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/ Box Sets

Holiday Gift Guide Review: U2. "All That You Can't Leave Behind: 20th Anniversary Edition"

December 21, 2020 By Sam Stone Leave a Comment

U2 AllThatYouCantLeaveBehind 2020 pl

Prepare to elevate your soul with this 20th anniversary box set edition of U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind.  Twenty years into their career, U2 rang in the new millennium with a career-redefining recording that saw them return to the upper echelons of the Billboard charts, with Grammy nominations and worldwide hits to boot.  With enduring instant classics like "Beautiful Day," "Walk On," "Elevation," and "Stuck in a Moment That You Can't Get Out Of," it's no wonder the album remains a

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Holiday Gift Guide, U2

Holiday Gift Guide Spotlight: Cherry Red Box Set Bonanza - Rhinoceros, Jerry Jeff Walker, Fumble

December 21, 2020 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

Jerry Jeff Walker Mr Bojangles Box

Welcome to the third part of our Holiday Gift Guide Spotlight - Cherry Red Box Set Bonanza!  Click here for Part One, featuring Evelyn "Champagne" King, and here for Part Two featuring Graham Bonnet! When one thinks of bands assembled by audition, The Monkees usually spring to mind.  Davy, Micky, Peter, and Michael had been assembled by Screen Gems for the purposes of starring in a new television sitcom, and by sheer force of will became a "real" band making some of the era's most

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Pop Tags: Fumble, Holiday Gift Guide, Jerry Jeff Walker, Rhinoceros

Solo Albums 1974-1992

December 18, 2020 By

Graham Bonnet Solo Albums Box

Cherry Red's HNE imprint has been steadily remastering and restoring the catalogue of Graham Bonnet (Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Alcatrazz, The Michael Schenker Group).  This new 5-CD box set collects the singer's first four solo albums, the "lost" 1974 set intended to be his debut but ultimately unheard until 2016, and the rarities collection Reel to Real.  While all of this material save the Here Comes the Night album has been previously reissued by HNE, this collection does those versions

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Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock

The Shape I'm In: Capitol, UMe Prep The Band's "Stage Fright" In New Stereo and Surround Mixes For 50th Anniversary Releases

December 18, 2020 By Joe Marchese 9 Comments

The Band Stage Fright 50 Cover

With their seminal first two albums, Music from Big Pink and The Band, the group consisting of Garth Hudson (keyboards, piano, horns), Levon Helm (drums, vocals, mandolin), Richard Manuel (keyboards, vocals, drums), Rick Danko (bass, vocals, fiddle) and Robbie Robertson (guitar, piano, vocals) had earned the right to call themselves, simply, The Band.  They effortlessly fused folk, country, blues, gospel, soul, and a dash of rock to create an organic, back-to-basics sound that reverberated with

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Categories: News Formats: Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock Tags: The Band

Release Round-Up: Week of December 18

December 18, 2020 By The Second Disc Leave a Comment

Tom Jones Complete Decca Studio Albums Cover

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Tom Jones, The Complete Decca Studio Albums Collection (Decca/UMC) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Link TBD) This long-awaited box from Sir Tom Jones - counting 17 discs, including 15 studio albums and two CDs of non-LP single and EP sides - boasts over 200 tracks and 10+ hours of music from Jones' classic Decca period of 1965-1975.  It includes hits such as "What's New Pussycat?," "It's Not Unusual," "Help Yourself," "Green, Green

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Holiday, Jazz, Pop, Rock Tags: Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, Klea Blackhurst, Lynn Ahrens, Paul McCartney, Stephen Flaherty, Taylor Swift, The Kinks, Tom Jones

Stir It Up: Bob Marley's 75th Anniversary Celebration Continues with Two Box Sets, Vinyl Reissues

December 17, 2020 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

Songs of Freedom

Nearly 40 years after his passing, Bob Marley's music, image and message continue to fascinate audiences the world over. The end of this year has seen some considerable activity around his classic '70s and '80s catalogue for Tuff Gong/Island Records, including a new career-spanning box set and some vinyl reissues - and another box set, a new version of an old collection, is due early next year. Five years from its original vinyl release in 2015, a CD edition of The Complete Island Recordings

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Reggae Tags: Bob Marley, Bob Marley and the Wailers

