Archival Posts 2006 December 01

December 08, 2006

We have some cool news for Leonard Cohen fans and even some cool news for Blue Oyster Cult fans. But you'll have to ramble through my words before you get there. We have even thrown a few other pieces in there to spice it up even more. However, alas, still...the news is somewhat small. But quality...lots of quality.

Who has been reading about the labels deciding that we might want MP3 versions of songs after all rather than a bevy of selectable choices that work on one MP3 player and not another? Interesting. We'll have to watch how this progresses. Here's a link to the article on MSNBC for those who haven't heard yet. Potential shift? Will it impact the medium changing to a common format that runs the potential of getting dropped all over the 'Net or will people feel a sense of responsibility once they get a crossover format? Interesting enough that I would love to hear your two cents on this issue.

Bob Olsen, one of our contributors at this site has an interesting question for readers. What is YOUR Top 10 favourite Christmas songs of all time? Bob lists his, I HAVE to think of mine, and we would love to hear yours. We'll list them all for readers to perhaps amend their lists, add to them, or otherwise discover new songs that they may not be aware of. To get you started, here's Bob's list:

Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
Christmas Song - The Chipmunks
Little Drummer Boy - EmmyLou Harris
Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming - The Green Family
Santa Claus is Coming To Town - Bruce Springsteen
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy
O Holy Night - John Fahey
What Child Is This? - Mason Williams
The Holly and The Ivy - George Winston
Hallelujah Choir - The Roches
Christmas Dinner - Peter, Paul, and Mary (Bonus Track)

Submit your choices - and bonus tracks - right here. Let's have a bit of fun with it.

We have a new As The Disc Spins from Lindsay Planer. In this issue, he stays on the Rock n Roll path with cultural icons birthed and made from the stuff of Rock. He reviews Beavis & Butthead and their The Mike Judge Collection DVDs along with all seasons DVDs of Danger Mouse and multiple seasons DVDs of Benny Hill. Be sure to check them all out.

Be back here on Monday for more reviews that include some Christmas titles and others.

I've joined the MySpace community (I may be one of the last to do so). You can check it out as I'm going to try to keep it current with interesting stuff. However, I'm experimenting for the time being.

Epic and Legacy Records team to reissue a 2CD Essential series title for Charlie Rich called Feel Like Going Home. This Essential set is scheduled to release on January 16. The original Essential disc was put together and released in 1997 but now gets the Essential designation this time around. The new edition will not deviate nor add to the original track listing but will have a new cover.

Legacy and Columbia will reissue two classic versions of Blue Oyster Cult gems that include Spectres and Some Enchanted Evening. Some Enchanted Evening is a live set that sold quite well, their second highest seller after Agents of Fortune, as a matter of fact. Some Enchanted Evening will be released as a Legacy Edition (y'know...those fancy sets) and will be expanded to contain a semi-bootleg DVD of concert footage from their 1978 tour. This DVD will feature an 11-song set. Also, Some Enchanted Evening will expand with extra music - what was originally planned to be released - some 73 minutes worth. The extra 7 tracks will be known as Some OTHER Enchanted Evening.

Additionally, Spectres, releasing on the same date, will be remastered and expanded to include 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks recorded during the Spectres sessions. One of the bonus tracks is a cover of The Ronettes' "Be My Baby." I'm VERY excited about hearing this and expect to do a full review of this title coming up. Remember this date ...February 13.

Out of the Blue from Electric Light Orchestra will reissue and expand with 3 bonus tracks that include "Wild West Hero," a short 24-second alternate bridge, as well as "The Quick and the Daft," a short ELO instrumental, and "Latitude 88 North," which is supposed to be a huge surprise bonus track.

RCA and Legacy join to produce a 2CD Essential title for John Denver that will feature 36 tracks. It is expected on February 27.

Also on February 27, and which should make Jennifer quite happy, is the expansion of Silk Degrees, the breakthrough 5 million seller classic with 3 great hits from Boz Scaggs. There will be 3 bonus live tracks from 1976 added to this album making 13 tracks for this reissue.

Legacy, Epic, and RCA will unleash Palms and Runes, Tarot and Tea: A Michael Penn Collection on March 6. This collection will contain 20 tracks from Penn's career and is co-produced by Michael Penn himself. Also to be expected is the reissue of Mr Hollywood Jr, 1947 from Michael Penn, with 6 additional previously unreleased performance tracks (KCRW) added. It also releases on March 6.

