Archival Posts 2003 June 22-30

June 30, 2003

Tomorrow's July 1? Guess I better start preparing my Christmas list because that's just how fast this year appears to be progressing. And there are so many discs to acquire. Yep, I'm going to start now.

I've finally completed on aspect of a long overdue archival overhaul. You can now click on the Archives button, go to a revamped archive front page and from there hit any alpha link to go to a complete listing and link of reviews for that letter. It took awhile but we're completed on that. We'll do the same with the Articles and Interviews links. We're getting there.

We have some great news for you today. If you're interested in some DVD-Audio info and other stuff, we got it.

I was talking with Brett Rudolph yesterday over the phone and we started discussing radio. I believe that a lot of you readers remember good old Top 40. For me, it was WFLD and WLS in Chicago (yes..that's why I'm a Bulls, White Sox, Bears, Hawks fan down to the core. It' ain't pretty, I know.). Those were the days where you'd get a sugary pop song, a hard rock song, a country tune, and a classical crossover single played one after the other. And it was good.

It's all genre specific now which is an attempt to capitalize on a specific fan base. But does it work? I don't think so. And it may be something that could help the labels out of their doldrums...maybe. Wouldn't it be interesting if we stepped back and adopted formats of a true Top 40 programming and watched what might happen? My opinion of course, but one that I think could ease a percent of the slump experienced by the labels.

But it really isn't about the labels, it's about discovery. MTV is a good medium to promote but how much of that can you take with you? Radio is there. I applaud the efforts of Sirius and XM Satellite services to bring us specificity in a digital format and one that is portable (that's essential and cool). But what about our discovery on a mass level? For those of you that remembered, songs bumped each other on the list and much was introduced. Bands made their fortunes on a hit single. I can name hundreds that owe their fame to Top 40 hits that turned them into monolithic superstars just before a planned demise.

I'd personally like to see a little 'retro' (considering how much of this generation is cultured in 70s/80s) radio. It would be fun for me and I'm betting that you're thinking the same thing. So tell me what you think.

Neil Young is off to a simul release for his Greendale album. The formats hitting the shelves on August 19 will be CD w/DVD, DVD, and DVD-Audio. The bumped and bumped again reissues are also scheduled for this date. Patience...

Frank Sinatra fans will have to opportunity to pick up another Frankie set, the 2CD Rat Pack and the single DVD-Audio. Rat Pack will street on Spetember 23. In November, there is slated for release, the DVD-Audio of Frank's September of My Years.

September 23 is the same date that will yield the R.E.M. Monster DVD-Audio; a 2CD The Last Waltz set; and those four Neil Young titles, ASnB, OtB, Re-Ac-Tor, and H&D in DVD-Audio format.

Joining those cool titles on that date are The Cars' entry into DVD-Audio territory with the band's album debut, The Cars (My Best Friend's Girlfriend). But that's not everything.

If you're from way back and liked Television (and we have been hearing their influences lately in other bands, haven't we?), then you're going to be as happy as I am to hear that Rhino is going to give us Expanded and Remastered issues of their classics, Marquee Moon and Adventure. God bless Rhino.

We've already told you about the upcoming T. Rex Electric Warrior and the Phil Collins' titles that are destined for DVD-Audio. We'll keep an eye out for those.

Watch this site for news on Free, Harry Chapin, Paul Simon, INXS, Jim Croce, Kid Rock, Neil Young (more?), Dire Straits, Tori Amos, Stone Temple Pilots, Miles Davis....

See you fine people tomorrow where we'll take up reviews once again.

June 27, 2003

We're going to jump into the weekend with a few items here and then we're going to call it a day. I need to push push push this house bull@#$% so that it can be over. Mrs TAP is taking on the personality of a Renfield and I'm starting to sleep with one eye open.

Duane is experiencing jury duty and must therefore take a week hiatus from his usual weekly post. He did manage to secure the PDF file of what he promised last week. It's available by going into Duane's Pit Stop of last week and clicking the link.

Well...Neil Young fans...more delays for you. C'mon, it wouldn't be fun if you didn't have 'em to make the final receipt all the more sweeter. BUT...the Greendale discs and their expected CD with DVD and the DVD formats along with the CD reissues (ASnB, OtB, H&D, and Re-Ac-Tor) have been moved to August 19.

Marvin Gaye's Hybrid SACD for August 26 appears to be a go. I want that one!!

Have a great, great weekend!!

Come back on Monday for reviews and more stuff.

Reviews

The Gathering - Souvenirs - The End Records - CD - 06/27 [Dunphy]
Various Artists - Diversity Records 2003 Sampler - Diversity Records - CD - 06/27 [Rudolph]

June 26, 2003

Today we debut a new column, The Black Circle, by Grey Cavitt that deals with the world of vinyl. It's a look at releases and trends. Stop in and read what Grey has to say about them. If you have something to add, get ahold of Grey and help to make this column the best in the music world. And while you're there, give Grey a holler and say hi.

