Best/Worst Remasters/Reissues of 2014.

You'd have thought with ONJ and Elton being 2 of their biggest acts, MCA would have tried a little harder to get good quality product out there. Maybe people weren't as aware then of bad pressings? Perhaps we accepted it more easily? These days folks will return vinyl if it's even slightly faulty. I myself know for a fact that if I got a record that sounded rough, I'd be disappointed but not do much about it! I got used to buying albums a played a lot and consequently got worn out a few times over, too.

 

To your point I think other than those that hang around here, nope, most people really didn't notice. So, why put all that effort into putting out great pressings...I get it, but I don't think its okay to knowingly put out less than the best you can provide. It is disrespectful to the artists that worked so hard to put out a quality album, and to us who pay for them.

 

My pleasure, Myke. So glad you're enjoying our mono editions!

 

Bad Rice: Ron Nagle (Omnivore)
Sheer overlooked genius.

 

Just issued: Ellingtons Masterpieces from Analogue Productions. WOW.

 

If nobody has mentioned the Game Theory reissues yet, then I'll mention them.

Omnivore has done a great job on the CD sets with great mastering, decent bonus tracks and superb packaging. The vinyl EPs that came out on Black Friday RSD had some warping issues, but the replacements are flat as pancakes.

 

The Guess Who: Power In The Music (Iconoclassic).

Killer stuff.

 

I had no idea those were issued...I'll be sure to get those asap!!!

 

Myke,

How do these 2 compare to the Sundazed sets from 2002...sound-wise and content-wise? I can get the Now Sounds sets a bit cheaper than I can the Sundazed sets, but I've always had excellent luck with Sundazed...Bob Irwin is one of the good guys.

Let me know, please

 

Well, Sundazed is stereo
Now Sounds is Mono.
I've kept both.

 

That answers it

Thank you

 

I have to add one:

Real Gone's disc of
The Grass Roots: The Complete Dunhill/ABC Hit Singles

I hope they can do one for Three Dog Night.

 

FWIW, these are my favourite reissues of 2014:

The Beatles In Mono Box Set
Frank Sinatra - Songs For Swingin' Lovers (MFSL SACD)
Neil Young Official Release Series 5-8
Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy (AF SACD)
XTC - Skylarking
Slint - Spiderland (24/96 + DVD)
Steely Dan - Countdown To Ecstasy (SHM-SACD)
Grace Jones - Nightclubbing (24/96)
The Velvet Underground Box Set
Fairport Convention - Unhalfbricking (SHM-SACD)
Jeff Buckley - Grace (ORG SACD)
Pretenders - Pretenders (MFSL SACD)
Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead (MFSL SACD)
Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis (APO SACD)
Love - Forever Changes (MFSL SACD)
Caravan - In The Land Of Grey & Pink (Platinum SHM-CD)
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (SHM-SACD)
Lewis - L'Amour
Big Star - No 1 Record/Radio City (24/96)
John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band (24/96)

 

All vinyl... "best" category

William Onyeabor - vinyl box sets
Fela Kuti - vinyl box set
Placebo - all three albums - Music On Vinyl
BRMC - S/T - Music On Vinyl
Sun Ra - Outer Spaceways Incorporated - ORG
all Music Matters Blue Notes
Miles Davis - MFSL

 

Concur with Grace Jones' Nightclubbing, the MFSL of Songs for Swingin' Lovers, the FTG reissues of Diana Ross' '80s RCA albums and the reissues of Donna Summer's Geffen-era albums

I love the Bryan Adams 'Reckless' box set. "Diana" is missed but it's still a great reissue.

The mega box set of Elvis Presley's "That's the Way It Is" is spectacular.

I also enjoyed Real Gone's "Christmas" reissues including the Williams Brothers Christmas album and Rosemary Clooney's "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" and Robert Goulet's "Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings".

 

They did a good job on the Aretha 2-disc sets of Who's Zoomin' Who? and Aretha, too. Lots of nice single and extended mixes on those that I had been missing from my collection.

I also really liked what Gold Legion did with the first Laura Branigan album - all of those early, pre-album singles and respective b-sides, and the liner notes are fantastic. Same goes with their Self Control reissue from 2013. Still waiting for their promised Branigan 2 reissue, although it will only have 1 bonus track. I'm hoping they'll eventually tackle her Touch album as I imagine there's some remixes that can be included. I got a nice note back from the guy when I emailed him to suggest reissuing Poolside by Nu Shooz with all of the single remixes and extended versions. I hope they decide to do it (and can get the licensing approved!)

Other stuff I loved:
Cherry Red's reissues of the first 2 Cock Robin albums - excellent bonus tracks
XTC - Skylarking "Corrected Polarity Edition"
Thompson Twins - Remixes & Rarities (although they could have skipped a couple of those instrumental b-sides and included a remix of "Get That Love" instead)
Japanese version of Eric Carmen's The Essential, because it includes "The Rock Stops Here"

I haven't picked up the Tears For Fears box yet. Also still need the Alphaville, and the batch of Level 42 reissues...

 

Good:

Jethro Tull - A Passion Play & WarChild
Yes - Relayer
Led Zeppelin Remasters

Bad:

No Porcupine Tree In Absentia 10th Anniversary Album. Hope this and Deadwing still become a reality as I really want them remixed on Bluray too.

Want:

Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair Boxset
May also pick up the Steven Wilson remix of the early Roxy Music albums too.

 

Sweeping statement that in certain cases is true, but not in all. Heard of Music Matters?