Something New

K7.2108.3A.3 is almost identical to its previous incarnation, but the tape inside is a black shell with silver print instead of the white shell with black print.

The layout matches the white shell with black print of 3A.2 - oval Capitol logo, PROGRAM 1 / PROGRAM 2, and the bilingual Mississauga address of Capitol Records-EMI of Canada Limited - which places it around 1981. Black and white printed shells were used simultaneously and, seemingly, interchangeably.

Availability

This black printed-shell incarnation dates from around 1981, running alongside the white shell with black print (3A.2) and after the yellow paper label copies (3A.1). The black spine J-card ran until the SDR reformatting of 1982, when Capitol Records-EMI of Canada moved the catalogue over to the new Super Dynamic Range series. No SDR pressing of Something New has been documented to date, so leftover black spine stock may well have been sold through until the colour J-card arrived in 1985 (see variation 6) - though that remains to be confirmed.

Pressing Information

The shell is black plastic with the text printed directly onto it in silver, moulded "MADE IN CANADA" along the top edge. Each side reads "THE BEATLES/ SOMETHING NEW" with the track listing beneath, the oval Capitol logo at the left, and PROGRAM 1 or PROGRAM 2 over the catalogue number 4XT-2108 at the right. Below the tape window is the same bilingual manufacturer line used on 3A.2: "Fabriqué au Canada Disques Capitol - EMI du Canada Ltée / Manufactured in Canada Capitol Records-EMI of Canada Limited / 3109 American Dr Mississauga Ont L4V 1B2".

Different types of shells were often used simultaneously and seemingly, also interchangeably. There is no clear timeline based on the types of shells that were used.

Cover

The cover (or J-card) featured the USA "BLACK spine" design: a generic layout where the spine of the J-Card is black with three white bars. Some titles were released on a light blue J-card, but these were usually reserved for half price budget releases and compilations. This title was only released on the black J-card format.

The J-card is the same one used on 3A.1 and 3A.2: black front with the live Ed Sullivan Show photograph used on the album cover, beside the doubled "SOMETHING NEW" logotype, the A and B track listings printed below in two columns, and a back panel carrying the bilingual "Fabriqué au Canada - Disques Capitol-EMI du Canada Ltée / Manufactured in Canada - Capitol Records-EMI of Canada Limited, 3109 American Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1B2" text. Only the tape inside distinguishes this variation.

Packaging

Tapes were sold in a black back jewel case, and sealed in a firm wrap that was folded shut.