Happy 2019 and welcome to The Second Disc's 9th Annual Gold Bonus Disc Awards! It's time once again to recognize this year's cream of the crop - those exemplary reissues and box sets big and small that proved to be truly outstanding products for physical media lovers worldwide. There was no shortage of great reissue titles in 2018; in fact, we covered over 700 releases in all! And after much deliberation, we're excited to unveil our favorites. This isn't your run-of-the-mill Top 10,
In Memoriam: Nancy Wilson (1937-2018)
Vocalist, activist, storyteller, actress, host and personality of television and radio. All were apt descriptions for Nancy Wilson, but the one she preferred most was, simply, "song stylist." For when Nancy Wilson, who died at the age of 81 on Thursday, stepped up to a microphone, she inevitably made whatever composition she was singing - however familiar - all her own. Wilson's singular style, somehow both smoky and creamy, was rooted in jazz, but incorporated pop, rhythm and blues, and
Holiday Gift Guide Review: Elvis Presley, "'68 Comeback Special: 50th Anniversary Edition"
Elvis had a lot riding on his December 1968 NBC-TV special. Once the brightest star in the galaxy - and one whose every freeing move caused ripples in American society - he was no longer at the top of the charts. A string of lightweight movie musicals had rendered the once-"dangerous" entertainer as wholesome as apple pie. At the time of the broadcast, Elvis' most recent single ("Guitar Man") had failed to crack the top 40 and he hadn't had a chart-topper since "Good Luck Charm" in 1962. He
Never Mind the World: Run Out Groove Announces 2-LP Reissue of The Fire Theft's Debut
Each month, Run Out Groove lets music lovers vote on the label's next vinyl reissue, which is selected from unreleased material, out-of-print titles, or new collections sourced from the Warner Music archives. Run Out Groove has revealed that the next title in their eclectic catalog will be The Fire Theft's self-titled album. Featuring Jeremy Enigk, Nate Mendel, and William Goldsmith from the alternative rock group Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft was originally released on the Rykodisc
The Second Disc's Picks for Record Store Day Black Friday 2018
From all of us here at Second Disc HQ to all of you, we hope you've enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving in the company of beloved family and friends. Of course, from this day which conjures nostalgic and warm feelings comes a celebration of a different kind with this year's annual Black Friday shopping extravaganza - and Record Store Day's miniature cousin to April's yearly event. In keeping with TSD tradition, Joe, Randy, and Sam have elected our top picks of the numerous titles being released
If I Can Dream: Elvis' Comeback Special Receives Box Set Treatment For 50th Anniversary
On December 3, 1968, Elvis Presley electrified television audiences with the self-titled special that would come to be known, simply, as The Comeback Special. Nearly fifty years later, it remains the epitome of his artistry during a period when some would have written him off. At the time of the NBC-TV broadcast, his most recent single ("Guitar Man") had failed to crack the top 40. He hadn't had a chart-topper since "Good Luck Charm" in 1962. He hadn't appeared live onstage since a benefit
Release Round-Up: Week of October 19
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Frank Sinatra, Sings for Only the Lonely: 60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Capitol/FSE/UMe) 2-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1-CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2-LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada On Frank Sinatra's 1958 Capitol concept album masterwork, he sang for Only the Lonely. But now, 60 years on, that classic is being revisited for everyone in a new 2-CD anniversary edition. Frank Sinatra
Make A List and Check It Twice: Real Gone Announces Christmas Reissues From The McGuire Sisters, John Klein, Rod McKuen
Even though Fall has just begun, we are already looking ahead to Christmas as several artists have already announced yuletide albums for this year. And, continuing their annual tradition, our friends at Real Gone Music are releasing selection of classic Christmas CDs this year, the first three of which they have just announced. All three of these are due on November 2. First up is Season's Greetings From the McGuire Sisters - The Complete Coral Christmas Recordings. The singing trio of
Review: Ben Folds, "Brick: The Songs of Ben Folds 1994-2012"
