Come Out and Play: Soundtrack Spotlight on Latest from La-La Land and Kritzerland

Kritzerland has served up quite the “miracle” with their latest release, and two of La-La Land’s latest feature favorite composers and cult titles – all here in our semi-regular soundtrack round-up!

The acclaimed adaptation of the Broadway play The Miracle Worker – featuring original playwright William Gibson and director Arthur Penn and returning cast members Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke – told the amazing true story of Anne Sullivan, caretaker to the deaf and blind Helen Keller, whose teachings enabled Keller to not only communicate but become an outspoken voice for workers’ rights, women’s suffrage and more. Bancroft and Duke each won Oscars for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress (at the time, the 16-year-old Duke was the youngest winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar), while Penn and Gibson received nominations.

Laurence Rosenthal’s evocative score eluded accolades at the time of the film’s release, but it has since deservedly received accolades from film score enthusiasts – especially after Intrada released the score for the first time in 2010. That version is now out of print, but Kritzerland has ably stepped in to bring the score back into circulation. What’s better, they’ve corrected some minor audio issues (removing some reverb and audio dropouts from the previous release) and appended it with two bonus tracks from the film.

Limited to 1,000 copies, The Miracle Worker is expected to ship at the end of September, although pre-orders tend to ship a few weeks early.

After the jump, check out two of the latest releases from La-La Land!

Paul Allen and the Underthinkers’ “Everywhere at Once” Welcomes Joe Walsh, Chrissie Hynde, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Derek Trucks

For years, Paul Allen has been leading a double life.  By day, he’s known as the co-founder of Microsoft, a company which needs no introduction.  He currently heads Vulcan, Inc.; its holdings include Ticketmaster, the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trailblazers.  With an estimated net worth of $15 billion, Allen routinely ranks high on the Forbes 400, and his philanthropic activities add up to lifetime giving of over $1.5 billion.  But that’s only part of the story.  Allen is also a lifetime music devotee.  The founder of Seattle’s Experience Music Project Museum, he played violin from second grade, and guitar from age 16.  Today, Allen owns legendary guitars by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, and Eric Clapton, and his lifelong love of music has just translated into the release of the first album by Paul Allen and the Underthinkers.  Everywhere at Once has just arrived from Legacy Recordings, and features Allen as both songwriter and guitarist, joined by a Who’s Who of musical talent including Chrissie Hynde, Ann and Nancy Wilson, Joe Walsh, Derek Trucks, and Clapton’s frequent collaborator Doyle Bramhall II.  Everywhere at Once is Allen’s second major statement on record, following a 2000 album with his band The Grown Men.

Once Everywhere at Once establishes its likeably polished blues-rock feel, the pace rarely slackens.  Almost entirely produced by Bramhall and Justin Stanley, it showcases Allen as a committed songwriter and an electric guitarist beholden not just to his hero Hendrix, but to roots-rockers like Clapton, The Band and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends.  Though he doesn’t play on every song, Allen either wrote or co-wrote every track on the album with Bramhall, Ty Baillie, or his bandmates John Bohlinger (guitar), Doug Barnett (bass) and Tim Pike (vocals).  And if a man can be judged by the company he keeps, Allen has nothing to worry about; in addition to those fine musicians, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos also contributes guitar to nearly every track.

We take a closer look after the jump!

Release Round-Up: Week of December 11

War, The World is a Ghetto: 40th Anniversary Edition (Hip-O Select/Avenue)

The Cisco Kid can be a friend of yours with this remastered edition of the 1972 funk classic, boasting four unreleased bonus tracks. (Amazon U.S. / U.K.)

Interpol, Turn On the Bright Lights: 10th Anniversary Edition (Matador)

The New York band’s breakthrough album, which saw them rise to the top of the critically-acclaimed indie rock pile, is expanded for its 10th anniversary with a bonus disc of rare and unreleased tracks and a DVD of music videos and two live concerts. (2 CD/1 DVD: Amazon U.S. / U.K. ; 2 LP/1 DVD: Amazon U.S. / U.K.)

The Jam, The Gift: Deluxe Edition (Polydor/UMe)

A U.S. cut-down version of last month’s hefty deluxe box set, featuring the first two discs of said box (the original album and non-LP B-sides on one disc, a clutch of rare and unreleased demos on the other). (Amazon U.S. / U.K.)

Peter, Paul & Mary, Live in Japan 1967 (Rhino)

This release, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the beloved folk trio, includes Deluxe: Live in Japan, a regional-only album making its domestic CD debut, and a bonus disc of 12 unreleased tracks from the same performance. (Amazon U.S. / U.K.)

Black Sabbath, Vinyl Album Box Set (Sanctuary)

This U.K. box features newly remastered, replicated versions of all the Ozzy Osbourne-era Black Sabbath albums, recreated down to the inserts, plus a hardbound book of replica tour programs and a copy of the band’s first 7″ single, “Evil Woman.” Plus, a download code is included to take all those songs on the go! (Amazon U.K. / U.S.)

Finally, we cap off this short release week with the latest reissues on hi-res formats and vinyl:

Big Brother and The Holding Company, Cheap Thrills (Amazon U.S. / U.K.) / Joe Walsh, But Seriously, Folks (Amazon U.S. / U.K.) (24KT Gold CDs) (Audio Fidelity)

Television, Marquee Moon (180-Gram LP) (Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / U.K.)

Release Round-Up: Week of February 14

Barry White, Let the Music Play: Expanded Edition (Hip-o Select/Mercury)

What’s Valentine’s Day without a little satin soul? Numerous bonus tracks abound on a new pressing of this underrated gem of an album.

Captain Beefheart, Bat Chain Puller (Zappa)

The original, intended edition of the Captain’s lost album.

Cotton Mather, Kontiki: Deluxe Edition (The Star Apple Kingdom)

An underrated work of ’90s power-pop, expanded with a bonus disc of rarities and unreleased materials that was funded entirely through Kickstarter!

Pulp, It / Freaks / Separations: Deluxe Editions (Fire)

Before they signed to Island and caught a Britpop wave, Jarvis Cocker and company released these three albums, all newly expanded with rare and unreleased tracks.

Bryan Adams, Cuts Like a Knife / Dio, Holy Diver (Audio Fidelity)

Two classics of the ’80s newly mastered on 24KT gold CDs.

Phoebe Snow, Phoebe Snow / Joe Walsh, But Seriously, Folks… (Friday Music)

The latest audiophile vinyl offerings from our friends at Friday Music.

The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds (Mobile Fidelity)

The first MoFi/SACD pressing of a most classic of albums.