Release Round-Up: Week of November 15

A brief note before we kick off the Release Round-Up: first, an apology for missing the last one. And second, a moment of crowd-sourcing from you, our beloved readers. As nice a service as the Round-Up is, it also seems….boring. Do you agree? How might one change it up? Sound off in the comments.

The Who, Quadrophenia: The Director’s Cut (Geffen/UMe)

Four discs of Quadrophenia goodness: the remastered album, demos, vinyl, a book of liner notes and, heaven knows why, part of the album remixed in 5.1 surround.

Ray Charles, Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles (Concord)

Five discs of the Genius’ single sides of the ’60s and ’70s, including “Georgia on My Mind,” “One Mint Julep,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “America the Beautiful.”

Frank Sinatra, Best of the Best (Capitol/Reprise)

The first compilation to span the Chairman’s best-loved eras, available as a single-disc set or a deluxe set with a rare live show.

The Supremes, More Hits by the Supremes: Expanded Edition (Hip-o Select/Motown)

The original album in mono and stereo plus scores of rarities for the discerning fan.

R.E.M., Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1981-2011 (Warner Bros.)

The American rock legends put a period on the end of their career with their first double-disc compilation, spanning both the I.R.S. and Warner Bros. years.

Various Artists, Cameo-Parkway Holiday Hits (Real Gone)

Eighteen rockin’ holiday hits from Bobby Rydell, The Cameos and…Bob Seger? A must hear in a slightly weaker season for Christmas catalogue titles.

Wall of Voodoo, Lost Weekend: The Best of the I.R.S. Years (Varese Vintage)

The first career-spanning compilation from the “Mexican Radio” band, bringing a lot of latter-day tracks to CD that many have probably not heard much, if at all.

Original West End Cast, The Phantom of the Opera: 25th Anniversary Box Set (Decca)

The cast albums for Phantom and its not-nearly-as-good sequel, Love Never Dies, plus a bonus DVD.

Better Than Barbecued Iguana: Varese to Release New Wall of Voodoo Compilation

There’s a good chance that, if you own at least one ’80s compilation CD released in the past 10 or 15 years, you’ve heard “Mexican Radio” by Wall of Voodoo. Though the song – with its distinctively sung couplets from vocalist Stan Ridgeway and a propulsive, rhythmic backing track featuring some great guitar work and a distinctive, mariachi-flavored harmonica/synth lick – peaked outside of Billboard‘s Top 40 almost three decades ago, it’s become one of those tunes that sums up the New Wave sound in just under four minutes.

Anyone curious to hear more of the band, who spent the better part of the ’80s turning out edgy rock records for Miles Copeland’s I.R.S. label (alongside acts like R.E.M. and The Go-Go’s), had a rough time of it in the ’90s and early aughts, as so little of the catalogue was in print. Most would be surprised to even know that, not long after “Mexican Radio,” Ridgeway and two other members of the band left, leaving new vocalist Andy Prieboy to take the reins from 1983 to 1988. This lineup enjoyed two minor hits in Australia, “Far Side of Crazy” and a cover of The Beach Boys’ “Do It Again,” the video of which actually featured an appearance by Brian Wilson himself.

Now, to solve those years of searching, Varese Vintage plans a compilation spanning all the singles from both iterations of the band. Lost Weekend: The Best of the I.R.S. Years covers all the major beats of the band’s career (other than their self-titled 1980 debut EP, released by Index Records), including the band’s contract-finishing, out-of-print 1989 live album. (And “Mexican Radio” is indeed included in its original single mix, rather than the version that appeared on the Call of the West album.)

Look for it on November 15, order it on Amazon here and check the track list after the jump.