Artist, title (label, release date), 1-5 stars
Fine Young Cannibals: The Finest (Rhino, April 19, 2005) ****
Ennio Morricone: Morricone Kill: Spaghetti Western Magic from the Maestro (El, April 19, 2005) ****
Aretha Franklin: Jazz Moods: 'Round Midnight (Sony, April 19, 2005) ****
Bob Weir & Ratdog: Evening Moods (Rhino, April 19, 2005) ***
There's a great abundance of noteworthy reissues this week. The Wounded Bird label gives some long hard-to-find albums a fresh release, among them Playmates and 78 In The Shade, both lesser-regarded efforts recorded during a late 70's revival of the Small Faces; two lesser-regarded early 80's albums from Poco, Ghost Town and Inomorata; Mott The Hoople, Mad Shadows, and Wildlife, Mott the Hoople's lesser-regarded first three albums; and Yeah!, Motor City Connection, and School Punks, the peak output of Brownsville Station. None are essential listening for casual fans, but collectors and hardcore fans will appreciate these.
Other albums and artists returning to circulation include two new Sony collections, Pete Seeger, The Essential Pete Seeger (Sony) and Dion, The Essential Dion. Reissues of older albums include Abominog [Bonus Tracks] and Head First [Bonus Tracks] from Uriah Heep (Sanctuary), all four albums from 70's punk band and forefathers of oi, Sham 69 (Captain Oi!), the 46-track Legend! from Townes Van Zandt, and Side Three and Starting Over from the Raspberries (RPM UK). The Sony collections are sensibly chosen and meaty; the Uriah Heep albums were from an early 80's renaissance for the band, Sham 69's thuggish, fascist brand of punk won't interest many in America, but document a time and place. The Raspberries' discs are their last two, and are among the building blocks of power-pop. Van Zandt's doesn't span his whole career, but it's good listening.
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