Another Beatles release coming
Over on Abbeyrd's Beatles Page, Steve reports that the Capitol Albums Vol. 2 box set is coming out in April. It will feature stereo and mono versions of The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, the Help! soundtrack and the US configuration of Rubber Soul.
For those of you who might not know, Capitol in the US issued different albums that the standard UK catalogue (pre-Sgt. Pepper, that is), usually with fewer songs. They also did some remixing that affected the overall sound of the songs. When the first Beatles CDs came out in 1987, EMI standardized the worldwide catalogue using the British releases. (Well they used a US release in one case - Magical Mystery Tour. Well, not quite. They didn't issue Penny Lane in fake stereo like on the US vinyl. The CD has a true stereo mix. It's complicated!)
On the first four CDs, there are only mono releases. And all of the releases are limited by the digital remastering technology of the mid-80s. Hardcore fans have been pressing for more up-to-date remasters ever since. There have been some releases like Yellow Submarine Soundtrack and Let It Be ... Naked, for example, but the standard catalogue is still unremastered.
So while I'm happy to see Capitol Albums Vol. 2, I would make these higher priorities:
For those of you who might not know, Capitol in the US issued different albums that the standard UK catalogue (pre-Sgt. Pepper, that is), usually with fewer songs. They also did some remixing that affected the overall sound of the songs. When the first Beatles CDs came out in 1987, EMI standardized the worldwide catalogue using the British releases. (Well they used a US release in one case - Magical Mystery Tour. Well, not quite. They didn't issue Penny Lane in fake stereo like on the US vinyl. The CD has a true stereo mix. It's complicated!)
On the first four CDs, there are only mono releases. And all of the releases are limited by the digital remastering technology of the mid-80s. Hardcore fans have been pressing for more up-to-date remasters ever since. There have been some releases like Yellow Submarine Soundtrack and Let It Be ... Naked, for example, but the standard catalogue is still unremastered.
So while I'm happy to see Capitol Albums Vol. 2, I would make these higher priorities:
- Proper remasters of the standard catalogue
- Let It Be on DVD - with tons of bonus footage
- Live At The Hollywood Bowl, Live At Shea Stadium etc.
- New DVD releases of Help and Magical Mystery Tour
posted by droppingpin at 8:36 PM
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