Rolling Reissues 2022

I've never heard any version of it, but I remember reading that the previous re-release of Flying Doesn't Help was remixed or fiddled with in some way from the original. I wonder what version is coming out on Drag City.

Occupying its own hinterland within Scandinavia's early 80s electronic/ progressive movements, ‘Mindgames’ navigates a lifetime of musical and personal exploration by Sjunne Ferger.

Child jazz drummer prodigy, arts venue operator, music teacher and Aikido practitioner, a bewildering array of personal & creative influences are distilled into the Örebro native’s only long player. Written around a new wave context, his own jazz fusion roots and at times with an unintentionally balearic outcome, Sjunne goes some way to conjuring up a singular sounding album of the time.

Narratives of love and loss, calls to self-empowerment and mindfulness, the new age zeal throughout follows Sjunne’s own awakening. Its music caught in meditative reflection one mo-ment before propelling into ecstatic revelation the next, with Sjunne’s collective ‘Exit’ providing electric backing throughout. Propelled by the Drummer’s beat, its hard not to be caught up with Sjunne’s personal vision of a ‘Polymood Music’

Painstakingly transferred and fully remastered from the original tapes, with new liner notes and photography in the vinyl edition. Mindgames follows Strangelove’s previous issue of Sjunne’s early singles and soundtrack work on “Childrens Mind” (SL106)

https://sjunneferger.bandcamp.com/

Brown Acid series of rare 60s-70s pre-metal singles shares new track from Fourteenth Trip
Popular compilation series curated by RidingEasy Records & Permanent Records
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSXfrGOA12E

"So rare that diehard fuzz junkies say you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a physical 45 rpm single by one of the bands featured on their latest installment." -- Dangerous Minds

"Will do for hard rock, proto-metal and heavy psych what Nuggets did for garage rock, and bring it to a wider audience of collectors and music fans." -- The Guardian

"Mining the surprising rich reserves of heavy rock and proto-metal from the '60s and '70s, these collections have been crucial to understanding the history of a subgenre of rock that had far deeper roots than most fans realize." -- Paste Magazine

The forthcoming latest edition of the popular compilation series featuring long-lost vintage 60s-70s proto-metal and stoner rock singles, Brown Acid: The Fourteenth Trip will be released April 20th, 2022. The latest single "Play It Cool" by Transfer is available to hear & share via Bandcamp and YouTube.

Metal Injection recently launched the 1969 raging lead track "Fever Games" by The Legends HERE. (Direct YouTube.) Ultimate Classic Rock recently hosted Mijal & White's "I've Been You" HERE.

The Brown Acid series is curated by L.A. label RidingEasy Records and retailer/label Permanent Records.

About the Brown Acid series:

Some of the best thrills of the Internet music revolution is the ability to find extremely rare music with great ease. But even with such vast archives to draw from, quite a lot of great songs have gone undiscovered for nearly half a century -- particularly in genres that lacked hifalutin arty pretense. Previously, only the most extremely dedicated and passionate record collectors had the stamina and prowess to hunt down long forgotten wonders in dusty record bins -- often hoarding them in private collections, or selling at ridiculous collector's prices. Legendary compilations like Nuggets, Pebbles, ad nauseum, have exhausted the mines of early garage rock and proto-punk, keeping alive a large cross-section of underground ephemera. However, few have delved into and expertly archived the wealth of proto-metal, pre-stoner rock tracks collected on Brown Acid.

Lance Barresi, owner of L.A.-based Permanent Records and the Permanent Records Roadhouse has shown incredible persistence in tracking down a stellar collection of rare singles from the 60s and 70s for the growing compilation series. Partnered with Daniel Hall of RidingEasy Records, the two have assembled a selection of songs that's hard to believe have remained unheard for so long.

"I essentially go through hell and high water just to find these records," Barresi says. "Once I find a record worthy of tracking, I begin the (sometimes) extremely arduous process of contacting the band members and encouraging them to take part. Daniel and I agree that licensing all the tracks we're using for Brown Acid is best for everyone involved," rather than simply bootlegging the tracks. When all of the bands and labels haven't existed for 30-40 years or more, tracking down the creators gives all of these tunes a real second chance at success.

"There's a long list of songs that we'd love to include," Barresi says. "But we just can't track the bands down. I like the idea that Brown Acid is getting so much attention, so people might reach out to us."

Brown Acid: The Fourteenth Trip will be available everywhere on LP, CD and download on April 20, 2022 via RidingEasy Records. Pre-orders are available for digital at Bandcamp, physical pre-orders at RidingEasy Records.
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Brown Acid: The Fourteenth Trip
Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: April 20th, 2022

01. The Legends “Fever Games”
02. Mijal & White “I’ve Been You”
03. Liquid Blue “Henry Can’t Drive”
04. San Francisco Trolley Co. “Signs”
05. Blue Creed “Need A Friend”
06. Transfer “Play It Cool”
07. Appletree “You’re Not The Only Girl (I’m Out To Get)”
08. Cox’s Army “I’m Tired”
09. Raven “Raven Mad Jam”

Numero's Ohio Soul Bundle:

Includes 1 copy of the Soul Music of Ohio book, 1 color vinyl copy of each: Hot Chocolate Self-Titled, Lou Ragland Is The Conveyor, The Ponderosa Twins Plus One and a special bonus unreleased, unknown Ohio Soul white label 7". The 7" is only available as part of this bundle while supplies last.

L7 is doing a reunion tour this year---

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0447/6964/0599/files/L7_Bricks_Tour_2022_600x.jpg?v=1649867378

Licorice Pizza is proud to announce as its first vinyl release a special reissue marking the 30th anniversary of L7's seminal third album, Bricks Are Heavy. Originally debuting at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekerschart, the album’s 11 tracks are digitally remastered by Howie Weinberg(Ramones, Pixies, Metallica). Produced by Butch Vig(Nirvana, Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins), this limited editionrelease will be available with luxurious packaging on both gold and black vinylwith rare artifacts from the archive.

With an effortless blend of punk ethos, heavy grunge, socio-political anthems and humor, L7 is often associated with Seattle Grunge, even though they are from Los Angeles. L7’s vocalist/guitarist Donita Sparks says, “We are going to pull out all the stops for this release. Together with Licorice Pizza, this is going to be one tasty treat.”

