BOB DYLAN The Bootleg Series Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964/Concert at Philharmonic Hall (Columbia/Legacy)
It's shocking that this
pristine tape -- the young bard in full-on protest-song mode -- was
shelved. (Check out ''The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.'') Even
more startling are his between-song quips: He'd never again be so
giddy on stage, telling the Halloween-night crowd ''I have my Bob
Dylan mask on!''
WEEZER Deluxe Edition (Geffen/UMe)
The CD that brought emo to
the malls now sounds positively innocent next to later Weezer.
Extras: A rarities disc that, as on acoustic takes of ''Jamie''
and ''No One Else,'' is often more sonically varied than the
original.
JAMES BROWN Live At the Apollo (1962) (Expanded Edition) (Polydor/UMe)
''Remastered'' versions of old CDs are annoyingly
common, but this merits the makeover: Brown's iconic 1962 concert
sounds brighter than on the 1990 disc. It's tame by modern funk
standards, but there's no denying Brown's scorched-earth pleading
or the newly thrusting horns. Extras: Singles-length versions of
four tracks. Why?
GUNS N' ROSES Greatest Hits (Geffen)
In place of Chinese
Democracy comes an unnecessary set charting their decline from
Sunset Strip spitfires of Appetite for Destruction to bloated
behemoths of Use Your Illusions. Extras: Pointless remake of
''Sympathy for the Devil'' from Interview With the Vampire.
FLEETWOOD MAC Rumours (Warner Bros.)
The 27-year-old (!)
milestone gets the director's-cut treatment (as do Fleetwood Mac
and Tusk). Extras: A disc of studio outtakes proves the quintet
was no jam band: Early, pre-overdub versions of ''Dreams'' and
other tunes are nearly identical to the renditions we know. At
least the haunted B side ''Silver Springs'' is here.
PAUL SIMON The Paul Simon Song Book (Columbia/Legacy)
Imagine
early S&G tunes without G: That's the essence of this unearthed
'65 solo album. Mostly a curiosity, though it has moments
(''Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall''). Extras: Barely
different alternate takes of two cuts.
