Results and such

Well there will be a brief round up of events last week where the Conservatives only saved one of two Elected mayors, lost some Police & Crime Commissioners and generally had a jolly rotten night last Thursday.

Of course that was added to this week when the Conservative M.P. for Dover walked across the House of Commons floor and joined Labour!

Things were hotting up in other ways here this week so I had a new skirt, technically it's a games skirt but it's  longish on me so you could wear it as a summer wraparound skirt.

It's pleated in the traditional way and doesn't come with a pin although I dare say you could add a suitable on if you're concerned about it flapping in the wind

Just the thing to slip on and if needs be adjust the fastener to fit in this weather.

Politics is hotting up - II

 More heat as things get underway in the undeclared rush to the General Election starting with the collapse of the joint Green and SNP party government in the Scottish Parliament when the latters leader just declared a meeting where he called it off, really upsetting the Greens to the point he felt he had to stand down.

That means the SNP have to find a leader who will be the First Minister of the Parliament leading a minority administration relying on support from the other parties measure by measure which may prove...difficult.

Why does it matter elsewhere? Because dissatisfaction is likely to lead to gains in any election for Labour which may well feed into the U.K. General Election and in the event of a Labour victory lead to any becoming Ministers in Government.

Then our Prime Minister decided he needed to declare war on "Sick Note Culture" and those with mental health issues on both Employment and Disability needs benefits which ignored the poor state of mental health services, available of one to one support and lack of employer sympathy for staff with recurring conditions.

He then doubled down by suggesting a total overhaul of Personal Independance Payments in England and Wales suggesting too many with mental health issues were getting it and really people needed equipment, therapy, repayments for services.

Obliviously he'd forgotten Councils can offer Disability Grants for Adaptations and you really need qualified Occupational Therapists to make those kinds of assessment per person based on individual needs of which - oh yes - we have a shortage of.

Many of us can recall similar talk about Disability Living Allowance prior to it being changed in in the 2010's and reassessment of all DLA claimants like me which on the average showed we had more needs than previously thought.

That was supposed to be more sustainable, reduce marginal claims and support the genuinely ill so speaking personally I see this as a cost cutting measure nothing more and a potentially more bureaucratically one having to send in receipts for refunds, apply for coupons for aid and state why for instance having applied for handrails, you reapply 12 months on when if you've moved flat, you won't be taking fittings with you and how many landlords would want you go wild with the screwdriver taking stuff out?

Labour are suggesting they don't favour it but haven't said just what they would do cos really health and social care go together - increasing my independence through proper support reduces the likelihood of me ending up in A&E as a emergency.

Why can't we all agree that and get it integrated?

Politics is hotting up

A damp end to the week as we make our way out of this month and next weeks "Polish and Grime Commissioners" elections here and across neighbouring Cheshire so needless to say there's a lot of "letters to the editor" signed the candidate or his supporters to talk with at least going beyond remit in pushing for change of the law when the role really about policing and priorities in any one area.

If you have good nose you no doubt have smelt a General Election in the offing and so nationally there's much setting out of policies and jostling for position on various things such as defence.

Few of us can argue against the proposition that from an international standpoint the world is a more dangerous place than 2013 with events in Crimea a year later being in many respects the precursor to those in Ukraine in 2022.

Equally China has put itself in an economically dominant position - how much of your everyday life uses things from there? -  and is using that as a lever to minimize opposition to ill treatment of minorities in political China, frequent attempts to threaten to invade Taiwan against the wishes of that countries people and own the lions share of world in demand minerals. 

Then there are the conflicts in the middle east, Israel vs its Arab neighbours, plus the Palestinians, the jostling for position in the islamic world between Saudi Arabia and Iran and so on.

And all three are becoming intermeshed, China supplies drones to Iran and Russia, Both support North Korea.

When as we all did, we rejoiced when the Berlin Wall came down the stock response of UK Governments of both main parties to reduce the numbers in the Armed Services, the numbers of aircraft, vessels and tanks and so on impacting noticeably on our ability to protect our interests.

