Folk

Formats:

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

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Adam Guettel, Bread, Carly Simon, David Byrne, Jeremy Jordan, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, NRBQ, The New Seekers

On the Road to Findout: Greatest Hits

September 3, 2025 by Joe Marchese

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada In advance of the October 7 release of his memoir of the same name, Yusuf, a.k.a. Cat Stevens, is looking back on his discography with On the Road to Findout. This newly-curated collection spanning 1967-2023 will be available as a 1CD or 2LP highlights set, as well as a deeper-dive 2CD or 4LP collection. It’s the first time an album will feature both the cream of his work as one of the top British folk songwriters…

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Classic Rock, Folk, Pop, Rock

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The Weekend Stream: August 30, 2025

August 30, 2025 by The Second Disc | 10 Comments

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 one Vault track from Prince, four albums unearthed by SuperVisible Multi Media, five rare mixes from Bowie and Jagger, and more than 100 hard-to-find cuts from Connie Francis – now that’s some rock and roll math! Prince, “Sign O’ the Times” (Live in Rotterdam 1987) (NPG/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon) A welcome respite from sharing fabricated, possibly AI-generated inspirational quotes on social media, the Prince estate has released…

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Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

As Tears Go By: Marianne Faithfull’s “Cast Your Fate to the Wind” Collects Her Decca Recordings

August 28, 2025 by Joe Marchese | 2 Comments

Marianne Faithfull Cast Your Fate to the Wind

Marianne Faithfull didn’t have to open her mouth to receive a recording contract. As the story goes, so vividly recounted in the liner notes to the new box set Cast Your Fate to the Wind: The U.K. Decca Recordings, the young woman was so striking in beauty and presence that impresario Andrew Loog Oldham didn’t hesitate to sign her on sight. (Even her name was made for stardom!) But it was just as clear that she was no ordinary pop starlet chasing dreams in Swingin’ London. Faithfull was remarkably clear-eyed, quipping to…

Categories:

News, Reviews

Formats:

Box Sets, CD

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Pop

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Marianne Faithfull

Review: Nick Drake, “The Making of ‘Five Leaves Left'”

August 25, 2025 by Joe Marchese | 5 Comments

Nick Drake’s legacy is primarily built around just three albums, originally released between 1969 and 1972. Before 1974 was out, the British singer-songwriter was gone at the age of 26. Over the years, esteem for his small discography has only grown. Partly, this is because the mystique has remained; the Drake estate has only sporadically gone back to the well of unreleased material. Their cautious and curated approach has yielded a new reward with a box set dedicated to his 1969 debut. The Making of ‘Five Leaves Left,’ available on 4 LPs…

Categories:

Reviews

Formats:

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

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk

Tags:

Nick Drake

Photographs and Memories: Remixed Trio of Jim Croce Albums Coming to CD, Vinyl

August 4, 2025 by Mike Duquette | 2 Comments

The shockingly brief but nonetheless brilliant major-label career of Jim Croce will be revisited this year with a triplicate of remixed albums to be released by BMG. The Definitive Croce, available on CD or vinyl on September 19 (just a day short of 52 years since his passing), gathers both albums he recorded and released for ABC Records during his lifetime (You Don’t Mess Around with Jim and Life and Times) plus the posthumous I Got a Name – all recently remixed by engineer Paul Hicks (whose mixing and mastering work includes projects…

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Formats:

CD, Vinyl

Genres:

Folk, Pop

Tags:

Jim Croce

Release Round-Up: Week of August 1

August 1, 2025 by The Second Disc | 9 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores this week. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Dionne Warwick, Make It Easy on Yourself: The Scepter Recordings 1962-1971 (SoulMusic/Second Disc/Cherry Red) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Cherry Red) Naturally, we’re bursting at the seams that today is finally Release Day (*) for this massive labor of love. SoulMusic Records and Second Disc Records are proud to present Dionne Warwick’s Make It Easy on Yourself: The Scepter Recordings 1962-1971, a 12CD box set with 280 tracks encompassing every one of…

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Formats:

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

Genres:

Blues, Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Folk, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock

Tags:

