Jethro Tull - Aqualung 40th Anniversary Special Edition

I guess he never heard the first Aqualung CD edition (Dark GRAY Print, not Blue) with the missing few seconds on WIND-UP. Superb!

this dude lost any credibility in my book when he said the 25th monstrosity sounded good in any way shape or form...probably the most horrendous sounding version ever!...

unfortunately Steve's wonderful DCC version is out of reach to many...BUT, the CD I've mentioned is a great alternative (I started a thread on it)...it'll surprise the hell out of you!

 

Your Japan for Europe CD is identical to the UK CDP 32 1044 2 that I have.

I've read that the CCD 1044 doesn't sound very good.

Including the DCC, there are 7 (!) different masterings of Aqualung on CD prior to the 25th Anniversary (NR'd to death) remaster

 

Is there an exact release date with a link?

 

Michael, what cd is that, please tell! Edit- sorry got it now with first press (dark grey)

 

O.K. Thanks for the info.

I did an A/B comparison of the DCC gold CD and 25th anniversary remaster for my wife back around 2004. She couldn't believe the difference. That was one of those moments where she gained an appreciation for this hobby/obsession.

 

also remember it's missing the last few seconds of wind up! still a gem though.

can't seem to find the thread I started on this CD?

 

What exactly is wrong with the 25th anniversary CD? Aside from the occasional no-noise complaint, I haven't seen anyone specifically describe why they think it sounds so bad.

Is it the amount of no-noising that makes it downright awful?

 

Better question..Why was the master tape used for the DCC thrown in the fireplace, while folks stood around toasting with Louis XIII? or so it seems...

 

I don't have a problem with it but I was annoyed it didn't have about 10 extras bonus tracks which it should have
Dr Bogenbroom needs a good drum track clean up. Cool song. Life is a long song is a classic tull single which has been remixed. Up the pool is my fave tull song from 1971. For later is a cool little car chase instrumental Bronson/Eastwood style. Wondring again is lovely. Nursie is nice. A cd with these songs is a better cd everytime

 

YES! NOISE REDUCTION! if ever there was a perfect example of the NR gone wild!...it sounds dull, lifeless, absolutely no high end or hiss at all, very low volume...one of the most miserable Aqualung remasters ever!

 

Totally agree. The first CD released of Aqualung was nominated as the "worst sounding CD ever" in the mid 80's. The 25th Ann was far worse. The original recording was not very good in the first place, Clive Bunker's drums were quite thin sounding with very little ambience and cymbals. The over-use of NR made the matters worse. That's quite an achievement.

Hearing the 25th Ann Aqualung for the first time was when i realised that if something is REMASTERED it can actually sound worse than the previous edition.

 

Aqualung 25th - one of the first times that I realised that a remaster would not necessarily be better. Compared with the DCC, it sounds like a noise gate has been switched on (which I guess it has). But along with whatever minimal hiss the actual master tape has (hear it on the DCC - it's not prominent) went any studio ambience that remained. It sounds like Jethro Tull are playing in a vacuum. The DCC is wayyyyy better.
This is not the worst example of NoNoise misusage I've heard however. 2 albums are far worse - the Tommy CD of the Live At Leeds Deluxe Edition and the Definitive Edition of King Crimson's Islands (the first version). Both are phasey messes and sound absolutely terrible. Fortunately, Islands has sounded excellent since the 30th Anniversary remaster series as well as the 40th series.
Live at Leeds Super Deluxe hasn't changed anything.

 

Possibly the best Aqualung CD I have heard is the German Ariola 610 016. Well worth it if you can find it! I don't know if it has a clone. [edit:] Yes, apparently there is the Japan for Europe with the same Cat. no. and the UK CDP32.

It has more hiss than the DCC but sounds tighter (you can hear the fatter tube sound of the DCC), and maybe more dynamic (the track levels go from 58% to 100%!).

And the cover hasn't got that awful green and purple moiré that pagues every reproduction since the 25th Anniversary remaster! (I hope they re-scan the artwork and fix that for the Deluxe Edition!)

 

Pics of the CD discussed above:

 

Aqualung repeat repeat repeat My God

Thanks to Roland this is a chart showing the different peak values of Aqualung on CD. (Does not include the poorly rated 25th anniversary CD remaster) Ignoring the gold CD, I liked the UK CDP 32 1044-2, as you can see by the chart it has the same peak values as the West Germany-made by-Sanyo-Japan & West Germany-Sonopress-Germany (610 016-222).

*Regarding the 1996 25th anniversary CD remaster, it was released in 1998 with a lower volume transfer, sounds slightly better to me. (it's in the car) The acoustic tracks are decent enough for car player playback.







(USA) CD Review review from the past. Sound quality 7 is kind enough.

 

I agree, 25th Anniversary Aqualung is not the worst re-mastering i've ever heard: The three BBC bonus tracks were.

 

Here, you are honestly speaking of ear torture. All abandon ship or jump ship if you are a Tull fan. Can we make them any brighter...

 

Tull had 3 sides to them in 1971

Side 1
Aqualung
Cross eyed Mary
Cheap day return
Mother goose
Wondring aloud
Up to me

Side 2
My God-repetitive, squealy voice, good mid section but trying to sound like sabbath i reckon :thumbsdn:
Hymn 43-not bad but sound like tull trying to sound like beatles to me :thumbsdn:
Slipstream-not bad
Locomotive breath-good radio song
Wind up-hard rock :thumbsdn:

Side 3
Life is a long song
Dr Bogenbroom
For later
Up the pool
Wondring again
Nursie-not bad
Lick your fingers clean-cool, but tired of it
Wind up(quad)-better than original

Tull should just try to be their brilliant complex composing self instead of simplifying themselves for radio

 

Hate to get back to the topic, but I can't wait for the 5.1 mix of this....gonna be a fun listen.

 

love to hear this! have you ever seen it for sale in the used market? if so, please let me know...I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

exact street date?

 

The 25th anniversary CD is a muddy, dead mess. It is simply awful. The only redeeming quality is that the spine label with the reproduction of the album artwork font looks nice on the shelf. Otherwise, it's a piece of crap.

 

The good news for those of us who aren't uber-collectors (i.e., for people not like me) is that the U.K. CDP 32 disc, which has the original European 610 mastering, shouldn't be hard to find.

 

I think that is the version I used to have but then got rid of it for like $2 at a CD store as soon as the 25th anniversary one came out - since as far as I knew back then, anything "remastered" meant "better".

 

WOW! that sucks...live and learn.