The Lone Bellow expands '20 album with added tracks

Dualtone Records has announced a deluxe new edition of The Lone Bellow’s fourth album, HALF MOON LIGHT. The critically acclaimed collection will be expanded to include a new six-song EP, SECOND PHASE, heralded by new single, “Making You Cry,” available now at all DSPs and streaming services.

The new set also features the single “Dried Up River,” which made its debut as the #1 most added song at Triple A radio. HALF MOON LIGHT DELUXE EDITION arrives everywhere on May 14, and pre-orders are available now.

“‘I want to be grateful for the food on my table instead of eating each other alive.’ This has been a line that I’ve come back to countless times over the past year,” says The Lone Bellow’s Brian Elmquist. “There’s so much that I worry about that doesn’t matter, and I want to put more effort into the things that do.

To that end, the band has partnered with the charitable organization No Kid Hungry and will donate 25% of sale prices of Lone Bellow items purchased on the Dualtone store until May 15.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to work with ‘No Kid Hungry’ over the next few months in hopes of helping raise money to get food to kiddos in need during these school closures. There are children all over the country who have always depended on school food to get them through the day and ‘No Kid Hungry’ has been doing a fantastic job helping these children while they can't get food from their school. We want everyone to ‘be grateful for the food on your table.’ So 25% of our sales over the next few months will go towards this cause. Help spread the word...listen to the music and give the love back.”

LISTEN TO “MAKING YOU CRY, ” "DRIED UP RIVER," AND "CARRY"

PRE–ORDER HALF MOON LIGHT DELUXE EDITION

The Lone Bellow’s first new album since 2017, HALF MOON LIGHT debuted at #1 on Billboard’s “Americana/Folk Albums” chart upon its February 2020 release while also coming in at #2 on “Independent Albums” and #4 on the “Vinyl Albums” tally.

Produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, HALF MOON LIGHT found the trio – guitarist Brian Elmquist, lead vocalist Zach Williams, and multi–instrumentalist Kanene Donehey Pipkin – recording at Dessner’s Long Pond Studio in Upper Hudson Valley, NY.

“Count On Me” hit #1 at Americana radio outlets nationwide. The lyric video – along with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, live performances, and much more – is streaming now at The Lone Bellow’s official YouTube channel.

Track List:

DISC 1: HALF MOON LIGHT

Intro

I Can Feel You Dancing
Good Times
Wonder
Count On Me
Wash It Clean
Enemies
Interlude
Just Enough To Get By
Martingales
Illegal Immigrant
Friends
Dust Settles
August
Finale

DISC 2: SECOND PHASE

Making You Cry
Goodness Gracious
Carry
Dried Up River
Good Times (Alt Version)
Count On Me (Alt Version)

Prince archive news

“The world is fraught with misin4mation. George Orwell's vision of the future is here. We need 2 remain steadfast in faith in the trying times ahead." —Prince, 2010

The Prince Estate and Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, announce the July 30 release of the previously unissued 2010 Prince album Welcome 2 America. "60 Minutes" correspondent Jon Wertheim got a preview of the album as well as the story behind it for a report airing this Sunday on CBS.

The title track “Welcome 2 America” is available now on streaming platforms here. Prince delivers a spoken-word soliloquy set to music about golden parachutes, the superficial nature of social media, reality TV-fueled celebrity culture, and corporate monopolies in the music industry, ultimately concluding that America is the “Land of the free/home of the slave.” Explore the full lyrics and messaging in the song here.

Shortly after completing the Welcome 2 America album, Prince embarked on a unique tour of the same name that included multiple performances in several U.S. cities, capped off by the historic “21 Nite Stand” at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

The Deluxe Edition of Welcome 2 America includes the complete studio vault album on both CD and black vinyl (accompanied with a hi-res digital download) plus a never-before-released full concert video of Prince’s April 28, 2011 show at The Forum, presented in 1080p HD with stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos audio.

