Do we really need another mix of this album? This time in bloody Dolby Atmos. This is the second Blu-Ray in 2 years or so of this album. Are they having a laugh?

Having bought the last one, I’m damned if I’m going to fork out for this!

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/new-atmos-mix-of-pink-floyds-animals-available-on-blu-ray-audio/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&_kx=Xj8lnGTa2oVJgMT270aRuXXGxPPONXhWn2LOx03lOLY.H3pGub

This popped up between Christmas and New Year on the tax dodgers site, and I think it was on HMV too. I ordered it but it then disappeared quickly, but I see it is on again at £39.99 for the mega 6CD edition, down from around £120. God knows where they are shipping it from, but it should arrive on Thursday. I have waited patiently to get this, so can’t wait!

I’ve often pondered why some bands have so many tribute acts and some others very few or none at all. I present a Gig Guide show on the local radio, so I have become very aware of what seems to work and what doesn’t, but I have no real idea why.

The Beatles, ABBA, Queen, Elvis Presley, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles and Pink Floyd I would say are the most numerous by far. I can understand the first five of those as they had loads of huge hits, but Pink Floyd didn’t there are no end of Pink Floyd tribute bands and they always seem to be on locally. They sell well too. Why Pink Floyd and not, say, Yes or Genesis? I have done interviews with bands hopefully trying to sell tickets for a Journey show, and Toto, and I just knew they wouldn’t have an audience, but what about the Rolling Stones, the Who, or the Kinks? There are, I think, a couple of Stones and Who tribute shows, but certainly not many considering their popularity. The originals are still going of course, so maybe that makes some difference..? The Eagles had very few genuine hits in the » Continue Reading.

I happened across this video today on Youtube. The chap is saying that a lot of CD players don’t play gapless CDs ..er…gaplessly (he demonstrates a Cambridge model in the video) and they insert a gap between tracks – so, for instance, DSOTM or Abbey Road simply don’t play properly. Really?? Has anyone come across this? I am amazed if this is true, but he seems convinced.

https://youtu.be/qVEmahyfhQU?si=ctLZRgKgJZ6vCyye

As we all know, this is (was…?) a perennial charity shop record. Maybe they are banking on all those people who got rid of it hankering after hearing it again in Dolby Atmos. Like my post about the Sound of Music issue a week or so ago, I’m not convinced there is a huge market out there, but I guess someone has done the math.

https://www.thesdeshop.com/collections/paul-young?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&_kx=Xj8lnGTa2oVJgMT270aRuXXGxPPONXhWn2LOx03lOLY%3D.H3pGub

Yes, really. I know it was a huge seller back in the day, but is there a market for this?! I guess someone must know what they are doing.

The blurb….

The soundtrack to Robert Wise’s film version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is being reissued across multiple formats, with a super deluxe edition offering “every musical element” from the film and a Dolby Atmos Mix.

The musical features classics such as as ‘My Favourite Things’, ‘Do-Re-Mi’, ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Edelweiss’ and Robert Wise walked away with Best Picture and Best Director Oscars (being director and co-producer) at the 1966 Academy Awards.

The new reissue is led by a 4CD+blu-ray super deluxe which features over 40 previously unreleased tracks, including 11 never-before-heard alternate takes and instrumentals of each song for that singalong-a-Sound-of-Music experience. The blu-rays capacity allows it to deliver the full score in hi-res stereo audio and well as a Dolby Atmos Mix of the 16-track original soundtrack.

Here’s that track listing in full….

CD 1 Prelude and The Sound of Music (Film Version) Overture Preludium (Dixit Dominus) Morning Hymn and Alleluia Maria (Film Version) I Have Confidence (Film Version) The Little Dears* The » Continue Reading.

This is about a vast archive of records in the US. It got me wondering how many of these huge collections there are in the world. I’m sure there was a piece years ago about a vast private collection in a warehouse somewhere (South America somewhere perhaps?), and aren’t there institutions such as the BBC who once claimed to have every record issued? I know Elton has or had a huge collection, and I’m sure there must be other megarich people with similar stashes.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/nov/16/archive-of-contemporary-music-new-york?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Being a Spotify Premium subscriber and not really a major streamer of music (I keep wondering about cancelling), this seems to add a lot of value for me, but maybe not for the authors?

