The Congos - Heart of the Congos

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by garrincha, Aug 8, 2016.

  1. garrincha

    garrincha Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Plymouth, UK
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  2. hutlock

    hutlock Forever Breathing

    Location:
    Cleveland, OH, USA
    The Blood & Fire version. By a country mile.
     
  3. Arkay_East

    Arkay_East Forum Resident

    Location:
    ATX
    Given the choice I would get the B&F also. Having said that, I just picked up whatever version is currently in print for $15 and it does not sound terrible when compared to a lot of other reggae releases. Some of the records that were pressed by big labels sound great, but anything even a little bit off the beaten path usually sounds a little bit "lofi" shall we say.

    I would be very interested in a reggae best pressing thread for some of the releases by Culture, Congos, U-Roy etc.
     
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  4. Neonbeam

    Neonbeam All Art Was Once Contemporary

    Location:
    Planet Earth
    100% the B&F version. It comes close to being "definitive":righton:
     
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  5. Dubmart

    Dubmart Senior Member

    Location:
    Bristol, England
    If you aren't bothered about the extra tracks then get the Go Feet, it's an almost contemporary issue, is nicely done and pressed and costs a lot less than the BAF, at least in the real world if not on Discogs.

    If you want extra tracks and lovely packaging go BAF, if you want them with a nicer pressings go Simply Vinyl.
     
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  6. jawaka1000

    jawaka1000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Netherlands
    You want the extra tracks!
     
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  7. Dubmart

    Dubmart Senior Member

    Location:
    Bristol, England
    Incidentally has everyone recommending the BAF actually listened to the Go Feet? Just because the BAF is nice doesn't mean the Go Feet isn't.
     
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  8. Dubmart

    Dubmart Senior Member

    Location:
    Bristol, England
    Then you need the 12" as well, or just buy the CD version.
     
  9. June 2nd US:

    40th anniversary of original or 20th anniversary of reissue:


    20 years after the release of Blood & Fire’s outstanding but now deleted ‘Heart Of The Congos’ reissue, VP Records /17 North Parade release a definitive, 2017 remastered 3CD edition, put together with both respect and gratitude to that illustrious antecedent. This new deluxe 3CD edition is the first to feature the now almost impossible to find original mix of the album, unavailable since producer Lee Perry withdrew the set in 1977. Also includes the more well-known re-mix, dubs, disco mix, seven and twelve inch versions and ‘Don’t Blame It On I’ an overlooked previously unreleased track unearthed, too late to include on the Blood & Fire release, by Steve Barrow and David Katz in 1997. Look out for a featured track on the Songlines Magazine covermount CD, May 2017 issue!



    The Congos-Don't Blame it on I
     
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  10. quindembo

    quindembo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Queens, NY
    Any reports on how the 40th anniversary version sounds?
     
  11. C6H12O6

    C6H12O6 Senior Member

    Location:
    My lab
    Damn, I didn't even know about this until they mentioned it on Sound Opinions. Price ain't bad:
    The Congos - Heart Of The Congos - Amazon.com Music

    They didn't really review the sound quality though, but Greg Kot mentioned that the album was commonly released in bootleg-quality releases and to avoid those (i.e. if you're going to get it, get this version).
     
  12. DRM

    DRM Forum Resident

    Initially I thought this thread was about the great music of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. RZangpo2

    RZangpo2 Forum Know-It-All

    Location:
    New York
    Anyone had a chance to compare the 40th anniversary 3LP to the Blood & Fire pressing?
     
  14. Machiventa

    Machiventa Forum Resident

    Location:
    Salida, Colorado
    I'd like to know this also, as well as overall sound quality/pressing.
     
  15. Crush87

    Crush87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Bump for SQ reviews on the new vinyl reissue...
     
  16. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    The Go Feat has the proper cover. If it sounded ok that would sway it for me.

    Can the 3xLP on VP be trusted? My VP repress of Lee Perry Roastfish was mastered at inconsistent speed. Maybe they are better today but I don't know.

    And what's the story concerning the mix? The VP press release says this is the first time the original mix has been available since 1977!
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2017
  17. 99thfloor

    99thfloor Senior Member

    Location:
    Sweden
    Yes, the very first pressing had a different mix, which has not been reissued before, but that mix is not part of the 3-LP set, only the 3-CD (it was issued separately on LP for RSD), so it's a moot point if you're looking to get the vinyl. I only have the CD set, but I think you can safely expect the LPs to be excellent.

    Here is the story of the different pressings and the two mixes: Upsetter Station - Out Of Africa Comes The Congoman
     
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  18. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Fascinatingly complex pressing history. Thank-you.
     
  19. Willowman

    Willowman Senior Member

    Location:
    London, UK
    That's a great read - thx.
     
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  20. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Reading the story – I would have thought that it was hard to get the original 53 minute full-length versions (both mixes) of the album onto an LP without compromise of sound quality, which is why, I guess, later versions had tracks shortened.
     
  21. 99thfloor

    99thfloor Senior Member

    Location:
    Sweden
    This is Reggae we are talking about, do you really think there were such rational reasons behind it? :laugh:
     
  22. Dhreview16

    Dhreview16 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London UK
    I have the Go Feet VPRL 1287 vinyl which I bought in 2015 (though Amazon lists it as release in 2010). It's about £15/$20 over here, new. It sounds OK, not great, to me! which rightly or wrongly I put down to the recording. I don't know how it compares to the Blood and Fire version, so that may well be better. (I'm happy to take Forum members expertise on that). I didn't really try to compare versions (different covers, tracks or lengths of tracks) but just got it alongside Culture's Two Sevens Clash after reading various reggae threads.
     
  23. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Not if you say otherwise!

    I thought the Go Feet mentioned was a 1980 pressing?
     
  24. Dubmart

    Dubmart Senior Member

    Location:
    Bristol, England
    It is, the catalogue number is for one of the previous VP issues, there have been a few.
     
  25. Johan Bos

    Johan Bos Forum Resident

    Location:
    Netherlands
    Dear all,

    I hope I put my topic in the right forum as it's about how to select a preferred label.

    I would like to get hold of the (vinyl) album "Heart of the Congos" by The Congos. At discogs there is a really large list of vinyl releases:

    The Congos - Heart Of The Congos

    The first affordable release of this album seems to be this one:

    The Congos - Heart Of The Congos

    The label is Go-Feet-Records. I'm just wondering if there are any audible differences between the different labels / releases? How do you select your records when there are so many labels / releases? (I always try to select the oldes affordable record as - until now - it seems older releases seem to sound better in general)

    Kind regards,

    J.
     

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