Review by Philip Cohen

A good Rolling Stones concert from the Voodoo Lounge tour. Originally a Japan-only 2-Laserdisc set in the mid- 1990's, This Blu-ray release (while it is upconverted from standard definition) is a tremendous improvement in video quality over the Laserdisc edition. The audio has been remixed for 5.1, though whether it is an upmix or a genuine remix, I can't say for sure. The audio is also included as a 2-SHM-CD set. It sounds like a video soundtrack, in that it has acceptable sound, though obviously the overall recording quality (Particularly for Charlie Watts' drumming) could have been clearer and crisper. The packaging is a triple "digipak":, not unlike the "From The Vaults" series, and there is a booklet of photos from the show. Generally, another good Rolling Stones Blu-Ray concert video for my collection. The artwork is all new. Personally I would have prefered the original 1990's artwork.

The packaging,music and overall sound quality are superb, however, i should note that the Quadraphonic mix is nothing special. Only applause comes out of the rear speakers. Also, the 35 minutes of bonus tracks mostly spotlight the other members of Santana's band. Most of them have little or no guitar playing. Carlos Santana made the correct decision of which songs to include and not include on the album back in 1973. However, this is the definitive edition of "Lotus".

This beautifully packaged hybrid SACD contains the original Quadraphonic mix (adapted to 5.1), but be cautioned, that, from the start (for unknown reasons), the song "Sophie" was a stereo to quadraphonic upmix. The other 7 songs are true quadraphonic.

Though this January 2016 Japan reissue uses the artwork from the 11-song U.S.A. Capitol Records edition, this CD actually gives you the complete, original 12-song UK EMI version in both stereo and mono. You also get two extra (mono) bonus tracks: "Roving Rambler" & a live version of "A World Without Love". The stereo tracks are all true stereo and the mastering is good; not too loud or too bright. It's the definitive edition of Peter & Gordon's debut album. Nice tuneful folk and rock music from the 1960's.

This January 2016 Japan CD features the group's second U.S.A. album in both stereo & mono, plus four bonus tracks("Barbara Allen", "My Little Girl's Gone","Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" & "Leave Me in The Rain", all of which were taken from the group's second UK album "In Touch With Peter & Gordon"). The bonus tracks are also presented in both stereo and mono mixes. The sound quality is generally excellent, certainly better than the American CD of the album. The source seems to be Capitol Records' compilation masters. The stereo selections are all true stereo, except "Nobody I Know" which is a really bad "Duophonic"(fake stereo) version with excessive amounts of echo. Peter & Gordon sound like they are performing at the bottom of a well. A true stereo version of "Nobody I Know" is available elsewhere on numerous UK or U.S.A. CD's. Somebody needs to explain to Warner Music of Japan that all Peter & Gordon studio tracks(except "Roving Rambler" & the 4 French Language songs) exist in true stereo mixes. In this 8 album CD series released by Warner Music Japan, five songs are needlessly presented in fake stereo. All five songs exist in true stereo mixes. No record label that reissues "Peter & Gordon" recordings ever gets everything right. I guess that I can make my own corrected CD and insert the stereo version of "Nobody I Know".

This album was apparently the group's 3rd U.S.A. Capitol Records album, and here it is presented in both stereo and mono. The stereo tracks are all in true stereo. The mastering is O.K., but the source is likely Capitol's compilation masters. There is some brief audible right channel tape damage during the stereo version of "If You wish". Still, this disc's sound quality is better than the U.S.A. "Collectibles" label CD.

Unfortunately, my pre-release review of the "Lady Godiva" album(criticizing the many release delays) stopped me from posting a review, but to summarize, the "Lady Godiva" CD combined two hits("Lady Godiva" & "Baby I'm Yours") plus a selections of standards & movie themes from the group's 5th UK album "Somewhere". The disc adds "The Town I Live in"(in both stereo & mono), plus two German language tracks in stereo. All the stereo tracks on "Lady Godiva" are true stereo, except "Morning's Calling" which is presented in Capitol "Duophponic"(fake stereo). A true stereo mix can be found on the BGO label's Uk 2-CD set of the group's first 4 UK albums(BGOCD1076). Now, onto my review of the "True Love Ways" album. It's another Capitol Records U.S.A. compilation,combining the group's hit version of Buddy Holly's "True Love Ways" with many of the songs from Peter & Gordon's 3rd Uk album "Hurtin' and Lovin'" The "True Love Ways" album is presented in both stereo & mono, and the group's French language E.P. (which exists only in mono sound) is added. All of the stereo tracks are in true stereo , except "True Love Ways", which is presented in Capitol's "Duophonic"(Fake stereo). A true stereo version of "True Love Ways" can be found on U.S.A. "Peter & Gordon" compilation CD's from the "Rhino" & "Collectors Choice" labels. With the exception of the one fake stereo track, the sound quality and mastering are, otherwise, good.

