Luke's Stones SACD Sampler Review

Ok, folks. Thanks to a friend of mine at the newspaper I used to work at, I was able to procure a copy of the ABKCO press kit, which obviously includes the sampler disc, simply entitled "The Rolling Stones - Remastered". As has been previously mentioned, there are 21 songs (stereo unless otherwise noted):

1. It's All Over Now
2. 2120 South Michigan Ave (long/complete version - 3:38)
3. Get Off Of My Cloud (mono)
4. Satisfaction (different stereo mix)
5. Under My Thumb
6. I Am Waiting
7. Ruby Tuesday
8. Miss Amanda Jones
9. Paint It, Black
10. Dandelion
11. She's A Rainbow
12. I'm Free (mono)
13. Jiving Sister Fanny
14. Brown Sugar
15. You Got The Silver
16. Monkey Man
17. Jumping Jack Flash
18. Wild Horses
19. Factory Girl
20. Midnight Rambler (live)
21. Honky Tonk Women

NOTE: I have (thus far, anyway) only listened to the CD layer on this disc. I have NOT been able to listen to the SACD layer to see how much better that really is.

I'm sure the question you're all asking is, "how does it SOUND???" Well, I think my most basic description would be "pretty good". I think certain things could have been done better, but I think in general it sounds pretty solid. I think perhaps some things could be a bit more "relaxed", but I'm still pretty happy (so far!). Ok, time for specifics.

It was mentioned early on that some felt the set was overly bright, based on impressions from the Home Entertainment Show. In general, I don't really hear that at all. I was expecting a spiked treble - I'd say in most cases that is NOT the case. I haven't been able to A/B everything yet, but my basic take on the EQ is more bass, and a *slight* harshness in the midrange. Now, I thought perhaps some tweaking had gone on in regards to the mids, but I just compared Under My Thumb to the version on the London Hot Rocks 1 CD, and they don't really sound that different.

I'd say one song that *does* have a fair amount of EQ added is Paint It, Black. The copy on my old Hot Rocks vinyl sounds very similar to Under My Thumb EQ wise, while the version on the old London CD sounds a tad midrangy in comparison. For the SACD, it sounds like they tried to make it more like that LP - a bit less clouded, as it were. One slightly annoying thing about Paint It Black - when the sitar is playing in the right channel, the left channel is brought down in level quite a bit, and then when the drums come in, the left channel is quickly brought up and the right quickly brought down. I suppose this was to make the hiss less noticeable - I think this is probably the most hissy recording on the set (no NR here...).

I must say I was eagerly awaiting the "new" mix of Satisfaction. Unfortunately, I think this is really the low point of the disc. As I'm sure you'll all remember, the old stereo mix has the rhythm track mixed hard left, the vocals center, and the acoustic guitar and piano hard right. The rhythm track is way too low in the mix. Well, this mix is *totally* different. Vocals and rhythm track dead center, with the acoustic guitar and piano split left and right, fairly low in the mix. [When I say "split left and right", I mean the same thing is left and right, only with a delay. I *don't* mean the guitar is in one channel and the piano in another.] I've never really been a fan of this type of mix myself. Also, the vocals seem to be a bit thin and harsh - some of the vocals distort in places where they never did before. Like the "hey hey hey - that's what I said" bits. These *seem* to be problems with the mix rather than the mastering.

I Am Waiting Is not as wide as on the London CD. MUCH wider than on the old ABKCO CD, but still folded in a tad. The new version doesn't sound bad, but I actually think things (especially the vocals) are a bit clearer on the old London CD.

Ruby Tuesday sounds good, but does have the little pop during "say" in the intro that David Goodwin has pointed out. Although, I just noticed my London HR CD has it too, so... I'd tend to say this song is a tad clearer on the new CD than the old London.

Compared to the old London CD of Beggar's Banquet, Factory Girl sounds STUNNING. While the London CD is very hissy and a bit indistinct, the new CD is clear as a bell and has FAR less hiss. It sounds like it also runs a bit faster, which seems to agree with what we've been told by ABKCO PR. If this is how all of Beggar's will sound, I think we'll be in for a treat.

As has been previously mentioned, 2120 S. Michigan Ave is the long/complete version, which has only been released on a German LP before, to my knowledge, where it was in mono. The complete song has never shown up in stereo - until now.

It does seem as if the two Chess tracks have a hint more high end than other CDs, but not enough to be distracting, IMO.

