The Cure 2016 vinyl reissues

According to Elusive Disc, there is a batch of Cure vinyl reissues coming out in July 2016

Does anyone know anything about this? Looks like they are Electra pressings.

I really really really hope these are done properly!

Three Imaginary Boys: The Cure Three Imaginary Boys 180g LP-Elusive Disc »

Seventeen Seconds: The Cure Seventeen Seconds 180g LP-Elusive Disc »

Faith: The Cure Faith 180g LP-Elusive Disc »

Pornography: The Cure Pornography 180g LP-Elusive Disc »

The Top: The Cure The Top 180g LP-Elusive Disc »

Head on the Door: The Cure The Head On the Door 180g LP-Elusive Disc »

 

Yeah I just saw these, I picked up Head on the Door and Kiss Me reissues recently, not entirely super impressed. How many times can they repress these titles and screw them up???

 

Is Rhino doing these? If so, PLEASE, Rhino, press these at Optimal like you did last year's Joy Division LPs and not at Rainbo or United!

 

I'll take Three Imaginary Boys and The Top. Everything else that's in print currently from various labels has satisfied me.

 

What is Elektra's track record with putting out quality Vinyl? Do they use a certain Pressing Plant and will this be the case of different Pressing Plants if the CURE albums by Elektra are bought in the US & Europe? Any way to find out, who is Mastering the new Elektra versions(not provided on ElusiveDisc CURE Vinyl pages).

I know the Cars are releasing their albums on Vinyl by Elektra(not sure on the reviews of the Blue ST Vinyl that already was released, but to me it seems to make more sense to get the MoFi Vinyl for the first 2 Cars albums and 'Shake It Up' over the new Elektra Box Set. I did buy the Elektra CD Box Set, as sounds fine to me in my car despite posted low DR range of 7-9, but at least better than the last Box Set by Rhino(according to DR Range that is even lower), and I have the Deluxe ST on CD anyways, along with the 'Anthology-Just What I Needed' 2 -CD Set), but I am not an audiophile(although the SHF might turn me into one eventually, as only have been on here about 1 year, maybe less, and learning a lot from various Members).

Holy Crap, I picked a bad year to get into Vinyl, as everything I really wanted is getting released(Peter Gabriel ReMasters got me sucked in and now he is releasing 'So', 'Us' & 'Up'(where is 'Plays Live' and 'Passion' though?). And I am more into Bowie's albums from 'Station to Station' through 'Let's Dance', and some of those albums will get released later this year(maybe the Berlin Years will not get released until 2017), but will still get Ziggy Stardust & Hunky Dory Re-issues. Too many people seem to think that 'Aladdin Sane' was a bad re-issue, which is too bad as it is a great cover art(along with 'ChangesOne Bowie').

Then there is the Pink Floyd Re-issues and I just got into their music abut 10-12 years ago, and love everything up to 'Animals'(do not care much for 'The Wall' as should have cut out the bloated songs to make it a great shorter album and to me, 'The Final Cut' is tuneless, so at least I do not need every PF album on Vinyl-not anti Waters, as he made great songs up through 'Animals' and even a few songs on 'The Wall', but like his earlier music contributions to the group a lot 'More'. Actually, the Live version of 'The Embryo' is one of my favorite songs, and I think it was written by Waters and fits in well with their other Space-Rock Songs). The tough decision is that the Live 4 Songs on 'UmmaGumma' is my favorite CD from the 2011 Guthrie Remasters, but to buy the Vinyl, it is costly when I would not play the studio experimental songs too often(well a few of the songs, but on my 2-CD UmmaGumma, I rarely listen to the Studio CD.

 

I wish for Wish

 

I mean... seriously.. all these other titles have been reissued by MOV and others I believe.. but where is Wish?? That and Bloodflowers are the ones I need!

 

Some of those other LPs, like the grey-market Vinyl Lovers ones, are just too pricey for me to justify buying. The ones I've seen in the shops are like $40! But if someone can press good sounding copies that sell around the $20 mark, I might be in for a few of these titles.

 

These will be Rhino, with Elektra labels.

 

Yeah, I get ya. But I already went ahead and picked up the Vinyl Lovers versions, and they sound fine, so no reason for me to replace them. For someone in your boat, since you held out, the new reissues will be a much better and more economical option.

Oh, and the Vinyl Lovers editions are licensed from UMG. They're not gray market. They're legit.

 

Since they will be Rhino, I am hopeful they will be done correctly. Hopefully Chris Bellman is cutting them.

 

Well, Rhino does have a pretty uneven track record with quality control. It largely depends on where these are pressed.

 

I am going to re listen to side two of Kiss Me...I heard a lot of distortion on the Snake Pit and thinking twice about keeping it long term.

