Well I’m a bit late to the party but better late than never I say. Today I thought I’d share one of the cool 2020 Record Store Day items that just happened to come my way.

You see last Saturday was the first of three Saturdays that Record Store Day items will be made available to indie record stores across the globe.

Normally Record Store Day is held on one particular Saturday usually in April but like everything else Covid has reared its ugly head and messed things up thus the three separate Record Store Days instead of one.

This year August 29th, September 26th, and October 2nd are being designated as RSD Drops and each of these Saturdays will have exclusive items available to purchase from your local indie record store.

Anyway, while I didn’t happen to make it out to an actual record store this past Saturday, I was able to purchase the one thing that I was looking for online – a brand new 45 reissue by John Lennon featuring one of his all-time classic solo tunes “Instant Karma! (We All Shine One)”.

I did manage to hear this new remix last week online but I am happy to say that playing this lovely new 45 was a much better experience. This new single plays dead quiet and features nice full, smooth bass, tight crisp drums and a now distortion-free lead vocal from Lennon.

The background vocals also leap forward in a clarity that’s missing on not only the original mix but also on all the previous attempts to remix this song.

As a bonus the b-side by Yoko Ono is actually a really nice baroque sounding song called “Who Has Seen the Wind?” which I rather enjoyed. The music is wonderful and Ono’s singing while an acquired taste isn’t too bad and really fits the song.

I’m actually really excited now to hear all the remixes that will be part of the upcoming “John Lennon: Gimme Some Truth – The Ultimate Mixes” which will feature either a 4 CD set of Lennon’s hits and album cuts that includes a Blu-Ray with high definition 24-96 stereo, immersive 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes and 124 page book or a 2 CD version minus the Blu-Ray and book.

Lennon’s entire catalog was remixed in 2000 and while I enjoy some of those remixes I generally found them to be too “hot” sounding, too compressed.

After hearing this new remix of “Instant Karma! (We All Shine One)” I have high hopes that this new set will be worth buying as this new remix has punch but sounds easier on the ears.

I’ll admit when I first heard of this new set I was skeptical but now I think it could be something really nice and potentially great.

Well, there you have it. Just a quick look at this new Lennon 45. By the way the cardboard cover that reproduces the original 45 sleeve artwork is very well done and the pressing of this 45 is terrific too – flat and dead quiet.

As usual you can gander at a few photos of this groovy 45 above.

Until next time be well and see you soon!