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Reflections - 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music [Blu-spec CD2]Judas PriestOK/SO SO
first off this is an amazing blue spec 2 sounding japanese disc!!!! between shm & now hi res remastering i feel for the compact disc format japan is at its best!!!! my only complaint & why i gave this 3 stars is i felt for a 50 years compilation there should have been a much more better intense song selection here, of coarse there is the 42 cd box set but if one did not need all of that i felt to call something a 50 year reflections disc it should be a 4 cd box set with real gems, this disc has a few awesome gems like LET US PREY/CALL FOR THE PRIEST, FEVER and if you want to count it YOU DONT HAVE TO BE OLD TO BE WISE ( wich has appeared in the past 12 years or so on other priest compilations like this). there is so so much fantastic vintage 70s & 80s stuff they could have done with a very nice 4 cd box set it is to bad that our only option was a single cd set like this if we did not buy the 42 disc set!!! anyway ive been a judas priest fan since 1978 now so i still wanted to buy this and the remastered blue spec 2 sound is the best i can say for this!!! ps i have half of all the live shows from the 42 disc box set as bootlegs as i love to buy judas priest shows from the 1970s & early 1980s...
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Technical Ecstasy Super Deluxe Edition [Limited Release]Black SabbathVERY NICE!!!
this another very nice installment and the 4th this year for the classic black sabbath 70s albums being super deluxed into nice packages like this with goodies & great live audio shows from the tours way back in the 70s as well as some unheard studio stuff. anyway this set & the discs where printed in germany and the only thing that makes this exclusive to japan is the japanese booklet & text information, i would give this 5 stars if the discs had the japan only shm or hi res remastering but they do not. anyway this is still another great super deluxe set from the ozzy years (1970 to 78) that has been done in 2021, i assume in 2022 we will get the next 4 ozzy era sabbath albums in this format!!!! i would hope for a born again again (1983) super deluxe like this in the future, they already did the dio era in double disc formats so i hope we get to the tony martin era especially headless cross (1989)........... anyway this set is another beauty!!!
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I'm a Boy [Limited Release]The WhoBEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!
this a beautiful 180 gram vinyl lp replication of the second who lp ever released in japan wich was this compilation im a boy, i belive this lp was released early in 1968 in japan, the sleeve is beautiful!! and the 2021 sleeve/insert & obi strip replication is flawless, the record itself sounds fantastic!!! IT DOES NOT SOUND EXACTLY LIKE THE ORIGINAL LP wich i have had for many years now but it is somewhat close, i do not feel in 2021 it is possible to caprture and transfer that original analog sound from so long ago to a brand new release like this, this has a bit of a fake added stereo sound and it DOES WORK VERY WELL!!!!, the original copies of these mid to late 60s japan only releases are few and far between and expensive if you can find one in nm condition so if an original does not fit your budget THIS IS CERTAINLY the best next thing, also its near impossible to find an original with an obi, here we get the nice replicated obi strip as well, the sleeve is glossy just like the original and you cant beat the 1966/early 67 live shot on the sleeve!!!
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Exciting The Who [Limited Release]The WhoANOTHER BEAUTY!!
this was the second compilation lp and third lp released by THE WHO in japan early in 1968 ( i belive) and this one has a very unique track listing and a beautiful sleeve shot as you can see, the lp replication is almost perfect as per the original lp sleeve/insert and obi strip. as for the record?? it does not sound exactly the same as the original lp as i have had an original lp copy of this for years now and i compared both and this edition has a bit more of a muffled mono sound to it where the original has a regular standard typical sixties mono sound to it, regardless this is beautiful!!! it is near impossible to find a copy of this lp in nm condition with an obi, so like i keep saying if an original copy does not fit your budget THIS IS THE BEST NEXT THING!! this was originally released along with the im a boy compilation, i do not belive in 2021 the original mono sound/mix can be 100% transferred to a new lp/cd in 2021 but regardless for the price there was no way i could pass these up!!!!!!
