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Review: Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, "Whisky a Go Go 1968"

July 12, 2024 By Joe Marchese 3 Comments

Zappa Whisky 1968

Frank Zappa didn't open his first set on the evening of July 23, 1968 at Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go with a power chord or a blues beat.  Instead, the band - Ray Collins (vocals, percussion), Ian Underwood (alto sax), Bunk Gardner (tenor sax, flute), Don Preston (keyboards, gong), Motorhead Sherwood (baritone sax, percussion), Roy Estrada (bass, vocals), Art Tripp (drum set, percussion), and Jimmy Carl Black (drum set, percussion) - opened with a clattering improvisation that was sure to separate

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Classic Rock, Everything Else, Jazz Tags: Frank Zappa

Release Round-Up: Week of July 12

July 12, 2024 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

John Lennon Mind Games Ultimate Collection

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today!  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. John Lennon, Mind Games: The Ultimate Collection (Capitol/UMe) 6CD/2BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 9LP/6CD/2BD Super Deluxe Box: Official Store 2CD (includes contents of CD 1 and 6, below): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP (includes contents of CD 1 and 6, below): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Blues, Classic Rock, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Allyson Briggs, Crazy Town, Dr. John, Dusty Springfield, Eric Clapton, Joe Grushecky and the Iron City Houserockers, John Lee Hooker, John Lennon, John Williams, Listening, Louis Armstrong, Marc Almond, Nick Mason, Tony Rice, Van Halen

Can We Be In Love: SoulMusic, The Second Disc Collect Double Exposure's Salsoul Albums on "My Love Is Free"

July 10, 2024 By The Second Disc Leave a Comment

Double Exposure My Love Is Free

For SoulMusic Records and The Second Disc, this is the Year of Salsoul.  The release of The Salsoul Orchestra's 8CD box set It's Good for the Soul: The Vince Montana Years (1975-1978) and the imminent arrival of sets from Loleatta Holloway and First Choice will be followed on September 20 by our latest co-branded title celebrating Philadelphia disco quartet Double Exposure.  My Love Is Free: The Salsoul Recordings (1976-1979) brings together expanded editions of all three of the group's Salsoul

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: Double Exposure

Forever Young: Bob Dylan and The Band's Complete 1974 Live Recordings Collected on Massive Box

July 9, 2024 By Joe Marchese 13 Comments

Bob Dylan and The Band 1974 Live Recordings

Bob Dylan had come a long way from coffeehouses.  In 1974, the superstar singer-songwriter embarked on an extensive tour with his old backing band.  Now, they, too, were universally known - as The Band - and the double bill hit indoor arenas across North America for 40 concerts over 30 dates and 21 cities.  The tour became one of the largest and highest-profile of the era, in no small part due to the promotional efforts of David Geffen, who'd spurred on the talks and had recently lured Dylan

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock Tags: Bob Dylan, The Band

It's Love I'm After: Acrobat Music Collects Judy Garland's Best and Rarest on "A Celebration"

July 5, 2024 By The Second Disc 9 Comments

Judy Garland A Celebration

To our American readers, we hope you've had a very happy Fourth of July!  There aren't as many new releases as usual today, so we'll be back next Friday with our regular Release Round-Up, but today, we're spotlight a new collection which is now available. Fifty-five years ago, in June 1969, the world lost Judy Garland at the too-young age of 47.  Yet her voice lives on even today as new generations discover The Wizard of Oz, A Star Is Born, or Judy at Carnegie Hall.   Today, Acrobat Music

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Vinyl Genre: Popular Standards/Vocal, Soundtracks Tags: Judy Garland

Review: Johnny Cash, "Songwriter"

July 3, 2024 By Joe Marchese 3 Comments

Johnny Cash Songwriter

"Hello out there, this is planet Earth..."  If planet Earth indeed had a voice, it might well have sounded like that of John R. Cash: deep, resonant, impactful.  Those lyrics open "Hello Out There," the first track on Songwriter, the new, posthumous release from the late troubadour (1932-2003) - the fifth such collection to arrive since his death.  It's been released by UMe and Mercury Nashville, in essence adding one more album to his Mercury discography which spanned 1986-1991. The Mercury

