Famous Blue Raincoat
JENNIFER WARNES
FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT
180-GRAM 33RPM LP | Stereo
CATALOG: IMP6021
MSRP: $39.99 USD
Famous Blue Raincoat
Songs of Leonard Cohen2016
At Cisco Music, we made the decision to release Jennifer Warnes’ masterpiece Famous Blue Raincoat as a deluxe, 3-lp 45 RPM box set for many reasons. Mainly we were looking for a way to bring Ms. Warnes’ original 1/2″ mix-down tapes as close to fans and audiophiles as possible. While this worked out splendidly (Jennifer commented upon hearing the test pressings that it was the best she had ever heard it), the cost of the set was prohibitive for some and playing six sides (with bonus tracks) was cumbersome.
Now, as Impex Records, we have finally created the Famous Blue Raincoat for everyone. In keeping with the tone of the original 1986 release, we have remastered (again with Bernie Grundman using Jennifer’s tapes) the original tracks onto a single LP. The back jacket will contain new art featuring archival photos. Once again(and to our great satisfaction) Jennifer Warnes personally oversaw all aspects of the production, giving you full confidence that this new 33 RPM Famous Blue Raincoat will be top-notch in every way. Anything less would be unacceptable for one of the world’s greatest audiophile pop records. Especially from Impex Records.
Side 1
1. First We Take Manhattan – Sample This
2. Bird On a Wire
3. Famous Blue Raincoat – Sample This
4. Joan of Arc
Side 2
1. Ain’t No Cure For Love
2. Coming Back To You
3. Song of Bernadette – Listen
4. A Singer Must Die
5. Came So Far For Beauty
MICHAEL FREMER, ANALOGPLANET.COM, July 2015
IMPEX Records recently announced the forthcoming reissue of Jennifer Warnes’ classic album Famous Blue Raincoat cut by Bernie Grundman from using Warnes’ own personal analog mix master tapes.
Originally released in 1987 on Cypress Records and then by Private Music after Cypress folded. It was later reissued by Classic Records on 180g vinyl.
The album is a true “audiophile classic” plus being a just plain great record that suffered over time from overexposure. Warnes covers Leonard Cohen songs including of course the title track. Guests musicians include Cohen himself as well as Van Dyke Parks, Michael Landau, David Lindley, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Fred Tackett and many others.
Click here to read Michael Fremer’s full review of Famous Blue Raincoat
Ken Kessler, HiFi News, October, 2016
Certainly up there with Jazz at the Pawnshop and The Sheffield Drum Record in the permanent audiophile records “Top 10”, Warnes’ LP of Leonard Cohen covers beats most others in that category in that it’s actually worth listening to for the music, not just the killer sound. Classic reissued this 20 years ago on its 10th anniversary and now it’s back again on its 30th with a superlative pressing from Impex, who us the recent Tony Bennett/Dave Brubeck stunner. Remastered by the legendary Bernie Grundman with Warnes’ input, it leaps from the speakers and even forces this writer, who would rather visit the dentist than suffer Cohen, to sit still and listen.
Rated 92% for sound!