Release Round-Up: Week of November 13

The Beatles, Stereo Vinyl Box Set (Capitol/EMI)

The Fab Four’s 2009 stereo remasters have been painstakingly pressed on vinyl. The whole box set will set you back considerably, but you can get the ones you want on their own (and, if you’re in New York City or Los Angeles, can do so through the roving pop-up shop/double-decker buses that’ll be cruising each city). (Vinyl box: Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.)

The Rolling Stones, GRRR! (Rolling Stones/UMe)

The Stones’ 50th anniversary is commemorated with this multi-format compilation, featuring all their hits, two new tracks and, in some cases, some tunes from the vault:

• 3CD compilation: Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.
• 3CD compilation – deluxe packaging: Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.
• 5CD box set with unreleased demos disc and unreleased BBC session 7″: Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.

Elvis Presley, Prince from Another Planet / Elvis: As Recorded At Madison Square Garden – Legacy Edition (RCA/Legacy)

Elvis’ two triumphant MSG shows in the summer of 1972 (the latter released as Elvis: As Recorded At Madison Square Garden a week after the shows and the former released as An Afternoon in the Garden in 1997) have been remixed and paired up as a Legacy Edition (Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.), or as a deluxe 2CD/1DVD box set (Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.) featuring rare footage of the afternoon show as well as the King’s press conference in the Big Apple. (Elvis: As Recorded At Madison Square Garden is also getting a double-vinyl reissue, available at Amazon U.S. and Amazon U.K.)

Marvin Gaye, Trouble Man: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition (Hip-O Select/Motown)

Marvin’s underrated film soundtrack album – the last of his ’70s albums to get the deluxe treatment – is expanded with session outtakes, and for the first time, the original film score as heard in the Trouble Man film, meticulously recreated from the original tapes. (Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.)

Whitney Houston, I Will Always Love You: The Very Best of Whitney Houston (Arista/RCA)

The dearly departed diva is paid tribute through this new single-disc overview of her career, featuring two unreleased tracks. The U.K. edition is two discs, just with more hits and album cuts. (Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.)

Mel Brooks, The Incredible Mel Brooks: An Irresistible Collection of Unhinged Comedy (Shout! Factory)

A five-DVD/one-CD box set treasury from one of the undisputed kings of comedy. (Amazon U.S.)

Sonic Youth, Smart Bar Chicago 1985 (Goofin’)

An unreleased live show from the Sonic Youth archives, on CD (Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.) or vinyl (Amazon U.S./Amazon U.K.).

Various Artists, A MusiCares Tribute to Barbra Streisand (Amazon U.S. Blu-Ray / Amazon U.S. DVD)

The legendary chanteuse is celebrated by the likes of Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow, Jeff Beck and Leona Lewis on this new DVD/BD release.

Original London Cast Recording, Cabaret (Sony Masterworks) (Amazon U.S. MP3)

Judi Dench, currently on the big screen as M in James Bond blockbuster Skyfall, made a splash in the West End as London’s original Sally Bowles in Cabaret!  The long-OOP cast recording returns digitally and as a disc-on-demand from Masterworks Broadway.

Percy Faith, The Complete Music of Christmas (Real Gone) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Real Gone revisits the lush orchestral stylings of Percy Faith with this 2-CD set dedicated to some of the bandleader’s greatest holiday music.

Shoes, One in Versailles (U.S./U.K.) / Bazooka (U.S./U.K.) / Black Vinyl Shoes (U.S./U.K.) / Present Tense Demos (U.S./U.K.) (Numero)

Power-pop group Shoes see vinyl reissues of four of their albums.

The B-52’s, Cosmic Thing / Bob Dylan and The Band, The Basement Tapes (Mobile Fidelity)

The B-52’s pop crossover album (on vinyl – Amazon U.S./U.K.) and The Bard’s highly sought-after collaboration with The Band (on hybrid SACD – Amazon U.S./U.K.) are the latest hi-def offerings from Mobile Fidelity.

Rebbie Jackson, Reaction: Expanded Edition (U.S./U.K.) / Champaign, Modern Heart/Woman in Flames (U.S./U.K.) / Black Ivory, Black Ivory/Hangin’ Heavy (U.S./U.K.) / Kashif, Condition of the Heart: Expanded Edition (U.S./U.K.) / Love Changes: Expanded Edition (U.S./U.K.) (Funkytowngrooves)

Lana Del Rey, Born to Die: The Paradise Edition (Interscope)

Yes, her. LDR’s major-label debut with a disc of new material (Amazon U.S./U.K.), also available separately (U.S.).

