Great, if incomplete re-issue
Focused Frenzy | Salt Lake City, Utah USA | 07/29/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First of all, I love this album. To me this is the best mid-80s synth-pop album ever made. I have collected many of the original 12" singles, remixes and what not. This reissue was long overdue and is packaged wonderfully - with great liner notes and artwork. Received it from Amazon.co.uk last week.
What does this reissue include:
- The original (CD) album and the LP versions that were replaced on (most of) the CD issues. Nice inclusions include the mostly instrumental 3:09 version of "Jewel" (for those that get nervous listening to the vocal version of this song (I do) this could be a nice replacement for the CD version of "Jewel" in a playlist). Also included is the "First Cut" version of "Dr Mabuse", basically faded out at 5:00 and the standalone version of "Strength to Dream", which, though nice to have, does not hold its own to the version that was included in the 10:41 Dr. Mabuse album version.
- A selection of remixes and additional versions. Highlights include:
"Do Well", the 20-minute cassette version of Duel (in the 80s ZTT used the cassette format to create longer versions of their singles - Frankie Goes To Hollywood had some great ones too). Ultimately "Do Well" is not so much a giant remix as it is individual songs played consecutively. It includes the regular album version of Duel, a slightly altered full-length "Jewel", and a mashup of "Duel" and "Jewel" called "Bejewelled" (basically starts as "Jewel", switches to "Duel" for the chorus, then back to "Jewel" etc.). It also includes an instrumental passage called "Wonder" and a small excerpt from Duel called "The First Cut". Ultimately worth having, but due to its makeup of individual songs that are mostly represented in the same versions somewhere else, not as satisying (at least to me).
"Die Tausend Augen des Mabuse". This is one of the 12" versions ZTT released of this classic track. This version basically takes the 5:00 First Cut version (Disc 1, Track 14) and smears it out over 10 minutes. Please note that the "Strength To Dream" end-sequence of the original 10:41 version (Disc 1, Track 9) does not feature in this mix.
"Sorry For Laughing" - Great 12" - didn't know it even existed
"P:Machinery (Goodnight 32 Mix)" - alternative single mix - sounds great
"Chase" (Goodnight Mix) - alternative mix, which I actually like better than the album version
"Echo of Frozen Faces" - longer version of "Frozen Faces", basically an added 6 minutes of instrumental passage before going into the "regular" Frozen Faces
"P:Machinery (Polish) - the original 12". While I like it, the synthesizer sequence at the end of the "chorus" is repeated for about 2 minutes at the end of the song, which is a little too much for me to take. I created a "fade" version using editing software cutting it to 7:42 in length, but hey, everyone likes things differently.
The "Testament", and "Thought" tracks are not so much actual songs as they are (instrumental) interludes
What this re-issue does not include:
Disc 2 only contains a selection of Propaganda's 1984-1985 output. Most of the "missing" versions can be found on the Outside World release from Propaganda issued a few years back. This 2 CD reissue does not include:
"Das Testament des Mabuse (13th Life Mix)", 6:35. Another 12" of Dr. Mabuse, pretty similar to the "Tausend Augen" version, again no "Strength to Dream" sequence included
"Duel (Bitter Sweet)" - the original 7:38 12" Version of Duel - Great Mix
"P:Machinery (Beta Mix)" - the fantastic 9:33 alternative 12" Mix - quite different from the Polish mix on this release
"Frozen Faces (12" version)- this is the 5:30 version, different than the 10:20 "Echo of Frozen Faces"
"Jewel (Cut Rough)", basically Jewel with a-cappella intro. This version is included as part of "Do Well" on this release, but not as a standalone track
"Complete Machinery", 10:56. An odd one. "Complete Machinery", similar to "Do Well" was the cassette version of P:Machinery, but only two "parts" are included on "Outside World" as part of "Complete Machinery": an instrumental remix of "P:Machinery (Goodnight 32 Mix)", which sounds great and "Frozen Faces" - the 5:30 12" version.
"Das Testament des Mabuse (DJ Promo Version)", 9:57. The third 12" of Dr. Mabuse. This one is the closest to the album version and does include the "Strength To Dream" sequence. The outtro is a little shorter and different instruments are being brought to the front throughout the song compared to the album version. The 10:41 album version does remain the definitive "Dr Mabuse" in my book however.
Other 1984-1985 tracks not on this release include "Lied" a short remix of "Chase", "The Lesson" a short (pointless) remix of Dr. Mabuse, and "Femme Fatale", a Lou Reed cover that seems completely out of place. All three of these are on "Outside World" as well.
90% of the "Wishful Thinking" remix album released in 1985 is not on this release either, but these remixes, while nice for completists are easily trumped by the 12" versions of each of the tracks
Hope this helps "shine a little light" on Propaganda circa 1984-1985. This is all great classic stuff!
"
A Secret Wish...The 25th Anniversary
T. Villavicencio | Hayward, CA USA | 07/30/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First, the negatives (niggles actually :-)):
1: This remastered CD renders my German 1985 release (catalog # 610540 CID126) and 1990 US re-issue (catalog # 422-842 496-2) practically useless now.
2: I'm not really a fan of Digipak CD packaging. Besides from Digipak not fitting in my CD rack, it's not as durable as a regular CD case. And since it's mostly paper-based, it's flimsy and tends to tear easily.
Now for the positives:
This is a treasure trove of previously unreleased Propaganda material!
DISC 1 is a contains all the tracks from the 1985 CD and 12" analog long-playing album version of A Secret Wish, all remastered to perfection.
DISC 2 contains the rarities and remixes not found in their Outside World and Wishful Thinking CDs.
The DO WELL is particularly interesting. This is a 20-minute rare (previously available in cassette-only) "mix" in ONE CD track (The First Cut, Duel, Jewel [Cut Rough], Wonder, and Bejewelled). Calling it a "mix" is a stretch because it's not. Maybe they could have cut it down to 5-tracks since there are five separate cuts (pun intended) of "Duel" and "Jewel" here. "The First Cut" is a short but fitting intro to this "mix". "Wonder" could've been a new "Duel" version if they had expanded on it further. "Duel" and "Jewel (Cut Rough)" is essentially the same versions of the two songs we all know and love. "Bejewelled" sounds like a simple cut mix between "Duel" and "Jewel" (and vice-versa). This is pure nitpicking since I love everything "Jewel" and "Duel". This was a rarity, so might as well enjoy it!
One last thing... Uhmm, please bear in mind that this 25th Anniversary re-release DOES NOT contain all of Propaganda's extended mixes. That is why Propaganda has other CDs...Outside World and Wishful Thinking (Reis).
If you're a Propaganda fan, it's definitely an essential re-issue.
If you're an 80's/New Wave/Synth-Pop fan, it's definitely worth taking a look at this import.
I'd rate it 5-stars...nuff said!"
Track Listings (26) - Disc #1