Takes of Mono

Not to state the obvious, but the reality is that The Pearl Sessions by Janis Joplin is primarily for completists and musical historians. That's fine; given its design and contents it appears it was meant to be. The two-disc package includes the original album and mono 45 masters of six of its tracks - including "Me & Bobby McGee," "Move Over," and "Get It While You Can." These are interesting, but they don't hold a candle to the stereo album mixes. It's the second disc that holds the fan treasures. The studio banter by Joplin, producer Paul A Rothchild, and the Full-Tilt Boogie Band is priceless. It offers proof of Joplin's exacting standards when it came to getting across the maximum emotional impact of a song, as well as her vulnerability - asking for guidance from Rothchild as to how to approach a particular take (he hands control right back to her)…

King Crimson - Larks' Tongues In Aspic (1973) {40th Anniversary Series 13CD+DVD+Blu-ray DGM KCCBX5 rel 2012}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 3.87 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.64 Gb
DVD9 -> 7.31 Gb | All Regions | NTSC 16:9 | LPCM 24/96 / DTS 5.1 / MLP 5.1 | ISO Image
BLU-RAY -> 29.1 Gb | 1080p | DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 / LPCM 2.0 / 5.1 | 24-96 | ISO Image
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 354 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1973, 2012 Panegyric / Discipline Global Mobile | KCCBX5
Rock / Art Rock / Prog-Rock / Avant-Prog

'Larks' Tongues In Aspic', from 1973, is widely regarded as one of the truly great King Crimson albums. With its raw tone, inspired improvisations and hard hitting odd-metered rhythms, the album marked a radical departure for this most forward thinking of groups and was the first to include Bill Bruford and John Wetton as band members. This 40th Anniversary edition features new mixes by Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Robert Fripp.

To say that Aretha Franklin was one of the greatest American artists of all time is an understatement. Her multi-octave voice moved millions around the world during an unrivaled career that spanned six decades and garnered the singer-songwriter every achievement and honor imaginable. Her reign as the Queen of Soul will play out across four discs on a new boxed set from Rhino that is the first to span her entire career, including songs from every label she recorded with.

On September 15, 1957, John Coltrane went into Rudy Van Gelder’s living room studio in Hackensack, New Jersey and recorded his first great masterpiece: Blue Train. The fulfillment of a handshake deal Coltrane made with Alfred Lion, it would be the legendary saxophonist’s sole session as a leader for Blue Note Records, a locomotive five track album fueled by the bluesy title track that featured a dynamic sextet with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Blue Train established Coltrane as a force of nature and set him on a course towards becoming one of the most revered and influential jazz artists of all-time.

A superb Box-Set containing 4xCDs; limited edition of 300 numbered copies; incl. a booklet with the complete tracklisting.

Who's ready for even more of MORE? In honor of 50th anniversary this year, we've super-sized MORE OF THE MONKEES with a staggering 91 tracks including 55 previously-unreleased alternate takes, remixes, and newly discovered concert recordings from 1967, the band's earliest-known live tracks, as well as a bonus 7” of “I’m A Believer” (Remix)/”(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” (Vocals Only).

John Coltrane - The Atlantic Years - In Mono (2016) {6CD Box Set Atlantic-Rhino 0081227946418}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 900 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 547 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 260 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2016 Atlantic / Rhino / Warner | 0081227946418
Jazz / Hard Bop / Modal Music / Post-Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

The superb 2016 six-disc John Coltrane box set The Atlantic Years: In Mono brings together most of the legendary jazz musician's Atlantic albums into one package, restored to their original mono sound. Beginning in 1959, Coltrane's Atlantic years were a transformative time for the saxophonist, during which he furthered his modal explorations and began incorporating aspects of the avant-garde, a vital combination that he would later bring to its pinnacle on his 1965 Impulse! classic, A Love Supreme. Included here are the landmark albums Giant Steps (1960), Bags & Trane (1959) with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, Olé Coltrane (1961) featuring trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, Plays the Blues (1960), and Coltrane's collaboration with maverick pocket trumpeter Don Cherry, The Avant-Garde (1966). Also included is a 32-page book featuring photos by Lee Friedlander and liner notes by writer Ashley Kahn.

The Litter - $100 Fine (1968) {Arf! Arf! Records AA-078 rel 1999}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 384 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 171 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 12 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1965-68, 1999 Arf! Arf! Records | AA-078
Rock / Garage Rock / Hard Rock / Psychedelic Rock

From Minneapolis, the Litter were one of the finest bands to emerge from the Midwest garage scene. Their debut lp, "Distortions," is considered a classic of the garage/psychedelic movement, with their gloriously fuzzed drenched takes of classics by the Who, Spencer Davis, the Small Faces, and Yardbirds, to name a few. The results gained the Litter exposure, and gave them the confidence to go back to the studio to work on their sophomore effort.