When The Buckinghams' "Kind of a Drag" unseated The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" from the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1967, becoming the first new No. 1 of the year, it was anything but a drag for the Chicago band. The crackling single, with its triumphant brass fanfare practically heralding a hit record, was the first of The Buckinghams' three Top 10s in '67. Now, in celebration of The Buckinghams' 50th anniversary, Varese Vintage has released the 15-track anthology The
Release Round-Up: Week of September 11
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Second Disc Records is going back to the beach with Ricci Martin, but that's far from all this week! We're also taking off with ELO, singing street-corner symphonies with The Four Seasons, and much more! Plus: new titles from classic artists! Ricci Martin, Beached: Expanded Edition (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) What if key members of The Beach Boys, Chicago, America, and Wings had teamed up to create one of the greatest
Keepin' The Summer Alive: Ricci Martin's "Beached" ARRIVES TOMORROW From Second Disc Records!
"I was living up the street from Carl Wilson and his wife Annie," Ricci Martin told me in July of this year. "I was over his house, playing his piano. And Carl said, 'God, I really like that! Did you write that?' And I said, 'Yeah, I wrote that!' And he said, 'How would you like to record that?' And I said, 'Of course, absolutely!'" The song Ricci was playing was "Stop, Look Around," a shimmering slice of Southern California pop that would open his 1977 Epic Records album Beached. Carl Wilson
Review: "Groove and Grind: Rare Soul '63-'73"
Got a few spare hours? You'll definitely want to put some time aside for a new box set that just might get you up and dancing... The four packed CDs comprising RockBeat Records' Groove and Grind: Rare Soul '63-'73 (ROC-CD-3255)- that's 112 songs, most of which have never previously appeared on CD - add up to one of the most exhaustive rare soul archives in the CD era, and one which you'll want to spend hours and hours exploring. As accompanied by a 112-page book with Bill Dahl's copious,
Wicked Good: Wilson Pickett's "Complete RCA" Arrives TOMORROW From Second Disc Records!
This Friday, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music continue the story of one of soul music's leading lights. The late Wilson Pickett (1941-2006) lived life - and made music - on strictly his own terms. Everybody knows the story of The Wicked Pickett's groundbreaking tenure at Atlantic Records during which time he largely defined the sound of sixties soul. Hits such as "In the Midnight Hour," "Land of 1,000 Dances," "Mustang Sally" and "Funky Broadway" all still cornerstones of any classic
Genesis' Tony Banks Goes "A Chord Too Far" On Career-Spanning Box Set
It's been a pretty great year for fans of Genesis. This morning, the news broke of upcoming reissues from Phil Collins. Earlier this year, reissues arrived from Mike Rutherford and Anthony Phillips, and Steve Hackett released his latest solo album. (A reissue of the 1986 album by Hackett's band GTR is on the way, and a box set of Hackett's Charisma recordings is due later this year, too.) All has been fairly quiet on the Peter Gabriel front, but even Gabriel has some vinyl remasters on the
Sweet Touch of Love: Raven Collects Three Albums From Allen Toussaint
Of all the great names in the annals of R&B history, there is only one Allen Toussaint. A pianist, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and all-around renaissance man, the Louisiana native is responsible - in one capacity or another - for some of the most memorable songs and recordings in the modern pop and soul canon: "Working in the Coal Mine," "Southern Nights," "Mother-in-Law," "Lady Marmalade" and "Yes We Can Can" among them. Though those hits for Lee Dorsey, Glen Campbell, Ernie
Bill Wyman Opens The Vault Doors with "The Solo Box," "Complete Willie and the Poor Boys" Sets
Earlier this year, erstwhile Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman released Back to Basics, his fifth solo album and first in over two decades. The time couldn't be better, then, to revisit Wyman's past work apart from his former bandmates. Edsel has happily obliged with two new multi-disc collections in the Bill Wyman's Recording Archives series showcasing Wyman's own musical melange of blues, soul, pop, and rock-and-roll. The 4-CD/1-DVD White Lightnin': The Solo Box reissues and expands Wyman's
It's "Happy Lovin' Time": Ace Collects Rare Sunshine Pop and More
Ace Records has previously mined the eclectic catalogue of producer-impresario Gary S. Paxton, most notably on Hollywood Maverick: The Gary S. Paxton Story. That 2006 volume featured Paxton's work with artists including The Hollywood Argyles ("Alley Oop"), Paul Revere and the Raiders ("Midnight Ride") and Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("The Monster Mash"). Recently, Ace has returned to the archives of Paxton's Garpax production company with the delicious Happy Lovin' Time: Sunshine Pop from the Garpax
WE HAVE OUR WINNERS: NICOLETTE LARSON "LOTTA LOVE" GIVEAWAY!
