Alex Chilton's 'Live In London: Encore Edition' coming November 25, 2022

Big news for fans of the late great Alex Chilton (of Big Star fame). A forthcoming release will feature live recordings from 1980 featuring Chilton...Robert Kinsler

Alex Chilton’s Live In London: Encore Edition Out November 25 on Sundazed Music

 

Features Previously Unreleased Songs From 1980 London Shows

 

Available on 2-LP or CD; Pre-order Now Available 

 

Sundazed Music announces the November 25 release of Alex Chilton’s Live in London: Encore Edition. Available on 2-LP or CD, the album is now available for pre-order.

 

Featuring unheard songs from his 1980 London dates, the live performance set marks the first time anyone beyond the hardy handful in attendance on the first night of his U.K. solo shows at Dingwalls will get an earful of Chilton’s distorted stock of Memphis psychobilly at its best. The package also includes new liner notes from Jim Allen, who chats with key players from the two-day pajama party.                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

With eight previously unreleased songs on LP (nine on CD) and pressed on colored vinyl, the Encore Edition of Live in London includes 14 songs from the original Live in London album, which were culled from the second night when Chilton and his new British buddies had fully gelled. The bonus tracks offer an extended peek into Chilton’s arcane bag of cover tunes. A complete tracklisting is below.

 

Chilton had recorded The Seeds’ “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine,” Troy Shondell’s 1961 rocker “Girl After Girl,” and The Kinks’ “Come on Now” all summarily savaged with a gusto that goes even beyond the brutalism of postmodern prankster he accorded them earlier. Plus, the band lends a feral bite to Big Star power-pop evergreens adding furry layers of feedback and existential yearning in equal amounts.

 

All of it presented a greasy, ground-level picture of where Chilton’s heart resided at the time, delivered with an earnest derangement roughly akin to Captain Beefheart’s early funhouse mirror distortions of the blues. Chilton may have arrived in his pajamas, but he came to rock.  Live in London: Encore Edition confirms that his mission was accomplished. 

 

Live in London: Encore Edition Tracklisting:

Recorded live at Dingwalls, London, England 

May 27*-28, 1980

 

1.Bangkok (Lenny Lindon-Alex Chilton)

2. Tramp (Lowell Fulsom-Jimmy McCracklin)

3. In The Street (Alex Chilton-Chris Bell)

4. Hey! Little Child (Alex Chilton)

5. Nightime (Alex Chilton)

6. Rock Hard (Alex Chilton)

7. Alligator Man (Floyd Chance-Jimmy Newman

8. The Letter (Wayne Carson)

9. Train Kept A Rollin’ (Howie Kay-Lois Mann-Tiny Bradshaw)

10. Kanga Roo (Alex Chilton)

11. My Rival (Alex Chilton)

12. (Stranded On A) Dateless Night (Cordell Jackson)

13. September Gurls (Alex Chilton)

14. No More The Moon Shines On Lorena (A.P. Carter)

15. Come On Now* (Ray Davies)*

16. Hey High School Baby* (Benny Eidson)*

17. Ghost Riders Tuning*

18. Can't Seem to Make You Mine* (Sky Saxon)* 

19. Once I Had a Car* (Eddie Cusic)*

20. I'm On This Rocket* (Marvin Moore)*

21. Girl After Girl* (Gary Shelton)*

22. Oowee Baby* (Jerry Reed)*

23. Doubtful Of Your Love*^

 

*previously unreleased

^CD only 

New Music: Alex Chilton and Hi Rhythm Section, James Holvay, The Stan Laurels, Ted Russell Kamp

The first half of 2021 continues to reveal a myriad of must-hear releases for music aficionados.

