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,
What's It All About: Verve to Release Long-Lost 1967 Concert from Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald ushered in 1967 with a new label affiliation; she had decamped Verve for the Capitol label where she would release two albums - one of hymns, and the other of traditional Christmas carols - that year. In concert, Ella was in a period of transition. While rewarding her audiences with the classic standards they expected, she was also experimenting with newer material from the pop-rock songbook. On February 28, Ella's once and future home of Verve will release The Moment of
Holiday Gift Guide Review: The Beatles, "1964 U.S. Albums in Mono"
Any Time at All Did The Beatles save rock and roll? If John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr didn't save the still-young form, they certainly gifted it with a reinvigorating, exhilarating jolt of musical euphoria the likes of which hadn't been seen before - and hasn't been duplicated since. The scene was early 1964. Buddy Holly was long gone, and the big hits had dried up - at the moment, at least - for Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. Elvis had served his
Ace Round-Up: Label Celebrates John Barry, Jackie DeShannon, Thom Bell, Paul Williams, Holland-Dozier-Holland
Today, we're rounding up five releases from Ace Records, all of which were released within the past few months by the U.K. label. Ace has followed up its 2022 collection dedicated to the oeuvre of composer John Barry, The More Things Change: Film TV, and Studio Work 1968-1972, with a new volume of the film maestro's works. Something's Up! Film, TV, and Studio Work 1964-1967 (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) hardly plays like a collection of runners-up, however. Barry crafted so
In Memoriam: Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)
On a Sunday mornin' sidewalk/I'm wishin', Lord, that I was stoned/'Cause there's somethin' in a Sunday/That makes a body feel alone... With songs such as "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down," Kris Kristofferson expanded the vernacular of country music, bringing realism, gritty authenticity, and a literate sensibility - he was an Oxford-schooled Rhodes Scholar - to a genre already known for its unvarnished musical stories of pain and heartbreak. Kristofferson would find himself at the vanguard of
Look Out, Ol' Frankie's Back: Sinatra's Final Solo Album Gets Remixed and Expanded for 40th Anniversary
Start spreading the news! Frank Sinatra may have taken John Kander and Fred Ebb's timeless "(Theme From) New York, New York" to the charts, but the Chairman of the Board also had a soft spot for the City of Angels. In 1984, he teamed with the legendary Quincy Jones, fresh off a little 1982 album called Thriller, to craft what would become the final solo studio album of Sinatra's extraordinary career. On October 25, Frank Sinatra Enterprises and UMe will reissue L.A. Is My Lady in a remixed
Release Round-Up: Week of July 12
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. John Lennon, Mind Games: The Ultimate Collection (Capitol/UMe) 6CD/2BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 9LP/6CD/2BD Super Deluxe Box: Official Store 2CD (includes contents of CD 1 and 6, below): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP (includes contents of CD 1 and 6, below): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon
Louis in London
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP (Black Vinyl): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Verve Online Store (Blue Vinyl) This previously unreleased performance from the late, great Louis Armstrong was recorded live on the BBC on July 2, 1968 while the legendary musician and singer was riding high thanks to the chart-topping success in Great Britain of "What a Wonderful World." The 13-song set naturally includes that evergreen anthem penned by Bob Thiele and George David
"Les Cousins: The Soundtrack to Soho's Legendary Folk and Blues Club" Features Paul Simon, Nick Drake, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart
"For two-and-a-half years, I had the Friday night show at Bunjies Coffee Bar, and it became a residency for me," Al Stewart remembered in an interview with this author for the recent collection of his U.S. singles. "After a while, I got another residency right around the corner at a club called Les Cousins." The Greek Street venue was a focal point of the London folk scene. Nick Drake, Cat Stevens, Alexis Korner, John Renbourn, and a young American named Paul Simon all passed through its
What a Wonderful World: Verve Premieres Louis Armstrong's "Louis in London" on CD, LP
Well, hello, Louis! On July 12, Verve Records will release Louis in London on CD, vinyl, and digital formats. This previously unreleased performance was recorded live on the BBC on July 2, 1968 while the legendary musician and singer was riding high thanks to the chart-topping success in Great Britain of "What a Wonderful World." The 13-song set naturally includes that evergreen anthem penned by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. Armstrong - a pioneer not only as a jazz trumpeter and
Release Round-Up: Week of December 1
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The Sound of Music: Super Deluxe Edition (Craft Recordings) 4CD/Blu-ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Craft Store (picnic meadow green) This remarkable new 4CD/1BD box set invites listeners to hear The Sound of
Just Like Joe: Meek's "Tea Chest Tapes" Series Welcomes Heinz, Glenda Collins, More
In a short, tumultuous life and career, Joe Meek (1929-1967) moved pop into the space age with his innovative use of the studio. The producer-engineer experimented with overdubs, reverb, and sampling in an era when it wasn't commonplace; his 1962 composition and production of "Telstar" for The Tornados became the first record by a British rock-and-roll band to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Hot 100. The Ivor Novello Award winner crossed musical paths with such artists as Tom Jones, Petula Clark,
The Weekend Stream: July 15, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. This week, ABC and Steven Wilson shoot a "Poison Arrow" our way, plus rare albums from Bobby Darin, Pat Boone and others - including a lost '60s soul-pop classic you don't want to miss! ABC, Poison Arrow EP (Mercury/UMR) (iTunes / Amazon) Ahead of the new 40th anniversary vinyl box set of ABC's
