This post is a departure from the typical entries here in two respects.  First, it focuses on an alternative/punk/pop group formed in the 1980s.  Second, it describes a CD, not pressed in Japan, West Germany, or the U.S., but in South Korea.  Yes, South Korea.  In 1986, the SKC plant in South Korea began pressing CDs [...]

Continuing the theme of classic jazz gracing this page (see the John Coltrane post immediately before this one), I’d like to discuss the 1959 landmark album by Dave Brubeck, Time Out.  Known for its unconventional rhythm structures, its sound is unmistakable and its influence is unquestioned.  Given the impact it had on jazz musicians, it [...]

John Coltrane was born on this day in 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina.  To honor him on what would be his 84th birthday, I thought he should be featured here. Unfortunately, Coltrane passed away at the young age of 40, but his legacy as one of the great jazz innovators was cemented in his relatively [...]

It should come as no surprise that both record labels and manufacturers of CD players produced many sampler CDs in the early days to promote the new digital format.  After all, CDs were hailed as revolutionary when compared to scratchy LPs and worn casettes due to the CD’s portability, durability, and “clean” sound (no excessive [...]

With this post, I turn my attention to the classic 1976 double-album from Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life. Specifically, I would like to take a look at the original Japanese CD pressing on Tamla for the U.S. market (catalog number TCD06115TD-2). In my experience, this is the rarest of the original CD [...]

This is the final installment of the “Reprocessed Stereo” Elvis Presley CD series, which began in December 2009. Below are links to the first three installments. Part 1: Elvis’ Golden Records Part 2: Elvis Presley Part 3: Elvis In this final entry dedicated to the rare “Reprocessed Stereo” Elvis Presley CDs, we look at the compilation, [...]

Back in November of 2008, I reported a rare Japan-for-U.S. pressing of Ozzy Osbourne’s 1983 album, Bark at the Moon (for more information, click here).  Looking back at that entry, I knew to be looking for the Japanese pressing of Bark at the Moon because the inserts stated “Disc manufactured in Japan by CBS/Sony, Tokyo, [...]

Part 2 in this series of “Reprocessed Stereo” Elvis Presley entries covered Elvis Presley. This post was entered below on February 21, 2010. In the third post in this series, the highlighted album is Elvis Presley’s second album, Elvis.  The first version of this album on CD was released by RCA under catalog number PCD1-1382.  As with [...]