Bob Dylan - The Rolling Thunder Revue - The 1975 Live Recordings [14 CD, 2019] [FLAC]

 

The Rolling Thunder Revue era in Bob Dylan’s career maintains a central place apparently. The 14-disc Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings is the third release in his catalogue to document it. The first was Hard Rain, for a 1978 television special. 2002’s double-disc Bootleg Volume 5 compiled selected performances from the first leg of the tour. This box offers five complete Dylan concerts from 1975: four from Massachusetts, one from Montreal, three discs of rehearsals, and a disc of rarities. 119 of 148 tracks were previously unreleased. 

Jesus Christ Superstar (1970)- 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (3 CD,2021/FLAC)

 Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s 1970 concept album Jesus Christ Superstar is being reissued for its 50th anniversary.

The record was a effectively a stepping stone to the full musical theatre production since Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber (unknowns at the time), were initially unable to find a producer to back their idea. MCA Records were willing to put out the album which used a full orchestra and included the talents of Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan, Murray Head, and Yvonne Elliman. 

Lloyd Webber remembers the challenges well: “A musical about Jesus Christ! Back in 1969 the mere thought had theatre producers falling about with laughter. But somehow Tim Rice and I persuaded MCA to record a single. It came at a time when fusion was all the rage. The Rolling Stones had recorded with the London Bach Choir. Deep Purple’s Jon Lord composed a symphony for rock band and orchestra. So I was like a kid in a sweet shop when I was able to combine a rock band, a symphony orchestra and a gospel choir in what was the first track to be recorded, simply titled ‘Superstar’.“

The enormous success of the album at the time (it topped the American charts) led to Broadway and West End stage productions in 1971 and 1972 respectively.

The album is being reissued as a 3CD deluxe package in a 10-inch box. This offers the original album remastered (by Miles Showell and Nick Davis at Abbey Road) and a bonus CD of previously unreleased guide vocals and demos from the project, plus B-sides and rarities.

 

 

Rainbow - A Light In The Black 1975-1984 (5 CD, 2015) [FLAC]

 

According to Darker Than Blue: "The first ever history of Rainbow according to the label, and a set which can’t really make it’s mind up what it wants to be. It’s got far too many alternate tracks and rough mixes to be of much interest to casual fans, so seems to be aimed at the more committed Rainbow enthusiast. It’s a difficult balance to strike, as I found out when I put that Listen Learn Read On package together for EMI some years ago and got roundly dissed in some quarters for mixing so many rarities amongst a more off the wall album track choice!

Paul Gilbert - The Dio Album (2023) [24-48]

Nobody sensible would argue with Paul Gilbert's credentials, or indeed his enormous talent. Whether raising the bar for heavy metal with the perennially underrated RACER-X, conquering soft rock radio with MR. BIG or simply being one of the most technically gifted and creative guitarists on the planet, he is a certified walking benchmark for six-string artistry. He is also still more than capable of a surprise or two. Rather than paying tribute to another legendary guitarist from the past, as is so often the case with projects like this, Gilbert has made the laudable move of exploring the greatest hits of Ronnie James Dio, thus revealing both excellent taste and a gently subversive streak. On "The Dio Album", he casually becomes the late vocalist, albeit playing those glorious melody lines on the guitar, with his customary virtuoso flair and an often-startling amount of aggression. In truth, it's a slightly bizarre idea that sits somewhere between outright genius and goofy novelty, but Gilbert plays with such joy that only the most insular and petulant DIO fans could possibly take exception to it.

01. Neon Knights

02. Kill The King

03. Stand Up And Shout

04. Country Girl

05. Man On The Silver Mountain

06. Holy Diver

07. Heaven And Hell

08. Long Live Rock 'N' Roll

09. Lady Evil

10. Don't Talk To Strangers

11. Starstruck

12. The Last In Line

Rory Gallagher - Rory Gallagher (50th Anniversary Edition Mix) (1971/2021) [24-96]

Irishman Rory Gallagher is forever associated with the golden age of British blues-rock. It's the kind of music that you can enjoy in a pub with a pint of beer in your hand on a rainy afternoon rather than in the glare of a glitzy stadium. After a few years and a couple of albums as the leader of the band Taste, a contemporary of Cream and Led Zeppelin and very much of its time, Gallagher released this first album under his own name...