Reviews

White Stripes - Elephant - V2 Records - LP - 06/25 [Cavitt]
Aretha Franklin - Never Loved a Man Like I Love You - 4 Men with Beards Records - LP - 06/25 [Cavitt]

We have a short post today for you but it ain't lean on meat.

The first thing is that Arista has finally completed the circle for Adema. They will now have a Limited Edition with Bonus DVD to join their other batch of disc releases. The album, Unstable, releases on August 19.

Sanctuary Records releases Jack Bruce's latest release, More Jack Than God (Clapton reference?) on September 23. Also from Sanctuary, Many Rivers To Cross: The Best of Jimmy Cliff streets on August 19. Sanctuary/Trojan Records releases a Desmond Dekker title, Rudy got Soul:1963-1968 - The Early Beverley's Sessions, a 2CD set, on August 19.

Here's a surprise for Dave Matthews fans - He releases his latest, Some Devil, on September 23 by RCA Records. More details as they become available.

Elvis Presley fans will get a Christmas release from the King on September 9 called Christmas Peace.

A special for Todd Rundgren fans from the folks at Sanctuary. They are releasing a 6CD Box of live material encompassing 3 decades of live Rundgren. The set is digitally remastered and contains shows from NYC (1978), Dallas (1985), Chicago (1991), and The Roxy. The set is called Can't Stop Running and is scheduled for an August 19 release.

Sanctuary is also prepping a Billy Bob Thornton release, The Edge of the World, that will also street on August 19.

Fans of UFO and live material wil get a new disc of greatest hits live called, UFO: Then and Now. This disc squeezes in on the August 19 radar. Same date, different styles for this next release. The disc is So Damn Happy, a release from Loudon Wainwright III and is a live recording.

And now for the bump news. C'mon...you knew there had to be some in here somewhere.

The Fleetwood Mac Expanded and Remastered Series reissues (Tusk, Rumours, and Fleetwood Mac) have bumped into October. The dates will be posted in a few days or so. Additionally, the James Taylor reissues get moved all the way to 2004. The REM titles get a bump, some into October and some into November. We'll give more details as they come around, which should be shortly.

Now, since you hung with me, read Grey's column and so on and so forth, I have some good additions to the schedules for you. The following is a list of DVD-Audio titles that are being mentioned for October/November. They are:

T.Rex - Electric Warrior
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells 2003
Phil Collins - Face Value
Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
Phil Collins - But Seriously

And finally, I won't believe it until I see it, but according to the latest word I've heard - on September 23, WEA will be releasing Neil Young's American Stars N Bars, Hawks and Doves, On The Beach, and Re-Ac-Tor on DVD-AUDIO.

Did I make you spray your coffee?

See you tomorrow for the weekend wrap (again?)

June 25, 2003

BMG is releasing their next series of Platinum & Gold Collection titles. There are a few in the machine so here you go:

Louis Armstrong - Bluebird/Heritage

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince - Jive/BMG Heritage

A Flock of Seagulls - Jive/BMG Heritage

Vince Gill - RLG/BMG Heritage

Waylon Jennings - RLG/BMG Heritage

Gladys Knight and The Pips - Buddha

Mindy McCready - RLG/BMG Heritage

The Outlaws - Arista

Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey - Bluebird/Heritage

Rick Springfield - RCA

These Platinum & Gold Collection series discs will be released on August 19.

Artists that are presently being worked on for the Platinum and Gold editions are Alabama, Cowboy Junkies, Michael Hedges, Eartha Kitt, The Lovin' Spoonful, Melissa Manchester, Henry Mancini, and Keith Whitley.

RCA has announced that their issue of ZZ Top's newest, Mescalero, has been bumped to September 9.

New Rock releases scheduled from BMG are:

Vue - Down for Whatever - RCA - CD - September 9

Vertical Horizon - Go - RCA - CD - September 23

Eve 6 - It's All in Your Head - RCA - Enhanced CD - July 22

Nick Cannon - Nick Cannon - Jive/Nick - CD - Bumped to September 9

Buford, Brooks - Straight Out of Rehab - Arista - CD (PA/Clean) - August 19

I'm going to give you an overview of the upcoming Deluxe Editions from Universal. They look sweet and are sure to be welcome editions. They release July 29. Here's the scoop:

Marvin Gaye - I Want You - Motown - 2CD

This set features the entire original album in remastered form. Also included are bonus tracks and unreleased single mixes along with an entire alternate mix of the album. The alternate mix features different vocals, unedited masters and session outtakes, all newly mixed for this collection. The singles mixes on disc one are "I Want You" (vocal and instrumental) and "Strange Love (Feel All Of My Love Inside)" - instrumental. The entirety of disc two is unreleased material. This disc is expected on July 29.

Joe Jackson - Night and Day - A&M - 2CD

This set features the entire original album remastered at 96k/24bit along with 6 previously unreleased demos from the session. Additionally, all five vocal tracks from the Mike's Murder soundtrack are included. Finally, there are 5 live tracks from the Night and Day tour of 1982/83.

