UMe Announces Fall Release Schedule, Plunges Into Vinyl 33 1/3 Speed Ahead

September 9th's scheduled "Back to Mono" Beatles box is far from Universal Music Enterprises' only late summer vinyl venture. UMe today announced an ambitious vinyl release schedule for September and October.

August 12th

Johnny Cash – The Legend Of Johnny Cash (2LP)

August 19th

Cream – Best Of Cream, Limited Edition (LP)
Eels – Beautiful Freak, Limited Edition (LP)
Eric Clapton – Time Pieces: The Best Of Eric Clapton, Limited Edition (LP)
The Human League – The Dare!, Limited Edition (2LP)
Japan – Tin Drum, Limited Edition (LP)
John Lennon – Shaved Fish, Limited Edition (LP)
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers – A Sense Of Place, Limited Edition (LP)
KISS – Music From The Elder (LP)
KISS – Rock And Roll Over (LP)
Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns, Limited Edition (2LP)
Stereo MC’s – Connected, Limited Edition (LP)
The Temptations – Cloud Nine, Limited Edition (LP)

August 25th

Bud Powell – The Amazing Bud Powell (2LP)
Frankie Knuckles – Beyond The Mix (LP)
Frankie Knuckles – Welcome To The Real World (LP)
Herbie Hancock – Speak Like A Child (LP)
Lou Donaldson – Lush Life (LP)
Terence Blanchard – Flow (LP)
Thelonious Monk – Genius Of Modern Music Vol. 2 (10”Reissue)
Wayne Shorter – Juju (LP)

AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER

September 2nd

ABBA – Gold (2LP)
Elton John – The Very Best Of Elton John (2LP)
Gary Moore – Ballads: Blues 1982-1994, Limited Edition (LP)
KISS – Crazy Nights (LP)
Leon Russell – Life Journey (LP)
LL Cool J – Bigger And Deffer (LP)
Minnie Riperton – Les Fleurs, Limited Edition (2LP)

September 9th

The Beatles – The Beatles in Mono (14LP Box)
The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Beatles For Sale (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Help! (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Mono Masters (Mono 3LP)
The Beatles – Please Please Me (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Revolver (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Rubber Soul (Mono LP)
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Mono LP)
The Beatles – The Beatles (Mono 2LP)
The Beatles – With The Beatles (Mono LP)
KISS – Ace Frehley (LP)
KISS – Alive – The Millennium Concert (LP)
KISS – Gene Simmons (LP)
KISS – Paul Stanley (LP)
KISS – Peter Criss (LP)
Method Man – Tical (LP)
Various Artists – Ghostbusters II (LP)

September 16th

The Beach Boys – 20/20 (LP)
The Beach Boys – Beach Boys Concert (LP)
The Beach Boys – Friends (LP)
The Beach Boys – Live In London (LP) The Beach Boys – Love You (LP)
The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys In Concert (2LP)
Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (LP)
Gang Starr – Daily Operation (LP)
James Brown – GET ON UP: The James Brown Story, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (LP)
Talib Kweli – Quality (LP)
Talib Kweli – Reflection Eternal (LP)
Talib Kweli – The Beautiful Struggle (LP)

September 23rd

ABC – The Lexicon Of Love (LP)
Black Uhuru – Red (LP)
Burning Spear – Marcus Garvey (LP)
Dexys Midnight Runners – Too Rye Ay (LP)
Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst (2LP)
KISS – Alive II (2LP)
KISS – Alive III (2LP)
KISS – Creatures Of The Night (LP)
Michael Prophet – Serious Reasoning (LP)
Rico – Wareika Dub (LP)
The Smashing Pumpkins – Adore (CD/2LP/6CD+1DVD)
Soft Cell – Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (LP)
Steele Pulse – Handsworth Revolution (LP)
Tears For Fears – The Hurting (LP)
The Mighty Diamonds – Ice On Fire (LP)
The Paragons – The Paragons (LP)
Third World – Journey To Addis (LP)
Various Artists – Reggae Bloodlines (LP)
YabbyU – Jah Jah Way (LP)

September 30th

ABBA – Live At Wembley (3LP)
Bing Crosby – Merry Christmas (LP)
Burl Ives – Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (LP)
The Chipmunks – Christmas With The Chipmunks (LP)
Dianne Reeves – I Remember (LP)
Ella Fitzgerald – Wishes You A Swinging Christmas (LP)
Frank Zappa – Apostrophe(‘) (LP)
Freddie Hubbard – Ready For Freddie (LP)
The Jackson 5 – The Christmas Album (LP)
James Brown – 20 All-time Greatest Hits (2LP)
James Brown – In The Jungle Groove (2LP)
James Brown – Soulful Christmas (LP)
James Brown – The Payback (2LP)
The Jayhawks – The Hollywood Town Hall (LP)
The Jayhawks – Rainy Day Music (2LP)
The Jayhawks – Smile (2LP)
The Jayhawks – Sound Of Lies (2LP)
The Jayhawks – Tomorrow The Green Grass (LP)
Kenny Drew – Undercurrent (LP)
Milt Jackson – Wizard Of The Vibes (10”)
Monty Python – Monty Python’s Total Rubbish! – The Complete Collection (LP Box)
Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (LP)
Sonny Clark – Cool Struttin’ (LP)
Stanley Turrentine – That’s Where It’s At (LP)
Various Artists – Ultra Lounge: Christmas Cocktails (2LP)
Various Artists – Ultra Lounge: Christmas Cocktails Vol. 2 (2LP)

