Ace’s Songwriter Series and Black America Sings compilations always promise a good time, but their latest may have outdone them all: a hits and rarities packed tribute to the songs, sound and style of Stevie Wonder. Black America Sings Stevie Wonder, available March 27, collects 20 compositions by the Motown legend from across the pop and soul diaspora. From familiar tracks in less familiar versions to songs he gave others both on and off the label he was part of for more than half a century, there’s quite a bit to appreciate here,…
Release Round-Up: Week of October 10
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today! As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Power to the People (Capitol/UMR) 9CD/3BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Official Store 4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Links TBD / Official Store 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Official Store 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Official Store 1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Official Store One of the most incendiary periods of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s life together is being explored anew in a new 9CD/3Blu-ray box set. Power to…
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That’s the Way (I Like It): Edsel Collects “More Sin,” “More Deep ’70s”
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…
Release Round-Up: Week of September 6
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Neil Young, Archives Vol. III (1976-1987) (NYA/Reprise) 17CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 17CD/5BD Deluxe Set: Official Store This week’s biggest release is the long-awaited third volume of Neil Young’s long-running Archives series. Archives Vol. III (1976-1987), spans in its deluxe form a whopping 17 CDs and five Blu-rays boasting a broad array of songs and film footage: 15 unreleased songs, 121 unreleased tracks, and 11 full-length films (four of them unreleased). Housed in a…
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OUT TOMORROW! Real Gone, Second Disc Collect Two Tons o’ Fun on “Get the Feeling: The Complete Fantasy/Honey Recordings”
Before they achieved stardom the world over with “It’s Raining Men,” Weather Girls Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead made waves in the thriving San Francisco music scene as Two Tons o’ Fun (and, later, The Two Tons). The powerhouse duo began working with gender- and genre-defying artist Sylvester at Fantasy Records, singing background and lead vocals on many of his most memorable recordings. In 1980, they struck out on their own and teamed with legendary Motown veteran Harvey Fuqua (who had also helmed Sylvester’s beloved Fantasy albums) for two remarkable LPs…
Living Proof: Sylvester’s Complete 1979 “Live at the Opera House” Coming from Craft Recordings
March 11, 1979 was the evening that cemented dance superstar Sylvester’s legend. The 3,100+-seat San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, home since 1932 to the San Francisco Opera company, was filled to capacity with fans who’d come to see their hometown hero in his singular splendor. Mayor Dianne Feinstein had sent city supervisor and gay rights activist Harry Britt to present Sylvester, mid-show, with the key to the city. That concert, during which Sylvester was joined by the electrifying duo of Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead, a.k.a. Two Tons o’ Fun,…
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Do You Wanna Boogie, Hunh? Real Gone, Second Disc Collect Two Tons o’ Fun on “Get the Feeling: The Complete Fantasy/Honey Recordings”
Before they achieved stardom the world over with “It’s Raining Men,” Weather Girls Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead made waves in the thriving San Francisco music scene as Two Tons o’ Fun (and, later, The Two Tons). The powerhouse duo began working with gender- and genre-defying artist Sylvester at Fantasy Records, singing background and lead vocals on many of his most memorable recordings. In 1980, they struck out on their own and teamed with legendary Motown veteran Harvey Fuqua (who had also helmed Sylvester’s beloved Fantasy albums) for two remarkable LPs…
We Wish You (Another) Merry Discmas!
The stockings are hung, the presents are wrapped, and the time is now to wish all of our readers at The Second Disc a wonderful holiday season before we enter a brief winter hibernation until the new year! 2023 was our 13th year as (we hope!) one of the more fun destinations for music reissues, box sets and catalogue releases. The business has certainly changed a lot in that time – maybe too much vinyl, maybe not enough CDs? – but labels big and small keep finding new, old and interesting ways…
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Release Round-Up: Week of October 6
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. Joni Mitchell, Joni Mitchell Archives Vol. 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) (Asylum/Rhino) 5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 4LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The third volume of Joni Mitchell’s remarkable Archives series continues with an exploration of the period that yielded such groundbreaking albums as For the Roses (1972), Court and Spark (1974), the live Miles of Aisles (1974), and The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975). The new 5CD, 96-track box – also available digitally or in 4LP “highlights” form –…
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Release Round-Up: Week of June 2
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today. Sylvester, Disco Heat: The Fantasy Years 1977-1981 (Second Disc/Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Real Gone Music) Disco Heat: The Fantasy Years 1977-1981 celebrates the late disco/dance music pioneer with 26 tracks on two CDs drawn from all six of his albums for the label, as well as the rare 12-inch Disco Versions that kept the dancefloors burning. In addition to crossover smashes including “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” and “Dance (Disco Heat),” the collection offers an array…
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OUT TOMORROW! Second Disc Records, Real Gone Music Turn Up the “Disco Heat” with New Sylvester Anthology
When the self-described “disco queen” known as Sylvester stepped on a New York stage opening for Chaka Khan, the local press was entranced. One newspaper approvingly noted that he made “David Bowie look like Lawrence Welk.” Nothing was too outrageous for Sylvester. But at his core, he was serious about music and about breaking down the walls of identity. In appearance and demeanor, the unapologetically gay San Francisco star challenged the gender binary long before such discussions were in the mainstream, going far beyond androgyny to create a striking persona all his…
Mighty Real: Second Disc Records, Real Gone Music Celebrate Sylvester on “Disco Heat: The Fantasy Years”
When the self-described “disco queen” known as Sylvester stepped on a New York stage opening for Chaka Khan, the local press was entranced. One newspaper approvingly noted that he made “David Bowie look like Lawrence Welk.” Nothing was too outrageous for Sylvester. But at his core, he was serious about music and about breaking down the walls of identity. In appearance and demeanor, the unapologetically gay San Francisco star challenged the gender binary long before such discussions were in the mainstream, going far beyond androgyny to create a striking persona all his…
The Weekend Stream: July 10, 2021
While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it’s no secret that listening audiences are also digital – catalogue music lovers, too – and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we’ve introduced a new feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, Trout Mask Replica (Zappa) (Qobuz) The biggest…
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Release Round-Up: Week of December 7
Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Wings, The Paul McCartney Archive Collection: Wild Life [Various Formats] (MPL/Capitol) 3CD/DVD Box: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP [Remastered Album + Bonus Audio]: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD [Remastered Album + Bonus Audio]: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Wild Life was the first Wings album but third overall by McCartney outside the shadow of his famous band. Paul and his wife Linda teamed up with drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Denny Laine to create a relaxed, pastoral album that was intentionally as light as a feather. …
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Release Round-Up: Week of June 25
The Beatles, Help! (Blu-Ray Disc) (Capitol/Apple) The Fab Four’s second film gets the hi-def disc treatment. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) The Three O’Clock, The Hidden World Revealed (Omnivore) Early works by power-pop legends The Three O’Clock shine on this new compilation, featuring cuts from their early works on Frontier Records and 10 unreleased tracks. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Omnivore) Released on limited colored vinyl for Record Store Day this year, the soundtrack to this new Big Star documentary features 21 unreleased outtakes and new mixes…
