Records, CDs and Music:

 

 

 

Well, here it is!

The long awaited, by McCartney fans anyway, re-release of Paul McCartney and Wings 1973 album “Red Rose Speedway”arrives in stores today and is filled to the brim with treasures any McCartney/Wings fan will cherish.

“Red Rose Speedway”, McCartney’s fourth solo album after leaving The Beatles, hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts in June of 1973 and also yielded the No. 1 smash “My Love” , a song McCartney plays in concert to this very day.

McCartney’s solo work up until this time had taken a critical drubbing and with “Red Rose Speedway” he began to earn some respect among critics – though not overwhelmingly that’s for sure – and from this point on his solo career skyrocketed into one of the most successful second acts in rock history.

The McCartney Archive reissue of “Red Rose Speedway” which comes out today is being released in four formats: a 2 LP set of the original album plus bonus tracks, a 2 LP set of the reconstructed 1973 2 album version that never came out, a 2 CD set and a 4 CD/Blu-Ray/DVD Super Deluxe set with books and reproductions of assorted mementos.

I received a copy of the Super Deluxe box set last night and today have had a chance to really dig in and listen and watch the contents of this truly excellent set!

So let’s take a closer look at the contents of the set to see what goodies lurk inside:

Remastered CD (CD one)

The first CD is the remastered album as it came out in 1973. “Red Rose Speedway” has always been one of my favorite McCartney records from the first time I heard it in the late 1970’s.

Songs like “Big Barn Bed”, “Get On the Right Thing”, “Little Lamb Dragonfly” and even the eerie and odd “Loup (1st Indian On the Moon)” have long been on my personal favorite McCartney playlist and have gotten lots of spins throughout the years.

This new remaster, much like most of the remasters in the McCartney Archive releases, sounds terrific and is highly recommended. Time will tell if it’s the best digital version out there but on first listen it sounds great!

It’s certainly not overly compressed and has a nice punch and clarity but also has lots of dynamics as well. If you’ve never heard his album, this new remaster is a great way to discover this music as it sounds wonderful.

Reconstructed Two Album set (Disc 2):

Originally McCartney was going to release “Red Rose Speedway” as a double album but his record company at the time, EMI, supposedly talked him out of it as his record sales had lagged with his previous release, 1971’s “Wild Life”.

This second CD in the set reconstructs what that double album lineup would have included and is filled with several unreleased McCartney gems. Even though the double album probably wouldn’t have sold as well as the single LP version this reconstructed album is actually quite a nice listen.

There’s certainly more variety of styles and as an album it would have been a bit more interesting so it’s nice to be able to hear it as it might have been released and gives a nice alternate way of hearing this material.

Highlights of this disc:

Night Out – weird pretty much  instrumental. Actually a really nice rocker. Was supposed to be first track on the double album version. Sounds great compared to bootleg versions.

Best Friend – terrific song from a live performance. I’ve had this on boots for years but it sounds so much better here. Wings circa 1972 live are just great!

Tragedy – one of the best McCartney solo outtakes. A great performance and this version with sitar is the best by far. A cover song but such a great track!

1882 – live version. This is great! A bit depressing perhaps but great vocal, nice slow rocker. Possibly too dark a subject for the album but nice song worth and worthy of inclusion for sure

Bonus Audio (Disc 3)

This disc features the tracks that were released as singles  around the time of “Red Rose Speedway’s release as well as more outtakes and rough mixes of songs included on the final album.

This is my favorite of the three discs because I love rough mixes and I really love the outtakes included on this disc.

Highlights of this disc for me:

Get on the Right Thing – love this, love the extended vocal coda

Little Lamb Dragonfly – interesting has a scratch vocal from Paul with incomplete lyrics, highlights the lovely strings near the end

1882 – studio take. A really nice version. The live take may be a bit better but this studio take is really quite good.

Jazz Street – great instrumental track, Should have been on the album. Rocky and a bit weird, love it!

Live and Let Die – Group Only, Take 10 – This is really fun without the orchestra present and is a really nice alternate version of this well-known McCartney classic.

Bruce McMouse film (DVD and Blu-Ray discs):

This almost legendary film was made by Paul McCartney and has been talked about for years in books about his career but mysteriously shelved.

The film lasts approximately 52 minutes and basically consists of a live Wings concert circa 1973 with the added addition of a mouse and his family who live beneath the stage!

McCartney introduces the story at the beginning and throughout the film the mice pop up and even interact with the band onstage.

The animation parts of the film don’t mesh well with the concert footage and the bands interactions are more than cheesy but the concert footage itself is fantastic and is really the only good quality film from this era of Wings live that I’ve ever seen.

Luckily the songs (listed below) in the film are mainly complete and this film is a treasure trove for McCartney fans who want a glimpse of the powerhouse early Wings could be in a live setting.

