I'm pretty excited about this little resurgence of interest in SACD even if it is arising out of Japan, costing everyone outside that country to pay a premium price for the newly announced titles. The important thing is that we are getting not only titles that many of us knew were already mixed into SACD years back, but that we might also catch the attention of domestic labels who may begin to understand that there are a group of us out here that really want those discs, no matter how limited their production may be.

For the uninitiated, SACD stands for Super Audio CD, a remixing process that delivers super-clean sound and superior delivery of audio, at times even as multi-channel mixes for those that like that kind of stage. The SACD format - along with DVD-Audio - ran a very short course with many high-end titles getting the greenlight. Audio fans were elated (and still are) at the quality they were getting by the releases of their favourite albums. It was hinted that we'd begin to see many of our classic album brought to us in audio perfection like we've never heard before. There were announced titles that were eventually pulled from the schedule for only reasons that the labels themselves are aware of. One of those titles, Rocks by Aerosmith, was actually found out in the wild as a manufactured CD, ready to ship. But it, like many other promised titles (like Pink Floyd's obviously completed Wish You Were Here and Animals titles) never materialized, leaving many fans depressed and feeling rejected. Another promised title was 5th Dimension, a Byrds classic that was only just a month away from ship date before being yanked with no explanations. I'm sure it was produced but no one has one.

Last month, many fans were surprised by the announcement that Universal Japan were producing, in Limited Edition quantities, some high-profile albums like Who's Next (The Who), and Aja (Steely Dan) on SHM-SACD. SHM stands for Super High Material and is a format that Japan has been touting for quite some time as a superior CD due to it's clearer material used to store bits. Earlier this month, I ran a poll to ask readers what they thought of SHM, whether they felt the format was gimmicky and over-hyped, or that it might be the real thing. I got a few emails back that scooted to both sides of the fence. The split in thought has caused me to still be interested, probably more so since I have not ever acquired a title in that format to determine for myself. To solve this, what needs to be done is a very serious and dedicated inquiry into remastering claims and other side issues that are attached to SHM. But there is time for enough for that test. For now, we're completely interested in the emerging titles from the upcoming two waves of SHM-SACD titles (we'll refer to them as SACD from this point forward).

As many of you know, there are some significant titles being planned for the release dates (June 30, August 25) scheduled by Universal Japan. Amongst them are Velvet Underground & Nico, The Last Soundtrack by 10cc, the Dire Straits debut, Blind Faith, Destroyer by KISS, Who's Next by The Who, Aja by Steely Dan, and, of course, other desirable titles that include popular classic Jazz albums by Bill Evans, Miles Davis, and Wes Montgomery, as well as some well-positioned Classical titles.

It feels as if these SACD releases are test releases. They are all Limited Edition and likely to sell out. If they do, then we may see an increase in production of titles in the next waves (if anymore are forthcoming). There is still 5D (The Byrds) and Rocks (Aerosmith) that are completed SACD mixes and are ready for distribution. There is also the likely completed SACD mix of Quadrophenia (The Who), some promised Guthrie-mixed Pink Floyd titles, and all of the Scheiner-completed Steely Dan SACD mixes that have yet to come forth.

If this continues, fans will have a lot to be thankful for as SACD are excellent reproductions of our most revered classics. Ask any lucky Police fan who have every title in SACD. They have a completeness in their hearts and souls that many of us do not have.

But there is a problem. While there are still some hardware manufacturers adding in SACD capability in their Blu-ray players (Sony being one), there are few stand-alones available. The best promise came with the release of Sony's PS3 but that capability has since been stripped out in subsequent hardware releases. As the price dropped on the PS3, so did much of the extra capabilities that were orignally included in first generation hardware. We now need a low-cost capable machine that will get some fans excited enough for them to go out and buy one in order to play these titles. If you're interested yourself, check out OppoDigital players (Thanks to Scott for the link).

