So, who's on Sunken Condos?

Jamie Leonhart as pictured on the cover of her 2010 album The Truth About Suffering.

With Donald Fagen's new solo album Sunken Condos arriving October 16 curious fans are wondering who'll play and sing on the album apart from Donald himself and co-producer Michael Leonhart.

Rumour has it that long time Steely Dan drummer Keith Carlock does not play on the record. In fact, one major line of discussion amongst fans right now is the pros and cons of programmed drums and drum machines.

The official press release for Sunken Condos states

Some familiar names from the Steely Dan family of players are on hand (Jon Herington, the Steely Dan horns, Freddie Washington) plus some new faces.

And that's it. Come to think of it it doesn't even mention Michael Leonhart, but since at least part of the record was recorded in his New York studio we expect him to pick up and add an instrument here, and an instrument there.

Two certain members of the Sunken Condos players/singers are Jamie Leonhart and Gary Sieger. Jamie writes "I've sung on some great recordings including Donald Fagen's new record, "Sunken Condos" coming out on October 16" and Gary was mentioned by Steely Dan fan and friend-to-the-stars Pete Fogel on a facebook group as playing guitar on one track.

That's what's known so far.

Donald Fagen's Sunken Condos also on vinyl?

Donald Fagen's Sunken Condos is released October 16, 2012 on CD. But HMV Japan has a European vinyl import listed for release the same day.

A double album that, if this information is correct, should please all the vinyl fans looking for that proper 33 1/3 experience.

And no surprise as it was stated back in April that the album had been mastered for "CD, vinyl and iTunes".

New Zappa stuff along with reissue series

When zappa.com announces the big batch of reissues (by Universal Music Enterprises) coming up this year, they also mention the cd release of Mothermania...AND something called "Exciting New Title (TBA): Compiled by Frank Zappa just in time for what turns out to be THIS U.S. Presidential Election!!!" Wonder what that could be!

PS. Mothermania is a compilation album previously never released on cd.

http://www.zappa.com/whatsnew/

The r-e-a-l-l-y BIG Johnny Cash box set!

October 30, 2012 is the release date for Johnny Cash - The Complete Columbia Album Collection.

It contains all the albums Cash released on Columbia Records between 1958 and 2002 plus a couple of new compilations. 61 in total with 35 of the albums getting their first CD release and for more information on this massive box set we suggest you click here.

Mark Knopfler's Privateering arriving September 3

You can hear one minute snippets of five tracks here. We listened and it comes as no surprise that it sounds very much like you expect a Mark Knopfler record to sound.

Privateering is a double album of 20 all new original songs by Mark and it will be out and available September 3. And if twenty new Knopfler songs isn't enough you can always go for the "SUPER DELUXE BOX SET" that is said to consist of the standard CD + LP + Bonus CD of 3 extra tracks + 'A Life In Songs' DVD + Numbered Art Print + Credit card with exclusive code for customer to download a full concert.

Yep.

That's about it.

Donald Fagen Sunken Condos track listing

A trip to Berlin distracted us from keeping an eye out for additional news items regarding Donald Fagen's Sunken Condos. Luckily for us we have readers who keep us informed.

Thanks to Lurker Ray who posted the track listing in this comment and to Wil Mara who sent us a link via email.

The track listing apparently first appeared on iTunes and looks like this:

1. Slinky Thing

2. I'm Not the Same Without You

3. Memorabilia

4. Weather in My Head

5. The New Breed

6. Out of the Ghetto (Isaac Hayes cover)

7. Miss Marlene

8. Good Stuff

9. Planet D'Rhonda

For all our Donald Fagen posts click this link.

The Dukes of September: Additional dates in Hawaii and Japan

The final (?) dates of the 2012 Dukes of September tour have popped up. Since our latest Dukes-post dates in Japan and Hawaii have been added.

Click this link for all our Dukes of September blog posts.

Current list of remaining tour dates is as follows:

AUGUST

22 - Highland Park, IL - Ravinia Festival
23 - Kettering, OH - Frazee Pavilion
24 - Indianapolis, IN - Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park

OCTOBER

24 - Honolulu, Hawaii - Blaisdell Concert Hall
25 - Maui, Hawaii - MAACC Amphitheater
29 - Nagoya, Aichi Japan - Zepp

30 - Osaka, Japan - Grand Cube Osaka at Osaka International Convention Center

NOVEMBER

01 - Tokyo, Japan - Budokan
02 - Yokohama, Japan - Pacifico

Pussy Riot to jail for two years

Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot that were arrested after their anti-Vladimir Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral have been sentenced to two years in prison.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19297373

Universal Zappa catalogue out now

Now you can order the Universal issues of 56 Zappa albums, and some of them seem to be fixed up a bit. And the Zappa catalogue is now available on iTunes, for the first time.
The Hot Rats cd more resembles the original LP mix, compared to the cd version that was released in 1987, though spiffed up sound (they say). On iTunes the album Over-nite Sensation has one extra track, the single version of I'm the Slime (with a different guitar solo). It will be interesting to see if these new releases contain more differences compared to previous issues.
http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?pc=ZP10COMBO&cp=971_57751&src=SHAR002

Here be vinyl?

