The Beatles "Now And Then" Single released November 2nd. Remixed 'Red' and 'Blue' Albums due out November 10. (2 Viewers)

[Ronald Epstein]

Bob, this has been a good read. Thank you. I look forward to obtaining these new mixes and throwing them on my music drive.

 

[Nelson Au]

Guys, I’ve been trying to understand this Red and Blue album release strategy and where to buy.

Looking at Amazon, they only appear to be selling the vinyl LP options. But none of the CD options. A friend suggested looking at the Beatles store and there, I see the Red and Blue CD sets available. I was under the impression that a combined Red and Blue CD collection set would be available. But I’ve only seen it at the Beatles Store. So it would seem if one wants a combined set, that appears to be the only place. I also kept thinking that box set would be like a Super Deluxe set like in the other albums. But this makes sense as there are no needs for the alternate versions of the songs or early versions.

Let me know of other buying options for the CD sets. Thanks!

 

[smithbrad]

Looking at Amazon, they only appear to be selling the vinyl LP options. But none of the CD options.

There on Amazon:

See on Amazon

See on Amazon

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks, every time I did a search there, I’d include the 2023 in the search and never got those listings you posted. I’d get the earlier version.

They are $27 at The Beatles Store, so I’m surprised the price is higher at Amazon. Or maybe I should say I’m not so surprised!

 

[Carlo_M]

I'm only four songs in, so my opinion may change...but as of now after having listened to the entire red album in high res lossless stereo...Atmos is my preferred mix. Again, only four songs in, and I reserve the right to change my mind. FYI I'm streaming via Apple Music > ATV4K (2022) > Denon 3800 AVR...

They haven't done anything overly aggressive with the surround/overhead channels, at least four..now five songs in. But it feels like the instruments have more space to breathe in this mix. And again keep in mind this is from a mostly historical purist perspective.

As I mentioned earlier, I'd be very interested to see if this AI tech can yield any improvements in the mono mix (e.g. use it to separate out the individual instrument and vocal tracks, and then re-downmix them to mono following the original mix notes but without hopefully the generational loss downmixing introduced by equipment from the 1950s and 1960s).

If there is no quality gain to be had on the mono side, I'd love for them to do the earlier UK Stereo Albums using this technique to do proper (e.g. non-hard-panned) remixes. I think the hard-panned releases were only the first 5-6 albums, and then better stereo mixes were done by the time we got to Revolver and Sgt Peppers. They wouldn't need to re-do Revolver, Peppers, The Beatles, Let it Be, or Abbey Road since they've already be re-released. But for the first six albums (through Rubber Soul) I'd love for them to get this treatment, both in stereo and in Atmos. And of course the singles that were never part of albums. And Magical Mystery Tour.

Hopefully they can get going on those while we still have half the band with us.

 

[Tom St Jones]

Is the color vinyl ('23) version still available? I've been hearing its a limited run +/or they're only available in the sets with both the red & blue albums.. Just wondering.

 

[BobO'Link]

Thanks, every time I did a search there, I’d include the 2023 in the search and never got those listings you posted. I’d get the earlier version.

They are $27 at The Beatles Store, so I’m surprised the price is higher at Amazon. Or maybe I should say I’m not so surprised!

How are you getting them from "The Beatles Store" for $27? I see them listed for $30/each and the double set is $60. Plus you pay shipping for either ($11.50 for the double set). That double set is a Beatles Store exclusive. From what I've been able to find out the only difference is a sleeve to house the 2 individual sets.

They are at Target for $28/each w/free shipping if you order both (and possibly local store pickup):

The Beatles - 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) (2CD)

Read reviews and buy The Beatles - 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) (2CD) at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

The Beatles - 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) (2CD)

Read reviews and buy The Beatles - 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) (2CD) at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

When I discovered that I cancelled my Amazon order and got them there.

 

[BobO'Link]

Is the color vinyl ('23) version still available? I've been hearing its a limited run +/or they're only available in the sets with both the red & blue albums.. Just wondering.

If The Beatles Store is to be believed, it's an exclusive to them and still available:

 

[Nelson Au]

How are you getting them from "The Beatles Store" for $27? I see them listed for $30/each and the double set is $60. Plus you pay shipping for either ($11.50 for the double set). That double set is a Beatles Store exclusive. From what I've been able to find out the only difference is a sleeve to house the 2 individual sets.

They are at Target for $28/each w/free shipping if you order both (and possibly local store pickup):

The Beatles - 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) (2CD)

Read reviews and buy The Beatles - 1962-1966 (2023 Edition) (2CD) at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

The Beatles - 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) (2CD)

Read reviews and buy The Beatles - 1967-1970 (2023 Edition) (2CD) at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

When I discovered that I cancelled my Amazon order and got them there.

Howie,

The Beatles Store was a bit confusing, I was at the UK store and I selected the US flag above at the top of the page. But I don’t think that was giving me the US store. So I believe the $27 I saw might actually be the UK cost. The box set is $53 which would have been nice. And yes, the box that houses both CD sets is the only difference. Here’s what I saw:

Then I saw the note near the top of the screen that says I appear to be in the United States, so I clicked on that and I get the page seen below. And the pricing is higher as you noted. So I think I was looking at the wrong page.


I’ll re-evaluate the buying options and make a choice. Thanks!

 

[Carlo_M]

As an FYI for those interested in the color vinyl: it's generally accepted (though not universally agreed, as nothing in vinyl world is absolute) that colored vinyl tends to have a higher noise floor than standard black vinyl due to the dyes and added chemicals required to color the vinyl. So if you're interested in the vinyl for its aesthetics, please enjoy! But if you're after the best sonic performance, I'd recommend the black vinyl version.

