Tom Waits Reissuing Anti Records Albums (2017), incl. Orphans (2018) Plus Elektra Back Catalogue *

Foreign Affairs is now available to preorder on Amazon for a little over £16

 

Picked up the blue vinyl Small Change over the counter in my local emporium. Sounds great. I admit I didn't realise there were coloured vinyl options for these. I'm 99% positive that the only copies of Closing Time and The Heart of Saturday Night (when I bought them) were all the same, i.e., black vinyl.

 

I was looking to get Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards on CD and noticed Amazon still sells the original 2006 digipack here in the US... So I’m wondering do I just get that, or are the remasters going to be worth the slightly extra cost?

 

Has anyone listened to the new Orphans CDs, and compared them to the original release? Are they in fact remastered or are they just "reissues" with each disc being available separately in digipaks? I saw them at the record store and noticed the sticker didn't say anything explicitly about remastering. The official website lists it as a remaster, however.

 

They are remasters. Since my last post I’ve compared them with the 2006 CD, via Spotify premium, and my impression? The 2006 version sounds like it has a tad more dynamic range; the remasters feel like they even out the mix more, Tom’s voice is less in the foreground. Both are fine but I prefer the original CD digipak.

 

Well, that's a real big bummer... so the newer remaster sounds less dynamic and the vocals are recessed? What a shame.

Any other Orphans remaster reviews?

 

Couple of unfavourable reviews for the 2018 vinyl re-issues of Closing Time and Mule Variations here:
https://vinylreviews.com/album/closing-time/ "Anti-’s 2018 reissue of Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan’s remaster is simply the worst version of the album I’ve ever heard."
https://vinylreviews.com/album/mule-variations/ "The new version sounds rolled-off, drab, and compressed when compared to the original and faithful 2010 Rhino reissue."

Sounds like the 2010's are still the ones to get if looking for modern pressings of these two at least.

 

I have the Chris Bellman Closing Time, which is excellent, so can’t comment on the new one though read about a lot of surface noise issues. However, I completely disagree with the assessment of Mule Variations. Both are still in print and I bought and compared them back to back and the difference was very slight but I in fact opted to keep the 2018 remaster and return the original pressing. It’s definitely not compressed and drab. Of course remember, sound is objective so it’s best to make your own assessment.

 

Even if it happened in good faith this review is out of line...2.0 out of 5 (in general or compared to the original?) for Mule Variations is ridiculous. I did hear pretty much no difference... And as far as I know it would have taken the reviewer seconds to find out the mastering enginner... So poor review to me, but thanks for the link. I love reviews even if I hate them!

 

Yeah the new Mule Variations is right up there with the Bellman. I have both.

 

Wanted to come back to this thread...never posted comment after I listened...very happy with all three of these (RSD copies), the sound is very good and very little surface noise. TW is a favorite of mine (just can't get my wife to get past his wonderful voice, her loss though). Very happy I got these as it just about completed my TW vinyl collection.

I noticed that the standard black vinyl reissues of these are not getting much love, saying they are noisy as can be...is this the case?

 

I wonder if the difference between opinions here of the new Mule Variations and the opinion in the review I posted up thread might be down to different pressings? The reviewer really seems to have a problem with the pressing rather than the actual mastering. According to Discogs the 2017 US pressing has Matrix / Runout: 86547-1 2017 - A -R-; the Netherlands pressing (4 positive reviews) has: 20399 1A EPIT 6547-3; and the 2018 US pressing (1 negative review)has the same as the US 2017: 86547-1 2017 - A -R-.

I haven't heard any of them so can't really comment! I'd guess the reviewer has the US one and @Porkpie and @DaK, do you guys have the Netherlands pressing? Perhaps therein the difference lies...or not. Which pressing do you have @14 Cheerleader Coldfront? (This would be easier if I knew how to tag, sorry) (Edit: I just learned how to tag )

 

FYI:
Message from Anti- Records US:

It has come to our attention that the recent pressing of Tom Waits’ Closing Time (both black and clear vinyl versions) suffers from severe surface noise due to a manufacturing issue.

We are happy to report that the issue has been fixed and are offering everyone who purchased a copy of the flawed LP a replacement. Please fill out the form at the following link, and we will let you know when you can expect your new record.

anti.com/news/closing-time

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.

Thank you,
Anti- Records

and this is pretty interesting, too: http://www.audiotechnology.com.au/PDF/9/AT9_Recording_Tom_Waits.pdf

 

That is great news!

 

Probably it's both... the US pressings seem to have pressings issues, the EU pressings don't (or at least I did not experience any). But the reviewer also sates that the mastering itself sounds fine digitally, but is badly put on vinyl. To my ears that was not so much the case. BUT I also prefered my 1999 EU pressing of Mule Variations and gave back the new one, cause my 1999 pressing sounded slightly better to my ears. But it's problematic to seperate sound and pressing anyway. I mostly agree with the vinyl reviews on the site you posted and I really love those review sites (I liked "How it sounds on vinyl" sadly it disappeared), but I dont like it, if they dont take the time to get their facts right. Its all over the inner sleeves that the mastering was done by Derfler/Waits/Brennan and cut to vinyl by Pete Lyman. And I think that true for all of the current reissues. But the site states "Vinyl Mastering Engineer: NA" for Closing Time and "Vinyl Mastering Engineer: Chris Bellman" for Mule Variations. I do not have a copy of the new Mule Variations, but it should be Pete Lyman as well.

 

Foreign Affairs is finally out this Friday (only ever owned this one on CD so far) and Heartattack and Vine is available now for preorder at £16.54. The prices for these reissues is great value and so I’ve had no issues and only things to report about the Epitaph masterings/pressings that I’ve bought (playing the remastered Blood Money at this moment on vinyl and it sounds great and a perfect, quiet pressing)

 

Received my copy of Foreign Affairs and initially I thought it sounded OK not having any other copies to compare it to only a couple of tracks on the excellent Used Song comp. CD.

On closer listening I’m somewhat disappointed. The sound does seam uncharacteristically flat for this period of Toms output but more worryingly is the insidious low level noise that robs the quiet moments of the fine resolution and dynamics displayed in the CD.

Although not as bad as Vinyl Reviews experience it somewhat mirrors his finding suggesting that this series is no match for the 2010 releases of which I have all and love so will cancel my back orders for the remainder and seek clean originals instead. Shame the didn’t give CB the gig this time.

 

I have the new mule variations and it's great. Also says 100% analogy on the back of the cover.

 

What is it analogous to?

 

It's the new super improved version of analogue

I will never understand the spell correct on android it does not make any sense to replace correctly spelt words with others

 

Today.

 

Curious if someone has received the closing time replacement?

 

I actually just got around to submitting my request today.

 

Me too. Hadn't been to this thread in a while, so I just found out about it. Nice to see Anti records doing this.

 

what'd be really nice is if Anti- started using a high quality pressing plant. if any reissues deserved it, the waits catalogue was one.