These measures need to be reversed over time which means spending rather more than we have and putting more when it comes to direct involvement in NATO to protect the flank from attempts to invade or destablize eastern Europe and work in concert with Australia, Canada and the United States to keep China in check 

These issues are what in the next nine or so months we'll hear more that

Smoking and Vaping - Just say no!

It's gone through the House of Commons with some controversy, new measures that would see fifteen year olds no longer able to get old enough to smoke as year on year the age limits would rise so no one would be able start smoking.

Presently you have to be eighteen in the UK to buy cigarettes although there is no legal age limit for smoking them which itself was raised from 16 some years ago.

The problem area as I can see is really more around storeholders knowing with that straight off who they can sell too as trading standards could prosecute as it is harder by appearance age and age based ID is not common place although the idea of a smoke free generation  isn't something I disagree with.

Indeed I can remember quite vividly at fifteen being told by the oldest girl of our form and a prefect upon being found hanging out with the school smokers, that if she found me smoking, she'd have no quarms about spanking me as she wasn't prepared to let me get addicted and ruin my health.

In the same bill bill are measures to reduce the marketing of Vapes, especially single use ones to teens with bright packaging and sweet flavours where we have a major addiction problem with children desperate to get out of lessons for their Vape and already some serious incidents of childrens health being ruined.

Vaping appears to have a number of long term issues as more research is showing even if it may play a part in getting existing smokers off cigarettes.

We really do need to act on this.

A Super Audio cd round up.

 I haven't done many classic music super audio cd round ups as the numbers of titles issued of interest every quarter is small as only a handful of labels issue recordings and some of those that do like Chandos don't issue every title in that form although they play on both regular and Super audio cd players.

This cd in their Nielsen cycle, Edward Gardner and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra are joined by the flautist Adam Walker in a program that combines the Flute Concerto, the Third Symphony, and the tone poem Pan and Syrinx. 

It was an Easter present.

Work began on the Third Symphony in 1910, some seven years after he had completed his second symphony 'The Four Temperaments', and the work was premiered in Copenhagen in 1912. In his album note, Paul Griffiths describes the work's eventual title, 'Sinfonia espansiva' as a fifth temperament - Joviality. In the second movement, uniquely in his symphonic output, Nielsen calls for (wordless) voices - solo soprano and baritone. 

This was also the first of his symphonies to be commercially released on record.

Composed in 1926, the Flute Concerto is a late work, and demonstrates Nielsen's stylistic evolution towards the new modernism. 

The soloist engages in repeated interactions with other instruments within the orchestra, most notably the clarinet and the bass trombone. Pan and Syrinx dates from 1918, and is based on the ancient legend which tells how the amorous god Pan invented the pan flute whilst pursuing the nymph Syrinx

This is a most useful addition to my small amount of Nielsen works on super audio cd.

This interesting compilation of less popular items by Tchaikovsky performed by the BBC Scottish Orchestra conducted by Alpesh Chauhan came out in 2023 which is useful although I have a good number of discs of Tchaikovsky's orchestral compositions. 

Now 12" 80's -1982

This week we're starting with a double entry in the Now 12" 80's which is different from the two previous issues in that they've decided there so many great 12" mixes that were issued in 1982 they needed two volumes!

Volume One was issued on January 17th 2024.

Disc one showcases some of the bands who were at the forefront of this culture shift, including Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Visage – all having fantastic years with their albums ‘Rio’, ‘Diamond’ and ‘The Anvil’ respectively, plus huge tracks from The Human League with ‘Mirror Man’, Japan with ‘Life In Tokyo’, Gary Numan’s ‘Music For Chameleons’ and ‘Pale Shelter’ from Tears For Fears, all in their extended and remixed versions. 

CD2 presents the best of 82 Disco-Pop from Carly Simon with her Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards produced hit ‘Why’, plus Electro from Rockers Revenge feat. Donnie Calvin with ‘Walking On Sunshine’, and George Clinton’s ‘Loopzilla’. Culture Club had a fantastic year in 1982 with the release of their debut album ‘Kissing To Be Clever’ from which ‘I’m Afraid Of Me’ was the second single, and Bananarama enjoyed early success with their hit single ‘Shy Boy’. This disc closes with Pop classics from The Belle Stars with ‘The Clapping Song’, and the number 1 ‘My Camera Never Lies’ from Bucks Fizz. 