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I Can See for Miles [Limited Release]The WhoBEAUTIFUL!!!
this was the japan edition of the 1967 sell out lp not released in japan until summer 1968 over 6 months after its uk/euro/us release in december 1967, obviously this to got a japan only unique sleeve and is a beauty!!! this was the hardest of the original japan issues of this for me to find years ago when i was hunting down all my original pressings of all 4 of these 2021 reissues..... anyway the sleeve, inner sheet & obi strip replicate the original 1968 japan pressing of this almost perfectly......as for the record like all 4 of these does not sound exactly sound like the original 1968 japan only release as i compared this 2021 reissue to the original lp, as i keep saying the past few days you cant seem to transfer the original sound in 2021 to an lp/cd to the exact sound they once had long ago!! regardless THIS IS A FANTASTIC RELEASE!!!! also as i keep saying this is very, very hard to find in nm condition and near impossible to find w/ the obi so if an original does not fit your budget THIS IS THE BEST NEXT THING!!!!! the record sounds fantastic regardless!!!!!!
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My Generation [Limited Release]The WhoAMAZING LP REISSUE
I AM GOING TO GIVE THIS ONE 5 STARS EVEN THOUGH I HAVE AN ORIGINAL 1966 JAPAN COPY OF THIS LP, THE LP REPLICATION AS PER THE OTIGINAL IS ALMOST PEFECT!!! THE INSERT, THE OBI EVERYTHING DOWN TO PERFECTION BUT THE ONLY THING OLD FANS LIKE ME WILL NOTICE IS AS GREAT AS THIS RECORD SOUNDS IT DOES NOT SOUND EXACTLY LIKE THE ORIGINAL 1966 LP AS I FEEL 55 YEARS ON IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TRANSFER THAT AMAZING ANALOG SOUND EVEN TO ANOTHER ANALOG RECORD IN 2021, THEY SEEMED TO USE A BIT MORE OF A FAKE STEREO SOUND W/ SOME MONO FUNNELED IN REGARDING THE SOUND BUT THIS REISSUE STILL SOUNDS GREAT!!!! IF THE ORIGINAL LP DOES NOT FIT YOUR BUDGET AS IT IS SO, SO HARD TO GET THEN THIS IS THE BEST NEXT THING!!!!!!
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16 Greatest Hits [Hi-Res CD (MQA x UHQCD)] [Limited Release] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]SteppenwolfAMAZING SOUND!!
this new japan mini lp sleeve of this classic compilation that was released originally on lp decades ago has never sounded better in HI RES then it does on this cd!!! these hi res mastered discs from japan are up/above beyond the shm remastered discs i have so many of over the past 12 to 15 years, this disc sounds so crisp and clear and loud, very fresh sound of these 16 well known steppenwolf hit singles that sound as great now as they did when i first heard them a lifetime ago, anyway beautiful japan mini lp replication of the original japan lp sleeve as usual and obi strip & insert replication as well...........
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Breathe Awhile [SHM-CD] [Cardboard Sleeve]ARCADIUMFANTASTIC!!!
this is an amazing classic from 1969 by this british outfit that released this underground classic 52 years ago, the japan only shm remastering sounds fantastic on both discs & the packaging is beautiful!!!! amazing cardboard mini lp replication of the original lp as well as an alternate sleeve that was never released 52 years ago to hold disc #2 wich is the basic album with an alternate mix & sleeve........ great awesome psyche guitar playing on these discs, very spaced out stuff here, these discs have all the elements of psyche, prog and even a bit of hard acid rock!!!!! this is certainly a long lost british classic!!!!
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Galactic Supermarket [Cardboard Sleeve]COSMIC JOKERSFANTASTIC!!!
this was an amzaing space rock record that was originally released in europe back in 1974, this dutch outfit really nailed this with there early synth sound, spacey guitar sound and just this out of this world unique sound, i can campare it best to early krautrock from the late 60s /early 70s wich comic jokers really captured here in 1974 on this spaced out disc, the remastering from the BELLE label makes this sound amazing & the original lp replication came out fantastic!!!!!! this is a european space rock classic!!!!! i would grab this wonderful japan mini cardboard sleeve before it is oop.........this is the best i have ever heard this sound on cd....i will go as far as saying that KRAFTWORK never did anything this good, not even on the AUTOBAHN record from the same year............
