New Vinyl Record and Music Releases - August 9, 2011

I have added a couple of new sources for new music releases this week as i continue my quest to have the most comprehensive list of new music each week!

Jay-Z & Kanye West's collaboration called Watch the Throne makes the pop/rap news and is this week's star release. Neil Young is also releasing 'Live On Air/The Lost Tapes,' which has six previously unreleased live tracks for your listening pleasure.

I can strongly recommend Paul McCartney's Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, an appreciated effort by one of the masters of pop music and a reissue from Canadian's Barenaked Ladies with the kid's album called Snacktime.

Vinyl reissues are abundent this week including three by Belle & Sebastian (The Boy with the Arab Strap, If You're Feeling Sinister, Tigermilk), three from Cat Power (Jukebox, The Covers Record and What Would the Community Think) and two from Yo La Tengo (And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out and Painful).

On my radar are some vinyl reissues from my era including three from rock icons Black Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage and probably one of their finest recordings Vol. 4), UFO's The Chrysalis Yeasr: 1973-1979, Jefferson Starship's Red Octopus, Yes with Tales From Topographic Oceans and Styx with The Grand Illusion.

Other vinyl reissues include Guided By Voices with Alien Lanes, Shelby Lynne's Just A Little Lovin' and Willie Nelson's Countryman.


aTelecine - The Falcon and The Pod Trilogy (vinyl)
AGAINST ME! - White Crosses (vinyl)
Ace Hood - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Afrobeta - Under the Streets
Airto - Fingers
Andy Williams - Butterfly: Very Best of 1956-60 (2 CDs)
Anni Rossi - Heavy Meadow
Armand Margjeka - Margo Margo
Army Navy - The Last Place
Arsis - A Celebration Of Guilt
Barenaked Ladies - Snacktime
Barry Manilow - Music & Passion: The Best of

Belle & Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap (reissue) (vinyl)
Belle & Sebastian - Tigermilk (reissue) (vinyl)
Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (reissue) (vinyl)
Bethany Dillon - Beautiful: The Hits Collection
Big Country - Driving to Damascus: Expanded Edition (2 CDs)
Bill Frisell - Blues Dream
Birthday Massacre - Imaginary Monsters
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (reissue) (180 gram vinyl)
Black Sabbath - Sabotage (reissue) (180 gram vinyl)
Black Sabbath - Vol. 4  (reissue) (180 gram vinyl)
Bob Seger - Live Bullet (original remastered)
Bob Seger - Nine Tonight (original remastered)
Boswell Sisters - Boswell Sisters Collection (6 CDs)
Brad Mehldau - Largo
Bream Boat - Widow
Brian Wilson - The Lowdown (2 CDs)
Carmel Mikol - Creature
Cat Power - Jukebox (reissue) (vinyl)
Cat Power - The Covers Record  (reissue) (vinyl)
Cat Power - What Would the Community Think (reissue) (vinyl)
Cereballzy - Cereballzy
Ceremony - Covers EP
Colosseum - The Complete Reunion Concert
Culture Club - Miss Me Blind - Greatest Hits Live!
DOM - Family Of Love (EP) (vinyl)
DYS - More than Fashion: Live from the Gallery East Reunion
Dean Martin - The Great Sounds Of Dean Martin: That's Amore (2 CDs)
Diamond Plate - Generation Why?
Dolly Parton - Original Album Classics 2 (5 CDs)
Dom - Family of Love
Donald Lawrence - Yrm (Your Righteous Mind)
Dream On Dreamer - Heartbound
Drive A - World in Shambles
Drugstore - Anatomy
Elam McKnight/Bob Bogdal - Zombie Nation
Elvis Presley - Elvis 30 No. 1 Hits
Elvis Presley - G.I. Blues: Alternative Album Version
Elvis Presley - Original Album Classics 2 (5 CDs)
Europe - Live Look at Eden (2 CDs)
Evelyn "Champagne" King - Music Box
Every Avenue - Bad Habits
Eyes Set To Kill - White Lotus 
Fionn Regan - 100 Acres Of Sycamore
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony
GQ - Two (remastered)
Gavin DeGraw - Sweeter
Gay Beast - To Smithereens
Georges Delerue - Music from the Films of Francois Truffaut (reissue)
Grimes - Geidi Primes (reissue)
Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Flame - Ferrari Boyz
Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes (reissue) (vinyl)   
Heaven & Hell - Neon Lights - Live At Wacken (vinyl)
Hedy West - Ballads & Songs of the Appalachians (2 CDs)
Hell or Highwater - Begin Again

Iggy Pop - I Used to Be a Stooge But Now Im Real Wild Child
Inc. - 3 (EP)
Indestructible Noise Command - Heaven Sent, Hellbound
Into It. Over It. - Twelve Towns
Iwrestledabearonce - Ruining It for Everybody (vinyl)

