Release Round-Up: Week of October 14

Diana Ross, Why Do Fools Fall in Love / Silk Electric / Ross / Swept Away / Eaten Alive / Red Hot Rhythm and Blues (Expanded Editions) (Funky Town Grooves)

Why Do Fools Fall in Love: Expanded Edition (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Silk Electric: Expanded Edition  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Ross: Expanded Edition  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Swept Away: Deluxe Edition  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Eaten Alive: Deluxe Edition  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)
Red Hot Rhythm and Blues: Deluxe Edition (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Funky Town Grooves has remastered and expanded all six of Miss Ross’ RCA albums, first released between 1981 and 1987 during what turned out to be an extended hiatus from Motown.  These editions are loaded with rarities and remixes; see full details here!

Foreigner, The Complete Atlantic Studio Albums 1977-1991 (Atlantic/Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Rhino boxes up 7 CDs from Foreigner, including five U.S. multi-platinum smash LPs and hits like “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,”  and “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

The Kinks, The Essential Kinks (RCA/Arista/Legacy)  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Legacy kicks off its Kinks campaign (kampaign?) with this 48-song, 2-CD anthology featuring just about every Kinks hit except for the original studio recording of “Lola.”  (A live recording from 1979 takes its place.)  Every track has been newly (and splendidly) remastered by Vic Anesini, and the deluxe 28-page booklet include liner notes from David Bowie and critic Bob Mehr, plus appreciations from Iggy Pop, Howard Kaylan, Creed Bratton, Pete Townshend and many more!

Jaco Pastorius, Anthology: The Warner Bros. Years (Warner Bros./Rhino) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Rhino has 2 CDs and 22 tracks from jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius (1951-1987) drawing on the albums Word of Mouth, Invitation and The Birthday Concert plus tracks on which Jaco joined Mike Stern and Airto Moreira and one previously unreleased bonus track, “Donna Lee,” from 1981.  Bill Milkowski, author of Jaco: The Extraordinary And Tragic Life Of Jaco Pastorius, provides new liner notes.

Ozzy Osbourne, Memoirs of a Madman (Legacy)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

2-LP Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

DVD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

This career spanning release features 17 of the Black Sabbath legend’s greatest hit singles compiled in one place for the first time in his career and will be available in a single CD, two-LP set and two-LP picture disc set configurations. The companion 2-DVD set includes classic music videos, plus previously unreleased and out-of-print live performances, and interviews from his solo career.

Sly Stone, I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-1970 (Light in the Attic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )

During those creatively fertile days of the late 1960s, producer-arranger-composer Sly Stone couldn’t be confined to work with his band Sly and the Family Stone, so he formed the Stone Flower label and production company.  Stone Flower released a handful of tracks on its own label as well as on Scepter and Atlantic by the artists Little Sister, Joe Hicks, and 6ix; those are collected here along with ten previously unissued songs.  The sound on these tracks recalls the Family Stone’s groundbreaking There’s a Riot Goin’ On thanks to Sly’s use of the early Rhythm King drum machine/beat box.  Light in the Attic packages this fascinating and essential chapter of the Sly and the Family Stone story with a 52-page booklet including a new interview by Alec Palao with Stone himself.  Also available on vinyl.

Dean Martin, The Essential Dean Martin (Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )

Legacy has 40 tracks on 2 CDs from the king of cool, Dean Martin.  Though this compilation concentrates on Dino’s Reprise years, five key Capitol cuts are included as well as one late-period single at Warner Bros. Records.  You’ll hear “Volare,” “That’s Amore,” “Sway,” “Everybody Loves Somebody,” “Memories Are Made of This,” “Houston,” “I Will” and many more on this set which has been remastered by Vic Anesini and annotated by James Ritz.

Meat Loaf, ICON (UMe) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

Universal’s budget-priced ICON series is back with a new entry for Meat Loaf.  This odd volume features six of the eleven tracks from 1993’s smash hit comeback Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell and four songs from its follow-up, 1995’s Welcome to the Neighborhood.  “Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)” from Rocky Horror rounds out the 11-song compilation.

White Christmas: Diamond Edition Blu-ray with CD (Paramount) (Amazon U.S.)

This new Blu-ray edition of the 1956 musical film has, among its bonus features, a 12-song CD featuring Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney, with guest appearances by Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Judy Garland. Eight of the songs on this exclusive bonus CD are previously unreleased.

Miles Davis, Bitches Brew (Hybrid SACD) (Mobile Fidelity) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

The great trumpeter’s revolutionary 1970 jazz-rock double album arrives on stereo hybrid SACD as part of Mobile Fidelity’s series of Davis reissues.

