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Luther Vandross / Never Too Much SDE-exclusive blu-ray

#22 in the SDE Surround Series

By Paul Sinclair

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85

Own Luther’s classic debut on blu-ray with Dolby Atmos & 96/24 hi-res stereo • Available now • Quick pre-order

Luther Vandross’ 1981 debut Never Too Much is No 22 in the going SDE Surround Series of blu-ray audios.

Mostly composed and produced by Vandross himself, this classic and much-loved album reached #19 in the Billboard album charts and launched Vandross’ highly successful solo career.

Highlights of Never Too Much include the timeless title track, the second single ‘Don’t You Know That’ and the beautiful seven minute cover of the Bacharach & David-penned Dionne Warwick song ‘A House Is Not A Home’. The album was nominated for two Grammy awards in 1982 (Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male).

The SDE-exclusive blu-ray features a Dolby Atmos Mix of Never Too Much and a hi-res stereo (96/24) flat transfer that was done especially for this release in 2023. Both are only available physically on this blu-ray.

Additionally, the original 12-inch mix of the ‘Never Too Much’ single (the only song remixed/extended from the album) is added as a 96/24 stereo bonus track. This remix is currently out of print and not available on streaming.

The Never Too Much blu-ray comes in the usual SDE ‘High Fidelity Pure Audio’ packaging and includes a booklet with newly commissioned notes from Alexis Petridis, chief rock and pop writer for The Guardian (and occasional SDE reviewer). The blu-ray comes with a FREE SDE Surround Series slipcase.

This exclusive edition is an SDE collaboration with Sony Music and is of course approved by the Luther Vandross Estate 

There is no pre-order window for this product. It is in stock and available to ship now! There are 2,500 copies available for the world, so don’t miss out and secure your copy today. 

Additionally, we are making available some more copies of the SDE-exclusive edition of Bob Dylan’s Time Out Of Mind (2022 remix) which was released last year. So if you missed out on that one, now is your chance! (note: these are part of the original 5k print run – we haven’t made any more).

Pre-order the Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much blu-ray audio only via the SDE shop. Use this link or the buttons below. These are in stock and ready to ship (just remember, if you order Luther with a another product on pre-order, you will have to wait until everything in your order is in stock before shipping commences).

Tracklisting

Never Too Much Luther Vandross / SDE-exclusive blu-ray audio

    • Dolby Atmos & 96/24 Stereo Flat Transfer
      1. Never Too Much 3:50
      2. Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl) 4:57
      3. Don’t You Know That? 4:01
      4. I’ve Been Working 6:35
      5. She’s a Super Lady 5:04
      6. You Stopped Loving Me 5:16
      7. A House Is Not a Home 7:07
      Bonus track in 96/24 stereo
      1. Never Too Much (special version from the 12″ single) 5.14

Tracklisting

Time Out Of Mind (2022 remix) Bob Dylan / SDE-exclusive blu-ray audio

    • Dolby Atmos & 96/24 Stereo
      1. Love Sick
      2. Dirt Road Blues
      3. Standing in the Doorway
      4. Million Miles
      5. Tryin’ to Get to Heaven
      6. ‘Til I Fell in Love with You
      7. Not Dark Yet
      8. Cold Irons Bound
      9. Make You Feel My Love
      10. Can’t Wait
      11. Highlands

1 Tears For Fears / The Tipping Point

2 xPropaganda / The Heart is Strange

3 Gilbert O’Sullivan / Driven

4 Shakespears Sister / Hormonally Yours

5 Brian Eno / ForeverAndEverNoMore

6. Orbital / Optical Delusion

6.5 Various Artists / Concert For George

7 Ten Years After / A Space in Time

8 Bob Dylan / Time Out Of Mind (2022 Remix)

9 Tears For Fears / The Hurting

10 Mike Oldfield / Tubular Bells

11 Suede

12 ABC / The Lexicon of Love

13 Duran Duran / Danse Macabre

14 Trevor Horn / Echoes – Ancient and Modern

15 Soft Cell / Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

16 Def Leppard / Diamond Star Halos

17 Paul Young / No Parlez

18 Mark Knopfler / One Deep River

19 Wham! / Fantastic

20 Wham! / Make It Big

21 Keane / Hopes and Fears

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85 Comments

85 thoughts on “Luther Vandross / Never Too Much SDE-exclusive blu-ray”

  1. This is easily one of the best Multi-channel releases I own (and my collection is huge)! I could not be more impressed. The bass is heavy and tasty, the uses of rear channels is tasteful and perfectly used. The vocals? The vocals are reproduced in a way that is WORTHY of the great Luther Vandross! I AM BEGGING you Paul, MORE LUTHER PLEASE!!!

