The more things change… The old adage has never been more shockingly true than when it comes to the music of Jimmy Somerville. Throughout an uncompromising career, Somerville has deftly blurred the lines between politics and music, deploying his piercing falsetto to sing eloquently of social ills against a dance-pop backdrop. Somerville came to prominence in 1984 as a member of Bronski Beat, a group of three young gay men who were determined to make their mark despite the social climate in
Massive Attack's Debut Getting New Remix, Remaster for November Release
The debut LP from trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack is about to get a bit more massive in the U.K. this year, with a remixed, remastered deluxe edition due in November. Blue Lines, originally released in 1991, was a watershed moment for British dance music. Before "trip-hop" was an actual subgenre repeated in music magazines, the Bristol-based trio of Robert "3D" Del Naja, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall and Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles helped forge its sonic identity as Massive Attack. As members of
It Only Takes a Minute to Fall in Love with New Tavares Reissues
Though their appearance on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack ensured that Tavares would always be associated with disco, the New England band of brothers (Ralph, Pooch, Chubby, Butch and Tiny!) had its roots in classic soul. They began in 1959 as Chubby and the Turnpikes (!) and eventually notched hits on the R&B charts like 1974’s “She’s Gone” (two years before Hall and Oates’ own version of the song achieved chart success) and 1975’s “It Only Takes a Minute,” which also crossed over to
'80s Expansion Watch: Deluxe Sets Planned for Heaven 17, Level 42
Two more expanded editions of titles by English '80s pop bands are due in the next month "across the pond," as they say. Heaven 17's debut LP Penthouse and Pavement, released in 1981 and reissued for its 30th anniversary last year, established themselves as a socially-conscious but still danceable band with singles like the famously banned-by-the-BBC "(We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang." But with sophomore album The Luxury Gap, singer Glenn Gregory and keyboardists Ian Craig Marsh and
Mamma Mia! ABBA's Self-Titled Album Gets Deluxe Treatment in Europe
The never-ending supply of ABBA reissues, expansions and other catalogue ephemera - which was just added to by the release of a new compilation in Europe, rendering our Back Tracks post on the matter even further obsolete - is going to get even bigger with an impending expanded release of the group's self-titled LP this winter. ABBA, the Swedish quartet's third album, was perhaps the first of the group's to enjoy lasting international exposure. While singles "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do,"
With a Song in Their Hearts: Supremes' "Symphony" is Latest Expansion from Hip-O Select
Hip-O Select's latest release is quite literally "so inviting, so exciting": The Supremes' 1966 LP I Hear a Symphony is the latest in the girl group's discography to get the deluxe treatment. The year before, Motown founder Berry Gordy was shocked by the soft chart placement of his Supremes' latest effort, "Nothing But Heartaches." The single "only" placed just one spot under the Billboard Top 10 - but it was still a blow for Gordy, who'd seen his onetime "no-hit" trio enjoy a run of five
Ace Goes Where the Action Is! Label Celebrates the Songs of Boyce and Hart, Don Covay, Otis Blackwell
Chain, chain, chain…chain of fools… Don’t be cruel…to a heart that’s true… Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees…people say we monkey around… Those three songs are still among the most recognizable in rock and soul, yet they barely scratch the surface of the songwriting careers of Don Covay, Otis Blackwell and the team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, respectively. Ace Records has recently searched the discographies of all of those gentlemen to create the latest entries in the label’s definitive
Review: Michael Jackson, "BAD 25"
Well, they say the sky's the limit and to me, that's really true...But, my friend, you have seen nothing! Just wait 'til I get through... Those words would likely have sounded like pure hubris had they emerged from any singer other than Michael Jackson. He threw the gauntlet down not just to his fellow musicians, but to himself, with the 1982 smash Thriller. Still recognized today as the best-selling album of all time, Thriller spawned seven Top 10 singles, received eight Grammy Awards, and
Release Round-Up: Week of September 18
Box set season is totally in full swing this week! Are you ready? Michael Jackson, Bad 25 (Epic/Legacy) The King of Pop's legendary 1987 album gets the deluxe treatment in a number of formats. The standard edition includes the remastered album and a 13-track bonus disc featuring rare and unreleased outtakes and new remixes. (That version is available with a T-shirt at Wal-Mart, and a bonus DVD with all nine original Bad-era short films - including the long performance edits of "Smooth
"Would You Believe" Carmen McRae's Funky Soul-Jazz Classic is Back from BBR?
