Features / Release Round-Up

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.

Joni Mitchell, Joni’s Jazz (Rhino)

4CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
8LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

What is jazz?  The question has been debated often, but now we know how Joni Mitchell might answer.  The legendary singer-songwriter’s Archives series is continuing with its first themed compilation, appropriately entitled Joni’s Jazz.  These 61 selections – available on 4 CDs or 8 LPs – draw from nearly every core album in the Mitchell discography with just a couple of exceptions (Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon) and reflect the breadth of the artist’s immersion into the jazz idiom in all its many varied forms.  Last year, in her liner notes to Archives Volume 4 (1976-1980), Mitchell teased, “People ask me my favorite of my albums, it’s going to be Joni’s Jazz.”  It’s not difficult to see why; many of her greatest songs and performances can be found among these 61 career-spanning and convention-shattering tracks. Orders placed directly via JoniMitchell.com will come with an exclusive art print. Click here for the track listing and more information.  Watch this space for a full review!

Judy Collins, Colors of the Day: The Best of Judy Collins (Elektra EQ-5030, 1972 – reissued Elektra/Rhino, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

New Seekers, The Best of The New Seekers (Elektra EQ-5051, 1973 – reissued Elektra/Rhino, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Bread, The Best of Bread (Elektra EQ-5056, 1973 – reissued Elektra/Rhino, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Carly Simon, The Best of Carly Simon (Elektra EQ-1048, 1975) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Following their period of exclusivity to Rhino.com, today sees wide release of four new Quadio releases on Blu-ray Audio, all greatest-hits collections drawn from the Elektra Records catalogue.  These four-channel surround titles from Carly Simon, Bread, Judy Collins, and The New Seekers all boast both the original quadraphonic mix and a high-resolution 192 kHz/24-bit stereo mix, both sourced from the original analog four-track quad master tapes.  The Best of Carly Simon is a particular revelation here.  “That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be” has prominent, echoing drums in the front channels lending a unique sonic quality; mournful strings lend support in the rear channels.  The soundstage is enveloping on the beautiful, Bacharach-inspired “The Right Thing to Do” and “Legend in Your Own Time,” enhancing the latter’s gorgeous vocal arrangement.  The background vocals on “Haven’t Got Time for the Pain” gain clarity and individuality while “Mockingbird” simply and enjoyably emphasizes Carly on the right front channel and James Taylor on the left.  Best of Bread is not as discrete, with less effective use of the rear channels.  It’s not lacking in delights, though.  Mike Botts’ drums on “Make It with You” are crisper and cleaner, while “Mother Freedom” is even more rocking with the added instrumental separation that quad offers.  “Too Much Love,” though one of the lesser-known tracks here, nicely spreads its guitars across the four channels.  “Baby I’m-a Want You,” if still simple and subtle, is among the stronger mixes here and a fine reminder of David Gates’ elegant and timeless songwriting.  The Best of The New Seekers might be the biggest surprise of this batch.  The expanded soundstage takes advantage of quad with discrete placement of different elements, making for a very different experience than the familiar stereo mixes.  Though mostly gentle folk-pop, the group fares well on such cuts as The Move’s “Blackberry Way” and Neil Young’s “Dance Dance Dance,” which places the listener in the middle of a twangy hoedown.  Another highlight is the vocal interplay between the front and rear channels on “Tonight.”  Colors of the Day: The Best of Judy Collins is a “sleeper” treat here.  Though subtle and tasteful, the opening “Someday Soon” makes it clear that this mix will be crisp and immersive – a full sound if always in support of Collins’ crystalline instrument. There isn’t as much activity in the rear channels as one might prefer, but the more fully arranged songs benefit even from the subtle quad flourishes.  Though the sparer, acoustic tracks such as Sandy Denny’s “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” don’t offer much immersion, the cuts with Joshua Rifkin’s orchestrations shine more brightly.  All four of these essential titles feature replica labels and booklets with tape box images, and are housed in Super Jewel Boxes.  Get the track listings for all four titles here.

NRBQ, Honest Dollar: Expanded Edition (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

NRBQ’s 1992 live album Honest Dollar brought together performances recorded between 1981-1991, capturing the zany energy and impeccable musicianship of an NRBQ concert.  Among the treats here: two versions of the You’ve Got Mail favorite “The Dummy Song,” John Sebastian guesting on The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Amy’s Theme,” plus covers of Little Richard’s “Lucille,” Len Barry’s “1-2-3,” and Neil Hefti’s indelible “Batman Theme.”  Omnivore adds two more fun covers to the proceedings: Duke Ellington’s “Rockin’ In Rhythm” and the Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman gem “Turn Me Loose,” following Omnivore’s release of Pomus’ demos as You Can’t Hip a Square.  This edition has been newly remastered by Michael Graves and features liner notes by John Angelis.

David Byrne, Who Is the Sky? (Matador) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Following his Broadway triumph in American Utopia and various celebrations with his old Talking Heads bandmates of Stop Making Sense, David Byrne returns with a new solo album.  Who Is the Sky? is produced by Kid Harpoon (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus) and features The Ghost Train Orchestra.  St. Vincent, The Smile’s Tom Skinner, and Paramore’s Hayley Williams are among the guests.  Available on CD, LP, and digital formats.

Floyd Collins (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (Center Stage) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Following a digital release last month, Center Stage has delivered the original Broadway cast album of Adam Guettel and Tina Landau’s beautiful and uncompromising musical Floyd Collins, which recently wrapped up a Tony-nominated revival on Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, to CD. Starring Jeremy Jordan, Jason Gotay, Lizzy McAlpine, Sean Allan Krill, Marc Kudisch, Taylor Trensch, and Jessica Molaskey, Floyd Collins recounts the true-life story of an explorer who gets trapped 200 feet underground – and the effects not just on him, but on his community and the world at large.