NewsOut This Week / on 14 July 2017
Paul Simon / The Concert in Hyde Park (2CD+blu-ray/DVD)
Sony’s Legacy Recordings issue Paul Simon‘s 2012 concert in Hyde Park, notable for featuring a reunion with the original Graceland musicians, as well as an appearance from reggae legend Jimmy Cliff. The 2CD+Blu-ray is the pick of the formats. 
Focus / Hocus Pocus Box (13CD box)
This thirteen disc Focus box includes ten albums from the innovative Dutch rockers, plus two compilations and the Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Leer 1985 long-player, Focus
Grateful Dead / Smiling On A Cloudy Day
Part of Rhino’s ‘Summer Of Love’ celebration, this Grateful Dead compilation brings together 10 songs from the band’s early psychedelic period and includes tracks like Morning Dew, China Cat Sunflower and St. Stephen.
R.E.M. / Live at the Olympia (2CD+DVD)
Concord’s new Craft Recordings imprint reissues R.E.M‘s excellent Live at Olympia set (originally issued in 2009). They are only putting out the 2CD+DVD edition (for now) because originally there was also seven disc super deluxe, which included four vinyl records.
- • UK Order: Live at the Olympia (2CD+DVD)
- • USA Order: Live at the Olympia (2CD+DVD)
- • GERMANY Order: Live at the Olympia (2CD+DVD)
Savoy / Mountains of Time (reissue)
a-ha guitarist and songwriter Paul Waaktaar-Savoy’s other band is Savoy, who’ve issued five albums over the years (three of them when a-ha were on hiatus in the 1990s). This is a reissue of the third, Mountains of Time, originally put out in 1999. This vinyl+CD combo is good value in the UK at just £15.
Disco / Anthems (3LP vinyl)
Original extended mixes of classic disco anthems across six sides of vinyl. Includes Dan Hartman, The Jacksons, Heatwave etc.
- • UK Order: Disco Anthems (3LP)
- • USA Order: Disco Anthems (3LP)
- • GERMANY Order: Disco Anthems (3LP)
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Yoko’s albums in the 70s are better than anything John did post the Plastic Ono Band LP.
I have always liked Walking on Thin Ice and found it quite powerful coming out not that long after John’s death. It was also a revelation to me that she really could do something good, given all of the negative feelings towards her over the Beatles/Lennon years. I have the original single, I didn’t know there were PSB mixes!
I was at the R.E.M. gigs in the Olympia (old music hall theatre here in Dublin) so I have an affectionate spot for that release. I agree it is hard to see why a re-release is necessary now. 2007 gigs. How we have aged listening to music!
I was also at the gig for “R.E.M. Live” release which was also recorded in Dublin (2005).
./~ death is pretty final, I’m collecting vinyl ./~ That rings truer now 12 years later than it did then.
I think we’ve won Paul round, he likes Walking On Thin Ice (the PSBs remix?)
Now, how about Ed Sheeran..?
I have the CD single of WOTI with the PSB remixes :)
Bit weird all these Yoko comments.
Although her music is not really *my* scene (I only have her stuff on John’s albums – nothing solo bar the 1980 7″ ‘Walking on Thin Ice (For John)’ – she’s an important reference point for certain acts (e.g. B52’s) and many people do care.
But (I hate starting sentences with that word) – it’s Paul’s site and he’s the man. As someone else said, if I want Yoko news I’ll look for it and go wherever it turns up – even if it’s not SDE.
Actually- signing up to johnlennon.com is a good start for all those who may be interested.
Peace & Love
Yoko’s Yes, I’m A Witch and Yes, I’m A Witch Too are pretty good. She’s 84 and still going strong. Wonde if Adele will be releasing records at 84?
Adele won’t be releasing records at 24. Isn’t her voice totally fracked up now? Oh and I really like those Yoko Ono Apple era albums. No Yoko Ono, no post-punk bands. It’s that simple really. Goodbite.
No Yoko Ono, no Revolution No 9…surely the greatest Beatles track ever!
And I think we all know the title of the album Adele will release when she’s 84 don’t we?
The only time I have felt Yoko’s pain was on my Birthday in December 1980 when she lost the man she loved. I really felt sorry for her and wanted her pain to go away. Even though she was on of the reasons the Beatles split up it was a little sad what she went through. Then she insisted on continuing to release awful albums o better than the contributions she made to Lennon’s albums and the terrible first album Lennon and Ono released (Unfinished Music No. 1. Two Virgins) back in 1968. The least amount of publicity her tripe gets the better as far as i’m concerned!
I like her.
At least in English, she would have never gone anywhere in her [English language] music career if it wasn’t for the fact that she married Lennon.
At least some people know when to quite when they can see their music isn’t going anywhere.
I do think her conceptual art is quite good, for what it’s worth. Walking on Thin Ice isn’t bad, to be honest.
Worth bearing in mind that the DVD in the R.E.M. release ISN’T a live recording. Its an arty film, with little performance footage. I was very disappointed when it was first released.
