Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. This week brings posthumous recordings by Prince and Donna Summer, a new spin on Star Wars disco, and plenty of cast recordings leading into the Tony Awards this Sunday! And just a quick programming note: our Unplugged series is taking the week off, but will be back with some new and exciting Weekend Stream extra content very soon!

Prince, "Free" (Acoustic) (NPG/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon)

"The Vault is now free!" claims the social post heralding the latest posthumous Prince release, a stripped-down version of a 1999 deep cut recorded in 2008. That's likely another reference to the estate's perceived freedom from what they consider to be unsavory documentary entanglements, and not anything regarding any new projects. But today would have been The Artist's 67th birthday, and the latest Celebration at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota promises fans with the prospect of at least hearing music from Prince's storied Vault while there, if not anywhere else yet.

Donna Summer & Toby Gad, "RUN" (Piano Diaries) (Kite) (Apple / Amazon)

German musician Toby Gad had a solid run in the 2000s and 2010s as a go-to co-writer for powerful ballads, working on hits like Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry," Beyoncé's "If I Were a Boy" and John Legend's "All of Me." He also co-wrote and produced two tracks on 2008's Crayons, the last album released by disco legend Donna Summer. A third track from their session together, "RUN," is now freed from the vaults.

Belinda Carlisle, "The Air That I Breathe" (Puglady/Edsel) (Apple / Amazon)

The Go-Go's are one of the seminal California bands of their generation, so it's fitting that front woman Belinda Carlisle will pay tribute to the California sound of times past on her new solo album Once Upon a Time in California, due later this summer. The first single is a cover of the Hammond-Hazelwood classic "The Air That I Breathe," a hit for The Hollies; additional songs on the album include Belinda's takes on Bacharach and David's "Anyone Who Had a Heart," The Association's "Never My Love," Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" (made famous by Harry Nilsson) and more.

Nicholas Britell & Brandon Roberts, "NIAMOS!" (Chandrilian Club Mix) (Walt Disney Records/Lucasfilm) (Apple / Amazon)

A highlight of the second season of the Star Wars spin-off series Andor (now streaming on Disney+) is a sequence when Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve Reilly) - a future leader of the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire - distracts herself from a chilling sequence of events at her daughter's wedding (itself part of a chain of moral-sacrificing judgment to bolster the cause she believes in) by drinking and dancing with wild abandon. The scene has, of course, become a meme of sorts, but there's no denying that the track "Niamos!" is catchy as hell - turning up in multiple configurations throughout the season's score. Original series composer Nicholas Britell and Brandon Roberts (who stepped in for the second season after Britell had to attend to personal matters) have given fans an encore with another new version: a full-length mix of what was heard during that dizzying dance.

Pretenders, Loose Screw (Warner Music U.K.) (Apple / Amazon)

For the first time on 2002's Loose Screw, Chrissie Hynde had an unchanged band line-up for three straight albums. It was also the group's last before getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Long unavailable on streaming, it's now up with two bonus tracks from certain physical pressings. (Thanks to reader JG for the tip!)

Black Eyed Peas, Monkey Business (20th Anniversary Edition) (Interscope/UMe) (Apple / Amazon)

After the commercial breakthrough of Elephunk in 2003 - which saw the Los Angeles hip-hop trio of will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo become a quartet with singer Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson and embrace a more radio-friendly sound - 2005's Monkey Business saw the Black Eyed Peas become even more ubiquitous, moving some five million copies of the album in America and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 off the strength of the Top 5 hits "Don't Phunk with My Heart" and "My Humps" plus the underrated "Don't Lie." This new digital deluxe version offers 16 bonus tracks, including new and old remixes and three non-LP tracks.

The Doors, Live in Vancouver '70 (Bright Midnight/Rhino) (Apple / Amazon)

The latest backfill from the Bright Midnight Archives is a late-period show recorded on June 6, 1970 at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum on the Roadhouse Blues tour. A real neat treat here comes in the form of blues guitar legend Albert King, who guests on four songs mid-set.

The Blackbyrds, City Life (Deluxe Edition) (Fantasy/Craft) (Apple / Amazon)

Formed under the influence of trumpeter Donald Byrd (the members were students of his at Howard University), The Blackbyrds hit a commercial stride with fourth album City Life, a winning hybrid of jazz and funk anchored by the Top 20 crossover hit "Happy Music," featuring vocals by Merry Clayton. Edits and remixes of that track and "Rock Creek Park" - among the first club 12" releases by Fantasy - make up some of the bonus tracks on this newly remastered digital reissue.

