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Re: (TV) Any Tom Verlaine Flashlight reissue reviews?



Having listened to the new and old Flash Light CDs together several times
now, I have to go along with Philip's comments in these messages:
 http://www.obbard.com/tvlist-archive/0309/msg00005.html
 http://www.obbard.com/tvlist-archive/0309/msg00013.html

It's possible that someone with good equipment will be able to detect a
difference, but I can't. I presume Collector's Choice just copied the whole
thing -- bits & bytes, and packaging (except for redoing the back page).
They didn't even correct the omission in the credits: Tom played keyboard as
well as guitar. (Apart from synth on The Scientist, there's an organ sound
on Cry Mercy Judge.)

I always felt that the Flash Light CD would benefit from remastering -- to
me the sound seems to lack the clarity of, for example, The Wonder CD. Maybe
I'll never hear it remastered. I don't expect Tom Verlaine to be concerned
since he never showed an interest in the digital technology. (And you can
still buy the vinyl version if you look for it.)

This reissue, at the high price, with under 40 minutes of music, and no
improvement on the original, is a disappointment. You would have hoped for a
couple of extra tracks; if not live recordings, at least the contemporary
recordings Anna and Sixteen Tulips. But it's still a great great album, and
its current availability rights a wrong. I urge anyone who doesn't have it
to go get it.

Philip wrote:
> Don't know about THE WONDER reissue in the UK, though - has anyone heard
it
> yet?

It doesn't seem to be available yet, but I'm not planning to buy it. It
offers nothing new. The original CD was already remastered (it's marked ADD
and it sounds great). Again, selling this reissue at full price just isn't
right. But you gotta have it...

--JoeT

P.S. Thanks for the quotes, Keith. I suppose the following 1987 quote from
Tom points to Cry Mercy Judge:
  (on getting arrested for speeding without a license)
  They couldn't believe someone could be so stupid. The
  judge asked what I did for a living. I said, "Well, I write
  songs." He said, "Well, I guess you got a new song here,
  don't you?"

Whatever about the reason for the song, Tom's lyrical ability was out to
lunch. I mean, stuff like "You are confusing you, I'm not amusing me..." On
an otherwise immaculate album.

Makes me say "Aw, it's a shame; say, it's a pity; gotta putt out of Carson
City..." -- to quote another road song, one of Captain Beefheart's best,
"Owed T'Alex" (on Shiny Beast).
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