The RCA Albums Collection

This is actually a pretty decent box set containing John Denver's RCA studio albums along with his three Greatest Hits albums, and An Evening With John Denver . The overall packaging is OK. There is nothing particularly interesting about the box itself. It is simply a cardboard box to hold the individual cd's in place. It comes with a black and white 40 page booklet that does nothing more than give the track titles along with the usual production credits. Nothing of real interest here. The CD's are packaged as mini album replicas and the artwork is that of the original albums (including the listing of tracks as side A and B). Since they chose to use the album artwork and track listings for this package, the cd's with bonus tracks do not list those tracks on the artwork. I am going to compare each cd against the discs I already owned.1. Rhymes & Reasons - I did not notice any difference in sound quality between this version and the very expensive Japanese import from RCA. They appeared to be the same except that the new cd has 2 bonus tracks included. I believe RCA may have have finally released a US version of this CD in 2005.2. Take Me To Tomorrow - Again, there is no significant difference between this disc and the very expensive Japanese import from RCA. I am not aware of this disc being available except as an import. This should be it's domestic debut. The sound quality is very good.3. Whose Garden Was This - This disc has reduced the tape hiss that was present on the very expensive Japanese import from RCA, but at the same time, they also lost some of the high sound from that disc. This disc never appeared as a US release except as bonus tracks split between the Spirit and John Denver (JD) cd's. Those 2 discs did not include Jingle Bells from the original album. The sound quality of this new release and the Japanese release do not even come remotely close to the stellar sound quality of the songs as bonus tracks on the original Spirit and JD cd's. They are understandably, no longer bonus tracks in this collection, but if you want a good sounding version, buy the Spirit and JD cd's.4. Poems, Prayers & Promises - This was John Denver's 1st big album. The original CD had a lot of problems such as a scratch sound right before the vocal begins on the title track, a strange strobe effect at the beginning of My Seet Lady, and a scratch noise at the end of I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado. Those have all been cleaned up for this release. The new recording is also louder than the original. Does this sound better than the original? Yes, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. I don't believe a great recording of this album even exists. This may be the best we will ever get.5. Aerie - This is another in the list of John Denver cd's that RCA didn't think his US fans wanted to hear. They of course were wrong, so once again I had to buy the really expensive Japanese import from RCA. The new release is much better in that they have removed a great deal of the hiss and still preserved the integrity of the music and vocal. Some of the original albums appear as if John is singing through a tin can, but throughout this collection they have pumped up the bass and gave him a more natural sound.6. Rocky Mountain High - This new release is much louder than the original issue. It may have been re-released a couple of years after it was 1st issued, but I only have the original. It sounds slightly better but it may be because it is louder. The sound quality is good not spectacular, but still good.7. Farewell Andromeda - To me this new cd is not as good as the original release. It has a bassier quality to it, but it seems to have flattened or muffled the music too much. I think this was another attempt to soften his voice for a more natural sound (which worked well), but in this case the music suffered a little.8. Greatest Hits - This is a far superior version than the original. The hiss is all but gone, leaving the cd with a very rich sound.9. Back Home Again - This is a somewhat better version than the original cd. I suspect it is the same as the re-released version that I did not buy. His voice is a little less tinny sounding here. It has the same bonus tracks as that version. I'm not sure why I didn't buy the re-issue. This was my favorite John Denver album.10. An Evening With John Denver - There was no difference in the sound quality of this cd versus the previous re-issue. It contains the same bonus tracks.11. Windsong - This release is far superior to the original (German) release I have. I don't know if there was a true US release of this album. There may have been in 1997, but mine is not that version. This would be my 2nd favorite John Denver album and I am quite pleased with the quiet sound of this re-issue.12. Rocky Mountain Christmas - I really don't have anything to compare this against as I don't seem to have the original anymore. I always liked this version of Aspenglow from this disc. It sounds great here.13. Spirit - No difference in the sound quality of this and the original cd. It does not include the Whose Garden Was This bonus tracks.14. Greatest Hits Volume 2 - This is a toss up. this version is louder, but has more hiss than the original. I don't really like tape hiss, so I'm not sure why they chose to increase it on this CD when they worked so hard to decrease it on others.15. I Want To Live - Another great album (to me) that is maybe ever so slightly better sounding in this release than in the original.16. John Denver JD - This album is in every way better on the original cd (with the Whose Garden Was This bonus tracks) than on this collection. It still sounds great, but not as good.17. Autograph - There is no differences between this version and the original CD. Both include the same bonus tracks.18. Somedays Are Diamonds - There is virtually no significant differences between the two versions. I detect slightly more bass on the original.19. Seasons Of The Heart - This version is a slightly louder recording that contains more tape hiss than the original. The original is better.20. It's About Time - The new cd is better sounding and is mixed differently especially on the song It's About Time. The flute on the orginal cd is on one side, but is on the other side in this new mix. The bad part of this new disc is that they did not include the cd only bonus track called The Way I Am. Sadly, that song is nowhere in this collection. I'm not sure why it was left off considering that other non LP bonus tracks were included on some of the other cd's.21. Greatest Hits Volume 3 - Identical to the original CD. Nothing new or improved here.22. Dreamland Express - There is no difference between this and the original cd. Probably because it was a digital recording.23. One World - They managed to add some extra tape hiss onto this new CD making it sonically inferior to the original. It's a shame, because Flying For Me was such a beautiful song without the hiss.24. John Denver Sings - Of course I have nothing to compare this disc against. This is the star of this collection and provides the bridge between his Mitchell Trio days and his RCA recordings. It has a clean sound, recorded loud. He must have been quite a Beatles fan given the number of their songs he recorded on this and his early albums.All things considered, this is a good collection for people who have very little of John Denver's music and would like more. It may be the easiest and least expensive way to pick up copies of Take Me To Tomorrow, Whose Garden Was This and Aerie which I believe are only available as Japanese imports. For those who have everything already, you might want to save your money unless you really like mini album replicas. I don't care for them myself because it can be difficult to remove the discs. I believe all of these can be downloaded now as MP3's for those who don't want the whole thing. I can't give this 5 stars because it is far from perfect. I won't give it fewer than 4 because they included some very hard to get albums in the collection.

This review is going to be a work-in-progress, with 25 CDs to work my way through, but there are some things that can be said right up front. First, I previously owned not a single note of music by John Denver -- not that I wasn't familiar with his singles (you couldn't avoid them on the radio in the 1970s) or his work as a member of the Mitchell Trio. I bought this set in the wake of the showing of the PBS documentary on his life and career. Now, about the first eight discs -- to start with, their sound is superb (and no, I haven't compared them to other issues of the same titles). And this set is nicely put together as it includes his three greatest hits collections, so we get the free-standing singles and single-edits that most fans remember well -- I only wish Sony Music would have been that considerate in planning the Sam Cooke RCA Albums Collection.Listening to Denver's early albums, especially the first three or four, it's also necessary to either (A) be old enough to remember what albums were supposed to be back in 1969-1970-1971, or (B) to be aware, historically, of how these releases were planned and executed at the time -- which is to say, albums were career-builders, showcases for performing and interpretive talent, but not necessarily ground-breaking statements. Indeed, among popular artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s, only a relative handful of people (the Beatles, Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Joan Baez, the Who) sought to make profound statements that would resonate across the ages. And Denver was not one of these, yet -- he was just looking to deliver a long-player for his record label and to keep his career going and get more bookings and airplay while advancing his craft.And if you listen to an album like WHOSE GARDEN WAS THIS with that thought in mind, then the album comes off as far more genial -- and all the more vital and congenial as a listening experience -- on that basis, than it might seem if one merely dismisses it as mostly a bunch of covers of other people's songs (which, yes, it was, but so what?) with an original or two (I happen to LOVE Denver's own "Sail Away Home"). And maybe that overview, going back over 40 years, is where the real value of this set is, as you see the musical (and political, and social) world that Denver rose out of, to distinguish himself. More to follow.