CONGRATULATIONS! The following 10 entrants have won a copy of Varese Vintage's brand-new Lotta Love: The Very Best of Nicolette Larson on CD! If you entered our contest via Facebook and your name is on the list below, please drop us a line at theseconddisc-at-gmail-dot-com or a Private Message on Facebook with your name and mailing address! If you entered via email, you don't have to do anything - your CD will be in the mail soon! Watch this space soon for more exciting
Review: Chicago, "The Studio Albums" and America, "The Warner Bros. Years"
In 1969, Chicago Transit Authority - a.k.a. Robert Lamm, Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow and Walter Parazaider - released its first album on Columbia Records. 46 years and a total of 36 core albums later, the band simply known as Chicago is still intact with Lamm, Loughnane, Pankow and Parazaider. In the waning days of 1971, another band made its first appearance on records. America - the trio of Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek -
Omnivore Uncovers The Lost Soul of Carl Hall
Even the most diehard soul connoisseurs can be forgiven for not knowing the name of Carl Hall. After all, he left behind just a handful of singles on labels including Mercury, Loma, Atlantic and Columbia before focusing on a stage career. But thanks to Omnivore's recent release of You Don't Know Nothing About Love: The Loma/Atlantic Recordings 1967-1972, it's highly unlikely that you'll forget the name, and sound, of Carl Hall. Distinguished by both his intensity and his stratospheric vocal
Esoteric Reissues, Expands All Four Albums From Progressive Art-Rockers Audience
If Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint has anything to say about it, the music of Audience will soon discover a new audience! Esoteric has recently reissued all four of the British band's studio albums, originally released on the Polydor and Charisma labels between 1969 and 1972. Audience, a.k.a. Howard Werth (acoustic guitar/vocals), Keith Gemmell (flute/tenor sax/clarinet), Trevor Williams (bass) and Tony Connor (drums) formed out of the ashes of the band The Lloyd Alexander Real
You Oughta Know: Rhino Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" with 4-CD Box
This October, Rhino is celebrating one of the biggest albums of the 1990s: Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. To commemorate the album's 20th anniversary, a newly remastered 4-CD Collector's Edition and 2-CD Deluxe edition will be released on October 30. Alanis Morissette's first two albums did not indicate the direction her music would take for her biggest smash record. Released on MCA in her native Canada, 1991's Alanis and 1992's Now is the Time had critics comparing her to Debbie
Lotta Love: Varese Collects "The Very Best of Nicolette Larson" - AND YOU CAN WIN!
Today, Varese Vintage releases Lotta Love: The Very Best of Nicolette Larson, celebrating the life and career of the silken-voiced pop singer who died at the tragically young age of 45 in 1997. This 16-track anthology, culled from her years with Warner Bros. Records and featuring duets with Emmylou Harris, Steve Goodman and Michael McDonald, is a welcome reminder of Larson's versatile gifts in the genres of pop, country and folk - and we would like to give you a chance to WIN ONE OF TEN COPIES
Those Old Sweet Rolls: Light In The Attic Reissues Carole King's "The City," Spooner Oldham, Lee Hazlewood's Kitchen Cinq
An upcoming trio of releases from Light in the Attic turns the label's spotlight on two of popular song's most enduring writers and one maverick producer/label impresario (who also happened to be one heckuva songwriter!) - namely Carole King, Spooner Oldham, and Lee Hazlewood. LITA is bringing King's one remarkable album with her band The City back to CD and LP, and premiering on official CD and vinyl a reissue of Oldham's 1972 solo LP Pot Luck. Then the label continues to dig deep into the
Sixteen Tons, What Do You Get?: Bear Family Releases Tennessee Ernie Ford 5-CD Box Set
For years, Germany's venerable Bear Family label has been curating large box sets focusing on country, pop and early rock-n-roll. These vast collections offer up a complete look at an artist's recordings during a specific period. The label is continuing in this tradition by compiling a box set to coincide with the 60th anniversary of this artist's biggest hit. On September 25, 2015, Tennessee Ernie Ford: Portrait of An American Singer (1949-1960) will be released in the U.S., marking the six
