[kj] KJ 2003, Vinyl opinions!?

[T.B.]

I have the complete set of the Let Them Eat Vinyl 2006-07 remasters  of the EG/Virgin era albums both on vinyl and cd as well as the more recent Music On Vinyl re-re-rerelease of Night Time.  I think the CDs are actually superior to any previous CD releases, they are balanced with mostly better bass and punch, a little louder without being brickwalled and have a lot of great bonus tracks.  The records seem to be mastered from the digital masters used for those CDs and after a few listens to the first 2 albums, I kept going back to the CDs and have never opened the remaining 5 albums.  They're nice packages though, but I'd recommend the original UK or even US EG vinyl releases which can be found cheaper even in great condition which remain my preferred source if I have the desire to listen to the 80's albums on vinyl.  

I never picked up the Extremities or LTEV 2008 Pandemonium remasters (my originals suffice) but I do have the 2008 Democracy release (the only time it has ever been released on vinyl, btw) which was pressed on heavyweight white vinyl and it is a bit noisy in the quieter spots and at least my copy has some kind of wispy dark crap pressed into the otherwise white wax thanks to the notoriously inconsistent  pressing plant quality of GZ Vinyl in the Czech Republic where I think everything KJ has released on vinyl since 2005 has been pressed. The only recent album I'm unsure of where it was pressed is Youth's remix set, the "In Dub" triple LP which coincidently was a really nice, flawless, dead quiet pressing.  I would also add that GZ Vinyl has supposedly stepped up their QC and their more recent pressings are consistently better quality these days although I went through 3 copies of MMXII because the first two copies had bad warping on one record. My two different vinyl copies of Pylon are flawless as well.

I think the issue with Gathering Live, Hosannas, Absolute Dissent and MMXII on vinyl is more to do with the original recording, mastering and digital mixing of these albums which is pretty harsh and especially in Hosannas and AD, brickwalled and not really suited for the vinyl medium.  I really look forward to the remastered AD lp, hopefully it's a lot more dynamic then the original release.

I'm probably one of the biggest fans of the 2003 album here and have my fingers crossed this one comes out great when it's finally released.  If they are going with Cole's art, maybe they should re-title the album "The Death And Resurrection Show."

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From: Gathering [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On Behalf Of Anthony Arena wrote:

Hi fellow Gatherers.   Someone responded to me last months digest and I've just been sucked into a personal vortex and haven't had time to reply and haven't been online much.   I'll get back to that question when I dig a little into the digest over the next couple of weeks. My apologies.

With that said...  I chatted with Colesy in the fall of 2017 as I picked up a piece from his 40 years show.   He stated they were planning on putting KJ 2003 on Vinyl, with the original idea for the artwork he liked, which was the piece, "resurrection" for his show.   It came in 5 panels.   This would have been in place of the Warhol-esqe artwork that was chosen for the release from my understanding.

So that's cool, the final vinyl piece to the puzzle!  I've wanted that for YEARS!!!    I just hope the mastering to vinyl, the lacquer cut is done well.   I've just always been a little disappointed with the vinyl sound of A.D. and some of MMXII.  AD especially imo doesn't sound that great on vinyl.   Not sure if this stems from Spinefarm?   They seem a little sloppy.   They promote KJ horribly here in the states and their distribution seems subpar in the states.  Hate to talk shit, but was always a bit disappointed in the production of AD for some otherwise fairly stellar written and great songs.  Maybe the muddiness or loudness of trying to capture "live" didn't translate well, especially when set to be done on vinyl.    Hey, I own just about everything vinyl by KJ?  I've a right to talk shit.  Joined the "Service"--got my Wardance papers years ago. 

What I don't have are the remasters on vinyl except for BTATS.   I'm looking for any Gatherer who's got an opinion on the vinyl remasters?  Worth it?   I do like the BTATS remaster, but its just the C.K. mix hence it's like having an extra KJ record.  Love that Raven is loud and clear.