WHAM! The dance-pop duo's name immediately called to mind the fantastical, onomatopoeic pop art exclamations that would appear on the '60s Batman television show. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley had everything going for them: good looks, great voices, and a knack for pure pop songcraft. In a mere handful of years, WHAM! launched nearly a dozen singles into the Top 10 of the U.K. singles chart. - a lucky seven entries. Their first album was entitled Fantastic; it was. The second was Make It
OUT TOMORROW! Second Disc, Real Gone Celebrate Spinners, Thom Bell's "Complete Atlantic Singles 1972-1979"
Could it be you're falling in love? Tomorrow, just three months before their long-awaited induction into the 2023 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the world-renowned Spinners will be celebrated by Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records with The Complete Atlantic Singles: The Thom Bell Productions 1972-1979. This definitive 2-CD anthology presents every one of the quintet's beloved A- and B-sides helmed by Thom Bell on Atlantic Records during that halcyon period-with each and every
Down South Jukin': Lynyrd Skynyrd Celebrates "Fyfty" Years on New Box Set
If you looked up "southern rock" in the music dictionary, there's a good chance you might find a photo of Lynyrd Skynyrd next to the definition. The Jacksonville, Florida band first came together as My Backyard in 1964; five years later, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, bassist Larry Junstrom, and drummer Bob Burns took on the unusual, now-familiar moniker. Skynyrd didn't release their first album until 1973 by which time bassist Leon Wilkeson had come
Do It Right: Edsel Reissues, Expands Kiki Dee's "I've Got the Music in Me"
Edsel has long been championing the recordings of Kiki Dee, including two definitive box sets chronicling The Fontana and Motown Years and The Rocket Years. It's the latter chapter to which the label has recently returned on a reissue of the British singer's second album, I've Got the Music in Me. Originally released on Elton John's Rocket Records in 1974, the LP yielded a top twenty pop hit on both sides of the Atlantic. What sets this 2-CD expanded edition apart is both the content - it
Review: Frank Zappa, "Funky Nothingness"
Frank Zappa's 1969 LP Hot Rats remains among the late composer-bandleader's most accessible albums. Blending bluesy electric rock with jazz, it makes a fine introduction to his sometimes-daunting discography. But those looking for more might not have known exactly where to start. Certain elements of the Hot Rats sound would crop up in the maestro's future discography, but a proper sequel was never released. It's only been recently revealed, however, that one was recorded...more or less.
The Weekend Stream: July 29, 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. Big things happening in this column: two big box sets from a legendary prog-turned-pop outfit, rare mixes from one of pop's most legendary performers, tons of remixes from a soulful producer/performer and 200(!) classical titles from a legendary British label. Whew! Genesis, Archive #1 (1969 - 1975) /
Here Comes Sunshine: Grateful Dead's "Wake of the Flood" 50th Anniversary Edition Coming in September
Grateful Dead's sixth studio album, 1973's Wake of the Flood, in some ways represented a new beginning for the band. Not only was it the first release on their Grateful Dead Records label, but it was their first LP following the passing of founding member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan and the (temporary) departure of drummer Mickey Hart. On September 29, the Dead's ongoing series of 50th anniversary reissues continues with 2CD, digital, and a variety of vinyl expansions of Wake of the Flood. Wake
Release Round-Up: Week of July 28
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. Joni Mitchell, At Newport (Rhino) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP Clear Vinyl: Independent Record Stores / Barnes & Noble On July 24, 2022, Joni Mitchell took the stage of the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island for her first full concert set in two decades. Word quickly spread, usually attached to
Frampton@50 Update: Remastered SACDs Out Now, Vinyl Shipping Tomorrow
