Country

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Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Everything Else, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock

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Donna Summer, Edgar Winter, James Brown, Lana Del Rey, Robin Thicke, Rufus Wainwright, Samara Joy, Tanya Tucker, The Beach Boys

Release Round-Up: Week of May 19

May 19, 2023 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today! Paul Simon, Seven Psalms (Owl/Legacy) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Amazon-Exclusive Colored Vinyl: Amazon U.S. Paul Simon is ready to unveil Seven Psalms, his fifteenth studio album: a 33-minute suite of music consisting of seven dreamlike, meditative compositions which are meant to be played as one continuous piece (and tracked as such, at least on the digital version). The album has been produced by Simon and Kyle Crusham, and was recorded by the artist entirely on…

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Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Pop, Soundtracks

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Alan Menken, Def Leppard, Galen Paul, Graham Nash, Howard Ashman, Jeanine Tesori, Marty Stuart, Paul Simon, Paul Simonon

The Weekend Stream: May 13, 2023

May 13, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. Two soul legends, a soundtrack from one of Hollywood’s greatest composers, and a never-before-heard single from the ZTT vaults are all ready for you to hear! Diana Ross, Last Time I Saw Him (Deluxe Edition) (Motown/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon) To commemorate 50 years of Diana Ross’ sixth solo album – an anything-goes affair that blended pop, soul and…

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Formats:

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

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Connie Smith, Diana Ross, Edgar Winter, Hubert Laws, J.D. Souther, James Brown, Jimmy Buffett, John Williams, Lyle Lovett

Sweet Western Sound

May 10, 2023 by Joe Marchese

Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings produce Tanya Tucker’s first album of new music since 2019. Sweet Western Sound‘s ten tracks promise to evoke the sound of classic West Coast country-rock. Available on CD, LP, and digitally.

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Country

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Not That Fancy

May 10, 2023 by Joe Marchese

Reba McEntire releases a new collection to coincide with the publication of her book, also entitled Not That Fancy. The 14-song set, available on CD, 2 LPs, and digitally, reprises the Revisited portion of her 2021 triple album Revised, Remixed, Revisited with new recordings made after that album including the new single “Seven Minutes in Heaven” and reworkings of “If You See Him/If You See Her” with Brooks and Dunn, “Till You Love Me,” and “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”

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Country

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Rockstar

May 10, 2023 by Joe Marchese

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Target-Exclusive 4LP: Target.com VMP-Exclusive 4LP: Vinylmeplease.com Indie-Exclusive 4LP: RoughTrade.com Dolly Parton has unveiled the rock album she promised us…and it’s no small affair! Rockstar, a whopping 2-CD or 4-LP collection with 30 songs, welcomes Sting, Lizzo, Elton John, Melissa Etheridge, Simon Le Bon, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Miley Cyrus, Steve Perry, John Fogerty, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett, Michael McDonald, and many more…oh yeah, and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, too. Featuring nine original songs and 21 covers of classic rock anthems, the album will be available in…

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Holiday Gift Guide

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Classic Rock, Country, Rock

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She Is the Champion: Dolly Parton Unveils “Rockstar,” Featuring All-Star Cast Including Elton John, Peter Frampton, Stevie Nicks, Sting, Lizzo, Miley, Many More

May 9, 2023 by Joe Marchese | 32 Comments

“If I’m gonna be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I’m going to have to earn it,” Dolly Parton commented upon her 2022 induction into the Cleveland hall. She promised that a rock and roll album was on the way, and today, she made good on that promise…with what essentially amounts to two such records! On November 17, Dolly’s own Butterfly Records in association with Big Machine will release Rockstar, a whopping 2-CD or 4-LP collection with 30 songs featuring some of the biggest names in the genre including Sting,…

