Loveless Remaster Actually Sound Better?

I can't wait to check this out!

When I first got this, I mentioned the same thing to my friend Keith. His response was that it was intentional - at no point is there ever any silence on the whole release.

Anyone drop the dough for the Isn't Anything vinyl? Worth it?

I know that my copy of the LP (just coming out of the Colm-with-sampler track) had a pretty obvious pressing defect on it.

I'd speculate that what's happened here is KS has approached the material with fresh '00s ears and decided that it needed some serious re-EQing.

About remasters of 90s CDs. If the remaster sounds better, then they must have done a real lousy job originally.

Also also, mine fades out completely, albeit in an unorthodox manner.

I don't have the reissue, but the Creation pressing I have is probably the loudest recording I own, and is relatively clear (you know, all things considered). Although keep in mind my copy is on Creation, and your CD is on (and the Plain LP reissue would be licesened from) Sire, so the master tapes may vary somewhat.

There's a lot of stuff that is simply hidden in the mix that you can't hear without absolutely blasting it. I fell in love with "Blown a Wish" again recently when I heard it being played extremely loudly over the PA at the North Six between sets. Then again, the DJ may have been using the remastered version, which would explain why I was hearing a lot I hadn't remembered hearing on a usual listen. Still...what a great song...what a perfect album.

Like MJ's it has a pretty serious pressing defect, ie. the first track skips like a wee lass in a playground.

Perhaps I could solve the problem if I got hold of some... outboard gear and took it to the middle of a large reservoir.

Huh. Cuz all versions of "Isn't Anything" I've heard, vinyl especially, have sounded criminally quiet... which is extremely frustrating knowing that much of the music on that record gives you the impression it's the most monstrous sounding rock imaginable... "Feed Me With your Kiss", "You Never Should", etc.

I keep thinking about taking each track on this album and adding new bass and drums to it. But I guess I'm almost as lazy as Kevin?

Now available to stream at the grauniad

Arrived with us today, so they're really real at least...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/p480x480/533470_299683613441004_113107498765284_664585_465102167_n.jpg

listening now

no better way to judge a remastering job than listening to an audio stream on my work computer!

i think this sounds good? i haven't listened to the CD in ages tho

funny that shields is so down on that plain records vinyl release from way back when -- i had a friend who raved about how awesome it sounded.

funny that shields is so down on that plain records vinyl release from way back when -- i had a friend who raved about how awesome it sounded.

Plain got a shit-storm of criticism on the Spiritualized boards about their handling of recent vinyl reissues of the first 3 Spz albums since their m.o. is to just take an off-the-shelf CD and use that for a master. I would avoid anything that company releases.

Shields says not only did they use a commercial CD as the master, that it was also functionally a bootleg, to the degree he was able to get it blocked from sale in the UK

http://https%3A//p.twimg.com/AsSIP6lCEAEM7N4.jpg

I take it all back about them never existing. Half expecting the CDs to be mis-printed with audiobooks of Harry Potter, though.

https://twitter.com/#!/sickmouthy/status/199434090510946304/photo/1

I take it all back about them never existing. Half expecting the CDs to be mis-printed with audiobooks of Harry Potter, though.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Monday, May 7, 2012 10:45 AM (32 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

No, disappointingly low on printed word inserts though. Just some photographic stuff on the e.ps , not sure what came in Loveless. Might have hoped for some commentary from band members as you get on other reissues but maybe MBV weren't like that. An explanation as to why there were 2 different versions of Loveless might have been interesting. Like you can find that online now but when these are discovered by the next generation or dug up as relics of our civilisation people won't find that referencing so easy.

Especially when it's an Archaeological team from Blink 182 University.

Might have hoped for some commentary from band members as you get on other reissues but maybe MBV weren't like that.

wasn't one of the two-year delays because Kevin was working on the sleeve notes?

Seemingly not.

well, these notes leaked out recently, not sure if they're legit
http://www.vinmag.com/online/media/gbu0/prodlg/RGC027-all-work-and-no-play-card.jpg

And, one more time for old times sake..

My Bloody Valentine

New Album
CD £11.00 Free Delivery

Release date: 07-011-2012

I have stolen your joke tylerw. I thought it rather witty.

actually (this is true this time..)

