Who is Bob Dylan? Today, he might identify himself as “a song and dance man,” a noble profession if there ever was one. But for decades, the man born Robert Zimmerman has been much, much more. Resistant though he might have been to the tag of “spokesman of a generation,” said generation could have done much worse. To describe Dylan’s role in the 1960s is certainly to paint with broad brushstrokes. But it can be said with some measure of truth that Dylan liberated popular music from the
Review: The Beach Boys, "Made in California"
If everybody had an ocean... Rarely have five simple words in pop music held such promise. The message at the time was an invitation squarely aimed at teens: “If everybody had an ocean, across the USA/Then everybody’d be surfin’ like Califor-ni-a...” But ultimately, the promise and California dream embodied by Hawthorne, CA’s native sons came to mean so much more than mere surfin’. The sound of The Beach Boys – Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, David Marks,
Let Him Sing and We're Happy: Parlophone Readies The "Alternate" Matt Monro
Matt Monro (1930-1985) made one of his first major splashes under the pseudonym of “Fred Flange,” adding the requisite touch of Sinatra to Peter Sellers’ 1959 comedy LP Songs for Swingin’ Sellers. Good as he was at being Sinatra, however, he was even better at being Matt Monro. Producer George Martin picked up on this, and the rest is history. Monro began his tenure at EMI signed (like Sellers) to Parlophone, later became an artist for EMI’s famous U.S. Capitol label, and still later saw
Mario Lanza Is "The Toast of Hollywood" On New Set From TCM, Sony
In the 1950 film of the same name, Mario Lanza was anointed The Toast of New Orleans. According to the fine folks at Turner Classic Movies and Sony Masterworks, however, the Pennsylvania-born, Italian-American tenor is also The Toast of Hollywood. TCM and Masterworks are following up their 2012 release of Doris Day’s With a Smile and a Song with a new, similarly-designed 2-CD set dedicated to the late Hollywood singing star Lanza. The rich-voiced singer may have perished in 1959 at just 38
Review: The Monkees, "The Monkees Present: Deluxe Edition"
And then there were three. Peter Tork had departed The Monkees in December 1968, just a couple of months prior to the February 1969 release of the band’s seventh studio album, Instant Replay. The remaining trio of Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith soldiered on, though, cutting numerous new tracks and updating old ones for an eighth effort. Issued by Colgems in October 1969 on the heels of an unsuccessful greatest-hits album, it was The Monkees Present and emphasized the slimmer group
Original Jazz Classics Celebrates 60 Years of Riverside with Evans, Montgomery, Baker, More
From its headquarters at 553 West 51st Street in New York, New York, the Riverside Records label presided over an impressive roster of jazz talent. Founded in 1953 by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer, Riverside was home at one time or another to Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Alberta Hunter, Johnny Griffin, plus a number of artists currently being recognized with deluxe reissues from the Riverside catalogue: Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan, Cannonball Adderley and Milt Jackson, Chet Baker, Wes
It's Been Good to Know Yuh: Woody Guthrie Rarities Collected on New Box Set
In the annals of American history, few singer-songwriters were as incisive about our country as Woody Guthrie (1912-1967). He tirelessly dedicated himself and his songcraft to the hard-working, common man of the country, and was as equally vocal about injustices he saw in his many travels across the nation. And lately, as fans recently celebrated what would have been his 100th birthday, several great products came out in celebration of this milestone. But what many have forgotten about Guthrie
Come Out of Your Shell: "Lost" Staple Singers Album Reissued by Ace
The legacy of Chicago's own Staple Singers was solidified when the quartet moved to Stax Records and became the label's biggest act at the time, courtesy of some of the best funk of the early 1970s. A new reissue from Ace extends that legacy, with the release of 1981 outtakes compilation This Time Around, available on CD for the first time. After gospel-tinged stints on Vee-Jay, Epic and other labels throughout the '60s, the Staple Singers - Roebuck "Pops" Staples and his children Cleotha,
Review: Dionne Warwick, "The Complete Warner Bros. Singles"
Dionne Warwick’s 1972-1977 tenure at Warner Bros. Records has long been a subject of much confusion. Why couldn’t the Burbank giant yield any hit records with the superstar artist after signing her to a record-breaking deal? Sure, the “triangle marriage” of Warwick, Burt Bacharach and Hal David was breaking up, but Warner paired her with some of the most famed names in soul music: Holland-Dozier-Holland, Jerry Ragovoy, and Thom Bell among them. Bell scored a hit for Warwick with “Then Came
