Elton John - "Captain Fantastic" Deluxe Edition Sept. 13

It looks jewel case sized to me.

The most interesting thing in the booklet is the fact that half of the crowd got up and left half way through the performance!

(I still say they should have had the SACD in this set as the "CD".) Still, it's worth it just for the live concert version - at least to me.

 

The SACD of CFATBDC sounds so incredible, especially in the 5.1 multi channel mode (my preference for listening), that I have had a really hard time getting myself to pick up the DE version. If I really needed to hear it live, that would be one thing, but I am disappointed it was not issued with the SACD. I will probably pick it up for collectors purposes, which if I'm going to do it, I better do it quick, Tower still has it on sale for 20 bucks.

 

Poetic licence!

I was there...

There were a few empty seats and the crowd on the pitch had thinned out, but "half the crowd"... If I recall, Elton played a few hits, then Captain Fantastic, then played some more hits. He came on around eight o'clock and the show finished around ten, so 75 minutes would have been the hits!

The www.eltonjohn.com info also said 120,000 were there. Not so. The limit for concerts at Wembley has always been 72,000.

But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story!

AND... it's still not out in the UK til 10th October.

 

redbook sounds excellent to me. definitely no NR and i don't think it's too bright. i was very pleased. a warm-sounding remaster. would love to hear others' opinions on it. if the SACD is anything like the others in the catalog, i will save my money and savor this nice li'l package. one of the better deluxe editions, for sure.

-eddie

 

NO WAY I would buy this edition when I already have the SACD!!

 

The live version of the record FANTASTIC. Great band, well recorded, passionate playing. A one-time-only event; if you love this album at all you really need to have the SE. I'll play my DJM when I need to hear CF proper.

 

I agree. It's a rare treat to hear an entire album you know live. Of course, since it was new at the time, Elton spends a bit of time "apologizing" for playing new material.

I mean, when would you ever expect to hear songs like "Tower of Babel", "Writing" and "Meal Ticket" live?

As a sidebar: Wouldn't it be great to hear "lagacy" artists do entire albums in concert? Like Joni doing "Court & Spark", JT doing "Sweet Baby James", NY doing "After the Gold Rush", etc.

 

You really should!! Buy it for the second live disc, it is nothing less than terrific and spectacular.

My favourite of the original album is the SACD 5.1-mix. Some of the songs on that one sounds unbelievable good in multichannel.

//Ulf

 

great disc... love it!

 

I think you have to have both the SACD and the deluxe version although one could put the SACD in the place of the CD of the deluxe version and trade in the other package.

 

Now, this is a practice I don't recommend. What about a poor soul picking it up thinking it is an SACD hybrid?

 

I recently saw The Stooges doing the complete "Fun House" in London.

 

Why is House of Cards not
on the single disc remaster ?

 

Damn. I just saw this and thought a 40th anniversary set was looming. I thought one was on the cards, actually.

For the record, the deluxe edition this thread mentions is excellent. I keep meaning to pick up the SACD. It's a wonder it's not OOP by now.

 

Me too! Frankly I'm VERY surprised there isn't a 40th anniversary edition. One of the '05 concerts would have been nice to have

 

Where is the vinyl version? I can't believe they haven't released his early catalog on vinyl!

 

House Of Cards was added to the deluxe edition remaster in 2005.

The single CD (which is another master) came out in 1995.

 

Right , but why was it not included on the '95 ?

 

I've no idea about that one.

 

I recently picked up the SACD & wished I hadn't. I've since read here that the 5.1 layer is good but the stereo is compressed & isn't a patch on any of the early DJM CDs.

 

I've heard the stereo layers on all those early SACDs are compressed. That's what's put me off. I'm not bothered about the 5.1 mix so much. I do have the 'Honky Chateau' SACD and it is loud. I don't mind it, though.

 

"House Of Cards" first appeared on CD in 1992 on the "Rare Masters" collection of B-sides. The '95 remasters were more focused on adding value by collecting songs people may be familiar with than collecting everything recorded during a session for an album. The following '95 remaster "Rock Of The Westies" added "Don't Go Breaking Your Heart" for the U.K. release. "Planes" and "Sugar On The Floor" were not included even though they were part of the session and the #1 song that was included was recorded a year later.

 

I have this Deluxe set and I also bought the Made for iTunes version a few weeks ago for about $6. MFiT has the bonus tracks and I believe it's based on the Deluxe Edition for mastering but does not have the hundreds of 'possibly clipped samples' for each song, according to iZotope RX 3. The Deluxe Edition is not a very good listening experience, IMO. I have the older CD's also they have a much better dynamic range than the newer mastering.

Edit: MFiT version has a date of 2012.

Pat

 

Those two songs were included as the bonus tracks on the USA remaster of Westies, oddly enough, but it dropped the Kiki duet. I wish all three were included together.

 

At the time, Rocket U.S. lost the rights to "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" back to MCA. That is why it went to the new MCA version of "Greatest Hits 1976-1986".

I think all three could be included now if it was reissued yet again.