Drive-In Movies

FRIDAY NIGHT DRIVE-IN MOVIE
Cry Of The Werewolf (1944)

May 13, 2016 – 23:23

Cry Of The Werewolf (1944) a.k.a. Daughter Of The Werewolf Little known entry in the longstanding wolf/werewolf-related movie franchises, originally kickstarted by Universal, but picked up here by Columbia Pictures. A recap of the werewolf (& vampire) myth is neatly revisited by a museum tour guide in the movie’s opening 5 minutes. Made in 1944, Cry Of The Werewolf has all of the delicious atmospheric charm of the original (second wave) of monster movies, characterized by dramatic tension, film noir lighting and rousing original (though sometimes recycled) music. There are no real stars in this psychological whodunit, just gypsies, mythology and cinematic suggestion. Hard to imagine all of those Eastern Bloc accents aren’t meant to sound anything but suspicious, especially in 1944. The cigarette lighter-lit hallway scene is a treat. EXCLAMATION-MARKED TAG LINE!: When The Bells Toll At Midnight… Werewolves Prowl The Earth! DIALOG ALERT: “We will now proceed to the voodoo room.” Find Cry Of The Werewolf at Amazon, HERE. New Movies, Fridays ‘Round Midnight.

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Management

READERS LINKS / SON OF READERS LINKS (SORL)

December 1, 2014 – 12:46

<---READERS LINKS
Over A Thousand Links And Shares

SON OF READERS LINKS—>
Thousands MORE Links And Shares

Click the pop-up wormhole on the LEFT for READERS LINKS, where you’ll find over a thousand incredible shares. Get them before they die! Click the pop up wormhole on the RIGHT for SON OF READERS LINKS – with thousands more links from our contributors.

PLEASE READ THE NEW RULES FOR POSTING.
OPEN EITHER PAGE, THEN SEARCH USING CONTROL-F (Windows) or COMMAND-F (Mac) KEYSTROKES

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STEVIE WONDER

STEVIE WONDER Funkafied Rainbow: Live In London, 1974 (Unreleased) + 30 Min/1974 Beat Club Live Video

May 18, 2016 – 08:45

Funkafied Rainbow (1974)
Wonder In The UK

FROM 2012: Wonderful 2CD bootleg from (arguably) Stevie Wonder’s creative zenith, recorded live in London at The Rainbow, January, 1974. Legend (and the New Musical Express) has it that these tapes were recorded and mixed by Stevie for an intended live album, but the project was scrapped and the recordings have lingered in the can for almost 40 years. The sound is excellent, though… not truly release ready (at least on these unofficial copies… some of the sonics are a tad thin). But, that shouldn’t deter you, since you’ll get a rare opportunity to hear Stevie and band, live and loose, stretching out on a number of faves and jams, including the 18-minute, band-introducing opener and 10+ minute versions of “Living For The City” and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.” We’ve corrected a few song titles from the original boot’s artwork. Almost 90 minutes of unreleased Wonder.

Intro/Contusion (17:50)
Higher Ground (5:53)
Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) (3:12)
To Know You Is To Love You (7:12)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours (3:04)
Visions (9:58)
Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing (4:48)
Living For The City (10:59)
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (12:00)
Superstition (7:29)
Encore: (You’ve Been Better To Me Than) A Lot Of My Dreams (6:06)

Thanks to Don From Oregon for digging up this 1974 live show from Germany’s Beat Club/Musikladen, which features much of the same set list as the Rainbow show. Amazing footage, making it easy to understand why commenters are talking about Stevie blowing away The Stones in ’72. 31 minutes. SONGS: Jam, Contusion, Higher Ground, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing, I Can See The Sun In Late December, He’s Misstra Know-It-All, Living For The City & Superstition. Many thanks, Don.

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GUY CLARK WARNER BROS. MUSIC SHOW

GUY CLARK On The Road Live (1979) w/ full band – Promo-Only Warner Bros. Music Show LP – R.I.P. 2016

May 17, 2016 – 11:11

On The Road Live (1979)
Unreleased Live Show With Full Band…

The great Guy Clark, recorded live in early 1979 at The Cellar Door in Washington, DC. Clark had just left his home at RCA Records, where he recorded two moderately successful LPs prior to moving to Warner Bros. This promo-only LP was sent to radio stations to promote Guy’s 1978 WB debut, Guy Clark. Apparently the show was being broadcast live (though I have no details), as Guy apologizes to those “out there in radio land” after a botched song introduction. Reportedly, Clark began touring strictly as a solo act after his four studio LPs with WB, so this live set – with a full band – is a rare artifact indeed… and was never officially released to the public. Check the archives for other promo LPs in The Warner Bros. Music Show series, HERE.

Side 1
In The Jailhouse Now (3:58)
L.A. Freeway (5:04)
Rita Ballou (4:54)
Virginia’s Reel (3:20)
Don’t You Take It Too Bad (4:03)
Desperados Waiting For A Train (5:23)
Side 2
Texas, 1947 (4:10)
Fool On The Roof (4:32)
The Houston Kid (3:46)
Fools For Each Other (6:12)
Let Him Roll (5:18)

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DONOVAN

DONOVAN Open Road (1970)

May 17, 2016 – 08:32

Open Road (1970)
Donovan’s White Album

Though hardly Donovan’s “best” release, Open Road should surely be considered one of his more genuine albums. Gone are the superstar players like Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck (who served him well on a string of psychedelic folk LPs in the late 60s), and in their place is Donovan’s only official “band,” Open Road. Released in 1970, the self-produced Open Road came across almost like a return to form LP… though, returning to someplace Donovan had never really been before – characterized by stripped arrangements and Celtic influences that were free of psych effects and studio crafted atmospherics. Despite the new band, Open Road is still, however, an unmistakably Donovan record from start to finish, featuring a likable and consistent, beat-based, spontaneously live folk style… even producing a quiet hit in “Riki Tiki Tavi,” which offers a reminder of the era’s governmental mistrust (note the dreamy, Beatle-esque melody Donovan introduces, then instantly abandons, at tune’s end). There’s more Donovan in the archives, including 1973’s Cosmic Wheels (HERE), Troubadour-The Definitive Collection 1964-1976 (HERE) and from SORL, the expanded 2005 version of Barabajagal w/ 13 bonus tracks (HERE). This 2000 reissue is at Amazon, HERE.
Open Road

Changes
Song for John
Curry Land
Joe Bean’s Theme
People Used To
Celtic Rock
Riki Tiki Tavi
Clara Clairvoyant
Roots of Oak
Season of Farewell
Poke at the Pope
New Year’s Resolution

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BEATLES DWIGHT TWILLEY

DWIGHT TWILLEY The Beatles (Deluxe Edition) (2008)

May 16, 2016 – 09:31

The Beatles (Deluxe Edition) (2008)
John, Paul, George & Twilley

Relatively obscure release from Dwight Twilley. A 19 track collection of Beatles tunes that finds the power popper giving his spin on the classics, eight of which come from The White Album. Twilley’s covers are surprisingly faithful to the originals, as he strives to find a familiar feel for nearly every take – though, he turns “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey” into a unique and effective dirge while managing to put his own distinctive stamp on “I’ll Be Back,” without altering the arrangement a bit. There are two editions of this album. The “regular” edition (HERE) sports a Magical Mystery Tour-styled cover and contains 14 tracks. This Deluxe Edition (HERE) features an additional 5 songs (and is going for a couple of hundred bucks at Amazon). Big thanks to ProblemSolver for sharing this. There’s more Twilley in the archives, including Sincerely & Twilley Don’t Mind (both HERE… check comments on that post for more DT), 2011’s Soundtrack (HERE) and Dwight shows up on a cool Badfinger Tribute (HERE).

Come Together (2:53)
Dear Prudence (3:57)
In My Life (3:44)
Helter Skelter (4:37)
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (4:19)
I’ll Be Back (2:41)
Blackbird (2:15)
Hello Goodbye (3:19)
It’s Only Love (1:55)
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road (2:12)
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill (3:28)
I Will (1:55)
Drive My Car (2:36)
You’re Gonna Lose That Girl (3:52)
Taxman (3:26)
You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (4:32)
Run For Your Life (2:38)
Yer Blues (3:48)
Tomorrow Never Knows (3:44)

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JANIS JOPLIN JEFFERSON AIRPLANE

JANIS JOPLIN The Blues According To Janis Joplin: Early Performances 1963-1965 (1975) +
The Typewriter Tape (1964) & San Francisco, 1963

May 14, 2016 – 19:40

The Blues According To Janis Joplin: Early Performances 1963-1965 (1975)
Janis Joplin’s Eerily Authentic 30s Blues…

FIRST POSTED IN 2014: Raw, acoustic post-WWI American blues, as recorded by Janis Joplin, circa 1963-65. This is the real deal. The roots music that would inform her later work is performed here with a frighteningly authentic, scratchy 78RPM quality that’s nothing short of amazing. The kind of music you’d imagine R. Crumb listening to while illustrating Janis for the Cheap Thrills album cover. On these early 60s live recordings, Joplin can be heard completely ignoring the British Invasion and, instead, belting out the music of Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Big Bill Broonzy and others – backed mostly by an acoustic guitar and harmonica – in front of a small barroom crowd. Some of these eerie and searing recreations sound like they were excised from some prohibition-era documentary soundtrack – especially the four tracks from 1965, with Janis fronting The Dick Oxtot Jazz Band (*) in San Francisco. Hardcore fans might know this material from the multi-disc Joplin bootleg, Blow All My Blues Away, but those were inferior, unofficial recordings… and some were mastered at the wrong speed. These files, on the other hand, were released by Columbia Records in 1975, as the 2nd disc of the 2LP film soundtrack, Janis. Back in the 70s, many ignored these raw coffeehouse tapes, but a fresh listen will reveal just how accurately Joplin (and friends, with the accidental assistance of the sketchy sound quality) captured the nuance and atmosphere of the 20s/30s music that influenced her. “Mary Jane” is a Joplin original, as are the compositions, “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do,” “No Reason For Livin'” and “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.” We’ve got more of her work in this raw vein – The Typewriter Tape, with Jorma Kaukonen, and some of Joplin’s San Francisco performances, from 1963. There’s lots o’ Janis in the archives, including… Box Of Pearls (5CDs, her official catalog, HERE)… Bonus Tracks And Rarities (over 6 hours, HERE)… Six Sides Of Janis Joplin promo (with the famed nude artwork, HERE)… The Festival Express Tour live bonus disc (HERE), from Pearl (Legacy Edition)… The Pearl Sessions (HERE) and Boston Music Hall, 1969, w/ Johnny Winter (HERE).

