The Steve Wilson Yes remixes on vinyl

[LeFrog]

Personally, I don't like re mixes. You get one chance to get it right, so get it right the first time. I see music as art, and remixing makes as much sense to me as a painter re painting his painting 40 years later. While yes... it can be done, but both a recording and a painting mark a point and place in time.... right across the boards.

An album mixed in 1971 and pressed on vinyl marks a point in time and what that band sounded like at that time. That includes not just the musicians and the instruments they were using, but also what they recorded upon (reel to reel) and how, what and where the tracks were mixed on an authentic mixing board from that era.

The producer and engineer that were hearing, mixing and making decisions in the control room were hired and should be respected. Maybe they wanted it to sound a certain way and not completely cleaned up and changed sonically. Music does "mix" together, much like paint. There are layers and textures.

I get that the "modern way" is to isolate every track, compress it and turn it up in the mix so every track can be heard clearly etc. Good in theory, yes, but not in art.
Sound can create blends and a re mixer like Wilson is going to give it "his take" and not Offord's for instance.

Trying to re write history doesn't work. History is what it is, and trying to make something authentic to a place in time more "now" completely takes the art or music out of context.

It's ok for things not to be "modernized".

That's pretty much my take on the whole remixing trend.
With that said, I've mellowed somewhat over the years and I now accept that remixes can offer an alternative way to listen to our favourite albums. After years of simply not wanting to hear the Genesis remixes (my favourite band), I recently took the dive and I actually thought it was interesting to hear those albums in a different way even though they will never replace the originals for me.

One thing that irks me though is how people claim they can hear new things in the remixes. Everytime an example is given it's something that I've always heard in the original. It seems some people need every instrument to be brought practically in their lap to actually hear it. Makes me wonder if people actually listen to music or just play it as a background noise.

[Top Cat]

Didn't you know? Everything on vinyl is automatically magically warm and full.

AFAIK, they are the same mixes as previously released. It must be a new mastering.

I've had some remastered cd's/lp's I've really liked, and others where I prefer the original LP album release.
And I've also spent 20-$30 on reissued vinyl that was disappointing, and the only warm and full I got was a nice hot pizza. lol
Henry[/QUOTE]

Maybe he just finished a plate of chicken wings and was referring to his belly?

You funny moecurly.

Surprise...the Yes remixes showed up on Apple Music this morning. Perhaps they’ll be a standalone cd release?

Also, All the long songs (CTTE, Tales, and GOD) are split into 3-5 tracks...kinda cool

Now I'm really confused, weren't his mixes released back in 2016 on Blu-Ray, DVD?
What are they releasing a digital download of his remix on vinyl...lol

[Staun]

That's pretty much my take on the whole remixing trend.
With that said, I've mellowed somewhat over the years and I now accept that remixes can offer an alternative way to listen to our favourite albums. After years of simply not wanting to hear the Genesis remixes (my favourite band), I recently took the dive and I actually thought it was interesting to hear those albums in a different way even though they will never replace the originals for me.

One thing that irks me though is how people claim they can hear new things in the remixes. Everytime an example is given it's something that I've always heard in the original. It seems some people need every instrument to be brought practically in their lap to actually hear it. Makes me wonder if people actually listen to music or just play it as a background noise.

I will say this. How many times have you heard an album and said, it needs more of this and less of that. It sounds to flat, not flat enough. Whatever. I think this is a case of one person having the ability to make such changes and doing something about it. The rub is, do you agree with what he's done?

[LeFrog]

I will say this. How many times have you heard an album and said, it needs more of this and less of that. It sounds to flat, not flat enough. Whatever.

Rarely. And in the rare cases where I think an album doesn't sound right in its original form, I'll welcome a remix.
But my and Skullhead's point is this: the classics are mostly perfect as they are and whatever perceived flaws they have by today's standards are mostly due to the time they were made in and are therefore an integral part of these works that do not need to be fixed.

[yodathedog]

My box arrived today and in perfect condition. Whoever packed it put it in an oversized mailer and added a few extra bubbles. Looking forward to ripping it open tomorrow.

[Steve983]

I will say this. How many times have you heard an album and said, it needs more of this and less of that. It sounds to flat, not flat enough. Whatever. I think this is a case of one person having the ability to make such changes and doing something about it. The rub is, do you agree with what he's done?

I think some of the Yes SW remixes do sound a bit flat. (I'm referring to the cd/blu ray stereo mixes). I appreciate the remixing work and can hear the extra separation and detail but for me the overall mix then needs some extra EQ'ing to liven up the sound. This is why I often go back to listen to the previous remasters of Yes albums. Listening to modern albums such as SW's solo works I find they fare much better so maybe its something that is required to older recordings.