Big Barn Bed – studio version over concert footage
Eat at Home – live version, beautifully filmed, great sound interrupted by cartoon
Bip Bop – terrific live version!
The Mess – live, another fantastic performance, live soundtrack with visuals from different shows as well as,staged filmed concert
Wild Life – live with animal footage, terrific live version better than the studio track.
Mary Had a Little Lamb – live, lovely version with Mac family farm footage
Blue Moon of Kentucky – live, wow young Wings were sooooo good live
I Am Your Singer – live, great!!! Again better than studio version
Seaside Woman – studio track
My Love – live, another nice live take!
Maybe I’m Amazed – live, blistering live take! What superb vocals!!!
Hi Hi Hi – live
Long Tall Sally – live

The DVD and Blu-Ray of this film are in a separate fold out insert that also contains reproductions of original sketches from the film.

DVD contents:

All video aspects are original and not letter boxed.

James Paul McCartney TV special looks like it comes from the original video master, has slate at the beginning and looks as good as it’s ever going to look, really nice.

“Live Live and Let Die” from Liverpool is grainy black and white and monitor sound but nice.

BBC Newcastle interview is nice, great quality from film.

“Hi Hi Hi” and “C Moon” a bit grainy but good.

First three “Mary Had a Little Lamb” videos good, not perfect but good. Fourth Mary noticeably better quality (from video probably not film) as the others. Has speed issues though and slows down for a few seconds then speeds back up.

“My Love” –  very good better than the Mary videos.

The Books:

Last but not least you get two books with this set.

The first one is a lovely hardback book filled with photos and information about the making of the album as well as reproductions of lyric sheets and photos and other mementos that came from the era.

This book really takes you inside the production of this album and the times in which it was made and also really brings you inside McCartney’s world as the photos and reproduced memorabilia really give you a flavor of what it was like to be there with Wings in 1973.

The books in these McCartney Archive sets have gotten better and better with each release and this one in particular is probably one of if not the best in the series.

The small photo booklet, filled with images from Wings trip to Morocco, while well done and looks great probably won’t be viewed all that much by me anyway. It’s nice to have but nothing earth shattering.

Conclusion:

Encased in a superb over-sized box, the “Red Rose Speedway” Super Deluxe box set is one of the most impressive and attractive of all the sets McCartney has released as part of the Archive collection –  truly a work of beauty!

The main thing that surprised me about this set was the live material from the film and the audio discs. I’ve always been lukewarm about early live performances of Wings but after seeing the Bruce McMouse film I’ve had a change of heart – Paul McCartney and Wings sounded incredible live!

If you are a McCartney fan and have the chance to get this Super Deluxe set I can’t imagine you’d be disappointed in any way. It’s hands down one of the best reissues of the year!

Plus, I almost forgot, you get the remastered album and the bonus tracks as a free download in HD 24/96kHz unlimited high-resolution with this set!!! This is great because you can get the highest quality sound with no added compression – the CDs have added limiting. I haven’t downloaded them yet as the link wasn’t working but hope to soon.

If you can only afford the 2 CD version definitely go for that one as you get most of the music and this terrific group of songs is well worth seeking out and enjoying!

Next up – the “Wild Life” Super Deluxe box set! (coming soon) …

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well it looks like Christmas has come early – at least for Paul McCartney fans!

Tomorrow, December 7th, two of Paul McCartney and Wings classic albums are getting released as part of the McCartney Archive Collection – 1971’s “Wild Life” and 1973’s “Red Rose Speedway”.

While neither album were critics darlings at the time, the years have proven that critics are not always the last word on quality as each of these two albums contain some terrific music and some of my favorite McCartney tunes of the 1970’s!

Hopefully these new reissues will help raise the profile of these albums as well as re-address the overly harsh view of McCartney’s ’70’s output.

Each of these albums will be available in multiple formats from 2 Lps sets and 2 CD sets as well as the mother load Super Deluxe sets! The super sets contain CDs and DVDs as well as several groovy books that feature photos and reproductions of various McCartney goodies from the making of these albums.

Today I happened to get the Super Deluxe edition of “Red Rose Speedway” a day early so I thought I’d post some photos so folks could get a glimpse of just how terrific (and yes, a tad bit expensive!) these McCartney Super Deluxe editions are and how much care goes into their production.

I will post reviews of both sets Super Deluxe editions soon but for now feast you eyes on all the McCartney and Wings goodness above!

Back soon with more details on the sound of the discs as well as the video content.

See you soon!!!

 

 

Ever since I was in my late teens I’ve been a sucker for Simon & Garfunkel’s music. I watched their “Concert in Central Park” on HBO in 1981 and completely feel in love with all things Simon and Garfunkel and made it a mission to track down all of their music.

I of course had heard their hits – “Sound of Silence”, “Homeward Bound” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” to name  just a few – but after seeing their reunion concert (and buying the double album that was released from it) I wanted to explore some of their full length albums.