L7’s heavy, but catchy guitar riffs are especially highlighted on the songs “Wargasm”, “Slide”, and “Everglade”. The group emphasized their feminist and Riot Grrrl side with “This Ain't Pleasure” and “Diet Pill”. Fan favorite “Shitlist” was famously featured in Natural Born Killers. Named by Rolling Stone as among the “Essential Recordings of the 1990s” and one of SPIN’s “300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985-2014),” Bricks Are Heavy is a landmark album of '90s rock.

Omnivore's Muffs demos have often been revelatory:

Limited Edition vinyl honoring the wonderful Kim Shattuck available this Saturday for @recordstoreday pic.twitter.com/jmTOGd0bjo

— Omnivore Recordings (@OmnivoreRecords) April 19, 2022

Dunno what "New Improved" means, though...

O Numero, so weirdo:

[VINYL] Bedhead: Transaction De Novo

Bedhead's third and final album, 1998’s Transaction De Novo finds the band destroying the sound it helped forge. No longer concerned with loud and quiet, the quintet uses distortion at its leisure. Tempos increase at will, chasing wave after wave with no break in sight. Desert-dry guitars jangle along, nearly jaunty at times, journeying through songs with no chorus or bridge. Steve Albini’s masterful ear keeps the entire 37-minute affair clean, giving Matt Kadane’s vocals the chance to creep above near-mumble. Repressed onto gold vinyl.

Sophomore effort from the Wichita, Texas, slowcore masters. Originally issued in 1996 on King Coffey’s Trance Syndicate label, Beheaded is a dark and brooding affair. The braided, triple guitar attack of brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane and Tench Coxe is more reflective than bracing, each note simultaneously sustaining and building. The rhythm section of drummer Trini Martinez and bassist Kris Wheat breath effortlessly along, anxious only for more space.

Their shambolic 1994 debut, remastered from the original tapes and presented in lavish, gatefold form. A mix of restrained loud and purposeful quiet, WhatFunLifeWas’s eleven tracks unfold at a marathon runner’s pace, picking up speed when necessary, but its eye on completing a personal race. Singer Matt Kadane’s soft, semi-drawl is buried in the mix, letting brother Bubba and Tench Coxe’s guitars weave cleanly around drummer Trini Martinez’s all-ride-all-the-time timekeeping.

New Release: Studio One Women Vol. 2 feat. Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley, Hortense Ellis and more
https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/ajh0Z0RkQmJCRVBlS0EvMnFkUlFXdz09/sjr-lp502-studio-one-women-2-lp-gatefold-sleeve.jpg

Brand new selection of rare and classic releases made at Studio One by reggae's leading women! Featuring legendary artists such as Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Hortense Ellis (with a guest appearance by her brother Alton), alongside a host of rarities from lesser known names such as Nina Soul, Nana Mclean, Denise Darlington, Myrna Hague and also Doreen Schaeffer - vocalist and founding member of The Skatalites!

Featured here are some notable cover versions - from Tyrone Davis’ soul classic 'Can I Change My Mind' to the Byrds' 60s psychedelic anthemic 'Turn Turn Turn' in a rub-a-dub style!. Doreen Schaeffer versions Alton Ellis’s seminal 'I’m Still in Love with You', Nina Soul versions the slack rocksteady anthem 'Barb Wire'.

Many of these tracks are almost impossible to find and many have never been issued ever since their initial release. The music on the album is - of course - 100% killer and features backing from all of the seminal groups at 13 Brentford Road including The Skatalites, Sound Dimension, Soul Brothers and the Brentford All Stars, and ranges from ska, rocksteady, roots, lovers and more from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

All produced by Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd at Studio One Records, the number one sound in reggae music.

The album is released on Soul Jazz Records as a double-vinyl with gatefold sleeve, download code, the CD comes in slipcase and both come with extensive sleevenotes.

More info, audio:
https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/sjr/product/studio-one-women-2_2

Saw news of "a proper reissue" of Minnie Riperton's Come to My Garden from a label called Soulgramma. I understand this album has a history of problematic releases; it would be nice if "proper" means "from the master tapes" but if it were they would probably say so in the press release.

Would like to hear that; album-wise, I only know her with Rotary Connection on YouTube, which I should def listen to some more.

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN FOLKS, The Spring Cleaning Sale is here! Save up to 40% off select vinyl from Light In The Attic and our huge family of distro labels, with records from Jim Sullivan, Hosono, Goblin, Dilla, and more! Don't miss this one!https://t.co/b7YVYg9UDn pic.twitter.com/PWnsWxAZJK

— Light In The Attic (@lightintheattic) April 21, 2022

Not much off on this one, but I didn't know of its existence and yep Japanese Ghost (DC has several others, maybe all, incl reissue of the one w Damon and Naomi, and still got my gateway, Hypnotic Underworld):

ITEM OF THE WEEKEND

Drag City's ITEM OF THE DAY program provides an amazing insider discount on a different Drag City release each day, exclusively for mail order customers! Every one of your favorite Drag City artists is eligible: it's up to our tireless selection committee, using a complex series of algorithms to pick a new one every 24 hours!

Friday items hang out all weekend long and this weekend's item is Ghost's DVD+CD, Metamorphosis: Ghost Chronicles 1984-2004. This DVD boasts unreleased early material, live footage and rare archival jams from the Japanese band Ghost.

onnecting Wasulu hunter music, griot praises, Senufo pastoral dances, Fula and Mandingo repertoire alongside Western psychedelia, blues and afro-beat, Zani Diabaté’s Super Djata Band de Bamako was among Mali’s top orchestras by the late 1970’s well into the mid-1980’s. Tracked live inside Radio Mali’s raw but inspiring studio in January 1982, En Super Forme was briefly available via Côte d'Ivoire’s Musique Mondiale imprint. The album centers around Diabaté and his electric guitar’s pyrotechnics, a relentless shredder that stands shoulder to shoulder with Mali’s fingerstyle gods Ali Farka Touré and Rail Band's legendary Djelimady Tounkara.

