A much-anticipated ’80s soundtrack reissue is finally coming – even if it’s taking a different shape from what might have been expected. Interscope Records will release a new deluxe edition of To Live and Die in L.A., the beloved soundtrack to William Friedkin’s 1985 neo-noir film, as performed by pop duo Wang Chung. The set will be greatly expanded from the outset, offering a newly sequenced version of the original eight-track album featuring two bonus recordings (one of which is unreleased) as well as a further eight bonus tracks, five of which are,…
Release Round-Up: Week of May 9
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. Jackie DeShannon, Love Forever: Demo Recordings 1966-1968 (Real Gone Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Jackie DeShannon signed with Liberty Records and Metric Music in 1960 as a performer and songwriter. Her big break would come in 1964 when she would open for The Beatles on their first U.S. tour. The next year she would record Bacharach and David’s “What the World Needs Now is Love” and her recording…
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Record Store Day 2025: The Best of the Rest
Next Saturday, April 12, is certainly one of the most packed Record Store Days in recent memory. Since the list was announced, we drilled down on titles from Craft Recordings, Legacy Recordings, Rhino Records, Universal Music Group, Real Gone Music, Omnivore Recordings, BMG, Cooking Vinyl and Demon Music Group, as well as some notable titles that were getting later general releases on CD. Well, if you thought that was it, you’re wrong! We pored and pored over the list and are here to share with you more than four dozen one-offs, archival…
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We Were So in Phase: Wang Chung Join Hits and Rarities on New Compilation
The time has come to take your baby by the hand and check out a new compilation from ’80s pop hitmakers Wang Chung. The group will release a new double album of hits and rarities, Clear Light / Dark Matter, on May 9. It’ll include the singles “Dance Hall Days,” “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Let’s Go!” plus tracks from their cult classic soundtrack from the film To Live and Die in L.A. – along with rare material (including the A-side of their debut single) and even a few unreleased demos. It’ll be available…
The Weekend Stream: November 30, 2024
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. The Christmas season means favorites (quite) old and (sort of) new, plus Wang Chung’s first album and a rock and hip-hop packed slasher film soundtrack. Band Aid, Do They Know It’s Christmas? EP (Band Aid Trading Limited/UMC) EP: iTunes / Amazon Single Version: iTunes / Amazon Extended Version: iTunes / Amazon Just over four decades from its original recording and release, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” returns for a…
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Relight My Fire: Edsel’s ‘Dance Masters’ Series Continues with John Luongo Box
Demon/Edsel’s Dance Masters series only just released its second volume this summer – but a third one is on the way this fall, spotlighting the work of acclaimed remixer John Luongo. The Arthur Baker-presented series follows generous box sets on Shep Pettibone and Baker himself with a new overview of John “T.C.” Luongo, who parlayed working in and around the Boston club scene into more than a decade of 12″ remix work, first for some of the greatest R&B artists crossing over into disco, and then fusing cutting edge dance sounds to…
Reissue Theory: Wang Chung, “Mosaic”
So…um, Wang Chung is reuniting. There aren’t really that many ways to set such a thing up. Sure, there’s this enthusiastic press release, detailing a new record and a tour – but other than that, there’s not much to say, I suppose. Granted, that’s probably because Wang Chung (comprised of non-Asians Nick Feldman and Jack Hues) are seen by many as a one-hit wonder for inescapable party anthem “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” – a song that arguably hasn’t aged all that well (the departed Blender magazine placed it at No. 3 on the…
