Second Disc HQ is always fascinated by British acts - and there were a few of these in the '80s - whose commercial success is far greater outside their home country. Cutting Crew, the rock combo led by singer/songwriter Nick Van Eede, were a classic example of this phenomenon, scoring a U.S. chart-topper with the emotional "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" and the Top 10 ballad "I've Been in Love Before"; next month, Cherry Red will expand the group's first three albums in a new 3CD package. All
The Morning Lasted All Day: The Dream Academy Get Comprehensive Box Set from Cherry Red
There was no Top 10 hit in 1985 quite like "Life in a Northern Town," a gentle-then-thundering folk-pop tune by British trio The Dream Academy. The gentle tribute to Nick Drake, counterpointed by an African-inspired, nearly wordless chorus, hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 15 in their native U.K. - but there was much more to their story. Cherry Red will tell that story - with input from the band's frontman, Nick Laird-Clowes - in a new deluxe box set to be released in
Freak Out in a Moonage Daydream: Early Version of Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' Announced for Record Store Day
On what would have been the 77th birthday of the incomparable David Bowie, his estate has announced a new catalogue title due out for Record Store Day, featuring an early track list for 1972's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars. Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth) takes its title from "Starman," the U.K. Top 10 hit that helped propel Bowie from art-folk wonder to glam icon for a new decade. But when this line-up for the album was assembled onto a
All-Time High: La-La Land Surprise Expands a Pair of James Bond Scores
Having delivered a typically stunning last batch of archival film score reissues last November, La-La Land Records is wasting no time at all kicking off 2024 with a bang. On Christmas Eve, they surprise-announced two pre-orders of expanded editions of soundtracks to two James Bond films from the '70s and '80s. La-La Land has long been the home of definitive presentations of 007 on CD, having licensed deluxe 2CD sets of three scores fan favorite composer David Arnold composed for Pierce
Holiday Gift Guide Review: Prince and The New Power Generation, 'Diamonds and Pearls (Super Deluxe Edition)'
I. Come On, Save Your Soul Tonight In the years since Prince's tragic death in 2016, one of the more shocking events in catalogue history has occurred: the construction of a cottage industry surrounding his vast recorded output - both his dozens of released albums and countless tracks rumored to exist in the mythic vault at his Paisley Park recording complex. As a lucrative artist who left no will, the matters of his heirs were not settled until 2022. In those intervening years - with only a
Holiday Gift Guide Review: Stevie Nicks, 'Complete Studio Albums and Rarities'
I. Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You? When was the moment that Stephanie Lynn Nicks became inevitable? It's not as though you can just forget a voice like hers. Ever since the start of her on-again, off-again tenure in Fleetwood Mac - when her dulcet tones powered songs like "Rhiannon," "Landslide," "Dreams" (the band's first No. 1 single in America), essential B-side "Silver Springs," "Gypsy" and others - Nicks' artistry and talent has been a given. But you can feel it in the air
The Weekend Stream: December 16, 2023
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles making digital debuts. Beyoncé repeats history, ZTT goes live and James gets more Whiplash, all streaming and on sale this week! Beyoncé, Grown Woman (Parkwood/Columbia) (iTunes / Amazon) Perhaps you remember where you were on December 13, 2013, when Beyoncé Knowles surprise-dropped her self-titled fifth album with a host of accompanying short films to boot. (I actually do: fans' reaction
Nice to Be Around: Extensive John Williams Box Set Released in France
If you're a Second Disc reader, you're no doubt aware of the immense musical power film composer John Williams has over us (and people like us!). Even a casual fan surely knows his most familiar works for the screen, from Star Wars and Indiana Jones to Jurassic Park and Harry Potter; the films of Steven Spielberg (JAWS, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List); themes for everything from Superman to the Olympics. He's picked up five Oscars (53 nominations, second only to Walt Disney), 25
Soundtrack Watch: Intrada, Quartet and Varese's Last Batches for 2023, 'The Naked Gun' Gets Solo Shot
With a few weeks left in the year, film score labels are still working hard to get out some choice archival releases on CD! Here's the latest from Intrada, Quartet Records, Varese Sarabande's CD Club, and a reissue from the folks at Rusted Wave. The estate of James Horner has worked overtime to get a myriad of scores from the late composer out into the market. Two major ones come from Intrada and Quartet, respectively: Intrada delivers a reissue of his third film score, to the sci-fi
Holiday Gift Guide Review: John Williams, 'Hook (The Ultimate Edition)'
I. Kindest Personal Regards When critics walked out of screening rooms for Steven Spielberg's Hook, they - not inaccurately - saw a film that possessed the childlike whimsy and rollercoaster thrills the director was a sure hand at ever since JAWS scared its way to the top of the all-time box-office charts. And yet, it was hard not to feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. "Hook is a huge party cake of a movie, with too much frosting," David Ansen opined for Newsweek. "After the first delicious bite,
The Weekend Stream: December 9, 2023
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles making digital debuts. More Madonna remixes, a trove of rarities from Matt Monro, and two solo albums from an Elton John sideman are all here - plus new EPs from a current Broadway star and a neat new vocal group! Madonna, Love Profusion (The Remixes) (Warner/Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) A super-sized bundle of mixes to the final single from 2003's American Life is the latest digital archival
Let Me Roll It: Paul McCartney's 'Band on the Run' to Be Reissued with New "Underdubbed" Mixes
In 2010 - not even a year after this site was founded! - Paul McCartney announced the arrival of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection, a catalogue project involving his post-Beatles works (as a solo artist and Wings) in partnership with Hear Music/Concord. A baker's dozen of his works, from solo debut McCartney (1970) to the acclaimed Flaming Pie (1997), were given the box set treatment, occasionally baffling fans with omissions, from non-LP B-sides only being digitally available on the Flowers
