McCartney Archive Collection - Venus & Mars and Speed of Sound "Coming Soon"

Wings at the Speed of Sound

 

Well, as soon as the "Coming Soon" card was posted on the WOA thread, THAT thread was turning into a Venus & Mars / Speed Of Sound preview thread, so ... why not?

I mainly started it because, first, it's inevitable that there will BE a thread on these releases, and second, today was the first official confirmation that these sets are indeed "coming soon," so it seemed appropriate. We don't actually have to talk or think about them until after we pore over WOA for awhile .... but I see that hasn't stopped you, Arnie!

 

A question for clarity...
when you mention them being 'paired up', do you mean that these are going to be released two at a time, or two CD projects in one package?

 

Two at a time in separate sets. Arnie

 

Cool beans! I'm in for them all, even WOA.

 

Speed of Sound - only Silly Love Songs, Beware My Love and Warm and Beautiful are fine. Let'Em in - so so . The rest is just AWFUL!!

 

Everything through tug of war works for me.

 

I have a lot more love for it after hearing the quad mix. The SLSR of "You Gave Me The Answer" has no vocals, I didn't realize how wonderful the arrangement and orchestration is. It's a joy to listen to and probably Macca's best rooty-tooty song.

 

I have to agree for the most part but I don't mind Let em in

 

Okay, but it's all in the name of research and proper information dissemination. Arnie

 

^^^ This!
I agree - and I'm not one bit surprised that there are no hints as which titles might come next. I don't think that any of us believe that the Archive Collection will cover his entire catalog. There is a definite point at which his airplay & chart success started to weaken & wane a bit...and logic, sales figures & the state of the CD market would tell you that's about where they will stop.

The Archive Collection was said to be "8-10 titles" - 6 are out, imminent or scheduled. Red Rose Speedway was a #1 album for 3 weeks (in the US - #5 in the UK). If I had to guess why it was skipped in this batch, I would say because Paul didn't want to deal with it right away. (It's said he wasn't crazy about RRS, right?) London Town was a #2 album in the US for 6 weeks. For all intents & purposes, it would have been #1 for multiple weeks were it not for a little thing called Saturday Night Fever. That's 8 titles. Yes, Wild Life is the start of Wings, and Back To The Egg is the end of Wings. That's 10 titles. In my opinion, leaving any of those 4 titles out would be a glaring omission in something named "The Archive Collection". (And notice that the collection would then be "book-ended" by McCartney (I) and McCartney II!) If I were a betting man, and I'm not, I would guess that is where they stop.

I think we would be very lucky to get Tug Of War and Pipes Of Peace - but it sure would be nice!

And although I hope I'm wrong, I see no reason to expect that we will see more than 1 album released at a time. Yes, they did McCarney and McCartney II together, but there was a "theme" going on there. (It's possible, I suppose...)

 

Venus and Mars are Alright Tonight! YES!

 

For me those ten would be the perfect scenario Maybe add tug but I'm ok if it does not.

 

Yeah, there's a certain "karma" to having those 10 titles...bookended by Macca 1 & Macca 2...called "The Archive Collection". (Or maybe it's just a little OCD! )

 

Since Scott Rodger's quote from last year gets cited (not always accurately) in all of these Archive Collection threads, it might be helpful to post it in each of them:

The first thing I'd point out is that Rodger says they want to do "at least" 8-10 titles, and he never specifically says these are all Archive Collection releases, although it could be inferred. Personally, since he's calling these 8-10 projects the "B-level" business of Macca Inc., and the Ram and WOA boxes are anything BUT "B-level" products, I don't think it's clear that ALL the Archive sets are considered part of this group of 8-10 releases. I think that the Ram box and the WOA box might be considered "A-level" releases along with Memory Almost Full, Kisses, etc. -- but I totally admit that could just be me reading too much into it.

As for the future of the Archive Collection ... I'm guessing that there will be some re-defining of what the term "Archive Collection" means, but I DO think that ALL of his albums (up to Kisses) will be remastered and reissued in some form. Maybe there will never be another box set, maybe the book editions will eventually be abandoned, but I firmly believe that the albums themselves (whether 2-CD sets, 1-CD with bonus tracks, or vanilla remasters with no extras) WILL be released in some form. Perhaps by 2018, when they're wrapping up, it will be download-only -- but I don't really care as long as they come out. With all the complaining about the stuff that HASN'T been included in these sets, there hasn't been enough praise for how GREAT the albums finally sound. Particularly for folks who don't have (or can't afford at this point) the DCCs, these new remasters have really been an amazing treat for Macca fans.

 

Totally agree on the sound quality aspect. For newer Macca fans like me, the Archive Collections has been an incredible transition from Amazon/iTunes sourced mp3 to unlimited, high resolution 24/96 Flac files! Can't wait for them to fill up the Wild Life-RRS hole in my Macca 24/96 collection.....

 

Good points - and I agree about the sound quality! I am sure - no question - that the DCCs sound magnificent - but I can't afford them & keep buying new stuff that Steve & MoFi are putting out!

And you do have a point when you consider that there are a lot of his albums beyond McCartney II that are not available on CD right now.

 

I do love these whammy big archive deluxe collections ad I do have all his CDs, all the original ad UK reissues series but I would love for him t o release a bog giant box of the best masters in cardboard sleeves just like that huge Johnny Cash box. Like ll the only Columba sets. Every friggen album. No extra books

 

It looks like Flaming Pie is nearing OOP territory, judging from the price for a new copy at amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Flaming-Pie-P...F8&qid=1369527630&sr=1-1&keywords=flaming+pie

 

I see you're firmly in the "SPEED OF SOUND is Wings' MARDI GRAS" camp

 

so do i. only because... i've actually never heard them.

 

Actually showed she worked best in the kitchen and bedroom as far as I can tell.

 

This is what you want. Every album, live album and a rarities disc thrown in for good measure with a poster and a little hardback book of recollections for $165 shipped.

 

I think those will be the last two - one released in 2014 and the other in 2015. Then the rarities boxes will follow in 2016.

 

Basically yes. Or like this: