Oh What a Beautiful World – by the numbers, Willie Nelson’s 77th studio album (!) and 154th album overall (!!) – finds the legendary singer tackling the songbook of Rodney Crowell. The singer-songwriter’s work has been a touchstone of Nelson’s career since 1983, when he recorded his first Crowell composition; his most recent was cut in 2024 for The Border. Produced by Buddy Cannon, Oh What a Beautiful World offers 12 Crowell tunes spanning 50 years of songwriting – including the title track performed as a duet between the two men. Available…
Oooh, This I Need: Adam Mattera Talks ‘Dearly Beloved: A Prince Songbook’
Last year, The Second Disc had nothing but good things to say about Dearly Beloved: A Prince Songbook, Cherry Red’s triple-disc tribute to the music of Prince. The set told a story of The Artist’s massive impact on pop, rock and soul by way of songs he gave others to record and a galaxy of genre-bending covers. In a year of considerable challenges in Prince fandom, it was a veritable oasis in a desert. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of speaking with Adam Mattera, the curator and producer of Dearly Beloved. For…
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Blues, Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Electronic, Funk, Gospel, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock
Release Round-Up: Week of April 18
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. Neil Young, Coastal: The Soundtrack (Reprise/NYA) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The concert film Coastal, documenting Neil Young’s 2023 solo concert tour, was released to cinemas yesterday; today, its soundtrack album arrives on CD, LP, and digital formats. The 11-track album includes Young favorites such as “I Am a Child,” “Expecting to Fly,” “Comes a Time,” and “Vampire Blues.” Dame Shirley Bassey, The Singer (Cherry…
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Imagine That: The Lost Recordings 1954-1963
Imagine That: The Lost Recordings (1954-1963) gathers two CDs’ worth of previously unreleased performances from the late, great Patsy Cline. While some of these tracks have circulated as bootlegs, this release makes them officially available in optimal sound quality for the first time. Curated by George Hewitt and designed by John Sellards, Imagine That offers both unheard versions of familiar songs and 15 tunes otherwise unreleased by Patsy. A 56-page booklet tells the story in full. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
The Weekend Stream: April 12, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. By now, you might have hit your participating local shop for Record Store Day – and happily, we’re kicking off this Saturday’s column to share material from five exclusive vinyl titles that are getting a second life in the streaming and download world too. It’s a great way to check out some titles if you missed them, or weren’t sure if you wanted to add them to your…
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The Weekend Stream: March 29, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. Classic Motown in concert, long-lost favorites from a country icon, a live country take on a Fab Four favorite, Gary Numan’s mid-’80s works, new music from Bachman-Turner Overdrive and a documentary on a late, great Australian musician…there really is a lot of ground to cover, and that’s not even all of it! Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye Live! (Deluxe Edition) (Motown/UMe) Original LP: Apple / Amazon Deluxe: Apple / Amazon To…
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Release Round-Up: Week of March 28
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. Fleetwood Mac, 1975 to 1987 (Warner/Rhino) 5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rhino.com (with bonus 12″) Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 to 1987 is exactly what it states: a box set of Fleetwood Mac (1975), Rumours (1977), Tusk (1979), Mirage (1982) and Tango in the Night (1987) – available as a 5CD set or a 6LP crystal-clear vinyl box. (D2C orders from Rhino will add an additional reissue of a promotional 12″ on crystal clear vinyl, offering stereo and mono versions…
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The Exciting Sounds of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Live from Richmond, Virginia, 1964
Omnivore Recordings has unearthed what they’re describing as the earliest full concert recording of Buck Owens and his legendary band onstage. The Exciting Sounds of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Live from Richmond, Virginia, 1964 arrives on vinyl – no CD version has been announced yet – with eighteen cuts from the Bakersfield group including renditions of “Act Naturally,” “Who’s Gonna Mow Your Grass,” “My Heart Skips a Beat,” and even “Twist and Shout.” The recording has been newly restored and mastered by Michael Graves for this release. As an Amazon affiliate,…
My Heart Skips a Beat: Omnivore Premieres Long-Lost Buck Owens Concert
Hey Buckaroos! Omnivore Recordings has unearthed what they’re describing as the earliest full concert recording of Buck Owens and his legendary band onstage, and they’re bringing it to fans on March 28. The Exciting Sounds of Buck Owens and His Buckaroos Live from Richmond, Virginia, 1964 arrives on vinyl – no CD version has been announced yet – with eighteen cuts from the Bakersfield group. The album captures Owens, Don Rich, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley, and Willie Cantu at the peak of their collective powers performing a string of favorites including the…
