We're in a weird place with Downloads right now. I buy a Blu-ray -- and I get a DVD and a free Digital Copy/Download. Music? No, no. The record companies wanna do dirty things to me to get the download.
Sounds like age bias to me. Reminds me of a tee shirt I saw recently with which I identify: "Grandpa has a Computer Science degree."
Excited about a 10" of 'Swing Easy' I just hope it's not an RSD issue as they are difficult to buy and in limited quantities.
The last RSD 10″ issue of 'Songs for Young Lovers' is still easy to buy new on Amazon, eBay, and elsewhere. It seems likely that 'Swing Easy!' WILL be an RSD issue in November, but this time I won't be waiting in line at a store. It will be easy enough to find it online for probably less money.
Yup! I think we ALL learned a great lesson last time around. In this case, patience is indeed a virtue....
Sorry if I was a little blunt, but the point was in response to the "why vinyl" question; just because shicorp can download and play HD music doesn't mean that everyone else can. Or, put another way, I don't have an issue with digitally-sourced vinyl, which seems to be shicorp's objection; if I did, I couldn't enjoy the Alan Dell box set as much as I do.
I just got a chuckle out of that "My Grandpa" tee shirt. Couldn't resist the opportunity to mention it, Bryan.
It's all about having the hard copy, downloads are dispensable. Maybe those who weren't around when vinyl was the main source don't have the same sentimental attachment. I rarely by Sinatra on iTunes, it all has to be on CD or Vinyl (which admittedly I don't have much of) Since digital I will download any other artist, their music probably won't mean so much to me in years to come.
To rephrase/reshape shicorp's query as it relates to Bryan's Dell comment: "They are all sourced from digital - why not get the digital versions instead?" To me, the Dell scenario and the 2014/2015 scenario have at least one significant difference: With one possible exception, the digital tapes from which the Dell LPs were mastered have not been available to the public in digital form, so there is no digital-release version of the "Dell mastering" of those 1984/1985 LPs. (Yes, there are "Dell CDs," but they are unrelated to the LPs, in terms of mastering, sources, etc.) Dell LP workflow: Raw USA master tapes* ---> Raw digital tape** ---> (generally) well-mastered*** LPs; no digital release of any kind The 2014/2015 LP workflow is nothing nearly that straighforward, and likely something along these lines, although the Reprise titles seem to follow this route more rigidly than the Capitol titles do: Raw USA master tapes* ----> Raw digital tape (or file)**** ---> "Mastered"***** for HD release (often with very heavy futzing, sometimes even with unannounced remixing) ---> LP mastered***** from the already-"mastered" HD version (or at least from an HD-prep work-part) *Not always the right ones **Transferred by Capitol, at Capitol ***Mastered by the very talented/capable EMI mastering staff ****Transferred, assumedly, at Iron Mountain (and even remixed***** on at least one title) *****By who (in most cases)????? I like LPs; I like CDs; I like the potential that HD offers, although in practice I've been hugely unimpressed (not just in Sinatra land). As far as the digital/analog thing goes, both are tools that can be used for good for for evil. The Dell LPs, while not a panacea by any stretch, are, in many cases, quite good and offer a UNIQUE (often nice, sometimes great) listening experience, at least on the titles that were properly sourced (which is most of them). The 2014/2015 LPs, to my ears, can only offer significant improvement over the concurrently released HD versions if/when the LP mastering engineer adds his own, unique blend of spices to the mix, which is, admittedly, always a possibility, especially on the handful of titles that have been mastered by Ron McMaster at Capitol, but for the titles that are digitally mastered by "person x," I wouldn't spend much time holding my breath waiting for that revelatory release that we all always want UNLESS the HD version is revelatory, something that has yet to happen except, arguably, in the case of the remix of Sinatra and Swingin' Brass, and maybe on Watertown, according to some. (The Watertown LP strikes me as being very nice, FWIW.) I've bought almost all of the 2014/2015 LP releases, and not one of them surpasses the best copies that I already had. (That's NOT to say that some are not good on their own terms -- they are! They simply are not "the best" in my collection.) Swingin' Brass is great/cool/interesting in its own, unique way (as a remix, which creates an "apples to oranges" comparison -- and the new HD is less futzed-with than the new LP), and Watertown is probably the EQUAL of my original 1A pressing. For the rest, I really have to question why I blew my $$$ on them, but hey, I was curious! They help hold my shelving down, I guess.
Great post Matt! Does anyone know if the 6 CDs worth of material contained in the Hollywood box set is now under the "one roof"?
To each his/her own I guess I see why somebody would want a physical copy - and the artwork is very nice (in some cases available for the first time available in this form since more than sixty years). Yet I don't understand the reluctance towards HD downloads (not only by people who don't have the equipment to play them - but by others as well). If you create a sufficient number of backups, those will be with you your entire lifetime. Making backup copies of LPs and SACDs is not that easy (or in the case of LPs even impossible without some sort of loss). Perhaps this is the wrong thread for all this. Many thanks for your input, Matt
No and I guess it will never be. It contains material connected with all major studios in Hollywood (with the exception of Disney) and just some material that is now under the UMG umbrella. The Colpix catalog, for instance, is still with Warner's (unless that hasn't changed within the last few years). The sad thing is that Fox opted out to support this project - I guess they would have much better sources for the "Can-Can" tracks, the film version of "Three Coins In The Fountain" and even some material from "Carousel".
To be clear, too, I wasn't criticizing anything in your earlier post, but just pointing out that the Dell LPs really have no digital-format (CD or download) equivalent, and give a unique perspective -- often very nice to hear -- on the albums in the series.
I didn't see any criticism in your posting - just helpful information Neither have I intended any criticism - sorry, if one of my postings sounded harsh and it came through that way...
Now listed at Amazon.com, with global release date pushed back two weeks. These were all 1965 albums, and motivation for their reissue is the 50th anniversary. Press release at Sinatra Family Forum: —> Frank Sinatra Vinyl LP Releases November 20th US Amazon pre-order links: —> A Man and His Music (2-LP) —> September of My Years —> Sinatra '65
I love how the press release didn't mention any other UMG vinyl releases, save for Ultimate Sinatra. I have a copy of the Limited Edition version of A Man and His Music are home so I might skip that title? The again, a mint pressing would be nice.
Curiously (not attacking at all!), why do you assume the LP is mastered from the already-mastered HD version (and not the raw digital tape, which would make the chain essentially the same as the Dell series)?
Cool news but what a missed oppurtunity. FSE could have compiled a box set featuring a newly remastered CD AND LP along with the release of the original documentary filmed in 1965 featuring footage from the the SOMY sessions. Im not gonna buy any of these LPs since I have nice mono and stereo pressings of these already. Nothing new here.
The Kevin Gray version sounds fantastic to me. I have 4 versions of this LP. One is a white label promo I just found in a pile of "to be cleaned" LPs I need to get to. I will report on the sound of this promo in the appropriate thread after a clean and a listen.
Is there any reason to get this LP if one already has all the original albums the music came from? Or am I mistaken and there are unique songs on this?
Recorded specifically for this album were Reprise remakes of "I'll Never Smile Again," "Come Fly with Me," and "Love and Marriage." But the big reason for getting this is the narrative commentary by Sinatra.
That sounds interesting. I wonder if the originals of this used "tapes of tapes of tapes" like many compilations do, or if they used (at least close to) original tapes?