Trouble In Mind (1:36)
What Good Can Drinkin’ Do (2:41)
Silver Threads And Golden Needles (2:26)
Mississippi River (2:29)
Stealin’ (1:50)
No Reason For Livin’ (1:59)
*Black Mountain Blues (4:27)
*Walk Right In (2:04)
*River Jordan (3:50)
*Mary Jane (2:09)
Kansas City Blues (1:46)
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (2:56)
See See Rider (2:08)
San Francisco Bay Blues (1:48)
Winin’ Boy (1:54)
Careless Love (3:05)
I’ll Drown In My Own Tears (1:41)
Recorded in Austin, TX, 1962-64
*Recorded with The Dick Oxtot Jazz Band, San Francisco, CA, 1965

BONUSES:
The Typewriter Tape (1964)
In an online interview, Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna guitarist Jorma Kaukonen verified that he and Janis made these recordings in June, 1964, at the place he shared with his ex-wife, who can be heard typing a letter in the background. Not at his mother’s home, as is often reported. This was a rehearsal for an upcoming coffeehouse show by the duo. The arrangement for “Trouble In Mind” probably comes from Big Bill Broonzy’s late-50s recording, though the song itself dates back to the 1920s.

Typewriter Talk (0:44)
Trouble In Mind (3:01)
Black Train Blues (2:32)
Kansas City Blues (False Start) (0:18)
Kansas City Blues (3:13)
Hesitation Blues (4:11)
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out (4:35)
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (4:01)

Janis Joplin 1963 San Francisco, 1963 (1963)
More raw blues recorded not long after Janis landed in San Francisco, barely three years after she finished high school. Including a cover of Huddie Ledbetter’s (now politically incorrect) anti-racism/anti-classism composition, “Bourgeoise Blues.” “Leaving This Morning” is a Ma Rainey tune from the late 20s, while “Careless Love” is a jazz/blues standard covered by Bessie Smith, among others. “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy” is a Joplin original.

Leaving This Morning (KC Blues) (2:01)
Daddy, Daddy, Daddy (2:41)
Careless Love (4:03)
Bourgeoise Blues (2:27)
Black Mountain Blues (3:29)
Gospel Ship (1:45)
Stealin’ (2:02)

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JEF LEE JOHNSON

JEF LEE JOHNSON Blue (1995)

May 12, 2016 – 08:01

Blue (1995)
Subversive Indie Pop/Funk

Here’s an outstanding, quietly funky pop release from Jef Lee Johnson, the hot-shot avant-blues session guitarist with a resume that includes, among others, Ronald Shannon Jackson, McCoy Tyner & Aretha Franklin. His 1995 debut, Blue, is an album of smart, blues pop that takes its cues from some oddly varied sources, including Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder and Was Not Was. Johnson’s black roots are evident throughout, but his pop side seems to emanate from someplace else entirely. Give a listen to the Dan-like “A Little Too Much For Hollywood” for just one example of Johnson’s indie take on funky pop. Give special attention to the left field guitar lines (Jef Lee plays nearly every instrument). The CD was originally released on the tiny Coconut Grove label run by Peter Weatherbee, a Bill Laswell cohort. The label also issued a great CD by ex-Funkadelic guitarist, Tal Ross (HERE) the same year. Both are examples of hidden, talent-filled gems we’re all lucky to stumble across every once in a while. Once available for pennies (but no more) at Amazon, HERE. We’ve also got Jef Lee Johnson’s blues take on Bob Dylan, The Zimmerman Shadow, in the archives, HERE.

Jungle
Everything Starts Right Now
A Little Too Much For Hollywood
Tryin‘ Fire
Ain’t Seen Irene
Feel So Fine
Love Song
Blue
Black Sands
You Jumped The Gun, Again
Seems For No Reason
Burn Your Fields On Down
BHNC
Some Dreams, Like Now
Jungle pt. II

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SHAUN CASSIDY TODD RUNDGREN UTOPIA

SHAUN CASSIDY Wasp (1980) – Produced By (And Music By) Todd Rundgren & Utopia

May 10, 2016 – 19:15

Wasp (1980)
Rundgren Killed The Radio Star

Shaun Cassidy, younger pop-star brother of David “Partridge Family” Cassidy, was caught in the receding tide of popularity when he enlisted Todd Rundgren and Utopia to help reshape his kiddie-worn persona for the new wave. A smart move… except all it did for his career was end it. Wasp was Cassidy’s last album, a gathering of cover tunes by David Bowie, David Byrne, Pete Townshend and Ian Hunter, alongside original songs by Rundgren and Utopia. Todd’s production, as usual, makes everything around him sound like Todd… even Cassidy. Since Utopia performs (and Todd writes), it’s almost more their album – 80s synths, robotic beats, brusk pop harmonies, et al. “Cool Fire” should have been at least a minor hit and, while it’s not as easy to defend, I like their version of “Rebel, Rebel.” As for the historic union, the potential new fans didn’t trust any of it and – this time – the little girls didn’t understand. Wasp has never been on CD and online rips are few, and/or lacking in quality. So, big thanks go out to Sal over at Burning Wood (HERE), who went to the effort (and actual expense) to donate this fresh vinyl rip for us here (he doesn’t even have the entire set posted at his place). Thanks Sal. Only on vinyl at Amazon (HERE). We don’t have any more Cassidy, put there’s more Todd in the archives (HERE).

Rebel, Rebel (4:02) (Bowie)
Cool Fire (4:10) (Rundgren/Cassidy/Powell/Wilcox)
The Book I Read (3:31) (Byrne)
Pretending (4:57) (Rundgren)
Shake Me, Wake Me (3:32) (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
It’s My Life (4:39) (Atkins/D’Errico)
So Sad About Us (3:00) (Townshend)
Wasp (3:09) (Rundgren)
Selfless Love (4:46) (Rundgren)
Once Bitten, Twice Shy (4:02) (Hunter)

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Soundtracks TRENT REZNOR

TRENT REZNOR & ATTICUS ROSS Gone Girl (Soundtrack From The Motion Picture) 2014

May 9, 2016 – 16:44

Gone Girl (2014)
The Musical Equivalent Of A General Queasiness

I was quickly won over by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’ soundtrack to Gone Girl as I watched the movie slowly unfold. The score’s unsettling electronic lingering seemed to practically lay in wait as the storyline progressed – percolating quietly at times, before overloading with an unease that lent a “sound” to inexplicable feelings like a gnawing suspicion or a nagging sense of dread. So it works as a film soundtrack, but that discomfort successfully carries over to casual listening, too. Enough to make me want to investigate Reznor’s & Ross’ soundtrack to The Social Network, but, I saw that movie, too, and didn’t even notice any of the music. You can find Gone Girl at Amazon, HERE.

What Have We Done to Each Other? (2:30)
Sugar Storm (2:54)
Empty Places (2:46)
With Suspicion (3:17)
Just Like You (4:12)
Appearances (2:52)
Clue One (1:31)
Clue Two (5:10)
Background Noise (3:10)
Procedural (4:31)
Something Disposable (4:29)
Like Home (3:40)
Empty Places (Reprise) (2:20)
The Way He Looks At Me (3:28)
Technically, Missing (6:44)
Secrets (3:09)
Perpetual (4:01)
Strange Activities (2:37)
Still Gone (2:48)
A Reflection (1:46)
Consummation (4:10)
Sugar Storm (Reprise) (0:42)
What Will We Do? (3:05)
At Risk (11:05)

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CLARA ROCKMORE ROBERT MOOG

CLARA ROCKMORE Theremin (1977) + Clara Rockmore’s Lost Theremin Album (2006)

May 5, 2016 – 13:31

Theremin (a.k.a. The Art Of The Theremin) (1977)
Clara Rockmore’s Lost Theremin Album (2011)
Weird Vibrations

You’ve no doubt seen her visage before. The oddly detached and retro-futuristic photos of electronic music pioneer, Clara Rockmore (aka Reisenberg), taken during her groundbreaking heyday of the 1930s and 40s. She was a child prodigy before tendonitis ended her career as a violinist, but her skills and advanced technique became a natural fit for Léon Theremin’s early electronic invention, The Theremin. What many don’t realize, however, is that Rockmore never officially recorded her abilities until 1977, when none other than Robert Moog produced her debut LP, Theremin (reissued and renamed a decade later as The Art Of The Theremin). It was the only record of her work released during her lifetime. Since then, a second LP surfaced, in 2011, appropriately named, Clara Rockmore’s Lost Theremin Album. What you’ll hear on both of these releases is the eerie, futuristic, theremin crossbred with past classical standards, aided and abetted (primarily) by sister Nadia’s piano accompaniment. Classical musics’ requirements tend to more exacting than the quivering weirdness the device is best known for – The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” or numerous sci-fi/monster movies from the 1940s to the present – so the end results here aren’t as space age as what you might expect. But it’s all still quite unnerving and unsettling, sounding just as uniquely strange as when first recorded. Check Amazon for the CD version of Theremin (The Art Of The Theremin, HERE) and Clara Rockmore’s Lost Theremin Album (HERE).

