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Post by clouds on Jul 30, 2014 9:12:06 GMT
With all due respect to Mr. Lynne: I would forcefully include 13 antimatter tracks to magically cancel out the re-recordings of the first compilation while heroic music plays in the background... punctuating the heroic nature of the act.
I still have yet to make it through the entirety of Mr. Blue Sky. The re-recorded tracks are to these ears what the CGI infected re-cuts of the original Star Wars movies (hell, most modern movies) are to the eyes: completely unappealing.
... some of us are big fans, but not to the point of loving or even liking all newly recorded material. Ha! I love it. I remember slating the album on the old board. In my opinion its the worst thing by far Jeff has ever done. I recall some old board members saying they couldn't tell the differerence between some of the songs. Some preferred a lot of the songs over the originals. Still baffles me even now!
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Post by ShardEnder on Jul 30, 2014 14:46:43 GMT
A collection dedicated to remaking later period hits instead of the '70s material would be fantastic, especially as Jeff could finally include the original Beatles Forever as a "new" bonus track - we all know how much his manager loves pushing those on us! Didn't he once confirm that Steppin' Out and Don't Walk Away were also recorded for Mr. Blue Sky? I'd love to hear these, and I'm hoping we'll get physical versions of those iTunes extras tacked on the end of a future release as well, even if it's not a second volume of that particular album. After all (pun not intended), that Zoom Tour Live version of Twilight was featured on two separate titles, so there is precedent for such a thing happening...
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Post by BSJ on Jul 30, 2014 17:51:26 GMT
A thumbs up on every post whether agreeing or not with all of their contents.
Sir W P, you started a great dialogue.
Over thinking and dissecting distracts my appreciation for Jeff’s, or anyone’s art. But, at the same time new appreciation of the work is always welcomed.
What to do?
It makes no difference to me if he rerecords. I can enjoy the new and still love the original. I love his playing and voice. What the heck?
What I would really, really like is an unplugged as done on the Bungalow Palace performances, but without the bad production of Richards’s piano. Clapton’s unplugged was excellent.
Jeff, please move along… Tick-tock, tick-tock…
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Post by Horacewimp on Jul 30, 2014 18:01:06 GMT
What I would really, really like is an unplugged as done on the Bungalow Palace performances, but without the bad production of Richards’s piano. That would be good, does anyone know if there were any tracks from that session we haven't yet seen?
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Post by elophile on Jul 30, 2014 22:46:48 GMT
Uh oh... in a good or bad way ? You must have a track listing of your own, right? in a good way! your comment was great... especially the part about the heroic music. i don't really mind the rerecorded tracks so much as i think they were unnecessary. if they give Jeff's music a needed boost in popularity - then i'm happy with that but I'll listen to the originals. no rerecorded tracks listings for me - I want NEW stuff!!!
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Post by queenofthehours on Jul 31, 2014 15:40:19 GMT
An updated 'Illusions in G Major' would be worth hearing as would a less 80s sounding Balance of Power. Have you seen that "Illusions in G major" seems to have an "unclean" sound? The voice has too much reverb, the lead guitar too much distortion and in general the sound is a bit messy, as if you were hearing it from an old radio. That's why I'd like to hear it updated. A clean version could give a new edge to the song.
I'd like to hear what he'd do with the whole of the first album (plus maybe the second album too) if he could re-record the songs with his extra production experience. Maybe Jeff could have a go at Roy's vocals too or even add full orchestral strings.
An updated 'Illusions in G Major' would be worth hearing as would a less 80s sounding Balance of Power. Would you like to hear those albums sounding similar to tracks such as "One Day", "Cold Feet" or "Point of No Return"? That seems like a legitimate question as of 2014.
The problem with Lynne's recent productions is that the actual sound of them is (more or less) uniform and predictable to the point where it wasn't hard to accurately guess or imagine what the "new" batch of albums and bonus tracks would sound like before they were released.
I'm probably no more a fan of mid to late '80s production than you are or anyone else is, but at least Balance of Power had a distinctive character and didn't closely resemble any other album in the back catalog sonically.
While I don’t really agree with rerecording the old hits (but if it pleases Jeff, that’s ok). And while I’m not entirely excited by Jeff’s current production style, it would be interesting to hear the roughness of the early ELO recordings replaced by Jeff's later clearer style. The style in my head isn't Jeff's current style, though, but his Cloud Nine/Orbison style.
If Jeff did rerecord tracks such as 'Kuiama' with 'One Day' style production I wouldn't necesserily like it or agree with it but it could be fun to hear the experiment. When Jeff rerecorded his own 'Xanadu' it was interesting because he was singing his own song, the downside was that the production wasn't a good as the 1980 original. What I'm trying to say here is that, like 'Xanadu', a rerecorded track can't replace the original but it can serve to show a song might have turned out in a parallel universe.
I don't mind Jeff's 80s production, it's the songs themselves with or without production that I think sound 80s. Maybe with a bit of a modern twist the tunes could gain a new character.
