If Phil Spector didn’t exist, someone would have had to invent him. Spector scored his first chart-topper as writer, artist and arranger in 1958 with “To Know Him is to Love Him” performed his by group, the Teddy Bears. But a 1960 apprenticeship with famed songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller convinced the ambitious young man that his future was behind the scenes as a producer. (His 1960 stint with Leiber and Stoller also yielded “Spanish Harlem,” which Spector co-wrote with Leiber.) With
Review: Various Artists, "Wall of Sound: The Very Best of Phil Spector 1961-1966"
In another time, in another place, I would not be writing this review of Legacy's new Phil Spector compilation with a slight pang of melancholy. And you wouldn't be reading it with the possible tug at the heartsrings you might face now. Phil Spector was one of the most significant pop producers of the 20th century - a creator of pop music as a blissful, romantic, universal commodity - but recent events have ensured that anyone who speaks his name today does so with hesitation, with knowledge of
Review: "The Very Best of The Rat Pack"
What do we know about The Rat Pack, that famed group of celebrity rogues and rapscallions that defined American cool in the early '60s? You might not know that only a third of the classic members of the group were initially included; The Rat Pack was initially made up of actor friends of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, including Frank Sinatra but not Dean Martin or Sammy Davis, Jr. But after Bogart's death and the subsequent release of Ocean's 11 in 1960, the classic image of The Rat Pack -
In Case You Missed It: The Best Concert Ever?
The Second Disc very rarely covers "new" releases, even if they're newer releases by vintage artists. But when our good friend Eric Luecking of Record Racks (a darn good site if I say so myself) reminded me a few days ago of the recently-released Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert DVD, it seemed alright to break that unofficial embargo of "new" stuff. In case you missed this when it was released on September 28, The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts is a
Fans of Paul's "Band" May "Run" for Best Buy Exclusive (UPDATED 11/2)
It's been a very good year for Beatles fans, especially those with deep pockets! First came The John Lennon Signature Box and reissue campaign, then George Harrison's Collaborations box set preserving his work with Ravi Shankar. Last Tuesday delivered a sparkling batch of Apple Records remasters, and after months of anticipation, Concord's Paul McCartney reissue campaign finally kicks off next Tuesday with the reissue of Band on the Run. The 1973 Wings smash takes flight in four configurations:
Britpop Statesmen Suede to Release a Best-of Compilation
After a band makes its return to the public eye, say, after a long hiatus or break-up, the best way to remind the public of what they were capable of is through a compilation of some sort. Suede, the influential Britpop band, looks to do just that with the release of The Best of Suede. From their self-titled release in 1993, Suede were considered to be the act that got rock music back in the good graces of both British critics and the British public. With bands like Blur and Radiohead about to
The '90s Revival Continues: Soundgarden Best-Of Planned (UPDATED WITH TRACK LIST)
Influential grunge rockers Soundgarden - set to take center stage at Lollapalooza this weekend - have announced a new compilation due for a fall release. Telephantasm: A Retrospective, as it's called, will feature songs from all of the band's albums and EPs, plus a new vault track, "Black Rain," recorded during the Badmotorfinger sessions in 1991. The set will be included as a bonus disc with the upcoming video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, to be released September 28, and will be
Release Round-Up: Week of May 23
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. Sheena Easton, Modern Girl: The Complete EMI Recordings Volume 1 (Cherry Pop) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Sheena Easton's latest reissue collaboration with Cherry Red covers familiar ground in a slightly new way. Modern Girl: The Complete EMI Recordings, Vol. 1 is a 5CD set that covers the bulk of the Scottish
In Memoriam: Roger Nichols (1940-2025)
If you don't know the name of Roger Nichols, you know the man's songs. His compositions have been sung by Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark, Jackie DeShannon, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, The Monkees, and Nichols' most frequent lyrical collaborator, Paul Williams - just to name a few. Many of those songs have become bona fide American standards, among them "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "I Won't Last a Day Without You," and "Times of Your Life." He and
All You Can Think About: They Might Be Giants Rarities Set Comes to CD
A collection of harder-to-find material from stalwart alt-rock duo They Might Be Giants - released on vinyl last year - gets a wider availability on CD this month. The Spine Surfs Alone: Rarities 1998-2005 is available at general retail on May 30, having been available from the band's official store since earlier this spring. (A vinyl version was surprise released last November, during which the album was made available digitally through Bandcamp as well.) The set includes the balance of two
The Weekend Stream Extra: A Guide to 'MTV Unplugged' on Paramount+ (Part 1)
Welcome to a special Sunday feature of The Weekend Stream, which takes a look at one of MTV's great live music programs thanks to a recent reissue of one of its best-known episodes. We're kicking off a five-part deep-dive on every episode of MTV Unplugged that's currently streaming on the station's parent streaming network Paramount+! If the music video was the most significant concept MTV introduced back in 1981, the word "unplugged" might come in a close second. In 1989, as the cable
The Weekend Stream: May 17, 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 positively packed volume offers legends of pop, rock and country revisiting and interpreting some classic tracks; catalogue favorites from Britney to Sheena and Connie to Katrina; intriguing film scores and show tunes; and remembrances of a few legends we lost this week. Steve Perry & Willie Nelson, "Faithfully" (Dark Horse) (Apple /
Wake Me Up: New Compilation Honors Life and Career of Avicii
