The Crazy Train is Running Behind Schedule

It’s been reported that the upcoming reissues of Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981) – which would finally see the original bass and drum tracks (replaced on the 2002 CD reissues) restored – were delayed, based upon the fact that CD Japan had removed the preorder listings from their inventory.

Allow The Second Disc to add further confirmation: we inquired about the status of the titles with Legacy Recordings, and they’ve been confirmed to have been bumped to next year (the exact time was not given). While we join the many fans who are less than thrilled by the news, we rest assured that they’re still on the horizon and will bring you any more news once it’s made available.

A Heroic Selection of Music

It’s always a blast to find out catalogue news from unexpected sources, so when I read a report from my favorite geek news site Topless Robot about a DC Comics music compilation, I got pretty darn excited.

Set for release September 28, The Music of DC Comics: 75th Anniversary Collection collects 31 tracks from various DC-affiliated film and television projects – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, The Flash and even Swamp Thing are all here – and the best part is that nearly all of it is previously unreleased.

Hit the jump to take a look at the track list, and check the pre-order link at Amazon.

New Concord Reissues on the Way, None of Which Are Ray Charles-Related

From Paste magazine, we have word of a few expanded reissues due from the Concord catalogue, which will include titles by The Vince Guaraldi Trio, Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins, Wes Montgomery, Chet Baker and The Bill Evans Trio. Still no word on another intriguing Concord catalogue title – Ray Charles’ Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters, supposedly due for release October 26 – but these might be of interest to our jazz-minded readers. None of these have been reported on Concord’s own site (based on this author’s past experiences with the label, that’s not much of a surprise), but pre-order links are up at Amazon with September 28 releases for each. Hit the jump to see the track lists.

Intrada Goes “Deep”

Chalk up another in-demand title getting resurrected from the soundtrack honchos at Intrada: an expanded presentation of John Barry’s score to the 1977 underwater thriller The Deep.

Based on the novel by Peter Benchley (who of course wrote that other undersea horror tale, JAWS), the film – centered around a quest for undersea treasure – had only a few similarities to Steven Spielberg’s fish story from two years earlier: both films shared a star (Robert Shaw, although Louis Gossett Jr. would have a role in JAWS 3-D in 1983) and possessed a melodic soundtrack.

For The Deep, scoring duties went to John Barry, best known as the longtime composer for the James Bond series. (Ironically, Barry was absent from the Bond flick released that year; Marvin Hamlisch scored The Spy Who Loved Me.) Much like the spy series, Barry relied on distinctive, malleable themes and stirring action cues for the film score. He also collaborated with a notable pop artist for the film’s main theme, “Down, Deep Inside,” which was co-written and performed by disco queen Donna Summer. The song became a Top 5 Dance hit in America and hit the Top 5 in the U.K. as well.

In an impressive, across-the-aisle maneuver, Intrada has licensed both the complete original score (mastered from surviving mono 1/4″ session masters) from Sony and the original, disco-heavy soundtrack LP (released on Casablanca Records) from Universal for this two-disc set. This limited, 3000-unit edition is available now and, as Intrada’s releases are wont to do, likely going fast. Order it here and have a look at the lineup after the jump.

A Year-Old Reissue That Mayer May Not Be of Interest

I sort of hesitate mentioning this on The Second Disc, but it does count as a reissue, even if it’s an obvious grab for holiday shoppers: Columbia is releasing an expanded edition of singer-songwriter John Mayer’s latest album, last year’s Battle Studies.

Depending on who you ask, Mayer is known as an engaging musician with guitar chops reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughan, or he’s a womanizing jerk who can be too smart or too verbose for his own good. (To this longtime fan, who has caught the man in concert some seven or eight times, he definitely looked more like the latter after that horrid Playboy interview earlier this year.) Battle Studies may not be his best work – particularly in the shadow of his previous LP, the excellent Continuum (2006) – but if this is what’s going to get Mayer the attention he deserves for his onstage presence instead of offstage antics, so be it.

