What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

It should be quite noticeable that the Mono versions are better than the stereo ....................In some cases you have even got better takes in Mono than stereo, because the mono mixes were made from the best takes as there were no real compromises. EMI was not really set up for the greatest stereo work ( only in the classical department) Old George Martin was a very canny producer and knew how to hide technical limitations well in mono but, in the Stereo mixing he knew that more could be revealed and his nice tight joins and coverings up were much more visible in Stereo

I'm familiar with all the technical arguments. What's really surprising, especially with Sgt Pepper is that the mono remaster actually sounds like a stereo mix. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not actually hearing stereo left/right instrument or voice positioning. I guess it must be decades of being programmed to hear stereo...

[gryphon]

There is actually more musical information on the Mono mixes , the subtle stuff which gives the brain the subtle clues about where the instruments are and in what space they are in is still preserved by the approach used by George Martin and Geoff Emerick

The quote below from an article Recorded Music.com points to the same thing :


When you listen to Beatle CDs in their mono versions you begin to appreciate these remarkable records in a whole new way. Probably my favorite example of this is Sgt. Pepper which, against all instinct, is simply fabulous in mono. Part of the reason for this seems to be that in the mono version you don’t spend your time chasing sounds from ear to ear, so you can relax instead and concentrate on the music. But also it’s obvious in the first ten minutes that the mono mix of Pepper is - as has often been noted - very different from the stereo. Instruments have different balances, and sometimes even different sounds. There’s a whole effect in the segue from “Good Morning” to “A Day In The Life” that isn’t part of any stereo version that I’ve ever heard - and I used to own a vinyl LP of Pepper that was pressed (in Canada) in 1970, just three years after it was released. Geoff Emerick, the Beatles’ engineer in 1967, confirms what our ears tell us here. He says: “The only real version of Sgt. Pepper is the mono version. There are all sorts of little tricks and effects in there that aren’t in the stereo at all.” For years I was aware of this quote, but used to discount it. “Ahhh ... how different could it be?” I thought. Now I know. A lot.:biggrin:

If you really want to sit and go ahhhhhhhhhhhh that's like being there!!!!!!!! find the Mono issues on Red vinyl from Japan.............I know that you have a great Hi-Fi and good ears ..............just put these on and sit back..................they knock the remastered mono CD's into a cocked hat........................you'll just about wonder why at the end you can feel air move past you as The Beatles open the door to leave the studio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Music Head]

listened online



One of them waht they call jam bands. As opposed to a jelly band I guess. Eleven albums and the first I've heard. Georgia band formed in 1986 whose current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring. Think Allmans, Dead and Phish with rock, jazz and blues, and you've got it. I did like the Allmans quite a bit, but I was never in to the jamming. A few good tracks here but it misses by passing mark. Crappy clips, but you get the idea.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - St. Louis

Best Track - Cotton Was King

1) Saint Ex - 1.5 - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgAYV0jW_no
2) North - 1.5
3) Dirty Side Down - 1.5 - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GikodHiZ8hk
4) This Cruel Thing - 2.0
5) Visiting Day - 1.0
6) Clinic Cynic - 2.0
7) St. Louis - 1.0
8) Shut Up And Drive - 1.5 - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3BpMUBfY4
9) True To My Nature - 1.5
10) When You Coming Home - 2.0
11) Jaded Tourist - 1.0
12) Cotton Was King - 2.0 - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUr-l26T7Lc

Average Rating - 1.5

[Tiggi]

If you really want to sit and go ahhhhhhhhhhhh that's like being there!!!!!!!! find the Mono issues on Red vinyl from Japan.............I know that you have a great Hi-Fi and good ears ..............just put these on and sit back..................they knock the remastered mono CD's into a cocked hat........................you'll just about wonder why at the end you can feel air move past you as The Beatles open the door to leave the studio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The CDs are good enough.

Ringo passed me a sandwich just before passing through said door.

Honest...

[Tiggi]

...and the next one.

[Tiggi]

In glorious monophonic !!

This is the last of the mono albums, but there's still the double Mono Masters comp to come.

