"1972 - TUMBLING DICE" - Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters - A SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOK by Mark Barry...

The SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOK Series...

1972

TUMBLING DICE

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Classic Albums, Compilations, 45s

Over 2,350 E-Pages of In-Depth Information
302 Reviews from the discs themselves...

* 2,352 E-pages of info, 302 in-depth reviews for quality CD Remasters - March 2021 Draft

* Formats included - CD, SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD  [Super High Materials]

* Major Label Box Set Retrospectives from – EMI, Sony/Legacy, Universal and WEA

* Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted – Ace, Audio Fidelity, Bear Family, Beats Goes On, Big Break Records (BBR), Cherry Red, Earth, Edsel, Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Hip-O Select, Lemon, Light In The Attic, Mobile Fidelity, Raven, Repertoire, Rev-Ola, Rhino, Salvo, Soul Music Records, Sundazed and Panegyric

* Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more)

* Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* CD Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* VINYL Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs – huge number of record labels covered

* UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7” singles and EPs within each review

* Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted

* Packaging descriptions, size of booklets, what’s contained within, who wrote the liner notes, repro artwork explained

* Reference to the Audio Quality of the CD - analysis of songs

* Guest Musicians highlighted – Cover Versions noted

PREFACE

N

ot too many Music Books (let alone a review tome concentrating on 1972) contain slots for artists like Mordicai Jones, Pamela Polland or Miroslav Vitous – but this one does! I make a point of showcasing Artists and Titles you probably don’t know but deserve your attention…music that’s worth getting into your life in other words. Price tag isn’t a factor either. Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 while others are under a fiver. And even if certain Box Sets and Deletions have acquired a bit of an unsavoury price tag since release - because they’re the best, I’ve included them for your (audio) culinary delight.

And just what is the right issue to buy? It’s always a subjective argument when it comes to Audio I know – but in today’s marketplace of multiple format reissues, those kinds of decisions can be a bit of a minefield to navigate. I worked as the Principal Rarities Buyer in Reckless Records in Soho’s Berwick Street for nearly 20 years (one of the best secondhand record shops in London). So as you can imagine, I came across hundreds of CD reissues – some better than others. This book (like most of my Sounds Good series) is about highlighting those reissues that creep to the top of the pile.

Major label retrospectives are in here from Universal UMC, Sony/Legacy and WEA etc. The best Independent Reissue Labels (defunct or not) are also highlighted throughout the text and include – Ace Records, Audio Fidelity, Bear Family, Beats Goes On (BGO Records), Big Break Records (BBR), Cherry Red, Earth (Record Label), Edsel, Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Hip-O Select, Lemon, Light In The Attic, Mobile Fidelity, Raven Records (Australia), Real Gone Music, Repertoire, Rev-Ola, Rhino, Salvo, Soul Music Records, Sundazed and Panegyric to name but a few.  

There are 302 titles reviewed - CD reissues and remasters beginning in the 1990s and continuing through to 2021 (March 2021 Update). If the album was issued in 1971 in the USA but didn't arrive until 1972 in the UK (or vice versa) – I've included these too. Compilations that carry 1972 singles or rarities or interesting album tracks are also in there. In fact there's a huge 2,352 E-Pages...so plenty to read and for a good price. Genres include Pop and Rock, Blues Rock, Progressive Rock, Hard Rock, Kraut Rock, Avant Garde, Folk, Folk Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Soul, Funk, R n B, Reggae, Ska, Soundtracks and a few other points in-between.

Each entry focuses on decent remasters with factual info that helps a purchase decision. You get catalogue numbers, barcodes to identify correct issues, track lists including info on original issues like album and 7" single catalogue numbers, total playing times, packaging and liner notes descriptions, what important guests played on what, cover versions highlighted, remaster engineers named and a lot of info on the original album. I provide a Discography for Box Sets and these lists also include Imports, some Audiophile Titles and Japanese SHM-CDs too where relevant or exclusive.

Enjoy the reads... MARK BARRY (2021)