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Jefferson Starship - Red Octopus  (reissue) (vinyl)
Jill Scott - The Light of the Sun (2 LP)(vinyl)
John Cale - Extra Playful
Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit
Kevin Fowler - Chippin’ Away
Kites With Lights - Cosmonauts
Korekyojinn - Tundra
Leon Russell - Live In Japan
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose (reissue) (vinyl)
Lou Reed - Original Album Classics 2 (5 CDs)
Luke Bryan - Tailgates & Tanlines
ME & LP - Chez Raymond (EP)
Marc Maron - This Has to Be Funny
Marillion - Marbles (2 CDs)
Marillion - Somewhere Else  (Deluxe Edition)
Mat Kearney - Young Love (vinyl)
Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun (reissue) (vinyl)
Mercies - Thousand Days
Michael Ian Black - Very Famous
Michael Schenker - By Invitation Only
Mickey Gilley - Stand By Me (3 CDs)
Mickey Newbury - An American Trilogy (box set) (4 CDs)
Mitch Miller - It's Miller Time!: Come On And Join The Party (2 CDs)
Morris Chapman - Gospel Praise
Motels - Apocalypso
Nader - Sadek - In The Flesh
Neil Young - Live On Air/The Lost Tapes
Nektar - Greatest Hits 1
Nick 13 - Nick 13 (vinyl)
Nick Heyward - Tangled

Paul McCartney - Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (reissue) 
Paul Motian - The Windmills of Your Mind
Peelander-Z - Super DX Hits
Peggy Lee - Things Are Swingin' & the Man I Love
Pepper Rabbit - Red Velvet Snow Ball
Planetshakers - Nothing Is Impossible
Prophets & Kings - Prophets & Kings
Pulp - Freaks (reissue)
Pulp - It (reissue)
Pulp - Separations (reissue)
Pursesnatchers - A Pattern Language
Randy Weston - Blue Moses
Ray Stevens - Spirit of 76
Riders In the Sky - The Land Beyond the Sun
Royce da 5'9" - Success Is Certain
Saint Bernadette - The Nevers
Sainthood Reps - Monoculture
Sarah Vaughan - Lullaby of Birdland (4 CDs)
Scattered Trees - Sympathy
Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin'(reissue) (vinyl)
Shlohmo - Bad Vibes
Simpkin Project - Everything You Want
Skamold - Baldur
Ski Beatz - 24 Hour Karate School Part II
Sleeping Bag - Sleeping Bag
Slowdive - Souvlaki (reissue) (vinyl)
Soundtrack - Cowboys & Aliens
Soundtrack - Final Destination 5
Soundtrack - Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
Soundtrack - The Ward
Steve Cropper - Dedicated (vinyl)
Steven Curtis Chapman - Re:Creation
Steven Curtis Chapman - Speechless & All Things New (2 CDs)

Styx - The Grand Illusion   (reissue) (limited-edition vinyl)
Svartsot - Maledictus Eris
Syreeta - In His Presence
Tank - War Machine
Teen Daze - A Silent Planet
The Birthday Massacre - Imaginary Monsters (EP)
The Green - Love & Affection (EP)
The Horrors - Skying
The Irrepressibles - Mirror Mirror
The Irrepressibles - Skying Out
The New Mastersounds - Breaks from the Border
The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - Peyton on Patton
The Spudmonsters - Stand Up For What You Believe
The Throne - Watch The Throne
Theresa Brewer - Miss Versatility (2 CDs)
Tom McBride - A Brief Head Spin
Trivium - In Waves

UFO - Chrysalis Years 1973-1979
Ursula 1000 - Mondo Beyondo
Various Artists - Alpha Matrix Re:Covered Vol. 2: Tribute to Depeche Mode
Various Artists - Christmas Magic (3 CDs)
Various Artists - Fool's Gold Vol. 1
Various Artists - NOW 39
Various Artists - The Voice: Season 1 Highlights
Various Artists - Glee The 3D Concert Movie (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Various Artists - West Indies Funk V.3 : Deja Vu Tropical Steel Funk
Widowspeak - Widowspeak
Willie Nelson - Countryman  (reissue) (vinyl) 
  

Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans (reissue) (limited-edition vinyl)
Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out  (reissue) (vinyl)
Yo La Tengo - Painful (reissue) (vinyl)
Zebrahead - Get Nice

Remember, if you are a record company and have new releases or know of any I missed (especially vinyl), please email me and I will add your music to the list. I also do reviews of new vinyl, email me for more information.

Have new music for the list? Email me at rbenson30@wi.rr.com  

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

inspiring story at mansfield news journal.com about a man and his records, we can all relate to his thinking, we share his passion! (kudos to author Anne Miller, who portrays vinyl record collecting for what it is - a pure love of music)

Vintage Vinyl

Written by Anne Miller

Bellville collector has a lot of it

What has happened to all of the vinyl records? You know, those shiny black 33, 45 and 78 platters so wildly popular before iPod downloads and compact discs.

