We have a few things for you today that includes the reminder that The Beatles remasters are just around the corner. I have to admit to being a little excited about that. I'm more a post-Revolver Beatles fan (don't hit), and so my purchases should be more reasonable than many of you. I'm a Stones fan from the offset so those SACDs were manna from Heaven to me. Speaking of SACDs, I hope that some of you have been taking advantage of acquiring the MoFi SACDs. I just got my Music From Big Pink (The Band), and Pirates (Rickie Lee Jones) SACDs, and I'm pleased to no end. I'll put those up for review quickly.

Also, our old buddy, Adam Jahnke, better known as The Doctor, has embarked on a new side venture when he's not doing other things like writing his excellent column for The Digital Bits (The Bottom Shelf), and his own Jahnke's Electric Theatre. This new side venture involves his writing reviews (in a different and fun retrospective way) of albums that mean something to him. He has two out now on his just launched Jahnke's Record Collection. We're gonna link to them because, well, Adam's a swell guy and we love him 'round here. But also because his reviews are sharp and revealing. We really hope that you enjoy them (linked here for you). We're trying to get him to write up a review of a J Geils Band album, hoping that he'll keep it within the span of the Atlantic Years. But we'll see if we have any influence.

• Bruce Springsteen - Human Touch
• Metallica - Ride the Lightning

You can bookmark his blogsite and keep in touch with Jahnke's Record Collection. Advisable!

Here's the dish on those upcoming Beatles remasters:

THE BEATLES’ ENTIRE ORIGINAL RECORDED CATALOGUE REMASTERED BY APPLE CORPS LTD. AND EMI MUSICFOR WORLDWIDE RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 (9-9-09) 

Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music are delighted to announce the release of the original Beatles catalogue, which has been digitally re-mastered for the first time, for worldwide CD release on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 (9-9-09), the same date as the release of the widely anticipated “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game.  Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album. On the same date, two new Beatles boxed CD collections will also be released.

The albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilizing state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings. The result of this painstaking process is the highest fidelity the catalogue has seen since its original release.

The collection comprises all 12 Beatles albums in stereo, with track listings and artwork as originally released in the UK , and 'Magical Mystery Tour,' which became part of The Beatles’ core catalogue when the CDs were first released in 1987. In addition, the collections 'Past Masters Vol. I and II' are now combined as one title, for a total of 14 titles over 16 discs.  This will mark the first time that the first four Beatles albums will be available in stereo in their entirety on compact disc.  These 14 albums, along with a DVD collection of the documentaries, will also be available for purchase together in a stereo boxed set. 

Within each CD’s new packaging, booklets include detailed historical notes along with informative recording notes. With the exception of the 'Past Masters' set, newly produced mini-documentaries on the making of each album, directed by Bob Smeaton, are included as QuickTime files on each album. The documentaries contain archival footage, rare photographs and never-before-heard studio chat from The Beatles, offering a unique and very personal insight into the studio atmosphere.

A second boxed set has been created with the collector in mind. 'The Beatles in Mono' gathers together, in one place, all of the Beatles recordings that were mixed for a mono release. It will contain 10 of the albums with their original mono mixes, plus two further discs of mono masters (covering similar ground to the stereo tracks on 'Past Masters').  As an added bonus, the mono “Help!” and “Rubber Soul” discs also include the original 1965 stereo mixes, which have not been previously released on CD.  These albums will be packaged in mini-vinyl CD replicas of the original sleeves with all original inserts and label designs retained.

The Stereo Albums (available individually and collected in a stereo boxed set)
The stereo albums have been remastered by Guy Massey, Steve Rooke, Sam Okell with Paul Hicks and Sean Magee
All CD packages contain original vinyl artwork and liner notes.

Extensive archival photos

Additional historical notes by Kevin Howlett and Mike Heatley

Additional recording notes by Allan Rouse and Kevin Howlett

* = CD includes QuickTime mini-doc about the album

Please Please Me* (CD debut in stereo)
With The Beatles* (CD debut in stereo)
A Hard Day's Night* (CD debut in stereo)
Beatles For Sale* (CD debut in stereo)
Help!*
Rubber Soul*
Revolver*
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band* (also includes 1987 notes, updated, and new intro by Paul McCartney)
Magical Mystery Tour*
The Beatles*
Yellow Submarine* (also includes original US liner notes)
Abbey Road*
Let It Be*
Past Masters (contains new liner notes written by Kevin Howlett) 
 
‘The Beatles in Mono’ (boxed set only)
The mono albums have been remastered by Paul Hicks, Sean Magee with Guy Massey and Steve Rooke
Presented together in box with an essay written by Kevin Howlett 
+ = mono mix CD debut

Please Please Me
With The Beatles
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles For Sale
Help! (CD also includes original 1965 stereo mix)+
Rubber Soul (CD also include original 1965 stereo mix)+
Revolver+
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band+
Magical Mystery Tour+
The Beatles+
Mono Masters

Re-mastering the Beatles catalogue 

The re-mastering process commenced with an extensive period conducting tests before finally copying the analogue master tapes into the digital medium. When this was completed, the transfer was achieved using a Pro Tools workstation operating at 24 bit 192 kHz resolution via a Prism A-D converter. Transferring was a lengthy procedure done a track at a time. Although EMI tape does not suffer the oxide loss associated with some later analogue tapes, there was nevertheless a slight build up of dust, which was removed from the tape machine heads between each title.

