Weekend time yet once again. And the first week into the new year. And so we go into it quietly. I missed an opportunity to attend CES this year but I'll be sure to plan a trip there in 2005. All those cool things both DVD-Audio and SACD and otherwise.

We have a review for you today. The review is from Marco Passarelli who checks out Tori Amos' Tales of a Librarian. On Monday, we'll have an SACD review for you as well as Bruce Cockburn's You've Never Seen Everything and The Carpenters' upcoming, Carpenters Gold - 35th Anniversary Edition. They WERE America's guilty pleasure.

We have some more new release info and then it's off into the weekend that we need so much. I'm sure that you're looking forward to it as well.

Have a great weekend. We'll see you Monday!

Many of you were more than pleased with Dr. Waldrep's interview on the subject of DVD-Audio. We knew that there would be interest but we had no idea the interest would be so heavy. We're pleased to be able to bring this to you. Many of you learned about DVD-Audio as a format. The important thing that we try to do is to help raise awareness of the new formats. Interviews like the one with Dr Waldrep of AIX Records help to educate us.

Speaking of hi resolution music, this gives me an opportunity to bring to your attention the Pioneer DV-563A, the combo SACD/DVD-A/DVD Progressive Scan player so very reasonably priced at $179. Here is a review of the unit. It even provides bass management.

A few of you had fond and pleasant reminiscenses of Peaches Records and Tapes. You provided stories that we found lots of fun to read. Thanks and a brush of the tear to all of you sent in memories. If you have a memory of the chain...or even of other well known chains, we'd like to continue to hear them.

We've posted a review of an independent band, Nikhil. The EP is only five songs but in it you can enjoy some exotic music, some of it like a rhythmic Talking Heads from the Naked period.

Remember Sparks? We do!! We have listened to their latest, Lil' Beethoven and have given our mark of approval. Read why.

Finally, Palm Pictures and Lake Trout have given me an idea with which to pitch to the labels. Lake Trout's latest album is presented in a Digipak format. However, they have thoughtfully wrapped the Digipak with the appropriate material to allow Digipak haters to convert the album to a jewel case. All the user has to do is to purchase a jewel case, the art is already supplied. What a wonderful idea. Labels...going to issue a Digipak? Fine. But include the necessary materials to allow for conversion so haters of Digipak can be happy. After all, it's what it's all about, right? Making purchasers happy?

We'll see you Thursday as we take Wednesdays off with more reviews and news.

We've posted an interview with Mark Waldrep of AIX Records. Mr Waldrep's experience and importance in the field of DVD-Audio is unsurpassed. We have formulated questions that were designed to provide insightful views on the technology and future of DVD-Audio and to give you a deep look into the format. His answers are expansive and in-depth. We hope that you'll enjoy this interview.

We'll be back tomorrow with more reviews and issue news. We also like to take this time to say hello to Alex Jimenez, a long time reader of both TAP and The Bits.

Finally, I'd like to ask if any of you remember Peaches Records and Tapes. I'm just curious how many of you remember the place and what memories you have. Got a story or remembrance? Let me hear them.

Here's a news piece concerning Ray Davies of The Kinks who was shot while trying to stop a robbery. He's OK. Interesting story from MSNBC.

Duane will be back on Friday with his first of the year Pit Stop update.

We'll see you tomorrow.

David Fricke in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine states that The Patti Smith Group is in the studio recording their next new album. All I can say is yeaaaa! This is good news as Patti Smith had all but closed the door a few years back. But the itch returned. She also has a new label. She says goodbye to Arista after a very long time and hello to Columbia Records. We wish her and the band the best...not to mention that we're excited.

As expected, the beginning of the year is..and will be slow for a week. We have emails in to a lot of independents asking for upcoming schedules. One of the cool labels doing reissues that I've discovered is BGO Records. I advise you to check out the site and see what they have in their catalog. Maybe something you've been looking for. Myself? I'm salivating over their reissue of Spirit's Spirit of 76 and twofer BB King's Completely Well / Live in Cook County Jail.

We've two reviews for you. The first, and first of the year, is John P Dunphy's close inspection of Matchbox Twenty's ep, a 6-song issue from Atlantic Records. Also, I've managed to snag a copy of The Talking Heads' Box set, Once in a Lifetime and have decided to talk about it before they're all gone and you can't get one.

We'll be assembling the lisitng of your selections of Best of 2003. Watch for that article. The much delayed Sirius Radio article is also around the corner. We have several SACD reviews coming up as well as a few DVD-Audio selections including REM's In Time and Chicago's II. With more on the way. We also have the anticipated Mark Waldrep interview. This is an insightful interview about all things DVD-Audio. We also have a Colin Cigarran interview in the loop. Colin Cigarran is the SACD guru of Sony. So, that's a great start for 2004, to be sure. We also have a review of the soundtrack for Kill Bill coming up by Mike Lewis.

We'll see you back here tomorrow.

CDs

The Black Sabbath 8CD/1DVD Black Box: The Complete Black Sabbath - 1970-1978 is now officially on the schedule for a release date of March 2. It's a date that we have heard about for at least a month but it hasn't been official til now. Rather than have you excited only to post another delay (which could happen anyway), I've waited until the announcement. Sharpen the pencil, BS fans.

This set batches together all eight of the band's early albums into one deluxe box. Each album is contained in a digipak with original artwork and is newly remastered. Additionally, the DVD contains 4 separate pieces: a promo spot; 3 live clips of "Iron Man", "Paranoid", and "Blue Suede Shoes". This Sharon Osbourne produced set will have an 80 page booklet with rare archival photos, 2 essays, COMPLETE LYRICS to EVERY SONG (cool?), and a Black Sabbath timeline from beginning to now. Penciled in yet?

Legacy/Columbia Records will prep a Branford Marsalis album, The Steep Anthology, for March 2 while Epic Records will release an Essential Cheap Trick album on the same date.

Fans of Deep Forest will be pleased to know that Columbia in conjunction with Legacy Records, will release a 'best of' for the band, The Best of Deep Forest. This one will have a March 2 date of release.

Columbia/Legacy will also release an Essential Earl Scruggs title for March 2. The same date will apply for Columbia/Legacy's upcoming Essential Kris Kristofferson.

Epic Records will release three variations of an Essential Luther Vandross, There will be a DVD, a DVD with bonus CD, and a CD issue. Yep, you guessed it. March 2. And also on that magic date, a Columbia/Legacy issue of The Essential Mahalia Jackson.

February 3 will bring the live The Ataris: Live at Metro. This album will be issued by Columbia Records.