Features / The Weekend Stream

Welcome back to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles making digital debuts, plus new works from legacy acts and even some personally curated favorites. One of the busiest weeks this column has ever enjoyed includes new music from pop’s biggest figure, its reigning queen and one of the biggest rock bands in the world – plus a generous handful of even more rarities, remixes, re-recordings and rediscoveries.

Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore (Republic) (Apple / Amazon)

Like death and taxes, new Taylor Swift music is inevitable! This time, it’s a slightly expanded edition of her 12th studio album, issued almost exactly a year ago and yielding the hits “The Fate of Ophelia” and “Opalite.” “Patient Zero,” the first of four new tracks on this edition, will almost certainly become a hit, too, likely pausing the current record-breaking run by Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” which just logged its 23rd non-consecutive week atop the Billboard Hot 100, unseating the record held by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” (A lot of music commentariat we’ve seen has claimed that, despite the song’s lengthy popularity since being released late last year, they’ve never heard it. Let us fix that for you if you missed it! It genuinely sounds like a lost Nashville single from the ’80s.)

Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, Conscious Party (Deluxe Edition) (Virgin/UMe) (Apple / Amazon)

With the release of Conscious Party in 1988, Ziggy Marley and his siblings Stephen, Sharon and Cedella became reggae’s heirs apparent in the footsteps of their late father Bob. (“Tomorrow People,” a minor U.S. Top 40 hit, proved that Ziggy looked and sounded like his dad.) The album was produced by Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club and featured guest appearances by bandmate Jerry Harrison as well as a guitar part from Keith Richards on the track “Lee and Molly.” This new edition offers a handful of vintage remixes and live tracks, and accompanies a new pressing on vinyl that now incorporates “We a Guh Sum Weh,” which was exclusive to the original CD. (A straight CD reissue is also available, too.)

U2, “Silencio” (Island) (Apple / Amazon)

The second single from U2’s forthcoming album, Carnaval de Luz, is here. The Jacknife Lee-produced record, available November 13, will feature contributions from Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and, in her final vocal performance, Dolly Parton on closing track “Torn.” (Deluxe physical editions will include this year’s previously surprise-released EPs Days of Ash and Easter Lily.)

CHVRCHES, “Roses” (Futures) (Apple / Amazon)

The Scottish synth trio returns with the excellent first single from their forthcoming fifth album, their first since 2021’s terrific Screen Violence.

Michelle Branch & Maren Morris, “Goodbye to You” (BMG) (Apple / Amazon)

The second single from Michelle Branch’s upcoming EP Everywhere and Back Again, a collection of her re-recorded hits, follows the revisited version of Santana duet “The Game of Love” (now featuring ’90s alt-rock hitmakers New Radicals, whose lead singer Gregg Alexander co-wrote the tune). This time, “Goodbye to You,” the aching ballad from her 2001 debut The Spirit Room, is given a country spin with an appropriate co-lead vocal from one of TSD’s favorite modern country singers, Maren Morris.

Madonna & Charli xcx, “Danceteria Afterhours” (Warner) (Apple / Amazon)

The Queen of Pop keeps the remix train from this summer’s Confessions II rolling! Now, she’s got a new version of the club-ready “Danceteria” (named for one of the New York discos Madonna frequented in her youth) with British avant-pop singer Charli xcx. Madonna is set to be the opening act at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, more than 40 years after her unforgettable performance at the first ceremony in 1984 – and with 13 nominations, she’s the most-nominated artist this year (and tied with Lady Gaga for the most nominations in a single year)!

Jimmy Webb, “Farther Than Eyes Can See” (Sun) (Apple / Amazon)

The singer-songwriter continues to preview his upcoming album Yours for the Taking: The Found Songs of Jimmy Webb (due October 16 in all formats from Sun Records) with this selection originally written for (but unrecorded by) Barbra Streisand. For his new rendition of the romantic “Farther Than Eyes Can See,” Webb has been joined on the lovely, close harmonies by Michael McDonald.

