For me, Flower Power it's the best. I'm a conservative, I like the original versions, but Flower Power sounds really great preserving the original vibe.
I'm using the remasters to fill out my TFK collection with the albums that I didn't have yet, and I find them really beautiful. I have no basis to compare, which I think I'm glad about, actually. I have some OG mixes and some new ones and they're all great.
And I just love the fact that I can finally get all the albums on vinyl. Haven’t paid that much attention to the differences in the mix. The records are sounding great though!
Hold on, you think Stardust We Are is too long, yet Unfold the Future is one of your all time favorites? Unfold the Future is longer than Stardust We Are by about 10 minutes, not even counting the bonus track.
I like your assessment of the remastered albums. I'm going to be going through each one, one at a time, as it gives me a reason to review the album's, as well as the remastering. I already started this endeavor last week on my channel. I've been listening to all of these remasters, and I think some sound better than before, such as the earlier material in particular, but I do agree, in terms of "Unfold the Future", not being as impactful, sonically speaking. I can't quite figure it out, but I noticed almost a toned down aspect to certain points in the album. I don't really see this as a gimmick, as I know that some of the earlier albums were out of print, and the supposed rationale for the remixing and remastering was to give fans something old yet new, as opposed to simply reissuing the back catalog, as it previously was. Anyway, I just wanted to give you my take. Cheers! =)
Remaster and Remix! I'm a bit angry with Roine, he has changed some guitar solos! And those solos...well, they are really important for me. Meany years listening to this music!
I think you get a CD aswell when you buy the vinyl. Roine is talking about it here th-cam.com/video/HAk8AcmlFT8/w-d-xo.html watch at 1:49. Atleast with the Adam & Eve release.
these remasters are ass, What the hell were they THINKING? Am I the only one who realises this? They removed the warmest synths from iconic songs. Unfold the Future, Babylon is an excellent example too. The lead melody on Babylon was a warm triangle wave on a minimoog and they've just GUTTED it by changing it to an alternate track. Unfold The Future has completely different vocals and solos and I just can't do it man. It's a remake not a remaster imo.
yea the remastering really removes the power of a lot of key moments on the albums. biggest one for me is the climax of garden of dreams, it's missing so much stuff in the background and sounds so flat compared to the original. they also removed stuff for seemingly no reason like the intro to pioneers of aviation on paradox hotel
I reached out to Stolt and asked him myself, and so now I respect these albums as remakes rather than remasters. "low budget recordings ; thus certain medias like Reel to reel - ADAT , early harddrive recording systems .with some of the synths just locked in with midi - and those synths are no longer in our/my possession. So we tried to replicate but with some details lost and some new added/different. Hope that explain som of the sonic surprises." @@Bikonito
I listened to The Devils Playground from Unfold the Future and it's not mixed well. The first song verse before the first chorus is really badly mixed in the very end of the verse. He's taken a completely different song take and replaced the old one, with different lyrics and different volumes and it sounds like crap. It's a damn shame. I really hope they wont remove the old recordings from Spotify. I've only yet listened to this album and it's a mixed bag of good and bad. I agree with you, the sharp edges have been somewhat dulled. The mastering however, is great!
Better than the release from a couple years ago. There, he just cut out 6 (!) minutes of The Devil's Playground. I was so furious that I haven't put on the vinyl at all since the first listen.
For my part, I've heard scratch sounds on the Paradox Hotel re-issue. Based on what I read on different forums, it seems like the first 2 albums are the only ones that have been remastered properly (Back in the World of Adventure / Retropolis). All others have unexpected noise, alternate solos, shorter tracks, fade ins and fade outs where there shouldn't. So disappointing!
The flower power remix completely butchers the climax of the garden of dreams suite by removing a significant chunk of the background sounds and synth pads that made it so powerful and full sounding :(
I do not like the remasters. Period. I love the originals. I started listening to them in 1997 when I heard part of Flower Power on an internet radio station. The guitar gets into my bones, similar to Clapton and Santana. Every time I hear the remasters - it just sounds wrong...
For me, Flower Power it's the best. I'm a conservative, I like the original versions, but Flower Power sounds really great preserving the original vibe.
Thanks for the video!
Cool stuff.
You should definitely do an updated ranking since they've released more albums since you did it .
I believe Roine remixed those songs himself :)
I'm using the remasters to fill out my TFK collection with the albums that I didn't have yet, and I find them really beautiful. I have no basis to compare, which I think I'm glad about, actually. I have some OG mixes and some new ones and they're all great.