So, yes, in general, I'd say ABKCO did a pretty good job. IMO they made a few boo-boos (Satisfaction, the intro to Paint It Black, I A Waiting), but nothing that is going to make me throw this out the window. I don't think this will be the last word on some things (it seems as if the London CDs will still hold the edge in some places), but on others it *will*, and I think as a whole we've got a good package.

When I get some time I'll post a few pictures of the PR kit.

Questions welcome.

 

All much appreciated indeed.

The obvious question - when will you be able to listen to the SACD layer?

Regards,
Geoff

 

No idea. Maybe I'll sneak the disc and my headphones into Best Buy one of these days or something.

 

Say, you could send it down to me for an SACD review; I'll even fire up the Dynaco tubes and see how it does through glass bottles... Perhaps a bit of collateral would help - I'll send you my British Track lp pressing of Who's Next!

 

Just curious -- has I'm Free ever been released in true stereo?

 

How much faster is Factory Girl? I think the whole Begger's Banquet album is about 2% slow. Speeding it up 2% brings the music to the correct pitch. (A=440).

 

As a matter of fact, I think it has. I may be wrong.

Luke,

Thanks for that bit of info. This just makes me more excited to get these CDs.

I wonder how the mono mixes sound.

 

I'm Free has never been availible in stereo. Mono all the way (which is why I'm surprised anyone was suspecting something different).

Anyway, I"ve had myself a sparse listen, and I have to say, the novelty's wearing off a bit. This is exactly what high-profile reissue campaigns can be at their worst, really; something that provides a VERY commercialized view of the back catelogue, while not really providing collectors with what they want. I Am Waiting is folded in? Paint It Black has the channels blackened? Why?

And no mono mixes, bonus tracks, etc. etc. etc. No artwork! No liner notes! GODDAMED DIGIPACKS. Like Digipacks preserve the freakin' artistic integrity of the original albums? Those things biodegrade in weeks.

I just feel kinda insulted by this. SACD or not, there's no good reason for me to purchase things that "just aren't ****ed up more than the old versions." Beggars sounds great. Wonderful. I want Satanic Majesties to SPARKLE like I know it should, and it won't. Y'know why? Because it's Satanic Majesties! It isn't important! I bet they'll make the Digipack of THAT one out of Z-grade recycled paper. Proper care my ass. WHY NOT THE MONO VERSION? There's *space*. This worldwide tape hunt certainly came up with the mono version, right? You DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHY PEOPLE WOULD WANT THE MONO VERSION, RIGHT?

Christ, I bet we get the skip on Gomper. I bet nobody's corrected that. I bet I don't really care, but still...it'd show that someone out there does. The person in charge! The person in charge should care about the little stupid songs that most of us ignore. If there was a "pop" in Now I've Got a Witness, it SHOULD be fixed, whether we notice or...


zzZzZZZZZzzzZZZZZZZZZZZ

-D

 

*snaps back awake*

Dear god, how STUPID this reissue campaign is going to be! How hugely imbecilic. What a mind-numbingly backwards thing to do.

In the tracklisting/album sense, of course, the ABKCO releases are a good deal worse than the Japanese CDs; at least they had the good sense to include No. 2 and self-titled. You know what I"d like? I'd like to take a leap of faith and forget the American albums. Yes, some of them are "better." Yes, we're used to them. But they make no goddam sense. December's Children should not exist; it's like Harrison Ford dating Calista Flockhart, which would NEVER HAPPEN. It's mixing two totally different time periods. It makes no sense!

And heck, if we move to the UK releases (and--sticking with ABKCO's no-bonuses-nosiree policy--have the singles EXCLUSIVELY be on some sort of Pastermasteresque compilation) the Stones community will finally get the sort of delightful questions that Beatles fans have been enjoying for years. Namely: "What album is Satisfaction on? What album is Get Off of My Cloud on? What album is Pleased To Meet you on? What album is Hey Jude on?"

But screw that. Mono/stereo releases all the way. Where applicable. Where not? Why, why not throw those goddamed LOST TRACKS on. You know, the ONES THAT ARE STILL UNRELEASED BECAUSE, in a BIZARRE FIXATION ON TRADITION, nobody has seen fit to put them on a little platter for us? What of Con La Crime Fest or whatever it's called? You know, As Tears, but in a foreigny language? What about the REAL Got Live. Christ, you're right, they're REISSUING the regular pile of crap. Why not include as bonus tracks the actual '66 live performance that have been circulating for roughly seventy-thousand years? Oh, because we HAVE TO RESPECT GOT LIVE'S ARTISTIC INTEGRITY. WE SHANT BE POLLUTING IT WITH LEGITIMACY.