Bill Evans Trio, Moon Beams / Interplay (Remastered 2025) (Riverside)

Moon Beams: Apple / Amazon
Interplay: Apple / Amazon

Two newly remastered editions of early '60s works by legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans. 1962's Moon Beams is a trio record (with drummer Paul Motian and bassist Chuck Israels replacing the recently deceased Scott LaFaro) that centers '30s and '40s standards bookended by two original compositions ("Re: Person I Know," "Very Early"). Interplay, released two years later, features an expanded line-up (Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones on drums) that nestles the original title track amidst classics like "You Go to My Head," "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams."

Frances Faye, Swinging All the Way with Frances Faye (Verve) (Apple / Amazon)

An accomplished and unique cabaret pianist and singer, Frances Faye was something of a trailblazer, unusually open about her same-sex attractions in song. (This Ed Sullivan Show performance has her slipping the name of her partner into jazz standard "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate.") She released this similarly provocatively-titled collection of standards ("Love for Sale," "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me," "Miss Otis Regrets") for Verve in 1962, led by the baton of legendary arranger Marty Paich. (Credit for awareness of the above three releases to our reader Punk!)

Sheridan Smith, "Magic" (from John Cassavetes' Opening Night) (Center Stage) (Apple / Amazon)

Last year, Rufus Wainwright made his West End debut as the composer, lyricist, and orchestrator of John Cassavetes' Opening Night, a new musical based on the writer-director's 1977 film. A devastating portrait of an actress in turmoil, Opening Night starred Sheridan Smith (Funny Girl, Legally Blonde) as Myrtle Gordon; Smith was joined in the cast by Nicola Hughes and Benjamin Walker, among others. With book and direction by Ivo Van Hove, the impressionistic, heightened Opening Night sharply divided critics and audiences alike and closed after just 10 weeks. But the final four performances at the Gielgud Theatre were recorded for a cast album which will be released this September. The first single, "Magic" - Myrtle's dynamic opening number - is now streaming in advance of the cast album's full release and the show's one-night-only New York debut in September at The Town Hall. That concert will feature such performers as Patti LuPone, Sara Bareilles, Tony nominee Darren Criss, and Wainwright himself.

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Ghostlight) (Apple / Amazon)

The original cast recording of the joyful, inspirational musical now playing at Broadway's James Earl Jones Theatre is now streaming. Featuring a Tony-nominated score by Joy Huerta (Jesse & Joy) and Benjamin Velez and book by Lisa Loomer with Nell Benjamin, Real Women Have Curves stars Tatianna Córdoba, Tony nominee Justina Machado (One Day at a Time, Devious Maids), Florencia Cuenca, Shelby Acosta, Carla Jimenez, and others. The album arrives July 25 on CD.

Boop! The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Melody Place) (Apple / Amazon)

Also arriving digitally today is the cast recording of Bob Martin, David Foster, and Susan Birkenhead's delightful musical comedy Boop!, based on Max Fleischer's timeless animated character. Currently playing at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway in a lavish production directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, Boop! stars Tony nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty, with Broadway veterans Stephen DeRosa and Faith Prince among the stellar supporting cast. Fittingly for his first musical, David Foster has produced the cast album himself. CD and vinyl editions are expected later in the year.

Andrew Durand, "Killed a Man in Maine" (from Dead Outlaw) (Audible/Yellow Sound) (Apple / Amazon)

On Sunday night, David Yazbek, Erik Della Penna, and Itamar Moses' Dead Outlaw will compete for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical. Earlier this year, Audible released the first part of the musical's original Broadway cast recording. Now, one new single has been added to the seven songs previously released. The rip-roaring rocker "Killed a Man in Maine" is performed by Tony-nominated Andrew Durand as the titular outlaw.

Living Strings, Play "I'm a Believer" and Other Monkees Hits / Lucién Hetu, Luciano Plays The Monkees (RCA Camden/7a)

Living Strings: Apple / Amazon
Lucién: Apple / Amazon

The fine folks at 7a Records have brought two bits of Monkees-related ephemera, both from 1967, to digital platforms. The Living Strings' album of Monkees covers finds the pop group's early classics transformed with the Strings' lush stereo sound. The LP was arranged and conducted by Johnny Douglas under the supervision of RCA's pioneering producer, Ethel Gabriel. Luciano Plays The Monkees finds the late Canadian organist (whose career ended in disgrace with indecent assault convictions) covering the same territory.