Artist: Alex Chilton and Hi Rhythm Section

Title: Boogie Shoes: Live on Beale Street (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: The Box Tops, Big Star, Alex Chilton

Tell me more: As Alex Chilton's well-deserved legacy continues to grow, the incessant hunger for "lost" and previously-unreleased music featuring the late Box Tops and Big Star frontman appears to be relentless. The latest audio treasure for fans of Chilton — the singer-guitarist died in March 2010 at the age of 59 — is Omnivore Recordings' Boogie Shoes: Live on Beale Street featuring the artist backed by Hi Rhythm Section (the house band behind a slew of soul classics from Al Green, Ann Peebles, Ike & Tina Turner, Otis Clay and others). Recorded Oct. 7, 1999 at the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee, the performance was part of "FredStock," a tribute and benefit honoring Fred Ford (co-founder of the Beale Street Music Festival). There is a loose and rousing feel to the live set, and the audio quality on the recording is excellent; Chilton and company's delivery on the parade of bona fide soul, blues and early rock favorites is more than up to the task. The 10-track performance includes the collective's playful reading of "Boogie Shoes" (Chilton first covered the song on the 1979 studio album "Like Flies on Sherbert"), the red-hot "Lucille," spirited bluesy nugget "Big Boss Man," reggae-flavored remake of the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go," and lively tear through the Fats Domino classic "Hello Josephine." The audio CD version reviewed here has a street date of May 7, 2021 and includes revealing liner notes from producer David Less (a friend of Chilton and author of Memphis Mayhem: A Story of the Music That Shook Up the World); additionally the package also features a colorful cover by artist Lamar Sorrento. The album will also be available via Digital and LP. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: James Holvay

Title: Sweet Soul Song (Mob Town Records)

You might like if you enjoy: The Buckinghams, Paul Stanley's Soul Station, James Hunter Six, Tower of Power

Tell me more: Singer-songwriter-guitarist James Holvay's rousing return Sweet Soul Song revisits the classic sounds of Chicago soul with a warmth and energetic spirit across its five enthralling tracks. The uptempo "Working On It," magical title track, beautiful "Still The Fool," funk-tinged "Love Has Found A Way" and infectious "Talking About" are all bolstered by Holvay's distinctive vocals, guitar work and nuanced approach of the musicianship. Holvay was a noted musician and songwriter in Chicago leading the MOB from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s (he penned the Buckinghams' big 1966 hit "Kind of a Drag") and then went into a career in sales. With the widespread renewed interest in '60s and '70s soul music, "Sweet Soul Song" certifies that Holvay's exceptional talents as singer, songwriter and guitarist deserve to put him back in the spotlight. Information: https://jamesholvay.bandcamp.com/releases.

Artist: The Stan Laurels

Title: There Is No Light Without The Dark (Big Stir Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Badfinger, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Tears for Fears

Tell me more: There is a decidedly ambitious feel to the Stan Laurels' There Is No Light Without The Dark. The good news for discerning listeners everywhere is that Austin, Texas-based John Lathrop — the singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist behind the Stan Laurels' super cool moniker — has written and crafted an outstanding disc filled with songs that blend tuneful pop, artful rock and prog rock flourish where it counts. This is also an album that demands to be listened to as a start-to-finish experience, with the astute mix of songs, instrumental interludes and emotional moodscapes effectively taking the listener on a journey into Lathrop's immersive world. That's not to say specific tracks don't work alone; just listen to the tuneful "Florida Man," awe-inspiring "Of Love, Wine and Song," absolutely gorgeous "Mateo's Song," blissful "On Paper" and bewitching rocker "This Is Your Life." Available now via audio CD and digital, don't let There Is No Light Without The Dark escape your notice. Information: bigstirrecords.com. 

Artist: Ted Russell Kamp

Title: Solitaire (PoMo Records)

