Music News & Notes

Grateful Dead celebrate 40th Anniversary of Workingman's Dead with vinyl box set release

The Grateful Dead and Rhino Records have announced plans to release a 5 LP vinyl box set called 'The Warner Bros. Studio Albums.'  The box set will contain 1967's The Grateful Dead, 1970's American Beauty and Workingman's Dead, plus the original mixes for 1968's Anthems of the Sun and 1969's Aoxomoxoa, which are available on vinyl for the first time in 40 years.

Hardcore Grateful Dead fans have collected these original mixes for years, especially Aoxomoxoa, which was remixed by Phil Lesh and Jerry Garcia 2 years after its release in an effort to cut through the dense mix. The alterations created an album that was vastly different in sound, making the original a highly sought collector's item.

The set will also offer detailed replicas of the original albums in hardshell cases and a book containing previously unpublished photos and liner notes by Blair Jackson. Fans who order from the Grateful Dead's official website will receive an additional exclusive, a reproduction of the rare 1968 7" single of "Dark Star" and a reproduction of the rare promotional poster from the first album.

The Warner Bros. Studio Albums runs $134.98 and is available to pre-order now. The official tracklist is as follows:

The Grateful Dead
Side One
1. “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)”
2. “Beat It On Down The Line”
3. “Good Morning Little School Girl”
4. “Cold Rain And Snow”
5. “Sitting On Top Of The World”
6. “Cream Puff War”
Side Two
1. “Morning Dew”
2. “New, New Minglewood Blues”
3. “Viola Lee Blues”

Anthem Of The Sun
Side One
1. “That’s It For The Other One”
I. “Cryptical Envelopment”
II. “Quadlibet For Tender Feet”
III. “The Faster We Go, The Rounder We Get”
IV. “We Leave The Castle”
2. “New Potato Caboose”
3. “Born Cross-Eyed”
Side Two
1. “Alligator”
2. “Caution (Do Not Stop On Tracks)”

Aoxomoxoa
Side One
1. “St. Stephen”
2. “Dupree’s Diamond Blues”
3. “Rosemary”
4. “Doin’ That Rag”
5. “Mountains Of The Moon”
Side Two
1. “China Cat Sunflower”
2. “What’s Become Of The Baby”
3. “Cosmic Charlie”

Workingman’s Dead
Side One
1. “Uncle John's Band”
2. “High Time”
3. “Dire Wolf”
4. “New Speedway Boogie”
Side Two
1. “Cumberland Blues”
2. “Black Peter”
3. “Easy Wind”
4. “Casey Jones”

American Beauty
Side One
1. “Box Of Rain”
2. “Friend Of The Devil”
3. “Sugar Magnolia”
4. “Operator”
5. “Candyman” Side Two
1. “Ripple”
2. “Brokedown Palace”
3. “Till The Morning Comes”
4. “Attics Of My Life”
5. “Truckin’”

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VOLBEAT: 'Beyond Hell/Above Heaven' Track Listing, Artwork Unveiled

Danish metal rock 'n' rollers VOLBEAT will release their fourth album, "Beyond Hell/Above Heaven", in Germany on September 10 and in most parts of Europe on September 13 via Vertigo/Universal.  The CD was once again recorded at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen. The cover artwork was created by illustrator Karsten Wrysand and can be viewed at the left.

Commented the band: "It's been a long process, but damn well worth it. The artwork for 'Beyond Hell/Above Heaven' is done and we're absolutely very proud of it."

"Beyond Hell/Above Heaven" track listing:

01. The Mirror And The Ripper
02. Heaven Nor Hell
03. Who They Are
04. Fallen
05. A Better Believer
06. 7 Shots
07. A New Day
08. 16 Dollars
09. A Warrior's Call
10. Magic Zone
11. Evelyn
12. Being 1
13. Thanks

VOLBEAT is "very excited" about the new material, "carrying the songs into both extreme metallic territory, punk variations and some very catchy stuff at the same time," according to a posting on the band's web site.

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Elton John And Leon Russell Announce New Album 'The Union'

It's been announced that Elton John and Leon Russell are set to release a new album,'The Union.' The LP, due out on October 25, marks the first time the performers have worked together since 1970.

Produced by Oscar and multiple-Grammy winning producer T Bone Burnett, the 16-track album features songs written by Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin.

It was recored live and includes guest appearances from Neil Young, Brian Wilson, R&B organist Booker T. and a 10-piece gospel choir.

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Anberlin pushes up release date and unveils album cover art

HollywoodNews.com: Anberlin has just announced a handful of updates that fans will be super stoked about.

The first is that their new album, “Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place” will be released two weeks earlier on September 7th and their new single “Impossible” is officially on sale at iTunes and Amazon today. In addition, the band has just released the album cover art at Absolutepunk and Nate Young from the band has left a message:

What up! Nate Young from Anberlin – as you know we are gearing up for our new album release and we are so stoked for you to hear the whole thing. A few months back I stumbled upon an amazing Australian artist named, Michael Zavros. His work blew my mind, and we were able to use one of his pieces for our cover of our new album, Dark is the Way, Light is a Place. In my opinion, it’s some of the best artwork I’ve seen in years. Its a hand-drawn charcoal painting and just seem to fit perfectly with what we were feeling for these songs. We are so honored to be able to have it be apart of this album. Hope you all like it. We will also be announcing tour news very soon! Stay on the look out. See you all out on the road soon.




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BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's Debut To Be Made Available In Three Different Formats

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION — the Anglo/American rock supergroup featuring vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH, TRAPEZE), drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN), Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER) and blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa — will release its self-titled debut album in Europe on Monday, September 20 via Mascot Records and North America on Tuesday, September 21 through J&R Adventures. The CD was produced and mixed by Kevin Shirley (BLACK CROWES, AEROSMITH, LED ZEPPELIN), and mastered by the legendary Bob Ludwig. It was recorded at Shangri-La Studios in early 2010.

"Black Country Communion" will be available in the U.K. in three different formats:

** Format #1 - Limited-Edition 2-Disc CD/DVD

Featuring the 12 album tracks on CD, complete with an additional DVD jam-packed with band member interviews, exclusive studio and live images, Kevin Shirley's album production notes, "The Great Divide" music video, behind-the-scenes in-studio footage, plus live tracks as performed by BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION at Riverside, California.

** Format #2 - Single-Disc CD

Regular 1 disc CD edition

** Format #3 - Vinyl

Double-sided 12" vinyl album edition

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New Michael Jackson Album To Be Released
Producer Rodney 'Darkchild' Jerkins reveals...

by Jason Gregory over at www.gigwise.com

An album of new Michael Jackson songs is set to be released, producer Rodney 'Darkchild' Jerkins has revealed.

Jerkins said he was about to start working on the album, which will contain previously unreleased material.

He told VladTV: "It's definitely going to come, but it takes time. You got to do a lot of the red tape but there's definitely going to be an unreleased Michael Jackson [album].

“There's definitely going to be stuff to come and hopefully I'll be a part of that."

Jerkins, who worked with Jackson on his 2001 album 'Invincible', said the experience had been a “blessing”.

He added that he still missed “dearly” the singer, who died last June at the age of 50.

Jackson is understood to have been working on a new album when he died. The star's back-catalogue also contained a wealth of previously unheard material.