Sony has a promise in their Blu-ray players. Why not rebrand SACD as Blu-ray Audio discs (call 'em BAD for Blu-ray Audio Disc) with the underlying SACD recording format, DSD, and get some Limited Edition titles out on their own, especially those earlier mentioned Columbia titles.

Our final time is now. If SACD is to survive, it needs to have interested consumers. With the attention shown to vinyl LP, largely because of their warm and full analog sound quality, we may now have a developing audience to sustain this niche product. I know SACD isn't for everyone. But there are enough of us out here who care enough to invest in our favorite titles in this "chance of a lifetime" opportunity. To hear them as cleanly as possible is all that we ask for.

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This is a short note to alert readers that I will be unable to post in my normal fashion after today through the 28th. I am engaged in very busy activities that will keep me away from homebase for that mentioned duration. The event that I am referring to is my daughter's upcoming wedding. However, I do have enough access to post as much as I can on not only our usual Twitter feed, but also our Facebook page. I encourage you to join up on our FB page by clicking on the MusicTAP Facebook image below. When I do post - and I will - it will be on that.

I do have two reviews for you. The first is one that I've misplaced for a while but is now up. It is a review of the CD/DVD Edition of Live at the Troubadour by Carole King and James Taylor. The other is of Stones in Exile, a documentary chronicling the rise and creation of Exile on Main Street.

I want to alert TAP readers to the fact that I have finally put together a FaceBook fan page that you can access and join by clicking on the badge below.  What this offers is the exact same thing as my Twitter feeds provide and that is first buzz on upcoming releases and free offered downloads, many announcements  that beat our main post, sometimes by days.  We also provide a Google BUZZ page that expands on most of the Twitter/FB feeds. On Buzz, you can even hear the music stream if a stream is offered.  There are still things that I'm working on in the FB page, like calender notes as well as links to great sites like The Second Disc.  I invite you to join us at our FB page and bookmark it.  Visit it daily and you'll be rewarded with much news and info.  Of course, you'll still want to come to the main MusicTAP page for our noisy commentaries.  Remember, with our Twitter feeds, you can elect to receive the news bursts as text on your mobile phone keeping you effortlessly up to date with stuff.  Lots of choices.  Find one, or two, that fits.

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Mute Records will release Reconnected Live by YAZ on CD and DD, planned for September 28.

Atlantic Records will release 11:59 by Ryan Star on August 3.

Loveway Records has xALBUMx arriving on July 27 by EATMEWHILEIMHOT!.

Warner Brothers has a 2LP version of We Walk This Road by Robert Randolph and The Family Band on the calendar for a July 27 release date.

Merge Records will release The Suburbs by Arcade Fire on August 3, CD and vinyl LP.

XOXO Records will release Spot the Difference by Squeeze, scheduling for August 3. Spot the Difference is a re-recorded 'best of' of hits from the band.

A few posts back, we listed the upcoming Brian Wilson album on CD scheduled for August 17. You can now add vinyl LP to the releases except it arrives on August 24.

We've mentioned before but let this serve as a reminder. Virgin Records will reissue The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle by The Sex Pistols on July 27.

Friday Music has Bridge of Sighs coming in a Limited Edition vinyl LP format. The Robin Trower classic is scheduled for July 27.

V12 Records will re-release 20th Century Blues, a 1994 album from Robin Trower on August 10.

Gonzo Distribution has an Import DVD for Steve Hackett arriving on August 24 called Spectral Mornings.

Rounder has DD releases scheduled for June 29 of two Madeleine Peyroux titles (both great) that include Careless Love, and Half the Perfect World. Also included is the DD version of The Calling by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, same re-release date.

This is a reminder that Eagle Rock will release Live at The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 DVD featuring The Who, planning on August 10.

MVD Visuals Will release Johnny Winter: Live through the '80s on DVD and streeting on August 24.

And for those that remember arena rock opening bands obscurities, here's one for you that is an Import title by Rock Candy UK Records. The S/T effort (I believe originally released on Casablanca Records) by The Godz will reissue on July 27. And do you believe that I have this album in my collection...?