Disposant d'une compilation que j'appréciée énormément j'ai souhaité faire plus ample connaissance avec cette collection de CD de John Denver, auteur, compositeur et interprète américain de talant. Elle comprend les 25 albums sortis entre 1969 et 1986 avec un style assimilable à de la variété-pop-folklorique américaine pour un prix attractif (80). Dans l'ordre chronologique :« Rhymes & reasons » (4*), album sorti en 1969, est une découverte agréable avec une suite d'interprétations de mélodies bien faites comme « The love of the common people », « Catch another butterfly », « Daydream », « Circus ». La face A s'achève avec une interprétation réussie de « When I'm sixty-four » des Beatles. La face B débute par une remarquable composition « Rhymes and reasons » suivi d'une bonne interprétation de « Yellow cat » avant une composition « Leaving on a jet plane » rendue célèbre par Peter, Paul & Mary (#1 US). L'album s'achève avec le folklorique « You dun stomped on my heart », la sensible ballade « My old man », le remarquable « I wish I knew how it would feel to be free » et l'excellente « Today is the first day of the rest of my life ». En bonus deux compositions complètent ce disque, le charmant « Rusty green » et le trépidant « Take me to tomorrow ».« Take me to tomorrow » (3*), album de 1970, est une autre découverte, avec 5 compositions dont l'énergique « Take me to tomorow » et les mélodiques « Isabel » ou « Follow me ». Six interprétations dont le country « Forest lawn » qui précède une magnifique composition « Aspenglow » et une bonne reprise de « Amsterdam » de Jacques Brel. La face B commence par une composition moyenne « Anthem » suivie de quatre bonnes reprises de « Sticky summer weather » (agréable), « Carolina in my mind » de James Taylor (connue), « Jimmy Newman » (moyen) et « Molly » (moyen).« Whose garden was this » (3*), 2ème album de 1970, comprend 3 compositions dont la douce « Sail away home » et 9 interprétations dont la reprise de « The night they drove old Dixie Down », sans égaler celle de Joan Baez, et de la très belle ballade « Mr Bojangles » avant la 2ème composition « I wish I could have been there » plus énergique. Autre très belles chansons avec « Whose garden was this » de Tom Paxton et son excellente 3ème composition « The game is over ». La reprise de « Eleanor Rigby » des Beatles est moyenne tandis que celle des « Vieux » de Jacques Brel, « Old folks », est superbe. Suit un agréable meddley avant « Jingle bells » qui clos l'album.« Poems, prayers & promises » (4*) est le premier album à connaître le succès des deux cotés de l'Atlantique (#19 UK) et (#15 US) Sorti en 1971 il débute avec la remarquable composition « Poems, prayers and promises » avant l'interprétation réussie de « Let it be » des Beatles. Suit sa magnifique ballade « My sweet lady » avant le réveil de « Wooden indian » et les interprétions réussies de « Junk » de Paul McCartney et « Gospel changes » de Jack Williams. La face B débute avec l'énorme succès « Take me home country roads » (#2 US) suivi de la plaisante ballade « Guess he'd rather be in Colorado » avant une autre merveille « Shunshine on my shoulders ». Le plaisir continue avec « Around and around » et l'interprétation parfaite de « Fire and rain » de James Taylor. Le dernier morceau « The box » est un commentaire personnel.« Aerie » (4*) de 1971 ne rencontre pas le succès du précédent. Il commence par une agréable ballade « Starwood in Aspen » suivi d'une reprise moyenne de Buddy Holly « Everyday » et d'une magnifique ballade « Casey's last ride » avant du country avec « City of New Orleans ». Deux mélodies sensibles terminent la face A « Friends with you » et « 60 second song for a bank ». Retour au country avec « Blow up your TV » puis une douce composition de John Denver « All of my memories » suivie de l'excellent « She don't let me fly away » et d'un blues « Readjustement blues » d'un de ses compositeurs habituels, Danoff. Le lancinant « The eagle and the hawk » et une court instrumentale ballade « Tools » terminent l'album.