It’s Good to Be the King! Shout! Factory Preps “The Incredible Mel Brooks” with Rare Audio and Video Treats

Mel Brooks has been called many things…but doesn’t “incredible” have a nice ring to it?  The fine folks at Shout! Factory clearly think so, anyway.  The inimitable, indefatigable and yes, incredible, auteur is being celebrated this November 13 with a 5-DVD/1-CD box set that’s unlike any other yet dedicated to Brooks.  Unlike past boxed collections, this one doesn’t feature any of Brooks’ beloved films.  Instead, it sheds light on those movies with an array of rare material including performances, interviews, film clips, commercials and archival television footage, with plenty of laughs promised along the way.

The Incredible Mel Brooks: An Irresistible Collection of Unhinged Comedy is built around a new, five-part documentary entitled Mel and His Movies, with one segment included on each DVD in the box.  Of course, the former Melvin Kaminsky is only one of eleven people in entertainment history to possess the “EGOT” (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards), so the box set delves even deeper than just his most acclaimed motion pictures.  Surrounding the documentary on each disc are a plethora of other features spotlighting Brooks as comedian, actor, writer, composer/lyricist and director over a span of six decades.

Among the television material, you’ll find 2011’s Emmy Award-nominated Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again, an evening with the two comedy legends; episodes of Get Smart and When Things Were Rotten (both created by Brooks) and Mad About You; and appearances from The Dick Cavett Show, The David Susskind Show, The Tracey Ullman Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.   In addition to Mel and His Movies, other documentaries include I Thought I Was Taller: A Short History of Mel Brooks, produced by the BBC in 1981 and Excavating The 2000 Year Old Man, a PBS special from earlier this year which explores the prehistoric partnership between Brooks and Carl Reiner.  The Incredible Mel Brooks also boasts short films, tributes, and rare footage, compiled with Brooks’ consent.  The great man himself even provides introductions to some of the material.

The sixth disc in the box set is an audio CD.  It follows in the footsteps of the recently-reissued Mel Brooks’ Greatest Hits album, but differs from that collection in that it includes comedy sketches alongside the classic songs from Brooks’ films.   Among its rare selections is the title song to 1979’s Hitchcock spoof High Anxiety, performed by Brooks himself – in French!  The five DVDs and CD are packaged with a 60-page book of liner note from luminaries like Leonard Maltin, Robert Brustein, Gene Wilder and Bruce Jay Friedman as well as many vintage photos and program notes.

After the jump, you’ll find more, including a complete rundown of the set’s contents and a pre-order link!

Release Round-Up: Week of February 21

 

Various Artists, ZTT: The Art of the 12″: Volume Two (ZTT/Salvo)

A double-disc set of rare and unreleased dance mixes of vinyl classics, with a few rarities thrown in for good measure – and, as our post later today will explain, at least one Beatle!

Simple Minds, Simple Minds x5 (EMI)

The first five Simple Minds LPs – all pre-The Breakfast Club – expanded with vintage B-sides and remixes.

Gilbert O’Sullivan, Back to Front: Expanded Edition (Union Square Music/Salvo)

Gilbert’s 1972 sophomore album plus three bonus tracks, including hit single “Alone Again (Naturally).”

André Cymone, André Cymone / Surviving in the ’80s: Expanded Editions (Funky Town Grooves)

Blood, Sweat & Tears, In Concert / Phil Everly, Star Spangled Springer / Mel Brooks, Greatest Hits (Wounded Bird)

Some great LPs, all rare or new to CD, coming from Wounded Bird.

Various Artists, Complete Pop Instrumental Hits of the Sixties, Vol. 2: 1961 (Complete ’60s/Eric)

A three-disc set of every instrumental song that ever charted in 1961. The second in a volume of a series we’ve covered before.

Various Artists, David Merrick Presents Hits from His Broadway Hits (RCA Victor/Masterworks Broadway)

Ann-Margret joins John Gary and the Merrill Staton Voices in this vintage tribute to the legendary impresario behind such musicals as Hello, Dolly! and Gypsy.

Diana Ross, Diana Ross: Deluxe Edition (Hip-o Select/Motown)

The latest set from Select is a heavy-duty expansion of Miss Ross’ 1976 album, which featured “Theme from ‘Mahogany’ (Do You Know Where You’re Going To?)” and “Love Hangover,” two classic singles from a classic career. Alternate mixes, rare singles and early versions abound on this set.