La-La Land Goes to “The Edge” with “Speed 2”

Bad puns all, I know. But the title at least lets you know that La-La Land continues its killer pace of getting great soundtracks to dig out from the vaults. Up for sale this week is two 20th Century Fox films from the ’90s with Sony-owned soundtracks. Mark Mancina’s score to Speed 2: Cruise Control, a score with more to offer than the silly, Sandra Bullock-led sequel to the action hit, makes its official debut on CD. Meanwhile, Jerry Goldsmith’s score to The Edge, a David Mamet-penned nature drama starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, gets a proper expansion that befits one of the composer’s last great scores.

La-La Land is certainly looking like the label to beat, thanks to their recent output and some killer future releases (the label has already confirmed a box set due in October compiling the best of Mark Snow’s music from The X-Files, and I’m hearing some interesting rumors about some titles due from the label in association with Sony). These two sets – limited at 3,000 and 3,500 units each, respectively, look to continue that trend.

Pre-order the albums here and here (the label is offering a sale to those who buy them both) and check out the specs after the jump.

Mark Mancina, Speed 2: Cruise Control – Limited Edition (La-La Land Records LLLCD 1138, 2010 – original film released 1997)

1. Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare/Motorcycle Chase – 4:18
2. Alex and Annie/Caribbean Cruise – 4:42
3. Engine Room – 5:02
4. Overboard – 8:40
5. Last Lifeboat – 7:01
6. Goodbye, Alex – 4:06
7. Reunion – 2:43
8. Tanker Turn – 5:02
9. Gieger Grabs Annie – 1:48
10. Escape – 7:31
11. The Harbor – 7:16
12. Final Chase – 7:23
13. Underwater Rescue – 1:46
14. Cruising – 2:58

All tracks previously unreleased

Jerry Goldsmith, The Edge: Expanded Edition (La-La Land Records 1131, 2010 – original film released 1997)

1. Early Arrival – 1:32 *
2. Lost in the Wild(s) – 2:59
3. A Lucky Man/Open Door – 1:41 *
4. Mighty Hunter – 1:31
5. The Spirit – 0:36 *
6. Birds – 2:22
7. The Fire/Breakfast – 2:31 *
8. Rich Man – 0:58 *
9. The Ravine – 4:36
10. Bitter Coffee – 3:01
11. Wound – 1:38 *
12. Stephen’s Death – 2:26 *
13. The Cage/False Hope/No Matches – 3:34 *
14. Stalking – 5:46
15. Deadfall/Bear Fight – 6:21
16. The Discovery/Trust Your Back – 5:01 *
17. The River – 2:26
18. Rescued – 6:03
19. End Title (Lost in the Wild)(s) – 1:59 *
20. The Edge – 2:55
21. False Hope (Alternate Take) – 1:08 *
22. Rescued (Film Version Ending) – 1:19 *
23. The Edge (Alternate Take) – 3:00 *

* denotes previously unreleased track. All other tracks previously released on The Edge: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (BMG Classics/RCA Victor 09026 68950 2, 1997)

Close (To the Edit)

Not to disparage our treasured readers, but reader Shaun delivered one of the most thought-provoking comments on The Second Disc in awhile when discussing yesterday’s post on a hypothetical Dave Matthews Band compilation. To quote:

But what’s with all the edits in your tracklist, Mike? Sorry, but I HATE when you buy a “best of” set and you get stuck with radio, single edits. Those hideous cuts on both “My Life” and “Pressure” on the original pressing of Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Vol I & II come to mind immediately. Thankfully, Sony fixed that years later.

Honestly, why would anyone want shorter versions of a song? It’s a great way to get me to NOT buy a collection. I don’t want or need all of DMB’s albums, but if I buy a collection I want the original, full versions of the songs they way they were originally released.

When I think about edits and mixes on a compilation – whether hypothesizing or actually buying a set – I take three things into account.

Rhino Handmade Goes “On Tour” Plus a Bit of Live Dead

Rhino Handmade has announced its latest title, a thoroughly expanded edition of Delaney & Bonnie’s seminal live LP On Tour with Eric Clapton.