John Hecht Jr. can account for 60,000 of them. He has them stored in the Bellville antique shop he runs at 100 Main St., as well as his home and his wife's Tappan House Bed and Breakfast in Mansfield.

The story of how his collection of pre-1964 music began is bittersweet.

As a teenager, Hecht saved his money and bought the 98-cent 45s he liked to dance to. While he was serving his tour of duty in Vietnam in the 1960s, his mother junked his cherished collection of 30 or so classic rock-'n'-roll records.

Please read the rest at mansfieldnewsjournal.com

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another fantastic story about vinyl from the state of ohio, they love their vinyl!

Oregon District becoming a destination for record collectors

By Dave Larsen, Staff Writer

Vinyl record sales boomed in 2010, increasing 14 percent.

Opening a record store in an age of file-sharing and digital downloads is “suicide,” said Phillip Raimey, citing the conventional wisdom about the retail music industry. But that didn’t stop Raimey and two former associates from Gem City Records from launching a new store, the Record Gallery, last month in the Oregon Arts District.

“We discovered that there is a market for vinyl,” said Raimey, the store’s owner.

Vinyl record sales boomed in 2010, increasing 14 percent to 2.8 million units in an otherwise distressed year, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The Record Gallery at 16 Brown St. specializes in vintage vinyl, used CDs and collectible music memorabilia.

“The focus is on being an old-fashioned record shop,” said Kristen Wicker, Oregon Arts District spokeswoman.

Read the rest at daytondailynews.com

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We Are the in Crowd New Album Cover Artwork

The cover art for We Are the in Crowd’s upcoming album, ‘Best Intentions' has been revealed. The record was produced by Kenneth Mount and Zachary Odom (All Time Low, Mayday Parade) and will be available on October 4 via Hopeless Records.



















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Deep Purple to Release Four Double Live CDs

Michael Wright

Almost singlehandedly keeping classic hard rock alive with a seemingly never-ending series of releases and re-releases, Eagle Rock Entertainment has announced the release of four out-of-print Deep Purple live sets from the early 1970s. The double-disc sets include Scandinavian Nights, In Concert 1970/1972, Live in London and The Final Concerts.

Scandinavian Nights captures the classic Mark II lineup of Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Roger Glover and Ian Paice mere months after Gillan and Glover joined the group and helped transform their sound from psychedelic soul to era-defining hard rock.

Read the rest at Gibson.com




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Candy Hearts Divulge New Album Details

Candy Hearts are scheduled to release their second album, ‘Everything’s Amazing and Nobody’s Happy,’ this September 27 on Kind of Like Records. The record, which is the follow-up to ‘Ripped Jeans and Silly Dreams,’ was self-produced and recorded by vocalist/guitarist Mariel Loveland and guitarist Kris Hayes.

In a press statement, Loveland explained, “[The contradictory album title] seemed like a perfect fit for the record because it dealt with themes we felt like a lot of people deal with their whole lives. It’s about that feeling of having everything you thought you wanted, yet something is still missing or it’s just not enough.”

Tracklist:

1. Tongue Tied
2. Lighter Than the Air
3. She’s So Cool
4. Good Enough
5. Sleepy Kisses
6. Asbury Park
7. When I’m With You
8. Something Special
9. Jawbreaker
10. What I’m Made Of
11. I Want Out
12. Everything’s Alright

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Dinosaur Jr Announce Reissues On Vinyl

Dinosaur Jr. has announced that they plan to reissue their first three studio albums, 1985's 'Dinosaur,' 1987's 'You’re Living All Over Me,' and 1988's 'Bug' on vinyl via Jagjaguwar Records. Originally released on the Homestead and SST labels and reissued on CD by Merge Records in 2005, the new vinyl pressings of the first three Dinosaur Jr albums will arrive Oct 4th.

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Sean Kelly Album Details

SEAN KELLY is set to release his new album, 'Where The Wood Meets The Wire,' on September 13th via Opening Day/Universal. The album cover art was created by Matt Brooks.

"I always wanted to have a cool prog rock album cover," said Kelly, "and once again Matt nailed it!"
















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Hatesphere's New Album Details

Hatesphere is set to release their new album 'The Great Bludgeoning' on September 27th in the US and Canada. The album will be released as download, vinyl and CD.

Peter "Pepe" Hansen explains the album: "We have aimed the new album in a more old-school direction than its predecessor. With people this experienced joining the band it has been a very relaxed and enjoyable process to write the songs, and we have all agreed on the concept. More metal and everything that follows. The cover, the title and the lyrics speaks for themselves. We are an angry-sounding metal band, and we have no intention of denying that. That's why the cover is more back-to-the-roots and the lyrics are again about aggressions, drinking and hate. The things that HateSphere has always been about. Expect brutality, melody and groove in just the right dose. We have had one hell of a time writing and recording it, and we cant wait to present the album to all of you before long!"