Buddy Guy, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, Jeffrey Runnings, Marianne Faithfull, Richard Hawley, Roger Waters, Vicki Lawrence

Cast Your Fate to the Wind

July 29, 2025 by Joe Marchese

This stunning new 6-CD box set brings together the late, great Marianne Faithfull’s Decca repertoire including the complete albums Marianne Faithfull; Come My Way; North Country Maid; and Loveinamist plus two discs of singles, non-LP B-sides, and rarities including previously unreleased tracks. Everything has been newly remastered from the original tapes, and the liner notes feature exclusive commentary from the singer. Andrew Batt has produced, compiled, and remastered the set, while Eric Terino has designed it, utilizing original images for the covers and artwork elements. Marianne gave her stamp of approval prior…

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Formats:

Box Sets, CD

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Rock

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Release Round-Up: Week of July 25

July 25, 2025 by The Second Disc | 3 Comments

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. Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings and Food: Deluxe Edition (Rhino) 3CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Rough Trade (Red) / D2C Exclusive (2LP/4×7″) 4LP: D2C Exclusive (and 4LP/2×7″) Rhino is taking Talking Heads fans to the river with a new deluxe edition: a 3CD/Blu-ray edition of the group’s 1978 sophomore album More Songs About Buildings and Food. The box includes the remastered original album alongside a bonus disc of rare studio material…

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Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Blues, Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Folk, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Alice Cooper, Audra McDonald, Benjamin Velez, Elton John, Green Apple Quick Step, John Lee Hooker, Joy Huerta, Marc Shaiman, Melanie, Nick Drake, Scott Wittman, Talking Heads, The Cars, The Doors

The Weekend Stream: July 19, 2025

July 19, 2025 by The Second Disc

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 a gem from Linda Ronstadt’s vault, a new update of a Disney classic and a fascinating sit-down with one of folk’s most important matriarchs – plus tributes to artists we lost this week and a potential hint at a very exciting reissue from one of the pivotal duos in ’70s rock. Linda Ronstadt, “How Do I Make You” / “Rambler Gambler” (Asylum/Rhino) (Apple / Amazon) This week, song…

The Right Thing to Do: Rhino’s New Quadio Batch Features Carly Simon, Bread, Judy Collins, The New Seekers

July 18, 2025 by Joe Marchese | 9 Comments

We recently filled you in on Elektra’s 75th anniversary vinyl campaign which sees a variety of titles arriving this month. Now, the celebration is continuing with four new Quadio releases on Blu-ray Audio, all greatest-hits collections drawn from the Elektra catalogue. These four-channel surround titles from Carly Simon, Bread, Judy Collins, and The New Seekers are all available now, exclusively from Rhino.com. Every one of these titles boasts both the original quadraphonic mix with a high-resolution 192 kHz/24-bit stereo mix, both sourced from the original analog four-track quad master tapes. 1972’s Colors…

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Formats:

Blu-Ray Audio

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Pop

Tags:

Bread, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, The New Seekers

Sing Out: New Cat Stevens Compilation to Accompany Memoir

July 15, 2025 by Mike Duquette | 9 Comments

The man they now call Yusuf/Cat Stevens has announced a new career-spanning compilation to tie with his forthcoming memoir this fall. On the Road to Findout: Greatest Hits will be available as a 1CD or 2LP highlights set, as well as a deeper-dive 2CD or 4LP collection on September 5. It’s the first time an album will feature both the cream of his work as one of the top British folk songwriters in the ’60s and ’70s, as well as music from his return to popular song styles after decades out of…

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Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Rock

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Cat Stevens

Release Round-Up: Week of July 11

July 11, 2025 by The Second Disc | 2 Comments

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. Jethro Tull, Still Living in the Past (Parlophone/Rhino) 5CD/1BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Still Living in the Past reinterpret Jethro Tull’s original odds-and-ends compilation from 1972 as a 5CD/1 Blu-ray set boasting some 35 unissued mixes and versions alongside just about every one of the 21 original tracks that appeared on the original double album. Alongside the original mixes of the non-album material that comprised Living in…

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Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Soundtracks

Tags:

