American music lost one of its cornerstones today with the passing of Charlie Daniels at the age of 83. Though best known for his 1979 chart-topping hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," the country superstar's discography runs much deeper. The North Carolina native grew up listening to the country sounds coming out of Nashville's WSM, home of The Grand Ole Opry - unaware that he would one day be invited to join that esteemed body. He also devoured bluegrass, gospel, and rhythm and blues,
In Memoriam: Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)
In the spring of 2004, my junior year of high school, I enrolled in an elective that was split between Theatre Arts one semester and Analyzing Cinema the next. One of the more polarizing films shown in class was Sergio Leone's epic Western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - the class of 16 and 17-year-olds didn't entirely jibe with the lengthy takes, surreal logic (complete with characters surprised by events that couldn't be seen within the frame), or the score, which was firmly Western in terms
Dancing Again: What To Expect for Record Store Day’s RSD Drops Day 1, August 29
As the COVID 19 outbreak continues to impact our lives, it's heartening to know that some things are returning to some semblance of "normal," or as close as we can get to it during this unpredictable impasse. As we previously reported, Record Store Day has been split into three standalone "RSD Drop" days, occurring on August 29, September 26, and October 24. That's not the only thing changing this time around. It's been reported by Georgia-based shop Comeback Vinyl that the organization is
Summer Blessings: Super Picks for July’s Bandcamp Friday
The Bandcamp Friday train keeps rolling - a light in the darkness for music lovers if ever there was one! On March 20, as the COVID-19 pandemic was putting the world on pause, the indie music service waived their revenue share on all music and merch sold, allowing indie artists and labels a chance for some steadier income as concert tours began to halt. The event was a resounding success, and has been repeated on the first Fridays of May and June, with another on June 19 (a planned annual
Release Round-Up: Week of July 3
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Willie Nelson, First Rose of Spring (Legacy) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Willie Nelson's latest studio album emphasizes love and positivity at a time when we all need it most. First Rose of Spring features new Nelson originals co-written with producer and longtime associate Buddy Cannon, as well as new songs from Toby Keith and Chris Stapleton and covers such as "Yesterday When I Was Young." Available on CD, LP, and
Review: Whitney Houston, “Whitney Houston: 35th Anniversary Edition”
Whitney Houston wasn't yet 22 years old when Arista Records released her self-titled debut album on Valentine's Day, 1985. Overseen by executive producer Clive Davis, Whitney Houston anticipated every style the singer would explore in her subsequent discography. 35 years later, nearly every song is a recognized classic and a cornerstone of the late singer's career. Vinyl Me, Please, in association with Legacy Recordings and Arista, has just revisited Whitney Houston in a beautiful new 2-LP box
Life in the Fast Lane: Eagles’ “Live from The Forum” Airs This Sunday, Comes to CD, LP, DVD, BD
When Glenn Frey passed away in 2016, many wondered about the future of the Eagles. Happily, the band persevered and celebrated Frey's legacy with the addition of his son Deacon to the lineup as well as country superstar Vince Gill. This Sunday, ESPN will give fans a taste of the "new" Eagles with the broadcast of Live from The Forum MMXVIII. The special is culled from three performances at Inglewood, California's Forum on September 12, 14, and 15, 2018 during the band's North American tour.
