⭐ Official Review Volume 2 [Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass]

Rudy

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Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass
VOLUME 2

HRB-023
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Tracks:

The Great Manolete (La Virgin de La Macarena)
Spanish Harlem
Swinger From Seville
Winds Of Barcelona
The Green Leaves Of Summer
More

A-me-ri-ca
Surfin' Señorita
Marching Through Madrid
Crea Mi Amor
Mexican Corn
Milord

Produced by: Herb Alpert - Jerry Moss
Engineer: Ben Jordan
Album Design: Peter Whorf

Previously issued as LP 103 (mono), SP 103, SP4103; A&M CD 3262; and issued digitally by Shout Factory.
 
Having just gotten my larger shipment from Amazon, I'm plowing through the new reissues. No better place to start than the beginning. I've already done THE LONELY BULL so next up was VOLUME 2.

This one has had only two CD issues and the digital release by Shout. Bottom line here is that the Shout has a subdued top end. Herb has classified this album as "too metallic" in the past and that was one of the reasons it didn't get a CD release in the Shout Signature Series on CD. Instead it was released to iTunes a later other online services in lossy form.

Both of the CDs have a brighter sound with the A&M probably being the brightest. That one is almost uncomfortable to listen to, particularly a brassy track like "Marching Through Madrid", the closest thing to an actual hit on this album. The new HAP disc tones down the brassiness a little with a more solid bass foundation and a slight roll-off on some of the highs, just enough to make the disc sound more listenable. Fans who have been clamoring for this one on CD will be pleased.

By the way, flip the new CD case over and you get to see the original back cover for VOLUME 2, not the later one substituted when the Tijuana Brass began taking off later on.
 
I agree completely with your review Harry this version of volume 2 is very very Good and the original back cover is even better i have two vinyl copies of this with different back covers the mono has the original and the stereo version has the substituted cover. And im keeping them for collectors purposes and i have needledrop CDs of them too.
 
Having listened to the high-res version, the album is still a little on the bright side, but that is the manner in which it was recorded. So the improvement is minor but noticeable--it is less "grating," to put a word to it. The restoration plus any EQ tweaks along the way have helped improve this album. I have a recently opened sealed copy of an early pressing (with the original back cover) that I need to compare when I get a chance.
 
By the way, flip the new CD case over and you get to see the original back cover for VOLUME 2, not the later one substituted when the Tijuana Brass began taking off later on.

I take it that you're referring to the white back cover, as opposed to the dark (charcoal) gray cover. Right?
 
I take it that you're referring to the white back cover, as opposed to the dark (charcoal) gray cover. Right?
White, with the big black letters, yes. The newer cover is grey with the photo of Herb on it.

This is the original jacket. Glare is from the shrink wrap still on mine.
IMG_20160913_143922-01.jpeg
 
White, with the big black letters, yes. The newer cover is grey with the photo of Herb on it.

This is the original jacket. Glare is from the shrink wrap still on mine.
IMG_20160913_143922-01.jpeg

Dang... I guess my old lp copy isn't as rare as I'd like it to be!
 
Dang... I guess my old lp copy isn't as rare as I'd like it to be!
Of all the copies I have seen in the used bins, I have seen more of the newer cover vs. this older one. I was familiar with this one since this was the same cover we had on the mono copy I used to play when I was really young. My first used stereo copy had the newer cover on it, and it never really dawned on me that the cover was different until I came across our old copy. Then I realized it. I found this copy (pictured) back when Car City Classics used to be in business, and I had found it sealed. I only opened it up a few years ago to see which label it had. But I must say that it was neat to play a brand new record that was pressed nearly 50 years prior to my opening it.
 
Of all the copies I have seen in the used bins, I have seen more of the newer cover vs. this older one.
I would say that's probably because hardly anybody bought the older one, and it was returned to the distributors in droves. Then when it was re-released, many more copies were made due to it finally taking off saleswise.
 
I take it that your lp had the A&M logo at the top of the ochre label? Just curious.
No. Both copies (the ancient mono copy and my sealed stereo) use the 9 o'clock logo.

The only LP I own with a "high noon" logo is the George McCurn, which has the old cream-colored label with dark brown printing. And the logo is not backed in white.

Don't have my scan handy, but this is what that label looked like:

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I remember reading or seeing somewhere a 103 copy with the high noon logo, but it was on the ochre label. As for 101... Oh what I would give to get my hands on an original 101 copy with the high noon logo and the cream colored label !
 
I remember reading or seeing somewhere a 103 copy with the high noon logo, but it was on the ochre label. As for 101... Oh what I would give to get my hands on an original 101 copy with the high noon logo and the cream colored label !
The radio station i work at has That exact Lonely bull lp in the cream colored label and Still In Good Playable Condition to boot.
 
The McCurn is the only LP I have with the cream-colored label. I do have a 45RPM single of Lonely Bull b/w Acapulco 1922 on the cream label with the "A&M" in a script font (pre-logo days), and I have to say that it is one of the best versions I've heard of those two songs. It's pressed on vinyl, and the single apparently did not get much play, as there is almost no wear to it. The sound is clean, punchy and sharp, made back when the tapes (and stampers) were very fresh. It is off-center though, so I have to center it up, then nudge it to get it on center, then put the weight or clamp on it to hold it in place. It's worth it though.

Steve's label image shows something that happened on other early A&Ms--the artist and title header are in a small font, and shifted lower towards the spindle. That left room for the high-noon logo, but when the logo shifted to the left side of the label, the labels were still printed up with the smaller typesetting. My label looks identical to Steve's except for the placement of the logo.
 
Yep. I have that McCurn cream 12 o'clock label too. The only other really different label I own is the "Marching Through Madrid" 45. This too is on vinyl and sounds great.

MarchingMadrid45.jpg
 
I do have a 45RPM single of Lonely Bull b/w Acapulco 1922 on the cream label with the "A&M" in a script font (pre-logo days), and I have to say that it is one of the best versions I've heard of those two songs.

I have the same early 45 RPM Lonely Bull as well, on the cream label, script font and no logo. But a cream labeled 101 or 101-S copy of the Lonely Bull album would complete my wish list.
 
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I have the same early 45 RPM Lonely Bull as well, on the cream label, script font and no logo. But a cream labeled 101 or 101-S copy of the Lonely Bull album would complete my wish list.
I would bet many who might still own a copy out there, have no clue what is special about it. And given used vinyl as of late, the condition of most of the remaining copies is probably really sad. I do check every so often though. As Bob Ross would have said, it'd be a "happy accident" if I ever found a nice one. :wink:
 
2 reviews on Amazon give the new CD a 5 out of 5 star rating. Have not bought it yet. Anyone agree?
I'm good with that. :wink:

I'm so used to the music and the way the album sounds, that I never really could pin a rating on it. The high-res version I have is one of the best sounding versions I've heard of this record.
 
I noticed the original back cover posted lists Ben Jordan as the engineer. Anyone know where it was recorded?
 
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