Vs. (The Definitive Edition plus bonus DVD) [Special Edition]

Mission Of Burma | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 18, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Special Edition
• Label: Matador Records
• ASIN: B0012IWHUK
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,673 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Secrets

2. Train

3. Trem Two

4. New Nails

5. Dead Pool

6. Learn How

7. Mica

8. Weatherbox

9. Ballad Of Johnny Burma, The

10. Einstein's Day

11. Fun World

12. That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate

13. Laugh The World Away

14. Forget

15. Progress

16. OK, No Way

Editorial Reviews

The second and final studio album, released in 1982 just months before the band broke up, at the pinnacle of their songwriting and performing skills. Unavailable on CD for three years and out of print on vinyl since the 1980s. Bonus DVD contains the entire afternoon set from the final show in Boston in 1983. Fully re-mastered from the original tapes. 32-page booklet contains ephemera, photos, and interviews. Vinyl is true all-analog, HQ-180 pressing. "The almost-pop architecture is opposed by almost-Wagnerian sonic density, a dichotomy between blueprint and chaos - the competition indicated by the album's title" - Village Voice.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth it!, April 3, 2008

By 

Ralph from Brooklyn - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vs. (The Definitive Edition plus bonus DVD) (Audio CD)

If you've been thinking about whether or not these new reissues are worth your time, the answer is a resounding YES! Rick Harte (Burma's producer) went back to the analogue tapes and completely overhauled them. The sound is more spacious, warmer, with more bottom end. For hardcore fans, the main draw would be the dvd's. Vs. has the afternoon show from the final Boston concerts, and Burma is at full boil. The show is chaotic from an audience stand point, but the band plows through a great, varied set. The picture is not Blue-Ray ready, but very watchable. The only problem with the sound is that it comes nowhere near how pulverizingly loud this band was. The evening show is on the "Horrible Truth" reissue with very little song overlap between the two shows. I'm not going to get into the music because you're probably already on board for these guys and want to know if these reissues are worth it. Yes, absolutely yes. Great job for one of the all time great pop/punk/experimental bands who could just never catch a break.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vinyl edition: Spared no expense ... well worth it!, October 29, 2008

By 

McG (Wilmington, DE USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vs. (The Definitive Edition) [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

Matador Records outdid themselves with the vinyl reissues of Mission of Burma's original releases. 180 gram vinyl, gatefold sleeves, large booklets, mp3 downloads of albums, bonus DVDs ... wow.

A lot of thought went into this and makes re-purchasing these (upgrading from the Ryko editions) totally worth it. In many ways, Matador has set the standard for vinyl reissues with the MOB catalog. Very impressive.

5.0 out of 5 stars so THAT's what i was missing all this time!, November 16, 2011

By 

N. Huston (at large) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vs. (The Definitive Edition plus bonus DVD) (Audio CD)

the first time i heard this album was on vinyl, mid 1980s, in a friend's dorm room, on a crappy j c penney turntable. of course i made a tape of it, and played it literally to death in my car.

i have a soft spot for that muddy, used-tape-cassette sound, and will probably always associate it with this album (and with that time of my life, and those friends, and so on), but WOW, what a difference a judicious remastering can make! SO MUCH going on here that either i'd forgotten, or had just never heard before. definitely worth the purchase price - and i haven't even watched the DVD yet!