Why did MFSL always choose the wrong album to do?

Well, it wouldn't be the first time. I like Nirvana - Kurt wrote some great songs, but I'm more of a Foo Fighters man myself. Blasphemy, I know.

 

if you prefer the mofi then you prefer their eq job.
again that's the difference.
the smiley face changed the sound more with in utero than nevermind.

 

In the case of Neil, I assume Warner Bros wasn't willing to license them anything, so they only had the Geffen material to pick from. Overall, not a strong group of albums, with Old Ways being one of the better probably.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why did MFSL always choose the wrong album to do?

What do you think of the latest remaster?

 

I do not detect any smiley face EQ on the MiFi "In Utero" version. I hear it on the Geffen version...

Perhaps you believe the Geffen version was flat?

 

Considering how well they did Traffic, I wish they had done John Barleycorn instead of Shoot Out at the Fantastic Factory.

Brian

 

Re: Re: Why did MFSL always choose the wrong album to do?

I personally felt that the drums were a lot more open than the DGC version.

 

I am sure that the labels didn't want to always license out top recordings for MOFI to remaster. Even less now than the past. I am sure Steve can tell you that. The labels have convinced the public that all these titles are "remastered" and that they aren't going to be some $29 gold CD. Whether the consumer likes the sound or not is obviously a matter of taste.

I don't the economics of it, but these titles don't sell as many records as you would believe. A while back I looked up Soundscan on a bunch of old MOFI titles. Since they are all out of print, the numbers are not going to change, so I should post them. Although it is a flawed system (add that to anything released before the fall of 1991 isn't accounted for), it will show how small the market really is and how much of a threat it ISN'T to a comparable release on a major label.

 

I don't believe MFSL "picks" any of these titles, as much as I believe they were offered this titles.

 

"Nevermind" Anadisq

I believe it was Ken Lee. I don't have the record though - look in the dead area - KL might be there.

I'll have to get the MoFi LP one of these days. I found the recent Nevermind vinyl import to be OK sounding, but a little too soft and polite for this album. I think the MoFi LP of Nevermind is one of the most valuable Anadisq's, with I think only Blood, Sweat, and Tears (at least at one time) being more pricey.

 

MoFi did issue From Elvis In Memphis. It was from their original run of LP's - MFSL-1-059

 

MOFI released the right Rush titles to do: 2112, Moving Pictures, and then Signals.

 

I don't think so. They didn't release them all.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why did MFSL always choose the wrong album to do?

There is definitely a bigger difference in the sound of the In Utero MoFi and it's standard release counterpart than there is between the MoFi Nevermind and its standard release counterpart. They are both, however, IMO pretty similar to the general releases as far as tonality and what have you.

One Correction: in my original post I made reference to Nirvana LP's on Classsic Records, I meant to say Simply Vinyl. AFAIK, Classic Records has never released any Nirvana LP's.

 

Again, I have to agree with Grant - no as far as I can tell.

 

Yeah, I was stuck in a CD-only mindset when I wrote my comment. Still, why couldn't they have done a CD of FEIM at the time they did TTWII? Did the fact that they'd already done it in vinyl years earlier preclude them from going back and doing a CD? I'm still really curious about the choice of "That's the Way it is". A good album, but I wouldn't put it among Elvis' top five best records. Why choose it as the one CD to reissue? Did someone at Mofi have a special fondness for it?

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Why did MFSL always choose the wrong album to do?

Steve Albini responds:

I haven't heard the Mobile Fidelity version of In Utero. I have qualms with
the conventional mastering on the Geffen version, but the band didn't, and
I respect their tastes.

best,
-steve albini