Again, my pre-release review of the album "Woman"(criticizing the many release delays) stops me from reviewing that disc, but to summarize, the "Woman" CD has both the stereo & mono versions of the albums, with the stereo tracks all being true stereo, except "Woman" which is fake stereo. A true stereo mix of "Woman" was created in the 1990's and made its CD debut on the 2003 Japan CD of "Peter & Gordon '66". The "Woman" album combined the hit title track with selections from the group's 5th UK album "Somewhere". Now, onto my review of "Knight in Rusty Armour". It's another Capitol Records U.S.A. 1960's album. By this point, the group was more successful in America than in their native England, and this collection seems to be a real album, not just something compiled by Capitol, and a fine album it is. The album is presented in both stereo and mono and all of the stereo selections are true stereo, and they sound great! There's also an additional bonus track: an apparently previously unreleased alternate take of the Gordon Waller solo track "She Never Smiles Anymore". It is in mono sound. I've purchased 7 of the 8 January 2016 Warner Music Japan "Peter & Gordon" CD's, and the quality is generally quite good. I was worried because the two "Peter & Gordon" CD's that Warner Music Japan released in 2015("In London For Tea" & "Hot Cold & Custard") had harsh "Loudness Wars" mastering. The January 2016 discs are (excepting the 5 fake stereo songs) much,much kinder to our ears.

This Peter & Gordon CD series has already been scheduled, then cancelled THREE TIMES (in the past 2 years). Warner Music of Japan can't be trusted or believed.

This series of CD reissues of Peter & Gordon's U.S.A. "Capitol" albums has been scheduled, then cancelled, twice in the past 2 years. Now, the latest possible release for these 8 discs has been postponed. It doesn't look good. I want to be sure that these releases are "for real", before I pay in advance by PayPal. Please, Warner Music, stop playing games!

The problem with posting pre-release comments (and with CD Japan not being willing to list the song titles) is that people guess at the contents of the CD. This is the actual track list for the SHM-CD of "Tomorrow". Tracks 1 through 11 are the CD debut for the mono mix of the album. Generally, I prefer stereo, but 3 of the 11 songs("My White Bicycle", "Revolution" & "The Incredible Journey of Timothy Chase") don't exist in true stereo mixes, so this CD is the first chance (on CD) to hear those 3 songs without fake stereo effects. The bonus tracks are:"Claramount Lake"(mono mix), "Real Life Permanent Dream"(early version, mono), "Why"(mono), "Revolution"(Phased Version,mono), "Now Your Time Has Come"(alternate version,mono),"Auntie Mary's Dress Shop"(stereo mix),"Strawberry Fields Forever"(stereo mix),"Three Jolly Little Dwarfs"(stereo mix),"Now Your Time Has Come"(stereo mix),"Hallucinations"(stereo mix),"Claramount Lake"(stereo mix) & "Excerpt From a Teenage Opera"(mono mix) As with many recent Warner Music Japan "Parlophone" reissues, the mastering is loud. It sounds O.K. when played through speakers, but I would advise against playing it through headphones.

This disc contains Manfred Mann's first U.S.A. album in stereo plus a combination of stereo & mono bonus tracks. The sound quality is generally fine, but as for the bonus tracks I will note that the "remix" version of "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" is basically the same as the regular stereo mix, but with the left & right channels reversed and extra reverb added. Also, the rough stereo mixes(with no background vocals) of "Cock a Hoop" & "Now You're Needing Me" are included instead of the correct stereo mixes. These rough mixes were released (by mistake) on the UK EMI 4-CD set "Manfred Mann-Down The Road Apiece", and now they appear on this disc. Until Warner Music actually gets access to the master tapes(instead of digital files supplied by EMI or Universal Music), these mistakes (from 1998-2011 EMI UK CD's) will appear verbatim, uncorrected in Warner Music "Parlophone" CD's. At some point, Universal Music will have to surrender the (formerly EMI) tapes to Warner Music. Maybe then, these albums can be properly remastered for UK & U.S.A. CD release.

A loud, saturated mastering of the UK song line-up of Manfred Mann's first UK album(and in the mono mix, which Manfred prefers. The stereo mixes were used on U.S.A. albums). Bonus tracks include the A & B sides of the group's first 2 UK singles, plus "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", the instrumental "Chattering", and selections from the group's 1963 Abbey Road "Commercial Test"(the group's audition tape). Unfortunately, at least for now,Warner Music only has access to digital files(taken from 1998-2011 masterings by EMI engineer Peter Mew), so the skip at 0:24 on the song "Let's Go"(which originated on the UK 4-CD set "Manfred Mann-Down The Road Apiece") is reproduced verbatim, uncorrected. 15 seconds of the song is lost. Ten years before EMI released the "Commercial Test", I had access to a tape of the recording, and I could supply "Let's Go" complete (without the skip) if one of you Japanese people could let Warner Music of Japan know this. There are other defects in Peter Mew's 1998-2011 masterings that are unfortunately present in Warner's recent Japanese CD's. These defects include the use of rough stereo mixes (with no background vocals) for Manfred Mann's songs "Cock a Hoop" & "Now You're Needing Me"(on the CD "The Manfred Mann Album"). This error also originated on the UK 4-CD set "Manfred Mann-Down The Road Apiece". And there is also a brief problem(where the bass, drums and low frequency sounds drop out) during the stereo mix of "The Hollies song "Dear Eloise"(on the CD "The Hollies-Butterfly). Again, Mr.Mew probably used a rough mix by mistake. Warner Music of Japan shouldn't have rushed all these "Parlophone" CD's onto the market. Wait until Warner Music can take possession of the master tapes. Warner Japan is taking Peter Mew's masterings (some of which were not very good) and adding more E.Q. and processing....so the sound is worse than the original EMI/UK CD's.