America, Backstreet Boys, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Brian Wilson, Bronski Beat, Cyndi Lauper, Gerry Beckley, Jeffrey Foskett, Jethro Tull, Maria Muldaur, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Melanie, Mike Love, Steve Hackett, The Kinks, Vince Guaraldi, Vivabeat

Baby I’m-A Want You: Elektra Celebrates 75 Years with Monthlong Initiative

July 2, 2025 by Joe Marchese | 6 Comments

Jac Holzman was still in college when he and pal Paul Rickolt each chipped in three hundred bucks to start a record company. That label, Elektra Records – so named for Greek mythology’s daughter of Atlas and Pleione, but with the “c” swapped out for a “k” – inaugurated its catalogue with the simply-titled New Songs, an album of poetry settings by composer-pianist John Gruen. Elektra soon shifted its emphasis to folk music, growing its discography with recordings by Theodore Bikel, Josh White, Judy Collins, Oscar Brand, and Tom Paxton before branching…

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Formats:

CD, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Jazz, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock

Tags:

Anita Baker, Bob Dylan, Bread, Grover Washington Jr., Keith Sweat, Love, Nanci Griffith, Public Image Ltd., Sisters of Mercy, Superdrag, Television, The Afghan Whigs, The Cars, The Doors, The Stooges, , Tim Buckley

The Weekend Stream: June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025 by The Second Disc | 3 Comments

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 classic film score gets remixed for a major anniversary; a modern jazz great reunites two-thirds of a classic rock band; and it’s funny how time flies for Tears for Fears. All this, plus morsels of news on potential reissues from Bruce Springsteen and Duran Duran, and two tributes to singers we lost this week. John Williams, JAWS (Original Motion Picture Score – Remastered) (Back Lot Music) (Apple /…

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

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Andy Summers, Bruce Springsteen, Christian McBride, Duran Duran, Evelyn "Champagne" King, John Williams, Lou Christie, Preston Glass, Sting, Tears for Fears, The New Christy Minstrels, The Police, Yarbrough and Peoples

The Weekend Stream Extra: A Guide to ‘MTV Unplugged’ on Paramount+ (Part 3)

June 1, 2025 by Mike Duquette | 2 Comments

Welcome to a special Sunday feature of The Weekend Stream, which takes a look at one of MTV’s great live music programs thanks to a recent reissue of one of its best-known episodes. We’re running a five-part deep-dive on every episode of MTV Unplugged that’s currently streaming on the station’s parent streaming network Paramount+! (Part 1 and 2 can be read here and here.) With rock music undergoing a transformation after the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994, MTV Unplugged continued to settle into institutional status. The show held court primarily in New York…

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Formats:

CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Genres:

Classic Rock, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, Rock

Tags:

Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, KISS, Lenny Kravitz, Live, Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Stone Temple Pilots, The Cranberries, Tony Bennett

The Weekend Stream: May 31, 2025

May 31, 2025 by The Second Disc | 6 Comments

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 solo appearances aplenty: Bono, Al Jardine, Grace Potter, John Fogerty, and more new/old music – plus a new subscription service from Crowded House, a Barry Manilow music video, and a tribute to one of the undisputed guitar gods of his generation. Bono, Stories of Surrender EP (Island/Interscope/UMe) (Apple / Amazon) In 2023, U2 frontman Bono embarked on his first ever solo tour, promoting the memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One…

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Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Disco/Dance, Folk, Pop, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Release Round-Up: Week of May 30

May 30, 2025 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

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. Grateful Dead, The Music Never Stopped (Rhino) 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 6LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada This live 3CD or 6LP compendium (also available digitally) from Grateful Dead to commemorate the band’s 60th anniversary includes 27 tracks representing every one of the venues in the 60-CD, 450-song Enjoying the Ride box set. Highlights include the title track from the Spectrum, 1978; “Scarlet Begonias,” “Fire on the Mountain,” and “Touch of…

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Formats:

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Ferry, Gloria Estefan, Grateful Dead, Hue Park, Melanie, Rain Parade, Sufjan Stevens, They Might Be Giants, Vince Guaraldi, Will Aronson

Mystery of Love: Sufjan Stevens Expands ‘Carrie & Lowell’