Somewhere Only They Know: Keane Announce Greatest Hits Compilation in Various Formats
British pop-rockers Keane are set to commemorate a decade of releases with a new greatest hits compilation in November. While most knowledge of the Sussex band begins and ends with 2004's radio-ready, piano-led ballad "Somewhere Only We Know" (a modest No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100), Keane have become quite a driving force in U.K. pop/rock. All four of their studio albums (and one extended EP) have topped the British charts, and they've amassed 10 Top 40 hits, including Top 10s "Everybody's
Ace Boldly Goes To "Outer Space" and The Bay Area On Two New Themed Collections
Ace Records is Going Wild!…not just with a rip-roaring rock-and-roll compilation of that name, but with a journey to the farthest reaches of the galaxy! Yes, the London-based label is travelling from the Bay Area to the Milky Way with two of its latest releases: Greatest Hits from Outer Space and Going Wild! Music City Rock 'n' Roll. Based on the 24 tracks of Ace’s Greatest Hits from Outer Space, the final frontier engaged a wide variety of artists in every conceivable musical genre. On this
Sparks Announce "Tangible Object" for October Release
Essentially quirky rock heroes Sparks have announced a "tangible object" - a new five-disc, swag-packed box set - for release through Universal Music's U.K. arm in October. New Music for Amnesiacs: The Ultimate Collection collates just about the entire experience of the band founded and fronted by hyperactive frontman Russell Mael and his Chaplin-mustached, scowling keyboard brother Ron. The set spans four discs, starting from the early art-rock of breakthroughs like Kimono My House and U.K.
Come Out and Play: Soundtrack Spotlight on Latest from La-La Land and Kritzerland
Kritzerland has served up quite the "miracle" with their latest release, and two of La-La Land's latest feature favorite composers and cult titles - all here in our semi-regular soundtrack round-up! The acclaimed adaptation of the Broadway play The Miracle Worker - featuring original playwright William Gibson and director Arthur Penn and returning cast members Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke - told the amazing true story of Anne Sullivan, caretaker to the deaf and blind Helen Keller, whose
Nirvana to Serve the Servants with Anniversary Reissue of Final LP "In Utero" (UPDATED WITH TRACKLIST 8/13)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-uet7twNu0] The above video repurposes a vintage advertisement to tell fans that UMe is planning a 20th anniversary reissue of Nirvana's final album, 1993's In Utero, on September 24. In its own weird way, the video - featuring band members Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl being coached through a surreal lamaze class by comedian Bobcat Goldthwait - indicates how unusual the album was. In Utero was the polar opposite of 1991's
Cherry Red Watch: Naked Eyes and "Born to Be Alive" Spotlighted on New Reissues
The Cherry Pop label is certainly the only place you'll find expanded CDs by a French-Italian disco sensation and one of the more notable synthpop duos of the '80s. The debut album by Patrick Hernandez and the final album by Naked Eyes have recently been bought to CD by Cherry Pop with an armful of bonus tracks. You might not recall Patrick Hernandez's name, but you've doubtlessly heard his biggest disco hit: "Born to Be Alive." Its urgent tempo, stirring arrangement and strong vocal
Tom Petty, The Clash, Dire Straits, Pat Benatar Featured On "The Best of Fridays"
When ABC-TV’s Fridays premiered on April 11, 1980, its agenda was not a hidden one: to grab a piece of the lucrative late-night comedy pie from NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Less than a year later, on March 10, 1981, The New York Times was trumpeting in a headline, “How ‘Fridays’ Beat ‘Saturday Night.’” Of course, Fridays’ domination didn’t last, and the program was off the air after just three seasons. The series has mainly lived on due to the infamous incident in which Andy Kaufman and Michael
Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful? Omnivore Serves "The Complete Waitresses"
After Omnivore's exciting announcement of the Humble Pie Fillmore box set, the label now turns to one of the most underrated American New Wave groups of the '80s: The Waitresses, whose complete Polydor output is coming from Omnivore in September. Anchored by guitarist/producer Chris Butler and irascible lead vocalist Patty Donahue, the Akron-based Waitresses cut two albums and one EP for Polydor between 1982 and 1984. They enjoyed at least three notable songs in their short lifespan: "I Know