Holiday Gift Guide Spotlight: Cherry Red Box Set Bonanza - Graham Bonnet's "Solo Albums 1974-1992"

December 17, 2020 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Graham Bonnet Solo Albums Box

Perhaps no label this holiday season has offered such a bonanza of box sets as Cherry Red.  Yesterday, we looked at Evelyn "Champagne" King's The RCA Albums 1977-1985.  Today, we're turning the spotlight onto Graham Bonnet's Solo Albums 1974-1982! Cherry Red's Hear No Evil (HNE) imprint has long been a home for archival releases from singer Graham Bonnet of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Alcatrazz, and The Michael Schenker Group.  Now, HNE has brought together Bonnet's first four solo albums,

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: Graham Bonnet, Holiday Gift Guide

The RCA Albums 1977-1985

December 16, 2020 By

Evelyn Champagne King The RCA Albums

SoulMusic and Cherry Red collect Evelyn "Champagne" King's eight RCA albums plus 14 bonus tracks in one new box set remastered by Nick Robbins.  A 40-page booklet with an essay by Charles Waring is also included.

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Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: R&B/Soul

Holiday Gift Guide Spotlight: Cherry Red Box Set Bonanza - Evelyn "Champagne" King, "The RCA Albums 1977-1985"

December 16, 2020 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Evelyn Champagne King The RCA Albums

Perhaps no label this holiday season has offered such a bonanza of box sets as Cherry Red.  Today we kick off a three-part feature on five of these sets (any of which just might make the perfect stocking stuffer!) with a Holiday Gift Guide spotlight on Evelyn "Champagne" King's The RCA Albums 1977-1985. Bronx-born, Philadelphia-raised vocalist Evelyn "Champagne" King came from a showbiz family including her uncle Avon Long - perhaps best known as Sportin' Life in multiple productions of Porgy

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: Evelyn "Champagne" King, Holiday Gift Guide

Holiday Gift Guide Review: Kiki Dee, "The Fontana and Motown Years"

December 15, 2020 By Joe Marchese 2 Comments

Kiki Dee Fontana and Motown Years

UPDATED DECEMBER 2020: Kiki Dee rocketed to worldwide stardom (no pun intended) on Elton John's Rocket Records in 1976, imploring "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" to John on the chart-topping duet.  She had been recording for Rocket since 1973, scoring such U.K. hits as "Amoreuse" and "I've Got the Music in Me," the latter of which also went to the top 20 of the U.S. Hot 100, as well.  Anyone familiar with Dee's Rocket recordings knows her to be a singer of both power and sensitivity, and last year,

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Holiday Gift Guide, Kiki Dee

Return Trip: Rick Wakeman Releases Box Set of "Return to the Centre of the Earth"

December 14, 2020 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

Rick Wakeman Return to the Centre of the Earth Deluxe Box

Rick Wakeman's 1974 opus Journey to the Centre of the Earth was a landmark effort from the Yes keyboardist.  The orchestral rock adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 novel was narrated by actor David Hemmings (Blowup, Gladiator) and featured the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, and a rock group later to be known as the English Rock Ensemble.  Wakeman's progressive sci-fi fusion went all the way to No. 1 in the U.K. (the first album by A&M Records to do so there) and No. 3 in

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, DVD, Vinyl Genre: Rock Tags: Bonnie Tyler, Justin Hayward, Katrina Leskanich, Ozzy Osbourne, Rick Wakeman, Trevor Rabin

Holiday Gift Guide Review: The Doors, "Morrison Hotel: 50th Anniversary Edition"

December 14, 2020 By Joe Marchese 1 Comment

The Doors Morrison Hotel 50th

For The Doors, 1970 should have been a new beginning.  Upon the February 1 release of the band's fifth album, Morrison Hotel, Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore were still recovering from the events of the prior year. On March 1, 1969, Morrison famously (or infamously?) exposed himself onstage in Coconut Grove, Florida.  The Lizard King's "indecent exposure" led to the cancellation of over two dozen concerts and some radio stations' refusal to play The Doors' music. 