* Expected to ship first week of June *

Volta Jazz: Air Volta
From the landlocked tropical savanna of Upper Volta, an ever-evolving cast of musicians brought the world’s rhythms to the streets of their native Bobo-Dioulasso. Combining Congolese rhumba, American R&B, French yé-yé, Cuban son, and regional Senufo and Mandingo traditions, Orchestre Volta Jazz was at the epicenter of the West African musical explosion of the ’60s and ’70s. Air Volta compiles nine original songs originally issued on the Disques France-Afrique and Sonafric labels, a peerless primer of a group that turned the brutality of colonialism into something beautiful and enduring.

“Boisterous and simmering in equal measure.”—Pitchfork

“Infectious and filled with joy.”—The New Yorker

Air Volta and En Super Forme Vol. 1 are expected to ship the first week of June.

Also Numero, but so far the link is just showing cover art.

Also, Numero would like us to know:

From doo-wop to disco to funk, our Eccentric playlists are now all in one place. Follow Eccentric Soul on Spotify to satiate all of your soul music cravings. And to kick things off, we created the long-overdue Eccentric Motown playlist, featuring Numero mainstays like Penny & The Quarters, The Georgettes, and Curtis Liggins Indications, as well as some bigger names synonymous with the venerable Detroit label.

This announcement gave me a much-needed laugh this afternoon.

Al Stewart “The Admiralty Lights” 50CD Box Set – The Definitive Collection From Legendary Singer-Songwriter Now Available For Pre-order

Released by Madfish on June 3, 2022

Al Stewart’s sixty-year career in music has made him one of the most successful folk-rock artists the British Isles have ever produced. “The Admiralty Lights” shines a light on how a Glasgow born Skiffle-mad kid conquered the world.

Lights is the new career spanning, definitive collection of Al Stewart’s work. Comprising 50 discs, this astounding set follows the legendary singer-songwriter from humble beginnings in 1964, to global stardom in the ‘70s, through to his most recent recordings in 2009.

The new deluxe box set features Al’s complete original run of 21 studio albums which have been remastered from the original tape transfers, housed in original sleeves and lovingly presented in deluxe LP style jackets. Also included are 18 discs featuring never-before-heard live concert recordings from 1970 to 2009, 3 discs of rare BBC Sessions from 1965 - 1972 and 8 discs of Demos, Outtakes and Rarities, offering a rare inside look into Mr Stewart’s world.

Studio album pick-outs include the 1967 debut “Bedsitter Images” with its Dylan influences, the follow up “Love Chronicles” (1969) which saw Stewart backed by Fairport Convention alongside appearances from Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, and 1973’s “Present & Future” featuring guest slots from Rick Wakeman and Queen’s Roger Taylor. Then came the celebrated Alan Parsons years, commencing with “Modern Times” (1975) which in turn sowed the seeds for its magnificent follow up, the perennial classic “Year of the Cat” (1976) before concluding with 1978’s “Time Passages.” Another inclusion in the pantheon of distinguished Al Stewart studio albums is the highly acclaimed 2005 release “A Beach Full Of Shells,” a wonderful listening experience featuring 13 songs full of the dream-like, poetic lyrical wordplay that has become the singer-songwriter’s hallmark.

The collection also includes over 300 previously unheard tracks recorded from 1964, showcasing a young Al as he made his start, through to 2008.

A beautiful 160-page hardback coffee table book is at the center of this spectacular package, featuring comprehensive liner notes from author and Al Stewart expert Neville Judd and previously unseen photographs, flyers and ephemera from across his illustrious career. Vigilant fans will recognize the masterful touch of Colin Elgie, who has provided a visually striking original illustration for the outer box cover, having previously collaborated with Al on his “Year of the Cat” album.

Rounding off this smorgasbord of Al Stewart delights is a “Year of the Cat” print, individually signed by Colin Elgie, three posters and a 24 page Collectors’ Book, detailing all of the rare recordings in the set.

Contents:
• 21 Discs of Newly Remastered Studio Albums
• 18 Discs of Live Recordings
• 3 Discs of BBC Sessions from 1965 - 1972
• 8 Discs of Demos, Outtakes and Rarities from 1964 - 2008
• 160 Page Hardback Coffee Table Book featuring Comprehensive Liner Notes, and In Depth Interview with Al Stewart and Rare Photographs, Memorabilia and Ephemera
• 24 Page Collectors’ Book detailing all the Rare Recordings in the set
• “Year of the Cat” Print individually signed by Colin Elgie
• “Last Days of the Century” Poster

This is a person who had two hits roughly 50 years ago. 50 CDs? 18 of them live? "Man, I really didn't think he was gonna play 'Year of the Cat' on this one, but then — bam! Set closer!"

There's a golden ticket promotion wherein the winner gets to have Al himself move into their home for six months.

Has there been another box set more expensive than this one, prior to inflated discogs prices? Would be interested in hearing the unreleased tracks but $650 can still buy a few tanks of gas in Canada.

that's hilarious

he does have at least a handful of class studio albums to be fair

also for some reason his material his been difficult to come by on streaming services

Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers) Announces Reissue of Debut LP, Shares "Speedo Man" Bonus Single + Video via Brooklyn Vegan

The History of Dogs Reissue LP Out 6/17

2xLP with Born Stupid LP Available for Pre-Order Now via Shimmy-Disc/Joyful Noise

NEU! Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Self-titled Debut with NEU! 50! Box Set,
Out September 23rd via Grönland Records

Featuring Reworks by The National, Idles, Man Man, Mogwai, Guerilla Toss & More

NEU! Picture Disc and Cassette Available June 17th

Watch “Hallogallo (Stephen Morris and Gabe Gurnsey Remix)” Visualizer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sqH2QTMPdQ

ALT!

(j/k)

ALT!

(j/k)

yeah, they should do t-shirts in the usual style for us olds.

in fact
your terrible ideas

Numero:

It was six years ago that we assigned the catalog number 070 to the band Blondie. I’d just returned from Chris Stein’s Woodstock estate where the band’s historic recording archive sat under a blanket of dust and mouse excrement and knew we were onto the next great Numero box set. Over the ensuing years, the project has taken many shapes, growing from a humble set of four LPs to the massive Super Deluxe Edition 10xLP+10”+45+2 books boxset we’re pleased to announce today.