  2. The album sounds amazing in hi-res! (Dolby Atmos is a dream for now). It would be great to see ‘Forever, For Always, For Love’ or ‘The Night I Fell In Love’ as part of SDE series.

    Pedants corner time: Enjoyed reading the album notes by Alexis Petridis. However, Luther wasn’t part of the recording sessions for the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway album from 1972. His backing vocals and arrangements appear on the 1979 release Roberta Flack featuring Donny Hathaway. He was also on BVs for Roberta Flack’s tour of the album, which I think was released as a live album with Peabo Bryson the following year. I know some amazingly specific and redundant information about soul from this era!

  3. love the title track and have been streaming the album this week to see if I would like the other 6 tracks. Ordered this morning and can’t wait to hear it uncompressed and in surround. Great bonus in the 12″ mix that’s unavailable anywhere (apart from the 12″). Good one Paul.

  4. I see some of the SDE reader have already received this peace of Dolby-Atmos art. When do you sent this Bluray to the rest of the world ?!
    Thank you and keep up this GREAT adventure !

    1. We have paused EU shipping for the moment because there are issues where customers are having to pay customs charges when they shouldn’t have to. An issue between the Irish Tax Authority and our IOSS provider. VERY frustrating but we’re hoping it will be solved by early next week and we can starting shipping to the EU again. Obviously orders are ready and waiting to go!

  5. Really pleased to have received this yesterday just a few days after it was announced. I’ve always loved this album so I’m really pleased that the Atmos mix and flat stereo transfers are both excellent. The spatial audio lends clarity and depth to the album while retaining an analogue warmth. Marcus Millers bass sounds incredible. Very impressed. Francois Lalonde did the Atmos mix. Never heard of him previously but he did a great job. A fine addition to the SDE catalogue.

    1. listening on headphones to the album the last couple of days, the bass really stuck out. Glad to hear the atmos mix lends it an extra depth. I’m rather excited to get my blu-ray now.

  6. Also received mine today and it sounds great, so much clarity and detail. Just need the Paul Young, Wham and Keane blu-rays to fill in the gap.

  7. Received today, thanks Paul. What a great album, the bass is amazing. I’m listening to the stereo flat transfer – a plea – more of these please if the source material warrants it. I know sometimes additional mastering is needed but here it sounds great. Haven’t heard the original cd.

  9. Received notification that the Luther Vandross blu-ray has been sent today. I don’t know how long you’ve had to keep that quiet for Paul but it feels great that I’m receiving it only a few days after it’s been announced for sale.

    Anyone who is familiar with Alanis Morissette’s album ‘Jagged Little Pill’, received the Dolby Atmos blu-ray from Rhino today and it sounds amazing.

    1. Surprised that the Luther was an immediate ship after the announcement last week, while the Knopfler, 2x Wham & Keane are a wait of weeks or months!! As for the Alanis, I think Rhino having their own Atmos BluRay series has something to do with the success of Paul’s series here…I do wonder if those Rhino titles will be sold here as well??

      1. I agree, Paul has led the way with the Surround Series. Rhino had issued 12 x 70’s quad recordings on blu-ray before this initial batch of Dolby Atmos releases.

        I ordered the first batch from the US store with delivery to the UK. The delivery cost is the same for one as it is for all four so it’s best ordering them all at once. With the exchange rate, there isn’t much difference in price between SDE and Rhino.

  10. I really crossing my fingers for an SDE exclusive where I am really into this the music. I have ordered this as I believe in supporting Paul but I am a very long way away from being a Luther Vandross fan. But yet another great coup for SDE and Paul which needs to be supported.

      1. Hi Paul – thanks for asking. My favourites genres are Prog, Punk/New Wave, Zappa (which is a category but itself), Roy Harper plus the obvious (Led Zep, Who, Oasis, Beatles, Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Radiohead). So I am really spoilt with the Jethro Tull and Marillion releases and frustrated by the Pink Floyd patchwork quilt of releases. Tubular Bells is the pinnacle of the SDE series for me plus I also really like Lexicon of Love and Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret – iconic albums and great mixes. I do appreciate that Zappa and Roy Harper are super unlikely for different reasons and similarly Led Zep, Who, Beatles, Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Radiohead. Clash and the Stranglers don’t really lend themselves to 5.1. However, early Genesis would be amazing – I missed the SEBTP 5.1. Some Alan Parsons Project would also be great. But most importantly, just keep up the amazing work. I do buy much less physical product than I used to but your SDE surround series is a must buy !

