"She's Just My Style, US mono, original press - why so muddy? And it's an "Audition" copy after all. Some of the tracks sound more clear, but there is an overall muddyness dragging all over the album. Certainly, sounds smooth and full, but there is that heavy and boomy bass and lack of air and poor Gary's voice is just burried on some tracks. It has the potentinal of sounding great, but for some reason it just does not... Quite not like "This Diamond Ring" LP which has a sweeter and more dynamic sound and that wonderful rhythm section is more prominent - just love the sound they got on his first LP .
You got a dud Liberty press. It happens. You're lucky it wasn't an expensive album. I bought two Imperial Hollies albums, "Here I Go Again" and "Hear Here", for an amount of money I won't disclose here (not cheap!), got em home, put them on the turntable and they were just dull and muddy as crap.
I concur....Liberty (and their family...Imperial, etc.) was hit and miss. There ARE good sounding Mono's out there, but as VeeFan64 said: You got a dud.
I recall that many Liberty/Imperial copies I had were noisy even bought new, but this one is not. And isn't an "audition" record a Liberty promo? I thought it would be better than standard copies. I'm wondering if it's my copy or is it an issue with those mono mixes... If anybody has the LP, listen to "Lies" for example - it just doesn't sound right - the drums have no good definition, Gary's voice is buried and it's like they are all playing into a wooden box...
When I said you got a dud, I meant exactly what you are hearing. "Liberty duds" (to coin a phrase!), may not be noisy but they have extreme dullness, lackluster sound, no top end, un-defined bass etc....Even though yours is a promo doesn't mean it will always be a good sounding album.
I understand, I had Cher's debut album on Imperial and it had that sound + excessive noise on what seemed like a minty record. Found a UK press... But I have heard two needledrops of GL&P's album (obviously from different LPs) and it's basically the same sound... And Gary's voice is too low on some of the mixes ("Lies", for example). Would be nice to know that it's just the pressing and not the mix, though. Are there later mono reissues of Gary Lewis albums or I'm stuck with searching for a clean and good sounding original press (what seems like a hard task)? No . A US one. These were obviously pressed by RCA - seems like a typical RCA pressing from that period and mine is housed in a polylined RCA inner sleeve. Look at the pictures.
As a big Gary Lewis fan, I have many of his Liberty Lps, both stereo and mono, and quite frankly, sonically they leave a lot to be desired. They just arent mastered well, the backing tracks have a thin, boxy sound, and some of the mixes are just awfull. So, why mess around? Some years ago, Ron Furmanek remastered the "Shes Just My Style" and "Everybody Loves A Clown" albums from the original Liberty Multi track tapes. You will NEVER hear better fidelity for these two Lps then on this remix. They are in stereo but with all the "punch" and solid bottom of the Mono. You get the best of both. The sound quality is simply breathtaking, it is like Gary and the guys are in the room with you. The Cds leads off with "Everybody Loves a Clown" and it hits you in the face like a ton of bricks. Incredible sound. The Cd is still available from Amazon, and is cheap!! And this was done ALL analog, with both the multi and some stage tapes all synced to an analog 24 track. I mean, if you like Gary in booming analog glory, this is the Cd to get. For my money, this cant be beat.
I've had this CD since it came out and was looking forward to the rest of his catalog getting the same treatment, alas it was not to be.
Yes, I always wanted them to remix Garys "Hits Again" Lp. Love that Lp. But I'll say it again, The Furmanek "Just My Style"/"Everybody Loves a Clown" 2-fer is a clear winner and real bargain.
Was this from the same batch of work that Furmanek used for the Legendary Masters Series CD? I ALWAYS thought that the work that he did on that disc was supurb, considering the quality of the stereo mixes over the years.
They are close...but the vocals are centered instead of being hard panned, which is much better and easier to listen to. I have the entire run of Gary Lewis albums and I have a couple of good sounding mono ones...."New Directions" comes to mind.
Grant, in the case of Gary Lewis, you wouldnt WANT them to be accurate to the originals. The Originals were mixed unevenly, even many of the mono ones, And, the actual fidelity of them really isnt there. The backing tracks sound thin and overly compressed. The Furmanek remixes have a lot of "punch" abnd as Veefan says, the centered vocals are a lot more balanced and easier to listen to. I think you would agree.
Exactly. We all know that stereo wasn't a big mixing concern for many people back in the 60's, but some of the original stereo mixes described in this thread make you wonder "What the hell were they thinking?" Alongside the Mama's & The Papa's and The Lovin' Spoonful, Gary Lewis & The Playboys suffer from some of the lamest mixes of the whole period.
Quality control wasn't a top concern at Liberty back then. I've had two copies of "Hits Again" in Stereo, and on one song ("A Face In The Crowd" I think), the lead vocal is mixed so low, as to be missing. then about half way thru the song it pops back ! Hard to believe they released it this way.
I have heard Ron Furmanek's remixes some time ago and I was amazed, too... Never heard the instruments with such a clarity... Still, I like the sound of the mono "This Diamond Ring" LP. Maybe just the mono mixes on "She's Just My Style" LP are inferior... As I already said, I've heard two needledrops and it's basically the same sound. So, is it bad copies or the mix itself? Is there actually a better mono "She's Just My Style" on vinyl?
Akbg: Its my contention that when they mixed both the mono and stereo versions of "Just My Style" LP that either the board inputs were out of phase or the Ampex decks had a head misalignment......they just dont sound right, and to me, sound like something was out of phase. Get the Furmanek Cd, and all your troubles will dissapear. Cant remember when I enjoyed a Cd as much as this one, and a 2-fer to boot!
Hey stereoguy: Are you talking about this set(?): http://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Lov...AF92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1283274940&sr=1-1
Khojem: Actually, this is the one: http://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Lov...r_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1283276753&sr=1-22 This has the original Liberty Records labels and artwork and is just "nicer". I do believe the other ones use the same mastering, but I like this original one better. Cant beat it for the price, either! Grab it.
