Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Various Artists, Andrew Lloyd Webber: Unmasked - The Platinum Collection (Polydor/UMC) 4CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Let the memory live again! Andrew Lloyd Webber celebrates his 70th birthday and provocative new memoir Unmasked with this 4-CD, 71-track box set of the same name. The career-spanning anthology features many of the composer's most famed songs from Phantom of
Review: "Stax Singles Vol. 4: Rarities and the Best of the Rest"
Stax Records is rightfully renowned for its catalogue of deep southern soul straight from the heart of Memphis. But, like its famous Detroit competitor Motown, the label founded by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton released music in a variety of sounds and styles. The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968 (released in 1991 and reissued by Rhino in 2016 was the first major archival box to begin to address the Stax legacy in record-by-record fashion. It was followed by The Complete Stax-Volt Soul
IN STORES TOMORROW! Second Disc Records, Real Gone Music Collects The Oak Ridge Boys' Rare Recordings on "When I Sing for Him"
Before "Elvira" and "Bobbie Sue" catapulted them into the mainstream of commercial country and pop, The Oak Ridge Boys paid their dues as both recording artists and popular live performers. The band's history was a long one, with the original Oak Ridge Quartet dating back to the 1940s. But the birth of The Oak Ridge Boys, as we know the group, really took place in 1973 at Columbia Records. That was when Joe Bonsall joined Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban to complete the
Release Round-Up: Week of February 23
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Various Artists, Concert for George [Various Formats] (Craft Recordings) 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD/2DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD/2BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD/2DVD/2BD/4LP Limited Online Exclusive Box Set: George Harrison Shop The star-studded 2002 concert celebration of the life of George Harrison - featuring Paul McCartney,
BREAKING! The Oak Ridge Boys' Columbia Years, RCA Singles Collected On Second Disc, Real Gone's "When I Sing For Him"
Before "Elvira" and "Bobbie Sue" catapulted them into the mainstream of commercial country and pop, The Oak Ridge Boys paid their dues as both recording artists and popular live performers. The band's history was a long one, with the original Oak Ridge Quartet dating back to the 1940s. But the birth of The Oak Ridge Boys, as we know the group, really took place in 1973 at Columbia Records. That was when Joe Bonsall joined Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban to complete the
The Year In Review - The 2017 Gold Bonus Disc Awards, From A to Z
Happy New Year, and welcome to The Second Disc's Eighth Annual Gold Bonus Disc Awards! As with every year's awards, our goals are simple: to recognize as many of the year's most essential reissues and catalogue titles as possible, and to celebrate as many of those labels, producers and artists who make these releases happen in the current retail landscape. The labels you'll read about below have, by and large, bucked the trends to prove that there's still a demand for physical catalogue
I'm So Glad You're Back: Stax Plans Fourth Volume of Singles Box Set Series
Craft Recordings has been doing great things with the Stax Records catalogue in honor of its 60th anniversary (check out our most recent review of the new Isaac Hayes box set for proof!) - and now, they're continuing a beloved box set series with a new collection of the label's singles. Continuing the trend established by The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968 (released in 1991 and reissued by Rhino in 2016), The Complete Stax-Volt Soul Singles, Vol. 2: 1968-1971 (1993, reissued 2014) and
The Soulful Shack: "Motown Unreleased 1966" Box Set Comes to Limited Edition CD
Given the speed and frequency with which the Motown label made recordings during its heyday, the company's vaults are known to be vast. Large amounts of unreleased material have been added to compilations and reissues over the years, while still other collections have been solely devoted to never-before-heard tracks from the label's superstars. Due to European copyright laws that allow unused recordings to enter the public domain, Motown has been releasing digital-only copyright-extension
Review: Bob Dylan, "Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981"
I. Gotta Serve Somebody Bob Dylan wasn't mincing words. On the first track of the first album of what would later be referred to as his "gospel years," the artist laid his message out with striking simplicity. "It may be the devil, or it may be the Lord," Dylan admonished, "but you're gonna have to serve somebody." Suddenly, the same singer-songwriter who opined that "the answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind" had found the answer - and His name was Jesus Christ. Between 1979 and
Knockin' on Heaven's Door: Bob Dylan's New Bootleg Series Volume "Trouble No More" Explores The Gospel Years
Bob Dylan's acclaimed Bootleg Series is back, and for its newest volume, it's taking aim at one of the most controversial, and misunderstood, periods of the Bard of Hibbing's musical journey. Due from Columbia and Legacy on November 3, Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981 focuses on Dylan's so-called "gospel years," during which time he crafted some of his most enduring songs in praise of a higher power. The Deluxe Edition features nine discs - 8 CDs and 1 DVD - and
You'll Be Doin' All Right: New Compilation Features Elvis Presley Christmas Classics with New Orchestral Backing
Even though the fall season has yet to officially begin, kids are back at school and we are already looking ahead to winter. Of course, that also means Christmas and it is time to start kicking off the announcements of Christmas recordings for this year. RCA and Legacy Recordings have just announced a new Elvis Presley project for this yuletide season: Christmas with Elvis and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, due on October 6. As you may have guessed from the title, this new project
Release Round-Up: Week of June 2
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson, Full Moon: Expanded Edition (Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) 1973's Grammy-winning, chart-topping Full Moon was the first duet album Rita Coolidge made with her then-husband Kris Kristofferson. Yet, it has never been released on CD outside of Japan - until now! Real Gone's new reissue has been expanded with six previously unreleased outtakes: one from the album sessions and five more
