Nice Artwork, isn't it?
This album is basically a collection of songs released as a single record and non album tracks.
Following artists probably released only single record on Apple Record,
The Black Dyke Mills Band, Trash, Ronnie Spector, The Hot Chocolate Band, Chris Hodge, Sundown Playboys, Bill Elliot & The Elastic Oz Band and Lon and Brute Force.
Put aside this, for example, Lon and Derrek Van Eaton, they release the album from Apple, but it is never released on CD for a long long time.
This time, Apple released box set, but it isn't a complete set anyway concerning still more unreleased recording they have not yet released mot sure the reason.
I think this is the nice compilation, although I felt this is the good Apple sampler, not the best.
I just can feel the atmosphere of that era listening to this album.
It's now available @ HDtracks as below in flac format.
According to the explanation of the site, following is the difference between 2 editions.
Compressed (Limited) Albums - reduces the difference between the loudest and softest sound for playing music in noisy environments like cars or radios. However in this project compression was used very sparely.
No Compression (Unlimited) - is truest to the master tape, has wider dynamic range, and more impact.
So I'm sure that No Compressionedition is enough to buy.
Regarding an instant download advertised @ official site for purchaser, I sent a question to Topspin customer support and they sent me the time-sensitive links for download 2 files, BOTR and No words (live in Glasgow 1979) in 320kbps mp3 format.
I've been wondering I may buy CD edition, but as a PC audiophile, I decided to buy High Resolution Edition, but I found there're 2 editions, Limited and Unlimited.
Buying both is somehow able to obtain discount, but reading the explanation , I decided to buy unlimited edition only just for saving money.
limited, which is comparable in volume to the remastered CD, and un-limited, which in comparison with the limited version will sound quieter, but retain the dynamic range of the original master recording.
Paid via Paypal and it took nearly an hour (2.8GB, it's slow), zip file contain both mp3 (320kbps) and wav (4608kbps) files as HiRes. I'm not sure why it's not flac, I suppose they should be flac as THE BEATLES USB Remastered did, I complain just because wav can't add cover flow for iTunes anyway.
This is not a serious issue, but should have been aware before its release.
Remastered Album Tracklist:
1. Band on the Run (5:11)
2. Jet (4:08)
3. Bluebird (3:22)
4. Mrs Vandebilt (4:39)
5. Let Me Roll It (4:49)
6. Mamunia (4:51)
7. No Words (2:35)
8. Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me) (5:49)
9. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five (5:30)
Total Running Time 41:06
Bonus Audio Tracks:
1. Helen Wheels (3:45)
2. Country Dreamer (3:08)
3. Bluebird [from One Hand Clapping] (3:26)
4. Jet [from One Hand Clapping] (3:55)
5. Let Me Roll It [from One Hand Clapping] (4:23)
6. Band on the Run [from One Hand Clapping] (5:13)
7. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five [from One Hand Clapping] (5:57)
8. Country Dreamer [from One Hand Clapping] (2:14)
9. Zoo Gang (1:59)
Total Running Time 34:19
This is the 1st time I can hear tracks from "One Hand Clapping", really nice studio live version, but not know very details. Check the net and found it's recorded as a documentary on August 15th, 1974 @ Abbey Rd. Studio.
Regarding the sound quality, compare to the older release, quite similar to the other Beatles related remaster (Apple records reissues as well) , very clear, base emphasized, very dynamic sound ever, feels like analogue record sound without any noise.
BTW I have DCC version (24 gold plated with nice replica of the poster) of this record, I'll keep it just because I'd like to own this record in my hands, not as a data!
Just taken this morning by iPhone3GS with Pano.
You can see Mt. Fuji far away left, US NAVY (Yokosuka fleet) base residence in the middle and MM21 far right.
This is the one I've been missing from the 1st reissue on CD.
I finally got the copy this time and I found this record has been packed the atmosphere of that era very correctly. Probably remaster make this record clearer sound with bass emphasized as well (like every Apple release).
BTW, I feel the song "Is This What You Want?" is somehow quite resemble to "I'm the Warlus" anyway.
BONUS TRACKS
Of the six Bonus Tracks, three are from Jackie’s post-album Apple singles and three are previously unreleased.
‘New Day’ was Jackie’s only self-penned Apple single, issued in May 1969. It was co-produced by Mal Evans and is presented here as the original UK mono mix.
‘How The Web Was Woven’ and ‘Thumbin’ A Ride’ were both covers and made up both sides of Jackie’s last Apple single, issued in February 1970. The coupling is unique in that the A-side was produced by one Beatle, George Harrison, and the B-side by another, Paul McCartney.
‘You’ve Got To Be Strong’, ‘You Make It With Me’, ‘Can You Hear Me’ are all Lomax originals and previously unreleased mono recordings dating from after the release of Is This What You Want? Doris Troy covered the first tune on her self-titled Apple LP. “This is the sound I love best,” says Jackie today. “Soul meets R&B with horns.”
