Suede, Ian Dury and more feature in new Edsel Classics range

The Japanese plastic over-sleeves should fit these. That’s what I buy to house Japanese paper sleeves, which are usually part of the sold package anyway! There goes the spills and moisture problem! These do look nice. The Suede box follows the paper sleeve fosm and is a deal!

Edsel has done some nice deluxe versions of T.Rex. Without unlocking my “vault” for a look-see, the 8 CD Unchained box set, The Slider box set, and the T.Rex/Zinc Alloy book set are Deluxe with a capital C. Yes, pricey, but I purchase from the Amazon Marketplace for better deals and also use Bing Bucks rewards to save money.

Universal put together a great Electric Warrior box set and then released the pre Warrior deluxes in the flimsy 2CD digipaks. After the first digipak purchase, I abandoned the rest and went to downloads. If I find the digipaks at ridiculously low prices on the Marketplace, I may consider purchasing them – and I do mean ridiculously.

Hello, Paul! Talking ’bout Edsel, any news on the deluxe reissues of the Comsat Angels albums? I’d love to know more details about them, including the track lists. Can’t wait to finally get Chasing Shadows!
Thanks for always keeping us informed!

I’m pretty meh about these – not because they’re useless (lord knows I’ve picked up many a budget reissue while browsing) but mostly because it sort of doesn’t fit with the deluxe theme of the site, and are almost non-news it seems (example: the exact suede album has had several budget versions come out already). It’s all well and good but… So? is it just because they’re on Edsel, a label that regularly does deluxe releases? Why not more broadly start reporting these types of releases then?

I absolutely love my Edsel Steve Miller Band reissues from a few years back. Beautifully packaged and presented. Certainly NOT low quality!

My point wasn’t card sleeves vs jewel cases, point was Edsel does very low quality card sleeves and low quality packaging in general. And I don’t know why we shouldn’t criticize a budget release, I only expressed my opinion, whatever the price is.

I think the problem here is that any sort of critic is seen as something that shouldn’t be, and generally people try to shut down criticism defending the blog owner and the incredible work he keeps up. And again, no wonder that the blog owner got a bit aggressive when Edsel didn’t get the usual praise… but you know, I don’t get stuff for free, I pay for my records and I do not run a daily advert for my buddies’ products.

@Darren: I don’t have anything positive to add, so what?

If you order the Donna Summer one the autorip is the full 3CD reissue from last year, bargain.

Seriously, in order to make complaints about CDs that cost £4.99 you really have to be a total asshole.

These are budget items, but they’ve clearly tried to make an effort by giving the “vinyl-look” discs etc.

Either buy them or don’t, but quit whining.

I get A STRONG feeling that these cd’s are made in france by the same people from CULTURE FACTORY … ??

richard

These are very nice. I agree the packaging on the Suede re-issues from a few years ago left a lot to be desired. But aside from the packaging, I really thought the content made them the standard for re-issues. Ill pick up the Ian Dury issue here and hope they put more out.

ps: I’d kill for an edit function to clear up spelling errors, etc.

Agree with suedemania – the Edsel/Demon packages aren’t up to much. Their Wedding Present reissues were a right dogs dinner. They’re putting out The Comsat Angels back catalogue later this year, I can’t see how they’ll top the Renascent versions from some years back for look and feel of presentation. Also, how many times does Edsel/Demon reissue these same few albums?!

These discs are going for £5 at the time I’m posting this, so it’s hard to complain.

On card v. Jewelcase…..

They each have benefits. Jewelcases have a couple significant ones – they’re moisture proof (yes, I’be accidently spilt coffee on a CD), and can be easily replaced. They’re also a standard size, so sit well on a shelf where you can easily scan the spines – which doesn’t work well with the paper sleeves overall. The downsides are that they take up more space than they need to (not a problem for me, I have no issue giving space to something I love), and booklets can get damaged if not cared for (for example, the Edsel Costello releases had major booklets, and they barely fit in the Jewelcase).

Paper sleeves have good and bad things about them. Moisture is a huge problem. Many of them are constructed as though they’re intended for people with ten CD’s or something, because you can’t read the spines easy with them lined up on a shelf (come on, collectors anyone?!?) Also, people complain they have touch the surface of the disc, and that they get scuff marks. Frankly on the latter – this is one of the huge advantages of CD over Vinyl – it doesn’t matter if you touch the playing surface! And scuff marks? Again, this was a problem CD’s solved – a scuff mark should have zero effect on playback, they’re designed to withstand it. The only people who are bothered by it are obsessives, imo.

But….. and it’s a huge BUT – the vast majority of paper sleeves are let down mostly by how cheaply they’re made. Let’s get rid of some of the mystique – Japanese Mini LP’s are well designed, well made, and look beautiful. In this day and age, it should not be prohibitive to make the same quality of paper sleeve in Western countries – they simply don’t do it. I don’t know why. However, I do own some Mini LP’s, and every time I play one I think – “Why the hell didn’t record companies make THIS the standard packaging option from the start?!?” Instead we got Jewelcases, and now cheap – yes cheap – paper sleeves. Since we know they can be done well, you’ve got to shake your head in disbelief.

Having said all that – the releases here are £5 people! £5 for a new copy of an old favorite. Life’s too short to be complaining about cheap packaging in a cheap item……

Regarding ‘Suede’: it is the 1234809432… reissue from the band’s back catalog, there’s no trace of a booklet, the vinyl look of the CD is rather ridicolous and the quality of Edsel’s card wallets is total rubbish, see 2011 Suede deluxe editions. What else to say?

Very good presentation and nicely priced. Excellent.