November treat for fans of Kate Bush
Posted by: Richard Dane on 05 October 2018
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...
TallGuy posted:Must add to my previous comment - if you look hard enough on the KB website you will see that it states "Before The Dawn" will not be a remaster, but the "original". I do still think they should have put it in a glossy sleeve to match the rest of the package(s) though - that's just sloppy cost saving to not do that.
I think I'm in for a marathon listening session with my wife out for the day today
I'm quite envious. My AV room is currently full of junk, and I'm using the hi-fi in the 'family area' .
'What crap have you got on the TV now?' I ask....
'Nothing important dear if you want to play some music carry on, I'll turn the TV off...' says she.
Marvellous I think, only to realise by 'off' she actually means 'on' but with still audible very low volume - 'you don't answer me, so how can you possibly hear that?' she muses - I'm afraid when trying to listen to music I really cannot tolerate 'I'm a celebrity ...' whisperings intruding on my pleasure ! MUST sort the other room out soon!
Moving on to Never For Ever, as always, I first listened to the new reissue all the way through. I think it's important to get a feel for the reissue by playing all the way through first before making any comparisons with originals. If it knocks your socks off, it's an undoubted success, regardless. If not, and you feel there's something lacking or you feel there's a problem, then any success must be qualified. That's where comparison against earlier issues really helps, and conclusions can then be better drawn...
Looking at the packaging first, it's pretty much the same story as before. Nicely done replication of the gatefold sleeve artwork, with a touch more contrast, but sharp, detailed and clear. Unfortunately the purple "Kate Bush Remastered" sticker on the outside wrapper is positioned exactly so it covers Kate's head and face, which, even when it's in the form of a cartoon drawing, is most unfortunate. The LP itself comes in the now-familiar black anti-static lined inner sleeve, and the Fish People logo on the label is this time augmented with a small butterfly and rose motif from the album artwork. The LP is again flat and nicely centred, but on my copy, side 2 had the centre label mispressed so it was off-centre by quite a way and encroached into the run-out grooves. This is potentially hazardous to the stylus, so I'll be seeking a replacement from What Records.
I just hope that any replacement sounds as good as this copy! I haven't played my original in quite a while, but I did recall that this was always one of Kate's best sounding LPs, so this reissue had a lot of prior expectation that it would be something good. And I wasn't disappointed. Listening to it, I felt completely drawn in and enveloped by the performance. Surface noise is almost totally absent, and the soundstage as wide and dimensional as anything I've heard. Moving straight on to my original, it's still fantastic sounding LP. There's greater clarity here than on the earlier LPs. The Soundstage is still wide, but things are more centred. Kate's voice is particularly good on the original, marginally better than on the reissue, but the bass power and overall dynamics on the reissue are a bit more apparent. If you have a mint original, you won't be missing that much, if anything from the reissue unless you absolutely crave the extra bass heft and kick. If you don't have a mint original then the reissue is likely all you need. KB devotees will probably want both - both brilliant, so close, but also subtly different. On my particular system, I'd probably give first nod to the original, but I think I need to come back and revisit the reissue again. By absolute standards it's superb, but then so is the original. By this standard, I'm itching to hear what the reissue of The Dreaming brings. I'll post about that a bit later on...
R
I haven't played my original in quite a while, but I did recall that this was always one of Kate's best sounding LPs, so this reissue had a lot of prior expectation that it would be something good. And I wasn't disappointed. Listening to it, I felt completely drawn in and enveloped by the performance. Surface noise is almost totally absent, and the soundstage as wide and dimensional as anything I've heard. Moving straight on to my original, it's still fantastic sounding LP. There's greater clarity here than on the earlier LPs. The Soundstage is still wide, but things are more centred. Kate's voice is particularly good on the original, marginally better than on the reissue, but the bass power and overall dynamics on the reissue are a bit more apparent. If you have a mint original, you won't be missing that much,
Back in Uni, I listened to this album many times in the confines of a dorm room that contained a Linn/Nytech/ARC system. When it was finally taken active along with the full monty LP12/Ittok/Asak this album had a very vivid, dynamic and squeaky clean sound and was probably THE 'go-to' album to impress people with. By contrast on the same system The Kick Inside was warmer, less overtly dynamic and without the bass snap of this.
I wonder what ever happened to David Halladie-Smith and his full monty....he never showed up on any internet groups to my knowledge. As he was Canadian, he had Nytech modify his 252XD with a switchable 50/75 us de-emphasis so he would be able to use it in both continents-I think they told him at the time that they would not do another as it was a lot of effort.
I must have played the original CD release of TKI on active DBLs maybe a hundred times, and never found it wanting. I will certainly give the RM a listen when I reclaim my CDS3 next January-following its multi-organ transplant surgery.
nicnaim posted:
Alley Cat posted:Christopher_M posted:Loki posted:nicnaim posted:I can confirm Rolf has been airbrushed out of the Aerial vinyl remaster. No great surprise I suppose, but when you know every note of this record it takes a bit of getting used to. Really pleased to get this on vinyl again. Unfortunately I gave up after three faulty versions of the original vinyl and went for the CD version. The remaster sounds rather nice.
What utter tosh.
Decorum please. Anyone would think this is the Brexit thread.
As you were....
It's not clear what Loki thinks is utter tosh - the 'airbrushing' I suspect.
The original vinyl comment concerns me as i bought it years ago but have never played it. Then again a few purchases from the river recently have had lots of fine scratches on them which is annoying for new.
Alley Cat,
The original pressing was unfortunately not great, with issues of distortion and sibilance widely reported at particular points on the discs. There is probably a thread from the time of the original release in the forum archives. I’m sure I was far from being alone in having several duff copies that had to be returned and anybody who had a decent original copy is lucky.
Oh ye mortals follow the thread! Yes of course I am referring to the airbrushing. Should have done a selective quotation. Apologies.
Such practice makes me question where we stop. Should I be seeking a penseive into which to discard my un p-c memories such as my childhood favourite 'two little boys'?
Meanwhile back on planet earth, yes Ariel, some sibilance on my original pressing when the VTA was not accurately set. A great test disk in that respect.