Morten Harket, “Hold Me” (Warner) (Apple / Amazon)

The voice of a-ha makes a dramatic return with Human Grace, his first solo disc since 2014’s Brother and his first music at all since the Norwegian group’s True North in 2022. It is also, rather emotionally, the first music he released since going public with his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, with Harket previously admitting that the deep brain stimulation he used as treatment was affecting his voice. (The album was completed with the help of Harket’s daughters – Tomine Harket guests on “Hold Me” – and an emotional making-of account from a-ha’s biographer can be read here.)

Alanis Morissette, “Season of the Witch” (Epiphany Music, LLC) (Apple / Amazon)

The Canadian pop/rocker has lent her inimitable vocals to a cover of Donovan’s “Season of the Witch” for a trailer to Yaga, an upcoming horror mystery series that’ll air on AMC+ in America.

Reba McEntire, Could Have Been Raining (MCA Nashville) (Apple / Amazon)

The country queen and Happy’s Place star offers this new ballad by Dave Barnes, Rachel Wammack, and Benjamin West as the title track of an EP of “rain songs” also including “Rain Fallin’,” “It Always Rains on Saturday,” and “Storm in a Shot Glass.”

Fatboy Slim, Better Living Through Chemistry (30th Anniversary / Deluxe) (Skint/Capitol/UMe) (Apple / Amazon)

The British big beat DJ celebrates the anniversary of his debut album with a new digital edition that includes a spread of B-sides and rare tracks, as well as some new remixes.

Shawn Mendes, Illuminate (10th Anniversary Edition) (Island/UMe) (Apple / Amazon)

On his sophomore album, Canadian singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes established himself as a sort of heir apparent to John Mayer’s easygoing guitar-driven pop style, with “Treat You Better” and “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” (the latter appearing on a second edition of the album) both reaching the Top 10 in America. The expanded digital edition of Illuminate includes three live tracks and an unreleased demo from the period. (Frustratingly for completists, a vinyl edition includes a different vintage demo.)

Brandi Carlile, Returning to Myself (Sad Gay Version) (Interscope/Lost Highway) (Apple / Amazon)

The celebrated singer/songwriter has re-recorded her eighth album, first issued about 11 months ago, in a more intimate arrangement (including an alternate version of standout track “Human” with U.K. electronic musician Jon Hopkins contributing). The digital release includes both editions of the album back-to-back, but a limited vinyl of just the new version is available for pre-order at Carlile’s website through October 1.

Matt Monro, Gala Performances 1982 feat. Billy May and Ron Goodwin (Aviator) (Apple / Amazon)

The Matt Monro estate has teamed up with the BBC for this splendid digital-only album. The recordings on Gala Performances 1982 were originally made for U.K. broadcast, but had been thought lost or missing; thanks to the herculean efforts of Michele Monro and restoration expert Richard Moore, they’re now here for all to enjoy in vivid sound. Monro, in fine form, is joined by distinguished conductors Billy May and Ron Goodwin on signature tunes and pop favorites alike. Tracks include “My Kind of Girl,” “(Theme from) New York, New York,” “From Russia with Love,” “Born Free,” and “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”

Sheena Easton, Morning Train (9 to 5) EP (RT Industries) (Apple / Amazon)

It looks like all those CD singles in the latest Sheena Easton box set will be getting digital releases, following the recent delivery of “Modern Girl” and now one of her biggest international hits.

Hole “Teenage Whore” (Capitol/UMe) (Apple / Amazon)

Last week, Capitol/UMe reissued the first three albums by Courtney Love’s acclaimed band Hole on vinyl: 1991’s Pretty on the Inside, 1994’s Live Through This and 1998’s Celebrity Skin. Pretty was pressed on two LPs, including a bonus 12″ of the album’s lead single “Teenage Whore” alongside two non-LP B-sides. That three-track single has been replicated for digital music services, too.

