The Isley Bros. , Darrell Banks and James Booker are all amazing. the Al Green, Otis and Aretha are sold out.
Wow the Errol Garner album is very good both sonically and artistically! Garner was only known to me through his most popular album, Concert by the Sea, but that was it, I had not heard anything else other than that and did not know what to expect. Magician was a big surprise, this is such a great jazz album!
Has anyone asked VMP if these are new mastering? I have a hard time believing they’re new because they're offering them in colored vinyl. Seems to be a draw for those who already have the Rhino releases, which are all excellent in my opinion. And, like others have said Without a Net is tough to find, so that’s a draw too.
Terrapin Station and Reckoning were not done by Rhino nor Chris Bellman when released on vinyl quite a few years ago. They were issued by Analogue Productions and very nicely mastered by Kevin Gray. So there is that. VMP explicitly states "The lacquers were cut by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, CA". So, yes those cut by Chris Bellman could be the same as the Rhino issues. But Live/Dead was released by MFSL (so not cut by Bellman), and cut by Ron McMaster at Capitol when issued by Rhino. That means 4 (Terrapin Station, Reckoning, Live/Dead and Without a Net) of the 8 albums have to be new masters - unless the VMP site has their information incorrect. We will definitely see.
Analog Planet on the Errol Garner release Mack Avenue Music Group & Octave Music Partner With Vinyl Me, Please For Errol Garner's Magician
Good call, forgot that some of these were AP or MFSL. Either way I’m probably skipping this one even though it will probably be a great set. Just too much money for a lot of albums I already have.
Wish this actually had his thoughts on the pressing. Looks like he just copy/pasted the press release.
Several of the Analogue Productions titles that were Sold Out are available again, including Pet Sounds and Someday My Prince Will Come... Analogue Productions
I went ahead and got the GD set. I don't have any newer reissues of these albums...and most of my original pressings have seen better days. I imagine that Chris Bellman will do great work with the original masters.
But at the same time somebody at some point has paid 50% for a US press based on sales history over at Discogs. Plus you got to factor shipping and import tax into the other prices. And let's not get started on questionable grading by a number of sellers over there. But yes, if you can source local via Discogs you are not wrong.
Just bought the dead box...yes, have it all in multiple formats already (save for without a net vinyl)...intrigued by it being AAA and hopefully newly cut. Do not have high hopes, skeptical for some reason, but with the 50 buck code and 215 bucks in visa cash back points it came to $233 out of pocket....so rolling the dice.....
Albert King’s “ Blues for Elvis - King Does the King's Things“ is apparently the next Classics release.
It a quite good quiet pressing, and sonics impress as well. I’ve only listened to it once, might give it another spin today. Since I joined when they released Fiona Apple’s Tidal, all of the records have been perfect or nearly so with the exception of Feist’s Let I Die. The copy I received had non-fill issues as did a replacement they sent me. Not a bad track record for VMP.
Scratching my head on the Erroll Garner. I like him and his stuff but there are 33 copies of the 1974 pressing for sale on discogs in very good condition from $1.10. Are you guys really paying 30 bucks for this?!
I think it’s a fantastic VMP ROTM, but I’m not familiar with the original. If it smokes for $1, then it’s a no brainer. The VMP is a flawless pressing, really well mastered, and the booklet is a great accompaniment. YMMV