Upon its release in August 1995, the eponymous debut of Ben Folds' quirkily-named trio sounded like nothing else you might have found in the racks of your local Tower, HMV, or Sam Goody. Filled with rich melodies, inescapable riffs, the most aggressive piano this side of Jerry Lee Lewis, and a youthful dose of attitude, Ben Folds Five channeled Todd Rundgren, Elton John, and Queen - with a dash of Randy Newman here and George Gershwin there. Now, more than 23 years later, the (sorta) angry
Review: Willie Nelson, "My Way"
Last week, Willie Nelson made headlines when he announced that he would be playing a concert in support of Texas' Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Beto O'Rourke. News outlets made much of the fact that some of the artist's conservative fans perceived a betrayal, but in truth, Nelson has always followed his heart and stayed true to his own convictions. He shared that in common with the late Frank Sinatra, his friend and onetime duet partner. The appropriately-titled My Way is a heartfelt
The Sun Won't Set: Vocalion Reissues Quadraphonic Sondheim, Herrmann, Waxman on SACD
In recent months, the U.K.'s Dutton Vocalion label has reissued a number of rare quadraphonic mixes on SACD, including titles from Poco, Johnnie Taylor, The Guess Who, The Hues Corporation, Rick Derringer, Art Garfunkel, and more. The label has just announced its slate for September, highlighted by the SACD debut of the quad mix of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music and two film score releases from movie maestro Charles Gerhardt. All of Vocalion's quadraphonic SACDs are hybrid discs,
Release Round-Up: Week of September 14
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! The Doors, Waiting for the Sun: 50th Anniversary Edition (Elektra/Rhino) (Amazon U.S./ Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The Doors' Waiting for the Sun, featuring the hit "Hello, I Love You," is turning 50 with a new box set. This 2-CD/1-LP box features Bruce Botnick's remastered version of the original stereo mix on both CD and 180-gram vinyl, plus a disc of 14 previously unreleased tracks including nine rough mixes and five live performances from
In The Mood For Dancing: The Nolans' Best Collected On New CD/DVD Anthology
The Nolans' effervescent signature hit proclaimed, "I'm in the Mood for Dancing"...and that's precisely how you'll feel after a listen to Hot Shot Records' new anthology dedicated to the Irish girl group. Chemistry: The Ultimate Collection tells the story of Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, Bernadette, and Coleen, all of whom at various times served in the family group. This new set from the Cherry Red imprint features 21 Nolans classics on CD plus eight music videos on DVD, all from the period
Rhythm of Love: Cherry Red, SoulMusic Collect Marlena Shaw's Columbia Years
Throughout her career, Marlena Shaw has traversed the worlds of jazz, R&B, soul, pop, funk, and dance with equal aplomb. Following stints at Chess Records offshoot Cadet and the venerable Blue Note label, Shaw made her boldest bid for the mainstream at Columbia Records. Her time at the label has recently been rediscovered by Cherry Red's SoulMusic Records imprint on the 2-CD set Go Away Little Boy: The Columbia Anthology. Shaw joined Columbia in 1977, remaining on the label for three
Release Round-Up: Week of July 27
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Bob Dylan, Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections (Columbia/Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) The new 2-CD set Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections draws on Dylan's previously issued limited edition "copyright extension" collections to offer a sampler of Dylan onstage, from a pair of songs recorded on April 16, 1962 at Gerdes Folk City in New York ("Blowin' in the Wind" and
Review: Keely Smith, "Sings the John Lennon-Paul McCartney Songbook"
Oh yeah, I'll tell you something I think you'll understand... At the height of Beatlemania in 1964, some members of the so-called "older generation" still hadn't caught on to what made the Fab Four more than the latest passing teenybopper fad. But Keely Smith was ready to make them understand. For her third album at Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records, the smoky-voiced chanteuse set out to have the adults in the room "meet the Beatles" in a new way. Keely Smith Sings the John Lennon-Paul
Review: Bear Family's "Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America's Forgotten War"
If there was any doubt that history could be engaging as well as informative, such doubt would be dispelled by a listen to Bear Family's new release, the 4-CD box set Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America's Forgotten War. Make no mistake, the handsomely slipcased collection is as imposing and heavy as a textbook, as its four discs are housed within a lavish, 160-page hardcover tome. But this immersive journey can't help but thrill in its scope and execution. It follows previous Bear