You might like if you enjoy: Gram Parsons, Merle Haggard, John Mellencamp

Tell me more: The continuing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted professional musicians in particularly-dire ways, separating them not only from live audiences but from their fellow players who are so essential in the creation of magic on stage and in the studio. Acclaimed Los Angeles-based Americana singer-songwriter Ted Russell Kamp has turned inward on the aptly-titled Solitaire, an expansive collection filled with 14 songs recorded mostly alone at home over the past nine months. Set for release on May 7, "Solitaire" captures the feel of a time that is equal parts uncertainty and loneliness. The quiet and reflective "Birds That Sing At Dawn" is among the gems on the winning disc, quiet and lovely; Kamp explores similar emotional terrain on the hopeful Springsteenesque "As Far As The Eye Can See" and alluring "Exception To The Rule." Kamp is also able to offer up an uplifting individualist spirit on the "The Hardest Road To Find," tender "Western Wind" and countrified "The Spark." Other highlights on the album include the country blues original "Be Your Man," timely "Be Your Man" and high-flying bonus track "Lightning Strikes Twice." While Kamp does the majority of heavy lifting on the album, he was able to collaborate with several artists and friends remotely to embellish the songs with nice touches adding backing vocals, drums, slide and electric guitar. Information: TedRussellKamp.com.

Robert Kinsler

Previously unissued Alex Chilton 1999 live set featuring Hi Rhythm Section coming May 7 from Omnivore Recordings

A historic Alex Chilton recording is on the way this spring. A previously-unissued live set from 1999 will be released by Omnivore Recordings on May 7, 2021!

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis is a city with music in its blood. In 1999, when musician and producer Fred Ford, co-founder of the Beale Street Music Festival, was diagnosed with cancer, David Less organized Fredstock, a fundraiser to help with his medical bills. Less contacted Memphis legend Alex Chilton (The Box Tops, Big Star), who was living in New Orleans, to ask him to participate.

 

Alex said he didn’t have any musicians to play with in Memphis, so Less suggested the Hi Rhythm Section, the band behind classics from artists including Al Green, Ann Peebles, Ike & Tina Turner, O.V. Wright, and Otis Clay. Alex replied, “That will work.” 

 

Available on CD, Digital, and LP, Boogie Shoes: Live on Beale Street was recorded at the New Daisy Theater in Memphis during Fredstock. This previously unissued live set contains versions of hits by the Supremes, Otis Clay, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard; even a cover of the KC & the Sunshine Band title track. Street date is May 7, 2021 from Omnivore Recordings.

 

Packaging contains liner notes from producer David Less, a friend of Chilton and author of the acclaimed Memphis Mayhem: A Story of the Music That Shook Up the World, and features a cover by rock ’n’ roll and folk art painter Lamar Sorrento.

 

Omnivore will also offer a limited edition bundle that features the LP and a numbered print of the album cover. This special edition is limited to 100 copies, and is only available from the OmnivoreRecordings.com web site.

 

Less, in his liners, writes: “I never saw [Alex] have so much fun on stage. Without rehearsal, Alex called songs and the band locked in. The horn section consists of top Memphis session guys who huddled together when each song was called creating parts on the fly. The pure joy of playing this music so freely with such legendary musicians comes across in every groove of the record.

 

Get ready to discover this performance by Memphis icons — tearing it up on stage, making music, and having fun. You’ll want to put on your Boogie Shoes. 

 

Track Listing:

1. Boogie Shoes
2. Precious, Precious
3. 634-5789
4. Kansas City
5. Lucille
6. Big Boss Man
7. Where Did Our Love Go
8. Maybelline
9. Hello Josephine
10. Trying to Live My Life Without You 

Vinyl reissues for Big Star’s '#1 Record’ & ‘Radio City’ coming on January 24, 2020

Okay vinyl- and power pop lovers, here is some exciting news!

BIG STAR’S #1 RECORD AND RADIO CITY TO BE

REISSUED ON 180-GRAM VINYL

 

HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL ALBUMS DUE OUT

JANUARY 24^th ON CRAFT RECORDINGS

Los Angeles, CA (December 3, 2019)—Craft Recordings is excited to reissue Big Star’s acclaimed first two albums on 180-gram vinyl. Set for a January 24^th release date and available for pre-order now, #1 Record and Radio City feature all-analog mastering by Jeff Powell at Memphis’ Take Out Vinyl, and also manufactured locally—in Big Star’s hometown—at Memphis Record Pressing.

