RSD 2020

NathanRicaud said:
How does the Robyn 'Robyn' RSD release reissue sound everyone? It's got mixed reviews on Discogs! Some are saying it sounds great, others are saying it sounds a bit flat! What do you all think? Is it a great sounding pressing?
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To me, it sounds like any run-of-the-mill commercial release. Acceptable but nothing outstanding. If Gorillaz D Sides is a 9/10 for me, Robyn is 6/10. Her vocals lack the clarity I want to get it to 7/10 or 8/10

* Mine says Made in the Netherlands.
 
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jamieanderson1968 said:
Sadly my online order of June Of 44's Meridians got cancelled as part of their order didn't show up. They held the order for a few days to see if it would show up last week, but no luck. But they refunded me the cost plus knocked another $5 off the rest of my order for the "inconvenience". Thats how it's done. Now I will definitely be going to them in September and October for RSD online.
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Do you still need a copy?
 
Turbo said:
Next batch just showed up. 5 of my RSD LPs have now come in, 1 left to go.

Really happy about the Hooker N Heat. That one was on my wantlist for a long time but never got around to it. Hope it sounds great.

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I actually ended up getting this RSD pressing for Hooker ‘n’ Heat! I can confirm that it sounds great! And it’s a wonderful listen and I love how raw, intimate, and homely it sounds! ♥
 
threesunrises said:
I can no longer find Sweet Relief: A Benefit For Victoria Williams on the RSD list - it was supposed to drop in October. Has anyone heard anything about it?
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I haven’t seen it on the list, but I've seen it listed in some stores for the October drop. It’s on Legacy, and still on their release list so I *think* it’s still on. It’s the only thing I’m chasing that drop.
 
Finally got down to listening to Bob James - Once Upon A Time.

Wow after being let down by the sonics of Charlie Parker‘s Jazz at midnight (2/10), Bob James is a full 10/10. The best sounding RSD bar none. Could be among the best sounding in my entire record collection. Full dynamic range, supreme clarity yet the bass is defined and solid (My Ron Carter hasn‘t arrived so let’s see if it could top this )

Looking more closely at the jacket, I just realised that Bob James is mastered by Grundman and pressed at RTI
 
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Atvinyl said:
Finally got down to listening to Bob James - Once Upon A Time.

Wow after being let down by the sonics of Charlie Parker‘s Jazz at midnight (2/10), Bob James is a full 10/10. The best sounding RSD bar none. Could be among the best sounding in my entire record collection. Full dynamic range, supreme clarity yet the bass is defined and solid (My Ron Carter hasn‘t arrived so let’s see if it could top this )

Looking more closely at the jacket, I just realised that Bob James is mastered by Grundman and pressed at RTI
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Couldn't agree more, sounds fantastic! Zev Feldman really goes all out when prepping these packages, I have yet to have a Resonance release that I thought was poor quality. Some people have complained about the audio for Bill Evans At The Top Of The Gate, but I personally find it to be good.
 
Selaws said:
Couldn't agree more, sounds fantastic! Zev Feldman really goes all out when prepping these packages, I have yet to have a Resonance release that I thought was poor quality. Some people have complained about the audio for Bill Evans At The Top Of The Gate, but I personally find it to be good.
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Thanks for the info. Will bear this in mind when i next see Resonance
 
Atvinyl said:
Finally got down to listening to Bob James - Once Upon A Time.

Wow after being let down by the sonics of Charlie Parker‘s Jazz at midnight (2/10), Bob James is a full 10/10. The best sounding RSD bar none. Could be among the best sounding in my entire record collection. Full dynamic range, supreme clarity yet the bass is defined and solid (My Ron Carter hasn‘t arrived so let’s see if it could top this )

Looking more closely at the jacket, I just realised that Bob James is mastered by Grundman and pressed at RTI
Click to expand...

For sure Bob James is a great-sounding pressing. I know this will sound odd coming from “that guy at N&G who likes a lot of really weird stuff” but the experimental aspects of this recording was a big letdown for me, especially Lateef Minor 7th and Variations. Too shrill/jarring and just didn’t feel right to me.

Jazz at Midnite is not sonic honey but I really enjoyed it for what it is. There is some amazing playing on this record. My only complaint about the performance. — and it’s a minor one — is that it’s too hot. It starts pedal-to-the-metal from the first moment and rarely slows down to breathe.

The jazz jewel of the August RSD drop for me is Gene Russell, no contest. I’d still like to pick up Porto Novo, Monk and a couple of others so consider my opinion incomplete.

Outside of jazz, two other records took me by surprise: Brian Eno - Rams and Martin Denny - Exotic Moog. Take my praise of Eno with a grain of salt because I’m a borderline superfan but Rams is easily one of my 2020 faves. So good. I was not expecting this.

Cult-lounge is what immediately comes to mind about Martin Denny but Exotic Moog is far from it. His Moog imaginations of these covers are really great, especially given the context of it being within the first five years of Moog recordings and electronic music in general. Great pressing too.

Alfredo Linares Y Su Sonora - Yo Traigo Boogaloo completely lived up to expectations and is awesome as well. So glad to have found it!

Going back to Rams, listen to this song and tell me it’s not fantastic.

 
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dropsonde said:
For sure Bob James is a great-sounding pressing. I know this will sound odd coming from “that guy at N&G who likes a lot of really weird stuff” but the experimental aspects of this recording was a big letdown for me, especially Lateef Minor 7th and Variations. Too shrill/jarring and just didn’t feel right to me.

Jazz at Midnite is not sonic honey but I really enjoyed it for what it is. There is some amazing playing on this record. My only complaint about the performance. — and it’s a minor one — is that it’s too hot. It starts pedal-to-the-metal from the first moment and rarely slows down to breathe.