AVAILABLE OCTOBER

October 7th

Frank Sinatra – Come Fly With Me (LP)
Frank Sinatra – In The Wee Small Hours (LP)
Frank Sinatra – Moonlight Sinatra (LP)
Frank Sinatra – Sinatra and Swingin’ Brass (LP)
Frank Sinatra – This Is Sinatra! (LP)
Nelson Riddle – Batman, Exclusive Original Television Soundtrack Album (LP)
Underworld – Dubnobasswithmyheadman (2LP)

October 14th

Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet (LP)

October 28th

The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album (mono LP)
Brian Blade Fellowship – Perceptual (2LP)
Hank Mobley – No Room For Squares (LP)
Silver, Horace And The Jazz Messengers - Silver, Horace And The Jazz Messengers (LP)
The Three Sounds – Out Of This World (LP)
Thelonious Monk – Genius Of Modern Music Volume One (LP)
Warren G – Regulate… G Funk Era (20th Anniversary (2LP)
The Who - Who Hits 50! (LP)

It's really not hyperbole to use the word "astonishing" to describe this release schedule. The volume alone is amazing but more so is the musical eclecticism. There's something (too much!) for every vinyl fan from Kiss to Sinatra, to James Brown, to Bing Crosby to Ella Fitzgerald, Public Enemy and Frank Sinatra.

Mixed in are more of the $20 Blue Note reissue series and of course The Beatles mono box and individual albums.

Sources, mastering engineers and pressing plant information would be helpful and as these are issued analogplanet will attempt to ascertain all of it as well as review at least a few of the many titles. We're hoping many have been cut from analog tape or at least high resolution digital sources. But looking at the number of releases makes obvious why URP Nashville is busy doubling its pressing capacity.—which is not to say these will all be pressed at URP. A release of this size has surely been apportioned among a variety of mastering and pressing facilities worldwide.

COMMENTS
Tony Perez's picture

Vinyl's back, baby! Let's just hope quality doesn't take a back seat to quantity in this "stamp"-ede. A sudden rush of poor quality releases could do irreparable harm to the vinyl resurgence.

It'll be interesting to see what the other major music labels will be doing this fall. I'm looking forward to a vinyl holiday season!

Michael Fremer's picture
Start Saving now!
BliggigtyBlah's picture

Not a lot (if any) of reviews for hip-hop titles on your site, Michael. Any chance you will be spinning any of the titles above? Public Enemy and Black Starr are more than decent albums, even for those that dislike the genre.

Michael Fremer's picture
I have an original "Fear of a Black Planet" so can't see buying another one, but if UMe sends promo I will review it.
Tullman's picture

"Sources, mastering engineers and pressing plant information would be helpful and as these are issued analogplanet will attempt to ascertain all of it as well as review at least a few of the many titles. We're hoping many have been cut from analog tape or at least high resolution digital sources."

I will need more information before I pay for anything other than The Beatles.

feinstei's picture

The Chipmunks Christmas album is a great start. They should release the entire Chipmunks Liberty albums collection on vinyl.

orthobiz's picture

I just want a hoola hoop!

Paul

Martin's picture

To say the least.
After putting a stop to MoFi's stellar, brilliantly done series of Sinatra reissues, bettering the originals in every case - in my opinion, and I've got 'em all - those had better be sounding fabulous. I.e., no digital files used. In particular "In the wee small hours". Most every reissue of that LP since the original gray and capitol logo at 9 O'clock rainbow labels have been variously barbarised, abused or just plain massacred.
It's one of my favourite records, ie., a record out of a wall of vinyl that gets regularly played.
It was one of or BB Kings favourite records too. Apparently he used to play it at least once a week, week in week out.