The first Simon & Garfunkel collection I bought was a five album vinyl set called “The Simon and Garfunkel Collected Works” which I believe came in a purple covered box and if my memory serves also came out in 1981.

It consisted of their main five studio albums including my two favorites “Bookends” and the “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme” album.

Today I’m going to take a look a the most recent reissue of the “Parsley, Sage,Rosemary and Thyme” album that the Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs label released just a few weeks ago on SACD.

(Note: The SACD format, which I’ve written about before, is what’s called a Super Audio CD which is a HiRes format for music with a higher resolution than normal CDs. You have to have an SACD player to get the Super Audio sound but most SACDs nowadays also have a normal CD layer that will be compatible with any CD player)

Now, to be perfectly honest I own the “Parsley” album on CD in a few different versions – the original Columbia CD, the 2001 remix on CD, the Audio Fidelity label’s gold CD as well as the most recent Columbia reissue from 2014.

While all of these CD issues sound good, the best is a close race between the Audio Fidelity gold CD issue and the 2014 Columbia issue.  Most days I’d go with the 2014 CD as it just sounds a bit smoother and livelier than the Audio Fidelity CD but both are really nice.

This new 2014 SACD version is taken from the same source as the 2014 CD so I was anxious to hear how it compared sound wise.

Apparently the 2014 Columbia CD was taken from a duplicate master from Japan which is very close in sound to the original master from 1966 when the album was released.

The original master tape from this album was worn out by Columbia Records’ practice of mastering their various vinyl pressings from original master tapes as opposed to making copy tapes to press records as most other labels did in those days which of course wore out the original master (and best sounding source).

Anyway, with a bit of trepidation (yes, even I thought I needed another copy of this album on CD like a hole in the head!) I ordered the limited edition SACD and plopped it into my CD player.

First off I listened to the regular CD layer which is compatible with any CD player and found the CD sounded really nice – much like the 2014 CD pressing which I love. Practically just as nice sounding and hard to tell a difference.

Next I played the SACD layer and that’s where there was a slight improvement in sound – tighter bass, cleaner stereo separation and the vocals sounded a bit better. Now I’m not going to say it’s night and day better than the 2014 CD pressing but to me it did sound better and in fact is probably the best version I own of this album in digital form.

Is it worth the $35 for the slight upgrade in sound? Well that depends on how nuts you are about Simon and Garfunkel or this album or how nuts you are in general about music or collecting music.

As you may well know by now I’m nuts about music and collecting music so to me this CD is worth the upgrade.

You can see pictures of the new SACD above – lovely package, MFSL does a great job with all their products – and ponder if you’d like to take a chance on a truly lovely sounding version of this album on CD.

Of course these days I feel pretty much isolated, except online, in my love for CDs and physical media. Most everyone I know streams and has no need for anything physical when it comes to music and only care for what they can get on their phone.

BUT if you’re so inclined to wade into the CD world this SACD is really worth giving a try. Feast your eyes above if you need something to motivate you to hunt this CD down.

Until next time be well and enjoy the early December pre-Christmas buzz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’ve got everything you need … satisfaction guaranteed” …

Fifty-one years ago today those lyrics (above) blasted out of record players and radios across America with the release of The Beatles “Magical Mystery Tour” album on Capitol Records.

In the UK and other parts of the world the songs from Magical Mystery Tour (a one hour TV special by The Beatles broadcast only in the UK in December of 1967) were released in a double E.P. (extended play) set.

Seeing as how E.P.’s sold poorly in the U.S. Capitol decided to gather all the Magical Mystery Tour songs on one side of an Lp and then place all The Beatles 1967 singles which hadn’t been released on an album on the other side.

In celebration of the 51st anniversary of the release of the Capitol album I thought it might be fun to take a look at the Deluxe “Magical Mystery Tour” (Blu-Ray, DVD and E.P.) set that came out in 2012.

This set really focuses on the UK perspective of the film and music as the original UK E.P. set is included in a lovely repressed version as well as a nifty transfer of the TV film (on both Blu-Ray and DVD) along with out-takes from the special and a nice oversized booklet telling about the making of the film and music.

While Magical Mystery Tour has never been my favorite Beatles films, it does have its charms and the musical sequences are first rate! The transfer on the Blu-Ray and DVD is quite good as well and probably the best this film will ever look.

For anyone interested in a “Magical Mystery” fix and have never seen the film this box set (which is still available) is a great way to experience the weirdness and great music from this rather strange Beatles odyssey from 1967.

The excellent sounding repressed double E.P. in the box is in mono by the way and features the 2009 mono transfers of the “Magical Mystery Tour” songs.

While not quite as fun a listen as the Capitol album (which is now officially part of The Beatles canon worldwide) this set is a blast and a great way to experience the film and music as they originally came out in Britain.