Tracklist:
1. The Killer
2. Venom
3. Smell Of Death
4. Decayer
5. The Wail Of My Threnode
6. Resurrect With A Vengeance
7. The Great Bludgeoning
8. Need To Kill
9. Devil In Your Own Hell

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found this old thing on youtube.enjoy!



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and in music history for today August 8th:

In 1960, 16 year-old Bryan Hyland's novelty tune, "Itsy Bitsy, Teenie Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" topped the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cash Box Best Sellers list. Songwriter Paul Vance said he got the inspiration for the song when he saw his two year old daughter at the beach in a tiny little swimsuit. The record reached #8 in the UK.

Also in 1960, England's Decca Records scrapped 25,000 copies of Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Lover Her" because they felt the song, which recounts the last thoughts of a teenager dying from a car accident, was "too tasteless and vulgar." A rival record company felt differently and recorded a cover version by a singer named Ricky Valance, which went to number one on the British chart. In the US, Ray Peterson's version reached number seven on the Billboard Pop chart.

In 1961, Britain's Lonnie Donegan has his biggest hit in the US when the novelty tune "Does You're Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour On The Bedpost Overnight" reached #5.

In 1964, "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals was released in America. Although the band would put 14 songs in the Top 40, this will be their only US number one. It was reported that the song was recorded in just one take and the band was actually in the studio for less than ten minutes.



In 1966, in response to John Lennon's remark about The Beatles being bigger than Jesus Christ, The South African Broadcasting Corporation banned all Beatles records.

In 1969, the cover photo for The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album was taken, showing the Fab Four striding across the road outside Abbey Road studios in London. Six shots were taken and the photo session was completed in less than ten minutes. It is the only original UK Beatles album sleeve to show neither the artist name nor the album title on its front cover.

The front cover design, a photograph of the group traversing a zebra crossing, was based on sketched ideas by McCartney and taken on 8 August 1969 outside EMI Studios on Abbey Road. At around 11:30 that morning, photographer Iain Macmillan was given only ten minutes to take the photo whilst he stood on a step-ladder and a policeman held up the traffic.

In the scene, the group walk across the street in single file from left to right, with Lennon leading, followed by Starr, McCartney, and Harrison. McCartney was barefoot. With the exception of Harrison, the group were wearing suits designed by Tommy Nutter. To the left of the picture, parked next to the zebra crossing, was a white Volkswagen Beetle which belonged to one of the people living in the block of flats across from the recording studio. After the album was released, the number plate (LMW 281F) was stolen repeatedly from the car. The man standing on the pavement to the right of the picture is Paul Cole (c. 1911 – 13 February 2008),an American tourist unaware he had been photographed until he saw the album cover months later.

The image of the Beatles on the crossing has become one of the most famous and imitated in recording history. The crossing is a popular destination for Beatles fans and there is a webcam  featuring it. In December 2010, the crossing was given grade II listed status for its "cultural and historical importance"; the Abbey Road studios themselves had been given similar status earlier in the year.

In 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Looking Out My Back Door" was released in the US, where it will reach #2. The dream-like imagery led some to believe that the song was about drugs, but writer John Fogerty said that it was inspired by nursery rhymes and written for his then three-year old son.

Also in 1970, Janis Joplin bought a headstone for the grave of blues singer Bessie Smith. Smith was one of Joplin's idols.

In 1974, Eric Clapton received a Gold record for his chart topping album, "461 Ocean Boulevard" that contains his number one hit, "I Shot the Sheriff".

In 1987, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 was the #1 US single.



In 1992, James Hetfield (Metallica) was injured by a stage explosion at a concert in Montreal. A riot occurred at the same show when Axl Rose cut Guns 'N' Roses' set short because of a sore throat.

In 1996, 1996, Kiss appeared at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, Ohio on their 192-date Alive world tour. During the show a fan threw his fake leg on stage, which all the members signed and handed back to him.

In 1998, the Rolling Stones performed for the first time in Russia.

In 2000, attorney generals in 28 states filed a lawsuit that alleged that record companies forced discount stores to raise CD prices in 1995.

In 2010, Ted Kowalski, a member of the Canadian quartet The Diamonds, died of heart disease at the age of 79. The vocal group had a string of hits in the late 1950s including "Little Darlin'", "Silhouettes" and "The Stroll".

In 2010, John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, had his parole hearing delayed until early September so that officials could gather additional information. The 55-year-old Chapman became eligible for parole in 2000 after serving 20 years, but he has been denied his freedom five times. let him rot...

celebrating birthdays today (among others) are the great Connie Stevens (73), Chris Foreman (Madness) (55), Dennis Drew (10,000 Maniacs) (54), Rikki Rockett (born Richard Ream) (Poison) (50), Scott Stapp (Creed) (38) and The Edge (born David Evans) (U2) (50)

Michael Fremer Album Review

Worth the wait?

