Thanks. I didn't realize that the disc is not released yet (comes out this upcoming Friday 10/29, apparently). I appreciate your taking the time to respond, especially since this is the version I was hoping for!
So I missed out on Ocean Rain last week. The only one of the 80’s Echo & The Bunnymen releases I didn’t already have, and the only one of the re releases my local shop didn’t get a copy of. But then I read some critical comments about the new release and figured just as well then. But when I went in this weekend they had a copy set aside for me. I’ve listened to it a few times already, and really like it a lot. If the original UK release really sounds much better, I hope I get a chance to hear it someday.
Not just Rhino - I saw a review over the weekend that Duran's new LP is 130 g. I suspect we are seeing a supply chain effect from pandemic.
Or they've finally realized that the whole 180 gram thing is just a marketing ploy designed to make people think it's better. It's not. 140 or 120 gram vinyl will sound exactly the same.
More like the McDonald's Model of Marketing*, whereby: Smaller Packaging = Less Product Cost + Same Price = More $$$$ Profits = Bigger Bonuses For "The Suits"™. From the beginning, I've asked multiple sources the question, "Why 180 grams?", and never could find a sensible answer. * As they were the first large company that realized this, seized it and used it to their advantage.
Side B of the Hedwig lp has a good bit of non-fill. Ugh. I hope they release this on black vinyl someday.
I just received my copy and now spinning it. I recently spun my original US and later euro repress and based on my recent memory (and modest rig), this reissue is definitely worth grabbing. Nice pressing, detailed and clear.
i agree with this! sounded great to me. i also picked up porcupine and i'm listening to it now. it also sounds very nice to me. i may just have to pick up the other two as well.
I ordered the color bundle of the Echo & The Bunnymen reissues from Rhino but only received the first three albums. Unfortunately, I got an email from them saying Ocean Rain is backordered. Funny how that works! I’m hoping I’ll receive it eventually but in the meantime I picked up a black copy from Barnes & Noble… Listening to Heaven Up Here right now and I have to agree that it sounds really good (although I have no other physical versions to compare it to). Near perfect pressing as well, which is a nice surprise considering the compromised product I’ve received lately. Looking forward to spinning the other three this weekend!
I found three Echo and The Bunnymen reissues yesterday, Heaven Up Here, Porcupine, and Ocean Rain, at a local shop. I have great original pressings of Crocodiles (my favorite), Heaven Up Here, and Ocean Rain, but I double dipped for the respective reissues, since I listen to this band a lot, and I want new copies to abuse on the turntable while keeping my original pressings pristine. My new 180g reissues of Porcupine and Ocean Rain both sound spectacular. Unfortunately, Side One of my reissue of Heaven Up Here sounds as though it were pressed in a Rice Krispies factory, with considerably more surface noise than the other two, even after cleaning. It's not unlistenable, and it sounds alright once the music gets going, but it's not amazing like the other two reissues that I bought at the same time. Probably just a bad disc out of the batch.
I did pick up Crocodiles and Ocean Rain and while OR doesn't sound terrible it definitely sounds more like my original US Sire copy which I've always found much less "full" than the UK Korova. A little limp. Crocodiles sounds phenomenal just like the others.
I swapped my Hedwig out for another copy and I am happy to say my new lp is a lot better. It’s not perfect, but with a good cleaning it should be just fine. Now I just hope they release the movie version!
Anyone, also own the MFSL Silver Series of ‘Heaven Up Here’, and bought this new Reissue for comparison? I think the Silver Series Label was used by MFSL, when they did not have access to the Original Master Tape for a Vinyl Remastered Release, or thought I read that somewhere a few years ago, probably on another Thread on this Forum.
That is mainly bull, per my email exchanges with mofi. The silver series HUH LP was cut from tape btw.
I decided not to buy the reissues. However, I can tell you that the old Sire USA LPs are nothing special, and far from the best representation of the albums.
Depends how you define expensive. Might not cost much more than these reissues depending on where you buy them and how patient you are. Japanese copies are also a viable alternative. A little more expensive but not obscenely so.
I bought the 2021 Rhino reissue black vinyl LPs for Crocodiles, Heaven Up Here, and Ocean Rain. I love the mastering on these. I've owned US Sire vinyl in the past. IMHO these are more open and detailed. They are not loud. The pressings have very little surface noise. They are now my go to versions after doing needle drops. Porcupine is on its way.
what do you mean that's mainly bull? it seems very well-sourced that unless their banner says "original master recording" they weren't able to confirm the tape they used was the actual master.
What I mean is that folks around here and other forums make assumptions about the Silver Series ("I heard these were digital!") that have no basis in fact. A Silver Series title could have used the original masters or a copy tape. Not like anyone on here could really tell the difference between a first gen mixdown master and a 1:1 copy tape anyway. Folks are much more likely to notice differences in mastering styles, e.g. EQ differences between different engineers and such. The following is a direct quote from MOFI I received over email. There are only a couple of differences in our main label and Silver Label. LP’s released on our main label are pressed on 180g vinyl while the Silver Label titles are pressed on standard weight vinyl (about 140g-150g). All titles on our main label and silver label are sourced from the original master tapes unless otherwise noted in the album credits. We do not use digital sources except in cases where the title’s original master was digital itself.
Any news yet on Rocktober 2022? This is around the time of year that the upcoming titles are announced. I have yet to see anything.