The set, due October 5, packs the original album in with a bonus DVD of Mayer’s performance on VH-1 Storytellers and some solo acoustic performances from earlier in the year. Pre-order it here and check out the listings after the jump.

News Round-Up Part II: Expansions All Over, TV Treasures and a Bon Jovi Compilation

With the calendar about to turn over to September, it’s definitely catalogue season. We’ve seen a lot of reissues, expansions and box sets announced – enough to make my post-vacation-hazed head spin – and plenty more are certainly on the way.

Before we get into that, though, I want to thank not only Joe for holding the fort down expertly while I was away, but to you, the reader, for sticking with us. The rest of the year is going to be awesome for catalogue enthusiasts, and The Second Disc is more than pleased to help bring awareness of it to your door.

Now here are a few more releases to keep you in the know.

• Not only did Hip-o Select announce Tammi Terrell‘s Come On and See Me: The Complete Solo Collection last week, they also unveiled two other titles. First, the Dinah Washington singles set that Harry Weinger promised us last month only has a title – The Fabulous Miss D: The Keynote, Decca and Mercury Singles – and a cover photo (viewable here) – but more info on this set should be available soon. Then there’s a limited, double-disc live set from The Neville Brothers ready for order; Authorized Bootleg: Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, CA – February 27, 1989 captures Aaron, Art, Cyril and Charles delivering New Orleans-style soul ahead of that year’s hit album Yellow Moon. Order that here.
• Yet another Madness LP is being expanded by Salvo Music: this time, it’s Wonderful, the 1999 LP that saw the original line-up of the band reunited for the first time since 1984. Remixes and B-sides abound on this set, available here.
• Rhino Handmade, in addition to unearthing The State’s unreleased Comedy for Gracious Living record, announced a deluxe edition of Shoot Out the Lights, the final album by Richard and Linda Thompson released in 1982. This set includes the original LP (minus the non-LP B-side “Living in Luxury” included on an earlier reissue on Rykodisc Records) with a bonus disc of unreleased live tracks recorded during the famed American tour in which Richard and Linda – headed for divorce and full of contempt for each other – put on a mesmerizing show. Preliminary information is available from Rhino right here.
• Film Score Monthly has announced a clutch of television titles. One is another volume of Alan Silvestri’s early work for the hit show CHiPs, the other is TV Omnibus Volume One (1962-1976), an intriguing five-disc collection of obscure television works by some of the most recognized composers in film and television history, including Jerry Goldsmith, Dave Grusin, John Williams, Lalo Schifrin and others. Find them here and here.
• Again we turn to the genius (or geniuses, I honestly have no idea) of Slicing Up Eyeballs, who got two neat reissue stories while your catalogue correspondent was on holiday. Last week they sorted through potential future catalogue titles for The Cure – including a potential expansion of remix LP Mixed Up (1990), a box set of BBC recordings and the premiere DVD release of The Cure in Orange – and then, in a great Q&A with Martyn Ware of Heaven 17, got him to shed some light on some recently unearthed demos to be included in a forthcoming reissue of the band’s 1981 debut LP Penthouse and Pavement. Good stuff all around.
• Finally – for now, anyway – we come full circle with some news from Universal Music Enterprises. That promised reissue of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ Damn the Torpedoes, expected October 26 from UMe/Geffen, is said to have some unreleased outtakes from the original album sessions as bonus material. (This is coming from a little blurb in the latest issue of Rolling Stone.) And Island will stuff the stockings of Bon Jovi fans with a new compilation. Greatest Hits will street November 9 and include 14 hits alongside two new tracks, including new single “What Do You Got?” A double-disc set with 28 cuts in total will have two additional new tracks.