1976’s Can’t Hide Love, recently reissued by Big Break Records, wasn’t jazz singer Carmen McRae’s first venture into contemporary territory. Like so many other interpretive vocalists who had begun their careers in a pre-Beatles world, McRae found herself adopting an “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” credo towards the increasingly prevalent rock genre, which had itself recently dropped the “and roll” to create a whole new sound. 1967’s Atlantic release For Once in My Life adventurously saw
Weekend Wround-Up: Barbra Streisand Joined by Bennett, Wonder, Krall on DVD and BD; Pixar Compiles More "Favorites"
On February 11, 2011, Barbra Streisand joined some illustrious company, including Bono, Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin and her “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” duet partner, Neil Diamond. That was the evening Streisand was recognized as the MusiCares Person of the Year, following in the footsteps of those above-named artists. Streisand was a natural candidate for the honor, as the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences annually bestows it upon an artist with significant artistic
King Crimson, Jethro Tull Prepare Super Deluxe Box Sets For "Larks' Tongues" and "Thick as a Brick"
The Super Deluxe stakes continue to be raised with the announcement of two more mega-boxes due before 2012 is out: (greatly!) expanded editions of King Crimson’s 1973 Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, and Jethro Tull’s 1972 Thick as a Brick. Both albums were the fifth studio effort of their respective bands, both are landmarks of the progressive rock genre, and both are being revisited with new 5.1 surround mixes crafted by Steven Wilson. The Porcupine Tree founder was also behind the recent remixes of
Sonic Youth to (Sort of) Return with 1985 Live Set
The future may be incredibly uncertain for iconic alt-rockers Sonic Youth, following last year's separation of founding members Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. But fans will certainly be satiated with a forthcoming release of an archival concert from the band. Smart Bar, Chicago 1985 captures the band in the midst of touring behind their sophomore album, Bad Moon Rising, released earlier that spring. On August 11, 1985, the band played Chicago's Smart Bar, armed with much of the new album in
Pretty Paper: Willie, Elvis, Luther, John Denver, More Collect Holiday Best on "Classic Christmas Album" Releases
Sleigh bells ring – are you listening? Legacy Recordings certainly hopes you are, as a bounty of new holiday-themed collections is coming your way. The first Classic Christmas Album arrived last year, a compilation of Christmas favorites from Tony Bennett (including a previously-unreleased version of “What Child is This?”). More titles are on the horizon to make spirits bright this year, and we have details on five of them to share right now, with more news to come! On October 2, Legacy will
Led Zeppelin's 2007 Reunion Concert to Be Released in November (UPDATED WITH PRE-ORDER LINKS)
It was the reunion everyone wanted, but possibly never expected. On December 10, 2007, at London's O2 Arena, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham (John's son) took the stage as Led Zeppelin for the first time since the band broke up in 1980. (Page, Plant and Jones had several tepidly-received reunions in the '80s, one at Live Aid and one at the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary concert, but none were considered by the band to be true Led Zeppelin performances.) It was the
Megadeth Plan "Extinction"-Level Event
Following last year's heavy-duty 25th anniversary box set edition of Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?, EMI is slated to release another expanded anniversary edition from thrash-metal gods Megadeth, celebrating 20 years of their Countdown to Extinction album. Countdown, the politically charged, hard-driving fifth album from the band, was released at one of the commercial zeniths of heavy metal, with Mustaine's former band Metallica's self-titled "Black Album" and Pantera's A Vulgar Display of
Review: The Knack, "Rock and Roll is Good for You: The Fieger/Averre Demos"
Before there was The Knack, there was Doug Fieger and Berton Averre. The former was a Detroit native and a member of the band Sky, the latter a working musician from the San Francisco Bay Area. They began collaborating in 1973, beginning an odyssey that would reach its first milestone six years later when the sensibly-titled Get the Knack on Capitol Records reportedly became the fastest-selling debut album since Meet the Beatles. But before “My Sharona” took Fieger, Averre, Bruce Gary and
