An early Who "My Generation" (New Stereo Deluxe Edition) Review

Are you saying we should be happy with the remix of Who's Next (and prefer it over Steve's version)? Or anything Jon Astley has touched with CEDAR? Just because Pete is "happy"?

I hope not!

 

Sometimes I might prefer a narrower stereo mix. Wide stereo can sound like a bit of a gimmick at times.

Example - we've all heard stereo mixes where the drummer plays a roll across all his toms. Even we know his drum kit isn't enveloping the rest of the band, it sure sounds that way when the tom roll pans from one channel to the other.

Also, if you are listening through speakers, and the speakers are far apart, couldn't a narrower stereo mix (potentially) sound more authentic and lifelike? A wide mix might be overwhelming with such a speaker setup.

 

Ahh. See, I would have said "I guess that's what counts, eh? "

 

Re: Re: I Can't Explain Review

I wouldn't mind if it was 2 different vocal tracks (like the stereo Quick One LP) but it's fake. It's like the artificial double tracking on Revolver.

 

Re: Re: Re: I Can't Explain Review

Well now, that's a horse of a different color.

No need for 'duophonic' vocals. Bleh.

 

I must have missed that about the fake double-tracking on the vocals. I agree, that's really unnecessary and inexcusable. Just a different kind of fake rechanneled "stereo" imaging.

I really wish they could have included a mono mix of the original album somewhere in the package. Either the original first-generation mono mixdowns or a new mono mix from the multis. Oh, well.

 

Er...that's really all ADT is - a delay of the signal. The "flanging" comes in when you start to vary the length of that delay.

 

I've been reading this thread with great interest and I'm very concerned (as is everyone) about how these songs are going to sound. I think in all honesty I'll have to wait until I hear this album for myself and hold off on any judgement. I hope it's not as bad as I'm suspecting by these posts...

Todd

 

Todd,

Me too! I am going to buy it, give it a critical listen and then judge for myself.

Bob

 

Hi. I'm the person who wrote the above review. One thing I would like to clarify is that I Can't Explain is just about the ONLY cut on this disc that does NOT tamper with the vocals. There are multiple vocals including The Ivy League's back ups split left & right (like many early Beach Boy cuts). It seems to be a true 1965 stereo mix (recorded way before the LP & mixed completely differently). It is the ONLY track on the CD that I am completely satisfied with! Many OTHER cuts have the vocal finagling that has been described above, but NOT I Can't Explain.
BTW, it's an honor to have Steve "feel my pain"!

 

I think it's significant to note that the only posts so far in this thread that give the set positive comments come from the few people who've actually heard some or all of it. Everyone else hasn't heard a note, yet they've already decided that the set was produced all wrong, sounds horrible, and is a total failure.

Give it a listen in a couple of weeks, then tell me if they screwed it up.

 

Welcome!

Are you sure the vocals on the left and right are indeed *different*? I'm reminded of Pete's demos to Substitute and Pinball Wizard, where they centered one track and doubled the other one left and right.

I ask because another fellow here has mentioned that it is in fact one vocal that was split via a delay.

More comments are most welcome!

 

I just listened to it again & you may be right--I just always thought the lead was double-tracked, even in the mono, so I may have been fooled here, although I still think it sounds good. Certain other cuts, like Shout & Shimmy, sound like the Buddy Holly tracks that were overdubbed in stereo by the Fireballs !

 

There is some REAL double tracking in Can't Explain, (right before the second guitar solo) but there is also the fake delayed stereo.