One disc of major hits and one disc of rarities. This is one of the few albums in the recent Warner Japan/ Parlophone CD reissues that sounds like it has been newly remastered. The sound, though mostly mono mixes, is superb.

This 2-disc SHM-CD set would seem to include everything from all previous CD editions of "Little Games,.but not quite. If you already own the 1993 U.S.A. 2-CD set "The Little Games Sessions and More", hold onto it, because this new set doesn't include the 1991 Ron Furmanek/Kevin Reeves remix of the 10 "Little Games" album tracks. Instead, the stereo version of the album is represented here (mostly) by the inferior 1967 mixes(excepting "Smile on Me" & "Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor, which are 2003 remixes by an uncredited Uk engineer) However this 2 CD set does include the original mono mix of the album, the mostly 1967 stereo mix, plus all of the bonus tracks from "The Little Games Sessions and More" and the 2003 UK CD. There is also a previously unreleased alternate mix of "Together Now", by Keith Relf & JimMcCarty's post-Yardbirds group "Together"

This SHM-CD contains the stereo and mono versions of The Hollies' seventh album, plus two bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are a U.S.A. single mix of "Try It"(which contains loads of reverb) and an alternate mono mix of "Like Every Time Before"(which has no lead guitar). The album tracks obviously use Peter Mew's 1990's analog to digital transfers(if not his masterings) because the stereo mix of "Dear Eloise" still has the mastering glitch that was introduced by Mr.Mew, in which the bass,drums and low frequency content drops out for a few seconds, the first time that the group sings the words "Writing a Letter to Make You Feel Better". This disc, and the entire reissue series would have sounded so much better with brand new masterings from the original analog master tapes. It is uncertain whether Warner Music's purchase of Parlophone actually gives Warner Music access to the master tapes or unreleased music.

As an update to the song list, the song "On The Brink" is by Mike Vickers(former saxophone and guitar player for Manfred Mann). And "Hans Christian"(singer of "Never My Love") is an early stage name for "Yes" singer Jon Anderson

Here are some corrected song titles: 7.Lawdy Miss Clawdy 8.Some Sweet Day 9.It's So Right 10.Don't It Make You Feel Good 15.Do You Know 18.Now I Must Go 19.Wasting Time 25.Don't You Worry About Me 27.It Isn't There 28.One of These Days 26 & 29 are not correct either, though I don't have the titles.

The packaging for this mini-L.P. SHM-CD reissue is superb. After you remove a paper wrap(that has the 2nd version of the album cover), you get a perfect replica of the original, banned album cover(which was briefly sold in Southern California for a few weeks). The group appears to have no clothes on! This is one of my favorite Three Dog Night albums, but it is no secret that many of the group's recordings were not a high fidelity experience. The group's mixes were tailored to sound right in the early 1970's on AM radio & 8-track cartridge. The worst sounding albums are "Seven Separate Fools" & "Cyan". The sound on this premium-priced SHM-CD audiophile release of "Three Dog Night-It Ain't Easy" is generally good, but, unfortunately, at the start of the group's excellent version of Elton John's "Your Song", there is a bad digital defect in the first 2 seconds of the song. This defect was not present in any other CD release of "Your Song". Universal Music Japan should supply corrected discs to people that have purchased this product. As for myself, I will make a corrected CD-R, taking "Your Song" from the American 2-CD set "Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story 1965-1975" I don't speak Japanese, but maybe you people in Japan can tell Universal Music Japan that there is a defect in the SHM-CD of "Three Dog Night-It Ain't Easy". Thank You!

This SHM-CD edition of The Who's 1974 rarities collection "Odds & Sods" reverts back to the original 1974 John Entwistle mixes(versus the 1998 Jon Astley remixes). The 11 tracks from the original 1974 L.P. are presented in their original running order on this SHM-CD, then the bonus songs follow, but not always in the same mixes or versions heard on the 1998 CD. This time "Cousin Kevin Model Child" ,"Summertime Blues" & "My Way" are original 1960's mixes that are new to official CD. "Young Man Blues" is the correct take(versus the wrong take presented on the 1998 CD), but presented in a slightly different, slightly faster mix than the one that was included on the Uk "The House That Track Built" various artists L.P.(perhaps the originally released 1960's mix couldn't be found) But, there is still evidence of Jon Astley's carelessness. The 1998 CD included a first time stereo mix of the U.S.A. single version of "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand"(an alternate arrangement), but on this SHM-CD you get the regular non-rare version from "The Who Sell Out". Why? Because Astley is a dummy.