New music releases Dec. 15, 2017: The Beatles; Star Wars - The Last Jedi; Stranger Things 2, more

New and notable. Click the links to order from Amazon.





New Black Panther TV spot

Pop Culture Roundup: Dick Tracy; Mel Blanc; Harvey Kurtzman; Marvel Comics; Wonder Woman, more

Archie Comics will publish a new Dick Tracy series launching in April. The creative team includes writers Alex Segura and Michael Moreci and Thomas Pitilli.


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Via Open Culture: The genius of Mel Blanc.

His effortless impersonations of the celebrities of his day are not always politic (see Al Jolson) but  there’s no denying that his impressions of Liberace, Edgar G. Robinson, Bing Crosby, and Hollywood Bowl conductor Leopold Stokowski introduced these personages to subsequent generations.

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Modern comics creators have completed an unfinished adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" planned by Mad Magazine creator Harvey Kurtzman.

The story goes that Kurtzman delivered a partial manuscript of the book, wrapped in brown paper tied up with string, to comic creator (and founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund) Denis Kitchen about 25 years ago while the two were in the former’s attic. But while he made notes, pages, and thumbnails, the project by the legendary MAD creator – hailed as a god by director Terry Gilliam -- never came to fruition.


More than 250 Marvel Comics collections and graphic novels are now available via the hoopla digital platform, which serves public libraries across the U.S.

To begin accessing Marvel content, library-card holders of participating public libraries can download the free hoopla digital mobile app on their Android or iOS device or visit hoopladigital.com.


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Warner Bros. has created a Wonder Woman College Scholarship. Actress Gal Gadot awarded the first one to Carla Arellano, who is attending Loyala Marymount University.

"She’s strong-minded, opinionated and gutsy. She wants to be a screenwriter, and she’s already impressed everyone who knows her - her fellow mentees, her professors and everyone in this room who’s met her," Gadot said. "She won’t be able to continue at LMU without this funding. Similar to many other great young women in this program, her education is hanging by a thread."


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The Not Yorker displays rejected cover art submitted to The New Yorker magazine.



Coming up: Teen Beat Volume 6


Out Feb. 10. Order now from Amazon.

Details:

When it comes to rarities we have two definite aces up our sleeve. Sandy Nelson's 'Drum Shack' is so rare that we were not even sure it really existed until we got the master in our hot little hands, while the Astronauts' 'Big Hunk O' Love' was issued in 1966, but never beyond Japanese shores. Other obscurities include the Invaders' 'Disc Jockey' which is as clever as it is calculating (what DJ could resist?), the Mus-Twangs' rock-up of 'Frankie & Johnny' featuring Paul Cotton of Poco when he just wanted to be Duane Eddy, Don Cole's exhilarating guitar work on 'Free Flight' and the Titans' 'Noplace Special', which is actually a very special place indeed. Compilation and sleeve notes by Pipeline's Dave Burke and Alan Taylor. 

Tracks:
 
  1. Peter Gunn - Duane Eddy, His 'Twangy' Guitar and The Rebels
  2. Reveille Rock - Johnny & The Hurricanes
  3. Caldonia - The Rondels
  4. Flyin' High - Bobby Vee & The Shadows
  5. The Noplace Special - The Titans
  6. All American Surfer - The Busters
  7. Night Ride - The Ramrods
  8. Happy Vacation - Jackie Lee Orchestra with Pep Lattanzi
  9. Apache - Jorgen Ingmann and His Guitar
  10. Theme from 'Come September' - Bobby Darin and His Orchestra
  11. Frankie and Johnny - The Mus-Twangs
  12. Choo-Choo - James Brown & The Famous Flames
  13. Nee Nee Na Na Nu Nu - Dicky Doo & The Don'ts
  14. Path Finder - Teddy & The Rough Riders
  15. Straight Flush - The Frantics
  16. One Mint Julep - Chet Atkins
  17. Have You Ever Had the Blues? - Travis Wammack
  18. Hully Gully Guitar - Jerry Reed and The Hully Girlies
  19. Drum Shack - Sandy Nelson
  20. (Let's Do The) Hully Gully Twist - Bill Doggett
  21. Disc Jockey - The Invaders
  22. Beach Party - King Curtis & The Noble Knights
  23. Free Flight - Don Cole
  24. A Big Hunk of Love - The Astronauts
  25. The 2000 Pound Bee (Part 1) - The Ventures
  26. The 2000 Pound Bee (Part 2) - The Ventures

Coming up: Jon Savage's 1965 - The Year The Sixties Ignited

Out Feb. 10. Order now from Amazon.
Details:

The second 'bookend' to Jon Savage's hugely popular 1966 Faber book and Ace compilation and to last year's '1967' CD follow-up, this prequel double CD based around 1965 represents the lead up and context to all that was about to happen. A genre-spanning mix of hit singles, slow burners and lost gems from soul, funk, psych, garage and rock'n'roll, these are the 45s that defined the year, captured the mood and crystallized Jon Savage's personal memories of the year.