 

[BobO'Link]

I found this today - the original lyric sheet for "Now and Then," from the Anthology recording session. These are the lyrics as they appear on Lennon's demo tape. It shows a different title and lacks the rather significant reworking McCartney did to the lyrics which changed its meaning:

 

[Tom St Jones]

If The Beatles Store is to be believed, it's an exclusive to them and still available:
View attachment 203820

I see. Was hoping I'd be able to purchase/order the color versions, (either the box set or individually) from Amazon as I have Prime membershp, or (more preferably) BullMoose -- I do prefer to support smaller independents whenever I can -- but if its only going to be available via the Beatles site, that obviously can't happen.. Anyone heard of any plans for a retail release?

 

[BobO'Link]

@Nelson Au

Target's having a B2G1 sale this week on media. The "Red" and "Blue" CDs are included in the sale. I didn't see the vinyl versions should you be after those.

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks for the tip Howie!

 

[TJPC]

I am not really a collector of Beatles CDs per se, although I have bought a CD of all their Albums to enjoy their music. Years ago when I first got them, I realized the Red and Blue sets were just very short greatest hits collections. They are so short in fact that they could be burned on to a CD-r one after another. This is how they have always been played here.

 

[BobO'Link]

I am not really a collector of Beatles CDs per se, although I have bought a CD of all their Albums to enjoy their music. Years ago when I first got them, I realized the Red and Blue sets were just very short greatest hits collections. They are so short in fact that they could be burned on to a CD-r one after another. This is how they have always been played here.

You won't get both of those collections, original or remastered, on a single CD-r without compression - i.e. being ripped to MP3 at worst or FLAC at best.

And, yes, they are little more than "Greatest Hits" collections, even in their expanded configurations. The primary draw for these expanded 2023 versions are the remastered stereo copies of almost the entire expanded "Red" collection, most in "true" stereo for the first time, and the newly remastered stereo versions of 6 tracks on "Blue."

 

[BobO'Link]

My CDs arrived a couple of days ago. I read the booklets while ripping them to FLAC and listened to "Blue" with headphones this afternoon. It sounds much better than the Spotify copy I auditioned to decide whether or not to make a physical purchase (the CD sounds less "boomy" - the bass on the Spotify tracks is just too much, but that could also have been the fault of the headphones I use at work).

I'm rather disappointed with the essays. For long time fans there's no new information and what's there comes across like a gushing fan type essay making The Beatles sound like the "next coming," completely ignoring anything that could be construed as even slightly negative. It wasn't all "wine and roses" as those essays seem to make it out to have been.

Another major disappointment with the booklets is they contain *zero* recording information. No mention of what year the remixes were done. No mention of MAL (outside a very lengthy section in the essay about "Now and Then's" production in the "Blue" booklet). Nothing. I'd have rather have some technical information about the mixes than yet another "biography" about the group.

They included the lyrics for all songs but that's easily available elsewhere. They also chose to use RED and BLUE for background colors on the respective booklets. That means somewhat hard to read black text on a red background on RED. Blue's easier to deal with, having white text on a darker blue background. I understand the contextual use of the colors but sometimes people actually like to read these things and you shouldn't use color choices that make it difficult. These booklets are truly "one and done" affairs. That is, once you've read them it's unlikely you'll revisit them as the information they contain is easily available elsewhere in greater detail and in a more contextual nature. They're OK for new fans but that's about it.

One thing I failed to mention earlier earlier is that "Day Tripper" has been fixed to remove the "punch out" issue on the master where they chose to do a quick fade out/in rather than just leave the anomaly in place. I've always found that choice a bit distracting (more than what a quick punch out would be) and wondered how a band like The Beatles would allow such a "flaw" to be in the final product. It was supposedly "fixed" on "1" (in a different manner) but I don't own that one to know. It sounds pretty good but is also a bit jarring if, like me, you're quite familiar with the song and pretty much expect that "error" to be present.

The CD of "Blue" sounds very good. It's crisp and mostly well mixed. I have minor issues with a few of the mixes but nothing really major other than one - "The Walrus" is kind of "wonky" as they've completely redone the ending of the song's sfx/spoken word bits. It's not "jarringly bad" but different enough that I'm not sure I like it or not. OK... it shouldn't have been done. Period. They'd done pretty good up until that part and then tossed the baby out with the bathwater. If the Magical Mystery Tour album is given the remix/remaster treatment they'll hopefully *not* use this version and do it again, but correctly - at least the last 60 or so seconds. If this were a BR of a much loved film with such an "error" we'd all be crying out for a replacement program.

Overall, I'm pleased with the 2023 mixes and generally enjoyed the pre-2023 "50th Anniversary" mixes on "Blue" enough to consider purchasing copies of the respective full albums for my collection (though I already own a copy of "Sgt. Pepper's: Anniversary Edition"). I doubt they'd supersede the original mixes for me, after all, those are what I grew up listening to as they were released, but they *would* be nice to own.

And I *did* remove "Now and Then" from the end of the "Blue" rip (it now ends as it should with "The Long and Winding Road") and created a single with it and the new stereo version of "Love Me Do" so as to put it where it belongs. Of course it actually belongs on a remastered version of Anthology 3 but I don't see that happening. Hmmm... Maybe I should just replace the George Martin orchestra track that opens that set with "Now and Then" as orignally intended and keep the single to mirror what was done with the other 2 Lennon songs turned into Beatles tracks.

 

[SuperClark]

I bought the 2023 red/blue cds.Loved them.These are also good its fun to listen to very familar Beatle songs in a new mix.Maybe not better just different.