BBR Unveils Trio of "Winners" From The Jazz Crusaders, Inner Life and Kleeer
Odds and Ends Dept.: In the excitement over Big Break Records' recent quartet of titles from Philadelphia's Baker-Harris-Young production partnership, we temporarily overlooked three no-less-worthy, just-released reissues from the busy Cherry Red imprint: The Jazz Crusaders' Give Peace a Chance, Kleeer's Winners, and Inner Life's self-titled album. Prior to reinventing themselves as The Crusaders in 1971 and emphasizing a funkier electric style, Joe Sample (piano), Wilton Felder (saxophone),
Paul Allen and the Underthinkers' "Everywhere at Once" Welcomes Joe Walsh, Chrissie Hynde, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Derek Trucks
For years, Paul Allen has been leading a double life. By day, he's known as the co-founder of Microsoft, a company which needs no introduction. He currently heads Vulcan, Inc.; its holdings include Ticketmaster, the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers. With an estimated net worth of $15 billion, Allen routinely ranks high on the Forbes 400, and his philanthropic activities add up to lifetime giving of over $1.5 billion. But that's only part of the story. Allen is also a lifetime
Review: Elvis Presley, "Elvis at Stax"
The distance from 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard , or Graceland, to Stax Records' headquarters at 926 East McLemore Avenue is just a little over 5 miles. So when RCA Records came calling on the once and future King in mid-1973 to fulfill an obligation to record 24 songs (a 10-song album, four single sides, and a 10-song "religious album"), the studio founded by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton seemed to be the perfect locale. Recording at home in Memphis had always brought something special to
Make Way For Dionne Warwick: 23 Scepter and Warner Bros. Albums To Be Remastered and Expanded [NOW WITH UPDATED TRACK LISTINGS]
UPDATE 8/6/13: WEA Japan's deluxe mini-LP editions of Dionne Warwick's Scepter and Warner catalogue have finally arrived, but many purchasers have been surprised to find numerous alterations in the albums' bonus material. Originally-listed bonus tracks have been added, dropped, and reshuffled between albums. By the numbers, there are 5 more bonus tracks than originally listed, but some songs are absent with others taking their place. Below, in BOLD, we'll let you know exactly what you'll
Pablo Records' 40th Celebrated with Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, More
Concord Music Group’s Original Jazz Classics line recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer’s famed Riverside Records label with five reissues from Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Wes Montgomery, Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan, and Cannonball Adderley and Milt Jackson. (Expect a full review of all five titles soon!) On September 17, the OJC series will turn its attention to the 40th anniversary of jazz impresario Norman Granz’s Pablo Records with the reissue of
SoulMusic Records Is "Born to Love" With Reissues from Peabo and Roberta, Nancy Wilson and Tavares
With its latest batch of reissues, including titles from Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack, Tavares, and Nancy Wilson, Cherry Red's SoulMusic Records imprint can truly be said to cover a wide swath of the soulful spectrum. Duets have long been staples of great R&B. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, James Ingram and Patti Austin, and Otis Redding and Carla Thomas - just to name a few in the pantheon - all proved that "it takes two." (That title, in fact, gave
Geldof Goes "Back to Boomtown" with New Compilation
Before millions of children of the '80s knew Bob Geldof as the Irishman behind a wave of international charitable rock, including Band Aid and Live Aid, he made a name for his home country as a hub for rock with the punky band, The Boomtown Rats. More than 25 years after their last performance, The Boomtown Rats are reforming for a new album and tour - and they're starting things off with a new compilation in September.Led by the irascible, verbose Geldof, The Boomtown Rats - which featured
INTERVIEW: Excavating Jem with Marty Scott
The list of American cities tied to record labels is small, but certainly notable. Memphis has Stax and Sun, Detroit is defined by Motown, Sub Pop defined the Seattle sound...and then there's Jem Records, which made its home in the middle-class borough of South Plainfield, New Jersey. Jem, as well as its sub-labels like Passport (a joint venture with Seymour Stein of Sire Records) and PVC, became something of a cratedigger's dream in the 1970s and 1980s, licensing content from all over the
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