Welcome to this week's Release Round-Up, featuring a selection of the new titles available today.  With Record Store Day events taking place tomorrow, this is one of the biggest weeks in recent memory - so if you hit up your local indie store tomorrow, remember: there's plenty of non-exclusive releases to check out, too.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

TSD also mourns the passing of Dickey Betts, 80.  As a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, Betts left behind an extraordinary legacy of music that won't soon be forgotten.

Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, What Love Has Joined Together / A Pocket Full of Miracles / One Dozen Roses / Flying High Together (SoulMusic/The Second Disc) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

This new 4-albums-on-2-CDs set from TSD and SoulMusic Records via Cherry Red features:

• What Love Has Joined Together (1970) plus two new-to-CD bonus tracks;
• A Pocket Full of Miracles (1970);
• One Dozen Roses (1971); and
• Flying High Together (1972).

Only What Love Has Joined Together has previously appeared on CD, and that release is long out-of-print.  Two non-LP outtakes, "Paper People" and "(You've Got Me) Looking Through the Eyes of Love," also make their CD debuts.  Audio has been remastered by Nick Robbins.  The 24-page booklet features new liner notes from TSD's Joe Marchese drawing on new and archival quotes from Smokey Robinson, Claudette Robinson, Motown tape librarian Pat Cosby, and journalist Sharon Davis (a key player in the story of "The Tears of a Clown") as well as detailed annotations from Motown historian Andrew Skurow.  Roger Williams has designed the artwork.  Get more info here!

Bruce Springsteen, Best of Bruce Springsteen (Columbia/Legacy)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP Black Vinyl: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP Red Vinyl: Amazon U.S.

The simply-titled Best of Bruce Springsteen arrives with 18 tracks on CD and LP and 31 on digital formats. The concept is straightforward, bringing together hits and favorites from 1973's Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ through 2020's Letter to You. Each of The Boss' studio albums from that span is represented on the CD/LP other than 1992's Lucky Town, 2005's Devils and Dust, 2006's We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, 2009's Working on a Dream, 2012's Wrecking Ball, and 2014's High Hopes. Springsteen signature songs "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)," "Born to Run," "Thunder Road," "Badlands," "Hungry Heart," "Born in the USA," and "Dancing in the Dark" are all present.  Read more here.

Luther, Luther: Expanded Edition (Legacy/Primary Wave)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Everybody rejoice! Legacy and Primary Wave restore both albums by Luther - the legendary Vandross' quintet featuring Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler (both from the group Shades of Jade), Theresa V. Reed and Christine Wiltshire (of disco outfits Class Action and Phreek) - to print in CD, LP, and digital editions.  Luther (1976) and This Close to You (1977) were originally issued by the Cotillion label but near impossible to find after Vandross found solo success in the 1980s and bought the rights to both releases back. With 2024 poised to be a big rediscovery year for the late icon - the documentary Luther: Never Too Much recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival - both albums will be issued on vinyl, CD and digital, the latter two formats graced with four unreleased instrumentals and outtakes between each release. Luther is out today, while This Close to You streets June 7; both titles and related merch are available at Vandross' official store.  Get more details here!

Glen Campbell, Duets: Ghost on the Canvas Sessions (Surfdog/Big Machine) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Glen Campbell's remarkable 2011 album Ghost on the Canvas is revisited as Glen Campbell Duets: Ghost on the Canvas Sessions.  The original album was recorded as the artist first became aware of his Alzheimer's diagnosis and was intended as his final work (though two more proper studio releases would ultimately follow).  A collaboration with producer Julian Raymond, Ghost included songs by such Campbell fans as The Replacements' Paul Westerberg, Jakob Dylan, Jellyfish's Roger Manning, Guided by Voices' Robert Pollard, and Teddy Thompson as well as poignant Campbell/Raymond co-writes.  A melancholy but hopeful country-pop masterwork, it summed up decades of Campbell's career into one moving record. Now, almost seven years after Glen's August 2017 passing, another host of his friends and fans have assembled to pay tribute.  Duets pairs him with an illustrious array of voices on songs from the original Ghost, including Dolly Parton ("A Better Place"), Carole King ("There's No Me...Without You"), Brian Wilson ("Strong," newly rearranged in the style of the classic "Guess I'm Dumb"), Eric Clapton ("Nothing But the Whole Wide World"), Eric Church ("Hold on Hope"), the duo of Daryl Hall and Dave Stewart ("It's Your Amazing Grace"), and Sting ("Ghost on the Canvas"). Elton John appears on a duet of "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" which previously appeared on Elton's The Lockdown Sessions.  Out on CD, LP, and digitally.  Read more here.

