November treat for fans of Kate Bush

Richard Dane posted:

Well, it finally looks like the entire Kate Bush catalogue has been remastered and is being re-released in November.  What's more, everything will be available on vinyl as well as on CD.

James Guthrie did the remastering alongside KB.  Apart from that, there doesn't seem to be any more detail, particularly with regard to the vinyl releases.

I have everything of Kate Bush's releases on vinyl and CD already, but still I'm tempted, especially by the last box of 12" and rarities.  It could get a bit expensive though...

Got to get this, thanks Richard for the heads up. Should be top notch with KB involved.

This looks like a wonderful release. But but you have ask yourself has KB gone completely mad. Where was the build-up, no fanfare, advanced publicilty or sneak previews - what a great idea let's release a deluxe set on the market in the same period when we have:-

John Lennon - Imagine

David Bowie - Loving the Alien

Bob Dylan - More Blood on the Tracks

The Beatles - White Album

The Police - Every Move You Make

and of course that creme de la ceme of a deluxe re-issue The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (errrr!!!!)

Post Christmas, I reckon there's going to be a few bargains around.

This Kate Bush release has already got my money.  One thing I did notice though is that the box sets cost rather more than buying the albums individually.  I'm not sure what you get extra with the box.

Richard thank you, this has made my day, just finished reading "Under The Ivy" tonight and boy have I beed lusting over KB on Vinyl. This is such good news!

On CD all the albums from A Kick Inside to The Sensual World sound good quality to me.   Be interesting how much improvement can be made with the remastering.  It makes me want to buy a Turntable though.         All we really want is a live DVD of Before the Dawn.

Richard Dane posted:

This Kate Bush release has already got my money.  One thing I did notice though is that the box sets cost rather more than buying the albums individually.  I'm not sure what you get extra with the box.

I thought the rarities discs only came with box 2 and not separately?

Nick, yes, that's the only one where you have to buy the box (as I have done) - I don't think they're available separately. At least, not yet...

I've got all the KB albums, mostly on UK first press vinyl. But the box of rarities and covers looks very interesting. Although - unless I'm missing something - the "On Stage" EP doesn't seem to be anywhere. Will probably go for the Box 4; and, depending on what members of this forum say, I may then plump for some of the others, if there is any improvement in SQ.

Nightmare! This and the White Album as well! I'm supposed to be saving up for a 272! 

This calls for self discipline way above my modest levels...

It's the warmth of the recording on her first two albums that comes through so well in the vinyl format. Hard to think of a better recording for vinyl other than the usual suspects, Revolver, Abbey Road, DSOTM etc. Can't wait for their release.

Oh and on the discussion of this being a potentially expensive autumn for new and re-releases, Dead Can Dance have their new album out in Nov too! Vinyl version going for a cool £80 on Amazon!  

£360 for four sets of remasters of what people very likely have already? That’s a lot of money that could be spent on discovering new music. These vinyl remasters do seem to be getting a bit out of proportion. They look lovely of course, and doubtless sound good, but it does seem slightly excessive. I guess some like to collect, and it’s playing to that market. Ideal Christmas gifts for the fiftysomething in your life. 

I only have Aerial in my collection, and have been meaning to investigate others for ages. Which three individual CDs should I pick off first?

The Kick Inside, Lionheart and Never Forever. 

Hounds Of Love, side two of which is a masterpiece. The only one of hers I’d hesitate over is 50 Words For Snow, which is overindulged and, in parts, tiresome.

hungryhalibut posted:

£360 for four sets of remasters of what people very likely have already? That’s a lot of money that could be spent on discovering new music. These vinyl remasters do seem to be getting a bit out of proportion. They look lovely of course, and doubtless sound good, but it does seem slightly excessive. I guess some like to collect, and it’s playing to that market. Ideal Christmas gifts for the fiftysomething in your life. 

Ah but it is all in a good cause paying for Bertie’s school fees.

Nick Lees posted:

Hounds Of Love, side two of which is a masterpiece. The only one of hers I’d hesitate over is 50 Words For Snow, which is overindulged and, in parts, tiresome.

And yet...  there is genius hidden within 50 Words For Snow.  It just doesn't work on a sunny Summer day, but change the season and the weather and all of a sudden it becomes sublime.  It took just such a wintry cold, snowy day for me to appreciate it.  Before that, i felt much the same as you about the album.  

If I can count The Kick Inside and Lionheart as just one double album but issued as individual releases, then add The Hounds of Love and Never For Ever.  After that, if Kate is getting under your skin, go to The Dreaming, which is perhaps her most challenging album but also her most weird and wacky, and ultimately, maybe even her most wonderful.

Richard Dane posted:

If I can count The Kick Inside and Lionheart as just one double album but issued as individual releases, then add The Hounds of Love and Never For Ever.  After that, if Kate is getting under your skin, go to The Dreaming, which is perhaps her most challenging album but also her most weird and wacky, and ultimately, maybe even her most wonderful.