THEREMIN
Vocalise (Rachmaninoff) (3:50)
Song Of Grusia (Rachmaninoff) (4:20)
The Swan (Saint-Saëns) (3:03)
Pantomime (De Falla) (3:49)
Hebrew Melody (Achron) (5:29)
Romance (Wieniawski) (4:49)
Berceuse (Stravinsky) (3:10)
Piece En Forme De Habanera (Ravel) (2:46)
Berceuse (Tchaikovsky) (4:17)
Valse Sentimentale (Tchaikovsky) (2:11)
Sérénade Mélancolique (Tchaikovsky) (7:44)
Chant Du Ménestrel (Glazunov) (4:03)

CLARA ROCKMORE’S LOST THEREMIN ALBUM
Liebeslied (2:33)
Air (2:08)
Humoreske (3:28)
Pastorale (4:03)
Ave Maria (4:55)
Nocturne in C# minor (3:56)
Requiebros (4:00)
Adagio (3:58)
Aria from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (7:05)
Celebrated Air (5:35)
Midnight Bells (arr. Kreisler) (3:48)
Kaddish (4:44)
Summertime (2:47)
Water Boy (2:57)
Estrellita (3:02)
La Vie en Rose (2:06)

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MARVIN GAYE

MARVIN GAYE 2CD DELUXE EDITIONS What’s Goin’ On (1971), Let’s Get It On (1973), I Want You (1976), Here, My Dear (1978), In Our Lifetime? (1981), Midnight Love & The Sexual Healing Sessions (1982) + Trouble Man (1972 – 40th Anniversary Edition)

May 3, 2016 – 22:30

Marvin Gaye’s Expanded & Deluxe 2CD Editions from 1971 to 1982. Besides the brilliant albums themselves, these 2CD versions include some incredible alternate mixes made from the original master tapes, giving the listener a peek inside the creative process and a rare opportunity to hear isolated vocals and instrumentation from (and creative re-imaginings of) Gaye’s impeccable body of work through the 70s. I’m a long time fan, and despite living and loving this music for over 35 to 40 years, I like these bonus discs almost as much as the originals. In fact, these Deluxe Editions are some of the finest ever made (a template other labels could take a cue from), with revealing source material that gives the listener a broader sense of the artist’s instincts and abilities. Essential listening all.

What’s Going On (1971)
2CD Deluxe Edition

Gaye’s masterpiece. A sprawling and beautiful treatise on the times, circa 1971. Hard to believe that Barry Gordy, the typically astute head of Motown, didn’t even want to release this album. Like Stevie Wonder, Marvin was moving away from sing-along soul/R&B, and devoting his lyrics to societal concerns. And… both Marvin and Stevie proved that their musings could be personal and global, as well as unique and commercial, all at the same time. The bonuses here feature an earlier, more nakedly revealing “Detroit Mix” of this famed album, along with a 1972 live concert from The Kennedy Center. Available At Amazon (HERE).
1
ORIGINAL ALBUM (May 21, 1971)
What’s Going On (3:53)
What’s Happening Brother (2:44)
Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky) (3:50)
Save The Children (4:03)
God Is Love (1:42)
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (3:17)
Right On (7:32)
Wholy Holy (3:08)
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (5:39)
ORIGINAL DETROIT MIX (April 5, 1971)
What’s Going On ( 4:08)
What’s Happening Brother (2:43)
Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky) (3:49)
Save The Children (4:02)
God Is Love (1:47)
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (3:08)
Right On (7:32)
Wholy Holy (3:08)
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (5:46)
THE FOUNDATION
What’s Going On (Rhythm & Strings Mix) (3:51)
2
LIVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER (May 1, 1972)
Sixties Medley (13:24)
Right On (7:34)
Wholy Holy (3:32)
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (9:06)
What’s Going On (5:42)
What’s Happening Brother (2:55)
Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky) (3:52)
Save The Children (4:22)
God Is Love (1:44)
Stage Dialogue (2:35)
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (Reprise) (5:13)
What’s Going On (Reprise) (4:07)
ORIGINAL SINGLE VERSIONS
What’s Going On (Original Single Version) (3:57)
God Is Love (Original Single Version) (2:54)
Sad Tomorrows (Original Single Version) (2:27)
IN THE MEANTIME…
“Head Title” a.k.a. Distant Lover (4:08)

Let’s Get It On (1973)
2CD Deluxe Edition

After Marvin expanded his lyrical palette to spotlight social injustice on What’s Going On?, Gaye’s follow-up, Let’s Get It On, examined an altogether different social issue… sex. What’s new – musically – is Gaye’s more improvisational approach to songwriting, where the grooves shaped the dozens of harmonious overdubs that Marvin would add to the mix. The result is a vocal tide that ebbs and flows like a living body of sound. The Deluxe Edition delivers a simply fantastic collection of remixes and reinterpretations from the original master tapes. The dramatically altered mixes strip away much of the instrumental layering to hear what’s goin’ on vocally underneath. It’s like those John Lennon remixes, without all the echo, strings and clutter. Giving the listener a taste of what it’s like to be sitting next to the master in the studio. Available At Amazon (HERE).
1
ORIGINAL ALBUM
Let’s Get It On (4:51)
Please Stay (Once You Go Away) (3:30)
If I Should Die Tonight (4:00)
Keep Gettin’ It On (3:16)
Come Get To This (2:41)
Distant Lover (4:16)
You Sure Love To Ball (4:44)
Just To Keep You Satisfied (4:30)
SESSIONS
‘Song # 3’ (Instrumental) (5:29)
My Love Is Growing (4:21)
Cakes (Instrumental) (3:15)
Symphony (Undubbed Version) (2:51)
I’d Give My Life To You (Alternate Mix) (3:29)
I Love You Secretly – The Miracles (4:19)
You’re The Man (Alternate Version 1) (7:24)
You’re The Man (Alternate Version 2) (4:44)
Symphony (Demo Vocal) (2:49)
2
DEMOS, ALTERNATE MIXES & MORE
Let’s Get It On (Demo) (5:12)
Let’s Get It On (Part II) – a.k.a. Keep Gettin’ It On (Complete) (3:13)
Please Stay (Once You Go Away) (Alternate Mix) (3:53)
If I Should Die Tonight (Demo) (4:13)
Come Get To This (Alternate Mix) (3:08)
Distant Lover (Alternate Mix) (4:33)
You Sure Love To Ball (Alternate Mix With Alternate Vocal) (5:06)
Just To Keep You Satisfied (A Cappella With Alternate Vocal) (4:39)
Just To Keep You Satisfied – The Originals (1970) (4:01)
Just To Keep You Satisfied – The Monitors (1968) (3:11)
WORKING THE GROOVE
Where Are We Going? (Alternate Mix) (3:56)
The World Is Rated X (Alternate Mix) (3:52)
I’m Gonna Give You Respect (Produced By Willie Hutch) (2:56)
Try It, You’ll Like It (Produced By Willie Hutch) (3:58)
You Are That Special One (Produced By Willie Hutch) (3:38)
We Can Make It Baby (Produced By Willie Hutch) (3:25)
Running From Love (Instrumental) Version 1 (3:45)
Mandota (Instrumental) (3:27)
Running From Love (Instrumental) Version 2 (3:55)
Come Get To This (Live From Oakland) (3:00)

I Want You (1976)
2CD Deluxe Edition

While it’s true, I Want You is a dance floor album, Marvin’s take on the emerging disco genre was nowhere near as insipid as the work of his contemporaries. Gaye’s style was more soulful and, as always, he knew a good groove when he heard one. Gaye’s sound on I Want You is pleasingly funky (in a laid back way), but, more importantly, his singing is sensual and intimate, and he easily seduces the speakers with layers of cooing, provocative suggestion. Check out the stripped-naked version of the title track, below. You can actually hear the real-time evolution of some of the background melodies, as Marvin’s vocal overdubs – a virtual jam/improv with himself – re-shape the “song” into a living, mutating, vocal tour de force. Available At Amazon (HERE).

1
ORIGINAL ALBUM
I Want You (4:36)
Come Live With Me Angel (6:30)
After The Dance (Instrumental) (4:25)
Feel All My Love Inside (3:24)
I Wanna Be Where You Are (1:17)
I Want You (Intro Jam) (0:20)
All The Way Around (3:51)
Since I Had You (4:05)
Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again (3:14)
I Want You (Intro Jam) (1:41)
After The Dance (Vocal) (4:43)
SINGLE MIXES
I Want You (Vocal) (Promo-Only Version) (3:38)
I Want You (Instrumental) (4:39)
Strange Love (Feel All My Love Inside) (Instrumental) (2:58)
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THE SESSIONS: ALTERNATE MIXES, ALTERNATE VOCALS & OUTTAKES
I Want You (Vocal & Rhythm) (5:06)
Come Live With Me Angel (7:37)
After The Dance (Instrumental) (5:34)
Feel My Love Inside (3:52)
I Wanna Be Where You Are (6:07)
I Want You (Guitar Jam) (0:29)
All The Way Around (3:53)
Since I Had You (4:17)
Soon I’ll Be Loving You Again (4:30)
I Want You (Jam) (Undubbed) (4:52)
After The Dance (Vocal) (5:15)
I Wanna Be Where You Are (After The Dance) (4:01)
You Are The Way You Are (Instrumental) (4:26)
Is Anybody Thinking About Their Living? (4:24)

Here, My Dear (1978)
2CD Expanded Edition

Marvin Gaye’s actual plan for this album was to deliberately make the shittiest, worst selling record of his career. What he ended up with was maybe his most honest and emotional album. The story behind Here, My Dear is truly the stuff of legend… beginning when Marvin’s wife, Anna (sister of Motown boss, Berry Gordy), filed for divorce. In an unusual arrangement, the royalties for Gaye’s next album (this one) would go directly to Anna. Marvin’s intent, therefore, was to deliver a record that would profit his ex-wife as little as possible. But, as recording began, Gaye’s attitude abruptly changed. He instead channeled his conflicting emotions into a double album so deeply tormented that – even without the tuneful hit material Gaye is best known for – Here, My Dear stands as Marvin Gaye’s last, great artistic statement.

In lieu of finely tuned compositions, Gaye layered his grooves with dozens of untethered, improvised vocal tracks. As a result, Here, My Dear seeps into your psyche slowly. And those lyrics… Just listen to the centerpiece, “When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You” – a declaration so central to Gaye’s emotional state it surfaces in three versions. An unusually structured song (taking 5-1/2 minutes to reach the “chorus”), it’s both beautiful and bitterly spiteful. “If you ever loved me with all of your heart,” Marvin goads his ex, “you’d never take a million dollars to part.” It’s hard to believe Anna’s brother Barry ever let it out of Motown’s doors. Even without a hit single (the LP was too musically and emotionally scattered to produce “hits”), Here, My Dear is as essential as any record Marvin Gaye ever released, and stands alongside What’s Going On as his most meaningful work. The 2008 expanded edition features remixes by Bootsy Collins, Prince Paul, Leon Ware, ?uestlove and others. While no substitute for the originals, these altered versions are sure to please even the purists. There are no outside overdubs, just a reworking of the master multi-track tapes into a new listening experience that sonically updates the instrumentation while focusing on Marvin’s sweet vocal overdubs. Personally, I wish labels did more of this. Some of the new mixes I actually prefer to the originals. Available At Amazon (HERE).

