Humble Pie - Smokin'

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007. Album Description

The Title Covers It

This is Humble Pie's swan song; the one that made them and never really bettered on (though I'd be hard pressed to find a single track from any album from them I didn't like). Tack on Black Coffee and you've got your Greatest Hits right here. May 8, 2008

Bob from LA is just a lit-tle obsessed...

Otherwise, he would rate this album for its content and not for its format. The 1 he gave it is a sad testament to his discretion...or is that the lack thereof? Unless, that is, he may have a commercial reason for doing this?

Steve Marriott. That should say it all. "Smokin'" is not as visceral as "Rockin' The Fillmore", but really good nonetheless. They're better live, IMHO, but that doesn't mean they're horrible in the studio. Even in the studio, you can detect the hints of ad-lib and improv which make me love this band. Blues rock is best played with a hint of grit, and the Pie never disappoint. Therefore, I got no problem with giving this a 5. March 6, 2008

SUPERB SOUND!

REALLY, THIS JAPANESE REMASTERED VERSION, SOUNDS PERFECT! A SUPERB SOUND, LYRICS, ETC... 1000 STARS FOR UNIVERSAL JAPAN! June 10, 2007

One Of Humble Pie's Best

SMOKIN' is one of Humble Pie's best CDs ever. Although new guitarist Dave "Clem" Clempson lacks the finesse of his predecessor, Peter Frampton, as well as Frampton's vocal ability, he proves himself to be a great straight-ahead, no-nonsense blues-rock player, with a rawness that Frampton lacked. His urgency turns "30 Days In The Hole" from a mere good-time party tune into a cautionary warning about what happens when you take good times too far, and as a result, the song has inspired me to hang up pictures of pretty actresses as an inspiration to "put on the brakes" when I need to. This CD belongs in any serious rock collection. April 3, 2007

REMASTERED AUDIO

This CD has been remastered with audio that is approximately the same from the 1994 remastered "Hot'N'Nasty: Anthology" A&M set.

It is not, however, the awesome 2007 Japan mini-sleeve remaster, which is superior to this release.

Link to the 2007 Japanese remaster.

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 13.5MM X 13.5MM cardboard-sleeve, precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, everything else packaged with the original LP is precisely replicated and included, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and die cuts. An English-language lyric sheet is also included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have Japan-dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2 or K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "OBI" ("oh-bee"), a Japan-language promotional strip. The OBI often also lists the original album's release date, the Japan street date of that particular disc, the catalog number, and mastering info. Bonus tracks are always only listed on the OBI, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork.

The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake copies of Japan `sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.

Also, there are older Japan mini-sleeve releases that have been supplanted with newer ones, usually with updated audio (such as JVC-Japan replacing older K2-mastered titles with new K2HD mastered releases).

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common with some of the Japanese companies (but, again, not always). Mini-sleeve collecting can get expensive quickly, so, if you're a novice, it is highly advisable to seek the advice of an experienced `sleeve collector! December 1, 2006

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