The Flat Earth - Remastered & Expanded [Import, Original recording remastered]

Thomas Dolby | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: 101 DISTRIBUTION
• ASIN: B0029358G2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,783 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #76 in Music > Alternative Rock > New Wave & Post-Punk > New Wave

Editorial Reviews

Thomas Dolby became one of the most recognizable figures of the synth-pop movement of early-'80s new wave. Dolby successfully harnessed the power of synthesizers and samplers, to make catchy pop and light electro-funk. Following the (1984) single Hyperactive, his career faded away, as he began producing more frequently, as well as exploring new synthesizer and computer technology. Dolby continued to record into the '90s, but by then, he was strictly a cult act.

The Flat Earth was Dolby s sophomore album release, in 1984, its sophisticated sound was a battle cry to any doubters, combining Dolby s signature keyboards into a more organic, layered sound. Hyperactive! the result of a bizarre evening spent at Michael Jackson's house -- bore the most fruit, repeating the success of ....Science in Britain, and scoring Thomas his first Top 20 hit in his home country.

The epic Dissidents felt most at home as a 12-inch revisits Dolby s love of cold war espionage, and at the other end of the spectrum, the haunting Dan Hicks ballad I Scare Myself is turned into a piano-led affair with a sexy, sultry video. The latter is a solo embodiment of the shimmering, breathy sound that would form the heart of the Prefab Sprout sound he was integral to creating - production values which he has said he ranks amongst his personal career highs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars After The Gold Rush, September 11, 2009

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Flat Earth - Remastered & Expanded (Audio CD)

Boy, was I glad I hung on to my original CD from 1985. Along with "The Golden Age Of Wireless," these two Thomas Dolby titles were among the very first CD's I ever purchased. At the time of the first listen to the vinyl album of "The Flat Earth," I was a tad disappointed that Dolby's professed love of Joni Mitchell (whom he soon would produce - see "Dog Eat Dog") had led to an album loaded with extremely moody and low key songs. There were a lot more traditional instruments involved with the making of "The Flat Earth," which wasn't really what I was expecting. With the exception of "Hyperactive," which sounded like a "Wireless" leftover, "The Flat Earth" barely sounded like the quirky kid we'd fallen in love with on the first album.

Still, the album had a certain jazzy depth that I kept coming back to. Maybe I didn't love it on the first listen. Or the second, or for that matter, the third. But by the end of the first week, I was hooked. I think side one of the original album became glued to my turntable for the remainder of the summer of 1984, as the intrigue of "Dissidents," the sensitivity of the title track and the lonely alienation of "Screen Kiss" kept me enthralled. I was fortunate to win a CD player in a radio contest a year later and found this disc in the racks....and it's not left my library since.

I have since become enamored of Dolby's interpretation of Dan Hick's "I Scare Myself" to the point that I prefer it over the original. I also still can find myself bouncing along to "The White City," which took some flack at the time for what many perceived as a drug reference. What actually stopped me from a full-on five star recommendation on the original CD was the reason I originally purchased the LP..."Hyperactive" actually sounds so out of place here that it robs "The Flat Earth" of that elusive fifth star for me. But don't let that stop you. If you're a fan of "Avalon" by Roxy Music or "Hats" by the Blue Nile, you'll probably be glad "The Flat Earth" is back and remastered.

As to that remaster job, it's fantastic. For a change, "remaster" doesn't mean "made louder," it means the CD was cleaned up, given better definition, given more detail. The scratchy trumpet on "I Scare Myself" is even more haunting. The bass on "Hyperactive!" snaps even more than before, as does "The White City." Dolby contributes new liner notes and info about the original songs and the eight extras. The bonus tracks include the original re-mix for "Dissidents" and 7 more songs...and for a change, most of them are worth hearing! There's one song that had never even been recorded, the live "Marseille." Add a couple of hard to find soundtrack items from "Howard the Duck" and "Gothic," and this version of "The Flat Earth" maintains its reputation as Dolby's moody masterpiece.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At long last!, July 12, 2009

By 

Jason Fairchild (Vicksburg, MS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Flat Earth (Collector's Edition) (MP3 Download)

It is great to see this album finally treated to a remastered re-release. I picked this up sound unheard when it first came out back in the 80s, expecting more "She Blinded Me With Science"-styled synthpop. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the sophisticated and reflective approach Dolby exhibits on this quite excellent album. Plus, I have been looking for the remix of Dissidents for 20+ years after my original 12" suffered major heat damage. To find it included here is icing on the cake!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars perfect, September 5, 2009

By 

E. E. Seiler III "wpnk1" (Indialantic, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Flat Earth - Remastered & Expanded (Audio CD)

Thomas Dolby is a genius who writes songs that can be fun,intelligent and emotional all at the same time. This album creates soundscapes that pull you into his world and let you grow..and then some fun. The remastered version sounds better and the extras are worth it even for casual fans of the great TD. Buy It