Lets talk about Talk Talk *

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Den., Dec 15, 2015.

  1. Em.

    Em. Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal, USA
    Just sharing a photo I snapped today of my "After The Flood" 3xCD box set (UK, 1991).

    [​IMG]
     
    tmtomh, Carlox, freemanl and 12 others like this.
  2. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    Always enjoy seeing it Em. Gorgeous
     
    Em. likes this.
  3. Phil Tate

    Phil Tate Miss you Indy x

    Location:
    South Shields
    I've got that too, it's a really beautiful collection. Although I kind of wish the outer box didn't have the CD cutouts, so we could see the full unbroken 12" image of that gorgeous James Marsh painting. The CDs never quite line up properly.

    I remember when they came out, it wasn't easy finding all three singles as they were released - so glad I persevered though!
     
    Em. likes this.
  4. GyroSE

    GyroSE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I recently got the 'The Colour Of Spring' vinyl reissue from 2012- it's really stellar soundwise. Great pressing quality and mastered all analogue- I've never heard this album sound so good before. Is the 'Spirit Of Eden' vinyl reissue as good as this one?
     
  5. Baidur

    Baidur Forum Resident

    Yes. That one is great too.
     
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  6. Em.

    Em. Forum Resident

    Location:
    SoCal, USA
    I absolutely agree that it would've been better if they'd left the top outer lid without the 'windows'.
    I remember seeing the individual singles in the bins at the time, but it didn't seem like there was much interest in them, at least around my local shops, as they sat there unpurchased for what seemed like 2 or 3 years.

    I'm glad to have the set, too, though.
     
    Phil Tate likes this.
  7. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    Yes, sounds wonderful
     
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  8. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Laughing Stock is also available and sounds great (quiet vinyl which is essential for the last two albums in particular).
     
    GyroSE likes this.
  9. Rgfinch

    Rgfinch King Rocky

    Location:
    Uk
    The 24/96 FLAC files are up on bandcamp now, at a very reasonable GBP7. Not played them yet but DR is 8 (orig is 12) so some Hoffmanites won't be happy.
     
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  10. Rgfinch

    Rgfinch King Rocky

    Location:
    Uk
    Played a few snippets of Hex last night - definitely sounds more "in the room", the old CD sounds a bit muted and distant in comparison. Personally I couldn't hear the effects of lower DR, although others might. I like it.
     
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  11. Leepal

    Leepal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon, UK
    I have this pressing, didn't know it was all analogue, sounds great either way. I think Spirit of Eden is as good although I haven't listened to it that much yet.
     
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  12. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Any more news on the source for these reissues?
     
  13. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Is anyone planning on getting the reissues that come out this Friday? I've not been able to find any info on the source (I'm assuming it's digital)
     
  14. StephMess78

    StephMess78 Forum Resident

  15. StephMess78

    StephMess78 Forum Resident

    OH!...I was talking about Spirit of Eden...sorry! :p
     
  16. It's Felix

    It's Felix It's not really me

    wow what is on the cds
     
  17. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Tracks 1-6 on this are spread across the three CDs in the box (which was released one disc per week back in the day iirc): Talk Talk - Missing Pieces
     
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  18. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    For those of us who missed Talk Talk the first time around, and with the band most likely retired, would it kill them to give us a Complete Recordings 1981-1991 boxset???
     
    St. Troy, RevUp64, jimhb and 3 others like this.
  19. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    And more live stuff please. :)
     
  20. It's Felix

    It's Felix It's not really me

    yes and laughing stock.
     
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  21. tmtomh

    tmtomh Forum Resident

    I wonder if anyone has thoughts on the sound of the US vs UK/EU CDs of Laughing Stock? (Posting this here since every thread on this specific album seems to be closed.)

    In particular, as some folks might know from threads like this one - Talk Talk - Laughing Stock - different masterings? - the UK and US CDs have different timing, because on the UK CD "After the Flood" crossfades into "Taphead," while on the US CD "After the Flood" fades out completely, and then "Taphead" begins with about 4 seconds of very quiet guitar notes, followed by an abrupt second of silence, and then the beginning of the track proper.

    I mention all this because the LP and cassette versions of the album share the full fade-out and small extra snippet with the US CD. So my assumption was that because of this - and because Talk Talk were UK-based - the US CD might have been made from an EQ'd or otherwise futzed-with LP cutting master: it seems obvious to me that the UK CD's crossfade was the band's intention for the CD format, and the full fade-out was done only because of the need for LP and cassette to have a break between Side A and Side B.

    But I just compared the US to the 1999 Pond Life reissue (which is bit-identical to the original UK CD except for a 0.56dB level shift), and while the sonic difference is very subtle, I think I might actually prefer the US. It has more bass heft and I think slightly more presence.

    I'm not 100% sure of my preference, as I can't decide if the UK/Pond Life mastering is very slightly anemic compared to the US, or if it's very slightly cleaner than the US. But as of now I feel like the US CD has a slightly more "analogue" sound (though I generally try not to use that word to describe a digital format's sound), which suits the material nicely.

    And I'm also not sure that the sonic difference between the two is big enough to outweigh one's preference on the crossfade vs. no-crossfade issue.

    At any rate, I was intrigued by the subtle but IMHO very noticeable sonic difference, and particularly by the fact that the US CD does not sound like it's taken from an inferior source like an LP cutting master.

    Anyone else have thoughts or opinions about this? Would love to hear from the several Talk Talk experts who've posted in the now-closed threads. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2018
  22. bcaulf

    bcaulf Forum Resident

    I went with the US pressing, can't be without those first 4 seconds of noise on Taphead! :) And I like the sound. Never found a need to seek out another version. The drum sound on Ascension Day is awesome.

    I never thought about that for the UK cd though. I actually didn't know After The Flood faded into it. I thought it just faded out and Taphead was just missing those four seconds. It makes sense that it was probably meant for these two songs to be seamless but because of the vinyl break they had to split them.
     
  23. yamfox

    yamfox Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I don't see how anyone could find any fault with the original Hex CD - always sounded glorious to me, tons of tiny details to absorb and warm like a blanket.
    I think the remaster's EQ is quite inferior and overall the thing is very pointless to me. Not even any benefit to be gained from a fresh tape transfer as the album was arranged out of samples on a computer.
    But that's neither here nor there as this thread's about Talk Talk :kilroy:
     
  24. BryanA-HTX

    BryanA-HTX Crazy Doctor

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    A band with the name "Talk Talk" I could never take seriously and doesn't sound like anything I'd be interested in. (I know I know... I can be shallow like that:hide:)

    But since you asked, my favorite band of the 20th century is indeed the Beatles, and after that it's a toss up between several bands. Probably Iron Maiden.
     
  25. WorldB3

    WorldB3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    On the continent.
    I don’t have much to add except over the past couple of years I have really gotten into Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock which were new to me. I love how these records not only stopped me in my tracks but also took me places I didn’t think I could go.

    While I don’t consider myself to be a religious person I put both of these records up there along the lines of Coltrane’s A Love Supreme and Bach’s Mass In B Minor.

    While I also enjoy Color Of Spring and the Mark Hollis solo release the last two Talk Talk records are just something else.

    While I was familiar with their first two New Romantic era albums as a teenager I lost track of them and I am sort of glad I did as I think my early 20’s self wouldn’t have appreciated where they went when these first came out. Better late than never.

    Favorite Miles album is Nefertiti.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2018

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