New 9-9-09 Re-Masters Reviews Thread!

[Paperback Writer]

Target had such a good deal, the CD's came out to $9.50 each. I had some trade in CD's exchanged for credit at Aemeba and got Past Masters and MMT there. I was going to hold off on Y.S., Let It Be (Have Naked and Y.S. re-mix) and Introducing the Beatles.  Result: I got everything else for a total of  about $86.00!!!

Abbey Road, Mervap nailed it!  It's so creamy, polished and beautiful, what a production  - and the re-master captures it in all it's glory.

I'll be adding reviews as I go along.  I have listened to them all and repeated listenings are paying off - big time.  It's almost like listening to a NEW album and discovering the depth of the album each time.  A Hard Day's Night is like that for me now.

[Paperback Writer]

A Hard Day's Night Remaster Review:

All Beatle written, with Johnny on a roll!  The sound is crystal clear, with excellent seperation stereo, but with a strong middle sound anchored by bass, drums and vocals.  Never sounded better - or even close.

1. A Hard Days Night - rocks, with clear chiming guitars harmony and propelled by Ringo.

2. I Should Have Know Better - showcases John's strong vocals, harmonica and acoustic.  George breaks out the 12- string Rickenbacker and all hell breaks loose, sonically.  Very TIGHT!

3.If I Fell- 3rd classic right out of the gate, what a fuc%in album!  Really fun to hear Paul AND John on lead vocals, can really hear it now!

4.I'm Happy Just To Dance With You- Showcases George , harmonies from John and Paul, Arabian Bongos from Rings'.

5. And I Love Her. Gorgeous song , vocal from Paul.  Ringo on bongos, Paul George and John on acoustic guitars.  The details on the acoustic guitar sounds, is hypnotic.  Somehow, it sounds like something from Paul THIS century.  Very contemporary.

6. Tell Me Why. Sounds clear, like this song, feel (even more so now with the clarity) that with some changes this could have been a REALLY BIG song.  Nonetheless, harmonies a tad too high.

7. Can't Buy Me Love. - Better than ever, perfect sound, which is hard with so much variance in the vocals and instrumentation.  Now, hear that guitar break with no muddiness!  John and George on the 12-Rick mix it up.

8. Anytime At All - Much better than memory tells me, surely due to clarity of hearing JL's acoustic guitar weave with George's lead.  Another fab vocal from John.  Paul and Ringo drive it home.

9. I'll Cry Instead,- John and Paul sing it up nice.

10.  Things We Said Today. - Another timeless gem from Sir Macca, circa, 1964!  John's tambourine sings out, as George lends some nice guitar.  John keeping pace on acoustic guitar - very nice.

11. When I Get Home - John amazingly strong on acoustic guitar and vocals.  Clarity shows a man on a mission and a band up to the task.

12. - You Can't Do That- The"sleeper" of the album, another manic paced John vocal who duels George on guitars, supported by Macca's Bass and harmony.  Ringo  brings the cow-bell.  This sounds so incredible!   Could be a #1 single - right now!

13"I'll Be Back - Hear the harmonies and vocals of John and Paul?  The acoustic guitars of John, Paul and George?
Your hearing magic.I missed the brilliance of this song in the past, with this sound, that's not possible anymore.
Beautiful.

[mervap]

Hey, PBW, I edited your last post because you'd left out the title "You Can't Do That" and, well, you can't do that! Also, isn't that JL who plays the lead in that one? I think it is...wonderful review of my favorite 'early Beatles' album....and a great deal you got!

[lampie1970]

im too jealous to respond to this.

 

[Paperback Writer]

Mervap;

Thanks for doing that!   Right, it's John on lead, but surely, now you can hear him AND  the 12-string Rick by George. Fab.

[Paperback Writer]

Later, I'll review/comment on the remaining ReMasters, but for now, I'll rate the albums in order of improvement over previous recordings. LIB and YS are omitted.

The rankings are based on sound improvement and how much they improve the listening quality - NOT on the quality of the songs or music, but how much they are improved, sonically.  Of course, others may differ, as they are only my opinions! 

1.White Album

2.Abbey Road / Revolver (tie)

3. A Hard Day's Night

4. Beatles For Sale

5. Seargant Pepper

6. Rubber Soul / Past Masters (tie)

7.Magical Mystery Tour / Help (tie)

8. With the beatles

9. Please, Please Me

BUT, they ALL are vastly improved, some to the point where the entire album is looked at in a far more favorable light.

[oldasSoul]

Anyone want to discuss the mono remasters? Specifically from Help to WA. Not that I'm discounting the first four, they're now much better sounding versions, but use the same mix as the 87 discs.

[Paperback Writer]

oldassoul;

Definitely, would love to hear your impressions with the MONOS. 