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Post by Rob 2095 on Aug 1, 2014 0:24:40 GMT
While I don’t really agree with rerecording the old hits (but if it pleases Jeff, that’s ok). And while I’m not entirely excited by Jeff’s current production style, it would be interesting to hear the roughness of the early ELO recordings replaced by Jeff's later clearer style. The style in my head isn't Jeff's current style, though, but his Cloud Nine/Orbison style. If Jeff did rerecord tracks such as 'Kuiama' with 'One Day' style production I wouldn't necesserily like it or agree with it but it could be fun to hear the experiment. When Jeff rerecorded his own 'Xanadu' it was interesting because he was singing his own song, the downside was that the production wasn't a good as the 1980 original. What I'm trying to say here is that, like 'Xanadu', a rerecorded track can't replace the original but it can serve to show a song might have turned out in a parallel universe. I don't mind Jeff's 80s production, it's the songs themselves with or without production that I think sound 80s. Maybe with a bit of a modern twist the tunes could gain a new character. You're right about his current style or sound. It's so "clean" and flat that it lacks the texture, depth, roundness and warmth of his earlier material. Even the production on Zoom sounds (I don't know how to put it) complicated and remarkable when compared and contrasted with the more recent stuff.
It could be that in order to recreate or regrasp his older sounds or phases in sound, Lynne would have to record in studios other than his own. I sort of doubt that's the case, but it could be.
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Post by Rob 2095 on Aug 1, 2014 0:36:57 GMT
I remember slating the album on the old board. In my opinion its the worst thing by far Jeff has ever done. I recall some old board members saying they couldn't tell the differerence between some of the songs. Some preferred a lot of the songs over the originals. Still baffles me even now! Yeah, you and I seem to be of one mind when it comes to this... it has to be the worst thing he's done, at least as a recording artist in complete control of a project.
If I had to choose between the upcoming release of Mr. Blue Sky Vol. 2 or a second Long Wave type album, I'd choose the latter in a heartbeat. Long Wave had a lot of charm and heart and is a great little album for what it is, IMO. New material would obviously be preferable to both, though.
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Post by BSJ on Aug 1, 2014 15:26:52 GMT
What I would really, really like is an unplugged as done on the Bungalow Palace performances, but without the bad production of Richards’s piano. That would be good, does anyone know if there were any tracks from that session we haven't yet seen? Robert Porter - elofan - would have that answer.
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Post by queenofthehours on Aug 1, 2014 16:31:46 GMT
It could be that in order to recreate or regrasp his older sounds or phases in sound, Lynne would have to record in studios other than his own. I sort of doubt that's the case, but it could be. I think you've hit the nail on it's head here. While it might not make a blind bit of difference to Jeff's style whichever studio he works in, it can't be denied that the ELO records that featured Jeff's classic style were recorded at Musicland Germany. If it helps and pleases him to record at home that's brilliant but if he did chose to use and unfamiliar studio I think we'd hear a big difference in production. But I think we're going a bit off topic here, this could make a great thread in itself, production.
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Post by janne on Aug 1, 2014 18:06:51 GMT
I don't care for the re-recordings of the old songs. I can't say any of the songs sound better in the new version.
I would prefer it if Jeff actually released some new music, instead of re-recordings or cover songs.
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Post by ShardEnder on Aug 3, 2014 13:50:48 GMT
Jeff has confirmed just two outtakes from the Mr. Blue Sky project so far (which, for the record, are I'm Alive and Steppin' Out), though I suspect he's done quite a few more. As I said before, if there ever is a second volume then we can probably expect the previous album's iTunes exclusives - Ma-Ma-Ma Belle and Rockaria! - to appear yet again, plus I'm hoping that he'll tackle at least something from Time, Secret Messages or Balance Of Power. Actually, it would fantastic to hear what he could do with more from Discovery as well... and what if he finally reworked/rewrote Beatles Forever to his own satisfaction as well or put out the original as a bonus track?
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Post by bhabs on Aug 9, 2014 4:44:47 GMT
I personally really liked most of the re-recordings. Heck, I'd even say a few of them are better than the original - especially the live Bungalow Palace recording of "Steppin' Out" I love how stripped back it is, and Jeff's aged vocals suit it very well.
I agree that a second edition should include more 'obscure' tracks like Illusions and Above The Clouds. It's unlikely though...
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Post by janne on Aug 9, 2014 7:25:49 GMT
I personally really liked most of the re-recordings. Heck, I'd even say a few of them are better than the original - especially the live Bungalow Palace recording of "Steppin' Out" I love how stripped back it is, and Jeff's aged vocals suit it very well. I agree that a second edition should include more 'obscure' tracks like Illusions and Above The Clouds. It's unlikely though... Ok, I admit that Steppin' Out is the one re-recording that stands out from the pack. They could tour like this, do medium-sized venues, just Jeff and Richard. Would be magic.
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Post by thewordsofaaron on Aug 31, 2014 11:35:45 GMT
i hate the re-recordings....they certainly dont bring anything new to the music, which is what it should have done. Jeff may be a great musician, multi-talented...but drumming is definitely not his thing. The drumming on many of the tracks if very poor and considering he could have phoned up any top rate drummer....er...including bev in that (though i dont think that would ever happen)...Jim Keltner would have been good for instance...i sure hope there isnt another re-recorded album on the way... im not a fan of his recordings of some older records of other artists either to be honest.... i like the original recordings in the format they were then, the magic way they were recorded and sounded then...thats how it should be... if anything the 'bungalow' sessions should be released as an album which makes sense...or perhaps re done with, at the most, two other musicians, maybe one on acoustic bass and another on percussion (not a full drum set though)....now that would be a big seller, like the mtv acoustic sets years ago... just looking for new material, though i know jeff will inevitably play drums on it...and this is why the 'group' elo was much better than just jeff on his own cos they were all great musicians in their own way...
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