Beatles' White 50th Anniversary, details emerging
Posted by: Kevin-W on 21 September 2018
Rumour is - out 9th November.
4LP set: 2-LP stereo remix of the album by Giles Martin, akin to his treatment of Pepper last year; plus two futher LPs of Esher demos.
3-CD set: as above.
6-CD deluxe set: as above, plus a further three CDs of jams, outtakes, demos etc. 50 or so tracks in all. But 'Carnival of Light' or the 27-minute 'Helter Skelter' aren't included.
But there will a blu-ray with 24/96 stereo AND mono versions of the album, as well as a new 5.1 mix by Martin fils.
Nick, that sounds good. I’ve bought the same. The super deluxe for three albums of tracks I’d rarely play is three times the price, so the deluxe seems the sensible option for me. It’s quite hard to find on the Qobuz site if you just enter ‘the beatles’ as it’s buried on about the fourth page.
It's crackers, isn't it? I nearly bought from HDTracks because I couldn't see it at first.
This video from the Fabs' official YouTube channel is well worth a look if you have an hour to spare:
The Super Deluxe download is £110 on Qobuz and HDTracks but 'only' £51 on Highresaudio. I guess not that bad for 110 tracks and nearly 5.5hrs of listening.
I bought the 4 LP version and have been really surprised at how good the Esher demos are - Back in the USSR unplugged - what’s not to like? The remix of the main album - so far is really good - perhaps not as obviously different as Sgt Pepper - which I really liked.
Jatr
I’ve listened to the whole original album* for the first time in ages, and it’s everything I hooked it’d be sonically, though I’d also agree with Jatr that it doesn’t astonish quite like Pepper did.
It was also one of those rare moments with an old classic album when one can step outside the baked-in familiarity of 50 years and appreciate it with something approaching objectivity. The song writing is amazing (on the whole, see below), especially when considered alongside everything else they were writing in those few years.
*OK, OK, so I skipped Ob-la-di which is as much an abomination as it was on release.
I’ve really enjoyed the new mix, sounds rather wonderful via the core (though I cannot seem to rip all of the extra cds for some reason). Thankfully, the Esher Sessions do rip and are rather revalutary, highly recommended to all.
On August 12 1845, in Bonn, a three-days festival was organized by Hector Berlioz and Ferenc Liszt to unveil a monument of Beethoven built to commemorate 75 years from his death. Chronicles speak of all sort of events, including not only concerts but happy meetings with food, drinks, like a German Beethoven Woodstock. In some Gasthöfen, they say, dinner plates had been decorated with Beethoven's face. A Beethoven Hall was built for the occasion, and an orchestra assembled with the best players from all over the area. More than 3000 people arrived and it was a hard time organizing accommodation for all.
Now only a monument remains, of which we have no need because everyone knows who Beethoven is, and which is nothing else than a prove of the perennial wish to erect simulacrums, celebrate and consign to history what usually enters in history by itself, if it has legs to walk into it. The rest is paraphernalia, money-making and the Giles Martin of the day, working hard to make us finally hear a tiny residual twang of a guitar string after a solo, which we had lost 50 years ago, being too busy being happy to notice it.
On iPad via Qobuz but it sounds a great mix to me. The White album seemed to me to sound like they recorded Ringo’s drums from a corrugated shed attached to the studio, thankfully this mix seems to bring the drum sound to normality.
Can someone who has the box set confirm if on the Esher sessions it is double tracking or harmony I’m predominantly hearing?
.sjb
Massimo Bertola posted:On August 12 1845, in Bonn, a three-days festival was organized by Hector Berlioz and Ferenc Liszt to unveil a monument of Beethoven built to commemorate 75 years from his death. Chronicles speak of all sort of events, including not only concerts but happy meetings with food, drinks, like a German Beethoven Woodstock. In some Gasthöfen, they say, dinner plates had been decorated with Beethoven's face. A Beethoven Hall was built for the occasion, and an orchestra assembled with the best players from all over the area. More than 3000 people arrived and it was a hard time organizing accommodation for all.
Now only a monument remains, of which we have no need because everyone knows who Beethoven is, and which is nothing else than a prove of the perennial wish to erect simulacrums, celebrate and consign to history what usually enters in history by itself, if it has legs to walk into it. The rest is paraphernalia, money-making and the Giles Martin of the day, working hard to make us finally hear a tiny residual twang of a guitar string after a solo, which we had lost 50 years ago, being too busy being happy to notice it.