Tea For the Tillerman

(new reissue)

Cat Stevens

Island/Analogue Productions APP 9135 200 gram LP

Produced by: Paul Samwell-Smith

Engineered by: N/A

Mixed by: N/A

Mastered by: George Marino at Sterling Sound, NYC

MUSIC

SOUND




Analogue Productions Launches Quality Record Pressing Plant
by Michael Fremer
August 01, 2011

Poor misunderstood Steven Demetre Georgiou/Cat Stevens/Yusef Islam. Like Bob Marley or Barack Obama, he’s a “hybrid” and subject to misinterpretation and fear-mongering.

Born of a Greek-Cypriot dad and a Swedish mom, he was half Greek Orthodox and half Baptist and now he’s a devout Muslim.

In between, he’s had a remarkable and tumultuous career as a pop star. He’s had backup artists on his albums ranging from Peter Gabriel to Biff Rose. He’s cited influences as wide-ranging as the Gershwins, Leonard Bernstein and Muddy Waters.

He dated Carly Simon (“Anticipation” was about him, not the difficulties involved in coaxing Heinz Ketchup from the bottle) and his songs were featured in the unforgettable cult film “Harold and Maude” starring the great Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort.

He almost died twice: first, before his career took off, from a bout with Tuberculosis in the UK and later in 1976 he almost drowned in the ocean off of Malibu. When he sings “But I might die tonight,” he sings from experience!

Without going into all of the details, let’s just agree that his first great album was Mona Bone Jackon issued originally on Island Records in the UK and A&M in America. A vinyl reissue from Mobile Fidelity is scheduled for release sometime this year.

His follow up, Tea For the Tillerman also originally on Island and A&M is considered by most to be his greatest record as well as a Top 10 Billboard hit. Like all true classics, the cover art (drawn by the then Mr. Stevens) is a perfect fit for the music.

Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions’ Chad Kassem chose the album as the first release pressed at his new Salina, Kansas state of the art Quality Record Pressings pressing facility. Some on-line grumbling asked “why this'”

The answer is simple: it remains a great, enduring piece of folk/rock, brilliantly performed and recorded. Original pink label Island pressings are still much sought after for both sound and the superior gatefold presentation.

There have been a few reissues including a Japanese JVC pressed Mobile Fidelity issue and a flat profile UHQR edition. Though the master tape had been lost since it was last used for a 1999 CD reissue—part of a Cat Stevens reissue series overseen by the original producer, Paul Samwell-Smith and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound—Kassem was determined to find it and use it for his first vinyl release.

Thanks to a lot of leg and detective work, the pristine original analog master tape was found and used by George Marino, who cut lacquers at Sterling Sound, the mastering house where it was originally cut by Sterling Sound founder Lee Hulko, for both the U.S. and UK first editions. Hulko’s original mastering notes were on file at Sterling and used as a reference by Marino.

The original was cut using a Telefunken M10 playback deck and a Neumann VMS 66 lathe and SX68 cutter head. Marino used an Ampex ATR-102 deck, Neumann VMS80 lathe and SX74 cutter head.

Despite starting with the same cut, the pink label edition sounds vastly superior in every way, evidently because of superior plating and pressing quality, even though indie A&M was among the more meticulous, sound conscious record labels at the time.

Kassem was also determined to reproduce as closely as possible the original gatefold packaging featuring a laminated outer jacket and an opaque, cloth-like inner one that was used only for the first pressing. Subsequent ones featured lamination inside and out.

What makes this music special and capable of enduring through the decades' For one thing, the songs have memorable melodies, even the ones built upon two chord vamps like the opener, “Where Do the Children Play,” a prescient, still relevant song about the environment, overdevelopment and whatever else you wish to read into it. The production and sound remain spectacular and the arrangements, combining strummed acoustic guitars, strings arranged by Del Newman, stand up bass and drums sets the perfect stage for Stevens’ simultaneously tender and gruff vocalizing.

The impeccably orchestrated arrangements include syncopated and dynamic flourishes played out on drums and strings that were and remain unusual for this musical genre.

Speaking of being misunderstood, when I was on the radio in the early 1970s, the hit “Wild World” was actually banned from the progressive rock station as being “a sexist break-up song” because of it’s supposed general condescension and lines like “I’ll always remember you like a child, girl.” Supposedly it’s about his breakup with girlfriend Patti D’Arbanville (sung about on Mona Bone Jakon).

But in retrospect, the only line that would lead one to believe it was a “break-up” song is the ambiguous opening line “Now that I’ve lost everything to you,” and indeed, perhaps it is a sexist break-up song, but it could just as easily be about a song to a daughter venturing out into the world for the first time. Considering the cover art, and another song on the album, “Father and Son,” that’s an equally probable interpretation—it certainly is a better one in 2011!