Christmas Joy: Real Gone Kicks off the Holidays with Four Seasons and More in October
It may be hard to believe, but the holiday season will be here sooner than we think! To prove that point, Real Gone Music is getting Christmas started early with its October slate of releases featuring five yuletide gems along with three titles good for year-round enjoyment. This batch of Christmas classics kicks off with the 4 Seasons' The 4 Seasons Greetings, continuing Real Gone's series of mono Seasons reissues which began in September. Next, you've got holiday tunes from crooner and
Let's Go Disco: Big Break Gets Down With MFSB's "Universal Love"
Big Break Records is letting the love come through - Universal Love, that is! - with its new reissue of the third album from Philadelphia International Records' inimitable house band, MFSB. The only mystery about the 1975 album is how this No. 2 R&B smash (and respectable No. 44 Pop success, as well) has avoided compact disc release after all these years. Happily, it follows 1972's MFSB and 1973's Love is the Message into Big Break's catalogue in a newly-expanded and remastered
It's Clobberin' Time! Ace Unearths Gems From Motown's Fantastic Four
Last weekend, The Fantastic Four - the super-powered Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm - returned to the big screen, ultimately to disappoint fans. But Ace Records' Kent label has another group of the same name in the spotlight - and this one is bound to thrill! Joe Pruitt, Ralph Pruitt, Toby Childs and James Epps made their debut as The Fantastic Four in 1966 on Detroit's Ric-Tic label, notching a series of R&B and Pop hits (including 1967's No. 6 R&B/No. 63 Pop
Paint With All the Colors of the Wind: Latest Disney Legacy Collection Release Features "Pocahontas"
This past Friday, Walt Disney Records continued its Legacy Collection series. Like the most last release, Toy Story, it celebrates a film marking its 20th anniversary: 1995's Pocahontas. The new 2-CD set features the entire score along with several demos and alternate versions of songs. Pocahontas, Disney's 33rd animated film, was a departure from some of the films in the studio's past repertoire in that is was based on history and not a fairytale. The movie chronicles the story of Native
Review: Simon and Garfunkel, "The Complete Columbia Albums Collection" and "The Concert in Central Park"
When Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel took the stage on April 24, 2010 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, it's doubtful that many in the audience knew they were witnessing the end of one chapter in the story of Simon & Garfunkel. That concert marked the final time that the famous duo have performed together to date, but over five years later, the specter of Simon & Garfunkel still looms large over both men. It's no surprise; the question of a reunion cropped up almost
Get Ready to "Groove and Grind" on RockBeat's New "Rare Soul" Box Set
Hot on the heels of its recent Super Rare Doo Wop Box, RockBeat Records is turning its attention to another corner of the rhythm and blues world and further advancing into the 1960s with a new four-CD box set. Groove and Grind: Rare Soul 1963-1973, due in stores on Friday, August 18, is packed with 112 songs - the vast majority of which have never been reissued on CD! Groove and Grind, compiled by RockBeat's James Austin and annotated in its hardcover 127-page book by Bill Dahl, has divided
It Might As Well Be Spring: Esoteric Reissues Cult Favorite By Prog Rock Band
Esoteric Recordings, an imprint of the Cherry Red Group, continues to mine gold for fans of the more progressive sounds coming out of the fertile, late-1960s/early 1970s British music scene. The self-titled 1971 album by Spring (not to be confused with the group of the same name involving Brian Wilson's first wife Marilyn and sister Diane) was the sixth release by the short-lived RCA Neon label. RCA had established Neon to compete with other prog-minded imprints like EMI's Harvest, Philips'
In Memoriam: Cilla Black (1943-2015)
We're deeply saddened at the news of the passing of Cilla Black, 72. Throughout the course of a recording career spanning five decades, the Liverpool-born artist lent her distinctive sound and big voice to songs by The Beatles ("Love of the Loved," "It's for You," Step Inside Love"), Burt Bacharach and Hal David ("Alfie," "Anyone Who Had a Heart"), Randy Newman ("I've Been Wrong Before") and the greatest songwriters of her era. Also beloved in the United Kingdom as a television presenter on
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