Elton John - Elton John (Limited Edition 50th Anniversary) [2 LP, 2020/FLAC]

Elton John is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John, released on 10 April 1970 by DJM Records. It was released by Uni Records as John's debut album in the United States; many people there assumed it was his first album, as Empty Sky was not released in that country until 1975.

The album includes John's breakthrough single "Your Song", and helped to establish his career during what was considered the "singer-songwriter" era of popular music. In the US, it was certified gold in February 1971 by the RIAA. In the same year, it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. 

Uriah Heep - Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble [2 CD Deluxe Edition, 2016] [24-96]

...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble is the debut studio album by British rock band Uriah Heep.

The album was released on 13 June 1970 by Vertigo Records in the UK. The original vinyl release was a gatefold sleeve, featuring frontman David Byron on the front sleeve, almost unrecognisable beneath cobwebs.

It was issued in August 1970 by Mercury Records in the United States as just Uriah Heep with different sleeve artwork (a centipede type monster), and with the track "Bird of Prey" in place of "Lucy Blues". The album was reissued by Bronze Records in 1971 after the band signed to that label.

The album shows the band trying out various genres – a mix of heavy metal and progressive rock – rather than the hard rock that they would become known for on later albums. Tracks 3 and 8 were recorded as Spice songs prior to the band's renaming as Uriah Heep, and featured session player Colin Wood on keyboards. When Ken Hensley joined Spice in early 1970, the tracks were not re-recorded. 

 

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!