Magic Moments Filled with Love: Perry Como Celebrated On Public Television, New Box Set and More
May 18, 2018 would have marked Perry Como's 106th birthday. While the beloved singer didn't make it to 106, he lived a full 88 years which he packed with magic moments on records, film, television, and the world's concert stages. All told, the proudly Italian-American crooner notched 131 chart hits in the U.S. alone, over 20 gold records, multiple Emmy and Grammy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, and sales of over 100 million records between 1945 and 1970. This weekend, fans are invited to
Release Round-Up: Week of May 25
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Prince, Nothing Compares 2 U (Warner Bros.) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Prince's original recording of "Nothing Compares 2 U" arrives on vinyl today for wide release. The original Prince studio version was recorded at the Flying Cloud Warehouse in Eden Prairie, Minnesota by engineer Susan Rogers and featured background vocals by Susannah Melvoin and Paul "St. Paul" Peterson as well as saxophone by Eric Leeds. Prince composed,
Release Round-Up: Week of May 4
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Frank Sinatra, Standing Room Only (Capitol/UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) This new 3-CD, book-style box set from Capitol/UMe features three spectacular live concerts from three decades of Frank Sinatra's storied career, including the January 28. 1966 second show with The Count Basie Orchestra and conductor Quincy Jones at The Sands in Las Vegas, making its CD debut; and two previously unreleased shows: October 7, 1974 at
Release Round-Up: Week of April 6
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, and one of the biggest Release Fridays of the year to date! Chicago, VI Decades Live: This is What We Do (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Chicago celebrates 50 years on the road with this expansive new box set featuring 4 CDs and 1 DVD of previously unreleased live music recorded between 1969 and 2014. This set includes two complete concerts - The Isle of Wight, 1970 on CD and a Rockpalast broadcast from Germany in 1977 on
Like Someone in Love: Ace Collects Complete Charlie Rich at RCA
Charlie Rich (1932-1995) finally achieved superstardom when his laid-back readings of "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl" ascended in 1973 to the top spot of the Billboard Country chart and crossed over to Pop - the latter to Number One on that chart, too. Although those songs kicked off a new chapter in the career of the man known by that point as the Silver Fox (for his mane of gray hair and wizened appearance), Rich's repertoire could hardly be defined by their mellow sound.
When Will I Be Loved: Morello Reissues Two Phil Everly Solo Albums Featuring Warren Zevon
The Everly Brothers' contribution to American popular song can hardly be overestimated. With hits like "Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up, Little Susie" and "When Will I Be Loved," brothers Don and Phil merged classic country and rock-and-roll into an influential whole, while their longing, ethereal vocal blend on "All I Have to Do is Dream" established them as timeless balladeers. At the beating heart of The Everly Brothers' sound was their deep respect for the music of the land, the rough-and-tumble,
Quiet Nights: Cherry Red Celebrates Bossa Nova On Two Collections
The beguiling Brazilian sounds of the bossa nova have long been a part of the repertoire from Cherry Red's El Records imprint. In the second half of 2017, the label released two more slipcased double-disc collections celebrating the music that - much like that girl from Ipanema - makes you go, "Aaaaah." João Gilberto and the Stylists of Bossa Nova Sing Antonio Carlos Jobim pairs the most famous vocalist and most famous composer of the genre in one package, while The Women of Bossa Nova Volume
Good Rockin' Tonight: Soundtrack to New Elvis Documentary Announced
A new Elvis Presley documentary is heading to television screens this April, and an accompanying soundtrack album will arrive in a variety of formats that same month from Legacy Recordings and RCA Records. Elvis Presley: The Searcher, directed by Emmy and Grammy winner Thom Zimny and written by author/journalist Alan Light, traces the artistic evolution of the artist from his R&B and country beginnings through his final Jungle Room recording sessions at Graceland. The three-hour, two-part
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