"Take me away," Peter Frampton repeatedly implores on the title track of his 1972 solo debut Wind of Change. Indeed, change was in the air. He'd recently departed Humble Pie but stayed at A&M Records to launch his own career. Departing from the band's boogieing ways, Frampton's debut was filled with acoustic-based, melodic tunes plus a handful of muscular rock offerings to prove that the artist hadn't lost his way. Those shimmering acoustic guitars are among the elements that gain
From This Moment On: Original Jazz Classics Series Rolls On with Bill Evans, Mal Waldron, Yusef Lateef
Following its relaunch with vintage titles from Miles Davis and the duo of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, Craft Recordings' Original Jazz Classics series will continue with upcoming releases from The Mal Waldron Sextet, The Bill Evans Trio, and Yusef Lateef. These titles began rolling out on June 30. Drawing on the vast catalogues of the Fantasy, Prestige, Milestone, Riverside, Contemporary, Pablo, Galaxy, Debut, and Jazzland labels, OJC reissues promise the highest standard in vinyl
The Weekend Stream: July 22, 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. Today brings remixes from ABC, Madonna and Cypress Hill, plus rarities from Stan Getz and Julie Andrews! ABC, The Look of Love (Single) (Mercury/UMC) (iTunes / Amazon) Another single from the upcoming reissue of The Lexicon of Love; like last week's, it focuses on "The Look of Love" - arguably the
In Memoriam: Tony Bennett (1926-2023)
The air was thick with anticipation at Radio City Music Hall. The date was August 3, 2021 and Tony Bennett was set to take the Great Stage with his friend and confidante Lady Gaga for the first of two farewell performances. It was his 95th birthday. A 6,000-strong crowd, mostly masked and uncomfortably shoulder-to-shoulder, jammed the theatre's lobby for a final chance to see one of the twentieth - and twenty-first - century's greatest voices live. The announced time on the ticket came and
I'm Digging You, Digging Me: 7a Reissues Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart's "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite"
When Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart made their long-playing debut as a recording duo with the 1967 release on A&M Records of Test Patterns, it was clear that the duo had the goods. They were singers, writers, producers, and musicians, and showcased all of those talents on the album. It was the culmination of a relatively short but prolific period of time that saw them - individually and collectively - behind some of the most enduring hits of that era or any other: "Last Train to Clarksville,"
Children of the Revolution: New "Produced by Tony Visconti" Box Features David Bowie, T. Rex, U2, Badfinger, More
In the course of a career spanning seven decades, Tony Visconti has produced seminal albums in the classic rock genre including high profile collaborations with David Bowie, T. Rex, Gentle Giant, Strawbs, and Badfinger. But Visconti's C.V. runs much deeper, from folk (Ralph McTell, Tom Paxton) to musical theatre (Elaine Paige) and everything in between (Sparks). On October 20, Edsel will release the first large-scale tribute to Visconti's enormous musical legacy. Produced by Tony Visconti has
These Are the Good Old Days: The Carly Simon and Jac Holzman Story
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Carly Simon was signed for her first solo album contract to Elektra Records by the label's founder, Jac Holzman, beginning an association with the label that would endure for the entirety of the 1970s. Holzman's hands-on approach to overseeing his label's output, however, would only last for three of Simon's albums, as he departed Elektra in 1973, three years after selling the company to the
Amazing Journey: New Mega-Box Chronicles The Who's Path from "Life House" to "Who's Next"
What's next? How about Who's Next? On September 15, The Who will revisit their seminal 1971 masterwork in a lavish 10CD/1BD box set as well as multiple smaller formats. The Who's Next/Life House box set, by the numbers, offers 155 tracks - 89 of which are previously unissued in any version and 57 of which are brand-new remixes. This finally offers a comprehensive look at Pete Townshend's ambitious, conceptual Life House (later known as Lifehouse) project, tracing it from its roots as a
Dancin' to Be Dancin': Cherry Red, Robinsongs Collect Skyy's "Salsoul Albums"
