Ozric Tentacles Vitamin Enhanced box reissue

[Septober Energy]

I see that the Ozrics have finally reissued their sought-after Vitamin Enhanced (http://www.backstreet-merch.com/bands/oz/product.asp?item=oz50) box set with what looks like nice packaging and remastered sound. I spent YEARS tracking down all 6 of the individual original CDs, and I have long felt that some of their best material was here, but the sound on a couple of the CDs was admittedly dreadful (especially on the live disc). Can anyone comment on whether the new box set is worth getting if one already has the originals? Is the sound actually "better" or just louder, as with most remasters?

[spacefreak]

http://ozrics.proboards.com/thread/1846/new-vitamin-enhanced-why

[JKL2000]

Cool!! I definitely need this - thanks for the heads up! I remember seeing the Dovetail release in Tower Records, not buying it, and regretting it later.

I recently watched the 1991 concert DVD that comes with the Snapper edition of Erpland, and while the quality is terrible (it looks like it's from degradation of the original video tape maybe) it still had the aura of looking at a holy relic. Pretty cool!

[Paulrus]

http://youtu.be/GjjZGyYcH9E

[Septober Energy]

Interesting. My curiosity may just get the best of me. Still, I'd like to know if anyone's actually heard it.

[spacefreak]

It will be released early February. However, having missed the original Dovetail edition (I had some of the original cassettes at the time), I'll definitely buy the new one, in order to get rid of my Snapper double CD editions...

[Supersonic Scientist]

Still have my original Dovetail box. I too am interested in hearing how-much "improvement" has been achived.

[Septober Energy]

Sorry. I was under the impression it was already out. I guess I'll wait and see what the reviews say when the come in.

[GuitarGeek]

Is there any talk of issuing that as individual releases as they did at the time of the original Vitamin Enhanced set? I have, I think, three or four of the individual Dovetail CD's and I'm not really interested in re-buying those (unless of course the box turns out to be incredibly affordable, to such an extent that it would offset rebuying music I already have).

[Septober Energy]

The new box set is $35.99 on the Ozrics web site. That's a pretty good deal in my book.

[GuitarGeek]

The new box set is $35.99 on the Ozrics web site. That's a pretty good deal in my book.

Yeah, good value for six CD's. I may go ahead and just buy the set, if I have the money when it comes out. The big question, though, is will they recreate the original box artwork, which I believe I read they were sued over.

[spacefreak]

Yeah, good value for six CD's. I may go ahead and just buy the set, if I have the money when it comes out. The big question, though, is will they recreate the original box artwork, which I believe I read they were sued over.

The box has (from what I've been told) the original artwork. Plus booklet with extensive notes by Richard Allen (Freakbeat fanzine/Delerium Records/Freak Emporium mailorder/Porcupine Tree manager in their early days) and all CDs are packaged in far more superior miniLP gatefold covers displaying the original cassette artwork.

[Paulrus]

The new box set is $35.99 on the Ozrics web site. That's a pretty good deal in my book.

Especially since Amazon is taking pre-orders at 50 bucks.

[Dave (in MA)]

There's only a $4 difference when you include shipping, er "dispatch".

[JKL2000]

For those who want to see it:

http://www.backstreet-merch.com/images/products/bands/clothing/oz/bsi_oz50.gif

[playbass]

Mine shipped out today.

[Gerhard]

There's only a $4 difference when you include shipping, er "dispatch".

Yeah, I was scared off, at least for now, by the $11 s/h charge, bringing the total to $47. I still have the original box set anyway, so I suppose this is not a super high priority for me. Maybe the price on Amazon will drop eventually.

[JKL2000]

Come on, you bloody hippies, get this thing ripped and posted to Usenet or as a torrent!!!

(I just want to see how the remastered disks sound.)

[spacefreak]

(I just want to see how the remastered disks sound.)

Played back to back with the Snapper CDs.

It sounds more clear and "restored" (advantage) but somewhat loud/compressed.

[Dave G]

I have the new box and the only thing I can compare it to is the original Dovetail CD of Afterswish and I prefer the old Dovetail CD. There is obvious tweaking happening on the tracks which is distracting as you can hear parts go up & down in noise-reduction. Still, happy to see it in print although would have much preferred a 'clean' approach to the mastering.