Tracks:

Disc: 1

  1. Concrete and Clay - Unit 4 + 2
  2. Land of a Thousand Dances Pt. 1 - Thee Midnighters
  3. Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
  4. Come and Stay With Me - Marianne Faithfull
  5. That's the Way It's Got to Be - The Poets
  6. Fortune Teller - Tony Jackson & The Vibrations
  7. Twine Time - Alvin Cash & The Crawlers
  8. Starnger in Town - Del Shannon
  9. Nowhere to Run - Martha and The Vandellas
  10. Iko Iko - The Dixie Cups
  11. Boot Leg - Booker T. and The M.G.'s
  12. Leaving Here - The Birds
  13. I'm Alive - The Hollies
  14. Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind - Vashti
  15. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere - The Who
  16. Incense - The Anglos
  17. The Price of Love - The Everly Brothers
  18. Boss Hoss - The Sonics
  19. Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind But Me) - The Chiffons
  20. Heart Full of Soul - The Yardbirds
  21. Agent Double-O Soul - Edwin Starr
  22. In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
  23. Too Many People - The Leaves
  24. See My Friends - The Kinks

Disc: 2

  1. I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better - The Byrds
  2. Buttermilk Part 1 - Sly
  3. Anything - The Vejtables
  4. Can't Seem to Make You Mine - The Seeds
  5. Are You a Boy Or Are You a Girl - The Barbarians
  6. London Town - The Pretty Things
  7. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - The Silkie
  8. From a Buick 6 - Bob Dylan
  9. If You Gotta Go, Go Now - Manfred Mann
  10. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown
  11. Ain't That Peculiar - Marvin Gaye
  12. Can You Hear Me - Lee Dorsey
  13. It's My Life - The Animals
  14. You Just Gotta Know My Mind - Karen Verros
  15. Blow Your Mind - The Gas Company
  16. The Train from Kansas City - The Shangri-Las
  17. You've Got What I Want - The Sorrows
  18. Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) - Donovan
  19. Girl from the North Country - Link Wray
  20. I've Got Mine - Small Faces
  21. The Duck - Jackie Lee
  22. The Story of John Hardy - Sir Douglas Quintet
  23. We Sell Soul - The Spades
  24. My World Is Empty Without You - The Supremes

Sears launches an online "Wishbook"

It's no substitute for the nostalgic joy of leafing through the real things, but today's kids don't even know they've been cheated. Four pathetic "pages" of toys. Take a look here to become depressed.


Christmas album of the day: The Supremes "Merry Christmas"

This one is out in a new 2-CD version from Real Gone Music, but I still play my needle-drop of the vinyl classic. This is Diana, Flo and Mary at their best - and at their cheesiest. "Little Bright Star" is a thumping floor-filler as good as any non-Holiday Motown single. Same with "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." "Christmas Children's Song," on the other hand, features bonkers spoken word sections from Di and she does the Santa parts on "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in a campy British accent. But this is why love her, right?


Vintage Christmas Pepsi ads







Video find: David Cassidy and Glen Campbell sing the Everly Brothers

Christmas album of the day: "Songs for a London Winter"

Tired of hearing about Christmas from Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, take a music trip across the Atlantic for a different perspective on Yuletide.

This compilation assembled by members of the great pop band St. Etienne features a selection of pop and light jazz tunes from the 1950s and pre-Beatles 60s, all celebrating the season British style. Artists featured include the John Barry Seven, Alma Cogan, Billy Fury and Adam Faith. Nothing too rocking, but the Echoes' "Sounds Like Winter" sounds like "Tel-Star."

Fun stuff, and a nice diversion from the usual fare.


1940s Christmas cards







Today's Christmas Album: "Christmas Cocktails"


From the opening, bonkers, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo" to Julie London's sultry "I Want You for Christmas" and Ray Anthony's surprisingly girl group groovy "Christmas Kisses," this is a fun and eclectic Santa bag of goodness.

Many of the tunes are obscure, such as Les Brown and His Band of Renown's very nice, extended "Nutcracker Suite," but it also includes the original version of Nat King Cole's all-time holiday classic, "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)."

The original "Toys for Tots" PSAs from Cole, Peggy Lee and Nancy Wilson are a cool addition.



Comic art: Jack Kirby's Toys for Tots poster art