Which brings me to another point. No liner notes. What genius thought this marketing ploy up? "Gee golly gosh, we sure ain't going to tell you ANYTHING about this disc you just bought." That's charming. Let's face it, folks; one of the thrills of reissue campaigns is the mindless trivia. The errata! The miscellany! It feeds our engines and makes us feel ALIVE. I want to read in the After-math booklet that Brain Jones blew a take of Under My Thumb when he accidentally thought his mallet was some sort of reflex-testing device. I want to know WHAT KIND OF ECHO they used to so accurately represent a real "porch" environment for Country Honk. But no! I get nothing.

I mean, I've learned a lot from liner notes. For example! I've learned that drummer Joel Larson, because he was in EVERY GODDAMED BAND KNOWN TO MAN, ruins every "six degrees of music separation" game, because HE WAS IN THE TURTLES/GRASS ROOTS/MERRY GO ROUND/GENE CLARK BAND/POISON/WHITENSNAKE/REO SPEEDno he wan't, but you get my point. Who was the session guy who was responsible for that "click" right before Going Home actually starts? What bastard can WE KILL for that? Or tell me it's static, so I can blame God.

To summarize, I am somewhat unhappy with this reissue campaign.

-D

 

Oh, and we're so never getting a BBC sessions. If we do, Chad Wackerman's gonna overdub drums on it. You watch.

-D

 

Wheeeewwww!! That's feels better now,doesn't it !!

 

David, tell us how you *really* feel!

From a cost/licencing/marketing standpoint, I guess they decided to go with stereo with mono reserved for the singles collection, which I will be buying first, I guess.

If I recall correctly, the idea is to issue the CDs just as the LPs were but with improved sound with minimal doctoring the tapes, which are probably a bit damaged.

I'm also almost sure they honored a request by the band not to include bonus tracks such as live tracks. I have no proof. This is purely speculation.

 

Well, not always. Get Off Of My Cloud is mono, despite it having been released in stereo before.

Er...why would they be damaged?

I need to convince ABKCO to do some type of rarities disc with a *good* remix of Satisfaction...

 

Luke -

Do you know if "Hot Rocks/Big Hits" is going to contain the hits in stereo, while the "Singles Collection" will contain the original mono mixes?

It's possible that they will release the stereo mix on "Hot Rocks" and the mono mix on the "Singles Collection"...

...although I don't know if we should give them that much credit.

 

Well, I believe that's what they'll be doing in *general*, but it would seem as if Get Off Of My Cloud won't be in stereo at all - it is in mono on the sampler, and there was no mention of it in the press release.

Maybe we'll get lucky, but I'm not betting on it.

 

Get Off My Cloud on MONO? The stereo version sounds SO much better in general. Eeeks, too bad!

 

Or perhaps you need to convince yourself that some things were just meant to be heard in mono.

 

Er...as much as I hate to admit it, the stereo mix is a tad weak, kind of like Satisfaction and Mother's Little Helper. The backing track could be a bit louder...

Like I've said, I think on the balance the set will be pretty nice, but it will be marred here and there by little "why did they do *that*?!" things.

 

Hey Luke, you're in a college town - skip Best Buy and hit one of the stereo shops that cater to audiophiles - you'll probably be greeted warmly when you show the sales dudes that Stones material that hasn't hit the stores yet...

 

Yeah...I would really say that is the low point of the set. Looks like for that song I'll stick with my "tweaked" version of the old stereo mix.

I wonder when it was done, since ABKCO claims no remixes were done for this set.

I'm still really happy about 2120, though...

 

Does the sampler visually reference which songs were used from whichever discs? Maybe the stereo "Get/Cloud" appears on the SACD of December's...? Hmph....

 

Thanks for the review, Luke.

Steve, looks like you have this sampler. How does the SACD layer sound?

 

That's what I thought, although the press release claims otherwise. The sound quality in general is also markedly different from both previous versions insofar as timbre, etc. is concerned.

I could be fantastically wrong, though.

-D

 

BTW, Luke, how does Rainbow sound?

And who knows...maybe Astley (the guy who "found" this remix) kinda impishly stuck it together himself. It has several of his hallmarks.

-D