From the onset, considerable thought was given to what audio restorative processes were going to be allowed.  It was agreed that electrical clicks, microphone vocal pops, excessive sibilance and bad edits should be improved where possible, so long as it didn’t impact on the original integrity of the songs.

In addition, de-noising technology, which is often associated with re-mastering, was to be used, but subtly and sparingly. Eventually, less than five of the 525 minutes of Beatles music was subjected to this process. Finally, as is common with today’s music, overall limiting - to increase the volume level of the CD - has been used, but on the stereo versions only. However, it was unanimously agreed that because of the importance of The Beatles’ music, limiting would be used moderately, so as to retain the original dynamics of the recordings.  

When all of the albums had been transferred, each song was then listened to several times to locate any of the agreed imperfections. These were then addressed by Guy Massey, working with Audio Restorationengineer Simon Gibson.  

Mastering could now take place, once the earliest vinyl pressings, along with the existing CDs, were loaded into Pro Tools, thus allowing comparisons to be made with the original master tapes during the equalization process. When an album had been completed, it was auditioned the next day in studio three – a room familiar to the engineers, as all of the recent Beatles mixing projects had taken place in there – and any further alteration of EQ could be addressed back in the mastering room. Following the initial satisfaction of Guy and Steve, Allan Rouse and Mike Heatley then checked each new re-master in yet another location and offered any further suggestions. This continued until all 13 albums were completed to the team’s satisfaction.

Finally, we have the news that Mott the Hoople is reforming for two nights at the Hammersmith in the UK . The lineup will be the classic one with Ian Hunter, Dale Griffin, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, and Overend Watt. YIPPEE! Now if they could only be coaxed into a one-time World Tour, that would be just GREAT! In addition, Iconoclassic Records will provide us a with an Expanded Deluxe Edition of Mott the Hoople Live, which we'll post below along with details on the upcoming Columbia/Legacy release of The Complete Columbia Album Collection for Miles Davis.

Also, be sure to scroll down for a new band introduction. This one is for The Opposite Sex from DC. If you like early to mid-'80s Echo & The Bunnymen, and so on, you're gonna like these guys. Check them out. There's a free MP3 from their new EP for the taking.

We'll be back on Friday.

Even more Great Album Covers:

J Coleman H.:

and John H.:

and Tony K.:

and one from me:

We have a few release bumps to report on from Legacy's upcoming release list. The following titles have been sent into 2010 before we see them:

• Big Brother & The Holding Company - Cheap Thrills - 2CD Legacy Edition
• Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Couldn't Stand the Weather - 2CD Legacy Edition
• Big Audio Dynamite (B.A.D.) - This Is Big Audio Dynamite - 2CD Legacy Edition
• Various Artists - Profile Records Singles Collection - 2CD

And we have a title CHANGE. The previously mentioned - and heavily anticipated Leonard Cohen Isle of Wight DVD originally titled My Sad and Famous Songs: Leonard Cohen Live at the Isle of Wight 1970, will now be called Leonard Cohen Live at The Isle of Wight 1970.

Arista Records will release The Best of Ally McBeal: The Songs of Vonda Shepard. This CD collection will coincide with the release of Ally McBeal: Season One on DVD. This collection was personally compiled and produced by Vonda Shepard. It is scheduled for release on October 6.

There will be a CD collection of Andy Williams tunes called Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams (Columbia) that will coincide with the release of Williams' Oct 13 (release date) autobiography, Moon River and Me: a Memoir. The Cd is scheduled for release on October 13.

RCA Nashville will release a 4CD Dolly Parton Box not yet named. Lots of Parton music here spanning from her earliest hits to now. This set will also contain seven unreleased bonus tracks. This is planned for October 27.

Here's a cut 'n paste to the Amazon exclusive collection for Miles Davis called The Complete Columbia Album Collection, wonderfully priced for acquisition:

This exquisite package, comprised of 70 CDs and 1 DVD, contains all 52 of Miles' Columbia recordings in Japanese-styled mini LP jackets and includes a 250-page book with a biography, a fully annotated discography, a complete song index and rare photos.  Appearing on DVD for the first time is Live In Europe '67, shot in Stockholm and Karlsruhe during the Miles Davis Quintet's European tour of 1967.  In addition to the DVD there will be a first-time audio release of the full performance from the 1970 Isle Of Wight festival.  Bonus tracks that have been added to the CD reissues of individual albums in past years are also included.

