Some Great News For Al Stewart Fans!

Collectors Choice will be reissuing all of Al's albums except for YOTC and TP.All with bonus tracks etc. beginning Feb.2007.

Rhino/Warner Special Products USA will be licensing all of the Al Stewart
albums except YOTC and TP to Collectors Choice.

Release date is slated for late Feb 2007. All albums will be released in
their original form plus bonus tracks.

Thaine Tierney has been hired by Collectors Choice to update liner notes and
co-ordinate bonus material.

 

Well, I've heard some distinctly unflattering words on this board about collector's choice, so I'm not holding my breath. I am very enamored of the Rhino Modern Times and Past Present Future. I was totally floored when I listened to What's Going On, one of my favorite Al songs, and found that, with no fanfare, Rhino had extended the fade by almost a whole minute. The song has a great groove and stretching it out just draws you in deeper. For me, that was mega brownie points for Rhino.

 

Well I'm gonna give Collector's Choice a chance here.

Modern Times and the others need to be back in print and bonus tracks are most welcome.

Why Rhino/WB aren't issuing these themselves is baffling.

 

Glad to hear this but, oh, this is gonna hurt! I'm a major-league Al fan (and collector) and have pretty much everything that's been officially released. Not to mention many of what will become the bonus tracks on these new reissues, via the odd comp or 'fans-only' issues.

Anyway, you all know how it is. Ow, OW! Get your hands outta my wallet!

Edit: btw, is there any indication from EMI of parallel releases in Europe?

 

I'd have to agree that If there was a UK option, i'd likely go that way. However, I'm still going to grab "Orange", "Modern", and "Past", even if CCM is the only way to go.

 

What is it about Collectors Choice that people don't like?

 

Probably their mastering choices.

They really need a good mastering engineer.

The label is great at securing titles, now if they could get us good sound quality to go along with it.

 

Beware of EMI using No-Noise then.

 

took the words out of my mouth

 

I can't speak to the Collector's Choice mastering, but EMI has done a very nice job on the mastering of the Euro-releases of Al Stewart's albums. They do not sound no-noised...

- Rich

 

Are these going to be 2/1 CDs?

I just need the 24 Carrot CD. Most of his other albums have been re-issued and are available.

 

That 2001 release of Year Of The Cat sure did.

 

Hi John,

That is why I advise people to get a UK EMI/Fame CD. Same mastering as the UK RCA CD we all love. I hope the CC version of "Russians And Americans" is good and has the complete UK/US song lineup. The EMI/Fame UK CD of Year Of The Cat is cheap and good. In my opinion, slightly better than the Mobile Fidelity silver disc of the same.