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/ Reviews

Holiday Gift Guide Review: Eagles, "Legacy"

November 28, 2018 By Joe Marchese 5 Comments

Eagles Legacy Cover

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

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Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Pop Tags: Eagles, Glenn Frey

Review: The Beatles, "The Beatles (The White Album): Anniversary Edition"

November 9, 2018 By Joe Marchese 5 Comments

Beatles White Album Packshot

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

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, The Beatles

Review: Bob Dylan, "More Blood, More Tracks: The Bootleg Series Vol. 14"

November 2, 2018 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Dylan More Blood More Tracks Cover

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

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Bob Dylan

Review: The Doors, "Waiting for the Sun: 50th Anniversary Edition"

October 2, 2018 By Joe Marchese 4 Comments

Doors Waiting for the Sun Deluxe

Upon its release in July 1968, some might have found the title of The Doors' third album, Waiting for the Sun, to be ironic.  After all, Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, and John Densmore, were hardly ever in pursuit of anything remotely sunny.  But the album, with its rather bucolic cover shot, most certainly struck a chord with listeners in the year between The Summer of Love and Woodstock.  Waiting for the Sun became the band's only No. 1 album, and included the No. 1 single "Hello,

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock Tags: The Doors

Review: Electric Light Orchestra, "The U.K. Singles Volume One: 1972-1978"

September 27, 2018 By Joe Marchese 6 Comments

ELO The UK Singles Volume One

The A-side of Electric Light Orchestra's first 45 had been originally written for The Move, but once it was recorded, it was clear to songwriter-producer Jeff Lynne and his co-producer and bandmate Roy Wood that "10538 Overture" was the sound of a different band altogether.  Wood had overdubbed what he later remembered as a "cheap Chinese cello" onto the driving track which the two singers/multi-instrumentalists had created with the aid of Bill Hunt on French horn and Steve Woolam on violin. 

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Electric Light Orchestra, Jeff Lynne

Review: The Band, "Music from Big Pink: 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition"

August 31, 2018 By Joe Marchese 3 Comments

The house on Parnassus Lane, formerly Stoll Road, in West Saugerties, New York might be one of rock and roll's least likely landmarks, with its unassuming residential façade distinguished only by its pink siding.  But the colorful house bore witness to the birth of some of the greatest songs in American pop history when Bob Dylan and his band - soon to be The Band - recorded "The Basement Tapes" there.  When Capitol Records subsequently signed Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Rick

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock Tags: Bob Dylan, The Band

Fourth of July Special: Craft Recordings Reissues Tom Fogerty, Doug Clifford Solo LPs

July 4, 2018 By Joe Marchese 4 Comments

Doug Cosmo Clifford

Today, as we celebrate the fourth of July, we're spinning new reissues from two members of the quintessentially American band, Creedence Clearwater Revival! Before Creedence Clearwater Revival split in 1972 amid acrimony, Tom Fogerty had already departed the band which he had co-founded with his younger brother John, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford.  Fogerty launched his solo career early that same year on the Fantasy label with a self-titled debut, and in October released his sophomore set. 

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock Tags: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Doug Clifford, Tom Fogerty

Piece of His Heart: "Bang: The Bert Berns Story" Arrives On DVD

June 29, 2018 By Joe Marchese 4 Comments

Bang Bert Berns Story DVD

During his all-too-short lifetime, Bert Berns never received the kind of fame afforded many of his contemporaries on the New York music scene such as Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, or Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.  Yet, across the pond, young men like Paul McCartney and Keith Richards were taking notice whenever they saw the Berns imprimatur on one of their favorite 45s.  McCartney and Richards are just two of the luminaries who lined up to salute the

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: DVD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Bert Berns

Review: "Fab Gear: The British Beat Explosion and Its Aftershocks 1963-1967"

June 26, 2018 By Joe Marchese 4 Comments

Fab Gear box

"Yesterday's Gone": the song by folk-pop duo Chad and Jeremy opens the first of the six discs comprising Cherry Red and RPM's new box set Fab Gear: The British Beat Explosion and Its Aftershocks 1963-1967.  It's a most appropriate opener, as yesterday really was gone for an entire generation of artists swiftly rendered obsolete by the emergence of The Beatles.  As the box eloquently explains, the Fab Four "in name, song, band structure, image, defined this new Beat music...Until 1967, when The

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Chad and Jeremy, David Bowie, The Kinks, The Moody Blues, The Searchers, Various Artists

Review: Bear Family's "Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America's Forgotten War"

June 14, 2018 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Battleground Korea

If there was any doubt that history could be engaging as well as informative, such doubt would be dispelled by a listen to Bear Family's new release, the 4-CD box set Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America's Forgotten War.  Make no mistake, the handsomely slipcased collection is as imposing and heavy as a textbook, as its four discs are housed within a lavish, 160-page hardcover tome.  But this immersive journey can't help but thrill in its scope and execution.  It follows previous Bear

