Tag Archives: Beck

Huge Number of Dark Horse Titles on the Way

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We knew that Record Store Day this year will have three Dark Horse titles available for collectors of this Beatle-related sub-brand, but did you know that Dark Horse Records is planning a further big push in late April and early May?

RSD will have:

George Harrison and Beck with ‘Be Here Now’:

This is Record Store Day’s “Song of the Year” and it will be on a 12″ single with George’s original version on one side, and Beck’s cover version on the other.

There’ll also be the next installment of George Harrison back-catalogue titles appearing as Zoetrope picture discs. This time its the turn of All Things Must Pass, so it is a 3 LP set in an individually numbered sleeve. It’s catalogue number is DH0037Z:

And for RSD in the UK comes another Cat Stevens back-catalogue item, Back To Earth (DH0027). Like the Cat Stevens releases the label put out for RSD last year, this one will also come in a special lenticular album sleeve:

Then, once we get RSD 2025 out of the way, on April 25 comes a brand new Billy Idol title, Dream Into It. This is his first new, full-length album of original material in over a decade. It will be available on black vinyl, as a limited edition purple vinyl, and on CD:

There’s also limited edition signed copies to be had:

The Idol release will be followed on May 9 with no less than 9 re-issues from Dark Horse that officially bring even more of the George Harrison back-catalogue under the Dark Horse/BMG umbrella. These include All Things Must Pass – 50th Anniversary mix as a 2CD set with Dark Horse and BMG on the label for the first time (instead of Capitol and Universal Music). It will be given the Dark Horse catalogue number DH0037:

All Things Must Pass will be joined by George’s 1974 title, Dark Horse on black vinyl and on CD, with the catalogue number DH0038:

There’s also Extra Texture (with the catalogue number DH0039) on black vinyl and on CD:

And Thirty Three & 1/3 (catalogue number DH0040) – but only on black vinyl at the moment for some reason:

Also on May 9 to bring Harrison more firmly under the BMG banner will be a CD re-issue of his Wonderwall Music (with the catalogue number DH0033). This joins the Zoetrope vinyl with the same catalogue number from Record Store Day last year:

Likewise, Electronic Sound gets the same CD treatment – joining its Zoetrope vinyl partner in carrying the catalogue number DH0034:

And lastly, one further May 9 release. It is Harrison’s Early Takes Volume 1 on CD (catalogue number DH0047). It joins the black vinyl that was issued last year also under the Dark Horse/BMG label:

As if that isn’t enough, on May 16 comes two long-rumoured but also long delayed Jon Lord Dark Horse titles, re-issues of his albums Gemini Suite and Windows. Gemini Suite will be on a spectacular splatter vinyl (with the catalogue number DH0023):

While Windows comes on a cool orange vinyl:

So, collectors who like to keep up with everything Dark Horse is doing alongside their Beatle collecting are going to need deep pockets over the next two months.

                 

McCartney III Imagined – Out This Week

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This week we get to hear what McCartney III Imagined sounds like in full – at least on digital services. The physical mediums for this one aren’t coming until July….

There’s already been a bit of shock from some welded-on McCartney followers about the three tracks previewed from the album so far. They are a re-interpretation of ‘The Kiss of Venus’ by Dominic Fike; ‘Find My Way’ – featuring Beck; and a remix of ‘Slidin” by Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien.

Stand by for quite a few more surprises.

It’s becoming fairly obvious we should all keep an open mind about what else might be in store because, based on what we’ve heard so far, some of it is going to be “out there” and out of the comfort zones of many fans. And that’s a good thing because it means these songs will be heard and appreciated by a far wider (and younger) audience than would have been the case if this remained just a McCartney-only release.

It’s clear that Paul McCartney and MPL sent out the raw elements of his songs to an eclectic and interesting bunch of musos and told them to do with them what they will.

If you want a contemporaneous example of a similar approach then look no further than Crowded House. They’ve got a new album coming in June and have released a single in the lead-up called ‘To The Island’. Check it out below in its original form:

Then have a listen to this:

Just like McCartney has done, Crowded House invited a third party (in this case Kevin Parker from Tame Impala) to do a remix. Here’s what Neil Finn said about it in an email to fans:

With all the world up-ended and nothing in its right place, we became curious to hear how our favourite contemporary musicians and record makers might re-imagine a Crowded House song. I emailed our version of ‘To The Island’ to Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) with an invitation to take it apart and reassemble in his own unique way. Happily, he really liked the song and it was an absolute delight to hear what he made from it, an exotic fantasy I would call it.

I think you’ll agree that the end result is very different – and in some ways quite confronting. But it means that Crowded House (a legacy band still making great new music) will also be heard by a much wider audience.

Strap in because McCartney III Imagined is going to be ‘To The Island’ writ large.

Personally, we’re excited to hear it.