix, version, or edit, and most are new to CD (and not even included on Stewart's massive The Admiralty Lights box set). Everything has been newly remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision. The deluxe 20-page booklet designed by John Sellards features Joe Marchese's extensive interview with Al Stewart as well as rare photos and memorabilia. As a special bonus, the unique RCA U.K. single edit of Al's signature song "Year of the Cat" is also included. Read more here!
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours Live (Warner/Rhino)
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Over the course of four legs between February 24, 1977 and August 30, 1978, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood traveled across North America, Europe, Oceania, and Japan touring Rumours. Fleetwood Mac released their seminal album on February 4 and would perform most of it on the road. Now, a full concert performance recorded on August 29, 1977 at The "Fabulous" Forum in Inglewood, California is seeing release. The set, recorded by original album engineer Ken Caillat, is composed primarily of tracks from the Fleetwood Mac and Rumours albums (with the addition of Peter Green-era favorite "Oh Well"). Only one of the tracks was released before on the expansion of the group's Live album from 2021. It'll be available on two CDs and two 180-gram LPs cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering; in America, Walmart will carry a crystal clear vinyl variant as well. Sam Graham has penned liner notes for the package. Read more here.
The Doors, Live at the Matrix 1967: The Original Masters (Elektra/Rhino)
3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
5LP/7": Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Live At The Matrix 1967: The Original Masters is the last word on the band's pivotal dates at the San Francisco club The Matrix - among the earliest concert recordings of the group. The 3CD or 5LP/7" box set will include, for the first time, all of club owner Peter Abram's surviving original master tapes of the performances, remastered by the band's longtime engineer Bruce Botnick. The set will be limited to 14,000 numbered copies on vinyl and 21,000 on CD. Read more here.
Pat Boone, Country Jubilee (The Gold Label) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Pat Boone is celebrating 70 years in showbiz and looking forward to his 90th birthday next March. The veteran artist has compiled Country Jubilee to kick off the festivities. The 25-track collection features five of Boone's Country chart hits, numerous renditions of classic C&W tunes, a new duet with Crystal Gayle of her chart-topping "You and I," and the new "Grits," featuring Pat with Ray Stevens, The Gatlin Brothers, Lorrie Morgan, Deborah Allen, and Dean Miller. The release is lavishly packaged with a 56-page booklet including liner notes by Frank Myers, a tribute to Pat's father-in-law Red Foley, lyrics, and rare photographs. Also available on vinyl and digitally.
Quadio series: Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies / J. Geils Band, Nightmares...And Other Tales from the Vinyl Jungle / Jefferson Starship, Red Octopus (Rhino)
Black Sabbath, Paranoid (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD / Rhino.com)
Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
J. Geils Band, Nightmares...And Other Tales from the Vinyl Jungle (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Jefferson Starship, Red Octopus (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Quadio is back! After past releases in the series including box sets from The Doobie Brothers and Chicago, Rhino is once again taking a deep dive into the Warner Music family of labels for four reissues presenting original quadraphonic mixes of classic albums on Blu-ray Audio. This quartet of titles - previously available as Rhino online exclusives - hits general retail today. Each of these four classic rock reissues includes the original 4.0-channel quad mix and the 2.0-channel stereo mix in high resolution (192/24). Watch this space for a full review of all four titles! Note that Black Sabbath's Paranoid is currently unavailable at Amazon but is still available directly from Rhino. Get more info here.
Nanci Griffith, Working in Corners (Craft Recordings) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Craft Recordings' new Working in Corners box includes Nanci Griffith's first four albums: There's A Light Beyond These Woods, Poet in My Window, Once in a Very Blue Moon, and the Grammy-nominated The Last of the True Believers. Producer Jim Rooney and author Holly Gleason have both written new liner notes for the booklet which also features rare photos of the artist. Also available on 4 LPs.
Art Pepper, New York Album (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
This album, recorded in 1979 but unreleased until 1985, was reissued by Omnivore as part of the Promise Kept: The Complete Artist House Recordings box set. It's now available on standalone CD and LP. Mastered by Michael Graves, New York Album includes the saxophone great's renditions of such classics as "A Night in Tunisia" and "Straight No Chaser."
