Something New

LP.2108.2.1 is the fourth pressing of Something New in Canada, appearing in June 1966. It was issued in mono only, before the album eventually moved to stereo in mid 1968 (see LP.2108.2.3). The record and jacket are otherwise identical to LP.2108.1.3, and this pressing is recognized by its "rainbow brackets" label: the perimeter print now reads "Capitol Records (Canada) Ltd.", with brackets around the word CANADA.

Availability

This variation was available between June 1966, and early 1968 (for approximately two years) when the last mono runs switched to the hybrid plates assembly (see LP.2108.2.2).

General Information

In mid 1966, Capitol Records of Canada was reincorporated as CAPITOL RECORDS (CANADA) LTD. From this point on (July 1966), all new labels would feature the new corporate information. This rainbow label remained in use until Capitol changed its design in favour of the green target label (see LP.2108.4.1).

During the last months of this period, around early 1968, hybrid copies were pressed using one of the original USA plates. These are documented separately (see LP.2108.2.2).

By this point, pressings were made as demand required, while Capitol pushed out the Beatles' newer albums. Mono was phased out of the regular catalogue in mid-1968, making LP.2108.2.1 the last regular mono pressing of Something New (the hybrid copies of LP.2108.2.2 being the very last).

Pressing Information

As with all previous variations, Capitol of Canada subcontracted the RCA pressing plant in Smiths Falls (Ontario) to manufacture new batches of albums, this time with the new "brackets" label, still using the Canadian-made plates introduced with LP.2108.1.2. These later pressings are possibly made from different (but identical) plates made from the same mother (TBC).

LP.2108.2.1 has the same markings as the previous Canadian-cut pressings:

Side 1: T-X-1-2108-3
Side 2: T-X-2-2108-3

These pressings feature the same 70 mm deep-groove RCA pressing ring as previous pressings. Labels now feature the "brackets" rainbow label (see perimeter print at the bottom of the label: "Manufactured in Canada by Capitol Records (Canada) Ltd." with brackets around the word CANADA).

Cover

The jacket for LP.2108.2.1 features an identical build to its predecessors: the inner seams (the inside fold of the cardboard jacket) are still cut straight and measure 10 mm high.

Covers up to the mid 70s used a “front slick” construction (a larger back slick, usually printed in black and white that wrapped around the front of the cardboard cover, onto which a smaller colour front slick was glued, creating a white frame effect all around the front image).

Both slicks were printed by Parr's Print and Litho in Toronto and assembled onto the cardboard frame by Modern albums.

The back cover keeps the Canadian-market list of albums introduced with the first pressing: Beatlemania! and Twist and Shout instead of Meet The Beatles and The Beatles' Second Album, with Long Tall Sally added ahead of The Hollyridge Strings' Beatles Song Book. A Canadian back cover lists four Capitol albums, one more than the American.

Early pressings of LP.2108.2.1 have a flat back slick with the albums in the corrected chronological order (Beatlemania before Twist and Shout).

Packaging

Copies of LP.2108.2.1 were packaged with a tight shrink wrap.

These were sold with / without a red and white Capitol / Pathé "ATTENTION" paper LP inner sleeve.

Sales

Records show that sales for this album were dramatically declining, with only 1,943 copies sold in 1967 (variation LP.2108.2.1) (source: P. Hemmingsen, The Beatles’ Canadian Discography part. 3). Although we do not have sales figures for 1968, it is believed, considering the steady decline between 1964 and 1967, that very few more copies were sold the following year. That being said, the stereo release (LP.2108.2.3) might have caused a small spike in sales, briefly reinvigorating interest.