CD CORNER : Who’s ‘Tommy,’ Ringo Starr Get New Spin

Unlike the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney, who have new albums in the stores to coincide with their U.S. tours this fall, there wasn’t any new music to accompany the recent tours involving two other links to classic British rock: the Who or Ringo Starr. Rhino Records, however, has released two CDs featuring music from those artists’ past.

The most significant is the orchestrated version of the Who’s “Tommy” that was released in 1972 by Lou Adler’s Ode Records. Not to be confused (please!) with the overblown sound track from Ken Russell’s film of “Tommy,” this “Tommy” is a stirring extension of Pete Townshend’s epic rock opera.

Produced by Lou Reizner, the album features the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir with Townshend as narrator and Roger Daltrey as Tommy, with other vocal roles handled by such artists as Sandy Denny, Steve Winwood, Rod Stewart and Maggie Bell.

The Starr CD, “Starr Struck: The Best of Ringo Starr, Vol. 2,” collects various odds and ends that the former Beatle has recorded over the years since leaving Apple Records in the early ‘70s. Besides four tunes written by other Beatles, the album includes Starr’s rendition of Doug Sahm’s “She’s About a Mover.”

Meanwhile, Capitol Records has issued three more early McCartney albums on CD: “Wild Life,” “Back to the Egg” and “Wings at the Speed of Sound.” Each CD contains three bonus tracks.

QUICK SPINS: *** “Wrinkles: Classic and Rare Chess Instrumentals” (Chess/MCA)--Instrumental hits are rare these days, but some of the most memorable singles from rock’s first decade were instrumentals, including Bill Doggett’s “Honky Tonk (Parts 1 and 2)” and Bill Justis’ “Raunchy.” Neither record is in this 12-song, 34-minute collection of rare and previously unreleased R&B; instrumentals from the Chess Records vaults, but the music carries the energy and jubilation of the era. The tracks range from such surprises as Chuck Berry’s jazzy rendition of “How High the Moon” to Bo Diddley’s home tape of “Mess Around.” Includes two bonus tracks.

*** The Mekons’ “Original Sin” (Twin/Tone)--This feisty British band has been called a mixture of the Pogues and the Clash because of its blend of folk, punk and politics. This 65-minute, CD-only package contains all of “Fear and Whiskey” (its 1985 country-flavored album), plus eight selections from subsequent singles and EPs. Besides originals, the tracks include “Lost Highway,” the Leon Payne song, and Gram Parsons’ “$1,000 Wedding.”.