Career Man: Franz Waxman Score to Dean Martin, Shirley MacLaine Drama Premieres on CD

Releasing vintage film scores has long been “all in a night’s work” for the Kritzerland label.  In June, Kritzerland issued Andre Previn’s score to the 1962 comedy All in a Night’s Work, a Paramount Picture starring Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine.  That was hardly the first onscreen pairing between the two offscreen pals, however.  Dino and MacLaine first lit up the screen together in 1955’s Artists and Models, MacLaine’s second film and the fourteenth starring the Martin and Lewis comedy team.  In 1958, Martin and MacLaine appeared opposite another Rat Packer, Frank Sinatra, in Some Came Running, and in 1959 came Career.  This groundbreaking drama based on James Lee’s off-Broadway play was brought to the screen by Paramount with a score by Franz Waxman (Rebecca, Suspicion), and that score is being released for the very first time by Kritzerland.

Martin and MacLaine were joined by a cast including Anthony Franciosa, Carolyn Jones, Joan Blackman, and Robert Middleton. The film was directed by Joseph Anthony, who previously worked with MacLaine on the film adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker.  A powerful blacklist drama co-written by blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday), the brave Career was rewarded with three Academy Award nominations – Best Art Direction (Hal Pereira, Walter H. Tyler, Samuel M. Comer, Arthur Krams), Best Cinematography (Joseph LaShelle), and Best Costume Design (Edith Head).

Kritzerland describes Franz Waxman’s score as “absolutely thrilling…from the exciting opening chords that lead directly into the big city them.  It is the kind of dramatic scoring that Waxman did so brilliantly. He gets inside the drama and the characters – the yearning, the hunger, the nastiness, the competiveness, the romance, the first taste of success, the bitter taste of failure after failure – it’s brilliant music from start to finish.”  Waxman was in the midst of a true golden age in the 1950s, during which period he also scored Billy Wilder’s Paramount classic Sunset Boulevard and other renowned classics like A Place in the Sun, Mister Roberts, Peyton Place and Rear Window, the latter with his old collaborator Alfred Hitchcock.  Though unrecognized for Career, Waxman took home the gold statuette for both Sunset and A Place in the Sun.

What bonuses will you find on this new CD?  Hit the jump!  Plus: the full track listing and pre-order link!

In Which a 3 Doors Down Compilation Materializes As If Out of Nowhere

Apparently Second Disc HQ has been living under a considerable rock to have missed the announcement of the first compilation by early-aughts rock band 3 Doors Down.

Perhaps you, too, may have forgotten about the Mississippi-based group, whose straightforward rock music with an adult contemporary spit-and-polish was considerably well-received during one of the greatest droughts in commercially-popular rock music of any sort. “Kryptonite,” “When I’m Gone” and “Here Without You” all became Top 10 hits, the latter two becoming modestly associated with the plight of American soldiers and their families during the early days of conflicts in the Middle East. (In all, six of their tunes topped Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary or Mainstream Rock charts between 2000 and 2008 – not a bad feat, but unusually short of the “9 #1 hits remixed and remastered” touted on the press release.)

Though the new compilation lacks any material from the band’s last album, last year’s Time of My Life (a modestly-received album that still, like all of the band’s discography, made it to Billboard‘s Top 10), those nine hits are augmented with three new songs, including lead single “One Light.” Fans can actually download the track for free off the band’s official site, or can buy the disc (or its tracks) today, its official street date.

Your Amazon link and track listing are below.

3 Doors Down, The Greatest Hits (Universal Republic, 2012)

1. Kryptonite
2. When I’m Gone
3. Here Without You
4. It’s Not My Time
5. Let Me Go
6. Be Like That
7. Loser
8. Away from the Sun
9. Duck and Run
10. One Light
11. There’s a Life
12. Goodbyes

Tracks 1, 6-7 and 9 from The Better Life (Republic, 2000)
Tracks 2-3 and 8 from Away from the Sun (Republic, 2002)
Track 4 from 3 Doors Down (Universal, 2008)
Track 5 from Seventeen Days (Universal, 2005)
Tracks 10-12 are new tracks

Holiday Gift Guide Review: The Chipmunks, “Chipmunks Christmas”

There’s only one “Christmas Song” – chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and all that.  And there’s only one “Chipmunk Song” – in which Alvin never gets his much hoped-for hula hoop.  What began as a novelty for Ross Bagdasarian, a.k.a. David Seville, led to three Grammy Awards for “The Chipmunk Song” alone and a chart-topping berth.  Indeed, it remains the only Christmas song to have ever reached No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart.  But that wasn’t all for Alvin, Simon and Theodore, with two successful television series, four theatrical films and dozens of albums to their names.  Yet the cornerstone of the Chipmunk legacy just might be the two Christmas albums recorded by Bagdasarian’s rodent troupe: 1961’s Christmas with the Chipmunks and 1963’s Volume Two.  Those Liberty Records albums have never gone out of print in one version or another, and for 2012, Liberty successor Capitol has spruced them up yet again for the brand new release Chipmunks Christmas (Badgasarian/Capitol 5099997914327).