Always Something There: Dionne Warwick Celebrates 50 Years with Bacharach, David, Ramone on "Now"
Were there a competition to crown Most Striking Album Cover of 2012, Dionne Warwick might win it hands-down for the image adorning Now, the singer's new album due on October 30 internationally and November 6 in North America. Now is a celebration of Warwick's 50 years in music, looking back on a solo career that began in 1962 with Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Don't Make Me Over." That song soared to No. 21 Pop/No. 5 R&B, setting Warwick on a course that would see her place more than 50
Cast Your Fate to the Wind with New "Very Best of Jazz" Collections From Brubeck, Evans, Guaraldi, More
What makes a legend most? When it comes to the legends of jazz, Concord Music Group has that answer for you. Earlier this year, Concord launched The Very Best Of, a new series of "Jazz 101" collections designed at an affordable price point. These compact sets might introduce new fans to daunting catalogues, or offer longtime fans a compact sampler of a favorite artist. The first wave of titles arrived for Miles Davis (trumpet), John Coltrane (tenor saxophone), Sonny Rollins (tenor
Release Round-Up: Week of September 11
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Emerson, Lake & Palmer / Tarkus: Deluxe Editions (Razor & Tie) Full review coming soon, but you should know that these are 2-CD/1-DVD sets featuring unreleased alternate takes and 5.1 surround mixes for these two classic prog-rock LPs. Dio, Singles Box Set (UMC) A U.K.-made collectible box replicating all of Dio's Vertigo 12" singles, plus the Intermission live EP and a DVD of music videos. The English Beat, Live at The US Festival '82 & '83 (Shout!
Isn't It Time! Beach Boys Reissues Confirmed For U.S., Two "Greatest Hits" Sets Also Arriving! [UPDATED 9/10]
UPDATE 9/10: It appears that the mono/stereo catalogue remasters for The Beach Boys will now arrive from Capitol/EMI on October 9 in North America, alongside the two greatest hits sets, not the previously announced September 25. As of today's date, we have not confirmed any change of date for the international releases. Watch this space for any further updates! BREAKING NEWS 8/8: The Beach Boys have announced plans for the CD and digital release of two new commemorative hits collections by
Lullaby of Broadway: Classic Columbia, RCA Victor Cast Albums Collected in "Broadway in a Box"
Curtain up! Tomorrow, Sony's Masterworks Broadway division will release Broadway in a Box: The Essential Broadway Musicals Collection, a 25-disc collection formatted similarly to the “Complete Albums” box sets arriving from sister label Legacy Recordings. This impressive collection brings together the original cast recordings for 25 musicals recorded for Columbia Records, Arista Records and RCA Victor between 1949 (South Pacific) and 1987 (Into the Woods and a revival of Anything
Unleash the Beast with New Dio Compilation, Singles Box, Audio Fidelity Reissue
Metal will never die - and neither will the memory of Ronnie James Dio. The late singer will be celebrated with no less than three catalogue projects between now and October. First up, from Universal U.K. comes the Dio Singles Box Set, released last week in the U.K. and available as an import starting this week. The 15-disc set features replicas of all of Dio's Vertigo-era 12" singles, including the Dutch-only "The Last in Line" and French-exclusive Dio Live single, as well as classics like
In Case You Missed It: Rhino U.K. Goes the Distance for Vangelis
At this summer's Olympic Games in London, if there was going to be any film score coming through the speakers, it would be the theme to Chariots of Fire. Vangelis' synthesizer-based piece has resounded in the popular consciousness for more than 30 years. Running along a beach or looking for energy to complete a task? That piano riff - which helped the film win one of four Academy Awards and topped the Billboard charts for a week in 1982 - will likely play in your head until you finish the
Return to Strummerville with Expanded Reissues of Clash Frontman's Solo Discs
In celebration of what would have been Joe Strummer's 60th birthday this year - and, just as sadly, the 10th anniversary of his passing this coming December - the Clash frontman's three albums with latter-day solo band The Mescaleros have received the deluxe treatment both physically and digitally. At the end of August, Hellcat/Epitaph Records released a digital box set, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: The Hellcat Years. This 57-track box set contains all three remastered Mescaleros LPs -
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