There’s melancholy in “Sad Lisa,” and majestic spiritual yearning (a hint of what was to come) in the “Miles From Nowhere.”

There’s not a second wasted on the first side and so many arrangement nooks and crannies to be discovered on this superbly dynamic, spacious and detailed re-mastering and pressing.

Side two begins with the short “stop and smell the flowers” of “But I Might Die Tonight,” followed by “Longer Boats,” another song with both hippie and religious overtones and then comes the exquisite “Into White” that sounds inspired by the imagery of The Incredible String Band. “On the Road to Find Out” returns to the search for spiritual fulfillment but that’s followed by the settled satisfaction of the old man’s message on “Father and Son.”

The title song is a short, joyous gospel-influenced denouement to end an endlessly entertaining journey that holds up fully every play forty-one years later!

I remember buying my pink label Island copy at a small record store called The Depot, next to a train station in a small suburban Boston suburb, the name of which escapes me.

Upon taking the expensive record out of the jacket I was disappointed to see the same STERLING stamp and LH marking on the inner groove area as on my A&M copy. I consoled myself with the far superior packaging and that iconic pink Island label.

The first play on my Dual 1219 brought gasps because the sound was so far superior to the A&M. It was razor sharp in the best sense of the word, with black backgrounds and a dynamic thrust missing from the lackluster American pressing. Wow!

And wow again listening to this impeccably pressed on 200g vinyl reissue. The attack of the pick on the guitar strings is astonishingly clean and detailed. Depth is pronounced and because of both the blackness of the backdrop and the precision of both the state of the art plating and the technological breakthroughs achieved in the retro-fitted presses, the resolution of low level detail reveals a host of details that are either buried or glossed over on the other versions I’ve heard and own.

If you have the UHQR edition, you’ll find this similar in one way: there’s nothing “mellow” about the overall production and when the music gets loud (and Marino lets it get so) it can get a bit hard, but better that than to soften it and lose the clarity, focus and detail of this superb recording, especially in the quieter passages where the resolution of low level detail is astonishing.

If your system is bright, this may sound a bit bright, especially if you can’t get the bottom octaves, but as your rig gets better, this record will only keep sounding better and better.

As for Cat Stevens, he went on to record a string of equally fine records, similar in tone and formula to this one, including Teaser and the Firecat, that contained more hits (“Peace Train,” “Morning Has Broken,” and “Moon Shadow”) than did Tea for the Tillerman, and Catch Bull at Four, followed by a few more albums that were somewhat less distinguished.

Audio Fidelity issues a twenty song, two LP live set of his 1976 “Majikat” tour (AFZLP2 040) containing many of his most well-liked tunes. It was his farewell to the world as Cat Stevens and listening makes it clear that he was dispirited and going through the motions much of the time, though there are sparks of the old Cat there too.

A year later he converted to Islam, taking the name Yusef Islam and forsaking his pop music career, though he did do a benefit for UNICEF at Wembley Stadium in 1979 and has been involved in charitable work ever since.

Controversy followed as he was accused of aiding the terrorist group Hamas, which he denied and he is reputedly said to have been okay with the fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie, but again he denied that, saying he was “joking” and his comments had been improperly edited.

After 9/11 he condemned the attack and he sang an a cappella version of “Peace Train” during the “Concert For New York” pre-concert show that was an unforgettable moment (among dozens during the concert proper) for his fans.

He was ridiculously put on the terror watch list and in 2004 the commercial plane he was on bound for Washington D.C. was diverted to Maine where he was escorted off and sent back to the U.K.

Since then he’s become more active in the secular music world but his piety seems to inhibit his expression, though his live performances have been generally well-received.

He made a bizarre and somewhat uncomfortable appearance at the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” where he performed “Peace Train” tentatively while Ozzie sang “Crazy Train” with the O’Jays finishing up with “Love Train.” You had to see it to believe it.

None of that takes away from his rich period between 1969 and the mid-seventies when he produced some of the most memorable and enduring folk-rock records of the rock era. Analogue Productions will release them over the next year.

Tea For the Tillerman is a great choice for an inaugural album to launch a new pressing plant in my opinion, and if this release is any indication of what we can expect from Chad Kassem’s new venture, we’re in for some great vinyl!!!!! (Please read my story about a visit to the new pressing plant in the August issue of Stereophile magazine).

The release has been delayed until August 1st, 2011 but it will be well worth the wait!

Thanks to Michael over at www.musicangle.com   for the exclusive rights to reprint this material. Stop by MusicAngle.com for more reviews and features.

©2011 MusicAngle.com & Michael Fremer - - All rights reserved

Reprinted by Permission

Vinyl Record News & Music Notes

Deerhoof Collaboratives with Jeff Tweedy & The Raccoonists on Single Series

'Behold A Raccoon In The Darkness,' is the fourth installment of Deerhoof’s collaborative 7” series in which guest vocalists perform over an instrumental track from the band’s latest album, 'Deerhoof vs. Evil.' The A side is "Behold" and we can hear the immediately identifiable sounds of Jeff Tweedy, with harmonies by his son Spencer.