And I just love the fact that I can finally get all the albums on vinyl. Haven’t paid that much attention to the differences in the mix. The records are sounding great though!
Hold on, you think Stardust We Are is too long, yet Unfold the Future is one of your all time favorites? Unfold the Future is longer than Stardust We Are by about 10 minutes, not even counting the bonus track.
Exactly, this guys a prat. If you’ve watched some of his other videos where he says wrong information all the time you’ll know what I mean 🤦🤦
I like your assessment of the remastered albums. I'm going to be going through each one, one at a time, as it gives me a reason to review the album's, as well as the remastering. I already started this endeavor last week on my channel. I've been listening to all of these remasters, and I think some sound better than before, such as the earlier material in particular, but I do agree, in terms of "Unfold the Future", not being as impactful, sonically speaking. I can't quite figure it out, but I noticed almost a toned down aspect to certain points in the album. I don't really see this as a gimmick, as I know that some of the earlier albums were out of print, and the supposed rationale for the remixing and remastering was to give fans something old yet new, as opposed to simply reissuing the back catalog, as it previously was. Anyway, I just wanted to give you my take. Cheers! =)
I just got my Adam & Eve vinyl today!!!
Mine is coming in tomorrow :D
Roine did it all himself
Remaster and Remix! I'm a bit angry with Roine, he has changed some guitar solos! And those solos...well, they are really important for me. Meany years listening to this music!
Yup exactly the same for me. They've gutted some iconic songs and solos. Even the vocal tracks have changed.
Flower Power sounds amazing, but "The Final Deal" as you said lose some of that power!! And it's a bit sad cause it was always a really big song!!!
Are these just vinyl or are there cd releases of these?
I think you get a CD aswell when you buy the vinyl. Roine is talking about it here th-cam.com/video/HAk8AcmlFT8/w-d-xo.html watch at 1:49. Atleast with the Adam & Eve release.
There are CD only releases as well. These have full album art (the cds that come with the vinyl are in a simple plastic sleeve)
these remasters are ass, What the hell were they THINKING? Am I the only one who realises this? They removed the warmest synths from iconic songs. Unfold the Future, Babylon is an excellent example too. The lead melody on Babylon was a warm triangle wave on a minimoog and they've just GUTTED it by changing it to an alternate track. Unfold The Future has completely different vocals and solos and I just can't do it man.
It's a remake not a remaster imo.
yea the remastering really removes the power of a lot of key moments on the albums. biggest one for me is the climax of garden of dreams, it's missing so much stuff in the background and sounds so flat compared to the original. they also removed stuff for seemingly no reason like the intro to pioneers of aviation on paradox hotel
I reached out to Stolt and asked him myself, and so now I respect these albums as remakes rather than remasters.
"low budget recordings ; thus certain medias like
Reel to reel - ADAT , early harddrive recording systems .with some of the synths
just locked in with midi - and those synths are no longer in our/my possession.
So we tried to replicate but with some details lost and some new added/different.
Hope that explain som of the sonic surprises."
@@Bikonito
I listened to The Devils Playground from Unfold the Future and it's not mixed well. The first song verse before the first chorus is really badly mixed in the very end of the verse. He's taken a completely different song take and replaced the old one, with different lyrics and different volumes and it sounds like crap. It's a damn shame.
I really hope they wont remove the old recordings from Spotify.
I've only yet listened to this album and it's a mixed bag of good and bad. I agree with you, the sharp edges have been somewhat dulled.
The mastering however, is great!
Like you, I prefer the original mix on this and The Truth Will Set You Free. Not good but we needed vinyl so….
Better than the release from a couple years ago. There, he just cut out 6 (!) minutes of The Devil's Playground. I was so furious that I haven't put on the vinyl at all since the first listen.
For my part, I've heard scratch sounds on the Paradox Hotel re-issue. Based on what I read on different forums, it seems like the first 2 albums are the only ones that have been remastered properly (Back in the World of Adventure / Retropolis). All others have unexpected noise, alternate solos, shorter tracks, fade ins and fade outs where there shouldn't. So disappointing!
My comment above refers to the CD versions. Don't know about how vinyls sound though.
The flower power remix completely butchers the climax of the garden of dreams suite by removing a significant chunk of the background sounds and synth pads that made it so powerful and full sounding :(
I do not like the remasters. Period. I love the originals. I started listening to them in 1997 when I heard part of Flower Power on an internet radio station. The guitar gets into my bones, similar to Clapton and Santana. Every time I hear the remasters - it just sounds wrong...