Last year, one of the single most monumental box sets in town was The Grateful Dead's Europe '72: The Complete Recordings, more than 60 discs chronicling one of the band's most notable tours in full. This spring, Shout! Factory will release their own ambitious box set that chronicles a good chunk of Dead history in video form. All the Years Combine: The DVD Collection is a 14-disc set that collects more than a dozen vintage Grateful Dead films and concerts from 1977 to 1991, with loads of bonus
Release Round-Up: Week of February 21
Various Artists, ZTT: The Art of the 12": Volume Two (ZTT/Salvo) A double-disc set of rare and unreleased dance mixes of vinyl classics, with a few rarities thrown in for good measure - and, as our post later today will explain, at least one Beatle! Simple Minds, Simple Minds x5 (EMI) The first five Simple Minds LPs - all pre-The Breakfast Club - expanded with vintage B-sides and remixes. Gilbert O'Sullivan, Back to Front: Expanded Edition (Union Square Music/Salvo) Gilbert's 1972
Welcome to New York: Kid Creole Side Project Rediscovered by Hot Shot Records
In the early-to-mid-1980s, August Darnell was one of the more esoteric dance music makers in the industry, touring with a comical, colorful, big band and Latin-inspired combo as Kid Creole and The Coconuts. The group was, somewhat improbably, a briefly successful outfit, earning three U.K. Top 10 hits in 1982, appearing on Saturday Night Live and collaborating with everyone from Barry Manilow to Prince. But Creole was far from the only musical shapeshifting personality that Darnell had invented
Elvis Costello is Stealing Our Job (UPDATED 2/17)
UPDATE 2/17: Hey, remember this whole uproar? The CD, DVD and CD/DVD editions of this pseudo-nightmarish box can now be pre-ordered on their own, with a release date of April 3. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxardpBReQc] Original post (11/29/2011): Man, Elvis Costello is a pretty awesome guy. He's had a pretty good handle on his own already-solid back catalogue, giving it a good solid two run-throughs (unfortunately, two out of three, which still ain't bad, as they say). His revival
Viva Morrissey! U.K. Singer's First Album and Single Gets Reissued
Inifintely brilliant, often fickle rock icon Morrissey is reissuing one of his most beloved albums this spring - but it's another one of those situations where fans are going to want to hold on to their old copies, too. Semi-official fansite True to You posted a news release today for a reissue of Viva Hate, Morrissey's debut solo album from 1988. Released just six months after the breakup of The Smiths and featuring longtime Smiths engineer/producer Stephen Street, Viva Hate was a
Soundtrack Spotlight: Intrada Uncovers Trolls, La-La Land Goes Ape
It's one of those rare weeks when more than one soundtrack reissue label puts out titles within days of each other, so there are four new and expanded sets to enjoy. Intrada has released two scores on CD for the first time. The first, Gil Melle's score to 1980's Borderline, is noted for its blend of traditional orchestral arrangements and mixing along with free-form, jazz-based music that took advantage of the full field of stereo sound. The film, a fictionalized account of U.S. border guards
Hits, in a Lifetime: Legacy Preps Compilation for Irish Folk Band Clannad
Everyone's going to feel a little Irish on St. Patrick's Day, but this year catalogue enthusiasts have a title to give them a little edge in terms of the country's music: The Essential Clannad, a double-disc set from Irish folk band Clannad. A family-based quintet, ormed in Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal (their name is shortened from "An Clann as Dobhair," or "the family from 'Dore") Clannad remain unique in that they are one of the most successful, natively Irish bands in Europe, often singing
Release Round-Up: Week of February 14
Barry White, Let the Music Play: Expanded Edition (Hip-o Select/Mercury) What's Valentine's Day without a little satin soul? Numerous bonus tracks abound on a new pressing of this underrated gem of an album. Captain Beefheart, Bat Chain Puller (Zappa) The original, intended edition of the Captain's lost album. Cotton Mather, Kontiki: Deluxe Edition (The Star Apple Kingdom) An underrated work of '90s power-pop, expanded with a bonus disc of rarities and unreleased materials that was funded
The Need for Back-Up: Rock Hall Finally Inducts Classic Backing Bands
