New Items Recap: August 2016

Well, as some of you may know, the big purchase of the month was the Like A Prayer UK promo box set! Still obsessed with that one. I wasn’t planning on buying much else this month but at the end of the day…I am weak! I managed to get in a few more goodies. Luckily, none of the rest of them were too expensive. Here’s the full list of all my new items this month:

Like A Prayer / UK Cassette & CD Promo Box Set (MER 0272) / Box with Press Items, Photo Slides and Enamel Badge
Celebration / Japanese Standard CD (WPCR-13679) / Jewel Case
Don’t Cry For Me Argentina / UK Promo CD (W0384CDDJ) / Slim Jewel Case
Dress You Up / USA Promo 12″ Vinyl (PRO-A-2353) / Generic Sleeve
Ciao Italia: Live From Italy / USA Laserdisc (PA-89-228) / Picture Sleeve
Erotica / USA 2016 Re-Issue LP (R1-45031) / Gatefold Picture Sleeve
Bedtime Stories / USA 2016 Re-Issue LP (R1-45767) / Gatefold Picture Sleeve
The Immaculate Collection / USA Re-Issue CD (9 26440-2) / Jewel Case
Sorry / UK CD Maxi (W703CD2) / Jewel Case
Die Another Day / UK CD Maxi (W595CD1) / Slim Jewel Case
American Life / UK CD Maxi (W603CD1) / Slim Jewel CaseAmerican Life / German CD Maxi (9362-42614-2) / Jewel Case
The Power Of Good-bye / Malaysian CD Maxi (9362 44591 2) / Slim Jewel Case
Bedtime Stories / Brazilian LP (9362 45767-1) / Gatefold Picture Sleeve

Bedtime Stories Brazilian 1994 Vinyl LP

Well this week I finally added the original 1994 Brazilian vinyl edition of Bedtime Stories to my collection. I’m so glad because I’ve wanted for a long time and every time I would bid on a copy on ebay, I wouldn’t win. They were just going for too much and they usually weren’t in great condition or they had writing on them (South American records are notorious for this). Well the stars finally aligned and I came across this one for a steal! Not to mention it’s in better condition that the ones I’ve seen on ebay lately. Anyway, In looking at it, I was surprised to see that the quality of the art wasn’t as sharp as the original 1994 German or USA (pink vinyl) editions. It appears to me that the recent 2016 USA re-issue matches this Brazilian edition in terms of artwork quality more than the original USA or German editions (though this Brazilian copy doesn’t have that slight overall yellow tone that the re-issue has). I now wonder if they used this one as a reference for the new pressing?

Elsewhere, from pictures I’ve seen online and from what other collectors are saying, it looks like the European edition of the re-issue has a more washed out appearance than the USA edition. I’m going to get that one as well so soon I’ll be able to take a look for myself.

These past few months leading up to these reissues really made me appreciate this album more and more! I’ve been listening to it a lot on my way to and from work. It’s a truly fantastic album that I wish Madonna would acknowledge more often!

“The Power Of Good-bye” Malaysian CD

Just wanted to share a picture of the Malaysian CD maxi of “The Power Of Good-bye” that I mentioned the other day. It has 5 tracks and comes in a slim case. The artwork is modified from the Australian card sleeve CD as it has the exact same layout on the back and also says ‘Manufactured in Australia’, but this CD was made for the Malaysian market. The artwork on this CD is a little more washed out and not as sharp, though. The actual disc also looks almost exactly like the Australian pressing. The picture I placed behind the CD is just a pretty picture, it didn’t come with it. 🙂 Anyway, I’m so glad I found this. I love these types of obscure Asian editions!

Ranking The Album Tracks Part 12: Hard Candy (2008)

2008 saw the release of Hard Candy. For the album, Madonna enlisted the collaborative contributions of Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell. Taking on a more urban and rhythmic approach, the album deviated from the electronic disco-pop sound of her previous album, 2005’s Confessions On A Dance Floor. It was the first time since 1994’s Bedtime Stories that Madonna so blatantly chose hit makers of the moment to co-produce her record. However, unlike Bedtime Stories, which Madonna ultimately completely made her own, Hard Candy is one of the most un-Madonna sounding albums to date. The album has the essence of Timbaland, Timberlake and Pharrell more than Madonna herself. This is definitely one of my least favorite Madonna albums. For me, the era was particularly uninspired from the music to the imagery. Hard Candy came out at a time when R&B and hip-hop was already on its way out in favor of dance pop and EDM. It was one of the first times I remember thinking that Madonna was behind the musical pack instead of leading it. Let’s get to my rankings.

