During his all-too-brief career, Jimi Hendrix navigated an uncharted course, following his muse and his talents wherever they would take him. So much has been said about his guitar technique, his songwriting, and his lyrics. But as I lay listening to the 50th anniversary edition of Band of Gypsys, I realized that Hendrix was also a pioneer of that sometimes-maligned product, the concert recording. At the time of its release in March of 1970, live albums had something of a bad rap. Many were
Emotional Rescue: The Rolling Stones Announce Half-Speed Masters of 10 Classic Albums
In this vacuum that is COVID lockdown, where time seems suspended indefinitely, I was shaken back to reality the other day with the ping of an iPhone notification. "Starting in 7 minutes," the message read, "The Rolling Stones in Nashville." That's where I was supposed to be, half-of-the-nation away for my first trip to Music City and (somehow) my first Rolling Stones show. Well, the oft-repeated lyric felt no more prescient than in that moment: here I was, certainly not getting what I
Release Round-Up: Week of May 22
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Joe Grushecky, Have a Good Time But Get Out Alive! 40th Anniversary Edition (Cleveland International) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers' bar-band classic is returning to print in a newly expanded edition adding a second disc with 16 previously unreleased tracks including demos and rarities. The 40th anniversary edition of Have a Good Time But Get
Outlaw Man: Cherry Red, Morello Collect Four Albums from Singer-Songwriter David Blue
David Blue might be best-known for two things: writing "Outlaw Blues" on Eagles' Desperado album, and being a friend and occasional sidekick of Bob Dylan's. Yet he recorded seven albums (plus a major contribution to an eighth, the 1965 Elektra anthology Singer Songwriter Project) between 1965 and 1976 in addition to making appearances on stage and film before his untimely death in 1982. Cherry Red's Morello imprint has recently celebrated the late folk troubadour with a four-albums-on-two-CDs
Still Truckin’: Vinyl Me Please Plots “The Story of The Grateful Dead” Anthology 14-LP Box Set
Move over, Herbie Hancock, because the next volume of music subscription service Vinyl Me, Please's celebrated Anthology series will be The Story of The Grateful Dead. The massive 14-LP box set collects four studio albums and four live albums originally released between 1969 and 1990. Among them is Without A Net, the 1990 live collection that makes its first appearance on vinyl since its original release thirty years ago. The new pressings in The Story of The Grateful Dead have been
UPDATE WITH LINKS: Are You Ready? Neil Young Confirms “Homegrown” Release Date and Track Listing, Plots Further Archive Releases
For nearly 45 years, Neil Young fans have been clamoring for Homegrown, the lost album that was nearly released in 1975 and most recently slated for the still-yet-to-happen Record Store Day 2020. Now, it's been announced that the album described by Neil as "the missing link between Harvest, Comes A Time, Old Ways and Harvest Moon" will finally reach fans on June 19. "[Homegrown] is all analog! The purest sound," Young wrote in a post on his Neil Young Archives site. "Hear the vinyl. Get a
Baby He’s a Star: ‘Prince and The Revolution: Live’ Comes To Streaming and Download
The Prince Estate made quarantine a little more tolerable this week when they announced that Prince and The Revolution: Live, the 1985 concert film reissued as part of the Purple Rain deluxe package in 2017, was receiving a limited stream on YouTube, to raise money and awareness for the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Though the concert will eventually disappear from the video service, the memory will live on thanks to a surprise digital-only premiere of the
Release Round-Up: Week of May 15
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Frank Sinatra, Nice 'n' Easy: 60th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Capitol/UMe) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP (Remixed Album Only): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Capitol Records, Frank Sinatra Enterprises, and UMe have a 60th anniversary edition of Frank Sinatra's classic 1960 album arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle. For the occasion, the album has been completely remixed and features three bonus tracks:
Go For It: Real Gone Music Set to Reissues Cult Classics From the ’70s and ’80s in June
