I never got Full Power so at this price (and dynamic range) it's a no-brainer.
I never got Full Power so at this price (and dynamic range) it's a no-brainer.
<sig out of order>
Has whoever was responsible for the brickwall limiting on the SECOND release of these albums been a) asked why he did it, and b) punished?
Am I reading this right........
Folk on here will own EE1, EE2, the bundled together edition and the remastered edition?. All released within a few years of each other !!
They have a very active and passionate fan group ("Passengers") on Facebook as LeFrog says, who will pretty much support everything that BBT issue, as this helps power the band to future glories. I do not think there is anything machiavellian in the release strategy, just opportunities to improve sonics and at a budget price, it's all good and nobody forces anyone to purchase everything.
Other bands could learn some lessons from how they manage and interact with the FB group, because it is this groundswell of support which has enabled them to push on in the past few years.
Squeeze the few and not spread to the masses. I think thats a lesson bands need to avoid.
If other bands re released their material every year in this way then for me it would have the adverse effect..........each to their own though
I think the multiple rereleases are more akin to the problems with the Blu-Ray disk. Inexperience and growing pains. But right, no ones forced to buy anything. I'm happy enough with my copy of Full Power.
In true Henry fashion, but with the same kind of selective objectivity causing enthusiastic advocacy, let's look at some facts:
1) EE1 was released, very cheaply priced (at least here in the UK), already with the clear explanation to fans (those who could be bothered to follow the band on social media and read its blog, etc.) that a second volume would follow, and that both would be part of a double album
2) EE2 released, also very reasonably priced, and ditto
3) EEFP released, also very reasonably priced despite being a hardback book with lots of artwork and explanatory notes about the songs' subject matter, and with the material now sequenced into a definitive artistic programme - incorporating four excellent additional tracks
4) Recognising that plenty of people who'd bought EE1 and EE2 probably wouldn't want to buy EEFP, the extra tracks were issued on a separate and very reasonably priced EP for those who only wanted those (plus also alternative edits and versions of other tracks too, so running time was the equivalent of a full album)
5) EEFP turns out to be very successful with the band's growing fanbase; now out of stock, i.e. completely sold out, the band has to reissue it - and without sinister agendas merely takes the opportunity to tweak the mastering very slightly - no doubt only noticeable to those with phenomenal sensitivity to compression. No attempt is made to make this seem definitive or essential (unlike every time Yes or ELP catalogues are reissued yet again - despite none of those albums ever being out of print)
None of this is remotely draconian, mercenary or unfair by the band, who do a very good and friendly job of communicating with its supporters.
Moreover, if ever there was a band resting on its laurels and taking the easy options to "squeeze the few", it's definitely not Big Big Train (regardless of whether or not one likes their music). Within eighteen months of those gigs at King's Place (a prestigious classical music venue in London - all three concerts completely sold out), there's the new studio album Folklore, a Blu-ray of live performances filmed at Real World Studios (also made available very cheaply as audio-only version on Bandcamp), a superb live album collated from the King's Place gigs (set-list not the same as the Real World live-in-the-studio release), and also another new studio album Grimspound (just being finished off, and apparently to be released early in the new year). And that's not including several other album projects they've already revealed that they're working on, including a big concept album and remaking some of their much older material (e.g. songs from their earliest demos and albums).
If someone wants to slag off the band for reissuing an album that's sold out of physical stock, but for which there's still a demand from a growing audience, then I guess there's no reasoning with such a person.
However, it's interesting to observe that for years the band has been very resistant to make an easy buck out of reissuing the album Bard, insisting that it doesn't really represent the current band. Only after frequent badgering from fans curious to hear the unavailable album (which is fetching silly prices second-hand), they've said recently that they will probably reissue it. My sense is that they were actually quite reluctant to do so. Hardly indicative of a band trying to "squeeze the few"...
Gotta love an over reaction.
Without going through each point I didnt think for a minute I mentioned that BBT were resting on laurels. Taking the p**s yes. But resting on laurels no.
Actually I quite enjoy the band but I, for one, wont be taken for a mug.
I get the 're issue bit. But the need to buy the action figures and sticker books is just not for me.
Each to their own though.
For what it's worth the band the band themselves have said there's not much reason to buy this one if you already own EE:FP. It's primarily about getting the OOP product back on the market.
I ordered these thanks to this thread, had the old separate 2CDs so was missing the FULL POWER stuff anyway - huge upgrade I think ....sound is very dynamic.
That's what I would expect as well although I admit I haven't heard the new mastering. BBT's recent releases sound particularly good to me so I can't imagine there would be room for a massive improvement.
And yet many fans claim they can hear a huge difference with the re-release. In this kind of situation, I always wonder if there isn't a psychological effect making people hear an improvement just because they were told that the mastering was tweaked.
Bookmarks