Various Artists, A Mighty Wind: The Album (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
The 2003 folk music mockumentary A Mighty Wind, from the minds of Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, and a talented troupe including Harry Shearer and Michael McKean, premieres on vinyl in a forest-green pressing.
Paradox, Heresy (Limited "Inquisitor's Robes" Vinyl Edition) (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
The thrash metal band's 1989 sophomore set comes to vinyl from Real Gone, the first time it has appeared in the format in the United States. It includes an inner printed sleeve with lyrics and comes on dark gray "Inquisitor's Robes" vinyl, limited to 1,000 copies.
Marvelous 3, Hey! Album (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Real Gone reissues the Elektra debut of Butch Walker's power pop trio. The vinyl reissue is the first time the album has come to general music retail in the format. It comes on pink vinyl and includes an inner sleeve with lyrics.
Rooney, Rooney (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Rooney's self-titled 2003 debut comes to vinyl for the first time in a gold pressing with a printed inner sleeve.
Jeff Harnar, A Collective Cy: Jeff Harnar Sings Cy Coleman (PS Classics) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Throughout his remarkable career, late composer and piano man Cy Coleman brought his cool, sophisticated jazz sensibilities to his Broadway scores - a body of work that includes Sweet Charity, City of Angels, Seesaw, and I Love My Wife, among many others - and a cache of timeless pop songs such as "Witchcraft" and "The Best Is Yet to Come." Now cabaret great Jeff Harnar, musical director Alex Rybeck, a host of special guests, and a full orchestra pay tribute to that Coleman magic with A Collective Cy: Jeff Harnar Sings Cy Coleman. Based on the show of the same name, this recording is an invitation to a chic New York cocktail party, filled with fizzy delights and tender moments alike. Harnar, Rybeck, and guests Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Nicolas King, Danny Bacher, Sean Harkness, and Jay Leonhart understand the nuances of Coleman's sparkling music (and the sharp lyrics by his collaborators, among them Carolyn Leigh, Dorothy Fields, and Betty Comden and Adolph Green), making A Collective Cy a tribute worthy of the great man himself. Available on CD and digital formats.
Graham Parker and The Goldtops, Last Chance to Do the Twist (Big Stir) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Graham Parker's 25th album, featuring the single "It Matters to Me," arrives today on CD and digitally. A vinyl edition follows on October 27.
Rain Parade, Last Rays of a Dying Sun (Label 51) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Paisley Underground veterans The Rain Parade are releasing their third album (and first in nearly 40 years) featuring Debbi and Vicki Peterson and The Moore Brothers. Available on CD, LP, and digital formats.
Harry N Cohen says
I'm seeing Jeff Harnar on October 2 at Birdland for a cd release party for A Collective Cy. Jeff's Sondheim album from last year was a gem. I am really looking forward to the Cy show.
Larry Davis says
Got the Fleetwood Mac Rumours Live on 2CD but thanks for the heads up regarding the exclusive crystal clear vinyl variant at Walmart...snagged the 1 copy they had...have a feeling it's limited...I will get the vinyl reissues of the Marvelous 3 (they fully reunited this year because of "Hey! Album"'s 25th anniversary, with a new album "IV" out on 10/13 on Crush Music, keep a lookout on that!!), Rooney & A Mighty Wind when prices drop...but the big key release of the week has GOTTA be "Guts" by Olivia Rodrigo...snagged the Target CD exclusive and "transparent" vinyl variant exclusive to Walmart...plus new album by eccentric Irish pop genius Roisin Murphy called "Hit Parade"...and lastly, 2 other things, your link to the Soft Cell box on Amazon US did not work and you have to mention the upcoming 8CD box by tragically departed UK pop genius Kirsty MacColl called "See That Girl: 1979-2000", which could be the most exciting boxset of the year, out on 10/27 on UMR in the same 10x10, 2 folder & 60-page hardcover book design as the Bobbi Gentry, Monty Python & Richard and Linda Thompson sets...this thing looks like one to fully do her justice...for one, it includes the unreleased 1983 album "Real" in full and does the full job that the 3CD Virgin set "From Croydon To Cuba" tried to do but fell way short...you must do a piece on this set...