Since they are obviously digital pressings, they really have to have a high degree of quality for wanting to keep them...otherwise I can just play my FLAC files. If I keep thinking in the back of my head that there is something wrong, then the vinyl isn't doing its job. I’d say the jury is still out on this pressing…

 

My only advice to someone just getting back into vinyl, do your homework....don't buy something just because it is new or reissued. 9 out of 10 times, the original pressing is the best (UK is always a good bet). However, getting your hands on an original might be a challenge, and that is where this forum comes in handy...so you can get reviews on a vinyl pressing that might be digital but still sounds better than its counterpart on CD/DVD or Bluray.

If I were to start over again, I would spend the time and effort seeking out some newer reissues on vinyl before I spent a ton on the reissue. I sucks that we can't trust the makers of these records to release something that actually sounds better and are just cashing in on a new trend. Another word of advice, DONT use the search engine on this page...use Google and just add the Steve Hoffman as a search filter.

Last, if you aren't sure about something then buy from somewhere you wont feel bad returning a product. Amazon is always a good place to buy and have an option to return without feeling any guilt you are harming a small business. I've bought a majority of the stuff you have listed above and cannot say they lived up to my expectations as a serious music lover...which is very sad.

 

Thanks for your reply. I have picked up a few albums of various artists based on reviews and how much I like the albums to start with(the one exception without knowing the quality was Placebos's 'Sleeping with Ghosts' since it is my favorite cover art and the Blue Vinyl is cool, although I realize that color vinyl is considered not as high in quality as Black). To name a few I bought:

Rumors-Fleetwood Mac(SH/KG Mastered Version of course)
Hand Cannot Erase-Steven Wilson
Fear of a Blank Planet-Porcupine Tree
Heaven Up Here-Echo & the Bunnymen(MoFi version)
Blood Sugar Sex Magik- Red Hot Chili Peppers(analog sourced reissue that most people seem to like)
Moving Pictures & 2112-RUSH(2015 re-issues)-might pick up PW before the 320 download expires
Purple Rain-Prince(KG Mastered)
1-4 Bundle-Peter Gabriel(yes I read all of the complaints, but those seem to be more valid for those, who have an expensive gear, and seems will be fine for an entry level set up, and not like I can spend the money on the Classics versions anyways, but reading about these re-issues and being a massive PG fan is what got me started buying Vinyl).

I admit that I took a chance on a few albums:
Quadrophenia-The Who(bought the recent version from Amazon-UK, hoping it will at least be better than the recent US version figuring it was pressed at a better Plant, but still a beautiful package with the booklet and the vinyl looks flat and apparently even though the Classics version is considered the best reissue, it seems that some have bad pressings so a gamble for the higher price, and if the version I have sounds decent on an entry level TT and other gear, I will be happy for only $30 for a double album with beautiful package).
Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd(2011 version and the 2nd vinyl I bought more for the awesome packaging, but now wish I would have bought the EU version, but it was eye candy seeing it in a store and at the time had no idea about albums pressed at different Plants in Europe, that I learned about on this forum eventually)
Live Versions-Tame Impala(not available on CD, and thought the vinyl might be limited in numbers available)
Dog Man Star-Suede(Demon version-ordered from Amazon-UK, hoping it will be good as Suede is one of my favorite artists and Dog Man Star is a top 10 album for me)
ChangesOneBowie-David Bowie(Parlaphone reissue. Love the cover art and got the clear version, and looks flat, so it is a piece of art to me)
Showbiz-MUSE(realize might just be a digital sourced oversized CD, but love the cover art and the first 4 MUSE albums)

IV-Santana(Orange limited edition, 1,200 copies?, and admit that I might just keep it for potential resale if it goes up in value, although bought the CD and like the album a lot- I need to buy the first 3 albums by Santana, as only have 'Spernatural')

Next up plan to buy:
So, Up & Us-Peter Gabriel(hey this is where it all started to get me interested in Vinyl, although apparently not as impressive Remasters as it was marketed to be by Real World Studios)
Night & Day and Look Sharp-Joe Jackson
3 Cars albums(MoFi versions)
OK Computer & The Bends-Radiohead on the new XL Label hoping it at least matches the Parlaphone-UK ,and better than Capitol-US version)
Pink Floyd 2016 Reissues if the reviews are good.
Bowie-Station to Station through Let 's Dance if reviews are good.
17 Seconds-The CURE(MoV version, then see the reviews on the new Elektra releases for Faith and Pornography. Might take a chance on the reissue of Kiss Me x 3, but not sounding good so far by a few people on here)

After reading the Steven Wilson interview where even he admits, despite his good mastering for Vinyl, that Hi-Res BluRay is better than Vinyl, I might have been smarter to go in that direction, but my interest in Vinyl was the entire package and complete art, and with the split on BluRay and SACD for Hi Res(and DVD-A), and still limited to certain albums, not sure if I will regret it, but plan to mostly buy well reviewed vinyl reissues. Maybe get an Oppo for Hi Res physical formats of my favorite albums eventually.