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

Holiday Gift Guide Reviews: Cat Stevens, "Mona Bone Jakon" and "Tea for the Tillerman" 50th Anniversary Editions

December 11, 2020 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

CatStevensYusuf TeaForTheTillerman 50thBox pl

1970 was a defining year for pop music, and few stars ascended to quite the same heights as Cat Stevens, whose Mona Bone Jakon and Tea For the Tillerman re-introduced the songwriter and singer to audiences.  Gone are the production excesses of his late-'60s pop recordings.  Here, Stevens' songs are stripped-down as he looks inward and embraces a soulful sound.  Fifty years on, these two albums have been revisited by Yusuf through his aptly titled Cat-O-Log Records imprint, in coordination with

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: Cat Stevens, Holiday Gift Guide

After the Gold Rush: 50th Anniversary [Vinyl + 7" Edition]

December 9, 2020 By

neil after the gold rush

The 50th Anniversary Edition of Neil Young's classic album features new art based on Gary Burden's original album cover design.  The CD was released on December 11, 2020 while the vinyl edition will be presented in a box set with the LP and a bonus 7″ single in a newly designed picture sleeve due on March 19, 2021.  This set includes two different versions of the After the Gold Rush outtake "Wonderin'."  The A-side version was recorded in March 1970 in Topanga (previously heard on his Archives

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Formats: Box Sets, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock

Not Far Down to Paradise: Christopher Cross Collects "The Complete Works" on 13-CD/1-LP Box Set

December 7, 2020 By Joe Marchese 20 Comments

Christopher Cross The Complete Works

Forty years ago, Christopher Cross set sail on a musical journey that has continued unabated to the present day.  His self-titled debut was released in the waning days of December 1979, spinning off three smash hit singles in 1980 ("Ride Like the Wind," the Pop No. 1 "Sailing," and AC chart-topper "Never Be the Same") and netting a whopping five Grammy Awards.  Cross became the first artist in the awards' history to pick up Record, Album, and Song of the Year along with Best New Artist.  While

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Pop Tags: Christopher Cross

Magical Mystery Tour: Little Steven's Liverpool Show Captured on "Macca to Mecca!" and Expanded "Soulfire Live!"

December 7, 2020 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Little Steven Macca to Mecca

For most of us, 2021 can't come soon enough.  Little Steven Van Zandt is doing his part by injecting some Soulfire into the new year with a pair of releases due January 29.  On that date, Wicked Cool Records and UMe will release Macca to Mecca!, a live-in-Liverpool set, as a CD/DVD combo pack.  On the same date, Little Steven will also deliver an expanded edition of 2018's Soulfire Live! CD set which adds the audio of Macca to Mecca! as its fourth disc. In fall of 2017, Van Zandt and his band

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, DVD Genre: Classic Rock, Rock Tags: Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven, Paul McCartney, Steven Van Zandt

Release Round-Up: Week of December 4

December 4, 2020 By The Second Disc Leave a Comment

CatStevensYusuf TeaForTheTillerman 50thBox pl

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Cat Stevens, Mona Bone Jakon: 50th Anniversary Edition (A&M/UMe) 4-CD/Blu-ray/LP/12″ Box: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Cat Stevens, a.k.a. Yusuf, revisits 1970's Mona Bone Jakon with a new, 50th anniversary edition available in a host of formats.  The 4-CD/Blu-ray/LP 50th anniversary

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Holiday, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Reggae, Rock Tags: Amy Winehouse, Bill Evans, Blackmore's Night, Bob Marley, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Cat Stevens, Dave Brubeck, Little Richard, Monty Alexander, Peter Tork, Sonny Rollins, Spacehog, Steve Forbert, The Bangles, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, The Gun Club, The White Stripes

Holiday Gift Guide Review: The Free Design, "Butterflies Are Free: The Original Recordings 1967-72"

December 3, 2020 By Joe Marchese 9 Comments

The Free Design Butterflies Are Free

"Sorry - only one group like this to a generation," renowned engineer-producer Phil Ramone wrote on the back cover of The Free Design's 1968 sophomore album You Could Be Born Again.  After over 50 years, The Free Design are still a singular group, difficult to pigeonhole.  Their gentle, even childlike style has frequently landed them in the sunshine pop genre, but that match was never quite right: not only were they from New York, but their sound lacked the brightness and even brashness that

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Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Pop Tags: The Free Design

Butterflies Are Free: The Original Recordings 1967-72

December 2, 2020 By

The Free Design Butterflies Are Free

Cherry Red's El label takes a deep dive into the psychedelic world of The Free Design, sort of an underground Spanky and Our Gang - or sunshine pop, New York City-style.  (Most of their material was recorded with Phil Ramone at his A&R Studios.)  This 4-CD slipcased box features seven complete albums and bonus mono mixes and rarities.  The group's rich harmony versions of such songs as "The 59th Street Bridge Song," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," "Happy Together," "California

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Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Pop

Fire in the Blood: The Definitive Collection

December 2, 2020 By

Shakin Stevens Fire in the Blood

BMG has a new box set from the U.K. retro-rock and roll icon.  Fire in the Blood boasts an impressive 19 discs collecting 13 studio albums, 2 live sets, and 4 rarities discs.  The 12 x 12 hardback book also contains new liner notes by Paul Sexton, a hand-signed autograph from Shakin' Stevens, three art prints, a poster, the sheet music to "Oh Julie!" (the Shakin' classic covered by Barry Manilow), and a replica tour program.  With a wealth of classics, rarities, and previously unreleased

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Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Pop

The Collection

December 2, 2020 By

Amy Winehouse The Collection

Amy Winehouse's The Collection brings together the British singer's full-length efforts including both of the studio albums released in her lifetime, 2003's Frank and 2006's breakthrough Back to Black.  The latter, still one of the U.K.'s best-selling albums, earned the singer her second Ivor Novello Award (the first was for "Stronger Than Me" on Frank), a Brit Award, and five Grammys - tying the record for the most wins in one night by a female artist and making her the first British woman to

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Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Pop, R&B/Soul

12 x 7: The Singles Collection

December 2, 2020 By

Amy Winehouse 12 x 7

12 x 7: The Singles Collection celebrates the late Amy Winehouse with all of her A- and B-sides, including the Ivor Novello Award winners "Stronger Than Me," "Rehab," and "Love Is a Losing Game," on 12 slabs of vinyl.  Its twelve singles - totaling 23 sides (as Disc 12, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," doesn't have a B-side) - encompass both Winehouse's jazz-tinged/retro R&B originals as well as her interpretations of such classic songs as Carole King and Gerry Goffin's "Will You Still

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Formats: Box Sets, Vinyl Genre: Pop, R&B/Soul

Snowblind: Black Sabbath's "Vol. 4" Goes Super Deluxe in February with Unreleased Studio, Live Material

December 2, 2020 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Black Sabbath Vol 4 Super Deluxe

Ozzy Osbourne hasn't been far from the news lately, appearing on the cover of GQ, sharing details of his ongoing struggle with Parkinson's disease, releasing the new album Ordinary Man, and appearing on various television projects. On February 12, 2021, however, Rhino will be looking back with Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward for a 4-CD or 5-LP celebration of their classic 1972 album: Black Sabbath Vol. 4. Now a platinum seller, Vol. 4 was the band's first self-produced LP

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Rock Tags: Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne

I Told You I Was Trouble: Two Amy Winehouse Box Sets Coming to CD, LP

December 2, 2020 By Joe Marchese 5 Comments

Amy Winehouse 12 x 7

This Friday, two new box sets will celebrate the legacy of the late Amy Winehouse across vinyl and CD.  12 x 7: The Singles Collection and The Collection (both currently available in the U.K.) will respectively collect all of the late British singer's A- and B-sides on 12 pieces of vinyl and her three studio albums on CD alongside a live concert and remix collection previously unreleased in the format. (A 2015 vinyl variant of the album-focused The Collection included those same studio and live

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Vinyl Genre: Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: Amy Winehouse

Holiday Gift Guide Review: Lou Reed, "New York" [Deluxe Edition]

December 1, 2020 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Lou Reed New York

"I'll take Manhattan in a garbage bag with Latin written on it that says "It's hard to give a shit these days..." Indeed, Lou Reed always gave off the vibe of someone who didn't give a shit - and moreover, someone who didn't take any shit.  But beneath that hip veneer was an artist who cared deeply, and had the talents to express himself and his keenly-felt beliefs in song.  He was ready for a new start in 1988 when he began recording his first album for Sire Records after his second stint at

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Categories: Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, DVD, Vinyl Genre: Rock Tags: Lou Reed

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