Nancy Sinatra, How Does That Grab You? [Expanded Edition] (Light in the Attic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Light in the Attic continues the Nancy Sinatra Archival Series with her 1966 sophomore studio album. While a special vinyl edition will be available tomorrow for Record Store Day, the CD is in wide release today.  Remastered by John Baldwin, it includes two bonus tracks: "The Last of the Secret Agents?" and the previously unreleased "If Things Don't Start Picking Up."  The lavish booklet includes a Q&A between Nancy and reissue producer Hunter Lea plus timeline and previously unpublished photos from Nancy's archive.

New Riders of the Purple Sage, Hempsteader: Live at the Calderone Concert Hall, Hempstead, NY, June 25, 1976 (Omnivore) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Hempsteader: Live At The Calderone Concert Hall, Hempstead, New York, June 25, 1976 presents New Riders of the Purple Sage live onstage shortly after the release of the band's MCA Records debut, New Riders.  In addition to vocalist-guitarist John "Marmaduke" Dawson's originals ("Henry," "Portland Woman" and "Glendale Train"), the album features covers of Otis Redding ("Hard to Handle"), The Rolling Stones ("Dead Flowers"), Jack Tempchin ("Fifteen Days Under the Hood"), Chuck Berry ("You Never Can Tell"), Loudon Wainwright III ("The Swimming Song"), and others.  Band archivist Rob Bleetstein has produced and annotated this release.  Available on CD and digitally.

Linda Martell, Color Me Country (Sun) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Groundbreaking country artist Linda Martell was celebrated by Beyonce on her album Cowboy Carter; now, Martell's lone 1970 album returns to CD for the first time in a decade (since Real Gone Music's 2014 reissue).  This reissue utilizes a 2022 remaster.

The Flying Burrito Brothers, Live in Amsterdam 1972 (Liberation Hall/Sierra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

We now turn the spotlight onto Liberation Hall.  The label's three CDs available today will also be released on vinyl tomorrow for Record Store Day!  First up is this 1972 concert from The Flying Burrito Brothers, a.k.a. Rick Roberts, Byron Berline, Roger Bush, Kenny Wertz, Alan Munde, Eric Dalton, and Don Beck.  The January 14 show at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw was released in Europe in 1973 on vinyl but was never issued in the U.S. until now. It finds future Firefall founder Rick Roberts in fine form backed by an all-new line-up that kept in the spirit of the original Burritos; for those keeping score, the line-up is Flying Burrito Brothers # 7 per Roger Mason's liner notes.  The show, totaling 29 songs on CD (five of which are exclusive to the format), features both a bluegrass set and a country-rock set.  Berline, Bush, Wertz, and Munde later became the band Country Gazette and then played as FBB # 8, or Hot Burrito Revue, with Don Beck out and "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow back in on pedal steel.  That line-up opened for Eagles, featuring ex-Burrito Bernie Leadon, in 1973.  Randy Perry has remastered this 2-CD set, and the booklet includes the Burrito family tree (although you might need a magnifying glass to read it all)!

Gene Clark, The Lost Studio Sessions 1964-1982 (Liberation Hall/Sierra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The Lost Studio Sessions 1964-1982, first released on Sierra Records in 2016, returns from Liberation Hall in a spiffy new edition sans the bonus discs available at the time.  Still, there's a wealth of riches on this 24-track anthology including a 1967 session with Hugh Masekela, arranged by Leon Russell; a clutch of 1970 sessions including a rendition of Dillard and Clark's "She Darked the Sun" with The Flying Burrito Brothers (Gram Parsons, ex-Byrds Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke, and Bernie Leadon); tracks from the 1972 Roadmaster sessions (featuring Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Spooner Oldham, "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, Byron Berline, Chris Ethridge, and singers Claudia Lennear and Merry Clayton); and five tracks from 1982's Nyteflyte which saw Clark reteam with Hillman and Clarke.  A thick 36-page booklet has liner notes by Johnny Rogan, Domenic Priore, John Einarson, and compilation producer John Delgatto.

