The Year in Reissues: The 2012 Gold Bonus Disc Awards

Wow!  Was it just over a year ago when a rather dubious report began circulating (that, shockingly, was picked up by many otherwise-reputable publications) that proclaimed the death of the CD was secretly scheduled by the major labels for 2012?  Well, 2012 has come and (almost) gone, and it might have been the most super-sized year in recent memory for reissues, deluxe and otherwise, from labels new and old.  Here at the Second Disc, we consider our annual Gold Bonus Disc Awards a companion piece to Mike’s own round-up over at Popdose, and we endeavor to recognize as many of the year’s most amazing reissues as possible – over 80 worthy, unique titles.  We also hope to celebrate those labels, producers and artists who have raised the bar for great music throughout 2012. As we’re literally deluged with news around these parts, these ladies and gentlemen prove, week after week, the strength and health of the catalogue corner of the music world.  We dedicate The Gold Bonus Disc Awards to them, and to you, the readers.  After all, your interest is ultimately what keeps great music of the past alive and well.

With that in mind, don’t forget to share your own thoughts and comments below. What made your must-have list in 2012? Without further ado, let’s celebrate 2012′s best of the best. Welcome to the Gold Bonus Disc Awards!

Which releases take home the gold this year? Hit the jump below to find out!

Release Round-Up: Week of April 24

Carole King, The Legendary Demos (Rockingale/Hear Music)

Who wouldn’t want to hear early recordings of some of the greatest pop songs ever recorded? I know I would.

Davy Jones, The Bell Recordings 1971-1972 / The Monkees, Pool It! Deluxe Edition (Friday Music)

The late Monkee’s first post-band project released on CD and expanded with bonus tracks, as well as a CD/DVD of the band’s penultimate 1987 album with two bonus tracks and the group’s videography.

T. Rex, Electric Warrior: Deluxe Edition (Polydor)

The glam classic is greatly expanded overseas, with a bonus disc of unreleased demos and a DVD of rare performances. This is likely going to stay import-only, so get it while it’s hot.

Louis Armstrong, Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours (Smithsonian Folkways)

One of Satchmo’s last recordings ever, a short set with surprise bliss from his trumpet.

Cilla Black, Completely Cilla 1963-1973 (EMI)

The U.K. pop singer gets a swinging box set: five CDs of George Martin-produced tunes and a DVD of rare BBC television appearances.

ABBA, The Visitors: Deluxe Edition (Universal Music Catalogue)

The Swedish pop icons’ final album, reissued as a CD/DVD set, features plenty of extras, including an unreleased track heard in its entirety for the first time anywhere.

Step Inside Love: Cilla Black’s Historic Recordings with George Martin Collected In Complete 5 CD/1 DVD Box Set [UPDATED 4/23]

What’s it all about, Cilla?

Though “Alfie” and “Anyone Who Had a Heart” are very much the property of Ms. Dionne Warwick in the United States, Liverpool’s Cilla Black can fairly stake claim to them across the pond.  Born Priscilla Maria Veronica White, the protégé of Brian Epstein and close Beatle pal scored a string of beloved hit singles at the height of Swinging London, though her profile has long remained under the radar in America.  Well, not if The Second Disc has anything to say about it!  In anticipation of the 50^th anniversary of Cilla’s show business debut in 2013, EMI U.K. will release Completely Cilla: 1963-1973, a whopping 5-CD/1-DVD box set, on April 23.  Featuring 139 recordings all produced by Sir George Martin, Completely Cilla will introduce twelve tracks to CD, and will also premiere long-unseen BBC footage of the singer covering the period of 1968 to 1977.  The tracks are presented, for the first time, in chronological session order.

During her 15-year tenure at Parlophone/EMI, Cilla Black scored nineteen Top 40 singles (including two Number Ones in 1964), released ten studio albums and became Britain’s biggest-selling female artist of the 1960s, which is no small feat when one considers Black’s contemporaries.  Black’s “Anyone Who Had a Heart” is, according to BBC Radio 2, the U.K.’s biggest-selling single by a female artist in the 1960s.  Completely Cilla is a particular boon for collectors, as Black’s catalogue (including the seven George Martin-helmed albums) was remastered in 2009 for a digital-only initiative.

After the jump to explore Completely Cilla and the career of Cilla Black OBE with newly updated information!