If you want a glimpse of how well done this set is just check some of the photos above. I love the small size of the set and everything was done with great taste and looks and sounds terrific!

Until next time and more music collecting adventures be well and … Roll up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, this is turning out to be quite the month of The Beatles if I do say so myself.

With the release of the various 50th Anniversary configurations of “The BEATLES (White Album)” Beatles fans have had a LOT to celebrate as of late.

Just a few years ago the thought of hearing three CDs of unreleased “White Album” out-takes seemed like a pipe dream but with the Super Deluxe set we got just that plus demos and a remix to boot!

(Note: I use either “The BEATLES” or “White Album” interchangeably when referring to the album as the official name of the album is “The BEATLES” but most people just call it by its nickname the “White Album” because of its stark white album cover.) 

While the amount of different variations of “White Album” set is headache inducing – there’s a 3 CD set, a 6CD/Blu-Ray set, a 2 LP set and a 4 Lp set – as usual Beatles fans of all budgets can dip their toes in wherever they like and sample some new Beatles material.

Today I’m going to add one more “White Album” configuration to the pile (as if one needed another variation! ) – the 3 SHM-CD format set that was released in Japan. (Sheesh, I hear wallets around the world groaning.)

Readers of this blog have seen me talk of the SHM format previously (okay, more than once I must admit) and so I thought it might be fun to highlight the groovy SHM-CD set that came to my door just yesterday (and no my troubles aren’t so far away – sorry, couldn’t resist).

Last week I highlighted the granddaddy “The BEATLES” Super Deluxe set which features 6 CDs plus a Blu-Ray disc and lovely hardback book.

This 3 SHM-CD set contains two CDs that feature the new 2018 remix of the album plus one CD that features the 27 Esher demos of most of the songs that eventually made up the “White Album.”

What you my ask is the need for a 3 CD version of “The BEATLES” when all of this music is a part of the massive Super Deluxe set? Well my dear friends welcome to collecting!

I actually do think that the SHM-CD format tends to improve the sound of the music, especially the bass which I feels gets more defined and smoother, plus the Japanese sets are so well made that as a collector I really love to add them to my collection.

As you can see from the above photos the set comes in a nice fold out cover complete with a mini replica of the poster that came with the vinyl version of the album as well as a nice booklet and a booklet with the lyrics and text in Japanese.

There is a worldwide release of this 3 CD set in non-SHM-CD format but for me the SHM-CD is worth getting because of the slight improvement in sound. At last for me anyway, your mileage may vary.

Take a gander at the set above and even if you don’t want to spring for the SHM-CD set I hope you check out some variation of the new “White Album” remix as it’s a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of this landmark album and what could be better than good music especially heading into the holiday season.

Until next time, be well and enjoy your weekend (what’s left of it!).

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I hope everyone had a good Turkey Day yesterday! I know I did.

As we turn to the madness of the Christmas shopping season, today marks the annual tradition in the U.S. known as Black Friday.

Black Friday, for those who don’t know, is a day when kindness and patience go out the window as shoppers of all ages crowd shopping malls, Walmarts and various other retail stores to get great deals on merchandise.

It’s the perfect way to start the holiday season and what’s not to love? Crowds and pushing and shoving – Merry Christmas!

While Black Friday is still a popular day of getting good deals in physical stores as well as online it also marks a fun day for music lovers and record fanatics.

Today happens to be what I call the mini-me Record Store Day as record stores across the globe feature sales of exclusive vinyl, as well as CDs and more, that are only available at independent record stores.

The grand daddy Record Store Day happens in the spring but today’s Record Store Day also features some cool vinyl treats and other fun stuff.

AND I happened to be off work today which is unusual so instead of braving the crowds for Black Friday I leisurely drove to my local record store to check things out.

Happily it wasn’t too crowded and I did manage to stumble upon the one thing that was coming out today that I was interested in – a Paul McCartney exclusive 45! (That should come as absolutely no shock to anyone whose ever read this blog).

(Note: The U.S. pressed Record Store Day 45 which I bought is the only hand-numbered version. Apparently there is an EU pressing but it doesn’t have the FBI warning on the back, no Record Store Day sticker on the front and is not numbered.)

The 45 consists of two songs  – “I Don’t Know” and  “Come On to Me” – from McCartney’s latest No. 1 album “Egypt Station” which came out this past September. This limited 45 comes in a uniquely hand-numbered edition of 5600 copies (mine is #566) which I’m guessing is a worldwide pressing number.

There’s an attractive stiff cardboard sleeve (see above) that houses the 45 as well a groovy cardboard inner sleeve. The pressing is also really nice as the 45 sounds terrific – yes I actually played it – and features two lovely looking labels.

My copy has “Sterling” stamped in the runout groove and doesn’t say it was pressed overseas so I’m guessing the 45 was made here in the U.S.

As usual you can take a peek at the 45 in photos above and if you happen to  live in a town or city with an independent record store and are a McCartney fan it might be well worth going out today and seeing if you can find one.

