Worth every penny
Baron Williams | Milpitas, California United States | 03/03/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This special addition 30th anniversary PC enhanced remastered and expanded version has very good quality sound compared to all of the previously released versions of this album on CD, cassette and LP. The remastering job done on this CD is absolutely excellent. Its very clear. You can hear instruments you couldn't here before. The stereo separation is also much better than before.Being an ELO fan, I purchased this special version to add to my ELO collection. I already owned this album on cassette and on CD, I purchased it for the extra material on it (i.e.., the rock video of 10538 Overture, and the never before released extra songs). I had no idea how nice this album was until I put my headphones on and heard this new remastered version of it. The quality is SO MUCH BETTER than before. I cannot stress this enough. It has new life from the clarity of the remastering. Its now very enjoyable to listen to. The scratchy noisy sound that both the cassette and previous CD version had is completely gone. They did a wonderful job restoring the sound from the original tapes. If you haven't heard this version you haven't really heard this album in its true form.I am very pleased with this purchase and I highly recommend buying this version, if not for the extras, buy it for the far superior sound quality only available on THIS VERSION.There is one downside to this album, the "QUAD" mixes are not really quadraphonic surround sound mixes. This was very disappointing. No where on the CD box does it mention that they are not presented in 4 channel surround sound as quadraphonic should be. The "QUAD" mixes are not encoded in DTS SURROUND SOUND, not in DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND, or in DOLBY PRO LOGIC SURROUND SOUND, they are PLAIN STEREO. Don't be fooled by the package. Personally I would LOVE to have a DTS SURROUND SOUND version of the original "QUAD" mixes so that I could here them in their true form. Who knows, maybe a DTS version will be made in the future. Until then these stereo versions of the quadraphonic surround sound versions will have to do."
Essential for ELO, Move, Lynne or Wood devotees
Baron Williams | 04/23/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thorough? Hell, yeah. Blows you away. Having the original album after a fresh remix/wash plus two outtakes on Disc 1 is great (is this all the USA audience is going to get in a few months, I wonder, in the single-disc format?). Completists get live tracks/BBC tracks and /somewhat quad alternate mixes on Disc 2.But throw in the hidden tracks and the DIGITAL A/V program (usable on Mac or PC) on Disc 1 and you have a TRULY REVOLUTIONARY REISSUE FOR THE 21st CENTURY. Songs, animation, new mixes, live, video, the lot. Blows away the skimpy job SONY has been doing with the late-period ELO reissues in the USA. (Now if only Capitol/Apple would take a hint and redo the ENTIRE Beatles catalog, with this as a blueprint, they'd have a cashcow on their hands. Or even if it was just a special edition of "Revolver," "Sgt. Pepper," or "Abbey Road" and that was it.) Anyway, hats off to EMI. As a Move-and-pre-disco-ELO fan, this is an incredible addition to a large CD collection. Can't wait to see what they do with "Message From the Country" and its attendant singles, which are among the most superb pop/rock ever produced in Britain ("Tonight" and "Do Ya" especially) ... more music videos, perhaps? Can't wait. The video portion of "ELO I" is replete with gags galore and more memorabilia/clippings than you'll know what to do with. Especially if you don't mind four versions of "10538 Overture" -- and one on a promotional video -- that differ only mildly. I don't. It's my track of the week. Like Woody, I play it about any chance I get!"
Essential for ELO, Move, Lynne or Wood devotees
Baron Williams | 04/23/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thorough? Hell, yeah. Blows you away. Having the original album after a fresh remix/wash plus two outtakes on Disc 1 is great (is this all the USA audience is going to get in a few months, I wonder, in the single-disc format?). Completists get live tracks/BBC tracks and /somewhat quad alternate mixes on Disc 2. But throw in the hidden tracks and the DIGITAL A/V program (usable on Mac or PC) on Disc 1 and you have a TRUE, REVOLUTIONARY REISSUE FOR THE 21st CENTURY. Songs, animation, new mixes, live, video, the lot. Blows away the skimpy job SONY has been doing with the late-period ELO reissues in the USA...Anyway, hats off to EMI in the UK. As a Move-and-pre-disco-ELO fan, this is an incredible addition to a large CD collection. Can't wait to see what they do with "Message From the Country" and its attendant singles, which are among the most superb pop/rock ever produced in Britain ("Tonight" and "Do Ya" especially) ... more music videos, perhaps? Can't wait. The video portion of "ELO I" is replete with animations galore and more memorabilia/clippings than you'll know what to do with. Especially if you don't mind four versions of "10538 Overture" that differ only mildly, and I don't. It's my track of the week. Like Woody, I play it about any chance I get!"
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1