Comsat Angels Reissues [Vinyl + 2xCD editions] on Edsel Records

Just released today. I have my copies of the first three on 2xCD but haven't listened to them yet. I will post more info soon. These are also being reissued on vinyl, but without bonus material it seems. If anyone has bought any of these I would be curious to hear your opinions as well.

 

foobar2000 1.3.3 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-11-27 16:08:56

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Analyzed: Comsat Angels / Waiting For A Miracle - CD1
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR10 -0.50 dB -12.58 dB 4:01 01-Missing In Action
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.63 dB 2:58 02-Baby
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.30 dB 3:46 03-Independence Day
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.03 dB 2:57 04-Waiting For A Miracle
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.95 dB 3:47 05-Total War
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.34 dB 3:41 06-On The Beach
DR11 -0.50 dB -13.75 dB 4:23 07-Monkey Pilot
DR10 -0.50 dB -11.95 dB 3:45 08-Real Story
DR10 -0.50 dB -11.26 dB 3:49 09-Map Of The World
DR10 -0.80 dB -14.75 dB 4:09 10-Postcard
DR10 -0.50 dB -11.88 dB 3:34 11-Home Is The Range
DR11 -0.50 dB -13.49 dB 4:12 12-We Were
DR11 -0.50 dB -13.16 dB 4:15 13-Ju Ju Monkey (LP out-take)
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.33 dB 4:08 14-Work (LP out-take)
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Number of tracks: 14
Official DR value: DR10

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 923 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

foobar2000 1.3.3 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-11-27 16:10:40

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Analyzed: Comsat Angels / Waiting For A Miracle - CD2
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR8 -2.00 dB -10.14 dB 2:42 01-Red Planet
DR8 -1.01 dB -10.92 dB 2:57 02-I Get Excited
DR8 -0.80 dB -10.54 dB 2:30 03-Specimen No.2
DR8 -0.50 dB -10.72 dB 3:06 04-Independence Day (Demo)
DR9 -0.50 dB -10.95 dB 3:44 05-Real Story (Demo)
DR8 -1.36 dB -11.20 dB 3:41 06-Target Talk (Demo)
DR9 -1.40 dB -13.39 dB 3:56 07-Living In (Demo)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.46 dB 3:59 08-Total War (John Peel Session -10-10-79)
DR7 -0.50 dB -10.21 dB 3:24 09-Independence Day (John Peel Session -10-10-79)
DR8 -0.50 dB -11.51 dB 2:57 10-Baby (John Peel Session -10-10-79)
DR11 -0.50 dB -14.57 dB 4:19 11-Ju Ju Money (John Peel Session -10-10-79)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.37 dB 3:45 12-Real Story (John Peel Session -29-04-80)
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.39 dB 4:24 13-Monkey Pilot (John Peel Session -29-04-80)
DR11 -0.50 dB -13.66 dB 2:55 14-Waiting For A Miracle (John Peel Session -29-04-80)
DR11 -0.50 dB -12.57 dB 3:42 15-Home Is The Range (John Peel Session -29-04-80)
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Number of tracks: 15
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 970 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

foobar2000 1.3.3 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-11-27 16:12:20

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Analyzed: Comsat Angels / Sleep No More
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR10 0.00 dB -11.63 dB 3:41 01-The Eye Dance
DR10 -0.84 dB -14.28 dB 2:51 02-Sleep No More
DR10 -0.50 dB -11.77 dB 3:49 03-Be Brave
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.60 dB 3:27 04-Gone
DR9 0.00 dB -11.25 dB 5:08 05-Dark Parade
DR11 0.00 dB -12.44 dB 3:52 06-Diagram
DR11 -0.74 dB -15.20 dB 3:14 07-Restless
DR10 0.00 dB -11.42 dB 3:23 08-Goat Of The West
DR9 -0.50 dB -12.74 dB 4:24 09-Light Years
DR12 -0.50 dB -14.96 dB 4:10 10-Our Secret
DR10 -0.80 dB -12.36 dB 4:04 11-Eye Of The Lens
DR11 -0.50 dB -14.18 dB 4:40 12-Another World
DR10 -0.50 dB -14.13 dB 4:25 13-At Sea
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Number of tracks: 13
Official DR value: DR10

