The Beatles -- The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 (Capitol)

What can be said about the four titles gathered on this collection other than 'What took so long?'. Even though the Beatles catalogue has been on CD since the late 1980s, Meet The Beatles! (1964), The Beatles' Second Album (1964), Something New (1964) and Beatles '65 (1964) are just being made available for the first time in the history of the medium. In North America these were roughly equivalent to the British releases With The Beatles (1963), A Hard Days Night (1964) and about half of Beatles For Sale (1965).

The biggest disparity between the US and UK editions is that Stateside the albums were offered in stereophonic (or a pseudo stereo that Capitol Records called "duophonic") as well as monaural. While the average listener might consider such attention to detail unusual, Beatle-maniacs are nothing short of connoisseurs and The Beatles were certainly not your run-of-the-mill boy band. Each disc duplicates the running order mixed for in stereo and then mono, replicating the sound that enthusiasts were born and bred on. Those intimately familiar with the material will be happy to note the consideration paid to the little sonic anomalies omitted on all other editions. For instance, John Lennon's harmonica accompaniment on The Beatles Second Album entry "Thank You Girl"-- which is different only on the US pressings -- is restored.

Similarly, the mono Something New retains the 'long' version of "I'll Cry Instead" with a repeat of the first verse. Other easy to spot examples include "She's A Woman"and "I Feel Fine" from Beatles '65, which are once again baptized in pre-psychedelic echo, radically altering the vibe of both. Equal attentiveness is given to recreating the vintage artwork, right down to Capitol Records' signature "File Under: The Beatles" tab in the upper right-hand corner. The typeface and graphics on the CDs themselves reflect many of the classic elements -- including the silver lettering, multi-coloured 'rainbow' outer label, not to mention the quaint parenthetical "Recorded in England" subscript. In addition to the four miniaturized LP jackets, there is a 48-page booklet with lots of rarely reproduced photos and Capitol Records-related ephemera, all housed in a larger cardboard sleeve.

As this is Vol. 1, presumably The Early Beatles (1965), Beatles VI (1965), Help! (1965), Rubber Soul (1965), Yesterday And Today (1965), Revolver (1966) and -- if were lucky -- the odds and ends compile Hey Jude (1970) will follow in future instalments, hopefully sooner than later.

Lenny Bruce -- Let The Buyer Beware (Shout! Factory)

Without question, the seven-and-a-half hours of material on this six CD box set offer the most complete and thorough compendium of Lenny Bruce's legacy. When considering the First Amendment-related headlines of late, Let The Buyer Beware could not have come at a more politically and socially charged time. Thus proving Lenny's relevance as his words still chime a modicum of truth nearly four decades after his passing. In addition to performing live throughout the 1950s and early-to-mid 1960s, he also kept private sonic journals, some of which have been accessed by the anthology's co-producer and Lenny's daughter, Kitty Bruce. The breadth of the package ranges from Lenny's 1948 public debut on Arthur Godfrey's radio programme "Talent Scouts" to a surreal piece called "Testing The Sony Microphone," recorded at home the evening prior to his death on August 2, 1966.

Other highlights include previously unreleased versions of classic routines such as "The Lawrence Welk Story," "Father Flotski's Triumph," "How To Relax Your Coloured Friends At Parties," "Religions, Inc.," "Non Skeddo Flies Again," "Thank You Masked Man" and the alternately incendiary and hilarious "Hot Lead Enema" bit about Jackie Kennedy. A distinct reality check is provided by listening in on actual telephone conversations and Lenny's own documentation of his various arrests, trials and incarcerations.

Arguably the most striking being a bust during a show at the Gate of Horn in Chicago in 1962, captured as it happened while tape continue to roll. As the title might infer, Let The Buyer Beware is not for the easily offended or parties currently satisfied with the state of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. That said, for real American Patriots, it is nothing short of a primer into the genius of Lenny Bruce and likewise recommended as essential. Additional kudos for the deluxe hardbound book, housing all six volumes and accompanied by 80 pages with unpublished photos, memorabilia and essays from Kitty Bruce, writer Paul Krassner, Lenny-authority Marvin Worth and producer Hal Willner.

