Pere Ubu: Elitisim for the People 1975-1978

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by inaptitude, Aug 3, 2015.

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  1. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Whilst I like Mayo Thompson on guitar, by the time Ubu had made the execrable Song of the Bailing Man, they were crucifying much of the earlier material live (the '81 live stuff on that vol2 disc), following David Thomas's then current whims. On that 81 material, Thomas's self-concious funny farm vocal routine has become especially unbearable.

    Personally, I prefer the 1980s version of Ubu live tracks on 'One Man Screams', if anything - but then mainly when playing the Art Of.. songs.

    I never go near that large plasticy Databox anymore. I have the compact shelf-sized Databox which augments my LPs.
     
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2015
  2. Denti

    Denti Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    So 2 down votes and one up vote in this thread. I'd like vinyl copies of Dub Housing, New Picnic Time, and the singles. Are these simply not worth it?
     
  3. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Bailing Man 'execrable'? What a funny thing to read on an Ubu thread, even though this thread appears to be more about audiophile frippery than the quality of Ubu itself. I'm not qualified to weigh in on that AND everyone is entitled to their opinion, but Bailing Man is a veritable culmination and logical extension of everything that came before it. Admittedly, it is perhaps a bit slicker than other records thanks to Mayo's guitar and Anton's drumming, but it's still wonderfully eccentric and I find David's evolution into a full bodied story-teller to be quite delightful. But then, maybe I'm just a big pink ball at the bottom of the ocean. Do carry on...
     
  4. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    I can't deal with it. Anton hated Mayo's playing. I feel the same way about both Anton's attitude and his drumming. The songs on Walking trod the fine line between self-awareness and self-undulgence and succeeded. Bailing Man fell into the abyss, or at least the cow-pat. I thought the late 80s work was much stronger, and many people dislike that work. Just my 3/6d worth. :)

    btw. I would not consider Mayo a slick guitarist.
     
  5. edb15

    edb15 Senior Member

    Location:
    new york
    Dub Housing originals aren't too expensive and NPT is was cheap last I checked. The singles are tougher--the Tim Kerr box set sounds really great if you can handle flipping. I don't have Terminal Tower.
     
  6. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Whereas I thought the 80's stuff after Tenement Years became too predictably 'rocky' and lost that spark of whimsy that they had in the earlier days. Agree to disagree sir! It's all good! :righton:
     
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  7. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Yes, it's true and I only enjoy Tenement and Cloudland. They do have fantastic playing from Allen Ravenstein.

    There was a point in late 80s when Tenement was one of the few albums I had access to, amongst a handful of cassettes, so partly it was a friend whilst I studied – along with The Big Gundown and a handful of home-recorded cassette dubs. I liked George Had A Hat. But a very different Ubu from that on the first 4 albums. I did admire the way David Thomas would re-invent the band.
     
  8. Denti

    Denti Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    I still want to know about the SQ of the new remasters...
     
  9. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    Yeah, I think there was an attempt to 'pop' it up!
    But, those Thomas SOLO albums from the '80's..... Mmmm-mm!
    LOVE 'EM!
     
  10. Denti

    Denti Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    Up till about 2000 or so Thomas's solo material definitely eclipsed Ubu material. His solo shows from 1996-1997 were stunning. I'm one of the few (apparently) who think the Mirror Man show is a masterpiece. He was on a roll. But the last decade haven't been all that interesting, for him or for Ubu, in my opinion.
     
    vince likes this.
  11. ralphb

    ralphb "First they came for..."

    Location:
    Brooklyn, New York
    Did you hear the Rocket From the Tombs cd from a few years back? Tremendous comeback, and Thomas is in fine from.
    [​IMG]
     
    Cherrycherry likes this.
  12. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Yes agreed. I tend to feel that Bailing Man led directly into the solo years very nicely but I don't mean to beat a dead horse. The solo albums are where David's story telling abilities really blossomed, to my mind. There is a terrific vinyl-only live album called 'Winter Comes Home' that he did with Chris Cutler and Lindsey Cooper where he does a version of 'Rhapsody in Pink' that is just amazing. The way that album was cut also has a really unique, almost quadraphonic sound to it. Well worth seeking out.
     
