Does Anyone Have an Opinion on UK CD label BGO Records?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bigpink68, Nov 8, 2012.

  1. So far I haven't had a problem with volume on their titles. Curious as to which titles these are.
     
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  2. If your into pictures they don't exactly procide a lot of those and sometimes the writer (usually John Tobler) will go to online sites like Wikipedia for the i do. Having said that, they are usually i formative and well written aLThough I was disappointed that the reissues of the two Richard Thompson Polygrams were presented wothout notes and for Across A. Crowded Room didn't have "Shine in Love". It also used the track listing for the LP which was that way because of time constraints. The only other point I'd make about this one is. As I recall, (I bought them for someone else mind you so I don't have them. I have the original mastering for both titles) they were sent the LP master for "Ghost in the Wind" which was sped up by 2% for the LP to allow for full volume and dynamics, space, etc. on the album.

    I imagine that the bonus track wasn't included because Richard didn't feel the song fit on the album and only put it in the CD at the insistence (and tapes as I recall) of the label.

    You wouldn't know the difference if you had never heard the CD. As I recall they did do a secret remaster to correct that problem (again were talking twenty years ago so I can't verify beyond memory) and, as I recall, they sent out a replacement title if you asked for it.

    Overall, I've been very pleased with their quality especially for the Poco 2fers and I'd say 98% of their reissues are excellent.
     
  3. XISMZERO

    XISMZERO New Member

    I also bought the Tom Scott/LA Express 3-in-1. Again, volume too low. Mp3Gain fixes it luckily, satisfactorily without any noticeable clipping.
    Good thing is the mastering is excellent aside from the volume issue. Clear, spacious and no gimmicky EQ tricks or faux echo tricks I've heard on other UK re-issue labels (like Robin Song/Cherry Records).
    I know a lot of forum members here scoff at "loudness" laden (typically on Japanese editions) but if the mastering is high-res enough, who cares how loud as long as it doesn't clip.
     
  4. RoyalScam

    RoyalScam Luckless Pedestrian

    :-popcorn:
     
  5. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    ahhhh! they are releasing some of Tom T Hall's stuff coming soon.
    I've enjoyed all of their releases and think they sound like they should.
    No complaints here, and I have quite a bunch of em' now.
     
  6. Fine job on the titles I own including all of the Jerry Lee Lewis releases.
     
  7. qrarolu

    qrarolu Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm, Sweden
    I just bought the Skid Row (Irish band) BGO twofer of their two albums and I was surprised it sounded so good. Real good dynamics and not bright at all.
     
  8. Andreas

    Andreas Senior Member

    Location:
    Frankfurt, Germany
    I quite like their mastering of Kevin Ayer's and the Matching Mole's albums, probably the best CD issues of these albums.

    However they failed with Soft Machine's Third --- an album with problematic sound quality to begin with, but they somehow thought that maximum amount of noise reduction is a good idea. Clearly the worst CD issue of the album and I have heard all of them.
     
  9. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist

    BGO remain one of the best reissue labels in the world. Right now, my favorite reissue labels are BGO, Ace, Mosaic, Hux, Bear Family, Real Gone Music, Omnivore.

    Instead of 1CD twofers, BGO seem to be taking the direction of 2CD sets as fourfers.
     
  10. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    I agree, and would add 'Morello' to that list too.
     
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  11. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist

    Definitely. Morello are part of Cherry Red, what a great reissue label. Morello have done a terrific job bringing the Tammy Wynette albums back into print, so many other great artists as well.
     
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  12. Vaughan

    Vaughan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex, UK
    Apologies if it's been discussed before - but does anyone have an opinion on the Tom Verlaine disc they put out?
     
  13. aussievinyl

    aussievinyl Appreciator Of Creative Expression

    I’ve always liked my BGO cd of Scott Walker’s WHEN THE BAND COMES IN. Natural sounding, from vocals to drums to brass and strings.
     
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  14. abzach

    abzach Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I own some, I like that their CD releases very rarely are compressed, but some have mastering errors. Overall rather good, I'd say.
     
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  15. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist

    2 years ago, I remember there was a mastering error on one of the Charley Pride fourfer 2CD releases. They quickly corrected the flaw and pressed an amended version which sounds great. Customers who had purchased the defective version were advised to contact the CS department for BGO, who promptly shipped replacement copies of the defective disc. What a great label who truly values their customers!
     
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  16. abzach

    abzach Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    They also corrected the 2-CD Gentle Giant/Acquiring The Taste for the second press, I've read in a review on Amazon.uk - but apparently added a bit compression. Interview is missing the last piece of the interview chatt but otherwise sound very good. The 2-CD Three Fiends/Octopus (also Gentle Giant) has an index error. It's a pity they don't always get the details right but overall it's a good independent label that struggle on a tough market.
     
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  17. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I own a bunch..no complaints.
     
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  18. The Killer

    The Killer Dung Heap Rooster

    Location:
    The Cotswolds
  19. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

  20. I picked it their Richie Furay 3 for 1 and it’s excellent as usual.
     
  21. I didn’t detect any compression on the reissue of Octopus/Three Friends. Perhaps someone is mistaking an EQ choice for compression?
     
  22. abzach

    abzach Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I don't know, I only know about Gentle Giant/Acquiring The Taste.
     
  23. The Killer

    The Killer Dung Heap Rooster

    Location:
    The Cotswolds
  24. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    There was a time when BGO added a square silver sticker to some of their reissues that stated "From the Original Master Tapes."

    This was what initially attracted me to their product. And the ones that had this sticker actually did sound better than previous US releases of a given title.

    For instance I knew that the Columbia CD of Ten Years After - Rock and Roll Music to the World was going to be a dull hisser. Not a fan of that era of Columbia, and knowing the true masters are going to be in the U.K. with Chrysalis holdings but of course. So I bought the BGO and loved it. Later when AF released their S. Hoffman mastered gold disc, it had a tough time sounding any better than the BGO imo. It sounds very similar I think.

    So I like silver square stickered BGO titles from master tapes!
     

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