Xanadu soundtrack on CD

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Pizza, Jun 28, 2013.

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  1. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Say what you want about the movie, but the soundtrack is one of my favorite records. I love every single song. Xanadu and Magic are my two faves by ONJ followed closely by Suspended in Time.
    Anyway, I had to live with the awful Aussie CD for many years. I was grateful when the U.S. release finally came about but, sadly, it is horribly compressed. I had finally hunted down a copy of the Japan release and was pleased with the audio. At this point, the only other CD release that I was aware of was the UK one so I figured I'd might as well nab it too. It just arrived today. I was expecting the UK one to be the same as the U.S. but it isn't! It has great bass but looks to be compressed a bit but nothing like the U.S.
    So, four different releases, each one mastered differently. What's the collective opinion on these? And, is there another version out there that's worth searching for?
     
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  2. colinu

    colinu I'm not lazy, I'm energy saving!

    The UK one is (to paraphrase ON-J's previous soundtrack work) "the one that you want".

    I am curious about the packaging on the US CD - the font for ON-J/ELO was changed. Does this version have a booklet?
     
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  3. JimC

    JimC Senior Member

    Location:
    Illinois
    I have a regular US version as well as whatever came in with the DVD package I bought 2-3 years ago. Haven't compared.
     
  4. glenecho

    glenecho Forum Resident

    following this thread with curiosity. I love this album and have also been wondering about best versions/masterings. The ELO side is a masterwork IMO and the other side ain't no slouch either. Great music/bad movie.
     
    Pizza likes this.
  5. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love

    Location:
    Norway
    I agree with everyone who has voiced their opinions about this soundtrack: The music is great - every track on there is pure pop heaven. The title track feels like an ABBA track, and on the rest of the album there´s variety - ballads, jazz, disco, 40s sing-along and the typical ELO pop confection. The movie? Not so hot... I can´t imagine so many talented people being involved to produce such a dud. ELO´s "All Over the World" is a joyful party-maker, but it´s presented in such a dull way in the movie that I hardly realized the song was in there! Not even Olivia or Gene Kelly could save this turkey. Thankfully, we have the soundtrack. I have the LP and the UK edition of the CD, and it sounds just swell. A treasured item in my collection.
     
    Pizza likes this.
  6. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I was quite pleased listening to the UK CD earlier today. Like I said, great bass. The Japan release sounds terrific too and no compression. The U.S. is an ear bleeder and the Aussie one lies there like a dead fish. It's very low in volume. I hope Xanadu finds its way to an SACD like Physical and Come on Over.
    I'm such a fan of this album that I had put together my own special edition adding the B Sides and recorded from the DVD some of the alternate versions of songs from the film's soundtrack such as I'm Alive with the instrumental beginning and the Xanadu suite. Hopefully some record label will be smart enough to include the B sides to a future rerelease.
     
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  7. GullGutt

    GullGutt Hei hopp

    Location:
    Norway
    I have the Japanese cd, must be one of the first cd's I ever bought, and it sounds just wonderful....and I agree with all above, the movie is a big turd even the beauty of Olivia Newton-John can't save, but the soundtrack is a masterpiece
     
  8. I have the U.S. and think it sounds pretty good if a bit on the bright side but nowhere near an ear bleeder. I have no idea if there is more than one mastering for the U.S.
     
  9. musicfan37

    musicfan37 Senior Member

    Love the soundtrack!
     
    Pizza likes this.
  10. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Check out the UK or Japan edition. The Japan one is pricy but the UK one is available at relatively cheap prices and i feel is a nice upgrade over the US one.
     
  11. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    The US and the UK have a nice fold out with the US being a page bigger. The Japan cover folds open and has the traditional OBI and an extra lyric sheet. The Australian doesn't contain anything extra. As for CD labels, I like the US one the best. XANADUcds.jpg

    Does anyone have anything different or different packaging?

    I don't know either. I would guess not but anything is possible.
     
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  12. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    So if someone is going to buy just one version, should it be the U.K. or Japanese CD?
     

  13. Interesting. I'll have to take a look at my US as it doesn't look like the one you have posted, if I recall correctly (once I ripped the songs I wanted,I really haven't looked at it or handled it in awhile). I'll dig mine out and post a pic of it if it is different. It might have simply been repackaged or maybe it does have a different mastering.
     
  14. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I haven't had the UK one for long but I like it a lot. Maybe time and repeasted plays will change my view.
    My gut tells me the Japanese one is a straight forward copy of whatever master tape they had. No fuss, no muss and is probably as pure as you're going to get to the original sound. If you're looking to avoid any kind of compression, this is the one to get.
    To me, the UK one sounds like it's been zipped up with a bit of audio spice and sounds great for it. In my opinion, the Japanese version isn't worth the extra dollars (around $50) unless you're a purist or a collector while the UK hits the bill nicely. I got mine shipped for about $8.
    Both are great. It depends where your tastes are in mastering and budget.

    That would be great. I'd be curious to see the differences.
     
  15. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Peak Levels US MCA- 94.6% on all tracks EAC 100% verified DR=9
    I may search out the UK, not happy with the sound of the ELO set
    Thanks for the opinions :)
     
  16. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Here are some screenshots of the sound waves for the song Magic from each CD release. These are taken from Audacity.

    Australia
    onjAusWave.jpg

    Japan
    onjJAPANwave.jpg

    UK
    onjUKwave.jpg

    US
    onjUSwave.jpg

    Each one is different.
     
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  17. I Love Music

    I Love Music Forum Resident

    The U.S. MCA CD version of the Xanadu Soundtrack (MCAD-11857) was released in 1998.
     
  18. JP Christian

    JP Christian Forum Resident

    from those waveforms I'd probably go for the UK, loud, but not brickwalled like the US - if I could get the Japan I would, but assume pricy.

    My first experience of this LP was on 8-track! I have it on UK vinyl and it sounds sweet. Judging by that cover artwork on the US and UK versions, would there not be a much earlier version of both on a standard silver face CD?

    I always though the ELO tracks were wasted on the movie - imagine if they had another sides worth of that kind of material - would probably have been their best album.
     
  19. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I bought it when it first came out. I couldn't find a year of release on my CD short of the original copyright of 1980 but it is MCAD-11857 so I'm sure I Love Music has the correct answer.

    Also, since the DVD/CD combo was brought up, the CD in that set is the same issue, MCAD-11857, with the same logo label.
     
  20. masterbucket

    masterbucket Senior Member

    Location:
    Georgia US
    What is the catalog number of the Japan release?
    I got a line on one cheap.
     
  21. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Mine is CSCS 6034

    Here's a link to it on HMV that has it in stock

    Though they don't list the tracks like this on the website, my CD has Side 2 with the ELO songs first and then the Olivia stuff from side 1.
     
    masterbucket likes this.
  22. Pizza

    Pizza With extra pepperoni Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I'm assuming that HMV link is the same issue since it is the same CD number but who knows? Mine is from 1990 and the two sides are switched in order, something that the linked version doesn't indicate, it shows the correct track order of side 1 then side 2. The version I got starts with I'm Alive as track 1. I'd imagine ELO fans would prefer that sequencing.
     
  23. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    That is the only Japanese CD issue of Xanadu that I am aware of.
     
  24. yesstiles

    yesstiles Senior Member

    Funny that the USA cd lists just "Olivia Newton-John" on the spine, while the Japan cd flips the sides, giving the ELO side top billing and releasing it as part of their "ELO series" of cd releases.
     
    Galley likes this.
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