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.)

The World is (Still) a Ghetto: Classic War Album Expanded for 40th Anniversary

Here’s a great Christmas gift for funk fans: Hip-O Select throws a curve after months of solid Motown and blues releases with a remastered and expanded edition of War’s The World is a Ghetto (1972).

At the time of release, the California funk band had gone through a myriad of changes: as Nightshift, the group backed up football player/occasional singer Deacon Jones before being discovered by ex-Animals frontman Eric Burdon and producer Jerry Goldstein, who shaped them into a successful, politically-conscious but still stylistically freewheeling combo. “Spill the Wine,” their debut single, peaked at No. 3 in 1970; within a year, though, Burdon would have left the group to their own devices. Undeterred, the group released the well-received War and All-Day Music in 1971.

The World is a Ghetto, however, sent the band to another plateau, topping the Billboard charts, becoming the biggest-seller of 1973 and featuring two Top 10 singles in “The Cisco Kid” and the title track. The secret? A deft mix of fun, anthemic singles with that funky sort of conscience that elevated their R&B contemporaries Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield.

On December 11, The World is a Ghetto will be remastered and expanded with four unreleased “ghetto jams” – all from the original tapes provided by co-producer Goldstein. A new essay and recording details will feature in the booklet of this release, as well. Full specs and a pre-order link are below!

The World is a Ghetto: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition (originally released as United Artists LP UAS-5652, 1972 – reissued Hip-O Select/Avenue B0017703-02, 2012)

1. The Cisco Kid
2. Where Was You At
3. City, Country, City
4. Four Cornered Room
5. The World is a Ghetto
6. Beetles in the Bog
7. Freight Train Jam
8. 58 Blues
9. War is Coming (Blues Version)
10. The World is a Ghetto (Alternate Take)

Tracks 7-10 are previously unreleased “ghetto jams”

UMe Declares WAR

You probably knew this already, based on the presence of an ICON title for the legendary funk group WAR, but Universal Music Enterprises has acquired the rights to their back catalogue. And it looks like they may be gearing up to do some stuff with it.

The label issued a press release last week in honor of the band’s 40th anniversary year, detailing a few notable bits of info about the band’s plans to celebrate. While the band will be touring and working on a new album – their first since 1994’s Peace Sign – of interest to catalogue fans is the digital debut of three WAR albums – 1979’s The Music Band and The Music Band 2, originally released by MCA, and 1997’s Colección Latina compilation, released on Avenue Records, which previously controlled the band’s back catalogue (through distribution by Rhino).

Also, anyone who likes WAR’s new official Facebook page before May 10 gets a free download of the track “War is Coming! War is Coming!” from the group’s 1977 album Platinum Jazz.

Of course, we’ll report if any more WAR catalogue releases or expansions are in the pipeline. Hit the jump for the track lists and U.S. iTunes links for the newly-digitized albums.

Release Round-Up: Week of March 1

James Brown, The Singles Vol. 10 1975-1979 (Polydor/Hip-o Select)

The Godfather of Soul’s penultimate complete singles compilation from Select. One more to follow! (Hip-o Select)

Carole King and James Taylor, Troubadours: The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter (Hear Music)

A new documentary on the California singer/songwriter scene of the 1970s, coupled with a bonus disc of some of the best songs from that period. (Amazon)

Various Artists, Icon (UMe)

Budget compilations from artists across the Universal spectrum, from Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly to War and The Four Tops. (Original post with Amazon links)

Metallica, Garage Inc. (Vinyl) (Warner Bros./Rhino)

A three or six-LP audiophile reissue of the band’s covers compilation, featuring newly recorded takes on Metallica’s favorite bands and previously released B-side covers from the ’80s and ’90s. (Official site)

More “ICON” Titles on the Way

Universal has another batch of Icon titles coming your way.

The next wave kicks off with a tribute to recently-deceased Motown luminary Teena Marie on February 15; the rest of the titles are set for a March 1 release. They run the gamut from country (Loretta Lynn, Billy Ray Cyrus) to soul/funk (The Four Tops, Kool & The Gang, The Gap Band) and some rock-oriented surprises (Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, joke-rockers The Bloodhound Gang).

Are there many surprises? Not really, although the presence of a double-disc Icon set for War is apparently the prelude to a catalogue expansion for the funk outfit. Amazon’s product description corroborates this notion with the mention of more War reissues coming this year and the next.

All the track lists can be viewed after the jump, with links to all of the sets on Amazon therein.