Review: Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, "Working Our Way Back to You: The Ultimate Collection"
I Can't Give You Anything But Love On Monday, June 26, Frankie Valli walked down the aisle in Las Vegas with his longtime girlfriend Jackie Jacobs. This October, he'll take the stage at the city's Westgate Resort and Casino to begin a yearlong residency at the hotel, during which time he'll turn 90 years young. For more than 60 of those years, the artist born Francesco Stephen Castelluccio in Newark, New Jersey has been the lead vocalist of The Four Seasons, the group he co-founded on a
Release Round-Up: Week of May 26
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles in stores today! Carole King, Home Again: Live in Central Park (Ode/Legacy) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Coinciding with the documentary/concert film of the same name, Carole King's Home Again: Live in Central Park captures her concert - the first-ever free concert at New York City's Great
The Weekend Stream: April 1, 2023
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. Our latest round-up may be on April Fool's Day, but it's no joke: remixes by Madonna, rarities by Burt Bacharach and Peggy Lee, a White Stripes live set and the first major Barry White production are all here. Happy streaming! Madonna, Nothing Really Matters (Remixes) (Warner/Rhino) (iTunes /
Release Round-Up: Week of March 17
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! U2, Songs of Surrender (Interscope) 4CD (40 tracks): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 4LP (40 tracks): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Deluxe CD (20 tracks): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada CD (16 tracks): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP (16 tracks): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada U2 is revisiting its discography on the new project Songs of Surrender. The album takes its name from the
Keep On Sailing: Cherry Red Collects Iain Matthews' Plainsong on New Box Set
Cherry Red's Lemon imprint has anthologized the works of singer-songwriter Iain Matthews on previous releases including the 2019 rarities collection Orphans and Outcasts and this year's I Can't Fade Away: The Rockburgh Years 1978-1984. Now, Lemon is turning back the clock to Matthews' time in the band Plainsong with a new 6-CD box set. Following Amelia: The 1972 Recordings and More is, in essence, a generous 50th anniversary expanded edition of the original band's one and only album to be
In Memoriam: Brooks Arthur
Brooks Arthur was always the coolest guy in the room...but he was also the nicest. A gentle giant of the music business, the producer-engineer died yesterday - but not before cementing a legacy of some of the most enduring sounds in pop history. The Brooklyn native born Arnold Brodsky grew up alongside such friends as Neil Sedaka, Carole King, and Neil Diamond, all united in their dreams of making it big across the bridge in Manhattan. While in high school, he worked in the mailrooms of
Sock It To Me, Baby: Ace Celebrates Bob Crewe on "Whatever You Want"
Yesterday, we looked at Ace Records' recent anthology dedicated to West Coast producer Gary Usher. Today, we're heading east... Stanley Robert Crewe of Newark, New Jersey studied architecture and tried his luck as a fashion model before turning full-time to music. Though the handsome young man was a teen idol-in-the-making, he found his truest calling behind-the-scenes. With writing partner Frank Slay, Crewe gifted "Silhouettes" to The Rays and "Tallahassee Lassie" to Freddy "Boom Boom"
The Weekend Stream: July 23, 2022
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to discover! This week, we've got long-lost pop from a teenaged star, a crop of country classics, cool West Coast jazz, freestyle hits, and more! Jack Wild, A Beautiful World (Buddah) (Amazon / iTunes) Child actor Jack Wild earned an Academy Award nomination for his role as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! - the same part Davy
COMING TOMORROW! Stoney and Meatloaf's "Everything Under the Sun: The Motown Recordings" Arrives from Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music
Meat Loaf exploded to superstardom like a Bat Out of Hell with his 1977 solo debut. But the roots of his success could be traced to his short but blazing tenure with Motown. In 1970, the young performer with the big frame and even bigger voice was garnering rave reviews in the Detroit company of Hair alongside Shaun Murphy, a.k.a. Stoney, a powerhouse blues singer who stopped the show nightly with her incendiary rendition of "Easy to Be Hard." Motown quickly saw the potential of this
The Weekend Stream: May 14, 2022
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there's plenty of great new/old music to discover! Millennial nostalgia is all over this week's releases - plus some live jazz and pop as well as a real rarity from a disco diva. Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight (Deluxe Edition) (Warner/Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) In 2007, nu-metal rockers Linkin Park broadened their sound with the help of producer Rick Rubin and
What You See Is What You Get: Second Disc Records, Real Gone Music Bring Stoney and Meatloaf to CD with "Everything Under the Sun: The Motown Recordings"
Meat Loaf exploded to superstardom like a Bat Out of Hell with his 1977 solo debut. But the roots of his success could be traced to his short but blazing tenure with Motown. In 1970, the young performer with the big frame and even bigger voice was garnering rave reviews in the Detroit company of Hair alongside Shaun Murphy, a.k.a. Stoney, a powerhouse blues singer who stopped the show nightly with her incendiary rendition of "Easy to Be Hard." Motown quickly saw the potential of this
Release Round-Up: Week of March 11
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the titles arriving in stores today! Grateful Dead, Road Trips Vol. 1 No. 4: From Egypt with Love (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) A little over a month after playing a concert on the desert grounds surrounding the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Grateful Dead returned home to San Francisco for a five-show stint at Winterland. The band brought along a slide show of their Egyptian stand
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