Shoddy sound, and STILL not in stereo
Comic Online | Washington, DC United States | 07/28/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This recent re-release of this classic album was such a disappointment. Although the album was RECORDED in stereo, it has never been released on CD in full stereo. The first release, (on the Collectables label) has half the songs in mono, and the other half in stereo. The sound quality still left a lot to be desired. On this supposedly "remastered" release from Atlantic in England, ALL the songs are in mono, and the sound quality just as shoddy. There is distortion on the high and mid frequencies. Some instruments are too forward in the mix, while others are difficult to hear. In fact, i dare say it sounds worse than some of those early Beatles recordings which have not been remastered in 20 years.
You might be thinking, "Well, maybe the recordings themselves are just poor, and they did the best they could." Unlikely. There was a great Torme box set from Rhino that came out about 10 years ago, which included 2 songs from this album. They were both in stereo, mixed fantastically, and sounded great. No distortion. All instruments were clear and defined. Those same two songs on this release and previous ones are either awful-sounding mono or awful-sounding stereo.
So what gives? I know the quality could be better, as i've heard it. So why the crappy job on the sound? Ironically, the sister album to this one (Songs of New York), has been re-released alongside this one from Atlantic England. It certainly has been remastered. The sound is far better, clear, and all in stereo.
Well, here's what DOES merit the two stars for this release. Like most jazz/pop artists recording a theme album at that time, he recorded 12 jazz selections for the album. Atlantic dropped 2, and replaced them with two rock/jazz/lounge numbers that don't fit the theme of the rest of the album at all. Well, although they didn't drop the unnecessary songs from this release, they DID add back on the two missing songs from these sessions. This is the first time they have been released on the album. Too bad they, too, sound like crap. Those 12 songs are good cool swingin' jazz... not GREAT...but good. Even if the sound on this album was impeccable, the album still would be several choices down in most Torme fans' lists of best albums.
If you want some great Torme jazz from this time period, get ANY of the Verve CD's from the late 50's and early 60's...especially "Duke Ellington and Count Basie Songsbooks," and "Swings Shubert Alley." Both are in stereo, and sound great. If you don't mind mono recordings, there are many that sound GOOD. Go with "Lulu's Back in Town" and "Sings Fred Astaire," both on the Bethlehem label from the mid-50's. There's a lot of great jazz out there if you know where to look."
The sound of the CD is less than poor
mr. Y | St.Petersburg | 03/14/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"This estimation is not for the music or vocal, but for the sound of this
CD only! The remastering was made with large damage for the sound. It is
a very pity, that I did not read the review for this CD, which was written
at July 27, 2006. That review is objective absolutely."
The start of my jazz years
Glen Gaskill | Canberra, ACT Australia | 09/16/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Great to see this album re-released in the one package (plus the two extra tracks not on the original release).
This is the album that converted me to Mel Torme, apart from the two "hits" comin home baby and right now it contains some fabulous arrangements of some of the emerging standards of the time. Until this album I was a presley and darrin fan. Never again. Along with undercurrent (Bill Evans/Jim Hall) and Ella in Berlin it changed my musical life for the better."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1