Disco, Funk and Soul lead the way on CD3, featuring massive floor-fillers from Shalamar with ‘A Night To Remember’, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ from The Boys Town Gang and an extended remix of ‘Do You Wanna Funk’ from Patrick Cowley feat. Sylvester, plus the smash ‘Just An Illusion’ from Imagination in its 12” version. Latin-tinged Pop from Modern Romance, Funk and Soul infuences from Spandau Ballet, Daryl Hall & John Oates with the extended club mix of ‘I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)’, and the Pure Pop of Haircut 100 complete this disc.

The fourth CD rounds off this volume with Alternative/Rock favourites from New Order, the Associates, Siouxsie & the Banshees and the Cure before moving on to synth driven hits from Simple Minds with the German 12" remix of New Gold Dream, A Flock Of Seagulls Wishing I Had a Photograph Of You, a personal favourite before finishing with Trio and Visage.

It wasn't long before the shape of the Second Volume was announced and on April 12th this much anticipated set was released.

Disc 1 begins with the unforgettable classic ‘Young Guns (Go for It!)’ from Wham!, followed by the ‘Night Version’ of ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ from Duran Duran’s smash album ‘Rio’. Essential 12” versions from Spandau Ballet and Haircut 100 come next, before brilliant and enhancing 12” mixes of ‘Torch’ from Soft Cell, ‘Night Train’ from Visage and Japan’s ‘European Son’, plus unmissable tracks from Talk Talk, Simple Minds and Heaven 17 bring this first disc to a close.

CD2 begins with timeless Pop from Madness with ‘Our House’, and ‘The Telephone Always Rings’ from Fun Boy Three, before British Pop-Reggae from UB40 with ‘So Here I Am’ and Musical Youth with ‘Youth Of Today’. Funk favourites from Junior and Shakatak feature next, plus innovative style fusions from Monsoon and David Christie…and as if to emphasise how stylistically diverse the charts of 1982 were, Disc 2 closes with the number 1 Euro Disco 12” of ‘Seven Tears’ from the Goombay Dance Band.

CD3 kicks off with the 80s Disco of ‘Get Down On It’ from Kool & The Gang, leading to floor-fillers from Shalamar with ‘There It Is’ and ‘Love Come Down’ from Evelyn "Champagne" King. The Associates and Thomas Dolby head up a run of lesser-compiled Synth-Pop hits from Classix Nouveaux, Blue Zoo, The Mood, Blancmange and Visage… with Simple Minds’ second appearance ‘Glittering Prize’ to conclude the disc.

The final CD is all about 1982’s polished pop and leads with the Jazz Mix of ‘Poison Arrow’ from ABC, and fan favourites from Haircut 100 and Culture Club with ‘Nobody's Fool’ and ‘White Boy’. 12” gems from Bananarama with Fun Boy Three, Bow Wow Wow and Altered Images follow next. 1982 would see ‘Maneater’ become a global smash for Daryl Hall & John Oates – here as it’s 12” remix, and see the release of ‘War Child’ as the last new Blondie single for 17 years. China Crisis debut ‘African And White’ is included in a closing run that features second tracks on this collection from Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and Soft Cell who get the final word with the aptly titled ‘Say Hello Wave Goodbye’ in its sumptuous 12” version.

1982 was an amazing year for music, specifically British music and these two volumes do full justice to it in its twelve inch form.

Easter edition

 Okay it is Good Friday although yesterday I was having issues with bigger old windows that corrupted the usual browser to the point it had to be totally reinstalled eating up time and paw movement.

I want that costume!

Continuing briefly from last week, one wishes the Princess of Wales all the best with her chemotherapy and hopes she can can be granted the space she needs to work through everything.

Here I was out earlier in the week enjoying myself, seeing a few people before Easter in different areas some are off on school holidays and others will be doing so next week like here.