Though they both failed to strike commercial success at the time of their releases, 1972’s #1 Record and 1974’s Radio City are now considered to be milestones in the history of rock by critics and musicians alike. Heavily influenced by the British Invasion, yet markedly original—with their jangly pop, driving guitars, sweet harmonies, and wistful melancholia—Big Star offered a distinctly new sound when they first emerged in the early ‘70s, and are counted among the founders of power pop—a genre which wouldn’t truly take off until later in the decade. Nevertheless, Big Star would become an underground favorite, influencing some the biggest alt-rock artists of the ’80s, ’90s and beyond, including R.E.M., Teenage Fanclub, Wilco, and The Replacements (who famously penned the song “Alex Chilton” as an ode to the band’s frontman).

 

The Memphis band was formed in 1971 by singer/songwriters Alex Chilton (1950-2010) and Chris Bell (1951-1978), drummer Jody Stephens (b. 1952) and bassist Andy Hummel (1951-2010). Chilton and Bell drew on the Lennon/McCartney style of collaborative songwriting for their aptly titled debut, #1 Record. Working with Ardent Records’ founder and engineer John Fry, Chilton laid down guitar and vocal tracks—often in one take, while Bell added polish with overdubs and harmonies to songs like “The Ballad of El Goodo,” “Thirteen,” and “In The Street.” #1 Record was released to wide critical acclaim, yet distribution issues severely limited the album’s availability in stores. It would sell fewer than 10,000 copies.

 

Although Chris Bell departed the band shortly after the release of #1 Record, Big Star’s remaining members began work on a second album in the fall of 1973. Losing the creative input of Bell could have wreaked havoc on the band’s progress, but Chilton confidently took the helm, and his undeniable talents shone through—especially on tracks like “I’m in Love with a Girl,” “Back of a Car,” and cult favorite, “September Gurls.” Released in February of 1974, Radio City garnered praise from the press, but, unfortunately, critical acclaim did not translate to sales.

 

Disbanding in late 1974, Big Star could have easily fallen into the abyss of could-have-beens and one-hit-wonders, yet they have instead achieved near-mythic status in pop music history. The legacies of #1 Record and Radio City—as well as the band’s third LP, Third—have far exceeded their original commercial performances. All three of Big Star’s albums are included on Rolling Stone’s 2012 “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” lists, and tracks from the first two (“Thirteen” and “September Gurls”) are also among the magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” Numerous artists (Elliott Smith, The Bangles, Placebo, Beck, and Jeff Buckley, to name a few) have recorded covers of the band’s songs. 

Big Star has been honored with a tribute record (Big Star Small World, 2006), a documentary (2012’s Nothing Can Hurt Me) and a touring live show, “Big Star’s Third,” in which an all-star roster of guest vocalists and musicians join a core group (including R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Chris Stamey of The dB’s, The Posies’ Ken Stringfellow and sole surviving Big Star member, Jody Stephens) to perform Third, plus selections from #1 Record and Radio City. Most recently, the 2016 concert film and live album, Thank You, Friends: Big Star’s Third Live…And More, captures one such performance in Glendale, CA. Through their heartfelt renditions of the band’s songs, a cross-generational lineup of talent—Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo), Robyn Hitchcock, Dan Wilson, Jessica Pratt, and San Francisco’s Kronos Quartet among them—prove the enduring appeal of Big Star’s music.

Click here to pre-order #1 Record.

Click here to pre-order Radio City. 

Special bundles, including official Big Star merchandise, available via the Craft Store.

Track Listing:

#1 Record

Side A

1.    Feel

2.    The Ballad Of El Goodo

3.    In The Street

4.    Thirteen

5.    Don’t Lie To Me

6.    The India Song

Side B

1.    When My Baby’s Beside Me

2.    My Life Is Right

3.    Give Me Another Chance

4.    Try Again

5.    Watch The Sunrise

6.    ST 100/6

Radio City

Side A

1.    O, My Soul

2.    Life Is White

3.    Way Out West

4.    What’s Goin’ Ahn

5.    You Get What You Deserve

Side B

1.    Mod Lang

2.    Back Of A Car

3.    Daisy Glaze

4.    She’s A Mover

5.    September Gurls

6.    Morpha Too

7.    I’m In Love With A Girl

About Craft Recordings:

Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most prestigious collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its rich and storied repertoire includes legendary artists such as Joan Baez, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Nine Inch Nails, Thelonious Monk, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Traveling Wilburys, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Concord, Fania, Fantasy, Milestone, Musart, Nitro, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Sugar Hill, Vanguard and Vee-Jay Records, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation-ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.