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 826 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

foobar2000 1.3.3 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-11-27 16:13:50

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Analyzed: Comsat Angels / Sleep No More - CD2
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR10 -0.50 dB -12.28 dB 3:48 01-Mass (Album out-take)
DR9 0.00 dB -11.79 dB 5:02 02-Dark Parade 1 (Demo)
DR9 -0.90 dB -11.39 dB 4:10 03-Goat of the West (Demo)
DR10 -0.80 dB -12.75 dB 3:52 04-Be Brave (Demo)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.13 dB 3:14 05-Gone [Alt EP Version]
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.26 dB 3:54 06-Be Brave (John Peel Session - 3/2/81)
DR10 -0.50 dB -12.05 dB 4:09 07-At Sea (John Peel Session - 3/2/81)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.21 dB 3:58 08-Eye Of The Lens (John Peel Session - 3/2/81)
DR11 -0.50 dB -12.59 dB 5:10 09-Dark Parade (John Peel Session - 3/2/81)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.66 dB 3:24 10-Gone (Richard Skinner Session - 04-03-81)
DR8 -0.50 dB -10.64 dB 4:54 11-Total War (Richard Skinner Session - 04-03-81)
DR9 -0.50 dB -10.66 dB 3:32 12-Eye Dance (Richard Skinner Session - 04-03-81)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.42 dB 4:00 13-Be Brave (Richard Skinner Session - 04-03-81)
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Number of tracks: 13
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 888 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

foobar2000 1.3.3 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-11-27 16:15:03

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Analyzed: Comsat Angels / Fiction - CD1
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR8 -0.50 dB -10.54 dB 3:58 01-After The Rain
DR7 -0.50 dB -9.73 dB 3:29 02-Zinger
DR7 -0.50 dB -10.31 dB 3:59 03-Now I Know
DR7 -0.50 dB -9.09 dB 3:44 04-Not A Word
DR7 -0.50 dB -9.25 dB 3:28 05-Ju Ju Money
DR8 -0.50 dB -11.53 dB 3:34 06-More
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.36 dB 4:27 07-Pictures
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.29 dB 5:01 08-Birdman
DR8 -0.50 dB -10.58 dB 4:47 09-Don't Look Now
DR9 -0.80 dB -11.54 dB 4:30 10-What Else!?
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Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR8

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 936 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

foobar2000 1.3.3 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-11-27 16:15:53

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Analyzed: Comsat Angels / Fiction - CD2
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DR Peak RMS Duration Track
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DR8 -0.50 dB -10.32 dB 3:30 01-(Do The) Empty House
DR8 -0.50 dB -9.79 dB 3:32 02-Red Planet Revisited
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.28 dB 3:41 03-It's History
DR9 -0.50 dB -12.73 dB 3:48 04-Private Party
DR10 0.00 dB -11.77 dB 4:35 05-For Your Information
DR11 -0.80 dB -13.59 dB 4:01 06-After The Rain (Remix)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.73 dB 4:14 07-Now I Know (John Peel Session - 28-09-81)
DR9 -0.50 dB -11.00 dB 5:27 08-Ju Ju Money (John Peel Session - 28-09-81)
DR8 -0.50 dB -12.07 dB 4:09 09-Our Secret (John Peel Session - 28-09-81)
DR9 -0.50 dB -10.67 dB 3:24 10-Goat Of The West (John Peel Session - 28-09-81)
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Number of tracks: 10
Official DR value: DR9

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 900 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

Thanks for the heads up.
Looking forward to these releases.....

 

Fantastic albums, but I've kind of grown attached to my 1995 RPM CDs, so I may pass on these this time around... (Nice bonus material, though.)

 

If I had those, I might not grab these either. That said, those and later Renascent reissues are pretty scarce at this point, and once they went OOP prices went into the $50-100 range. I was happy to get a Renascent copy of Sleep No More on CD around a year ago for $50, and then found an early UK press of the LP for $20. I'm glad these are back in print as they should be, so anyone that missed out can easily buy these albums now.

I'm also excited to dive into the bonus material, which is one reason why I chose the CDs over the LP reissues for now. Depending on reviews I may get the LPs as well next year.