Easter can affect post so I tried to get things ordered so all being well they should not be delayed much and indeed some ankle socks and a record came in very good time.

There's an Egg for consumption here, white cos I prefer white chocolate as it doesn't trouble my head as much compared to diary or especially dark which tends to last days on end.

Anyway enjoy Easter folks!

That Photo and what's at the core of the discussion

Heading towards yet another wet weekend here.

One thing probably worth remarking upon this week is the whole issue of trust, media speculation and after image processing that the Wales's appear to have got themselves into with the release last week of a picture of them and their children for Mothering Sunday (the British Mother's Day) to the World's media after her period of being in hospital.

It didn't last twenty-four hours before being picked apart for showing some less than subtle editing which seems to be norm with many today but this ignores one important requirement which is Newspapers require an image to be an accurate indication of the event taken even if they may crop a picture themselves having received so it was retracted.

A picture has to be of the event not a composite even of many images taken at the time or in effect a photo montage upon a theme.

But then it appears they *may* be issues with a picture issued in 2022 of the late Queen and her family.

An explanation proffered was as an amateur photographer, the Princess of Wales enjoys dabbling in photo editing which is probably true - and has reflected in the controversies from time to time about rules in digital photographic competitions generally - but you need to give the press the picture "as is".

As it stands the attempt at the "perfect" picture seems to have fuelled speculation on the extent of the Princess's condition, if we're having anything held back, even bizarrely if the royal are using a body double, all of which is a long way from her intent in having and issuing that picture. 

Sometimes you just have to present the picture as taken, warts and all.

Phil Collins recut

This week we're looking at a couple of things that came for my birthday which are a bit special.

As part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Atlantic Records, some 75 albums are being re-issued in special audiophile versions by Kansas based Analogue Productions in association with Atlantic records.

They are in every sense premium editions from the high quality jacket printing and finish, the use of acclaimed mastering engineers to cut the grooves and that they are 45 rpm allowing more room for all the notes to be fully accommodated with less of the compromises required especially with long albums.

I have always liked Phil Collin's solo albums but they were bought straight to compact disc so I decided to pick up two titles of his in the series starting with Face Value, his first album from early 1981 issued after Genesis's Duke which saw the use of horns and use of intricate drum sounds on songs like In The Air Tonight and I Missed Again.

It also has an interesting version of Tomorrow Never Knows, originally written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for their Revolver album of 1966. 

In late 1982 having issued Abacab and Three Sides Live for Genesis Phil returned to his solo material and issued this, Hello, I Go Again, the follow up.

This had a massive smash cover version of the supremes song You Can't Hurry Love that keeps much of its soulful qualities and is beautifully recorded and Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away, a hit on early 1983.

The sound quality of both these albums is absolutely stunning with lots of detail, atmosphere and dynamics coupled with excellent tuneful bass.

It is unfortunate that each is restricted to just 2,000 copies each with no ability in the license to repress because already the first one is very hard to find despite being issued in October last year.

 

Birthday edition

Normally I do a kind of special day post on here but as it's similar to that of the other blog it's just an altered version really as any individual items will have their own one of posts  and I certainly wasn't gonna be talking about the budget today. 

There were cards as much as cards got crowded out last year with the events of just under three weeks before everything was on pause so the small number cards wee just in a bit of a corner rather than a central position.

That one fills the girl of the family slot doesn't surprise most given the craziness of our family, doing stuff and trying to smooth things over.

While I don't know about any other presents and they can always be added as an update I do the know the Super Audio cd of Genesis's Selling England By The Pound by Analogue Productions as part of the Atlantic 75 years anniversary delayed from last November is here.

Given the record version was acclaimed, I'm looking forward to spinning this disc.

There is a copy of the special 45 rpm 75 years anniversary issue of the first Crosby, Stills and Nash album that alongside Abbey Road and Let It Bleed heralded the new and in many ways more modern sound of rock than the more sophisticated pop of just a few years back.

I'm rebuilding a bit of the collection so a few new to me original lps came too ready to clean up and resleeve.