In his too-brief career, Swedish DJ/producer Avicii became one of the most dynamic figures of the early 2010s electronic dance boom. A new collection, sanctioned by his estate, will honor that body of work. Avicii Forever offers, on CD or two LPs, 20 tracks from his albums and EPs, including the worldwide hits "Wake Me Up," "Levels," "Hey Brother" and "The Days." The set also includes a previously unreleased track, "Let's Ride Away," featuring vocals by Elle King. Physical copies of the album
Dancing Barefoot: The Feelies Collect Old Covers for New Album
What started as a simple digital exercise for New Jersey rockers The Feelies is a new collection of some of their harder-to-find cover songs. The jangle-pop heroes will release Rewind on June 20, a nine-track affair featuring versions of cuts by The Beatles ("She Said She Said," "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"), Neil Young ("Barstool Blues," "Sedan Delivery"), Bob Dylan ("Seven Days"), The Rolling Stones ("Paint It Black") and more. Most were recorded during the
Hey There: Stage Door Expands John Raitt's "Songs of the Open Road"
Back in May 2020, in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stage Door Records brought some much-needed sunshine with an Original Album Series volume for Broadway baritone John Raitt (1917-2005). The 2CD volume collected Raitt's four LPs originally released between 1955 and 1960 on the Capitol and Warner Bros. labels; now, Stage Door has turned the clock back to 1947 for a first-time-on-CD expanded edition of his 1947 Decca EP Songs of the Open Road. Born in Santa Ana, California, Raitt
Leavin' Here: Motörhead's Earliest Classic Trio Recordings Unearthed
Motörhead's 50th anniversary will be celebrated with a fascinating find: the premiere release of the first studio sessions to feature the trio's classic line-up. The Manticore Tapes, released on June 27, will offer the first studio sessions from the late summer of 1976 with the beloved line-up of singer/bassist Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. Though cut in a perhaps unusual location well associated with one of progressive rock's
The Weekend Stream: May 10, 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. This week, classic rock icons celebrate their live history, a modern music icon gets serious, a master of horror films (and soundtracks) revisits his first non-movie music and a former folk duo open their vault. The Doors, Live in Pittsburgh 1970 / Live in Philadelphia '70 / Live in Detroit (Bright Midnight/Rhino) Pittsburgh: Apple /
Release Round-Up: Week of May 9
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. Jackie DeShannon, Love Forever: Demo Recordings 1966-1968 (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Jackie DeShannon signed with Liberty Records and Metric Music in 1960 as a performer and songwriter. Her big break would come in 1964 when she would open for The Beatles on their first U.S. tour. The next year
Beyond Today - and Tomorrow: A Look At Liberation Hall's Recent and Upcoming Releases
The Liberation Hall label has, of late, been a haven for interesting and unusual reissues from exciting corners of the post-punk scene. (They've also been active during Record Store Day, recently releasing a box set of albums by The Blasters and an anthology of work by Clarence White of The Byrds.) Here's a look at three noteworthy releases that have been or will be in stores soon. The label in April released an expansion of the debut album by Pearl Harbor & The Explosions, a
Listen To The Warm: Real Gone's May Line-Up Includes Rare Petula Clark plus Jesse Ed Davis, Lamb, The Bottle Rockets, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones and Others
We've already told you about the Jackie DeShannon CD - Love Forever: Demo Recordings 1966-1968 - coming from Real Gone Music tomorrow, May 9. But the label has a packed line-up of other titles ranging from pop to metalcore and years spanning the 1960s to 2000s on both CD and vinyl. Keep reading for all of the details. First up is a new expanded CD reissue of Petula Clark's 2007 album Solitude & Sunshine: The Songs of Rod McKuen. Clark and McKuen first met in France in the 1960s and
Omnivore Sets Sail with Expanded Edition of Christopher Cross' Debut
A new wind reaches the sails of one of yacht rock's defining masterpieces, courtesy of Omnivore Recordings. The label will offer an expanded reissue of the self-titled debut album from Christopher Cross, the unforgettable 1979 release that became a commercial juggernaut and propelled the unlikely star to the music business' upper echelon. The CD or 2LP release will feature 11 bonus tracks including the rare non-album single "Mary Ann" and a slew of demos, six of which are made available for
Never Gonna Be the Same: A Conversation with Gary Clark of Danny Wilson
The best known hit of his band begins with "Everything is wonderful / being here is heavenly..." and perhaps no line better sums up the experience of hearing a song by Gary Clark. The Scottish singer/songwriter formed the trio Danny Wilson with his brother Kit and bassist Ged Grimes in the mid-'80s, eventually scoring a hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1987 and 1988 with the sublime "Mary's Prayer." While it's easy to place Danny Wilson in the same British sophisti-pop continuum that
The Weekend Stream: May 3, 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 a real party mix for you this week: alt-rock, soft rock, classic rock (in Spanish!), post-hardcore, funk, Barbra Streisand - you name it, we're spinning it! R.E.M., Radio Free Europe 2025 EP (Craft) (Apple / Amazon / Bandcamp) The legendary Athens, Georgia rockers have a special, timely treat for fans this weekend. With the
Voices, Another Sound: Duran Duran Bow 'Greatest' on Vinyl
Duran Duran will bring their latest - and, appropriately, greatest - compilation to vinyl for the first time this summer. 1998's Greatest - a tidy summary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers' most commercially successful period in the '80s and '90s - will be pressed as a double album on white vinyl - featuring a newly cut master created at Abbey Road Studios - with sleek packaging including an embossed front cover (recalling the companion DVD release of the band's biggest videos) and
Hero of the Day: Metallica Unloads Massive 'Load' Box Set
We'll spare you additional ribald jokes and puns in sharing that Metallica have announced their latest sprawling box set reissue, this time dedicated to their sixth studio album - 1996's Load. Available June 13, the centerpiece of the Load reissue campaign is a box that'll offer 15 CDs, six LPs and four DVDs featuring the remastered album, rare single material, scores of unreleased outtakes (from demos to rough mixes), audio or video of five full shows and plenty additional concert
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