While doing the tourist thing in Berlin for the very first time our intrepid traveler came across this ancient modernity.
He was apparently tempted to buy it just because it was available. And we're thinking that the machine could come in handy for Radio Dupree's infrequent bicycle picnics.

If only Donald¨s new one would come as a 33 1/3 rpm album...

Hey, TV Babies!

We agree! Donald Fagen's "Letter to a TV_Baby" on donaldfagen.com.

Donald Fagen's Sunken Condos official

Officially official as the press release now is up on donaldfagen.com!

Donald Fagen's fourth solo album for Reprise Records, Sunken Condos, will be released on Tuesday, October 16 2012. His first three solo albums, The Nightfly, Kamakiriad and Morph the Cat comprised the project known as the Nightfly Trilogy. Sunken Condos begins a new chapter in the creative evolution of this innovative artist, whose career is still going strong after forty years.

The nine tracks on Sunken Condos were co-produced by Michael Leonhart and Donald. All but one track, an Ashkenazi recasting of Isaac Hayes' Out of the Ghetto, are new Fagen originals. Some familiar names from the Steely Dan family of players are on hand (Jon Herington, the Steely Dan horns, Freddie Washington) plus some new faces. The word is that, from now on, everything Donald does has got to be funky. 

For all our Donald Fagen posts click this link.

Donald Fagen's Sunken Condos: 9 tracks, one cover

That is cover as in cover of a song. According to this info from jambands.com we get eight Fagen originals plus his version of Isaac Hayes Out Of The Ghetto.
The album is said to have a very funky feel.

UPDATE August 11:

This is what the cover looks like according to amazon.de.

(Thanks to Lurker Ray for the link!)

For all our Donald Fagen posts click this link. 

Prosecutors wants to send Pussy Riot to prison

Russian prosecutors have asked for three years' in prison for the three young women from the group Pussy Riot. BBC reports that the women are accused of inciting religious hatred during a protest in a cathedral.
Many people within Russia and abroad have protested against the arresting of the three women.

Jeff Lynne: Two "new" albums in October

Jeff Lynne - two albums at once!

October 5 (UK), 8 (Europe) and 9 (US) are the official release dates for producer/artis Jeff Lynne's two new albums. We guess the rest of the world will see those early October as well.

It's been 22 years since his first solo album; Armchair Theatre, and the new one's titled Long Wave. And it is according to jefflynne.com "a stirring, heartfelt and vivid tribute to some of the very songs that first taught this legendary singer-songwriter the awesome power of music in our lives."

The second album coming early October bears the title Mr. Blue Sky The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra and is indeed Jeff re-recording some of the songs from his most successful musical endeavour; the 1970's group ELO.

We do like ELO here on Radio Dupree. And other Jeff Lynne made/produced music like Traveling Wilburys, George Harrison's Cloud Nine and Tom Petty's co-produced Full Moon Fever. But we're slightly apprehensive when it comes to re-recording stuff that's aldready great with the goal to make it even better.

The last ELO-album; Zoom from 2001, was largely recorded by Lynne himself. And not a bad album. But if this new Greatest Hits record will come across like Zoom did/does we'd rather that he'd concentrated on the solo album and made it a two record set of all new songs. :)

And here are the track listings:

Long Wave

1. She
2. If I Loved You
3. So Sad
4. Mercy, Mercy
5. Running Scared
6. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
7. Smile
8. At Last
9. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
10. Let It Rock
11. Beyond The Sea

Mr. Blue Sky - The Very Best Of Electric Light Orchestra

1. Mr. Blue Sky
2. Evil Woman
3. Strange Magic
4. Don't Bring Me Down
5. Turn To Stone
6. Showdown
7. Telephone Line
8. Livin' Thing
9. Do Ya
10. Can't Get It Out Of My Head
11. 10538 Overture
12. The Point Of No Return

And here's a classic ELO tune from 1975 as done by Jeff in 2001:

(Oh, and extra points if you catch the Steely Dan connection in the video!)

Radio Dupree Top 11 - August 2012

1. Flo & Eddie - Livin' in the Jungle - Illegal, Immoral & Fattening

2. David Bowie - Rock'n Roll With Me  -Diamond Dogs

3. Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures - Joe's Menage

4. Baby Grandmothers - Somebody Keeps Calling My Name - Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads and Dirges

5. Jimi Hendrix - Message to Love - Live at Woodstock

6. The Beatles -  Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles

7. State Cows - Hard Goodbye -  Hard Goodbye

8. Damon - You Don't Feel Me - Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads and Dirges

9. Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks - IV

10. U2 - The Refugee - War

11. Pink Floyd - Pigs on the Wing 1 - Animals

-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

Most of the artists that managed to find their place on the Radio Dupree chart this time are well known to our  listeners. Bowie, Zappa, The Beatles... However, our #1 is something of a surprise: Flo & Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan) are old Zappa sidemen and on this 1975 album the heritage from the Mothers stage shows is pretty obvious.

The second thing that catches our eyes is that two out of the eleven tracks on the chart are from a rather obscure compilation album - Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads and Dirges (Now-Again Records).
The Album of the Month though, Stranger in the City by John Miles, was not favored at all. We get the message.

/S.H.
Radio Dupree