PopMarket Backstage

Tomorrow might be Halloween, but there’s nothing scary about Legacy Recordings’ four latest additions to the Essential series roster!  Today sees the release of career-spanning anthologies from a diverse group of artists: alt-metal rockers Incubus, hip-hop pioneers Run-D.M.C., country queen Martina McBride and ever-evolving Bay Area legends Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship!  All of these double-CD anthologies combine familiar hit singles, album tracks and rarities to create what might become the definitive surveys of each artist’s career.

The Essential Incubus follows Legacy’s issue earlier this year of Incubus HQ Live, preserving a string of live performances from the summer of 2011.  For that release, frontman Brandon Boyd ruminated on Incubus’ career as “twenty years, seven albums, multiple live albums, EPs, DVDs, somewhere in the ballpark of 1,500 live shows and an etcetera stint that would go on for a paragraph.” Well, the band’s full C.V. is reflected on The Essential, its 28 alt-metal tracks blending alternative rock, metal, funk, rap, hip-hop, techno and even jazz (and everything in between).  Every one of the band’s sixteen Billboard Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock chart hits are present on the new compilation, including the four songs which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart: “Drive,” “Megalomaniac,” “Anna Molly” and “Love Hurts.”  All songs have been remastered.  The Essential Incubus makes a fine companion to 2009’s Monuments and Melodies and includes new liner notes from Gary Graff.

Run-D.M.C. is still regarded today as one of the most influential groups in rap and hip-hop.  The Essential Run-D.M.C. spans the period between 1983 and 2001, one year before Jam Master Jay was murdered and the group disbanded.  Legacy’s 29-track anthology celebrates the group with selections from seven albums, one expanded reissue, and even a various-artists anthology.  The first rap group to earn RIAA platinum and multi-platinum albums and MTV’s choice for The Greatest Hip-Hop Group of All Time, Run-D.M.C. made an impression on the national consciousness with 1986’s Aerosmith collaboration “Walk This Way” and again in 1987 with “Christmas in Hollis,” immortalized in the film Die Hard.  Noah Uman has produced the new compilation, and authorized biographer Bill Adler provides new liner notes.

After the jump: Martina McBride and the Jefferson Airplane family take off – plus complete track listings and pre-order links for all titles!

Kansas-born Martina McBride has been called the “Celine Dion of country,” while in his notes for The Essential Martina McBride, Chris Willman asks, “What would you get if you crossed Kitty Wells and Barbra Streisand?”  Either way, the message gets across.  McBride has bridged the gap between lushly orchestrated pop balladry and traditional country-and-western with her immaculate voice and impeccable taste, and the 40 tracks collected here on two CDs reflect her entire, diverse range of influences.  29 of her 40 chart singles for RCA have been compiled by producer Gregg Geller, including each one of her country chart-toppers.  A number of one-off tracks from soundtracks, tribute albums and compilations have been brought together for the first time on The Essential.  Duets with artists such as Bob Seger, Jimmy Buffett, Alan Jackson, Clint Black and Jim Brickman are also present, along with recordings of such familiar songs as “Harper Valley, P.T.A.,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Rose Garden” and Randy Newman’s “Feels Like Home.”  Vic Anesini has remastered The Essential Martina McBride.

Last but not least, Legacy restores to the catalogue RCA’s 1998 Hits as The Essential Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship.  Drawing on blues, rock, folk, jazz and psychedelia, Jefferson Airplane was one of the most exciting groups to emerge from the fertile 1960s Bay Area music scene.  The group carved out a niche of its own, scoring hit singles with songs like “Somebody to Love” and defining the Woodstock Generation with the politically-charged “Volunteers.” The band then morphed into Jefferson Starship in the following decade, creating somewhat more mellow recordings like “Count on Me” and the erotic, tamed-for-Top-40 “Miracles.” And then the 1980s saw perhaps the most controversial incarnation of the band, Starship, as big poppy anthems like “We Built This City and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” stormed the charts.  The Essential offers 35 tracks, including 17 from the Airplane, 12 from Jefferson Starship and six from Starship.  So while “White Rabbit” into “With Your Love” into “Sara” might not seem like the most natural progression, Ben Fong-Torres’ original 1998 notes help guide you on the band’s journey from counterculture to mainstream.  All of the key songs are here, celebrating the still-potent legacy of Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, Marty Balin, Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen, Spencer Dryden, Mickey Thomas and company.  Hits was the first time all three iterations of the group had been recognized on one career-spanning anthology, and it now makes a welcome return.

All titles are in stores today, October 30, from Legacy Recordings!

