Daryl Hall and John Oates’ July 15, 2014 show at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre – their first in the city – has been captured on audio and video! The concert’s 15 tracks include “Maneater,” “She’s Gone,” “Sara Smile” and more. Live in Dublin will be available in CD/DVD and BD editions.
Real Gone Has “Rhapsodies” In April From Dusty Springfield, Rick Wakeman, Jesse Winchester and More
One surefire cure for the winter blues is to think ahead to the warmer climates awaiting us in spring. And Real Gone Music is seeing to it that April 2015 will shower not only with rain but with a full slate of new releases! This batch includes a sprawling set from Yes’ Rick Wakeman produced the great Tony Visconti, two more visits down memory lane with Grateful Dead, plus some rare music from underrated singer/songwriters Craig Fuller and Eric Kaz, and Jesse Winchester. And that’s not all. Real Gone also premieres on…
Duets: Re-Working the Catalogue
No, this isn’t April Fool’s. Van Morrison has announced a newest release: a duets album! But in a typically Morrison-esque twist, he’s not re-recording his past hits but rather a selection of largely unheralded tracks from his discography. Guests include Michael Bublé , Natalie Cole, George Benson, Steve Winwood, Mark Knopfler, P.J. Proby, Georgie Fame, Mick Hucknall, Mavis Staples and the late Bobby Womack.
Postcards from Paradise
Ringo Starr’s eighteenth album arrives just in time for his solo induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Guest musicians include members of Starr’s most recent All-Starr Band, all of whom co-wrote one track with Starr: Todd Rundgren, Steve Lukather, Gregg Rolie, Richard Page, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette. Guest appearances are also promised from Joe Walsh, Richard Marx, Peter Frampton and Dave Stewart.
Release Round-Up: Week of February 17
The Pretenders, 1979-1999 (Edsel) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) This mega-box features all of Edsel’s expanded Pretenders reissues, totaling the band’s eight Sire/Warner Bros. albums across 14 CDs and 8 DVDs (with six of the titles as 2-CD/1-DVD sets and two as 1-CD/1-DVD sets). Wow! All of the box set’s albums are also available individually (see below)! All track listings and discography can be found here. The Pretenders, 1979-1999 individual CD/DVD reissues (Edsel) Pretenders (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Pretenders II (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Learning To Crawl (Amazon U.S. / Amazon…
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Little Earthquakes (Deluxe Edition)
Tori Amos’ 1992 debut is expanded by Rhino to two CDs with the addition of 18 bonus tracks from period singles. The original album will also be available on vinyl.
Under the Pink: Deluxe Edition
Tori Amos’ sophomore album, from 1994, is expanded by Rhino to two CDs with the addition of 15 bonus tracks from period singles. The original album only will also be available on vinyl.
The Last Ride: Rhino Reissues Ride Anthology “OX4”
On March 31, Rhino is taking a Ride with the shoegaze band of the same name. That’s the date the label will reissue Ride’s OX4, a 2001 best-of anthology, to coincide with the reunited group’s upcoming tour. Though the Oxford band released just four studio albums and a number of EPs between 1990 and 1996, its small discography has proven an influential one. Friends and art school students Mark Gardener and Andy Bell (guitar/vocals), along with Laurence “Loz” Colbert (drums) and Steve Queralt (bass) formed Ride in 1988, inspired by The Smiths….