The Side B features "Own It," an original song by The Raccoonists, a group comprised of Tweedy and his two sons, Spencer and Sam.

The record is due out on October 11 via Polyvinyl Records. It is strictly limited to 2000 copies on clear pink vinyl and it is available for pre-order now.

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pollstar.com has a very cool interview with popovic, well worth checking out!

The Very ‘Unconditional’ Ana Popovic

The Serbian guitarist/singer talks about her new album, writing music and her passion for the blues.

Born in Belgrade, Ana Popovic’s affinity for the blues came via her parents’ record collection. Inspired by singers Tina Turner, Nina Simone and Koko Taylor as well as guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy, Popovic formed her first band while still a teenager.

Scheduled for an August 16 release on Electogroove Records, her latest album, Unconditional, was recorded in New Orleans and was helmed by Grammy-winning producer John Porter.

Popovic recently talked with Pollstar about Unconditional as well as how she approaches writing her music and why parents should never discourage their children’s musical aspirations.

Read the interview at pollstar.com

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nice write up from the UK on the passing of an icon:

Alex Steinweiss

Alex Steinweiss, who died on July 17 aged 94, invented the modern album sleeve, revolutionising the appearance of what was then known as the “long-playing microgroove” record and paving the way for some of the most famous images in modern popular culture

Some album covers — such as The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper and Nirvana’s Nevermind — are now almost as celebrated as the music they contain. But before Steinweiss, discs were entombed in plain paper packaging.

It was in 1939 that Steinweiss, who designed posters promoting Columbia Records’ new releases, rebelled against such stupefying dullness. . “They were so drab, so unattractive,” he recalled of the covers.

Read the rest of the story at telegraph.co.uk

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it is the world we live in (this from down under), we can and will continue to clutch our beloved vinyl while the music landscape changes around us...again....

Music's new frontier

Andrew Harris

Aa a solo artist and founding member of alternative rock band Throwing Muses, US singer and songwriter Kristin Hersh has been trying out new sounds for three decades. Recently, however, she has been exploring a different musical frontier - this one at the contested border where music and technology meet.

Hersh's latest release, Crooked, is available as an application for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and includes lyrics and an essay for each song, as well as exclusive interactive content, video extras and a forum where fans can interact with her through text and live web chats.

''Since the app release we've sold more apps than album downloads,'' says Hersh. ''Although numbers are still coming in, we've sold a couple of thousand already''. She estimates that to date the app has accounted for about 20 per cent of digital content sold.

Hersh may be at the vanguard of a new musical movement.

Read more at smh.com.au

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in the age where music is free and anyone can be heard by millions, here's another way that bands of today get their music out:

Farm Boy Music Announces New Music Releases Available For Phone App

Farm Boy Music Group had announced that it is now using a webapp service for the promotion of new songs recorded at the company's studio in Flintstone, GA

For Immediate Release

Farm Boy Music Group, a music production facility in the North Georgia mountains near Chattanooga, Tn is always striving to be on the cutting edge of technology and their latest addition to their arsenal is proof. They have recently began using a web based phone app service to handle releases and promotion of new material as it is being released from their studio.

"In today's world, music is being released at an amazing rate," says Gary R. Farmer, CEO of the Farm Boy Music Group. "We are like most everyone else out there. New material promotion for the independant artist is always a tough thing to do with so many avenues for promotion. Do I use Twitter, Myspace, Digital Rodeo, Linkedin, or what? We are using a service that allows direct submission to all of those plus gives an artist an app for promotion direct to their fans and as they make changes to their app it will automatically send the updates to the app and ultimately the fans and buying public."

The service is at the website www.songpier.com  and available to anyone looking to self promote their music. "The app allows linking through to personal artist websites, video promotion, song promotion, mechandise sales, pictures, as well as much more. In essence, the app can become your own personal press kit because it allows you to daily blogging or press releases direct to the ones that have the app bookmarked to their smartphone".

Farm Boy Music Group is a music service that caters to the singer/songwriter community and independant artist. For information visit them on the web at: www.farmboymusicgroup.com

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Yellowcard Reisssues On Vinyl Up For Pre-Order

Yellowcard have recently announced the vinyl release of four of their albums on vinyl including: 'Lights and Sounds,' 'The Underdog,' 'Paper Walls' and 'Ocean Avenue.' Pre orders have been launched with a Septemeber 13th release date. Pre-Order at shopradiocast.com

In addition to these brand new vinyl releases you can get a copy of Yellowcards 2011 release, 'When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes' on a purple LP limited to only 300 copies.


