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What’s your review?,did it meet expectations or did it fall flat?
Let us know.

Considering it's predominantly a re-release of an album and tracks I've got and heard already, it matched my expectations perfectly! How could it not?!

Any sarcasm aside, for me I supposed it's all about whether I liked the four NEW remixes. Fortunately I do, to varying degrees. I was slightly worried they might turn out to be banging instrumental dub mixes unrecognisable as Erasure songs, so I'm relieved that they are not.

The Love To Hate You remix is perhaps my least favourite - it's fine it doesn't excite me as much as club/dance mixes of other songs.

I enjoyed Vince's new take on TTLTA - he definitely has a recognisable 'style' with his remixes I think.

'Am I Right' is a nice 'safe' remix - basically the standard twelve inch version we never got and am thankful to now have.

My favourite is probably the 'Home' remix. This is the one I had the most concerns for initially, but when I went back to have a listen to Minute Maker's mix of Winter Kills, a version I actually like better than the original (sacrilege I know! But I was never a big fan of the track), I felt like it was in safe hands, and I wasn't disappointed (I wasn't so sure about the pitch-shifting at first, but even on my first listen it quickly grew on me as the song progressed, although I was admittedly in two minds about it on further listens. Sometimes fine with it, sometimes not sure - but never disliking it! But then it grows on me more. Besides, with modern computer tech, it's easy to 'fix'!)

It's also nice to officially have the K-ROQ tracks here as well, which absolutely belong on this compendium. Whatever else they did, those HAD to be here!

But I do wish there were MORE new remixes! Having said that, I'd rather they were part of a separate tie-in release - I'd prefer the remasters to be purely about content that was released, or unreleased, at the time. But they do go some way to make up for a lack of a DVD, but it does make me wish they'd pushed the boat out a bit more for the Wild! remaster.

kwerty wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:24 am 'Am I Right' is a nice 'safe' remix - basically the standard twelve inch version we never got and am thankful to now have.

My favourite is probably the 'Home' remix. This is the one I had the most concerns for initially, but when I went back to have a listen to Minute Maker's mix of Winter Kills, a version I actually like better than the original (sacrilege I know! But I was never a big fan of the track), I felt like it was in safe hands, and I wasn't disappointed (I wasn't so sure about the pitch-shifting at first, but even on my first listen it quickly grew on me as the song progressed, although I was admittedly in two minds about it on further listens. Sometimes fine with it, sometimes not sure - but never disliking it! But then it grows on me more. Besides, with modern computer tech, it's easy to 'fix'!)

It turns out the pitch shifting of the vocals was a mistake by Minute Taker during importing the tracks when remixing so it seems it’s a ‘happy accident’.

Pughie wrote: Mon Feb 17, 2020 12:14 pm It turns out the pitch shifting of the vocals was a mistake by Minute Taker during importing the tracks when remixing so it seems it’s a ‘happy accident’.

In other words he just hadn't noticed?

Hmmm... I don't know. Happy accidents can be good things, but in this instance I'm slightly disappointed to hear it wasn't intentional - just a mistake now trying to be passed off as an asset, one which a lot of people are perhaps not really going to like (I'm going to guess he's basically reduced the tempo without allowing his DAW to ignore pitch shifting)

If I'm brutally honest, as much as I do like the remix, I have niggling mixed feelings about it, and I'd prefer it to be at its original pitch. I listened to it again for the first time today, and it does have that slightly obvious record slowing down sound. That occasional niggling feeling means it's slightly flawed, whereas otherwise it would have been flawless.

Of course, pitch shifting isn't new - even the original version of Sometimes is pitched shifted, and the 12 inch version more so... and who can forget the Vixen Vitesse Mix of Victim Of Love?! But those are shifted up, not down, which makes a difference I think. Down is more noticeable and harder to take.

My quick review of the 3CD set as a whole:

It sounds good. The remaster stands out a bit and has a bit more punch than the original.

The 2nd disc is obviously the main draw. I also didn't really care for the way Home was slowed down. It's not a dealbreaker, but also not my preference either. The AIR? mix is a nice extended version, no problems there. The LTHY mix is completely disposable imo. And then Vince's mix of TTLTA is amazing. I'm happy we got this - such an under-appreciated track and Vince did a great rework of it.

The 3rd disc held nothing new. However, it does sound nice so no audio complaints there.

All in all, the package looks sharp and the remastered album will probably be my go-to version from now on. I can't help but still feel slighted as an E fan who has treasured this album for almost 30 years now - there should have been more included. I know I say that with every release lately, but there's not much here for long-time fans like us. What is here is wonderful though, no question, and I can't wait to see what kind of Deluxe Editions we get for I Say and Erasure!

Finally got a chance to spend a whole day with the remaster. First, I'm still confused who actually did the remaster (Mute wouldn't answer and it's not clear in the expanded liner notes -- anyone?). Either way, it sounds much better than the original US CD release and definitely better than the BMG vinyl reissue. I may even sell my DCC copy now! (Just kidding, it took me too long to track down)

Disc 2 is a mixed bag for me. I almost wish Vince would have remixed the entire album for Disc 2, since he's now already remixed WFTD and TTLTA to great effect. We all have the B-sides and other previous released remixes already, but I'm happy to have avoided overpaying for the KROQ cassette on eBay so those two tracks are the only rarities I'm happy about. Twilight and Mirror To Your Soul are not interesting at all, and the Minute Taker remix is unbearable. The Robbie Rivera remix is unfortunately the kind of thing that does well in clubs these days (but it's boring).

The live disc is well done and happy to have the complete recordings from Chorus at the time they were fresh. They all sound really good.

And I'll be a broken record that this was such a missed opportunity for multichannel release. I know it polled terribly last time fans were asked, but the amount of detail such releases unveil is usually amazing. You're missing out!

davekcmo wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2020 2:53 am Finally got a chance to spend a whole day with the remaster. First, I'm still confused who actually did the remaster (Mute wouldn't answer and it's not clear in the expanded liner notes -- anyone?).

I’m sure I’ve read who remastered it I will try and find it

Whoever remastered probably didn't want to put his name to it. After listening on headphones (instead of in the car), I could tell the reason it had the oomph I described earlier is that it's overly loud. I mistook oomph for an actual REMASTERING. Chorus wasn't truly "remastered" but rather "RELOUDED AND RESOLD". It's disappointing but expected these days.

Attached is a pic of Breath Of Life from 3 versions of Chorus. The waveforms speak for themselves.
The top is the 2020 "Remaster" LCD STUMM 95
The middle is original CD STUMM 95
The bottom is a vinyl rip STUMM 95.

mrblue wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 3:25 am Whoever remastered probably didn't want to put his name to it. After listening on headphones (instead of in the car), I could tell the reason it had the oomph I described earlier is that it's overly loud. I mistook oomph for an actual REMASTERING. Chorus wasn't truly "remastered" but rather "RELOUDED AND RESOLD". It's disappointing but expected these days.

Attached is a pic of Breath Of Life from 3 versions of Chorus. The waveforms speak for themselves.
The top is the 2020 "Remaster" LCD STUMM 95
The middle is original CD STUMM 95
The bottom is a vinyl rip STUMM 95.
BreathOfLife.png