twostepcub's New Albums Roundup 12/18/22....
Happy Sunday, everybody, it's time for this week's new album round-up,
where I sample my picks of the best of the albums making their debut on Billboard
magazine's sales charts as well as the same across the pond in the
United Kingdom. You can check out yesterday's new singles recap by clicking here. It's another "slow week", where the big story is producer Metro Boomin's new album, but although there are a few good tracks in there, it involved too much of Travis Scott and Young Thug for me to put it in my own choices, the three big K-pop releases from RM, Itzy, and Enhyphen left me cold, and Sam Smith's live EP is an Apple exclusive. So what's I'm left with is two huge re-releases from veterans from the 1960s.
Billboard 200 debut: #126
Choice cut: "Listen To What The Man Said" and about 30 others
Well, this compilation of eighty vinyl singles from the music icon from his departure from the Beatles in 1971 until this year is an elite affair; if you weren't lucky enough to get one of its 3000 pressings when it went on sale at Paul's website for the price of 612 dollars, it'll take a few thousand to get one on eBay right now. Luckily, and thankfully to him, the whole 159 song affair (there were a few duplicates on B-sides) is able to be streamed or purchased (Amazon has the mp3 set at $79.99) so the masses can still regale in his solo career highlights and lowlights (yes, "Spies Like Us" is here for the first time on mp3 in the States). You can have an entire day of listening and keep finding "yeah, he was pretty damn awesome". I only chose "Listen..." since it's my favorite single of his, there simply are so many highlighted to mention, and all in their "single edit" glory.
(Click below to see the rest of the post)
Billboard Current Albums debut: #30
Choice cut: "Sail On, Sailor"
A retrospective of the two-album period where Carl Wilson led the band, which is right in my wheelhouse since he was always my favorite Beach Boy (the "Christine McVie" of the group, if you will). Offered in either a six-disc Super Deluxe version or a two-disc distillation, the best parts of So Tough - Carl & The Passions and Holland are there, with Blondie Chaplin joining to sing the leads Brian Wilson was pretty much incapacitated for. The result was one glorious moment - "Sail On Sailor", but there's enough quality all around, and even Mike Love is tolerable here. The bonus in listening to the longer set is the full Carnegie Hall concerts.
Billboard Current Albums Sales debut: #46
Choice cut: "True Lies"
Once the 90's blues-rock newcomer star, a quarter-century later and Kenny Wayne Shepherd not just reissues his most successful album, but re-recorded the whole thing with original producer Jerry Harrison and the result is a punchier set seeded with years of experience. Also included is a blu-ray of his recent concert tour, which is worth the price of admission.
British Albums Sales debut: #1
Choice cut: "I Hate You When You're Drunk"
British Albums Sales debut: #18
Choice cut: "Pulse"
After another long break, Neil Barnes revives his iconic progressive dance music act (minus Paul Daley) for this new fourth set, just in time to soundtrack your New Year's exercise machine purchase you'll use for that first month.
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