High Time: Grateful Dead Release Over Two and a Half Hours of “Workingman’s Dead” Sessions In Advance of CD, LP Reissues
One week from Friday - July 10 - Rhino will team with Grateful Dead to release the latest titles in the band's rolling 50th anniversary celebration. 1970's Americana classic Workingman's Dead arrives that day as a 3-CD set featuring the remastered original album and a previously unreleased concert; and also as a limited edition picture disc vinyl LP with just the remastered album. Today, in anticipation of that reissue, the Dead has announced a digital streaming exclusive sure to whet the
This is Heavy: Mondo Reissues ‘Back To The Future’ Album With Unused Art
On July 3, 1985, mass audiences got to take a trip Back To The Future thanks to the year's top-grossing film. For its 35th anniversary, the film and music fans at Mondo are bringing the film's classic soundtrack back to vinyl with a cool twist: an unused piece of front cover artwork courtesy of the series' beloved poster artist. Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale's time-travel fantasy found Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), an average California teen in 1985, accidentally transported 30 years into the
I’ve Been Waiting: Little Steven Announces All-Encompassing CD/DVD Box Set
Last year, Steven Van Zandt looked back on his solo discography with an impressive 6LP/4CD box set. Rock 'n Roll Rebel: The Early Work collected six albums on vinyl and added four CDs of bonus material, adding up to a definitive look at a powerful and politically-charged body of work. Earlier this year, the versatile E Street Band guitarist/Sopranos and Lilyhammer actor/Disciples of Soul bandleader began issuing Bob Ludwig's remastered versions of all six original albums on CD, three of them
All The Madmen: New David Bowie Live Album “Ouvrez Le Chien: Live Dallas 95” Due Friday
A new live album has been announced from the late David Bowie, due out this Friday - July 3 - across digital platforms: Ouvrez Le Chien: Live Dallas 95. The album features previously unreleased performances from the October 14, 1995 stop on Bowie's Outside Tour, which also featured Nine Inch Nails. While none of the songs that NIN performed with Bowie that night are included here, the track listing features a number of deep cuts and fan favorites from across his career - including "Andy
Oops! Legacy Recordings Reissues Britney Spears’ “Oops!…I Did It Again,” Releases Remixes and Rarities EP for 20th Anniversary
Britney Spears' 2000 sophomore album Oops!...I Did It Again celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this month. To mark the occasion, Jive Records and Legacy Recordings have planned three new editions for later this year. A commemorative vinyl picture disc will be available at all retail outlets, while Urban Outfitters will carry two exclusive releases: a limited edition clear vinyl release with purple and gold swirl; and a limited edition cassette with purple shell and gold ink. All three hit
With Every Beat of My Heart: Cherry Pop Reissues, Expands Laura Branigan’s “Self Control”
Laura Branigan became an overnight sensation with the release of 1982's "Gloria." Her throbbing adaptation of Umberto Tozzi's Italian hit not only reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (held from the top spot by Lionel Richie's "Truly") but spent 36 weeks on the chart, establishing a new record for a solo female artist. A dance party anthem for a post-disco age, "Gloria" helped propel the singer's debut album, Branigan, to top 40 status and a Gold sales certification. It set the stage for
Let’s Get To The Point: Tom Petty’s Demo for “You Don’t Know How It Feels” Released, ‘Wildflowers’ Retrospective On the Way
In the years since Tom Petty released his landmark Wildflowers album, much has been said about the Rick Rubin-helmed sessions and how much unreleased material was left behind as the album evolved. Petty originally had enough songs to release Wildflowers as a double-album - reportedly with at least 26 songs - but was persuaded against it. In 2015, he released a preview track, "Somewhere Under Heaven," for the release provisionally entitled Wildflowers: All The Rest. But the collection was
No Choice But To Hear You: Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” Celebrates 25th Anniversary With Digital Offerings, Including New Deluxe Edition of Album
June 13 marked the 25th anniversary of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. In celebration, Morissette and Rhino Records are unveiling several digital offerings, the centerpiece of which is a new deluxe edition, pairing the original album with a concert from March of this year, available today. Alanis Morissette's first two albums did not indicate the direction her music would take for her biggest smash record. Released on MCA in her native Canada, 1991's Alanis and 1992's Now is the Time
Release Round-Up: Week of June 26
Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up! Johnny Cash, The Complete Mercury Recordings 1986-1991 (Mercury/UMe) 7CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 7LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada The Complete Mercury Recordings 1986-1991 will be available on 7CD or 7LP, 180-gram vinyl formats. The box collects all six albums Johnny Cash recorded for Mercury Records during that era: Class Of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming with Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Carl