May 28, 2025 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

A deceased mother and a grieving son laid the groundwork for one of the best-reviewed records of 2015. A decade later, it’s being expanded with unreleased material – and its creator is sharing some unexpected opinions on how he regards the album. Sufjan Stevens’ seventh album Carrie & Lowell will be reissued this Friday, May 30, for its 10th anniversary. The 2CD or 2LP set includes a small trove of seven unreleased demos – including a version of a track that would be the closest thing Stevens may have to a signature song…

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Genres:

Folk

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Sufjan Stevens

The Weekend Stream: May 24, 2025

May 24, 2025 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

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 offers a trio of classic rockers advancing a cause through new tracks, rare covers and live material, plus a new take on Peggy Lee’s “Fever” and a pair of dance albums getting greatly, unexpectedly expanded. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Land of Hope & Dreams EP (Columbia) (Apple / Amazon) The Boss has been touring Europe this week. Perhaps you’ve heard about it: he had a…

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Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Electronic, Folk, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock

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Bruce Springsteen, Common, John Prine, Kanye West, Mick Jones, Peggy Lee

The Weekend Stream Extra: A Guide to ‘MTV Unplugged’ on Paramount+ (Part 1)

May 18, 2025 by Mike Duquette | 9 Comments

Welcome to a special Sunday feature of The Weekend Stream, which takes a look at one of MTV’s great live music programs thanks to a recent reissue of one of its best-known episodes. We’re kicking off a five-part deep-dive on every episode of MTV Unplugged that’s currently streaming on the station’s parent streaming network Paramount+! If the music video was the most significant concept MTV introduced back in 1981, the word “unplugged” might come in a close second. In 1989, as the cable station began slowly diversifying their blocks of video programming –…

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Formats:

CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming

Genres:

Blues, Classic Rock, Folk, Pop, Rock

Tags:

Aerosmith, Crowded House, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Neil Finn, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Sinead O'Connor, Sting, The Allman Brothers Band, The Beatles, The Church, The Police, The Smithereens, Tim Finn

The Weekend Stream: May 10, 2025

May 10, 2025 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

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, classic rock icons celebrate their live history, a modern music icon gets serious, a master of horror films (and soundtracks) revisits his first non-movie music and a former folk duo open their vault. The Doors, Live in Pittsburgh 1970 / Live in Philadelphia ’70 / Live in Detroit (Bright Midnight/Rhino) Pittsburgh: Apple / Amazon Philadelphia: Apple / Amazon Detroit: Apple / Amazon The Doors have been issuing live sets from their 25-year-old…

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Formats:

Genres:

Classic Rock, Electronic, Folk, Rock

Tags:

Fiona Apple, John Carpenter, The Civil Wars, The Doors

Release Round-Up: Week of April 25

April 25, 2025 by The Second Disc | No Comments

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, Oceanside/Countryside (Reprise/NYA) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Neil Young is unveiling another once-lost album with the release of Oceanside Countryside which arrives on CD today following its vinyl release.The LP was recorded from May to December 1977; the first side comprised solo Young performances, while most of the second featured a full band. It never saw release, though. Instead, Comes a Time hit store shelves in October 1978. Both albums…

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Formats:

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

Genres:

Classic Rock, Classical/Opera, Country, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Art Blakey, Billy Idol, Eugene Ormandy, Henry Mancini, Ian North, Jeff Goldblum, Kenny Burrell, Luciano Pavarotti, Melanie, Neil Young, Prince, Rilo Kiley, Sex Pistols, Sting, Willie Nelson

Lullabies from Heaven: Melanie’s Children’s Album

April 23, 2025 by Joe Marchese

The latest release in Cleopatra’s ongoing Melanie archival series spans fourteen recordings made between 1963 and 2016 including such children’s favorites as “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and “Rain, Rain Go Away.” The singer-songwriter is joined by her children and grandchildren, who assembled this release and added vocals and instrumentation following Melanie’s death in January 2024. It adds up to one of the most touching releases in this expansive, career-spanning series. Available on CD, LP, and digital/streaming. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying…

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Genres:

Folk

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Release Round-Up: Week of April 18

April 18, 2025 by The Second Disc | No Comments

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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