Of course only McCartney vinyl fiends are probably interested in buying this but it sure is purdy and sounds great to boot!

Until next time be well and enjoy the sunshine if you have it!!!

 

 

 

Well here we are, the week of Thanksgiving. It’s cold outside (at least where I am) and there is indeed a lot to be thankful for – at least in my world.

I’m thankful for my health, the fact that my body hasn’t become totally creaky and ache-filled yet and of course I am thankful for music.

What music you ask?  Why The Beatles of course!

One of the things I’m most thankful for this month arrived on my doorstep ten days ago – “The BEATLES” – a Super Deluxe 6CD/Blu-Ray box set of The Beatles classic “White Album” which celebrates it’s 50th Anniversary this upcoming November 22.

This new set, much like last years terrific “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” Super Deluxe box set, is filled with superb music including the entire album remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround as well as a disc of 27 demos featuring The Beatles testing out most of the “White Album” acoustically and three discs of glorious (to me anyway) studio out-takes featuring the songs from the album in different stages of completion.

There’s been a lot already said online and in print about this new set already but I thought I’d toss my two cents in the ring because that’s what I do.

These past nine days have been filled with the sounds of 1968 Beatles and to me that’s an especially fitting treat. I’ve read that Giles Martin, son of famed Beatles producer George Martin, has said that the “White Album” sounds like it could have been recorded today and he’s right.

All of the edginess and world weariness that’s present in the varied collection of songs on the “White Album” feels like this particular collection of songs was written about the current state of the universe that we’re all currently experiencing.

Timeless is a word I’ve used before to describe The Beatles music but this album certainly retains of its freshness and vitality especially with its nifty new remix.

So let’s talk about this new set!

First off though, the initial set I received in the mail had to be returned as it came with nasty dents on three of the corners which also tore the flimsy plastic case that holds the set.

I’ve read that Amazon has had several returns as the huge books that holds the discs weighs just over five pounds and is ripe for being dented as I’m sure these sets get tossed around in shipping.

Luckily Amazon’s return policy is quick and efficient and another set arrived at my door a couple of days later in near perfect shape.

Now on to the music.

Stereo Remix

First off the new stereo remix of the album done by Giles Martin is in my opinion for the most part is very successful. It really does make the music sound fresh and more clear, especially the vocals, while remaining fairly faithful to the feel of the original mixes from 1968.

Not every song works in this new remix but I really enjoy hearing the album in this new context. I’m never one to say that a remix would surpass the original mix but this mix sounds pretty darn good and is a nice alternative and is more enjoyable than last years “Sgt. Pepper” remix as it’s not quite as loud and adds a nice punch without being fatiguing.

I was particularly taken with the new mixes of “Dear Prudence”, “Cry Baby Cry”, “Savoy Truffle” and “Martha My Dear” – different yes, better than the originals no. But different is fun and overall the remix is satisfying. I like picking out bits of background vocals and instruments that were previously buried though the new double track echo on some songs sounds weird but overall this remix is nicely done.

(Note: I’m one of those old fogies that believes all the original mono and stereo mixes of any album should always be considered canon and THE mix to discover that particular album. However, I’m not against remixes as long as the original mixes are readily available.)

Esher Demos

Second, the so-called “Esher” demos are fantastic!

The third disc in this set contains 27 songs that The Beatles recorded on 4-track tape at George Harrison’s house which was located in Esher, a town in Surrey, England thus the title.

These acoustic workouts were put on tape so The Beatles could take stock of the tremendous volume of songs they wrote while spending time in India studying transcendental meditation in early 1968.

Most of these demos have been previously bootlegged but they have never sounded as good as they do on this new collection.

Truth be told I was only a lukewarm fan of the demos in their bootleg form as they sounded muddy and too out of sync.

These new versions of the demos were remixed from the original 4-track tape and sound tremendous! Some of the songs here – most notably Harrison’s “Not Guilty” and “Sour Mike Sea” and McCartney’s “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” – sound so damn good that if the studio versions had never been made these acoustic versions would be just fine all by themselves.

Out-takes

Now here’s where it gets really interesting – for me anyway! I LOVE studio out-takes and the bounty of three discs worth in this set doesn’t disappoint.

So may nice gems in this set it’s hard to pick favorites – but I’ll have a go anyway.

I especially love “Good Night (Unnumbered Rehearsal)” with the lovely background vocals featuring John, George and Paul, “Back In The U.S.S.R. (Take 5 Instrumental Backing Track)” which is so fun slowed down – makes it oddly more powerful, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Third Version Take 27)” – lovely though a bit sloppy but really nice guitar work, “Savoy Truffle (Instrumental Backing Track)” – really nice backing track and I’m loving the backing tracks more than  I thought I would, “Martha My Dear (Without Brass And Strings)” – love this song in any version and “I’m So Tired (Take 7)”.