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/11/spotify-audiobook-streaming-devastating-effect-authors?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Very tempted at this price – 67 English pounds.

https://superdeluxeedition.com/deal/box-set-and-reissue-deals-for-september-2023/

I don’t think this has been posted before..? This disc brings together the following on one disc..

Dolby Atmos Mix 5.1 Surround Mix (24/96) Remastered Stereo Mix (24/192)

The spatial audio mixes are by James Guthrie. This is presented in a softpack die-cut gatefold with yet another variation of the famous front cover. Commemorative postcards, stickers and a 24-page booklet are included.

Released on 13th October – £20 plus postage.

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/pink-floyd-announce-standalone-blu-ray-of-the-dark-side-of-the-moon/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&_kx=Xj8lnGTa2oVJgMT270aRuXXGxPPONXhWn2LOx03lOLY%3D.H3pGub

I’ll be honest – I amd a fan, but obviously not a big enough to know of this. A legendary long lost song from the Gaucho sessions has been found and restored.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/26/the-most-important-cassette-on-the-planet-how-steely-dan-fans-uncovered-their-holy-grail?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

This looks interesting – looking forward to hearing this.

https://www.bobdylan.com/

OK, this is a bit weird, and I don’t think I’ve had this happen ever before. Yesterday a CD started to skip right near the start, so I had a look at it and there may have been a vague fingerprint hear the middle, but no obvious blemish, so I did the usual thing of giving it a clean and popping it back in. It did it again, but in slightly different places, so I repeated the above procedure several times, but with unsuccessful results. The odd thing was that it was happening in different places each time I tried it. I presumed now there was something actually wrong with the disc, although I’m sure I had played it before with no problem, so I put it in my BluRay player…the damn thing played perfectly. I now thought my CD player was on the blink (a Roksan Caspian M2), but other discs are playing just fine, so I don’t think it is the player. It just doesn’t seem to like the remixed White Album disc 2 for some strange reason!

Any thoughts or ideas? I’m just curious to see if this is common and if anyone can explain the logic » Continue Reading.

Here’s the tracklisting for the deluxe 5CD box set:

Disc One – Time Out of Mind (2022 Remix) 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

Disc Two – Outtakes and Alternates 1. The Water is Wide (8/19/96, Teatro) 2. Dreamin’ of You (10/1/96, Teatro) 3. Red River Shore – version 1 (9/26/96, Teatro) 4. Love Sick – version 1 (1/14/97, Criteria Studios) 5. ‘Til I Fell in Love with You – version 1 (10/3/96, Teatro) 6. Not Dark Yet – version 1 (1/11/97, Criteria Studios) 7. Can’t Wait – version 1 (1/21/97, Criteria Studios) 8. Dirt Road Blues – version 1 (1/12/97, Criteria Studios) 9. Mississippi – version 1 (1/11/97, Criteria Studios) 10. ‘Til I Fell in Love with You – version 2 (1/16/97, Criteria Studios) 11. Standing in the Doorway – version 1 (1/13/97, Criteria Studios) 12. Tryin’ to Get to Heaven – version 1 (1/18/97, Criteria Studios) 13. Cold Irons Bound (1/9/97, Criteria Studios)

Disc Three – » Continue Reading.

Limited to 2 per customer. Strictly limited to 3000 copies.

This numbered limited-edition collection of 80 x 7” singles personally supervised by Paul McCartney contains:

Recreations of 65 singles/promos using restored original artwork from 11 different countries 15 singles never-before released on 7” including: Singles previously released on 12”, picture discs, CD singles/promos, digital downloads, and music videos

1 x EP

1 exclusive test pressing randomly selected from the manufacturing process

148-page book containing foreword from Paul, essay by Rob Sheffield, recording notes, release dates, and chart information on each of the singles – each single included is shown on the attached onsert which will be packed into each box

Remastered and cut at Abbey Road Studios, London. Also available digitally. All housed in a two-piece, four-walled FSC approved Redwood pine and Birch Ply wooden art crate manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Yours for….wait for it….£614.99

There are people here who will know far more about this than I do, but this looks great! Sort of a real life Spinal Tap but featuring incredibly intelligent and talented musicians. Apparently it is in cinemas for one day, and then streaming on nugs.net, so I doubt I’ll get to see it any time soon. I’m always fascinated by the internal politics of bands, but it seems KC rival the Tories for intrigue and ill will.

https://youtu.be/Kg3osMG5yK4

‘Sail On Sailor – 1972

A new expansive multi-disc and digital box set, highlighting 1972’s Carl and the Passions – “So Tough” and 1973’s Holland albums with a bounty of unreleased outtakes, live recordings, demos, alternate versions and mixes, instrumentals, and a cappella tracks.