Masters featured on November titles

Some of music's most notable heroes and underground names have crucial new collections available now, or as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday celebration being held on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019.

Artist: Beck
Title: Hyperspace (Capitol Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Beck, Radiohead
Tell me more: With modern rock no longer a major force in the mainstream, Beck has continued his transformation into the future with his genres-blending fourteenth studio album Hyperspace. Indeed, this is an album that sounds as if it was beamed back in time, dreamt up and recorded years from now. Beck's 2017 LP Colors was a commercial success, but lacked the far-reaching experimental and art rock flourishes that have marked so much of the Los Angeles-based artist's creative output dating back to the early 1990s. The 11-track Hyperspace is a move back in the right direction, thanks to the notable contributions of principal collaborator Pharrell Williams (who co-wrote and co-produced seven tracks on the disc), singer Sky Ferreira (heard on "Die Waiting"), guitar master Jason Falkner, keyboardist-singer Roger Manning, Jr., Coldplay singer Chris Martin (heard on the wonderful "Stratosphere"), and a cast of others. The majority of songs mine probing moodscapes with musical dexterity and emotional depth. The highlight on the album is the Americana-tinged disc closer "Everlasting Nothing," but the future of the sonic-sphere is heard more forcefully on the dreamy "See Through," luxurious "Chemical," blues/electronica/rap mashup "Saw Lightning," confessional "Dark Places" and undeniable single "Uneventful Days." Information: beck.com.

Artist: Tim Buckley
Title: Live at the Electric Theatre Co. Chicago, 1968 (Manifesto Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Tim Buckley, Jeff Buckley
Tell me more: Although Tim Buckley died of a heroin overdose at the mere age of 28 in June 1975, he left an enduring legacy as a groundbreaking artist who explored folk, rock, blues, jazz fusion, funk and other styles over his short career. Fans of the late artist have been rewarded with the release of Live at the Electric Theatre Co. Chicago, 1968, a collection of 14 acoustic songs recorded over the course of a two-night stint at the venue in May 1968. Described in the liner notes as "works in progress", the selections are potent even when heard via this sparse forum where Buckley (on vocals and 12-string guitar) is backed by a bassist and conga player. The lovely "Sing a Song For You," haunting "Danang," a cover of the Helen Deutsch/Bronislaw Kaper co-write "Hi Lily, Hi Lo" (the latter bolstered by Buckley's high-reaching falsetto vocals), a terrific take of Johnny Cash's "Big River" and the intoxicating "Gypsy Woman" are highlights on disc one; his renditions of Fred Neil's "Dolphins" and "Looks Like Rain," as well as his own "Happy Time" and "The Father Song" shine on disc two. Live at the Electric Theatre Col. Chicago, 1968 includes liner notes about the Chicago shows along with remembrances from Buckley collaborators songwriter Larry Beckett and guitarist Lee Underwood. Information: manifesto.com.

Record Store Day's Black Friday Releases

Artist: Paul McCartney
Title: In A Hurry / Home Tonight
Tell me more: The swirling psychedelic-meets-Baroque pop gem "In A Hurry" and infectious "Home Tonight" are featured on a forthcoming Paul McCartney double A-side single set for release on Nov. 29, 2019 as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday. "In A Hurry" is the more interesting of the tracks, with its artful build and the use of creative background vocals and diverse instrumentation. The poppy "Home Tonight" recalls some of McCartney's '70s folk rockers and is as catchy as anything he has recorded in recent years. Fans of McCartney's 2018 Egypt Station will enjoy adding these memorable tracks to their library. An important note: only 12,000 copies of the 7-inch vinyl picture disc will be distributed worldwide at brick-and-mortar music retailers on Nov. 29; it will be very difficult to score a copy of the colorful single to be sure. Information: RecordStoreDay.com.

