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In one of their bigger release days, the Universal Music Group released 11 Super Audio CD titles in the U.S. market earlier today. The release list included albums by Diana Krall, the Wallflowers and country singer Gary Allen as well as 2 Classical Music SACDs and 6 titles by Oscar Peterson. Also new this week are two additional titles on the upcoming SACD release list and some date changes to that list. Here are the highlights:
The Girl In The Other Room
Diana Krall
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Stereo
(Verve B0002293-36)
The Girl In The Other Room is Diana Krall's latest album and her first studio recording in 3 years. It is a "day and date" release today - with both the Stereo CD and Hybrid Surround Sound SACD arriving in stores in the U.S. on the same day. As with her earlier Verve Super Audio CD releases, this one was recorded and mixed by veteran recording engineer Al Schmitt who also handled the 5.1 Surround Sound mix of the album. Schmitt's surround mix places Krall's vocals in the front channels while placing the guitar and some percussive accents in the surround channels. The mastering on the SACD was done by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab in Hollywood. The SACD was made at Sony DADC in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Album Selections
1. Stop This World
2. The Girl in the Other Room
3. Temptation
4. Almost Blue
5. I’ve Changed My Address
6. Love Me Like a Man
7. I’m Pulling Through
8. Black Crow
9. Narrow Daylight
10. Abandoned Masquerade
11. I’m Coming Through
12. Departure Bay
See If I Care
Gary Allan
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Stereo
(MCA Nashville B0002361-36)
See If I Care is the fifth and latest album on the MCA Nashville label by Gary Allan. Allan is a well known country singer who is widely regarded as one of County Music's up and coming stars. See If I Care was a RIAA certified Gold Record in its Stereo CD release. The album also features a duet with Willie Nelson on the final cut, which also features a very nice Surround Sound mix with the vocals and lead instruments in front and some instrumentation such as the fiddle and harmonic in the surround channels. The 5.1 Surround Sound mix on the album was done by Greg Droman at the House Of Gain with mastering handled by Hank Williams at Master Mix. The SACD was made at Sony DADC in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Album Selections
1. Drinkin' Dark Whiskey
2. Can't Do It Today
3. Tough Little Boys
4. See If I Care
5. Songs About Rain
6. I Can Love You
7. Don't Look Away
8. Guys Like Me
9. Nothing On But The Radio
10. You Don't Know A Thing About Me
11. A Showman's Life (with Willie Nelson)
Red Letter Days
The Wallflowers
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Stereo
(Interscope B0000156-36)
Red Letter Days by the Wallflowers is the 4th album by the group. It was one of the early titles announced by Universal Music for release on SACD Surround Sound. While delayed on several occasions, the album makes it's long awaited debut on SACD in stores today. The album features 12 songs written by the group's lead singer Jakob Dylan, the son of legendary singer Bob Dylan. The 5.1 Surround Sound mix on the album was done by well known engineer Ed Churney.
Album Selections
1. When You're On Top
2. How Good It Can Get
3. Closer To You
4. Everybody Out Of The Water
5. Three Ways
6. Too Late To Quit
7. If You Never Got Sick
8. Health And Happiness
9. See You When I Get There
10. Feels Like Summer Again
11. Everything I Need
12. Here In Pleasantville
Classical SACDs by Hélène Grimaud and Bryn Terfel
Also released on Hybrid Surround Sound SACDs today are two more Classical Music albums from Universal. Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites is a "crossover" album where Terfel sings a variety of selections including concert, film, opera, choral, Irish and American songs. On the album he is joined by Andrea Bocelli, Sissel, the London Voices and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Barry Wordsworth. Worth noting is that the album is a 2-SACD set which sells for the price of a regular single SACD release.
Credo by Hélène Grimaud features the classical pianist on her debut recording for the Deutsche Grammophon label. Accompanied by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Grimaud performs compositions by Corigliano, Beethoven as well as a live recording of "Credo".
Hélène Grimaud - Credo (Deutsche Grammophon B0002122-36)
Bryn Terfel - Bryn Terfel Sings Favorites (Deutsche Grammophon B0002126-36)
Oscar Peterson's Exclusively for My Friends SACDs
This week also brings the 6 albums in the "Exclusively for My Friends" series by jazz pianist Oscar Peterson to the U.S. market. These Stereo SACDs were released last October in Germany on the MPS label and have been on the upcoming Super Audio CD release list here in the U.S. for some time now.
Commenting on their original release in Germany, MPS said that "Exclusively For My Friends represents the reissue of 6 legendary albums on SACD by the unforgotten Oscar Peterson. The albums were recorded live in the mansion of MPS producer Hans George Brunner. Previously available only in a 4-CD-Box-Set "Exclusively for My Friends" is the first version of the albums on single CDs, with their original cover, original running order and original liner notes. The SACD editions of these albums allow you to enjoy the famous sound of these six albums in both Stereo SACD and normal CD playback. Peterson, the world famous pianist played never better than with these legendary musicians including Ray Brown, Sam Jones, OD Thigpen, Bob Durham & Louis Hayes."