We've mentioned this a few months back but it is now on the horizon. Legacy will expand, remaster, and spruce up the catalogue of Sly and The Family Stone. It begins on March 20. The 7 titles include A Whole New Thing, Dance To The Music, Life, Stand!, There's a Riot Going On, Fresh, and Small Talk. Who's excited now?!

Now...who's ready to get ultra excited...huh?! Legacy will begin the overdue restoration of the Leonard Cohen catalogue beginning with three titles - The Songs of Leonard Cohen / Songs From a Room / Songs of Love and Hate. These albums will be housed in Deluxe digipak with BONUS TRACKS and new liner notes. Now this is RIGHTEOUS!!!!!!!!!!! This starts on March 27.

And that's the dirty lowdown. Expect more on Monday!!

December 06, 2006

We received an email from Julie Flanders of October Project after we posted a review of their Christmas song, "Angels We Have Heard..." And that's what I love about this place, getting into touch with the artists that create this music. It's always very, very nice.

Ok, we have a few goodies today. We have a review for you, some updated news including release news from a newly formed company, and some other cool news and reminders.

Our review comes from John Dunphy and is also our first review of a disc coming in the new year, 2007. The latest from Blinded Colony is called Bedtime Prayers and will be available on January 9.

I've had a request from a reader, who needs to be able to scan over the material quickly. What we are now going tp do is color key words. The key words here will be CD, LP, DVD. I'll color the CD blue, the LP green, and the DVD purple. That should do the trick.

We had promised to bring up some older, perhaps obscure bands and we will. We're working on some goodies here that keep us, at least, quite busy. You'll soon know what that's all about. But more reviews, more news (we hope), and other good stuff will be evident on Friday's post. We'll see you back here then.

Before I close out this post, I have a friend who has started a small football site. I check in every week, rib the hell out of him, but love his effort regardless. Click on in and check it out. Additionally, and for the helluvit, write in his guest book and tell him which football team you like and that you fully expect to see commentary on that team next time you check in.

American Beat Records, the newly formed label that we spoke about on entry, has a few cool titles coming to you over several weeks. The first round, which is calendared for January 9, will include the following titles:

Brian Setzer - The Knife Feels Like Justice (1986), Live Nude Guitars (1988)
Gary U.S. Bonds - Dedication (1981), On the Line (1982)
Ian Hunter - All of the Good Ones Are Taken (1983)
Graham Parker - Another Grey Area (1982)
George Jones - The Grand Tour (1974)

On January 23, American Beat will continue with reissues of:

Ian Hunter - Welcome to the Club (1998 - from Schizophrenic Tour)
Dr Hook - Makin' Love & Music (1977), Pleasure & Pain (1978)
Haircut 100 - Pelican West (1982)
Graham Parker - The Real Macaw (1983)
George Jone and Tammy Wynette - Golden Ring (1976).

All of the double titles are 2Fers (2 albums on a single CDs). Mark your calendars for these releases.

As a reminder, Shout! Factory will be releasing The Essential Emerson Lake & Palmer on January 30.

I neglected to mention a thing on the upcoming Grateful Dead live album, Live at The Cow Palace - New Year's Eve 1976, which ships on January 9. You can pre-order this from Grateful Dead Records and receive an additional bonus CD addition to this 3CD set. Thanks to reader, Mark Judkins for the heads up on this nice bonus.

Crime Mob and their upcoming Hated on Mostly will be date changed to March 6. Adjust your notes.

Universal Repubic will release Melankton from pop act Kate Havnevik on April 17. Kate hails from Norway; you can check out her music from her MySpace page. I'm hearing Cranberries here. Universal Republic continues with a release for Mika called Life in Cartoon Motion, release date of March 27 for this one. Also, the label plans to release Distortion on the Dance Floor from Josh Harris on February 13.

Varese Sarabande will release the latest Climax Blues Band reissue on January 23. The album getting the treatment is Stamp Album (1975). Varese Sarabande also plans The Great Electric Show and Dance (1968) from Lightnin' Hopkins on January 23.

Geffen will issue an EP for Manic called The Floorboards EP, slating the short album for January 23.

Universal will release a reggae title for Stephen Marley called Mind Control. This CD will release on March 20.

