Massive Attack - Mezzanine 20th Anniversary 3lp and 2CD edition on the way

I was one of the lucky few who was shipped the 2 cd edition on the original release date.
I was able to A/B the release with the original on a dj set up.
To my ears they sounded identical.

 

Thanks for the comparison report!

 

So I just received an email telling me the vinyl has been shelved but the 2CD Remastered Mezzanine will be released 20th September.

Are we expecting this remaster to sound any different to the previous release of this?

I think someone posted earlier that they actually received the new 2CD and it didn’t sound any different?

I think I’m right in saying that they re released Mezzanine in 2014 on vinyl? I presume this was in some way ‘remastered’ but who knows!

 

Sure...20 September 2020??

 

My 2CD order is expected to arrive this Friday

 

I’d be interested to know if it’s a huge improvement on previous releases?

 

Amazon (UK) have emailed me to say my CD remaster is arriving tomorrow... unfortunately I won’t get to hear it until Saturday night, I’ll give an opinion when I have.

 

Will you be able to compare with previous issues?

 

So the vinyl is nixed?

Bummer.

 

Yeah, I’ve got the original CD.

 

I'd no sooner posted my snarky comment when I received an email from the shop@superdeluxedition saying the stock was in and my 2cd deluxe was on it's way...to Australia. I'll be back....

 

For those who don't want to buy this great album again, the remixes are available digitally at iTunes (presumably other digital outlets).

 

Ok, I compared the new remaster to the original CD and here's my take on it:

It's not identical and whether it's an improvement or not will be a matter of taste. The remaster tames the treble a bit, which might be good news to those who found some of it a bit harsh or hissy on the original master. But it comes at the cost of clarity and detail. The album sounds a bit "veiled" now to me and the vocals lose a bit of presence. Mind you, it's not a huge difference but it's noticeable in a direct comparison. Even though I'm usually very sensitive to brightness, I think I still prefer the original master.

The good news is, it's not heavily compressed in comparison. The DR values are pretty much the same as on the original, losing only a point or two on some tracks. For those who like numbers:

Original CD:

2018 Remaster:

The Dub mixes on Disc 2 are pretty cool if you like this kind of thing. Since the Deluxe Edition goes for only €11 around here, it's sure nice to have.

 

Picked up the 2CD instore yesterday for £8. Feels really half-arsed. The flimsy booklet was already creased (on a shrink-wrapped "new" copy so must have happened at the manufacturing stage) and the digipak had the 'flattened' feel of something that had probably been sat in a warehouse for 12 months or so...which it likely has. The portraits of the group have been removed from the artwork and there are no sleevenotes.

On first listen, I agree with @wolfram 's comments about the overall sound. I think I prefer the original master although one or two tracks benefit from being that little bit more occluded. The Mad Professor stuff is cool.

 

Listened to the Mad Prof stuff on streaming, and as usual, it bored the hell out of me. I like some MA remixes but I've never taken to a single MP one – dub isn't for me, I guess. Combine that with a barely changed master of the album and this is a huge waste of time and money to me.

 

@wolfram and @octophone , thanks so much for the listening impressions and DR numbers - very helpful!

Personally I am with @seasonsinthesky - dub mixes have never done it for me. This is a pass for me - seems like it's a great, affordable option for folks who want the Mad Professor disc, but of little use to anyone interested in the sonics of the original album.

 

This really doesn’t feel celebratory at this point does it?

Oh well, I’m glad to have some new remixes and keeping fingers crossed the tour actually happens.

 

I wonder what people expected? I always felt that the original MA albums sounded pretty great to begin with and didn't need any improvement.

Now if you gave me surround mixes of these, that would be another thing.

 

Only had a quick listen to a few tracks and not compared directly yet (I know this album very well on my system!).
Agree with other comments to a degree, the sound is a little more recessed. The bass is heavier, but actually not in a bad way, it’s got a bit more clarity to it on my modest system at least. Although the DR numbers are the same (or a little worse on paper) I think the CD is more crankable - comfortable listen at 3 o’clock on my little amp (which is very good for any album I have) whereas the original is more like ‘2’ before it got too much. I will have to have more listens and compare directly yet though - I’ll need to do that to properly hear what may be ‘missing’ with the different sound.
So certainly not a disaster on a quick listen, but not a revelation either..

 

I agree with this, but ideally I was hoping for more clarity and less harsh at volume, with a better soundstage - don’t think I’ll have all 3! 2 would be nice, but I’ll need more time with it to see if I’m lucky or not...

 

So the vinyl was just completely scrapped?

So for those of us in need of a copy of this on vinyl, is the original the way to go? I’ve also read favorable reviews of the 2013 reissue.

 

No expectations on album itself, although I’m proud owner of 2014 LP reissue!

Other bands have set a high bar on these anniversary sets with demos, outtakes, remixes, vintage live cuts, new mixes, etc.

 

Thanks. I always appreciate when members share the events in their life in relation to the music - it invariably evokes a time and place when I hear certain songs.

 

Yes, I've always felt that the first four Massive Attack albums sounded just fine in their original masterings (although I really like the 2012 Mix/Master of Blue Lines as an alternative sonic option).

 

I know what you mean. My curiosity cost me £8. It has, at various points, cost me a lot more than that and this is the only occasion where I've got a Mad Professor album out of it.