 

The Top and Pornography have eluded me in the used bins so I will be happy to pick these up. But yes, they really should do something about Wish through the s/t. Those are the ones nobody can really find...

 

Kiss Me has issues? I sold my red RSD version when I saw the announcement. Mine was perfect and awesome sounding. I figured this was just a repress. Is Kevin Grey still in the stamper?

 

Yeah, the red RSD is great. I sold my original US pressing after I got the RSD. There was no real comparison.

 

Bellman did the RSD cut. Hopefully he will do this round as well.

 

The jury is still out for me on Kiss Me, some of the songs sound great...others sound very poor. I can't recall what I meant by "issues" but suffice it to say they are good if you don't have another source or copy. Kiss Me was done by Chris Bellman BTW

 

While somewhat off topic (hey this is Steve Hoffman so that goes without saying), our tastes in music and gear (OPPO) ae similar. Get RHCP Stadium Arcadium and the Joe Jackson reissues. These are AAA and sound amazing....you will quickly understand why the digital represses you are buying aren't up to the sound quality many expect in the vinyl realm.

Rush, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, Bowie are all digitally sourced and should be available for many years to come...I would be very careful buying these without careful consideration or at least looking for an early pressing beforehand.

The jury is still out on Radiohead...many have reported that the XL reissues are just left over stock from previous companies and are not actually new. Buyer Beware.

So if you have a limited budget and are just getting into this "hobby", buy limited edition digital reissues and AAA sourced first then from your left over $$$ buy main stream pressed "high quality" reissues of your favorite classic/prog rock artists.

Also, if considering an OPPO, get the 105D and a good NAS storage device (Synology)...this is all you need for a media server that can play all formats. Rip to FLAC and put those disks on the shelf or sell them to buy more vinyl! lol

Ok back to the Cure on vinyl....sorry for the detour.

 

To be fair, though, the Floyd and Bowie stuff is now priced much higher for a mint original than a new reissue. And finding mint copies is almost impossible.

And the Rush reissues have been nearly unanimously acclaimed, there's no reason not to buy. Again, easily finding clean-playing used copies has become nearly impossible.

 

I agree...I am just saying spend your vinyl budget wisely...error on the side of buying better sound and hold off on the mass pressings when making a choice. If money is no object...buy it all!

 

Thanks for your reply(yeah I got off topic and should have PM that information).

I do realize that AAA is preferable, but seems that not many artists I like are getting reissues using AAA, like the new Joe Jackson reissues, and I do not have time to go on treasure hunts at yard sales, although it would be fun to do that and maybe find a 1st Pressing of older albums in Mint Condition. And certainly can't pay for the AAA original albums through internet sellers, who no doubt want a lot for them. So my thinking after reading several threads on SHF, was to get new copies of reissued albums I want in my collection, but only consider good labels like MoFi, MoV, AP, etc., good Music Engineers doing the Mastering and the better Pressing Plants(so far only aware of Pallas, Optimal in Germany and QRP in the US, but assume there are a few others, but learn that a few like RTI are hit & miss-since KG mastered the Purple Rain reissue, I hope that is a good RTI Pressing).

I was going to get 'Stadium Arcadium' based on the great reviews, so glad you reminded me to add it to my list. I did not realize that it was AAA. Most of my favorite Albums/Artists are from the '90s, so will need to check out what good reissues come out or already came out like BLUR & Suede.

Since, I am only going to get entry level gear($300-$400 for a TT), I am assuming if I stick with the plan above on Labels, Mastering, by good Music Engineers, and good Pressing Plants, I will get good if not excellent sound quality.

I am confused about the wide differences in all the Bowie albums reissued by Parlaphone. I actually got into Bowie in the 1990s and went back to buy his older albums on CDs, but love 'Outside', 'Hours' & 'Heathen', and even though a little pricey, want to eventually get the MoV versions on those albums(glad I learn to not get the Friday Music versions).

Appreciate the advice on the specific Oppo model. I will keep that in mind for the future.

A final thought. I think that all new Vinyl should come with Hi-Res Downloads like the Peter Gabriel reissues, as to me that would help sustain this Vinyl Revival, and for the first Bundle, i paid $23 pr album, so with the the Hi-Res Download, that was a great deal. Although, the next 3 albums will cost $31 each, but still a good deal with the Hi-Res Downloads. I am not sure that the RUSH downloads of 320 are really Hi-Res, but better than 256. Just wish they did not expire at the end of this year, as this means I need to get 2-3 more of their albums I wanted on Vinyl.

 

According to Amazon and Bullmoose, these reissues have been pushed back to September. I was looking forward to picking up Seventeen Seconds and Faith.