Paul McCartney Archive Collection - Tug Of War & Pipes Of Peace coming! (Part Two)

Post your "first impressions", if you're so inclined. Perhaps in a Flowers-related thread...

 

Enjoy! I had my first listen last year, a strong 'comeback' album, even if I find it peters out towards the end (a common fault I find with Paul's albums). Wish Paul would've allowed Evis Costello to collaborate more fully on the album proper instead of over-worrying what 'people' would make of a new 'Lennon-lite' writing partner.

 

More respectfully, it's your favourite McCartney record.

 

I liked this because I like it.

This is the right way to be. I truly wish I could feel that again. I probably like - love - more music now than I did then, but I don't feel the same way about it as I did at all. Sucks being me.

 

Maybe in a couple of months someone will start a "Chaos & Creation 10 Years Later" thread and we can all discuss our feelings about this album. I could go on at length (and often have!) about my love for this album, but there are plenty of fans who either hate it or just can't connect with it. Puzzles me, but I'm sure it would be a lively discussion!

 

Enjoy! I had my first listen last year, a strong 'comeback' album, even if I find it peters out towards the end (a common fault I find with Paul's albums). Wish Paul would've allowed Evis Costello to collaborate more fully on the album proper instead of over-worrying what 'people' would make of a new 'Lennon-lite' writing partner.

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I didn't really like the costello collaborations on that record. I was more fond of "Back on my Feet", which was relagated to b-side...and other stuff like, "so like candy"...the acoustic demo of it is great

 

There are several more "important" reasons why I work from home (being home for the kids, I'm the cook of the house, etc.), but one of the reasons (even if it was subconscious) was so that I could listen to music all day as I work. I almost never get to do the "sit down in a dark room in front of my stereo" thing, but I do get to listen to whatever I want, whenever I want. I've more than paid for these choices financially, but I wouldn't trade my ability to listen to as much music as I did in college for anything. I do feel lucky in that respect.

 

Examples? I think that pretty much most of McCartney's albums (apart from those from Run Devil Run through to Memory Almost Full) sound fine in their original incarnations. Perhaps that's why I'm not so enamoured of your proposal: I don't find the new masterings to be all that fab. They're fine and I don't dislike them especially but if push came to shove I think I'd still prefer to have the whole catalogue sound like those original Parlophone/Fame CDs.

Because, selfishly, I don't want to have to choose between the angst of leaving them on the shelves while I wait for the deluxes or the guilt of buying albums I already own multiple copies of again just for the sake of not waiting a few years. I'd rather other people have to deal with this stuff

 

Well, now this is interesting -- I didn't realize you were down on the remasters. I'm surprised. Personally, I think they've all sounded miles better than the previous CD versions (leaving the DCCs out of it). Disclaimer: Most of my Macca CDs are the universally disliked 1993 UK remasters. I was listening to ToW and PoP the other day, and they just sound so limp and soft. I can't wait to hear the remasters, and I hope they ARE remixed! But if you are happy with all the original CD versions, I can see your opposition to my proposal. But for those who DO love the Archive Collection remasters, the wait for the rest of the catalogue to be refurbished is excruciating. It's not just about the bonus tracks for me -- I want to hear the ALBUMS sounding as good as the already-released ones do.

I'll deal with it for you -- release them NOW!

 

I'm not down on the remasters especially, but I like a less forward, more muted/relaxed presentation and I find the new masters just that little bit too present to be totally happy with them. Don't get me wrong, they're okay. But just okay. Not fabulously so good I'd buy them twice. The 1993's aren't as dreadful, I think, as people make out but they really aren't as good as the originals. For a handful of dollars they'd tide anyone over just fine while we wait for the main prize

(I'm surprised you have the 1993's because I didn't think they were released Stateside. I assumed you'd have the original Capitols.)

 

Personally, I sought out the 93 imports for the bonus material/b-sides included. The stateside releases reconfigured some of the bonus material, even leaving some of it off.

 

I have the 1993 releases of Red Rose Speedway and Venus and Mars, plus the 1993 remastering on iTunes of RAM, Wings Over America, and Back to the Egg. Until each album has been treated to an Archive release, the 1993 remaster is the default mastering for MPL. In 2005, when I first started getting into Paul, the 1993 CDs were the standard ones to buy on Amazon, even here in the US.

 

Done.

 

I avoided "Press to Play" for ages because of all the bad things I heard about it.. Then I found a used LP for $3.99 and picked it up. This has maybe the most misleading cover in the history of record albums. After one spin I realized it was much better than I was led to believe.. easily leaping over my least favorites: Wild Life, Off the Ground, London Town, and Driving Rain.

 

I went through the same thing with that album. One day I came across the single Press and decided to listen to the entire album. It really is great. I can see why people would dislike it if they couldn't get past the 80s production of it, but it's a really good album to me.

 

I started buying Paul's CD's around 1993 when I was 12. Fortunately for me at that time the original EMI issued discs were still in print so I was able acquire all the titles. As the 90s went on I then acquired all the 93 remasters, and now since the archive campaign launched in 2010 there's 3 versions on CD. In some cases more I.e. BOTR 25th anniversary. So I'm sure many of us here have increased Paul's bank accounts with multiple purchases of same titles and will continue doing so until he calls it a day.

 

I remember enjoying the Beatlesque feel, when I first saw the Costello video:

 

Three versions...that's it? Most the seventies albums I bought on vinyl, 8-track, cassette and a few CD versions...and I have absolutely no qualms about buying them again.

 

The 1993 remaster series are so godawful, that I even replaced all the non-album tracks with either the 80's originals or some other re-EQ-ed digital versions. Luckily we can now replace those as well, one by one, with the so far flawless upgrades on the Archive Releases.

 

Lol; wasn't even counting the vinyl that a) I inherited and b) re-bought and built up. My friend said to me upon glancing over my Macca section: "Eight copies of Ram?"

 

Totally agree with you about NEW. Totally disagree with you about Wild Life.

 

That's great. Costello even has the "john Lennon-Live Peace in Toronto" look going.

 

To put it into sound, here's just one example, a 30 second .WAV-comparison:

1993 remaster of 'Oh Woman Oh Why': https://mega.co.nz/#!19x3HJZC!Zc9Dqal0C57ta2fA62saZCpZ2n5eLWt-gQcktT0wF14
2012 'limited' remaster of 'Oh Woman Oh Why': https://mega.co.nz/#!otgT3Qqb!jPnaWLynIGmjZme4oadITDTaZdPdL7DjdK8VPkGlGR4