Some highlights include a Mount Vernon and Fairway (A Fairytale) EP (not available on vinyl since its original release) and Carnegie Hall Thanksgiving 1972 concert recording. The Carnegie Hall concert is the first-ever release of a complete Beach Boys concert from this era with its original setlist. Sail On Sailor also includes a beautifully-designed, booklet with liner notes, rare photos of the band, recording artifacts, and more.

The collection is available to pre-order exclusively in our store for the next few days, and is available in a variety of formats — including an exclusive 5LP + 7” EP which features a reproduction of the original “Holland” promotional book telling the story of the making of the album and 4 collectable lithos. There is also an exclusive 2LP + 7” EP that features the reproduction of the original “Holland” promotional book, too.’

Can’t wait for this set! Holland is probably my favourite » Continue Reading.

Giles Martin has confirmed the Revolver is the next Fabs album for the box set treatment. Rumoured track list below, so now is the time to get those comments of disappointment or derision in early….

Rumoured track lists:

CD1: 2022 Stereo Mix by Giles Martin & Sam Okell 01. Taxman 02. Eleanor Rigby 03. I’m Only Sleeping 04. Love You To 05. Here, There And Everywhere 06. Yellow Submarine 07. She Said She Said 08. Good Day Sunshine 09. And Your Bird Can Sing 10. For No One 11. Doctor Robert 12. I Want To Tell You 13. Got To Get You Into My Life 14. Tomorrow Never Knows

CD2: Sessions 01. Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1) 02. Tomorrow Never Knows (Mono Mix RM 11) 03. Got To Get You Into My Life (First Version/ Take 5) 04. Got To Get You Into My Life (2nd Version/ Unnumbered Mix) 05. Got To Get You Into My Life (2nd Version) 06. Love You To (Take 1) 07. Love You To (Unnumbered Rehearsal) 08. Love You To (Take 7) 09. Paperback Writer (Takes 1 & 2/Backing Track) 10. Rain (Take 5) 11. Rain (Take 5/Slowed Down) 12. Doctor Robert (Take 7) 13. » Continue Reading.

Firstly, having recently upgraded the ole hifi, it has really shown up the sound quality of the Spotify stream compared to CD and records. I have signed up for Amazon HD for a free month and that seems noticeably better, and it is £2 a month cheaper anyway if/when I do start paying, so it seems like a no brainer. I am using a Bluesound streamer, and another advantage is that Amazon music is available through their app whereas Spotify isn’t. Anyone else have Amazon HD? Any drawbacks?

Secondly, I am upgrading the music I have on my hard drive, also streaming through the Bluesound and want to use Flac files or similar hi res files rather than mp3, although I have always used the highest bitrate for these. How do I get the hi res files from Blu Ray discs onto my hard drive with all the relevant tags and so on? I also have Flac files that have been sent to me which I want to load up rather than convert to mp3. Mp3s are so easy to tag with metadata – can I do this with flac easily? Thought I’d ask here rather than flounder around!

Non Beatles fans look away now…

Nicked from a Beatles Facebook page.

Apple Corps and Capitol/Universal are planning a 6-disc “Let It Be” 50th anniversary box set, as rumored. Two sources familiar with the plans say the set includes a new Giles Martin remix of the “Let It Be” album; a couple of discs of rehearsals and jams from the January, 1969, Apple Studios sessions; the first Glyn Johns mix of the album from 1969; Johns’ 1970 mixes of “Across the Universe” and “I Me Mine” and new 2021 mixes of the original B-side version of “Don’t Let Me Down” and the 1970 single version of “Let It Be”; and a disc featuring Dolby Atmos/ 5.1 DTS/Hi-Res Stereo mixes. The complete rooftop concert, which is featured in Peter Jackson’s upcoming Disney+ docuseries, is not included in the box set, which has only one live rooftop track. That may have been a result of restrictions imposed by Disney. Release is expected to be in mid-October.

Happened across this on the tax dodgers site – really worth having anyway, but at this price it is a steal.

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Beatles-Eight-Touring-Years-Blu-ray/dp/B01LTHLQ0U/ref=tmm_blu_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1629153878&sr=1-19