Author: Paul Sinclair

FIRST PICTURES / Paul Simon: The Complete Albums Collection

Posted on by Paul Sinclair
FIRST PICTURES / Paul Simon: The Complete Albums Collection
OUT TODAY – Paul Simon: The Complete Albums Collection box

Paul Simon‘s Complete Albums Collection box is released this week.

Here’s an exclusive look at this set which contains expanded versions of all Simon’s studio albums. 37 bonus tracks in total, although they’ve all been released before on past individual reissues.

The box itself has a soft almost rubber-like feel to it, very similar to the Michael Jackson Bad box from last year. Like Jackson’s reissue this also contains a hidden magnetic enclosure which secures the contents with a satisfying ‘click’.
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Grateful Dead / Sunshine Daydream

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Sunshine Daydream is a 4-disc set (click to enlarge)

In his notes on this 3CD+DVD celebration of the Grateful Dead‘s 1972 Sunshine Daydream concert in Veneta, Oregon in California, archivist David Lemieux explains that part of the reason it’s taken so long (41 years!) to release the Kesey Creamery benefit performance is that “we’ve never been interested in releasing just the music, because the film, with its images of the day, is so integral to the enjoyment of the event and to the understanding of the importance of this show”.

Never has a truer word been spoken. While the music sounds superb (mixed into 5.1 surround on the DVD) it’s the combination of the music and visuals that really excites. Continue reading “Grateful Dead / Sunshine Daydream”

The Doors / “R-Evolution” deluxe packaging and bonus details

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The Deluxe version comes in special book packaging

Here’s a look at the packaging for the deluxe blu-ray version of Eagle Rock’s The Doors R-Evolution release.

This release (also available on DVD) includes many video and film rarities include the band’s full performance on “Shebang”, an interview with Dick Clark, a colour version of the band’s appearance on “Malibu U” (and never before seen outtakes), the complete, colour version of Hello, I Love You from German TV and the director’s cut of the 1985 L.A. Woman short film.
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Leo Sayer / “Just A Box: The Complete Studio Recordings

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Edsel Records will release a new box set later this month featuring the work of singer and songwriter Leo Sayer.

Sayer is well remembered for his string of top ten hits in the UK in the 1970s, which included a pair of consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number ones, in You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and When I Need You.
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Sheryl Crow / Five Classic Albums

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This new Sheryl Crow album collection CD box set is released on 5 November 2013.

The five-disc set brings together every studio album the singer-songwriter has released in the 15-year period between 1993 and 2008, with the notable exception of her self titled second album. The albums in question are Tuesday Night Music Club (1993), The Globe Sessions (1998) C’mon C’mon (2002), Wildflower (2005) and Detours (2008).

Crow’s eighth studio album, Feels Like Home, was released at the beginning of September.

Stevie Wonder / Classic Album Selection 1972-1976

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classic album selection

The word ‘classic’ tends to be used rather loosely when record labels market ‘classic album selection’ box sets. Often these collections might feature one or two mildly successful records, padded out with less notable fair. Regularly the ‘blockbuster’ album is missing altogether.

Praise be then, for a set that truly lives up to the billing. This box has been previously available in some territories, but on 28 October 2013 Universal Music will issue a Stevie Wonder Classic Album Selection in the UK that contains a phenomenal run of albums that are rightfully regarded as some of the best records ever made. Within this set is Talking Book (1972), Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974) and the double album Songs In The Key Of Life (1976).
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The Vinyl Countdown: Best LP box sets for Autumn 2013

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With vinyl sales up 78% in 2013, according to Official Record Store Chart data, it’s no surprise that the big labels are all pushing out vinyl box sets this autumn.

Here is our pick of the best of the releases:

 The Eagles / "The Studio Albums 1972-1979" limited edition vinyl box

The Eagles: The Studio Albums 1972-1979 – 6LP box set

Limited to 5,000 sets, this Eagles box collects the six classic studio albums from the 1970s. Foil-blocked logo and artwork upgrades add a touch of class to this attractive looking collection. Read more
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Eric Clapton / Unplugged deluxe

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Eric Clapton / "Unplugged" 2CD+DVD remastered and expanded reissue

Eric Clapton’s 1992 album Unplugged, is to be reissued on 15 October as a 2CD+DVD expanded and remastered edition.

A bonus CD features six outtakes and alternate versions, while a DVD boasts a newly restored version of the original broadcast with more than an hour of previously unseen pre-show rehearsal. Check out the video below which serves as a great reminder of the Unplugged performance.

 

Giles Martin on working with Paul McCartney on his new album

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Producer Giles Martin, spoke yesterday evening about working with Paul McCartney on Macca’s forthcoming studio album New.

Martin (son of Beatle’s producer George Martin) has had a hand in the production of seven of the album’s 12 tracks (or nine out of 14 if you include the two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition) and in an intimate Q&A session in Central London, he revealed that he’d experimented with different recording devices including using the Beatles’ old four-track machine at Abbey Road and even capturing part of a vocal on an iPhone!
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The Velvet Underground: White Light / White Heat Super Deluxe

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For the second year in a row, a Velvet Underground Super Deluxe Edition will be available for purchase in the run up to Christmas.