Spirit in the Night: Closing Night of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” Tour Comes To Archive Series
Bruce Springsteen is continuing his live Archive Series of CDs which began last year with the release of the Apollo Theater, New York City concert of March 12, 2012 and the Agora Theatre, Cleveland show of August 9, 1978 (from The Darkness on the Edge of Town tour). The newest release, for which pre-orders began Tuesday, takes fans back to the Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, on December 31, 1975 when Springsteen and the E Street Band held the stage for an electrifying night. The last night of 1975 was also the last night of…
One Little Spark: New Label Launches With Kate Bush, Ben Folds, Laura Nyro, “The Sound of Music”
With its upcoming roster boasting titles from Kate Bush, Ben Folds Five, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Laura Nyro and Julie Andrews, the new audiophile label Analog Spark is pulling out all the stops for its debut this spring. Yesterday, Razor & Tie announced the launch of Analog Spark, a new imprint which will focus on reissued releases on both 180-gram vinyl and SACD. Razor & Tie co-owners Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam commented, “We’re very excited about the launch of Analog Spark and the reissue of this important historical music. These albums…
Release Round-Up: Week of February 10
Mike + The Mechanics, Living Years: Deluxe Edition (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) This Deluxe Edition of Mike + The Mechanics’ 1988 album arrives in the U.S. with a second disc featuring “The Living Years 2014″ and live tracks culled from the band’s 1989 tour. Read our full coverage here. Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Complete Columbia Singles (Friday Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Friday Music has repackaged Collectors’ Choice Music’s 2010 three-disc collection of the complete Columbia singles output of the legendary band (“Kicks,” “Hungry,” “Just Like Me”)….
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Reviews: Two From Omnivore – Ian Matthews, “Stealin’ Home” and TV Eyes, “TV Eyes”
In Part One of our Omnivore round-up, we looked at recent releases from Big Star and Roger Taylor. Today, we’re turning the spotlight on Ian Matthews and the trio of Roger Manning, Jason Falkner and Brian Reitzell, a.k.a. TV Eyes! “This album was very much a conscious attempt at something a little more AOR, without deserting my roots.” So writes Ian (or, as he’s sometimes known on record, Iain) Matthews in his introduction to Omnivore Recordings’ splendid 2014 reissue of his 1978 album Stealin’ Home (OVCD-98). As a prevailing sound of AOR…
More Fun In Space: Omnivore Reissues, Expands Two From Roger Taylor
On the heels of 2014’s career-spanning box set The Lot and the single-disc anthology The Best, Omnivore Recordings continues to unfold the solo story of Queen’s Roger Taylor with two reissues due on March 24. On that date, the label will unveil expanded editions of Taylor’s first two solo albums, 1981’s Fun in Space and 1984’s Strange Frontier. Fun in Space found Taylor truly striking out on his own, as all of the sounds heard on the record were performed and played by him save “approximately 50 per cent of keyboards” handled…
Global: CD/DVD Deluxe Edition
Todd Rundgren is back with his 25th studio album which is described as fusing “rock, soul and EDM” – undoubtedly as only Todd could do. Though he’s of late been busy with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band, Rundgren will also take to the road in April and May to support his latest release. Songs include “Global Nation,” “Flesh and Blood,” “Skyscraper” and “This Island Earth.” Global will be available via Cherry Red’s Esoteric label in the U.K. in standard and deluxe editions and MVD Entertainment stateside in a standard edition. The 180-gram vinyl…
Spirit on a Mission
Spirit On A Mission is the new studio album from metal great Michael Schenker (UFO, Scorpions) emphasizing his heavy guitar style with a little help from his friends including Francis Buchholz, Herman Rarebell, Wayne Findlay and vocalist Doogie White.
Defenders of the Faith: Special 30th Anniversary Edition
This 3-CD anniversary edition includes the original ten-track album remastered by producer Tom Allom, and a complete 2-CD live recording from the Defenders tour, recorded at California’s Long Beach Arena on May 5, 1984. The 21-track live concert blended both new material from Defenders plus renditions of Priest classics like “Metal Gods,” “Electric Eye,” “Breaking the Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming.”
