Description
Offered for sale is a copy of the Japanese “Mastersound” pressing of 52nd Street by Billy Joel, including the original obi.
This was part of a limited edition, heavy-vinyl series of digitally remastered audiophile pressings.
About this copy: This copy of 52nd Street is an original 1982 Japanese digitally remastered heavy vinyl pressing, issued in Columbia’s short-lived Mastersound series.
The cover is M- and is still in the original shrink wrap. There is a tear in the wrap on the front side.
The obi is M-. The custom inner sleeve is M-. The lyric insert is M-.
A generic Mastersound catalog, listing other titles in the series, is M-.
The disc is M- with one or two spindle marks on the labels, but no marks on the vinyl. Clean disc!
A nice copy of a scarce Billy Joel LP.
Background: In 1980, Columbia Records introduced their Mastersound series, which included titles that were either digitally remastered or half speed mastered and pressed on heavy, high-quality vinyl.
While most of the titles in the U.S. series were half speed mastered, most of the titles in the Japanese series were digitally remastered. The Japanese series also included titles that were not released in the U.S.
These titles were sold at a premium price, did not sell particularly well, and did not stay in print for very long.
Released in 1978, 52nd Street was the sixth solo album by Billy Joel.
The album reached #1 on the U.S. album chart and #10 in the UK.
Allmusic.com gave 52nd Street a 4 star review:
Once The Stranger became a hit, Billy Joel quickly re-entered the studio with producer Phil Ramone to record the follow-up, 52nd Street. …Song for song, 52nd Street might not be as strong as The Stranger, but there are no weak songs — indeed, “Honesty,” “My Life,” “Until the Night,” and the three mentioned above are among his best — and they all flow together smoothly, thanks to Ramone’s seamless production and Joel’s melodic craftsmanship. It’s remarkable to think that in a matter of three records, Joel had hit upon a workable, marketable formula — one that not only made him one of the biggest-selling artists of his era, but one of the most enjoyable mainstream hitmakers. 52nd Street is a testament to that achievement.
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| Country of origin: | Japan |
| Size: | 12″ |
| Record Label: | CBS/Sony |
| Catalog Number: |
30AP 1955 |
| Year of Release: | 1982 |
| Format: | Stereo |
| Share: |       |