Incubus, The Essential Incubus (Epic/Legacy 88725 43941-2, 2012)

CD 1

1. Version
2. A Certain Shade of Green
3. Redefine Me
4. New Skin
5. Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)
6. Pardon Me
7. Stellar
8. Drive
9. Crowded Elevator
10. Wish You Were Here
11. Nice to Know You
12. Warning
13. Are You In?
14. Circles

CD 2

1. Megalomaniac
2. Talk Shows on Mute
3. Agoraphobia
4. Monuments and Melodies
5. Pantomime
6. Make a Move
7. Anna Molly
8. Dig
9. Oil and Water
10. Love Hurts
11. Black Heart Inertia
12. Adolescents
13. Promises, Promises
14. In the Company of Wolves

CD 1, Track 1 from Enjoy Incubus, Epic EK 67900, 1997
CD 1, Tracks 2-5 from S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Epic EK 67972, 1997
CD 1, Tracks 6-8 from Make Yourself, Epic EK 63652, 1999
CD 1, Track 9 from When Incubus Attacks, Epic EK 61395, 2000
CD 1, Tracks 10-14 from Morning View, Epic EK 85227, 2001
CD 2, Tracks 1-4 from A Crow Left of the Murder…, Epic EK 90890, 2004
CD 2, Track 5 from Alive at Red Rocks, Epic EK 93611, 2004
CD 2, Track 6 from Stealth soundtrack album, Epic EK 94475, 2005
CD 2, Tracks 7-10 from Light Grenades, Epic 82876 83852-2, 2006
CD 2, Track 11 from Monuments & Melodies, Epic 88697 45317-2, 2009
CD 2, Tracks 12-14 from If Not Now, When?, Epic 88697 74653-2, 2011

Run-D.M.C., The Essential Run-D.M.C. (Arista/Legacy 88725 47270-2, 2012

CD 1

1. Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1)
2. They Call Us Run-D.M.C.
3. Peter Piper
4. Rock Box
5. Beats to the Rhyme
6. Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do
7. Dumb Girl
8. Mary, Mary
9. The School of Old (featuring Kid Rock)
10. King of Rock
11. Together Forever (Krush-Groove 4) (Live at Hollis Park ’84)
12. My Adidas
13. Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)
14. Back from Hell (Remix) (featuring Ice Cube & Chuck D)
15. Pause (12” Version)

CD 2

1. Down with the King (featuring Pete Rock & CL Smooth)
2. Walk This Way (featuring Aerosmith)
3. Christmas in Hollis
4. Hard Times
5. Here We Go (Live at the Funhouse 8/5/83)
6. Come on Everybody (featuring Q-Tip)
7. The Ave.
8. Run’s House
9. It’s Tricky
10. Tougher Than Leather
11. You Talk Too Much
12. You Be Illin’
13. It’s Like That
14. Jam-Master Jammin’ (Remix – Long Version)

CD 1, Tracks 1, 4 & 13, and CD 2, Tracks 4 & 13 from Run-D.M.C., 1984
CD 1, Tracks 2, 5, & 8 and CD 2, Tracks 8 & 10 from Tougher Than Leather, 1988
CD 1, Tracks 3, 7 & 12 and CD 2, Tracks 2, 9 & 12 from Raising Hell, 1986
CD 1, Track 6 and CD 2, Tracks 1 & 6 from Down with the King, 1993
CD 1, Track 9 from Crown Royal, 2001
CD 1, Track 10 and CD 2, Track 11 from King of Rock, 1985
CD 1, Tracks 14-15 and CD 2, Track 7 from Back from Hell, 1990
CD 2, Track 3 from A Very Special Christmas, A&M, 1987
CD 2, Track 14 from King of Rock reissue, 2005

All albums on Profile, Arista and Arista/Legacy unless otherwise indicated.

Martina McBride, The Essential Martina McBride (RCA Nashville/Legacy 88725 46488-2, 2012)

CD 1

1. The Time Has Come
2. My Baby Loves Me
3. Life # 9
4. Independence Day
5. Heart Trouble
6. Safe in the Arms of Love
7. Wild Angels
8. Valentine (with Jim Brickman)
9. A Broken Wing
10. Still Holding On (with Clint Black)
11. Happy Girl
12. Wrong Again
13. ‘Til I Can Make It on My Own
14. Chances Are (with Bob Seger)
15. Whatever You Say
16. I Love You
17. Love’s the Only House
18. It’s My Time
19. When God-Fearin’ Women Get the Blues
20. How Great Thou Art