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ORIGINAL ALBUM
Here, My Dear (2:49)
I Met A Little Girl (5:03)
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (6:16)
Anger (4:03)
Is That Enough (7:46)
Everybody Needs Love (5:47)
Time To Get It Together (3:53)
Sparrow (6:11)
Anna’s Song (5:54)
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Instr) (6:04)
A Funky Space Reincarnation (8:19)
You Can Leave, But It’s Going to Cost You (5:31)
Falling In Love Again (4:39)
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Reprise) (0:49)
EXTRA
Ain’t It Funny (How Things Turn Around) (Alt Mix by Bootsy Collins) (4:04)
2
THE SESSIONS: 1976-78 & ALTERNATE MIXES
Here, My Dear (Alternate Mix) (2:49)
I Met A Little Girl (Alternate Mix) (5:04)
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Alt) (6:57)
Anger (Alternate Extended Mix) (5:52)
Is That Enough? (Instrumental) (4:07)
Everybody Needs Love (Alternate Version) (6:11)
Time To Get It Together (Alternate Extended Mix) (6:49)
Sparrow (Alternate Version) (6:08)
Anna’s Song (Instrumental) (2:09)
A Funky Space Reincarnation (Alternate Extended Mix) (9:10)
You Can Leave, But It’s Going To Cost You (Alternate Extended Mix) (6:43)
Falling In Love Again (Alternate Version) (6:31)
A Funky Space Reincarnation (Instrumental) (8:17)

In Our Lifetime? (1981)
2CD Expanded Love Man Edition

An intriguing mesh of grooves and message that began life as a party album called Love Man. For reasons unknown (to me, anyway), Gaye shelved what he’d recorded in order to start work on a different beast altogether, In Our Lifetime? – a vehicle for expression of Gaye’s religious beliefs. For those not familiar with the story, Gaye had a love/hate affair with his father – a church reverend – who would eventually shoot and kill his son after a family dispute. This 2CD collection includes the original In Our Lifetime? – in the end, a fusion of the party (Love Man) and religious (In Our Lifetime?) constructs – along with some of the original session tapes, outtakes and singles from the unreleased Love Man sessions. Available At Amazon (HERE).
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ORIGINAL ALBUM (Air Studios Mix, January 1981)
Praise (4:51)
Life Is For Learning (3:39)
Love Party (4:58)
Funk Me (5:34)
Far Cry (4:29)
Love Me Now Or Love Me Later (4:59)
Heavy Love Affair (3:46)
In Our Lifetime? (6:58)
AIR STUDIOS OUTTAKES
Nuclear Juice (Instrumental Outtake) (5:47)
Ego Tripping Out (LP Mix) (4:56)
Far Cry (Unedited) (6:22)
LOVE MAN: THE SINGLE
Ego Tripping Out (Single A-Side) (5:13)
Ego Tripping Out (Instrumental) (Single B-Side) (3:43)
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IN OUR LIFETIME? (Odyssey Studios Mix, September 1980)
Praise (5:10)
Life Is For Learning (3:53)
Heavy Love Affair (4:41)
Love Me Now Or Love Me Later (5:44)
Ego Tripping Out (4:38)
Funk Me (5:13)
In Our Lifetime? (5:51)
Love Party (5:18)
THE LOVE MAN SESSIONS (March-July 1979)
Life’s A Game Of Give And Take (4:58)
Life Is Now In Session (4:05)
I Offer You Nothing But Love (6:03)
Just Because You’re So Pretty (5:06)
Dance ‘N’ Be Happy (6:50)
Funk Me, Funk Me, Funk Me (5:50)
A Lover’s Plea (6:10)

Midnight Love & The
Sexual Healing Sessions (1982)
2CD Expanded Edition

Marvin’s last album, entirely self-written. In the case of the runaway hit single, “Sexual Healing,” nearly all of the instrumentation was created by Gaye, too. Despite the success of “Sexual Healing,” Midnight Love doesn’t show up on many MG best-of lists, but that’s largely because all of his previous output was so essential. Midnight Love is fattened with a bonus disc from the sessions that has more fascinating views of Marvin in the studio, via early versions of material that would sometimes take a completely different direction before seeing the light of day. Listen to the cool, a cappella version of “Sexual Healing,” below. Available At Amazon (HERE).

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ORIGINAL ALBUM
Midnight Lady (5:18)
Sexual Healing (4:00)
Rockin’ After Midnight (6:04)
‘Til Tomorrow (4:57)
Turn On Some Music (5:08)
Third World Girl (4:36)
Joy (4:23)
My Love Is Waiting (5:07)
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THE SEXUAL HEALING SESSIONS
Clique Games/Rick James (Original Version Of “Midnight Lady”) (5:39)
Sexual Healing (Alternate 12″ Instrumental) (4:39)
Sexual Healing (Original Vocal Version) (4:40)
Sexual Healing (Alternate Vocal Mix) (4:49)
I Bet You Wonder (Original Version Of “Rockin’ After Midnight”) (6:43)
Rockin’ After Midnight (Instrumental) (7:00)
Baby, Baby, Baby (Original Vocal Version Of “‘Til Tomorrow”) (6:54)
I’ve Got My Music (Original Vocal Version Of “Turn On Some Music”) (5:33)
Turn On Some Music (Alternate Vocal/Mix) (5:16)
Third World Girl (Original Reggae Version) (8:01)
Third World Girl (Alternate Vocal/Mix) (6:34)
My Love Is Waiting (Alternate Vocal/Mix) (5:16)
Marvin’s Message To The CBS Records Staff (1:03)
Sexual Healing (Rehearsal Tape) (2:15)

Trouble Man (1972)
The 2CD 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition of Marvin Gaye’s sole soundtrack release, Trouble Man. Generally speaking, Gaye’s work was far too elegant and intricate for a “blaxploitation” soundtrack, at least the kind that was beginning to inhabit the charts in the early to mid 70s. Trouble Man is more like an elaborate Marvin Gaye album construct… that just happens to include some above par chunky/wah-infected instrumentals. In fact, Gaye devotees who missed out on Trouble Man back in the day need to re-investigate its merits. It was, after all, the follow-up to What’s Goin’ On, and Gaye’s compositional focus here is razor-sharp, while the jazzy and expertly executed arrangements are head-and-shoulders above the work of a majority of his contemporaries. It was after this album that Marvin’s music would become more improvisational in nature, with massive overdubbing and post-production crafting playing a major role in shaping the end result. Trouble Man, on the other hand, it brilliant by design… and would probably be on the list of the top film soundtracks ever (not just blaxploitation), were it not so musically nuanced… and historically overshadowed by the Superflys and Shafts of the era. Available At Amazon (HERE).
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Main Theme From Trouble Man (2) (2:32)
“T” Plays It Cool (4:26)
Poor Abbey Walsh (4:12)
The Break In (Police Shoot Big) (1:57)
Cleo’s Apartment (2:09)
Trouble Man (3:49)
Theme From Trouble Man (2:05)
“T” Stands For Trouble (4:50)
Main Theme From Trouble Man (3:53)
Life Is A Gamble (2:32)
Deep-In-It (1:24)
Don’t Mess With Mr. “T” (3:04)
There Goes Mr. “T” (1:40)
Main Theme From Trouble Man (2) (Alternate Take With Strings) (2:37)
“T” Plays It Cool (Unedited Version) (6:38)
Poor Abbey Walsh, Part 2 (Take 1) (2:02)
Poor Abbey Walsh, Part 2 (Take 2) (2:01)
Trouble Man (Extended Version) (4:10)
Theme From Trouble Man (Vocal Version) (2:03)
“T” Stands For Trouble (Unedited Vocal Version) (5:22)
“T” Stands For Trouble (Alternate Version) (6:04)
Main Theme From Trouble Man (Vocal Version) (4:13)
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Trouble Man (4:14)
Pool Hall (2:54)
“T” Plays It Cool (2:46)
Cadillac Interlude/Cleo’s Apartment (2:13)
Man Tied Up/Jimmy’s West/Conversation With Cleo (1:31)
Crap Game (A.K.A. The Break In)/Getting Rid Of Body/Talking To Angel (3:13)
Outside Police Station (1:13)
Bowling Alley Parking Lot (1:16)
Stick Up (1:45)
Cleaners/Cleo (2:01)
Closing Jimmy’s (1:46)
Police Break In (1:00)
“T” Cleans Up/Police Station (2:51)
Packing Up/Jimmy Gets Worked/Saying Goodbye/”T” Breaks In/Movie Theater (4:17)
Car Ride/Looking For Pete (4:15)
Parking Garage/Elevator (2:35)
Penthouse (2:09)
Getting Pete (0:58)
My Name Is “T”/End Credits (1:42)
“T” At The Cross (3:00)

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DOORS

THE DOORS Live Buyer’s Guide – ALL OFFICIAL!
Over 32 Hours, 32 Discs, NO Bootlegs!

May 1, 2016 – 08:08

FROM THE 2011 ARCHIVES: A collection of live Doors discs, covering almost all of the band’s officially released live albums. One release we didn’t bother with is Boot Yer Butt, an expansive 4CD collection of Doors bootlegs put together by drummer John Densmore. The source material is shoddy and was designed – I’m guessing – to neuter bootleg sales… like back when Frank Zappa started releasing the bootlegger’s actual audience recordings and artwork himself. I’ve never even been able to listen to it all, so I can’t tell you much about it, except, you should be listening to all of the ones posted here before you even bother with it. We’ve also got our Doors archive up and running again; 1967’s The Doors, finally remixed and at the proper speed (HERE), Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970 (HERE), Rock Is Dead Sessions – February 25th, 1969 (HERE), 13 Instrumentals (HERE), L.A. Woman: The Workshop Sessions (HERE), Perception Bonus Tracks (HERE), and More Studio Bonus Tracks (HERE). Track lists are in comments.

