Readers of The Second Disc have had to cope with some powerful losses in the pantheon of music greats, and few losses were bigger than that of Prince this past spring. His death propelled multiple albums and compilations into the Billboard charts, including the single-disc overview The Very Best of Prince, which topped the charts 15 years after it was released. In time for the holidays, the first posthumous Prince collection, Prince 4Ever, was announced today by NPG Records and Warner Bros.
Release Round-Up: Week of October 21
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up - one of the year's biggest! Frank Sinatra, World on a String (Capitol/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K./ Amazon Canada) Featuring performances spanning 1953 to 1982, this new live collection boasts more than four hours' worth of rare audio and video from the legendary Chairman of the Board - over 90 tracks on CD alone including such Sinatra favorites as "I Get a Kick Out of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "The Lady is a Tramp," "Witchcraft"
Doin' the Do: Cherry Pop Reissues, Expands Betty Boo's "Boomania"
Boomania is back! Earlier this year, Cherry Red's Cherry Pop imprint reissued GRRR! It's Betty Boo, the 1992 sophomore album by Alison Clarkson, a.k.a. pop/dance/hip-hop chanteuse Betty Boo. Now, the label has turned the clock back to Boomania, the infectious 1991 debut album by the stylish and genre-bending multiple hyphenate rapper-singer-songwriter-producer. The Beatmasters' 1989 U.K. No. 7 hit "Hey DJ/I Can't Dance (To That Music You're Playing)" – based on Martha and the Vandellas' 1968
Ace Collects Classic Beatles Covers On "Let It Be: Black America Sings Lennon, McCartney and Harrison"
If there was ever any doubt as to the versatility, adaptability and endurance of the songs of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, it would certainly be dispelled by Ace’s new release of Let It Be: Black America Sings Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. The latest volume in the label’s Black America Sings series (also encompassing volumes dedicated to Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan, Otis Redding, and the team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David) and the second dedicated to the music of The Beatles,
Review: Big Star, "Complete Third"
Will the real Big Star’s Third please stand up? That’s a loaded question, for it’s possible that there never, in fact, was a “real” version of the album recorded at Memphis’ Ardent Studios in 1974 by Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens with producer-engineer Jim Dickinson, studio owner John Fry and engineer Richard Rosebrough. Chilton even asserted numerous times that the sessions were never intended to yield a Big Star album at all. (One potential name for the duo of Chilton and Stephens was
Release Round-Up: Week of October 14
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Big Star, Complete Third (Omnivore Recordings) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Omnivore does an in-depth vault dive into the creation of Big Star's Third for a new 3-CD box set. Complete Third includes every demo, rough mix, outtake, alternate take and final master from the Third sessions known to exist. The 69 tracks on this set represent the culmination of a decade-long search to assemble all extant recordings for the album
You Really Got Me: The Kinks' "Mono Collection" Due In December
The Kinks - The Mono Collection brings together eight classic albums in their original U.K. Pye Records mono editions on ten LPs, all pressed on 180-gram vinyl. The set includes 1967’s Live at Kelvin Hall and 1970’s original 2-LP collection The Kinks (otherwise known as The Black Album. A hardcover 48-page book including never-before-seen photos and new interviews with Ray Davies, Dave Davies and Mick Avory tops it all off. The Kinks in Mono, appropriately enough, kicks off with 1964’s
Life is a Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me): Ace Collects Seventies Smashes On "Hit List 2"
Way back in 2004, Ace Records compiled The Hit List: 24 Hot 100 American Chartbusters of the 1970s. The label has recently returned to the milieu of the first collection for Hit List 2: More Hot 100 Chartbusters of the 70s. The material on this CD is quite a bit different than that on most Ace releases in that both the artists and the songs are largely familiar. But it still casts its 24 tracks into a new context, celebrating – in the label’s words – the “time when AM radio was still king and
Special Book Review: Thomas Dolby's Memoir "The Speed of Sound"