The Power Of Luck

Something cool happened to me today. Well, it actually started a few days ago. I came across an ebay seller last week who had several Madonna import CD singles listed at $4.99 each. For an American collector, this is a pretty good price. They were nothing rare, just some German/UK counterpart singles that I was missing. I only bought 4 of them. They arrived fine, and I was so pleased that I went back on ebay today to see if he had anything else listed that I may have missed. Nothing new caught my eye, but he had a listing for a “Power Of Good-bye” CD maxi that I had seen the first time but not paid much attention to. Something told me to click on the listing this time. He had is listed as a UK CD single, but as I reviewed the picture of the back of the slim case he had included, something looked different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it definitely wasn’t UK, and then it clicked with me that it wasn’t the German version either because this one had 5 tracks and the German maxi only had 4 tracks. Bingo! This is something special. I zoomed in on the picture of the back and, even though it was blurry, I could make out the line that said it was manufactured in Australia. Interesting. Now, I know for a fact that the Australian CD maxi did have 5 tracks, but it came in a card sleeve, not a slim jewel case. I rushed over to two Madonna discography sites and discovered that this seller has listed the Malaysian CD maxi. As it turns out, these were printed incorrectly stating that they were made in Australia (Or, it’s also possible that they were made in Australia for Malaysia. Either way, it’s considered to be a Malaysian CD). The cover of the insert is also unique in that it has a gray bar on the left side of the cover spilling over from the spine. I originally thought this was just a shadow in the ebay listing picture. As it also turns out, these Malaysian pressings are extremely rare! So much so that besides these 2 Madonna sites, I cannot find any information about this CD anywhere else online! It’s not even listed on Discogs. Jackpot! I bought that CD so fast my head spun! $4.99?! Incredible. The seller had no idea what he had and I was just glad no one else had snapped it up. Just goes to show that you might still find surprises on ebay. This certainly isn’t the first time I’ve had a lucky find!

-A

Condition Of Items

Of all the items in my collection, I think I have maybe 25-35 that are still factory sealed. It’s not a big deal to me, though. I like to enjoy the items in my collection so, more often than not, I will open up sealed items if I want to see the inside. I don’t often play my CD’s and records, however, since I already have everything uploaded to my computer as WAV audio files. Sometimes I will keep items sealed if there is no point in opening them up, such as most of the worldwide CD editions of Rebel Heart. They’re all very similar anyway. I will probably keep all the new 2016 vinyl reissues sealed as well because I want to keep the stickers intact. What’s more important to me is that items are in good condition. It’s definitely a plus if I find an item that happens to be be sealed and untouched, that way I know it’s in great condition, but I will never pass up a CD or record in good condition just because it’s not sealed. Also, I’m never planning on selling my collection so if I feel like opening something up, I will. Like I’ve said before, though, I keep all my items in resealable sleeves afterward.

On rare occasions, I will add items to my collection that are a little more beat up only if they are otherwise rare, expensive or if I don’t see them come up for sale too often. If there is a chance for me to replace it later on at a reasonable price, I will. If a record or CD has many scratches, that’s definitely a deal-breaker for me. I also wouldn’t want anything with a torn, damaged or mildewed sleeve. CD cases can be replaced so that’s not a big deal. One thing that I am definitely picky about is Japanese Obi strips. If CD’s are missing it, I have to pass on them. For me, Japanese CD’s must have the original obi strip included. I only have one Japanese CD that is missing the obi strip and that’s only because I found it for a few dollars and buying a copy of it with the obi would be so expensive (it’s the Like A Virgin & Other Big Hits slim case reissue from the late 90’s). If I can replace it later on with the obi strip version I will!

