Overall, I love the remix of the White Album but not the remix of Helter Skelter. As you say, the bass is less pronounced and the lead guitar really suffers. Looking online, I found all the separated elements for the song (extracted from the Rock Band game) and was able mix the bass guitar back in and, at least for the intro, replace the lead guitar. Sounds much better.
I've found over several listenings that "Helter Skelter" and "Sexy Sadie" are the songs the least well served in this remix (which I do like, overall).
I’d add WMGGW. Overall i’d say that the remix versus original ratio is about 50% for me. Which is really good going. I am happy for an album of remixed Beatles to have a couple of new go-to versions so for this one to have that many is pure win.
"While My Guitar" is one with changes I don't mind - it isn't neutered, the way "Helter Skelter" is, and the new remix of "Sexy Sadie" seems to emphasize the bum notes a bit.
I figured that was probably what you meant, but it's not clear to me that recordings obtained through "alternate sources" can reliably serve as a basis for judging the sound of the actual multis, nor do I see how a remix, which is after all a mix, could be a"quite accurate representation of how the track sounded on the multis". Would you care to clarify?
I really meant that the bass and drums on the remix "Helter Skelter" sound 'less futzed with', when compared to the raw mixes, isolated tracks, as opposed to the original mix in it's various formats and masterings. I didn't mean for the whole thing - the remix itself is really good to great for what it is, but it has its deficiencies in places as well.
I really enjoy this new mix of "Sexy Sadie." I like the swooping, deranged doo-wop of the backing vocals brought up in the mix. And I think the outro is a better balanced mix with John's slightly off-key caterwauling trailing off sooner and lower (to my ears anyway).
I like the new remix too.....the backing vocals are great and the stereo bouncing drum beats at the start are cool too.
Count me in for both of the maligned remixes. I was actually kind of floored by the Helter Skelter remix. Much more apocalyptic sounding than the antiseptic original mix. I thought it really brought everything together for me. The 60s mixes can sound more like science experiments than rock music at times due to the technical limitations of the time and the original mixer's imagination limitations. While My Guitar is the only one on the remixed album that I don't care for.
I'm still back-reading this thread so I don't know if this has beeen corrected. But just in case it hasn't, here's what John writes on the final page of the book : THANKS YOU FAB GEAR WACKERS FROM THE BOYS THE MEN - . . . . . . . THE BEATLS John Lennon Nov '68
Anybody disappointed that the guitar riffing during "...Monkey" is totally overpowered by the bass and drums? If i had to pick just one song which sort of let me down, it's this one for that reason.
Although I don't like the remix as much as a lot of folks do here, the Esher Demos are a nice welcome, as are the Outtakes. Love the Outtakes! If your a fan of this LP, you'll love most, or all of this package.
The remix for "Birthday" has John's vocal down a bit more than the original and thus gives the song less of a duet between he and Paul and more of a solo Paul vocal. I liked the original much better.
I don't notice much difference between the mixes' vocals to be honest. If you'd have asked me before I just listened to it who sings on that track I'd have answered Paul (except for the "Yes we're going to a party, party" lines), so Lennon's vocal is pretty buried to begin with IMO.
For anyone who might be interested, Pretty Green (clothing label) have all of their 'White Album' range reduced by 65%
I bought their Beatles Raccoon coat a few weeks ago and am really pleased with it ...although I didn't buy the t-shirt...
The Birthday remix with the panned guitars is the king of the remix if you ask me. The power after the drum break is hair raising.
I definitely agree that it's McCartney, I think this is way beyond John's skill set, IMO. The thing that throws me though is McCartney seems to have problem maintaining consistent tempo, like he's having difficulty keeping up with what he's trying to play. I wouldn't have expected that from him.
I like the album remix overall, I hear all kinds of things I never noticed before, but the guitars are too low throughout the entire album IMO.
The two songs specifically which the remix has given me a new "love" for are Don't Pass Me By and Long Long Long. Other than that, while some tracks are nicely improved, others not as much, I still consider it a great alternate way of hearing the album (which is pretty much how I feel about the Sgt. Pepper remix).