Kate Bush Remasters 2018.

Does the download really have more dynamic range? 24 bit by itself does not mean more dynamic range.

 

OK, downloaded the first set from HDTracks. Well, The Kick Inside certainly doesn't sound bad. In an A/B comparison of "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" - always my favorite cut from this record, but also the one with arguably the worst sound - it's very close to my original US CD from the '80s. The remaster sounds a little clearer - maybe an upper midrange boost? Definitely a hint more deep bass.

"Feel It" always struck me as a better-sounding recording than most of the other tracks. Again, I'm detecting very little difference between the two versions. The upper-bass might be a bit thinned out. The remaster sounds slightly less muddy.

"Kite" is the same story - very minor differences between the two. Her b-vox on the "over the moon" bit come thru a little louder on the remaster. I thought this might just be due to a hint of compression, but MediaMonkey performs volume leveling and displays the adjustment, and surprisingly many of the original cuts are significantly louder than those on the remaster, by a decibel or more. A few remaster tracks are louder than on the original per MM. So it seems like a wash. If there's more compression on the remaster there can't be MUCH more compression.

Her vocal in the intro of "Them Heavy People" seems more forward and realistic on the remaster. It's a bit distant on the original. This might be due to compression - MM is shaving about a decibel off of the remaster - but whatever the cause the result is positive. The upper bass definitely sounds a bit thinned out here, while the deepest bass has had a boost. The only real complaint I ever heard about the original CDs of her first two records is that they were maybe a bit "muddy", and the remaster is definitely addressing that complaint (without making the midrange too shrill).

Surprisingly, I think there's less hiss on the remaster. Noise processing? Doesn't sound futzed with. Did they find an earlier-generation master? Tweak the Dolby decoder?

My general impression from this first brief sample is that this is a very well-executed remaster of an album that was already one of the best CD transfers of the '80s, and proof positive there was never a damn thing wrong with the CD format in the first place. Sony and Philips knew what they were doing.

Is the set it worth the $50 I spent on it? Well, since I listen to Kate all the time I'm sure I'll recoup my investment eventually. But if you're looking to pinch pennies I can't see how this set could be considered essential, unless the other discs are massive improvements, which seems unlikely. I'll check those out later today - The Dreaming is probably the only one of the bunch that could really do with an improvement, but I doubt there's much a mastering engineer could really do. Lionheart is both higher-fidelity than TKI but also somewhat muddy, so maybe the remasters will tweak issue away. We'll see...

If you're new to Kate though, buy with confidence - this is one of the rare remasters that didn't eff everything up, and it certainly doesn't sound any worse than the original and (to my ear) resolves the worst "flaw" of the original disc.

 

"The Big Sky" sounded muddled and shrill on the original LP and the original and circa-2000 CD remaster as well. I think she always had problems with that track, getting to sound full and loud without becoming an unpleasant mess. It definitely stands out on HOL, and while I like it, it's not a hi-fi showcase.

 

It is an utterly bizarre theme she's picked there though, and as he says it's mainly that it's so out of place for the era the box set covers. There is so much better artwork to choose from the back catalog but instead she chooses the theme form the directors cut release c2011.

I thought the superdeluxe review/unboxing was interesting, and confirmed in my mind I won't miss anything by not buying it, same for the vinyl boxset - what no booklet or anything? I liked the look of those Japanese mini lp's he compared against.

I have caved in a little , based on peoples comments on the audio - I've gone for Kick Inside, Never for Ever and Hounds Of Love on vinyl. I might go for Aerial, just to have the full size package/artwork but I'll still listen to the original CD sans Bertie.

 

VINYL II just showed up a short time ago Ninth Wave on right now Oh my lord

 

Yep. That’s a killer side for sure!

 

Are you able to read the lyrics with or w/o glasses?

 

Just wanted to remind folks that Saxophone Song and The Man With The Child In His Eyes were demo songs, recorded much earlier, by a much younger Kate. The late, great James Guthrie recorded them, but it's hard to imagine that quite as much care was taken in that demo session as during the rest of the tracks on The Kick Inside.