Pre-order digital, vinyl, CD, and Deluxe editions here. All vinyl editions will have music on three sides with a collectible etching on the fourth side. In addition, there will be two special color variant vinyl editions of the album – gold vinyl available exclusively from the official Prince store and clear vinyl from Target.

As a companion collector single, fans have the opportunity to pre-order a numbered limited-edition gold-colored 7” vinyl exclusively from the official Prince Store. The 7” includes the studio version of “Welcome 2 America,” accompanied by a previously unreleased live version of the song recorded on May 14, 2011 at The Forum. The live version of “Welcome 2 America” is performed in a medley with the Prince composition “Dreamer,” first released on 2009’s Lotusflow3r, and demonstrates how the new material was an extension of his lifelong commitment to social justice.

Welcome 2 America features some of Prince’s only studio collaborations with bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, drummer Chris Coleman, and GRAMMY-nominated engineer Jason Agel, with additional contributions from New Power Generation singers Shelby J., Liv Warfield, and Elisa Fiorillo and keyboardist Morris Hayes, who Prince also recruited to co-produce several tracks on the album.

The live concert video features Prince performing with his 2011-era lineup of the New Power Generation, including Shelby J., Liv Warfield, Elisa Fiorillo, and Morris Hayes, additional keyboardists Renato Neto and Cassandra O’Neal, bassist Ida Nielsen, drummer John Blackwell, and dancers Maya and Nandy McClean (The Twinz). They are captured midway through his marathon “21 Nite Stand” at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

The performance features a cameo by recent Grammy winner Ledisi and covers of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and Roxy Music’s “More Than This” alongside Prince favorites including “17 Days,” “Controversy,” “1999,” and “Purple Rain.”

The Deluxe Edition of Welcome 2 America will be presented as a luxe gold-foil package designed by artist Mathieu Bitton and Prince associate Trevor Guy, complete with a 12”x12” 32-page companion book and embossed vellum envelope containing exclusive Welcome 2 America era ephemera (photographic art print, 23”x36” poster, replica setlist, ticket, VIP invitation and backstage passes).

The release of Welcome 2 America builds upon the partnership between The Prince Estate and Sony Music Entertainment that started in August of 2018. At that time, Sony began globally distributing the works of Prince released from 1995-2010, broadening its scope in January 2021 when the deal was expanded to include U.S. distribution on twelve non-soundtrack catalog albums featuring iconic music recorded by the Artist between 1978-1996.

Track listing:

Studio Album (CD/LP/Digital)

Welcome 2 America
Running Game (Son of a Slave Master)
Born 2 Die
1000 Light Years From Here
Hot Summer
Stand Up and B Strong *
Check The Record
Same Page, Different Book
When She Comes
1010 (Rin Tin Tin)
Yes
One Day We Will All B Free

* Soul Asylum cover

Prince – Welcome 2 America (Live at The Forum, April 28, 2011)

Concert Performance (Blu-Ray):

Joy In Repetition
Brown Skin (India.Arie cover)
17 Days
Shhh
Controversy
Theme From “Which Way Is Up” (Stargard cover)
What Have You Done For Me Lately (Janet Jackson cover)
Partyman
Make You Feel My Love (Bob Dylan cover)
Misty Blue (Eddy Arnold cover)
Let’s Go Crazy
Delirious
1999
Little Red Corvette
Purple Rain
The Bird (The Time cover – Prince composition)
Jungle Love (The Time cover – Prince composition)
A Love Bizarre (Sheila E. cover – Prince composition)
Kiss
Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
Inglewood Swinging (cover of Kool & the Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging”)
Fantastic Voyage (Lakeside cover)
More Than This (Roxy Music cover)

Dennis DeYoung's final studio album arrives in June

My interview with Dennis (see elsewhere on this blog) and his album (with the much heralded Julian Lennon duet) were both among my favorites of 2020. Read more info on the album sequel...

