Real Gone Music has just announced its May release slate, and with rock, jazz, gospel, country, pop and beyond, it's one of the label's most diverse months yet! Naturally, we're partial to the May 6 release of Bobby Darin's Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years from Real Gone and our own Second Disc Records (get all of the details right here!), but there's plenty more on offer, too! Bobby Darin was a remarkable singer-songwriter; another beloved titan of popular song is the late Dan
It may be Friday the 13th, but today's choice releases are hardly scary, with box sets, archival releases, new music from veteran artists, and much, much more! Aretha Franklin, The Atlantic Albums Collection (Atlantic/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) This 19-CD box set brings together 16 of the Queen of Soul's Atlantic albums as previously released on CD including the deluxe 2-CD Live at Fillmore East, the 2-CD Rare & Unreleased Recordings From The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of
Welcome to the Release Round-Up for the week of March 3! The Staple Singers, Freedom Highway Complete: Recorded Live at Chicago's New Nazareth Church (Epic/Legacy) CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. The Staple Singers' 1965 LP celebrating that year’s historic civil rights marches from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama is generously expanded to complete form on Legacy's new reissue available on both CD and vinyl. Watch for a review here soon! The J. Geils
For almost 50 years, between 1948 and 1994, The Staple Singers stood at the crossroads of gospel and soul, preaching messages of peace and positivity through music. In April 1965, The Staples - "Pops," Mavis, Yvonne and Pervis - were joined by drummer Al Duncan and bassist Phil Upchurch at Chicago's New Nazareth Church to record the album that became Freedom Highway. The LP, originally released on Epic Records, recognized that year's historic civil rights marches from Montgomery to Selma,
Fleetwood Mac, Then Play On: Deluxe Edition / Fleetwood Mac: 1969-1972 (Warner Bros./Rhino) The pre Buckingham-Nicks era of the Mac gets some love on CD and vinyl: their last Peter Green-led album from 1969 is expanded with bonus tracks, and it's also included in a remastered vinyl box set with follow-ups Kiln House (1970), Future Games (1971) and Bare Trees (1972) (plus the 1969 single "Oh Well" on 45). Then Play On: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. 1969-1972: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. Jimi
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,
Aerosmith, Tough Love: Best of the Ballads (Geffen/UMe) Geffen augments the craziness of American Idol host/Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler (who has a solo single out today) by putting out a compilation of the band's Geffen-era ballads hits ("Love in an Elevator" isn't a ballad in any configuration). Apparently it's only available at Target, so if you visit a local indie store you should be fine. (Official site) Booker T. & The MG's, McLemore Avenue / The Staple Singers, Be Altitude:
It was such a busy week that reporting has spilled over into the weekend! Enjoy these tidbits from around the rest of the catalogue music world. Eagle Rock is releasing a vintage live CD/DVD by The Doobie Brothers, from their 1982 farewell tour. Live at the Greek 1982 sees a lineup that included sole original member Patrick Simmons on guitar, longtime co-drummer Keith Knudsen (who shared the kit with Chet McCracken, a member since 1980's One Step Closer), guitarist/violinist John McFee,