Richard Dane posted:

Nick Lees posted:

Hounds Of Love, side two of which is a masterpiece. The only one of hers I’d hesitate over is 50 Words For Snow, which is overindulged and, in parts, tiresome.

And yet...  there is genius hidden within 50 Words For Snow.  It just doesn't work on a sunny Summer day, but change the season and the weather and all of a sudden it becomes sublime.  It took just such a wintry cold, snowy day for me to appreciate it.  Before that, i felt much the same as you about the album.  

I rather like 50 Words but you're right, it's a time and a place album, I made a point of listening to it back in March during the big snow and it was rather good, particularly the title track with Stephen Fry. Maybe it'll get another outing this winter!

Richard Dane posted:

If I can count The Kick Inside and Lionheart as just one double album but issued as individual releases, then add The Hounds of Love and Never For Ever.  After that, if Kate is getting under your skin, go to The Dreaming, which is perhaps her most challenging album but also her most weird and wacky, and ultimately, maybe even her most wonderful.

I agree, it might be weird and wacky but I find it her most rewarding album.

it all market planning CHRISTMAS BOX SET TIME   Possible the most high vinyl sales in the year

I’ve always been a huge Kate Bush fan but pricing is putting me off a bit.

As mentioned earlier The Kick Inside and Lionhearte have incredible warmth on vinyl.

The real question at the price is whether or not the remastering and pressing quality will make these releases any better or worse than the originals.

I have all the released albums on vinyl already bar the Director’s Cut and have the older This Woman’s Work box set with virtually unplayed copies of earlier albums, B Sides and rarities. Found several Hounds of Love era  12” singles the other day too.

If buying the whole set it’s a huge outlay for things you have unless there’s a tangible sound quality improvement.

Some of the albums in the older box set I think were those cheap ‘Fame’ releases you could buy in Woolworths so perhaps some improvement to be gained but who knows for sure!

Richard Dane posted:

Nick Lees posted:

Hounds Of Love, side two of which is a masterpiece. The only one of hers I’d hesitate over is 50 Words For Snow, which is overindulged and, in parts, tiresome.

And yet...  there is genius hidden within 50 Words For Snow.  It just doesn't work on a sunny Summer day, but change the season and the weather and all of a sudden it becomes sublime.  It took just such a wintry cold, snowy day for me to appreciate it.  Before that, i felt much the same as you about the album.  

I can honestly say that overtime I listen to the duet with Elton John I'm overwhelmed with emotions. It truly is a terrific piece of work.

The advantage of having Millenia (the time it takes for KB to issue an album) is that I already own the lot on original pressings. Who wants a quick fix when one can play the long game? anticipation and evolution outstrip over hasty bingeing any day.

Well, well I forgot to order the vinyl fo the first set of the release, and to my delight Qobuz seem to have parts I and II available in Hi Res 24 bit 44.1 kHz - anyone seen them in higher quality or DSD?

Interestingly, The Kick Inside/Lionheart/Never for Ever/The Dreaming are cheaper as a part I bundle than the individual albums, at least with Sublime pricing for the 4 albums - £34.99 Sublime vs £53.99 non-Sublime (nice £21 saving) (£45.99 CD quality seems hardly worth the effort).  I guess the question is if they'll all have the same Artwork and a Pt I metadata title as I think I'd prefer individual albums and album art though of course this could be tweaked later.

The individual albums are: £10.49 Sublime, £15.99 non-Sublime and £13.99 CD Quality.

Part II however only has 3 albums and is priced the same as Part I, so here cheaper to go for individual albums unless there's some bonus digital PDF content or something.

I've got my copy of Box 1 of the CDs and have to say I'm a bit disapointed with them.

While I can hear the work that's gone into them, there's no extra artwork, photos or writing in the booklets, except for  one line saying "Remastered by James Guthrie & Joel Plante at das boot recording". 

There are no extra tracks, in fact "The Sensual World" is missing a track compared with the original CD ("Walk Straight Down The Middle" is missing) and on "Hounds of Love" "The Big Sky" has been replaced by "The Big Sky (7" mix)", i.e. the single. While I suspect "Walk Straight Down The Middle" wil return in Box 2 I've no idea why, and can't guess, why "Hounds of Love" has been altered. It's not a space issue as it's less than 50 minutes long (the additional tracks added for the EMI 100 Year Anniversary Edition* are not present either, but I wouldn't expect them to be).

Perhaps Box 2 will reveal all in a couple of weeks and feature all the additional material we want/expect/there is, perhaps even a book(let) of additional written/photo material and artwork; it has to have something to justify the higher price than box 1.

If you only want the music it's less than a tenner an album for box 1, which makes this good value. If you're after that "something special", this isn't (yet ?) it and I'd rate it at 6/10.

It's probably not worth replacing your originals, especially if you have the "Director's Cut" with the updated "Red Shoes" and "Sensual World" in it.

* I think