Freak Out! - I just bought the '95 disc and I think it sounds great.
I can live with this version permanently.
Absolutely Free - Can only be helped with a remix. Otherwise stick with
the current master.
* We're Only In It for the Money - The '95 disc is good but there are
some major sonic problems. Something nobody ever mentions ... Frank
obviously transferred the original multi-tracks to do the '80s overdubs.
Couldn't the "songs" on the album be replaced with fresh new remixes
featuring the OLD instrumentation? You wouldn't even need to consult the
original multi-tracks.
Lumpy Gravy - Needs the mono section fixed and it's good to go.
* Cruisin' with Ruben and the Jets - Bring back the original LP, please.
* Uncle Meat - Needs a total remaster from the original tape. The penalty tracks
can be excised and reduced to a "non-collector's item".
* Hot Rats - The original LP crushes the remix like a putrid grape. Now we're
entering the territory of "the remix sucks but it's extended". This album needs to be
remastered from the original LP master, or the original unedited mixes to save the "extended
versions". The remix has no redeeming qualities to it whatsoever, at least compared to the vinyl. I just can't
believe how bad it sounds.
* Burnt Weeny Sandwich - This needs to be mastered from the original
tape ... not
the later LP-EQ'd master that Frank obviously used.
* Weasels Ripped My Flesh - Another sonic disaster with bonus material. See
Hot Rats
for possible solutions.
* Chunga's Revenge - Same as
Weasels Ripped My Flesh
* 200 Motels - Frank's remix of "Semi-Fraudulent" from the
"Making of" video sounds spectacular - I wonder if he remixed the whole album? A new remaster without all the fucking
compression would be nice.
* Fillmore East, June 1971 - I don't know why people keep saying that this album
"can't be helped". "Shove It Right In" and the Playground Psychotics tracks sound fantastic. This album
would benefit massively from a remix (preferably done by Spence Chrislu). If not, the original master
definitely needs to be pulled.
Just Another Band from LA,
Waka/Jawaka, The
Grand Wazoo, Over-Nite Sensation - all of these titles sound fine to me, but a brand new
remaster certainly wouldn't hurt.
Apostrophe ('),
One Size Fits All, You Are What You Is, Tinsel-Town Rebellion - Spence Chrislu's (Au20) remasters are perfect and should be made
the permanent versions.
Roxy - This one sounds great to me. I used to have the old CD, and I could
not
tell the differences in the "Cheepnis" re-mix. They sounded absolutely
idenitcal to me. My theory is that the remix was already "secretly" released on the Barking Pumpkin CD. This
disc comes from the same batch as "Sleep Dirt" ... so refer to the
"Re-Gyptain Strut" mix up
to see what I mean! It's very possible that the original mix was never released on CD (or only the very first Barking
Pumpkin run). [I've heard a European CD with another mix - Ed.]
Bongo Fury - I am assuming that this album cannot be helped because the track on
Stage #4 sounds just as bad (unlike the Fillmore 71 stuff).
* Zoot Allures - This one sounds like absolute garbage compared to the original
LP.
* Zappa In New York - Shrill, poorly-remixed garbage. They should either do a
fresh remix, or remaster the original mixes. I knew this one and the old You
Are What You Is sounded really
bad when I was about 10 years old. What's Frank's excuse?
* Sheik Yerbouti - Shit. Currently the worst-sounding disc in the catalog. This
one and Zoot Allures should have been fixed along with the other two that Spence did in '98. The EMI
CD sounds great but it's just not mastered loud enough, and there is a serious lack of low end.
Studio Tan - Bring back the old track order.
* Sleep Dirt - remaster the original tape, and then add the "vocal"
shit as bonus tracks, please.
Orchestral Favorites,
Joe's Garage,
Shut Up & Play Yer Guitar, Drowning Witch, Baby Snakes, LSO, The Perfect
Stranger, Them Or Us, Thing-Fish - These all sound fine, but like I said ...
a fresh remaster wouldn't
hurt.
That's really not too bad. They could just keep the '95 masters for everything
else and the catalog will be pretty respectable.