The Catalogue - Some Thoughts
Nigel Stapley
here are my impressions.
Packaging:
First class, especially those big 12" booklets. They've taken the time
to get things right here.
Credits:
I do hope that there isn't a bit of unpleasant revisionism going on with
some of the credits. Wolfgang wasn't as much a spectator as that for
fifteen years, surely? But at least now I know who to praise for that
beautiful guitar work on the second section of "Autobahn"!
Now for the albums themselves, which I listened to with headphones to
get the best results:
Autobahn:
There are *two* door slams at the beginning of my all-time favourite KW
track! I've had the vinyl for nearly 35 years (yes, Iwas a KW "early
adopter"), and I've only ever heard the second one, even with headphones
on. Have they put this back in for the remastering?
It's also slightly disconcerting with headphones that the initial sounds
are all on the right channel, but then it would have to be to have the
effect of the car pulling away.
Also, interesting that the glissando which on the vinyl version was
banded as the start of "Kometenmelodie 2" is now banded as the end of
"Kometenmelodie 1". Did earlier CDs do this?
Radioactivity:
I'd read people's comments about the mastering, and was initially
inclined to dismiss them as cranky. But there *are* definite compression
artefacts on "Geiger Counter" and again later on (I forget where), which
is slightly disappointing.
T.E.E.:
Not much to note on this, but see my comments on "The Mix" below. "Hall
Of Mirrors" sounds particularly good here.
Man Machine:
Very clean treatment of my favourite album. "Neon Lights" has always
been brilliant in the musical sense, but is now brilliant in the sonic
sense as well.
Computer World:
This is the only album I didn't already have the English version of (I
have the German version on CD), and I can't see why some people have
been making a fuss about the noise removal on this. It comes up sharp,
clear and with far better bass than earlier CD versions, and this is
presumably how R&F would have wanted to sound originally. Good to hear
"Computer Love" without the strange speed change at the end of the
German version. Does the English original have more lyrics to the title
track? I kept waiting for the line, "CIA and KGB/Control the data
memory". Has that been added at some future point, because Ralf just
sings the line about Interpol over and over, which I don't remember from
other versions?
Techno Pop, aka Electric Caf�:
This is OK, but is the nearest IMO to KW polishing a turd. They've had
far more success with 'side one' when they've remodelled it subsequently
(it's a great closer, that I do know).That's not to say it doesn't have
its moments (I've always loved that synth cello effect towards the end
of "Sex Object"). Just one question, though: on the original, "The
Telephone Call" is over 8 minutes long, here it's less than 4. Have they
shortened this (I can't be bothered doing a real-time comparison at the
moment)? "House Phone" doesn't seem to have a great deal of point to it.
The Mix:
I was never too keen on this album because it is basically just a
re-hash, but the sound is good on it, even to the point of making the
version of "Autobahn" sound attractive to an old stick-in-the-mud like me.
One thing, though: on the original "T.E.E.", the tracks run "T.E.E." >
"Metal On Metal" > "Abzug". Here they're listed "T.E.E." > "Abzug" .
"Metal On Metal", which seems to be the wrong order to me, especially as
the timings of the tracks are the same. But then, the original version
of "The Mix" does this too. Perhaps no-one else noticed? :-)
TDF (Soundtracks as-was):
Although it's only six years since the original, this comes up much
brighter and punchier than it. Even the somewhat superfluous mix of the
original "TDF" at the end sounds better. It's also another chance to
realise what a fantastic track "La Forme/R�g�neration" is, with that
slightly Oriental melody a reminder that Ralf can write superb and
memorable memories.
All in all, is it worth the money? Absolutely.
Apologies for long post.
--
Regards
Nigel Stapley
<reply-to will bounce>
rick
> Autobahn:
>
> There are *two* door slams at the beginning of my all-time favourite KW
> track!
I don't hear two slams? There is the sound of the unlocking of the door, and I
can even hear the clunk-clunk of the stopper mechanism that prevents a car door
to fall open, but no second slam. Or maybe you hear the clunk of the starter
motor. (Geez, are we not nerds.)
