I second this big time. One of the best things that ever happened to me (well, maybe I'm exaggerating) is finding out the HDtracks version of the Green 25th anniversary edition has been remastered and is so much quieter than the blaringly awful CD release of same. Plus it includes the full live concert, unlike the CDs. I don't think I'm exaggerating much here on the sound quality issue. I'm old enough to have bought every album on CD as they came out, starting with Fables. And I had the I.R.S. issue, AM+ series for Murmur and Reckoning. I got rid of both of those when I bought the remasters, which in hindsight was a mistake. I recently re-bought one of those two, but I still want to get the other. Anyway, otherwise I think I have all the other original CDs, which is good. I don't say this too often but the remasters are too damn loud. And yes, it would be nice if they Monster right. Maybe we should start an e-mail campaign. I don't remember the 25th Automatic being especially loud. But I've never made the comparison between the original and the anniversary edition.
AFAIK, a pro-shot full length concert video of a single show with all 4 members have never surfaced to fans officially or unofficially. Final tour with Berry and they should have about 10 options, depending on what they kept. I too really enjoy the demos, even if 2 band members had second thoughts about releasing some very "work in progress" stuff.
No, wasn't Jewel. I remember we had a midnight sale for Monster. The big releases we opened up at midnight for one hour to legally sell them on their release day. Tuesday at Midnight. $13.99 plus tax. Monster sold a ton, but was generally not well received. Maybe it has aged well? AftP is still great.
They were playing What’s the Frequency Kenneth? in HMV today, made me realise how much I’m looking forward to playing this album on vinyl. I hope it’s done well.
I’ll have to check out the download Green then. I really have hated all the remasters as none of these albums before Reveal needed anything. And even on the ones not slathered in loudness the emphasis and levels have been changed which really bothers me. Fables is the worst with its clipping and I really gave up and didn’t buy anything else until the OOT and AFTP boxes. Now all the deluxe irs albums are out of print and expensive. OOT and AFTP are louder but not as much as the irs stuff. It’s painful on those two because the original versions were perfectly fine and needed nothing done to them! For the entire IRS era you have to go to original vinyl. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE. The stock original CDs are very good but they don’t have the punch or vitality of the vinyl originals. Murmur and Reckoning got the mfsl releases with the heavier low end but I really don’t like how those obscure the songs themselves-though it was claimed to be the sound of the master tape. I heard samples of the mofi LRP and they did Document as well but since I have amazing originals I never picked those up. Green is the point where their CDs caught up with their vinyl and each original sounds excellent. Ditto for OOT and AFTP where the rare original vinyl is perhaps maybe only slightly better or warmer. Then came the dvd-a with hi res stereo which is perhaps the best of all. Monster has a sort of low fi sound baked into it due to the recording style so it will always be slightly rougher. I think all that a remaster would need to do is dial back any inherent loudness of the 1994 cd which I’m sure the dvd-a does a tad (one of the few I haven’t been able to find yet) and the original vinyl does which is a more relaxed sound but still very much like the cd. But I’m sure since apparently no one at REMHQ pays attention to this we will get another messy disc that this time will be exceptionally loud because the source recording is already more in your face.
I don't know if you're into compilations or not, but the new The Best Of R.E.M. In Time: 1988-2003 compilation sounds great on vinyl. I'm really looking forward to Monster, and even moreso to the eventual release of New Adventures In Hi-Fi, one of my favorite R.E.M. albums of all-time. ("E-Bow the Letter" sounds glorious on In Time.) Their vinyl reissues have been stellar so far. This is a great time to be an R.E.M. fan.
The MoFi Murmur and Reckoning sound great to me. The original I.R.S./A&M CDs of those albums aren’t bad at all. If you want to go all in on the ultimate vinyl, the original Japanese pressing of Reckoning is the best, imho. The MoFi Pageant and Document are the definitive versions of those two albums. And I have the originals.
I provided two other totally pro-shot complete concerts featuring all four members, despite your claim that no such thing exists. Here’s another one:
What are you talking about? I never said such a thing. I merely replied to your post saying it's not pro-shot which is what the original poster was looking for. I can see the other few you posted.
I’ve never had an issue with the IRS CDs, but I imagined that advances in digital mastering might improve them. This reissue program crushed that expectation. I’ve never heard the vinyl, but I’m not a big vinyl fan. But I should hear it at some point. I also have the MFSLs, and I’m aware of Buck’s positive take on those, but I don’t remember being blown away by them.
IMO, the biggest gap in the REM reissue program is a full pro-shot show video from 87-95, without Stipe doing the film school thing in the editing booth. I'm annoyed when others say a live disc isn't too important for the monster box - as much as I also want vinyl/demos. I knew of those earlier videos but didn't think any went over an hour or so. Plus they are all before the had the bigger hits. I really wish the 1992 concert video was better quality. it was on an FB page for a bit. BTW, their archive has some true HD live video from 2006/2008 including a few songs with Berry at the RRHOF.
You're assuming everyone lives in a major market. I do (Houston), so I know what you're talking about. But I've been back to my wife's small Ohio hometown, and there's not anything but a small used CD store and one big box retailer. For people in those areas, they had to just buy the album and hope for the best.
I didn't think the MoFi Pageant was anything special. But I also think I just don't really like the way it was recorded/mixed. I wouldn't doubt that MoFi did the best version. But it didn't "come alive" like many audiophile pressings do for albums I love. It sounds very flat and dull to my ears.
Different strokes. I find that Don Gehman did a great job of getting a bigger drum and guitar sound for R.E.M., and an overall crisp, clear sound, without succumbing to 80s clichés or using loudness war techniques like those that would later be used to make Accelerate “rock.” Pageant is a well recorded album, in my opinion.
I don’t think Monster will be a victim of the loudness wars...Only the IRS reissues suffered. My Green 25 th CD sounds more or less identical to the original to these ears - interesting that others think it’s much louder.
