...how stupid do they think we are?
Sound/Word Enthusiast | Rhode Island, USA | 01/06/2010
(1 out of 5 stars)
"...I have to profess immense amusement in the increasing futility of major labels. Rather than raid their vaults for interesting, long-unavailable music, this current "Rarities Edition" initiative simply takes the second disk of their deluxe expanded editions and packages it on its own. No new material, no new mastering -- heck, I wonder if they just took an overstock of the actual original disks and wrapped 'em up again! If you buy one, check to see if they say "Disk Two" on them.
The Diana Ross project especially irks me, and here's why. The original deluxe edition featured two disks: disk two had a bunch of 12-inch mixes and assorted rarities. Disk on had both the original released mix of "Diana," plus the unreleased Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers mix. So this disk is a stand-alone disk of rarities and 12-inch mixes...and yet the coolest part of the deluxe edition -- the Edwards/Rodgers mixes that Ms. Ross rejected initially -- remain sequestered on the rather expensive double disk package. It wouldn't tick me off so much, except the blurb above states:
"Perfect for collectors who may have missed the double disc version or for those who are in search of all the great tracks that were initially exclusive to the Deluxe Edition. In spring 1980, the new album from superstar Diana Ross, Diana, became a #1 R&B, #2 Pop platinum smash; 'Upside Down' and 'I'm Coming Out' were huge hits from the album. A new Diana Ross, in jeans, T-shirt and slicked back hair, was bigger than ever. Except that the released album was not the mix delivered to Motown. The album had been remixed, to great success. Whatever happened to the original mix? Now on Diana: Rarities Edition, we find those mixes. Dubbed Diana: Dance, this new rarities collection represents songs leading up to Diana and features 13 Diana club classics, rarities and previously unreleased recordings."
NO -- this does NOT have "those mixes." That is an outright lie. This has some random jumble of 12-inch mixes and some assorted rarities. This does NOT contain "all the great tracks that were initially exclusive to the Deluxe Edition." It only contains the tracks that were on disk two -- not the alternative mixes on disk one.
Maybe it's nitpicking, but I find this supremely annoying...releasing the bonus tracks -- but NOT all the bonus tracks -- independent of the original album, and misrepresenting it in print, is just truly lame. Period."
**BUY ORIGINAL 2CD VERSION**
M. DUlisse | las vegas,nevada | 01/08/2010
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Warning: This cd does not contain the alternative chic mixes of the album. If you buy the Deluxe Diana-2 cd set,for only a few dollars more, you get all these great rarities plus an additional cd that contains the Diana album + the unreleased chic mix of the album. The review says for people who missed out on the original double disc. DO NOT BE FOOLED. It is still available. I bought the double cd used for the same price as the single rarities cd. It is excellent! Why oh Why would the record company do this? Click on this link to the 2 cd set:Diana (Deluxe Edition)"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1