This is how I felt (and still feel). I've avoided posting my reactions about this news (until now) so as to avoid saying something stupid. No MFSL Wee Small Hours makes me want to vomit.
Yes. I do. The UMe one is especially bad for making simplicity look boring. Like some sort of element on the Periodic Table. Umanganese? And the Signature Sinatra is all corporate-y and overly busy. They really stick out like a sore thumb next to the glorious Capitol Records logo.
I am afraid the run-up to Sinatra at 100 will be like Ellington's 100 anniversery in 1999, rather dissapointing on the remaster and release front. At least with Charlie Parker at 75, Verve had the decency to release a lot Bird's 10" and Norman Granz stuff on CD. I think there's a definite cause to release the Capitol albums on superior CD format, be it XRCD or SHM, BluSpec or what have you. I've the Sinatra Society of Japan SHM-CDs of the Reprise catalogue and these are superb sounding.
They sound exactly the same as the non-SHM versions issued in Europe by UMG, and those are for the most part identical to the Warner/Reprise CD issues from the 1990s. Only one of those discs is any different sounding than what was previously released. Not new or special, except for the mini LP cardboard sleeves (which are the only thing the Sinatra Society contributed).
Word to those in charge at Mobile Fidelity, if you're still following our discussion ..., I am now ready for those last two SACD's, anytime you feel like sending them my way!
I only have the Reprise albums on the SHM CD's, so I can't compare with previous CD releases. In any event, I am always a sucker for CDs released with sleeves replicating the original album releases.
I have them all, and I've compared them digitally. The Japanese issues are the same as previous CDs dating way back. The only one which was a different remaster (in both Japan and Europe) was SHE SHOT ME DOWN. They did do a nice job on the sleeves: Very accurate reproductions, except for removal of the Reprise logos.
The cancellation of the WSHs SACD was a CRUSHING blow. I will be hoping and praying that FSE does something special for the album's 60th anniversary. NOTE TO ALL 'In the Wee Small Hours' fans: Siriusly Sinatra plays the DRY tracks from this album and they sound great. I have heard a number of them on that station. This bodes very well.
I was really excited about a acquiring a gorgeous set of MOFI mini-lps, of the Capitol albums. A family heirloom. A set that I could "tap out on" and rest in peace with, so to speak. But looks like we'll all have just a few odds and ends. That said... it's been damn near a generation since "the Norbergs." Maybe not a generation, but it's been a long freakin' time (especially since they weren't "done right"). So I can "understand" (am I using too many quotes?) a label's desire to "do it right." Whether that happens or not is the question. The MFSLs -- in every aspect -- we're such a joy. And to cancel them -- for any reason -- was such a disservice to the MFSL/Sinatra fanbase. People who care about this music, more than any other. I believe that.
Today is Friday release day in Europe for the new "Signature Sinatra" valentine comp from UMe: SINATRA, WITH LOVE. Street date will be next Monday/Tuesday in the UK/US, but the MP3 track length and sample clip at Amazon Germany suggest this is the first-time official release of the "My Foolish Heart" alt take.
While I feel your pain and agree that Wee Small and other titles not coming out on mfsl is very disappointing; I think SFSL and ASA are a bit more than just "odds and ends".
I realize it's likely there to throw a bone to the collectors, though this doesn't seem to me to be the place to release a take like that.
I just meant "odds and ends" as in terms of a collector's desire for uniformity and completeness of his "collection." Maybe "Bit n' Pieces" would have been better. I'm trying to get myself excited for the remaining two SACDs. They're two of the most essential of these essential recordings, with ASA being my absolute most-favorite of all of Sinatra's Capitols. But, it's frustrating to have "a collection" of Sinatra MFSL SACDs, with two utterly essential ones: Wee Small, Come Fly With Me being lost. It's hard to say if they would have ever gotten around to others... Song for Young Lovers/Swing Easy (probably my second fav) Close To You A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra Come Dance With Me Come Swing With Me ... So close. Yet, so far.
I know these where never promised, but I took the liberty to make some MFSL covers... am I taking this too hard?
I've heard about those. What's the story on their mastering? Sources used? I think one of the big things for me, aside from the great sound, original mixes, and hi-res SACD -- was the collect-ability of the MFSL. Those fantastic, little mini-LPs.
Way off topic in left field, but does anyone else feel like the MFSL Ugly Bar across the top has run its course and they should use a the script MoFi logo instead?
Yes, part of a box set: Frank Sinatra-The Capitol Years 21 Disc UK Box Set Sinatra: The Capitol Years, 21-CD Box Set at Amazon UK: STEAL OF A DEAL! (Sorry, but the "steal of a deal" in that last thread is long gone.)
I like it the way it is, and that they've kept that tradition, especially the way they've been presenting it on discs now (vs the old days when they shrunk down the actual artwork, repeated the banner, etc.), and LPs still.
For CD/SACD, right? (LP never did that shrink-down thing, except for rare cases where important artwork details would be lost, i.e., Revolver.) It's amazing to me how, for instance, the artwork for Way Out West, Heavenly, and many other great albums got shrunk down form 12" across to 2.5" across, with later titles being a little larger, 2-7/8" and 3-5/8", as pictured, with the recent releases like Point of No Return being 5.25" across. Those 2.5" titles? That's about 1/23rd the size of the original LP cover, and about 1/4th the size of typical CD artwork. (Odd little tidbit about Heavenly: The disc pictured, from my collection, is the original MFSL release from, I think, about 1987 or so. That title went out of print for a few years, then re-emerged, still on aluminum MFSL CD, in the 1990s, with a larger cover reproduction, and the modern Columbia walking-eye logo, as opposed to the old "Columbia Guaranteed High Fidelity" logo that's on the 1980s edition.) Here's the later incarnation:
