Friday, November 18, 2022

New Music: The Beatles, Glen Phillips, Jeff Berlin

Check out these incredible titles available now.



Artist: 
The Beatles
Title: Revolver Special Edition (Capitol Records)
You might like if you enjoy: The Beatles, The Zombies
Tell me more: The Beatles' 1966 album Revolver is widely considered one of the British band's most beloved albums. The newly-released Revolver Special Edition showcases just how brilliant John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — along with producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick — were at creating one of the greatest recordings of the 20th century over the course of a few short months leading up to its release in August 1966. The range of material across the album astounds; listeners will be reminded how many light years ahead the Fab Four were compared to their contemporaries. The material ranges from Harrison's propulsive rocker "Taxman," yearning "I Want To Tell You" and Indian music-immersed "Love You To" to McCartney's beautiful Baroque gem "For No One" and rapturous R&B blast "Got To Get You Into My Life." Lennon's talents are showcased via the driving power pop nugget "And Your Bird Can Sing," rollicking "Doctor Robert" and experimental masterpiece "Tomorrow Never Knows." The expanded deluxe edition of Revolver (the Super Deluxe 5CD Edition is the title reviewed in this column) includes a new stereo mix of the album by GRAMMY Award winning producer Giles Martin (son of the late George Martin) and Sam Okell, two "Sessions CDs" of outtakes, rehearsals, demos and studio chat, the original 1966 mono album, along with a bonus EP with stereo mixes and the original 1966 mono versions of "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" (those two epic singles preceded the release of Revolver). The expanded Revolver Special Edition also includes a 100-page book with a foreword by McCartney, an essay by Questlove, detailed track notes, photographs and ephemera including handwritten lyrics, tape boxes and extracts from artist Klaus Voormann's graphic novel on the making of the GRAMMY-winning original album cover. Watch this writer and TJR discuss the collections outtakes, rehearsals and studio chat via a video available on YouTube HERE. Information: TheBeatles.com


Artist:
Glen Phillips
Title: There Is So Much Here (Compass Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Neil Finn, Aimee Mann
Tell me more: Beloved as the frontman for Toad the Wet Sprocket, singer-songwriter Glen Phillips is back with his latest solo album, There Is So Much HereA master at chronicling the emotion-filled events in own life with originals that are literate, infectious and timeless, Glen Phillips mined his experiences going through the COVID lockdown on his way to the creation of the marvelous 11-track disc. This was also a singular period where Phillips used the rare experience of being home for an extended stretch to reflect on his life in ways new to him. The range of material across the album will please fans of Phillips' past parade of triumphs. The soaring "Other Birds of Prey" is a euphoric rocker that recalls the high marks set on Toad the Wet Sprocket's Dulcinea. Elsewhere the bouncy "I Was a Riot" (a particularly confessional examination of the end of a relationship), lovely piano-anchored "The Bluest Eye," spacious "Brand New Blue," melodic rocker "Center Of The Circle" and jazz-infused "The Sound of Drinking" — the latter an introspective look at everyday joys that draws favorable sonic comparisons with the work of Bruce Cockburn  allure the listener. The acoustic "Skeleton For School," infectious "Stone Throat," and luxurious "Call the Moondust" are other standouts on the masterwork. Information: GlenPhillips.com






Artist: 
Jeff Berlin
Title: Jack Songs (Jeff Berlin Music Group)
You might like if you enjoy: Jack Bruce, Cream, Eric Johnson, Alex Lifeson
Tell me more: Although Jack Bruce passed away in October 2014, he was already widely regarded as one of the greatest rock and roll bassists of all time. Now Bruce   best known for fronting the '60s rock trio Cream (the supergroup also featured guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker— is being celebrated by modern-day bassist-composer Jeff Berlin on the aptly-titled Jack Songs. Berlin stands as one of the greatest bass players of his generation, having garnered recording and performance credits with a slew of jazz and rock greats including Bill Bruford, Allan Holdsworth, Jon McLaughlin, Patrick MorazFrank Zappa, and more. Now he joins forces with a who's who of greats on a Jack Songs to complete a truly ambitious project inspired by Giles Martin's approach on The Beatles' Love CD. "His (Martin) production work on this CD is fantastic. I tried to follow his example of his fitting various Beatle song quotes from different tunes into each tune by doing a similar thing by combining different Jack songs," Berlin said of his approach. Among the greats who lend their talents across Jack Songs is Sammy Hagar (Van Halen), Alex Lifeson (Rush), Gregg Bissonette (Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band), Eric Johnson, Nathan East (Fourplay), Geddy Lee (Rush), Tony Levin and many more. Information: JeffBerlinMusicGroup.com.



Robert Kinsler


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