The music industry, like the wider global economy, is starting up again: The list of June 2020 new releases includes major projects from Kansas, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, among others.
Rough and Rowdy Ways represents Dylan’s first album of new original material in eight years. He spent the time leading up to this month’s announcement sharing new songs every few weeks, including “False Prophet,” “I Contain Multitudes” and the 17-minute epic “Murder Most Foul.”
The Absence of Presence, Kansas’ follow up to 2016’s The Prelude Implicit, is the first to include new keyboardist Tom Brislin. Before this burst of activity, Kansas hadn’t put out an album of new material since Somewhere to Elsewhere in 2000.
Dion‘s aptly titled Blues With Friends includes an over-stuffed guest list topped by Bruce Springsteen, Billy Gibbons and Jeff Beck. Meanwhile, Young is finally issuing Homegrown, a project he completed 45 years ago but pulled after deciding it was too personal at the time.
June’s slate of reissues and concert recordings is highlighted by America‘s eight-disc retrospective box set titled Half Century. There’s also cool stuff on the way from Frank Zappa, Joe Grushecky and the Iron City Houserockers, and Blue Oyster Cult.
More information on these and other new rock-related efforts can be found below. Remember to follow our continuously updated list of 2020 New Music Releases for details on projects issued throughout the year.
June 5
America, Half Century (7CD/1DVD box set)
Dion, Blues With Friends [Bruce Springsteen, Billy Gibbons and Jeff Beck]
Dr. John, Ske Dat De Dat (vinyl reissue)
Peter Schilling, Vis Viva
June 12
Blue Oyster Cult, iHeart Radio Theater N.Y.C. 2012; Curse of the Hidden Mirror
June 19
Bob Dylan, Rough and Rowdy Ways
Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, Orange Crate Art (2CD or 2LP expanded reissue)
Joe Grushecky and the Iron City Houserockers, Have a Good Time (But Get Out Alive) (expanded reissue)
Micky Dolenz [Monkees], Live in Japan
Neil Young, Homegrown
Paul Weller, On Sunset
June 26
Depeche Mode, SPiRiTS in the Forest (CD/DVD live)
Frank Zappa, The Mothers 1970
Grey Daze [Chester Bennington], Amends
Kansas, The Absence of Presence
Nick D’Virgilio [Spock’s Beard / Genesis], Invisible
White Lion, All You Need is Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Complete Albums 1985-1991 (5CD clamshell boxset)
July and Beyond
Iggy Pop, The Bowie Years (7CD); The Idiot: Deluxe Edition
Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
The Pretenders, Hate for Sale
Saxon, Praying Mantis, Blitzkrieg, others, NWOBHM Thunder: The New Wave of British Heavy Metal 1978-86 (3CD)
Deep Purple, Whoosh!
RSD Drops