News Round-Up: Sinatra TV Specials Boxed, Handmade Does Comedy

• Rhino Handmade has revealed the latest addition to its catalogue, and it’s an unexpected one.  The State began its MTV run in 1993, and ran for three seasons, showcasing its young ensemble in edgy sketch comedy. The troupe spent January 1996 recording an album for Warner Bros. Records, but it was ultimately shelved. That album, Comedy for Gracious Living, gets its first-ever release on September 20 from the busy Handmade folks. Cast members are recognizable from their work in Wet Hot American Summer and Reno 911!, and they continue to develop a film based on The State. Until then, though, fans should be able to tide themselves over with this 25-track treat which can be pre-ordered for $19.98 directly from Rhino Handmade.

• Shout! Factory and Frank Sinatra Enterprises have a new box set on the way that looks to be a must-have for fans and collectors alike. Frank Sinatra: Concert Collection is a 7-DVD box set arriving in stores on November 2 containing 14 hours of Sinatra’s finest television appearances housed in a handsome box with a 44-page book. This box restores to print some of Sinatra’s best-known television specials, including the original A Man and His Music (1965) and its three sequels (1966, 1967 and 1981); 1973’s “comeback” Ol’ Blue Eyes is Back, and 1974’s triumphant The Main Event. Over 7 discs, Sinatra welcomes Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Tony Bennett, Loretta Lynn, The Fifth Dimension and his daughter Nancy, just to name some of the celebrity guests. 1982’s The Concert for the Americas, already released on DVD in the United Kingdom, receives its first US DVD release as part of this set, and it will also be available individually.  Hit the jump for full details.

Reel Music, Hip-o Select Raid the Motown Vaults

Just a few days’ away from its start, September is already looking to be a great month for Motown enthusiasts. For starters, an August 22 tweet from Hip-o Select’s Twitter feed revealed the latest project in Motown Select’s (busy) pipeline: Tammi Terrell’s Come On and See Me: The Complete Solo Collection. While largely remembered for her classic duets with Marvin Gaye, Terrell was no slouch as a solo artist, and this compilation should go a long way in reminding audiences of that fact. As Tammy Montgomery, she recorded singles with James Brown, and at Motown, the newly-christened Tammi Terrell scored with 1966’s “I Can’t Believe You Love Me” and the track that gives this set its title, “Come On and See Me.” The 2-CD set promises to contain unreleased tracks, and will boast a generous 50 tracks recorded between 1961 and 1969. Based on the timeframe, it is thought that it will include her sides for Scepter/Wand, Try Me and Checker in addition to the Motown tracks which comprise its core. While Terrell may have passed on in 1970 at the tragically young age of 24, Come On and See Me celebrates the rich musical legacy she left behind.

And speaking of unreleased Motown, Reel Music has once again hit the fabled vault for its September 14 release of an unissued album from 1970s gritty funk goddesses The Sisters Love (Gwen Berry, Jeanie Long, Lillie Fort and Vermettya Royster). Coming from a tenure at A&M, The Sisters Love were teamed with some of latter-day Motown’s brightest writers and producers, including Gloria Jones, Pam Sawyer, Willie Hutch, Paul Riser and Hal Davis. With Love was scheduled for release on the MoWest label but has remained in the can for nearly over 35 years. Reel Music’s release features all 10 tracks scheduled for that LP, plus five additional songs (two of which are previously unreleased). The three surviving members of The Sisters Love (Berry has passed away) all participated in Reel’s release.

Hit the jump for the track listing and discographical information for The Sisters Love’s With Love, which can be pre-ordered here.  The track listing for Tammi Terrell’s Come On and See Me has not yet been revealed, but we’re eagerly awaiting it!

Springsteen Reveals Details for “Darkness” Mega-Box

Folks, Bruce Springsteen doesn’t kid around when it comes to keeping promises. The specs are in for The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story, and this monster box set due on November 16 is going to be a doozy, to put it mildly. Boasting three packed CDs and three DVDs or Blu-Rays, The Promise is a treasure chest for longtime Springsteen fans: 21 unreleased audio tracks on two CDs, four hours of concert footage (including 12 performances dating between 1976 and 1978, a whopping 26 tracks from Houston in 1978 and a complete 2009 New Jersey performance of Darkness in its entirety) and Thom Zimny’s full-length documentary about the making of the seminal 1978 LP. Oh yeah, and the remastered original album, too! This is all housed in a package containing an 80-page book designed after one of Springsteen’s notebooks. The notebook will reproduce alternate lyrics, song ideas, recording details and notes made by Springsteen, in addition to a new essay by Springsteen and rare photographs.