Before The Beginning: Fleetwood Mac’s “Then Play On” Receives “Celebration” Editions on CD and LP This September
On September 18, nearly 51 years to the day from its original release, Fleetwood Mac's third album, Then Play On, will be reissued on BMG on CD and half-speed mastered 2-LP in a special "Celebration Edition." And as far as Fleetwood Mac albums go, this one is certainly worth celebrating. On Then Play On, the band steers away from the straight-ahead blues covers that dominated their earlier albums. The band's lineup was also in transition - one of many such changes the Mac would see in its 50+
Soundtrack Watch: Quartet’s New “Thing,” Varese Dives Deep with “SeaQuest DSV” and “The Running Man”
A new remaster of a classic soundtrack album and two new expansions are on display in our latest soundtrack-round-up. For the first time in nearly 40 years, Quartet Records is remastering Ennio Morricone's score to John Carpenter's sci-fi classic The Thing. An adaptation of the John W. Campbell Jr. short story Who Goes There? (first filmed as 1951's The Thing From Another World), The Thing features an ensemble cast portraying researchers at an Antarctic outpost who encounter an alien creature
Color Me Taken Aback: Prince’s ‘Sign “O” The Times’ Set For Expanded Box Set
It's one of the most acclaimed albums of all time by one of the most beloved musicians of the 20th century - and now, it's getting the deluxe treatment. Prince's 1987 masterpiece Sign "O" The Times will be remastered and reissued by Warner Records on September 25, kicking off 2020's box set season with considerable style. It'll be available in multiple formats: newly remastered double CD or double vinyl, a 3CD or 4LP set that includes all the original B-sides and single mixes, and a massive
Sony, Legacy Introduce “Iconic Music Backgrounds” to Enliven Video Conferencing
In this pandemic age, we've all had to adapt in one way or another. Remember when zoom was just an onomatopoeia? For countless workers, daily office environments have been replaced by video conferences; the same ubiquitous technology has also replaced in-person get-togethers for schooling and socialization, and features on television news, talk, and even competition/variety shows. Sony Music has found a way to inject a bit of musicality into these video calls with Iconic Music
Review: The Iron City Houserockers, “Have a Good Time But…Get Out Alive!” [40th Anniversary Edition]
With apologies to John Lennon, Joe Grushecky is a working-class hero. A special education teacher by day and musician by night, Grushecky has worked for decades in inner-city Pittsburgh to help children battling severe developmental, emotional, and physical disabilities. Determination, grit, and authenticity have long been among his trademarks as an artist. Now, Cleveland International Records has reissued his sophomore album, recorded with his band The Iron City Houserockers, in a 2-CD or 2-LP
Dreamsville: Andy Williams’ “Cadence Albums” Box Available Now from Edsel
Though born in the small town of Wall Lake, Iowa, Howard Andrew Williams always had his sight on the stars. From a young age, he sang with his older brothers Bob, Don, and Dick - first in church, then on local radio. While their father was a railroad worker, he encouraged his sons' showbiz dreams as they "graduated" on the airwaves from Des Moines to Chicago to Cincinnati. It wasn't long before word reached Hollywood of the brothers' potential, and upon moving there in 1943, they were rewarded
Standing Room Only: Barbara Mandrell Looks Back on New Retrospective, Releases Dance Remix of Classic Hit
Barbara Mandrell wasn't yet 27 years old, but she had already spent a lifetime in music when she signed to ABC/Dot Records in 1975. The Houston native was born into a musical family, and was playing accordion by the age of five. By ten, the precocious talent had mastered the steel guitar, and one year later, she began appearing on the famed Town Hall Party television show. Throughout high school, she entertained military audiences as a member of The Mandrell Family. A subsequent, impromptu
It’s Getting Better: Cherry Red Reissues Kevin Rowland’s Cult Classic “My Beauty”
Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners released his first solo album, The Wanderer, in 1988 - three years after the band's third studio album (and final one for 27 years). But after The Wanderer, Rowland walked away from the music biz altogether. He returned in 1999 with My Beauty, but the record itself was overshadowed by its striking cover depicting a semi-disrobed Rowland in a dress, stockings, and makeup, with a feather boa slung over the dressing screen. Now, over two decades later, the
Juntos: Real Gone Preps Reissues of Airto’s Sophomore Album and Errol Dunkley’s Roots Reggae Classic “Darling Ooh!”
July 31 is sure to be a crate-digger's delight as Real Gone Music is set to release color vinyl reissues of two jazz and reggae classics: Airto's Seeds on the Ground: The Natural Sounds of Airto and Errol Dunkley's roots classic Darling Ooh! Seeds on the Ground was percussion master Airto's second album and his final release on Buddah. Following sessions with the likes of Miles Davis, Paul Desmond, Wayne Shorter, and Astrud Gilberto, Airto began a solo career that often found him
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