Review by Goodwood May 23, 2005 (18 of 19 found this review helpful)
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I only listen in stereo so, sorry, no talk of spinning guitars and drums here. The general view of this disc is the sheer listenability. The RBCD, especially the first version, could sound ferocious at times. It seems that the high end has been tamed, yet the mids shine through in a way like never before. Here’s a run down of observation on tracks.
1) So Far Away The first thing that struck me was how easy the drums are to listen too. That snare doesn’t seem as aggressive as before.
2) Money for Nothing This track seems transformed. It seems to have a groove that I never derived from the RBCD. As a result I find myself less likely to skip before the end. It really has come to life.
3) Walk of Life Here again the opening guitars seem a lot easier on the ear but with the whole track not really generating any new interest.
4) Your Latest Trick The trumpet (if that’s what it is) seems to have more of that resolution that we love with SACD. The vocal sounds far more convincing than before with a lovely 3D quality to it.
5) Why Worry I expected the multi-tracked guitar intro to perhaps reveal more detail than we have heard before. They sound a little artificial to me and probably don’t let enough of the vocal harmonies come through but that is obviously a production issue. The quiet part from the middle going on to the end does seem to sound a lot more dynamic with more meaning and a great sense of interplay between the musicians. It fades away really nicely.
6) Ride Across the River The great thing about this track for me is the electric guitar which wails away throughout. The solo has far more emotion than before. It really does sound like a guitar interacting with an overdriven amp. Now the trumpet in the background doesn’t distract like it used to. Yet the vocal remains clear throughout.
7) The Mans Too Strong The vocal introduction sounds really sweet here and the instrumental crescendos in the choruses again sound easier on the ear although, on my system, I still struggle to work out exactly what the sounds are.
8) One World I really like the balance of this track, the percussion, little reverberant sounds in the background, funky guitar sounds. Just great.
9) Brothers in Arms What strikes me about this track is how gentle the vocals are, something completely lost on RBCD. It completely changes my perception of the track. The guitar doesn’t seem any more revealing but the Leslies on the Keyboards seem to really stand out and add to the end of the track.
The greatest thing about this issue is that I will probably be enjoying the music rather than just listening to it. If I have a concern it’s that I’m a little sceptical about the ultimate resolution that is on the original master tapes. I heard that this was a digital recording and at the time this was recorded that would have had implications on quality. I would therefore like to bet that this is as good as it gets with any future issues varying in mixes only. However if you want to actually enjoy this album for its music rather than as a hifi experience this issue absolutely beats anything before it and I thoroughly reommend it.
I look forward to seeing other reviews.
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