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Categories: Reviews Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Country Tags: Johnny Cash

Release Round-Up: Week of June 28

June 28, 2024 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

Version 1.0.0

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today!  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Two Tons o' Fun, Get the Feeling: The Complete Fantasy/Honey Recordings (Real Gone Music/Second Disc Records) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music) Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music celebrate Two Tons o' Fun - a.k.a. Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead, a.k.a. The Weather Girls - with a complete

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Folk, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock Tags: Al Stewart, Cher, Gerry Beckley, Johnny Cash, Melanie, Neil Young, Richard "Dimples" Fields, The Spinners, Todd Rundgren, Two Tons o' Fun, Yes

OUT TOMORROW! SoulMusic, The Second Disc Collect The Spinners' 1979-1984 Atlantic Years on New Box Set

June 27, 2024 By The Second Disc 2 Comments

Spinners Keep On Keepin' On

The Spinners - a.k.a. John Edwards, Henry Fambrough, Bobbie Smith, Billy Henderson, and Pervis Jackson - were at a crossroads when longtime producer-arranger-conductor Thom Bell confirmed that he would no longer be working with the group.  Where would they go next?  Tomorrow, June 28, SoulMusic Records and The Second Disc chronicle the next chapter of The Spinners' illustrious career with a new 7-CD box set.  Keep on Keepin' On: The Atlantic Years (Phase Two: 1979-1984) picks up where last

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Disco/Dance, Pop, R&B/Soul Tags: The Spinners

OUT TOMORROW! Real Gone, Second Disc Collect Two Tons o' Fun on "Get the Feeling: The Complete Fantasy/Honey Recordings"

June 27, 2024 By The Second Disc 2 Comments

Two Tons o' Fun Get the Feeling

Before they achieved stardom the world over with "It's Raining Men," Weather Girls Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead made waves in the thriving San Francisco music scene as Two Tons o' Fun (and, later, The Two Tons).  The powerhouse duo began working with gender- and genre-defying artist Sylvester at Fantasy Records, singing background and lead vocals on many of his most memorable recordings.  In 1980, they struck out on their own and teamed with legendary Motown veteran Harvey Fuqua (who

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: Martha Wash, Sylvester, The Weather Girls, Two Tons o' Fun

Love Thang: First Choice Box Set Due in August from SoulMusic, The Second Disc

June 26, 2024 By The Second Disc 1 Comment

First Choice Love Having You Around

SoulMusic Records and The Second Disc are readying a hot Salsoul summer with another new release from the classic dance label, following our recent Salsoul Orchestra and upcoming Loleatta Holloway box sets.  On August 23, we're proud to celebrate Philadelphia girl group First Choice with Love Having You Around: The Gold Mind Recordings (1977-1980).  This 4CD collection features expanded editions of the trio's three original albums for Salsoul's Gold Mind imprint, plus a specially-curated bonus

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul Tags: First Choice

Foreigner

June 25, 2024 By

Cat Stevens Foreigner

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada UMe and Yusuf/Cat Stevens' own Cat-o-Log label reissue the singer-songwriter's seventh studio album, 1973's Foreigner.  On this album, Stevens made a major departure.  It was the first album solely produced and written by the artist, and his first to somewhat jettison his folk-influenced acoustic sound in favor of a more expansive R&B style.  Stevens traveled to Kingston, Jamaica to record the LP,

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Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop

Louis in London

June 25, 2024 By

Louis Armstrong Louis in London

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP (Black Vinyl): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Verve Online Store (Blue Vinyl) This previously unreleased performance from the late, great Louis Armstrong was recorded live on the BBC on July 2, 1968 while the legendary musician and singer was riding high thanks to the chart-topping success in Great Britain of "What a Wonderful World." The 13-song set naturally includes that evergreen anthem penned by Bob Thiele and George David

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Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Jazz, Popular Standards/Vocal