Real Gone Music is winding back the clock a few decades with reissues that are sure to please crate-diggers. First, on June 12, the label will release two mid-'80s cult classics - Kleeer's Intimate Connection and the Predator soundtrack. Fiftieth anniversary reissues of Eugene McDaniels' Outlaw and Fanny's self-titled debut will follow on June 26. Long a favorite of electro-funk connoisseurs, New York-based Kleeer recorded half a dozen acclaimed albums for Atlantic. One of their most
LiveandWell: David Bowie Rarity Returns from Parlophone
Parlophone Records has announced that three rare David Bowie live releases from the 1990s will all be returning to streaming formats in the months ahead. Tomorrow, May 15, the first of these titles will arrive on digital platforms. Liveandwell.com was made available as a limited edition CD release in 2000 to BowieNet subscribers. It typically fetches high sums secondhand. For this streaming reissue, it has been expanded with two bonus tracks: "Pallas Athena" and "V-2 Schneider," the former
Review: The Flying Burrito Bros., “Burrito Deluxe” on Hybrid SACD
For years now, we've touted Intervention Records' superlative work in the vinyl reissue front. The team's attention to detail, impeccable artwork, and stellar sonics across genres have given them a reputation in the reissue world as one of the best. Their established quality in the LP world happily extends to the digital realm, as well. Intervention recently released a stereo-only hybrid SACD of The Flying Burrito Bros.' Burrito Deluxe - one of the formative albums of the country-rock genre
Book Review: “Along Comes The Association: Beyond Folk Rock and Three-Piece Suits” by Russ Giguere
"Well, I'm a comer and a goer in a six man band," went the lyrics to The Association's 1968 semi-autobiographical single "Six Man Band." Now, founding member Russ Giguere has reflected on his comings and goings in a new book that serves as both a personal memoir and a history of the band. Along Comes The Association: Beyond Folk Rock and Three-Piece Suits, written with Ashley Wren Collins, is a compelling look back at a colorful life in the group that gave the world such enduring hits as "Along
Happy Together: The Zappa Trust Winds Back the Clock 50 Years With ‘The Mothers 1970’ Box Set
On Friday, Zappa Records/UMe announced its latest archival release. The Mothers 1970, a 4-CD box set, is due on June 26. Like previous Zappa archive projects such as last year's 50th anniversary edition of Hot Rats, this one has been produced by Ahmet Zappa and "Vaultmeister" Joe Travers to provide a look at a heralded period of creativity. The short-lived Mothers of Invention iteration heard on these discs featured Aynsley Dunbar (drums), George Duke (piano/keys/trombone), Ian Underwood
In Memoriam: Little Richard (1932-2020)
The stupid but true thing to start off with is there was nothing "little" about him. I was born in 1987, a year after Richard Penniman was officially canonized as one of rock and roll's true pioneers, inducted into the first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From that point through the early '90s, he got to enjoy some unlikely fruits of becoming an elder statesman that aren't typically afforded to many at this stage in their careers. In 1986, his song "Great Gosh A'Mighty," from the
Something To See: Bob Dylan Announces New Album “Rough and Rowdy Ways,” Shares New Single
Bob Dylan has been on a roll, getting us through lockdown with new singles that find him as clever and compelling as ever. On Thursday evening, May 7, the Bob Dylan Twitter account posted another cryptic tweet - complete with a pulp book-inspired illustration and a lyric quote - which had fans everywhere wondering if we might get another treat to tide us over. Well, come midnight, we got our answer as "False Prophet" was released on digital streaming services. The third surprise single in
Are You Ready? Neil Young Confirms “Homegrown” Release Date and Track Listing, Plots Further Archive Releases
For nearly 45 years, Neil Young fans have been clamoring for Homegrown, the lost album that was nearly released in 1975 and most recently slated for the still-yet-to-happen Record Store Day 2020. Now, it's been announced that the album described by Neil as "the missing link between Harvest, Comes A Time, Old Ways and Harvest Moon" will finally reach fans on June 19. "[Homegrown] is all analog! The purest sound," Young wrote in a post on his Neil Young Archives site. "Hear the vinyl. Get a
Come Hear Uncle John’s Band: Grateful Dead’s “Workingman’s Dead” Gets 50th Anniversary Reissue with Unreleased Concert
The ongoing Grateful Dead anniversary reissue series is marching on with the July 10 celebration of the 50th anniversary of Workingman's Dead featuring two new releases from the band and Rhino Records. Often hailed as one of the Dead's most accessible albums along with its follow-up, American Beauty, Workingman's Dead placed its focus on tighter songcraft in a country/folk-oriented vein that would later be described as "Americana." It introduced the group's first chart hit, the timeless