Every collector has their own little quirks and habits. I’ve seen some collectors that aren’t as picky as I am and I’ve seen others that are extremely picky! I think I fall somewhere in the middle 🙂

-A

2016 USA Vinyl Re-Issues Review Part 2

I’m back to offer up my thoughts on the new Erotica and Bedtime Stories USA vinyl re-issues. Once again, I’m only reviewing the artwork compared to previous pressings, and not the insides or sound quality of the record. I was telling my friend earlier, and I thought I would mention it here, that I am a graphic designer so I am trained to look for obvious photo resolution, editing, and coloring issues. I will never not notice things like that. However, most people probably wouldn’t point out the issues that I will mention here. All of these new re-issues have their pros and cons but if you are looking to add some Madonna vinyl to your collection for the first time, I definitely recommend them over the 2012 re-issues. Again, if you can, I highly recommend that you go to your local record store to see them for yourselves. That’s really the only way to know for sure if you will be satisfied or not.

EROTICA
Image Quality and Colors: The quality of the picture on the cover is pretty much like the original 1992 pressings (I’m comparing it with a copy of the original German version and the USA promotional DJ version), there is only just a tiny bit more contrast on this new re-issue, but definitely not as much as the 2012 re-issue had (and that one was also darker and more saturated). Because there is a tiny bit more contrast, some of the lighter blue areas disappear a little bit (around her eyes and nose, for example). It’s hardly noticeable and really not a big deal though. It still looks great. The back cover is a different story, however. There is a lot more contrast on the back cover of the new re-issue so the parts that were whitish/lighter blue (her hair for instance) are now much more white than they were intended to be. The photo looks blotchier, particularly in the areas of Madonna’s face. It’s not as smooth as the original. The overall coloring of the blue overlay is also a bit more on the purply side. Even though the 2012 edition didn’t match the back cover of original issue either, it ultimately looks a bit better than this one. On this picture I have posted here of the back covers, the original German issue is on the left, and the new 2016 issue is on the right. Hopefully you can see the difference.
Text/Fonts: The fonts look great, they are nice and sharp unlike the 2012 version where they were fuzzy. The titles on the front are the tiniest bit bolder on this new issue. They look good, though. All the logos on the back are crisp and sharp as well.
Other Reproduction Details: The bar code on the back is a bit narrower than on the original German pressing. The blue color on the spine looks to be a bit different to the original German version (it’s so difficult to judge blue colors with the lighting in my apartment!) and the titles on it are smaller and the letter set closer together. No Parental Advisory label on the front. The original German LP didn’t have one either but the USA promo edition did. Ultimately, this new re-issue is based on the 1992 German LP more than the USA promo edition, which was not a gatefold and had a white spine with blue letters.
Overall Grade: 6.5/10. Points for making the front cover look good and for making sure the letters and titles were sharp. The quality of the back cover image brings my grade down, though. It’s also worth mentioning that the hype sticker on the front is smaller than it is on all the other editions in this series for some reason. Not a big deal, but for the sake of continuity, it would have been great if it were the same size and placed on the upper right side as well, instead of the bottom right side.

BEDTIME STORIES
Image Quality: This is the one I was looking forward to the most. Unfortunately, it’s not the best it could be. The quality of the front image is not that great, there is definitely some blurriness and blotchiness going on. Madonna’s skin is not as smooth-looking as it is on the 1994 editions. The details are not as sharp. It definitely looks like they used a lower-resolution image that had to be blown up a bit. I’m not sure what the problem with the Bedtime Stories artwork is and why they can’t get it right. The 2012 CD card sleeve was horrible and now this one is not up to par either. Unfortunately, this 2016 re-issue is the most disappointing for me (as far as the front covers go). The back cover, however, looks very good and very close to the 1994 German version (the overall winner for the back covers though is the 1994 USA pink vinyl promo version because the picture is smoother, in particular, the background).

Here is a picture where I tried to show the difference in the sharpness of the front image. It’s not the best comparison, but hopefully you can see that in the re-issue, some of the details are lost around the eyes and lips. 