Blondie: Against The Odds 1974-1982 gathers the original line-up’s six albums, including Blondie, Plastic Letters, Parallel Lines, Eat To The Beat, Autoamerican, and The Hunter, four additional LPs of session outtakes, B-sides, and demos, a 10” with the 1975 Alan Betrock demo and a previously unissued 1974 rehearsal tape, and a 45 rpm single featuring their rumored-to-exist cover of the Doors’ “Moonlight Drive” and the at-home sketch of “Mr. Sightseer”—a whopping 124 studio tracks. Erin Osmon’s liner notes tell the group’s story in exacting detail, with session commentary from Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, Jimmy Destri, Frank Infante, Nigel Harrison, and Gary Valentine, and essays from producers Richard Gottehrer and Mike Chapman all housed in a glorious foil-wrapped, 144-page, hard cover book. A second 120-page volume gives a discographical overview of the period via hundreds of pic sleeves, 45 labels, international sleeve variants, flexis, cassettes, and even 8-tracks. This behemoth of a box set weighs 17 pounds and is hands down the most in depth physical release we’ve manifested in our 19 year history.

But after six years of production, we knew we couldn’t stop there. We’ve built not one, but four configurations across five variants, including an eight CD box featuring replicas of all six studio albums and an additional two discs of extras (124 songs total) plus a 128-page hard cover book and slipcase; a four LP edition with all 52 bonus tracks nestled against a 128-page hard cover book and tucked inside a foil-wrapped slipcase; and finally a three CD edition with all 52 bonus tracks and a 164-page hard cover mini-book housed in a sturdy slipcase. All 124 tracks have been remastered from the original analogue tapes and the vinyl lacquered at Abbey Road and pressed on high quality 180 gram virgin wax. Each one is a stunning work craftsmanship that the band and Numero have agonized endlessly over these six long years.
...To recap, the set is available in 4 different configurations.
Super Deluxe Edition (Available in Black or Platinum Blonde Color Vinyl, Limited to 500 Copies)
6 Remastered Studio Albums (Blondie, Plastic Letters, Parallel Lines, Eat To The Beat, Autoamerican, The Hunter)
4 LPs of Bonus Material (Plaza Sound, Parallel Beats, Coca Cola, Home Tapes)
Unreleased 7" - Moonlight Drive b/w Mr. Sightseer
10" Out-takes & rarities (Out In The Streets)
144-page, hard cover liner note book.
120-page photographic discography of the entire period.
Check the unboxing video here.

Deluxe Edition (Black Vinyl)
4 LPs of Bonus Material (Plaza Sound, Parallel Beats, Coca Cola, Home Tapes)
128-page Hard Cover Liner Note book + Slipcase

Deluxe 8 CD Edition
CD Album Replicas of all six studio albums
2 additional discs full of the bonus extras
Full Size 128-page hard cover book and slipcase

3 CD Edition
3 CDs including 52 bonus tracks
164-page hard cover mini-book housed in a sturdy slipcase.

3 CD Edition
3 CDs including 52 bonus tracks
164-page hard cover mini-book housed in a sturdy slipcase.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5XEwmpHppU

Release date: Aug. 26.

SQUALLS - LIVE FROM THE 40 WATT [SIGNED CD]/[SIGNED COLOR VINYL]

This title is a pre-order. Purchased items will ship on or before 8/19/22.
(CD Digiwallet)
(140g turquoise color vinyl
12", 2-LP)

Squalls were a band who came from the same rich Athens, GA scene as The B-52’s, Pylon, R.E.M., and Love Tractor, but played their own brand of quirky pop with their own unique sound. Equal parts Lovin’ Spoonful, Grateful Dead and Talking Heads, they got many a person up on the dance floor. From 1981 to 1989, Squalls rocked Athens and made several tours of the South, the Midwest, and East coast cities including several shows at New York City clubs CBGB, Danceteria, and Peppermint Lounge. They released 4 recordings and were included in the 1986 movie Athens, GA: Inside/Out. The band also played at the legendary Athens 40 Watt Club 64 times during their heyday.

Squalls Live from the 40 Watt is a collection of 24 tracks recorded by 40 Watt Club soundman, T. Patton Biddle, and selected from five early 1980s shows.

Live from the 40 Watt is set for release on August 19, 2022 via Strolling Bones Records.

TRACKLIST:

Bride of Frankenstein
Catholic Girls
The Prince of Wails
Ellie Dee
Relax
Cindy
Na Nanana
Pop Roots
Waltzing Mathilda
Information
Crickets
Snowman
Dancing Example
Satellite
Tell Me Now
Unrelated Happenings
Kathy
The Sheik
Kalinka
S.P.Q.R.
Strolling Bones
Modern World
What You Get
Elephant Radio

I’d just returned from Chris Stein’s Woodstock estate where the band’s historic recording archive sat under a blanket of dust and mouse excrement and knew we were onto the next great Numero box set.

tis details like this that make me absolutely full of 'huh, wtf !!' moments.
blondie were on a major label, had massive success, and yet its down to a crew like numero to give them the full on love treatment via a persoanlly kept archive.
no special storage system, nah.
then again, perhaps chris had it right given what happened a few years back in which whole bands archives were destroyed in a fire.

Joint release w UMe, but looks like Numero (and Blondie) did all the work, according to the press release.

Speaking of the great fire, wiki's Voivod incl. this:

The master tapes for Voivod's MCA-era albums were long thought to have been destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire; this was later disputed by Blacky, who revealed in late 2019 that the master tapes for Nothingface, Angel Rat and The Outer Limits were located in a facility in Pennsylvania, after persistently questioning Universal staff, and claimed that they are now in his possession.[25][26]

Joint release w UMe, but looks like Numero (and Blondie) did all the work, according to the press release.

― dow,

my point remains.
chris was canny in keeping all he could albeit under layers of dust and suchlike.
a band like Blondie needed an archivist,
i am glad that Chris realised to put aside such detritus for future generations.