Alive She Cried (1983)

The first posthumous live Doors LP was most welcomed back in 1983. The random gathering of odds & ends didn’t have much rhyme or reason, but anemic long-time fans weren’t picky. The band doctored the tapes with some overdubs, since they already had to edit Morrison’s x-rated ad-libs from this LP’s highlight – a killer version of Van Morrison’s “Gloria.” It’s hard to believe we were all so innocent we couldn’t hear the unedited tapes until 1997’s The Doors Box Set. When the CD era finally arrived, Alive She Cried was packaged with Absolutely Live for the 2CD release, In Concert. At Amazon, HERE.

Live At The Hollywood Bowl (1987)

A short, barely 23-minute LP (and that’s including the odd single edit of “Light My Fire,” taken from the same full-length version that’s already on the album). The purpose behind the release was to co-promote the new VHS video of the same name. Why the unnecessary brevity of the LP is anyone’s guess. Despite what virtually every review for this LP says, only two of the Hollywood Bowl recordings (“Light My Fire” & “Unknown Soldier”) wound up on the 1991 live comp, In Concert. The Hollywood Bowl show would eventually get a proper release in 2012 (below). At Amazon, HERE.

In Concert (1991)

A 2CD compilation pulling together all of the tracks from The Doors’ only official live albums, Absolutely Live (1970) and Alive She Cried, as well as two cuts from Live At The Hollywood Bowl. To spur sales of the newfangled invention called the CD (featuring music any Doors fan already had), a then-unreleased version of “The End” was added. All tracks were recorded in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Philly, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Copenhagen, so – except for Copenhagen – virtually all of this material has been included on later, full show releases (in unedited or undubbed form). Absolutely Live (HERE) was eventually issued independently, also. At Amazon, HERE.

The Doors Box Set (1997)
Without A Safety Net

The first of many Doors box sets included three discs of live music. Without A Safety Net is a random selection of live tracks, most of which would appear the following century on the full concert issues on Bright Midnight/Rhino. So, there’s going to be a lot of duplication here if you’ve already got the rest. Check comments for the track listings to see where these tracks were recorded. At Amazon, HERE.

The Doors Box Set (1997)
The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

It’s the same deal as above. As The Doors Box Set was the first opportunity for the band to dip into their archived tapes, here’s another varied collection of live tracks, interspersed with a few of the World Pacific demos and TV appearances. Check comments for where these tracks are sourced from. At Amazon, HERE.

The Doors Box Set (1997)
Live In New York

The third live disc from the box set would become obsolete with the release of 2006’s 6CD box, Live In New York, where most of this material comes from. Regardless of that, this was one spectacular single disc collection when it came out. With a 17-minute “Celebration Of The Lizard” and an 18-minute “The End,” Live In New York boasted some serious heft. And, for the first time, we finally got to hear Jim’s x-rated ramblings in “Gloria” (first hinted at on Alive She Cried). Of course, “Gloria” wasn’t recorded in New York, but who cared? (I’ve read that a few other tracks may be from other venues, also.) A fantastic stand alone live Doors disc… just ignore the accuracy of the title. At Amazon, HERE.

Live In Detroit (2000)

The first of the 21st century Doors albums, coming with the union between The Doors’ own label, Bright Midnight, and the exclusive Limited Edition mavens, Rhino Handmade. As a result, the 2CD Live In Detroit (May 8, 1970 @ Cobo Hall) is no longer officially available, having exhausted its limited run. The band was recording L.A. Woman at the time of this show – a unique one as Morrison extended the set list to include a bunch of standards and blues numbers, in what manager Danny Sugarman says is “easily, the longest Doors set ever performed.” (whether that’s actually true or not.) At Amazon, HERE.

Live At The Aquarius Theatre:
The First Performance (2001)

The first of three amazing 2CD sets that capture the band’s 24 hour residency at The Aquarius Theatre in Los Angeles. At the time, Elektra wanted more live material, but The Doors had a problem. Since Jim Morrison’s Miami bust for indecent exposure in March, ’69, the band’s live dates were mostly canceled and they couldn’t book a tour. (Funny, these days that controversy would only make them more in-demand.) So the idea was hatched to play a small L.A. venue (July 21, 1969), and these tapes were born. Another Rhino Handmade release that’s officially out of print. At Amazon, HERE.

Live At The Aquarius Theatre:
The Second Performance (2001)

The Second Performance is nearly an hour longer than the first matinée show (and about as long as the Detroit show), and finds the band in fine form. There’s a lot of variety here, too, as the guys seem intent on offering up some (previously unreleased) live titles, like “Five To One,” “Blue Sunday,”, “Touch Me,” “Gloria” and others. Because of the venue’s intimacy, there’s plenty of chatter between Morrison and the crowd, but Jimbo appears sober so there’s not much in the way of outrageous pronouncements. Another dead Rhino. At Amazon, HERE.

Backstage And Dangerous:
The Private Rehearsal (2002)

Always thinking, producer Paul Rothchild figured that since everything was already set up, why not record a third morning after performance (July 22, 1969) – without an audience – before the stage was torn down to prepare for the Aquarius’ evening performance of Hair. Smart thinking. Except that Jim didn’t really want to be there… and you can tell. But, this is such a different kind of show for the band, it remains a must-hear. Since Morrison thrived on audiences, he seems a bit lost for inspiration in the empty venue. After the first half of the recording, his disinterest spins him towards raunchier material. This show is the source of the original, x-rated live version of “Gloria,” found on Alive She Cried and Live In New York. At Amazon, HERE.

Live In Philadelphia ’70 (2006)

If I’d spent any time with this, I’d tell you all about it. This was the last of The Doors’ live discs issued in a limited run by Rhino Handmade, so it’s out of print and very expensive at Amazon, HERE.

Live In Boston (2007)

Live In Boston features two complete shows, an abbreviated matinée and an extended evening show. And Morrison’s bombed for both, slurring his words, not bothering with some lyrics and, by the end of the second show, seemingly pretty disinterested in what’s going on. Unfortunately, these shows are also sonically challenged, so it’s a difficult listen unless you’re the type accustomed to bootleg atmospherics. It’s really not that bad, just not grade-A like previous Bright Midnights. As a result, however, I haven’t spent much time with this one either. 3CDs at Amazon, HERE.

Live At The Matrix (2008)

The famed Matrix tapes (March 7 & 10, 1967), the first unofficial live recordings of The Doors, finally available after decades of abusive mixes have littered the web. This isn’t all the material recorded, so it’s more of a best-of The Matrix, with somewhat improved sound quality. This is Morrison & Co. before the adulation (“Light My Fire” wasn’t a hit yet) and the audience, when you can even hear them, seems barely interested. Which might explain why bands get so weird when they get big. Here’s Morrison busting his balls to make an impression… and no one cares. Two years later he’s showing up so drunk he can barely sing… and he’s treated like a god. What message would your fragile rock star ego take from that? Especially when it’s reinforced night after night? At Amazon, HERE.

Live In Pittsburgh (2008)

An abbreviated show from Pittsburgh (May, 2, 1970). Besides the less than spectacular sound (a touch muddy, not bad, not great), Live In Pittsburgh‘s few audio issues are forgivable for the performances, which are solid throughout. The band sounds nimble and attentive, while Morrison is pretty alert and on his game… two months after his drunken fiasco in Miami. This show was recorded for possible inclusion on Absolutely Live, but nary a track was used. This release – short enough to fit on a single disc – might be better suited to the hard-core. I haven’t spent much time on this one, but… your mileage may vary. At Amazon, HERE.

Live In New York (2009)

The complete run of the band’s four sets over two nights at the Felt Forum/Madison Square Garden (January 17-18, 1970) on 6 CDs. If you want to study the Doors live, this is where you go, as it covers a lot of ground with exceptional sound quality. These reels were the source of many performances found on Absolutely Live, so you already know some highlights. Enough can’t be said, really. There is an overdub you should know about… when guest John Sebastian came out for an encore, his harmonica was off-mic. So, for this release, Sebastian came into the studio in 2009 and replicated his performance. Before you cry foul, however, the band posted the original versions on the Rhino website for buyers to download. Those version are included here. At Amazon, HERE.

Live In Vancouver 1970 (2011)

The newest of the live series is this 2CD set recorded in Canada. Another whose sonics are not perfect, but are not awful. I, however, haven’t seriously listened to it in detail yet… sorry. Some guide, huh? At Amazon, HERE.

Live At The Bowl ’68 (2012)

Finally… a refurbished, complete recording from The Hollywood Bowl. There’s a new video, too, if you follow the links and poke around at Amazon.

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CROSSFIRES FLO AND EDDIE TURTLES

THE CROSSFIRES Out Of Control (1963/1995)
– The Turtles, When They Were A Surf Band!

April 28, 2016 – 21:21

Out Of Control (1963)
Surf’s Up

Since we’ve nearly exhausted our Turtles and Flo & Eddie collections on previous posts (HERE), we’re rocketing back in time to 1963 for material that was eventually released as Out Of Control, by the pre-Turtles configuration, The Crossfires, featuring Howard Kaplan (aka Kaylan), Mark Volman, Al Nichol, Don Murray and Chuck Portz (among others). Much of this surf delight is instrumental (though not all) and nearly every track is originally penned, demonstrating that The Turtles were a totally self-contained unit from the get-go, even if they often relied on outside writers in later years. Then again… some would argue that if you’ve written one surf tune, you’ve written them all. Mark & Howie (Flo & Eddie) didn’t have as many vocal responsibilities in The Crossfires, but as you can see by the photo, they kept busy trading sax riffs… probably with unison choreography. Recorded in 1963, so you’re advised not to expect much more than what the amateur end of the era had to offer, but some elements of their future selves sometimes shine through, mostly via Howie’s lead vocals. Maybe not surprisingly, they seem to take everything as seriously here as they would for the rest of their careers. Find all our Turtles/Flo & Eddie HERE. At Amazon, HERE.