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Blues, Classic Rock, Everything Else, Folk, Gospel, Popular Standards/Vocal Tags: Various Artists

Review: Chicago, "VI Decades Live: This Is What We Do"

April 27, 2018 By Joe Marchese 9 Comments

Chicago VI Decades Live

This year, Chicago announced a first in their touring history.  The band would play their second album, Chicago (or Chicago II), in full, at each concert to mark the group's ongoing 50th anniversary festivities.  The celebration has continued via archival releases as well, and following last year's stellar Quadio, Rhino Records has just issued VI Decades Live: This is What We Do, the first-ever box set of live recordings from the band's storied history on four CDs and one DVD. Perhaps

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: Chicago

The Second Disc's 2018 Record Store Day Must-Haves

April 20, 2018 By The Second Disc 9 Comments

Lulu Heaven and Earth and the Stars 1

Welcome to our annual rundown of Must-Haves for this year's Record Store Day event!  Once you're through reading, let us know what you're most looking forward to picking up tomorrow at your favorite local independent retailer!  Our list features just a sampling of our favorites from our friends at Legacy Recordings, Varese Sarabande, Rhino Records, Real Gone Music, Demon Music Group, Walt Disney Records, Omnivore Recordings, and more! Joe's kicking things off with five essential picks (in

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Belinda Carlisle, Bob Dylan, Bobbie Gentry, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Eric Clapton, Harry Nilsson, John Lennon, John Williams, Johnny Cash, Johnny Mathis, Led Zeppelin, Lulu, Madonna, Record Store Day, T Rex, Tangerine Dream, The Beau Brummels, The Police, The Rascals

"Nigel Lived" Again: Intervention Brings Murray Head's Rock Concept Album to CD and SACD

April 5, 2018 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Murray Head Nigel Lived

Few artists have bridged the worlds of rock and theatre as successfully as Murray Head.  Singing the music of others, actor-singer Head scored two major hits on both sides of the Atlantic with 1973's "Superstar" from Jesus Christ Superstar and 1984's "One Night in Bangkok" from Chess.  Far lesser known, however, is his discography as a singer-songwriter.  Head imbued his own compositions with the same vibrant life as those famous songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD, SACD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Murray Head

Review: Chris Hillman, "The Asylum Years"

March 5, 2018 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Chris Hillman Asylum Years

Chris Hillman is surely one of rock's largely unsung heroes.   A veteran of groups including The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Desert Rose Band, and supergroup The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, Hillman last year released the acclaimed album Bidin' My Time - only his seventh solo album.  Produced by Tom Petty (one of the late superstar's last projects) with one foot in the past and another in the present, the LP reaffirmed the artist's deserved place in the pantheon.  Now, Omnivore

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Categories: Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Pop Tags: Chris Hillman

Love In Action: Todd Rundgren's "All Sides of the Roxy" Presents Complete, Star-Studded 1978 Concert

February 21, 2018 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

For his first live album, the 1978 double-LP Back to the Bars, singer/songwriter/sonic auteur Todd Rundgren returned to his roots with a collection of lean, tight, intimate performances recorded in the clubs of New York, Los Angeles, and Cleveland.  This was Rundgren at his most accessible, playing his most universally beloved songs over his first decade of music-making, with a band including Utopia veterans Mark "Moogy" Klingman, John Siegler, and Willie Wilcox, plus his old friends from

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: Daryl Hall and John Oates, Rick Derringer, Stevie Nicks, Todd Rundgren, Utopia

Review: Fleetwood Mac, 'Fleetwood Mac: Deluxe Edition'

February 12, 2018 By Mike Duquette 3 Comments

Fleetwood Mac packshot

Take away all the artifice and ephemera of the new deluxe edition of Fleetwood Mac's 1975 self-titled album (Reprise R2 559454) and you're still left with an intriguing and endlessly challenging question: how? How did a British blues band with only fleeting chart success in their home country metamorphose into one of the greatest rock bands of the 20th century's back half, architects of 18 Top 40 hits and eight platinum or multiplatinum records? And how did they do so with their ninth lineup? As

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, DVD-Audio, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks

It Takes Two to Tango: Analog Spark Reissues Two Todd Rundgren Classics on SACD

January 18, 2018 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Todd Rundgren Something Anything

Since the dawn of the CD era, Todd Rundgren's classic Bearsville LPs have appeared and re-appeared with regularity - yet they had never appeared in the physical format for which they're most ideally suited: high-resolution audio.  Thanks to Analog Spark, that's all changed.  The label has just released hybrid stereo SACDs of the singer-songwriter-producer's third and fourth Bearsville LPs - the career-defining Something/Anything (1973) and its daring successor, A Wizard, A True Star (1974). 

