Records, CDs and Music:

 

Well, well, it’s almost Memorial Day.

The weather is warm (today at least), the pollen count is up and spring is about to give way to summer.

And what does this make me think about … CDs of course. Beatles CDs. Beatles Japanese SHM-CDs to be exact.

Ladies and gentlemen, today I’m taking a look at the supreme, the best sounding and certainly most beautiful Beatles CDs out there (in my humble opinion) –  the limited edition Japanese 16 CD collection of all The Beatles UK albums.

(Note: These SHM-CDs are fairly rare in the U.S. so I thought it might be fun to get a much closer look at them and see some of the details that aren’t readily available on most Websites.)

This set which came out at the very end of 2014 features Japanese SHM-CDs of all The Beatles albums (which were remastered in 2009) in stunning mini-Lp sleeves which feature every gatefold, inner sleeve, booklet, label and poster that came with the original UK vinyl pressings from the 1960s.

I know that CDs are now being poo pooed as un-collectible and passe and yesterday’s news but these SHM-CDs are truly a thing of beauty to behold and are among the best mini reproductions of the original Beatles albums that you’ll probably ever see – at least in this lifetime.

Not only is the artwork superb but I feel – as I’ve said many times before – that these SHM-CD issues have an edge sound wise compared to their non-SHM-CD cousins with richer bass and better separation thus making these CDs the ultimate Beatles releases to track down for collectors and fanatics.

When this set of 16 SHM-CDs came out they sold out fairly quickly and were issued again with slightly different OBI’s but I believe also came with the same high quality covers and inner sleeves, etc.

Take a gander above at several photos of these CDs and notice how well they were made and how nice they look.

I’m especially impressed with how they got the texture and cardboard for “Magical Mystery Tour” dead on to an original Capitol pressing as well as the completely groovy flipback style UK sleeves that were on all original UK pressings as well as the original Parlophone and Apple record labels.

If any of you out there own “The Beatles in Mono” CD set which has equally beautiful mini-lp recreations you’ll know how fun it is to see these albums in such high quality in the CD format.

For those of you who still like CDs and have never seen these SHM-CDs before I believe you can still track them down (if not the first issues than the reissues) and really even if you just grab a couple of your favorites albums there’s no way you’d be disappointed as the quality is totally first rate.

Of course I would say that but see for yourselves.

Well, that’s all for now in Beatleland. This was just a brief Beatles oasis in a sea of politics and ugliness so however brief I hope it was a nice distraction – you’re welcome.

Until next time be well and PLAY SOME MUSIC!!! (Beatles preferably and on CD to boot!)