SACD List of Upcoming Titles to get excited about! (1 Viewer)

[Rich Malloy]

Lots of updates today, including the unfortunate postponement of that big slew of Blue Note titles from 4/22 to 5/20:

• Norah Jones “Come Away With Me” (Blue Note) Hybrid M/C
• Cassandra Wilson "New Moon Daughter" (Blue Note) Hybrid M/C
• Dianne Reeves "The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughn (Blue Note) Hybrid M/C
• Bob Belden "Blue Dahlia" Hybrid M/C (Blue Note)
• Bill Charlap "Stardust" Hybrid M/C (Blue Note)

 

[Rich Malloy]

Updated to add "TUBULAR BELLS 2003" (re-recording) due out on 5/27.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Updated to add "TUBULAR BELLS 2003" (re-recording) due out on 5/27.

So WEA is releasing SACD outside of the far east now?

I have seen nothing announced for May 27 other than a stand-alone CD, and a CD in a box with 2 other CDs and a (rather sparse) bonus DVD.

 

[Al B. C]

I think that from now on, that all availabilty announcements should be given by the "former" Iraqi information minister.

At least he's more believable.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Should I remove the "Tubular Bells-2003" listing? I hadn't realized there was still some confusion over this title...

Also, added the July 8 streetdate reported today in High Fidelity Review for Aimee Mann's "LOST IN SPACE". I'm very much looking forward to this one!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Rich,

I'd definitely remove 'Tubular Bells 2003'. The label is Warner, and there has been no announcement of SACD.

Oldfield mentioned 'Super Audio DVD' once, and I think that got some of the SACD camp excited.

The odds are certainly with DVD-A, and it looks like it won't be day-and-date, so May 27 is out.

 

[Alan_Horner]

I don't think anyone knows which format Tubular Bells 2003 will be released on at this point, so I'd suggest removing it as well.

Bob James Hi-Fi SACD (Stereo) is listed for a 04/22/03 release at Amazon.

 

[Rich Malloy]

I've removed the re-recording of "Tubular Bells" from the list, but this raises a good question: now that many of us have two players or universal players, would it be worthwhile to track upcoming DVD-A discs, as well? We could make the listings different colors to avoid confusion, and have a single repository of "hi-res" releases we're particularly looking forward to. If you'd like, provide some upcoming DVD-A titles, and I'll be glad to add them to the list.

Today's updates include: Roger Waters "The Wall-Berlin 1990" on June 24 from Mercury (got this one from today's "MusicTAP" update, but haven't seen this announced elsewhere... fingers crossed); also, the addition of Three Doors Down "Away from the Sun" to be released on 4/29, a slew of new classical titles from Deutsche Grammaphone and Decca for May and June, and a belated notice of this Tuesday's releases of Al DiMeola's "Flesh on Flesh" and the John Pizzarelli Trio's "Live at Birdland", both from Telarc.

 

[Al B. C]

but this raises a good question: now that many of us have two players or universal players, would it be worthwhile to track upcoming DVD-A discs, as well? We could make the listings different colors to avoid confusion, and have a single repository of "hi-res" releases we're particularly looking forward to. If you'd like, provide some upcoming DVD-A titles, and I'll be glad to add them to the list.

That would be a superb idea if you've got the extra time Rich.

And also.............Does anyone have the John Pizzarelli disc yet? I'd like to know what you think.

 

[Evan S]

The first page of this thread lists two Nickel Creek SACD releases in April of 2003. Well it's 8 days until the month is over and I cannot find these titles for sale anywhere on the net. I haven't even gotten any up to date news about their release. Can anyone help out here?

 

[Rich Malloy]

I'm wondering the same thing and am also looking forward to those titles, Evan. I sent an email to Sugar Hill Records a few moments ago inquiring... will let you know if I hear anything!

I'd be happy to add the DVD-A titles, and I think it's important to also include some shorthand regarding the mixes/sampling rates of the individual titles (sorta like the "hybrid/single", "stereo/multichannel" descriptions for SACDs). Is there some method currently in use? I thought I saw some discs that read "DTS / 24/192 Stereo / 24/96 multichannel" or something along those lines...

 

[Evan S]

I sent an email to Sugar Hill Records a few moments ago inquiring... will let you know if I hear anything!

I already sent them an e-mail and they said something like Sony holds distribution rights (or some other label) and they had no idea when they would be released. This was a month or so ago that I inquired.

 

[Lewis Besze]

Deep Purple - Concerto for Groups & Orchestra (2003) - Hybrid - M/C

Is this for real? Wow!!!!!!!
Tomoko,
I'm a big classical fan,so I'm interested to read about new titles.

Rich,
awesome job! It is really time to get me an SACD player.

Did Mike Oldfield rerecorded the original Tubular Bells?
I'm a bit skeptical,as this was a masterpiece.
Will see.

