Traffic-When the Eagle Flies:best sounding CD

I woke up this morning out of the blue with the Traffic release "When the Eagle Flies" on my mind. I own the "Island Masters" CD version of that release, but I would be interested to hear from folks what they consider to be the best CD version of that release. I did a search to see if that had been addressed, and maybe I just didn't use the right key words, but I didn't see much if any comment on this. I know it's not considered by many to be Traffic's best release, but I like it anyways.

 

I'd bet that the best one is the original Island CD. Catalog number CID 9273, bar code 5014474302732.

Also, this thread may be of help to you.

 

I have the US remaster, sounds good and is cheap.
Price as low as $4.72 right now.
Traffic - When The Eagle Flies (Remastered) - Amazon.com Music »

 

All of the Island Traffic remasters sound great.

 

You forget to mention you are referring to the US Island Traffic remasters.

 

Correct, the U.S. Island Traffic remasters.

 

I do have a slight preference for my UK Island Masters cd over the 2003(?) US remaster, it just sounds a little warmer to my ears. The botched UK remasters were only of the early Traffic albums, so you're fairly safe with this title.

While I don't have the original UK Island cd you mention, I do have both originals and Island Masters versions for a couple of other Traffic albums and they are the same mastering. IIRC the Island Masters series was a repackaging at mid-price, not a remastering exercise.

 

Interesting as I've recently bought the Island Masters CD of this record (IMCD142) and it sounds incredibly shrill to my ears, certainly not what I suspect it should sound like (this is the first time I've heard this record, which is a distinct grower).

It sounds botched to me, in a similar way to the Joni 'Court And Spark' CD (interestingly both LP's are about the same age - may have been the fashionable mastering of the day).

 

I've only heard the remaster of this title. To my ears, original Island CDs all sound of a piece - sloppily transferred and unconvincing. I avoid them like the plague!