 

Reading all of these comments is making the pain of waiting hurt more.

 

And they sound fine, just not fantastic like the rest of the record.

Lionheart is arguably her finest-sounding disc. Listening to it now. Quite nice.

 

I've listened to the remastered vinyls of TKI, NFE & The Dreaming so far - all the way through those 3. Overall I really like the sound and the quality of the vinyl is mostly very good. My NFE copy will get a good cleaning since it was a tad cackly in parts. The Dreaming, on the other hand, was perfect, and wow, I've never heard it sound better.

NFE - Delius is just such a beautiful song - it's also the first hint of the beautiful weirdness to come on this and future albums. It sounds so gorgeous on the new LP. Kate makes a lot of beautiful noise on some of her most complex tracks. All We Ever Look For has wonderful left/right separation and the walking back and forth opening door sequence sounds great. NFE would be great in 5.1! Night Scented Stock is so simple yet so gorgeous...I always wish it was twice as long. I cranked up Army Dreamers and Breathing and they really came to life.

The Dreaming was revelatory in some ways - it is such a magnificent album, and I think is the peak of her experimentation powers. Such a varied landscape of complex, layered songs. The sound was great - I kept this one loud all the way through. Night of the Swallow is my favorite Kate song.

Overall I tend to agree with some of the other thoughts about there being more awareness of the background instruments and I also felt a fuller sound, not as "trebly"as some of the earlier releases. I'll caveat that with saying I have some tinnitus in my left ear and I've lost some of the highs (welcome to being almost 60).

The box itself is worth the cost - will look great on my shelves.

 

A few did... Pin Ups and The Man Who Sold the World are ace. But generally speaking his hugely important core 1969-80 catalogue has IMO been done a bizarre and depressing disservice in recent years.

 

Totally agree. I don’t have the new Lionheart but dug out an old CD of it tonight (after attempting to play my original vinyl which was crackly and horrible from age and wear). It needs more time than the next three which are my favourites, but it’s a weird, cool, swoopingly bizarre album, really good.

 

It is that.
I've found some fascinating details regarding the video, especially the origin of the alter-ego costume, at Wikipedia.

 

James Guthrie died?!?!?!?

 

Thanks I will get great to see remasters probably done

 

Damn! Sorry, no. I meant Geoff Emerick.

 

I was shocked to discover that they were recorded live, Kate singing with an orchestra.

 

Not to stir the pot but I’m already well into Hounds on the second night of my chronological (CD) listen and I hear none of the aforementioned harshness in her vocals. There is a definite sheen to the higher frequencies, but it adds to the presentation rather than detracts. Some folks point to the greatness of the original CDs and their “relaxed” sound, but one person’s relaxed is another’s dull in my experience.

 

I thought I’d chime in with my initial impressions of several of the new 2018 remasters. I haven’t followed this thread too closely, so please forgive me if any of this has been stated before.

A quick note that I owned the Japanese This Woman’s Work box set a few years ago after reading then that it was the best-sounding version of Kate’s early work on CD. I ripped most of those discs to FLAC files before reselling the box set. I didn’t rip HOL because I felt the Japanese box set of the album was strangely metallic-sounding. I have the 1997 remaster of HOL on CD and, although brick walled and a little harsh, I felt that it was better sounding than the Japanese box set version. Also, I lost my FLACs of The Dreaming for some unknown reason. I rebought the original EMI Manhattan CD of the album a few years ago, which was a much inferior version as compared to the Japanese box.

So, I downloaded the new 2018 remaster of The Dreaming in a 24 / 44.1k FLAC file. I used the Sennheiser HD650 headphone (with a balanced cable) and a Schiit Audio Jotunheim amp for the comparisons.

The Dreaming:

Compared to the original US CD, I was shocked to find that the new remaster is quieter than the original CD! I don’t think I’ve ever heard a remaster that isn’t louder than the original mastering! Note that I’m comparing the USB vs. coax digital input on my DAC but I don’t think that’s the issue. My first impression of the new remaster of The Dreaming was so different than my review of the new remix of the 50th anniversary of the White Album last weekend. The differences regarding The Dreaming are much subtler than that of the White Album.

I can say that the new remaster of The Dreaming sounds smoother. Kate’s louder vocals sound less etched on the remaster as compared to the original US CD. Soundstage is also noticeably wider. For example, the “Edward G” line in Tenner sounds much wider on the 2018 remasters. The midrange is more forward and textured – though not to an extreme degree. Bass punch also seems to be a bit more aggressive in the new remaster. Again, it’s not night and day but noticeable. Then again, I’m comparing a 24-bit version to a 16-bit version – so some of that might be the reason.

Hounds of Love:

The Dreaming sounded so good I decided to also download the 2018 remaster of HOL, as well. The 1997 remaster of the album always had big bass but a narrower soundstage. The cut And Dream of Sheep was particularly egregious because the breathing and pumping of the compressor/limiter was instantly obvious.

The 2018 remaster of HOL isn’t as bass heavy or bright as the 1997 remaster. But the soundstage width is noticeably wider and the drums when they kick in toward the end of Running Up That Hill are more dynamic. The midrange is also more forward and textured – just like with the new version of The Dreaming. It is almost like the new versions in 24-bit have a slight tube-like sound in the mids. I’ve owned tube gear over the years and there’s always a certain sweetness in the midrange that SS cannot provide.

The title track has always been a favorite of mine and the midrange shines on the 2018 remasters. The cellos sound louder than what I’m used to, but Kate’s vocals also sound more liquid and life-like. The 1997 remaster sounds harder and less natural. The Big Sky, however, is a disappointment on the new 2018 remaster. Not only is it shorter than on the original album, it also sounds darker and softer than the other tracks.

The stereo effects on Mother Stands for Comfort are noticeably wider on the 2018 remasters while the track seems less compressed than the 1997 remaster I’m used to. The aforementioned And Dream of Sheep sounds WAY more natural on the 2018 remaster. It’s listenable because I hear no pumping compressor like on the 1997 remaster. Waking the Witch also sounds more natural and visceral. Patty’s vocals on Jig of Life are also much more intense.

While I love the sound of the new remasters, I’m not planning on buying/downloading any of the other offerings. I feel like the 1990 box of This Woman’s Work is good enough for me regarding Kick Inside, Lionheart, Never, Sensual World and the two extras discs. Unlike the new remix of the White Album, the differences are not enough for me to get all the new remasters, IMHO. I’d much prefer an official DVD/ blu-ray of Kate’s TV / video performances.

 

I know, I know, I'm sorry to be "that guy", but the Irish in me can't let it go. Paddy is the diminutive of Patrick (Irish: Pádraig).
I detest when people write "St. Patty's day", as well. Who's this girl St. Patty?
sorry, carry on.

 

No, no. Thank you for the correction. Most of my friends consider me a Beatles expert. But after reading that 100,000 page White Album thread , I realize that I'm not an expert at all.

And I certainly feel the same way reading through this thread!

 

OK, did some A/B comparisons on Lionheart, Never For Ever and The Dreaming.

Lionheart was a great sounding disc to begin with - the remaster subtly enhances it. A little less grunge, slightly enhanced deep bass, a touch less muddy, less hiss, and you can hear just a shade deeper into the mix. I'm not hearing any shrillness. I do think the midrange got a slight boost. Doesn't sound compressed, although on this one MediaMonkey's volume leveling is shaving a dB or two more off than with the originals. Most immediate difference I noticed was on "In The Warm Room" - the reverb is much more pronounced on the remaster.

Someone turned up the treble on Never For Ever - "Delius" is notably brighter than on the original. It works, but verges even closer to being shrill in spots at volume. Really enhances the depth of that mix, though - I approve of the change in spite of the drawbacks. The deep bass is enhanced slightly as well, as on the other records - it's apparent on the very intro of "Blow Away". "Egypt" also benefits from the slight treble and deep bass boost. It just sounds clearer and punchier. "The Wedding List" really benefits as well - the original sounds distant and thin, the remaster much more forward. I think there's been a touch of compression applied to all of these tracks - MediaMonkey is shaving about an extra decibel off of every track on the remaster - but I'm not complaining. It works.

