Are you sure it was the same mix of Daniel on the DCC? There are 2 different versions of the DCC Gold of EJ's Greatest Hits - one with the original album mix and the other with a later re-mix (I can't recall if this is also true for the DCC vinyl - nod if not, which mix is on the vinyl).
Listening to Caribou. Dead quiet and definitely the best I have ever heard this album sound. I am familiar with original US vinyl and just about every cd version.
This mono promo single of Daniel is on eBay. Anyone know if this is similar to the promo dedicated mono mix of Crocodile Rock? Rock Promo Nm! 45 Elton John - Daniel / Daniel On Mca Records | eBay
Honestly his Lps are so common in the US I have acquired multiple copies of most every top album for cheap and among them have been some very good sounding pressings. Unless the new ones sound great and are under$20 do not rule out getting some used copies from the pawn shops and thrift shops.
I also had the UK original of Honky Chateau but, although the vinyl was visually EX-, I couldn't get it quiet enough...it had 'RAYS' in the deadwax if I remember correctly. I have just picked up the new reissue so hope it does indeed sound better. The original sounded okay but not amazing.
Well I just played Shoot Me l.p., all I have it to compare are us copy and a clean German copy. They really boosted the bass where as I couldn't get it to stop thudding out ,over powered the mix in a bad way.... I don't know, maybe I got a bad copy? For perspective , I was listening to Dr dre The Chronic before this album and bass was smooth on that one. Hopefully a bad pressing......
I'd need to put them on again with an ear towards distinguishing between the two. My general impression was the new version compared as favorably to my original as some of the others have, with the added benefit of being a clean new copy. Will try to compare in earnest tonight or tomorrow night.
So here's my Hi Yai' Yippee Yai Yai' second purchase from this past Friday. Elton John's Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player is such a great great album and I have to tell you kids?? I bought a sealed original MCA 1972 (black label) three years ago from a cool dude in the States who claimed to be an A&R guy from MCA and he was true to his word. He sent it to me me his "sealed” but in all honesty? It 'sucked'. No kidding. I even contemplated throwing in the vinyl towel. It wasn’t so much the sound (although, that was nothing to write home about) but more the pressing. So, here we are with this 2017 reissue. I know a few people have claimed that this reissue is a tad bright but I love bright. One thing I noticed upon first listen is that Elton's Electric Piano, David Hentschel's ARP 2600 and Nigel's drums are much much more prominent on this reissue. Also, Teacher I Need You doesn't sound as "noisy" during the chorus (with the Mellotron and harmonies combined). I don't hear it that way...but that's me and my system. All I know is,?? Teacher, Elderberry, Blues, Creeper, Criminal, Texan and especially High Flying Bird totally rocks with this reissue, I was introduced to Crocodile Rock on the 22 Fantastic Hits from the K-Tel album back in my wee lad moment. I have to say, Crocodile Rock and Midnight Creeper totally knock it out of the ball bark and trust me, as much as I was a fan of Crocodile Rock back in my hey day I am NOT a fan now BUT?? I am a fan now with this reissue. Davey Johnstone, Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson's harmonies are absolutely insane. What more can I say?...ok a bit more. One thing I also notice is that on Teenage Idol the Leslie run Piano is more prominent which (as a kid) was a big thing for me. I also should point out that during Texan Love Song you can actually hear the "picking" of the guitars. This is EXACTLY how I want one of my fav EJ albums to sound. The whole Bob Ludwig/Sean Magee team did an insane job. Love LOVE it!! ..however that's my biased point of view but again?? I KNOW what I am talking about...LOL Highly Highly recommended. PS - They also NAILED the artwork this time compared to some of the other reissues. P.S.S - For inquiring minds?? Ben Folds Zak & Sara is a total nod to Teacher I Need You
Picked up Honky Chateau, Don't Shoot Me..., and Caribou at this weekend's Barnes & Noble vinyl sale (about $19 each). Have play Honky... and Don't Shoot Me.. so far and both are very quiet and provide a degree of detail I haven't hear in years, if ever. Honky... was one of the first albums I ever owned. Too bad they took a shortcut on replicating the cover (cut off Bernie and Ponty). Caribou is up tonight.
I have what I thought was a UK original, but there's no "pocket insert". Maybe they released it both ways. Update: Just looked on discogs and it looks like they did release both cover styles in the UK. So the reissue is either right or wrong, depending on what your original looks like!
Ok, I'm listening to Honky Chateau. Mastering is quite impressive given the fact these are digital. I think it sounds slightly superior to the original 'RAYS' uk pressing I had. I like the bass on this and it seems to have more detail than my original UK. That's the good news.. The bad news is the pressing is pretty bad imo. It is probably a little bit like the old DJM vinyl in some way. Its that constant noise that you sometimes (quite often) get with a GZ pressing. Thing is, this thing sounds better than I thought. The noise isn't terrible but pretty bad and, quite frankly, a little bit disappointing. The pressing looks pretty clean but I might try and clean it and quieten it down...but my experience with cleaning GZ pressings is that it doesn't tend to do a huge amount. I think it's just the type of vinyl they use sometimes. I may now try and pick up the optimal pressings of the other titles as I do like how this sounds and i do like Sean Magees work generally. I think if these were done AAA, they would have been absolutely fantastic. I think they would be slightly better resolved when things gets a little more complex...there is a tiny bit of harshness here and there aswell, but these are small things and this pressing does not generally have a lot of the hallmarks of a digital vinyl cut. EDIT: just started Side 2 and the noise is pretty bad. Debating a return on this.... And I take back all my comments in another thread where I was commenting how GZ had improved....this is just why they had a bad reputation for the last few years! Shame!
My Elton John self titled pressing is pretty bad. I gave it a clean and didn't do much. Lots of pops and ticks. Too bad too cause the SQ was great. The worst is the lead track Your Song start of with ticks and pops right away. It sets the stage for a disappointing pressing to me Returning vinyl is a huge hassle to me.
So how mad should I be at this? It's obviously a brand new copy since it's still in it's shrink-wrap, but it's torn up worse than I have ever seen the edge of a sleeve torn up. And I'm sure plenty of those shredded paper particles have made their way down inside the record grooves. The edge of the record must be sharper than a serrated knife for this to have happened. Obviously not the fault of the seller, but he should've seen it and remarked on it, no? It's a new "mint" record that's all messed up. And I payed full price. Also, it says "made in Czech Republic" on the back - I thought all these new Eltons were made in Germany - my Madman was.
Return it if that bothers you. My copy of Honky Chateau says "Made in EU", the matrix numbers look the it was pressed at GZ vinyl. There is so little room between the deadwax and the paper label the normal www.gzvinyl.com etching doesn't fit!
I don't think they do that recently. The majority of my recent GZ pressings have just a couple of codes usually something like 12345/A...
If it's brokered by Pirates Press, it will be printed/stamped (Pirates Press), I have a 2017 with it, - rest carries that type of numbering. The Cure-Head on The Door Rhino 2016 has GZvinyl.com on the wax
Was interested in the Blue Moves reissue next month, but I just got a gem mint original pressing for ONE DOLLAR last week!
So does the Ludwig-mastered Goobye Yellow Brick Road from 2014 sound as stellar as these new 2017 reissues?