Madeleine Peyroux, Keep Me In Your Heart For A While: The Best Of Madeleine Peyroux (Rounder) (Amazon U.S.)

Here’s the very first compilation release in the singer-songwriter’s 18-year career, including tracks from the Rounder, Atlantic and Decca/Emarcy catalogues. Keep Me in Your Heart will include one previously unreleased song, the Warren Zevon title track which appeared in 2011’s independent film Union Square. Liner notes by former Atlantic Records A&R man Yves Beauvais, complete the package of the chanteuse’s greatest performances.  A 2-CD edition is also available from Amazon U.K. with 27 tracks vs. the domestic version’s 15.

Billy Strayhorn, Out of the Shadows (Storyville) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

This 7-CD/1-DVD box set from venerable label Storyville turns the spotlight on a man who preferred to remain in the shadow of his close friend, collaborator and benefactor, Duke Ellington.  62 of Strayhorn’s compositions are presented here, both with and without Duke’s company, featuring such personnel as Art Tatum, Tommy Flanagan, Johnny Hodges, Clark Terry and Ben Webster plus Strayhorn and Ellington.  Tracks were recorded between 1939 and 2007; see here for more details!

Swing Out Sister, The Essential Swing Out Sister (Salvo) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )

This set has 17 tracks from the Manchester band formed in 1985 including their breakout hit “Breakout” and more originals and covers like “La La Means I Love You,” “Am I the Same Girl” and “The Windmills of Your Mind.”  This survey of the sophisti-pop duo’s career concludes with a previously unreleased “Big Band” version of “Forever Blue,” a track arranged in its original version by Jimmy Webb.

Bob Seger, Ride Out (Capitol) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )

The Detroit rocker returns with his first studio album since 2006 and seventeenth overall.  It’s available in a variety of formats including deluxe edition CD, vinyl and a Target exclusive with two bonus tracks.

 

Jerry Goldsmith, Our Man Flint/In Like Flint: Original Motion Picture Scores (Intrada)

Intrada brings two of Jerry Goldsmith’s grooviest scores to CD for the very first time, remastered from the recently discovered original 20th Century Fox stereo album session masters! Differing from the Varese Sarabande release of soundtrack highlights from these spy capers, this single disc offers both classic original albums exactly as Goldsmith recorded them.  For more background, see Joe’s review of Our Man Flint at The Digital Bits!

Michel Legrand, Summer of ’42/The Picasso Summer: Original Motion Picture Scores (Intrada)

Here’s the world premiere expanded release of two “summer” Michel Legrand soundtracks including his Oscar-winning score for Summer Of ’42 (1971).  Legrand’s complete score runs just 17 minutes, so to fill the original Warner Bros. soundtrack album, 30 minutes of his score for the 1969 film The Picasso Summer was included.   Intrada premieres the entire 55-minute Picasso score on the second disc of this 2-CD set, while the original album assembly of his “Picasso Suite” also plays intact on CD 1, following Summer Of ’42.

First Name Basis: Ozzy, Willie, Janis, Iggy Among Legacy’s Offerings For Record Store Day

Here at Second Disc HQ, we’re eagerly anticipating April 21, or Record Store Day, the industry-wide celebration of all things vinyl (and a few CDs, too!).  Record Store Day, now in its fifth year, gives shoppers the chance to interact with big crowds of fellow music enthusiasts in the brick-and-mortar retail environment cherished by so many of us.  Legacy Recordings has announced its impressive line-up of limited edition releases that will line the shelves of your favorite independent music store on that Saturday, including titles from the 2012 Record Store Day Ambassador, Iggy Pop, and the 2011 Ambassador, Ozzy Osbourne!  Joining those two rock heroes on the Legacy slate are familiar faces such as Paul Simon, Willie Nelson and Lou Reed, and gone-but-not-forgotten legends like Miles Davis and Janis Joplin!

Hit the jump for the full list of Legacy’s diverse offerings, and don’t forget to visit our full (and ongoing) round-up of the reissue-related Record Store Day limited editions for 2012!

Bowie, McCartney, Joplin, Springsteen, Clash, Davis, Small Faces, More Lead Record Store Day Pack

We’re just three weeks away from Record Store Day on April 21, and following individual announcements from fantastic labels like Omnivore Recordings, Concord Records, Sundazed Music and Rhino/Warner Bros., we can finally reveal the full line-up of RSD-related goodies!