"The Infant Kiss" sounds a little warmer but also clearer - the original seems a bit pinched, this one perhaps slightly muffled but also more natural and the mix sounds deeper. It's odd - normally that warmer, slightly muffled quality would make a mix sound flater. Maybe we're hearing the benefits of modern A/D converters... "Night Scented Stock" was always lovely, but it seems particularly ethereal here. "Army Dreamers" sounds almost identical to my ear - Kate's vocal is maybe slightly cleaner. "Breathing" is pretty close, too.

I've just started listening to The Dreaming. Here the differences seem to be more pronounced, but I'm having trouble nailing exactly what they are. Her vocal on "Sat In Your Lap" seems much less strident on the remaster, and doesn't pop out from the mix as much as it did on the original. Did they do an upper midrange trim? It seems a little less in your face and forward than the original, except the deep bass enhancement we got elsewhere makes a huge difference on this cut, restoring some of the punch from the diminished vocal. The treble meanwhile seems to be ever so slightly boosted - it adds a bit more space to the cut. It feels lighter, but then there's the deep bass grounding it all. This isn't compression - MediaMonkey is actually applying a decibel and a half less of a cut to the remastered track than it did to the original.

Was the original CD master run thru a compressor? Was the original CD cut from a vinyl master?

"There Goes A Tenner" exhibits the same changes. Her vocal is less strident, the deep bass provides more of the track's punch, the slight treble boost delivers more air to the cut, and it all surprisingly sounds less digital and artificial than the original. "Suspended In Gaffa" also sounds far more organic than on the original. Woah, the bass boost really transforms "The Dreaming" - it's creepier than ever. The added air to the mix also makes her breathing sounds pop completely out of the mix. "Night Of The Swallow" similarly benefits - her vocal isn't as strident and forward, and the mix doesn't come across as much like a battering ram - you can hear into it a bit more, and that deep bass provides the punch. It's more organic.

The intro of "All The Love" sounds even more like something from a techno Hejira with that bass boost. Again, the vocal is less flat, shrill and forward and exhibits more depth. The remaster is definitely more crankable. Her vocal on "Houdini" is similarly more delicate, which really works with the song. Would love to know what the heck they did here - I assume they cranked-down some notch in the midrange.

"Get Out Of My House" is somewhat transformed by the changes. The low bass boost gives it something of a foundation it always lacked as a mix, the added space from the treble boost adds depth, and paring back her vocal makes the cut a lot less shrill. It's still too bass-anemic - I've always thought this cut could benefit from gobs of pumping electronic bass or kettle drums or something - but now it's definitely more than just loud.

In fact, the whole record sounds a lot more like Never For Ever, which maybe was the intent of this remastering.

So my overall verdict on these remasters is that the first three records are definitely polished compared to the original CDs, but The Dreaming is somewhat transformed. The remastering has taken away some of the original's in-your-face stridency and muddiness, as well as its somewhat anemic low bass, and recast it as a much more balanced affair, on par with Never For Ever but darker and more bizarre. I like it, and definitely think it's worth a purchase even for fans who already have The Dreaming. Even if you don't end up liking it, you don't already own something that sounds just like this.

 

Liquid! Yes, that's a good description. Her vocals across these remasters sound just ever so slightly more liquid and lifelike. It's a very, very pleasant change. I'm assuming this is due to superior A/D converters, 30 years after the original CDs were mastered, as well as due to slight EQ tweaks - probably some midrange notch cuts here and there, maybe trimming the mid bass, and a slight treble boost providing ambiance without shrillness.

The originals sounded pretty good, the remasters provide a nice polish. It's wonderful to see a label finally get a remastering right...even if they can't proofread the damn spines...