Re Aqualung, this was posted on this site and I think sums up the situation more accurately (happy to be corrected if it doesn't): "Steve Wilson remixed Aqualung for Release in 2011. It was mastered by Peter Mew. It is strongly rumoured that Wilson did not like the Mew mastering. In 2016 Steve Wilson took his 2011 mix and mastered it himself. This was released as the Aqualung Adapted Edition." So, it depends which version we are talking about. Everything I have read about the 2016 edition - I haven't got it yet - says the mastering is excellent.
Peter Mew indeed mastered the Steven Wilson Aqualung remixes for the 2011 editions. SW had nothing against the mastering work at first, but as time went by it became clear that the brightness boost and level changes that Mew applied on the stereo version were unnecessary and even detrimental in some cases. A few years later we grabbed the occasion of the Hi-Res download release to get the un-mastered remixes (or flat transfers of the remixes) out. All that was done to the remixes was to change the relative volume levels of songs (I did this), and a light limiting on a few transients (SW did that). That's what was reissued in the 2016 "Adapted Edition". All other Jethro Tull remixes since then have been free of mastering as per SW's wishes (with the only exception of TAAB 5.1 mix, which hasn't been released without Mew's mastering yet). The Mew-mastered Aqualung 5.1 mixes have their fans, they are a bit more punchy than SW's flat transfers. But both are awesome.
Considering the TAAB bookset is also out-of-print, and it's been five years since the original release, yes I wish Warner would reissue a corrected version of it. Perhaps even with a bonus track.
I can't call these the worst of all time but they are very disappointing: The Kinks deluxe reissues (too loud). The new Sgt Pepper remix (I can't hear the mix because it's mastered so loud). Nude and Rude: The Best of Iggy Pop (maybe not "disappointing" because it's Iggy but very bad anyway). The Mew-mastering of Steve Wilson's mix of TAAB. All the pre-2002 ABCKO Stones and the 1999 Bowies.
Some of the London "mastered by Mobile Fidelity Sound" CD versions are actually "better" than the 2002 remasters. [see Lukpac's stereo Stones guide for the (too many) details...]
All of them - including the original Rough Trade - or are you talking about the most recent remasters? "The Smiths on CD is a disaster", without qualification, is a bit of a sweeping statement, isn't it?
Some. I mean, some are dreadful and others have had upgraded mastering since. I'm fairly certain a couple titles had speed issues that have since been corrected.
An early pressing; I can't remember. Not the target. I remember picking up a used domestic LP of Avalon and being struck at how much more open and alive it sounded.
I know you meant Renaissance and I found great downloads on a radio download server. Morello/Cherry Red also issued Dave and Sugar's Greatest Hits
In the years before his sudden death from a heart attack, Kelly was preparing a further reissue of his solo album that would have contained its planned follow-up, Lights Out, recorded in 1983 for a planned release the following year, or at least that was until Riva insisted he concentrate on remixing the first LP in a desperate final attempt to crack the US market. My understanding is that one of his three sons took over compiling material, including previously unheard remixes made after the 2001 CD, but he died recently, throwing into jeopardy a project that would have seen the Groucutt family launch a fundraising campaign to have their late father's work - scattered across various tapes and the hard drive of his computer - transferred then professionally mastered. The last I heard is that Kelly's youngest daughter is now in charge of maintaining his archive, but she can't spare much time in this role, meaning progress is slow. I remain hopeful that we'll get to finally hear more from Lights Out, as the few outtakes released so far showed great potential (which isn't surprising when you consider that much of the same personnel as its precursor were involved). I don't have my copies at hand right now, but I seem to recall a few of the new songs on the initial US edition of Kelly being salvaged from Lights Out, along with at least one of the later reissue's bonus tracks.
Check for pre-emphasis? Japan Hatful, S/T and Meat have it, good possibility it may have been used on the old Euro's as well
Without reading through 28 pages.................... The 1st s/t Jim Jones Revue album...................Little Richard meets the MC5 recorded through a cell phone (OK the last part is a little exaggerated). They did this on purpose too. Here's the studio version / video of the leadoff song. It sounds better on YouTube than on the CD. I love this album, by the way.
Er, which one? Rough Trade? WEA? 2011 remaster? You haven't got a clue, have you? "this place is all about sweeping statements"....speak for yourself, mate.
