Blondie's Parallel Lines/different master from EMI

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by autoamerican, Apr 16, 2013.

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  1. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    In all the discussion on Parallel Lines, I had forgotten about this little gem I picked up a little over a year ago. Chrysalis/EMI has been putting out 2-disc sets of artists' hit albums side by side (Billy Idol's self titled album w/Rebel Yell etc.) and spotted Blondie's Plastic Letters backed with Parallel Lines.

    This version doesn't seem to be the 2001 remaster, 30th anniversary remaster, OR the early 80's/90's masters either. It doesn't have the flaws of the 2001 remaster and it doesn't sound low and compressed like the early copies do:

    Check it out. Also comes with Plaster Letters on another disc:
    http://www.amazon.com/Parallel-Line...ywords=blondie plastic letters parallel lines

    It's super cheap and does not include the bonus tracks. But you get both albums from a different master. I compared them side by side.

    Oh, forgot to mention: it contains the Disco Version (5:50) of Heart of Glass.
     
  2. Echo

    Echo Forum Resident

    Interestng: it's maybe the best mastering of 'Plastic Letters' ( best one of 'Parallel Lines' is, of course, the DCC). Does it say somewhere who did the remastering here?
     
  3. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    Oddly enough, The 1994 Platinum Collection wasn't really that bad of a mastering either. You can get the entire Parallel Lines album on that collection minus Pretty Baby but using the Radio Censored Version of Heart of Glass. That mastering isn't too shabby considering the mistakes on the 2001 master and the low volume of the Chrysalis CD's prior to 1994
     
  4. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    How does this two CD set sound AutoAmerican? Does it sound great? Above average? Just okay?
     
  5. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    I"d like to bring this thread back to the top because there is another thread about this twofer, saying these are the original, unremastered versions. I'd like to know more about which masterings these really are, and how do they sound?
     
  6. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    bumperoo!
     
  7. BIG ED

    BIG ED Forum Resident

    Mr. Blondie [JJ],

    BIG thanks for the review on your 'new' found master of your girl's "Parallel Lines".
    What's the diff w/the 'new' mastering on "Plastic Letters"?
    [both are "PL"; EDweird!]
     
  8. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    Could you post some waveform pics or perhaps short sound clips for comparison?
     
  9. princesskiki

    princesskiki Kiki's Mom

    Hi. Would you mind comparing the shared tracks on this 2-disc set with either an early U.S. or U.K. "Best Of" Chrysalis? Thank you.
     
  10. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    Anything from a Chrysalis Best of Blondie is not going to match in quality or compression to Parallel Lines or Plastic Letters. That compilation was mastered separately in 1981 and have been mixed by Mike Chapman.

    Sorry, I can't upload wave forms. My copy of this set isn't close enough to me (gotta dig it out of storage).
     
  11. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    They very well could be the unremastered versions considering there are no flaws or any compression nuances. They sound better than the 1985 Chrysalis discs and aren't cranked up all the way like the 30th anniversary either.
     
  12. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    The way it sounds is I guess a personal opinion. Some like certain masters than others. I really liked this set and it's sound. Mainly becasue like what I was saying about the 2001 remasters. It differs and you can hear the difference. It won't blow you away like when you're playing the DCC disc but it's a nice sound.
     
  13. princesskiki

    princesskiki Kiki's Mom

    I am sorry but I am not sure whether I am understanding your post. Are you saying that the early U.S. Chrysalis Best of Blondie CD (with the catalog number beginning with "VK") and the early West Germany-for-U.K. (Sonopress) 12-track (with "Denis" replacing "One Way Or Another" BUT WITHOUT the 2 added tracks) are INFERIOR sounding discs? From my numerous comparisons of various CD pressings (of both compilations AND Parallel Lines), those two CDs are EXCELLENT sounding discs. OR are you saying that your 2-disc Parallel Lines/Plastic Letters is no match for the two compilation CDs that I am referring to?
     
  14. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    My 1990 US 12 track re-issue disc of Best Of Blondie sounds better than my 14 track UK 1983 disc of Best Of. The PL/PL set does sound better than the Best Of discs but we really can't compare them since the Best Of collection 12 track or 14 track was mastered differently than the discs we are reffering to here. Those selected tracks were mixed and mastered specifically in 1981 for the Best of Collection.
     
  15. BIG ED

    BIG ED Forum Resident

    autoamerican (aka "Mr. Blondie),

    You really should start a "Blondie on CD" thread; as a lot of info on single title threads are crossing over in too other title's info as well.
    There are a lot of "Blondie" ceedee threads here at SHMF, just really fragmentED right now.
    A "Roland's favorite CD versions of... " stylED thread for "Blondie" would be GREAT!

    an earlier: "Blondie "Parallel Lines": Different CD Masterings Thread".
    http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/blondie-parallel-lines-different-cd-masterings-thread.165599/

    EDitEDbyED:
    excuse me now as i've got too track down a bunch of "Best of... " ceedees!!!

    Now Playing:
     
  16. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    Hi, since I just ordered this, I would love to have extra confirmation and verification that the two CD's in this twofer, Parallel Lines and Plastic Letters, are not the loud, compressed 2001 remasters, nor the 30th Anniversary remasters.

    Can you reassure me that these two Cd's in this set are indeed separate and better masters than the remasters mentioned above? Autoamerican, can you give extra reassurance? The last thing I want to buy is the latest Blondie remasters that everyone says are loud and fatiguing. Thanks.
     
  17. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    If somebody owns this twofer already, posting EAC peak levels should help:)
     
  18. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    I checked out this twofer and yes, it exists as a twofer on Discogs. It is labeled as a release for Europe. Could this indicate a different mastering? I merely want to learn more about the mastering I just purchased.
     
  19. SteveS1

    SteveS1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Weald, England, UK
    I've ordered one of these, having previously been fairly happy with the UK original of PL and not willing to stump up for the DCC. It will be interesting.
     
  20. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    Okay, let's come back and compare notes when we get a chance to listen to ours.
     
  21. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    As long as you purchased the copy I was refering too and gave a link too then yes I assure you, it is not the same master. There was another set of these two albums BUT that version IS the 2001 remaster and includes those same bonus tracks. This set was new and DID NOT include the bonus tracks. This version is not as loud as the 2001. I compared them. I also noticed that they do NOT have any of the audible faults that the 2001 did. This is how I know they are different.
    Rest assured. :tiphat:
     
  22. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    MY copy was a US release and NOT a UK or European release.
     
  23. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    Hi autoamerican, however, the link you provided says "Import." One other thing, according to Discogs, there is no US release of this two CD set, only one for Europe, and one for Brazil.
     
  24. autoamerican

    autoamerican X-Offender Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    My mistake. I don't have mine in front of me right now and may have confused myself with the release by it's availability and cheap price. I must not have looked hard enough on it's sleeve.
     
  25. dead of night

    dead of night Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Va, usa
    That's okay, thank you for getting back to me. I would think that if your CD cover looks the same as the one pictured, it's the same release. Now I can look forward to hearing the same one you enjoy.
     
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