Abba Gold and More Gold question

I tried searching through the threads but really couldn't find a definitive answer. Are there two versions of these CDs? The original release and a later one remastered by Jon Astley? I just picked up More Abba Gold (I already have ABBA Gold). The ones I have were released in 1993 or so and sound okay to me. I know some people really dislike the Astley remasters. Are these the same releases?

Thanks

 

There is the US version of the first one (black cover, gold lettering), and the European CD of the second volume (white background, black lettering). The European second volume was subsequently issued in the US as well.

They are mastered by Michael Tetrow, ABBA's original engineer, along with assistience from Jon Astley.

These two CDs feature noise reduction, but not as severe as later ABBA comps done by Astley.

If you want the best sounding ABBA on CDl, seek out the long OOP Atlantic CDs.

 

I have Abba Gold (1992) and More Abba Gold (1993) and neither one mentions Jon Astley. They simply say remastered by Michael B. Tetrow.

 

Same here. As far as sound, they're a bit hot and edgy but still pretty decent. I haven't heard the latest remasters but the consensus on this board is they suck.

dan c

 

I understood Astley helped out on it...

 

Are you at liberty to elaborate? I rather like the way he engineered the ABBA records.

 

What about the 2CD Definitive Collection from 2001? How's that one?

 

Compressed and maximized to death. The music sounds like someone strangled it. It hurts my ears and gives me a headache. Otherwise it's a pretty good comp

 

Mmm...I sold "ABBA Gold" in order to get "The Definitive Collection"
Well, at least song selection is much much better.

 

Abba Gold and More Abba Gold were remastered (I forget by whom) in 1999, for Canada and Europe at least. The 1999 Abba Gold seemed all right, and it featured the full length versions of Voulez Vous and Name of the Game (the '92 CD contained shorter versions), but the '99 More Abba Gold CD was a travesty. Even my brother, who is not an audiophile, noticed a big difference when he did an A-B test with the first disc. The '93 disc was almost Hoffmanesque compared to the thin, annoying '99 version.

 

Didn't know that the 99 version of 'Gold' featured album versions of Voulez Vous and Name of the Game.

 

That's actually Tretow... well, he's not in the Norman Smith camp exactly. I guess they always wanted the Spector sound, and you might say they succeeded. I'm a big fan (would be unpatriotic otherwise, I guess )

 

Thanks for the answers. I think I'm going to stick with what I have now. I will keep an eye out for the Atlantic CDs. Do the Atlantics have approximately the same track listings?

 

I was lucky enough to find copies of the first 4 ABBA's on original W. German Polydor pressings.....all were used and in mint condition, for $3.99 each, and they sound great...I did have the ABBA Gold.

JF

 

No, the Atlantic discs were entirely different. Atlantic released cd versions of the original "Greatest Hits" albums and then also the album "Super Trouper."

I agree that the Atlantic cd's are the best, though the one that really blew me away was "Super Trouper." SO much better than the Polydor issue (both the original and remastered Polydors).

 

I just realized that I was pretty lucky to get the version of More Abba Gold that I did because I just recently rejoined BMG and that was one of the selections I ordered. They must have some old copies still available.

 

There are actually three different versions of Abba Gold and two of More Abba Gold. The first version of Abba Gold is the 1992 version, which was remastered by Tretow and then there were the 1999 and 2001 versions were done by Astley.

More Abba Gold in 1993 was remastered by Tretow but the 1999 version was once again done by Astley.

All versions of the Definitive Collection are done by Astley. Personally, I think that the mastering on all the versions of the compilations leaves something to be desired although the Tretow versions are much better.

Ken

 

I have another example:

The Ryko Elvis Costello remasters were done by Roger Bechirian, who worked on many of EC's early albums. I think most of us thought they left something to be desired.

I really do like Tetrow's original work with ABBA. Stacks and stacks and layers of music. The best sounding album of theirs was "Super Trooper". Probably the warmest of them all, IMHO, and sounding great on the US Atlantic LP.

dan c

 

Roger Nichols. Hmmmm...

 

OK...here goes my very first "real" post here! (Not counting the one entering one of Steve's contests!) I've been reading the board for several months, but just haven't had enough courage to post yet. You all are so knowledgeable.

Abba is a good starting point for me for 2 reasons: 1) I am starting to catalog my CDs into a database & guess who's first? and 2) It is thanks to this board that I started listening to my CDs a bit differently...and actually rescued some of them from my "to sell" pile. The first ones rescued? My Atlantic GH & GH2, which I had discarded because the Definitive Collection was "more complete". Now, those 2 are the first 2 discs in my collection!

I also have original copies of Gold from 1992 and 1993's More Gold. I researched these albums on Abba's website. Ken is absolutely on the mark: "In 1999 the album was remastered and reissued with new liner notes to coincide with the 25th anniversary of ABBA's victory in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Waterloo'.
On the 10th Anniversary of the release of ABBA Gold, in 2002, the album is reissued with a revised booklet and updated liner notes." So it would appear that it was in 1999 that the Tretow versions were replaced by the Astley (w/Tretow) versions.

My problem with the early versions of Gold & More Gold is their rather dismal liner notes (rather boring "essays" for lack of a better description). Most of Abba's hit material is covered on my Atlantics. I am tempted to keep the Astley "Definitive" (over my 2 "Golds") because the liner notes are more informative.

The 2 Atlantic GHs are my favorites now, but they don't cover their last couple of albums. So, I have a question that I'm unclear about. Were there Atlantic versions of the last 3 albums on CD? (I only see references to GH, GH2 & Voulez Vous.) One of my favorite tracks by them is "When All Is Said & Done" from The Visitors. If the last 3 were available on Atlantic, I'd like to track them down.

Also...with the advent of yourmusic.com, box sets are more easily affordable. Is the Abba box mastering pre-Astley?

Dexter

 

I just found a Canadian Polydor pressing of "Abba" s/t yesterday for $5.00. It blows away the current remastered version

 

I agree the Atlantics sound pretty good, but surely they weren't mastered from the original master tape...I would imagine that they were mastered from whatever submaster was in the Atlantic vaults in the US...

Kwad