Silver Bullet (2:21)
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (2:19)
Chunky (2:14)
That’ll Be The Day (2:31)
Out Of Control (2:15)
Fiberglass Jungle (2:12)
One Potato Two Potato (2:35)
Stay Around (2:33)
Pull Top (2:22)
Justine (2:26)
Follow The Rock (2:22)
Inferno (2:24)
Livin’ Doll (2:32)
Santa And The Sidewalk Surfer (2:00) – Bonus Track
Silver Bullet (2:30) – Bonus Track
Revelaire (2:13)

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MOJO PRESENTS Various Artists

VARIOUS ARTISTS Acid Drops, Spacedust & Flying Saucers: Psychedelic Confectionery From The UK Underground 1965-69 (2001)

April 25, 2016 – 16:00

Acid Drops, Spacedust & Flying Saucers: Psychedelic Confectionery From The UK Underground 1965-69 (2001)
A Psych Box To Get Psyched About

Another great box from the archives. 4CDs, compiled by the fine folks at MOJO Magazine, chronicling the UK psychedelic experience. Compilations always create quibbles, but this is a great listen regardless of what’s been omitted or curiously added. The names below will tell you all you need to know, but your ears are the ultimate decider… and they should be pleased. Not cheap at Amazon.

1
McGOUGH & McGEAR – So Much (4:02)
AQUARIAN AGE – 10,000 Words In A Cardboard Box (3:27)
THE NICE – Flower Ring of Flies (3:18)
RUPERT’S PEOPLE – Dream On My Mind (3:25)
SHY LIMBS – Reputation (3:33)
TINTERN ABBEY – Vacuum Cleaner (3:06)
THE DAVID – Light Of Your Mind (2:51)
THE MISUNDERSTOOD – I Can Take You To The Sun (3:40)
GRAPEFRUIT – Dear Delilah (2:28)
PROCOL HARUM – Shine On Brightly (3:33)
BAMBOO SHOOT – The Fox Has Gone To Ground (2:52)
THE WHO – Armenia City In The Sky (3:13)
FOCUS THREE – 10,000 Years Behind My Mind (2:16)
TIMEBOX – Gone Is The Sad Man (3:44)
WORLD OF OZ – Peter’s Birthday (2:55)
THE TICKLE – Subway (Smokey Pokey World) (2:42)
FELIUS ANDROMEDA – Meditations (4:10)
WARM SOUNDS – Nite Is A-Comin‘ (3:01)

2
KALEIDOSCOPE – Flight from Ashiya (2:42)
JULY – The Way (4:15)
INCREDIBLE STRING BAND – Witches Hat (2:34)
DONOVAN – Celeste (4:10)
RAMESES & SELKET – Mind’s Eye (2:42)
THE END – Shades Of Orange (2:41)
VIRGIN SLEEP – Love (2:25)
BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST – Pools Of Blue (3:09)
TALES OF JUSTINE – Monday Morning (3:23)
BILLY NICHOLLS – Girl From New York (3:19)
THE ACCENT – Red Sky At Night (3:14)
MICK SOFTLEY – Am I The Red One (2:31)
ORANGE BICYCLE – Laura’s Garden (3:15)
CALEB – Baby Your Phrasing Is Bad (3:18)
AMAZING FRIENDLY APPLE – Magician (3:23)
THE MOLES – We Are The Moles, Part 1 (4:34)
THE 23rd TURNOFF – Michael Angelo (2:25)
BIL FAY – Screams In The Ears (3:25)

3
PURPLE GANG – Granny Takes A Trip (2:37)
SMOKE – My Friend Jack (3:07)
IDLE RACE – Impostors Of Life’s Magazine (2:18)
PRETTY THINGS – Talkin‘ About The Good Times (3:44)
DONOVAN – Hurdy Gurdy Man (3:12)
THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP – Time Seller (2:52)
DENNY LAINE – Say You Don’t Mind (3:10)
THE MOVE – I Can Hear The Grass Grow (2:58)
THE KINKS – See My Friends (2:43)
PETER COOK & DUDLEY MOORE – The L. S. Bumble Bee (2:45)
THE YARDBIRDS – Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (2:57)
THE SMALL FACES – Green Circles (2:43)
THE HOLLIES – King Midas In Reverse (3:08)
DAVID McWILLIAMS – The Days Of Pearly Spencer (2:34)
THE HERD – From The Underworld (3:19)
ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS – Sky Pilot (7:39)
TRAFFIC – Paper Sun (4:13)
SIMON DUPREEE & THE BIG SOUND – Kites (3:45)

4
THE ATTACK – Colour Of My Mind (2:29)
ALLEN POUND’S GET RICH – Searchin‘ In The Wilderness (3:19)
FIRE – Father’s Name Is Dad (2:33)
THE ORANGE MACHINE – Dr. Crippen’s Waiting Room (3:03)
PENNY PEEPS – Model Village (2:54)
THE FAIRYTALE – Run And Hide (2:31)
MANDRAKE PADDLE STEAMER – Strange Walking Man (3:13)
THE STATUS QUO – When My Mind Is Not Live (2:49)
THE POETS – In Your Tower (2:32)
SANDS – Listen To The Sky (3:46)
SYD BARRETT – Octopus (3:46)
THE APPLE – The Other Side (3:18)
THE FLIES – I’m Not Your Stepping Stone (2:41)
HERBAL MIXTURE – Machines (2:04)
TOMORROW – Revolution (Phased Version) (3:48)
THE SORROWS – You’ve Got What I Want (2:00)
THE KOOBAS – Royston Rose (3:52)
SAM GOPAL – Escalator (2:51)

Tags Acid Drops Spacedust & Flying Saucers: Psychedelic Confectionery From The UK Underground 1965-69 | Permalink | Comments (18)

MOJO PRESENTS

MOJO PRESENTS… This Is It!…..The Next Projected Sound Of 2016 (2016)

April 24, 2016 – 19:14

This Is It... This Is It!…..The Next Projected Sound Of 2016 (June, 2016)

MOJO‘s latest free CD is a very cool collection of tracks from some of the young guns of the psychedelic movement, circa 2016, including Spacin’, Black Mountain, Cavern Of Anti-Matter and others. Including a few from the old guard (circa, the turn of the century). Fun and spacey. Get all 169 of MOJO‘s free CDs, dating back to 1997, HERE.

Josefin Ohrn + The Liberation – Sunny Afternoon (3:51)
Cate Le Bon – I Was Born On The Wrong Day (2:16)
The Bevis Frond – Hot Sauce Or Nothing (2:58)
White Fence – To The Boy I Jumped In The Hemlock Alley (2:53)
Gnoomes – Myriads (3:36)
Fuzz – Let It Live (5:19)
The Chemistry Set – Albert Hofmann (5:12)
Black Mountain – Space To Bakersfield (9:00)
Heron Oblivion – Your Hollows (6:06)
Goat – It’s Time For Fun (3:55)
Cavern Of Anti-Matter – Planetary Folklore (6:01)
Flying Saucer Attack – Feedback Song (5:36)
Spacin’ – Human Condition (2:00)
Thee Oh Sees – Web (4:55)

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ROXY MUSIC

ROXY MUSIC Editions: Complete Singles 72-82 (2016)
A BLANK FRANK Compilation

April 22, 2016 – 22:43

roxyeditions Editions: Complete Singles 72-82 (2016)
Roxy’s A’s & B’s, As Nature Intended

Blank Frank, the curator of the long gone music sharing blog, And Your Bird Can Swing, has been kind enough to share some outstanding custom-made collections with us over the past few years, including The Rolling Stones In Mono – The Complete London/Decca Studio Recordings (1964-1971) (HERE), David Bowie Fifty-Two Years: The Complete Singles (HERE, a 12CD set so good, it’s being confused online for an actual release) and The Wrecking Crew We Got Good At It (HERE) and Christmas With The Wrecking Crew (HERE). Blank Frank’s latest is this… Roxy Music Editions: Complete Singles 72-82, which he describes below. Thanks for the expert shares, Blank Frank.

Not being satisfied with past retrospectives, Editions: Complete Singles 72-82 is a two-disc compilation of Roxy Music’s original single mixes/edits (in their order of release), designed to offer a fresh perspective of the band’s legacy… by mixing some of their most popular songs alongside rarities, which have only been previously available on box sets like 1995’s The Thrill Of It All and The Complete Studio Recordings (the source for this collection). Both of those sets treated these singles and b-sides as mere footnotes, however, satisfying completists trying to fill holes in their collections, but failing to properly present the music’s contextual appeal. A simple gathering of tracks doesn’t make a good album, but – in my humble opinion – this compilation plays perfectly, chronicling the story of Roxy Music, while providing an excellent companion to the band’s studio LPs.

Roxy Music were art students projecting an image… of lush, glamorous decadence which, in turn, they themselves became – a reflection of their own art. Bryan Ferry’s lyrics illustrated this melding of art and lifestyle in various ways; as an addiction to sex (“Love Is The Drug”), as advice to a lover who moved on to greener pastures (“Editions Of You”), using dance as a metaphor for sex (“Do The Strand”) and by playing on the word “Over,” to mean either “with,” “about” or “finished with,” simultaneously (“Over You”). Ferry even manages to nearly out-Frank Frank Sinatra on the romantically traditional, “Dance Away.”