Solomon Roberts, Jr. (vocals/guitars/producer), Anibal Sierra (guitars/keyboards), Gerald Lebon (bass), Larry Greenberg (keyboards), Tommy McConnell (drums) and sisters Denise, Bonnie, and Delores Dunning (vocals) proclaimed "This Groove Is Bad" as the first track of their band Skyy's debut album in 1979. Indeed, the scorching slice of funk was so "bad" it was good, and Skyy embarked on a musical journey that would take them through seven albums on the Salsoul label plus further recordings for
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
Tom Waits' Wild Years on Island Records to Be Remastered and Reissued This Fall
After an already-unorthodox career as one of the most unique singers of the '70s, Tom Waits went on to reinvent his idiosyncratic sound as the '80s dawned. The fruits of that labor - a five-album stint on Island Records - will be revisited this fall in a series of CD and vinyl reissues. The five albums Waits issued for the label between 1983 and 1993 - the loose trilogy Swordfishtrombones (1983), Rain Dogs (1985) and Franks Wild Years (1987), and the follow-ups Bone Machine (1992) and The
The Right Thing to Do: Carly Simon Reflects On Her Early Career with Elektra's Jac Holzman on "These Are The Good Old Days"
Carly Simon's self-titled debut album arrived on Elektra Records in the spring of 1971, nestled in the label's discography between singer-songwriter Paul Siebel's Jack-Knife Gypsy and folk band Farquahr's eponymous LP. Carly wasn't quite a stranger to the music business, having recorded three albums for the Kapp and Columbia labels with her sister Lucy as The Simon Sisters, but her solo debut augured for a major talent. She was signed by the label's founder, Jac Holzman, beginning an association
Release Round-Up: Week of July 14
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. Marshall Crenshaw, Field Day: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Yep Roc) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Marshall Crenshaw's new reissue campaign continues with his second album, Field Day, as newly remastered by Greg Calbi. It will be augmented with bonus tracks on all formats: two non-LP B-sides (including a cover of
Watching Me, Watching You: Jethro Tull Unsheath 'Broadsword' for Monster Box Set
Jethro Tull and remixer Steven Wilson are joining forces for another anniversary edition of an album in their discography, this time tackling 1982's The Broadsword and The Beast. Available September 1, this 40th anniversary "Monster Edition" will feature Wilson's new mixes of the original album, a slew of rare and previously unreleased recordings, demos, early mixes and a 1982 live set in Germany - all available in stereo across five CDs and in hi-resolution stereo and surround mixes on three
Got a Hold on Me: Christine McVie's Solo Works Returning to Print
The loss of longtime Fleetwood Mac keyboardist Christine McVie last year remains deeply felt by fans of the long-running group's unbeatable pop/rock songs. Today, on what would have been her 80th birthday, Rhino Records is releasing unheard music by (and in tribute to) her, with plans to reissue two of her solo albums this fall. On November 3, Rhino will reissue a remastered version of 1984's Christine McVie on CD and vinyl, with a cola-bottle clear color variant of the latter available
Break on Through: The Doors Re-Enter The Matrix in Restored Live Set
One of the most legendary live recordings from The Doors is finally coming out in its most definitive form. Live At The Matrix 1967: The Original Masters, due September 8, is the last word on the group's pivotal dates at the San Francisco club The Matrix - among the earliest concert recordings of the group. The 3CD or 5LP/7" box set will include, for the first time, all of club owner Peter Abram's surviving original master tapes of the performances, remastered by the band's longtime engineer
A Thing Called Love: The Darkness Ask for 'Permission to Land...Again' in Deluxe Edition of Debut
It might've been the last thing anyone expected to hear on the radio in 2003: a swaggering rock tune with faux-operatic vocals and a guitar tone reminiscent of Queen's Brian May. Was it some lost outtake from the '70s? No: it was the seriously fun "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," which heralded one of the country's most unique bands: The Darkness. Now, 20 years on, the group is revisiting their first recordings with an all-out box set edition of their debut album Permission to
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