/ Box Sets

Since The Second Disc began, we've seen more than a bit of Black Sabbath reissues and remasters, all of them confined to the United Kingdom, where the band's catalogue is distributed by Universal Music Group's Sanctuary Records (Warner Bros. handles it in the U.S.). The latest British-only set has been announced, and it's a doozy. A new box, The Ozzy Years: Complete Albums Box Set, will make its way to U.K. record shops on November 15. It has exactly what it says: nine remastered Sabbath albums

In what may be the most potent anti-drug message for catalogue fans, George Michael's reissue of Faith has been postponed. The singer, recently jailed for eight weeks for driving under the influence of drugs, was to have seen his solo album - a landmark of '80s pop - reissued in several configurations on September 28. A Legacy spokesperson says the release has been delayed to next year. Stay tuned for more info as it develops.

Thanks to funk ambassador Donald Cleveland for this tip: a Japanese Web site called Disk Union has published what looks like a preliminary track list for Warner France's upcoming CHIC box set. Though it's not final - and the other text, being loosely translated from Japanese to English, isn't quite coherent or more descriptive than anything else we've read, it looks like some genuine rarities are going to be in this set, including excerpts from one particularly tantalizing unreleased

Venerable indie label Matador Records has had one of the most consistently impressive rosters for newer music during their existence. The list includes Pavement, Interpol, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Sonic Youth, Liz Phair, Yo La Tengo, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and scores more. This month, as the label prepares a 21st anniversary celebration at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, they will chronicle that successful run in Matador at 21, a six-disc box full of notable tunes from Matador

We hate to start the day off with some bad news, but Rhino is apparently about to experience another depressing surge of layoffs, trade publication Variety reports. From the looks of it, expect a smaller slate of physical titles - even the Handmade stuff, some of which was in the can for years, the article says - and more of an emphasis on digital catalogue maneuvers or (at the very least) more on-demand releases like the Tartare program. Graham Nash mentioned to Billboard about the speculated

If you've followed the legendary producer/CHIC co-founder Nile Rodgers on Facebook or Twitter, you've no doubt realized that he's been combing through his archives for some projects, including his autobiography and a forthcoming box set chronicling The CHIC Organization and its productions. Finally, news of the latter has broke from someone other than Rodgers himself: Rhino France, through their Facebook page, has issued the first details about Nile Rodgers Presents The CHIC Organization Vol. 1:

Add another box set to the pile for this holiday season: The Rounder Records Story, an 87-track, four-disc chronicle of the Massachusetts-based indie folk label, celebrating its 40th year. The set includes tracks by notables names like Willie Nelson, NRBQ, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Rush, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, Bela Fleck and more. Pre-order it here and check the track list out after the jump.

Rhino Handmade has revealed the latest addition to its catalogue, and it's an unexpected one.  The State began its MTV run in 1993, and ran for three seasons, showcasing its young ensemble in edgy sketch comedy. The troupe spent January 1996 recording an album for Warner Bros. Records, but it was ultimately shelved. That album, Comedy for Gracious Living, gets its first-ever release on September 20 from the busy Handmade folks. Cast members are recognizable from their work in Wet Hot American