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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's up to you...I'm just going to help you choose..., June 28, 2007
| By | Squonk (The dark forests of Pennsylvania, where hunters follow by moonlight my silvery trail of tears) - See all my reviews |
NOTE: The following review deals exclusively with the sound quality of the new 2007 reissue of the album. For an extensive analysis of the album, see my review of the 1994 edition.
An event recently took place that many of us have been waiting (sleeplessly) for ever since 1994: The entire Genesis catalog is in the process of being remastered, and the charge has been taken up by none other than the masters of remastering, Rhino Records! When I heard this, I was absolutely floored. After all, it has been now 13 years since the Genesis albums have been touched, and while Yes, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, and even Kansas have been available in remastered editions since the turn of the millennium, Genesis has been completely overlooked...until now.
Unfortunately, it's not all rosy and peachy. Unlike some reissues, yes, you definitely will notice the difference between the new and old versions. And that's the problem. By no means were the 1994 Genesis remasters perfect; in fact, some of them are downright pitiful. 'A Trick of the Tail' was one of the better ones, though there were several glaring problems that needed to be solved with the sound. Incidentally, these have been totally fixed in the 2007 reissue. But, alas, it's the other changes that complicate the matter.
Below is an itemized list of what's right with this remaster, and what's wrong with it:
What's RIGHT with 'A Trick of the Tail' (1976/r. 2007):
1) Hey! I get it now! - Throughout the album, the vocals are much clearer. Passages that seemed muffled and unfocused are now much easier to understand, even without the aid of already knowing the lyrics. This was a weakness of Phil Collins's vocals all the way up to the 1980 'Duke' release, and I'm glad to say Rhino did a great job maximizing what they had to work with. Listen to "Squonk," for instance, and you can actually follow the tale perfectly.
2) Cutting through the mix - If there was one thing that was lacking in the 1994 issue of the album, it was that the overall sound was very crowded. The 2007 reissue fixes this, though at the expense of a loss of some of the overall feel of the album (see the next section). Vocals are separated from the instrumentation better than ever before, and the guitars in particular are heard loud and clear (again, see below). Complex mixes of instrumental textures are resolved much more nicely than in the 1994 issue.
3) It doesn't hurt anymore - There were some particularly grating siblants ("esss" sounds) in the 1994 reissue, most noticeable in "Mad Man Moon." These have been handily dealt with in the Rhino remaster.
4) Backing him up - The background vocals are more spacious and clear than ever before, and solo and ensemble vocal selections contrast very nicely now. This is best heard, again, in "Mad Man Moon."
What's WRONG with this reissue:
1) Where are the bloody keyboards?! - Steve Hackett is a great guitarist. Please don't misunderstand me. But I really don't want to hear *every single note he ever strummed in his life* blasting away with all the subtlety of a jackhammer. Especially when it means that the keyboard parts, particularly the Mellotron, are completely drowned out. For instance, listen to the hypnotic ending section of "Entangled." Most of its charm is from that dark, haunting keyboard solo that proceeds to the end of the piece, backed by deep bass notes and a wash of heavily-processed Mellotron chorus. Many of you were probably not even aware that Hackett does strum a few notes here and there at the end, but if you listen to the 2007 remaster, it is utterly impossible to miss it. Of course, something had to give, and that is the Mellotron chorus, which is so muted that until the very end of the song you probably wouldn't even know it was there. This sort of thing happens all over in these reissues (it's much worse in the following album, 1977's 'Wind & Wuthering'), and it's a jarring and, in my opinion, detrimental alteration to the sonic character of the album.
Say what you will about my comments here; I really don't care. As I said, Hackett was a great guitarist, and Genesis really fell apart as a progressive act when he left. But the music just sounds wrong with his work showcased in the manner of the 2007 remaster. Your miles will vary, and the degree to which the keyboards are muted varies across the album as well, but for me, I say this was a real mistake that undermines the musical cohesion expressed by the band during this time.
2) If I wanted to hear a live performance... - On several of the songs, most notably "Dance On A Volcano" and "Squonk," there is a copious amount of echoing, stadium-style delay applied to the vocals and guitars. Along with the way the drums were EQ'ed throughout the album (a lot of bottom and top end, with the midranges muted), these songs especially sound like the engineers were trying to make them sound live. This just won't do. Apart from being inconsistent with the remainder of the album, the "live" ambiance just doesn't suit this music.
3) It ain't the 80s, guys - Throughout the album, it seems as though the engineers were trying to bring the overall sonic character more in line with the 80s Collins-era albums. As a result, something very special about the pair of albums released in 1976--'Trick' and 'Wind'--is utterly lost. This effect is much more apparent in the 2007 remaster of 'Wind' than on 'Trick,' but it can be heard in "Squonk" and "Dance On A Volcano" in particular. There was a very particular sound about 'A Trick of the Tail,' a more intimate, analog cast, that is pulverized by the cold edge of 80s-style digitization. Again, this is down to personal preference, but I think the 1994 release really captured the warm, analog tone of this album much better.