I only have the stereo ones, except for some tracks that were only able to be in mono form.  We'd love your opinion, experiences on the monos.  There IS a discussion of sorts on this topic in the "Is it just me" thread.
My interest in the monos, at this point, is primarily:  Which albums contents/mix/sound experience varies most from the stereo?  Is it true Sgt. Pepper is significantly different?

[oldasSoul]

Not sure where to start, PBW!

So far, and I've not listened super-critically to all of the albums, the differences in Revolver, Pepper and WA are very noticeable.

Overall, my feeling is that I'm hearing the musicality of the songs. What I mean is that the instrumental tracks are clearer, as are the vocals, so I'm getting the sense of what a skilled bunch of musicians they were, rather than how well they could write a hook. Don't know if that's clear at all...

On Taxman, the mix includes a very echo-y cowbell right after "Should 5% appear too small" that continues throughout the song. As well, Paul's bass playing during the "If you drive a car..." part strays from simply playing the riff into a double-time arpeggio. It's there on the 87 CD, but nowhere near as clearly.

Yellow Submarine sounds much better in mono, and has the added bonus of John echoing Ringo right from "Life of ease" onward.

The most strking thing is how close the vocals sound. Someone mentioned having John lounging on the couch while singing to them, and that's how it sounds. Everyone's vocals sound better, most definitely Ringo's, and Paul's sound less "girly" and more seasoned.

I'll go into some other differences at a later time.

[Paperback Writer]

Thanks, oldasSoul!
Great observations, take your time, but do share them  when you can.

[Paperback Writer]

Stereo Remaster Review:

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR:

Perfectly re-packaged with all original booklet, covers and new liner notes - the disc is a perfect replica of the Capital rainbow ringed LP. (The only Capital one in the EMI, Apple dominated series.)

New rating system; I'll comment less on the songs (you know them) and use symbols after each song title to note:

 Overall improved sound- +                                         
 Unbelievable Sound Improvement- ++
 So Good It Transcends The Song from previous opinions, impressions!- +++

Magical Mystery Tour - + Punchier with more space,better backing vocals, that tour bus is driving from my right ear - across - into my other eardrum!

Fool On the Hill - + Paul's voice is flawless and you can hear the harmonica in the mix of flutes and recorder.

Flying -++  Wow, that mellotron is on!  Hearing the chanting is really fun now.

Blue Jay Way - +++ A LOT going on here -  with backing vocals and complex music lines crossing and blending.  Is now good enough to listen to over and over - something is there! (Through the fog?) lol

Your Mother Should Know - + Slightly more "trippy."?

I Am the Walrus - ++ Totally un-muddied, now it flows. More fascinating than ever.

Hello Goodbye - +++ Wow this nice Twinkie is now an excellent gourmet dessert of pop perfection!.  Hearing session cellos very clear with a kaleidescope band performance! More heft now.

Strawberry Fields Forever- ++ Ringo bangs the drums forever!  Brilliant performance on a brilliant song!

Penny Lane - ++  Un-muddled, deepened in tone and weight, basking in harmony vocals and great use of session musicians.

Baby Your A Rich Man - +++ So much better, really fab bass lines, real "World Beat" happening before it was vogue, hearing John and Paul singing el fabo!

ALl You Need Is Love - ++ First 30 seconds are sparse, then the entire track is balanced and brilliant, hearing those string instruments, horns all with some neat bass and lyrical guitar licks.

[oldasSoul]

Quick question on the r/m stereo WA:

Is there a little snippet of conversation, with George Martin (?), audible at the beginning of Revolution 9? It's there on the mono version.

Ok, another quick review. During the aforementioned, when the announcer is intoning the title there is panning between speakers towards the middle of the song. In mono, this comes across as movement from front to back!

[Kylenz]

Quick question on the r/m stereo WA:

Is there a little snippet of conversation, with George Martin (?), audible at the beginning of Revolution 9? It's there on the mono version.

Ok, another quick review. During the aforementioned, when the announcer is intoning the title there is panning between speakers towards the middle of the song. In mono, this comes across as movement from front to back!

Hi oldasSoul,
I've just listened to Revolution 9 (Stereo), along with the mono remastered version, and can tell you that the snippet of George Martin at the beginning is exactly the same on both versions, unaltered.

Great review of Magical Mystery tour by the way, PW! Completely agree too.

[mervap]

I am listening to the stereo remaster of "A Hard Day's Night"....I am very impressed with the overall improvement in sound quality. However, I am compelled to ask this question: Does anyone else feel the voices are louder in the mix now? I know this is impossible because they did not REMIX these, but maybe the better sound overall has brought the vocals more forward. I should mention that I have a bit of ringing in my ears from time to time from years of drumming, so it could just be my ears. I found myself wishing for a CD of these tunes with the vocals removed so I could hear the instruments more clearly. The vocals really set my ears to ringing and I had to stop....maybe later in the day would be better! :)

[2 of 3]

Answer the phone!!!