To keep track of the holiday music made by impetuous Alvin, brainy Simon and lovable Theodore is somewhat of a daunting task.  The two original LPs each contained twelve tracks (including the 1958 “Chipmunk Song” single) which have been packaged and repackaged over the years.  The animated group then returned to the Christmas songbook with 1981’s A Chipmunk Christmas soundtrack album and 1994’s A Very Merry Chipmunk.  The best representation on CD of the core 24 tracks (other than the out-of-print but not too hard-to-find CDs of both original albums) came from Capitol in 2007.  That year’s Christmas with the Chipmunks contained all the tracks plus an offbeat 1968 remake of “The Chipmunk Song” with fellow Liberty artists Canned Heat.  Other editions, before and after ’07, have dropped, added and resequenced songs, and this year’s model is no exception.  The new Chipmunks Christmas offers eighteen tracks: sixteen from the original Liberty LPs plus 1994’s “Here Comes Christmas” from A Very Merry Chipmunk and 2008’s “Ho Ho Ho” from Undeniable, a studio album released on the heels of 2007’s smash hit film Alvin and the Chipmunks.  (That album also found Alvin, Simon and Theodore warbling tunes by Bon Jovi, Bob Marley and even Led Zeppelin!)  Though it’s incomplete as to the core Liberty recordings, the new Chipmunks Christmas is a perfect stocking stuffer for the kids at Christmas, or for the kids in all of us.

Only a Scrooge would be completely immune to the charms of the Chipmunks’ squeaky seasonal standards.  Most of the songs here are Christmas classics but Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. contributed one other original in addition to “The Chipmunk Song”: a sideways rewrite of that single entitled “Wonderful Day.”  In his arrangements of traditional staples like “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (c. 1780) and “Up on the Housetop” (c. 1864) and more recent Tin Pan Alley tunes such as “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (1951) and “Frosty the Snowman” (1950), Bagdasarian brought plenty of personality to his well-defined Chipmunk characters and to his “own” role as the ever-exasperated David Seville.  The production values and orchestrations on these albums were top-notch, something not to be taken for granted in the realm of children’s recordings.

The music is varied, too; Bagdasarian/Seville takes the lead on Meredith Willson’s “It’s Beginning…” with Alvin taking a verse and the Chipmunks supporting him on background vocals.  There’s repartee between Seville and the Chipmunks on tracks including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” in which Bagdasarian introduces another voice: that of the titular reindeer.  Alvin, Simon and Theodore each take a verse on the jaunty “Up on the Housetop.”  Bagdasarian and company even play it straight for a pleasantly wistful rendition of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” sung by Dave and Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” always the most melancholy of holiday songs.

What’s new on Chipmunks Christmas?  Hit the jump for that, and more!

WE HAVE A WINNER! A Complete Set of BLACK FRIDAY/RECORD STORE DAY Releases from OMNIVORE RECORDINGS!

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHAEL HOWE, WINNER OF THE BLACK FRIDAY/RSD PRIZE PACK!

Edsel Preps Vinyl Boxes for Sugar, The Beat

Not content to stick simply to expanded CDs, Edsel has announced vinyl box sets from two of the biggest artists whose catalogues they’ve licensed in 2012: Sugar and The Beat.

Bob Mould’s post-Hüsker Dü power-pop trio and the Birmingham ska sextet have earned plaudits in the music press this year, thanks in large part to lavish CD/DVD expansions of their short but influential discographies. (We’d be wrong to ignore the catalogue efforts of  Merge and Shout! Factory, respectively, in getting the cream of these catalogues onto remastered discs in the U.S., but it’s hard to beat Edsel’s releases in terms of all-around presentation and exhaustive detail.) The 20th anniversary of Mould’s Copper Blue was certainly on his mind this year, with a lengthy tour seeing him and his new trio playing the LP in full and a new disc, Silver Age, hewing closely to the Sugar formula. Meanwhile, Dave Wakeling of The Beat was on hand for much of the summer to talk to curious journalists about the underrated band and their trio of hidden gem-filled albums.

