expanded AZTEC CAMERA remasters!

Anybody familiar with the bonus tracks/12-inch mixes listed for the High Land, Hard Rain expanded reissue? Are they generally up to par with the quality of whats on the album (no small feat, indeed)?

 

So people are saying the Edsel Beat reissues are good? Like better than the Suede stuff? Hopefully these AC reissues will be good then.

Personally I wish someone would release Frestonia on LP.

 

Orchid Girl is one of the best things they ever did. The rest are ok, and the 12" mixes a bit gimmicky.

 

I would second this. "Orchid Girl" is beautiful.

 

Great, I pre-ordered a few days ago so its good to know that there is at least one really good track on there.

Jim and thoutah, I'm also wondering about the extra tunes slated for the Knife re-issue? Any idea? That's the other one I'm considering picking up based on the strength of the original.

 

I am THRILLED with the Beat reissues. I'll probably try these out too, but like many have lamented, I am very sad that they didn't include the Postcard singles.

 

For those of us who never knew anything but the RT cd, those three tracks have never been heard as bonus material. I can't imagine listening to HLHR without them.

 

From the High Land bonus tracks, I quite like "Set the Killing Free" as well. Roddy does some rather uncharacteristically fierce guitar shredding on it (with his tongue planted firmly in cheek for sure), but it's quite a groovy song.

As for Knife, all I really know is what was taken from the Backwards and Forwards EP. The cover of "Jump" is quite good - a very understated, straight-forward version that totally makes sense when you hear it. As for the other stuff, like the live tracks, it's been years since I've heard them, so unfortunately I can't really comment. I recall not being particularly wowed by the rest of the stuff on that EP, though.

 

Just got word that the release date for these sets has been pushed to late September.

 

Amazon UK shows staggered releases over three weeks for the six albums. Strangely High Land Hard Rain has moved from the first to the third week. Supposedly Knife is still up for a 3rd September release...

 

I am going to get them all shipped at the same time to save shipping charges. The prices are not bad once VAT is taken off.

 

Good news from Amazon!!

We are pleased to report that the following item will dispatch sooner than expected:

Aztec Camera "High Land Hard Rain [Expanded Edition]"
Previous estimated arrival date: September 20 2012 - September 22 2012
New estimated arrival date: September 06 2012 - September 08 2012

 

One day later.... bad news from Amazon!

Aztec Camera "Knife [Expanded Edition]"
Estimated arrival date: October 04 2012 - October 06 2012

So High Land Hard Rain is coming earlier and Knife is coming later!?

 

I have got High Land, Hard Rain in my hands now and I can only say that these Edsel re-issues are really beautiful. Same format as the EBTG re-issues, just slimmer as this is only one disc. I haven't played it yet but I'd say it is worth buying even if only just for looks!

 

Now for the bad news: there is a bad glitch on the 12" mix of Oblivious...

 

What kind of glitch? Can anyone else confirm this issue?

 

You can listen to the glitch here:
http://sdrv.ms/OYe0UK
Check at 0:22.....
I am sending it back to Amazon and have requested a replacement but unfortunately this sounds like a pressing glitch so I am not very optimist that another copy will be better...

 

Hmmm. Just listened to this, and checked it against the version that appeared on the 12"/80s/2 comp from a few years back...and the glitch is on that compilation also!

Now, this could mean that the problem exists with the master used for both CDs - or it might mean that they simply copied this mix of the song from the faulty compilation CD.

Either way, it's not good news...

 

Both "Love" and "Stray" deluxe editions arrived yesterday.

On the "Love" bonus disc the "sax version" of "Working In A Goldmine" is not the same as the one on the original CD single. Its 5.32 in length and curiously is missing any sax.

 

Quality check in music production seems to be out of fashion now... It needs ONE listen to spot these things.
I don't know how many botched re-issues we have had that could have been solved with just a little bit of care for the product:
- New Order Rhino re-issues
- Colourfield Cherry Red re-issues
- Pink Floyd WYWH immersion set
- Frankie Goes To Hollywood Salvo re-issues
- now this

I don't know how many times I had a WTF reaction just on first listen in the last few years.
I wanted to buy all six Aztec Camera sets because I only know the first two albums and this looked like a good chance to discover the rest of the catalogue, but now this has really put me off the whole thing. If my second copy of HL,HR has the same problem (which, given your information, now seems certain) I will return it again, cancel my pre-order for Knife and forget about the rest. I know this glitch is a small thing but if I get the feeling that the product has not been made with care then I don't want to reward them with my money.

How you got any means to check if my file and the one from your compilation are bit-identical? I bet they just ripped the old CD.

 

Hmmm this is shaping up like a New Order Rhino performance, isn't it?
I guess with these re-issues one needs to check if the artists have been involved as they are the only ones who care. The Everything But The Girl sets were good because Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt checked things themselves but I guess that's more an exception than a rule.

 

I am the originator of this thread.

Edsel has apparently said they won't do a thing to fix these CDs (and evidently, there are more slight errors!) until enough people complain. The best way to do this is to write a review on Amazon and Amazon UK, and send a copy of it to Edsel as well. Then you might get lucky. Until then, they figure no one really cares.

 

Unfortunately I am not "in good standing" with Amazon due to a past episode so they won't let me write reviews.
If Edsel doesn't care then neither do I... I will just forget about this whole campaign.

 

I've only ordered "Stray" and am hoping glitches will be minimal, though I was mainly tempted by the looks - the original sounded okay to me.

So what's the sound like on "Love"? I'd get it if it was noticeably better than on the previous editions, despite the sax flaw. Very annoying though. I think I'll pass on HLHR.

 

Looks like I'll be sticking with my vintage vinyl for Aztec Camera....too bad. I saw them at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1988--the only British concert to date I have seen.