In an attempt to keep us organized, let's use this thread to discuss the reissue and bonus material from Time on Earth.
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Who else noticed the slightly different mix of the ever-loverly "Lost Island"? There's some extra choral vocals near the end. In my headphones they sounded pretty high in the mix. It sounded pretty cool. I'll always love that song; who knows if this will become my preferred mix.
I get while "So Dramatic" is a b-side, but it's still one of the most achingly-beautiful songs Neil has ever written. Sign me up for an album of Neil doing haunting piano ballads like this, "People Are Like Suns," and the jewel of his solo catalog, "Drive Home."
Won't be Silent... Is that a Nick Seymour lead vocal???
Will admit that TOE is my least favourite Crowded House album (but still a good collection but one I don't play often). Perhaps the mood of the album has tainted my enjoyment of it. However I do love "Silent House", one of my fave House tracks.
The bonus disc on this release shares that same fatalistic mood i's parent disc has. Enjoyable but I'm not sure how often I will play it. Having said that, the B side 'glam' version of "Stare Me Out" is fantastic but the winner for me is Nick's "Won't Be Silent". A revelation! Maybe that is what TOE needed, some R&B groove to it?
I do think the piano version of "People Are Like Suns" is a better version and a preferred closer to the album proper but that's just a personal choice. Perhaps TOE is too long... I'm not sure but the album serves as a good, not GREAT, collection of songs.
Possibly my favourite disc now. Alternate Stare Me Out, Won't Be Silent, Here's A Note, Purple Light are all great IMO.
@DAZZ ToE was a massive grower on me, and now perhaps my favourite album. Hated it when it first came out. It's definitely a 'different' CH (think pre-breakup and post), but damn fine. Not many clunkers on it.
Guy. posted:Won't be Silent... Is that a Nick Seymour lead vocal???
I wondered that. The liner notes say that he came up with a new arrangement and circulated a tape of it for consideration but it isn't clear whether what we're listening to is it. But it certainly doesn't sound like Neil singing. Further question, as the liner notes bizarrely say nothing on the subject on any of the albums: is it a Neil song or Nick's?
It's Neil's song with some arrangements by Nick. Nick's singing and playing everything on the demo.
You really are the Mark Lewisohn of Crowded House You ought to write a book, you know... The Complete Crowded House Recording Sessions. I'd buy it. Twice.
Never! Too much hard work. And then there'd be complaints about the font.
Just as long as the book was typeset ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS SO THAT IT SEEMED REALLY IN YOUR FACE ALL THE TIME I'd be more than happy
Or, alternatively, you can act as chaperone/tape operator/note taker, and I'll write the book
Won't Be Silent is an interesting one. When I first heard it, I knew it was Nick. There are slight echoes of H&C in the vocals which is a good thing. It's the old brother thing again!
Paul H posted:Just as long as the book was typeset ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS SO THAT IT SEEMED REALLY IN YOUR FACE ALL THE TIME I'd be more than happy
Or, alternatively, you can act as chaperone/tape operator/note taker, and I'll write the book
That should, of course, have read "wasn't" typeset...
So bat-eared Lavar78 was right! A new mix of Lost Island! Any thoughts/comments Jeremy?
Paul H posted:So bat-eared Lavar78 was right! A new mix of Lost Island! Any thoughts/comments Jeremy?
Ha ha, my students could've told you my hearing is excellent. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed.
Thing was, you mentioned it before I had a chance to listen to the song so when I did have a listen I was looking out for differences. Hearing the choir sound different, I wasn't sure if it was just confirmation bias but a quick listen on headphones confirms that there's a least one part where, on the original, the choir hums their melody, and on the new mix they sing "ah"s. A different take of their performance must have been used.
The change to an open "ah" versus the hum is what makes it so much louder.
Indeed. I need to have a close listen to the whole choir arrangement to see if there are any other differences. Given that you've clearer got better ears than me, your homework for the weekend is to listen to the whole catalogue and produce a paper by Monday of all the mix/mastering differences you can hear.
Then I can listen to them as well and knowledgeably agree with you
I'll get right on that!
Seriously though, I'm interested to know whether the original mix of Lost Island is used on the vinyl edition of Time on Earth or whether they use the "new" mix.
I have the original vinyl so I don't want to buy it again just to confirm that one point, but I'd appreciate any feedback from anyone who does pick up the vinyl.