Various Artists, Mejor de Los Nuggetz: '60s Garage and Psych (Liberation Hall) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Here's a fun one: Mejor de Los Nuggetz collects 20 choice highlights from the box set Los Nuggetz: '60s Garage & Psych from Latin America released in 2013 by RockBeat Records. These encompass Spanish-language garage-style recordings of many of the '60s most popular hits including The Box Tops' "The Letter" ("La Carta," Los Mustang), The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" ("Satisfaccion," Los Apson), The Who's My Generation ("Mi Generacion," Lone Star), The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" ("Me Atrapaste," Los Matematicos), and Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" ("Esta Bota Son Para Caminar," Gloria Benevides).  There's more originally performed by the Stones, The Beatles, and The Isley Brothers, plus a helping of the blues; four bonus advertisements are also included.  James Austin provides the liner notes and Randy Perry has mastered.

 

Various Artists, We Still Can't Say Goodbye: A Musicians' Tribute to Chet Atkins (Morningstar Music) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Legendary guitar hero and "Nashville Sound" progenitor Chet Atkins (1924-2001) is celebrated on this new release featuring contributions from James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Eric Clapton, Ashley Campbell, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Charlie McCoy, Atkins pals Tommy Emmanuel CGP and John Knowles CGP, and others.  Carl Jackson has produced.  A vinyl edition follows on May 3.

Various Artists, The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed (Light in the Attic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

LITA has lined up an A-team of artists to celebrate the late Lou Reed.  The Power of the Heart is available in wide release on CD today and as a Record Store Day exclusive on vinyl tomorrow, and features Rosanne Cash, Keith Richards, Lucinda Williams, Rufus Wainwright, Rickie Lee Jones, Joan Jett, and others on a host of classic Reed songs.

Ian Hunter, Defiance: Part 2 - Fiction (Sun) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Ian Hunter follows up his 2023 album Defiance Part 1 with a sequel subtitled Fiction.  He welcomes a host of guest artists including Johnny Depp, the late Jeff Beck, Lucinda Williams, and Brian May on this set of ten songs.  Available on CD, LP, and digitally.  A unique vinyl edition with bonus tracks will be available tomorrow as a Record Store Day exclusive.

T Bone Burnett, The Other Side (Verve) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

T Bone Burnett returns with his first proper solo album since 2006's The True False Identity.  The Other Side, a loose concept album about a mysterious couple, features collaborations with Rosanne Cash, indie folk group Lucius, and singer-songwriter Weyes Blood.  Available on CD, LP, and digitally.

Various Artists, Reimagining The Court of the Crimson King (Cleopatra) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Cleopatra has assembled a group of artists including Todd Rundgren, Steve Hillage, Carmine Appice, Ian Paice, Arthur Brown, and King Crimson's Jakko M. Jakszyk and Mel Collins to recreate Crimson's 1969 classic In the Court of The Crimson King.  Available on CD, LP, and digitally.

Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department (Republic) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Between Beyonce's Cowboy Carter and Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department, there's a good chance that 2024's two most talked-about, best-selling albums have already been released.  The singer-songwriter's latest features collaborations with Post Malone and Florence + The Machine, and is available in a variety of formats; Target has various CD and vinyl exclusives with bonus tracks including "The Albatross," "The Bolter," "The Black Dog," and "The Manuscript."

Pearl Jam, Dark Matter (Monkeywrench/Republic)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
CD/BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

The Seattle band releases its twelfth album, produced by Andrew Watt (Elton John, The Rolling Stones), in a variety of formats including CD, LP, CD/Blu-ray Audio Disc, and digitally.