SH Spotlight Nat King Cole "LOVE IS THE THING" (1956) in new multi-channel SACD & 45 RPM LP from Analogue Prods.

I just got this today from Amazon. Holy. Frigging. Crapsticks. This may literally be the best sounding vocal I've ever heard. I mean, it's like he's RIGHT THERE. WHAT IS THIS SORCERY?!?!?!

Seriously, this is about $27 at Amazon right now. There's no reason not to buy it. Bring your lunch to work for a week or two. Buy a few less coffees this month.

Now, when do we get some Sinatra?

 

Ha! I agree completely. My favorite cuts: The multi-channel mix of "Stardust" and the mono mix of "When I Fall In Love."

 

Not in stock

 

You can still order things from Amazon when they're OOS. LITT is actually in stock right now.

 

Just got my copy last night and sat down for a listen.

I can review issue in one word: Breathtaking.

 

LITT is still out of stock at Amazon. What's going on?

 

I got mine directly from Acoustic Sounds and had it in a few days. Worth the extra few bucks to get it shipped quickly and incredibly well packed, IMO. I've received CD's from Amazon that were so badly shaken and beaten that the spindle prongs were all broken off and case was busted.

 

Different takes of "I Thought About Marie" - Stereo vs. Mono

While riding home from work today, I was listening to this album. I was jumping around and settled on "I Thought About Marie" in stereo. Immediately after the song completed, I jumped to the mono version. After a short listen, it jumped out at me that these are actually two different takes. It caught me by surprise at first, but if you listen, you'll can hear it clearly. Nat's phrasing is different in the below two examples. I'm sure there are other differences throughout the song, too. Those two are what I quickly picked up on in the car. Now I'm wondering if there are any other stereo tracks that are different from the mono. Hmm....

0:47 - "but as I look back upon it from a distance"
2:20 - "and I told her I would see her when"

 

Nat Cole and Gordon Jenkins on this album are like coffee & cream. Better even than the Sinatra/Jenkins pairings, IMO.

One of these new editions is surely worth shelling out for.

 

Interesting! I'll have to check this out.

 

Awesome info, Steve. I do recall that 16300 and 16301 were not recorded in stereo due to faulty equipment, but I didn't know the reason was no vocal channel. That's extremely interesting. I wonder if that malfunctioning stereo machine had anything to do with that dropout at 2:40 on the stereo version. That thing drives me insane. Apileocole will need to update his site to reflect the difference between mono/stereo as he has only 16302-8 noted for that session.

Are there any other differences between mono and stereo takes that you recall?

 

Again, thanks. It's info like this that helps you be one step closer to being if you know what I mean.

 

That should read being there, even though, certainly, this gentleman's artistry has become part of my every day.

I know the feeling. No one I know understands why I have over 110 Nat Cole CDs. When my wife tells our friends that I put together my media room with the purpose of having a quiet place to listen to Nat Cole, I get very strange looks. I'm very thankful for this board. I don't know of any other place that Cole fans can get together to discuss this stuff and the amount of information shared is a real delight.

 

Steve's new mastering of Love Is The Thing is the first Nat King Cole album I ever bought - not counting The Christmas Album. Everything else had been comps. I chose it because I recognized most of the song titles (and because of Steve's great story about buying it all those years ago in a bargain bin - and passing on the "Kung Fu Fighting" 45!)

Reading Steve's (& others) descriptions about how Capitol recorded stereo vs. how they did mono was one thing - but hearing the difference - on this CD - with my own ears for the first time was a real eye-opener! (or ear-opener...)

I have an original CD of The Nat King Cole Story and will most likely replace it with the new one at some point. But I'm not sure what else to get. (I probably won't be able to dedicate the $$ to get them all....)

Dexter

 

Dexter, I would definitely try to get all the SACD's that Steve remastered. They probably won't be around too long and once they're gone, they're gone. After Midnight is an incredible album. My vote would be to pick that one up next. Apart from those, you can pick up many regular Capitol CDs on Amazon or ebay quite inexpensively, maybe only a few bucks each depending upon the title.

 

I am also digging the new SACDs, and find the stories behind the different mixes and different takes fascinating.

By the way, after a quick count along my shelves I came up with 126 NKC CDs, so you're definitely not alone.

(Not that I would go out of my way to mention that number to my wife, mind you.)

 

Way to go, coleman

 

Thanks for including this little snippet, Steve. It always makes me smile.

Tom

 

In my opinion Nat "King' Cole - The Greatest Hits DCC GZS 1127 sound superb. Anyway, sound remastered by Steve Hoffman. Superb.

 

Don't know about anybody else but I find this stuff fascinating. Thanks Steve. Don't stop telling us stuff like this because you think no one cares.