Colors: This 2016 re-issue has a tiny bit more of a yellower tone than the original. The darker colors are not as dark as they should be (in particular, Madonna’s eye makeup, which looks lighter and more on the green side as opposed to blackish/midnight on the originals). Her lipstick color is also a much brighter red on this re-issue. The pink ‘MADONNA’ font color on the front letters is pretty close, but the ‘BEDTIME STORIES’ blue color is lighter and brighter. The black and white picture on the back cover is good, it’s pretty much the same as the originals from what I can tell.
Text/Fonts: All the fonts and letters are nice and sharp. Surprisingly, the song titles on the back look even better on this 2016 issue because they are actually legible. On the 1994 German version, they blended too much into the background so this is a nice improvement.
Other Reproduction Details: The spine looks pretty close to the original except for the catalog number and the size of the ‘Maverick/Sire’ letters. Looks good.
Overall Grade: 5/10. Ultimately, I’m a bit disappointed with this re-issue but anyone that needs this on vinyl should be pretty satisfied because the originals are so rare and expensive. I’m sure it will be perfectly adequate for general music collectors’ collections since this is the first time since 1994 that this album is available on vinyl. The cover art is just not as good as the originals. I’m glad I have my 1994 editions!

-A

Bedtime Stories / Erotica Re-Issues In Stores Now

I couldn’t wait for Amazon to deliver so I cancelled my online order this morning and headed over to my local record store Amoeba Music (in Hollywood) this evening to pick up the latest 2 Madonna vinyl reissues. It looks like Bedtime Stories is selling really well as they only had 2 copies in the main rack left. They had a few more in the understock, but they definitely had a lot more copies of Erotica overall. This isn’t surprising since Erotica was already reissued in Europe in 2012 and those copies were widely available in the USA as imports. I’ll do a review of the reproduction quality of the artwork for both of the new reissues sometime this weekend (just like I did with the first 4: Madonna, Like A Virgin, True Blue and Like A Prayer) after I inspect them more closely. Anyway, it’s nice that many other fans and music collectors will get a chance to own Bedtime Stories on vinyl since the original 1994 issues are so rare. Nice to see so much love for this album. It really is brilliant!

Upcoming Bedtime Stories Vinyl Re-Issue…Details

So apparently a vinyl reissue of Bedtime Stories was released in some European shops this past weekend. Some people posted pictures and videos on Instagram and Facebook collectors groups. The sticker has a European catalog number, from what I’ve read. A Bedtime Stories and Erotica vinyl reissue is still slated for an August 12th release in the USA (this coming Friday). Amazon still lists these as imports but Best Buy does not list them as such. Interestingly, Best Buy also lists the USA Ray Of Light reissue for release next month, which Amazon had recently removed. Whether the Bedtime Stories release this Friday will be an import or an actual USA pressing is yet to be seen. It would make sense if this album was reissued for both the USA and Europe because, if you recall, a reissue for this album was originally planned for Europe back in 2012 but was ultimately cancelled (the reason was never made clear). In seeing the video that someone posted of the Bedtime Stories European reissue, I’m really happy to see that they’ve replicated the original German gatefold sleeve. I pre-ordered my copy from Amazon.com so hopefully I get it by early next week!

UPDATE: it is now confirmed that there are USA editions of both Bedtime Stories and Erotica as they are popping up in shops early!

Like A Prayer UK Promo Box Set!

    
If you follow me on Instagram you’ve already seen this but I just wanted to come on here and say something about this absolute GEM! If you’re not familiar with it, this is a promo-only box set manufactured in the UK in 1989. It was sent out to members of the press and the record industry to showcase Madonna’s then-upcoming Like A Prayer album. First, let me say that I never, ever, EVER thought I would own a copy of this. This thing is rare and can be very expensive. Luckily, the seller accepted my offer so I am very satisfied with what I paid for it. I just can’t believe it’s mine! This is one of those items that I would marvel at on collector’s sites many, many years ago as a young fan. It’s one of those legendary items that every collector wants. Beautifully designed, it contains 2 copies of the album (one on cassette, and one on CD). It also contains some press stuff including photos, copies of Madonna’s 1989 Rolling Stone interview, a press sheet write-up, 2 small high-quality color photo slides, and, if your’e lucky, a small enamel badge featuring the Like A Prayer logo (Sometimes these pins are missing from this set). Everything is housed in a glossy box that featured the amazing Like A Prayer album artwork on the front. I have to say, this box set is truly gorgeous. I can even faintly smell the patchouli oil inside the CD case. The cassette still happens to be sealed but I can also smell it through the wrapper! I’m just so happy to have this in my collection and it’s already one of my favorite items! If you have the opportunity and the means to get a copy of this, I highly recommend it. It’s an amazing collectible for an amazing album!

-A