Real Nighttime
Omnivore continues its celebration of Game Theory with a 30th Anniversary reissue of Real Nighttime. The Mitch Easter-produced album is expanded with 13 bonus tracks (10 previously unissued) including covers of songs by Gerry Rafferty and Queen. Real Nighttime will be available on CD and digital download, as well as on a translucent red LP of the original album sequence (with download card for entire CD program). This release includes rare photos and an interview with Easter and series co-producer Pat Thomas, as well as notes from Byron Coley and a remembrance from Carl Newman of The New…
Release Round-Up: Week of January 27
Johnny Mathis, You Light Up My Life/Mathis Magic and The Best Days of My Life (Funky Town Grooves) You Light Up My Life/Mathis Magic: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. The Best Days of My Life: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Funky Town Grooves has not one, but two, releases from the legendary Johnny Mathis! You Light Up My Life (1978) joins the never-before-on-CD Mathis Magic (1979) on one disc, while FTG’s The Best Days of My Life expands the 1979 album with five bonus tracks, two of which are previously unreleased. The…
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Review: Jellyfish, “Bellybutton” and “Spilt Milk” Deluxe Editions
Omnivore Recordings has come out swinging in 2015! With the long-anticipated deluxe reissues of Jellyfish’s two studio albums finally here, the label has set a high bar for sheer pop ecstasy. While the band is often tagged as “power pop” – which is not altogether inaccurate – these two 2-CD sets make a strong case that Jellyfish was so much more. In his liner notes for this deluxe revival of 1990 debut Bellybutton (OVCD-5), author Ken Sharp points out that “everyone from Queen to Henry Mancini, ABBA to sprawling prog-rock, and KISS…
Release Round-Up: Week of January 20
Jellyfish, Bellybutton and Spilt Milk (Omnivore) Bellybutton: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Spilt Milk: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Here are the deluxe editions that fans of the cult ’90s pop revivalists have been waiting for! A total of 51 bonus tracks are spread across these freshly-remastered reissues of Jellyfish’s two studio albums. Look for Joe’s review later today! Universal Togetherness Band, Universal Togetherness Band (Numero Group) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) The Numero Group has excavated eight tracks, recorded between 1979 and 1981, from a soulful Chicago collective that may be the…
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Live At The Orpheum
Released to coincide with the 46th anniversary of King Crimson’s formation in January 1969, Live At The Orpheum features performances from the band’s critically acclaimed, sold-out 2014 US tour. Available as a CD/DVD-A set (with high-resolution 96/24 stereo on the DVD-A) or on heavyweight 200 gram vinyl, this release premieres 41 minutes of live music from the current seven-piece iteration of King Crimson. Includes “Starless,” “Sailor’s Tale,” “The Letters” and more as recorded on September 30 and October 1, 2014 at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre.
A Light in the Black
This 5-CD/1-DVD retrospective box set anthologizes the Polydor years of Ritchie Blackmore’s hard rock band Rainbow. Previously unreleased live recordings, outtakes, rehearsals and alternate mixes populate this set along with hits and album cuts for a total of 58 tracks on CD. The DVD features the band’s famed 1980 “Monsters of Rock” performance as aired on BBC-TV. As compiled by Blackmore expert Andy Francis, the label promises that this set “presents the story of the band though words, pictures and music.” The booklet features many rare photos by Ross Halfin as well as memorabilia, picture covers…
Sparkle in the Rain (Super Deluxe Edition)
1983’s Sparkle In The Rain. from Scottish band Simple Minds, began a beloved run of three consecutive No. 1 albums in the U.K. for Simple Minds, thanks in part to such hit singles as “Waterfront,” “Up on the Catwalk” and “Speed Your Love To Me.”. This new 4CD / 1DVD Super Deluxe Box Set version has been newly remastered at Abbey Road Studios. It expands that album to massive size, adding rare B-sides and extended mixes; BBC sessions; and a previously unreleased Glasgow Barrowlands concert. The DVD presents promotional videos; Top Of The Pops and Oxford Road…
The Complete Studio Recordings 1983-2004
Demon Music Group collects the studio recordings of Liverpool’s The Farm over 7 CDs and 98 tracks, including the band’s three studio albums, the Pastures Old and New compilation, and three bonus CDs of non-LP B-sides, BBC sessions, remixes, and more. The box features a 40-page booklet containing a new interview with Peter Hooton.
Varese Vintage Round-Up: Label Reissues Seals and Crofts, Danny Elfman, Bill Medley, More
Today, we’re spotlighting a number of reissues you might have missed from the Varese Sarabande label which arrived in the final weeks of 2014! The 1977 coming-of-age drama One on One starred young Robby Benson as high school basketball star Henry, who must overcome obstacles – both romantic and academic – to get through his freshman year of college. The score was provided by Charles Fox (“Happy Days,” “Ready to Take a Chance Again”) who also collaborated on a number of songs for the movie with Paul Williams. The film’s songs were…