The jazz jewel of the August RSD drop for me is Gene Russell, no contest. I’d still like to pick up Porto Novo, Monk and a couple of others so consider my opinion incomplete.

Outside of jazz, two other records took me by surprise: Brian Eno - Rams and Martin Denny - Exotic Moog. Take my praise of Eno with a grain of salt because I’m a borderline superfan but Rams is easily one of my 2020 faves. So good. I was not expecting this.

Cult-lounge is what immediately comes to mind about Martin Denny but Exotic Moog is far from it. His Moog imaginations of these covers are really great, especially given the context of it being within the first five years of Moog recordings and electronic music in general. Great pressing too.

Alfredo Linares Y Su Sonora - Yo Traigo Boogaloo completely lived up to expectations and is awesome as well. So glad to have found it!

Going back to Rams, listen to this song and tell me it’s not fantastic.

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I agree that the Gene Russell is fantastic, makes me excited to receive the other reissues in the Black Jazz series.

I might be wrong but I think the recording for Charlie Parker cuts in after they already start playing. Not sure if this is the case on other tracks but I have quite a few albums by Parker that do the exact same thing. Not sure if its a technical choice (maybe they were trying to save tape or something?) or a stylistic one. I do agree though, it would be nice if the music had time to breathe a bit.

Not sure if this is on your list, but the Ron Carter is very very good as well. Its a live recording but clearly a professional set up and the music is fantastic. Well worth looking into if you haven't already.
 
Luke said:
Haven’t seen anyone picking up the Biggie box. Just curious about everyone’s thoughts?
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I have a couple thoughts (full disclosure, I'm not picking up anything at all for RSD - everything I like I already have OGs of or on CD):

1. Do you already have the other albums without the set? If not, is the album you don't have Born Again and then do you really care about Born Again?! Personally, I have multiple copies of Ready to Die and Life After Death, so this was an easy pass (and I'm not keen on Junior Mafia)
2. Is Ready to Die w/ or without the original samples? If it's not, then, of course, that is all a matter of preference (and then you'd want to steer toward the VMP or pre-2006 copies (OGs or The Remaster LP).
3. If #1 would usually bow you out, are you a completionist*** and need to have this

***I have thoughts on this too...the idea of completing a collection especially in regards to a deceased artist or one that has nothing to do with the controlling party of their recordings....what exactly is one completing? Quite possibly not the artist's vision for their output. It certainly doesn't get you closer to the artist as a dead man can't have an artistic vision. It is something packaged together by a company. I've become disillusioned with a lot of what RSD puts out - it's a lot of cash grabs (some of which I buy lol).

Any way, bit of a tangent; but you asked for thoughts and you didn't say they had to be coherent or cogent.
 
Lord Diaper Baby said:
I have a couple thoughts (full disclosure, I'm not picking up anything at all for RSD - everything I like I already have OGs of or on CD):

1. Do you already have the other albums without the set? If not, is the album you don't have Born Again and then do you really care about Born Again?! Personally, I have multiple copies of Ready to Die and Life After Death, so this was an easy pass (and I'm not keen on Junior Mafia)
2. Is Ready to Die w/ or without the original samples? If it's not, then, of course, that is all a matter of preference (and then you'd want to steer toward the VMP or pre-2006 copies (OGs or The Remaster LP).
3. If #1 would usually bow you out, are you a completionist*** and need to have this

***I have thoughts on this too...the idea of completing a collection especially in regards to a deceased artist or one that has nothing to do with the controlling party of their recordings....what exactly is one completing? Quite possibly not the artist's vision for their output. It certainly doesn't get you closer to the artist as a dead man can't have an artistic vision. It is something packaged together by a company. I've become disillusioned with a lot of what RSD puts out - it's a lot of cash grabs (some of which I buy lol).

Any way, bit of a tangent; but you asked for thoughts and you didn't say they had to be coherent or cogent.
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All I have is VMP Ready to Die so I’m still debating.
 
Lord Diaper Baby said:
***I have thoughts on this too...the idea of completing a collection especially in regards to a deceased artist or one that has nothing to do with the controlling party of their recordings....what exactly is one completing? Quite possibly not the artist's vision for their output. It certainly doesn't get you closer to the artist as a dead man can't have an artistic vision. It is something packaged together by a company. I've become disillusioned with a lot of what RSD puts out - it's a lot of cash grabs (some of which I buy lol).
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I'm working on a complete Elloitt Smith collection. The fact that Kill Rock Stars and his estate seem to be so very concerned with protecting the legacy makes it easier to go down the road for sure.
 
Atvinyl said:
Finally got down to listening to Bob James - Once Upon A Time.

Wow after being let down by the sonics of Charlie Parker‘s Jazz at midnight (2/10), Bob James is a full 10/10. The best sounding RSD bar none. Could be among the best sounding in my entire record collection. Full dynamic range, supreme clarity yet the bass is defined and solid (My Ron Carter hasn‘t arrived so let’s see if it could top this )

Looking more closely at the jacket, I just realised that Bob James is mastered by Grundman and pressed at RTI
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It's kind of single-handedly piqued my interested in the 'Serpico OST' sept drop, arranged by Bob James.

RSD '20 Special Release: Mikis Theodorakis - Serpico

Sidney Lumet's 1973 masterpiece Serpico is one of the most iconic movies of the '70s. Featuring a career-defining performance by Al Pacino in the title role, it's a superb neo-noir, encapsulating the post-Watergate mood of the early '70s. The film's soundtrack by Mikis Theodorakis is equally...
recordstoreday.com
 
Not sure where to post this, but did anyone order anything from Rough Trade for the August RSD? I ordered Eilish and Al Green on 8/29, and have no shipping or tracking info. It said the label was created, but nothing since. I emailed them, but haven’t heard anything.
 
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