« Rocky mountain high » (3*) de 1972 a connu également le succès (#4 US) et (#11 UK). La proportion de compositions grandit avec 9/12. La face A commence par le succès US « Rocky mountain high » (#9 US) avant les reprises, originale de « Mother nature's son » des Beatles et country de « Paradise ». Magnifique création avec « For Baby » et excellente interprétation de « Darcy Farrow » avant une composition country moyenne « Prisonners ». La face B démarre en douceur avec « Goodbye again » suivi d'une suite bien conçue et variée basée sur les saisons. Encore du plaisir avec cet album.« Farewell Andromeda » (4*) de 1973 a connu un succès moindre (#16 US), néanmoins je le préfère au précédent pour toutes ses mélodies réussies. La face A commence par une ballade accrocheuse « I'd rather be a cowboy » et un reposant country « Berkeley woman » avant le génial « Please Daddy ». Autres réussites avec l'interprétation de « Angels from Montgomery » et la composition country « River of love ». La face B débute en beauté avec « Rocky mountain suite » et « Whisky basin blues » digne de l'Amérique profonde avec des accents tyroliens. La douceur de « Sweet misery » prolonge le plaisir tout comme « Zachary and Jennifer ». Encore une belle composition de Bill Danoff « We don't live here no more » magnifiquement arrangée avant la gaité finale de « Farewell Andromeda ».« Back home again » (5 *) de 1974 a connu un succès énorme des deux cotés de l'Atlantique (#1 US) et (#3 UK) avec un hit majeur inspiré sur son conjoint « Annie's song » (#1 US et UK) et un autre simple classé US « Back home again ». (# 5 US) qui commence cet album. La suite de l'album propose encore des mélodies séduisantes délicatement interprétées et arrangées comme « On the road again », « Matthew », « Eclipse » ou de l'excellent country avec « Grandma' feather bed » ou « Thank God I'm a country boy ». C'est sans doute le meilleur de ce coffret, plus que parfait.« An evening with John Denver » (5 *) de 1975 a connu un succès important en USA (#2 US) et (#14 UK) avec un hit majeur « Thank God I'm a country boy ». C'est un double album « live » qui reprend ses meilleurs morceaux. Comme la prestation est aussi bonne que ses albums studio le résultat est excellent. Une référence.« Windsong » (5 *) de 1975 a connu un succès des deux cotés de l'Atlantique surtout aux Etats Unis (#1 US) et (#14 UK) avec un hit majeur incontournable « I'm sorry » (#1 US). Que du bon avec « Windsong », « Cowboy delight », bien inspiré avec « Spirit », etc..., remarquable « Fly away », .... , une fin parfaite avec « Song from Wyoming ». Un sans faute, un régal.« Rocky mountain Christmas » (5 *) de 1975 a connu un succès mérité aux Etats Unis (#14 US) malgré l'absence de hit majeur. Début en douceur avec « Apenglow » et « The Christmas song » puis une jam avec « Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer » ... et la suite est dans la même veine, sublime « Coventry Carol », « Oh holy night », ....et fin réussie avec « A baby just like you ». Deux très bons bonus connus en prime. John Denver est de plus en plus convainquant.« Spirit » (5 *) de 1976 a connu un succès mérité des deux cotés de l'Atlantique (#7 US) et (#9 UK) malgré l'absence de hit majeur. Que de bonnes mélodies toujours bien arrangées une fois de plus. C'est le dernier album à fort succès des deux cotés de l'Atlantique avant la sortie de deux « Greatest hits ».« I want to live » (4*) de 1978 a connu un succès honorable uniquement en Grande Bretagne (#25 US). Album toujours prenant et aussi agréable à écouter qui dégage une maturité affirmée.Pour l'instant j'ai écouté 16 CD avec une satisfaction croissante, il en reste encore huit que je ne commenterai. Le succès de John Denver décroit à partir de 1979 ce qui ne veut pas forcément dire que la qualité des albums baisse.Coffret à acquérir sans hésitation, le plaisir est garanti.