Sunshine and Shadows: Cherry Red, Esoteric Reissue ’60s NY Psych Band Ars Nova on New 2-CD Set
In Latin, ars nova translates to new art - and that's precisely what the band of the same name was seeking to conjure on two albums originally released in 1968 and 1969. Now, Cherry Red Group's Esoteric Recordings imprint has reissued both of Ars Nova's LPs - Ars Nova and Sunshine and Shadows - on one 2-CD set entitled Fields of People: The Atlantic and Elektra Recordings 1968-1969. The group was the brainchild of recent Mannes College musical conservatory graduates Wyatt Day
Song To The Siren: Unreleased Tim Buckley, Reissued Electric Prunes Arriving From Real Gone Music
On June 12, Real Gone Music will dig into the '60s underground with a pair of exciting vinyl releases. The first is a reissue of The Electric Prunes' Release of an Oath. By the time the album was released in 1968, the band - known for "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" - featured none of its original members, yet two key players in the band's success remained: engineer-producer Dave Hassinger and composer-arranger extraordinaire David Axelrod. It's said that Axelrod's complex
The Ties That Bind: Springsteen Releases 1981 New Jersey “River” Show to Benefit State Pandemic Relief Fund
Earlier today, Bruce Springsteen announced the release of the latest title in his live series, with all proceeds from the sale of the show going to the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. The date was July 9, 1981. Springsteen and The E Street Band had just returned from Europe and headed home to New Jersey to christen the brand-new Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford. Today, the venue is a filming facility rather than a concert venue, but in summer '81, it was a major new addition to the
Release Round-Up: Week of May 1
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Benefit for Moogy Klingman (Purple Pyramid) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Cleopatra Records' Purple Pyramid imprint remembers Utopia's late keyboardist with Benefit for Moogy Klingman. This 4-CD/2-DVD set (originally slated for May 15 but apparently shipping today) includes the band's Highline Ballroom reunion set of January 29, 2011 (featuring Todd Rundgren, Moogy, Ralph Schuckett, John Siegler, Kevin
How Sweet: Cherry Red, Grapefruit Expand Albums from Shape of the Rain, Neil Innes
Today, we're looking at two new releases from Cherry Red's Grapefruit Records imprint from Shape of the Rain and Neil Innes! Keith Riley, Len Riley, Brian Wood, and Ian "Tag" Waggett came together under the very 1960s name of Shape of the Rain after having exhausted other monikers including The Gear and The Reaction. Under their new psychedelic handle, the group came to the attention of Joe Cocker's manager David McPhie. Initially, the foursome found it difficult to get club gigs precisely
Soundtrack Watch: Goldsmith Favorites, ‘Legends’ Uncovered, La-La Land Sale
Music reissues have been scarce over the last month or so, but our friends at various boutique soundtrack labels have worked hard to put out quality products before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us as we shine the spotlight on some of our recent favorites! Varese Sarabande has been working overtime, releasing three limited CD Club titles as well as a rarer, high-profile deluxe edition. In the latter case, it's a new deluxe edition of the soundtrack to 2014's Whiplash. The sophomore
Today’s the Day: America’s “Heritage II” Collects Unreleased Demos, Alternates, More
If you think you know all of the exits off that mythical Ventura Highway, think again. Omnivore Recordings has just released a new collection straight from the America archives, and it's filled with unexpected treasures. Heritage II: Demos/Alternate Takes 1971-1976 follows up the first volume from 2017 and proves itself a more than worthy successor. This collection could well be subtitled The George Martin Years. While its two earliest tracks return to the period of the band's sophomore album,
Release Round-Up: Week of April 24
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! America, Heritage II: Demos/Alternate Takes 1971-1976 (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) "Today's the Day" when America continues its archival series of demos and alternates via Omnivore Recordings. Heritage II, out today on CD, features 13 previously unissued tracks from 1971-1976 including the epic "Jameroony," the track mix with background vocals only of the hit "Tin Man," Gerry Beckley's never-before-heard "Mandy," and
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