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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

First Look: Vinyl Box Set - A Letter Home by Neil Young - ▶



Here's an in depth review of the new vinyl box set for A Letter Home by Neil Young.

The video review by Tony takes us through the vinyl discs, booklet and special releases.

Also, some discussion on the differences between "audiophile" disc and "regular" disc, "dead wax" messages, and other notes for those who are passionate about vinyl.



A Letter Home (Vinyl Box Set)
(Click photo to enlarge)

21 comments:

  1. Is that Yanch or Jansch? Almost as boring as the record. How interesting can a box be? I'm Going Back to the Country.

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  2. Anon - do you have a turntable back in the country?

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  3. Great review tony as usual. I bought the album from third man, box set is not as appealing to me, but that's just me.
    Anyway If you go to Fallon's tonight show page and search the air date May 12, you'll find the "bonus" footage that did not air on the network segment. It's Neil doin "Since I Met You, Baby" on the piano just outside of the open door of the booth. he's actually sitting in the booth with the door open and leans back into the mic every now and again. pretty cool to watch as neil answers the question "how'd he get the piano in the booth?"
    -Forever Younger

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  4. Good news Thrasher! The Amazon link for CSN&Y 1974 is back up!! Now that one should help you keep the lights on for a little bit I hope.

    Nice review Tony. I'll admit I skipped through a lot it but damn those 7" vinyl records look damn cool!! Not cool enough for me to drop a hundred bucks on but I'm glad I got to see yours! Nice sorta quick review! Ha. That made me chuckle. Thanks for the effort.

    Neg

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  5. CSNY box with vinyl, book, Blu Ray, in a wooden box $500. Everyone's saying music is love well not anymore.

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  6. @Forever Younger - and in case you were wondering how they got Jack in the box (so to speak): https://screen.yahoo.com/videos-for-you/wonder-care-much-075356899.html

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  7. Anonymous said:

    "Not cool enough for me to drop a hundred bucks on".

    Think yourself lucky you're not here in the UK, currently on Amazon would set you back about $230.

    Criminal.

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  8. Yes it is pretty, but apart from the two bonus tracks (which I didn't know about until this video) isn't it essentially the same eleven performances in six different formats?

    It might be worth it if the box included outtakes, demos or live versions, but for me this is stretching value for money too far.

    I mean, I can scrawl on some masking tape myself thanks - I think I'll save my money for Archives Vol 2, bring it on!!!

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  9. isn't there suppose to be a download card in this Box Set too?

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  10. NY's promotion of vinyl would be laudable if there wasn't such a huge difference in price between the CD and vinyl versions of A Letter Home. I bought the CD in Glasgow today for £10 - the vinyl was £30. Other new albums on sale in the same shop were retailing for about £15. Do I smell a rat?

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  11. Sorry to say I will be passing on this release in all formats...now about those songs you said you were writing, Neil...???

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  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  13. Thanks Tony. An eloquent and thorough review. Original LP arrived very quick from TMR but not opened. Box set ordered from Neil store so will have to wait a few weeks to ship to good old blighty. Cd ordered from UK online independant store. Therefore not heard yet. Money saved for ORS LP set for RSD 2014 was used on the ALHAMBRA box set plus Pink Floyd box Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel boxes. Passed on Zeppelin boxes and Wakeman box though. Saving up for ORS LP box and Archive 2 box and hopefully a Springsteen special.
    Nice work Tony keep it up. Dig the vinyl display in the background.
    Carl

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  14. Thanks Tony. An eloquent and thorough review. Original LP arrived very quick from TMR but not opened. Box set ordered from Neil store so will have to wait a few weeks to ship to good old blighty. Cd ordered from UK online independant store. Therefore not heard yet. Money saved for ORS LP set for RSD 2014 was used on the Gabriel and Hackett box set plus Pink Floyd box Steve Hackett and Peter Gabriel boxes. Passed on Zeppelin boxes and Wakeman box though. Saving up for ORS LP box and Archive 2 box and hopefully a Springsteen special.
    Nice work Tony keep it up. Dig the vinyl display in the background.
    Carl

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  15. I was very impressed with the attention to detail on my box. From the apparently handwritten marker on tape that holds a photo onto the box, to the nice large format book inside. The download card is in the audiophile LP sleeve. At the other end of the codes are 320 kbps MP3's, not what I was hoping for. Overall the kit is well worth a c note to me.

    Kimball

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  16. Over in the iTunes Store I see that the set of videos with Neil and Jack performing in the booth are for sale.

    Every song has a video.

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  17. Thrasher, thanks so much for sharing. Most appreciated, as always. I'm glad many of you enjoyed the review/showing the box set. As I say in the video, this box is more for the hardcore Neil vinyl collector/completest, the regular version of the album definitely gets the job done.
    I try to get every Neil vinyl release, but I might have to draw the line at the new CNSY vinyl box and settle for the CDs. $500 is just a little above my pay-grade. Looks like a beautiful set.
    Anyway, thanks again Thrasher and all that watched.

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  18. Thanks for the video SH. Love the box and was surprised by the handwritten tape to hold the picture. Does anyone know how many versions of the box are available? There seem to be different pictures of Neil on the cover and also different lettering. The handwritten marker on tape has been done by various people. Wish Neil had done them all by himself. Someone posted a different photo on Discogs and Amazon has another one that is different from my copy. Hope you did watch the DVD by now SH, i was blown away by it after listening several times to album. So cool and so Neil.

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  19. Could anyone help me get a nice MP3 of "Blowin' In The Wind" from the boxed set? I didn't know it existed and love the album, but don't necessarily want to drop a hundo for one song.

    tiddacious@hotmail.com

    Thank you in advance.

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  20. I don't need the box set, but all I can say to anyone out there who's a diehard Neil fan is don't listen to all the naysayers. This album is very soulful and powerful like much of the rest of Neil's oeuvre. I don't see how someone could be a fan of most of Neil's work and not really like this collection of songs.

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  21. Still looking for Blowin' In The Wind if anyone can help.

    tiddacious@hotmail.com

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