Former Styx founding singer Dennis DeYoung has announced the release of his final studio album, "26 East, Vol. 2" on June 11 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Additionally, DeYoung has also released the first single and video from the album, the eight minute long "Isle Of Misanthrope." Watch it HERE: https://youtu.be/wUzp4FJ0tCM

Pre-order "26 East, Vol. 2" HERE: https://orcd.co/ddyvol2

As with the preceding volume, this one revisit's DeYoung's roots with Styx. "The Last Guitar Hero" features guest guitarist Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave). There are two signature DeYoung ballads, "Your Saving Grace," "Made For Each Other," as well. 

"My musical goals for this album are the same as they have always been and that’s to write the best songs possible and make great sounding records out of them. By now, Styx fans know pretty much what they can expect and I hope they will be pleased. I am," says DeYoung.

"When people ask 'What’s the first single “Isle of Misanthrope” about?', I reply "About 6 minutes." Not to be too cute, but the lyrics are a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Wait that’s Winston Churchill's statement about the Soviet Union. Sorry. 'Misanthrope', metaphorically speaking (ooooh look, big words) is a commentary on the contemporary state of mankind under the guise of ancient times. The more things change the more they remain the same. Also, 'Isle of Misanthrope' is my musical journey back to the days of Styx’s 'Equinox' and 'Suite Madame Blue', as I attempt to explain the exasperating and confounding nature of mankind through metaphor. It’s got a good beat, but won’t be a hit at the disco," explains DeYoung of the album's first single.

DeYoung has previously stated that "26 East” will mark his retirement from the world of recorded music. It was thanks to Frontiers President and Head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, that given the abundance of material, Dennis agreed to split the album in two parts.

This second half starts where the previous one left off and sees DeYoung collaborate again with fellow Chicagoan and Grammy Award winning songwriter Jim Peterik. The process that brought forth these two albums in the first place started when Peterik, DeYoung’s friend and neighbor, sent a song to Dennis that he thought would suit his vocals perfectly. That song became the catalyst for 10 more collaborations from the pair, of which four appear on this new release.

"The last album was supposed to be my final album, but there were so many songs written that Serafino [Perugino] of Frontiers suggested dividing it into two albums rather than one,” DeYoung states.

“26 East” was the address where DeYoung grew up in Roseland, IL on the far south side of Chicago. Across the street lived the Panozzo twins, John and Chuck, who along with DeYoung would go on to form the nucleus of Styx in DeYoung's basement in 1962.

Track list:

1. Hello Goodbye

2. Land Of The Living
3. The Last Guitar Hero (Featuring Tom Morello)
4. Your Saving Grace
5. Proof Of Heaven
6. Made For Each Other
7. There’s No Turning Back Time
8. St. Quarantine
9. Little Did We Know
10. Always Time
11. The Isle Of Misanthrope
12. Grand Finale

Anderson East has a summer album on tap

After seeing Anderson do an amazing set at Stagecoach fest in Indio, Calif. a few years ago, I became an even bigger fan. I'm looking forward to hearing the new material...

Anderson East’s new album, Maybe We Never Die, will be released Aug. 20 and is now available for preorder with first single, “Madelyn.” Watch the official music video HERE. East and his band will debut the new song on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” next Wednesday, April 14.

His third release for Elektra/Low Country Sound, Maybe We Never Die sees the Alabama born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter collaborating once again with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb along with longtime bandleader and now co-producer Philip Towns. 

Regarding the album, East says, “I wanted to create something unique with this record. A piece of music, that as a whole, knew where its footing was but yet still attempted to see what was behind the curtains. I’m very proud of what it took to make and its ultimate outcome. I am very grateful to the wonderfully talented humans that lent their gifts to make it what it is.”

This is East’s first new music since 2018’s breakthrough album, Encore, which featured the Grammy-nominated #1 AAA radio single, “All On My Mind.”

In the past, East and his band have performed sold-out shows worldwide and have been featured on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “CBS This Morning Saturday,” NBC’s “TODAY” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” PBS’ “Austin City Limits” and more.

