Archival Posts 2003 June 15-21

June 20, 2003

Mobile Fidelity is gearing up for their Aimee Mann's Lost in Space SACD release coming July 8. Amazon has a free download of one of the songs, "Lost in Space". While the MP3 isn't hi rez quality, it will at least give you a hit of the music on the album. And it's free.

Mobile Fidelity also has a classical SACD on the horizon that will be a Multi-channel issue. The disc, Ravel's Bolero and Assorted Orchestral Works conducted by Skrowaczewski. This disc streets on August 26.

We're wrapping the week up here with the usual Punk Pit notes from Duane, a few reviews and some bits of news. After which we're going to call it a week here at TAP while I do some serious painting to bring me closer to normality. Uhh, the painting won't do it...but the completion of it will.

I'm hoping that a lot of you have had a serious chance to investigate Mary Fahl and her latest, The Other Side of TIme. It's a title that I highly recommend. Don't let this one pass without giving it a listen even if it is sound samples. Here's the link to the site.

Hey!! Guess what?! I've finally got around to carving a bit of time out to listen to the new Led Zeppelin 3CD How The West Was Won. While it may be a tad late for the review, I am still putting one together. It should post on Monday. Initial reactions? I can see why it was chosen, for the most part, as a representative release. If it has a few weak spots, it's in the vocal delivery of Robert Plant on a few songs, especially "Immigrant Song" where it's plain flat and uninteresting BUT, the rest is... (see Tuesday's review).

In the He's done it again dept, I have erroneously posted Neil Young's Greendale scheduling at August 8 when it should be August 5.

A brush up on the upcoming Rush album is this: The title is Live in Rio and will be a 2CD set expected on August 26. The disc set will be a companion to the upcoming Live in Rio DVD.

Motown is gearing up for a Smokey Robinson and The Miracles disc called, 70's Collection. This disc streets on August 26. No details on what choices are on this collection.

On September 30, Verve Records will issue a fascinating title by Ella Fitzgerald, Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles (Box).

Helmet will get a 'best of' treatment by Interscope on September 23. The album, Born Annoying: The Best of Helmet should do the trick for fans.

Artemis Records have the new Warren Zevon album, The Wind, in the pipeline heading for an August 26 release date.

While visiting Artemis, I ran into an old favourite of mine so I thought that I'd bring it to your attention...again. This link leads to a free download. The band, The Josh Joplin Group is not a bad album at all. Derivative of REM, there's good copies and bad copies. Call Josh Joplin a pretty damn good one.

Reviews

Amorphis - Far From The Sun - Virgin Records - CD - 06/19 [Dunphy]
Misha Mengelberg Quartet - Four In One - Songlines Records - SACD - 06/19 [Rudolph]

And once again, we're brought to the miracle of a weekend. The order of the day, enjoy it. For those who cannot, enjoy when you do get the time off. From us at TAP, we'll see you on Monday with a big selection of reviews.

June 19, 2003

Yes fans may be just a tad disappointed to discover that several titles of the anticipated Expanded and Remastered Series are put on a small hold. Just how long the hold will be for is not known at this time. The affected titles are:

Tormato

Drama

Big Generator

90125

While it's a bummer, but let's look at the bright side...and there is a bright side. First off, who besides Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Mark Cuban could really afford to shell out all that cash at once? Secondly, look at the titles that get first. You HAVE to be happy there. Now, that's not dissing the remaining titles. But it is true after all. What would you rather have, Going for The One or Big Generator; Relayer or Drama; Close to the Edge or Tormato? We'll have them all eventually. Here are the titles that are unaffected by the change:

Close to the Edge

Tales From Topographic Oceans

Relayer

Going For The One

You can expect those discs on August 26. The rest comes later. Otherwise, Yes fans, what would we have to look forward to?

There are a few other notable date changes to be made here. The 10,000 Maniacs' Campfire Songs gets pushed to September 23 while Chicago's 5CD The Box gets moved back to July 22. And while I'm here, allow me to explain the statements made about this set and the fact that it spans the entire career. The set does not cover every song they have released nor is the set a reproduction of their entire output. However, the set does contain over 100 songs. It's a very cool set. If you're a Chicago fan, this will be a nice addition. I have several of the remastered CDs from Rhino (and I will review these soon) and I can tell you that they sound great. So look forward to it.