Now, Edsel is bringing both groups on wax in a big way. On The Beat’s The Vinyl Collection, four 12″ LPs collect not only the band’s three U.K. studio albums, but a collection of the band’s best extended and dub mixes. A Box of Sugar, meanwhile, collects Copper Blue, the Beaster EP, File Under: Easy Listening and – in their vinyl debuts – the B-sides collection Besides (featuring some extra tracks from the Copper Blue reissue) and a bonus live album, The Joke is Always on Us, Sometimes. There’s also a replica 45 of “Helpless” b/w “Changes” from Copper Blue.

All of these albums will be faithful recreations of the original packages, down to the inner sleeves. The Sugar box will be remastered for vinyl by FU:EL engineer Jim Wilson and will feature a 20-page book of photos and interviews.

Look for The Beat’s The Vinyl Collection in U.K. shops this Monday, November 19 and a week later in the States (Amazon U.S./U.K.), and A Box of Sugar will street December 10 (and a week later stateside, of course) (Amazon U.S./U.K.). Hit the jump to reacquaint yourselves with the track lists.

The Beat, The Vinyl Collection (Edsel FEETBOX1 (U.K.), 2012)

LP 1: I Just Can’t Stop It (released as Go Feet BEAT-001, 1980)

1. Mirror in the Bathroom
2. Hands Off…She’s Mine
3. Two Swords
4. Twist & Crawl
5. Rough Rider
6. Click Click
7. Big Shot
8. Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret
9. Noise in This World
10. Can’t Get Used to Losing You
11. Best Friend
12. Jackpot

LP 2: Wha’ppen? (released as Go Feet BEAT-003, 1981)

1. Doors of Your Heart
2. All Out to Get You
3. Monkey Murders
4. I Am Your Flag
5. French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud)
6. Drowning
7. Dream Home in NZ
8. Walk Away
9. Over and Over
10. Cheated
11. Get-a-Job
12. The Limits We Set

LP 3: Special Beat Service (released as Go Feet BEAT-005, 1982)

1. I Confess
2. Jeanette
3. Sorry
4. Sole Salvation
5. Spar Wid Me
6. Rotating Head
7. Save It for Later
8. She’s Going
9. Pato and Roger A Go Talk
10. Sugar and Stress
11. End of the Party
12. Ackee 1-2-3

LP 4: The Dub Album

1. Too Nice to Talk To (Dubweiser) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET124, 1980)
2. Psychedelic Rockers (Dubweiser) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET124, 1980)
3. Doors of Your Heart (Dub) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET129, 1981)
4. Drowning (Dub) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET129, 1981)
5. Save It for Later (Extended) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET12333, 1982)
6. What’s You Best Thing? (Dub Style) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET12333, 1982)
7. Stand Down Margaret (Dub) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET3, 1980)

A Box of Sugar: The Complete Recordings 1992-1995 (Edsel (U.K.), 2012)

LP 1: Copper Blue (originally released as Rykodisc RCD 10239, 1992)

1. The Act We Act
2. A Good Idea
3. Changes
4. Helpless
5. Hoover Dam
6. The Slim
7. If I Can’t Change Your Mind
8. Fortune Teller
9. Slick
10. Man on the Moon

LP 2: Beaster (originally released as Rykodisc RCD 50260, 1993)

1. Come Around
2. Tilted
3. Judas Cradle
4. JC Auto
5. Feeling Better
6. Walking Away

LP 3: File Under: Easy Listening (originally released as Rykodisc LP RCD 10300, 1994)

1. Gift
2. Company Book
3. Your Favorite Thing
4. What You Want It to Be
5. Gee Angel
6. Panama City Motel
7. Can’t Help You Anymore
8. Granny Cool
9. Believe What You’re Saying
10. Explode and Make Up

LP 4-5: Besides (originally released as Rykodisc RCD 10321, 1995)

1. If I Can’t Change Your Mind (Solo Mix) (from “Helpless” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1024, 1992)
   
