Black Sand: The Best of Kalapana, a 20-track anthology from the Hawaiian band drawn from the years 1975-1983, presents a vivid portrait of the group that, despite various personnel changes, has been playing to sold-out crowds for 45 years now. Yet one question lingers: how has Kalapana languished in obscurity on the American mainland for so long? Malani Bilyeu, D.J. Pratt, Kirk Thompson, and Mackey Feary came together to make music in 1973. All but Pratt were born in Honolulu; the lead
Holiday Gift Guide Review: Eagles, “Legacy”
Just Find a Place to Make Your Stand On the list of the United States' five best-selling albums of all time, one name stands tall - the only artist to lay claim to two of those five titles. That artist is, of course, a band: Eagles. 1976's Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) sits atop the list at 38 million copies sold; Hotel California is third with 26 million. The ten tracks on the former are all modern-day standards, each and every one of them still a radio staple. Though the original
Review: David Bowie, “Loving the Alien [1983-1988]”
And if you say run, I'll run with you... "I want you to make a hit." In one of the essays accompanying the beautiful new 11-CD or 15-LP box set Loving the Alien [1983-1988], the fourth such collection of David Bowie's chronological discography, Nile Rodgers recalls his surprise at the artist's instruction. "A hit? You just did Scary Monsters, bro," the CHIC leader replied. But Bowie was adamant; he wanted Rodgers, enlisted as his producer, to make a hit. The year was 1983 and the album
The Groove Is Gonna Get You: Sunset Blvd. Celebrates Ben Sidran with Live Anthology
It's fair to say that Ben Sidran has had a career unlike any other. The author of five books, record label proprietor, radio and television host, singer, songwriter, pianist, teacher, and eternal hipster has played as part of The Steve Miller Band (and co-wrote "Space Cowboy"), produced records for Mose Allison, Rickie Lee Jones, and Diana Ross, and performed with Van Morrison and Georgie Fame. Along the way, he's recorded for Capitol, Blue Thumb, Arista, A&M, and Windham Hill. Sidran
Release Round-Up: Week of November 16
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Fleetwood Mac, 50 Years: Don't Stop (Warner Bros./Rhino) 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 5LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada In celebration of its 50 years, Fleetwood Mac is issuing a new career-spanning collection featuring 50 songs on either 3 CDs or 5 LPs. These include hits, favorites, and a smattering of rarities such as the CD premiere of 2013's "Sad Angel"
All This and More: Esoteric Expands Procol Harum’s 1972 “Live in Concert” Symphonic LP
"It took a 77-man group and Procol Harum to record this album," read one advertisement for the prog-rock band's 1972 LP Live in Concert with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The release from the band lineup of Gary Brooker (voice/piano), B.J. Wilson (drums), Alan Cartwright (bass), Chris Copping (organ/harpsichord), Dave Ball (guitar), and Keith Reid (spoken word) has just been remastered and expanded by Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint. Procol Harum were surely not the first band of
Pat Boone and Family Join Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Yogi Bear and More on New Holiday DVD
It's the time of the year for family celebrations...and few artists have had the kind of multi-generational family success as Pat Boone. One of the top ten biggest-selling singles artists in the history of twentieth century pop, Boone was the youngest performer to host a national television primetime variety show with his 1957 program Pat Boone's Chevy Showroom, and he went on to become a familiar, welcoming presence on the small screen over the ensuing decades. Family has always been a
Review: The Beatles, “The Beatles (The White Album): Anniversary Edition”
You Say You Want a Revolution Following the enormous, worldwide success of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles wouldn't have been faulted had they re-entered Abbey Road Studios and created another album of robustly melodic, lavishly orchestrated songs of whimsy and wonder. But Messrs. Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr weren't interested in repeating themselves. When The Beatles arrived on November 22, 1968, roughly one and one-half years after Pepper, one didn't even
Shatterproof: Cherry Red, RPM Collect Singles From Rockpile’s Billy Bremner
Billy Bremner is fondly remembered today for his time in Rockpile alongside Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, and Terry Williams, but the estimable singer-guitarist has also brought his talents to recordings by The Pretenders, Carlene Carter, and Shakin' Stevens, and had his own successful solo career. It's the latter aspect of Bremner's discography that Cherry Red's RPM Records imprint has just chronicled on Singled Out. This new, 21-track anthology compiles many of Bremner's singles for labels