My Bloody Valentine

Loveless: Remastered: 2cd

release date: 07-05-2012

currently out of stock

http://thepowerofindependenttrucking.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/mbv-loveless-2012-remasters.html

tl,dr: The new release has the discs swapped: disc one is supposed to be the digital remaster, and disc two from analog. They are labeled as so too. Except, a blatant manufacturing error - on all copies I've been made aware of - has the wrong labels on the discs. The new release has #1 labeled digital but with the analog master. #2 is labeled analog but has the digital master.

(those aren't my words in the tl,dr)

Would be interested to compare, bitwise, the versions just released and those I got my hands on in 2008.

Soon the original Loveless CD will be a treasured collector's item.

I wouldn't be surprised if that is true, to a degree. What with being out of print for the last few years in anticipation of these remasters they have held a decent value whenever we have had them come in, either secondhand or as left over new stock.

Congratulations on your mail order krakow... truly spreading the Meronian word.

Kiitos paljon! Thanks very much! A project born of obsession and love...

Is that actually true about the mislabelling?

I trust that dude, I have to say.

Maybe not all of them, I'll have to check mine (seems if one has a fuller fade out on "Soon", that's the analogue master)

I think that guy is the guy behind the New Order/Joy Division/Smiths reissues that have been discussed here, I think he knows his stuff.

yeah, exactly.

SO, will list to Loveless CD1 on the way home..

Funny, the e.p. set: First time I've seen a gatefold CD with absolutely nothing on the inside gatefold! (Open again, there's the e.p. covers)

I've been reading similar things about the mislabeling on other sites. Can't say I'm surprised at how they bungled this but it does seem to be common with remasters nowadays.

should start a thread re all these high profile remastering f*ck ups.

i recently picked up the special edition of the spandau ballet debut, and lo', that too is f*cked.

no bass at all. truly dreadful remastering.

then again, they did label the cds correctly.

No bass at all?!? Like... no bass part whatsoever or just no bottom end?

no bottom end.

check the reviews : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Journeys-Glory--Spec--Spandau-Ballet/dp/B0034GYAU8/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1336497581&sr=1-9

Alas poor Martin Kemp (was it remastered by Gary?)

haha.
no.
seem to have read somewhere tis same bloke who messed up the recent duran remasters, but i can't be 100% certain.

the worst remastering/ mastering job i can think of is the Blur StarShaped DVD which is *legendarily* screwed beyond words. it's the only genuinely unlistenable DVD or CD
i've ever owned.

I believe that was mastered from a VHS copy.

Anyways, I played CD1, it has the 'full fade' on Soon, which makes it a mislabel.

Mind you, the "CD1" and 2 markings are tiny so hey.

Hey what's this? Got a good beat to it.

So, I gave them a listen and I don't think they really fixed the problems with Loveless and Isn't anything. I had heard people say before that Loveless on vinyl sounded amazing and the CD sounded like crap. I have always thought the recording was too tinny and not wide/full enough.

I thought the same thing about Jesus and Mary Chain's Psychocandy, but I think the remaster fixed this album and now it sounds great. I thought Sterelolab's Peng! remaster fixed that album up as much as possible, but the Loveless remaster doesn't do the trick -- in fact, it kind of goes in the other direction. Now, a lot of the vocals sound so separated from the noisy drone that it looses the effect of being behind a wall of sound.

Yo, what Peng! remaster???

ha i just checked the mbv forum for the first time in a lil while: the thing that makes me laugh is how GREEDY everyone is. like there is the perpetual state of still-flickering optimism riding on whispers or occasional kevin shields interviews, but on top of that people are all trying to put DATES on it. like possibly November??. i guess if it really is almost finished then WE COULD HAVE IT LIKE STRAIGHT AWAY? also atm there is a post in which people are enthused by rumours about, 1., deadlines, i guess forgetting the grey sunlightened pencil deadline of 1994 on the wall of a now demolished studio, &, 2., that after recording is finished there would only, "only", ~only~, only be mixing to do. i mean it could be out in october if he just has to scribble mix my new album off his checklist. i am really not different from these people but the similarities between mbv fans & doomsday cults are so marginal.

Peng remaster?

Discogs says reissue is 2008, but I can't see any mention of a remaster.