Michael Gayed

Michael Rother, founding member of krautrock groups Neu! and Harmonia, is releasing another new box set. The new collection, Solo II, is out September 4 (via Groenland). Solo II includes three albums from the 1980s (Lust, Süssherz und Tiefenschärfe, and Traumreisen), 1996’s Esperanza, and 2004’s Remember (The Great Adventure), an album of bonus tracks (mostly recorded in the ’90s), and a brand new 2020 album called Dreaming. Speaking about Dreaming, Rother said in a press release, “I had a goldmine of ideas—about seventy-five sketches, and I knew there were some gems in there. I’m delighted by the way the album has turned out.”

The Best of Michael Franks: A Backward Glance is a good 15-track collection that is equally divided between soft rock like "Popsicle Toes" and smooth jazz. Any curious listener looking for a one-stop introduction to Franks would be well served with this collection. Among the highlights are "The Lady Wants to Know," "Antonio's Song," "When the Cookie Jar Is Empty," "Tiger in the Rain," "Baseball," "Your Secret's Safe with Me," "When I Give My Love to You," "The Art of Love," "Soul Mate," and "Hourglass".

A year – nearly to the day – after Epic released the single-disc Number Ones compilation in November 2003, the long-awaited Michael Jackson box set finally saw the light of day. Entitled The Ultimate Collection, the 57-track set spans five discs…

Those with a just a passing interest in roots reggae are generally aware of Michael Rose's Grammy-winning group Black Uhuru, but the man himself doesn't have the same name recognition. With any luck, the grand Happiness: The Best of Michael Rose will change all that. A solo artist well before Uhuru, Michael Rose's output has equaled – and arguably topped – his work with Uhuru, and Happiness does a great job of representing. Kicking off with the original version of "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and ending with the brilliant/quirky Fat Eyes production "Rough Life," Happiness brings to mind the mighty Bob Marley Legend compilation with its filler-free track listing. Just like Legend, Happiness is only an introduction to Rose, and while the man has released too many great, fully formed albums to say this is definitive, Happiness only misses the extended 12" side of his career and covers everything else splendidly.