There will be a fuller write up around the 2004-2005 installment of Now Millennium but this gathering of notable tracks from those two years will help bringing back the sounds of that era coupled with a book about the artists and times.

I'm sure there will be some money to put towards a few other purchases looking towards Easter and Summer get together and unlike last year we'll have a small meal together at a local pub, something we always did when Mom was alive and something that didn't happen last time as that's been booked.

Gearing up to a marker and just being me

 Things were different last year for a variety of reasons such as the period the year before where I was seriously ill had rather messed my head up, tending to forget things significantly worse than is usual for me given my short term memory issues.

This was impacted by my and Mom's covid infection at the end of year and her death that dominated to a large extent the whole period going into March which rather left traditional birthday arrangements really messed up as even the cards given nothing else much happened just melted into the many bereavement cards that took up much of the front room so it was in many ways a non event.

The other thing was the stresses and strains really took me backward to my most "littlest" side as your world seemed to no long appeared to be recognizable at the very time you needed that comforting sensation and associated emotions.

Things that had been bought to spend time away "more little" in 2022 spent more time on me in 2023 as I just felt more settled as that little and indeed when last week an Aunt called in, I was dressed very much as that little.

Sometimes it's best to be true to yourself and just let things be.

This year it well be marked closer in spirit to how it always was even if one face may not be at the table because life continues even as the loss is still felt but the drift over time more towards this life is just there, we talked about it in 2016, and if I still sit with my stuffies then so be it.

Site issues

 

This week apart from dealing with what felt like flu I was reminded of a number of experiences I had in the past on this online life where an individual owns a website and leaves it still running until one day it ceases to.

In this particular instance the issue revolves around the death of the owner and things such as the failure to transfer that or there being a plan too pay any hosting related costs such as quarterly bills as it is rare for them to be set up as group concerns with a appointed successor who would take that responsibility one.

What happens is after say the bill isn't paid, the host suspends the site with a "contact us" banner overlaid and when that happened with two sites because nothing was set up, it wasn't that the domain was lost, so was all the hosting.

They became ex-sites.

Potentially it was looking late Wednesday a site I've been at since 2011 was going that way but it seems a payment was made in time so the bill has been settled although other issues such as outdated and hard to transfer into newer site software do need to be addressed in the near future even if the current content is just kept in a read only mode for posterity.

Visits

This week I did visit Framingham castle whilst away on a littles break.

Framlingham Castle is located in the market town of Framlingham in Suffolk. It was built by Roger Bigod, a knight, after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Mary Tudor, the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon, was proclaimed the Queen of England here on 19 July 1553. Thomas was released from the Tower by Mary as a reward for his loyalty, but retired to Kenninghall rather than Framlingham.

After Mary's patronage, the castle lost much of its prestige although using a brick add on, it did serve as a Workhouse for the poor until the 1834 Poor Law act and a more centralized "Union" system was established 8 miles away.

It had an interesting display about the history of the town and its people over the century's.

Band On The Run Redux

There are anniversaries that you may quite enjoy and there are others that just remind you of how many tens of years have gone by such as the recent anniversary of the 1973 multi-million seller, Band On The Run which was marked on February 2nd with the release of full original album and extended versions on lp record and compact disc.

Too bad there wasn't a limited edition 8 track as as those of us around then will recall there was and indeed I did own the UK edition which sounded rather good where it was played at home and in the car player a lot.

I opted for the single lp version as I have little use for a disc of demos as much as musicologists get a buzz out comparing songs as they evolve and for another this uses the US track listing that added Helen Wheels, a 1973 single to the second side of the UK album.

It came pressed by Optimal in Germany with the original poster plus OBI.

Being cut using a Half Speed mastering system from high resolution files from the original analogue tapes allowed it to sound much better than the original US Apple edition and even challenge the UK which was really good with strong bass.

I was delighted with this edition.

Shini is the Blue Peter 43rd presenter!

 

It has been announced who the 43rd Blue Peter presenter will be.

Shini Muthukrishnan, pictured left, aged 22 from Stafford, will go live for her first show on CBBC at 17:00 GMT on Friday.