> It's also slightly disconcerting with headphones that the initial sounds
> are all on the right channel, but then it would have to be to have the
> effect of the car pulling away.
It was like that in the past too.
> Also, interesting that the glissando which on the vinyl version
Mitternacht was a lot longer on the vinyl lp. But I can imagine they cut it
short. A man can only have so much sound of water drops falling. (Especially
when he gets older.)
> Radioactivity:
>
> I'd read people's comments about the mastering, and was initially
yes, mine, and sticking by them.
> inclined to dismiss them as cranky. But there *are* definite compression
> artefacts on "Geiger Counter" and again later on (I forget where), which
> is slightly disappointing.
I don't care about Geigerz�hler, but Radioaktivit�t itself is destroyed.
They oughtta be spanked for that.
> Techno Pop, aka Electric Caf�:
>
> "House Phone" doesn't seem to have a great deal of point to it.
Yes it does. At least, I like it a lot.
And I think I didn't have it on CD before.
> The Mix:
>
> I was never too keen on this album because it is basically just a
> re-hash, but the sound is good on it
Me neither, but Die Roboter on The Mix I think is one of their best tracks ever.
--
rick
Nigel Stapley
> On 26/11/09 16:56, Nigel Stapley wrote:
>
>> Autobahn:
>>
>> There are *two* door slams at the beginning of my all-time favourite KW
>> track!
>
> I don't hear two slams? There is the sound of the unlocking of the door, and I
> can even hear the clunk-clunk of the stopper mechanism that prevents a car door
> to fall open, but no second slam. Or maybe you hear the clunk of the starter
> motor. (Geez, are we not nerds.)
We are Devo! ;-)
>
> Mitternacht was a lot longer on the vinyl lp. But I can imagine they cut it
> short. A man can only have so much sound of water drops falling. (Especially
> when he gets older.)
No, it's the same length (approx. 4:00)
>>
>> "House Phone" doesn't seem to have a great deal of point to it.
>
> Yes it does. At least, I like it a lot.
Oh, I'm not saying it's no good, it's just that it doesn't add very much
to it.
rick
> rick wrote:
>> On 26/11/09 16:56, Nigel Stapley wrote:
>>
>>> Autobahn:
>>>
>>> There are *two* door slams at the beginning of my all-time favourite KW
>>> track!
>>
>
> We are Devo! ;-)
I'm not.
>> Mitternacht was a lot longer on the vinyl lp. But I can imagine they cut it
>> short. A man can only have so much sound of water drops falling. (Especially
>> when he gets older.)
>
> No, it's the same length (approx. 4:00)
Was 4:40 on vinyl, now 3:46.
--
rick
Nigel Stapley
>
>>> Mitternacht was a lot longer on the vinyl lp. But I can imagine they cut it
>>> short. A man can only have so much sound of water drops falling. (Especially
>>> when he gets older.)
>> No, it's the same length (approx. 4:00)
>
> Was 4:40 on vinyl, now 3:46.
>
Nope. 3:40 (approx.) on vinyl, same on The Catalogue. The time given on
the LP's sleeve is wrong.
amoffoot
Computerworld. The German lyrics are more expansive mentioning Finanzamt,
Flensburg, Automat und Telespiel etc
"Babaganoosh" <n...@spam.fishface> wrote in message
news:no-793313.16...@news.east.cox.net...
> In article <Bd2dnaDRp769OJPW...@brightview.co.uk>,
> Nigel Stapley <un...@judgemental.plus.com> wrote:
>
>> Does the English original have more lyrics to the title
>> track? I kept waiting for the line, "CIA and KGB/Control the data
>> memory". Has that been added at some future point, because Ralf just
>> sings the line about Interpol over and over, which I don't remember from
>> other versions?
>
> about CIA and KGB isn't in it. The only time I ever heard that line was
> on Minimum-Maximum.
>
> --
> "Boom. Boom boom boom. Boom boom. BOOM. Have a nice day."
> - Susan Ivanova, 'Babylon 5'