Release Round-Up: Week of August 27

The Beach Boys, Made in California (Capitol/UMe)

Six discs of career-spanning tunes – hits and rarities aplenty – from the best band to come out of Hawthorne, California. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Bob Dylan, Another Self Portrait (1969-1971): The Bootleg Series Vol. 10 (Columbia)

Revisit one of the most polarizing periods of Dylan’s career with the latest Bootleg Series entry, featuring outtakes from Nashville Skyline, Self Portrait and New Morning. A deluxe version includes Dylan and The Band’s complete Isle of Wight performance and a remastered version of Self Portrait, and a vinyl version also exists.

2CD standard edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
4CD deluxe edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
3LP vinyl edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Sly & The Family Stone, Higher! (Epic/Legacy)

A four-disc box celebrating one of the pioneers of funk and R&B. Intriguing tracks from the vault and little-heard mono mixes are complemented by a really striking visual presentation, and a healthy book of liner notes. Amazon U.S. has got a six-track bonus disc with the box, and there’s also a highlights disc for the less curious.

4CD box: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
4CD box + bonus disc: Amazon U.S.
8LP box: Amazon U.K.
8LP box + bonus disc: Amazon U.S.
1CD compilation: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Belinda Carlisle, Heaven on Earth / Runaway Horses / Live Your Life Be Free / Real: Deluxe Editions (Edsel)

When The Go-Go’s leader went full-on pop, the music world was all the better for it. Belinda’s Virgin discography has now been expanded as 2CD/1DVD sets, Edsel-style.

Heaven on Earth: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Runaway Horses: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Live Your Life Be Free: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Real: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Robert Palmer, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley/Pressure Drop / Some People Can Do What They Like/Double Fun / Secrets/Clues/Maybe It’s Live / Pride/Riptide (Edsel)

The Robert Palmer Island Records discography is finally remastered and expanded – not as we’d imagine (as two-fers and one three-fer), but at least this late great is getting the attention he so greatly deserves.

Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley/Pressure Drop: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Some People Can Do What They Like/Double Fun: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Secrets/Clues/Maybe It’s Live: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
Pride/Riptide: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

Mario Lanza, The Toast of Hollywood (Sony Masterworks)

A new two-disc compilation celebrating MGM’s beloved actor-tenor features six previously unreleased recordings. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Oscar Pettiford, Modern Quintet / Chris Connor, Sings Lullabys For Lovers / Dexter Gordon, Daddy Plays The Horn / Charles Mingus, The Jazz Experiments of Charles Mingus / Nina Simone, Little Girl Blue / Booker Ervin, The Book Cooks (Naxos/Bethlehem)

The first of several batches of reissues from the classic Bethlehem label (additional batches are planned through next summer!) are hitting CD, LP and MP3, back in print after too long. (The above link is being updated with full links as they’re available.)

CHIC, The 12″ Singles Collection (Atlantic/Rhino U.K.)

Ten tracks of disco goodness spanning the entire, immortal partnership of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, on five pieces of vinyl. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Naked Eyes, Fuel for the Fire: Expanded Edition (Cherry Pop)

The second and final Naked Eyes LP debuts on CD with rare bonus tracks and unreleased demos for your enjoyment. (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Cherry Red Watch: Naked Eyes and “Born to Be Alive” Spotlighted on New Reissues

The Cherry Pop label is certainly the only place you’ll find expanded CDs by a French-Italian disco sensation and one of the more notable synthpop duos of the ’80s. The debut album by Patrick Hernandez and the final album by Naked Eyes have recently been bought to CD by Cherry Pop with an armful of bonus tracks.

You might not recall Patrick Hernandez’s name, but you’ve doubtlessly heard his biggest disco hit: “Born to Be Alive.” Its urgent tempo, stirring arrangement and strong vocal performance made it one of the genre’s biggest anthems, a Billboard dance chart-topper that crossed over into the pop Top 20. (The single topped the charts in 11 other countries.) Hernandez’s success was short-lived in America, but the Born to Be Alive album was certified gold – and countless licensing opportunities and the odd spin on radio or in clubs ensures the song will still live on. Cherry Pop expands the original LP, released in the States on Columbia Records, with three bonus tracks, including a European A-side, “Back to Boogie,” and the hit single and dance mix versions of “Born to Be Alive,” as commissioned for U.S. play.

Cherry Pop also has on the roster the premiere CD release of Fuel for the FIre, the final album by British pop duo Naked Eyes. Fresh off the stateside success of debut album Burning Bridges, which had a synth-tastic Top 10 cover of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Always Something There to Remind Me,” Fuel featured production from Bridges producer Tony Mansfield as well as dance whiz Arthur Baker, who helmed lead single “(What) in the Name of Love.” But the track merely dented the U.S. Top 40 and went nowhere in Europe. Naked Eyes split shortly thereafter, with Pete Byrne getting into session work and Rob Fisher recording as a duo with British songwriter Simon Climie (the aptly-named Climie Fisher) in the ’80s and ’90s. Fisher passed away in 1998.

For the first-ever release of Fuel for the Fire, Cherry Pop has appended several bonus tracks, including two B-sides (including an early version of “(What) in the Name of Love” released on the flipside of U.S. Top 20 single “Promises Promises”), remixes of “(What) in the Name of Love” and second single “Sacrifice” (remixed by Baker but unreleased until a 2002 compilation) and – as a real treat for Naked Eyes devotees – three unreleased demos from the album sessions.

Born to Be Alive is available in U.K. shops today, while Fuel for the Fire streets August 26. (Thanks to super reader Zevonsky for the tip!) After the jump, you’ll find the usual track lists and Amazon U.K. links.

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.)

Always Something There: Cherry Pop Expands Naked Eyes’ Debut

Add another title we’ve speculated about before to the upcoming releases list: Cherry Pop is expanding Burning Bridges, the debut album by British New Wave duo Naked Eyes.

Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher were already known in their local music scene in the town of Bath, England; an earlier band, Neon, featured fellow Bathites Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith before they founded Tears for Fears. But as Naked Eyes, the duo hit it big thanks to heavy-duty use of the relatively-new Fairlight CMI synthesizer, the pop production of Tony Mansfield and…a chestnut from the Burt Bacharach/Hal David songwriting catalogue.

“(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me,” a heartfelt tune detailing the narrator’s inability to get away from the signs of a failed relationship, was a hit for Sandie Shaw in the U.K., whose oddly chipper version topped the British charts in 1964. But neither Shaw, Lou Johnson nor Dionne Warwick could push the tune past the lower half of the Billboard Hot 100 – that honor went to the ornate, pulsating Naked Eyes version, a Top 10 single on our shores but, ironically, a total flop in England. Follow-up single “Promises, Promises” (not the Bacharach/David tune, humorously enough) peaked at No. 11 in the States but again fizzled natively. (“Promises” remains a favorite of music trivia enthusiasts for a background vocal appearance by a little-known Madonna on the 12″ single.)

Follow-up singles “When the Lights Go Out” and “(What) in the Name of Love,” from sophomore LP Fuel for the Fire (1984), scraped the U.S. Top 40, and Byrne and Fisher would separate to pursue session work. (Byrne played on Stevie Wonder’s hit “Part-Time Lover,” while Fisher formed a more locally successful duo with fellow songwriter/session player Simon Climie. Climie Fisher’s “Love Changes (Everything)” peaked at No. 2 in the U.K. in 1988.) Byrne and Fisher had reunited as writers for a third Naked Eyes LP, but following Fisher’s death following cancer surgery in 1999, Byrne included them on a solo disc, The Real Illusion, in 2001. Byrne still tours under the Naked Eyes moniker, reportedly planning a new album for 2013.

Cherry Pop’s Burning Bridges expansion features five bonus tracks, including 12″ remixes of “Promises” and “Always Something There,” two non-LP B-sides and the hit U.S. single mix of “Promises.” It streets in England on November 19; pre-order links for the disc are live at Amazon U.S. and Amazon U.K., and the track list is after the jump.

Reissue Theory: Naked Eyes

Eighty-two years ago today, a Kansas City, Miss. couple named Bert and Irma Bacharach welcomed a son, Burt, into the world. In 1957, the young songwriter met a lyricist, Hal David, at a meeting in the Brill Building in New York City. The rest, as they say, was history, with some of the most enduring popular songs of century flowing from their pens.

This is a difficult fact to grasp if you’re a young person. Nowadays, people couldn’t really care less who writes the songs that make the whole world sing (even if one of the more high-profile songs of the current pop era, Kara DioGuardi, is a judge on American Idol). But in those days, songs could just grab a hold of people’s ears and not let go for generations.

There is perhaps no greater example of this than “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me,” a melancholy Bacharach/David composition written in 1963 with Dionne Warwick originally cutting a demo. Warwick wouldn’t release a proper version until three years later, long after the song had ascended to the top of the U.K. charts when it was gaily recorded by Sandie Shaw.

Warwick’s version, along with a version by pop singer R.B. Greaves in 1970, performed well enough, but it was never a capital-h Hit in the States until the summer of 1983, where a U.K. duo called Naked Eyes burst onto the scene with a bombastic, Linn-drum-and-Fairlight-synth version that climbed all the way to No. 8.

This cover of the Bacharach/David tune earned Naked Eyes a place in American pop history, but it oddly stiffed in their homeland. Follow-up single “Promises, Promises” (a remix of which featured backing vocals from an up-and-coming singer named Madonna), a Top 20 U.S. hit, fared even worse in England, and after another LP, Naked Eyes were more or less kaput. Co-founder Rob Fisher died in 1999, and Byrne did session work here and there until returning under the Naked Eyes banner in 2007.

Despite those early U.S. hits, Naked Eyes are nonentities on CD, save for a few compilations here and there. In honor of Bacharach’s birthday – and one of the most enduring covers of one of his most enduring songs – The Second Disc presents you with a Reissue Theory look at these two lost pop LPs. Remind yourself after the jump.