Warren Zevon's 1976 Album -- What's The Best CD Mastering? Best Vinyl Press?

One of my all time favourite records, have it on vinyl, but wanted the CD, too, so I picked up a used copy of the 2008 Rhino 2-cd package yesterday (has the original album plus a CD of demos and alternate versions). Pretty underwhelmed by it. I guess it's not exactly bad, but after two listens it doesn't impress me as very good, either. I really don't think much of it.

I went through a couple of searches but I couldn't find a discussion on the best CD mastering of this classic LP.

Is there one?

If not, can I get some opinions on what to look for?

I'm also interested in comparisons of the various vinyl presses -- there have been a number of them lately.

Thanks in advance.

 

I’d love to know too about the vinyl because I’ve heard that the Rhino reissue pressing isn’t supposed to be that good.

 

I only have the Music On Vinyl from 2015. It's pretty good (very quiet vinyl), maybe a bit on the "dark" side. Not as sparkly and lively as my 1978 US pressing of Excitable Boy.

I would expect originals to have the upper hand...

 

The pressing on that reissue did suffer some issues - but if you can get a clean copy (which I eventually did) it's the one to get. It was done by Kevin Gray - at least the US version is.
It can be just as hard finding a clean early copy of this great lp.

 

All I can offer is that the original '76 vinyl pressing I have sounds great. The matrix markings on Discogs makes it looks like the '09 Rhino pressing was mastered by Kevin Gray. I wonder what source was used for that pressing.

 

I’ve been looking for a mint or near mint original of the first pressing (which I’d prefer), but I wasn’t sure if the Rhino was as good.

 

I totally disagree about the Rhino reissue being a good choice.

Go with an original. Thats about the only option. Sounds good.

 

Thanks. That’s what I had heard.

 

I have the blue covered Electra (7E 1060-2) and it sounds great. You can crank it pretty good also. It doesn't say who mastered it on the CD.

 

I don't know what happened with the Zevon debut reissue. The pressing itself that I have is pretty awful. The disappointment was compounded by the fact that it was pretty expensive up here in Canada, and I purchased it when I was starting to get back into vinyl after a twenty-year hiatus. Turned me off purchased "new reissues" for a while.

 

The original LP sounds quite good and of course this is an essential part of WZ’s catalog. It turns up in the bins occasionally here in LA,

 

I just got this, and the pressing is fine. I have 2 copies of the '76 US pressing, and the KG Rhino blows them both away, sounds a lot like Steve's mastering of Excitable Boy on SACD.

 

The 2008 Rhino vinyl sounds like someone put a wool rug over your speakers. It's not just dark, it's simply muffled beyond reason. The old original non-remastered Elektra CD sounds great and is not expensive. It's nice to not have to hear inner groove distortion on "The French Inhaler" and "Desperados Under the Eaves," which ruins every LP version of this album, IMO.

 

I should point out mine is the 2019 Rhino reissue, not the 2008.

 

I have the original non-remastered Elektra cd and I think it sounds bright. I have compared it to the Kevin Gray mastered vinyl (2019) and (for the common tracks) the Barry Diament mastered cd of A Quiet Normal Life: The Best Of Warren Zevon.

 

That's interesting that there is a 2019 KG Warren Zevon vinyl. The Elektra CD is a little bright, yes, but overall I think it's a very pleasing listen. It's definitely better than the awful 2008 Rhino CD, which is even brighter and massively compressed. If Diament did the original CD, I'd be in heaven.

I also prefer the old Elektra CD to the AF SACD of "Excitable Boy" for what that's worth. The AF is too bright to my ears.

 

Might be an equipment thing, or down to your particular hearing--you mentioned treble sensitivity in your equipment profile. My rig is nowhere close to what you got.

My preferred mode is with Senn HD600 headphones, and there are records I can't listen to loud because of excessive treble, like the 1985 pressing of Television - Marquee Moon (the recent blue double vinyl Rhino reissue is much better).

But the 2019 Kevin Gray mastering of Warren Zevon sounds fine to my ears.

As an aside, my 2 1976 US Elektra pressings of WZ have definite sibilance issues on some cuts, but the '19 KG mastering does not.

 

Thought the new Rhino was the same as the last one a decade ago ??? If not I’d love to hear because that last one was terrible.

Rhino even sent me a replacement back then, but it also sounded muffled. I gave it away.

I love the original. Think it sounds good.

Talking vinyl.

 

The original is the way to go. Asylum white label.

 

It's a real head-scratcher: the two pressings have identical serial numbers and etchings in the run-off grooves, but I can tell you this 2019 pressing is not muffled at all. Only real difference is the "Start Your Ear Off Right Rhino 2019" sticker on the shrink wrap.

 

Well then that is great to hear. I might check it out since it’s an all time fave of mine.

The older Rhino is shockingly bad.

 

Makes me wonder about who pressed your LP, and the quality control back then. Obviously somebody got the bad feedback and did something.

 

I went through two copies. One that Dr Rhino sent me as a replacement.

It wasn’t defective just badly mastered. It’s was really dull. No life to it. .

 

This pressing has delightful ride cymbal-crash cymbal splashing above delicious midrange. WZ's vox float above the predictable mayhem.

 

Yup.

And the 2008 Rhino Kevin Grey vinyl is the absolute pits. Avoid at any cost.