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 brings new music from Billy Idol and The Chills, cast albums aplenty and some soulful tributes to artists we lost this week. Billy Idol, "Still Dancing" (Dark Horse) (iTunes / Amazon) The recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee is going on tour this year with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and will release Dream Into It,
In Memoriam: Roberta Flack (1937-2025)
Even Robert Christgau couldn't get it right all the time. The self-professed "dean of American rock critics" sniffed at Roberta Flack's Quiet Fire in 1971 thusly: "Flack is generally regarded as the most significant new black woman singer since Aretha Franklin, and at moments she sounds kind, intelligent, and very likable. But she often exhibits the gratuitous gentility you'd expect of someone who says 'between you and I.'" At this juncture, Flack was three albums into a tenure with Atlantic
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
Like Gangbusters: JoBoxers' Complete Works Get Anthologized by Cherry Red
If you've ever wanted to search beyond "Just Got Lucky," the worldwide hit from British New Wave group JoBoxers, a new triple-disc anthology from Cherry Red has you covered. The aptly-titled Just Got Lucky: The Complete Works 1983-1986 highlights the release of the band's sole album, 1983's Like Gangbusters, along with material from two planned follow-up records and a live recording from the band's commercial peak - some 28 unreleased tracks in all. The group, recently reunited in the 2020s,
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
Review: WAR, "Live in Japan 1974"
"The Japanese were nice, but really afraid of us," remembers WAR's producer-manager Jerry Goldstein in the liner notes to the band's new Live in Japan 1974. "That's how we came up with the 'Hey, why can't we be friends?' concept. In the dressing room that night, Lonnie was playing the keyboards and we started doing the song. No verses, just the 'why can't we be friends' part. We wrote it there, went back to the U.S., and in January [1975], we recorded it." The catchy plea "Why Can't We Be
Thankful N' Thoughtful: Legacy Releases Soundtrack to Sly Stone Documentary
A pleasant surprise available digitally today and on CD and 2LP in May is the soundtrack to an exciting new documentary about one of the great musical icons of the '60s: Sly Stone. SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) - the latest documentary by The Roots' drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, who picked up an Academy Award for his work on 2021's Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) - has a new companion album that features 21 favorite hits and album cuts,
Do the Cocomotion: Cherry Red, Robinsongs Bring El Coco's Disco Floor-Fillers to CD on New Collection
C'mon, baby, do the Cocomotion! On February 21, Cherry Red's Robinsongs label will unveil a new 4-albums-on-2-CD collection from disco outfit El Coco. The deluxe 2-CD set presents Brazil (1975), Mondo Disco (1975), Let's Get It Together (1976), and Cocomotion (1977) along with three bonus tracks; all albums except Let's Get It Together are making their CD debuts, with Let's Get It Together only briefly available on CD 20 years ago in Japan. El Coco was the brainchild of Laurin Rinder and W.
Rhino Readies Nearly 50 Titles for Record Store Day Including Titles from Fleetwood Mac, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, More
As usual, Rhino is leading the Record Store Day pack with a whopping slate of almost 50 titles scheduled to arrive in independent shops everywhere on Saturday, April 12. The label has brought out many of its heaviest hitters, including Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Black Sabbath, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, and Jethro Tull, among others. Head over to RecordStoreDay.com for the complete list of participating stores, and below you'll find details for all of Rhino's releases! We've linked to the
They Will Have Their Way: Legacy Plans Packed Record Store Day Slate
Is it just us, or has Record Store Day felt a little muted in recent years? Obviously the annual Black Friday celebration boasts less titles than the festivities held every April, but it's sometimes been a struggle to identify great archival titles or worthy re-pressed discs. Well, that certainly isn't the case this year: labels seem to have gone into overdrive stockpiling interesting LPs and singles worth a second (or first!) look - and one of the strongest showings might be Sony Music's Legacy
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
Just As Long As We Have Love: Rhino's Quadio Series Continues with Aretha, Spinners, Curtis Mayfield, Billy Cobham
This morning, Rhino unveiled its first batch of Quadio titles for 2025 - and this time, the emphasis is on classic soul and R&B with a twist of jazz! The series, reissuing vintage quadraphonic (four-channel) surround mixes on Blu-ray Audio Discs, welcomes Aretha Franklin's Live at Fillmore West (1971), Curtis Mayfield's Roots (1971), The Spinners' Pick of the Litter (1975), and Billy Cobham's Spectrum (1973). The Queen of Soul's Live at Fillmore West followed 1970's Spirit in the Dark in
Craft Recordings Unveils RSD Slate with Vince Guaraldi, Celia Cruz, Thelonious Monk, Collective Soul, More
Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 12 - that's the date this year for Record Store Day, the date upon which fans, collectors, and everyone in between flocks to local independent record stores and hopefully gives those brick-and-mortar stores a leg up for the year! The full list has been posted, and here at TSD, we'll start today by spotlighting various releases from some of our favorite labels! Craft Recordings is among those labels, and they've just announced a batch encompassing jazz,
Not So Simple Songs: Ace Records Compiles Sly Stone Covers
A timely new collection will pay tribute to the work of Sly & The Family Stone through a diverse group of covers and rarely-heard singles written and produced by the group's iconic frontman for others. Everybody is a Star - The Sly Stone Songbook is the latest entry in Ace Records' Songwriter Series, chronicling some of the greatest modern songwriters of the last century. Naturally, the man born Sylvester Stewart is a prime candidate for such an overview. His mix of R&B, funk, pop and
Spill the Wine: Rhino Collects Eric Burdon and War on "The Complete CD Collection"
Earlier this year, we filled you in about WAR's upcoming release Live in Japan 1974, due February 7 from Rhino and Avenue Records. Now, the labels have announced another significant release in their upgrade of the WAR catalogue. On March 7, Eric Burdon and WAR: The Complete CD Collection arrives on four discs, bringing the 2022 Record Store Day-exclusive vinyl box set to the CD format. Eric Burdon, the former lead singer of The Animals, famously performed "San Franciscan Nights" with that
Takin' on a New Direction: Tina Turner's 'Private Dancer' Set for 40th Anniversary Box Set
The album that unquestionably coronated Tina Turner as the Queen of Rock and Roll will be celebrated with a new deluxe box set this spring: 1984's blockbuster Private Dancer. Available March 21, the album - featuring the hits "What's Love Got to Do with It," "Better Be Good to Me," the scintillating title track and more - will be reissued as a 5CD/Blu-ray deluxe box packed with rare B-sides, remixes, additional studio material from the Private Dancer era (including the unreleased "Hot for You
The Weekend Stream: January 18, 2025
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! This week, we're heavy on the classic rock plus a vintage soundtrack, a dash of modern classical, and more! Fleetwood Mac, Live from the Record Plant (December 15, 1974) (Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) Coinciding with its standalone vinyl debut as part of Rhino's Start Your Ear Off Right, this vintage pre-Buckingham/Nicks Fleetwood Mac concert hit digital
Release Round-Up: Week of January 17
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. Vince Guaraldi, Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown: Original Soundtrack Recording (Lee Mendelson Productions) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The Lee Mendelson family continues its series of debut releases from the Peanuts animation library with this premiere audio release of the score for 1975's Be My Valentine, Charlie
Ain't Nobody: Rufus' Final Albums Reissued in New Robinsongs Set
A forthcoming two-for-one set from Robinsongs will chronicle the last works of funk legends Rufus - including their powerful final bow with singer Chaka Khan. The label will release the 1983 studio album Seal in Red and live/studio hybrid Stompin' At The Savoy - Live as a 2CD set on March 14. The set will feature new liner notes by Lois Wilson of MOJO as well as three bonus tracks, including single versions of "Take It to the Top" and the smash hit "Ain't Nobody," as well as a rare remix of the
The Weekend Stream: January 11, 2025
Welcome to 2025's first edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! We're catching up on some of our favorite artists adding albums to stream and download, plus country soul and remixes aplenty - as well as a list of resources to help our friends and family in the music business affected by the California wildfires. The Damnwells, One Last Century / No One Listens to the Band Anymore (Poor
Rhino's 2025 Start Your Ear Off Right Campaign Features Fleetwood Mac, Ramones, Rush, More
We've already filled you in on details of Rhino's upcoming live release from WAR, but that's not all coming from the label. Rhino's annual Start Your Ear Off Right vinyl campaign has already commenced at independent retailers and select Barnes and Noble locations. This year's slate encompasses releases from Dream Theater, Ramones, Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top, Grateful Dead, Rush, and others. Below, you'll find the complete list of SYEOR titles due this month, including those which arrived last
Southern Part of Japan: Archival Live Album from War Due Soon
Following some heavy-duty offerings from West Coast funk masters War, including an expansion of The World is a Ghetto and a box set of latter-day studio work for last year's Record Store Day Black Friday - Rhino kicks off 2025 with a release of previously unheard live material from the band's tour of Japan, more than half a century ago and featuring the band's classic line-up. Live in Japan 1974 will be available worldwide as a 2CD or 2LP set on February 5. The set includes 14 tracks (three
The Weekend Stream: December 21, 2024 - and a Merry Discmas to All!
Welcome to 2024's final edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts! With no Release Round-Up this Friday and a few weeks of peace and quite from (and for!) us until 2025, we've got a few more treats for you under the tree from Wham!, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Archie Bell & The Drells and so much more! Wham!, Last Christmas (Epic/Legacy/Sony Music U.K.) (iTunes / Amazon) For
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
Eternity: Cherry Pop Reissues Sheena Easton's "No Sound But a Heart"
Following the deluxe 2CD expansion of Do You earlier this year, Cherry Pop has continued its upgrade and overhaul of Sheena Easton's discography with a remastered vinyl edition of her 1987 album No Sound But a Heart. For her eighth album and final set with EMI, Easton turned to the prevailing "multiple producers" approach so prevalent in the 1980s. As those producers included Narada Michael Walden, Phil Ramone, Nick Martinelli, and Keith Diamond, the Scottish singer was in good hands on 1987's
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 62
- Next Page »