[Music Head]

from my library (cd)



One of the greatest bands of all time. Ok fine,,,,,imo. This compilation doesn't hold up to Volume 1, and it's still awesome. And the second half of this doesn't hold up to the first half. But still, with half of the songs falling in the love range and my all time favorite Beach Boys song leading this off, that's enough for this to be a must have for me. If you were a teenager in the 60's, you may not admit it, but you loved 'em. Those harmonies just blew us away. And we all tried to hit that soprano note. Then came the invasion.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Bluebirds Oer The Mountain

Best Track - In My Room

There's a world where I can go
and tell my secrets to
In my room
In my room

In this world I lock out
all my worries and my fears
In my room
In my room

Do my dreaming and my scheming lie awake and pray
Do my crying and my sighing laugh at yesterday

Now it's dark and I'm alone
but I won't be afraid
In my room
In my room

1) In My Room - *** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRrHw5Kn3ZE
2) The Warmth Of The Sun - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_TcWUslfvE
3) Don't Worry Baby - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUCmqb3EwAs
4) All Summer Long - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smDXr13EJE
5) Wendy - *** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkqhZJTLulQ
6) Little Honda - ** audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2WyxpWmul0
7) When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IinaEJ_37g
8) Please Let Me Wonder - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc4jR7ajbpw
9) You're So Good To Me - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjvHKDcp_P8
10) The Little Girl I Once Knew - *** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8O1Wpul60E
11) Caroline No - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCI5wZRn9iE
12) Heroes And Villians - * - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L284UgTLA3c
13) Wild Honey - * - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmOE92ACzZY
14) Darlin' - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6xoJeq-rto
15) Friends - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45LpOzVcKYw
16) Do It Again - *** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s5WCDcmGq4
17) Bluebirds Over The Mountain - * - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncL2Owzljfo
18) I Can Hear Music - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlH3bZt9ooU
19) Break Away - ** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFP5-el8XfQ
20) Cottonfields - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khlEy-iy5kk

Rating - 2.4

[Tiggi]

Like much of TW's work, this is poetry growled over idiosyncratic "music".

Waits is a brilliant song-writer, and his songs are poulated by bar-tenders, hookers, sea-farers, & other assorted sub-culture characters.

Wonderful album.

&

The Beatles - Mono Masters



Last 2 discs from the mono box set. A mop-up of all the non-album material.

Excellent box set warmly recommended for obsessive Beatle-o-philes.

&

David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk



2-disc live set from DG's last tour.

First disc is mostly from ex-Floyd singer/guitarist Gilmour's poor solo album On an Island , but the second disc is almost entirely Floyd material from throughout their career. Rare outings for Fat Old Sun, & the beautiful Echoes.

This is half a great live album.

[Thraak]

listened online



One of them waht they call jam bands. As opposed to a jelly band I guess. Eleven albums and the first I've heard. Georgia band formed in 1986 whose current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring. Think Allmans, Dead and Phish with rock, jazz and blues, and you've got it. I did like the Allmans quite a bit, but I was never in to the jamming. A few good tracks here but it misses by passing mark. Crappy clips, but you get the idea.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - St. Louis

Best Track - Cotton Was King

1) Saint Ex - 1.5 - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgAYV0jW_no
2) North - 1.5
3) Dirty Side Down - 1.5 - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GikodHiZ8hk
4) This Cruel Thing - 2.0
5) Visiting Day - 1.0
6) Clinic Cynic - 2.0
7) St. Louis - 1.0
8) Shut Up And Drive - 1.5 - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3BpMUBfY4
9) True To My Nature - 1.5
10) When You Coming Home - 2.0
11) Jaded Tourist - 1.0
12) Cotton Was King - 2.0 - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUr-l26T7Lc

Average Rating - 1.5

Im a pretty big fan of this band but I don't think their studio albums show their full potential. They have gone through quite a few different guitarists. Michael Houser was the original guitarist but tragically died of cancer in '02 at the age of 40. They had a second (brief) replacement guitarist called George McConnell who I really enjoyed. Their live records are generally a lot better, It was a live album called 'Night Of Joy' which actually got me into them. Also thanks to Music Head as I didn't know they had a new album out!

[techman]

Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA