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SDE Box Set and Reissue Roundup for July 2024

In a new video feature, SDE editor Paul Sinclair takes you through some recent – and future – box sets and reissues, including The Police Synchronicity, Paul McCartney’s One Hand Clapping, Pete Townshend’s Live in Concert CD box, The Alan Parsons Project’s Pyramid super deluxe and more…

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79 thoughts on “SDE Box Set and Reissue Roundup for July 2024”

  1. Anybody else having issues with the Amazon Japan delivery of Synchroncity? I saw it on the initial post on here about the album as a “too good to be true” discount (and so it would appear to be).

  3. Great video, intrigued by the Police one, but not enough of a fan to fork out that much!! Also, let me echo your remarks on the Tanita Tikaram boxset (which I also left on the actual release thread), her remarks on the songs are an absolute joy to read

  4. I bought the Rusty Egan Blitzed! 4 disc vinyl set from Amazon. The collection itself is excellent (the cd set even more so). Although I strongly object to Magaxine”s Permafrost being included. The lyrics are quite disturbing, and the sleeve carries no explicit content warning.

    But the last track on Side G, Spandau Ballet’s To Cut A Long Story Short, is badly distorted throughout. And the last 20-30 seconds seems to have visible surface damage in one area of the groove, resulting in crackling right through to the runout. I ordered a replacement, and this suffers from the same problems. So this could be a pressing problem.

    I would urge others who have bought this set, to check that particular track and the vinyl itself, and if your copy has the same issues, to report it to Demon Records. It may get a repress if enough people report it.

  5. Really enjoyed that, thanks Paul. Keep things like Gina G and Tanita Tikarum coming please. The eclectic range is great and a brief look is much appreciated.

  6. Hi Paul. Sounds like you listened to the Brixton show, and it’s a good mix? There’s bass and everything? :). The original release had just terrible sound, WAY worse than the VHS that coveered most of the same show, or the official CD of 10-11 of the tracks, so the promise of an upgrade to that whole show is the #1 appeal of this box for me, as I bought all the originals back int he day from the website. Thanks!

  7. Hi Paul. Great new presentation format of recent and upcoming releases. Already looking forward to next month’s quick look at “new goodies”.
    Personally, I’m especially excited about the Police and Alan Parsons Project box sets.

    1. Agreed with him and waiting for unboxing videos of both. Great idea and nice well done video, hoping to see more if those in the future.

  9. As commented in the original posting for One Hand Clapping, McCartney could of turned it into the release into something bigger with whatever salvageable footage there is and maybe throw in a new interview about the sessions.
    Though the quality may me iffy, some guy has posted the 6 tracks from the 7″ on YouTube. He also has an additional 5 tracks supposedly from the same sessions that weren’t included in the CD or LP editions. A future expanded edition?

  10. It amazes me how record labels can afford to print up boxes like these and then have them sitting around for months in a warehouse somewhere (I’m looking at YOU, Alan Parsons).

  11. Do we think the Depeche Mode 12″ singles box sets have quietly come to an end? It’s been nearly 10 months since the Delta Machine box set (which is currently half price on Amazon), the original Spirit 12′ singles are all still available, they also include everything included on the CD single, so nothing new to add to the set if they were to release it.
    I assumed the white label Memento Mori 12″ singles held back on including all the remixes from the digital remix EPs so they could include them all on a Memento Mori 12″ singles collection box set, but who knows at this point what the plan is.

    1. Yeah I was expecting the Spirit one soon. Maybe all the releases around the new album have delayed it? But I get the feeling it will be a bit dull on content. I am hoping for a MM box as I have held off buying any of the 12″ singles that have been released. Mostly because of the reviews I’ve read have been pretty shocking.

      1. Does anyone really want a Spirit compo though? Alongside Exciter and SOTH the album versions were bad enough let alone a remix. DM did redeem themselves with Memento Mori somewhat but unfortunately they are on Sony now who are easily one of the most corporate labels out there. And very opposed to hold in your hand product just look at what they’ve done to PlayStation releases for anyone who’s a gamer. On a plus on that side of the media it’s backfired with digital only releases like Alan Wake 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3 getting getting physical releases after a high demand…

    1. +1
      I’ve got the Bowie box which is great and have The Police and Pete Townshend on preorder.
      BTW In the next day or so we’ll get the announcement of the 27 disc 1974 Live Recordings Bob Dylan box which comes out 20 September.

  13. Nice video, there are so many releases, this is a good overview format, it also gets me to look at stuff I would not look at otherwise. I hope you do more like this. That Synchronicity box looks fantastic.

  15. Paul, I am a German of your age and I have one question: who or what is Gina G? Excellent new feature, thank you for always trying new things and not resting on your well deserved laurels. Ta!

    1. As a German, do you not watch Eurovision? (If you knew who she was you would reply this with ‘oooh aaah just a little bit… ;) )

    2. Gina G is an Australian singer who represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1996, with the song “Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit”, which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. The song also reached the US top 20 in 1997 and earned her a 1998 Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording.