Miles Davis -- Seven Steps: Complete Columbia Recordings 1963-1964 (Sony/Legacy)

This seven-CD compendium covers the two-year span ('63 -- '64) when Miles Davis (trumpet) was experimenting with a variety of personnel in the wake of the luminous John Coltrane (sax) quintet. In that sense the material gathered here differs from other packages that have chronicled Davis, as the majority have focused on a specific assemblage or recording. Not only did the instrumentalists conjure some significant studio sides, they also kept busy playing live throughout the globe.

Initially, Davis was accompanied by Ron Carter (bass) who was still in his 20s, George Coleman (tenor sax), Frank Butler (drums) and Victor Feldman (piano). Less than a month later Herbie Hancock (piano) replaced Feldman and Tony Williams (drums) took over for Butler. Highlights from these two distinct aggregates are the alternate (and never-before-available) takes of Feldman's own  "Joshua" and the title track "Seven Steps to Heaven". The revamped line-up hit the road and can be heard at their June 27, 1963 appearance during the Antibes Festival in Juan-les-Pins, France as well as two full-length sets from Philharmonic Hall on February 12, 1964. They are all presented in their entirety, exactly the way they went down. The latter date is of further social import as Davis and crew were the entertainment for a benefit concert supporting CORE, SNCC and the NAACP Legal Defence Fund. These organizations were concurrently involved in registering black voters in the South during the zenith of the Civil Rights movement. Without notifying his bandmates, Davis -- who infrequently spoke on stage -- announced that he was waiving both his and the group's fees for these concerts. The ultimate upshot resulted in a spirited performance rivalling any of Miles' preceding work. Coleman split soon thereafter and was replaced by Sam Rivers (tenor sax). This incarnation was captured July 14, 1964 in Tokyo and is available on a domestic North American release for the first time. Wayne Shorter (tenor sax) had joined the fold by the fall of ?64 as evidenced by the six-song September 25 Berlin radio broadcast, boasting a newly uncovered reading of "Stella By Starlight". The 92-page booklet is filled with exhaustive liner notes, a copious discography of the era, plus scores of rare and previously-unpublished photos.

Grateful Dead -- Beyond Description 1973-1989 (Rhino)

The dozen titles gathered here provide a chronological companion to 12-CD The Golden Road (1965-1973) anthology from 2001. Represented are the eight studio efforts Wake Of The Flood (1973), From The Mars Hotel (1974), Blues For Allah (1975), Terrapin Station (1977), Shakedown Street (1978), Go To Heaven (1980), In The Dark (1987) and Built To Last (1989), plus the concert platters Reckoning (1981) and Dead Set (1981).

Scholarly enthusiasts might note the conspicuous absence of two live collections. In the case of the generally dismissable Steal Your Face (1976), an apt substitution can be found on the five-disc Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack (2005) as both were procured from the same October '74 "retirement" run. On the other hand, Without A Net (1990) is a thoroughly excellent (though inexplicably dismissed) encapsulation of shows recorded between October 9, 1989 and April 1, 1990. Those misnomers aside, the essence of Beyond Description 1973-1989 can be found in the 65 supplementary selections. Most of these will be new to even avid Deadheads as few of the band's studio-related outtakes circulate among the faithful. Plus, those that do, have not sounded this good. In some cases the extras are lengthier than the original long player. Case in point: the unplugged acoustic Reckoning and the amped-up electric Dead Set -- circa the fall of 1980 at the Warfield in San Francisco and Radio City Music Hall in New York City -- have been expanded to include nearly 80 minutes of additional music apiece. All of the CDs are housed in digi-pack replicas of the LP jackets and if past history is any indication, these will be available separately for those wishing to buy the albums individually.

The accompanying booklets contain essays on each release as well as a detailed discography and plenty of other eye candy in the form of rarely or never-before published photos and memorabilia. Parties purchasing copies via the Grateful Dead's own website (www.dead.net) will receive a bonus disc -- while supplies last -- with 75 minutes worth of stuff that didn't fit in the box.