Universal Music Latino plans a DVD for Andrea Bocelli called Under the Desert Sky, for a January 23 release date.

Finally, Le Disko Remixe, from Shiny Toy Guns, will release from Universal Motown as a 12" on January 9.

December 04 , 2006

Ok, here we are back from a weekend. Of course, we all know how those end...on a Monday returning to the workplace. Sheesh!! But there's music to ease it all. We have a few notes of music release...not a lot, but a few. In addition, we've eked out another Christmas CD review, this one a single from October Project. This is the meager offerings that we have for today but we all know what period this is already.

But how about this? We had a suggestion to spend some time on bands that do not get the time of day, old and new. I'm going to start this one out with a suggested band, reason being is that they have an album coming in January. The band's name is Stars of Track and Field. You can catch some music at their MySpace page or you can jump right in at their website spot. The Portland trio's debut on Windup Records will be released on January 16 and will be available at a Developing Artists price, retail for $7.98. That's early '70s LP pricing for those that remember those days.

Our reviews for today include Leavin' from Natalie Cole and the Christmas single, Angels We Have Heard... from October Project.

Check back Wednesday for what should be more. We'll start a thread of discussion on one of those bands that we're alluding to. Thanks for stopping in.

Elektra Records will be releasing Love Songs by Natalie Cole. This is planned for the January 30 release date. This collection from Elektra and Rhino will also contain her two hit duets with Nat King Cole, "Unforgettable" and "When I Fall In Love." This compilation set is designed to coincide closely with Valentine's Day.

The new album from Art Garfunkel, half of the incredible duo, Simon and Garfunkel, will release his first solo album for 5 years. The album is called Some Enchanted Evening and features his voice treatment on many classic songbook titles that include Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do," Ira and George Gershwins' "Someone To Watch Over Me," and 11 others. Looks like we have more Stewarts and Manilows in the pipeline with the popularity of all these Songbook collections. What about Robert Plant Sings the songs of the '90s? No? In any case, this one is on the schedule for January 30.

There are 4 Flashback titles from Warner coming on January 30. These include album collections from Georgia Satellites (Keep Your Hands to Yourself and Other Hits - 10 songs), Orleans (Still The One and Other Hits - 10 songs), Grover Washington, Jr (Just The Two of Us and Other Hits - 10 songs), and Gary Wright (Dreamweaver and Other Hits). These discs retail for $5.99 and will be available on January 30.

Rhino and Warner will release a 'best of' for Travis Tritt called The Very Best of Travis Tritt. This album will contain 20 slices from Tritt's catalogue. The booklet will include track-by-track commentary from Travis himself. This collection span the period from 1989 to 2000. This album will street on January 30.

Atlantic Records will release These Streets from Paolo Nutini on January 30. This debut from the new 19- year old is highly touted. You can spin over to his MySpace page for a sampling.

Reprise Records will release an Amended and PA version of Hated On Mostly from rap artists, Crime Mob. Hated on Mostly will issue on January 30.

December 01 , 2006

And here we are, the final month of the year. Yeah, it's slow but it is the holidays after all. I want to take a few minutes here to thank all of you who wrote in on our FM station request. We got a few emails, enough that I decided to leave that part of last post up so that we can get more. Also, we have been enjoying the bands that just don't get enough attention. We'll leave that up as we prep for a discussion on some of those bands to help get through these lean times. And yes, it's pretty lean today as well. We're going to save what we have for Monday in the hopes that we can add another celery stick to this soup before we serve it.

We do have three reviews for you, which should help a bit. Today we have a Christmas CD from Sloan Wainwright, the aunt of Rufus and Martha and the sister of Loudon Wainwright III. This is a live work that is excellent in its presentation and one that should be heard. It's called On a Night Before Christmas.

We also have a review of an EP that is available as a digital purchase for now but will soon be available on CD. This EP teases for the upcoming 2007 album release from Robbers on High Street. Their EP is called The Fatality and Friends.

As well, we have a contribution from James Hrivnek of the recently released 2CD 'best of' for Oasis called Stop the Clocks.

For Monday, we have more reviews that include the recently released Natalie Cole covers album, Leavin'. Be sure to come back for the release news update that SHOULD have been today but was far too meager. And please, give us your take on your favourite FM station (along with a link) and a band that you felt just didn't get the attention they deserve. We might as well as fun with all of this. Contribute.