        1. I’d love to get into Zappa but have no clue what a good entry point is…the closest so far is Little Feat as Lowell George was briefly in the Mothers & Frank produced some Factory cuts…

        2. All the Genesis albums were issued in 5.1 SACD/DVD-Audio as part of a three part box set with SEBTP being the only one getting a stand alone blu-ray release. Although the boxes were reasonably priced when first on sale, they now command a higher price since they’re all out of print.
          Frank Zappa’s estate has been working on their own surround releases though they’re all part of deluxe box sets. The Stranglers in surround wouldn’t be so bad, any album where there’s a mix of guitars and keyboards has always sounded good to me.
          The nice thing about the SDE series is that they are stand alone releases with many of them having bonus material.

        3. I would love atmos mixes of the bands you mentioned but it depends on who owns the music. Jimmy Page is in charge of zep right now, and he was going to mix them into 5.1 at some point, so he might be up for it! Oasis have started to be mixed into surround. Supersonic is streaming. Oasis, verve, pulp, blur, stone roses would all be great.

  11. Ordered!! Interesting that it’s ready to go EXCEPT if you have another preorder in the queue, which it will be combined with…I have the Mark Knopfler, 2x Wham & Keane all preordered…which will it be sent with?? Anyhoo, good week to be a Luther fan, with the first Cotillion Luther album out next Friday…and being this has the 12″ of “Never Too Much” on it, I reordered the 4CD “Love, Luther” boxset as that has the 12″ on it as well…plus great & cheap career-spanning set…it’s just unfortunate that he never came out of the closet before his death…I’m an ally of LGBTQ & I think it was an open secret his sexuality but it’s too bad he never came out in public…would have been beneficial to that community really…

      3. If you know me, I always make a narrative, which is the point of this comments section is it not?? Plus others seem to appreciate it…

  12. Also were Simple Minds listening to Luther when they wrote Promised You A Miracle? She’s a Super Lady sounds very similar. Just sayin…

  13. Congratulations Paul on branching into the R&B/Soul domain. I love Luther’s voice. My fave Vandross album is Give Me The Reason! Brings back memories when I had a part time job in a college lunch/snack bar. Our manager was a woman in her late 30s/early 40s so we listened to the local “lite” FM station. “Stop To Love” got played every lunch hour I seem to recall. Only critical observation on this release is that it is a bit light on content especially when compared to the Paul Young or Wham releases or even Mark Knopfler. Ordered nonetheless!

  14. Instant buy!! Great album, the amazing Marcus Miller on bass and co-arranged by Nat Adderly Jr, son of jazz legend Nat Adderly. So glad to see R&B getting some SDE love. If you ever have a chance to release a blu-ray of one the first three Chic albums, please jump on it.

    1. I’d jump on that too…but what I’m really waiting for is Rhino/Atlantic to put out the final 5 Chic albums after “Risque”…the whole album series got a digital release, but a physical release is what is wanted…

  15. I will not be getting this as I’m not a fan of ‘Dross, but I’m really happy for the reactions you’re getting from others, Paul. Your efforts are much appreciated and I hope this sells out. Instead of this, I’ll be buying a whole pack of other BR audio releases from SDE shop since I just recently got the needed equipment to enjoy them. And it’s largely thanks to you and this page. Cheers and keep up the great work!

    1. Dross?!!! It may well not be your cup of tea, which, of course, is absolutely fine, but to describe music of this calibre as ‘dross’, leaves me scratching my head… And I don’t have head lice.

  16. Not an R&B fan, and I don’t know this album. Gave it a listen on Apple Music and it didn’t do much for me. So this is a skip for me. I hope fans and collectors enjoy it.

    But I finally got to listen to my Paul Young – No Parlez, and the Air – Moon Safari last night (been away from home for 12 days). Both albums I have owned for years and both now have great Atmos mixes. Still a lot to explore on the Paul Young disc (8 distinct mixes) and I only skipped through the videos and documentary on the Air. Good use of the surround speakers on both. Still have to listen to the Boris Blank album that also came at the same time as the Air with an Atmos mix. That one is new but I listened to the stereo on Apple Music on my computer and instantly liked it so took the plunge on the CD + Blu-ray set.

      2. I can enjoy hints of jazz (Sting), country (Eagles/Fleetwood Mac), and R&B (I’ll give you Paul Young has an R&B vibe on No Parlez), but pure forms of those genres (mostly from the US) I steer clear of. Grew up in late 70s/early 80s in the UK, so was exposed mostly to punk/new wave/synthpop but also like prog, some rock, and EDM/EBM.

  18. HOLY CRAP! A Luther blu-ray!!! You have got to be joking. Ordered! Paul, this is the best friggin’ thing ever!
    (… and not to sound too greedy ;) but… any chance of doing more Luther albums? Like let’s say… “The Night I Fell In Love”, or “Busy Body”, or “Forever, For Always For Love”?)