I've been really digging this archival release of obscure electro-minimalist composer John McGuire's Pulse Music that came out on Unseen Worlds a couple months ago:

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a2662610761_10.jpg

https://unseenworlds.bandcamp.com/album/pulse-music

All the references to serialism in the press materials primed me to expect a grey, atonal wash, but it's more like he applied serialism's rigorous mathematical principles of organization to the technicolor tonal palette of American minimalists like Reich, Riley, and Glass. So most of it is beautiful, extremely detailed, neon-textured computer music that's both easy on the ears and rhythmically complex, "Pulse Music III" being the standout for me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuV-Le3q4bg

New to me, thanks, J.Sam!

JUNE 17, 2022 (Los Angeles, CA) — Following the widely celebrated release of From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 1), the second volume of NAT KING COLE’s rarest tracks is joining the digital age today, June 17th, to celebrate Juneteenth and Father’s Day (both on June 19th). Cole’s smooth and engaging voice, inhabiting some of the greatest love songs, typified its era and proves everlasting in 2022 on From The Capitol Vaults (Vol.2). Listen HERE.

This second collection of 14 tracks explores more of the hidden gems in his illustrious catalog. Comprised of songs from his most prolific period between 1953 to 1959, a span that saw the legendary jazz/pop performer release hits that sold millions and, in 1956, he became the first Black entertainer to host a national network variety television show, NBC’s “Nat King Cole Show.”

Cole’s effervescent swing and moonlit balladry propelled him to the forefront of the most iconic performers ever to emerge from the jazz/pop sphere. Even the most casual music listeners probably know one or two hits by memory — such is his ageless appeal — but From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 2) is for those interested in the deeper reaches of his vast and immersive catalog. With such memorable and classic tracks as “For A Moment Of Your Love,” “Something Happens To Me,” and “You Are My First Love,” which was the B-side to his hit single “Ballerina,” the collection contains collaborations with some of the best in the business, including composers Irving Berlin, Jimmy Van Heusen, and Jack Segal and arrangers Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins. All but one of the tracks is currently unavailable digitally.

In addition to the first volume of the From the Capitol Vaults series, Capitol/UMe recently released A Sentimental Christmas with Nat King Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Re-imagined. Taking its lead from “Unforgettable,” the 1991 GRAMMY award-winning virtual duet with his daughter Natalie Cole,” the holiday album weaves Nat’s distinctive and beautifully restored vocals with new arrangements and contemporary artists, creating unique duets of holiday classics.

Cole should still be with us by all rights, but he passed away in 1965 at just 45 years old. As an icon from the bygone Swing Era and Jazz Age, this volume is a great way to revisit and enjoy the Cole tracks that permeate our culture. But when it comes to American geniuses like him, digging a little deeper now and again is always an excellent idea.

From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 2) (2022)

Why Can't We Try Again? (1953)
For A Moment Of Your Love (1953)
I’m Shooting High (1956)
Maybe It’s Because I Love You Too Much (1956)
One Sun (1956)
You Are My First Love (1956)
It’s None Of My Affair (1957)
How Did I Change? (1957)
When Rock And Roll Come to Trinidad (1957)
Laughable (1958)
Something Happens To Me (1958)
Do I Like It? (1958)
When You Belong To Me (1958)
Give Me Your Love (1959)

Cole should still be with us by all rights

He'd be 102.

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/cGF0SG5SREhhVFd3dzhVZk4wbXhadz09/sjr-lp96c-studio-one-classics-sleeve-gatefold.jpg

Soul Jazz Records

Available at 8pm tonite Mon 20 Jun 2022 everywhere or direct from us!!!

Studio One Classics RSD 2022
Soul Jazz Records’ new 20th anniversary one-off limited-edition heavyweight special-edition purple coloured double vinyl pressing + download code and striking ‘Wailers’ alternative gatefold sleeve only available for Record Store Day 2022.

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Studio One Classics features a non-stop selection of stone-cold classic Studio One killers! Spanning 40 years of the legendary label, this album is a celebration of the music of Studio One Records and features a who’s who of Jamaican Reggae: Bob Marley, The Heptones, Horace Andy, Sugar Minott, Don Drummond, Prince Jazzbo & more.

This collection contains numerous legendary tracks, including Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Simmer Down”," "Love Me Forever" by Carlton & His Shoes, Slim Smith's "Rougher Yet," Horace Andy's "Fever,", Alton Ellis’s “I’m Just A Guy’, The Skatalites’ blazing ‘Confucious’ and loads more. Timeless stuff - every track here is indeed a classic, no-one can argue about that!

Studio One produced literally hundreds of hits and this selection includes some of the label’s most enduring songs. Often described as both the University of Reggae, and the Motown of Jamaica, never were these phrases more apt than if we look at the number of artists who launched their musical careers at Studio One. It is simply impossible to imagine modern Jamaican music without Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, founder of the iconic label, and virtually every singer and musician of note in Reggae cut their teeth at Studio One.

Studio One's output spans over four decades, all represented here. Coxsone Dodd pioneered nearly every new form of Jamaican music as it developed over time and this album includes Ska, Dancehall, Roots, Rocksteady, DJ, Lovers and more.

This is probably the best entry of the many Soul Jazz Studio One releases if you're after a primer in the Studio One sound. It's all here from the stomping Ska of the Skatalites to The Lone Ranger's Rub-a-dub stylee!

Like it says on the wrapper 'Classics' pretty much sums it up.

ALBUM PREVIEW
Tracklisting
1. The Skatalites – El Pussycat Ska
2. Carlton & The Shoes – Love Me Forever
3. Sound Dimension – Rockfort Rock
4. Johnny Osbourne – Sing Jah Stylee
5. The Heptones – Pretty Looks Isn't All
6. Slim Smith – Rougher Yet
7. Lone Ranger – Automatic
8. Horace Andy – Fever
9. Prince Jazzbo – School
10. The Wailers – Simmer Down
11. Burning Spear – Rocking Time
12. Alton Ellis – I'm Just A Guy
13. Sugar Minott – Oh Mr Dc
14. Jennifer Lara – Consider Me
15. Don Drummond – Confucious
16. Michigan & Smiley – Rub A Dub Style
17. Sound Dimension – Full Up
18. Dennis Brown – No Man Is An Island

Oops, this is the better link:
https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/sjr/product/studio-one-classics-studio-one-classics

“100% Dynamite is among the finest compilations ever assembled.” The Quietus

This is a new one-off limited-edition special edition yellow coloured vinyl pressing of Soul Jazz Records’ seminal reggae meets funk and soul collection. 100% Dynamite is the cornerstone of Soul Jazz Records’ releases and launched their long-running series of highly-regarded reggae albums.