    3. I would have thought that a couple of her songs would have had ‘oo – just a little bit’ of airplay in Germany ;)

          1. The Scots on the other hand are listening to bagpipes nonstop all day and in the evening when they want to have a blast they switch to Runrig… ;-)

          2. If I were a Scot I’d listen to Big Country, Fish / Marillion and Simple Minds all day, everywhere. Oh, wait, these are some of my favorite bands ever…. 23 and me testing, here I come.

  18. Great new format – how you find the time though….

    I was lucky enough to get The Police set for £29 on Amazon. Just waiting to see how they wiggle out of it or if they honour it.

    1. They sent out emails last week to people who got that price saying their order was “delayed” and they couldn’t give a date on when it will be available.
      Those orders will never ship.

      1. I doubt if it was just that price. There is no two SKUs for it – one at the actual price and one at the goofed price.
        Be positive!

      2. I have had a situation where a record was in stock but my pre order hadn’t shipped a week after release. The rep on the phone had me cancel my order and gave me a credit on my account for the difference between the price I ordered at and the current price, she waited for me to place the new order using the credit and checked it went through. It was only $10 or so though, not an obvious pricing error like this one. It shipped the same day.
        Obviously this requires the item to be already released, in stock and shipping. The trick is getting someone on the phone, You can get the number from their web site if you dig deep enough, do not google it.

      3. I got the same email, and assuming the same as you on not shipping. If we don’t get the original orders fulfilled, maybe by the time they decide to cancel those orders the box set will have went down in price elsewhere.

    2. You’ll be the king of pain when you get a message in a email ( bottle)from amazon, but no canary in a coal mine yet so best of luck, personally I think you’ve got more chance of walking on the moon than getting this for Six fivers. Saw that tour glasgow apollo in 83,very good but not as good as men at work a few weeks later.

    3. The US site says August 9th.
      Funny that I get “This item cannot be dispatched to your selected delivery location. Please choose a different delivery location.” I’m not from the UK.
      But at least they didn’t cancel my order! For me it comes to 85% off [with shipping even]!

  19. It’s great to see the Bowie estate doing a great , if slightly milking the cow editions of all his albums but I’m a Gentleman of a certain age & I’m going to be on my pension by the time we get to the albums I really want in that format. Also, I wonder if we will get the next album Boxset this year & dare I dream, a Tin Machine boxset.

    1. Agreed about the Bowie box sets. The 80’s albums, whether you like them or not, are what people want. The Loving The Alien boxset sold out fastest of all his box sets. I’ll be dead and buried by the time any of the 80’s albums come out in a single box set. Frustrating.

      2. Tin machine are slightly underrated. But it’s true that the concept – start again from scratch with a rock band – is better than the actual result. Tin machine was powerful but not very subtle.

  20. I really like this new feature. It’s nice to get a short visual overview of what is coming out together with a quick opinion on the quality of the release. I hope you will do one at least once a month but maybe bi-weekly? I find it priceless. You speak well and make it flow very nicely (with a few edits here and there I think) so it’s easy and a pleasure to watch. I had forgotten about the superdeluxe of Stop Making Sense and was able to quickly order one here in the USA. It’s nice you also pay attention to the smaller releases such as Tanita Tikarem and Gina G, those two aren’t for me but I’m sure there are many here who will enjoy those two releases. Well done.

  21. Excellent format – well presented
    Have The Police, Bowie and Townshend on order
    Hoping for Talking Heads
    Have the others save Gina – who that?

  22. Fabulous, I’d never have sat through a Gina G review otherwise lol, I like the longer length, most of my tv time is YouTube subscriptions now, so this just about the right length, I ordered the Bowie box today after your ever reliable alerts, bit confused about Sweet Head not being the Ryko version but a demo, which means the Ryko has been overlooked or maybe it was redone for Aladdin Sane and ended on the Ziggy reissue in 1990, maybe it’ll turn up on a Aladdin Sane box, who knows. But really enjoyed the format here.

  23. Paul thanks for this video covering several items in one shot, I think your presentation worked pretty well for the sake of getting through a handful of items without being hours long. This was especially nice to see things like the ‘Synchronicity’ box ahead of time. I’m sure with some practice you’ll fine-tune these types of videos, my only thought is I’d like a few more seconds of seeing the content of any books/booklets in some of these, especially the ones like Bowie & The Police where the written portions are more substantial. And a question I just thought of; with your weekly release roundups, do you get enough copies of what currently gets released that you could possibly do a video version of your roundups? If so, I think people would really appreciate that! Keep up the great work Paul!!

    1. Thanks Brad. I think with Bowie and The Police I’ll also do a ‘proper’ SDE unboxing, so hopefully best of both worlds!

  24. I like this new feature. It is a great way to get some more info on box sets which you wouldn’t get otherwise. I do hope you still manage to do some deeper unboxing videos on the more important sets. In this batch, I would pick The Police and Bowie boxes for that treatment.
    Enjoyed the interview on the Blitzed set – I had dismissed it, but it is now on my wishlist, especially seeing the format in this video. It would sit nicely beside my HDH set.

