Yes is getting plenty of attention these days, at least where their catalog titles are concerned. Recently, Audio Fidelity has remastered Close To The Edge following it up with Going For The One for Super Audio CD. Both titles were enthusiastically welcomed by fans.
Then, Steven Wilson, of Porcupine Tree fame, announced his intent to remix Close To The Edge. Wilson is beloved by a large faction of fans for his remix work on Jethro Tull, King Crimson, and ELP classics as well as his own Porcupine Tree and solo works.
Today, it comes to my attention that Warner Music Japan will release an unprecedented, massive 16-disc box of Yes catalog titles, ALL remastered for SACD. That’s right, I did say ALL of the Yes titles included within the set starting with the first YES album from 1969 on through to 1987’s Big Generator.
The Box is being titled High Vibration (actually High Vibration SACD Box). All albums in this Limited Edition set will be newly remastered in 96k/24-bit high resolution for the SACD layer, and newly remastered in redbook Stereo featuring 44.1k/16-bit resolution for the CD layer. The Hybrid SACDs are being remastered by Isao Kikuchi, who is said to have remastered many international artists. While I am unaware of his specific credentials, it will bring him some level of critique due to the simple fact that this Box will ALSO be released in the US, and not just Japan as is usually the case. This makes this unusual SACD undertaking by a major label something to wonder about, whether they will pursue other such SACD remasterings for an SACD-interested market that simply refuses to go completely away.
The titles included will be:
- YES
- Time And A Word
- The YES Album
- Fragile
- Close To The Edge
- YESSongs (Discs One and Two)
- Tales From Topographic Oceans (Discs One and Two)
- Relayer
- Going For The One
- Tormato
- Drama
- 90125
- Big Generator
In addition to the thirteen titles being reissued, there will be a single disc of bonus extras. The songs included are listed here:
BONUS DISC
1. Something’s Coming (single version) (1969) from YES (Expanded & Remastered 2003)
2. Dear Father (1970) from TIME AND A WORD (Expanded & Remastered 2003)
3. Roundabout (single version) (1972) from the single ‘Roundabout’
4. America (1972) from FRAGILE (Expanded & Remastered 2003)
5. Total Mass Retain (single version) (1972) from CLOSE TO THE EDGE (Expanded & Remastered 2003)
6. Soon (single version) (1975) from RELAYER (Expanded & Remastered 2003)
7. Abilene (1978) from TORMATO (Expanded & Remastered 2004)
8. Run Through the Light (Single Version) (1980) from DRAMA (Expanded & Remastered 2004)
9. Run with the Fox (1981) from YESYEARS
10. Owner of a Lonely Heart (Move Yourself Mix) (1991) from 12″ single ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’
11. Leave It (remix) (1983) from 90125 (Expanded & Remastered 2004)
12. Big Generator (remix) (1987) from ‘Ultimate YES:The 35th Anniversary’
The High Vibration SACD Box will contain a 200-page book with the set. It appears that the book will be in Japanese (although if the set is being sold in the US, perhaps an English translation is in the works…maybe). However, the real kicker is that the set will be quite pricey with a US cost pegged at $563.
The scheduled release dates are September 4 (JAPAN), and September 10 (US).
Here’s the official YES link for your perusal. (Thanks to Brian L, from Chicago for the alert!)
Wow! All this recent attention to Yes’ catalog is pretty amazing and a good omen for the future of some form of hi-res product (sacd, dvd-audio, bluray… is this the beginning of a format war? wouldn’t it be best if the industry decided on one format?).
If only these were 5.1 recordings I’d be all over them but with the two AF sacd releases and the promised SW remixes (with surround), I am a bit hesitant to pick this up (I’ll have to see what the price is). Maybe this will bring the attention to Yes that they deserve and get the R&RHOF to finally acknowledge their greatness.
BTW Matt, have you heard anything about Universal Music Blu-ray releases in Europe and Japan? (Similar to the recent UME Pure Audio Blu-ray of the Stones’ “GRRRR” release). I’ve seen a long list of titles. Two of which have supposedly been release on UME Pure Audio Blu-ray; Supertramp “Breakfast In America” and Stevie Wonders’ “Songs In The Key of Life”. I can see these on Amazon France and Japan but they indicate out of stock even though I have seen people that claim they have gotten them on forums.
Bill, I had seen those. I did an official inquiry into the format, got an answer back, but haven’t heard from Universal in Europe since. Now that you’ve reminded me, I will revisit.
According to the French press release:
“These discs will be sold exclusively by the french FNAC store (fnac.com) during 5 months, after which they will be available from other stores as well (in September).”
It looks like “GRRR!” and “Breakfast in America” are back in stock.
Thanks Tom. I had checked a few days ago and both the France and Japan Amazon websites had them listed as “out of stock”. After your update (above) I checked and they were “in stock” but since I can’t understand french or japanese I thought I’d check Amazon UK and they also had it listed. Anyway, a bluray copy of Breakfast In America is on the way.
FYI: UK didn’t have the Stevie Wonder bluray but France did.
Thanks again for the update!
First reaction $563!!!!! next reaction no 5.1 why bother third reaction patience is a virtue did not buy the peter Gabriel box for so no bluray for athens concert now they are releasing it on bluray.Maybe someday these will be in 5.1 also are the original master tapes being used?
The price is nuts to start with, especially when we have no way of knowing how good the audio will be. I didn’t jump at the Family Box, but tried the deluxe Bandstand. It didn’t stand up to the Repertoire remaster by Eroc in my opinion, so as much as I wanted LP replicas of the whole Family catalogue, I am passing on the box. I bring this up to emphasize, at least to me, the importance of being able to sample the goods first.