Edsel has recently continued a pair of box set series with the release of Disco Discharge Presents More Sin (1980-1989) and David Hepworth: More Deep ’70s. In late 2023, Edsel revived the long-dormant Disco Discharge series with the first Box of Sin. This second volume, More Sin: Full Length Gay Clubbing, follows the template of the first, taking listeners on a journey through the gay club scene of the 1990s and tracing the development of dance music from disco to house. As Ian Wade puts it in his introductory note, “These are…
The Weekend Stream: August 7, 2022
Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to discover! From new remixes of old favorites and throwback remixes of new hits, to deep dives into ’80s alt-rock, mid-century easy listening, ’70s live folk and ’90s tracks to run on the beach in slow motion to…we’re pulling out all this stops this Sunday! Beyoncé & Madonna, Break My Soul (The Queens Remix) (Parkwood/Columbia) (iTunes / Amazon) Queen Bey had a busy month gearing…
Categories:
Formats:
Genres:
Release Round-Up: Week of July 10
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Grateful Dead/Rhino) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Often hailed as one of Grateful Dead’s most accessible albums along with its follow-up, American Beauty, Workingman’s Dead placed its focus on tighter songcraft in a country/folk-oriented vein that would later be described as “Americana.” It introduced the group’s first chart hit, the timeless “Uncle John’s Band,” as well as the favorite “Casey Jones” which has received substantial…
Categories:
Formats:
Genres:
With Every Beat of My Heart: Cherry Pop Reissues, Expands Laura Branigan’s “Self Control”
Laura Branigan became an overnight sensation with the release of 1982’s “Gloria.” Her throbbing adaptation of Umberto Tozzi’s Italian hit not only reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (held from the top spot by Lionel Richie’s “Truly”) but spent 36 weeks on the chart, establishing a new record for a solo female artist. A dance party anthem for a post-disco age, “Gloria” helped propel the singer’s debut album, Branigan, to top 40 status and a Gold sales certification. It set the stage for Branigan 2, another Gold record which spun…
Deep in the Dark: Other Half Entertainment Reissues “Branigan 2” From Laura Branigan on CD
The wait is over: Other Half Entertainment, the late Laura Branigan’s production company, has recently reissued her 1983 sophomore album Branigan 2 on CD in a new edition expanded with one additional track, the 12-inch mix of the leadoff single “Solitaire.” German producer Jack White returned from debut album Branigan to once again helm the LP, and was this time joined by the up-and-coming Robbie Buchanan as associate producer and arranger in place of Greg Mathieson. Keyboardist Buchanan put together a core band to lend a cohesive sound to the album: Michael…
Calling “Gloria”: Laura Branigan’s Debut Album Gets Expanded Reissue
“What kind of an artist are you?” The question has been asked again and again in this age of music reality shows in which a fickle public can make a recording star – at least for fifteen minutes – by dialing an 800 number or sending a text message. Truth to tell, Laura Branigan could have been any kind of artist she desired. Armed with a powerful, resonant and highly individual voice, Branigan worked her way up the ranks of stardom. She ultimately chose to embrace the sounds of contemporary pop, forever…
Gold Legion Expands Titles by Laura Branigan, Grace Jones
The Gold Legion label has two expanded titles coming from a pair of disco and dance legends this fall. Expect remastered and expanded editions of the late, great Laura Branigan’s Branigan (1982) and Self Control (1984) albums, as well as reissues of Inside Story (1986) and Bulletproof Heart (1989) from Grace Jones, this September. Branigan, the big-voiced New Yorker with a four-octave range, burst onto the scene in 1982 with the release of Branigan, a solid offering of dance-rock bolstered by a cover of “Gloria,” an Italian pop hit for Umberto Tozzi in 1979. Branigan’s iconic, addictive…