In 2012 we had 1967’s The Velvet Underground & Nico (a six CD set) and this year the 1968 follow-up White Light / White Heat will be available as a three-disc deluxe package.
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Everything But The Girl / New deluxe reissues coming

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Edsel Records will release a second wave of Everything But The Girl reissues in November 2013.

The three deluxe editions will be The Language Of Life (1990), Worldwide and the Acoustic EPs, (1991-2) and Amplified Heart (1994).
Continue reading “Everything But The Girl / New deluxe reissues coming”

Out This Week / 7 October 2013

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The Band / Live At The Academy Of Music 1971 5-disc box set

The Band / Live at the Academy of Music  (deluxe set)

Two CDs of newly remixed Rock Of Ages audio, plus a further two discs of soundboard recordings of The Band‘s 1971 New Year’s Eve concert in full. As if that wasn’t enough a DVD adds 5.1 surround mixes and archive footage. Read more

The Kinks / Muswell Hillbillies deluxe edition

The Kinks / Muswell Hillbillies (deluxe edition)

The Kinks‘ 1971 album is issued as a deluxe edition with a second CD of demos, remixes and live tracks. Read more
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FIRST PICTURES: The Band / Live at the Academy of Music 1971 deluxe

Posted on by Paul Sinclair

FIRST PICTURES: The Band / Live at the Academy of Music 5-disc box set

The Band‘s 5-disc deluxe set Live at the Academy of Music 1971 is released today.

This edition features an expanded and fully remixed version of the original Rock Of Ages live album from 1972 (across two discs) and adds a couple more CDs which include the 1971 New Year’s Eve concert in its entirety. A DVD provides a 5.1 surround sound mix and has a couple of archival film clips from the 30 December performance.

It comes packaged in a wonderful ten-inch square hardcover book which exudes quality with a front cover that features embossed type and some special finishes.

As you will see from the video and photos below, this volume of full of evocative photos from those three nights at the end of 1971. Each of the five discs are securely housed in individual thick card pages at the back of the book.

FIRST PICTURES: The Band / Live at the Academy of Music 5-disc box set
Click to enlarge

FIRST PICTURES: The Band / Live at the Academy of Music 5-disc box set
Click to enlarge

More photos below:
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Morrissey / Autobiography

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It wouldn’t be a Morrissey project without some drama. For a time his autobiography was looking like it might not be released, when last month it emerged last month that the singer had had “a last minute content disagreement” with publishers Penguin.

Thankfully, the disagreement has now been resolved and Autobiography, as it is called, will be released on 17 October 2013.

Refreshingly, it’s straight out on paperback, at a reasonable price and utilises the classic Penguin book design (as well as the photo used for Morrissey’s 2008 Greatest Hits).

Autobiography covers Steven Patrick Morrissey’s life from his birth until the present day.

New book: “The Beatles: Solo”

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Biographers of individual Beatles are often guilty of focusing on the well told story of the Fab Four and then skipping over the period when the musician in question wasn’t a Beatle anymore –  the solo years.

So it is good to see that journalist Mat Snow has done the opposite and ignored the period where the boys were toppermost of the poppermost, in his new four-volume book set The Beatles Solo.
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Rolling Stones / “Summer Sun: Hyde Park” deluxe hits the USA

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A month after being announced, Sweet Summer Sun: Hyde Park Live, the celebration of The Rolling Stones‘ two 2013 summer gigs in central London’s most famous green space, has finally been made available to US and Canadian fans.

Not only that, Amazon in the US has most of the configurations available, including the T-shirt-and -DVD (pictured above) and the elusive ‘Deluxe Edition‘ (2CD+DVD+Blu-ray and book) which is still not available on Amazon UK.
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Suede Vinyl Collection price drop

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vinyl box

The 11xLP vinyl box set from Suede which was initially unavailable to US fans via Suede’s webstore, is not only is it now available to them via Amazon UK, but has actually dropped in price by 35%.

At the time of writing (and it will undoubtedly go back up soon) the price is £106. Even for UK buyers that undercuts the Suede store by £24. For US fans who get the VAT deducted that is a price of around £88 or $142. That is a great deal, considering the newly announced 8LP Jam vinyl box set is £132. The Suede box is also available on Amazon Germany, but the price isn’t really competitive.

The box contains all the band’s studio albums, but at least six pieces of vinyl inside this set could be classed as essential. They are Suede’s 1993 debut, the double LP that is follow-up Dog Man Star, the 3LP Sci-Fi Lullabies B-side collection and Coming Up.

Suede: The Vinyl collection is released on 21 October 2013.

The Jam / The Studio Recordings: 8LP career-spanning vinyl box

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Universal Music will release a limited edition Jam vinyl box set in November.

The Studio Recordings is an 8LP collection featuring remastered versions of all six studio albums on heavyweight vinyl, plus two special LPs of non-album singles and B-sides.

Within the rigid slipcase, next to the records, you will also find a 44-page hardback book (with an introduction by Paul Weller) full of period photographs and memorabilia. For the times when you can’t access your black vinyl, a download code for MP3s of all the tracks is included.

The Jam – The Studio Recordings vinyl box is out on 25 November 2013.

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Click to enlarge

Box set content:

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