One of the many, many criticisms of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is their occasional neglect of certain bands in favor of other artists. From the first year of induction in 1987, when Smokey Robinson was inducted instead of all of The Miracles, it's been a legitimate concern. Today, the Hall attempted to alleviate some of that concern by announcing five such bands would be inducted alongside the five previously-announced members of this year's class. The additional bands are: The Blue
Katy Perry Will Do Anything for Another #1 Single, Reissues "Teenage Dream"
You'd think two Grammy nominations in 2012 and a tied record with one of pop music's biggest luminaries would be enough for Katy Perry. But the recently-divorced pop singer is treating herself to one last dessert with the March 27 release of Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, an expanded edition of her hit 2010 album. Expectations were high for the 27-year-old Perry when Teenage Dream was released almost two summers ago. After a number of false starts in her musical career - an
Rock Round-Up: Expansions by KISS, Pantera on the Horizon
It's been great to say there's been no shortage of news from the catalogue world to report on at Second Disc HQ. For hard rock fans, reports have been coming in that two famed records will be joining the ranks of other expanded and remastered editions in the coming months. First up, one of the "open secret" titles of 2012, as reported last year: a deluxe edition of KISS' classic 1976 effort Destroyer. The iconic rockers released Destroyer in the wake of the release of concert album Alive! a
Bricks in the Wall: A Pink Floyd Teaser for Your Lunch Break
How excited are you for Pink Floyd's latest Immersion Edition, for the iconic double album The Wall? It's doubtful you're alone. The "Why Pink Floyd?" reissue campaign was one of 2011's highest-profile catalogue series, and - marbles aside - the Immersion Edition box sets of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here were labors of love if ever any existed. So, as a treat while you count the days down until the box's February 28 release, Pink Floyd's YouTube account has posted this sneak
Release Round-Up: Week of February 7
Queen, The Works / A Kind of Magic / The Miracle / Innuendo / Made in Heaven: Deluxe Editions (Hollywood) The last five deluxe reissues of the Queen catalogue, which began last year for the 40th anniversary, are now available domestically (they came out in the U.K. in November). So if you've missed these, now's the chance to get them without importing 'em. Big Country, The Crossing: Deluxe Edition (Mercury/UMC) From the U.K., one of the most criminally underrated albums of the '80s, expanded
Walk, Don't Run: Sundazed Preps Stereo Remasters of Ventures Albums
The Band That Launched a Thousand Bands is now The Band That Launched Five New Reissues. Influential surf-rockers The Ventures will see the release of five classic albums for Dolton Records re-released in their original stereo mix from Sundazed Records. The albums - The Ventures Play Telstar and The Lonely Bull (1962), "Surfing" (1963) and 1964's (The) Ventures in Space, The Fabulous Ventures and Walk, Don't Run Vol. 2 - will all be released on limited edition colored vinyl (yellow, blue,
Finally, The Second Disc Has an Excuse to Address This Whole Lana Del Rey Thing
Although we make our claim as tireless reporters on all things in the catalogue music world, we at Second Disc HQ are music lovers first and foremost, regardless of the era. So it gives me a bit of weird pleasure to speak a little bit out of the usual comfort zone for a second and talk about one of pop music's weirdest current trend stories, which actually, tenuously, has some ties to our usual reportage. If you're a voracious consumer of all topics musical, you've probably read anywhere from
Greater Hits: Aretha/Arista
Welcome to our latest installment of Greater Hits, where we scour an artist's discography for compilations and pick the best one for your buck. Today focuses on Aretha Franklin's fascinating third chapter on Arista Records and the multitude of compilations that it's yielded. Just as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Aretha Franklin's sizzling 1967 album and first for Atlantic Records, was a shock to anyone who'd known her from her days singing solid if not transcendent soul on Columbia in
Still in Love with Them: Vault Gems Abound on New Thin Lizzy Deluxe Sets
The last two years have been great for Thin Lizzy fans and collectors. Universal's U.K. arm has, in recent times, expanded a good chunk of the band's 1970s catalogue, released a thorough box set of tracks from the band's BBC sessions and announced the acquisition of a ridiculous amount of unreleased tapes for future catalogue purposes. The catalogue action continues this spring with double-disc deluxe editions of the band's fourth and fifth albums, Nightlife and Fighting. Each set comes with a