TRACK LIST:

1. Maybe We Never Die
2. Lights On
3. Madelyn
4. Drugs
5. I Hate You
6. Hood Of My Car
7. Falling
8. Jet Black Pontiac
9. Like Nothing Ever Happened
10. If You Really Love Me
11. Just You & I
12. Interstellar Outer Space

Glasgow band Texas to return with first album in four years

The band Texas return with their new album Hi on May 28 via BMG. New single “Mr Haze” is driven by a Donna Summer sample. Listen HERE.

Back in 2018 Texas’ frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri and bass guitarist Johnny McElhone found some long-forgotten outtakes from the original sessions for their 1997 breakthrough album, White on Blonde – which was certified six times platinum in the UK and won the band an Ivor Novello Award for “Outstanding Songwriting”. Initially, Sharleen and Johnny thought these undiscovered gems could be released as a ‘lost’ album but listening to the tracks inspired them to write some brand new material.

“Our excitement at finding this treasure trove of songs collided with our excitement back then and, unplanned, new songs started coming,” says Sharleen. “You could say we were inspired by ourselves!”

Hi is the Scottish band’s 10th album. Three of the songs were written in lockdown, in Scotland, Wales, LA and Sweden. Collaborations include “Dark Fire”, written with Richard Hawley, which recalls the spirit of a slow dance at a high school prom while “Look What You’ve Done” finds Sharleen trading verses with Clare Grogan (of Scottish new wave band Altered Images).

Then there's the piano ballad “Unbelievable. “We don’t usually do ballads,” Sharleen admits. “But this one really stuck. The words are very intimate and personal while the music sounds really epic.”

About "Just Wanna Be Liked," she says, "All our albums have cinematic songs." Ennio “Morricone in particular is still a huge influence. We’re referencing our past but also writing from the position we’re in now. Being able to stand back from what you’ve achieved gives you a different perspective. Our aim has only ever been to make great music.”

Track listing:

Mr Haze
Hi (with Wu-Tang Clan)
Just Want To Be Liked
Unbelievable
Moonstar
Dark Fire
Look What You’ve Done
Heaven Knows
You Can Call Me
Sound of My Voice
Falling
Hi (Single Mix)
Had A Hard Day *
Had to Leave *

* = deluxe version

Ronnie Milsap enlists Vince Gill on upcoming album

Country Music Hall of Fame legend Ronnie Milsap follows up his all-star 2019 album The Duets (featuring Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Billy Gibbons, Luke Bryan and George Strait) with A Better Word for Love.

Due April 30 on Black River Records, it explores the R&B-styled sound that has long been the six-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year winner’s trademark.

Teaming with longtime co-producer Rob Galbraith, the pair drew on songs that hadn’t fit on prior projects and paid homage to Milsap's familiar style. 

Mike Reid (“Stranger In My House,” “I Can’t Make You Love Me”), Gary Nicholson (“One More Last Chance,” “The Trouble With The Truth”), Al Anderson (“All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down,” “The Cowboy In Me”), Jim Weatherly (“Midnight Train To Georgia,” “Best Thing To Ever Happen To Me”), Brent Maher (“Why Not Me,” “Lesson In Leavin’”), Allen Shamblin (“The House That Built Me,” “Life’s A Dance”), and David Ball (“Drinkin’ Problem”) provided the songs.

“I have been blessed to work with some of the very best songwriters in the world,” Milsap says. “Over the years, they’ve kept bringing me unbelievable songs, and in some cases, they’ve let me hang onto them because I loved them so much. When Rob and I started this project a few years ago, we decided some of those songs were so special... We wanted to build this album around them, so they wouldn’t be treasures only Joycee and I could hear.

“We got to go back to Ronnie’s Place, the studio I built all those years ago, just dig in and cut them – and some songs that have the same kind of heart, the soul and that joy that I’ve always loved. You know, even a sad song when you do it sad enough’ll make you feel better.”

