Re: The Sound Of Bushness

[asteg@tiac.net (Albert Steg)]

In article <3kv92o$a3n@pandora.sdsu.edu>, dlangs@sunstroke.sdsu.edu (Derek
Langsford) wrote:


> I think most people would agree that Kate's UK CDs are superior to the US
> pressings though the differences depend on the album and which US pressing
> you have.  You can bet that EMI UK get either get the original master tape
> from Kate or a first generation copy.  EMI-USA may only get an "n"th 
> generation master.  In addition, when Kate's catalogue was first available 
> on US CD, the mastering was pretty bad.  I bought the initial US release of
> NFE and was appalled by the hiss an pops.  Hearing the import was a breath 
> of fresh air and I have never bought a US CD again, unless there is no
> foreign release or the import is deleted or out of print.  US CD sound
> quality and quality control was poor in the late 80s while the record 
> companies got product on the shelves, having been caught with their pants
> down in the mid-80s without having pressing plants on-line.  The UK 
> editions all come with lyrics in nice booklets rather than skimpy bits of 
> paper.

These observations are mirrored in the Elvis Costello Catalogue, as well. 
The word is that the original US Columbia CD releases actually used
*vinyl* as their source recordings!  To listen to them, perhaps like your
NFE, bears out that fact.

The entire EC catalogue upo to 1989 is in the preocess of re-release on
Rykodisk, and the improvememnt in sound is breathtaking.  Also, lots of
bonus demo tracks, live clips and b-sides have made _all_ of his CD's
maximum-length recordings.  Add extensive  new liner notes by EC himself
for each album and you've got EC heaven!

Albert