She will co-host the world’s longest-running children’s TV programme alongside Abby Cook, Joel Mawhinney and BP pet, Henry the dog.

Blue Peter will be the first TV presenting role for Ms Muthukrishnan whose lockdown videos on TikTok celebrated her British, Indian and Malaysian heritage.

Ms Muthukrishnan, who played badminton for Staffordshire county, recently graduated from King's College London where she studied philosophy, politics and economics.

She said: “Being part of the Blue Peter team is such a surreal and exciting feeling.

“I have really fond memories of Blue Peter. As a kid, I looked up to Helen Skelton, she seemed fearless on screen. She took on incredible challenges with such a headstrong attitude that made me think 'I can be fearless too'.”

Her first challenge will involve taking part in aircraft aerobatics while also on the live show, she will also be attempting to bathe Henry the dog and cook up a tasty treat.

Blue Peter editor Ellen Evans asked about her qualities said "Shini is an exciting new talent, who impressed us with her adventurous spirit, sense of humour, determination and aspiration to have a positive impact on kids’ lives.”

As a Staffordshire resident and West Midlander, I'm delighted.

Queen Greatest Hits II revisited

Things were a bit delayed here with feeling rough midweek but we do actually have a post.

I've always liked the rock group Queen standardizing in the late 1980's on compact discs and adding new albums as issued in that format from a mixture of cassettes and eight track tapes.

Queen had three Greatest Hits sets although the third issued post Freddie isn't essential and contains a number of dubious remixes with guest rapping.

I originally brought Greatest Hits on compact disc in 1986 and a few years back as I've been getting back into vinyl bought the recent half speed mastered double version which contains all those songs from Seven Seas Of Rhye to Flash via Bo Rhap which does sound better than the original lp did.

The second volume, Greatest Hits II came out in late 1991 just as many of us were mourning Freddie Mercury's death from HIV/A.I.D.S. taking us from Under Pressure from 1981 to Show Must Go On via the likes of Radio GaGa, Who Wants To Live Forever and I Want It All.

I originally brought that straight on cd - it was one of the first cds over 75 minutes - although I picked up a copy of lp some years later.

I wasn't too happy with that lp as for one thing it sounded a bit thin and my copy had a few marks and crackles so I brought a week ago the reissue on Virgin rather than Parlophone that also was half speed mastered.

While the reissue has reference to Queen's website while it didn't exist in 1991, this does sound extremely good with lots of detail and nice deep bass plus dead quiet surfaces.

I usually clean any record even new to remove any dust and grime that might of got in at the pressing plant.

The jacket is much better quality using thicker card and more impactful printing that you'd be proud to own in your record collection and the inners are printed card so I'd suggest using a couple of thin mylar or rice paper "rounded bottom" inners between disc and card inner to protect them.

Being just over seventy-five minutes this gives us around eighteen minutes per side being a double album which is around the optimum for good sound.

For the modest cost I feel this reissue is well worth getting. 

Dire Straits on Super Audio cd Part II

 After a four year gap we return to this topic with a new entry.

Dire Straits bowed out in style when they released On Every Street in 1991 some 6 years on from the massive selling Brothers In Arms which was both the first big selling compact disc being used to promote that format and the first in this series of Dire Straits albums issued on sacd in 2013.

They'd taken their time since the knockout success of Brothers In Arms, waiting six years to deliver a follow-up which would satisfy fans of their inimitable sound. 

Mark Knopfler's dusky tones weave many a tale, and there's that pervading sentimental mood hanging over the record like a Dire Straits album should have, but there's also some of those Southern boogie rhythm sections to lock onto, not least on the drawn out splendour of 'Calling Elvis'. 

Remastered by Rob Lo Verde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, this has a much better sound stage and dynamics than the stock Vertigo/Warner Bros issue this released a few days ago joins the remainder of the collection.

Dire Straits on Super Audio CD

The path I travel along

It's been a fairly cold week here having to wrap up while out exploring the local countryside which does tend to tell you a fair bit about me as I stay still, downwind watching the birds and squirrels merging into the background.