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Country, Pop, Rock

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Ann Wilson, Brandi Carlile, Debbie Harry, Dolly Parton, Elton John, Emmylou Harris, Joan Jett, John Fogerty, Michael McDonald, Mick Fleetwood, Miley Cyrus, Pat Benatar, Paul McCartney, Peter Frampton, Ringo Starr, Sheryl Crow, Steve Perry, Stevie Nicks, Sting

Release Round-Up: Week of May 5

May 5, 2023 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today! Olivia Newton-John, Just the Two of Us: The Duets Collection Vol. 1 (Primary Wave/Green Hill) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 17 favorite duets with Olivia Newton-John are featured on this new collection. The late artist’s duet partners include Dolly Parton (“Jolene”), Michael McDonald (“Act of Faith”), Barry Gibb (“Face to Face”), pianist Jim Brickman (“I Honestly Love You”), Mariah Carey (“Hopelessly Devoted to…

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Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Soundtracks

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Ben Platt, Dolly Parton, Elton John, Henry Franklin, Jeff Tweedy, Olivia Newton-John, Paul Young, Queen, Rodney Crowell, The Donnas, The Reverend Horton Heat, Unruly Child

In Memoriam: Gordon Lightfoot (1938-2023)

May 2, 2023 by The Second Disc | 12 Comments

We mourn the loss of troubadour Gordon Lightfoot (1938-2023). Lightfoot’s songs pierced the heart, springing from the folk tradition but with one foot in the pop realm as they pondered love, loneliness, nature, and history. His warm, burnished baritone was like that of an old friend, reassuring and wise. The Ontario native was a Canadian national treasure but his music belonged to the world; part of the secret to his success was his richly diverse musical background. By his teenaged years, he’d already mastered multiple instruments including guitar, piano, and drums. He’d…

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Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Pop

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Gordon Lightfoot

The Weekend Stream: April 29, 2022

April 29, 2023 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. A short round-up this week, featuring expanded albums from the Godfather of Soul and a late ’90s R&B star, another ZTT rarity, a classic rock remix and an LP from a screen legend. James Brown, Gravity (Expanded Edition) (Volcano/Legacy) (iTunes / Amazon) The success of “Living in America” – the Godfather of Soul’s Top 5 single from 1985’s…

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Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Funk, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock

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Heaven 17, James Brown, Mae West, Mya, Propaganda, Steppenwolf, The Lennon Sisters

Straight Into Love: Kenny Rogers’ Posthumous “Life Is Like a Song” Coming in June

April 25, 2023 by Joe Marchese | 2 Comments

Kenny Rogers released the 28th and final studio album of his lifetime with 2015’s Once Again It’s Christmas. On June 2, UMe will celebrate the late superstar’s musical legacy with a posthumous release featuring eight previously unreleased tracks and two rarities. Life Is Like a Song, coming on CD, vinyl, and digital formats, has been curated and executive produced by his widow Wanda Rogers. It’s also Rogers’ first studio album to debut on vinyl in the U.S. since 1991. Life Is Like a Song is built around those eight never-before-heard recordings spanning…

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Country, Pop

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Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, Lionel Richie

The Complete Dirty South

April 25, 2023 by Joe Marchese

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Nearly 20 years ago, genre-bending Southern rock outfit (and launching pad for now-solo superstar Jason Isbell) Drive-By Truckers got their first shot of mainstream success with an intriguing concept album called The Dirty South. Now, the group is revisiting that release on The Complete Dirty South. It’s a release that frontman Patterson Hood is deeming a “director’s cut” of the original work, featuring an expanded, altered track list and a few songs that are remixed, featuring new vocals or both. All tracks have been remastered…

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Country, Rock

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The Weekend Stream: April 15, 2023

April 15, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. Rarities and oddities abound: cartoon soundtracks, early works from country legends, and more! Pat Irwin, Rocko’s Modern Life (Original Music from the Series) (Nickelodeon) (iTunes / Amazon) Joe Murray’s colorful cartoon about a harried wallaby and his misadventures was one of Nickelodeon’s edgier cartoons in the early-to-mid ’90s – a similar edge to The Ren & Stimpy Show,…