 

[Rich Malloy]

I got the following response from Sugar Hill Records regarding the Dolly Parton and Nickel Creek SACDs:

Rich Malloy,

We've recently gotten confirmation that those titles will be released on SACD from Sony, though they've not given us firm release dates.


Regards,
Nathan
________________

Nathan Hollis Brown
Sugar Hill Records
Durham, NC

So, good news on the release front, but no news regarding street dates. Maybe there's a contact at Sony?

Lewis, I've got the original "Tubular Bells", but I'm not intimately familiar with its history. It's my understanding that it was Oldfield's baby all the way, as is the new recording I believe (and I don't think this is the first time he's revisited this piece in the studio).

Any ideas about how to notate the DVD-A titles? I don't presently have DVD-A capability, so I need a little help regarding the important elements. Thanks!

 

[Alan_Horner]

Did Mike Oldfield rerecorded the original Tubular Bells?

There's a separate thread on this (well, at least one started by yours truly) at:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=130549

In a word: yes, Oldfield has completely re-recorded the original work. It's my understanding that, with minor artistic decisions, Oldfield has not made this a re-interpretation. I believe he's simply re-recorded the piece to honor its 30th anniversary (!!!) and to ensure that the inadequacies of the original era's technology (and a few artistic slips) were corrected.

Even the new cover echoes this, a CGI depiction of the original cover that is so clear and bright that it's almost like being there on the beach. You can see the cover and check out a sound sample from the new album (still set for 05/27/03 release) at the official web site:
http://www.mikeoldfield-tubularbells.com/

So, can you tell that this has been my favorite album for 30 years?

 

[Rich Malloy]

Some updates today:

MusicTAP reports four Sam Cooke albums on hybrid SACDs for June 17th, plus a new BB King title on June 24th.

According to Claus at the Steve Hoffman forums (see this thread: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/sh...threadid=14522), Deep Purple's "Machine Head" was not released in Europe on Monday. Here are the details:

The Deep Purple "Machine Head" SACD will not be released on April 28th after all. EMI are looking into the problems they've been experiencing with their SACD titles and hope to get to the bottom of it in the near future. No new release date has been set yet, either for this or other outstanding releases (eg. the Concerto SACD). They promise to keep us all informed as best they can.

The planned Machine Head SACD: UK: EMI 07243 5386012 7: SACD PCM / DSD Stereo Layer : Full album in stereo, new remasters.
DSD multi channel layer : Full album quadraphonic mix, plus three new 5.1 remixes of 'Maybe I'm A Leo', 'Lazy', and 'When A Blind Man Cries' done at Abbey Road. (DSD = Direct Stream Digital Encoding. 2.8224 Mhz sampling rate produces the highest quality audio of any digital system.)

I've been catching up a little on some purchases after a busy few weeks followed by some really casual vacation time! One definite recommendation is Alison Krauss+Union Station's "LIVE", which has rocketed to the top tier of best sounding SACDs on my system. Plus, it's now my favorite of the three AK+US SACDs I have. Highly recommended!

As is Vaughan Williams "A Sea Symphony", which has been out for a little while now. An amazing recording and a damn fine performance, possibly the best sounding classical SACD I've heard to date.

Today... Peter Gabriel!

 

[Al B. C]

Thanks Rich.

I read this earlier on another forum.

I wonder what problems they're talking about?

 

[Rich Malloy]

I posted asking just that--I'll let you know if/when I find out!

 

[Charles Gurganus]

You do know that Tubular Bells is available in SACD as an import, right? The original not the rerecorded version. I guess you were talking about it being on DVD-A with the new version.

 

[Rich Malloy]

That's right, Charles. I do have the original recording on SACD, and it sounds very nice indeed. All that discussion was about the latest re-recording.

Good to clarify in case anyone's confused!




BTW, I made a trip to Best Buy today for the Peter Gabriel SACDs (Landmark Center, Boston). They only had three of them... "So", "Passion" and "Shaking the Tree"... however, they now only have two titles in stock because I took the last or only copy of "So". So, that's a single copy of "Passion" and several copies of "Shaking the Tree" left in stock. Very disappointing, especially because "3: Melt" is my most wanted.

Still, there's been a slight improvement in that SACD and DVD-A are now being stocked in a separate bin right next to the CDs (they had them buried in the hardware section previously). It's a larger inventory of titles than they had only a few weeks ago, but still very tiny.

I also went to the Virgin Megastore on Newbury/Mass Ave, and their selection is even worse than before, both for SACD and DVD-A. In fact, even the landmark Best Buy had a wider selection of titles than Virgin. Plus, Virgin prices them higher. What can I say? Don't go to Virgin. For anything. If you're looking for CDs, walk the extra block to Newbury Comics and save a whole lot of money.

Tower remains the best of the brick-and-mortars in Boston (the only one left standing, over near Harvard Square). It boasts the widest selection I've seen and fair prices.

On the whole, brick-and-mortar shopping for SACDs and DVD-As still sucks.