Lights and Sounds

Originally released in 2006, Lights & Sounds debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, selling over 90,000 copies first week. Album features single, "Lights & Sounds" which peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot Modern Rock tracks. This is the first time the album has ever been released on vinyl. Yellowcard recently released their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, debuting at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. After a sold out tour with All Time Low, they will be headlining in the fall and continuing to build the fan base that has kept them at the forefront of the pop punk scene.

Track Listing

Three Flights Up
Lights & Sounds
Down On My Head
Sure Thing Falling
City Of Devils
Rough Landing Holly
Two Weeks From Twenty
Waiting Game
Martin Sheek Or JFK
Space Travel
Grey
Words Hands Hearts
How I Go
Holly Wood Died


The Underdog

Released in 2002, The Underdog was released as a limited EP and is extremely rare. These 5 songs illustrate an important transition between older Yellowcard releases and the Ocean Avenue era. This is the first time the album has ever been released on vinyl with updated cover art. Yellowcard recently released their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, debuting at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. After a sold out tour with All Time Low, they will be headlining in the fall and continuing to build the fan base that has kept them at the forefront of the pop punk scene.

Track Listing
Underdog
Avondale
Finish Line
Powder
Rocket


Paper Walls

Released in 2007, Paper Walls debuted at #13 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The release features the single "Light Up The Sky". This is the first time the album has ever been released on vinyl. Yellowcard recently released their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, debuting at #19 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. After a sold out tour with All Time Low, they will be headlining in the fall and continuing to build the fan base that has kept them at the forefront of the pop punk scene.



Track Listing

The Takedown
Fighting
Shrink The World
Keeper
Light Up The Sky
Shadows And Regrets
Five Becomes Four
Afraid
Date Line (I Am Gone)
Dear Bobbie
You And Me And One Spotlight
Cut Me, Mick
Paper Walls


Ocean Avenue

Southern California punk heroes Yellowcard are a young quintet which has created an enormous national grass-roots fan base from tireless touring and hundreds and hundreds of passionate live shows.

Ocean Avenue was produced by Neal Avron and mixed by Lorde-Alge. The 13 song album offers a passionate brand of anthemic and melodic punk, but with a twist - complementing the standard band set up with the furious violin playing of Sean Mackin.


Track Listing

Way Away
Breathing
Ocean Avenue
Empty Apartment
Life Of A Salesman
Only One
Miles Apart
Twentythree
View From Heaven
Inside Out
Believe
One Year, Six Months
Back Home

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and in music history for August 6th:

In 1955, Elvis Presley's first number one record was released. The song was called "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" and when it hit the top of the US Country charts several months later, it stayed there for 5 weeks.

In 1960, Chubby Checker appeared on US television show American Bandstand and performed “The Twist.” The song went to #1 on the US chart and again 18 months later in 1962. It is the only song to go to the top of the charts on two separate occasions.



In 1970, the 10th National Jazz, Blues and Pop four day Festival was held at Plumpton Racecourse in Sussex, England. Featuring, Family, Groundhogs, Cat Stevens, Deep Purple, Fat Mattress, Yes, Caravan, The Strawbs, Black Sabbath, Wild Angles, Wishbone Ash and Daddy Longlegs.

Also in 1970, the Concert for Peace was held in Shea Stadium, New York, with Paul Simon, Johnny Winter, Poco, Janis Joplin and Steppenwolf. The concert date coincided with the 25th anniversary of dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

In 1973, 23 year-old Stevie Wonder is seriously injured when the rented car he is riding in slams into the back of a small logging truck on I-85 near Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He suffers multiple head injuries and will remain in a coma for four days.

In 1981, Stevie Nicks released her first solo album Bella Donna which contained four top 40 US hits. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” (with Tom Petty), “Leather and Lace,”(with Don Henley), “Edge of Seventeen” and “After the Glitter Fades.”

The movie version of Pink Floyd's The Wall opened in 1982.

In 1988, Appetite For Destruction, Guns N' Roses debut album went to #1 in the U.S., after spending 57 weeks on the chart and selling over 5 million copies.  Singles from the album, “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Paradise City’”were all U.S. Top 10 hits.

In 1994, Domenico Modugno, the Italian singer whose recording of "Volare" topped the North American charts in 1958, died of a heart attack near his home on the island of Lampedusa. He was 66.

In 2000, it was announced that Ice-T would play a detective on the TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2004, Rick James was found dead at his Los Angeles home. Known as “The King of Punk-Funk,” James scored the 1981 U.S. #3 album Street Songs and 1981 U.S. #16 single “Super Freak part 1.” In the late ‘60s James worked as a songwriter and producer for Motown, working with Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Addicted to cocaine, he once admitted to spending $7,000 a week on drugs for five years.

celebrating birthdays today include (among others) Mike Ellott (Foundations) (82), Mark DuFresne (Confederate Railroad) (58) and Pat MacDonald (Timbuk3) (59)