So I just got the Yes album from Rhino and Fragile/Close to the Edge from Atlantic and was wondering if I made a mistake not buying the SW remixes.
So I just got the Yes album from Rhino and Fragile/Close to the Edge from Atlantic and was wondering if I made a mistake not buying the SW remixes.
Its a question of taste I think.
Of course they are good, but do you like them ?
I got GG The Power and the Glory SW-remix, but prefer my LP version. I feel the SW-mix is a bit too clinical somehow, but admit that I discovered new details especially with the drums.
I haven't heard the Yes ones, I found them a tad pricey. But I do have all of the Tull remixes he did and they are outstanding IMO. I also have the Caravan and ELP remixes and those are great too. If you're happy enough with the editions you bought, no need to worry about it IMO. He's done Relayer too, if you want to give that one a shot.
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I feel the instruments are kind of separated so much from each other, that the bandfeel suffers a bit.
On the other hand you can really hear what they are doing.
I have Relayer, Close to the Edge, Oranges and Lemons, and Nonsuch.
Like them very much.
No too interested in the GG or others so far.
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In the case of Yes, the Blu-Ray versions are really good, especially if you have a 5.1 system. Even without 5.1, the uncompressed stereo versions are worth it, IMO. They also added alternative mixes and the original mix, which is a nice touch. I have all of SW's Yes and KC remixes and like them all. Even if I may prefer another mix, the clarity and separation of the instruments gives me a different picture of how the pieces were put together.
Some are very, very good and improve upon the sonics of the original (WarChild, Larks Tongues), some are just awful and ruin everything great about the album (Lizard)
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My problem with Fragile and Close To The Edge Stereo Mixes by Steven Wilson are the lack of punch/bottom end/harmonics. The Wilson mixes don't have Mastering, they are almost flat sound. A good analog mastering can bring the mixes some of warm that lacks, whitout rape the dynamic range. I think that the Wilson remixes servers too much in records with bad mixes and recording problems, like the Aqualung, but Stereo Remixes of state of art sound albums like Fragile, Close To The Edge, Thick As a Brick and Tarkus don't need it, i keep with the originals. For sure, the most insteresting thing on this is bring the the 5.1 mixes, is the main thing.
I love his Yes work,and that of KC, Gentle Giant and XTC,however these are not remixes, but are remasters.Remixes are altering original volumes and panning rather than remastering, which basically cleaning up the audio,and altering eq etc.
However i must state i think his recent Steve Hackett remasters sound bloody awful.
I would seldom recommend a remix of anything over the original. (Of course, if you buy Genesis' catalogue new, you don't have that luxury of choice.)
With Wilson, I didn't like it that within the remix of ITCOTCK, there was a shortened 'Moonchild'. I even had reservations about that track...until that, as it felt really wrong to me. I know the full one was an extra track but it still altered the flow of the album within his version, which I think is wrong. Now, whether he personally was responsible for that decision, I can't say. But this is the kind of thing one needs to be aware of with remixes.
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SW's Close To The Edge is an interesting alternative, but, as excited as I was about that remix, it is missing an indefinable certain something.... call that something "analogue warmth," "tape saturation, " "tight deadline's effect on pot-addled creative processes" -- I don't profess to know -- but something less exciting is happening on the SW version. It's like SW built a museum to a great album, but don't toss out the original. And im not sure a CTTE remix could've been done any better, really, but there's a ghost missing from the room when I play the remixed version.
I believe in a conservative approach to remixes...my own taste is for changed stereo placement, rather than actually changing the music itself by bringing in different parts, new instruments etc.
But even then, I would always prefer an original because that's what was released first and thus had the historical impact. Anything else is revisionism at the end of the day...and that's fine in its place. But there should always be a choice. Unfortunately Genesis took the dreadful decision of writing their original mixes out of history for new buyers/listeners. At least with what Wilson is doing, the choice is still there...the ordinary ones are still available.
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