The Weekend Stream: March 15, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. We’ve got some early classics in Atmos from England’s not-so-newest hitmakers, a soundtrack to a classic Tom Petty streaming feature, and new tracks from some of our favorite women in pop and rock! The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones EP / The Rolling Stones (U.K.) / England’s Newest Hit Makers / Five by Five EP / 12 X 5 / The Rolling Stones No. 2 / The Rolling Stones, Now! / Let…
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The Weekend Stream: March 8, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. This week’s offerings are particularly reflective, packed with tributes and goodbyes (both editorial and musical) and a little dust of new Disney magic. Dolly Parton, “If You Hadn’t Been There” (Butterfly) (iTunes / Amazon) On her first day in Nashville at the age of 18, a rising country musician named Dolly Parton had a chance encounter with Carl Dean, owner of a local asphalt business, at a laundromat. In 1966,…
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The Weekend Stream: February 22, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! A great Carly Simon deep cut gets a fresh mix, plus Phil Collins in concert and new music from The Stylistics. Carly Simon, “Share the End” (2025 Remaster) (Elektra/Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) Though merely billed as a remaster in the metadata, this upbeat, heartbreaking side-two opener to Simon’s sophomore album Anticipation has been newly remixed. It’s a dramatic revisit of a song that resonates still, and hopefully a portent of…
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Release Round-Up: Week of February 21
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. David Lee Roth, The Warner Recordings 1985-1994 (Warner/Rhino) 5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 5LP: Rhino.com Diamond Dave’s got a whole new shine, thanks to a new box set from Rhino. David Lee Roth’s The Warner Recordings 1985-1994 includes the four LPs (and one EP) the iconoclastic singer released outside of his concluding tenure as the vocalist for Van Halen. All of the albums have been newly remastered (though no bonus tracks are…
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The Weekend Stream: February 15, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! We’re taking it way back today with reissues and rarities by Peggy Lee, Brenda Lee, The Fleetwoods, and The Five Satins – plus more Luther Vandross rarities! Luther Vandross, Never Too Much: Greatest HIts (Epic/Legacy) (iTunes / Amazon) Released late last year ahead of the new documentary on the late R&B legend, Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much: Greatest Hits has already been expanded, and for good reason! The album’s biggest discovery was…
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The Weekend Stream: February 8, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! We’ve got new music from Elton John and Bob Mould, a cult classic rock band between New Jersey and Boston, and so much more – including a new music video for one of our ’70s songwriter favorites. Elton John & Brandi Carlile, “Who Believes in Angels?” (Rocket/Mercury/EMI) (iTunes / Amazon) In 2023, the British pop icon (fresh off the end of his final world tour) and the American alt-country…
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The Weekend Stream: February 1, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! A new charity cover from Def Leppard, reissues of classic albums by Simple Minds and Sheena Easton, and a mess of vintage jazz is on the menu today – plus a heads-up for a forthcoming way to help the ongoing California wildfire relief effort. Def Leppard, Stand by Me (Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon) While also a single from the new Netflix film Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger…
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The Weekend Stream: January 25, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! A quiet week previews a new album by The Doobie Brothers, revisits the latest from one of TSD’s favorite indie singer-songwriters, and so much more – plus a reminder of how you can help one of our favorite reissue labels, one that’s been affected by the ongoing fires in California. Doobie Brothers, Walk This Road (Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) The Doobie Brothers are giving a preview of their…
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Release Round-Up: Week of January 10
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Rosanne Cash, The Essential Rosanne Cash (Rumble Strip) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) After a website-exclusive release, The Essential Rosanne Cash hits retail today. This newly-curated set brings together 40 of Cash’s most treasured recordings – half from her tenure on Columbia Records and the other from mostly 21st century work on the Capitol, Manhattan, and Blue Note labels. The non-chronological anthology, overseen by…
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Holiday Gift Guide Review: ‘Dearly Beloved: A Prince Celebration’
The holidays are a time of good cheer and gratitude, where we all (in theory) come together to share in a common joy. There has not been a lot of common joy if you’re a Prince fan; we don’t need to re-litigate it more than we did this summer, but it’s worth noting that the quest to make intriguing, posthumous Prince projects under the current estate organization has maybe gotten worse than when we published our editorial. But there have been celebrations of The Purple One that honor his restless creative spirit….
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The Weekend Stream: December 14, 2024
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. We’ve got Christmas cheer from The Damnwells and Jody Miller, a Record Store Day reissue from Tegan and Sara, mid-’70s fun from The Flying Burrito Brothers to Freddie Prinze and a new spin on a John Williams classic. Plus, a way to help a dear friend and collaborator of the TSD team. The Damnwells, Xmas Eve (Poor Man/Pasadena Records) (iTunes / Amazon) Cult-favorite Brooklyn-bred quartet The Damnwells put out one…
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Forty Year Ache: Rosanne Cash Collects Favorites for New Compilation
Rosanne Cash, the oldest child of a country music icon and a superb, genre-hopping performer in her own right, will commemorate a museum exhibit of her life and career with a new career-spanning 2CD retrospective. The Essential Collection brings together 40 of Cash’s most treasured recordings – half from her tenure on Columbia Records and the other from mostly 21st century work on the Capitol, Manhattan and Blue Note labels. The non-chronological set, curated by Cash herself, features all 10 of her No. 1 country singles, including “Seven Year Ache,” “I Don’t…
THE SECOND DISC’S 2024 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE IS HERE!
Well, today is Cyber Monday, which means one thing at Second Disc HQ: it’s time to launch our annual Holiday Gift Guide, featuring (more than) a few of our favorite things for the music enthusiast in your life. Sure, we might not have included raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but we’ve filled the guide with over 50 essential selections: sprawling box sets and deluxe vinyl editions, as well as noteworthy releases on CD from favorite artists that just might make great stocking stuffers. So just click here or visit the…
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Stones in the Road: Expanded Edition
In 1994, Mary Chapin Carpenter was at the pinnacle of country music. The singer-songwriter’s fourth album for Columbia, Come On Come On, was the biggest seller of her career. Singles were still being released from that album in early 1994 and later in the year she released her next endeavor: Stones in the Road. While it ultimately would not sell as many copies as Come On Come On, it would have higher chart success and garner prestigious awards. Carpenter was backed by an A-list band on the self-penned album: keyboardist Benmont Tench, guitarists Lee Roy Parnell and Steuart…
The Weekend Stream: November 30, 2024
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. The Christmas season means favorites (quite) old and (sort of) new, plus Wang Chung’s first album and a rock and hip-hop packed slasher film soundtrack. Band Aid, Do They Know It’s Christmas? EP (Band Aid Trading Limited/UMC) EP: iTunes / Amazon Single Version: iTunes / Amazon Extended Version: iTunes / Amazon Just over four decades from its original recording and release, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” returns for a…
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Release Round-Up: Week of November 29
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! While most labels are concentrating today on Record Store Day’s Black Friday releases, we’ve chosen to spotlight a few non-RSD titles out today, as well. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Tommy Steele, On Air (Stage Door Pop) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Stage Door Records’ Pop imprint celebrates The Happiest Millionaire and Half a Sixpence star Tommy Steele with On Air, a collection of 31 tracks culled from his 1964 U.K. radio series The Tommy Steele Show. None of these tracks have been released since their original broadcast sixty…
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