However much it can be difficult at times, there is and remains a awful lot of scouting  ways and thinking running through me that tends to creep out simply because much of what you learned and the basic philosophy within it is so me.

It's not that just joining makes you it, it's really rather more the road of curiosity and adventure you embark upon, learning new skills, the preparedness to step out of your comfort zone,a "can do" attitude, being guided by a clear set of values that makes you one.

Across the week I have been reading this recent book by the Chief Scout of the Scout Association which looks very much at that, the things you can brush up upon or even learn as we never stop learning that will aid and inspire you along that journey.

For me it's everything.

The Beatles 1962-1966 on vinyl redux

On November 10th, as we were gearing up to Remembrance Day after the release of the "new" single Now And Then a week before two very different versions of albums we've known for all our lives appeared in both vinyl record and compact disc.

We're going to talk exclusively about the vinyl edition.

Originally coming out in 1973 the Beatles 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 compilations known to a number of us as the RED and BLUE albums were either gateways into their music growing up in a post Beatles pop world or neat resumés for original fans.

What made them so essential was they took all the hit singles and added a good selection of notable tracks from their albums in chronological order capturing well the essence of the Beatles appeal and their musical development plus  added the lyrics for every song on the inner sleeves.

Short of putting them in a box with a glossy booklet wrapped up with ribbon they could not of been better so over fifty years they've always been around in a variety of formats from records, cassette and 8 track tapes to the compact disc and being given copies for many of us was a rite of passage musically.

One thing they cannot be ignored is however the stereo mixes especially of many of the songs on RED are rather primitive with vocals and backing at the far sides of the stereo image and nothing in the middle which doesn't work too well on headphones.

Compared with today there were only a handful at best of individual tracks to create a stereo mix from and in any event that just wasn't the main aim in how the recording session was done as in the early sixties especially mono was king with most recordings being played on mono portable record players apart from the more well to do grown ups who bought classical, show and film soundtracks who quickly brought into stereo sound.

One major structural difference between the two cd set and the vinyl edition lies in how the expanded track selection is handled which is that the cd has the new selections placed between the original twenty six while the vinyl version keeps the original order but places the extras one the third disc.

Used initially in assembling the Get Back film and then in the new edition of Revolver last year using Artificial Intelligence so it would "learn" all the elements which then gives you lots of separate tracks you can remix this has been applied to every song on RED for this edition.

Thus for the first time ever we get "true stereo" Love Me Do from the original singles version too and She Loves You which have only ever existed in mono although to my ears the source of that track sounds inferior to all previous editions.

Many of those irritating hole in middle vocals on one side mixes have been redone totally and even generally good stereo mixes like Ticket To Ride have the drive reduced in stereo album mixes restored that the original mono 45 had.

Yesterday's string quartet is now spread across both channels which as long term classical musicI know is how they appear.

In the main this works and especially well on the Rubber Soul tracks which bolds well for the much looked forward to remixed stereo version of that album easily the worst in stereo in the catalogue.

Observant eyes will have noticed there's more tracks on the rear cover of the cd (on vinyl the listing is at the bottom of the gatefold photograph like the original)  - 34 not 26 - which allows for a better selection from albums as the beatles generally didn't have singles on albums unless they came out before or were tied in things like the films.

While the criticism could be made the 1973 original was over heavy in representing Rubber Soul, oddly that has gained yet another track so now half of that album appears on this compilation and a similar number from Revolver.

Strangely there has no improvement in the representation of Beatles For Sale (Beatles '65/VI in the North American original Capitol albums) with just Eight Day's A Week, a U.S. chart topper from early 1965 making that the least represented album.

On vinyl the mastering is better as in wider dynamics and sound-staging compared with the cd but that decision to place the extra tracks is awkward feeling like a bonus compilation rather than an integral part of this new version.

I can see for regular playing the 2014 all analogue issue using the original 1973 mixes but with the fake stereo replaced by mono being the regular played edition but this is a great new envisioned version especially for the second side with remixes from Rubber Soul and Revolver which had issues in the original stereo mixes and that bonus disc.