"This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

I was never satisfied with the Demon/Ryko issue of TYM, but based on the tepid reviews the recent Rhino reissue got on this forum, I saw no reason to pick it up. I did anyway and am pleasantly surprised. I find the Rhino to be much more detailed and on the whole, much more listenable. [Dan Hersch, who apparently has few friends here, was responsible for the remastering.] Anyone else happy with the "This Year's Model" Rhino remaster or am I nuts for liking this as much as I do?

 

No, you are not nuts.

I think it sounds great. In general, most of the Rhino's offer improvements over the Ryko versions in terms of sound quality.

I actually percieve many of the Rhino issues (Fleetwood Mac, Gram Parsons anthology, etc.) to be fairly truthfull despite objections noted here.

By the way I have advances of the next three Costellos (Imperial Bedroom, Armed Forces and Mighty Like a Rose) and they are fantastic. The bonus discs of all three offer some great new stuff. Imperial Bedroom, in particular, has some amazing outtakes on it which are worth the price of admission alone.

- Gabe

 

IMPERIAL BEDROOM is one of the greatest rock records ever. I am SO amped about the new edition...my local ma-n-pa is getting it in on Monday!

 

The one Rhino remaster I've heard (Spike)... I wouldn't say it sounds BAD, it just has a wee bit more treble than I'd like. And it's loud, which I presume means some digital compression going on. Same for the GP anthology. Dan Hersch's stuff sometimes has a kind of weird "flatness" to it, to my ears. Not sure if it's due to compression or what. I wouldn't put any Rhinos I've heard in the "unlistenable" category, but I wouldn't put any of them in the "excellent job" category either. But if you like the extra top end, they probably do sound excellent.

 

Yes, Ron, you are crazy and you are nuts like the rest of the inmates here And since you like the Rhino reissue so much you almost have me tempted enough to check it out...what are we on now, the fourth remaster of this one?

ED

 

I agree about Imperial Bedroom. An unspoken classic, and a genius at work.

 

Loud does not mean it's been compressed. It may mean that the mastering is using all available dynamic range. Comprssion means that the lower levels of the disc have been raised so the overall level is louder. Two very different things.

- Gabe

 

I have the original (first) Columbia domestic pressing of This Year's Model and I love the sound. It was criticized at the time of issue as being too "polished", a big production. i suppose after My Aim is True that this was indeed the case. I am also lucky enough to have a Columbia Mastersound (Half Speed on Virgin Vinyl) version of Imperial Bedroom. Fantastic!

 

Same here. The album is absolutely brilliant.

Although it doesn't compare to "Imperial Bedroom", I might be one of the few Costello fans in the world who actually liked "Mighty Like a Rose". It took me some time and several tries, but I got into it. Can't wait to hear the bonus disks.

Dan C

 

I can't wait until the next installment!

 

Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

To my knowledge this makes ONLY the second remaster . . . and in ONLY seven years! OK, so it sure seems like a rip-off and you're forgiven for being cynical. I felt the same way. But as "This Years Model" is one of my all-time faves, that this issue sounds so good makes me REAL happy. I highly recommend it. And I'm more than a little curious as to why most comments about this title when it first came out were neutral at best.

 

Oh yeah, I know that. I should have been clearer in what I was trying to say. What I meant is, the new Spike sounds louder than the original Spike did. Generally, when a remaster sounds louder than an older version, it's a clue that likely some compression has been applied, in order to allow them to raise the overall volume. Based on how it sounds I suspect the Spike remaster is compressed a bit (though I haven't confirmed it by looking at the waveforms, and I don't know that my ears are 100% accurate at detecting the sound of compression).

 

Re: Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

Okay, on CD there was the original Columbia, a Demon UK, a Rykodisc, and now Rhino...four, worldwide, and that's assuming somewhere like Japan they didn't just use their own tapes. I had assumed that the Demon and Ryko were two different masterings, but I could be wrong there. My brother had the Columbia, long ago(must ask him if he still has it).
Sorry if I gave a cynical impression there; I love the album, and hey, I've put up with the Doors' redos(among others)so I've gotten used to having two or three CD issues for some things.
And, to be honest, I don't remember all that many less-than-enthusiastic reviews back in '78; in fact, I remember several very positive pieces. I think the fact that the album really was cynical(do you think Tom Petty listened to it before recording his most recent Lp? They do have a few things, ahem, in common...)has helped it remain a fun listen. That, and because it's one of the most sexually frustrated rock diatribes in history. Putting it very good company, indeed!

ED

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

I read an interview where Costello said that the Ryko was exactly the same remaster as the Demon. He seemed a bit unhappy that Ryko simply turned over the Demon masters without doing any additional work.

Dan C

 

I've got the Ryko and it sounds fine to me.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

Demon UK 90's are the same mastering as Ryko, but there are Demon UK CD's from the mid 80's which are different than the 80's Columbia CD's.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

I recall him being upset that Demon received no credit on the CD or in the press releases. I can't imagine EC being pissed that Ryko didn't play with the sound (when he already approved the Demon jobs).

 

Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

Yes, at first, I'm excited to get bonus/demo/extra tracks.

Then, the album gets remastered and remastered and remastered... So you have to keep checking to see if there are any new tracks or just a different cover or new pictures...

At least the Rhino twofers were regular list price ($17.95), instead of being charged for 2CDs.

 

To be honest, I haven't even listened to the bonus tracks yet. I'm just so happy to have a CD of this record that isn't fatiguing to listen to. I haven't A/B'd with the Radar vinyl, though. The Ryko issue failed that test miserably. I don't expect the Rhino will be a match, either, but I'm confident that it'll be in the same ballpark.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: "This Year's Model" . . . Am I Nuts?

More precisely, I think Costello's objection was that Ryko was taking a lot of credit for Demon's work while also (in his view) doing little to promote the CDs.

In all fairness, Costello seems to be unhappy with the promotion at every record company. But it's certainly true about Ryko taking a lot of credit for the CDs. The exception, of course, was when the CDs were the subject of ICE's CD Watchdog column, and the Ryko spokesperson would reply that the problem was Demon's fault.

 

You're not alone! I always really liked "Rose" - it didn't even take repeated listenings to appeal to me. I always thought it was much better than the overly-praised "Spike", which felt too much like an attempt to generate a hit. "Rose" seemed more like Elvis doing what made himself happy...

 

I like MIGHTY LIKE A ROSE a lot. The bonuses on the soon-to-be-released Rhino version are excellent (although not as amazingly excellent as the ones on IMPERIAL BEDROOM).

 

"Rose" is definitely one of his more underrated albums, though I really haven't listened to the whole thing in years. The only real problem I have with it is that some of the tracks sound a little busy and overproduced. Not as bad as the over-the-top Langer/Winstanley-produced "Goodbye Cruel World", but still a little irritating at times. However, I have to say that "Couldn't Call It Unexpected No. 4" is one of the most incredible songs he's ever made, a true classic.

 

If I remember correctly I think Mitchell Froom produced that album, or had a large hand in it. I've always liked Froom's work with Crowded House and Los Lobos. Experimental yet reasoned. Sometimes going over the top, granted. I felt the same way about "Rose". And yes, it does have some of Costello's finest songs. It's an edgy album that never fit in the mainstream.

Dan C