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Country, Disco/Dance, Electronic, Everything Else, Folk, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock, Soundtracks

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Alex North, Bobby Bare, Dottsy, Gym Class Heroes, How to Dress Well, Jim Nabors, Nasty Rox Inc, Ray Conniff, Starpoint

Where the Devil Don’t Stay: Drive-By Truckers Plan “Director’s Cut” of ‘The Dirty South’

April 12, 2023 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Nearly 20 years ago, genre-bending Southern rock outfit Drive-By Truckers got their first shot of mainstream success with an intriguing concept album called The Dirty South. Now, the group is revisiting that release on The Complete Dirty South. It’s a release that frontman Patterson Hood is deeming a “director’s cut” of the original work, featuring an expanded, altered track list and a few songs that are remixed, featuring new vocals or both. (All tracks have been remastered by Greg Calbi.) “The period from 2002, a few months after we self-released our breakthrough album,…

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Formats:

Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell, Patterson Hood

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Country, Rock

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The Weekend Stream: April 9, 2023

April 8, 2023 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. ZTT rarities, dream pop from down under, two Michael Jackson connections, great ’70s songwriters – this latest Stream has everything, plus a call to support one of our favorite music services as they take on a big challenge. Act, Snobbery and Decay (Showtime) / Leilani, Precious Treasure (ZTT) Act: iTunes / Amazon Leilani: iTunes / Amazon Although they’ve…

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Country, Disco/Dance, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock

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Anita Pointer, Cass Elliot, Hatchie, John Denver, Mac Davis, Michael Jackson, Musical Youth, P.F. Sloan, Patrice Rushen, Paul McCartney, Philip Bailey, Rupert Holmes, Strawberry Alarm Clock

Continuing: 7a Reissues, Expands Michael Nesmith’s “Ranch Stash” on CD and Vinyl

April 7, 2023 by Joe Marchese | 2 Comments

Michael Nesmith Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash 50th

7a Records, hot off its recent reissue of Macy Gray’s jazz/R&B gem Stripped, has returned to the milieu of The Monkees with the latest in its series of expanded and remastered 50th anniversary reissues from the catalogue of Michael Nesmith. Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash is out now in CD and 180-gram gray vinyl formats, both of which add the alternate RCA version of “Marie’s Theme” as a bonus track. As detailed in the always-compelling liner notes by Andrew Sandoval, Nesmith’s sixth and final RCA album captured the artist in a…

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CD, Vinyl

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Classic Rock, Country, Pop

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Michael Nesmith

Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir: 50th Anniversary Edition

March 31, 2023 by Joe Marchese

Michael Martin Murphey Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir

Singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey’s sophomore album, produced by Bob Johnston and originally released in 1973 on the A&M label, makes its domestic CD debut in this remastered edition which features the original album sequence only.

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CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming

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Classic Rock, Country, Pop

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Release Round-Up: Week of March 31

March 31, 2023 by The Second Disc | 6 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of new titles in stores today! The Who, The Who with Orchestra Live at Wembley (Polydor/UMC) 2CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3LP Colored Vinyl: The Who Official Store 3LP Black Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The Who brings their 2019 Wembley Stadium concert to a host of audio formats. The show featured Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, and their band including Simon Townshend and Zak Starkey backed by a 50-piece orchestra conducted by Keith Levenson. The grandiose blast of orchestral rock is available on CD/Blu-ray (with stereo…

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Formats:

Blu-Ray Audio, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

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Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, Rock

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Crazy Horse, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Rita Wilson, The Who, The Zombies

The Weekend Stream: March 25, 2023

March 25, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend…and usually a good cause to check out when you’re not enjoying some songs. Today’s a short week with remixes of a great No. 1 hit from the ’00s, a classic country couple, some underrated ’90s hip-hop/dance and a way to bring some positive energy to the people of South America! Alicia Keys, No One (Remixes) (J/RCA) (iTunes /…