Are these the lyrics to Revolution No 9 ?
Eldorado
Nick Lees posted:I’ve listened to the whole original album* for the first time in ages, and it’s everything I hooked it’d be sonically, though I’d also agree with Jatr that it doesn’t astonish quite like Pepper did.
It was also one of those rare moments with an old classic album when one can step outside the baked-in familiarity of 50 years and appreciate it with something approaching objectivity. The song writing is amazing (on the whole, see below), especially when considered alongside everything else they were writing in those few years.
*OK, OK, so I skipped Ob-la-di which is as much an abomination as it was on release.
Whenever I play The White Album, Nick, I have to hear it from beginning to end: no skipping anything, not even rubbish like "Ob-la-di" or George's creepy, overly literal and sour "Piggies". For me, it can only exist as a 94-minute entity, listened to as a whole.
On another note, has anyone heard the 5.1 mix on the blu-ray in the super deluxe set? "Revolution 9" is supposed to sound absolutely incredible.
Two beautifully-written and perceptive reviews, the first from Variety, the second from The New Yorker, both of which are worth reading:
Thanks for the links, Kevin. Well written reviews, as you say, but of totally opposed views on the necessity of getting the alternate takes etc on the big box (I’m regarding the Esther demos as essential). I’m trying to decide but it may be that the super deluxe is worth it for the book - any thoughts on that?
clive
Incredible good...dear prudence (esher) on nd555....buy this album and be happy ????
I'm still waiting for my copy. I ordered it along with the Kate Bush reissues and some others, but I fear it may be held back to ship all together, so I'll just have to be patient.
....bought it from Qobuz....
I have the deluxe box set, after wondering about the vinyl box. I wasn’t particularly concerned about the remix which seems unnecessary to me, so I paid £124 for the CD set rather than £89 for the 4 LPs. This has given me the remix, the Esher demos, the alternate takes, etc and the proper book, rather than the fold out sheet that comes with the LPs. So far I have listened to the demos and the remix. I have never heard the bootlegs of the demos but they sound fantastic and most reviewers who have heard the bootleg version say that the improvement in SQ is startling. The remix, which I just played through without close attention, presents the familiar in a strange way. There are odd bits of instrumentation or vocals that jump out unexpectedly, and there is more lower end generally - ie bass and drums, I suppose. In general it sounds to me more consistent as a sound across the record and I’m not sure that is necessarily desirable. Anyhow, it will be the outtakes, etc that come next. The book is substantial and has some interesting writing and photos, though I haven’t yet read it all.
Woke up to the deluxe version as a present this morning. Unitiserve won’t rip any of the CDs. Checked other cds and it’s functioning ok. Gutted, don’t know what to do to make it work. Any ideas?
Kevin-W posted:Nick Lees posted:I’ve listened to the whole original album* for the first time in ages, and it’s everything I hooked it’d be sonically, though I’d also agree with Jatr that it doesn’t astonish quite like Pepper did.
It was also one of those rare moments with an old classic album when one can step outside the baked-in familiarity of 50 years and appreciate it with something approaching objectivity. The song writing is amazing (on the whole, see below), especially when considered alongside everything else they were writing in those few years.
*OK, OK, so I skipped Ob-la-di which is as much an abomination as it was on release.
Whenever I play The White Album, Nick, I have to hear it from beginning to end: no skipping anything, not even rubbish like "Ob-la-di" or George's creepy, overly literal and sour "Piggies". For me, it can only exist as a 94-minute entity, listened to as a whole.
On another note, has anyone heard the 5.1 mix on the blu-ray in the super deluxe set? "Revolution 9" is supposed to sound absolutely incredible.
Is there any point to listening to the 5.1 mix on a 2-channel hi fi? I've assumed that the answer is "no."
Kaizen posted:Woke up to the deluxe version as a present this morning. Unitiserve won’t rip any of the CDs. Checked other cds and it’s functioning ok. Gutted, don’t know what to do to make it work. Any ideas?
Do what I did when I owned a UServe and discs wouldn't want to rip -- rip on a computer and add to your Downloads folder. I hope that you get it sorted!
upgrade to the UnitiCore. :-)
I’m currently listening to the Esher Demos on vinyl LP. Very good..
The Esher Demo of While my Guitar Gently weeps is fab!
Richard Dane posted:The Esher Demo of While my Guitar Gently weeps is fab!
It’ feels special, brought a tear to my eye this Xmas, one of my pressies