The Albums 1980-1985

June 25, 2024 By

Richard Dimples Fields The Albums 1980 1985

Cherry Red's Robinsongs imprint celebrates late soul man Richard "Dimples" Fields for his first major release of the CD/digital era.  Dimples was an unusual figure on the soul music landscape: a self-proclaimed feminist who portrayed himself as a two-timing ladies' man, whose quirky ballads including "She's Got Papers on Me" and "If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another" were alternately earnest and humorous.  This set includes all three of Fields' Boardwalk LPs - Dimples (1980), Mr. Look So

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Formats: CD Genre: R&B/Soul

Memphis

June 25, 2024 By

Elvis Memphis box 2024

5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada This new 5CD set (also available as a double vinyl album of highlights) showcases five crucial periods in which The King of Rock and Roll recorded in his adopted city of Memphis: the fiery 1953-1955 sessions at Sun Studio that first proved his worth as a singing sensation; a restorative 1969 session at American Sound Studios that remains to many his career highlight; a trek to Stax Studios in 1973;

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Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Country, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock

Jimmy Wayne Jamison

June 25, 2024 By

Jimmy Wayne Jamison

Iconoclassic Records celebrates the life of former Survivor and melodic rock singer Jimi Jamison with its second release of previously unreleased material from the late artist: a country-flavored recording from 2007, entitled Jimmy Wayne Jamison.  After a return to Survivor in the 21st century, Jamison thrilled fans with 2007's Crossroads Moment, a rock album reuniting the singer with Jim Peterik, Survivor's co-founder and best-known creative engine, who'd not been a part of the group since 1996

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Formats: CD Genre: Country, Rock

You're Only Lonely: Expanded Edition

June 25, 2024 By

JD Souther You're Only Lonely

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Omnivore Recordings LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Omnivore Recordings JD Souther's beloved 1979 Columbia album - which yielded the chart-topping title track - returns in a remastered and expanded edition from Omnivore Recordings.  To bring to life the rich set of songs on You're Only Lonely, Souther enlisted a musical A-team including Waddy Wachtel on guitar, Don Grolnick on piano, Kenny Edwards on bass, and Rick Marotta on

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Formats: CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop

Greatest Hits

June 25, 2024 By

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Streaming may have rendered the traditional "greatest hits" album obsolete, but Little Big Town is bucking the trend with this new collection.  In addition to nine of the Alabama foursome's most enduring hits, their Greatest Hits includes two re-recorded versions of songs from 2010's The Reason Why: "Little White Church" (now featuring guest vocals from Miranda Lambert) and "Shut Up Train" (with a

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Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Country

"Les Cousins: The Soundtrack to Soho's Legendary Folk and Blues Club" Features Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart

June 25, 2024 By Joe Marchese Leave a Comment

Les Cousins

"For two-and-a-half years, I had the Friday night show at Bunjies Coffee Bar, and it became a residency for me," Al Stewart remembered in an interview with this author for the recent collection of his U.S. singles.  "After a while, I got another residency right around the corner at a club called Les Cousins."  The Greek Street venue was a focal point of the London folk scene.  Nick Drake, Cat Stevens, Alexis Korner, John Renbourn, and a young American named Paul Simon all passed through its

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD Genre: Folk Tags: Al Stewart, Bert Jansch, Cat Stevens, Donovan, Nick Drake, Paul Simon, Various Artists

Purple Drain: What's Going On with the Prince Estate?

June 21, 2024 By Mike Duquette 38 Comments

prince live 1984

In his too-brief life and vastly influential music career, Prince was known for every trait associated with genius: eclectic, kinetic musical ideas; a restless creative spirit; and of course, a mercurial side - known to change his own mind or direction at the slightest whims. In the eight years since his untimely passing, it seems the custodians of his affairs have got the mercurial part right, and that sometimes seems about it. A series of surprising successes and near-misses today in

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Categories: Features Formats: Blu-Ray Audio, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Funk, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Prince

