The Very Best of Christopher Cross

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Tin Whisker, Feb 12, 2008.

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  1. Nostaljack

    Nostaljack Resident R&B enthusiast

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I mean no disrespect but I think Chris' downfall was his look. His first record surfaced in the nick of time. It came along at at time when there was no MTV. He didn't have to worry about being pretty. By the time the second record surfaced, MTV was a concern. Videos began to play a role in whether or not records sold. Since he was squarely a "pop" artist, videos were fast becoming a necessity to compete. He has never been particularly photogenic. He's a musician...and that's all. That fact likely killed his career.

    Ed
     
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  2. guy incognito

    guy incognito Senior Member

    Location:
    Mee-chigan
    IIRC, Cross's last real hit was the melancholy, death-themed "Think of Laura" (peak #9) in late 1983. I can remember that one being all over the radio at Christmastime that year, a rather odd juxtaposition to say the least.
     
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  3. bru87tr

    bru87tr 80’s rule

    Location:
    MA

    renny- are you sure the WIA cd is not HDCD ? I dont have an HDCD player to test but my cd says HDCD on it. both do.
     
  4. Futurecity

    Futurecity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    I just noticed that this import version (also on Rhino/WB, 2001) has remixed versions of "All Right" and "Ride Like The Wind". Do these sound different or even better than the same songs on THE VERY BEST OF U.S. CD?

    http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Christopher-Cross-Special/dp/B000062WDZ/ref=sr_1_15?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1369894586&sr=1-15&keywords=christopher cross

    Personally, I think the four debut album hits and "Arthur's Theme" on THE VERY BEST OF CD sound super...they sound wonderfully remastered, but the three songs from ANOTHER PAGE don't sound as sharp. I would think they were remastered as well, but it's a little harder to tell?

    Also, track-wise, which compilation is the best one...the import "Definitive" or the U.S. "The Very Best Of"? They both seem to have 19 tracks at least, but the U.S. version has 3 tracks from WALKING IN AVALON, which I think the import version omits?
     
  5. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    A friend of mine knew his producer of his first album. What I heard was that CC became very arrogant during the recording of Another Page and would not accept help, wanted to do it all himself. It probably could have been produced better but it wasn't as bad as sales would make it seem, IMO. I really loved that album and listened to it so much that its hard to play it now as I really burned out on it. It was certainly wasn't as good as his debut though! I agree that I think the biggest issue is that it just took too long for it to come out. I think his material, until his album Window in the 90's, was pretty awful. I just got a sealed copy of Every Turn and wanted to like it...was pretty awful except for a couple tunes.
     
  6. DrAftershave

    DrAftershave A Wizard, A True Star

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA

    Are you kidding me? Every Turn Of The World is his best album! The title track, "Charm The Snake", hell...THE WHOLE THING. It's almost like Christopher literally painted himself into a corner with the sound/style of his first two albums and then found a window to jump out of with this one. Don't get me wrong, his first two albums are great classic examples of "Yacht Rock", but this one has such a "80s Production" sound welded to it, it actually gives Christopher some muscle.
     
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  7. mickeyfrith

    mickeyfrith Forum Resident

    No clue if the remixes sound better than the originals or if The Definitive sounds better than The Very Best of. I don't own the latter collection, so I can't really compare. I think you're correct about the Walking in Avalon tracks not being included. As for which is a better collection, I think it's really a matter of preference. I've always been content with The Definitive.
     
  8. Futurecity

    Futurecity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Yes, in the end they are both similar compilations and either one would make a great C. Cross comp. I know you don't have "The Very Best Of", but I was just curious if the remixed "All Right" and "RLTW" tracks jumped out at you and sounded very bright and remixed, or pretty much sound like what you remember the originals sounding like? I am very happy with "The Very Best Of", so I wouldn't pick up "Definitive" anyway, unless those tracks really stood out as being quite unique sound-wise.
     
  9. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    Yes.

    The people here love music, and aren't hung up on outdated gender roles and stereotypes.
     
  10. mickeyfrith

    mickeyfrith Forum Resident

    I've uploaded a file that contains snippets of "Ride Like the Wind," "All Right," "Think of Laura," and "No Time for Talk," all taken from The Definitive. You can check it out for yourself to see if there's a noticeable difference: http://www.sendspace.com/file/4b94l4
     
  11. mrdiscman

    mrdiscman Disc Manufacturing Specialist

    Mark B. likes this.
  12. PTgraphics

    PTgraphics Senior Member

    The "Very Best Of" that came out on Rhino in 2002 (I think that's the correct year) is pretty good. Bill Inglot has his hands in this one.

    Pat
     
  13. Futurecity

    Futurecity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Wow, I didn't know about this 2-CD comp...it looks like the best one yet. Is this a U.S. Rhino CD from 2011 or an import release? It appears to have 8 out of the 9 songs from his debut album and if it's all new remastering, it's really the only way to get his first album remastered.

    Do you own the '01 or '02 "Best of" comps, and if so, is the sound on par with those or a little different?

    Anyway, was this a special CD from Rhino? Is a Music Club Deluxe CD a division of their label, like Rhino Handmade?
     
  14. Futurecity

    Futurecity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    I just did some research and it's an import release. It says Rhino on the back insert, but is this an official Rhino 2-CD set? I think it has different distribution, not WB, but another company...I'm not sure?
     