This album is the fully expanded version and comes with download code.

This new coloured vinyl expanded edition is exclusively for Record Store Day 2022.

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Since the album’s original release,100% Dynamite has become a cornerstone of funky reggae music. Eighteen killer tracks that show the influence that American Jazz, Funk and Soul music had on Jamaican Reggae.

The album was Soul Jazz Records first foray into the mighty vaults of Studio One and many of the tracks featured come from the legendary label and the expanded edition features seminal tracks from the greatest Jamaican producers – Clement Dodd, Lee Perry, Winston Riley (Techniques) and many more.

100% Dynamite features come serious and heavyweight Jamaican funk by Jackie Mittoo, The Upsetters and Toots & The Maytals, alongside the cream of Jamaican jazz musicians such as Tommy McCook, Cedric Brooks and Lennie Hibbert. Also included here are killer Reggae versions of USA Soul classics including Marlena Shaw’s ‘Woman of the Ghetto’, Aretha Franklin’s ‘Rocksteady’, Syl Johnson’s ‘Is It Because I’m Black’, William DeVaughan’s seminal ‘Be Thankful’ and more.

Jamaican/USA influences went both ways and included here are many cornerstone reggae songs that cross into the worlds of both hip-hop and punk worlds – check Brentford All Stars massive ‘Greedy G’, the basis for Boogie Down Productions’ ‘Jack of Spades’, and Willie Williams’ ‘Armagideon Time’ later covered by The Clash.

1. Willie Williams – Armageddon Time
2. The Maytals – Night and Day
3. The Marvels – Rock Steady
4. The Upsetters – Popcorn
5. Bunny Clarke – Be Thankful
6. Tommy McCook – Green Mango
7. Brentford All Stars – Greedy G
8. Lennie Hibbert – Real Hot
9. Horace Andy – My Soul
10. Johnny Osbourne – We Need Love
11. Bunny Clarke – I Love The Way You Love
12. Jackie Mittoo – Stereo Freeze
13. Phyllis Dillon – Woman Of The Ghetto
14. Cecric Im Brooks – Give Rasta Glory
15. Alton Ellis – Son Of Man
16. Sound Dimension – Granny Scratch Scratch
17. Lloyd Robinson – Cuss Cuss
18. Sound Dimension – Drum Song
19. Ken Boothe – Is It Because I'm Black

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More info, audio:
https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/sjr/product/100-dynamite-2015-edition-ska-soul-rocksteady-funk-in-jamaica

well damn

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/K0FhaUM2bDVYNmJPV0kzVXIxNGJxdz09/sjr-lp321c-100-dynamite-slve-sticker.jpg

Neither those nor these are absolutely necessary, if you can stand anything but the latest vinyl, but these are half-speed:

2022 marks a year of celebration for Roxy Music. Throughout the year, we reissued each of their eight studio albums - all heralded as modern classics - as special anniversary editions. Throughout the year, we reissued each of their eight studio albums - all heralded as modern classics - as special anniversary editions. Their seventh album, FLESH + BLOOD was released in 1980 and will be released as this special edition on July 1, 2022 along with Avalon, via Virgin/UMe.

Greil Marcus wrote of the album "This record, all graceful lust and wistful regret, is pure romance; it’s also the best summer music anyone’s made since oil spills began undermining the concept... Flesh + Blood floats; it drifts; it fades away; it soars back. It captures the easy, endless promises of summer, and it captures the summer you’ve never gotten over; it works as soothing, mindless background music, and it can break your heart. Like a perfect July day, it makes no demands on a listener, yet it can give a listener everything."

Flesh + Blood, like Avalon, has been given a fresh half-speed cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios in London. To reflect the enhanced audio, the album artwork has been similarly revised with lyrics and a deluxe gloss laminated finish.

Both Flesh + Blood and Avalon will be released on July 1, 2022 via Virgin/UMe.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0573/1650/7846/products/NUM195_VOTS_FieldGuideToInnerHarmony_LP_SedonaSunrise_400x.jpg?v=1655838278

Both a marketing firm and metaphysical mission, Valley of the Sun synthesized style and spirituality to produce an extensive catalog that at once defines and defies new age music. Founder Dick Sutphen worked with tireless devotion to spread a message he believed could change the world for the better. This 18-track Double LP overview of VOTS’ fertile 1977-1990 period includes music from Upper Astral, Robert Slap & Steve Powell, David Naegele, David Storrs, Steven Cooper, and Gloria Thomas, a 24-page booklet with extensive liner notes, J-card scans, and a hint of Sedona sand. Subliminal hypnosis likely.

Track List
Upper Astral Upper Astral Suite
David Naegele Temple In The Forest
Slap & Powell Sex Drive
David Storrs Channel For The Light (Part II)
Steven Cooper Key West Afternoon VI
Robert Slap Boynton Canyon
Upper Astral Celestial Whispers II
Steven Cooper Crystal Garden I
Robert Slap UFO
Robert Slap Search For Utopia II
Gloria Thomas I AM
Robert Slap Sands Of Time
Celestial Odysseys Daystar
Steven Cooper Key West Afternoon V
David Storrs Aerobic Exercise Music (Driving Beat II)
Robert Martin Great Peace (Guitar)
David Storrs Sedona Sunrise
Robert Slap East of West VIII

Several from Real Gone Records, via Sound of the Universe once again:
Think Andy Bey is still around? Cosmik jazz baritone balladeer, not unlike Cecil Taylor and Screamin' Jay Hawkins intensity-wise, though smoother and I've never heard him scream, alas.
Was also good w the Bey Sisters.