Along the way, Milsap received a special package from Carl Perkins’ widow. “Big Bertha” was the last song the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer had written. She’d sent it to Milsap thinking he’d do it right. Not only did the Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award winner bring his signature slow burning blues to the song, he enlisted Vince Gill for the quick-hitting, fiddle-punctuated country portion of the paean to more than a woman, but a driver.

“Singing a song about a golf club without Vince Gill just didn’t feel right,” Milsap laughs. “And he was able to bring that thing he does like nobody else to Carl’s song. Somewhere I think he’s smiling.”

Some of Nashville’s finest studio musicians play with Milsap: guitarists Brent Mason, Steve Gibson, Mark Casstevens, and Chris Leuzinger, bass player Michael Rhodes, drummer Lonnie Wilson, double steel players Mike Johnson and Paul Franklin, and Milsap’s longtime musical director Jamie Brantley.

As a further homage to his longtime musical compatriots, Milsap includes “Civil War,” recorded live at Atlanta’s Chastain Park in 1993. Capturing his longtime touring band in their prime, the Cindy Richardson/Carol Chase song weaves Southern gospel into a song of marital dissolution – and demonstrates the vocal dynamics, keyboard stylings and drama onstage.

“Music makes the world a better place,” Milsap says. “Love songs may not change everything, but they sure speak to the heart, give people joy and maybe starting there in these crazy times is a good thing.”

Track Listing:

“Big Bertha” featuring Vince Gill
Randy Moore, Carl Perkins, DJ Perkins

“Wild Honey”
Jim Weatherly, Nigel Wright

“A Better Word for Love”
Al Anderson, Gary Nicholson

“Almost Mine”
David Ball, Randy Goodrum

“Fool”
Thomas Cain

“This Side of Heaven”
Brent Maher, Allen Shamblin, Mike Reid

“Civil War (Live)”
Cindy Richardson, Carol Chase

“Fireworks”
Steve Dean, Don Gatlin, Mike Ulvila

“Now”
Thomas Cain, Tim Nichols

“Too Bad for My Own Good”
Joe H. Hunter, Jim Whitehead, Jim Weatherly

Steve Miller Band archival live release coming next month

Steve Miller's archives found an unreleased, full-length concert recording, Steve Miller Band Live! Breaking Ground: August 3, 1977, due out May 14 via Sailor/Capitol/UMe. A variety of formats will be available, including digital, CD, and 2xLP black vinyl. The accompanying live concert film featuring the full performance will be available to stream on The Coda Collection on Amazon Prime Video.

Says Miller: “This show from August of 1977 at the Cap Center in Landover, Maryland, captures the band right at the peak after The Joker, and in the middle of Fly Like an Eagle and Book of Dreams, a stream of hits…We decided to call it Breaking Ground because that's exactly what we were doing.”

It includes liner notes by music journalist David Fricke who says – “Breaking Ground captures the Steve Miller Band on stage in one of their biggest years, 1977. They were at a perfect crossroads of psychedelic zeal and progressive, popcraft while staying true to Miller's first love, the blues.”

The concert captures Miller’s 1977 lineup at the beginning of the band’s turn from playing ballrooms and theatres to arenas and football stadiums. Recorded at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD on multi-track tape and newly mixed and mastered by Miller and his veteran audio engineer Kent Hertz.

The Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits 74-78 album is in the top 40 of the best-selling albums of all time according to the RIAA. Recent releases for SMB include the 9LP 180-gram vinyl box set, Complete Albums Volume 2 (1977-2011), as well as the 3CD + DVD archival box set, Welcome To The Vault, both available via uDiscover.

Track List:

Living In The U.S.A.
Space Cowboy
Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma
Come On In My Kitchen
Wild Mountain Honey
The Window/Winter Time
The Stake
Mercury Blues
Serenade
Take The Money And Run
Jet Airliner
Space Intro
Fly Like An Eagle
Rock’n Me
The Joker
Seasons
So Long Blues