The Beautiful South modestly inaugurate a new label association with Sony with this all-covers collection. Artists known for original material who make albums like this often do so to pay tribute to the beloved music of their youth; think of John Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll or David Bowie's Pin Ups. The Beautiful South, however, are known for their sarcastic lyrics wrapped in pretty melodies and arrangements, and a gaze at the track list inevitably poses the question whether the band's sense of irony has crept into its song choices. Is this really music that they love, or are they taking the piss? The latter seems to be the case at the top, a version of "You're the One That I Want" from the movie adaptation of Grease, transformed from the driving rocker wailed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into a dramatic ballad sung with what sounds like mock sincerity. Much the same can be said of the loping, country-styled arrangement of ELO's "Livin' Thing" that follows. Clearly, whether they mean these performances affectionately or comically, the members of the Beautiful South are intent on redefining the songs by giving them arrangements their creators never would have dreamed of. It may be that, the fruitier the selection, the more they feel the need to transform it. Willie Nelson's "Valentine," Rufus Wainwright's "Rebel Prince," and especially the Stylistics' "I'm Stone in Love with You" are not messed about with very much. But Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" gets a Latin arrangement, and the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" is rendered in much the way Buddy Holly & the Crickets might have done, if they'd been trying to transform it into "Peggy Sue." Whether the Beautiful South are serious or presenting this music largely tongue in cheek, however, they succeed in giving the listener new ways to hear familiar songs, some of which always seemed like guilty pleasures at best. Who knew that TV pop group S Club 7's "Don't Stop Moving" was a halfway decent song?© William Ruhlmann /TiVo

"[A] collection of little-heard songs from their early years explores themes of longing and heartbreak that guided Jonny Pierce from the start."© TiVo

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Love it or hate it, Over-Nite Sensation was a watershed album for Frank Zappa, the point where his post-'60s aesthetic was truly established; it became his second gold album, and most of these songs became staples of his live shows for years to come. Whereas the Flo and Eddie years were dominated by rambling, off-color comedy routines, Over-Nite Sensation tightened up the song structures and tucked sexual and social humor into melodic, technically accomplished heavy guitar rock with jazzy chord changes and funky rhythms; meanwhile, Zappa's growling new post-accident voice takes over the storytelling. While the music is some of Zappa's most accessible, the apparent callousness and/or stunning sexual explicitness of "Camarillo Brillo," "Dirty Love," and especially "Dinah-Moe Humm" leave him on shaky aesthetic ground. Zappa often protested that the charges of misogyny leveled at such material missed out on the implicit satire of male stupidity, and also confirmed intellectuals' self-conscious reticence about indulging in dumb fun; however, the glee in his voice as he spins his adolescent fantasies can undermine his point. Indeed, that enjoyment, also evident in the silly wordplay, suggests that Zappa is throwing his juvenile crassness in the face of critical expectation, asserting his right to follow his muse even if it leads him into blatant stupidity (ironic or otherwise). One can read this motif into the absurd shaggy-dog story of a dental floss rancher in "Montana," the album's indisputable highlight, which features amazing, uncredited vocal backing from Tina Turner and the Ikettes. As with much of Zappa's best '70s and '80s material, Over-Nite Sensation could be perceived as ideologically problematic (if you haven't got the constitution for FZ's humor), but musically, it's terrific.© Steve Huey /TiVo

From the opening rumble of John Lennon's "Come Together" leading into George Harrison's seductive "Something," Paul McCartney's tuneful doowop ballad "Oh Darling," and Ringo Starr's charmingly goofy "Octopus Garden," (all progressing to the nearly side-long medley that appropriately closes with "And in the end/the love you take/is equal to the love you make") Abbey Road—renowned as the final golden moment in The Beatles’ otherwise unpleasant demise—is arguably the band's masterpiece. The latest in a systematic remixing and reissuing of the Beatles catalog directed by original producer George Martin's son Giles, Abbey Road has been remixed and reissued in various configurations including 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the album's release. The 96 kHz/24-bit high resolution stereo remix adds space and dynamics to deepen and brighten the original. The allure for those already familiar with the original album are 23 alternate takes and demos meant to shed light on the band's famed creative process. The revelations are subtle but telling. Lennon's wit shows through on a bit of studio patter left into an alternate take of "I Want You" (he responds to a noise complaint from Soho neighbors of Trident Studio with "What are they doing here at this time of night?" and his impassioned vocals on "Come Together (Take 5)," where at the end he can be heard saying "I'm losing my cool," speaks to the enthusiasm that the band had for these sessions. The nearly-there 36th take of "You Never Give Me Your Money," and the 20th takes of "Sun King" and "Mean Mr. Mustard," are examples of how the material evolved and was sharpened in the studio. Conversely, McCartney's piano and plaintive singing on "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight" (Takes 1-3), a tune whose line, "Once there was a way to get back homeward," often cited as an expression of regret over the band's crumbling—shows how the band sometimes had a concept firmly in mind before the tape began to roll. Although the previously recorded Let It Be would be released six months later (and just a few weeks after the Beatles' break-up), Abbey Road is the sound of the most unique creative force in the history of popular music bidding farewell; those incredibly talented parts become a fabulous whole for the last time. © Robert Baird / Qobuz