Does the EU pressed Reprise Years vinyl boxset indicate Euro address etc on the lower back of box, or are these details the same with both EU & US vinyl pressings?
Just pulled out my Ladies of the Canyon and I can’t find it in Discogs It the two tone Reprise label and has the following matrix numbers and no other markings. RS-6376 30992 RS-6376 30993-2 Anyone know how early it is?
The two-tone Reprise label was replaced by the one-color label during 1969-70, so that must be a pretty early pressing.
It does yes, it says "Made in Germany" on the lower back of the boxset. Also I believe the hypesticker is stuck on the box itself on the USA set whereas on the EU one is on the shrink wrap.
just finished listening to the Asylum box. Really awesome music thanks for recommending I get both! good call. I actually needed to swap one of the discs that had a pretty nasty pressing defect. Amazon is so easy for that at least.
I don't mean to stir up any controversy here, but I just listened to the Song to a Seagull 2021 remaster side by side with the earlier CD release (with HDCD, which I don't have on my player but...), and I don't care for the sound of the new mix. I don't quite understand why the guitars, which were panned on the original, have been moved toward the center producing a mono effect, and although her voice sounds clearer on many of the tracks, it also sounds a bit artificial, like it's being piped in from another room. The original certainly has problems but this 2021 mastering introduces a bunch of new problems in place of the old ones. Anyone else have that reaction?
In short, yes. Many here (myself included) agree with you and I feel like the problem lies with the condition of tape transfers they had to work on, but that's speculation
Guess I'll stick to the original vinyl. It may be wide stereo but it is of a time, but timeless, and sounds just fine to me, I like wide separation anyway, as if like the guitar players are on two sides of the stage.
I completely agree with you, and apologize for repeating the information. I just always wonder why so many people who consider themselves "aficionados" (whatever) post these raves online... "OMG it's like she's in the room with you, we can finally hear it the way it was meant to be heard" blah blah blah. What are these people talking about?
Unfortunately that may have been what the 2021 remaster was attempting (but didn't achieve: the right in the room effect), by bringing everything forward badly. We don't "hear" in stereo, not unless the singer and guitar were in opposite corners in the room like widely separated speakers (I like 60's and 70's w-i-d-e stereo myself) . If Joni were right in your living room we wouldn't hear her voice in the middle in both ears, her guitar in our left ear, and bass or drums in the right. I haven't heard the remastering in question but it sounds like (in any event) they failed quite miserably. Too bad. I sounds like they messed up every aspect of the attempted remastering. By all your descriptions it sounds almost like it's a lo-fi brickwall.
As an aside, which pressing of Seagull would you recommend? Saw this in mono, and curious about this one: Joni Mitchell - Joni Mitchell
I think that one was just a fold-down of the stereo. Any 68-75 tugboat pressing should do the job if you’re just looking to hear the original mix. But if you can find a clean original stereo you’re golden. They aren’t too hard to find yet.
Playing this one today...best pressing? Sounds fantastic to my ears. For The Roses. Tri-fold. First pressing.
Looks like a Capitol Los Angeles pressing. Those are generally nice. Any indication in the runouts who cut the lacquers?
Sorry for breaking the "Reprise" thread with an Asylum pressing post...but anyway... Joni's first with Geffen? The pic I posted above "For The Roses" is actually a googled pic. My vinyl has "pR" in the trailoff and this "ST-AS-722648-PR" on the label. So New Jersey, Presswell. Right? It sounds great, as I just played it.
Haven't heard Steve's mastering yet but I believe you as his remastering of Pet Sounds is the go to LP. Here's a review to back you up @marcfeld69 ... Was it issued as a CD by Rhino? Vinyl Reviews: Joni Mitchell - Blue "The record’s single weakness has always been the less-than-optimal sonics of its U.S. vinyl pressings. On a number of cuts, instruments sound thin and brittle. On others, Mitchell’s multi-octave voice breaks up when she pushes the limits of her microphone. On the Rhino Records reissue, mastering engineers Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman achieve something remarkable. Acoustic guitars and Mitchell’s Appalachian dulcimer now have the full, wooden resonance of live instruments. Stills’ bass notes are as fluid and melodic as they must have sounded in the studio, and Mitchell’s voice is stunningly pristine, giving more force to her passionate delivery. RTI’s flawless pressing delivers the full measure of Gray and Hoffman’s restoration so that fans can finally hear an analog version of Blue that matches Mitchell’s monumental achievement."
