Philadelphia International Records' live album "Golden Gate Groove: The Sound of Philadelphia Live in San Francisco 1973" debuts

A BIG BLAST of Philly's past, a couple of high-profile duds and more buzz-worthy album releases from the "four corners of the earth" grab our ears this week.

A LANDMARK DATE: In just its first year out of the gate, backed by the music giant CBS, Philadelphia International Records had already scored a handful of hit singles, including Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "I Miss You," the O'Jays' "Backstabbers" and Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones." But most of the men and women toiling at CBS's "Black Rock" HQ in New York and at the music giant's 21 branch offices hadn't really connected with these talents. Or, at least, hadn't started thinking about them as "album" artists, where the real money was.

So in July 1973, Philadelphia International's "Mighty Three" (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell) decided to haul most of their roster to San Francisco to perform at the CBS Records Convention, even bringing along the 35-member-strong MFSB studio orchestra. PIR's chief engineer, Joe Tarsia (from Sigma Sound), was stationed in a mobile recording truck to nab the event for posterity. Now, umpteen years later, that fire-starting pep rally is finally out as an album "Golden Gate Groove: The Sound of Philadelphia Live in San Francisco 1973" (PIR Legacy, A). And what a hoot to hear, not just all the above-named hits but also the asides: Melvin sharing the nickname "Teddy Bear," bestowed on singer Theodore Pendergrass Jr.; the Three Degrees admitting how their career had tanked before joining PIR; and show host Don Cornelius getting to hear his new "Soul Train" theme "for the first time" performed by MFSB.

Other high points? Billy Paul sharing his jazzier vocal side, Pendergrass' commanding "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and the O'Jays' "Love Train," which got 1,000 conventioneers chugging in the Fairmount Hotel ballroom.

STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN: Philly folkie John Flynn evidentially didn't get the memo that "earnest" isn't in fashion in anymore. That just makes him all the more special as the guy leads us bravely into the future with "The End of the Beginning" (John Flynn Records, B+). It's a journey of single steps that can sometimes start with a thousand miles, he sings philosophically on the title track (with help from Kris Kristofferson). Other entries like the daringly spiritual, Native American-flavored closer "The Web & the Feather" could also have been hokum personified, yet Flynn makes 'em fly.

PAINS TO BEHOLD: Sometimes you gotta kiss some high-profile frogs to find the royalty. Lana Del Ray certainly looks the part of princess in her current incarnation as a nouveau-Tori Amos pop chanteuse. But the former Lizzy Grant's endless exercises in world weariness, "Born to Die" (Interscope, C-), mostly suggest a little girl wobbling in mommy's high heels.

Leonard Cohen recorded "Old Ideas" (Columbia, B-) at the tail end of a lengthy tour, and it sounds like the 77-year-old balladeer is literally at the end of his rope. Vocally, Cohen's now giving Tom Waits and Bob Dylan a run for the gravel pit. True, the howling does work with all that brutally honest, end-is-nigh material like "Going Home" and the gospel truth of "Amen," but it also evokes the gag line, "I suffered for my art, now it's your turn."

GLOBE-HOPPING TREATS: Sometimes you gotta venture far offshore to score the real deal.

Veteran South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela blows his horn and sings(!) folkloric jazz originals with undiminished warmth, bounce and charm on the no-translations-necessary "Jabulani" (Razor & Tie, A).

Mexican nouveau flamenco guitarist duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela work out with a huge orchestra (C.U.B.A.) for a healthy and productive change on "Area 52" (ATO, B).

Going to another extreme on "Tempo"(Naive, B+), Brazilian singer/keyboardist/composer Tania Maria more than gets by with just bassist Eddie Gomez by her side. Richard Thompson and band serve his dark-rocking muse on the hi-def Glasgow, Scotland, concert shoot "Live At Celtic Connections" (Eagle Vision Blu-ray, A-). There's lots from the "Dream Attic" set plus "Wall of Death" and "Tear Stained Letter." Glen Campbell's forced retirement (he has Alzheimer's) has finally sparked the U.S. release of "Live in Japan" (Capitol, B), originally recorded in 1975 by Toshiba Records with some surprising choices (like "My Way"), also a hit for Campbell over there, "Galveston" and a medley that includes "Gentle on my Mind" and "Wichita Lineman."