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Battersea Power Station [SHM-CD] [Cardboard Sleeve]Junior's EyesFANTASTIC!!!
this is a great long lost british prog/psyche hard rock reissue on the BELLE label for this uk 1969 lp, the lp original replication is done here in top form. great hard/psyche & prog all combined here as well as this band (who only released this album way back then 52 years ago ) are now considered cult classic albums among collectors but you need very deep pockets to get hold of an original copy of the uk lp, i will gladly settle for this beautiful japan shm remastered japan mini lp replica cd with all the great bonus tracks loaded on here, this is a fantastic release!!!!!!!! rick wakeman appears on a couple of tracks on this disc..
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Czar [SHM-CD] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]CzarFANTASTIC!!!
this is a great hard rock classic from 1970 by this once great british outfit CZAR!!! the shm remastering and the japan only original uk lp replication is fantastic, i got a japan papersleeve of this title around 10 years back but this one sounds a lot better!!!!! if you like intense guitar solos and great hammond organ mixed in with fantastic vocals and a tight band you will love this!!! sure this also has an element of prog to it but it all fits so well, CZAR where on of those bands from 50 years ago that sadly, somehow just got swept under the rug & forgotten but with reissues like this!! it brings them right back to life. also 8 great bonus tracks are included on this disc!!!!!
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Atom Heart Mother (Hakone Aphrodite 50th Anniversary Edition) [CD + Blu-ray / Limited Edition] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]Pink FloydGREAT FOR COLLECTORS ONLY
this japan only 50th ann set of atom mother heart is really aimed at pink floyd die hards who collect pink floyd as this box set focuses more on replications from the first pink floyd visit to japan in 1971 50 years ago!!, first off the disc sounds fantastic!!!! the dvd was shot in 16mm film so its ok but not the whole show at all. you get a beautiful book with this with many unseen photos from this show/tour as well as replications of the japan tour programme, tour poster and some other goodies all to mark the 50th ann of pink floyds first visit to japan more then give us more music, for example they could have given us 2 more remastered discs of the audio of the full osaka 1971 show, if they had done that, THIS WOULD BE 5 STARS. this is good for pink floyd die hards & collectors not casual fans...
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Senjutsu Deluxe Edition [2CD / Limited Edition]Iron MaidenA DIFFERENT KIND OF MAIDEN
well, here we are 6 years later with a new maiden album, i have been a maiden fan now for over 40 years but THIS IS NOT THE IRON MAIDEN I GREW UP ON BACK THEN so if you are an old fan like me, you may find this set so so, most songs are quite long, iron maiden over the past 25 years have been turning into the PROG ROCK band YES of hm with these long opuses.... i will say this japan edition is a beautiful set with a beautiful booklet and is unique to japan only. the discs sound good but maiden seem to be off in another direction then they where back in the 80s, even 90s, i feel the last great maiden record was 21 years ago w/ brave new world in 2000!!! some maiden fans will enjoy this and some may not, i can sadly say BRUCE DICKINSONS VOICE IS LACKING a bit now, i feel bad saying this but if JUDAS PRIEST, UDO, ACCEPT & SAXON can still give us killer HM records why not maiden???? anyway this is a beautiful japan only set!!!!
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Tanglewood Music Center 1970The WhoAMAZING LIVE SHOW
this was one of the best of many, many bootlegs of live shows i have by THE WHO now for many decades, this show has been coming out in the uk a lot in both cd & lp format and what helps with that is THIS WAS A RADIO BROADCAST SHOW from july 7, 1970 so the sound is fantastic!!!!! this is a very powerful who show from there prime era & i am so glad they did a japan edition of this great show!!!!!! lets just say it simple, if you like LIVE AT LEEDS, LIVE IN HULL, LIVE AT WOOSTOCK 69, LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT 1970 you will enjoy this show as this is JUST AS GOOD AS THE LIVE WHO GIGS I LISTED.................
