NewsOut This Week / 2 June 2014
Led Zeppelin / I, II & III (reissues & box sets)
The Led Zeppelin reissues are finally here, complete with ‘companion’ audio discs with unreleased material. Whether the expensive no-bonus-audio box sets provide value or an Oasis-style you’ve-been-had feeling, remains to be seen. 
Morrissey / Vauxhall And I (20th Anniversary Definitive Master)
Is this Morrissey‘s best solo album? It’s a moot point – because it’s certainly in the top two (with Viva Hate) and deserves to be in your collection. A welcome lack of George Lucas-style fiddling makes a change from previous reissues, and the vinyl release is particularly pleasing.
Paul Weller / More Modern Classics (3CD compilation)
The ‘Modfather’ offers up three CDs of More Modern Classics, and although that description might not be totally appropriate for some of the turn-of-the-Millennium material, 22 Dreams was superb, while recent albums Wake Up The Nation and Sonik Kicks certainly blew off a few cobwebs.
James / Le Petite Mort (new album)
First new studio album for six years from Manchester’s James, featuring recent single Moving On. Also available on vinyl LP.
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No high quality sterio or 5.1, sacd, bluray or dvd …no dice!
Prince fans, there was recently a release for the bluray of the Sign “O” The Times movie concert in Japan. Its being advertised as the “Remastered Edition”. It comes as a standalone and limited box version with booklet and postcards. Something to note, it works on Region A players whereas the previous austrailian release was Region B. Also, it has a 5.1 dts-hd ma and 2.0 lpcm mix which means audio mix could be (or not) different than the mix on the previous bluray which was 5.1 dolby truehd. Theres not a lot of info on the distributor, it does not seem to be a Warner Bros release. You can find them on cdjapan, hmv japan and yessaia. No word yet on a US/Europe release. Its a little pricey ($48.00 standalone and $68.00 boxset) and it doesnt seem to have any additional features, but as a longtime fan I couldnt resist to grab a copy myself based on the advertised picture and sound alone.
Thanks for the info – have posted about this here > http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/prince-sign-o-the-times-hd-remastered-edition-blu-ray/
popmarket.com is having a sale on the Led Zeppelin boxes at E 84,99 for a few hours
I know everyone seems to love this one, but I really feel that as an album, “Your Arsenal” is Morrissey’s best record.
If anyone is on the fence about this Morrissey release, like Your Arsenal, it was remastered by Bill Inglot. He’s one of the very best, insists on original source tapes and is a crusader against Loudness wars. So there you have it. It’s worth getting for the improvement in sound, if nothing else. Since your original copy won’t even fetch you pocket change, hold onto it for the lyric sheet.
Any opinions on the MASTERING job of these reissues? I have the 1990 reissues on CD, and those are pretty damn good. Then that “Mothership” collection came out and I HATED the mastering job–made the songs sound too modern, not “of their time.” I really hope this new mastering job makes the albums sound like they came from ’69-’70 like they should. (And this time, I’ve ordered the deluxe vinyl sets, and plan on keeping the 1990 CD box set.)
Hi Marshall. I didn’t spring for the super deluxe boxes (nice as they are, I just can’t afford them) but I did get the ‘deluxe vinyl’ versions. I’ve been a Zep fan for decades and have owned the original UK plum Atlantics, the US Classic Records audiophile issues and just about every other variant on vinyl and CD. These latest issues are simply sublime. As good, if not slightly better, than the original UK vinyl and that, in my opinion, was the absolute pinacle. Until now! I’m astonished by this given the disaster that was Mothership and the embarassment that was Celebration Day (sound quality, not performance). I’m delighted!
I have the 3 Led Zep 2CD sets, all have the stickers stuck onto the card sleeves, though I have not tried to remove them, they are ok.
The soundgarden box set is now out 9th June, it was put back one week in the UK
The stickers come off very easily, the remastering (no expertise claimed) is excellent (haven’t played III yet) with a drum/cymbal sound dynamic as never before.
Has anybody who purchased the Led Zeppelin deluxe edition double CD sets got the stickers stuck directly on the cardboard rather than the shrink wrap and do they peel off easily?
A fault with a disc above and someone on Amazon’s reviews detailing a Led Zep III disc label on his piece of vinyl from I (which played correctly, just wrongly labeled). No exclusive audio…. humm.
No criticism implied, just intrigued in general as to how these will be reviewed by this blog, then the subsequent replies and debate to follow. Still listed as £92 a pop..
I’ve posted a short comment relating to my first impression on opening LZ1 on the thread announcing the release of these but now I’ve opened all three I’ll just reiterate that the work that has gone into these packages is quite special. The books are crammed with rare images, the Zep 1 press pack is a nice touch and the numbered prints are great too.
I’ve only played 3 sides of vinyl so far (Zep 1 and Paris side A) and my copy of Zep 1 has a fault in How Many More Times so will have to be returned unfortunately. I presume that Amazon will just replace that and not the whole box?
As for them being worth it? I’d say yes for fans looking for something special to commemorate what this band means to them but I’ll refrain from going further until I’ve heard all the new material – first impressions are though these are superb examples of how to do a super deluxe edition and are credit to the band and Page in particular.
Good luck with the exchange. In my experience Amazon UK asks for entire boxsets to be returned rather than individual faulty discs, despite the higher postal costs they incur on sending the replacement. Still, it’s worth asking the Amazon helpdesk directly.
…and the new Bob Mould. :)
You forgot to mention the Soundgarden Superknown box, also due out tomorrow (the 3rd).
There’s a new wave of 5-CD “Original Album Series” boxsets released today, including Cockney Rebel, Nina Simone, Buzzcocks and Be Bop Deluxe. There’s also two sets with albums from a mixture of artists – Grunge and Merseybeat. Interestingly, Amazon lists the Merseybeat albums (two from Gerry and the Pacemakers and one each from Swinging Blue Jeans, Billy J Kramer & The Fourmost) as being mono mixes. Can anybody confirm the mono mixes please? Thanks