The Rolling Stones are wrapping up their Hackney Diamonds US run. It’s yet another successful tour in the books. It’s uncertain whether any of the shows from this tour will be released on any audio or video formats. Regardless, there’s no shortage of live vinyl albums, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays of past tours from the group.

For decades, the band has put out live releases from far in the past and some from very recent tours. There have been live releases from intimate clubs and even huge stadiums. Since Bill Wyman left the group in January of 1993, there have been many releases and now since the passing of Charlie Watts in August of 2021, there have been others.

While Steve Jordan has filled in admirably for Watts, being able to get a new live Stones release from the band when Watts was still in the group is more than welcome. Getting one from a concert hall is even better. Such is the case with this new release recoded at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. It is actually another official bootleg release, from a series that began in 2011 and now includes 24 releases, with three that are part of the From the Vault Collection. Prior to the series, there were 10 live Stones albums and concurrently with these official bootlegs, another three live albums. The vinyl version of this release is a real winner with 20 songs spread out over three albums.

From tour to tour there are set lists that include certain staples, but the songs performed for a given tour that were added or dropped are what make these official bootleg live releases so much fun. Some of the more interesting choices here are “Hand of Fate” (Black and Blue), “Dance Part 1” (Emotional Rescue), “Stray Cat Blues” (Beggars Banquet), and a cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” with guest Solomon Burke adding vocals.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | The second in a series of half speed mastered studio albums from Pete Townshend, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes and White City (A Novel) have been released.

These limited-edition black vinyl versions have been mastered by long-time Who engineer Jon Astley and cut for vinyl by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios with a half-speed mastering technique which produces a superior vinyl cut and are packaged in original sleeves with obi strips and certificates of authenticity.

Initially released in June 1982, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes was Pete Townshend’s third solo album and contained two singles “Uniforms (Corp d’Esprit)” as well as “Somebody Saved Me” a song The Who had recorded for their 1981 album Face Dances, The Who version didn’t appear until 1997. The track “The Sea Refuses No River” has since been singled out as one of Townshend’s most underrated songs.

Chris Thomas produced the album, featuring Simon Philips on drums and Jody Linscott on percussion, who would later perform with The Who. Promo videos were made for seven tracks from the album (“Prelude,” “Face Dances Pt 2,” “Communication,” “Uniforms,” “Stardom In Acton,” “Exquisitely Bored,” and an alternate version of “Slit Skirts”) by renowned photographers Davies & Starr (Chalkie Davies and his then-wife Carol Starr) and released on VHS. Pete didn’t get to play the album live as three months after its release, The Who’s “It’s Hard” appeared, and the band undertook their farewell tour.

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With his new album Next Year’s Ghost, Zachary Cale has solidified his position amongst the top rank of contemporary singer-songwriters. Taking shape during the COVID pandemic, the record also illuminates Cale’s versatility, as it shifts the instrumental focus to keyboards for the first time. Offering consistently robust songs and finding the composer in strong voice, the set is available now on vinyl and digital through ORG Music.

Learning that Zachary Cale essentially taught himself how to play piano during the COVID shutdown, and then, after he’d sharpened his abilities and (assumedly) raised his confidence, wrote the eight songs that shape Next Year’s Ghost, makes an already considerable achievement doubly impressive. A couple blind listens to the record left no inkling that Cale was a recent learner of the keys; instead, he sounded like he’d been adept for years and had simply chosen to complete his most recent batch of songs with the instrument.

Piano appealingly deepens the aura of the singer-songwriter that has long enveloped Cale’s work. Opener “Heart of Tin” leaves the impression of an artist who sat at the bench and formulated the melody across hours, days and weeks; Turns out, as Cale learned play, initially just engaging in a therapeutic act during a highly stressful time to be alive, patient song construction is exactly what happened.

Cale’s fundamental strength is songwriting, but his extensive discography thrives on how those compositions are realized; mid-way through “Heart of Tin,” the accompanying musicians shift into full-band gear, a long-established maneuver that avoids sounding stale through the inspired execution. Along with Cale, the core band features Shahzad Ismaily (Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog) on bass, Korg, Arp and mellotron, Uriah Theriault (Okkervil River) on electric guitar, and Jeremy Gustin (Woodsy Pride) on drums and percussion.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Mercury Studios, Universal Music Group’s innovative and multi-faceted content studio, is proud to announce the DVD+Blu-ray release of the critically acclaimed documentary film Have You Got It Yet?, a compelling dive into the life and genius of Syd Barrett, of Pink Floyd fame. The film will also be made available on digital formats, as well as On Demand.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and the late, acclaimed album cover designer Storm Thorgerson (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, and Black Sabbath), and produced by Orian Williams (England Is Mine, Creation Stories, Control), the feature length documentary drew praise for its candid glimpse into the prismatic character and artistry of Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. Visionaries behind prog rock and British psychedelic music, Pink Floyd chartered a monolithic legacy in both music and cultural history. Syd, who gave the group their moniker by combining the names of two obscure blues players—Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, played a crucial role in igniting that history, then left the group before they met stardom.