  15. mrdiscman

    mrdiscman Disc Manufacturing Specialist

    This release is licensed through Rhino to Music Club Deluxe. Music Club Deluxe is a label of Demon UK, much like Rhino is a reissue label through WB. Most Music Club Deluxe releases are excellent (sound & artwork), this one included. Rhino is mentioned throughout the liner notes & disc labels.

    I do have this release, and it does have the look, feel, and sound of an official Rhino release. I do not have the release in front of me at the moment, so I do not know the mastering credits. However, I just sampled it with my music server, and the mastering is fine, typical of earlier CD releases (not at all brickwalled or loud). Highly recommended.
     
  16. wdp33

    wdp33 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NH
    Thinking of picking this up for $3.99 from Amazon. Can anyone comment on the sound and whether they used the album versions of the edited singles?
     
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  17. Mark B.

    Mark B. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Concord, NC
    I ordered this last week from a third party seller on Amazon for less than $2 (before shipping). I didn't even know of its' existence until I saw it mentioned in another thread here on these boards. Looking forward to hearing it, especially after reading positive things about the SQ here on this thread. 40 songs for less than $2! That'd be a great deal even if the sound was less than optimal.
     
  18. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    A big fan, but wow, that is really all you need. If you can find his CD that came out a few years later on a small label called Window, it is as good as his Warners albums. And frankly, after his second album, they really weren't very good. But that CD gives you all the good songs in one shot!
     
  19. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I want to second this. I just recently got this, and it sounds excellent. I wish it were in chronological order rather than mixing up the tracks, but that's a minor quibble. It has 8 of the 9 tracks from the debut and the entire second album. Comes in an actual jewel case with a cardboard slipcase. And its cheap! I ordered mine from Amazon US, but a marketplace seller shipping from the UK. Took a month to arrive, but I paid less than $6 including shipping.

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...ing_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=&sr=
     
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  20. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    i was completely unaware that cross put out a new album in '14 (secret ladder), no press, no hype whatsoever.
     
  21. Galley

    Galley Forum Resident

    This album has his Swimming Theme from the extremely rare 1984 Olympics album.
     
  22. Futurecity

    Futurecity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nevada
    Well I decided to pick up the Music Club Deluxe 2CD Best Of to finally hear how it sounds. I bought it from Amazon.uk direct and paid exactly $10 for it (which includes the shipping). First, this is a strange CD jewel case...disc 2 was trapped underneath the tray? This isn't a flip tray nor is it the other kind of flip tray where you lift it up and over to get at disc 2, mine didn't flip at all, so I had to pry the CD tray off in order to get at disc 2. Now I need to store disc 2 in a separate jewel case.

    The first thing that I noticed is that the speed of the songs may be a hair slower then on the U.S. Best Of CD, at least that's how they sounded to me, but it's not a big issue and I got used to it.

    As for the sound quality, the U.S. comp sounds absolutely stellar, the songs sound completely normal and shine, but on this Cross Words 2CD import I felt the songs sounded a little flatter...I wish the tone was a little brighter. Also, I don't think the source material used here is the best ones either and the insert gives no information on who mastered this comp, it only says compilation and sleevenotes by Alan Robinson.

    I would say Cross Words sounds like a mix between a record club copy and an official Rhino CD...somewhere in the middle. It sounds good and I'm glad I have it for the other songs that I am missing, but if anyone was curious how it compares to the 2002 U.S. Very Best Of....the U.S. comp is the clear winner for sound quality in my opinion.
     
  23. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Thanks for your comments. I didn't notice any speed issues, but am not real familiar with the songs. I only knew the three hits and have never had any other Cross, so I'll defer to you on this. If it is slowed down, could that account for why you think the pitch is off? I don't know that I'd want it to sound any brighter. Aren't these digital recordings (at least the first album) anyway, so would the source really make a difference? Some other people in this thread have this comp. Anyone else think the speed is off? I'd be curious to hear the 2002 US comp you mention now and see what I think.
     
  24. Scott in DC

    Scott in DC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    I'm not sure where these comments are coming from. Christopher Cross has always been rather well liked on these forums and I don't remember any difficult discussions or serious hate (such as you see with Kiss, for example). I wasn't aware that CC ignited serious opinions or was in any way a polarizing figure.

    I don't get the gender roles and stereotypes reference or the comment, "Nice to see good posts coming from this thread". Please explain.

    Scott
     
  25. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    I had the same experience with the ridiculous jewel box....I ordered mine last week after reading about it here and just got it a couple days ago. I broke mine as well, so use caution.

    I am very sensitive to off centered vinyl and wow and flutter issues back when tape was in. I didn't detect any speed issues on my copy and I would have picked right up on that, and am very familiar with his catalog. I don't doubt you heard something different, but mine was fine. The songs from Another Page (nearly the whole album is included) are light years better than the original CD, though the original is absmally bad. I didn't listen to the rest of it closely enough to render an opinion on the other tracks as I had it on as more of background listening on my first listen, but though a compilation, as someone else mentioned it has almost the entire albums of his debut and Another Page, and all the good songs from the rest of his Warners output, and I think I paid all of $5 for mine, so it's a home run if you just want all his good stuff in one place. Kinda makes me feel bad for these artists.....all that work and we can buy it for almost nothing! Nicely packaged visually, it isn't cheaply put together, just be prepared to get a different jewel box.
     
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