When a music fan thinks of Thomas Dolby, the first thing that springs to mind is probably "She Blinded Me With Science," his classic 1982 new wave hit. He has been labeled as a "one-hit wonder" by several music trade publications and programs. (He actually charted three Hot 100 hits in the United States and sixteen Pop hits in the United Kingdom.) However, as is usually the case in real life, there is much more to his story...and that story is told in Dolby's just-released autobiography, The
Friday's Child: Lee Hazlewood Meets Indie Rock On Ace's New "Son-of-a-Gun"
Ace has previously surveyed the singular oeuvre of musical iconoclast Lee Hazlewood on a number of releases including Califia: The Songs of Lee Hazlewood and, more recently, Shazam! and Other Instrumentals Written by Lee Hazlewood. Now, on Son-of-a-Gun and More from the Lee Hazlewood Songbook, the label has returned to the territory of Califia with a twist. Whereas that compilation focused on Lee’s vivid, quirky songs as performed by Nancy Sinatra, Dusty Springfield, Ann-Margret, Dino, Desi
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
Leather and Lace: Rhino Expands Stevie Nicks' "Bella Donna" and "The Wild Heart" In November
Stevie Nicks is launching her 24 Karat Gold tour later month, named for her acclaimed 2014 studio album consisting of new recordings of previously unheard compositions. Now, Nicks is looking back once more with two more 24-karat gold Deluxe Editions of her first two solo albums, Bella Donna and The Wild Heart. Both releases arrive from Rhino on November 4, along with remastered, stand-alone editions of the original albums on LP, CD and DD. 1981's solo debut Bella Donna will be released as a
The Wonderful World of Christmas: Elvis, Johnny, Luther Headline Legacy's Vinyl Christmas Slate
Looking for some vinyl to place under the tree this season? Legacy is coming to the rescue with five new Christmas releases from the label's top tier artists including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Luther Vandross and more! Merry Christmas Baby arrives from Elvis Presley this Friday, October 7. This new 120-gram vinyl compilation features seventeen of the King's bona fide Christmas Classics, all newly remastered from original sources. Naturally, "Blue Christmas" is here, as well as "Santa
Let's Dance: "Legacy" Collects David Bowie's Best Singles and More
Roughly two years ago, David Bowie announced the release of Nothing Has Changed, a career-spanning retrospective available in 2-CD, 3-CD and 2-LP configurations from Columbia/Legacy in the United States and Parlophone in the United Kingdom. Since then, much has changed. Most tragically, Bowie passed away earlier this year at the age of 69, just two days after the release of his final album, Blackstar. Now, a new compilation follows in the footsteps of Nothing Has Changed, bringing the
Review: David Bowie, "Who Can I Be Now? 1974-1976"
Who Can I Be Now? asks the title of Parlophone's second in a series of elegant, chronologically-assembled box sets dedicated to the late David Bowie's oeuvre. Indeed, Bowie might have made that query as he reinvented himself in fashion and music from album to album. The twelve discs comprising Who Can I Be Now? span the brief period of 1974-1976 during which time Bowie was riding high on both sides of the Atlantic with his genre- and gender-bending brand of theatrical rock. This set, every
A Swingin' Safari: El Reissues Classics From James Last, Bert Kaempfert, Bernard Herrmann
Cherry Red's El imprint has recently turned its attention to a trio of disparate composer-conductors. Happy Sounds Forever reissues the 1963 album from James Last, the king of "happy music," and adds selections from the catalogue of Bert Kaempfert ("Strangers in the Night") to round out the disc. On the other end of the spectrum, the label also has The Fantasy Film World of Bernard Herrmann, a collection dedicated to film score maestro and Alfred Hitchcock's most notable musical
Release Round-Up: Week of September 30
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! The Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones in Mono (ABKCO) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The Rolling Stones in Mono captures, on 15 CDs or 16 LPs, the original mono albums released on both sides of the Atlantic between 1964 and 1969 including the exceptionally rare mono editions of Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967), Beggars Banquet (1968) and Let It Bleed (1969). Exclusive to
Introducing Playback Records: "The Songs of Mann and Weil" Join Steve and the Board, Garage Nuggets
There's a new reissue label in town! We're happy to share the news of a brand-new, top-notch label. Based in Australia, Playback Records has recently issued its first three deluxe releases - all of which we know will be of interest to readers of The Second Disc! Longtime fans of The Bee Gees will doubtless recognize the names of Colin Petersen and Geoff Bridgeford. Before Messrs. Petersen and Bridgeford began to make music with Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, however, they were bandmates
He's No Ordinary Guy: Ace Celebrates Songs of Jerry Ross on "Some Kinda Magic"
Before Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell created The Sound of Philadelphia, Jerry Ross created the sound of Philadelphia. The Philly-born producer-songwriter-entrepreneur penned hits for Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Temptations and produced chart-toppers by Bobby Hebb and Shocking Blue, but only now has his remarkable legacy in pop, rock-and-roll and soul been celebrated on disc. Ace has recently issued Some Kinda Magic: The Songs of Jerry Ross, a 24-track compendium of Ross'
Intervention Records Brings "Stealers Wheel" To Hybrid SACD/CD
Clowns to the left of me...jokers to the right...It must be Stealers Wheel! Earlier this year, Intervention Records released exquisite vinyl reissues of the first two albums from the Scottish folk-rock band. Now, the label has revisited the group's 1972 self-titled debut album (originally released on A&M Records) in the hybrid SACD format, playable on all CD players. Stealers Wheel - featuring lead guitarist Paul Pilnick, bassist Tony Williams and drummer Rod Coombes - boasts some
The Second Disc's Week In Review
For today's special feature, we're taking a look back at the big stories we shared with you over the past week at The Second Disc, just in case you missed 'em the first time around! Review: Fleetwood Mac, Mirage: Deluxe Edition Joe takes a look at Rhino's 4-CD/1-LP/1-DVD Deluxe Edition of the Mac's 1982 pop gem! This Could Be the Night: Shout! Factory to Release T.A.M.I. Show and The Big T.N.T. Show on Blu-ray Two classic concert films - featuring a galaxy of stars including The
Review: Fleetwood Mac, "Mirage: Deluxe Edition"
When Fleetwood Mac entered the Château d'Hérouville studio outside Paris at the dawn of the 1980s, the band had one goal in mind: to create a commercial pop success in the mold of their record-breaking Rumours. Not everyone in the quintet was sold on this goal, necessarily, especially after the quantum leap forward from Rumours into the beautiful madness that was Tusk. But while Tusk sold four million copies, it couldn't help but be viewed as a disappointment after the world domination of its
This Could Be The Night: Shout! Factory To Release "T.A.M.I. Show" and "The Big T.N.T. Show" on Blu-ray
While we normally concentrate on CD reissues here at The Second Disc, we do occasionally like to highlight other titles which we think may be of interest to our readers. One such project, just announced from Shout! Factory, certainly qualifies: a 2-disc Blu-ray set entitled the T.A.M.I. Show/The Big T.N.T. Show Collector's Edition due out on December 2. Directed by Steve Binder, T.A.M.I. Show (meaning either "Teenage Awards Music International" or "Teen Age Music International") was filmed
Release Round-Up: Week of September 23
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, packed with heavy hitters! David Bowie, Who Can I Be Now (1974-1976) (Parlophone) 12-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 13-LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada David Bowie - Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976), the second in the late artist's series of deluxe albums box sets, will contain the following albums plus a 128-page booklet in the CD edition (or 84 pages in the vinyl edition. You'll find more details here, and watch
A Summer Song: RPM Collects Chad and Jeremy's Complete Early Years On "Yesterday's Gone"
In the halcyon days of the British Invasion, Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde notched an impressive eleven Hot 100 singles and six Top 100 albums in the United States. Their appealing blend of folk and pop, with soft, often hushed vocals and tight harmonies, earned them the attention of Columbia Records, where they recorded five albums before disbanding. Cherry Red's RPM imprint has recently released a 2-CD, 57-track collection bringing together Chad and Jeremy's early recordings for Ember (in the
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