With the latest two additions to its growing Complete Albums Collections roster, Legacy Recordings and Epic Records are looking to two musical pioneers for which the description "jazz artist" seems largely inadequate. George Duke, keyboard virtuoso, and Stanley Clarke, electric and acoustic bass pro, have extensively toured and recorded together, but these forthcoming box sets turn the clock back to their solo periods on the Epic label. George Duke has proven himself equally adept at jazz,
Doin' It for Themselves: Funky Town Grooves Plans Major Expansions for Aretha and Andre
As independent reissue labels go, Funky Town Grooves has long been a pioneer in cratedigging through scores of forgotten soul and R&B favorites, many from the fertile period of the 1980s. This year, the label has announced two expanded releases that may be among their most ambitious, for two of the best-loved R&B albums of the decade. First up, this March will see an expanded edition of Who's Zoomin' Who?, the major comeback by The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Aretha had ended the
Every Saga Has a Beginning: "Star Wars" Score to Be Reissued
As Star Wars fans count down to a theatrical reissue of the chronological beginning of the six-film series, new fans will get a chance to rediscover its musical merits, thanks to a new reissue from Sony Classical. The year 1999 was a monumental year for fans of George Lucas' Star Wars series. After years of discussions and planning, that May saw the release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the first of a new prequel trilogy that explained how Lucas' mythological galaxy fell into the
Review: The Monkees, "Instant Replay: Deluxe Edition"
When 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 surreptitiously recorded a song by Charles Manson. Two days after, The Temptations skyrocketed to Cloud Nine, meeting psychedelia head-on. By the year's end, the dream of
The Right Profile: Early Rap Label Anthologized on New Double-Disc Set
Legacy 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 tune, "Love Insurance," was recorded by Cory Robbins in 1979, for release on Robbins' own Panorama label, a small imprint with ties to MCA Music Publishing. The duo aspired to
Gilbert O'Sullivan Goes "Back to Front" On Next Salvo Reissue
Would 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, shirt open and chest hair exposed. But the opening “Intro” in which the singer implored listeners to sit back, relax and enjoy the album, was proof
And the Tracks Are...: "2012 Grammy Nominees" Disc Due
With 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 and Katy Perry, modern rock legends the Foo Fighters and country star Taylor Swift) to rising stars (rappers J. Cole and Nicki Minaj,
Review: Alex Chilton, "Free Again: The 1970 Sessions"
What makes a cult hero most? Alex Chilton ascended to that lofty rank as the leader of Big Star, a band whose negligible commercial impact is only matched by its considerable influence over an entire generation of musicians. When Chilton’s Paul McCartney met Chris Bell’s John Lennon (or vice versa?), they formed a brief but potent team as singers and songwriters. What resulted was the exuberant power pop of the optimistically-titled No. 1 Record as recorded by Big Star: Chilton, Bell, Jody
Pulp on Fire: Early U.K. Albums Expanded for February Release
Yesterday's announcement of the lineup for the three-day Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in April was met with typical fanfare associated with major festival announcements. And why not? A veritable who's who of rising stars and legends across a wide swath of genres will be performing, including Radiohead, The Black Keys, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Bon Iver, Madness, Squeeze, The Shins, ex-Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher, the newly-reunited At the Drive-In, James, Florence and The Machine,
Intrada Releases Two Fists of Kamen for 2012
After a healthy and innovative year for film score reissues, Intrada starts off the new year with a bang - or better yet, a swift roundhouse kick: two heretofore-unreleased late-'80s action scores by the excellent Michael Kamen. The first one is a very familiar title to pop-culture junkies and cult-classic geeks: the score to Road House. The 1989 action flick starred Patrick Swayze in his first post-Dirty Dancing project as Dalton, a strangely complex, widely-renowned bouncer with a degree in
Edsel January Preview: Rundgren, Chapin, Gosdin, Manhattan Transfer, Jo Jo Gunne Kick Off 2012
What kind of year will 2012 be? If the first batch of releases, slated for January 30 release, from the Edsel label is any indication, there's plenty of rare and well-done music on the way! A three albums-on-two-CDs package collects the entirety of Todd Rundgren's Warner Bros. Records period. A Cappella/Nearly Human/2nd Wind continues Edsel's definitive series which brings Rundgren's solo and Utopia output on both Bearsville and Warner Bros. under one umbrella. The studio wizard's decision
Rick Nelson, Mark Lindsay, McGough and McGear (with Hendrix and McCartney!) Are Real Gone In February
With another month comes another slate of rare music on both CD and vinyl from one of the real up-and-comers in the reissue biz, Real Gone Music! The label’s February centerpieces just might be Rick Nelson’s The Complete Epic Recordings and Mark Lindsay’s The Complete Columbia Singles, but those two releases are being joined by titles from Sean (T.S.) Bonniwell, McGough and McGear, Eddie Hazel and the girls of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s Red Bird label on CD, plus Hank Thompson on vinyl!
