New david bowie song / major compilation

the Bowie Is exhibition and these new compilations might suggest otherwise, and various projects have been rumoured or announced over the past few years. i believe some of the special editions were held up due to contractual issues (holding onto stuff put him in a stronger negotiating position). his has been a very erratically handled catalogue with an alarming lack of consistency between releases.

 

Am I correct in concluding from some of these posts that the 2 CD version has different and better mastering for the Hunky Dory Songs?

 

The Mexico/Argentina edition lists Space Oddity (UK single edit). Is this different than the version of the 3 disc set? Ditto for Absolute Beginners (edit); is this the same single edit or a different one? If anything, I might swoop down south of the border just for the radio edit of Sue.

 

No. the 3CD edition includes a remix of Life On Mars? so is not comparable with the 1 and 2CD versions which use the same new master of the LP version. the 2 and 3CD editions share the same master of Oh! You Pretty Things, and all three include the same master of Changes.

different yes and a bit of an, um, oddity. the UK single edit was only ever issued in mono, but this is in stereo. it's also showing some tape damage. it doesn't sound great but it's potentially an otherwise unheard stereo edit circa 1969. the 4.46 edit of Absolute Beginners on the 1 and 2CD editions was previously only used on promotional 7" and 12" singles in the US and Canada. the 3CD edition features the much more common 5.35 single edit.

 

The local record store was giving away a pretty cool lithograph with all 3 covers on it if you purchased the album. So I did end up picking up the 2 cd set to go along with the 3 cd edition.

First thing I noticed was that disc 1 'the RCA years' sounds more up front and less warm than the same tracks on the 3 cd set. Hoping someone can add some more analytical insight to this.

On the second disc,I had not heard the alternate edit for Absolute Beginners before and I think I prefer this version!

 

Hanging proudly in my music room already!

I would have liked one of those for Best of Bowie cover art in 2002 as well.

 

Yes. It's really irritating. I'm reluctant to remove the stickers as I'm afraid I'll damage the cardboard sleeve beneath.

 

"Life on Mars?" is just about my favorite Bowie song, so is the new master good enough to justify my buying the entire 2CD set just to get it? I already have the 3CD. Or should I just hold out for the hopefully inevitable Hunky Dory remaster?

 

Good question, also, how are the new masters for the MWSTW, Diamond Dogs, Let's Dance, Low and Heroes songs?

 

Got both Vinyl editions.
Had to.

 

Is the mastering for RCA years Bowie songs on this compilation different for the 2 CD and 3 CD editions resepectively?

 

"Diamond Dogs" has a weird fade-in/fade-out that supersedes any perceived mastering differences IMO. For Let's Dance, the original CD versions are the best (unless you desperately need the single edits). Low and "Heroes" sounds good (ignoring the horrendous single edit of the latter's title track) but the West German RCAs are still king. On the other hand, "Boys Keep Swinging" seems to sound better here than on previous digital versions of Lodger. Finally, TMWSTW sounded terrific on first listen, but I still need to A/B it with the RCA Japan-for-US.

 

Yes. The same tracks on both do not share identical masterings.

The ones from the 2-cd version tend to be mastered slightly louder, a little less dynamic, and even have slightly different EQ applied...

 

I might have to have someone else come in on this question. To me the mastering does sound a bit different. The 3cd sounds a little smoother to me. And that is the version I have been giving my accolades to.

But I have been mainly listening to my high quality AAC file uploads of the albums, and not nessasarily on any kind of high end gear, so I could be wrong.

 

Ahh, So I'm not losing my mind...Thanks for your response!

 

If you can get past the edits/etc, the actual sound is better.

Distinctly different/improved from from the '99 remasters/'02 'Best Of Bowie'/etc...

 

question for those who picked up the lithograph- what does it look like? thanks

 

There is 2 vinyl editions?

 

can you tell us more about the vinyl editions please?

 

Totally disagree...the Life on Mars remix is fantastic...and might even surpass the original.

 

I'd say the Ryko people did a pretty amazing job of mining the vaults...those Ryko remasters sounded great and had great bonus tracks.

 

Curious as to what about it you like so much?

You don't find it to be mixed virtually identical to the original, only sounding more "modern"?

 

so it's not a big deal that some deluxe NHC editions have the 4:55 version, and others have the 4:20 version?

 

I thought there was only one vinyl edition?

 

This is/was my understanding as well...