He and Mrs. Jones: Vocalion Adds to Quad Roster with SACDs from Billy Paul
The U.K.'s Dutton Vocalion label is continuing to grow its SACD catalogue of quadraphonic releases. Following recent titles from The Guess Who, Rick Derringer, Stephen Sondheim, and others, Vocalion has just released another batch of vintage quad mixes from the worlds of jazz (George Benson's Body Talk, Weather Report's Tale Spinnin'), rock (the Jim Peterik-affiliated jazz-rock fusion group Chase's Pure Music and Chase), and R&B. In the latter category comes three albums from Philadelphia
Review: John Lennon, “Imagine: The Ultimate Collection”
You May Say I'm a Dreamer Much like the artist who created it, John Lennon's Imagine has always been an album of contradictions. While its dreamy, idealized title track has become an anthem for generations, the same LP veers from heartbreaking vulnerability ("Jealous Guy") and expressions of romance ("Oh My Love," "Oh Yoko!") to a withering, personal jab at a friend ("How Do You Sleep") to powerfully pointed social commentary ("Crippled Inside," "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna
Review: Bob Dylan, “More Blood, More Tracks: The Bootleg Series Vol. 14”
Bob Dylan began recording 1975's Blood on the Tracks in much the same manner he had begun 1962's Bob Dylan: inside the studio at 799 Seventh Avenue, New York City, alone at the microphone with just his guitar, a harmonica, and the song. In '62, the facility was Columbia Studio A, in '75 it was A&R Studios. In '62, John Hammond was the producer, in '75 Phil Ramone (the R in A&R) was manning the controls as engineer. Dylan, of course, was a much-changed man, but upon his return to
Ticket To Ride: “Carpenters with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” Arrives In December
The music of the Carpenters has long transcended mere nostalgia. With 20 Billboard top 40 hits including three No. 1s and five No. 2s as well as 15 Adult Contemporary No. 1s, their timeless legacy of song is as resonant today as ever. Karen's intimate, warm, and soulful voice melded with Richard's rich, sophisticated musical settings to create a sound still unrivaled in popular music. Now, that sound is getting a little larger. On December 7, A&M Records will release Carpenters with The
Magic In The Night: ‘Springsteen On Broadway’ To Be Released On CD and Vinyl
"As portraits of artists go," wrote The New York Times' Jesse Green on October 12, 2017, "there may never have been anything as real - and beautiful - on Broadway." The critic was referring to Bruce Springsteen's performance the evening before on the stage of the intimate, 939-seat Walter Kerr Theatre. Even before it opened, Springsteen on Broadway became New York theatre's hottest ticket - and most expensive. Rapturous reviews greeted The Boss' Broadway debut, with most critics marveling at
Visions of Paradise: Moody Blues’ “In Search of the Lost Chord” Box Set Coming on Friday
Following last year's 2CD/DVD reissue of The Moody Blues' 1967 sophomore album Days of Future Passed, UMe is going even more deluxe for the Moodies' next album, 1968's In Search of the Lost Chord. Tomorrow, November 2, the label will reissue that seminal classic as a 3CD/2DVD box comprising alternate mixes, previously unreleased tracks, and more. Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Justin Hayward, John Lodge, and Graeme Edge, working with producer Tony Clarke, constructed In Search of the Lost Chord
Review: “Stax ’68: A Memphis Story”
Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay," the first Stax single of 1968, should have been a new beginning for the artist and label. Instead, the posthumous release ushered in a tumultuous year for the Memphis institution. The death of Redding and members of The Bar-Kays on December 10, 1967 was a tremendous loss for Stax and popular culture, but no one could have predicted the upheaval that would affect Stax and the city of Memphis in the following twelve months. That time has just
Say a Little Prayer: Steve Tyrell Expands “Back to Bacharach” For Tenth Anniversary
Long before he was serenading fans with his expressive, distinctively smoky voice as a modern-day crooner, Steve Tyrell was moving and shaking behind the scenes at Scepter Records. When not producing singles for Maxine Brown, The Shirelles, Chuck Jackson, or B.J. Thomas, he was working in A&R and promotions alongside Scepter's superstar "triangle marriage" team of Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, and Hal David. In 2008, with six solo albums then under his belt, Tyrell returned to his roots
Good News: Cherry Red, SoulMusic Collect Staple Singers’ Epic Years on “For What It’s Worth”
Stop, children, what's that sound? For nearly half a century, the sound of The Staple Singers was one of tremendous power. Roebuck "Pops" Staples, daughters Cleotha, Mavis, and (sometimes) Yvonne, and son Pervis raised their voices in song to celebrate the Lord, but also to fight for civil rights and espouse messages of positivity and resilience to listeners worldwide. At Epic Records, the group transitioned from pure gospel and blues to soul and R&B - a move that would take them to the
Contante & Sonante Celebrates Late Warren Wiebe with Rare Demos From Burt Bacharach, David Foster, More
Talk about a well-kept secret... Throughout his too-short life, vocalist Warren Wiebe (1953-1998) never became a household name. Yet he was highly successful. As a background singer, he graced recordings by Johnny Mathis, Paul Anka, Taylor Dayne, and Air Supply. A true songwriter's singer - able to convey the heart and soul of a song without resorting to self-indulgence - he earned the respect and admiration of a "Who's Who" of songwriters who enlisted him to introduce their songs on
If I Can Dream: Elvis’ Comeback Special Receives Box Set Treatment For 50th Anniversary
On December 3, 1968, Elvis Presley electrified television audiences with the self-titled special that would come to be known, simply, as The Comeback Special. Nearly fifty years later, it remains the epitome of his artistry during a period when some would have written him off. At the time of the NBC-TV broadcast, his most recent single ("Guitar Man") had failed to crack the top 40. He hadn't had a chart-topper since "Good Luck Charm" in 1962. He hadn't appeared live onstage since a benefit
On Blue Bayou: Royal Philharmonic Re-Teams With Roy Orbison On “Unchained Melodies”
Last November, the late Roy Orbison followed in the footsteps of his fellow Sun alumnus Elvis Presley when his original recordings were given the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra treatment on the set entitled A Love So Beautiful. On November 16, a little over a year after that successful release, the Orchestra has returned to the Orbison songbook with an all-new collection. Unchained Melodies: Roy Orbison with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra presents another 15 selections from the famously
Bip Bop: Paul McCartney’s Archive Collection Rolls On with Deluxe “Wild Life,” “Red Rose Speedway”
2018 has delivered an embarrassment of riches for Beatle fans, including the Ultimate Mixes of John Lennon's Imagine, Paul McCartney's new album Egypt Station, and soon, the super deluxe anniversary box set of The Beatles, a.k.a. The White Album. Today, McCartney upped the ante further with the announcement of not one, but two, new box sets in his ongoing Archive Collection series. On December 7, Macca will release deluxe, expanded editions of his first two albums with Wings: 1971's Wild Life
Rush Revisits “Hemispheres” For 40th Anniversary In Multiple Formats
The 1978 album Hemispheres from Canadian rock heroes Rush celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and UMe/Anthem is not letting the occasion go unnoticed. The classic LP is being reissued on November 16 in a variety of formats including a 2CD/1BD/3LP Super Deluxe Edition, standalone 3LP and 2CD Deluxe Editions, and a Deluxe Digital Edition. Hemispheres, Rush's sixth studio album, followed A Farewell to Kings, the band's U.K. breakthrough. Recorded at Rockfield Studios with engineer Terry
How The Story Goes: Cherry Red Collects REO Speedwagon’s “Early Years” On New Box Set
When "Keep on Loving You" reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980, some listeners could be forgiven for thinking that REO Speedwagon came out of nowhere. Prior to that seminal power ballad, the Illinois-formed band had never attained a chart position higher than No. 56 ("Time for Me to Fly," 1978). When the success of "Take It on the Run" (No. 5) quickly followed, it was clear that REO Speedwagon was here to stay. But their success was hard-earned, and their catalogue already
Lady Soul: Rhino Compiles Aretha Franklin’s “The Atlantic Records 1960s Collection,” Reissues “This Christmas”
The legacy of Aretha Franklin lives on, with today bringing announcements of a new pair of releases plus a special digital Christmas single from the forever Queen of Soul. On December 7, Rhino/Atlantic will issue a new vinyl box set. The Atlantic Records 1960s Collection presents Franklin's first five Atlantic studio albums, plus a bonus LP with 11 demos and outtakes that are making their vinyl debut. Limited to 5,000 copies, the box features each album pressed on 140-gram vinyl and
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