Tears for Fears, Sowing the Seeds of Love EP (uDiscover Music) (Apple / Amazon)

Also issued last week (with the album anniversary just yesterday!), this digital EP collects every version of Tears for Fears’ U.S. No. 2 favorite “Sowing the Seeds of Love” as featured on the 2020 box set edition of The Seeds of Love. A cut-down 3CD edition of that box will be available next month, alongside expanded vinyl editions as well as a stereo mix of the album by Steven Wilson making its debut on the format. (Here’s hoping for a digital release of that mix, too!)

Eddy Grant, Can’t Get Enough (Ice) (Apple / Amazon)

Another one of Eddy Grant’s albums has finally made it to streaming! 1981’s Can’t Get Enough was the one before the big one, so to speak: his fourth album overall and first to appear on the charts in England, where he lived at the time. Next up (but already digitally delivered!) was 1982’s Killer on the Rampage, featuring the worldwide hit “Electric Avenue.” (Thanks to reader Tom Riise for the tip!)

Iron & Wine, Hen’s Teeth (Deluxe Edition) (Sub Pop) (Apple / Amazon)

Indie-folk stalwart Sam Beam follows up his eighth album as Iron & Wine, issued earlier this year, with a new digital deluxe edition featuring two acoustic re-recordings and four outtakes from the original sessions.

Gallows, Orchestra of Wolves (Deluxe Edition) (Warner Music U.K.) (Apple / Amazon)

British hardcore group Gallows made quite a stir with their 2006 debut album, which galvanized American stalwarts of the genre like Bad Religion, whose guitarist and co-founder Brett Gurewitz praised the album as one of the genre’s best in a decade. (He even arranged for its stateside distribution on his major indie label, Epitaph.) It’s now newly remastered with a host of bonus B-sides and BBC sessions.

Steven Fromholz, Frolicking in the Myth (Capitol) (Apple / Amazon)

One of the more eclectic figures of country-folk, Steven Fromholz was mostly known as a songwriter, penning (and singing on) Willie Nelson’s 1976 hit “I’d Have to Be Crazy.” But his winding career included run-ins with Michael Martin Murphey, Stephen Stills and Michael Nesmith; he was also named the poet laureate of Texas in 2007. (Even his passing with slightly mythic, or at least a little freaky; he died when a rifle he was intending to chase feral animals off his property with fell out of its case and discharged.) Produced by journeyman musician Joe Renzetti (who started as the house guitarist for Cameo Records and parlayed his arranging and recording talents into a side career as a film composer), Frolicking in the Myth collects 10 mellow country-folk tunes from a true original.

Mr. Big, Photographic Smile (Arista) (Apple / Amazon)

Not to be confused with the American band behind the ’90s glam ballad “To Be with You,” British act Mr. Big enjoyed some success in the mid-’70s, opening for Queen and Sweet and scoring a Top 5 hit with 1977’s “Romeo.” A different version of that hit first appeared on Photographic Smile, a 1976 album of songs from their catalogue recorded in Los Angeles after Clive Davis signed them to Arista. It was never released outside of America, so it’s a real fun find for fans now!

Alexander Harvey, Preshus Child (Kama Sutra) (Apple / Amazon)

Known for writing the oft-covered country tune “Delta Dawn” (and not, in fact, the Scottish frontman of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band), this Alex Harvey (credited here as “Alexander”) released Preshus Child in 1976 as one of two albums he recorded for Kama Sutra and Buddah.

The Bluegrass Album Band, The Bluegrass Album (Remastered 2026) (Craft Recordings) (Apple / Amazon)

A stalwart album for Rounder Records in 1981, The Bluegrass Album was the first of six tributes to the genre and its best-known practitioners (including Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs) by an ad-hoc group that here included lead vocalist/guitarist Tony Rice, Doyle Lawson on tenor vocals and mandolin, baritone vocalist/banjo player J.D. Crowe, Bobby Hicks on bass vocals and fiddle, and bassist Todd Phillips.

