BYPASS THIS EDITION FOR THE 2007 JAPANESE MINI-SLEEVE REMAST
BOB | LOS ANGELES, CA | 02/17/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"On 2/14/07, Universal Japan released the entire Humble Pie A&M catalog, plus the "Marriott" solo album, in remastered, mini-sleeve packaging.
These remasters are GLORIOUS. This 2006 jewel-case re-release does not have the 2007 mini-sleeve's mastering.
The initial production run of the five central Pie titles (Humble Pie, Rock On, Performance, Smokin' & Eat It) have already sold out in Japan, so don't delay in getting yours!
Four of the five Japanese remasters are now the audio benchmarks for these titles: The 2006 UK Repertoire version of the third album, "Humble Pie", definitely has more clarity than the Japanese version, especially in the drums.
Perhaps now, Universal U.S. will get up off its lazy collective a** and make these fabulous remasters available.
Until that day, grab the Japanese CD's before they're gone, as all mini-sleeve CD's are limited edition.
Link to the 2007 Japanese remaster
WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?
Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.
Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.
Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.
Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.
All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs."
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1
