RSD 2021: Drop #2
Here we go again! The second and final drop date for RSD 2021 is here and officially underway. We have four great releases out today, only available at participating independent record stores. Read the details of each release below, and make sure to check out our full list of RSD 2021 titles, including those that dropped on June 12th.
Peggy Lee
World Broadcast Recordings 1955, Volume 1
Peggy Lee was in top form in 1955, in every aspect of her career. As a vocalist, she was at her peak. Pete Kelly’s Blues (her best acting role) and Lady And The Tramp (she co-wrote six songs and provided the voices for four characters) were both set to be released. That same year, she recorded 49 selections as radio transcriptions for the World Program Service. These recordings were not released to the public, but used by radio stations with unexpected time to fill. Lee’s cool but inwardly heated voice is joined by frequent collaborators, pianist Gene DiNovi, guitarist Bill Pitman, Bob Whitlock or Don Prell on bass, drummer Larry Bunker, Ramon “Ray” Rivera on congas, harpist Stella Castellucci, and trumpeter Pete Candoli. This series compiles the best selections from those 1955 recordings, beginning with 14 tunes on this first volume. The recordings were mastered for vinyl at Infrasonic Mastering and pressed at Furnace Record Pressing on color vinyl, exclusively for RSD. Find a store carrying this title near you here.
Jonny O’Donnell, ARR. Van Dyke Parks
Cats b/w Funny Face
This project - two songs, "Cats" and "Funny Face" (A-side/B-side) bring together the sophisticated song craft of singer-songwriterJohnny O'Donnell, the iconoclast arrangements of Van Dyke Parks, and the genial production touch of Lewis Pesacov into a refreshing and rewarding musical package that deserves the focus that only a seven inch provides. The arrangements and production are cinematic and full of drama which befits a production born of the belly of Hollywood. Romance, intrigue, and a touch of the unreal is where the tripartite of musical craftsmen have brewed this potion of melodies. The two unreleased songs will be available for the first time as a 7" single, exclusively for Record Store Day 2021. Find a store carrying this title near you here.
Fred Armisen
Parade Meeting EP
Parade Meeting is a new instrumental EP from actor, comedian, writer, producer, musician, and this year's RSD Ambassador, Fred Armisen. The music was recorded and produced by Ty Segall at his Los Angeles studio. The vinyl comes with three songs on one side, and a custom artwork etching on the flip side. Find a store carrying this title near you here.
Del Casher
Italian Stallion Soundtrack
Del Casher may not be a household name, but you’ve undoubtedly heard his music. He was a member of the famous Wrecking Crew, played on Lawrence Welk, recorded Frank Zappa’s first demo, and even backed Elvis Presley on film. His inventions include the Wah-Wah pedal and the Ecco-Fonic, influencing the development of electric guitar playing. In 1978, Casher was impressed by Bill Conti's top selling score for Rocky, and set out to make an album with original compositions of disco and jazz/funk inspired by the film. With a series of tunes written, he gathered some of the top studio players in Hollywood including Billy Preston, Stan Worth, and members of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show band. The working title for this album in the making was called “Music Inspired By Rocky And Other Compositions”. A film company who had acquired the rights to Sylvester Stallone's 1970 debut "The Party At Kitty And Stud's" heard the music and immediately recognized it as the perfect fit for their rebranded “Italian Stallion” film release. Though the score was never released outside of the film, it generated lots of interest in the early 2000’s when the internet became a widespread phenomenon, and fans began recording the audio off of the film themselves. The soundtrack for Italian Stallion stands on its own as a musical masterpiece. Over 40 years later, with the help of ORG Music, Del Casher dug up his original master tapes and assembled a record’s worth of material for the soundtrack’s first ever release. Italian Stallion will make its long overdue debut with a vinyl pressing, exclusively for RSD 2021. Find a store carrying this title near you here.