  28. Nice video with the barely noticeable edits!

    So many box sets should now be called book sets. I’d go for the Bowie one if it was the discs inside a basic clamshell box with a six page booklet, retailing for 50 quid. Personally, I’m not remotely interested in paying £50+ extra for what amounts to a big clumsy book and reproduction notebook that I’d flick through once if I was bored.

  29. i love a good box set so thanks for the good reviews not in to Alan Parson’s but have just brought the Yes Box set which is fab. i might go for the Police set too ……….i understand there is a terrific box set from Horlips 33 cds is too much

    1. 33 CDs and 2 DVDs … plus lots of “stuff”. Excellent, it is too.

      [EDIT: By the way, notwithstanding the username, I’m unconnected to the band.]

    2. …and notwithstanding my name, I *am* connected to the band! The Horslips 33CD/2DVD/2 book set is fabulous but if it’s too overwhelming a ‘Live at the BBC & Other Adventures’ 5CD+DVD set (repeating nothing in the previous one, bar repertoire) is coming later this year.

  30. I may have to miss out on Pyramid in order to afford the Police SDE instead, as my better half is a Police fan and it does look better value for money (vinyl utterly superfluous here).

    There’s really nothing quite like a well-produced SDE is there (eyeing my Blondie box, how great was that one!).

  31. I enjoy the overview but as with the Lennon box the format is frustrating when watching on the phone. The product is too far from the camera to see anything – so when you said of the first one that the cover looks bad for one of the disks all I can see is a tiny stamp like image. Even with a 12” what you are using is a small proportion of the visual field – 90% is the static of the room/background.
    As this is edited why not use the usual rig so we can see the stuff?

    1. I thought I explained it well enough at the beginning. This is supposed to be an overview, an opportunity to discuss and have a quick look at MANY products. Not a detailed examination of ONE product which is what we normally do. The reason for doing this is there simply isn’t the time to look at so many products in that level of detail.

      1. I understood that, and enjoyed it and wasn’t expecting detailed coverage, just that it doesn’t utilize the value of being a visual medium, it could easily be a podcast

        1. Just make a cup of tea, sit on the couch and watch it on the bloody telly. Or, turn your phone face down and, presto! It’s a podcast. Jesus, JK.

      2. I think you explained it perfectly well and I enjoyed the format. Would never see stuff like the Gina G otherwise. Looking forward to the full size Bowie and Police reviews. Also, you can’t be held responsible for people choosing to watch it on a phone.

    2. Don’t watch it on a phone. Much like watching films or TV on a phone it is a substandard viewing medium. Paul does a fantastic job of letting people see what they could be buying, he does not have the same facilities as the BBC or say MGM. Be realistic.

      1. Final comment to all the commenters
        I understood and appreciate the format
        I love what Paul and SDE do, even though I don’t buy physical product any more. I follow the site and watch the videos to keep up. (Btw the first record I owned was Help, on release, and have collected since)
        People watch in all different situations. I tried my computer and felt the same.
        All I would suggest is the camera move closer so the product is easier to see.

        1. I of course forgive you JK, and wish you well, but language like “…small proportion of the visual field, 90% is the static of the room/background and “…doesn’t utilize the visual medium” make you sound like a harebrained teenager. And, it’s Beatles cushions and what appears to be a Tokai love rock Les Paul, not static.

  32. The Bowie box looks gorgeous.
    I really want the Pyramid set, but it’s just too expensive. It’s the one APP album I rarely play, but it would look so good on the shelf next to the others. I’m wishing I hadn’t bothered with the RSD Pyramid Demos vinyl now. I played it, I liked it but it also means there’s a bunch less tracks on the box set that I don’t already have and deep down I knew the RSD release meant the box set was coming. My problem is not having access to unlimited funds.

  33. Nice run through.. was surprised to see Pyramid on there, given how long it is til the actual release. I talked myself into buying it. I am NOT one of the people that dislikes multi format releases.. I don’t tend to play CDs much these days.. but I absolutely play vinyl and blu ray). That police set looks amazing.. and if i was a huge Police fan, would have snagged it. album sized prints are awesome additions, as they are great to display, and album frames are pretty cheap.

    Thanks again…

  34. Listening/watching as I type, Paul. Glancing at the tags, I’m guessing you don’t mention the Fairport Convention 11CD+DVD set ‘It All Came Round Again: Onstage and on air 1982-90’ (Madfish), which is released on July 26. I had the great pleasure of curating it. Here’s the trailer vid. Hope you get a chance to give it some spotlight in due course. :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7-QUgZ-QKU

    1. Sounds great Colin. Congrats. I’d be more than happy to feature in the August roundup if Madfish want to supply a copy…

      1. I’d be amazed if you’re not on the list for a copy as we speak! I did an unboxing video with the set’s designer, Mark Case, a week ago (using an advance ‘test pressing’ copy) – which is on YouTube – but I understand that a tranche of bona fide finished copies arrived with Madfish on Friday past. I’ll make sure you’re sent one ASAP. :-)

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