Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! While most labels are concentrating today on Record Store Day's Black Friday releases, we've chosen to spotlight a few non-RSD titles out today, as well. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Tommy Steele, On Air (Stage Door Pop) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Stage Door Records' Pop imprint celebrates The Happiest Millionaire and Half a Sixpence star Tommy Steele with On Air, a collection of 31 tracks culled from his 1964 U.K. radio series The Tommy Steele Show. None of these tracks have been released since their original broadcast sixty years ago. Tommy was joined on these recordings by The Johnnie Spence Orchestra and vocal group The Raindrops (featuring Irish singer and Northern Soul favorite Jackie Lee). The repertoire is a happily mixed bag of then-current radio hits, classic pop standards, and all-around beloved tunes including a couple of Disney favorites. The CD boasts new liner notes by Steele's biographer/archivist Sebastian Lassandro as well as an introduction from Sir Tommy Steele himself. This pressing is limited to just 500 copies. Read more here.
Todd Rundgren, Global: Deluxe Edition (Cleopatra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Rundgren's 25th studio album, originally released in 2015, is revisited by Cleopatra in a new CD edition featuring five bonus cuts including the 2015 digital-only "Technopolis;" covers of "Roundabout," "Without You," and "Alabama Song" from tribute albums to Yes, Badfinger, and The Doors, respectively; and the 2020 non-LP single "Flappie." Also available on vinyl with the original album sequence only.
Sparks, 1974: Kimono My House & Propaganda (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
1974 was a particularly prolific year for Sparks, with the Mael brothers releasing two LPs: Kimono My House and Propaganda. Now, Edsel has reissued them both in a deluxe 3-CD set in 7-inch packaging. In addition to the original albums, the package contains 12 previously issued bonus tracks including non-LP sides and demos. The 12-page booklet contains liner notes by Jude Rogers plus photos and memorabilia images.
Leo Sayer, 1992 (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Leo Sayer is unveiling an album composed of his previously unreleased recordings from 1992. Though recorded at a time when the singer-songwriter lacked a recording deal, he and engineer John Hudson have dusted them off for release now, stressing that no work has been done since the original sessions.
WAR, The CD Collection 1977-1994 (Avenue/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
WAR is boxing up five albums as The Vinyl 1977-1994 for Record Store Day's Black Friday event. But no fear, CD buyers: Rhino is releasing the same set comprising Platinum Funk (1977), Galaxy (1977), The Music Band (1979), Outlaw (1982), and Peace Sign (1994) on 5 CDs today. Dave Van Patten provides the new artwork, and all albums have been remastered for this release.
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2023 (Rhino)
4CD/2BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
This 4-CD/2-Blu-Ray collection brings together the greatest performances from Eric Clapton's 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival, held in Los Angeles in September. The two-day concert event raised funds for the Crossroads Centre in Antigua, the chemical dependency treatment and education facility that Clapton founded in 1998. With Bill Murray as the Master of Ceremonies, the festival featured performances by Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, Eric Gales, H.E.R., Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Los Lobos, John Mayer, The Marcus King Band, Roger McGuinn, John McLaughlin, Santana, The Wallflowers, and others. Also available on 2 DVDs (video only) or 6 LPs (audio only).
Heather Nova, Oyster (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Singer-songwriter Nova's sophomore album, from 1994, proved to be her breakthrough; it hit the Billboard 200 and yielded a top twenty hit with "Walk This World." The album veers from ballads to guitar pop to hard rock, and for its American vinyl debut, Real Gone is presenting Oyster on 2 LPs mastered at 45 RPM with a two-page lyric insert. It comes on "orange smoke vinyl" and is limited to 1,000 copies.
Mercury Rev, See You on the Other Side (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Another 1994 album receiving a vinyl reissue this week from Real Gone Music is Mercury Rev's See You on the Other Side. The first album made after lead singer David Baker departed the band, See You finds Mercury Rev transitioning from a darker sound to the more commercial style that would fully blossom on their next album. This light psychedelic stew evokes the classic feel of Forever Changes or Pet Sounds, and its first-ever LP reissue comes on "metallic rust" vinyl. It's limited to 1,000 copies and includes a printed inner sleeve and lyric insert.
Dorsey Burnette, The Complete Reprise and Motown Recordings Plus... (1962-1966) (Bear Family) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
This member of the famed Burnette rock-and-roll family gets his due on a new 2-CD set from Bear Family. This limited, numbered edition of only 1,000 units worldwide boasts 45 tracks: everything Burnette released on Frank Sinatra's Reprise label as well as on Motown's Mel-o-dy imprint, plus scattered singles for Lama and Imperial. The second CD premieres 20 tracks from the Motown vaults previously available only in digital form.
Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology (Republic) (Target.com)
The superstar's record-breaking 2024 album was released as an expanded edition a mere two hours after its initial release. Now, that digital double album is receiving a physical release as a Target exclusive on both CD and LP with all 31 tracks plus four acoustic bonus cuts. It's available in stores today alongside Swift's first official tour book (also a Target exclusive) and will become available online tomorrow (pending availability).
Galley says
Was the first War album collection ever released on CD?
Skippy O'Nasica says
Re: Sparks, "1974: Kimono My House & Propaganda" - this release contains no previously unreleased tracks.
But does mark the CD debut of the seven Maels-only demos from June 1973 which were previously on the 40th anniversary vinyl release of Kimono My House.
Still in the vaults:
The KMH versions of "I Like Girls" and "Profile" with the Diamond / Fisher / Gordon lineup...
The uncut versions of "This Town" and "Propaganda" with extra verses...
The September 1973 demo session with John Porter ...
And if they survive, rehearsal recordings with alternate arrangements, (eg. per Gordon's website, "Complaints" with an added coda that he suggested), and perhaps songs that were rehearsed but didn't make the final cut.
The live recording of "Amateur Hour" from the "Indiscreet" tour seems to have been included on the basis that the song originally appeared on KMH.
Recordings from the "Propaganda" tour would have been more era appropriate, if any pro-quality ones exist. It would have been especially nice if recordings could be located of the UK lineup playing their supercharged versions of Bearsville classics "Wonder Girl" and "Girl From Germany" - only done on that tour, AFAIK.