 

I may grab the Fiction CD. I have the original UK vinyl of all three, but it'd be nice to have Fiction on CD, as that's my favorite of the three. If I get it, I'll be sure to report back on SQ and whatnot.

 

@thoutah, Fiction is the one that I never quite connected with, hopefully this new reissue does the trick this time.

 

I've now listened to the Fiction and Waiting for a Miracle sets. These were over my stereo, not on headphones, so I may have missed some minor glitches and flaws (if they are there). No real complaints, currently listening to Disc 1 of the Sleep No More set.

 

So, for someone who never got around to picking up anything by this lot, I trust these latest reissues are a safe purchase? Certainly the DR readings are encouraging.

 

I have both a UK and Canadian LP copy of Waiting for a Miracle - different track lists. They sound so good, I'm finished - can't imagine trying to "upgrade."

 

Yeah, I would say so. Certainly cheaper than picking up earlier CD reissues or clean copies on vinyl. No idea about the current batch of vinyl reissues.

 

Check out the bonus material on the WFAM 2xCD. If that looks interesting to you, might be worth it. I really enjoyed that bonus disc.

 

I believe these use the superior Renascent masterings - not the not quite as good RPM masterings.
I'll have to check my discs.
But from what I remember, the Renascent's trumped the RPMs. Not by a huge margin, but enough.
The biggest difference should be noticeable on Waiting For A Miracle's Baby.
As with the various vinyl pressings, there's a natural 3d soundstage the track begins with, then closes up for the duration of the song. The other (not UK) vinyl pressings have not 3d sound at the beginning.

 

So, I got my copy of the DE 2-disc Fiction.

I've only listened to it via headphones, and I haven't compared it to my original UK vinyl or anything, but I have compared it to what I believe are mp3s ripped from the mid-90s RPM CD, which I've had forever. (I don't think I've ever heard the Renascent mastering.) This DE mastering is certainly louder than the RPM, but also a bit brighter, with more high and upper-mid level detail. The RPM, by comparison, actually sounds a bit muffled. So, while the volume level is not ideal, it's certainly not the worst offender in that regard, and I do like the added detail.

Also, the packaging is quite nice. It includes a booklet with lyrics and whatnot and the whole thing looks great. Glad I picked this up.

 

@thoutah, glad you are enjoying the Fiction reissue. I don't have anything to compare it too, but I think it sounds excellent.

Another thing for anyone following this thread: the older BBC sessions CD "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones", which covers the '79-'84 period of the Comsats, is not reproduced in it's entirety on these three reissues. So you'll probably want to hold onto that one if you already have it, or consider picking it up if you don't. Personally I think it is essential because there are superior versions of tracks from their post-Fiction period that don't sound nearly as watered down as the album versions, and are actually very enjoyable to listen to.

 

Which tracks are missing? Aren't they the songs from Land and 7 Day Weekend? It might be possible that the missing tracks will end up on the reissues for those albums.

Until then, though, I'll hang on to the Time Considered disc as it provides a good listening experience in and of itself. It's pretty well-sequenced, in my view. The only mediocre track that spoils the cohesion of the set is the Comsat's cover of Citadel.

 

I actually like the cover of Citadel, but anyway, I think more than just those tracks are missing. I'll have to do a side by side comparison, but going off memory these are either different radio session takes or different mixes or something because quite a few of the Time Considered tracks sound very, very different from the bonus radio sessions on these new CDs. Re: the reissues of Land and 7 Day, I really have no intention of buying those albums at this point, because aside from these radio session versions of that era on the Time Considered disc, I don't really like that era of the Comsats at all. I would be interested in a reissue of My Minds Eye though, because IIRC that dropped all the synthpop stuff and I've never owned that album. And I don't think there is anything wrong with synthpop per se, it's just not the Comsats' strong suit IMHO.

 

Found out about this band when we bought this in the used bin in the early 80's for next to nothing.


It was a real quest to fill in the gaps... Still can't quite believe anyone else likes them or even knows about them.

Are these reissues better than the previous set? Anyone also like The Sound, the late Adrian Borland's band?

 

If anyone wants to compare the dates and locations of sessions, here's a scan from the liner notes of the early 90s pressing of Time Considered: