Readers of The Second Disc have had to cope with some powerful losses in the pantheon of music greats, and few losses were bigger than that of Prince this past spring. His death propelled multiple albums and compilations into the Billboard charts, including the single-disc overview The Very Best of Prince, which topped the charts 15 years after it was released. In time for the holidays, the first posthumous Prince collection, Prince 4Ever, was announced today by NPG Records and Warner Bros.
Release Round-Up: Week of October 21
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up - one of the year's biggest! Frank Sinatra, World on a String (Capitol/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada) Featuring performances spanning 1953 to 1982, this new live collection boasts more than four hours' worth of rare audio and video from the legendary Chairman of the Board - over 90 tracks on CD alone including such Sinatra favorites as "I Get a Kick Out of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "The Lady is a Tramp," "Witchcraft"
Review: Keely Smith, "The Intimate Keely Smith: Expanded Edition"
Rarely has an album so lived up to its name as in the case of The Intimate Keely Smith. The 1965 Reprise record, just brought to CD for the first time in a top-notch expanded edition via Real Gone Music, puts the song stylist front and center onstage in a tiny club, backed by just a small combo. The listener has a stage-side table. Other than the happy lack of clinking glasses and billowing smoke, you are there for a romantic, sensual, and yes, intimate set of classic ballads by Harry Warren,
Doin' the Do: Cherry Pop Reissues, Expands Betty Boo's "Boomania"
Boomania is back! Earlier this year, Cherry Red's Cherry Pop imprint reissued GRRR! It's Betty Boo, the 1992 sophomore album by Alison Clarkson, a.k.a. pop/dance/hip-hop chanteuse Betty Boo. Now, the label has turned the clock back to Boomania, the infectious 1991 debut album by the stylish and genre-bending multiple hyphenate rapper-singer-songwriter-producer. The Beatmasters' 1989 U.K. No. 7 hit "Hey DJ/I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)" – based on Martha and the Vandellas' 1968
The Lights of Long Ago: Masterworks Broadway to Reissue Three Cast Albums Including Menken's "A Christmas Carol"
Masterworks Broadway has recently announced its next three reissue projects between now and November, all due on CD-R and DD. The first was released this past Friday, October 14: the original cast album to 1957's Simply Heavenly. The book and lyrics were written by noted poet and novelist Langston Hughes with the music by jazz bandleader David Martin. It starred Melvin Stewart and Claudia McNeil (who would later star in A Raisin In The Sun). The show, based upon Hughes' novel Simple Takes A
Ace Collects Classic Beatles Covers On "Let It Be: Black America Sings Lennon, McCartney and Harrison"
If there was ever any doubt as to the versatility, adaptability and endurance of the songs of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, it would certainly be dispelled by Ace’s new release of Let It Be: Black America Sings Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. The latest volume in the label’s Black America Sings series (also encompassing volumes dedicated to Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, and the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David) and the second dedicated to the music of The Beatles,
Review: Big Star, "Complete Third"
Will the real Big Star’s Third please stand up? That’s a loaded question, for it’s possible that there never, in fact, was a “real” version of the album recorded at Memphis’ Ardent Studios in 1974 by Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens with producer-engineer Jim Dickinson, studio owner John Fry and engineer Richard Rosebrough. Chilton even asserted numerous times that the sessions were never intended to yield a Big Star album at all. (One potential name for the duo of Chilton and Stephens was
Turn Off The Lights: BBR Goes Philly with Teddy Pendergrass, Edwin Birdsong
Cherry Red’s Big Break Records imprint has turned back the clock to 1979 for a pair of titles from the legendary roster of Philadelphia International Records. BBR has continued its journey through the catalogue of the late Teddy Pendergrass with an expanded reissue of his third PIR solo platter, simply entitled Teddy. Overseen by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the 1979 album followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, the previous year’s R&B chart-topper Life Is a Song Worth Singing, in
A Thousand Years Wide: Soundgarden Expand "Badmotorfinger" in a Big Way
When news first broke that Soundgarden were planning a 25th anniversary edition of their third album, 1991’s Badmotorfinger, it was almost hard to imagine what extra content would be included. After all, 2014’s Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Along the Path had compiled just about all of the group’s B-sides across three discs. Well, with the grunge explosion celebrated heavily in the Soundgarden-adjacent camp (box sets devoted to Mother Love Bone and Temple of the Dog are among 2016’s bigger
Release Round-Up: Week of October 14
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Big Star, Complete Third (Omnivore Recordings) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Omnivore does an in-depth vault dive into the creation of Big Star's Third for a new 3-CD box set. Complete Third includes every demo, rough mix, outtake, alternate take and final master from the Third sessions known to exist. The 69 tracks on this set represent the culmination of a decade-long search to assemble all extant recordings for the album
Don’t All Fade Away: The Who’s “My Generation” Receives 5-CD Super Deluxe Treatment in November
2016 has already seen anniversary releases of many classic albums and another has just been announced. While it originally came out in December 1965 in the U.K., The Who’s classic debut LP My Generation didn’t hit U.S. shores until April 1966 (as The Who Sings My Generation) and Universal Music is celebrating that 50th anniversary with a 5-CD Super Deluxe Edition of the album due to hit shelves on November 18. While it didn’t set the charts on fire in the U.S., the album went to #5 in the
Life is a Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me): Ace Collects Seventies Smashes On "Hit List 2"
Way back in 2004, Ace Records compiled The Hit List: 24 Hot 100 American Chartbusters of the 1970s. The label has recently returned to the milieu of the first collection for Hit List 2: More Hot 100 Chartbusters of the 70s. The material on this CD is quite a bit different than that on most Ace releases in that both the artists and the songs are largely familiar. But it still casts its 24 tracks into a new context, celebrating – in the label’s words – the “time when AM radio was still king and
The Golden Pathway: Esoteric Continues Anthony Phillips Reissues with "1984" and More "Private Parts"
Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint has continued its definitive Anthony Phillips reissue series with two more deluxe titles by the artist/composer: 1981's concept album 1984 as a 2-CD/DVD-A edition, and Private Parts and Pieces V-VIII in a 5-CD set. Not counting Phillips' Private Parts releases, 1984 followed his 1979 album Sides. Whereas Sides was produced by Rupert Hine with the aims of attracting a mainstream audience, 1984 was an instrumental affair containing just four tracks -
Stardog Champions: Mother Love Bone Box Due This Fall
We recently reported Universal's new reissue of Seattle grunge outfit Temple of the Dog, a supergroup featuring members of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden paying tribute to Mother Love Bone. This fall, the complete output of that band will be compiled into a box set as well. On Earth As It Is: The Complete Works is the definitive collection from the first of Seattle's burgeoning late '80s/early '90s rock scene to secure a major label deal. The members of the quintet all kicked around said scene for
It's Gotta Be Big: Tori Amos to Expand "Boys for Pele," 20 Years Later
In honor of its 20th anniversary, Rhino Records is expanding and reissuing Tori Amos' third album, Boys for Pele, with a host of rare and unreleased bonus tracks. Her first self-produced album after splitting with producer and partner Eric Rosse, Boys for Pele (named for the Hawaiian fire goddess) found Amos taking the power back from the male figures in her life. "I was at the point I could not answer to anybody," she said of her bid for independence. "I'd been answering my whole life to
Friday's Child: Lee Hazlewood Meets Indie Rock On Ace's New "Son-of-a-Gun"
Ace has previously surveyed the singular oeuvre of musical iconoclast Lee Hazlewood on a number of releases including Califia: The Songs of Lee Hazlewood and, more recently, Shazam! and Other Instrumentals Written by Lee Hazlewood. Now, on Son-of-a-Gun and More from the Lee Hazlewood Songbook, the label has returned to the territory of Califia with a twist. Whereas that compilation focused on Lee’s vivid, quirky songs as performed by Nancy Sinatra, Dusty Springfield, Ann-Margret, Dino, Desi
Release Round-Up: Week of October 7
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up which just might be the biggest slate of the year to date! Lou Reed, The RCA and Arista Album Collection (RCA/Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Legacy brings together 16 Lou Reed albums from his RCA and Arista years on 17 CDs, all remastered directly under Reed's supervision before his untimely passing in 2013. An 80-page hardbound booklet with detailed liner notes, five art prints and a poster round out this limited edition package. Read
Morning Glory: Omnivore Collects Tim Buckley's Complete Singles
The music of the late Tim Buckley is about to take flight again on Wings - The Complete Singles 1966-1974 from Omnivore Recordings. Due for release on November 18, Wings presents the A- and B-sides of all ten singles issued from his nine albums, plus one previously unreleased track originally slated for an unissued 45. In short, this 21-track anthology promises to provide a powerful introduction to the genre-bending, envelope-pushing artist. Hailing from bucolic Orange County, California by
Child of the Universe: Esoteric Reissues Two From Barclay James Harvest
Esoteric Recordings has recently turned its attention to the Polydor discography of prog giants Barclay James Harvest for a pair of 2-CD/1-DVD reissues. John Lees founded Barclay James Harvest in 1966 with Les Holroyd, Mel Pritchard and Stuart "Wooly" Wolstenholme. After one single for EMI's Parlophone imprint in 1968, the progressive four-piece was moved over to the Harvest imprint. Barclay James Harvest remained on Harvest for four LPs, but didn't score their commercial breakthrough until a
Never Say Die: Black Sabbath's "Ultimate Collection" Chronicles Classic Era
As Black Sabbath reach the end of their final world tour--prepping a brief trek of North and South America in November and December and a final European trek in January and February--BMG in Europe will chronicle the group's classic lineup with a new compilation. The Ultimate Collection gathers 31 tracks from the eight studio albums Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward released from 1970 to 1978. Hits and fan favorites include "Iron Man," "Changes," "War Pigs," "Paranoid,"
Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll: Queen Prep "Complete BBC Sessions" Release
Queen are going back into the archives for the holidays, unearthing their complete radio sessions for the BBC and beyond. Queen On Air: The Complete BBC Sessions will be available in a variety of formats collecting just about every note by the band ever transmitted over the airwaves in their native country. Only a small handful of these performances have ever been released, and their place in the band's history is hard to dispute, predating their first studio album. Freddie Mercury, Brian
Leather and Lace: Rhino Expands Stevie Nicks' "Bella Donna" and "The Wild Heart" In November
Stevie Nicks is launching her 24 Karat Gold tour later month, named for her acclaimed 2014 studio album consisting of new recordings of previously unheard compositions. Now, Nicks is looking back once more with two more 24-karat gold Deluxe Editions of her first two solo albums, Bella Donna and The Wild Heart. Both releases arrive from Rhino on November 4, along with remastered, stand-alone editions of the original albums on LP, CD and DD. 1981's solo debut Bella Donna will be released as a
Savvy Show Stoppers: Shadowy Men Release Shadowy Reissues
Your weekend will be above average should you pick up the new expanded editions of all three albums by Canadian instrumental rock band Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. The Toronto-based trio--drummer Don Pyle, guitarist Brian Connelly and bassist Reid Diamond--formed out of punk outfit Crash Kills Five in 1984. Their catchy instrumentals and unique DIY-style releases (one EP was sold on a package of Jiffy Pop) guaranteed them cult favorite status, but it was "Having An Average Weekend," the
Let's Dance: "Legacy" Collects David Bowie's Best Singles and More
Roughly two years ago, David Bowie announced the release of Nothing Has Changed, a career-spanning retrospective available in 2-CD, 3-CD and 2-LP configurations from Columbia/Legacy in the United States and Parlophone in the United Kingdom. Since then, much has changed. Most tragically, Bowie passed away earlier this year at the age of 69, just two days after the release of his final album, Blackstar. Now, a new compilation follows in the footsteps of Nothing Has Changed, bringing the
One Way Ticket: BBR Reissues Disco Hits From Coffee, Eruption
Big Break Records has dug into the vaults of De-Lite Records for a heady brew. The 1980 album Slippin' and Dippin' from the trio known as Coffee ("hot, black and sweet," per group founder Elaine Sims!) has newly arrived on CD in an expanded edition boasting five bonus tracks. Elaine Sims, Gwen Hester and Dee Dee Bryant got their start on the streets of Chicago. Though they initially comprised a line-up of the quartet Portraits of Black, the departure of Portraits member Betty Caldwell left
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