Artist: New Riders of the Purple Sage
Title: Thanksgiving in New York City (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: the Grateful Dead, Gram Parsons
Tell me more: Recorded live at the Academy of Music in New York City on Nov. 23, 1972, New Riders of the Purple Sage's Thanksgiving in the City should be on every music lover's Black Friday shopping list. The two-disc release serves as both a perfect introduction and an essential addition for those seeking to discover – or learn more – about the legendary American country psychedelic rock band. There is a winning spirit displayed across the recording, with great lead and harmony vocals and top-tier musicianship coming in the service of great strong country- and Americana-styled rock songs. The tender "Leaving on Her Mind," freewheeling take on the classic "Hello Mary Lou," lovely "Contract" and "Linda," a wistful cover of "Long Black Veil" and stylish reworking of the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" are among this writer's favorite tracks on the collection. Speedy guitar work courtesy of lead guitarist-vocalist David Nelson and pedal steel player Buddy Cage (as evidenced on "Henry") are among the draws on a terrific collection, but the nuanced work provided by rhythm guitarist-vocalist John Dawson, bassist-vocalist Dave Torbert and drummer Spencer Dryden add to the power of the New Riders of the Purple Sage's timeless sound. Information: OmnivoreRecording.com.

Editor's note: In addition to "Thanksgiving in New York City," Los Angeles-based Omnivore Recordings' other Record Store Day/Black Friday releases include the previously-unreleased  Alex Chilton cut "My Rival" (recorded in 1975 and engineered by Big Star co-founder Chris Bell) and a vinyl Christmas single from the Peter Holsapple Combo. 

Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Record Store Day, the global celebration of the culture of the record store, takes place annually in April. Record Store Day’s Black Friday event takes place on November 29, 2019. For more info, visit RecordStoreDay.com.

Robert Kinsler

New Music Roundup: The Cure, Big Star, Fastball, elbow

A sure-fire selection of fantastic new releases includes titles featuring The Cure, Big Star, Fastball and elbow are worth discovering.

Artist: The Cure
Title: 40 Live Curaetion – 25 + Anniversary (Eagle Rock)
You might like if you enjoy: The Cure, The Church, Interpol 
Tell me more: The Cure celebrated the band's 40th anniversary last year with a series of special concerts, several of which are celebrated in their entirety on the newly-released 40 Live Curaetion – 25 + Anniversary, a two-disc Blu-ray (the title is also available as a Limited Edition Deluxe Box). Each of the concert films on the set stands alone and distinctive form the other. The first film, "Curaetion 25: From There To Here / From Here To There" was filmed on the tenth and final night of the 25th Meltdown Festival at London's Royal Festival Hall on June 24, 2018. Directed by Nick Wickham, the Cure (singer-guitarist Robert Smith, bassist Simon Gallup, drummer Jason Cooper, keyboardist Roger O'Donnell, guitarist Reeves Gabrels) performed a song from each of their 13 studio albums in chronological order, the idea being to showcase the evolution of the Cure's sound from 1978 to 2018. The band then performed two unreleased songs from 2018, and then journeyed backward to play an equal number of tracks and ending with a song from 1979. Directed by Tim Pope, "Anniversary: 1978-2018 Live In Hyde Park London" features The Cure's complete 29-song, 135-minute concert in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 65,000. 

All of the band's best-known songs are covered across the two full-length concert films. Early-era favorites "10:15 Saturday Night," "Jumping Someone Else's Train," "A Forest" and "Boys Don't Cry" are here along the British band's best-known radio hits ("Just Like Heaven," "Friday I'm In Love," "Why Can't I Be You," "Lovesong"). But more than any single song or moment, it is the depth, range and sweeping power displayed both marathon-length performances that impress to be sure; the concept-winning visuals and amazing immersive audio quality add to the experience across the two concerts. Information: eagle-rock.com.