Now for Neil Young fans, the US release of Greendale is now scheduled for August 8. Warner reissues of American Stars n Bars, On the Beach, Re-Ac-Tor, and Hawks and Doves are still scheduled for July 15. Somehow I feel that it's my civic duty to keep you informed of the reissues scheduling. Keep watching here for the play by play. Neil fans will not be denied.

Pit Stop's Duane Leyva will have a cool major punk release announcement on Friday concerning a popular band so make sure that you come and read what he has to reveal.

A bummer for me is that Seals and Crofts' The Best Of Seals and Crofts got bumped to TBS land. And I was really looking forward to this one too.

Here's a little something for country fans. I know that a few of you read here. RGL/Arista Nashville has an Alan Jackson title, Greatest Hits Volume 2, a 2CD set expected for August 19 with a DVD, title to be determined also on the same date. Another country title features a hits collection for ConwayTwitty, Hello Darlin': 15 No 1 Hits. This one comes on August 19 from Razor & Tie/Dualtone Records.

I know I promised a batch of reviews but I couldn't get them all formatted in time for the post. But I do have the Lou Reed review of NYC Man: The Collection and the followup to yesterday's Parliament review by Grey Cavitt. I'll get the remaining 2 reviews up for tomorrow's weekender post.

Reviews

Lou Reed - NYC Man: The Collection - CD - BMG Heritage - 06/19 [Rowe]
Parliament - Chocolate City - CD - Mercury/Universal Chronicles - 06/19 [Cavitt]

And that gives me leave for the day. Here's hoping that you have a great day. I'll talk at you tomorrow.

June 18, 2003

We now have the server issues addressed and the programming has been returned to our control. And with that we also have a set of reviews for you.

We have Marilyn Manson's The Golden Age of Grotesque, Parliament's Up For the Down Stroke with Grey Cavitt's followup Parliament review for Chocolate City to appear tomorrow. Additionally, we have DwDunphy's King's X's Black Like Sunday with his Amorphis' Far From the Sun review following in a day or so. Finally, Brett Rudolph has given his thoughts on Pete Whitman's X-Tet's SACD recording of Where's When? We also have Brett's review of SACD Misha Mengelburg Quartet's Four in One that will show in a few days. Tomorrow, I will post that Lou Reed review. I surely will.

Let me give you a quick rundown of the upcoming June 24 David Bowie 30th Edition of Aladdin Sane by EMI, the same that brought you the expanded 30th of Ziggy Stardust. This issue will have the following goodies in it:

John I'm Only Dancing (Sax Version)
The Jean Genie (Original Single Version)
Time (Single Edit)
All the Young Dudes
Changes (Live)
The Supermen (Live)
Life on Mars (Live-Previously Unreleased)
John I'm Only Dancing (Live)
The Jean Genie (Live)
Drive In Saturday (Live-Previously Unreleased

This set will also contain the original track listing with the above mentioned tracks on a second CD. The set is limited edition and will only be made available for retail purchasing until December 31 or until the set sells out.

Like the preceding 30th disc, Aladdin Sane will be finished in a book format with new liner notes and photos.

Reviews

Parliament - Up for The Down Stroke - 06/18 -CD - Mercury [Cavitt]
Marilyn Manson - The Golden age of Grotesque - 06/18 - CD - nothing [Rowe]
King's X - Black Like Sunday - 06/18 - CD - Blop!/Metal Blade - [Dunphy]
Pete Whitman's Xtet - Where's When? - 06/18 - SACD - Artegra [Rudolph]

We hope that you'll forgive our shortness. We've tried to give you something but these have been long days indeed. And you have 4 reviews today. We'll see you tomorrow.

June 17, 2003

I've a real big complaint. Did anybody recently see the VH1's 100 Greatest Songs from the past 25 years? What kind of a list is that? And who runs VH1 anyway...25 year old executives? First off, the last 25 years? Ok, Ok...but many of these songs wouldn't qualify in any decent list. Some in the top 10 are flat out insulting to any real follower or listener of music. I don't want to step on toes but c'mon...what kind of boardroom session was it that yielded this list? My buddy Joe, whose has an incredible cyclopedic knowledge of singles oriented music was near cardiac arrest. We both agreed during a discussion of the list that many of the songs do not deserve even an honourable mention much less inclusion. Secondly, a list such as this might as well back up a few decades and do the list right. If you need to go to 200, so be it. Now I'm getting started. VH1!!! Ahhh...never mind.