Released in cinemas worldwide in Summer 2023, Have You Got It Yet? achieved a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a successful theatrical run with many sold-out screenings. Intimate interviews with band members David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters uncover Barrett’s ongoing impact on the group. Going a step further, the film also includes an interview with Syd’s sister, Rosemary Breen. Narrated by actor Jason Isaacs, the film also features original band managers Peter Jenner and Andrew King, as well as The Who’s Pete Townshend and Blur’s Graham Coxon.

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VIA PRESS RELEASE | Van Halen’s ninth studio album, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, debuted at #1 and stayed there for three weeks during the summer of 1991. It was the third consecutive #1 album from singer Sammy Hagar, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alex Van Halen, and bassist Michael Anthony.

An Expanded Edition of the album is arriving this summer from Rhino, including a newly remastered version of the original, along with previously unreleased audio and video footage from Van Halen’s December 4, 1991, concert in Dallas, Texas. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (Expanded Edition) will be available on July 12 and includes two LPs, two CDs, and a Blu-ray. Pre-order HERE. Rhino.com will have an exclusive bundle featuring the release and a set of four 7” singles, including “Poundcake” / “Pleasure Dome,” “Top Of The World” / “In ‘N’ Out,” “Right Now” (Organ Version) / “Man On A Mission,” and “Right Now” (Guitar Version) / “The Dream Is Over” (Instrumental Version).

Originally released in June 1991, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was an immediate success. It reached triple platinum certification and earned Van Halen its first Grammy® Award for Best Hard Rock Performance and American Music Award® for Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album. Producer and engineer Bernie Grundman expertly remastered and cut lacquers for this edition, ensuring pristine sound quality.

The Expanded Edition includes previously unreleased alternate versions of “Right Now” and “The Dream Is Over.” The main attraction, however, has to be the previously unreleased concert footage from Van Halen’s December 4, 1991, performance in Dallas. Captured during the “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour,” this electrifying show is a powerful example of Van Halen’s unparalleled stage presence.

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Celebrating John Fogerty on his 79th birthday. —Ed.

The Aquarian imprimatur stamped upon the late sixties has always had its flip side. Not everybody was wearing a peace symbol or singing, “Come on people now/Smile on your brother/Everybody get together/And try to love one another right now.” The songs of urban dread of The Doors, the Manson Family murder spree, and Altamont all made it abundantly clear that not all was cool in the turned-on family of man. Call it the Satanic Element. And one of its chroniclers was that great but underrated band, Creedence Clearwater Revival. They sang of dark omens and of terrified flight; they were the dour prophets, as were The Doors, of the dark side of the era of peace, love, and music.

Of course, they had their lighter side—they’re the folks who gave us “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” and “Down on the Corner,” after all—but when I think of them I think of their darker tunes, the ones that evoke bad juju and ask apocalyptic questions. “Who’ll Stop the Rain” sang John Fogerty, and that rain wasn’t literal, it was the precipitation of negative vibes that had washed away the innocence of a generation. Ditto the rain that fell in “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” It was uncanny and foreboding, that rain falling on a sunny day.

I love Creedence, always have, in part because they were so humble; they were never sexy, never got their proper props—all they did was write succinct and timeless songs, sort of like Tom Petty has been doing for so long. From Fogerty’s harsh growl to the band’s disciplined approach to making music—no free-form jams for these guys—they were utterly distinctive, and there was no mistaking them for anybody else.

When it comes to product, I prefer their greatest hit collection At the Movies over Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits because it eliminates some songs, such as “Sweet Hitch-Hiker,” “Long As I Can See the Light,” “I Put a Spell on You,” and “Someday Never Comes” that I’ve never cared for much. And At the Movies includes several cuts (“The Midnight Special,” “Keep On Chooglin’”) that I consider indispensible. Then again, 20 Greatest Hits includes “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and the great “Commotion,” so it’s all a big trade-off, isn’t it?

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In March of 1958 producer and Prestige Records owner Bob Weinstock organized a session with two up-and-comers in a very fertile scene. Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane was the result, pairing one of the most consistent guitarists in Modern Jazz with the now long renowned tenor saxophonist. It took over five years for those recordings to hit the retail racks via the Prestige subsidiary New Jazz, but the contents have been reissued numerous times since, reinforcing the high level of play. The latest edition is set to arrive June 7 on 180 gram vinyl in a tip-on jacket mastered form the original tapes as part of Craft Recordings’ ongoing Original Jazz Classics series.

Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane is certainly a notable album. While Coltrane had played with guitarists before, this set is the only studio album to feature him leading (in this instance, co-leading) a band with that instrument (Wes Montgomery did join Coltrane’s sextet featuring Eric Dolphy for some West Coat live dates in 1961, even playing the Monterey Jazz Festival, but any tapes of those performances have yet to surface).