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By The Way [Limited Release] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]FrumpyGREAT SHM MINI REPLICA LP CD
this was the third frumpy record released in 1972, as with the first two i did reviews here for this album has the same hammond organ domination the first 2 records do but i feel the guitar solos and all add to this, this album, has a very early 70s hard rock sound as there are actually wailing guitar solos on this third record by this great german prog/hard rock band from the early 1970s, the remastering did not come out as loud on this one like it did on the first 2 editions but this still rocks, as with the first 2 this is a beautiful japan mini lp replica lp sleeve and is very well done, very high quality like only the japanese can do....... ps adding the heavy electric guitar solos here really improves this third record.............
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2 [Limited Release] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]FrumpyFANTASTIC!!!
the second album released by frumpy is as good as the first one is, this disc from 1971 is very much in the same vein as the first one is, very, very heavy on the hammond organ and spacey sounds, this is amazing early 1970s euro prog rock, the remastering on this discs sounds amazing and the mini lp replication as per the original 1971 lp is near perfect, this was a very unique band!!!!, the only other band from this era i can compare frumpy to is rare bird ( a bit), anyway this is a beautiful japan cd reissue.....
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All Will Be Changed [Limited Release] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]FrumpyFANTASTIC!!!
this was a very unique record 51 years ago when released in 1970, frumpy played with some interesting hard rock acts in germany no less in 1970 after the release of this euro prog album wich was very unique as there is no guitar on this!!! great drumming and amazing and some of the most amazing hammond organ played i have heard, instead of depending on a lead guitar player wich most rock outfits where doing by the late 1960s/early 1970s frumpy where depending on the hammond organ wich just sounds so amazing & spacey on this record!!!!! this sure was a good one!!!! great original lp replication done by this japan label as only japan labels can do the best!!!! amazing remastering on this disc as well!!!!!
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SABOTAGE Super Deluxe EditionBlack SabbathFANTASTIC!!!
NOTE THE DISCS WHERE PRINTED IN GERMANY AS BMG IS NO LONGER IN JAPAN. anyway with the exception of the usual japan text & wrapping and inserts all contents in this edition are the same as both the us and euro editions, great remastering and great 2 cd live show here from 1975, nice replica tour programme, poster japan 1975 sabbath single..... this is certainly another high quality SUPER deluxe edition as the last 2 where, technical ecstasy is up next......... i see pre orders in the us & eu for it already!!!! they have to do sabbath bloody sabbath though!!!!!!!!!
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Over The Top [Blu-spec CD2]MountainFANTASTIC!!!
this is an amazing great 2 cd retrospective of the great MOUNTAIN wich featured leslie west & felix pappalardi, with the exception of the last 2 tracks on disc #2 all tracks across both of these great sounding japan blue spec cds where recorded between 1969 through 1974, sadly 50 years on mountain are not often talked about but mountain where one of the best hard rock bands to come out of the late 1960s & leslie west was one of the best guitar players in the hard rock genre at this time, anyway across these 2 blue spec cds you get an awesome retrospective of what they recorded across the 6 records they released between 1969 through 1974 prior to splitting up. michael schenker has often made it clear if it was not for LESLIE WEST he is not sure if he would have bothered picking up a guitar... these are some of the best hard rock guitar tracks you will ever here with that late 60s early 70s production sound!!!! we sadly really lost an amazing artist when leslie passed away in december 2020. his music like so many others will live on and if you are not to familiar w/ mountain THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START. again these blue spec discs sound amazing!!!!
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Triple Trip [Hi-Res CD (MQA x UHQCD)] [Limited Release] [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)]Lynyrd SkynyrdFANTASTIC!!! HI RES SOUND
the sound on both of these HI RES MQA UHQCD remastered cds sound amazing, very clear, a bit loud and these songs from the 1970s come in very clear just like it was coming off an audiophile lp, this compilation was originally released as a 2 lp set 40 years ago in 1981, the lp replication as per the original japan lp came out great!!! it is a minature of the original japan lp, this compilation has a cross between live tracks and studio tracks, great release!!!!!!! great replication of the original gatefold as well..........