Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today!  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn for qualifying purchases.

WAR, Live in Japan 1974 (Rhino/Avenue)

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada​

Rhino's ongoing refresh of the WAR catalogue continues with its first release of 2025: a set of previously unheard live material from the band's tour of Japan, more than half a century ago and featuring the band's classic line-up.  Live in Japan 1974 is available worldwide as a 2CD or 2LP set. The concert includes 14 tracks (three less on the vinyl) culled from sets in Shizuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe. Liner notes by Cory Frye feature new insights from Lonnie Jordan (the band's co-founder and longest tenured member) and producer Jerry Goldstein. ​Read more here, and watch this space for our full review!

Wilco, A Ghost Is Born: Deluxe Edition (Nonesuch)

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
9CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
9LP/4CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Following an acclaimed, Grammy-winning deluxe edition of Wilco's mainstream breakthrough Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the same creative team has assembled a similarly lavish set for the band's 2004 follow-up A Ghost is Born.  The deluxe set - made up of either nine CDs or nine LPs and four CDs - packages the album alongside a whopping 65 previously unreleased tracks, including two sets of studio outtakes, a live concert, and seven "fundamentals" from the band's recorded workshops during this same period. A 48-page hardcover book features unpublished photos and new liner notes by Bob Mehr. (Mehr won a Grammy for his notes in the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot set, while Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and producer Cheryl Pawelski earned a Grammy for Best Historical Album.) A new 2LP pressing of the original album will be made available, as well as a 2CD expanded edition containing the album and first bonus disc of outtakes.  Read more here!

The Donnas, Gold Medal (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music)

Real Gone continues their reissue series for The Donnas with the 2004 album Gold Medal.  It was the group's second album for Atlantic and their sixth overall.  Produced by Butch Walker (Avril Lavigne), the sound here leans towards '70s rock; lead singer Brett Anderson cites it as one her favorites of the band's albums.  This new vinyl reissue comes on gold smoke vinyl and includes reproductions of the original poster and printed inner sleeve.

Don Julian, Savage! (Original Soundtrack Album) (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music)

Julian, bandleader for 1950s group The Meadowlarks (later, The Larks) composed the score the 1973 film Savage!.  The movie was in the blaxploitation genre and was a Philippines-based B-movie starring James Iglehardt, distributed in American by Roger Corman's New World Pictures.  The soul-jazz soundtrack was released on the obscure Money label and became hard to find.  Real Gone is returning it to print in a couple of vinyl versions: a blood orange vinyl limited to 750 copies, available at general retail, and an infinity splatter vinyl limited to 100 copies and only available from Real Gone's website.

The Harold Wheeler Consort, Black Cream (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music)

Burt Bacharach was effusive when he told Playbill in 1968 about a young man named Harold Wheeler: "He's just a kid.  He's got the guts of a lion.  He was hired originally as the dance arranger and rehearsal pianist and the only conducting he'd ever done before was in college, but he has the feel for the contemporary pop scene and particularly for my music."  Bacharach hired Wheeler to conduct his Broadway musical Promises, Promises, reportedly making him both the youngest-ever and first African-American conductor on Broadway.  The gig kicked off Wheeler's long and illustrious career.  In between his Broadway work, he also wrote jingles, and produced, arranged, played and conducted for acts from Nina Simone to Bruce Springsteen.  In 1975, he formed the Harold Wheeler Consort and released a lone album on RCA Victor.  This jazz-funk gem has never been reissued before in any format.  Real Gone has two limited vinyl versions available: an orange black swirl vinyl available at general retail, limited to 750 copies, and a black splatter vinyl, limited to 100 copies and only available from Real Gone's website.

Wildside, Under the Influence (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music)

Real Gone is bringing the major label debut album by glam rockers Wildside to vinyl in the US for the first time.  Recorded by Led Zeppelin producer Andy Johns at Van Halen's 5150 Home Studio, the glam metal album was overshadowed upon its release in 1992 by the rise of grunge music and didn't make much of a commercial dent.  It would be the band's only album on Capitol before moving on to independent labels.  Real Gone's LP comes on fire orange vinyl.  It has been remastered and features a gatefold jacket.

Melanie, Autumn Lady (Easy Action/Neighborhood) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Late singer-songwriter Melanie began work on Autumn Lady in 1973 but later abandoned it in favor of the album As I See It Now.  Now, the original tracks recorded for Autumn Lady have been rounded up for this 2CD release; some were released as singles but most remained in the vault.  The CD version includes the 27-minute (!) version of "Hearing the News."  Melanie's manager Dave Thompson pens the new liner notes.  Tracks include "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," "The Other Side of This Life," "Ooh Child," and more.

Amy Grant, The Hits / The Journey (Amy Grant Music)

The Hits: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
The Journey: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.  / Amazon Canada

Amy Grant offers two new compilations today.  The Hits presents a sampling of the singer's classics, while The Journey (as of now, an Amazon exclusive) concentrates on deep cuts.

Various Artists, There's No Stopping Us Now: The Female Mods' Forgotten Story (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

This new collection spotlights 98 tracks on four discs by female artists and groups who influenced the Mod generation.  Look for cuts by Aretha and Erma Franklin, Mary Wells, The Supremes, Dusty Springfield, Dinah Washington, P.P. Arnold, Lesley Gore, Ketty Lester, Nico, Twiggy, The Shirelles, Petula Clark, Cleo Laine, Dee Dee Warwick, and many more!

And lastly, we have something you won't want to miss for today only...

Various Artists, Good Music to Lift Los Angeles (Good Music) (Bandcamp)

Typically, this release would be featured in our Weekend Stream.  But this very special 90-track digital release is only available for 24 hours - today, February 7 - as a Bandcamp exclusive.  Good Music to Lift Los Angeles costs $20.25 and all proceeds will benefit those affected by the devastating LA wildfires via the California Community Foundation's Wildfire Recovery Fund and the LA Food Bank; Bandcamp's cut of sales will go to MusiCares.  Among the artists represented are R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie + The Postal Service, Tenacious D, TV on the Radio, Courtney Barnett, Dawes, The War on Drugs, Mac DeMarco, Jeff Tweedy, My Morning Jacket, Animal Collective, The Hold Steady, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, and more.  The artists have contributed new songs, rare demos, remixes, live tracks, and more.  Please visit Bandcamp to help those in need - and receive some great music in return.