Frank Sinatra, The Concert Sinatra (Concord) A remixed, remastered and expanded edition of Frank's 1963 studio album (the title referred to the size of Nelson Riddle's excellent orchestra). Modern English, Mesh and Lace / After the Snow / Ricochet Days (4AD) Newly-pressed reissues of the first three Modern English LPs, with bonus tracks. They've been out before, so […]
Continue ReadingWhen The Monkees' Instant Replay was released in February 1969, less than three years had passed since the band's vinyl debut in October 1966. But the pop world of 1966 might have been a lifetime ago. Five days before Instant Replay's February 15 release, The Beach Boys unveiled the album 20/20, on which America's band […]
Continue ReadingCherry Red's stable of reissue labels has become a little bigger: this month, the group established a new imprint, Hot Shot Records, that looks to expand the horizons of reissues for pop and dance hits of yesteryear. Established under the group's thriving Big Break Records label, Hot Shot's mission, according to its Facebook page, is […]
Continue ReadingEngland, Russia, China, Africa, Egypt, Israel…all of the above are stops on the O’Jays’ perennial “Love Train.” We all know that the train started in Philadelphia, home to Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the song’s writer-producers, and Thom Bell, its co-arranger (with Bobby Martin). But a new release from Philadelphia International Records and Legacy Recordings […]
Continue ReadingIt's Friday the 13th, and there's a chill in the air out in the east. Perfect timing, then, for La-La Land Records to unveil their much-anticipated Friday the 13th soundtracks box set! The beloved soundtrack label is presenting, for the first time, all of Harry Manfredini's music for the first six films in the long-running slasher […]
Continue ReadingCan you hear the grass grow? An oft-circulated set by Birmingham's legendary Move is finally receiving an official release courtesy of Right Recordings! Live at the Fillmore 1969 chronicles the band's stand at San Francisco's legendary Fillmore Auditorium on October 16-19 of that year; The Move joined Joe Cocker and the Grease Band and Little […]
Continue ReadingLegacy Recordings has got a fantastic new compilation coming out later this month chronicling the rise of a most underrated rap label: Profile Records. Profile was the brainchild of two young aspiring music moguls living in New York City at the tail end of the disco boom. Steve Plotnicki was a songwriter whose cult disco […]
Continue ReadingWould the real Gilbert O’Sullivan please stand up? When peering at his sophomore album, Back to Front, potential purchasers back in 1972 didn’t see the same nostalgic figure of the previous year’s Himself. Gone was the chap in his flat cap, pudding-basin haircut and jacket. In his place was a tanned, rather more mainstream-looking fellow, […]
Continue ReadingWith the 54th Annual Grammy Awards mere weeks away on February 13, it's getting close to one of music's most vaunted pre-Grammy traditions: the release of the annual Grammy nominees compilation. Due out January 24, 2012 Grammy Nominees compiles exactly the artists you'd expect, from multiple award nominees (British soul songstress Adele, pop acts Bruno Mars […]
Continue ReadingIt's finally time to open the doors on the much-anticipated 40th anniversary celebration of The Doors' L.A. Woman. We first reported on the L.A. Woman festivities back in April 2011, the actual month of the anniversary. The band looked forward to the fall release of a deluxe edition of its acclaimed sixth and final album […]
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