Release Round-Up: Week of March 8

Billy Joel, Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert (Columbia/Legacy)

The best of the Shea Stadium farewell shows on two CDs and a DVD or Blu-Ray. Not my favorite Joel show, but it’s now yours for the buying. (Official site)

Neil Diamond, The Bang Years 1966-1968 (Columbia/Legacy)

Two Bang LPs (and one non-album single) on a nicely put-together disc – hopefully the first of many deserved tributes to the Solitary Man on the eve of his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. (Official site)

Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water: 40th Anniversary Edition (Columbia/Legacy)

The folk duo’s studio swan song, presented with a previously unissued concert special and making-of documentary on DVD. (Official site)

Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley’s Beach Party (Hip-o Select)

Bo knows live music, and this long out-of-print concert proves it. (Hip-o Select)

Elvis Presley, Elvis is Back! Legacy Edition (RCA/Legacy)

Two Elvis LPs (Elvis is Back! and Something for Everyone) and a handful of single sides on a fresh two-disc set. (Official site)

Traffic, John Barleycorn Must Die: Deluxe Edition (Island/UMe)

An expanded edition of the seminal Traffic reunion album, with a bonus disc of unreleased studio work and previously released live material. (Amazon)

Rainbow, Down to Earth: Deluxe Edition / Rising: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/UMe)

Recently released in the U.K., these two Rainbow albums – featuring the guitar of Ritchie Blackmore and the vocals of Ronnie James Dio – are metal classics. And now they’re expanded with tons of rare and unreleased content. (Amazon: Down to Earth, Rising)

Serge Gainsbourg, Integrale (Universal U.K.)

The latest in imported megaboxes: a 20-disc collection of material from the late French singer-songwriter. (Amazon U.K.)