Various Artists, Celtic Christmas (Windham Hill) (Apple / Amazon)

From SuperVisible Multi Media comes a special holiday delivery: the first of six Celtic Christmas collections on the new age Windham Hill label. First released in 1995 and curated by Nightnoise’s Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, this release includes a host of unorthodox holiday originals, including works from Irish troubadours including Loreena McKennit and Luka Bloom.

Ben Ahlers, “The World Needs Some Christmas” (from Voices of The Gilded Age: The Christmas Album) (Concord Theatricals) (Apple / Amazon)

Any fan of Julian Fellowes’ HBO drama The Gilded Age knows its cast is stacked with Broadway veterans including Christine Baranski, Audra McDonald, Carrie Coon, Denee Benton, Jordan Donica, Laura Benanti, Donna Murphy, and Kelli O’Hara, among (many!) others. Now, all of those talents (and more) have teamed up with producer-songwriter Desmond Child for Voices of the Gilded Age: The Christmas Album, due in various formats on November 6 from Concord Theatricals. The album is previewed today with “The World Needs Some Christmas,” a new pop offering from Desmond Child and Jimmy Jansson, performed by Ben Ahlers, a.k.a. Jack Trotter in The Gilded Age. As you’ll hear, the television show may be set in the Gilded Age, but the music on this album is decidedly more contemporary. And when doesn’t the world need some Christmas?  Bring it on!

Ms. Rachel, I’m So Happy (Songs for Littles/The Orchard) (Apple / Amazon)

We close out with an album that no doubt will be played often by TSD HQ’s youngest residents! Ms. Rachel has been entertaining young audiences since before the COVID-19 pandemic with a series of extremely popular educational/entertainment videos full of favorite children’s songs and originals like “I’m So Happy,” “I Love a Rainbow” and “Icky Sticky Bubblegum.” (Mike got to write her bio for Allmusic!) Now, the songs from those videos – most in newly-mixed and rearranged form by Ms. Rachel’s creative and life partner, Aron Accurso – have been compiled into a new album that parents can (and probably will) stream in the car independently of the video compilations! (It’s also available on CD and vinyl.)

PASSINGS

One of the architects of the ’90s pop-punk explosion, Chad Gilbert was the co-founder, guitarist and songwriter who powered the hits and history of New Found Glory. The Florida-raised band rose to prominence off the strength of singles “My Friends Over You” and “All Downhill from Here” (a personal favorite at TSD HQ), and kept the genre’s carefree spirit alive through a series of singles and EPs known as From the Screen to Your Stereo, which recast popular soundtrack songs in the band’s upbeat, frenetic style. Gilbert had battled cancers off and on since 2010, and finally earned his rest last week at the age of 45. Second wife Hayley Williams, the Paramore vocalist who was with him for more than a decade until their two-year marriage fell apart after Gilbert committed infidelity against her, shared an emotional statement about him several days ago, calling him “a legend in the scene.” “My time connected to him taught me a lot,” she continued. “He introduced me to people that continue to shape my life in beautiful ways, and to music and culture that has made life a lot richer.”

Though they bizarrely never had much success in their native England, U.K. synth duo Naked Eyes delivered mid-’80s audiences two indelible hits in a then-lesser known cover of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Always Something There to Remind Me” and the original “Promises, Promises” (which featured vocals from Madonna on a 12″ mix). Pete Byrne, the duo’s lead singer, and co-founder Rob Fisher had been friends since college days in the British town of Bath, and even briefly had a synthpop band called Neon with another U.K. hitmaking duo from the same town: Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of Tears for Fears. Naked Eyes split after one more album, but Byrne revived the name in the ’00s, several years after Fisher’s death from cancer, and continued to tour those great tunes until he, too, passed away from an illness this month. Wherever that intro to “Always Something There” rings out, we will indeed be reminded of Byrne and Naked Eyes’ contributions to British pop.