Segundo

As is the norm, Bash assembled a stunning and diverse array of talent that span the traditional definitions of pop, with a keen eye on rock & roll. —Brett Callwood, LAWeekly.com Omnivore Recordings and The International Pop Overthrow Music Festival are proud to present International Pop Overthrow: Volume 25, a 3-CD compilation featuring 69 tracks by artists from all over the world who have played the International Pop Overthrow festival—along with some who haven’t. The IPO compilation series goes back as far as the 1998 when Volume 1 was a single disc. Since then, the compilation had expanded to two discs the following year, and then three discs in 2002 for Volume 5, and it has remained a three-disc set since that time. International Pop Overthrow: Volume 25 showcases artists from around the world from different countries, doing just about every sub-genre of pop music, including power pop, pop/rock, folk/pop, psychedelic pop, garage, indie-rock, modern rock, etc., making it one of the most well-rounded compilations available to the general public. Although the International Pop Overthrow festival is essentially a showcase for unsigned bands, the compilation has featured some signed acts, and some who have gone on to be signed. These include: •Jason Falkner •Brendan Benson •Roger Joseph Manning Jr. •Peter Holsapple •Shoes Among those acts on Volume 25 include: •Van Duren & Good Question •The Cowsills •Iron City Houserockers •Fernando Perdomo When mainstream pop/rock fans are played any volume of the IPO compilations, their first response is invariably “this is great; I had no idea people were still making music like this!” Well, they certainly are, and you can find some of the best examples of it on IPO Volume 25.

Review by Andy Kellman For those neither willing nor able to take the plunge, Time Life's 11-disc Sweet Soul of the ‘70s box was broken down into six volumes. Sweet Soul of the '70s: Stone in Love with You is one of the five two-disc volumes (to go with one single-disc set), and it emphasizes hits from the earlier half of the decade. It’s not particularly broad, containing five songs from Aretha Franklin, three each from George Benson, the Stylistics, and Spinners, and two from some others, but no selection is debatable. Among the highlights: Isaac Hayes' “Theme from Shaft,” Sylvia’s “Pillow Talk,” the Blackbyrds' “Walking in Rhythm,” the Staple Singers' “I’ll Take You There,” and Timmy Thomas' “Why Can’t We Live Together.”

One of the most versatile talents in contemporary 20th Century music, Henry Mancini was arguably America's greatest composer, conductor and arranger. Although he is nowadays perhaps best remembered for big selling LPs of movie and TV scores, he also enjoyed a parallel series of hit singles, only some of which were spun off his albums. This 30 track compilation is drawn from his singles releases between 1956-62 and includes his hits "Mr Lucky", "High Time", "Theme From The Great Imposter", "Moon River", "Experiment In Terror", "Theme From Hatari" and "Days Of Wine And Roses". Also included are Mancini's original, career defining recordings of tunes like "Tana's Theme" (from "Touch Of Evil"), "The Peter Gunn Theme" and "Breakfast At Tiffany's". Several of his early singles, notably "Cha Cha Cha For Gia" (from Four Girls In Town) and "Big Band Rock And Roll" b/w "Hot Rod" (from Rock Pretty Baby) are unavailable elsewhere on CD.

One of the most versatile talents in contemporary 20th Century music, Henry Mancini was arguably America's greatest composer, conductor and arranger. Although he is nowadays perhaps best remembered for big selling LPs of movie and TV scores, he also enjoyed a parallel series of hit singles, only some of which were spun off his albums. This 30 track compilation is drawn from his singles releases between 1956-62 and includes his hits "Mr Lucky", "High Time", "Theme From The Great Imposter", "Moon River", "Experiment In Terror", "Theme From Hatari" and "Days Of Wine And Roses". Also included are Mancini's original, career defining recordings of tunes like "Tana's Theme" (from "Touch Of Evil"), "The Peter Gunn Theme" and "Breakfast At Tiffany's". Several of his early singles, notably "Cha Cha Cha For Gia" (from Four Girls In Town) and "Big Band Rock And Roll" b/w "Hot Rod" (from Rock Pretty Baby) are unavailable elsewhere on CD.

Founded in 1926 by Roy Crain, The Soul Stirrers were one of the preeminent gospel vocal acts in the U.S. over the next several decades. After many line up changes, a then-unknown Sam Cooke joined the group in 1951, a stint that lasted until his entry into the secular pop world as a solo artist in 1957. Cooke was replaced by Johnnie Taylor (later of “Who’s Making Love” fame), and by 1959 the Soul Stirrers found themselves without a label. Cooke and Crain, along with manager/songwriting partner J.W. Alexander reacted by founding SAR Records, whose first order of business was releasing Taylor-fronted Soul Stirrers recordings as well as selections on which Jimmie Outler took the lead.

Over the last few years Ace has built up a series of prime British female pop releases, with individual collections drawn from four of the country's leading record companies of the 1960s: Decca, Pye, EMI and, most recently, Philips. With this latest compilation, rather than spotlight a particular company, the focus is on a location: the music hotbed of Merseyside. While male beat groups ruled the Merseyside roost in the 60s, the area was also home to its fair share of female talent. To illustrate the point, here are 25 hand-picked girl-pop artefacts from thereabouts. Liverpool's pop queen Cilla Black is featured with her two most Merseybeat-oriented tracks, including a terrific version of A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues, the first song she ever recorded at Abbey Road. Guitar-toting cover girls the Liverbirds, who released no records in the UK but were stars in Germany where their repertoire of Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry numbers made them favourites at the Star-Club also appear twice.

"In 1962 the Atlantic label, within a four-day period, recorded four albums titled Jazz at Preservation Hall, Volumes 1-4 featuring six different groups of New Orleans jazz veterans. This four-CD Mosaic limited-edition box set from 1998 has all of the music from those sessions, plus two other related albums. Unfortunately, the opening disc starts out very weakly, with the Young Tuxedo Brass Band recorded in 1958. New Orleans marching bands are sometimes notorious for being out of tune, but this one, particularly due to leader John Casimir's consistently wretched E-flat clarinet playing, should not have even been recorded, much less reissued. The Eureka Brass Band, which closes the first disc, is better (almost by default), if a bit erratic. Among its members are trumpeters Percy Humphrey, Kid Sheik Colar and Peter Bocage, clarinetist Willie Humphrey, and the forceful tenor of Emmanuel Paul.

The most comprehensive collection yet from this cutting edge country/pop group. Includes all of their most popular tracks - 'What a Cryin' Shame,' 'All You Do Is Bring Me Down,' 'There Goes My Heart' and more! Also includes six rarities making their U.S. debuts - the Lennon/McCartney tune 'A World Without Love' and Merle Haggard's 'The Bottle Let Me Down.' Also features 'Blue Moon' from the Apollo 13 soundtrack and 'Hot Burrito #1' from the Gram Parsons tribute album.