CD 2

1. Blessed
2. Where Would You Be
3. Concrete Angel
4. This One’s for the Girls
5. In My Daughter’s Eyes
6. How Far
7. God’s Will
8. Trip Around the Sun (with Jimmy Buffett)
9. Rose Garden
10. Harper Valley P.T.A.
11. Feels Like Home (with Raul Malo)
12. Anyway
13. Through Your Eyes
14. I Just Call You Mine
15. Ride
16. Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong
17. Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man (with Alan Jackson)
18. At Least
19. Sweet Dreams of You (with Take 6)
20. Over the Rainbow (Live)

CD 1, Track 1 from The Time Has Come, RCA 66002, 1992
CD 1, Tracks 2-5 from The Way That I Am, RCA 66288, 1993
CD 1, Tracks 6-7 from Wild Angels, RCA 65009, 1995
CD 1, Tracks 8-9, 11-12, 15 from Evolution, RCA 67516, 1997
CD 1, Track 10 from Clint Black, Nothin’ But the Taillights, RCA 67515, 1997
CD 1, Track 13 from Tribute to Tradition, Columbia 68073, 1998
CD 1, Track 14 from Hope Floats: Original Soundtrack, Capitol 93402, 1998
CD 1, Tracks 16-18 from Emotion, RCA 67824, 1999
CD 1, Track 19 and CD 2, Tracks 1-3 from Greatest Hits, RCA 67012, 2001
CD 1, Track 20 from Amazing Grace: A Country Salute to Gospel, Sparrow 1445, 1995
CD 2. Tracks 4-7 and CD 2, Track 20 from Martina, RCA 54207, 2003
CD 2, Track 8 from Jimmy Buffett, License to Chill, Mailboat 62270, 2004
CD 2, Track 9 from Timeless, RCA 72425, 2005
CD 2, Track 10 from Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives, Hollywood 62499, 2005
CD 2, Track 11 from Raul Malo, You’re Only Lonely, Sanctuary 84752, 2006
CD 2, Track 12 from Waking Up Laughing, RCA 03674, 2007
CD 2, Track 13 from Country Sings Disney, Walt Disney Records/Lyric Street D000193202, 2008
CD 2, Tracks 14-16 from Shine, RCA 886973419021, 2009
CD 2, Track 17 from Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn, Columbia 977587, 2010
CD 2, Track 18 from My Heart, Hallmark, 2005
CD 2, Track 19 from Remembering Patsy Cline, MCA Nashville 170297, 2003

Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship, The Essential Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship (RCA/Legacy 88725 49143-2, 2012)

CD 1

1. It’s No Secret
2. Somebody to Love
3. White Rabbit
4. Embryonic Journey
5. Plastic Fantastic Lover
6. Comin’ Back to Me
7. The Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil
8. Greasy Heart
9. Lather
10. Crown of Creation
11. Wooden Ships
12. Volunteers
13. Good Shepherd
14. Have You Seen the Saucers
15. Pretty As You Feel
16. Third Week in the Chelsea
17. Long John Silver
18. Caroline
19. Ride the Tiger

CD 2

1. Miracles
2. With Your Love
3. Count on Me
4. Runaway
5. Jane
6. Find Your Way Back
7. Stranger
8. Be My Lady
9. No Way Out
10. Layin’ It on the Line
11. We Built This City
12. Sara
13. Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Tonight
14. Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
15. It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s Over)
16. It’s Not Enough

CD 1, Track 1 from Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, 1966
CD 1, Tracks 2-6 from Surrealistic Pillow, 1967
CD 1, Track 7 from After Bathing at Baxter’s, 1967
CD 1, Tracks 8-10 from Crown of Creation, 1968
CD 1, Tracks 11-13 from Volunteers, 1969
CD 1, Track 14 from non-LP single, 1970
CD 1, Tracks 15-16 from Bark, 1971
CD 1, Track 17 from Long John Silver, 1972
CD 1, Tracks 18-19 from Dragon Fly, 1974
CD 2, Track 1 from Red Octopus, 1975
CD 2, Track 3 from Spitfire, 1976
CD 2, Track 4 from Earth, 1978
CD 2, Track 5 from Freedom at Point Zero, 1979
CD 2, Tracks 6-7 from Modern Times, 1981
CD 2, Track 8 from Winds of Change, 1982
CD 2, Tracks 9-10 from Nuclear Furniture, 1984
CD 2, Tracks 11-13 from Knee Deep in the Hoopla, 1985
CD 2, Tracks 14-15 from No Protection, 1987
CD 2, Track 16 from Love Among the Cannibals, 1989

All original RCA recordings.  CD 1, Tracks 1-17 performed by Jefferson Airplane.  CD 1, Tracks 18-19 and CD 2, Tracks 1-10 performed by Jefferson Starship.  CD 2, Tracks 11-16 performed by Starship.