The Weekend Stream: December 2, 2023
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles making digital debuts. This week's latest includes anniversary projects from Alicia Keys, live vault material from Bruce Springsteen, an oddity from The Alan Parsons Project and possibly the only article where Taylor Swift shares space with Minor Threat! Alicia Keys, The Diary of Alicia Keys 20 (RCA/Legacy) (iTunes / Amazon) Legacy Recordings celebrates two decades of R&B
The Weekend Stream's Christmas Cornucopia 2023
Welcome to a special edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles making digital debuts. With the most wonderful time of the year officially in full swing, it's worth going back and highlighting some great holiday hits and Christmas curiosities made available to stream and download in the last month or so. Which ones are you excited to find under the tree? Elton John, Step Into Christmas (Mercury) (iTunes / Amazon) One of the best "recent" additions
Hooked: Williams, Horner, Mancini, Jarre Bring Black Friday Gifts to La-La Land
Two scores from a late, modern icon of film soundtracks; a classic late-period soundtrack to a Hitchcock classic, an informal kickoff to another soundtrack legend's centennial celebration; and a major gap filled in the most notable director-composer canon? La-La Land always brings out the big titles for their last batch of releases on Black Friday, but they've really outdone themselves this year with an era-spanning offering of five great archival score CD releases. Perhaps the most exciting
The Weekend Stream: November 18, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. Our pre-Thanksgiving feast includes three legendary women of rock, a summit of country icons, and some unexpected live gems from an alternative '80s outfit - plus so much more. Tina Turner, Tina Turns the Country On! / Acid Queen / Rough / Love Explosion (Parlophone) Country: iTunes / Amazon Acid
Master of 'Dance Masters': An Interview with Reissue Producer Wayne A. Dickson
Wayne A. Dickson knows a thing or two about timing. The Scottish DJ, manager and compilation producer, perhaps best known for a staggering discography of soul and disco reissues for Cherry Red's Big Break Records label, recalled a passion for getting a proper collection of 12" mixes by CHIC and related artists on CD. "It was greenlit something like four times over six years, and then the project manager who'd greenlit it would get let go, and the project would die with it," Dickson recalled
The Weekend Stream: November 11, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. A very chill weekend shows off the latest in Melissa Manchester's forthcoming new album of favorite classics, a stripped-down Record Store Day rarity from Soul Asylum and another trance treasure from the ZTT vaults. Melissa Manchester, Confide in Me (Green Hill) (iTunes / Amazon) Diana Ross' 1977
Soundtrack Watch: La-La Land, Intrada Deliver Archival Scores Beyond the Stars
With only weeks to go before La-La Land's typically huge Black Friday announcement, it's worth noting an incredible clutch of archival score reissues and premieres that have been released over the last two months. Here's a look at some recent releases - including one on vinyl - coming from La-La Land Records and Intrada. La-La Land Records: Trek, Scarface and Jason Some box set breakouts and a rare foray into vinyl have lit up LLL's release slate this fall. First up, second and third
The Weekend Stream: November 4, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. We're headed into most wonderful time of the year territory with a few holiday rarities, plus more Madonna remixes, rare live tracks from Portishead and a forgotten link between Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship. Teddy Pendergrass, This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love) (Craft) (iTunes /
So in Love, Girl: Milli Vanilli Compilation Accompanies New Documentary
One of pop music's most notorious strange-but-true tales has been memorialized in a gripping new documentary - and there's a new compilation to go with it, too. The Best of Milli Vanilli (35th Anniversary) is released November 17 through Legacy Recordings, offering 14 tracks (and three remixes) from the infamous European duo, who shot to international acclaim with a slate of classic pop tunes and crashed back to earth when it turned out that neither member sang a note on the records. It's not
I'm Gonna Be Strong: Blue Angel's Album, Featuring Cyndi Lauper, Gets Reissued
Four decades ago this October, Cyndi Lauper exploded into the mainstream with her solo debut album She's So Unusual. Her quirky personal style, distinctive vocals and a batch of indisputable hits - including Top 10 smashes "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "Time After Time," "She Bop" and "All Through the Night" - guaranteed her stardom through the '80s and an icon status that endures to this day. But Lauper's story didn't start there. Three years prior, her voice was first caught on record as
The Weekend Stream: October 28, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. A beloved Madonna ballad, a new Journey remix and a benefit compilation for Ukranian relief all get center stage today, plus a few unheard gems for country and electronic fans alike. Madonna, You'll See (The Remixes) (Warner/Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) This emotional 1995 ballad, a collaboration between
Now and Then: Unheard Outtake, New Mixes Added to Classic Beatles Compilations
On April 2, 1973, the first career-spanning compilations by The Beatles - broken up for three years - were released. Nicknamed for the colored borders around Angus McBean's iconic photos of The Fab Four (taken six years apart) leaning over a stairwell at EMI's offices in London, the "Red" (The Beatles 1962-1966) and "Blue" (The Beatles 1967-1970) albums offered on eight sides of vinyl a holistic view of the group's unbelievable discography: 54 hit singles, B-sides and treasured album cuts that
The Weekend Stream: October 21, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. Adam Ant's first single, Taylor Swift's latest single and Tom Petty's 2010 studio album are all in the mix, plus an unexpected Prince production and a most unusual tribute to The B-52's. Adam & The Ants, Young Parisians/Lady (Decca) (iTunes / Amazon) Yesterday marked 45 years since the debut
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