These limited editions, available at independent music retailers across the U.S. and even internationally, are primarily vinyl releases in various formats (7-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, etc.) and range from replicas of classic albums to EPs and singles premiering exclusive content.  Some of our favorite artists here at TSD HQ are represented, including David Bowie, James Brown, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Lee Hazlewood, Janis Joplin, Buck Owens, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Bruce Springsteen, and even the “odd couple” pairing of Neil Young and Rick James as members of Motown’s The Mynah Birds!  All told, there’s plenty for fans of rock, pop and jazz on offer this year!

Without further ado, hit the jump for our exhaustive list of RSD releases related to the catalogue artists we celebrate each and every day here at The Second Disc.  For those in need of a checklist, you can find a downloadable PDF here of the complete list, and this official Record Store Day list also includes all of the releases of a more recent vintage.  Sound off below on which title you are most eagerly awaiting, and thanks for supporting your local independent record retailer!

Review: Ozzy Osbourne, “Blizzard of Ozz: Expanded Edition” and “Diary of a Madman: Legacy Edition”

There’s something wonderful about seeing things in a different light than before. Some of us go through our lives thinking certain things are one way, when others might see the same thing in a totally opposite way. If those two sides see eye-to-eye, though? It’s a beautiful thing.

I’d like to think that there’s a bit of that eye-to-eye business with Epic/Legacy’s new reissues of the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. New fans who pick these packages up will learn that there is so much more to the Prince of Darkness than some cheap shocks and silly reality shows – and the label itself gets a fine lesson on how not to mess with a good thing.

In case you’ve missed this story before, when Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981) were last released by Legacy in 2002 (as Epic/Legacy EK 85247 and 85249, respectively), they were grossly misleading products. The original bass and drum tracks, performed by Ozzy’s touring band members Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake, were scrubbed off the reissues and replaced by new tracks performed by Robert Trujilo of Metallica and Mike Bordin of Faith No More. The reason was fairly simple – Osbourne was engaged in lawsuits with the musicians and essentially used this as a kiss-off – but there was no indication that any of the new discs had re-recorded parts.

Now, however, these new reissues (Epic/Legacy 88697 73818-2 and 88697 73821-2) feature the albums as they were originally meant to be heard – a must-buy in and of itself – but what fans know (and what fans-to-be will certainly find out) is that the real stars of the show aren’t the rhythm tracks, but the two members of the band whose first names end in “y.”

Release Round-Up: Week of May 31

Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz / Diary of a Madman: Legacy Edition (Epic/Legacy)

The Prince of Darkness’ first two LPs, finally put back into print with the original drum and bass tracks and expanded with bonus material (including a previously unreleased live disc for Diary). A box set packs all the CDs in with vinyl, a commemorative book and the new documentary Thirty Years After the Blizzard. (Official site)

Twisted Sister, Under the Blade: Deluxe Edition (Eagle)

Another welcome hard-rock reissue that restores the original mix of Twisted Sister’s debut LP to CD and adds some bonus EP tracks and a DVD of the band’s gig at the Reading Festival in 1982. (Official site)

Kate Bush, Director’s Cut (Fish People/EMI)

The magnificent singer/songwriter’s latest album project – her first in six years, and already released in the U.K., where it hit No. 2 – features remixed and re-recorded versions of tracks from The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes (1993). A deluxe set features those original albums remastered as well. (Official site)

James Taylor, JT (Mobile Fidelity)

One of Taylor’s most satisfying albums gets the hybrid SACD treatment. (Mobile Fidelity)

The Guess Who, Flavours: Expanded Edition (Iconoclassic)

The Guess Who reissue series continues with the band’s penultimate LP for RCA. (Iconoclassic)

The O’Jays, Back Stabbers: Expanded Edition / Jon Lucien, Song for My Lady: Expanded Edition / Linda Lewis, Woman Overboard: Expanded Edition / Linx, Intuition: Expanded Edition (Big Break Records)

The latest crop of BBR reissues makes its way to U.S. shores. Back Stabbers looks like it’s gonna be a good one, what with one of the best Philly soul songs ever in “Love Train.” (Big Break Records)

Ozzy’s “Blizzard” and “Madman” LPs to Be Expanded in May (UPDATE 4/4)

UPDATE 4/4: This isn’t particularly new, but in case anyone stumbled upon this post, there was some initial confusion as to the existence of bonus tracks on the Diary of a Madman set. Everything has now been properly edited.

Original post: Last year, Legacy promised to turn October into “Rocktober” with the reissues of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, the first two solo albums by Ozzy Osbourne. Those reissues were unsurprisingly well-received by fans, particularly following the revelation that both albums would be remastered with the original drum and bass tracks by Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake. (Both were replaced by new tracks performed by Robert Trujilo of Metallica and Mike Bordin of Faith No More on CD reissues released in 2002.)