Overall, this Rhino version of 'A Trick of the Tail' sounds *very* different from the 1994 release. Some of the changes were welcome, but more of them (at least in my opinion) were wholly unwelcome. Many if not all the major issues with the 1994 release were fixed, but the new version has many new issues of its own. I can't help but feel that Rhino really dropped the ball here, and I am really disappointed with this work. It looks as though we're going to have to wait another decade or so before somebody comes along and gets it right. The thing that dismays me, though, is that I always had faith in Rhino. I guess I was just proved wrong.
Like I said, opinions will vary widely. My suggestion to prospective buyers is to buy both versions (1994 and 2007) of any one of the classic output of Collins-era Genesis, choose which one you think sounds better, and then complete the set from that version. I will get a lot of hateful comments ("How dare you insult Steve Hackett!"), but my opinion will not change. I have made a compromise with this review by rating the 2007 remasters the same way I have rated the 1994 ones (the ratings are based on the album content), but I have included my exclusive comments on the 2007 reissue quality. My purpose is to serve as an adviser to any who are considering purchasing this edition, either as an upgrade or as your first copy. Whichever version sounds better to you is ultimately your decision, and I wish you all the best with it. Rhino just didn't do it for me here.
Better luck next time.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect if you don't have SACD, May 15, 2007
The release of these remasters could not have been much more confusing - there are three versions of each of the 5 Genesis re-releases. I have a SACD player, and purchased the European import version of this CD for about $5 more; the only difference is a SACD layer (with stereo and surround) on the CD. There is also a UK SACD version that uses a PAL format on the DVD instead of NTSC. I thought that the European SACD version was worth it; the sound is excellent. However, I must admit that the DTS 96/24 surround mix (on the second DVD disc in every version) is also quite good, and if you do not have an SACD player and do not intend to get one, save your money and buy this US edition. You are getting a remastered CD, a Dolby Digital surround version and a DTS surround version, as well as a number of DVD extras including recently recorded comments on the original album by the members of the band, along with some filmed live versions of Genesis material from a tour circa 1976. Really, it is well worth the purchase price, and if you are a die hard fan, there is a box set available with the first five post Peter Gabriel releases. All are equally well-done.
I would argue that the SACD (absent from this US edition) sounds crisper and slightly more detailed. However, the DTS version has a "fuller" or "fat" sound that is quite nice on the heavier songs like "Squonk." All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by the DTS versions, and the graphics on the screen during the songs (which show the album cover, song titles and credits) are nice as well. Depending on your equipment, you might not even be able to tell the difference between SACD and DTS. There is no question that the DTS version sounds better than the standard CD. And, even the CD sounds a little better that the origninal "Definitive Edition Remaster Series." The Dolby Digital, to me, sounds a little harsh. The bottom line, I suppose, is that if you don't have a SACD player, this is the version to get. If you do have a SACD player, you have a decision to make - personally, I think that the extra $ for the SACD is worth it, but it is a close call.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic returns., May 23, 2007
There has been much confusion over the release of these remasters so I will try to break it down for you as best I can:
-The SACD version is available as an import. It contains the album in both stereo and 5.1 surround sound SACD. The second disc contains video material in PAL format, which means you will not be able to watch it on most DVD players because of PAL/NTSC incompatibility.
-The domestic version from Rhino/Atlantic contains the CD in stereo. The second disc is a DVD with complete album in 5.1 Dolby Surround and DTS plus video content viewable on any domestic DVD player
-The third version is also an import and is also SACD. It's the same as the first description but the video is in NTSC and viewable on any domestic DVD player.
The new stereo masters for all versions are new re-mixes and are the same for all versions. The only difference is the encoding (i.e. SACD/DSD or DTS/Dolby).
The SACD versions are imports and are more expensive. They are released through EMI since they handle the UK recordings and they support the SACD format
The DTS/Dolby versions are released through Atlantic via Rhino. They do not support the SACD format and the domestic versions, to some, sound a little different. Since this is very subjective because everyone listens to music differently you have to figure out which one is right for you and how much are you willing to spend.
It is my opinion that both sound about the same and since I like to save money like a majority of other people I got the domestic version of "A Trick Of The Tail" and it sounds great in both stereo and surround. The best thing about the surround sound is that the music envelops you without destroying the feel of the stereo version. "Entangled" "Ripples" and "Mad Man Moon" are well complimented by the mix.
SACD was invented by Sony to compete with DVD-Audio, Dolby, and DTS. With SACD one has to buy a player capable of decoding SACD and you need a receiver/amp with the necessary 6 inputs and outputs from player to receiver, to speakers (DVD-Audio is similar). Most SACD's on the market are not surround so all you have to do is just plug the player into your existing system. Other SACD's are hybrids meaning that there is a layer of regular audio and the SACD information on the same discs. The downside is that most people who have surround sound systems had them before SACD or can't afford or justify the added expense of buying another system.
Dolby 5.1 and DTS audio are sent through a fiber optic cable to the surround sound amp and is digital as opposed to the SACD/DVD-A analogue connection. It is also the standard for most `theater-in-a-box" surround systems and any DVD player.
So if you already have a SACD surround set up get the SACD version. Everybody else get the domestic.
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