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD, SACD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Todd Rundgren

For Your Love: Herman's Hermits, Yardbirds, Hollies Featured on "The Graham Gouldman Songbook"

January 15, 2018 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

Listen People Graham Gouldman Songbook

Ace's latest addition to its Songwriter Series, Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005, appropriately enough begins with a track written by Gouldman, "That's How (It's Gonna Stay)."  But the track is also significant in that it was performed by Gouldman, as well - as part of his early group The Mockingbirds.  Throughout his career, he's worn many hats - as a songwriter, as a band member, as a solo artist - and all of them are touched upon on this fine celebration of a largely

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Cher, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Graham Gouldman, Herman's Hermits, Jeff Beck, Morrissey, Rush, The Hollies, The Yardbirds, Various Artists

Holiday Gift Guide Review: INXS, 'Kick 30'

December 20, 2017 By Mike Duquette 4 Comments

INXS Kick

"All we've got is this moment," INXS frontman Michael Hutchence implores in the band's biggest American hit, "Need You Tonight." But in the case of the band's landmark sixth studio album Kick (1987), nothing could be further from the truth. The album, which sold more than nine million copies around the world and spun off five hit singles, has received no less than four expanded reissues in the last 15 years. In 2002, Atlantic Records and Rhino (who oversee the band's catalogue in North America)

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Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews Formats: Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: INXS

Holiday Gift Guide Review: America, "Heritage: Home Recordings/Demos 1970-1973"

December 19, 2017 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

America Heritage

It must have taken a great deal of gumption, not to mention youthful hubris, for Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek to name their band America - as if three teenaged army brats abroad in England could have possibly captured the spirit of their home country in all its complexities.  Yet, capture that spirit the trio did, and today, some 47 years after they first entered the studio, America is still making music.  Yet Beckley and Bunnell have happily been looking back on recent releases

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Categories: Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: America

Holiday Gift Guide Review: Elton John, 'Diamonds'

December 19, 2017 By Mike Duquette 2 Comments

Elton Diamonds box

It's not untoward to ask exactly who the intended audience of an Elton John compilation is in 2017. The British piano pop legend has been releasing music for more than 50 years now, and has enjoyed a run of success that began early in the '70s and has yet to entirely let up. And in that time, there have been plenty of collections for fans of all stripes. His very first greatest hits album topped both the U.S. and U.K. charts in 1974 and prompted a sequel only three years later (and a third a

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Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Elton John

Holiday Gift Guide Review: Ramones, "Rocket to Russia" [40th Anniversary Edition]

December 11, 2017 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

Ramones Rocket to Russia

Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Tommy Ramone introduced their fast and furious style of bubblegum punk on 1976's Ramones, then followed it up the next year with the even more potent Leave Home.  Just months later, the band dropped its third major salvo.  With Rocket to Russia, the sound and feel of the band's first two albums was taken to the next level - and now, forty years later, it's often recognized as the finest Ramones set.  Happily, Rhino has continued its series of LP-sized, hardcover

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Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Rock Tags: Ramones

Review: The Doors, "Strange Days: 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition"

December 5, 2017 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

The Doors Strange Days

Earlier this year, Rhino marked the fiftieth anniversary of The Doors' debut with a 3-CD/1-LP box set premiering the original mono mix of the album for the very first time on CD and including it on vinyl, as well, plus a new version of Live at the Matrix.  The label has recently followed that up with a deluxe edition of Strange Days, the band's sophomore album, also in time for its own golden anniversary.  (The Doors arrived in January '67, and Strange Days in September of that year.)  This time

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Categories: Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock Tags: The Doors

Don't Think Twice: Ace Collects Rare Dylan Covers on "Take What You Need"

November 10, 2017 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Take What You Need Bob Dylan Covers

As one of the most influential songwriters of his generation - or any other - Bob Dylan's music has long transcended borders, physical or otherwise.  The Minnesota native's music struck a chord in Britain, both on the concert stage (see: the famous "Judas!" concert) and on records, and his influence on British artists from The Beatles down can't be underestimated.  It's no surprise that his songs were seized upon by British artists with a zeal equal to that of their American counterparts.  Ace

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Folk, Pop Tags: Alan Price, Bob Dylan, Chad and Jeremy, Manfred Mann, Marianne Faithfull, Various Artists

Review: Bob Dylan, "Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981"

November 6, 2017 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

Bob Dylan Trouble No More Cover

I. Gotta Serve Somebody Bob Dylan wasn't mincing words.  On the first track of the first album of what would later be referred to as his "gospel years," the artist laid his message out with striking simplicity.  "It may be the devil, or it may be the Lord," Dylan admonished, "but you're gonna have to serve somebody."  Suddenly, the same singer-songwriter who opined that "the answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind" had found the answer - and His name was Jesus Christ. Between 1979 and

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, DVD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Gospel Tags: Bob Dylan

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