Promised You a Miracle: Simple Minds Expand Early Albums for New Box Set, Tour
In 1985, Scottish rockers Simple Minds burst onto the American music scene in a big way with "Don't You (Forget About Me)," the chart-topping theme to iconic teen drama The Breakfast Club. Before their brush with John Hughes-induced fame, though, the band released a batch of increasingly successful post-punk and New Wave records between 1979 and 1982. This winter, to coincide with the "5x5 Tour" in Europe, which will see founding members - singer Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill -
Mighty Love: Detroit Spinners' Best Compiled On New 2-CD Anthology
If an award were given for the Best Second Act in Popular Music, it might well go to The Spinners. Signed to Motown in 1963 after early successes at Gwen Gordy’s Tri-Phi label, The Spinners – singers Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson, C.P. Spencer and Bobbie Smith - had difficulty ascending to premier status at the Motor City label. After some moderate hits like “Truly Yours” in 1966, the group’s biggest brush with the charts came in 1970 when Stevie Wonder gifted them the song
Compilation Watch: New Best-Ofs by Goldfrapp, Martina McBride Coming in 2012
Here's some more upcoming releases to shake the malaise off the new release schedule: two very different compilations from two very excellent ladies in the dance and country genres. Her name isn't mentioned as often as Faith Hill or Shania Twain, but Martina McBride was one of a treasured few country starlets who enjoyed a contemporary pop crossover or two. Her first big moment outside of Nashville came in 1997 with the adult contemporary ballad "Valentine" with pianist Jim Brickman; it charted
Not Pulling Your Chain: Captain Beefheart's Unreleased "Bat Chain Puller" Coming From Zappa Records
Though Frank Zappa had much to say as a musician and a social commentator throughout his lifetime, the keepers of the flame over at Zappa.com are a little more understated. But the team led by Zappa's widow, Gail, continues to offer a number of exciting projects relating to the Zappa legacy. One of the most unusual is on the way: the first-ever release of avant-garde wizard Captain Beefheart's original Bat Chain Puller. A lost 1976 album produced by Zappa, portions were re-recorded in later
This is Not a Love Song: PiL Remasters in U.K. in 2012
It looks like the first major remaster campaign for 2012 is going to be a re-release of the Public Image Ltd. catalogue, coming from EMI in England. The spectacular flameout of punk legends The Sex Pistols in 1978 wasn't enough to stop lead singer John Lydon - forever better known as Johnny Rotten - in his tracks. Lydon collaborated with guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble to form Public Image Ltd., a band as noisy and rebellious as the Pistols but with a bit more room for creativity
Ever Changing Times: Aretha In The 1980s, Anthologized by Legacy
On March 25, 2012, Aretha Franklin will turn 70 years old. That hardly means she's ready to slow down, however. 2011 found the Queen of Soul looking trim and sounding vibrant as she returned to the concert stage and released a new studio album. Surely her landmark birthday will be celebrated with countless airings of her 1960s golden hits like "Respect," "Natural Woman" and "Chain of Fools." But Legacy Recordings and Arista Records are seeing to it that a latter-day hitmaking period for the
The Year in Reissues: The 2011 Gold Bonus Disc Awards
What are you doing New Year's Eve? As we count down to that big celebration, we've been holed up at Second Disc HQ readying another year's Gold Bonus Disc Awards for you! We consider our annual awards a companion piece to Mike's round-up over at Popdose (essential reading, I might add!) and we endeavor to recognize as many of the year's most amazing reissues as possible as well as to celebrate those labels, producers and artists who have raised the bar for great music throughout 2011. These
Second Discmas, Week Two: And The Winners Are...
Well, December 23 is here, and our first Second Discmas has come to a close! Many thanks to all of you who have entered our giveaway drawings over the past two weeks! It's been a labor of love for both of us here at Second Disc HQ to be able to share so much of the year's best music with our dedicated readers! It's now time to reveal the winners! Congratulations to... Randy B. of Holmdel, NJ, and Sean T. of Albany, CA, winners of Wheedle's Groove: Seattle's Finest in Funk and Soul
Holiday Gift Guide Review: "Brunswick Lost Soul Vols. 1 and 2"
Welcome back to our Second Disc Holiday Gift Guide, in which we review some titles we might have missed over the past few weeks! The titles we’re spotlighting in this occasional series just might be candidates on your own holiday shopping list! The annals of popular music are littered with lost souls, which isn’t surprising for a business that can turn the street of dreams into the boulevard of broken dreams. But thanks to two recent releases from Brunswick Records, we can appreciate 30
The Eighth Day of Second Discmas
Well, friends, all good things must come to an end, but we couldn't be more excited with the offerings we have for you today, the final day of Second Discmas! Courtesy of our terrific friends at Rhino Entertainment, we've got an amazing pack of three of the label's finest Handmade releases of 2011: the expanded 2-CD box set of The Beau Brummels' Bradley's Barn; the first-ever release of the heavy psychedelia of Iron Butterfly's Fillmore East 1968; and finally, the brand-new, hot-off-the-presses
The Second Disc Buyers Guide: The 100 Greatest Reissues of All Time, Part 18 (#15-11)
And the Top 15 of our 100 Greatest Reissues list begins! We've taken Rolling Stone‘s list of the greatest albums of all time and investigated their many pressings and expansions over the years. Today, we're rocking in the 1960s, take a jazz detour to 1959, and remember a 1976 compilation of material circa 1955! 15. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (Reprise, 1967) If you weren’t experienced before listening to the 1967 debut of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, it’s safe to say
The Seventh Day of Second Discmas
It's Day 7 of Second Discmas, and we're thrilled to bring you a remarkable new box set from a legend of jazz! Wynton Marsalis‘ Swinging Into the 21st is a comprehensive 10-album, 11-CD box set containing career highlights hand-picked by the trumpeter, composer, bandleader and arranger to illuminate each facet of his history! Marsalis selected the material on Swinging to celebrate his 50th birthday this October 18. His diverse selections from his large catalogue include two volumes of his
The Sixth Day of Second Discmas
Well, Week 2 of Second Discmas is in high gear, and here at Second Disc HQ, we can't get enough of the great music of the silver screen and the Great White Way! Today, we're sharing the immortal music of Hollywood and Broadway with you! Thanks to our fantastic friends at Kritzerland, we have two amazing prize packs for you today! Our "Screen" pack is a triple-threat of soundtrack classics, including two from the legendary Elmer Bernstein! From Bernstein's pen comes the Original Soundtrack
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