Jethro Tull Remasters

[Tony Caldwell]

Hi,

I just got the Jethro Tull "Stand Up" and "Benefit" remasters.

I have not heard "Benefit", but "Stand Up" sounds pretty good. The first thing that I was glad to hear was TAPE HISS!! The highs appear to be boosted a little and the bass is a little boomy, but I think I will be pleased overall. There is not as much hiss as my original USA Chrysalis CD, but it is still there.

While I do not have the MFSL "Stand Up", I did compare "Living in the Past" and "Sweet Dream" (these are bonus tracks on the remaster) to Steve's Original Masters versions of these same songs. The remastered CD is a little harsh on the upper mid-range and highs. Steve's versions are (as usual) more detailed and lifelike. The remaster is somewhat boomy in the low end. Steve's versions have tighter, smoother bass.

Steve's versions are definitely better, but the remaster is better than I had imagined it would be.

I hope that you guys will let me know what you think of the remasters when you hear them. I am a huge Tull fan, and I have been anticipating/dreading the remasters for some time now.

Gotta go hear Reasons for Waiting... :)

Tony

[ED in NY]

Hi Tony ! I got these 3 remasters a little while back and I really like them ! I think they are a much improvement over all previous CD editions that I've heard. The only one that comapares is the MOFI Stand Up which is just a great disc. I still feel there is room for improvement (Like Steve getting to do them !) but overall I think they are really good. I hope they continue and do some of the later titles such as Minstral In the Gallery, Bursting Out & Stormwatch.

Best - ED

[Tony Caldwell]

I am curious as to what Chrysalis/Capital will do about the "Living in the Past" album. They are pulling most of the bonus songs for the remasters from "LITP" and the 20th Anniversary Box Set.

"LITP" has always been a highly regarded compilation, and I would hate to see it not come back into print. The MFSL version is great, but it is getting harder and harder to find.

My hope for the Tull catalog is that they will re-release all the albums (in order). If that is the case, I still have a long wait for "Heavy Horses", which is my favorite JTull album.

[Gary]

How are these compared to the first two remasters (Aqualung and.... oops I forgot :o breakdown me mental:( :o :( )?

They are all done by Mew as far as I know. Did he slip up and get some "good" ones out there?

Or are the first two better than the originals, too? (hope, hope, hope!) :D

[SVL]

Aqualung on Toshiba/EMI (TOCP 65882), though I am not sure if it is the one available on other countries' pressings, or only in Japan. Since the copyright for the compilation is 1997 it must be the common release except for the Japanese mini-LP packaging.

It comes with a bunch of bonus tracks including Lick Your Fingers Clean (?), a quad version of Wind Up (which I actually liked a lot in stereo), several BBC recordings (A Song for Jeffrey, Fat Man and Bouree) which I did not like so much - generally annoying because of the glaring upper midrange, and excerpts from an interview by Ian Anderson.

I will try to compare it in more detail with Steve's Aqualung as soon as I have the time. Didn't want to do it on an Aiwa CD walkman :p.

[Gary]

Thanks, but I have noooo doubt that Steve's version is miles and miles ahead of the mewest remasters. What I was trying to get at is this: on the old board, people were disappointed with the Aqualung remastered disc. It was done at Abbey Road.

I was hoping these newly remastered discs sounded better than the previous remastered discs.

Well eventually they will be released here in Canada. Then I can compare for myself. At least they seem to be better than the old stock releases!

[John Buchanan]

I think that Thick as a Brick 25th, apart from sounding a little bright, is quite a good listen, unlike Aqualung 25th - what a mess. However, I could be the only person here who didn't like the MoFi Stand Up (tape fault at the start of a New Day Yesterday) and Thick as a Brick - much more dull than my memory of first pressing Chrysalis UK vinyl.
I like the 3 new remasters, but there is a little boom and tizz attached - you've gotta suspect Peter Mew.

[Tony Caldwell]

The Aqualung remaster was terrible. It sounded horribly "processed" and unnatural. Actually, I only played it one time. I guess I should go back and see if it really sounds as bad as I remember, but I am afraid it does.

If I remember correctly the "Thick as a Brick" remaster (with the newspaper insert) to me sounded like it had noise reduction out the wazoo. I seem to remember being able to hear the hiss "come and go" during the quite parts at the beginning. It reminded me in some ways of a "gate". When the music played there was some hiss evident, but during silence you got SILENCE!! Ouch... Other than that, I think it sounded better than the Aqualung remaster. As with Aqualung, I only listened to this disc once, and I am speaking from memory. I have the MFSL on TAAB, but I have not played it since getting my DCC Original Masters CD with the entire side one of TAAB included. THANKS STEVE!

Hopefully I can listen to "Benefit" tonight. It has never been one of my favorite Tull albums, but I love "With You There to Help Me."

Tony

[ED in NY]

I'd have to say that the DCC version of Aqualung is the best I've heard, and the 25th Anniversary EMI edition of Aqualung (Gray jewel case) is hands down the WORST CD I've ever heard in my life ! I don't know what the hell they did to this but I remember having to turn the volume up 3 times louder than what I normally listen to CD's at just to hear it, and then when I finally could hear it, it sounded like...well **** ! I didn't even listen to the entire CD all the way through. I returned it the next day and got my money back. Just thinking back a few years to when I first heard it still makes me cringe !

Best - ED