Yes, I’d say you have to be a big Beatles fan to really get into the alternate takes but this is why I bought the Deluxe set in the first place.

None of these out-takes are dramatically different from their finished counterparts but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good. These three discs of out-takes are full of wonderful performances which deserve to be heard.

The Beatles were a tight unit and even the really loose takes are fun and great to hear.For those worried about out-takes not being enjoyable this new set should prove to be really illuminating. The Beatles were damn good and these out-takes prove that even the unpolished takes can be gems and are an entertaining listen.

Blu-Ray Disc

This disc tuned out to be my second favorite part (or fourth part) after the out-take discs! I LOVE the Hi-Res stereo version of the album here as it uses the non-compressed master which sounds so much better than the CD counterpart! I wish they had done that with the “Sgt. Pepper” set from last year but at least they’re improving.

The uncompressed sound of the Blu-Ray is a bit easier on the ears and sounds great through my surround set-up. Unfortunately the indexing is a bit off as if you try to select a song from the menu it starts a few seconds late but that’s a minor quibble for me.

The Blu-Ray disc also contains a 5.1 mix which from the little I’ve sampled is really fun. I’ll have to really give this more time in the next few weeks as I don’t want to burn out on the songs but what I sampled sounds great.

You also get the 1968 mono mix of the album which is one my my favorite ways to hear this album. It seems that the mono is a straight transfer as it sounds like it wasn’t mastered at all and is lower in volume than I was expecting but nice all the same.

I’d say I prefer the 2009 mono CD version of the album as it sounds a bit more lively but this version is so nice to have. I just wish it would have been put on CD but it’s better to have it than not.

All in all this Blu-Ray is superb and my preferred way to hear the new remix of the album as it’s less compressed (though really the CD isn’t bad by any means) and sounds a bit warmer.

The  Book

The last piece of the puzzle for this terrific set is the massive hardback book that holds the discs as well as lovely reproductions of the original photos and poster that came with the vinyl album.

I have to say this book, though quite heavy which probably is the cause for damage in shipping, is so well done. It’s full of great photos, nice information about all the tracks contained in the set and is the perfect thing to browse as you sit back and take in this bounty of wonderful Beatles music circa 1968.

I enjoyed the book that came with last years “Sgt. Pepper” set but I think this one is better. I’ve really enjoyed pouring over the book as I listen to all the variations of the songs on the album.

Final Thoughts

This new Super Deluxe has surpassed all of my expectations and is such a great thing for any Beatles fan! It is a bit on the pricey side so if you’re on more of a budget the 3 CD version with just the remixed album and Esher demos may be a better buy.

You can also thankfully stream all of the content of this wonderful set online as well but since this blog (and I!) are hopeless stuck in the physical world than of course I’d say splurge on the Super Deluxe box if you can.

The book and discs are a lovely site and so well done that this set makes the perfect gift for yourself or someone else.

It really hits all the right notes and is pretty much a crash course on “The BEATLES” and a really nice way to spend a few hours stepping back in time with The Beatles in the recording studio.

As usual check above to see some groovy photos of the set I bought.

Until next time be well and Happy Thanksgiving! (for those in the U.S.!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Friday – a cool October Friday at that!

Today as I was browsing through a local Walmart store, something I do very infrequently, I happened upon a bin of cheap CDs and lo and behold I spotted a newer compilation CD I knew had been released but had never seen: “An Introduction to The Monkees”!

And of course since the CD in question was only $5 and I am a sucker for all things Monkee I bought it.

Now I need another Monkees CD like I need a hole in the head but this introduction CD, while bare bones, sounds really nice and has a really groovy cover photo. (Note: Not much of a rationalization I know but it works for me!).

I call this CD an ABC CD because its a basic introduction to The Monkees music, thus an ABC experience, or an “Already Been Chewed” type CD as these songs have been reissued many, many times over the years and most hardcore Monkees fans will just shrug when they see them.

In these dying days of the CD medium these types of hit compilation albums are perfect for stores like Walmart and other supermarket stores that cater to the casual shopper looking for the familiar and inexpensive.

I, of course, think these CDs do have a purpose and fill a need for the record company as I’m sure CDs sales now rely on these casual fans purchasing hits they remember.

This Monkees “Introduction to” CD is just one of a series of “Introduction” CDs put out by Rhino Records that highlights various artists greatest hits. Some of the other CDs in the series feature the likes of Hall & Oates, Gordon Lightfoot, The Drifters, Bad Co. and Andrew Gold.

These CDs on the whole are actually well done and a very inexpensive way to buy some great music that represents some popular older artists biggest hits.

Funnily enough, as I made my way to another local supermarket type store called Meijer (it’s grocery day), I also found the companion to this Vol. 1 CD called “An Introduction to The Monkees Vol. 2” again for $5!