    Sternodox likes this.
  13. vince

    vince Stan Ricker's son-in-law

    I've seen THIS in the Hearpen.com 'download' store... if THIS the album you're talking about?
    Winter Comes Home - David Thomas & His Legs
     
  14. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
  15. gr8trak

    gr8trak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    bleachershane likes this.
  16. Milkweed

    Milkweed Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    I own the Elitism box and have to say I think the vinyl sounds fantastic for Modern Dance, Dub Housing, and the singles. Better than the originals, which I also own and have been spinning with pleasure since they first came out.
     
    bleachershane likes this.
  17. vox.jubilante

    vox.jubilante Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Virginia
    So how is the sq on these new 2015-2016 digital/cd remasters? Are they as good as (or an improvement on) the 90s remasters used for the original Datapanik box and the Thirsty Ear issues (what I have)? Are they dynamic? Loud/squashed? I wanted to pick up a copy of New Picnic Time and was wondering whether to go with the 2016 Fire Records issue or look for the late 90s disc.

    I'm also curious whether the Hearpen singles represents an improvement over the old Datapanik box/late 90s Terminal Tower.

    Would love to any hear feedback y'all have on these.
     
  18. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    In addition to vox.jubilante's questions, which I cannot answer, are the new LPs going to be made available singly? NPT is one of my favourite Ubu albums. I have the orginal LP, but would like to try the new pressing.

    EDIT. I just ordered the NPT CD. So I'll be able to compare and let you know.
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2016
  19. gr8trak

    gr8trak Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    I don't think there's compression applied to the hi-res FLAC files. They sound very dynamic to me. I don't have the Databank box to compare to.
     
  20. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    I got Dub Housing on vinyl and Picnic on CD.

    First D.Housing sounds fantastic on vinyl. I'd say it's better than the Chrysalis pressing but I have not done an A/B. Based on what I heard, I want a Picnic on vinyl, when they release it.

    Comparing the Datapanik box version of NPT and the new one, the first and most obvious thing is that the bass on the older Datapanik version (the second box issue which I think is the same master) is much louder overall. Maybe it sounds artificially boosted when you compare to the new one. I never thought about it before but have never really AB'd the old vinyl with the DP box versions. Some of the levels between the old CD master of NPT and the new are different. Some songs on the new one are quieter. Overall the new mastering feels more transparent. Some tracks like Voice of Sand are remarkably different. The new one is a much more dynamic sound.

    Listening to my Dub Housing download on some Klipsch x7s and AKG k451, confirms an overall feeling of increased transparency. On Thriller there seems to be less tape noise on the background track.

    I think it's worth hearing the new ones. Which versions I will prefer in the long run, remains to be seen.
     
  21. hartonr

    hartonr Forum Resident

    Has anybody picked up Drive, He Said 1994-2002 vinyl box set yet? If so how is the sound and pressing quality? Thinking of picking this up soon.
     
  22. This Heat

    This Heat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Pressing quality is great. Some of it is remixed, but the sound is good.
     
  23. hartonr

    hartonr Forum Resident

    Great thanks.
     
  24. hartonr

    hartonr Forum Resident

    Just listened to the Drive, He Said box, great SQ and the music is much better than I expected! Never heard any of these albums before, really enjoyed them and the all sound fantastic on vinyl. Have not listened to the 4th LP yet though. What do others think of tnis box set?
     
  25. mr.datsun

    mr.datsun Incompletist

    Location:
    London
    Interesting - Any idea what is remixed?

    Also do those album fit on LP? I haven't checked but I assumed that albums like Pennsylvania are longer than the LP format?
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2017
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