For fans not interested in the video content, The Promise will be available as a two-CD or four-LP set containing only the two discs’ worth of unreleased studio material. The press release and a sneak-peek stream is available on Springsteen’s own site, and fans can pre-order a package containing a T-shirt and poster here.

Hit the jump for the specs on the truly remarkable array of material being made available for the first time. It’s all coming to you on November 16 from Columbia/Legacy.

Review: Various Artists, “Book a Trip: The Psych Pop Sounds of Capitol Records”

In 1970, Griffin’s “Yours Till Forever,” written by a young songwriter named Kenny Nolan, skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard pop singles chart. A band called The Exception, led by singer/bassist Peter Cetera, became one of the biggest acts of the decade and kicked off their international success with the horn-driven hit “My Mind Goes Traveling.” And, of course, the Lettermen, those pioneers of psychedelic pop, are still remembered for their ode to “Mr. Sun.”

Okay, none of that really happened. But listening to Now Sounds’ new compilation, Book a Trip: The Psych Pop Sounds of Capitol Records, is like spending an hour on an alternate-reality AM band where all of those things were possible. It’s a reality where Neil Young ruled the airwaves with sunshine pop (check out Summer Snow with the Peppermint Trolley Company do “Flying on the Ground (Is Wrong)”) and bands with names like the Carnival Connection, the Burgundy Street Singers and the Tuneful Trolley thrived. Did any other era produce so many groups with names that so accurately reflected how they sounded?

What’s most remarkable about the 26-track CD (CRNOW19) is that far from being dated, these songs still sound fresh. The dense, multilayered harmonies, string-and-horn-enhanced orchestration and bright lyrical spirit may put them squarely in a particular time frame, but their invention and enthusiasm keeps them from being musty time capsules. Melody is the order of the day, and a great melody never grows old. So much of what makes rock exciting is its primal rawness; one quality that makes pure pop so enduring is its polish and craft.

Ready to meet some favorite artists “before they were stars?” Book a Trip gives us the pre-Bread David Gates-penned “Let the Trumpets Sound” – and of course, they do – as sung by a seven-member male/female vocal group, the Lively Set. The Exception’s “My Mind Goes Traveling” has a terrific Peter Cetera vocal, and a horn chart that would have made his later bandmates envious.  Leon Russell is the producer and arranger behind “Hitchhiker,” a Brian Wilson-influenced tune performed by the Four Preps, the 1950s vocal trio seeking to reinvent themselves for a new generation. (Good as this song is, the Lettermen’s similar attempt heard here, “Mr. Sun,” is even better, with an arrangement by Harry Nilsson’s musical compatriot, Perry Botkin, Jr.) The Teddy Neeley Five offers “Autumn Afternoon,” years before Neeley became synonymous with Jesus Christ Superstar thanks to its film version.  This Addrisi Brothers song sounds like a long-lost follow-up to the Association’s “Never My Love,” and in fact, the liner notes tell us that a recording by that more successful group was in fact recorded, and remains sadly unreleased. Other names will be familiar to collectors of the soft pop/psych genre, and of course, many of the tracks feature the renowned Wrecking Crew of musicians: Glen Campbell, Mike Deasy, Hal Blaine and Larry Knechtel, to name a few members. Most of the groups here sound as if they were on the cusp of a great might-have-been in a crowded pop field filled with so many driven young musicians. You’ll hear echoes of those contemporaries: a touch of Turtles, a dab of Association, a tinge of the Mamas and the Papas or Spanky and Our Gang. But spotting these stylistic similarities is part of the fun.