Release Round-Up: Week of June 21

June 21, 2024 By The Second Disc 3 Comments

Joni Mitchell Asylum Albums 1976 1980 Cover

Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Joni Mitchell, The Asylum Albums 1976-1980 (Rhino/Asylum) 5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rhino.com 6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rhino.com The Asylum Albums (1976-1980) arrives on 5 CDs, 6 LPs, and digital formats, completing the Asylum period of Mitchell's extraordinary career.  Whereas

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Categories: Release Round-Up Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, DVD, Vinyl Genre: Blues, Classic Rock, Folk, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks Tags: Avril Lavigne, Brownie McGhee, Celine Dion, Daryl Hall, Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Joni Mitchell, Lightnin' Hopkins, Melanie, Olivia Newton-John, Sonny Terry, Tom Petty

I'm with the Band: Country Vocal Group Little Big Town Plans Greatest Hits Album Ahead of New Tour

June 20, 2024 By Mike Duquette 1 Comment

Streaming might have rendered the greatest hits album a comparative rarity in today's discographies, but country quartet Little Big Town are bucking the trend, planning a new collection of popular singles (and a few re-recordings) ahead of a tour this fall. The Alabama foursome, comprised of singers Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook (all of whom perform in rich harmony, with no de facto lead singer), have been together for 25 years, but started to take off

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Country Tags: Little Big Town

The Tragically Hip's 'Up to Here' Goes Up to There in New Box Set

June 20, 2024 By Mike Duquette Leave a Comment

Up to Here box set

Beloved Canadian rockers The Tragically Hip planned a year devoted to opening the archives (like a live set released for Record Store Day this spring) and celebrating the 40th anniversary of their founding. This fall, they'll put out a greatly expanded version of Up to Here, their first full-length album, originally released in 1989. Available November 8 on three CDs or four LPs and a Blu-ray Disc, the Up to Here box includes the original remastered album, audio and video of a beloved live

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Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Rock Tags: The Tragically Hip

You Can Call Out My Name: JD Souther's "You're Only Lonely" Returns in Expanded Edition from Omnivore

June 19, 2024 By The Second Disc 6 Comments

JD Souther You're Only Lonely

Michigan-born, Texas-raised John David Souther was one of the first artists signed to David Geffen and Elliot Roberts' groundbreaking Asylum label in 1971.  His two albums for Asylum, John David Souther (1972) and Black Rose (1976), established the singer-songwriter's distinctive voice on such now-classic songs as "Faithless Love," "How Long," and "Simple Man, Simple Dream."  In 1979, Souther moved over to the Columbia label where he scored a chart-topping hit with the title track of You're Only

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Categories: News Formats: CD, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop Tags: JD Souther

Review: David Bowie, "Rock 'N' Roll Star"

June 18, 2024 By Joe Marchese 5 Comments

David Bowie Rock N Roll Star

"So Long, '60s," David Bowie proclaims on the first track of the new 5CD/1BD Parlophone box set Rock 'N' Roll Star.  Strumming his 12-string at a San Francisco Holiday Inn, the future superstar was embracing the new decade and its immense possibilities: "I'll kick you in the ass, you rascal, you!"  Its verse melody and the barest wisp of the lyric ("keep your mouth shut!") would make it to a new composition, "Moonage Daydream," the third song on his fifth album.  That LP was The Rise and Fall of

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Categories: Reviews Formats: Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD Genre: Classic Rock Tags: David Bowie

Country Survivor: Iconoclassic Preps Another Unreleased Jimi Jamison Album, in a Different Genre

June 18, 2024 By Mike Duquette 2 Comments

Jimmy Wayne Jamison

Iconoclassic Records will celebrate the life of former Survivor and melodic rock singer Jimi Jamison with its second release of previously unreleased material this summer: a country-flavored recording from 2007, entitled Jimmy Wayne Jamison. For much of rock band Survivor's tenure - particularly a stellar run from 1984 to 1989 - Jimi Jamison was its voice: melodic and expressive, bringing gravitas and tenderness to pop hits like "I Can't Hold Back," "High on You," "The Search is Over,"

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Categories: News Formats: CD Genre: Country, Rock Tags: Jim Peterik, Jimi Jamison, Survivor

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