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Formats:

Alicia Keys, Patti Page, Waylon Jennings

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Country, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop

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Release Round-Up: Week of March 24

March 24, 2023 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today. Elton John, Honky Château: 50th Anniversary Edition (Rocket/UMC) 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Hot on the heels of his final U.S. live performances, Elton John is looking back with a 50th anniversary edition of his 1972 LP Honky Château. The reissue will feature the original album (boasting such classics as “Rocket Man,” “Honky Cat,” and “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”) alongside nine session demos covering eight of the album’s tracks (including two versions of “Slave”) and…

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Formats:

Blu-Ray Audio, Box Sets, CD, Cassette, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Classical/Opera, Country, Funk, Gospel, Pop, Rock

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Carla Olson, Elton John, Gene Clark, Jessye Norman, Junie Morrison, Lee Hazlewood, Madness, Nancy Sinatra, Pink Floyd, The Beat, The Kinks, The Specials, Whitney Houston, Willie Nelson

Release Round-Up: Week of March 10

March 10, 2023 by The Second Disc | 4 Comments

Welcome to this week’s (teeny tiny) Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today. Van Morrison, Moving on Skiffle (Exile/Virgin) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Van Morrison is back with a new 2-CD set dedicated to the skiffle style and featuring the likes of “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Cotton Fields,” “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” and “Greenback Dollar.” Available on CD, LP, and digital formats. Blackmore’s Night, Shadow of the Moon: 25th Anniversary Edition (EarMusic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) This CD/DVD…

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Formats:

Blackmore's Night, Jo Dee Messina, Van Morrison

Genres:

Country, Folk, R&B/Soul, Rock

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The Weekend Stream: March 4, 2023

March 4, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 3 Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. De La Soul’s digital debuts make headlines, plus favorites from Donna Summer, Adam Schlesinger, lo-fi disco soul, ’80s dance-rock, a brilliant new pop track and an actress returning to sing a song she crooned in a cartoon! De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising / De La Soul is Dead / Buhloone Mindstate / Stakes is High /…

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Blues, Country, Disco/Dance, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock

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Adam Schlesinger, Amy Irving, De La Soul, Donna Summer, Ivy, Leon Everette, MUNA, Mike & Bill, Sponge, The Bongos

Release Round-Up: Week of March 3

March 3, 2023 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today. Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, The Songs of Bacharach and Costello (UMe) 4CD/2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / ElvisCostello.com 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP with Lithograph: ElvisCostello.com Elvis Costello is looking back at his 25 years of music with the late Burt Bacharach on this lavish new 4-CD/2-LP box set (also available in smaller formats). The Songs of Bacharach and Costello features four distinctive albums: A newly remastered version of the duo’s acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning 1998…

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Formats:

Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Country, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

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Burt Bacharach, Don Cherry, Elvis Costello, Frank Zappa, Genesis, Jay Migliori, John Hartford, Madonna, Saigon Kick, Sheena Easton, The Bottle Rockets, The South Side Movement, Willie Nelson

Turn Your Radio On: Real Gone’s March Lineup Includes John Hartford, Don Cherry, Saigon Kick, “The Devil Wears Prada,” and More

March 2, 2023 by Randy Fairman | 8 Comments

Once again, Real Gone Music’s March slate offers up an eclectic selection of genres ranging from bluegrass to funk to jazz to alt-country to hard rock to soundtrack music, all spanning the years 1971-2006. All of these six vinyl reissue titles are due out tomorrow, March 3. Read on for more details about each title. John Hartford moved to Nashville in 1965 and signed with RCA Victor the next year. The songwriter and multi-instrumentalist would record six studio albums for the label. The second of these, 1967’s Earthwords and Music, featured his…

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