Carole Bayer Sager's brilliant "Sometimes Late at Night," gets expanded CD reissue from Iconoclassic

TRACK LISTING

• 1. Prologue
• 2. I Won’t Break
• 3. Just Friends
• 4. Tell Her
• 5. Somebody’s Been Lying
• 6. On The Way To The Sky
• 7. You And Me (We Wanted It All)
• 8. Sometimes Late At Night
• 9. Wild Again
• 10. Easy To Love Again
• 11. Stronger Than Before
• 12. You Don’t Know Me
• 13. Reprise

BONUS TRACKS

• 14. Conversation with Carole and Burt, Part 1
• 15. Stronger Than Before (single version)
• 16. Conversation with Carole and Burt, Part 2
• 17. Easy To Love Again (single version)
• 18. Conversation with Carole and Burt, Part 3

Sometimes Late At Night - Iconoclassic Records

This is exciting news since this album is a masterpiece! The previous domestic CD had a horrible sound defect, and the subsequent Japanese disc corrected that. Still it's nice to have the bonus tracks included. While Carole whisper of a voice is an acquired taste, Burt's production really complemented it beautifully on this album.

Some additional information from The Second Disc:

Easy To Love Again: Carole Bayer Sager's "Sometimes Late at Night," with Burt Bacharach, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Returns from Iconoclassic - The Second Disc

 

I concur about the domestic and import disc sound quality. There is also a hi-res download available - but it is just up-sampled. While I love the flow of the album, it would have been awesome if all the tracks were available as stand-alone versions too. The b-sides ("Wild Again" and "Somebody's Been Lying") for starters.

Finally, the stand-alone single "Extravagant Gestures" would have been a welcome addition.

 

I had forgotten all about that song! Yes it would have been cool to include it...

At any rate, fingers crossed this version will finally do justice to this brilliant album.

 

Do you happen to know if there was ever a video made for "Stronger..." or for any of the songs from this album?

 

I don't know. I suspect that there would have been some talk show appearances, so there might have been some lip sync performances.

The promo information for this new release says that this is the first time that the master tape has been used as the source. This might be true, but the Japanese release sounds great - I doubt that they can improve on it.

The RKO CD release was terrible - a track might start out okay, but by the end it was a muffled mess. Like the tape was shedding and blocking the tape head.

 

I honestly don’t recall any promo appearances for this one. For some reason, I think she may have appeared on “Midnight Special” for either her first or second album.

Incidentally, the version of this album on YouTube that I played last night includes the sonic glitch from the domestic CD release.

I pulled out the Japanese CD and will listen to that today. I have the version in a jewel box but I seem to recall there was also a version in a Japanese paper sleeve — which I’m surprised I didn’t order!

 

Been waiting for a proper CD issue of this fine album for a long time.

A superb collection of sophisticated pop tunes.

 

There's no record of this, but I could swear I saw her appear live on television. Oh well, I must have imagined it LOL

 

I would say that we not only improve sound and master source but content. This release has a 24-page booklet with a bunch of rarely seen memorabilia, 5600-word liner notes drawing upon newly conducted interviews with Carole, Burt and Brooks Arthur (in perhaps his last major interview before his passing), the two single remixes that have never been on CD previously (also from masters), and Carole & Burt's original audio commentary from the promo interview LP. And it's been put together with a lot of love by all involved.

 

I had the RKO and currently have the Japanese (Victor?) releases. As I mentioned the Japanese one sounds pretty good.

Darn it - you are making me want this one too! Will order it tonight.

 

Can I ask, does the booklet include the lyrics included with the original LP?

Also, as noted in post #2 above, were the other bonus tracks considered?

Finally, thank you for bringing this back into print -- maybe it will inspire Carole to record again!

 

You're welcome. This has been a true labor of love and one of the more fun projects to oversee.

Yes, the lyrics are included, although in a smaller font than the liner notes.

In terms of other bonus tracks being considered, the banded version of the album that was released as a radio promo would have been mined for bonus tracks had those masters been located. However, that promo LP master was not found and I chose not to do needledrops for any of the musical content on this reissue.

I did have master sources for the two flipsides of the singles and considered integrating them into "The Carole Bayer Sager Radio Special with Burt Bacharach" portion of the disc, but ultimately felt it didn't work creatively. The single A-sides are integrated into the radio special, which has Carole and Burt setting up those tracks with their commentary.

 

Thanks for the insight and for your TLC with this project!

 

I'm looking forward to this reissue in just two weeks!

 

I ordered directly from Iconoclastic and it arrived on Thursday! Listening now and it's wonderful -- the interview with Burt and Carole is interesting and the booklet is lovely (thankfully the lyrics and album credits are included)!

 

OUT TOMORROW! Iconoclassic Reissues Carole Bayer Sager's Star-Studded "Sometimes Late at Night," Featuring Burt Bacharach, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, More - The Second Disc

 

Thanks for the heads up - I never thought my two items (japanese cd and the vintage piano/vocal songbook of the album) would win a new companion

 

Just got my copy yesterday and it sounds great. Very dynamic sounding as very little if any compression was used. This album is amazing.

 

I agree. Zero brickwalling.

I wasn't going to get this as I already have the Japanese Victor reissue - glad I got it.

 

I am genuinely curious how something this obviously wrong gets issued. Anyone in the business who would offer a serious explanation?

 

Yes and that is because of 2 things. One is that the record label did not ask for it to be loud and the other reason is because Vic Anesini at Sony remastered it. If the artist/record label doesn't want the CD to be super loud then Vic does a great job and uses no compression. I was able to really crank it up. What a great release with amazing remastering. A friend of mine sent me the files of the Japan reissue and I think it may be a bit louder then the new release but I'll have to play it to be sure.

 

Slightly OT but has anyone read CBS’s memoirs?

 

Yes, it was available at the local library. I also saw it a couple of months ago at a used bookstore - it was prominently displayed.

 

I wish this was as revered as his collaboration with Elvis Costello…

 

I saw the tour in Dallas
Solo sets and together with Symphony