  20. This is fantastic news, I’ve just got in after a long car journey and actually played Luther for most of it so this is a shoe in for me, one of my favourite singers period, hopefully Paul can in time do some of the other albums especially Any Love which is a tremendous piece of work (as they all are in truth).

  22. Yet another win for SDE!!!

    But what an awful cover pose – though I guess it didn’t hurt the album when it came out originally.

  23. Ordered immediately!

    Great work Paul.

    Paul, I don’t see any credit info, do you know who mixed the Atmos on this Luther title? Was it Michael H. Brauer?

    1. No. I can’t remember the person’s name and I’m away right now, so can’t check the booklet to look at the credits. The mix is on streaming.

  25. Yes please!! Great choice for #22. Always been a fan of this album. Loving the addition of flat transfers to these releases. Best of both worlds (Stereo and Atmos). Ordered.

  27. I know the question has been asked many times, but still… I really want the Bob Dylan blu-ray but I have a very basic set-up : a TV and a standard blu-ray player. What will I hear ?

  28. Wow this was a nice surprise!! This is an essential R&B album from the early 80’s and we don’t have nearly enough classic titles in that genre available in surround. Luther’s voice is sure to be a highlight and there are plenty of musical elements that warrant an immersive Atmos mix.

    Hard to believe we are already at #22 in this amazing series! I haven’t missed one yet and I’m really hoping this title opens up more classic R&B titles.

    I also enjoy the new “its in stock so order away” approach this time around. I’m sure this is aided by the fact that there are several recent titles made available for preorder but I’m super excited that this is ready to ship.

    Paul…..you’ve done some amazing work here. Truly!!! Thanks for seeking these titles out for physical release and I hope nothing but continued success. I will gladly support all of these future endeavors as the quality, thought and care behind each one is exactly how a fan would hope it would happen. Cheers!

  29. Immediate order! Luther is a legend and this album is great. It has the amazing Marcus Miller on bass and album is co-arranged by Nat Adderly Jr, the son of jazz legend Nat Adderly. So glad r&b is getting some SDE love. If you can ever get the first 3 Chic albums released on blu-ray in Atmos, pls jump on it.

  32. Ordered in a heartbeat. Was this timed to celebrate Luther’s birthday, which is next week on April 20? I know this because the mighty Luther and I share the same birthday. Thanks for the birthday present, Paul!

  34. Luther Vandross had a voice made of honey, up there with the likes of Dusty, Karen Carpenter and Nat King Cole. The man probably never sung a duff note, it is so sad he lost his way.

    Very nice job on this Paul, you are really trail blazing the Blu Ray cause in music. I understand a little of the problems you must face putting these together but there does in the long run need to be more content and be able to replace box sets as the physical product. I hope that can happen with your care and love of product at the forefront.

  36. Apologies for asking one of those annoying delivery questions, but…

    I haven’t ordered the Keane blu ray yet, so, if I order this and Keane, can they both be dispatched together later? (… he asked, kind of knowing what the answer will be, ha ha!)

      2. What about those of us with Keane, Wham and Paul Young orders already submitted and now ordering Luther? Any break on combined postage for us? Happy to wait an extra month or two to save some $$.

        1. Paul has stated a few other times on this site that it is a logistical nightmare to try and combine orders (and has pointed out that no other large retailer is able to do it either). The only way to do that, is to cancel what you have ordered, and re-order them all at once – which, for me, gets a hit on exchange rates/charges on the refund of any cancelled orders, so I haven’t bothered in the past.

  39. Bought. Not got much R&B in my collection. (Any in fact).

    It would be rather wonderful if you could fit some ELO into the hectic schedule. Out of the Blue preferably.

    1. Ooh…no we are talking. What a great album to do it with but not sure if Jeff Lynne would go with the idea! Must be tons of live and other archive stuff which can be put in an SDE too. His music deserves some mega releases. Was disappointed with the mixes on the Hyde Park and Wembley 2017 releases. Hope he brings his final tour to the UK! USA fans are so lucky

        1. I worry he’s a bit of a control freak, kicking the string players out of the band after Discovery, not acknowledging the deaths of other band members, not allowing Beatles Forever on the 2018 2 LP remaster of Secret Messages, only allowing the recent live shows to be issued in stereo, and no sign of the full Time double album.

    3. I’m the same re: the R&B, although this release was a hard sell for me, with the thin content (gotta be the shortest running time of any of the SDE Surround Series). However, I agree any/all ELO would be fabulous, however unlikely.

  42. Nice one Paul, a bit of 80’s soul makes the series even more eclectic. Many a night spent dancing to the title track in the 80’s and 90’s.

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