In late 1969, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett embarked on a killer tour that included some of the best blues and rock musicians of the era. Clapton was the featured performer, to be sure, but that tour also included star turns from Leon Russell, Dave Mason of Traffic, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon and Bobby Whitlock (who would form Derek and The Dominos with Clapton) and a performer credited as L’Angelo Mysterioso on the original album but known to the world as George Harrison.

The resultant live album, released on Atco in 1970, was an eight-track affair culled from two shows at Fairfield Halls in Croydon in December 1969. But this new deluxe edition ups the ante considerably, offering not only those two complete Fairfield shows but another two shows from that same period, bringing the box to four discs.

The set is available for pre-order now (expected release date is July 20) for $79.98 (and eligible for free shipping through the label’s Web site) and you can get it here.

But before you get the tracks after the jump, The Second Disc might as well let you know about another live catalogue release coming through Rhino: The Grateful Dead have released the latest release in their Road Trips series (Vol. 3, No. 3), featuring nearly the complete Fillmore East show from May 15, 1970 over three discs (just a bit before the release of Workingman’s Dead that same year) and, with the first wave of releases, a bonus disc that includes more songs from the same set as well as some from a show at Meramec College from the previous night.

That set can be pre-ordered here, and specs for both can be seen after the jump.

News Round-up: A Soulful Tuesday

Soul music enthusiasts have had a lot to cheer about this year, with boutique labels (Reel Music, Cherry Red’s Big Break and Super-Bird) and majors (Hip-O Select) alike delivering the goods with deluxe reissues of many classic albums. Soulmusic.com is offering two new releases this week, one on its own label and one coming from Expansion Records.

Thelma Houston’s 1969 LP Sunshower (Dunhill 50054) was previously available on CD as an expensive Japanese import, but Soulmusic.com brings it to the masses with an expanded edition. This reissue includes the entire album plus 6 bonus tracks, collecting her complete Dunhill catalog on one disc. Sunshower was produced, arranged and written by Jimmy Webb, and stands proudly alongside his similar efforts for The Fifth Dimension (The Magic Garden) and Richard Harris (A Tramp Shining). Sunshower boasted 11 Webb songs plus a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and it remains a unique blend of styles. Houston brings her own soul fervor (which reached full expression via her 1977 Motown smash, “Don’t Leave Me This Way”) to Webb’s baroque pop experiments which took in rock, gospel, MOR and country influences along the way. One of the great “lost” albums, Sunshower’s reissue is reason to rejoice. One standout track is “Cheap Lovin’,” which Webb would produce with The Supremes for their Produced & Arranged by Jimmy Webb LP; another is “Mixed-Up Girl,” also recorded by Dusty Springfield. The album’s “Everybody Gets to Go to the Moon” was actually released by Dunhill on a special single to celebrate the Apollo 11 mission. For sheer drama, “Someone is Standing Outside” and “This is Your Life” can’t be beat. Three double-sided singles (including one that has never seen American release) comprise the bonuses, including Houston’s soulful take on Laura Nyro’s “Save the Country.” The booklet promises a new essay by Charles Waring and the release is endorsed by Houston herself, who told Soulmusic.com, “I still think that Sunshower is the best album I’ve ever done.”

Complementing Sunshower is Expansion’s two-fer release of Lou Rawls’ 1982 and 1984 efforts for Epic, which followed his departure from Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records. With this disc, Now is the Time (Epic 37488) and Close Company (Epic 39403) are both restored to Rawls’ catalog after a long absence. Few artists had a career the length and breadth of the late Rawls. With his versatile, velvety pipes, he successfully traversed many styles ranging from jazz and vocal pop to smooth soul.  These albums, while largely overlooked, feature some of Philly’s top talent, alumni of the Gamble and Huff hit factory. The legendary Thom Bell produced and arranged four of the tracks on Now is the Time, while the team of Mtume and Lucas handled the balance of the album.Dexter Wansel, Norman Harris and Jack Faith all contributed to Close Company.  See the track listings for both releases after the jump!