All Things Must Pass (mono) (Mid Valley 425/426)
outer slip cover for all fourteen discs
Disc 1 (75:45): I’d Have Your Anytime, My Sweet Lord, My Sweet Lord, Wah-Wah, Isn’t It A Pity, What Is Life, If Not For You, Behind That Locked Door, Let It Down, Run Of The Mill, Beware Of Darkness, Apple Scruffs, Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll), Awaiting On You All, All Things Must Pass, I Dig Love, Art Of Dying, Isn’t It A Pity (version two), Hear Me Lord
Disc 2 (41:32), Apple Jams: Out Of The Blue, It’s Johnny’s Birthday, Plug Me In, I Remember Jeep, Thanks For The Pepperoni. Bonus Track: A Conversation With George Harrison A Conversation With George Harrison
In the early sixties The Beatles released their albums in both stereo and mono with the latter being the preferred format. By the end of the decade, with the advancement of technology, stereo became favored as the final two albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be, being issued in stereo only. The exception to this is Brazil, who still maintained that albums be released in mono and this the source for the only mono editions of the later Beatle albums. The same holds true for George Harrison’s first solo album after the break up. All Things Must Pass was recorded and pressed in stereo, but a mono edition was released in Brazil.
On the early Beatle albums there would be interesting differences in the mix between the two formats, but in 1970 no such differences exist. Technically, this is a two channel stereo in what many audiophiles calls “fake mono.” The Brazilian pressing is extremely rare with original vinyl copies going for high prices. Surpisingly the big Beatle needle drop labels like Millenium Remasters and Dr. Ebbetts have all but ignored the mono pressing of All Things Must Pass. Empress Valley’s version is therefore the only available edition on the market. They use a very clean vinyl with a tiny hint of surface noise betraying its orgin.
It has a warm and full quality and it tends to bring into greater focus Phil Spector’s production on the music. Whatever one’s view of the “wall-of-sound,” after almost forty years now it is an intrical part of the music. It is a good alternative the harshness some complain about with the 30th anniversary remaster and the stereo needle drops of which many versions are in circulation.
As a bonus, Mid Valley include the conversation with George Harrison by Chris Carter discussing the 30th anniversary re-release of All Things Must Pass in 2000. This is a promo interview that is also included on All Things Must Surface (Repro-Man RPM 107-108). Among the revelations are that Harrison doesn’t like the reverb on the vocals and that Eric Clapton’s contributions are all over the album, including the opening notes of “I’d Have You Anytime.” His favorite songs are “Run Of The Mill” and “Isn’t It A Pity” in the final year of his life.
This is packaged in a standard double slimline jewel case with the LP labels reproduced in the liner notes and is part of Mid Valley’s fourteen disc definitive set of All Things Must Pass material which also includes the stereo needle drop of All Things Must Pass, The Art Of Darkness and A Quiet Storm. Mid Valley provide an open ended box with the front photo motif to fit around the four discs into one cohesive whole. This is the definitive edition for everything associated with George Harrison’s masterpiece first solo effort.
