In case the band members really like this remix, I can only assume that they suffer from hearing loss. This is not meant in a bad way. But it is truly one of the worst things I have heard in my life. No educated sound engineer in the world would have produced such a mess during the band's heyday.
I'm glad I didn't know about this release until just today. i pre-ordered the Steven Wilson remix and was totally happy with it. I'm glad that I didn't know about this one in advance or I probably would have wasted precious dollars on it. Thanks for the heads up guys
Well thanks to all these reviews I definitely will not be purchasing this horrid remix. I did however order the Steve Wilson remix for Chicago II. I am anxiously waiting for it to come in.
While I very much respect Steven Wilson and his remixes, I have recently listened to the quadraphonic mix of Chicago II which blows his mix of the album out of the water. Here's a downmix of the quadraphonic mix for Make Me Smile to show what I mean:
I agree. This sounds clearer and less muddy somehow. Interesting that the original stereo mix was even muddier. Why such a difference in clarity between the quad and stereo mixes? I assume the quad mix was created later?
The CTA two-eye vinyl original is an "audiophile" favorite and stands perfectly well on its own, 50 years on...right from the first track on, one of the best sounding LPs on my TT system. Period. Nowadays the only reason I buy a "remixed/remastered" is if I don't already have the original. I gave up on those 180g-200g horrors after that abysmal pressing of "In The Court Of The Crimson King" entered my abode. I will amend that by saying the 50th Forever Changes box is a must have, due to Botnick's masterful remastering, and the Peppers box just because. ...I rarely listen (as I have the original mono LP) but I have the 3-d box displayed...for the 3-d box alone.
Nice! I have a couple QUADS (I know Steve hates them), but my NRPS "Panama Red" and S&G's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" both in QUAD are stunning, crisp and completely clean sounding. Maybe it is because the QUAD engineer had a second chance to improve on the original's flaws. And often did! Man, this Quad Chicago II is awesome.
Sold my copy immediately. It was my first time listening to that record, ever. It had all the charm of a hospital hallway. Bought the Bellman-mastered pressing instead. Perfect.
the quad mix wasn’t released until 1974 so I assume all of the quad mixes of existing Chicago albums were made around or just before that time.
I agree with the sound of the Chicago II Quad mix, but with most of those Chicago Quad mixes certain elements are either mixed out or different vocals/instruments are mixed totally different to the stereo versions. I have no problem with different mixes, in fact I enjoy the difference but the original stereo mix is still what I grew up with and Steven Wilson's mix retains most if not all of what we heard in the original stereo mix. In fact I'd like to hear him do a remix on Chicago III. We don't need anymore remixes done the way CTA was recently done!
(I could be wrong but) Some of Kath's ad-libs in the chorus(es) sound different than in the original stereo mix. Could it be the quad version contains some alternate vocal takes?
You're correct. In fact, in the "Now More Than Ever" coda, Terry Kath's vocal is missing all together, leaving just the backing vocals by themselves. Luckily, I was able to add it back in using the rockband multitracks.
I feel just the opposite: to me the Wilson remix sounds about as close to "natural" as one can get from a recording that definitely seems to be weird, while the quad mix (as posted above anyway) sounds like somebody *tried* to make it sound "normal", but instead it just sounds weird in other ways. Kind of like it is overcompensating. Plus the obvious performance differences.
I am a big fan of the quad mixes released in that box some years back. The only thing I don't like is the different and empty sounding guitar intro in "Wishing You Were Here".