Release Round-Up: Week of January 31
Aretha Franklin, Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of 1980-1998 (Arista/Legacy) The Queen of Soul's comeback years, in a new anthology. Check back soon for a review from Joe as well as a Greater Hits from me stacking this set up to other compilations from this part of Aretha's discography. Various Artists,
All Hail the "King of the Beats": Mantronix Anthology Released
Here's an overlooked treat released last week: a double-disc compilation honoring influential hip-hop/dance duo Mantronix. In the mid-1980s, as the New York rap scene blossomed and all sorts of rhythms were seeping into pop music, fewer dance acts were more exciting than Mantronix. Comprised of DJ/producer Kurtis Mantronik (nee el-Khaleel) and rapper MC Tee, Mantronix won club kids over with their sample-ready electronic sounds, combining processed beats, synthesized bass and turntable
Vintage, Retro Mixes Shine on U.K. Philadelphia International Box Set
Now's as good a time as any to get into the sweet sounds and lush arrangements of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. 2011 marked the 40th anniversary of legendary writer/producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's creation of a label that set the groundwork for some of the best soul and R&B sounds of the decade, and this year's seeing a lot of excellent catalogue projects honoring that legacy. We've already told you about Legacy's Golden Gate Groove: The Sound of Philadelphia Live in San
Keep Feeling Fascination: Human League's "Dare" Gets Expanded
"You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar when I met you..." As patently false as the subject matter behind The Human League's hypnotic "Don't You Want Me" is, it was a massive, out-of-nowhere smash for a band that came out of a troubling state of flux with a renewed energy unlike few others. The fruits of that period, the 1981 album Dare, is coming back into U.K. stores this spring as a deluxe title with a host of non-LP goodies over two discs. The Human League started out as an
New Blues Traveler Compilation Includes Unreleased Material, Hopefully Avoids Giving Fans the Runaround
Get out your big hats and harmonicas - Blues Traveler is releasing a new career-spanning compilation with a host of unreleased material to accompany their favorite singles. Ah, the '90s jam band revival. One of the more intriguing concepts to come out of the post-grunge explosion era, where it seemed every major label was trying something new to see if it would stick with audiences. The demand for quirky live acts gave popular culture stalwarts like the Dave Matthews Band and Phish as well as
The Story of US: Shout! Factory Starts Series for '80s Music Fest (UPDATED 2/8)
Following a pair of DVD releases, Shout! Factory has announced the release of several performances on CD from the famous US Festival in California. Spearheaded by Apple Computer co-founder Steve Wozniak, the US Festival intended to be a celebration of technology and culture, with a temporary stage and open-air venue paid for by Wozniak himself just for the purposes of the festival. (Initially called the Glen Helen Pavilion, the San Manuel Amphitheater, where the festival was held, remains the
Reissue Theory: Whitney Houston, "Whitney"
We remember Whitney Houston (1963-2012) and her timeless legacy of song. We're sharing this feature in her memory, and will return with a tribute to this musical legend, gone too soon. Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we focus on notable album and the reissues they could someday see. Today's entry: a 25th anniversary spotlight on one of the best dance-pop albums of any era, and a tribute to a powerhouse R&B voice. In a word: Whitney. Around this time in 2010,
Cherry Red Sets Off "Love Bomb" with Reissue of The Tubes' Final Capitol LP
It's no "She's a Beauty," but Tubes fans might be excited to know that the band's final album for Capitol, 1985's Love Bomb, is coming to CD with bonus tracks from Cherry Red Records. The Tubes were well known in the late '70s for their no-holds-barred live shows and sly songwriting, with a mind to skewer an increasingly saturated media landscape. As the 1980s dawned, however, The Tubes unexpectedly made moves to turn into a leaner, meaner, rock band. Two albums were cut with producer David
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