Now this Vol. 2 edition has a really nice track selection featuring a few of my favorite Monkees album tracks including “You Told Me”. “Mary Mary” and “Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)” as well as the recent and superb “Me and Magdalena” from The Monkees 2016 album “Good Times!”.

These two CDs are basically updated versions of the older Artista “Monkees Greatest Hits” and “More Greatest Hits” albums that now include reunion material like the Top Twenty hit “That Was Then, This is Now” from 1986 as well as the previously mentioned “Me and Magdalena”.

While most fans of The Monkees will undoubtedly own all this material, for the uninitiated these two CDS are a great toe in the water moment for those who may only remember the group from their TV show and are just looking for the hits.

Unfortunately for those Monkee geeks out there these CDs don’t contain any unique mixes but do feature good mastering from mainly the most current remasters and do sound pretty nice. I didn’t find them shrill or overly loud but punchy and warm.

There are also, unfortunately, a couple of misidentified tracks on these sets. “Pleasant Valley Sunday” from Vol. 1 for example isn’t the mono single mix as marked it’s the stereo album version while “Goin’ Down” from Vol. 2 is an alternate mono mix and not the true single mix from the 45 as marked.

While those mistakes certainly won’t matter one bit to the audience that buys these CDs nonetheless it’s a bit mystifying how Rhino manages to keep making these small type of errors when all the information on these tracks is readily available but oh well.

These two CDs sound good and even after all this time it’s still nice to see new Monkees products on store shelves when CDs in general are getting harder and harder to find in any brick and mortar store.

So feast your eyes on some photos above of these two groovy CDs. Both have 2018 copyrights and seem to be readily available at stores like Walmart.

If you need a Monkees CD fix make sure you check threw those large bins of $5 CDs at Walmart I’m sure you’ll find one or both of these CDs swimming among the sea of bargain CDs.

Until next time, be well!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, Christmas in October – really?

Well even I think its’ a tad bit too early for all things Christmas BUT tomorrow a new Monkees album is being released and it’s a Christmas album of all things!

That’s right, The Monkees are releasing their first Christmas album ever and it’s full of new songs as well as some nice takes on standard Christmas fare.

The first single “Unwrap You at Christmas” was released online earlier this week and has gotten some good response along with some “meh” comments. The song was written especially for The Monkees by Andy Partridge and is sung exceptionally well by Micky Dolenz and has a retro ’60s sound that’s very pleasing.

I have to say I like the new song, it’s nothing earth shattering but it’s a fun pop song done in the style of the Monkees critically acclaimed 2016 album “Good Times!” which fits since its produced by the same man, Adam Schlesinger.

I was kind of worried before I popped the CD into my player because I heard some caustic comments by another prominent Monkees fan online who said he declined to review this CD for a magazine implying that he hated the contents.

Well, after hearing the entire CD I have to say I’m relieved as it’s very well done and has some really wonderful performances on it.

Of the new songs written especially for this album, “House of Broken Gingerbread” (written by producer Adam Schlesinger and writer Micheal Chabon) is terrific with its weird lyrics and rocking yet slightly trippy ’60s feel with great vocals by Dolenz – definitely one of the highlights of the disc for me.

Another highlight is the title track “Christmas Party” (written by Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Scott McCaughey) which begins with some dialogue by Davy Jones from The Monkees 1967 Christmas TV episode and sounds like  “I Was There (and I’m Told I Had a Good Time)” from The Monkees “Good Times!” album meets Jimi Hendrix!

Rivers Cuomo’s contribution to the album “What Would Santa Do” is a good song but a bit quirky. The lyrics are a bit trite but still a fun track that Dolenz sings well. Odd but endearing which is what I thought of his song “She Makes Me Laugh” from “Good Times!” which I’ve come to really love.

Davy Jones is featured posthumously on the album with two songs that feature vocals he recorded in the 1990s – “Mele Kalikimaka” and “Silver Bells” – that were featured on a solo Christmas album that he released.

Both songs are spruced up with new instrumental backings for this album and sound very traditional and feature lovely vocals by Jones which were originally produced by famed Monkees producer Chip Douglas.

It’s so nice to hear Jones voice sounding so young and fit on these tracks. “Mele Kalikimaka” has always been a Christmas favorite of mine and its nice to hear Jones sing it. A bit sappy yes but nice – that’s what Christmas albums are for!

Another one of the true highlights of the album are the two tracks that feature Mike Nesmith – “The Christmas Song” and “Snowfall”.

“The Christmas Song” is done in a beautiful slow country style and features wonderful vocals from Nesmith that remind me of his vocals on the song “Don’t Call on Me” from the Monkees fourth album “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd.” from 1967.

“Snowfall” is another lovely track that also features a strong country vibe with great vocals that features sparkling production by Nesmith’s son Jonathan Nesmith.

The one vocal by Peter Tork on the album is also terrific  – a rendering of “Angels We Have Heard on High” that features Tork on the banjo.

Tork recently recorded his vocal which sounds a bit electronically manipulated but really nice and touching especially in the light of Tork just today acknowledging that he has had some heath issues as of late.

All in all it’s a very enjoyable album and after all this time who would have thought we’d get ANY new Monkees album.

Yes, you  have to be a fan of Christmas music. I can see a lot of fans will really get there knickers in a twist as to me the album is meant to be fun and goofy and Christmasey just like most Christmas albums and not be taken too seriously.

This album definitely sounds like a “Good Times!” Christmas but to me that’s a good thing. I can hear Beach Boys, Motown and ’60s flashes throughout the album and since all of that is music I love I really enjoy this album.

Dolenz as ever sounds like he signed a pact with the devil as his vocals are just great throughout the album especially on his bluesy take of “Merry Christmas Baby”.

Dolenz also sings a cover of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” which turned out great in my opinion. It’s a nice understated acoustic approach to the song which really works. I know a lot of people really dislike this song but I don’t, I rather enjoy it. What’s not to love – Micky Dolenz and Paul McCartney, now that’s a Merry Christmas!!!

The production does at times maybe try a bit hard to sound like the ’60s but overall it’s a fun album that I’ll play again and certainly one of my favorite Christmas records – that’s for sure.

Really there’s nothing horrible on the album – it s a goofy run through Christmas Monkees style that’s filled with some fun retro pop mixed with joyous and wistful touches courtesy of Nesmith and Tork.

You might as well not even come to the party if you don’t like Christmas music and are expecting a sequel to The Monkees superb “Good Times!” album.

If you want some well done pop/rock Christmas and are a fan of the 1960s or The Monkees you might be pleasantly surprised to find this album is a lot of fun – to me anyway.

Until next time, be well and pardon me while I dig around for those Christmas lights – I’m in the mood lol!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, here we are – a nice cool-ish October night and what should come my way but some new music. Err, at least some new “old” music.

Let me explain.

You see last week I  took a look at the new 2 CD set of John Lennon’s “Imagine” album that’s being released tomorrow but tonight I’m highlighting the full set it was taken from – “Imagine” The Ultimate Edition.

This massive new box set takes an in-depth look at the making and recording of John Lennon’s classic “Imagine” album that was released in 1971.

The new “Ultimate” set consists of fours CDs along with two Blu-Rays and a beautiful hardbound book that details the making of the “Imagine” album along with a lot of really nice photos.

I said last week that the 2 CD set would probably be suffice for most Lennon or Beatles fan but having received this nifty box set today I must say this new full set is a thing of beauty!

It’s really nicely done all around! It’s smaller than I was expecting and everything about it is really thought out well and looks magnificent.

The nice thing about the full version  and what really has struck me today is the sound of the 2 Blu-Ray discs. Both Blu-Ray discs sound very impressive and provide such a wide range of material from the “Imagine” sessions.

Not only do you get the “Imagine” album in newly remixed form in HiRez sound but you also get a new 5.1 surround sound mix for the entire album as well as the singles and extras but you also get the Quadrasonic mixes which were done in the 1970s, “Imagine” out-takes in HiRez as well as 5.1, raw studio mixes that feature extended versions of the songs from the album but featuring Lennon’s raw vocals, raw studio mixes of the out-takes, elements mixes as well as evolution mixes plus a John & Yoko interview by Elliot Mintz. Whew!

Now I haven’t had time to listen to everything in this new set but what has struck me most is the terrific sound of the Blu-Rays! Everything sounds so much smoother and clearer and just fantastic on the Blu-Rays – a really nice upgrade from the CDs which sound quite good themselves.

As for the CDs, the first two discs in this set match the 2 CD set from last week while the other two CDs contain the raw studio mixes and the evolution mixes as well.

I’m not going to pretend this is a set you’ll play straight through all the time as it does get a bit tedious listening to various versions of the same songs over and over but in small bites it’s really a great way to get behind this album and really feel as if you’re in the studio with Lennon as he records it.

I must say I was worried about getting the full set but after having sampled it it’s really so well done and sounds so good – especially the raw studio takes – that it’s a no-brainer for me as I really love this album and even more so now that I can hear the tracks in a new light.

Take a glance at photos of the full set above (I’ve even included a few screen shots from the Blu-Ray discs!).

If you’re a Lennon fan or Beatles fan or just happen to really like this album then this set is a must. Buyer beware though – this is a massive listening experience for just one set of songs.

BUT the quality of the remix and the sound of the songs on the Blu-Ray discs is more than enough for me to recommend splurging for the entire  enchilada as they say!

There’s still the lovely 2 CD version for those who want to experience the remix as well as the out-takes but really this full set is done so well I find it hard to believe any Lennon fan being disappointed with the ultimate set if you have the extra cash to buy it of course.

Until next time be well and dream on!