(TV) My conclusion on the TOM VERLAINE remaster...

["Philip P. Obbard" <pobbard@yahoo.com>]

For anyone who wisely didn't trawl through my last few emails, it looks like
the Collector's Choice reissue of TOM VERLAINE is using the "wrong" mix for the
entire LP. With the exception of "Flash Lightning", the mix sounds exactly like
the test pressing that started circulating on CD-R last year as THE LOST MIX,
which is supposedly Verlaine's original, "hot", preferred mix. (The mix that
appeared on the LP in 1979, as well as the Japanese/UK/German CDs in the 1990s,
was done by Bob Clearmountain at Elektra's request). "Flash Lightning" is also
a different mix than the one Clearmountain did, but it's not the same one on
THE LOST MIX.

Having taken the time to listen to the entire remaster today, I definitely
think this mix is interesting, but clearly inferior to Clearmountain's. A lot
of the more majestic songs - like "Souvenir" and "Kingdom Come" - are really
claustrophobic-sounding on the remaster (not unlike many of the tracks on
DREAMTIME), with far too many tracks mixed into the center channel, or buried
in the mix. The faster material suffers from some weird EQ on the guitars, and
the treble is often painfully strong to listen to. "Grip of Love" seems to use
an alternate vocal and perhaps guitar solo. "Last Night" runs at a slightly
slower speed (and fades out a few seconds later, too). "Flash Lightning" is
missing some backup vocals. (The only track I might prefer here is "Red
Leaves", which seems slightly more dynamic).

So, the BIG QUESTION is: Was this done *on purpose*, or did Collector's Choice
get the wrong tape from Elektra? The liner notes don't give any hints.

--Philip


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