CD compilations done right!

There is a current thread about what's wrong with compilations. Well, I want this one to be about the good ones, and I emphatically encourage discussion about sound quality/mastering. If you know who the producers and engineers are, give them some love!

The reason I started this thread is because I am listening to the Ultimate Bee Gees. If you're a fan, but don't need every single single and deep track, and don't want to shell out for the box, this comp should do it. It has just about everything a slightly more than a casual fan should need. It has the 60s hits, the 70s powerhouses, and the 80s and 90s hits, plus a few extras.

The sound? It was mastered by Dan Hersch, and he did a magnificent job on it. No major brickwalling and no strange EQ, just honest sound. There was no attempt to make all the songs sound sonically the same. I like that, because I want to hear the sound aesthetic of the recordings.

OK, my only complaint is that it uses all of the album versions, and it is far from complete. But, hey, it's for the masses. Out of the many Bee Gees comps out there, this one is the one to get if you don't have their music already.

 

I like how the tracks were arranged on this comp.
Now usually I'm a chronological guy, but like the order of songs here.
BTW...I have the version with the DVD.

Darryl

 

Good compilations:

ACE KENT

 

Very close to perfect - to these ears anyway.

 

Does this have the mono mix of "Gotta Get A Message To You"?

 

Well, I do think that the James Brown Star Time still hold up pretty well. It's before brickwalling, and has some nice dynamics. Not perfect, but above average.

 

OMD-Navigation, 2001. While not complete as it's only one disc, it does quite well documenting some great B-sides. SQ is good also

 

When there were rumours in 1986 about Beatles coming finally on CD, i wondered how to find out the "single" tracks that were not on album.
The decision they took was the most brilliant ever:





Now it's possible to argue if the remaster is better, if the Mono Masters is even better since it does reflect the real singles of the era, but they started with these.

 

The vinyl one, with the abbreviated "Grapevine."

 

Why would you ever want the abbreviated "Grapevine"?

 

Don't get me wrong - I like the full length one - but the short one fits in better with the other 45 hits. Same as "Suzie Q."

 

The promo-only, but widely available 1991-1998 Smashing Pumpkins comp is far more dynamic than the officially released 2001 best of. Doesn't contain the final couple years' worth of tracks of course, but I love the track selection and the running order (even though it's not chronological). Plus it includes the acoustic version of Mayonnaise.

The 2-cD Talk Talk Asides Besides comp also is excellent IMHO, and available inexpensively last time I checked.

The 3-CD Clash on Broadway set - original 1991 version only - has first-rate mastering and is available dirt-cheap used if you're willing to get the outer long box in VG condition.

The 2001 Very Best of The Smiths comp, mastered by Inglot and Hersch, doesn't run in chronological order and has a few dynamically compromised tracks, but it's still great sounding overall and the best-sounding Smiths comp out there.

 

Rainbow, Catch the Rainbow (2003) - Steve Fallone

 

Interesting some of these promo's have a better DR
Cocteau Twins-L-->V, 2006 promo cd is the same

 

Spirit, Time Circle (1968-1972) (1991) - Vic Anesini

 

THIS 100%

 

The Flying Burrito Brothers' Hot Burritos! compilation.

 

Yes it does!

 

I have loved the Hannibal/Island 'BEST OF SANDY DENNY' ever since I first laid eyes/ears on it in the early 90s. A great intro to her voice and music.

 

I think it makes perfect sense for a compilation producer to opt for the single versions, in chronological order according to when they appeared on the radio, because that's going to give the general public their biggest bang-for-the-buck in terms of experiencing the way they discovered the artist/s in their own history. And I understand the hard-core follower's sentiment that by doing this, a casual fan misses the opportunity to hear more significant tracks in original form, un-edited album-track-form or other tracks shat in their opinion, should have turned those casual fans into hard-core fans. And certainly I get the insistance that those in the know feel those unused tracks in the vault, never-re-released b-sides, live stuff or demos, deserve a chance to be heard and this comp might be the last chance for them to make that happen.

