I If you want consistancy look at the Tull reissues. Why just throw out a picture disk for Moonshine, oh and keep the original design but saturate it a bit ,Why the prints and a book, for Avocet, apart from suggesting bird and animal print book, why stack a few albums together in threes and from what we hear now in twos how much more inconsistency do you need?
The sticker on Bert Jansch S/T says it's analog. But that series is the Transatlantic reissue series from Universal/Sanctuary Records, not the more recent Earth Recordings titles, which are definitely digital.
That Sandy Denny box set (19 CD) was out-of-print almost the day it was released, leaving many fans distraught (though I did get my pre-order). I hope Bert's work is not treated that way
Sadly I have to agree, my comments refer to the vinyl format. It's a missed opportunity to reissue those later albums properly as individual titles. I'm not loving the fact they stuck it together in a set, and questionable quality of mastering and pressing. Moonshine (Black vinyl, standard edition) does not sound good at all. Avocet is quite good if you get the later pressing, that was done after the special edition artwork version, which i had tried 3 copies all of which were warped and noisy. The Avocet standard cover edition was great the first copy I received. I'd really prefer Earth stuck to replicating the original records and remastered them in analog, pressed them at Optimal like Universal/Sanctuary did with the first Transatlantic titles, those were done right.
Well, like I said, "Consistent with what?" There's no specific reason for the albums to all look the same, but I do agree it's odd that Earth decides to collect three albums that really could have been released individually. If they're releasing the other albums in twos, that's a shame, but at least in my case, Living in the Shadows should complete my Bert Jansch collection, so I won't be bothered with the other reissues. I'm puzzled why they're putting them out at all, really, because Sanctuary just reissued the first seven albums over the course of 2015 / 16, and they're coming out in the U.S. through Superior Viaduct.
They should issue his recordings with alternative covers with the spelling Burt Yansch. so some fans can find them
I get the impression they are trying to ape some of these small art runs of limited releases. If you are familiar with a UK label called Claypipe Music, I am thinking along those lines. One design artist producing a house style and limited runs of vinyl, CD or even tape. They look stunning, maybe 500 only for each artist. This is a sort of attempt to give that feel, a bit like big breweries copying craft beer if you get my drift?
Nearly about 6 weeks, I know from painful experience. If work ever found out how many hours I spent from The beginining of January till Mid February 2011 googling Sandy Denny box set, I would be sacked. There was issues with the various licences which only allowed a press of 3,000. I think the speed it sold suprised us all. Ignore the rarity though, I was talking about the love that went into making it. BJ deserves something along that quality and thought.
If Earth is reissuing the Transatlantic albums, it's likely they'll lump them in a box from CD sources, given how the others have been treated. The Universal/Sanctuary releases are nice... I might compare my originals with the doubles that I have just to see how good. It looks like one of those 'Readers Digest' best of Brahms box sets that you find for spare change. There are no photos, no lyrics, no artist credits, the labels are all the same, the box is awkward to deal with, the liners were just paper... need I go on? It doesn't pay any respect to the fact that they were three distinct albums - they have been lumped together with no credit for the original producers etc etc etc
An artist's era starts when they are very young, and continues for as long as there are people who deeply appreciate their work. Bert now has more listeners than when he was alive, His era continues.
Just did a comparison between a near mint UK first pressing of 'Birthday Blues' and the recent reissue. The reissue is good, but the original is clearly better. I found the instruments were better separated in the original. There seems to be a slight unnatural bass boost on the reissue which was distracting prior to even comparing it to the original. Bert's voice stands alone in the original, but in the reissue it seems to have blended or mixed somehow with the instruments (perhaps some EQ has been applied also). I could hear more detail in the drums in the original; I always found the drums a bit 'clunky' before, but the in the original they sound quite gentle and the production of the whole record is much more satisfactory. In summary, if you want Bert on vinyl the reissue is good (at least for 'Birthday Blues'), but for dedicated listeners I'd recommend you track down a UK original. (I don't have the US or other original pressings to compare however, perhaps someone can chip in with their own experiences.)
Picked up the new Living In The Shadows boxed set today (haven't played it yet) and saw that the shop also had the new Live In Australia (1991) vinyl with almost identical sleeve. That was supposed to be coming out at the end of February but is clearly out now. Didn't have enough money to pick that up too, so it will have to wait.
I'm still waiting for the CD set, but apart from the change of cover, is The Live in Australia offering anything we didn't have before?
Not sure but it is probably the same thing. Have played all 4 discs of the Living In The Shadows and very impressed. I had never bought any of these 3 albums before and they are all very good especially the first two. The pressing quality of all 4 discs is perfect. Not a click or no fill or noise or anything. This is how vinyl should be pressed. I am not very enamoured of the packaging though. I thought it looked like a boxed set in the picture online and when i saw it on the shelf in the shop but it is actually a fold out hardback book kind of thing. I like the picture on the front and graphics on the outer but i expected a hard box holding the 3 albums and the 4th demo set with a booklet. Instead there is a flimsy 2 page note in the middle (which is by biographer Colin Harper and is informative) with the 4 records just in plain white inners slipped into pockets glued to the outer front and back. No contemporary pictures or any sign of the original artwork for the 3 main albums. I wanted them to be in their sleeves inside a hard box. I know The Ornament Tree and Toy Balloon had pretty cheap looking sleeves/artwork but Circus had a nice design. Would have been nice to have kept the sleeves for all 3 inside a box. So 5 stars for the music/pressing and 3 star for the packaging.
^ This is the thing with the Loren Auerbach 3LP set too. I don't like the packaging -- looks like the LPs aren't very secure, and the whole item seems cumbersome. i'd have liked a proper box.
I don't think I have read anything anywhere about the so called rarities and alternative takes on the 4th disc relating to these three albums. Is there anything startling or intresting to report back on, or just similar takes to those found in the original albums?
Good to hear all this interest in Bert, sad to hear of the reissue problems. I mainly have the personally supervised CD remasters from the early 2000s and I'm happy with them. I seem to remember the Avocet CD sounding particularly good, a believe the recording must have been really good.
I have the original CD's of Ornament, Circus, and Toy Balloon. (Circus I had signed by Bert in Glasgow!) Is "Living in the Shadows" in any way a sonic improvement?
I was wondering this - in relation to t he vinyl. I have the original CDs too, bought as they came out. I guess they were digital recordings. Has the transfer to vinyl improved anything? Of course, the new CDs may be different as well.
The vinyl is what intrigues me as well... but I'm skeptical they were recorded in a fashion vinyl could improve...
At the moment, I'm still only intrested in any new material that's being put out through these new issue's, anybody?
I don't think people are having g more problems with vinyl now any more than in the 60a-70s. You just read about it more now. because of the internet.