Andy Bey
Experience And Judgement
REAL GONE MUSICJAZZ

New LP (Coloured Vinyl)£34.00
Limited 'sea' blue coloured vinyl edition
Expected 12 AugPREORDER
1. Celestial Blues
2. Experience
3. Judgment
4. I Know This Love Cant Be Wrong
5. Hibiscus
6. You Shouldve Seen The Way
7. Tune Up
8. Rosemary Blue
9. Being Uptight
10. A Place Where Love Is
11. Trust Us To Find The Way
12. The Power Of My Mind
Classic album of wicked funky deep jazz vocals! Includes the AWESOME 'Celestial Blues'

Andy Bey is well known through his association with saxophonist Gary Bartz - his mellifluous barritone graces several of Bartz' most sought after LPs from the early 70s - but it's on this solo album that he really shines the brightest!

These are real songs delivered in a unique and creative style with an early 1970s indy label deep jazz feel!

much later, standards, different label, still that sound...

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/ZVJRbjVBSkw2S04wUUZWZHNwSXVPZz09/unnamed-1.jpg

Andy Bey
Ballads, Blues & Bey
Ko Ko Music

2×LP£24.99
In stockADD TO BAG
1. Someone To Watch Over Me
2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
3. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
4. In A Sentimental Mood
5. Willow Weep For Me
6. Yesterdays
7. If You Could See Me Now
8. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
9. Day Dream
10. Embraceable You
First time on vinyl! The 1996 album 'Ballads, Blues & Bey' from one of the most distinctive voices in jazz, Andy Bey!

Back to Real Gone for a while:

Brian Bennett
Voyage (A Journey into Discoid Funk)
Real Gone Music
New LP (Coloured Vinyl)

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/OERLdWZoTTh4c1YwNW93RW4wendYQT09/brian-bennett-voyage.jpg

1. Voyage
2. Solstice
3. Chain Reaction
4. Pendulum Force
5. Air Quake
6. Ocean Glide
Brian Bennett is one of instrumental music's true cult figures. Drummer for Cliff Richard & The Shadows, Bennett also is the composer of some of the most collectible production music albums ever made, and for over 40 years has been a sought-after composer for TV and film. But of all his projects, his 1978 release "Voyage (A Journey into Discoid Funk)" is probably his most beloved, a truly pioneering "space disco" recording inspired by Brian Eno but wielding a groove all its own. Despite its absolutely eye-popping Discogs stats, our release marks its first vinyl reissue outside of Australia, and its first-ever release on colored vinyl (blue with black swirl), complete with original gatefold jacket art. Limited to 4500 copies!

Darlene Love
The Many Sides of Love—The Complete Reprise Recordings Plus!
REAL GONE MUSIC

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/UU5BeEIvWEo3VkFDR2taZjNTaEo4QT09/darlene-love-the-complete-reprise-recordings-plus-1964-2014.jpg

12" (Coloured Vinyl)
In stock
50 years of criminally overlooked recordings by one of the greatest R&B and rock vocalists ever! Darlene Love's work for Phil Spector gets most of the ink, and understandably so, but this 15-track collection captures her rare singles for the Reprise label with the vocal groups The Blossoms and The Wildcats, plus her own solo work. And the bonus tracks are priceless: you get her 1985 Elektra recording of "River Deep, Mountain High," her 2014 duet with Bette Midler on "He's Sure the Boy I Love," and two 1990 recordings for the Sire label! None of this material has ever been on LP, and this release comes with an insert featuring photos and extensive liner notes. An essential addition to the Darlene Love discography, pressed in teal vinyl limited to 3500 copies!

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/NGdEL2pwcXo1eDN5cjJjRktXUElsUT09/screen-shot-2019-04-04-at-16-20-05.png

Airto
Natural Feelings
REAL GONE MUSIC

New LP (Coloured Vinyl)£16.00
Limited pink, green and yellow marbled vinyl edition.
In stock

First vinyl reissue in over 45 years for a long-lost, pivotal jazz fusion record! This album, originally released in 1970 on the thinly-distributed Skye label, marks Airto' s debut as a bandleader and captures the percussionist right at the time he recorded Bitches Brew with Miles Davis, and right before he joined Weather Report for their first album. Indeed, the line-up on this album reflects the fact that Airto had one foot in the NYC jazz scene and one foot in his native Brazil, as bassist Ron Carter joins Airto' s countrymen Sivuca and Hermeto Pascoal, along with Airto' s wife Flora Purim. The music' s a fascinating blend of jazz-funk and Brazilian tropes, housed inside the original wild, Hieronymus Bosch album art!

https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/img/Q0htRTlUTkY4TWhYSUt0cmhZUng1dz09/r-1231459-1237308259-jpeg.jpg

Airto
Free (1972)
CTI

CD£11.99
Out of stock
Reissue LP£16.00
In stock

return to forever
2. flora's song
3. free
4. lucky southern
5. creek (arroio)
6. CD Bonus Track – so tender
7. CD Bonus Track – jequie
8. CD Bonus Track – creek (arroio)
Tough Brazilian meets Jazz fusion from Airto Moreira, produced by Creed Taylor in 1972 for CTI! Line-up includes Flora Purim, Ron Carter, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Nelson Ayres, George Benson plus orchestra.

from elsewhere:

Shimmy-Disc Announces First-Time-Ever-On-Vinyl LP of Hunter S. Thompson's The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved, Shares "On Our Way Back To The Motel" Single + Video
via Rolling Stone

ft. All Star Cast Including Tim Robbins, Dr. John, Bill Frisell, Ralph Steadman, Annie Ross, and Others

The Kentucky Derby is Decadent & Depraved LP due 7/15 via Shimmy-Disc/Paris Records
Produced by the Late, Great Hal Willner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oan1AdeW5hc

PRAISE FOR THE 2012 RELEASE

“Produced by Hal Wilner, the Robert Altman of all-star concept LPs, this dramatized reading of Hunter S. Thompson's 1970 essay casts Tim Robbins in the lead, with cameos by Dr. John and Ralph Steadman, Thompson's sidekick and frames illustrator. Basically Fear and Loathing at the Track, this album is a rifle-scope piss-take with a heart of darkness and a soundtrack composed by jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, who colors the tale with skewed Dixieland brass, shivering strings and groaning woodwinds. The joke, per usual, is that monsters are everywhere. "Shit," Thompson writes after examining Steadman's horrifying crowd portraits. "We both look worse than anything you've drawn here."
- WILL HERMES, Rolling Stone

Today, Shimmy-Disc (through exclusive license with Paris Records) announces an exclusive first-time vinyl release of iconic Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson's The Kentucky Derby is Decadent & Depraved (originally published in 1970 via Scanlon's Monthly and released as a CD performance via Paris Records in 2012), featuring an all-star cast of musicians and actors including Tim Robbins (as Thompson), Dr. John, Bill Frisell, Ralph Steadman, Annie Ross, John Joyce III, and Will Forte. The release translates the classic piece of reporting through spoken word and music, introduced now with the first segment, "On Our Way Back To The Motel."