NOTE: This box will be an Amazon.com exclusive and will retail for $369.98.  

Here's another cut 'n paste for the upcoming Mott the Hoople Live Expanded Deluxe Edition coming your way:

MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE (1974)
EXPANDED DELUXE EDITION
13 BONUS TRACKS
FIRST EVER U.S. RELEASE

Latest release from Iconoclassic Records arrives on August 25, 2009

In October 2009, rock fans will witness the highly anticipated reunion of ’70s icons Mott The Hoople. The original lineup of Mott The Hoople will mark their return by performing at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo. 35 years ago, Mott The Hoople’s brilliant stage show at Hammersmith, as well as excepts from their U.S. breakthrough on Broadway, was captured for posterity on a classic live album, making now the perfect time for Iconoclassic Records to introduce MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE – EXPANDED DELUXE EDITION into the U.S. marketplace.

When MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE was originally released in November 1974, little did fans know that this album would be their swansong; Mott ceased to exist six weeks after MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE hit the record racks. The original MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE has been enhanced and expanded into this astonishing 21 song Expanded Deluxe Edition 2 CD set. 13 additional tracks have been added to the original album, capturing two legendary concerts nearly in their entirety: the late-1973 Hammersmith show, where the set over-ran so long that the theater owners lowered the curtain on the band; and a taste of the group's triumphant Broadway season six months later, when Mott became the first rock band to sell out a week of concerts in New York's theater district.

MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE – EXPANDED DELUXE EDITION includes extensive and up to date liner notes by acclaimed Mott The Hoople historian Campbell Devine, author of All The Young Dudes – Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter – The Biography. A newly designed 12-page booklet includes all of the elements of the original LP, plus vintage 1974 promo ads. In a unique twist, each CD individually replicates the U.S. and U.K. Columbia/CBS label designs.

This 35th anniversary 2 CD set provides ample proof of why Mott The Hoople’s reunion is so highly anticipated.

MOTT THE HOOPLE LIVE – EXPANDED DELUXE EDITION
(Iconoclassic ICON 1010)

CD 1 – Broadway
Recorded at the Uris Theatre,
Broadway, New York,
May 8th & 9th, 1974

1. Intro – Jupiter from “The Planets” (0:45)
2. American Pie/The Golden Age Of Rock ’n’ Roll (4:16) †
3. Sucker (5:59) *
4. Roll Away The Stone/Sweet Jane (3:52) †
5. Rest In Peace (6:01) *
6. All The Way From Memphis (5:02) *
7. Born Late ’58 (4:51) †
8. One Of The Boys (5:32) †
9. Hymn For The Dudes (5:46) †
10. Marionette (5:03) †
11. Drivin’ Sister/Crash Street Kidds/Violence (9:06) †
12. All The Young Dudes (3:52) *
13. Walking With A Mountain (4:52) *


CD 2 – Hammersmith
Recorded at the Odeon Theatre,
Hammersmith, London, December 14th, 1973

1. Intro – Jupiter from “The Planets” (0:45)
2. Drivin’ Sister (3:51) ‡
3. Sucker (6:03) ‡
4. Sweet Jane (5:10) ‡
5. Sweet Angeline (6:46) *
6. Rose (4:43) *
7. Roll Away The Stone (3:31) †
8. All The Young Dudes (3:52) †
9. Jerkin’ Crocus/One Of The Boys/Rock ’n’ Roll Queen/Get Back/Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On/Violence (16:16) *
10. Walking With A Mountain (9:09) †

* Remastered from original album masters
† Mixed from original multitracks
‡ Rough mixes

We get a new Kris Kristofferson album on September 29 called Closer to the Bone. It's being released by New West Records and its something we're very excited about.

If you ever liked Echo and the Bunnymen, Siouxie and the Banshees, and/or killing Joke, then we have a new discovery for you. The Opposite Sex from DC has returned with an EP that juice those of you who appreciate good talent and that draws influence from the music that you loved in the past.

Their new (09/01) EP, Live + Burn follows their Violent Heartstrings from 2007 with more great music. I'll be surprised if you DON'T like 'em. To get you started, they are gifitng you with a free downloadable MP3 from the EP, "Frozen Heart, Frozen Mind."

They can be sampled further at their MySpace, Facebook, and LastFM. You can even follow 'em on Twitter.

Nettwerk Records will digitally release the 4-track EP, named Great Escape, by UK's The Rifles, whom Paul Weller of The Jam has gushed about, on July 28. Later in the year, Nettwerk will release their full-length album, which we'll be sure to cover. Three tracks found on this release will NOT be found on the band's upcoming album. Check 'em out at Facebook, and/or MySpace, and/or their official site.