Unfortunately, those sets were put on the back burner before an official date was ever sent, and it was confirmed that they were instead slated for release at an undetermined date in 2011. Now, it finally looks like those packages might be coming out on May 31 – and there’s a bit more to look forward to than just the original mixes.

Blizzard of Ozz looks to be released as a single-disc expanded edition for its 30th anniversary (which, technically, was last year). In addition to the original mix of the album, three bonus tracks will be added: new remix of “Goodbye to Romance,” the non-LP B-side “You Looking at Me Looking at You” (released on U.K. pressings of the “Crazy Train” single and making its stateside debut) and an unreleased guitar solo by Ozzy’s late, great guitarist Randy Rhoads.

Meanwhile, Diary of a Madman will get the Legacy Edition treatment, adding an unreleased concert of Ozzy at New York’s Palladium in May 1981 (ironically, Madman seems to be the one celebrating 30 years!). And that’s not all! Vinyl reissues of each album are planned (keeping in line with Ozzy’s appointment as ambassador for Record Store Day), and they will also figure into a special box set that combines all the reissues on CD and vinyl alongside a new hardbound book and DVD documentary, Thirty Years After the Blizzard, featuring rare vintage footage of Osbourne and Rhoads along with new interviews with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Lemmy Kilmister, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx, Rob Halford and Zakk Wylde.

Pre-order pages exist for the CD and vinyl editions; all are expected for May 31. Read the track lists for each set after the jump.

Coming to a Record Store Near You…

Mark your calendars if you haven’t already, music fans: April 16 is the fourth annual Record Store Day! What started as a small declaration of independence for brick-and-mortar, mom-and-pop record stores in the face of industry decline has blossomed into a worldwide celebration with goodies provided by major and independent labels.

And because lots of record store fans are also big into catalogue stuff like you and me, a lot of the RSD exclusives focus on reissues or anniversary repressings in both single and album form. Yesterday, the full list of exclusives was finally released by the RSD committee – but we’ve pored through the list to bring you the biggest, brightest and best of catalogue Record Store Day exclusives.

We’re so excited, we’re not even going to put in a jump. Here’s the best of the best below.

AC/DC (Columbia): a 7″ of Back in Black favorite “Shoot to Thrill” backed with “War Machine” from the band’s most recent album, Black Ice (2008).

Big Star (Omnivore): a “test pressing” edition of Third, recreating the original 14-track test pressing of the album in 1975, down to the master tape box and tracking sheets. (Five copies of original, un-recreated test pressings will be mixed into the 1,000 copies pressed, each signed by Jody Stephens and original engineers Larry Nix and John Fry.)

Kate Bush (Audio Fidelity): 1,000 copies of The Hounds of Love will be pressed on limited edition, 10″ pink vinyl.

John Mayall and Eric Clapton (Sundazed): a 1,000-copy reissue of the 1966 non-LP single “Lonely Years” b/w “Bernard Jenkins.” This single was issued a month after the iconic Blues Breakers album.

Deftones (Warner Bros.): Covers captures some of the Sacramento band’s most beloved studio covers, from Sade and Lynyrd Skynyrd to Duran Duran and The Cars. 3,000 copies will be pressed.

Derek and The Dominos (Polydor/UMe): a 7″ single of “Got to Get Better in a Little While” b/w “Layla” will be released to commemorate the upcoming Layla box set. 2,500 copies will be made.

Dio (Niji): The late singer’s own label will reissue 2002’s Killing the Dragon on 2,000 vinyl picture discs.

Bob Dylan (Columbia/Legacy): a vinyl version of Live at Brandeis University 1963 will be exclusively available at RSD-participating outlets for four weeks; it makes its own CD debut (after being the bonus disc with Amazon orders of the latest Bootleg Series entry) earlier that week.

Foo Fighters (RCA): Medium Rare, a compilation of covers, will be released on 120-gram vinyl as a nice companion piece to the band’s forthcoming album, Wasting Light.

Jimi Hendrix (Experience Hendrix/Legacy): a vinyl single of the alternate version of “Fire” from the West Coast Seattle Boy box backed with an unreleased track, “Touch You,” will be one release (“Cat Talking to Me,” the B-side of last year’s “Valleys of Neptune,” appears on the CD single). Another CD single will feature Cee Lo Green’s “Foxey Lady” and Santana’s “Spanish Castle Music,” from the Power of Soul compilation alongside an unreleased live version of “Purple Haze” by Robert Randolph and The Slide Brothers.

Michael Jackson (Epic): a 7″ of tracks from 2010’s Michael will be pressed, featuring new single “Hollywood Tonight” and “Behind the Mask.”

Jimmy Eat World (ORG): a 10th anniversary triple-vinyl edition of 2001’s Bleed American will be released with B-sides and other rarities added to the mix. 1,500 copies will be available. (This may be the same track list as the deluxe edition released on CD in 2008.)

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts (Blackheart Music): 1,000 copies of a limited clear-vinyl edition of the I Love Rock & Roll album will be released.

Nirvana (Geffen/UMe): the rare 1992 EP Hormoaning, released in Australia and Japan, will be repressed 4,000 copies strong.

Roy Orbison (Monument/Legacy): a 7″ single of “Only the Lonely” b/w an unreleased live version of “Pretty Woman” will be pressed.

Ozzy Osbourne (Epic/Legacy): the ambassador for this year’s Record Store Day will see the vinyl reissues of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman into independent stores, about a month before expanded CD editions come out.

Pearl Jam (Epic/Legacy): Single and double-vinyl editions of Vs. and Vitalogy (to be released in a deluxe box next week).

Queen (Hollywood): the “Long Lost Retake” of “Keep Yourself Alive” will be released as a 7″ single to promote the new reissues. It will be backed with “Son and Daughter.”

Sonic Youth (Geffen/UMe): another Geffen artist with an Australian EP (with a similar name, even). 1993’s Whores Moaning will also receive a 4,000 copy reissue.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band (Columbia/Legacy): two outtakes from The Promise on 10″ vinyl: “Gotta Get This Feeling” and “Racing in the Street (’78).”

Television (Rhino): a white double-vinyl version of the 1978 show at San Francisco’s Old Waldorf (released by Rhino Handmade in 2003), limited to 3,000 units.

The Beach Boys (EMI/Capitol): to capitalize on the forthcoming Smile box, a double 10″ 78 RPM set will be released, with one disc containing the original “Good Vibrations”/”Heroes and Villains” sides and the other containing alternate takes. There will be 5,000 copies of this one.

The Flaming Lips (Warner Bros.): the Heady Nuggs box set, limited to 5,790 copies, features the band’s first five Warner Bros. LPs on vinyl.

The Velvet Underground (Sundazed): latter-day outtakes on a 7″ single: “Foggy Notion” b/w “I Can’t Stand It.” Limited to 1,000 copies.

The Yardbirds (Sundazed): a reproduction of 1968 single “Goodnight Sweet Josephine” b/w “Think About It,” limited to 2,000 copies.

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (Reprise): 2,500 copies of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (1976) on white vinyl and another 2,500 of You’re Gonna Get It! (1978) on blue vinyl.

Various Artists (Kill Rock Stars): the grunge classic Kill Rock Stars compilation will be repressed for its 20th anniversary.

The Crazy Train is Running Behind Schedule

It’s been reported that the upcoming reissues of Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981) – which would finally see the original bass and drum tracks (replaced on the 2002 CD reissues) restored – were delayed, based upon the fact that CD Japan had removed the preorder listings from their inventory.

Allow The Second Disc to add further confirmation: we inquired about the status of the titles with Legacy Recordings, and they’ve been confirmed to have been bumped to next year (the exact time was not given). While we join the many fans who are less than thrilled by the news, we rest assured that they’re still on the horizon and will bring you any more news once it’s made available.

News Round-Up: “Rated R” Release Date, Ozzy Reissues and Rare Cure

• The aforementioned reissue of Queens of the Stone Age’s Rated R (2000) has a release date set. Look for it July 20. (Thanks to MusicTAP for the tip)
• Rolling Stone reports in their new issue that Ozzy Osbourne is planning deluxe reissues of Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981). While no bonus content has been confirmed, fans will rejoice that these reissues will be using the original LP mixes (in 2002, both albums were controversially reissued with uncredited drum and bass overdubs, replacing Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake’s original tracks with new ones from Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin, both having been members of Ozzy’s touring band).
• As if it wasn’t good enough being a fan of The Cure right now, it gets even better. A Web site devoted to the band’s upcoming deluxe edition of Disintegration has been opened up, with a treasure trove of streamable goodies, including – wait for it – another disc’s worth of rarities that won’t be in the deluxe set. (If you’re handy with audio, you could conceivably make yourself a four-disc version of the new reissue – or a five-disc, when another Disintegration live set starts streaming next week.) Get a hold of it here. (You can also check out a bunch of rare/unreleased tracks Robert Smith posted at the time of the release of The Cure’s Greatest Hits disc from 2001; they’ve been archived at excellent Cure fan blog Chain of Flowers. All the love in the world to Slicing Up Eyeballs for the revelations.)