Michael Fremer's picture
They are mostly very good. I can't say they beat the originals all the time. One that's not so good is the mono "Where Are You?". The stereo original is superb. Not sure why they used the mono tape unless the stereo tape is bad. I assume that. However the mono sounds like it was recorded down a long hallway.
Martin's picture

I thought the mono MFSL was an improvement over the mono original.
You know what, I don't have an original stereo pressing. With Frank in most cases the mono was always better.
The stereo I have is the MFSL 1983 box set issue. Which I haven't listened to in a long time. I'll have to pull it out and see if it's any good when I get home next week. That box set is a real mixed bag, some fabulous, some not good.
I'll have to go pick up an original stereo :-) Thanks for the pointer that for this one the stereo is well worth getting.

madfloyd's picture

I didn't know Universal put a stop to MoFi's Sinatra releases. What a shame. I find it hard to imagine they'll do anywhere as good a job themselves.

Michael Fremer's picture
It's not clear why Mo-Fi can't continue these reissues. They are being very tight lipped when asked. Perhaps the family pulled the plug, not UMe? We'll probably never know but I'm hoping the family, which is very quality conscious, will oversee this and continue with Mo-Fi type HQ.
Martin's picture

For "Songs for Swinging Lovers" stopped at the last minute, another 6 weeks and MoFi would have had the vinyl out.
Going on the SACD they did release, the vinyl would have been stellar.
Whoever does the Sinatra reissues above has a high quality bar to reach.

AJMHobby's picture

What a great line up of albums! I am hoping the Bing Crosby "Merry Christmas" album is going to be mono and not fake stereo.

Theapplechap's picture

I've just ponied up the booty for the 2014 Back to Black versions of Dare and Lexicon of Love and now this. Your left in a state where you really no idea if you got smart early, or pray that they're still in the shrink to make ideal Christmas gifts for those none the wiser of a better edition in the same year.
Don't these people talk to each other?

hi-fivinyljunkie's picture

I have the beatles on order for months. Some Others I have on good originals and purchased 'Shaved Fish' a few weeks back. The later is likely from digital but not inferior to original copies I have tried in the past. The better SQ from non 'Spectorised' material is very obvious.

This list fails to include the July folk rock releases all from original analogue tapes from Fairport,Denny,Thompson and Martin. High quality Optimal pressings rather than the usual GZ. Think these would be well worth reviewing on Analog Planet.

hi-fivinyljunkie's picture
Paul Boudreau's picture

Which July? 2015?

hi-fivinyljunkie's picture

They have been out (in UK) for several weeks at least.

Paul Boudreau's picture

I've been a fan for some thirty years and have early UK and US pressings of many of the records. A fair amount of my US pressings included "white-label promos," presumably the first pressings off those stampers, but they still sound dull and muffled compared to the original UK Island pressings, even those that are fairly well worn. I think British pressings were better back then, generally speaking, but I imagine that the differences are mostly due to the master tapes having being used. That should make the new reissues interesting.

Michael Fremer's picture
Oh yes, the UK Island Fairports, Sandy Dennys etc. are far superior. Some like "What We Did On Our Holidays" and "Unhalfbricking" are magical, astonishing, mesmerizing (etc.). That's why they go for many hundreds of dollars. I will have to look into these U.K. reissues. I really had no idea...
Paul Boudreau's picture

I wasn't aware of those.

rakalm's picture

Whoa,
Can't wait. The last reissue is no longer available. One of the most underrated LP's ever. Hope they do as good of a job as the last reissue pressed at RTI? I want at least 15 of those titles. Would love a Jayhawks box set. What a treasure trove.

Dual's picture

Very uninspired-sounding. Arguably a bit duller than it needs to be. I would really doubt an all-analog signal path, although as a 1981 release it must have been mixed to analog. All the runout information is stamped on, including a URL: http://www.gzvinyl.com/

SimonH's picture

This is good news but I wish there was some consitency in the releases - sometimes I wonder if there is a good controlling mind on these re-issues who understands.

And why in the UK do we get a qv non-descript mastered version of the Allman Brothers Fillmore East but in a nice box when, I assume, you get a better cut with the US QRP pressing. I am rather dissapointed with the sound (feels CD'ish) and regret the purchase - visual impression is obvioulsy more important than sound to some - or they just don't get it or is is only nerds like me who worry?

Yet you then get the 4 Island folk lp's mentioned above, apparently mastered from the original tapes (see notes on back to black web site). I played the glorious "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" this afternoon and it sounds really good - slight lack of weight in the vocals - and one too many pops in the vinyl but hey ho - and only the third re-issue of this lp in the last 2 or 3 years!

Then I thought the 45th Anniverasry "White Light" VU reissue was also dissapointing in both the US EU versions - different cuts on both - with the US winning out for me - why cut twice when you can do it better just once?

At the end of the day it would be nice to have clarity and honesty about the source, and cutter, consistently upfront so you can make an informed decision.

Or just buy 2 ERC records a year?

Martin's picture

With so many different variations in the way stuff can be mastered and pressed, it would be great to improve transparency. Some labels - cutting from digital - all but outright lie about the sources they use. Lack of transparency is a real problem. I now pretty much assume that anything less than full transparency means a sub-standard release.

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