While we're still in search of a world that lives as one, John Lennon's sophomore solo album Imagine has been given the reissue treatment as a massive 140-track box set.
Imagine — The Ultimate Collection, which arrives October 5 through Geffen/UMe, finds the album spread out over four CDs and two Blu-ray discs, packing in rare outtakes, previously unheard demos and isolated track elements.
The reissue was overseen by Yoko Ono, who also penned a preface to an accompanying 120-page book. "Imagine was created with immense love and concern for the children of the world," Ono writes. "I hope you enjoy it."
Engineer Paul Hicks added in the book, "Yoko was very keen that these Ultimate Mixes should achieve three things — to be totally faithful and respectful to the originals, be generally sonically clearer overall and should increase the clarity of John's vocals. 'It's about John' she said. And she was right. His voice brings the biggest emotional impact to the album."
The box set's first CD features the original album remixed in stereo, in addition to singles and extra tracks, while the second disc features outtakes and "Elements Mixes."
The third disc brings together Raw Studio Mixes sans production effects, presented in 5.1 surround sound that "puts the listener in the centre of Ascot Sound Studios with Lennon in front and the band playing all around and behind."
The fourth CD features The Evolution Documentary, an audio doc of that tracks the album's creation "from demo to master take via instructions, rehearsals, recordings, multitrack exploration, and studio chatter."
The first Blu-ray features Hicks' mix of the original album and singles, in addition to an updated Quadrasonic mix. The second Blu-ray will feature Imagine in surround sound and stereo, along with the aforementioned outtakes and Element Mixes.
In addition to the box set, the new mixes of Imagine will be available as a two-CD set, a single-CD remaster and 2-LP editions on black and clear vinyl.
For a test of what's in store, you can listen to the original demo version of "Imagine" included in the box set down below.
Pre-orders for Imagine on CD, vinyl, deluxe CD, deluxe vinyl, deluxe colour vinyl and super deluxe box set are available now via MusicVaultz.
Imagine — The Ultimate Collection, which arrives October 5 through Geffen/UMe, finds the album spread out over four CDs and two Blu-ray discs, packing in rare outtakes, previously unheard demos and isolated track elements.
The reissue was overseen by Yoko Ono, who also penned a preface to an accompanying 120-page book. "Imagine was created with immense love and concern for the children of the world," Ono writes. "I hope you enjoy it."
Engineer Paul Hicks added in the book, "Yoko was very keen that these Ultimate Mixes should achieve three things — to be totally faithful and respectful to the originals, be generally sonically clearer overall and should increase the clarity of John's vocals. 'It's about John' she said. And she was right. His voice brings the biggest emotional impact to the album."
The box set's first CD features the original album remixed in stereo, in addition to singles and extra tracks, while the second disc features outtakes and "Elements Mixes."
The third disc brings together Raw Studio Mixes sans production effects, presented in 5.1 surround sound that "puts the listener in the centre of Ascot Sound Studios with Lennon in front and the band playing all around and behind."
The fourth CD features The Evolution Documentary, an audio doc of that tracks the album's creation "from demo to master take via instructions, rehearsals, recordings, multitrack exploration, and studio chatter."
The first Blu-ray features Hicks' mix of the original album and singles, in addition to an updated Quadrasonic mix. The second Blu-ray will feature Imagine in surround sound and stereo, along with the aforementioned outtakes and Element Mixes.
In addition to the box set, the new mixes of Imagine will be available as a two-CD set, a single-CD remaster and 2-LP editions on black and clear vinyl.
For a test of what's in store, you can listen to the original demo version of "Imagine" included in the box set down below.
Pre-orders for Imagine on CD, vinyl, deluxe CD, deluxe vinyl, deluxe colour vinyl and super deluxe box set are available now via MusicVaultz.