Artist: Big Star
Title: In Space (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Big Star, The Replacements, The Box Tops 
Tell me more: Big Star's enduring legacy has long been certified in the rock 'n' roll universe but it sure doesn't hurt to have the band's final studio album reissued via an expanded and glorious edition sure to please followers of the groundbreaking power pop heroes. Through a series of unfortunate series of events and ill-fated timing, the Memphis-spawned outfit's first three albums released in the 1970s failed to make an impactful commercial mark even while ultimately consistently landing on many rock aficionados "best of all time" lists. Few fans were anticipating the release of In Space in September 2005, a full-length studio LP featuring original members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens joined by the Posies' Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. Omnivore Recordings' 2019 remastered reissue of the album casts a spectacular and well-deserved spotlight on In Space"with the release featuring all dozen original tracks (10 originals, a soulful cover of The Olympics' "Mine Exclusively" and French Baroque composer Georg Muffat's "Aria, Largo"), as well as six bonus tracks. There are a slew of wonderful tracks on "In Space," notably the melodic opener "Dony," the enticing "Lady Sweet," the Beatlesque "Best Chance," the shimmering "February's Quiet" and the reflective "Hung Up With Summer." Notable among the bonus tracks is the soulful rocker "Hot Thing" (previously only available on the out-of-print "Big Star Story") and an acapella version of "Turn My Back on the Sun." In Space is set for release on Oct. 25; the reissue will be available on audio CD as well on translucent blue vinyl. Additionally, there are liner notes shedding all kinds of details on this important release. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Fastball
Title: The Help Machine (33 1/3 Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Big Star, Del Amitri, Dada
Tell me more: One of the year's best new albums, Fastball's The Help Machine exudes a sonic landscape created with melodic song craft, nuanced arrangements, artful vocal harmonies and the talents of the band's all original lineup of Tony Scalzo (lead vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards), Miles Zuniga (lead vocals, guitar), and Joey Shuffield (drums, percussion). Anyone who loved the trio's seminal 1998 album All the Pain Money Can Buy (which featured the Grammy-nominated hit "The Way") will find plenty to love across the Austin, Texas-based band's seventh album. The ambitious genre-defying title track, elegant "Friend or Foe," rootsy "The Devil's Hand," gospel-tinged blues of "Redeemed" infectious confessional rocker "All Gone Fuzzy" and forceful "Doesn't It Make You Feel Small" are among the far-flung tracks that shine on "The Help Machine." Information: FastballTheBand.com.

Artist: elbow
Title: Giants Of All Sizes (Polydor/The Verve Label Group)
You might like if you enjoy: elbow, Peter Gabriel, Porcupine Tree 
Tell me more: Since I discovered elbow at Coachella in April 2011, I've continued to be impressed and dazzled by the Manchester, England-based band that blends the best of alternative and progressive rock styles into a sound that is their own. elbow – led by singer-songwriter Guy Garvey – has made a deeply personal and poignant album (the newly-issued Giants Of All Sizes) in tune with this moment in time. The luxurious and adventuresome seven-minute lead track "Dexter & Sinister" finds Garvey singing powerfully amidst middle age and mortality: "Loss is a part of life this long / But Dexter & Sinister / I've the heaviest heart jackhammering inside me / And I don't know Jesus anymore." The disc's second track, the beguiling "Seven Veils," takes aim at romantic disintegration: "There's no roses in this garden / No sun melting in the sea." Elsewhere, there is a wake for civilization via the soaring "Empires," a pulsating rock meets symphonic moodscape lures the listener across "White Noise White Heat," while "My Trouble" explores romantic loss with naked command. The dynamic and musically rich arrangements and use of diverse instrumentation make for an involving and rewarding listen throughout Giants Of All Sizes. elbow has several upcoming January 2020 concert dates in Southern California, including at House of Blues in San Diego, The Wiltern in Los Angeles and The Observatory in Santa Ana.  Information: www.elbow.co.uk.



Robert  Kinsler