The REM rerelease is bizarre, it was only released 8 years ago and is still readily available. Who on earth has been clamouring for an identical reissue of it?!
The quality of the music is superb but I don’t think I’ll be getting another identical copy.
Different label. They always do that. Rolling Bones did that. That and anything to bring in an extra Euro/dollar or two.
Interesting. Amazon kept telling me the Paul Simon wasn’t coming out, after preordering on original link. Clicked on new link and it’s a completely different page. Dunno what they’re playing at!
Glad I’ve got it now though.
Savoy’s “Mountains Of Time” features some of Paul Waaktaar-Savoy’s best work. Very Lennon-esque at times with a hint of The Beach Boys in the vocal harmonies here and there. But also, unmistakably Scandinavian cool. Some brilliant melodies here, give it a try if you haven’t heard it.
Why no mention of Yoko?
I’ve been trying to find out if there are going to be any bonus tracks above and beyond what was on the Rhino reissues a decade or so back. Can’t seem to find that news anywhere.
Because she has no musical talent whatsoever. If it`s 45 minutes of squeaks and screams you want go for it.
The thing is there are a multitude of acts more deserving by light years of space on the SDE than Mrs Lennon.
The above comment is in reply to Martyn`s post above.
Bloody hell I start up to go through withdrawals when there’s no posts on here. I need my SDE fix!
Also out from Secretly Canadian, Yoko Ono’s Fly, Approximate Infinate Universe & Feeling the Space on vinyl and CD. The latter two are her best albums until Between My Head and the Sky IMHO.
Did think about mentioning Yoko…
Why didn’t you?
Because I don’t think she’s very good and Out This Week is a curated selection of releases based on both my tastes and broadly speaking what I think will be most of interest to the SDE audience. I realise stuff will fall through the gaps that has minority appeal.
Appreciate its your site Paul, but to ignore Yoko does seem a bit of a strange attitude to take. Personally I have no interest whatsoever in 1980s reissued vinyl, but I accept others (such as yourself) are interested. Please don’t ignore us old gits!
Amen! I’m sure she’s a wonderful person, but musically speaking, she is terrible. Identifying her best albums is like identifying my best headaches.
Stick to yer guns Paul, it’s your site. It’s the mix of material that you like along with the deals that make SDE what it is. Being all things to all people never works and once you start down the path of trying fit in stuff like Yoko Ono in, to please a few people who do like her, then where does it stop? (Why no mention of “Bait”? Nick Duffy’s offshoot of The Lilac Time….)
Disclaimer: Please remember “Other sites are available to discuss other acts”
Not least the minimally musically talented ms. Ono. I love the headache quip below. Just because I married a nurse doesn’t make me qualified to be a doctor…..
Well it’s your call to ignore Yoko.
I’m outta here.
I’ll get my news elsewhere.
I hope that either that over-reaction is a joke. I’ve ignored Yoko releases for six years… so rock-solid consistency.
Paul, while I do agree about not including Yoko “Shreak” Ono unless there is something that could be of interest to more than her biggest fans [all of them!], I am glad you aren’t primarily interested in just death metal or polka! Still you do have to standardize [i.e. if not mentioning Yoko One (for example), then never do].
I saw Yoko play at Arthurfest in Los Angeles some years ago. Before she hit the stage, people went through the crowd handing out nifty little flashlights printed with her name and some sort of optimistic catch phrase that escapes me at the moment.
As far as her performance was concerned, uh, how shall I put this? … they were very nice little flashlights.
NOTE: I’m not the kind of guy who takes offense at extreme or eccentric vocal styles. The problem was that she turned in one of the least energetic performances of the festival, right down there with the abysmal, off-key, half-assed set offered earlier in the day by a clearly strung out Cat Power. Then again, Yoko had the disadvantage of playing after Sonic Youth, who were in particularly fine form that evening.
I don’t think she is very good either Paul. I did laugh recently when I read about her getting writing credits for ‘Imagine’ & she said it was one of the proudest moments of her life. Then Sean Lenn0n agreed & said it was one the proudest moments of his life as well.
re: Paul Simon at Hyde Park, does anyone else think the live film is killed at little by the fact that it’s outdoors, it summer and light and all the Hard Rock branding around the stage? It’s makes it look like a film from TV coverage rather than something more specially staged. But hey ho maybe it’s just me, you won’t pick this up on the audio discs naturally.
ps. another dodgy cover knocked off in Photoshop in about 10 mins.
Probably was TV coverage….
The Paul Simon cover isn’t great by any means, but then the packaging of his work has always been hit and miss.
Then again, it’s a lot more pleasing to my eye than the aggressively ugly covers of the Focus, Dead and Savoy sets.
In terms of visual appeal, the pick of the litter this time out seems to be the Disco set, though whoever chose beige for the hype sticker must be colorblind. None of this week’s cover art is really worth writing home about.
The Disco Anthems album is very well priced at £19.99 for a triple vinyl edition.
Andrea True Connection and The Village People tracks are very nice rarities…