Containing all his solo studio albums up to 1986, three hits compilations and a live album, this box has the added bonus of an album that John recorded in 1966, which was only pressed to give a few copies to family and friends, here titled John Denver sings.As a long standing fan, I have reviewed some original albums and some compilations. I am re-acquainting myself with other original albums that I once had on vinyl but didn't upgrade to CD, and hearing for the first time albums that I never heard at all. Even the ones I have on CD sometimes sound better than before.John's albums after 1986 (and not here) are generally not as well known as the music here, but his final album of new recordings,  All Aboard , is an outstanding collection of train songs, proving that he was still able to record great music right to the end.The bonus CD from 1966 includes four Beatles covers, some original songs and other covers. Babe I hate to go (which John wrote) would later be re-titled Leavin' on a jet plane, in which guise John recorded it for Rhymes and reasons, later becoming a huge hit for Peter Paul and Mary. The final track is Farewell party, in which John doesn't want his funeral to be mournful - a stark contrast to a different song of the same title that Gene Watson recorded. John's Farewell party song closes an excellent album that might not have sold in huge quantities had it been released commercially, but is definitely worth a listen.I'll review at least some of the other albums individually as and when I feel like it, and may occasionally revise my existing reviews of John's earlier releases. Suffice to say that this is a great collection.Finally, here's a list of the albums involved, with the numbers that are conveniently put on the spine of each sleeve alongside the name. 10 and 11 were, of course, originally issued as a double LP.1. Rhymes and reasons (1969)2. Take me to tomorrow (1970)3. Whose garden was this (1970)4. Poems, prayers and promises (1971)5. Aerie (1971)6. Rocky mountain high (1972)7. Farewell Andromeda (1973)8. John Denver's greatest hits (1973)9. Back home again (1974)10 and 11. An evening with John Denver (1975)12. Windsong (1975)13. Rocky mountain Christmas (1975)14. Spirit (1976)15. John Denver's greatest hits vol. 2 (1977)16. I want to live (1977)17. John Denver (1979)18. Autograph (1980)19. Some days are diamonds (1981)20. Seasons of the heart (1982)21. It's about time (1983)22. John Denver's greatest hits vol. 3 (1985)23. Dreamland express (1985)24. One world (1986)25. John Denver sings (1966) All Aboard

Purchased for my Mum & Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary. they love it. Great value at £35 (may have gone up in price now). All JD's albums, plus the extra self made LP John put out before he made it 'big'. All the various versions of different songs are here too. Like the best version of Rhyme & Reason which is on Greatest Hits 1. Would advise you to buy this box set if you have a few of JD's albums but not all of them. Or if you like great country/easy listening/folk music - this is the box set for you. Quite a few Beatles covers here too if that's your thing. John earned himself and RCA bag fulls of cash releasing these albums and they are all here for tour listening pleasure. Put them on your ipd or MP3 player to play anywhere you like in the house/car/caravan/office/club/etc. PURE BRILLIANCE FROM JD. Classic albums and not too costly!

I think this is a great set, particularly as it contains albums that have historically been difficult to get hold of. The sound quality is good, but the pictures used on the CD sleeves could be better quality.The one obvious missing album is Live in London, but this is a copyright ownership issues that does not seem close to resolution at this time.My only concern with this set is the fact that I was stung for £25. import duty when it arrived, but all things considered it is still pretty good value.

I bought all of these on vinyl back in the 70s and 80s and dearly wanted to replace them with CDs. As others have mentioned, many of these have been impossible to get hold of so this set at such a good price was too good an opportunity to miss.It was great to reacquaint myself with a lot of the lesser known stuff although the only down side is the omission of the Live in London LP which was also an RCA recording.Recommended to all John Denver fans.