Norah Jones Feels Like Home hi rez!

From musictap:

Since I've been on vacation, this piece of news came in so I'm sure it's widely known. But, just in case it isn't widely known and for the benefit of those who haven't heard, it is reported that Blue Note Records will be issuing simultaneous releases of Feels Like Home by Norah Jones in both DVD-Audio and SA-CD formats. This is an early announcement so the discs are expected in 2005, February 1 for now.

Geez.......Feb 05? Talk about a wasted opportunity. I would have snapped up the SACD had it been released back when the cd came out. hope I'm still interested next year!

 

Thanks for the info.! I never picked up the CD, so I may just wait for the hi-rez releases. I'm glad to see that a DVD-Audio release is planned. My SACD of Come Away With Me developed spindle cracks (Crest).

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Well it's about time. DVD-A too? That's interesting.

I agree with those who think the SACD should be out already. Could be the "Fox" thing again - Isn't that cleared up by now. I think it's pretty well accepted that most buyers are willing to pay an extra buck or two for the "extra" tracks.....

 

I recall a thread which stated that Blue Note had no plans to release Feels Like Home on SACD due to disappointing sales of the Come Away With Me SACD. Glad to see they've done an about face!

 

Im glad to hear about this one. I liked the first album (SACD) so much it was a no brainer to get the second but I decided to wait for the sacd because I figured there would be one.

 

Cool! Especially cool that they are taking the fan-friendly approach and supporting both formats.

 

They are rereleasing Feels Like Home with 4 bonus tracks and/or a bonus dvd tomorrow (9/21). Why dont they just release the sacd now, with the bonus tracks. How many times do they expect me to buy this album?

 

I bought the vinyl and have been holding off for the SACD since day one...

 

Cmon.....how many copies of Revolver from around the world do you have?

Seriously, it does seem silly.

 

I think this was an unconfirmed rumor if I recall.

Anyhow I am very glad to see both hirez versions coming out. This is a good album and deserves hirez treatment.

 

Quote:
I recall a thread which stated that Blue Note had no plans to release Feels Like Home on SACD due to disappointing sales of the Come Away With Me SACD.
I was the one who posted that on this board after I got an email from someone who works from Blue Note when I asked about FLH on SACD.Well,good to see they changed their minds-better late than never I guess

 

Actually, according to first-hand accounts here and at HTF, at least two different employees of Blue Note said that CAWM sold poorly and that dampened their SACD plans. So I don't think it's fair to call it an unconfirmed rumor.

Perhaps someone is underwriting these new discs. Perhaps they are benefiting from more affordable mastering solutions like the new ProTools console that can convert to SACD. Perhaps they are leveraging better economies of scale by supporting both high-res digital formats (spreading the cost of remixing across more total copies sold). Maybe they've had a change in bean counters. Who knows what is going on, but it doesn't automatically nullify Blue Note's past statements.

 

Well I meant unconfirmed in the sense that Blue Note never issued a press release or something official (to my knowledge) that sales were down and/or pulling the plug on hirez as a result.

In any event at least they seem to have changed their minds and that's great news.

My hope is that this album will sell well enough to keep enlarging the base of consumers for hirez so it becomes more and more economical for labels to put out more titles or at least consider more readily titles that may appeal to this hirez crowd...wouldn't you want to hear the Rudy Van Gelder editions from analog tape straight into DSD or 24/96 PCM? I would.

 

Maybe the DVD-A will actually be DualDisc, and they decided that this would be a good title to get their feet wet with the new format. And after mixing to 5.1, why not release an SACD as well? Who knows. I'm just glad we are getting the releases, and that everybody here regardless of format preference will get something.

 

Me too. I would also welcome the video that they might have of Norah for the DualDisc.

 

Me Three!!!

-------------------------------
:-jon

"Dogs and cats, living together, mass hysteria!"

 

Ditto here.

Just one thing. I would love to see them do a better job with the 5.1 mix this time. Although I've played the Come Away With Me SACD's 5.1 mix many times I just don't quite like it. I find it lacking in clear instrument location (just compare, differences notwithstanding, with Beck's 5.1 "Sea Change" mix or, for that matter, Graham Nash's "Songs For Survivors") and the mix seems sloppy to me. For example, on "Feelin' The Same Way" around 20 seconds into the song one of the drum brush strokes seems to 'escape' back to the right surround for one single hit. Since I noticed that it pops out like a sore thumb every time I hear the song and I seem to remember it is not the only time this happens in it. Sometimes I've asked myself if they did one of those 'automated' surround mixes on it.

Apart from that, the songs and Norah's performance are nice. I just wish they had done the album a little bit more justice in the 5.1 department.

 

I agree. Very "safe" 5.1 mix. Not really a lot going on.

 

Great. By that time, precious few will want more copies of Feels Like Home and there will be poor sales, just like the previous NJ SACD. The powers that be at Blue Note will take the poor sales of the SACD as proof that they shouldn't be involved with the format, and the whole sorry state of affairs will repeat for Norah Jones' third album.

Meanwhile, the Blue Note catalog, hundreds of the most droolworthy, SACD-worthy titles ever recorded, is not being done right.

 

Perhaps these titles will be released if this album sells well.

 

Just thinking out loud: If you mix a good album in 5.1 and publish it in hi-rez and it doesn't sell I can understand the label's perspective. If you do a less than dignified job of it and it doesn't catch on, how can they tell if the reason is the mix or the mastering (or both) instead of lack of market interest (i.e.: sales)? All the aforementioned positive qualities (as is the case with NJ's first album), but a lackluster mix and/or mastering and you'll never be able to tell the cause of flat sales.

The Norah Jones SA-CD is, to me, an example of letting a good opportunity for promoting hi-rez go unheeded. Than again, the CD sold so many copies that if the SA-CD came too late (I don't know when the SA-CD came out) many would not have felt the need to purchase it again.

Pair up any compelling artist/album and good 5.1, stereo, hi-rez rendition of it and - I believe - it has the potential giving the whole hi- cause some much needed momentum. Not to mention, making many fans happier. And, if it's a day-date hi-rez, all the merrier.

 

That's the problem. BN seems to be writing off SACD releases based on sales of SACDs that come on the heels of long-awaited CD versions. Everone buys that. Then comes the SACD. They're doing it again with Nora's second album, assuming the original post is accurate. Last I heard, BN was quitting the SACD game.

If BN released hybrid CD/SACD single-inventory item on the initial release date, this wouldn't be an issue. That's how you get SACDs to sell.

 

I'm only going by what i read on musictap....anything can change.

 

According to musictap:

Feels Like Home by Norah Jones in both DVD-A and SACD formats are rescheduled for February 15 from their February 1 date