Somewhere In The World: Playback Collects Sixties Pop, Jazz and Gospel From Judy Jacques
Playback Records' second recent jazz-oriented release comes from Melbourne's Judy Jacques. Whereas Sue Barker's brand of jazz was a soulful one with strains of pop and rock, Jacques' style was firmly in the "trad jazz" camp derived from New Orleans and Dixieland. The Sixties Sessions collects 24 tracks recorded between 1962 and 1966 from the solo artist (including some atypical pop sides) as well as The Yarra Yarra New Orleans Jazz Band, and Judy Jacques and Her Gospel Four. When she was
Groovin' Down A Crowded Avenue: Real Gone March Slate Features The Rascals, Southside Johnny, Artful Dodger, Ann-Margret
Official word has just come out about Real Gone's titles for March and, as usual, the line-up boasts an eclectic group of releases including a number of comprehensive double-CD sets! First up is a compilation featuring liner notes from our very own Joe Marchese. The Definitive Collection from Ann-Margret features 30 of the flame-haired singer/actress's songs from her 1961-1966 tenure on RCA Records and includes standards, pop, soundtrack recordings and collaborations with Al Hirt and Elvis
Release Round-Up: Week of December 2
Welcome to December, and this week's Release Round-Up! The Rolling Stones, Blue and Lonesome (Interscope) Standard Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Deluxe Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The Rolling Stones return with their first studio album since 2005's A Bigger Bang. Recorded over just three days in London, Blue and Lonesome returns the legendary band to its blues roots. Available on CD, LP
Release Round-Up: Week of November 4
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a host of holiday offerings (including three new titles from Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music!) and much, much more! Jack Jones, The Jack Jones Christmas Album (Second Disc Records/Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music proudly bring Jack Jones' 1964 Kapp Records classic to CD for the very first time! The Jack Jones Christmas Album features lush renditions of "White
Can We Still Be Friends: Real Gone's Black Friday Titles Feature Paul Butterfield, December Slate Includes Todd Rundgren, Mills Brothers
With Halloween coming on Monday, that means that the Christmas season is almost upon us. Stores have already begun to put out Christmas merchandise and Christmas CDs have begun to hit the shelves. Next week sees the release of Real Gone's mega-Christmas slate, including three Second Disc Records titles featuring Jack Jones, Eddy Arnold and Mitch Miller. In addition, Real Gone has just announced its exclusives for the Black Friday November 25 Record Store Day event which is part of the kickoff
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
It Had To Be You: Real Gone's October Slate Features Eddie Money, Keely Smith, Mahalia Jackson, John Hammond, Percy Faith and More
Real Gone Music has just announced their October slate of titles and while only one of them will get you into the Halloween spirit, there might well be something else among the eclectic choice of genres to pique your interest! First up, Real Gone is releasing three two-disc greatest hits collections. One of these features liner notes from our very own Joe Marchese: Percy Faith's The Definitive Collection. Faith was hugely in demand at Columbia Records, arranging and conducting for a large
Release Round-Up: Week of May 13
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Linda Ronstadt, Frenesi (Remastered Edition) (Elektra/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Linda Ronstadt's 1992 Spanish-language album Frenesi returns to CD in a newly-remastered edition with no additional content. Consider this an appetizer for the upcoming expanded remaster of Trio! Allen Toussaint, The Complete Warner Recordings (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Rhino has a reissue of its 2003
People Get Ready: The Blind Boys of Alabama's Soul-Gospel Returns From Omnivore
Since first coming together as children at the Alabama Institute for the Blind in 1939, The Blind Boys of Alabama have forged a singular musical path. Forming professionally in 1944, the group has recorded over 60 albums, won five Grammy Awards, appeared in a Broadway musical, played on the world's stages and spread the joyful sound of gospel everywhere. Tomorrow, May 13, Omnivore Recordings has newly-expanded editions of two of the group's Grammy-winning albums: 2001's Spirit of the Century
Release Round-Up: Week of May 6
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up featuring Second Disc Records' very first title of 2016, plus more fantastic releases from our partners at Real Gone Music and titles from Brian Wilson, The Cars, and more! Bobby Darin, Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) We know that you all know about this one...it's the ultimate celebration of Bobby Darin's time at Motown Records on 2 CDs, newly remastered from the
Dan Fogelberg, Johnny Paycheck, Beau Brummels, More Join Bobby Darin On Real Gone's May Slate
Real Gone Music has just announced its May release slate, and with rock, jazz, gospel, country, pop and beyond, it's one of the label's most diverse months yet! Naturally, we're partial to the May 6 release of Bobby Darin's Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years from Real Gone and our own Second Disc Records (get all of the details right here!), but there's plenty more on offer, too! Bobby Darin was a remarkable singer-songwriter; another beloved titan of popular song is the late Dan
Release Round-Up: Week of November 13
It may be Friday the 13th, but today's choice releases are hardly scary, with box sets, archival releases, new music from veteran artists, and much, much more! Aretha Franklin, The Atlantic Albums Collection (Atlantic/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) This 19-CD box set brings together 16 of the Queen of Soul's Atlantic albums as previously released on CD including the deluxe 2-CD Live at Fillmore East, the 2-CD Rare & Unreleased Recordings From The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of
The Bad Seeds: "Nick Cave Heard Them Here First" Features Dylan, Cash, Pitney, More
Ace Records has an unusual name on its roster: that of Australian musical iconoclast Nick Cave. An artist who's lived up to his description as rock's "Prince of Darkness," Cave has nonetheless drawn on a wide array of influences in crafting his own intense, personal and powerful songbook. Ace has rounded up the original versions of 25 songs recorded over the years by the artist on the collection entitled Nick Cave Heard Them Here First. This anthology follows the label's similar sets for The