Xanadu soundtrack on CD

Correct. These SACDs do not have a CD layer.

 

I wasn't sure, thanks. I guess they make some with and without the CD layer. I have the Carpenters Singles 69-81 SACD and that plays in a regular CD player.

 

No CD layer and only stereo, no surround. But they do sound pretty! Nice covers too.

 

Cover band ala Abbacadabra. Known as Olivia featuring Paula and/or The Olivia Project. This is one of their CD singles. If you like remixes and dance mixes (I do) then this is fun stuff. The album is called Magic the Album.

 

Back with a Heart and One Woman's Live Journey were both released as DTS Audio discs with 5.1 mixes.
It would be awesome to get the Xanadu soundtrack in surround sound. How hard can that be since the movie was mixed in surround sound?

 

Thanks for the info. The CD does interest me a little, but if ELO or ONJ isn't on it, then I'll pass. If these were actual ELO remixes of the title track to "Xanadu", I would grab it in a second and probably everyone on this thread would fight tooth and nail to get it also!

 

They did retain the original packaging. In both cases, the LP's inner sleeve was replicated on a fold out sleeve inside. Really lovely. These won't play on a regular CD player, you're right. The need to be hybrid SACDs for that. Mobile Fidelity do a lot of Hybrid SACDs. Sadly, none of them are Olivia's!

 

Oh, those Festival CDs looked horrible. You're lucky you didn't get Come On Over... They made her look like Casper the friendly ghost on that!

The CDs were riddled with drop-outs and all sorts of glitches. I got them all, but they were only a means to an end.

Also got all the MCA CDs. Even the ones with that horrible Compact Disc Compact Price logo in the bottom right hand corner. I think these got better as time went on. Later (early 90's?) titles like MAGTB, HYNBM and DSB were really good.

 

I think the original vinyl release was perfect. 10 wonderful songs. To be honest, tracks like Fool Country (a curiosity at best), You Made Me Love You and Drum Drums were only fit for B-sides.

That said, there's absolutely no reason they shouldn't be added to a new remastered CD in 2013

 

To be honest, I love all three of those songs. I don't see them as throwaways at all.

 

I think they missed a good opportunity in the movie with regard to the "dancin" scene. In the 40s scene when they used those 3 scary looking ladies....when I saw the midnight special when Olivia did the same part but she played all 3 ladies it was awesome. It would have made sense to do the same in the movie after all she was a muse and showed up to assist in different era's.

 

That is correct. When the format was launched years ago, many SACDs were single-layer. Hybrids have since become the standard for most labels releasing SACDs, but the SHM-SACDs released in Japan a few years ago, including the two Olivia Newton-John discs, are single-layer stereo.

 

The SHM-SACDs in general were well done, but they are pricey. I'm sure they sound great, but I'm not sure I want to spend $60 each for the Olivia discs. These are not albums I listen to very often, and I am happy with the original CDs pressed in Japan. Are the SHM-SACDs much better than the early CDs?

 

I bought this disc on eBay yesterday and should have it in a week. From the picture, it does not appear to say where it was made. I am looking forward to hearing it based on the positive reviews posted here.

 

Keith, if you are referring to my disc that is the Australian disc did you mean to pick up the UK version? If you look at the samples on page 1 of the sound levels this Australian disc is mastered pretty low. I even uploaded a sample of Magic from my disc to see if it compared to Pizza's to see if they were the same and yes they are the exact same even though my disc does not say Made in Australia, I'm thinking it's from the same mastering. The consensus here seems to be that the UK disc 486620 2 has the better sound.

 

It appears to be the Australian version. That is what the seller claims, and he is based in Australia. Oh well. It wasn't too expensive, and it is a mastering I don't have. I'll look around for the U.K. disc.

Thanks for the information. CBS usually issued the same mastering in Europe and Australia, but there are always exceptions.

 

Thanks for that. Looking that up now.

 

I wish that the expanded CD would have included the two or three ELO songs that were recorded (and only one released as a b-side).

 

Let us know what you think when you get it. I've had time this past week to re-listen to my Aussie Jet CD a few more times and to be honest I actually prefer this disc to the US MCA. The US version is so compressed and super loud...I can turn the volume down and some of the instruments are still over piercing to my ears, it's like there fighting with her vocals, especially evident with headphones. I ended up removing the US version recently from my iTunes library and put the Aussie one back on. The mastering may be low but at least I can turn up the volume to find some sweet spot, it's just rather dull, not dynamic. I look forward to seeking out the UK soon.

 

Will do. Currently, I have the Japanese CSCS and U.S. MCA CDs, and I much prefer the former. The MCA disc is not good at all. However, the Japanese disc is not ideal. As I posted earlier in this thread, the Japanese disc is a bit flat and dull. It can be cranked, but it lacks "sparkle". I'm wondering based on your description whether the Australian disc will be similar to my ears.

 

If I can remember, it's been some time, the ELO side on the MCA US vinyl didn't quite sound as clear/dynamic as the Olivia side, I notice it also on the US MCA cd, I wonder if the ELO side is just poorly recorded, been watching this thread with interest

 

I always thought the labels on the US LP were cool, red/maroon color for ONJ and blue for ELO side, even the labels say ONJ side and ELO side...Ha like we didn't know. Yet side 2 does contain Olivia . Then the same colors are used for the insert that hold the LP. I am not a huge fan of the sound on the US LP, I think it's lacking which is unusual because I tend to favor the LP's.

It's weird because I thought I was the only one who really liked the Xanadu album and now I see a lot of others do as well.
Pretty cool!!

 

I personally don't think the Japanese CD is flat or dull, but it does sound like a 1990 CD, not like the more modern, more "upfront" CDs of today. It was mastered very low, but, when I turn it up, it is very sharp and clear...it's not fuzzy or anything, and I think there is some "sparkle" or ambiance to it, but again, only when the volume is raised a bit, otherwise, when it is played at a low volume, it might sound dull to some.

I haven't heard the UK disc yet (plan to pick it up soon), but I would guess the Japanese CD sounds the most natural, out of the four different versions, even though the UK CD might be a favorite to some for it's more upfront sound.

 

I have to agree with Bobby on this one, even though I also like the 3 songs he mentioned, they really do sound like b-sides to me.

 

If you feel the Japanese disc sounds a bit flat and dull, wait until you hear the Aussie disc. I love the Xanadu soundtrack but I barely played the Australian CD. I was so thrilled when I found out about the other releases and how much better they sound in comparison, including the U.S. Despite the compression, which for me was the lesser of two evils, is more tolerable than the murky muddiness of the Australian one.