Carole King to release reissues of four classic albums

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added: 8 Feb 2012 // by: newsdesk 

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Carole King will release reissues of four classic albums - Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King (1980), Touch the Sky (1979), Welcome Home (1978), and Simple Things (1977) - on February 28 via her own Rockingale Records label and Concord Music Group. Each includes the original photography and album notes and, aside from Pearls, has never been previously released on CD in the United States.

Carole King is one of the primary architects of the singer-songwriter movement of the early 1970s, thanks in large part to the hugely influential body of work she had already established by the time she released her first solo album. King wrote hit songs for other artists for nearly a decade before stepping into the spotlight with her landmark 1971 release Tapestry, which received a Diamond Award from the RIAA for sales of more than 10 million units in the U.S., with more than 25 million units sold worldwide.

These subsequent releases brim with the unprecedented honesty and intimacy of the singer-songwriter era and helped solidify her status as one of the most successful and revered female songwriter in pop music history.

Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King (1980)
Next to Tapestry, which was released nearly a decade earlier, Pearls is considered one of King's finest recordings. Just as the title suggests, it's a retrospective of classic songs written by the powerhouse creative team of King and former husband Gerry Goffin. Included among the ten tracks are many of the songs that put other artists on the map before King launched her solo career: 'The Loco-Motion' (Little Eva, Grand Funk Railroad), 'One Fine Day' (The Chiffons, Rita Coolidge), 'Chains' (The Beatles), 'Hey Girl' (Bobby Vee, The Righteous Brothers, Donnie Osmond, George Benson), and more.

Simple Things (1977)
Simple Things marked King's transition from Epic Records to the Capitol label, and also introduced songwriter/husband Rick Evers as her collaborative partner (the marital and creative partnership was short lived, as Evers died within a year after the release of the ten-song set). The King-Evers songwriting is fleshed out by King's six-piece band, Navarro: guitarists Rob McEntee and Mark Hallman, bassist Rob Galloway, drummer Michael Wooten, percussionist Miguel Rivera, and flutist/saxophonist/clarinetist Richard Hardy.

Welcome Home (1978)
Welcome Home is an eclectic and exploratory outing, with songs ranging from the Beatle-esque ('Venusian Diamond') to the dance beat ('Disco Tech'). But the album is also marked by tragedy. It's King's second recording to showcase the collaborative songwriting partnership with her husband Rick Evers, who died in the months between the completion of the recording sessions in January 1978 and the release in May (Evers appears prominently in the album photos). Welcome Home - with backing by her band Navarro - provides a snapshot of an artist willing to take risks by stepping beyond preconceptions to embrace a range of styles.

Touch the Sky (1979)
Touch the Sky was recorded in Austin, Texas, with a team of musicians that included some members of Navarro - Hallman, Hardy, and Rivera - along with musicians from Jerry Jeff Walker's band. King plays acoustic guitar on 'Walk With Me' and 'Passing of the Days,' and acoustic piano on 'Time Gone By,' 'Crazy,' and 'You Still Want Her.' The result of this diverse collection of musicianship is a unique blend of folk and country, all of which is held together by King's deft songcraft.

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Rory Gallagher's first 6 albums to be reissued

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added: 28 Jan 2012 // by: Andy Snipper

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Sony Music in association with Capo Records and Legacy are proud to re-issue the first six original Rory Gallagher albums in chronological release date order ' 'Rory Gallagher' (1971), 'Deuce' (1971), 'Live In Europe!' (1972), 'Blueprint' (1973), 'Tattoo' (1973) and 'Irish Tour '74' (1974). These seminal re-issued albums celebrate 40 years since the start of Rory's solo career.

Rory Gallagher was a musician like no other.
His music lives on through generations of today's hottest guitarists including Slash, Joe Bonamassa, Brian May, Johnny Marr and The Edge; and also through his amazing catalogue including some of his finest works included in these milestone albums.

They were released during Rory's most prolific years (1971-74), when he recorded and produced 6 albums in a 3 year period. Each of the albums is now re-released in digipack form, with artwork restored from the original first release cover art. The audio has been re-mastered from the original ¼' inch tapes. Each album includes exclusive sleeve notes written by Donal Gallagher; Rory's brother and former tour manager, legendary photographer Mick Rock, and British journalist Roy Hollingworth.

After releasing two critically acclaimed albums with his first band, Taste, and playing the Isle of Wight in 1970, Rory left the band to pursue a solo career. His eponymous debut solo album was released in 1971.
'Deuce' became Rory's third self-penned album in a row - having written all of Taste's second album 'On The Boards' as well as the debut solo album 'Rory Gallagher'. 'Deuce' was recorded at Tangerine Studios in Dalston, East London, which had been built by the legendary British record producer Joe Meek.
'Live! In Europe' has served as a massive influence on budding musicians. U2's Adam Clayton and The Edge both cite the album as the recording that made them want to pick up the guitar and play in a rock'n'roll band.
After six years working as a trio (guitar, bass, drums), Rory embellished his sound by adding keyboards into the band. The line-up of Rory Gallagher (vocals, guitars), Gerry McAvoy (bass), Lou Martin (keyboards) and Rod De'Ath (drums, percussion), remained together from 1973-78, and would record five albums, 'Blueprint' was the first.
For his fifth solo album, rehearsals for 'Tattoo' started in a rowing club in Cork City. The album was released in the same year (1973), nine months after the 'Blueprint' album.
Considered by blues rock guitarist, Joe Bonamassa, to be one of the most influential live albums of all time, 'Irish Tour '74' was recorded at Belfast Ulster Hall, Dublin Carlton Cinema and Cork City Hall, during a time when live music was a rare occurrence, due to the troubles that were then at their most violent peak.

www.rorygallagher.com

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Public Enemy announce two new albums

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added: 17 Jan 2012 // by: Noise11 

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Chuck D of rap instigators Public Enemy has promised two new albums in 2012.

Chuck told Billboard that the legendary political hip-hop act will release an album titled Most Of My Heroes Still Don't Appear On No Stamp (referencing a line from 'Fight The Power' from 1990's classic Fear Of A Black Planet's) in June and then The Evil Empire Of Everything in September.

He confirmed that Bomb Squad member Gary G-Wiz will be working on the first album. Chuck described the albums as 'two concise statements that are connected in the same breath.'

He first spoke about Most Of My Heroes. in mid-2011, saying 'We have never been in the music business to make friends. We've never been the type to kiss ass. We've always strived not to repeat ourselves album to album.'

The two albums will be the first Public Enemy releases since 2007's widely-ignored but critically well-received How Do You Sell Soul To Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?

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