Hunter S. Thompson’s inimitable non-fiction hysterics are perfectly portrayed here by none other than TIM ROBBINS, with music composed by BILL FRISELL, illustrating the full-on decadence of The Kentucky Derby, as Thompson himself saw it, and felt it… ”Neither of us had brought any strange or illegal drugs, so we’d have to get by on booze.”

The LP, re-mastered by Kramer in 2021, is due July 15 via Shimmy-Disc.

"I remember the day i met Hal Willner in 1979. It was love at first sight. We remained friends, like brothers, til the day he died, when a big part of me died with him.

I wasn't far away when he was making this amazing project come to life in 2011. He played the final mixes for me in his little listening room in NYC, surrounded by his puppets, his records (well, some of them, anyway), and the swirling surgical wit and spirit of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.

'So whaddaya think?', Hal asked. 'Is HST spinning in his grave right now? Did I do something good here, or is he gonna go gonzo on me in my dreams, forever?'

You done good, Hal. You done real good. Rest in Peace."

- Kramer, June 2022

SHIMMY-DISC LINKS
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube
Release Bio:
Shimmy-Disc (through an exclusive license with Paris Records), is set to release for the first time on vinyl THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS DECADENT AND DEPRAVED - by the father of Gonzo Journalism, HUNTER S. THOMPSON - an all-star cast of musicians and actors lead by Tim Robbins, Dr. John, Bill Frisell, Ralph Steadman, Annie Ross, John Joyce III, and Will Forte, who bring Thompson’s classic Gonzo reportage on the 1970 Kentucky Derby to life through spoken word and musical composition. Conceived by executive producer Michael Minzer, the project was produced by Hal Willner who invited Bill Frisell to compose the music. Bill enlisted the help of an ensemble including Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Ron Miles (trumpet), Eyvind Kang (viola), Doug Weiselman (woodwinds), Jenny Scheinman (violin), Hank Roberts (cello) and Kenny Wolleson (drums, percussion).

Ralph Steadman does double duty portraying himself in the narration and contributing original artwork for the project.

HUNTER S. THOMPSON's “THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS DECADENT AND DEPRAVED” limited-edition vinyl and streaming/download will be available on July 15, 2022.

In 2005, Paris Records founder Michael Minzer called up his friend Hal Willner with the idea of recording a definitive performance of an all time classic piece of journalism, The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved. Originally published in Scanlon’s Monthly in June of 1970, it’s the quintessential example of Hunter S. Thompson’s uniquely humorous and piercing insight—the article that inspired the term Gonzo Journalism (coined by the late Bill Cardoso). Minzer and Willner had collaborated before on several “wide open” tributes to such literary luminaries as Allen Ginsberg’s "The Lion For Real," William S. Burrough’s “Dead City Radio,” and Terry Southern’s “Give Me your Hump!.” Hal was friends with Ralph Steadman who’s involvement was a major boost in getting the project off the ground. Hal also was able to enlist Tim Robbins as lead narrator and Bill Frisell to oversee the music and the project was off to the races so to speak.

Says Michael Minzer: “The big challenge was to match Bill’s sharply drawn moody vignettes with the perfect segments of a very long reading. When we realized that it all worked out beautifully, Hal just said ‘I told you I had worked on this!’’

Says Tim Robbins: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this project—who could say no to such an opportunity to toast the king of Gonzo journalism? It’s been a great pleasure diving into the chaotic, genius prose of Hunter and I feel flattered to be working with such a stellar group of creative folks like Hal Willner, Ralph Steadman, Bill Frisell and Michael Minzer who made it come alive so brilliantly.”

Re-Mastered by Kramer in 2021, this limited-edition LP (on 'Horse-Shit Brown' vinyl) is destined to become the indispensable classic it always deserved to be.

Dedicated to Hal Willner, producer extraordinaire, in Loving Memory.

EP before any of their LPs, and one of their most satisfying releases, in part because it's shorter, succinct, but never sparse---
https://i.emlfiles4.com/cmpimg/3/0/8/1/3/2/files/imagecache/219545/w660_508292_rem_ct40.jpg

R.E.M. - CHRONIC TOWN (40TH ANNIVERSARY) OUT AUGUST 19TH

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.'s debut EP, Chronic Town will be available for the first time ever as a standalone CD with extensive liner notes by original producer, Mitch Easter, as well as on Vinyl Picture Disc and Cassette.

xgau's consumer guide:

Chronic Town [I.R.S. EP, 1982]
This headlong tumble proves them the wittiest and most joyful of the postgarage sound-over-sense bands, probably because they make so little sense that their sound has to be articulate indeed. Physically incomprehensible lyrics make them harder to parse than somebody else's mystical experience, but every so often a chaotic undertow suggests there's more to their romanticism than Spanish moss. A-

Oh shit!

Just found this posted elsewhere today:

Mechanical royalty rates are calculated in a completely different manner for European labels, so what may be possible for European labels is not viable for U.S. labels. There's a reason why European labels can include a ton of songs on a disc and sell it for a low price, or sell 4-fers for the cost of a single disc, or do box sets with tons of great content for a low price, while U.S. labels cannot do the same. The law in Europe is that the mechanical royalties (the money paid to the songwriters) are calculated and paid as a percentage of the wholesale price of the disc. If the wholesale price of the disc is $8, the amount paid in mechanical royalties would be the same whether the disc had 10 tracks or 50 tracks. In the U.S., it's a statutory rate paid per song -- and a 32% increase in that statutory rate just went into effect this year.

I vaguely knew that royalty payouts were higher in the U.S. when they included more songs on an album (one reason why U.S. versions of U.K. albums in the '60s had less songs), but I didn't realize how much of a difference that made in the CD era.