Search - Various Artists :: The Complete Hit of the Week Recordings, Volume 1

The one we've been waiting for!

Ted I. Son | East Coast USA | 02/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Archeophone has finally produced a Hit of the Week reissue that is worth buying! After many attempts, starting with Ristic's 10 inch LP in the 1960s, I have seen dozens of LPs, tapes and CDs containing these remarkable records, some have been good, most have fallen short. There was a tape series put together by the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors over 10 years ago including almost all of the Hit of the Week material, but it was not available to the general public. This is the first commercially available series of the "COMPLETE" Hit of the week's I have seen. I listened to my copy with interest and was quite impressed by the transfers and the remastering. I was pleased to find that the treble horizon was not as 'hyped' as some contemporary reissues which seem to emphasize the scratch more than the music, nor was the product overly filtered. One very telling clue exists in the booklet; a memorial page to John R. T. Davies, the British remastering guru, who passed away last year, and according to the booklet, a consultant on this project. Being a fan of Mr. Davies' work, I listened again to these transfers, and lo and behold -- there is not any sound "missing" from these records, and any reduction in treble can easily be restored by turning up the treble on one's stereo. Those listeners who prefer to equalize according to their own tastes will find that it can be done; unlike so many other reissues where the music has been filtered into oblivion. How refreshing to FINALLY find a Complete Hit of the Week CD where the audio spectrum is complete as well! As a collector of these paper discs, I'm also aware that, because of their unusual composition, many or most of them have excess noise in the midrange area, often masking subtle sounds like brushed drums and vocal sibilance. Archeophone has done some careful cleansing in this area, and in fact, I'm hearing sounds on these CDs that I never knew were on my original records! There is a presence and freshness which is unprecedented. The sound quality is consistent across the board as well. Smashing!



The sound aside; The booklet is complete, with not one, but two sets of liner notes; compete discography, and extensive illustrations. There are discs included here that I have looked for for many years and never found. It's a kick to finally get to hear the elusive "Mysterious Mose" for example! For my buck, this is one of the best reissues I've heard in a long time. Can't wait to get volume 2!"

A Masterpiece in the field of reissues

"Gimpy" Peach Johnson | 04/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Archeophone has established a well-deserved reputation as one of the finest labels today reissuing vintage recordings from the 1890s-1930s. Until now, all of their CDs have focused on material from the acoustic era (pre-1925), and it's nice to see some electric recordings added to their catalogue.



Hit of The Week records were 10-inch cardboard-based single-sided 78 rpm records first introduced to the public in 1930 (although some prototypes and tests exist from a year or two earlier). Beginning in February 1930, a new Hit of The Week record was available each week for sale at news stands for fifteen cents. Despite their cheap appearance and tendancy to curl up, HOTW records offered quality recordings of well-known dance bands and singers at a fraction of the cost of other records (which were usually 50 or 75 cents). Very soon, HOTW records were outselling all other records combined and by 1931, HOTW records boasted a five minute playing time, "almost twice the playing time of the average record." By 1932, however, even fifteen cents was too much for Depression-era Americans to afford: sales dropped and Hit Of The Week slipped quietly out of existence.



Their durium-coated surfaces gave HOTW records a distinctive sound. I wouldn't call it bad--the recordings are very clear, but the records play with a constant, though quiet, "swish." I have about 50 original HOTW records and they all have the same general sound quality. Archeophone has done a commendable job of extracting the best sound from these records, while not tinkering too much with the equalization or addding false reverb or digital artifacts that have plagued earlier reissues of this material. These very listenable, charming records have never sounded better than on this CD set.



Add to the excellent sound quality an attractive package, detailed and well-written liner notes by HOTW expert Hans Koert and Doug Benson, and a thorough discography with complete recording information, and you've got an all-around winning set. The opportunity to finally hear the elusive "Mysterious Mose" doesn't hurt either! Thanks, Archeophone, for a fantastic production--one which raises the bar just a notch in the field of reissues. I'll be eagerly awaiting Volume 2."

Fantastic CD!

Ed Carrelle | Midwest | 03/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great music, fantastic sound! First HIT OF THE WEEK CD I've heard that does justice to the records. Even the rare records are ALL included here! Where did they FIND this stuff?? Sound so fresh and natural I feel like I'm listening to these for the first time!



Ed"