[marblesmike]

A remember comparing a couple of the SW Tull remixes on digital vs vinyl and they didn't sound identical. It really depends on who is preparing the vinyl master. I read elsewhere that these Yes remixes were mastered by Chris Bellman so that is an excellent sign.

[jrw]

Surprise...the Yes remixes showed up on Apple Music this morning. Perhaps they’ll be a standalone cd release?

Also, All the long songs (CTTE, Tales, and GOD) are split into 3-5 tracks...kinda cool

This is the case on Spotify as well.

[JKL2000]

I'm confused, I thought this new release was vinyl only because the CDs were previously released. Or were those only released on Blu-Ray?

[3LockBox]

I liked what Wilson did with Relayer. Every version of the album I'd heard up to Wilson's remix sounded like shit. I love that Wilson was able to achieve space where before it was a cacophony of sounds and sounded flat as he'll. He also brought Chris up up in the mix as well. I realize there's guy's out there who want to hear a minimum of bass and I'm glad Wilson ain't one of them. I wished Wilson could get a hold of Metallica's catalog.

[strawberrybrick]

the classics are mostly perfect as they are and whatever perceived flaws they have by today's standards are mostly due to the time they were made in and are therefore an integral part of these works that do not need to be fixed.

+100.

[Steve983]

I'm confused, I thought this new release was vinyl only because the CDs were previously released. Or were those only released on Blu-Ray?

Yes, the cd's and blu rays have been released over the last few years. This is the first time on vinyl.
Review here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds4W...ist=WL&index=5

The only hiccup seems to be that there is no inner sleeve for CTTE.

[Top Cat]

Yes, the cd's and blu rays have been released over the last few years. This is the first time on vinyl.
Review here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds4W...ist=WL&index=5

The only hiccup seems to be that there is no inner sleeve for CTTE.

Thank you so much, I think I know what I'm going to get with my Amazon Gift Card for my birthday this month.
Great review, and those covers are beautiful!!!

[moecurlythanu]

^ Don't be so hard on yourself. There's room for a little more Yes in everybody's world.

[bondegezou]

I don't hear a lot of differences in the mix. Has anyone posted a summary of what Wilson did, or didn't do as the case may be?

He went back a generation in tape, from master to multitrack, and I can hear that difference, more so on the earlier albums.

Henry

[marblesmike]

Okay, I plugged in my headphones for a closer listen. This is what I hear:

• High frequencies above 8,000Hz gone
• Huge hump in low frequencies at about 150Hz
• Some elements placed out-of-phase (viz. "And You and I")

Overall, not a pleasant listen.

I guess I'm not the demographic for this set

Vinyl, high res digital, or Apple/iTunes?

[LeFrog]

He went back a generation in tape, from master to multitrack, and I can hear that difference, more so on the earlier albums.

Henry

Are you really able to hear that change in tape generation?
Or could it be what you hear is the actual remixing he did, which implies tweaking the volume of each track or its place in the stereo channel, which you can only do when you have access to the multitrack?

[bondegezou]

Are you really able to hear that change in tape generation?
Or could it be what you hear is the actual remixing he did, which implies tweaking the volume of each track or its place in the stereo channel, which you can only do when you have access to the multitrack?

Some of his remixes (they vary) sound clearer to me. Less noise. That would seem to be about improved technology going back to an earlier generation of tape. However, I don't know. It's a hard thing to test.

Henry

[Steve983]

Ok, the temptation is wearing me down, I caved in and just ordered it on Burning Shed.

[bondegezou]

He went back a generation in tape, from master to multitrack, and I can hear that difference, more so on the earlier albums.

I should caveat that I'm talking about the prior CD releases. I have no idea what the vinyls are like.

Henry

[andypashley]

The box set is available to steam on Amazon Music (categorised as a single album "The Steven Wilson Remixes" by Yes), tracks broken down into multiple parts.

[Top Cat]

I keep saying no to myself on any future vinyl releases, but the voice in my head says "resistance is futile"..

[Fracktured]

My box arrived today and in perfect condition. Whoever packed it put it in an oversized mailer and added a few extra bubbles. Looking forward to ripping it open tomorrow.

Those extra bubbles are to keep the vinyl warm.

[kid_runningfox]

Is there any point in buying these remasters on vinyl? Assuming they haven't been specifically mastered to compensate for the sonic deficiencies of vinyl, what's the justification for buying these over the cd versions? Asking because I'm genuinely curious

[marblesmike]

Is there any point in buying these remasters on vinyl? Assuming they haven't been specifically mastered to compensate for the sonic deficiencies of vinyl, what's the justification for buying these over the cd versions? Asking because I'm genuinely curious

They're remixes, not remasters.

To honestly answer your question, at least from my perspective, my vinyl playback rig sounds better to my ears than my digital front-end. Call it what you may--I'll fully admit that I just might prefer the colorations to the sound that the vinyl medium requires more often than not.