2. Try Again (from “Helpless” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1024, 1992)
3. Where Diamonds Are Halos (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago – 7/22/1992) (from “A Good Idea” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1030, 1992)
4. Armenia City in the Sky (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago – 7/22/1992) (from “A Good Idea” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1030, 1992)
5. Clownmaster (from “A Good Idea” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1030, 1992)
6. Anyone (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago – 7/22/1992) (from “A Good Idea” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1030, 1992)
7. JC Auto (Live) (from “JC Auto” CD single – Rykodisc VRCD 0260/2, 1993)
8. Believe What You’re Saying (Campfire Mix)
9. Mind is An Island (from  “Your Favorite Thing” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1038, 1994)
10. Frustration (from “Your Favorite Thing” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1038, 1994)
11. Going Home (from “Believe What You’re Saying” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1039, 1994)
12. In the Eyes of My Friends (from “Believe What You’re Saying” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1039, 1994)
13. And You Tell Me (from “Believe What You’re Saying” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1039, 1994)
14. If I Can’t Change Your Mind (BBC Session – 8/1/1992) (from Copper Blue: Deluxe Edition – Edsel EDSG-8014 (U.K.), 2012)
15. Hoover Dam (BBC Session – 8/1/1992) (from Copper Blue: Deluxe Edition – Edsel EDSG-8014 (U.K.), 2012)
16. The Slim (BBC Session – 8/1/1992) (from Copper Blue: Deluxe Edition – Edsel EDSG-8014 (U.K.), 2012)
17. Where Diamonds Are Halos (BBC Session – 8/1/1992) (from Copper Blue: Deluxe Edition – Edsel EDSG-8014 (U.K.), 2012)

LP 6-7: 

The Joke is Always on Us, Sometimes: Live at First Avenue, Minneapolis – 11/2/1994 (originally released as bonus disc with limited edition of Besides – Rykodisc RCD 10321-1, 1995)

1. Gift
2. Company Book
3. Hoover Dam
4. After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere
5. Where Diamonds Are Halos
6. Slick
7. Going Home
8. Running Out of Time
9. Frustration
10. Changes
11. Can’t Help You Any More
12. Helpless
13. If I Can’t Change Your Mind
14. In the Eyes of My Friends
15. Clownmaster
16. Gee Angel
17. Explode and Make Up
18. The Slim

Single: Helpless b/w Changes (originally released as Rykodisc SOL-230-7, 1992)

Release Round-Up: Week of November 19

Led Zeppelin,Celebration Day (Swan Song/Atlantic)

The one-off reunion nobody expected and everyone loved – a 2007 gig at the O2 in London – is now available in a variety of formats for your listening enjoyment. (Odds are this isn’t the last LZ catalogue bit you’ll see in the next year.) (2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) (2CD/1DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) (2CD/Blu-Ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) (2CD/1DVD/Blu-Ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) (Blu-Ray Audio: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) (3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Frank Zappa, 8 album reissues (Zappa/UMe)

A good chunk of the fifth and final wave of Zappa album remasters (the other three in the wave have been moved back to December 18), including the first-ever CD release of the Mothermania compilation and four volumes of You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore. The link above has more info and pre-order links!

The Jam, The Gift: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/UMC U.K.)

A lavish deluxe version of The Jam’s final album, augmented with B-sides, unreleased demos, live tracks and video footage, all in a fancy “gift” bag. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

10cc, Tenology (UMC U.K.)

One of the more underrated bands of the ’70s, 10cc finally gets their due with a multi-disc CD/DVD box set. Hits, album cuts and B-sides abound. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

ABBA,ABBA: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/UMC U.K.)

Mamma Mia! The Swedish legends’ 1976 album is reissued as a CD/DVD set with rare archival video. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Naked Eyes, Burning Bridges: Expanded Edition (Cherry Pop)

The album that gave us hits like “Always Something There to Remind Me” and “Promises, Promises” is expanded by Cherry Pop with B-sides and bonus remixes. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Kelly Clarkson, The Hits: Chapter One (RCA/19)

The first true greatest hits collection from an American Idol winner. That crushing feeling is the sands of time upon you. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Elvis Costello, In Motion Pictures (UMe)

If E.C. had a song in a movie, it’s probably here. Probably. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

The Beach Boys, Live in Concert: 50th Anniversary (SMC)

Good news: a live Beach Boys show from this year’s tour! Bad news: hugely edited. Like, more than half. (DVD: Amazon U.S. Blu-Ray: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

AC/DC, Live at River Plate (Columbia)

The band’s 2009 set in Argentina, released on DVD a few years back, is now available on two CDs or three red LPs. (2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) (3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Art Pepper, Neon Art Volume 3 (Omnivore)

The third and final volume of Omnivore’s Art Pepper colored vinyl series; this one features part of a 1981 live show on yellow wax.

3 Doors Down, The Greatest Hits (Universal Republic)

A greatest hits compilation we only just found out about, like, two days ago. Full story coming up later. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

t.A.T.u., 200 Km/H in the Wrong Lane: 10th Anniversary Edition (Cherrytree/Interscope/Universal Russia)

Wait, what? Yup. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)