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends, Vol 1: Action (MPS/Verve B0002228-16)
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends, Vol 2: Girl Talk (MPS/Verve B0002231-16)
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends, Vol 3: The Way I Really Play (MPS/Verve B0002233-16)
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends, Vol 4: My Favorite Instrument (MPS/Verve B0002234-16)
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends, Vol 5: Mellow Mood (MPS/Verve B0002235-16)
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends, Vol 6: Travelin' On (MPS/Verve B0002236-16)
Availability
The new SACDs by Diana Krall, Gary Allen, the Wallflowers, Hélène Grimaud and Bryn Terfel are available at Best Buy stores. These SACDs plus the Oscar Peterson SACD series are also available from Tower Records stores and on web sites that carry SACDs including Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc and Music Direct.
Universal's Upcoming SACD Release List
There are also some additions and changes to Universal Music's Upcoming SACD Release List to report. On June 15th, Universal has added the release of the new album by the Killers titled Hot Fuss on Island to the SACD release list. A week later on June 22nd, they are planning the release of Lionel Richie's new album entitled Just for You on SACD, also on the Island Records label.
In terms of release date changes, Universal has moved the 6 upcoming Steely Dan Surround Sound Super Audio CDs from July 20th to the Coming Soon list. We'll keep an eye on those to see when an updated release date for these six becomes available. Here's an updated look at the Universal Music SACD Release List with these changes:
May 4, 2004 SACD Release
Godsmack - The Other Side (Universal Records)
May 11, 2004 SACD Releases
Sting - Brand New Day (A&M)
Vladimir Ashkenazy - Shostakovich: Piano Works (Decca Classical)
Ottavio Dantone, Accademia Bizantina - Scarlatti: Il Giardinodi Rose (Decca Classical)
Lang Lang, Piano - Live At Carnegie Hall (Deutsche Grammophon)
Mischa Maisky, Violin; Mehta, Berlin Philharmonic - Dvorak: Cello Concerto & Strauss: Don Quixote (Deutsche Grammophon)
May 25, 2004 SACD Releases
Everlast - White Trash Beautiful (Island Records)
June 15, 2004 SACD Releases
Joseph Calleja - Tenor Arias (Decca Classical)
Riccardo Chailly, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony 3 (Decca Classics)
Jamie Cullum - Twenty Something (Verve)
Valery Gergiev, Kirov Opera - Shostakovich: Symphonies 5 & 8 (Philips)
Killers - Hot Fuss (Island)
Christina Milian - It's About Time (Island Records)
Various Artists - Ultimate Audio Experience (Classics Sampler) (Deutsche Grammophon)
June 22, 2004 SACD Releases
Lionel Ritchie - Just For You (Island)
July 13, 2004 SACD Releases
Allman Brothers Band - Eat A Peach (Mercury)
Allman Brothers Band - Live At Fillmore East (Mercury)
SACD Releases Coming Soon
Count Basie & His Orchestra - April In Paris (Verve)
Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Blvd. (Polydor)
Eric Clapton - Slow Hand (Polydor)
John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman - John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman (Impulse)
Sheryl Crow - The Globe Sessions (A&M)
Derek & the Dominoes - Layla (Polydor)
Antal Dorati, Philharmonia Hugarica Orchestra - Respighi: Ancient Airs & Dances for Lute (Decca Classics)
Antal Dorati, London Symphony Orchestra - Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete);Tango; Scherzo à la Russe (Decca Classics)
Marvin Gaye - The Marvin Gaye Collection (Motown)
Vince Gill - High Lonesome Sound (MCA Nashville)
Herbie Hancock - Gershwin's World (Verve)
Shirley Horn - Here's to Live: Shirley Horn With Strings (Verve)
Byron Janis, Antal Dorati, London Sympohny Orchestra, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerti 2 & 3; 2 Preludes (Decca Classics)
Tonu Kaljuste - Te Deum (ECM)
Eleni Karaindrou - Soundtrack: Ulysses' Gaze (ECM)
Motley Crüe - Greatest Hits (Hip-O Records)
Paul Paray, Detroit Symphony Orchestra - Suppé: Overtures (+Auber) (Decca Classics)
Janos Starker - Bach: Six Suites For Solo Cello (Philips)
Steely Dan - Aja (MCA)
Steely Dan - Can't Buy A Thrill (MCA)
Steely Dan - Countdown to Ecstasy (MCA)
Steely Dan - Katy Lied (MCA)
Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic (MCA)
Steely Dan - The Royal Scam (MCA)
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