I've finally completed the review for Lou Reed's NYC Man: The Collection. It's a pretty good release for Lou Reed fans and is a great introduction to his entire career beginning with the Velvet Underground years. This disc can give many younger audiences a taste of the formative years of many of their favourite bands and where their influences lie, directly or indirectly. Important. We also have another review from Grey Cavitt and Brett Rudolph. The unfortunate thing is that I'm having problems with our server and therefore will just post the front page...if I get that far. So keep watching.

Reader Joe Siegler, webmaster of 3DRealms.com spotted this piece on Iron Maiden's website. It's an indication that they have a hi-rez disc (Dance of Death - Sept 2003) in the making. We'll keep an eye out for this one. Good eye, Joe. But we all really have one question. Is Duke Nukem Forever ever ever ever going to come out? Between you and us.

It looks as if Sanctuary's Foghat 2CD live disc, Decades Live, is now floating in limbo. We'll let you know when it gets free. And I was looking forward to that one too.

On the subject of Sanctuary Records, their Castle imprint has listed a Gene Pitney 2CD title, Blue Angel: The Bronze Sessions as a release on August 5. Also interesting is another 2CD live issue, Savoy Brown and Hellbound Train:Live 1969-1972. I saw Kim Simmonds and a reconstituted Savoy Brown this February and lemme tell you...Kim still rules that guitar.

We're going to stop right here because I'm spending more time bickering with the server than I am writing. The email is sporadic. The uploading more so. If you're reading this...I was successful.

Tomorrow...

June 16, 2003

Weekend? I ain't talking about it. But I sure hope that yours was cool. But mine's coming..soon...I hope. I also hope that you Fathers had a great Day yesterday.

We're making advances on the Archival section. We've caught up through the Fs and hope to be completely caught up by July. I already have some other cosmetic changes in mind including that long awaited TAP Sheet that will be a one stop upcoming list. Don't know how it'll turn out but we'll get there.

We have reviews for tomorrow so check back for those. Grey Cavitt has checked in with a Parliament review for Up For The Down Stroke. Brett Rudolph has turned in a few that we'll split over a few days. And yeah, I'm still putting together that Lou Reed review. But it's almost completed. We have a review of the upcoming Roger Waters remastered 2CD Live in Berlin in the wings as well. Watch for 'em.

We've mentioned this one before but it bears going into a little better detail. On July 8, Rhino is set to release the 3CD Box for The Spinners called The Chrome Collection. This set represents the first time that The Spinners have received the Box Set treatment (gasp) but this is making up for this sin of omission. The set features over 4 hours of remastered material and includes bonuses of unreleased tracks. This set will also feature pre-Atlantic Records cuts and tribute cover pieces by Costello, Bowie, Warwick, and others. Of course, there is a specially prepared booklet.

While we're on the subject of Box Sets, Rhino is also putting the finishing touches on a Chicago set that will be 5CDs PLUS a DVD. This Box will span their entire career, some 35 years, and will contain over 100 songs, 3 1/2 hours of remastered music. There is a huge booklet with highly detailed credits for all the songs and photos galore. Additionally, there will be unreleased tracks, some of them hailing from the sessions for Stone of Sisyphus. The discs are sequenced chronologically. This set is expected to hit the shelves on July 15. Keep churnin' them out, Rhino. Now, let's do a righteous Foghat Box next.

Don't forget that Chicago II is being released on June 24 as a DVD-Audio.

On July 15, Rhino (busy people, ain't they?) will be issuing a 2CD 'best of' for WAR. This collection features all of their big hits remastered and representing their career with over 30 songs.

On July 22, Rhino releases a Cream DVD, Strange Brew, and a Yardbirds DVD, The YardBirds. Both discs run around 60 minutes each and will retail for $14.99. These DVDs should please completists and hardcore fans.

Moving over to King Biscuit Flower Hour, it's only fitting that we get some videos from their great archives. The one that we're knowing about is a Marshall Crenshaw DVD expected to street on Sept 22. The DVD is called Live From The Stony Pony. This set will come with a companion bonus CD. The set itself is presented in a jewel box.

Reader Mike Iachino has alerted us to the eventual release of a Sting DVD. The DVD, Inside, is scheduled for October 11. More on that as the date gets closer. Thanx to StingUs.net for their info.

As a reminder, July 22 is the expected release date of Pet Sounds from The Beach Boys and Capitol Records in DVD-Audio format.

Finally, and I may have mentioned this title before but since last week's post is kaput...well, here it may be again.

Motown is readying an SACD Hybrid disc for Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On scheduled for release on August 26. We'll keep you informed on this title.

That's it for today. We'll see you back here bright and early tomorrow.