Paris 1919 [IMPORT] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

John Cale

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 19, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino/Wea UK
• ASIN: B000FQVY2C
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #50,917 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Child's Christmas in Wales

2. Hanky Panky Nohow

3. Endless Plain of Fortune

4. Andalucia

5. Macbeth

6. Paris 1919

7. Graham Greene

8. Half Past France

9. Antarctica Starts Here

10. Burned Out Affair (outtake)

11. Child's Christmas In Wales (alternate version)

12. Hanky Panky Nowhow (drone mix)

13. The Endless Plain Of Fortune (alternate version)

14. Andalucia (alternate version)

15. Macbeth (rehearsal)

16. Paris 1919 (string mix)

17. Graham Greene (rehearsal)

18. Half Past France (alternate version)

19. Antarctica Starts Here (rehearsal)

20. Paris 1919 (piano mix)

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

One of John Cale's Very Finest Solo Efforts, Paris 1919 is also Among his Most Accessible Records, One which Grows in Depth and Resonance with Each Successive Listen. A Consciously Literary Work - the Songs Even Bear Titles Like "Child's Christmas in Wales," "Macbeth," and "Graham Greene" - Paris 1919 is Close in Spirit to a Collection of Short Stories; The Songs Are Richly Poetic, Enigmatic Period Pieces Strongly Evocative of their Time and Place. Chris Thomas' Production is Appropriately Lush and Sweeping, with Many Tracks Set to Orchestral Accompaniment; Indeed, There's Little Here to Suggest Either Cale's Noisy, Abrasive Past Or the Chaos About to Resurface in his Subsequent Work - for Better Or Worse, his Music Never Achieved a Similar Beauty Again.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All-time great album, inessential bonus tracks, August 18, 2006

By	Robert P. Inverarity (Silicon Valley, California, United States) - See all my reviews

I don't know what more I can add to the Paris 1919 discussion. It's arguably the best work by arguably the most unfairly obscure popular music genius of his time. If you don't already own it, stop reading and buy it!

The reissue is what I'm really reviewing, and if I were to rate it on its own I would give it three stars. It's a case of quantity over quality, with unfortunate results.

First, the good. The booklet has great new liner notes by a writer who thoroughly understands the album. Burned Out Affair, despite a flat, possibly drunken vocal, is quite interesting. Though I'm glad it was cut from the album proper, I'm equally glad to hear it. Two alternate versions are fantastic: the Drone Mix of Hanky Panky Nohow and the hidden instrumental take of Macbeth (with masterful electric slide guitar) give new insights into the material and are great listening on their own.

Second, the bad. Pretty much all the other sketches are not particularly interesting at best. The piano mix of Paris 1919, the vocal mix of Antarctica Starts Here, and the informal takes of Endless Plain of Fortune and Graham Green are all good listening, just nothing special or revealing. Some, however, have mumbled partial vocals, muddy arrangements, lyric mistakes, and pitch problems.

Sure, these things happen while recording. This is probably the most honest set of rehearsals and takes I've ever seen on a commercial record -- there appear to be no overdubs or edits of any kind. I'm not at all convinced that's a good thing, however. It seems to me that including alternate versions of every song was overkill, and even undermines the album itself with material that obviously was never meant for public consumption.

If they'd just stuck to new and revelatory versions, we'd have three or four great bonus tracks. As it is, there's an entire alternate album that's not worth more than a couple listens.

Certainly this reissue is worth buying, for the first time or even for the second. Just don't expect anything much of the bonus tracks.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make that twelve!, June 30, 2006

By	Daniel P. Whitworth "whitworth59" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There is an unlisted 21st track-- an instrumental version of 'Macbeth' featuring some fine slide guitar from Lowel George!

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OMG....12 more parts of an absolute classic, June 27, 2006

By	B. Margolis (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I couldn't be more excited than if George Martin announced that more previously unknown parts of "Sgt. Pepper" had been found!

The 9 track original LP is just about the best LP to be released in the early 1970's (it was released in 1973) and the lousy sounding Warner Archives CD has remained a good catalog seller after all these years.

Now, UK Rhino has released a 20 track CD (US Rhino is too damn stupid to put it out here....). Even tho at the time of this review, Amazon has not updated their listing. Here's the extra tracks:

10.Burned Out Affair (amazing outtake....slightly flat vocals...could've used another take)
11.Child's Christmas In Wales (alt version)
12.Hanky Panky Nohow (drone mix)
13.The Endless Plain Of Fortune (alt version)
14.Andalucia (rehearsal)
15.MacBeth (alt version)
16.Paris 1919 (string mix)
17.Graham Greene (rehearsal)
18.Half Past France (alt version)
19.Antarctia Starts Here (rehearsal)
20.Paris 1919 (piano mix)
21.HIDDEN TRACK; Macbeth (wild unissued backing track!)

.....wow these are just plain fabulous....early versions, rough rehearsals, alternative versions of 9 of the greatest pieces of serious pop music ever!)

Anyone who like this classic album needs this reissue.

Wouldn't it be nice for Amazon to update their listing?