Release Round-Up: Week of May 23
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Sheena Easton, Modern Girl: The Complete EMI Recordings Volume 1 (Cherry Pop) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Sheena Easton’s latest reissue collaboration with Cherry Red covers familiar ground in a slightly new way. Modern Girl: The Complete EMI Recordings, Vol. 1 is a 5CD set that covers the bulk of the Scottish singer’s first five albums – Take My Time (1981), You Could Have Been with Me (1981), Madness, Money and Music (1982), Best Kept Secret (1983), and the Spanish-language hits album Todo Me Recuerda a Ti (1984) – while also premiering more than two dozen unreleased tracks. The set is entirely remastered from the original analogue tapes and also features a 48-page booklet with insights from key collaborators who sat for new interviews, including producers Christopher Neil, Jay Graydon, and Greg Mathieson. Easton herself also pens an introduction to the booklet. Note that this expansive set isn’t arranged in typical fashion; the first disc, for instance – devoted to Take My Time – includes the 17 known tracks from that album’s sessions, which were released on the original LP, single B-sides, and even an outtake from a previous reissue of the album, not in typical album-and-single order but a more curatorial experience. The disc is rounded out with five unreleased alternate versions. Other albums are presented in their original order, though Madness, Money and Music swaps out three unreleased alternate versions and mixes in place of some original album tracks. Read more here!
Chicago II: Steven Wilson Remix (Rhino)
Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Back in 2017, Rhino reissued Chicago’s seminal second album (featuring “25 or 6 to 4,” “Colour My World,” and “Make Me Smile”) in a new stereo remix by Steven Wilson. Now, he’s mixed a long-awaited surround version in the Dolby Atmos format, sourced from the original 16-track tapes. It premieres on this Blu-ray Audio Disc alongside the original four-channel Quadio mix, the 5.1 mix created in 2003 for DVD-Audio, and Wilson’s 2016 stereo mix – the latter of which also appears on a 2LP vinyl release.
Melanie, Right About Now (Cleopatra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Cleopatra has rounded up 16 studio tracks from the mid-1980s, reflecting Melanie’s desire to get back to her roots after the glossy mainstream pop of 1985’s Am I Real or What (itself expanded last year by Cleopatra). Dave Thompson’s new liner notes put the tracks into perspective.
Green Day, Saviors: Edition de Luxe (Reprise) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Green Day are revisiting their acclaimed 2024 album Saviors in a new, deluxe edition adding seven bonus tracks. Available on CD, 2LP, and digitally.
Suede, Sci-Fi Lullabies: Deluxe Edition (Edsel)
3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Suede’s 1997 B-sides compilation is reissued on three 180-gram, half-speed mastered vinyl LPs or three CDs, with the latter format expanded by the addition of another disc of “sci-fi lullabies” curated by Brett Anderson.
Sparks, MAD! (Transgressive) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Sparks are back with their 28th album, and they’re MAD! about it. This album, available on CD, LP, digital, and cassette (!) formats, offers a dozen new tracks from the ever-inventive, ever-idiosyncratic Brothers Mael.
Howard Jones, Piano Composed Spirio (Cherry Red) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Howard Jones delivers his third piano-based album today. Whereas the first two were built around improvisations, this one has been culled from 15-20 sketches written by the songwriter and fleshed out during the pandemic lockdown into notated compositions. Five of the pieces have been transcribed into playable notation for the 36-page booklet which is included with this release. Jones provides the liner notes. Available on CD, LP, and digital formats.
Don Felder, The Vault: Fifty Years of Music (Frontiers) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
For this release, ex-Eagle Don Felder has completed 10 tracks originally demoed over a period of decades – hence the title. From 1974’s “Move On” to 2023’s “I Like the Things You Do,” The Vault looks back at Don Felder the songwriter and also includes a re-recorded version of “Heavy Metal” from Felder’s solo debut and the animated film of the same name. He’s joined on these tracks by David Paich, Steve Lukather, Joe Williams, and Greg Phillinganes of Toto, plus drummers Greg Bissonette, Brian Tichy, and Todd Sucherman. Timothy Drury, Nathan East, Nina Winter, and Lenny Castro all appear, as well. Look for Felder on tour this summer with Styx and REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin. The Vault is available on CD, LP, and digital formats.
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Also out this week is a Vicky Leandros 5 cd collection of her english recordings. From “I am” to “Come what may” and beyond. It’s called er thr box set..but at £30 who’s complaining. .always thought Vicky should have got greater recognition beyond Eurovision..she sings in German, French , English, Japanese and Greek obviously..and this set shows her vocal skills, and her dad’s composing, off brilliantly..