That this album sat in the vaults for half a decade will understandably lead some to assume it’s a lesser recording, but Weinstock had amassed quite a bit of Coltrane studio material while he had him under contract, sessions methodically issued as the saxophonist’s star continued to rise, often with Coltrane posthumously designated as leader.

To expand a bit, Coltrane and Burrell do play together in a sextet for three tracks on The Cats, a 1957 recording released in ’59. Issued as a leaderless date (sometimes credited to the Prestige All Stars), it sure sounds like it was conceived as a Tommy Flanagan session; the other two tracks feature the pianist in trio with bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Louis Hayes (trumpeter Idrees Sulieman completes the sextet).

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Celebrating Bruce Cockburn on his 80th birthday. —Ed.

For some, Bruce Cockburn needs no introduction. However, just as many (maybe more) are unfamiliar with the persevering Canadian singer-songwriter’s talents, a reality Tompkins Square’s Josh Rosenthal fully understands. Rather than leave this deficiency unaddressed, James Toth Presents… Imaginational Anthem Vol. XIII – Songs of Bruce Cockburn arrived on LP, CD, and digital. Featuring nine readings of Cockburn songs by an impressive cohort of contemporary indie artists including Jerry David DeCicca with Bill Callahan, Powers Rolin Duo, Wet Tuna, and the set’s curator in the duo Armory Schafer, the album is poised to enlighten newbies while satisfying longtime Cockburn fans.

In the notes to this worthwhile set, Josh Rosenthal lays out his reasons for following up Imaginational Anthem Vol. XII, a multi-artist tribute to the late guitarist Michael Chapman, with a similar goodwill gesture. In short, it pertained to a nagging disrespect to Cockburn through oversight from a listenership that’s clued into a younger, more indie-aligned scene.

It bears mentioning that Cockburn is a certifiably huge deal in Canada, as knowledge of his artistry has also spread elsewhere. While never as big in the USA as he was at home, Cockburn’s songs were once heard on stateside commercial rock radio. But as the decades have passed, the guy’s stature has seemed to diminish even as he’s remained active.

Rosenthal puts the blame in part on the lack of championing from tastemaker musicians. It’s an assertion that resonates as accurate. I’ll add that Cockburn’s never been a darling of critics the way that some purely instrumental fingerpickers and folky singer-songwriters were and are. And unlike the recordings of those more celebrated names (say, Fahey, Jansch, Hardin, Cooder), Cockburn’s stuff pre-Dancing in the Dragon’s Jaws was pretty scarce in the bins new or used, at least in more suburban areas of the USA.

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We’ve closed TVD’s HQ for the Memorial Day holiday. While we’re away, why not fire up our Record Store Locator app and visit one of your local indie record stores?

Perhaps there’s an interview, review, or feature you might have missed? Catch up and we’ll see you back here Tuesday, 5/28.

VIA PRESS RELEASE | Before they achieved stardom the world over with “It’s Raining Men,” Weather Girls Martha Wash and Izora Rhodes Armstead made waves in the thriving San Francisco music scene as Two Tons o’ Fun (and, later, The Two Tons). The powerhouse duo began working with gender- and genre-defying artist Sylvester at Fantasy Records, singing background and lead vocals on many of his most memorable recordings.

In 1980, they struck out on their own and teamed with legendary Motown veteran Harvey Fuqua (who had also helmed Sylvester’s beloved albums) for two remarkable LPs on his Honey Records imprint. Fusing disco, dance, soul, funk, and R&B with roof-raising, gospel-tinged vocals, both Two Tons o’ Fun and Backatcha put the extraordinary voices of “Queen of Clubland” Wash and Armstead out front. Now, Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records are thrilled to celebrate the Two Tons with a complete 2-CD anthology that serves as a companion to last year’s acclaimed Sylvester release, Disco Heat: The Fantasy Years 1977-1981.

Two Tons o’ Fun’s Get the Feeling: The Complete Fantasy/Honey Recordings brings together, on 2 CDs, both of the Two Tons’ albums—the first of which features Sylvester himself in the band—plus a host of rare single versions, remixes, and extended versions. Among the highlights are the top five Dance smashes “Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven” and “I Got the Feeling” as well as such R&B and Dance hits as “I Depend on You” and “Never Like This.” Both albums have long been overlooked; their last CD reissue was more than thirty years ago in the UK; this collection marks both albums’ US CD debut, while most of the bonus tracks are also new to worldwide CD.

For the occasion, all audio has been newly remastered by Mike Milchner, and we are remastering the two albums straight from the original tapes, so this collection will offer a big sonic upgrade. The collection also contains a deluxe booklet featuring liner notes by The Second Disc’s Joe Marchese and unseen photos. With the return of Two Tons o’ Fun, only one exclamation is appropriate: Hallelujah!