Finally some notes about the set. Though divided into two CDs, the track numbers are tagged as one collection so, if you like, you can put them all in one folder for playing. For those using devices, media players or DVD/Blu-Ray players, each single “A” side is tagged with the original cover art (or labels), while the “B” sides will show this collection’s cover art. – BLANK FRANK

1
Virginia Plain [8-72] (3:00)
The Numberer [8-72] (3:43)
Pyjamarama (Island Mix) [3-73] (3:04)
The Pride and The Pain [3-73] (4:16)
Do the Strand (USA 7″ Mix) [7-73] (3:24)
Editions of You [7-73] (3:53)
Street Life [11-73] (3:29)
Hula Kula [11-73] (2:40)
All I Want Is You [10-74] (2:53)
The Thrill of It All (USA 7″ Mix) [10-74] (3:25)
Your Application’s Failed [10-74] (4:46)
Love Is the Drug (USA 7″ Mix) [10-75] (3:00)
Sultanesque [10-75] (5:27)
Both Ends Burning (7″ Mix)[12-75] (4:01)
For Your Pleasure (Live)[12-75] (5:05)
Trash [2-79] (2:14)
Trash 2 [2-79] (3:12)
Dance Away (7″ Version) [4-79] (3:50)
Cry, Cry, Cry [4-79] (2:56)
Angel Eyes (7″ Version) [8-79] (2:53)
My Little Girl [8-79] (3:18)

2
Over You [5-80] (3:27)
Manifesto (Remake) [5-80] (4:03)
Oh Yeah (7″ Version) [7-80] (4:16)
South Downs [7-80] (5:14)
Same Old Scene [11-80] (4:00)
Lover [11-80] (4:29)
The Midnight Hour [12-80] (3:13)
Flesh and Blood [12-80] (3:10)
Jealous Guy [2-81] (6:12)
To Turn You On (B-Side Version) [2-81] (4:14)
More Than This (7″ Version) [4-82] (4:36)
India [4-82] (1:46)
Avalon (7″ Version) [6-82] (4:16)
Always Unknowing [6-82] (5:21)
Take a Chance with Me (7″ Version) [9-82] (3:41)
The Main Thing (Remix) [9-82] (3:50)

MORE OUTSTANDING SHARES FROM BLANK FRANK…
DAVID BOWIE Fifty-Two Years: The Complete Singles, THE ROLLING STONES IN MONO The Complete London/Decca Studio Recordings (1964-1971), V.A./THE WRECKING CREW We Got Good At It – The Anthology (1962-1971) and Christmas With The Wrecking Crew. Click a cover below…

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JOHN COLTRANE

JOHN COLTRANE A Love Supreme (Deluxe Edition) (1965/2002) + The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions (1961/1995), The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Sessions (1961/1997), Live In Japan (1966/1991) & The Major Works Of John Coltrane (1965/1992)

April 20, 2016 – 18:50

A Love Supreme (Deluxe) (1965/2002)
Your Life Isn’t Complete Without It

I fell hard for Coltrane… and it wasn’t just because he was name-checked by so many of the improv-loving rockers I listened to. It was simply the sound of A Love Supreme that woke my senses up. A gorgeous fusion of jazz composition and deep spirituality, with some of the finest ensemble playing available – featuring Coltrane on tenor, McCoy Tyner (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums). What would take me years to fully appreciate was that – at the time – A Love Supreme found Coltrane on the cusp of greatness, marshaling all his abilities, instincts and inventiveness, via years of training, bandstanding, sidemanship, highs, lows, drugs, doubt and rebirth. Somehow it all came through in the grooves, so vividly that even a white kid with no clue could understand there was something immeasurably distinctive going on here. Maybe it was those rockers, or the freewheeling psychedelic era in general, that primed me for this album – which was both serious and spontaneous, and a cut above anything by anybody that was ever influenced by it. Maybe it was the drugs, too. But I continued to absorb Coltrane’s work in all his challenging permutations, from the 1961 Village Vanguard tapes to the Africa/Brass Sessions to that gloriously noisy, room-clearing 4CD, 6 song, Live In Japan set (all included below). This 2002 Deluxe Edition features a new re-mastering job and a bonus disc with alternate takes (featuring Archie Shepp and Art Davis) and a rare live version of A Love Supreme recorded in France, July 1965. The package, liner notes and pics are worth your hard copy investment. It is, after all, one of the greatest records ever made. At Amazon, HERE.

1
Part 1 – Acknowledgement (7:43)
Part 2 – Resolution (7:20)
Part 3 – Pursuance (10:43)
Part 4 – Psalm (7:03)
2
Introduction By Andre Francis (1:14) – Live At The Festival Mondial du Jazz Antibes, France (July 1965)
Part 1 – Acknowledgement (6:12)
Part 2 – Resolution (11:37)
Part 3 – Pursuance (21:31)
Part 4 – Psalm (8:49)

Part 2 – Resolution (Alternative Take) (7:25)
Part 2 – Resolution (Breakdown) (2:13)
Part 1 – Acknowledgment (Alternative Take) (9:10)
Part 1 – Acknowledgment (Alternative Take) (9:23)

MORE TRANE…
Below is just the tip of an iceberg. Stop by The All Music Guide and gander at their list of 60s Coltrane releases (13 in 1965 alone), all garnering 4 & 5 star reviews. These were just a few I grabbed from the shelf, but there are dozens more to recommend, like Om, Living Space, Stellar Regions… too many to count. We’ve already got Interstellar Space in the archives (HERE), not to mention Coltrane’s essential late 50s work with Miles Davis (HERE), more specifically on Kind Of Blue (HERE). Track lists are in comments.

The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions
(2CD – 1961/1995)
Coltrane’s first release for the new Impulse! label, which proved more than willing to indulge JC’s desires to stretch and twist the jazz idiom to his own design – which he did with the Africa/Brass sessions, by including a 17-piece orchestra (conducted by Eric Dolphy, no less). It seems like many of Coltrane’s future albums would feel like transitory experiments, adapting his past to reformulate ideas for an entirely new concept… and Africa/Brass is another example. Maybe not the best place to start for those looking to investigate Coltrane’s work, but it’s another unique landing strip in his short but varied musical career. Find The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions (HERE) at Amazon.

The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings (4CD – 1961/1997)
There’s way too much to be said about Coltrane’s 4 night stand at The Village Vanguard. It’s fence straddling nuance, which finds the Quartet (augmented by the great Eric Dolphy, and a few others) expanding on Trane’s past while feeling around for the thread that will take them into the future. It’s music that’s restless and curious, fearless yet refined, exploratory but tethered – a contradictory collection of jazzy Americana heavily indebted to a new-found Africanization that seems to take shape right before your ears. The variety of other players that sit in and/or switch out adds another dimension to the proceedings. Music to don shades, spark a reefer and tell your girlfriend to get-on-board-or-get-lost to. One of the all time great musical residencies. Find it (HERE) at Amazon.

The Major Works Of John Coltrane
(2CD – 1965/1992)
A nice shortcut to some of JC’s more explosive 1965 material, featuring the final recordings from the core quartet of Coltrane, Tyner, Garrison & Jones, along with added members, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Brazil and others. Includes major works, just like the title says, from Ascension (two 40 minute takes of heavenly free-form noise), the uber-bizarre Om (which wanders into Mothers of Invention territory) and two lengthy tracks from Kulu Se Mama. Some of Coltrane’s more outside, post-A Love Supreme material. Find it (HERE) at Amazon.

Live In Japan (4CD – 1966/1991)
Coltrane’s 1966 Quintet (Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, and Rashied Ali) recorded live in Toyko. Non-stop improv pieces that step back a bit from Trane’s 1965 madness to encompass jazzier more “traditional” elements. But that’s comparatively speaking. This stuff still honks and blusters with reckless, maddening abandon… for hours. Six “tunes” spread across four discs, with two tracks approaching an hour, and the rest around the 30/40 minute marks. Unabated creative expression that took until the 90s, and demanded the invention of the compact disc, to be able to bring it to you uninterrupted. As if this isn’t enough, there’s a new 2011 import Deluxe Edition of Live In Japan that features a 5th disc, HERE.

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PETE NAMLOOK

PETE NAMLOOK 10 Years of Silence (Silence I-V)
Rare MP3 CD, Over 5-1/2 Hours (2003)

April 19, 2016 – 18:55

10 Years of Silence (2003)
5-1/2 Hour Ambient MP3 CD (Limited To 500 Copies)

FROM THE ARCHIVES, 2007: Since 1992, the late Pete Namlook’s Frankfurt-based Fax label has issued a dizzying amount of ambient and electronic experimentations featuring legendary artists slash collaborators from Klaus Schulze to Bill Laswell to Jonah Sharp. Not to mention providing an outlet for a whole new generation of ambient free-formers. Namlook and his pals are all about the chill factor – vast soundscapes, ominous drones, quiet atmospherics, disembodied voices and a relentless spirit of relaxed adventure is the label’s stock in trade. So it was fitting that, in 2002, Namlook would spearhead the release of the first ever ambient MP3 CD (issued in a limited edition of 500), featuring over 5-1/2 hours of music – and designed to be listened to… continuously. Good luck. Namlook’s dedication to the art form is unparalleled, but we listeners are merely human. Curiously, the bit rates on the original CD range from 256 to 300, and I’m not sure why that is, but the info for each track is detailed in the liner notes. Still… gathering his 5-CD Silence series and putting all 5-1/2 hours on a single MP3 CD is a masterstroke that begs to question… Why is this one of the very few official MP3 discs in existence? Don’t hold your breath waiting for a good answer. Namlook has released other MP3 CDs since this first one, which originally retailed for about $26 back in 2003. These days they’re at Amazon, HERE, for about $50.

Silence
Omid / Hope (21:57)
Garden Of Dreams (22:30)
Santur (9:53)
Trip (20:09)

Silence II
Life/Death (29:28)
Heaven (AW-Cut) (6:58)
Faith (11:26)
Sweet Angels (11:20)
What Is Time? (14:26)

Silence III (60:37)
Into the Desert (8:35)
Mirage (8:27)
A Ship on a Sea of Sand (14:38)
Lost City (3:21)
Stars (5:09)
The Bottom of the Ocean (10:58)
Dream Time (9:29)

Silence IV
Circle Of Life (20:02)
Deep Inside (8:00)
Bedouin Love (12:51)
The Night Before I Left (9:33)

Silence V
Asbendos (13:03)
While Angels Sleep (8:45)
Master Of The Sky (9:06)
Ancient Beauty (12:52)
Picnic (10:38)

“Heaven” (Original Version)
Heaven (22:58)

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JOHN HIATT

JOHN HIATT Live Bootleg: Riot With Hiatt (1985) – Rare Geffen Records Promo-Only Live LP

April 18, 2016 – 19:30

Live Bootleg: Riot With Hiatt (1985)
Hiatt’s “On-The-Brink Years,” Pt. 5

FROM THE ARCHIVES, 2011: A prized vinyl possession that has, on more than one occasion (back in the day), brought folks over to the house solely to listen to it. This promo-only live album was issued by Geffen to promote (what would be) John Hiatt’s last album for the label, Warming Up To The Ice Age. For those unfamiliar with Hiatt’s survival story, this was a grim time for the veteran artist, who was battling alcohol abuse, the suicide of his wife and, within months, the loss of his job when Geffen Records issued him his walking papers. As a bit of a last gasp promotion, however, this 1985 live promo LP perfectly captures Hiatt’s out-of-control spontaneity… the tail end of what we refer to around here as his “on-the-brink” years. Originally a King Biscuit Flower Hour recording, this performance is rough & ready, loose & untamed. Hiatt is invigorated, and his band – thanks to the punchy bass work – has a funky authenticity here that weaves throughout the R&B, roots rock and soul brew that Hiatt had formulated in recent years. Interestingly, the new wave keyboard riffs that were abandoned on the new album are present here, even if it’s all buried in the live mix. During “She Said The Same Things To Me,” you’ll hear the band completely fall apart on stage, but Hiatt recovers to laugh it off. Ripped from the original vinyl, the cover art lacks any details, and the back is blank. Listen to Hiatt’s powerful take on his own addiction, “The Usual,” below. There are still a couple of vinyl copies of Riot With Hiatt floating around Amazon, HERE.