If that's the case, then they should be presented in that order, preferably on three discs, and charge only the price for a two-disc set...unless the packaging deserves to push the price back up. Why? Because if you look at any one of those customer profiles, you can see that most majority of fans will be only buying for two of those reasons, and a three-disc set would be cost-prohibitive. Casual fans only want "their" hits, and would appreciate a change to delve into the catalog, but only for a price break. Big fans are mostly interested the "best" tracks, but would probably appreciate an opportunity to get the original singles in best quality, because big fans back in the day might not have purchased the single mixes, opting instead for the albums. Of course the uber-fans are primarily only interested in that third disc, as surely they still have the other stuff in their library already.

And, that latter category is certainly the smallest of the likely consumers interested in paying for a box set anyway.

If I ran the zoo? A two-disc set in a three-disc box, priced for a two-disc set (or LESS!); with a space to accomodate the third disc, purchased by mail, for a nominal fee. Hard-core and casual fans get their choice of how deep they want to go, but to the price-point which still allows a return on the label's efforts to do a nice design, research and liner notes to do right by their artists' legacy. I see this as a win/win/win/win. Second-best solution? A single disc best-of, with barely any liner notes, but at least single/chart info, created be its' own product, but DESIGNED to snap-onto a box set containing the other two discs and booklet. Fans and casual public would have a real choice, and still justify the cost of representing the artists' value to the label.

Particularly, if they can do it with a number of artists' catalogs, as a series that the record company can be proud of, AND possibly sell fans on others in the series on the basis of the the quality of the ones they've already bought.

Rhino. DCC. Time-Life. MFSL. Mosaic. AF. Ace/Kent. Bear Family. All got that extra bunp in business based on the reputation they earned with their attention to detail and quality in their comps, above and beyond the artists' name on the spine.

 

Fabrizio De André ‎– "In Direzione Ostinata E Contraria" & "In Direzione Ostinata E Contraria 2". Remastered by Antonio Baglio and Claudio Bozano.
(Fabrizio De André could be described as the Italian Bob Dylan, please allow me to simplify it in this way).

In the liner notes, Antonio Baglio (one of the two mastering engineers) uses the term de-mastering to explain how the remastering of these two compilations was approached. With "de-mastering", Antonio Baglio refers to a remastering process that only uses technology that was available when the album tracks were initially recorded and mastered (from '67 to the '80s). Therefore, no digital tools, no noise reduction, no strange EQ; they worked on the original master tapes with analog tools and then made a final DSD transfer.

In my opinion, "de-mastering" also wants to stress the fact that several bad remasters have been made over the years (adding unnecessary layers of digital processing to the original albums), and that those bad remastered CDs are unfortunately part of our collections and most of us, like me, actually grew up listening to them: they are in our head, our memories. There was no need for a new remaster, but for a "de-master" to let us discover and restore the beauty of the original sound of De André's songs.

If you want to own a digital copy of De André's best songs, these two compilations are the (only) way to go.

 

"... are happening! The Best of The Leaves"
The Leaves on Sundazed.
Leaves, The - The Leaves...Are Happening! The Best of The Leaves CD
Sundazed standard SQ.
Having the three single versions of "Hey Joe" is priceless; IMO.

 

This, The Seeds - Evil Hoodoo (Demon/Drop Out Records) CD compilation was my first of many The Seeds CD compilations and the track listing on this is all killer, no filler. Great sound quality plus this CD compilation was the first to issue any non LP tracks by The Seeds which there are 3 of them on this CD. Plus great informative liner notes by Brian Hogg:

 

King Crimson-The Compact King Crimsom
King Crimson-CIRKUS The Young Person's Guide To King Crimson

 

"In Mono" ~ "Singles Collection" ~ " E.P. Collection"
by: "The Beatles"

'Singles & EP Boxes' had some of the better early digital mastering for 'Beatle CD's' & mono 'Beatles' on silver discs had been long sought after.
Enjoyed the packaging of the 'Singles & EP's Boxes' as well!!