Donna Summer - Bad Girls - Mercury/Casablanca - 2CD

This 1979 double album hit is remastered and has some unreleased bonuses including the unreleased demo of "Bad Girls" and a long version of "On The Radio" that had appeared in the movie, Foxes. Additionally, the second disc features all of the 12" dance club singles of her hits off of this album.

Review

Jimmy Thackery and The Drivers - True Stories - CD [Cavitt]

Mercury Nashville will release Shania Twain's Up! as a SACD Hybrid on August 12.

Rush's upcoming DVD, Live in Rio, is rescheduled for September 16 in both a jewel case and amaray keepcase. They are coming from Rounder Records.

And finally, Elvis Costello will be issuing a new one on September 23. The title is yet to be determined but he is on the schedule. More on this release as it becomes available.

June 24, 2003

We have a few items for you today but are otherwise taking a short hiatus due to a crunch with timing. This may extend a few days but rest assured that we're not leaving, we're just trying to get to a place where our concerns do not center on remodeling. We just want to be finished.

Scott Watkins has written a piece on Serial P.O.P., a band from England making the tour here in the US. Additionally, Brett Rudolph has climbed into the saddle to review a title that people have been asking after, Chanticleer's Magnificat. This is a Teldec/Atlantic title that is available on DVD-Audio. We also have Brett Rudolph's take on the upcoming Lost in Space SACD from Mobile Fidelity. Tomorrow Grey Cavitt offers his take on Jimmy Thackery's True Stories.

We'll see you back here tomorrow with a look at BMG's latest batch of Platinum & Gold Collection Series titles. We'll also have a look at some Deluxe Editions expected from Universal. And maybe a few other items of interest. Additionally, we're also preparing some hardware articles from Brett Rudolph, who specializes in hardware. Watch for those as they become available.

We've been notified by Legacy that the series of titles know as Deluxe Editions will now be known as Legacy Edition. I like it. It's more defining.

Fans who were looking forward to Neil Young's Greendale will have to wait a bit longer. The date for release is now August 12. But take heart as there is a coinciding release of a Greendale DVD slated for the same day.

Sorry for the shortness of today's post but we just have to get this other stuff done...or we may never get it done. We have reached that point.

June 23, 2003

I've a feeling that I have better find an end to this house and bloody quick. I elected to pull the carpeting and discovered two layers of tile, whereby I also found parts of our wainscot to be less than it should be. After pulling those, I realized that some drywall needed to be replaced. So...back to our Home Depot and back to long weekends doing everything but having fun. But we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Moving on...

Keeping you in the loop about upcoming music, I've just been alerted that the anticipated Rush live CDs from Warner, Live in Rio, has been bumped to September 16.

For people that are interested in seeing Liz Phair on television, she will be on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tomorrow night, June 24.

Judging by the traffic given to the Passarelli review of the Duran Duran Singles Box, you'd think that they were the only band on the planet. How about if I let you know that their 1983 title, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, is being remastered and will be made available in limited numbers on August 5 along with their Duran Duran (1st) reissue on the same day.

Also springing for August 5 is a big run for Poison's 'Best of Ballads and Blues'. However, most anticipated on that same day is Radiohead's 7 Television Commercials reissue but now for DVD.

We're going to start paying a lot of attention to vinyl releases around here. We realize that vinyl hasn't disappeared and is making a remarkable resurgence. So why not keep tabs, right? Grey Cavitt is working on what will become a regular column on MusicTAP, The Black Circle. I'm looking forward to that in a big way. As a matter of fact, I intend to start listening to vinyl..again, just as soon as I acquire a good turntable...again. In the meantime, we'll post more release info for these. For Ben Harper fans, his recent release, Diamonds on the Inside, will be making it's debut on vinyl on August 5 by from Virgin Records.

Gaelic Storm will be releasing their next, Special Reserve, on August 19. You may remember Gaelic Storm as the band that played while the Titanic was sinking in the film, Titanic. Check our review of their last album.

The new Enigma disc is being scheduled for release on September 30.

The next Van Morrison disc is on the calendar for an October 7 date. The title is What's Wrong With This Picture and is being given a pretty large unit count.

Capitol Records will release a 'best of' for Nat King Cole called The Singles Collection. That title joins the Box set for Dean Martin, TBD, and a 'best of' for Johnny Rivers, Blue Suede Shoes: The Best of Johnny Rivers. All of these goodies are expected on October 7.

Finally, fans of Tony Levin will get a new album. That projected release extends to March 23 of 2004. Guess we'll have to wait a while for that one. In the meantime, I'll get back to my house and try to NOT peak under too many things anymore.

Looking forward to tomorrow where we'll have reviews for you. Brett Rudolph has flooded the TAP office with a ton of reviews that you'll enjoy. We'll start hammering those out tomorrow. Until then...