Say It With Flowers (3:37)
I Don’t Even Try (3:49)
Pink Bedroom (3:09)
She Said The Same Things To Me (4:35)
Warming Up To The Ice Age (6:15)
Living A Little, Laughing A Little (4:22)
I’m A Real Man (4:08)
The Usual (3:50)
Riding With The King (9:21)
Zero House (4:38)

MORE OF JOHN HIATT’S “ON-THE-BRINK” YEARS: Pt. 1: Riding With The King (1983), Pt. 2: Since His Penis… Came Between Us (Live Bootleg, 1984), Pt. 3: Warming Up To The Ice Age (1985), Pt. 4: Bug Demos (1983/1985), Pt. 6: “Snake Charmer” (Non-LP, 1985) and… Mystic Pinball (2012)

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BEACH BOYS BOB CARL WILSON ERIC CLAPTON GRATEFUL DEAD MONKEES PAUL SIMON PHILIP GLASS ROLLING STONES TOM PETTY

NEW RELEASES: Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Rolling Stones, Mudcrutch (Tom Petty), Grateful Dead, Monkees, Philip Glass, The Beach Boys & Carl Wilson

April 17, 2016 – 09:07

The old guard is coming out in force during the next few months with new albums. Some video and streaming samples are included. Click the covers (or links) to preorder at Amazon.

BOB DYLAN
Fallen Angels (May 20, 2016)
Another Covers Album

FROM AMAZON: Fallen Angels is the 37th studio album from Bob Dylan. Featuring twelve classic American tunes written by some of music’s most acclaimed and influential songwriters including Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Sammy Cahn And Carolyn Leigh, the album showcases Dylan’s unique and much-lauded talents as a vocalist, arranger and bandleader. The “Jack Frost”-produced album marks the first new music from the artist since his 2015 release, Shadows In The Night, which also showcased Dylan’s interpretations of classic American songs. That album reached the Top 10 in seventeen countries, including #7 in the U.S. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

ERIC CLAPTON
I Still Do (May 20, 2016)
Glyn Johns Produces

FROM AMAZON: Eric Clapton has reunited with famed producer Glyn Johns for his 23rd studio album, I Still Do, set for release on his Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records. Clapton and Johns, who has also produced albums for The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Who, most famously worked together on Clapton’s iconic Slowhand album. The 12-track record includes some original songs written by EC. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

THE ROLLING STONES
Totally Stripped (June 3, 2016)
Two To Five Disc CD/DVD Editions

The Rolling Stones are revisiting their excellent 1995 live album, Stripped, to offer a series of new Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Amazon Exclusive CD/DVD combos that will feature three complete shows from the spring of 1995 – The Paradiso in Amsterdam, L’Olympia in Paris and Brixton Academy in London – that were used to compile Stripped. As regular readers know, we’ve had a fake 2CD Deluxe Edition of Stripped in the archives (HERE) since 2008. As cool as it is, being one of the Stones better live albums, the new official versions look much better. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

TOM PETTY/MUDCRUTCH
Mudcrutch 2 (May 20, 2016)
After 8 Years… A Follow-Up

FROM AMAZON: Tom Petty has confirmed details of a new album from Mudcrutch, his pre-Heartbreakers band with Mike Campbell, Tom Leadon, Randall Marsh, and Benmont Tench. Aptly titled Mudcrutch 2, the band’s sophomore album arrives eight years after the band’s debut full-length. Its release coincides with a US tour kicking off in late May. As a first listen, “Trailer” is a twangy, nostalgia-filled rocker. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

PAUL SIMON
Stranger To Stranger (June 3, 2016)
Influenced By Harry Partch???

FROM AMAZON: One of the most remarkable things about Paul Simon’s extraordinary new masterpiece, Stranger to Stranger, his 13th solo record, is that it conjures a vivid and vital new context to his well-established genius as a singer and songwriter. Full of thrilling textures that feel fresh and modern, while still offering subtle and artful allusions to our shared musical past, Stranger to Stranger’s significant sonic breakthrough came when Simon wrote the song ‘Insomniac s Lullaby,’ and found himself reminded of the musical possibilities first suggested by Harry Partch the 20th Century American composer and theorist who created custom-made instruments in microtonal tunings. Besides recording sounds from various Partch instruments, one of the key realizations Simon gathered from Partch was the observation that singing in music is akin to human speech, and Simon started to shape vocal lines on the album that way. Here, his strong voice and conversational lyrics usher us into a brave new musical world where expectations are defied and exceeded. Simon worked with producer Roy Halee. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

GRATEFUL DEAD
Red Rocks – 7/8/78 (May 13, 2016)
Three Disc Set

FROM AMAZON: In the history of Grateful Dead performances, 1978 is widely praised as one of the group’s finest years. This set marks the official debut of one of their first ever performances at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a show highly sought-after by Dead Heads. The complete July 8, 1978 show at Red Rocks is widely considered one of the greatest concerts in Grateful Dead history. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

THE MONKEES
Good Times! (May 27, 2016)
Jesus, What An Awful Cover

FROM AMAZON: The Monkees celebrate its 50th anniversary with the group’s first new album in 20 years. Good Times! features all three surviving band members Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. The unmistakable voice of the late Davy Jones is also included with a vintage vocal featured on one song. Producing the album is Grammy and Emmy-winning songwriter Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne, Ivy). Much like The Monkees’ early albums, Good Times! features tracks written specifically for the band by some of the music world’s most gifted songwriters, including Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), Andy Partridge (XTC) and Zach Rogue (Rogue Wave). Harry Nilsson wrote the title track, “Good Times,” which he recorded at a session with Nesmith in January 1968. The production was never completed, so the band returned to the original session tape (featuring Nilsson’s guide vocal) and have created a duet with his close friend Dolenz. The album also includes songwriting contributions by Nesmith and Tork, as well as producer Schlesinger. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

THE BEACH BOYS Live At The Fillmore East 1971 (May 6, 2016)
CARL WILSON Too Early To Tell – Live At The Bottom Line, 1981 (Available Now)
Buyer Beware, They’re May Be At Amazon, But Neither Are Legitimate Releases

FROM AMAZON: THE BEACH BOYS – This set, recorded live on the closing night of New York’s Fillmore East in 1971, captures the group at a time when their performance abilities were at a peak and just as they were finishing up the recording of one of their finest late-era studio albums, Surf’s Up. Although Brian was no longer performing with the band, and Dennis Wilson (due to a hand injury) had been replaced on drums by Mike Kowalski, the core group of Carl Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine was still intact. Carl Wilson handles most of the lead vocals. The band opens with the complex and intriguing SMiLE era tune, “Heroes And Villains,” followed with several memorable, vintage Beach Boys hits, specifically “Do It Again,” “Help Me Rhonda” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” here performed in its full length version. Bruce Johnston takes the lead on a rendition of Elton John’s “Your Song.” At Amazon, HERE.

FROM AMAZON: CARL WILSON – By the early 1980s, The Beach Boys were in disarray and the band had split into a number of camps. Frustrated with their sluggish recording schedules, lack of new material and reluctance to rehearse, Carl Wilson took a leave of absence in 1981. He quickly recorded and released a solo album, Carl Wilson, composed largely of rock n’ roll songs co-written with Myrna Smith-Schilling, a former backing vocalist for Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, and wife of Wilson’s then-manager Jerry Schilling. Carl also undertook a solo tour to promote the album, becoming the first member of the Beach Boys to break ranks. Initially, Wilson and his band played clubs like The Bottom Line in New York City and the Roxy in Los Angeles. Thereafter, he joined the Doobie Brothers as opening act for their 1981 summer tour. This CD features the full show Carl and band performed at The Bottom Line on 13th April 1981, a performance recorded for live broadcast across the greater New York area. Featuring all eight tracks from the Carl Wilson album plus a gorgeous rendition of “Long Promised Road” from Surf’s Up, a rousing cover of Sam and Dave’s “I Thank You,” and a couple of numbers featuring Myrna Smith on lead vocals – including, curiously covers of Pat Benatar songs. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

PHILIP GLASS
The Symphonies (April 22, 2016)
Limited Edition Of 2,500 11CD Box Sets

INFO: This collection features conductor Dennis Russell Davies who has arranged the commission of nine of ten Glass symphonies, leading the orchestras over which he has presided during the past 15 years including the Bruckner Orchester Linz, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Basel, and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. This collection is the fruit of a 20 year collaboration between Glass and Davies and showcases a wide variety within this surprising body of work by Glass. Symphonies Nos. 1 Low (1992) is based on the music of David Bowie and Brian Eno and represents Glass’ first step into the history of symphonic writing. Symphony No. 4 Heroes (1996) is also based on the music of Bowie & Brian Eno and was created as a – symphonic ballet. Both are new recordings that were released individually by OMM in 2014 with the Sinfonieorchester Basel. Symphonies Nos. 2 (1994), No. 8 (2005), Symphony No. 9 (2012), and Symphony No. 10 (2012) are purely instrumental works for large orchestras. Symphony No.6 Plutonian Ode (2002) is based on Allen Ginsberg’s epic poem and features soprano Lauren Flanigan. The massive Symphony No.5 – Requiem, Bardo, Nirmanakaya (1999) is a choral symphony with an outstanding roster of soloists including Eric Owens, Denyce Graves and Ana Maria Martinez. Symphony No.7 – Toltec (2005) is a grand affair invoking the Toltec tradition of ancient Mesomerica. Preorder at Amazon, HERE.

The above is not a part of The Symphonies Box Set. It is a two-hour, January 29th, 2016 live webcast of the MIT Music and Theater Art’s “Orchestral Tribute to David Bowie”, from MIT, featuring Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 1, “Low” and Symphony No. 4, “Heroes.” Skip to 7:40 to get straight to the performance.

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