Search - Elo :: Out of the Blue: 30th Anniversary Edition (W/Book)

Not better than the original Jet/CBS CD version.

Steven Pavkovic | Los Angeles | 08/14/2008

(2 out of 5 stars)

"While there are some tracks that sound better than the original Jet/CBS CD version of this album, most do not. The somewhat exaggerated trebles and sizzle of the original recording (which I never found objectionable-and to my ear sounded "period" correct) have been deliberately toned down in this latest remaster, it has been at the expense of the vocals, which are now more subdued and distant-as if they were deliberately mixed into the background. What's worst is there has been an attempt to pump up the admittedly weak bass of the original version, which has succeeded somewhat but unfortunately at the expense of the upper bass/low midrange- which is now bloated sounding and muddy. Overall, it's a darker sounding muddier mix. I can achieve a similar effect just by simply turning up the bass and turning down the treble on my amplifier using the original version. I wouldn't consider this remastered version an improvement over the original CD version of the album. It's just different. Bad different. I'll keep it as part of my ELO collection, but I'll listen to the original Jet/CBS CD."

Worth an upgrade if you already have the CD

mathew | Austin, TX USA | 09/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was skeptical as to whether it was worth buying this album again, as the previous CD sounded good enough to me.



I was wrong. Right from the first side, everything is clearer and more detailed.



The remastering becomes very apparent on "Across The Border"; the brass section break is clear and distortion-free, and the final orchestral slide is breathtaking.



I could argue with the bass levels at a few points. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" is a little bass-heavy at one point, and "Standin' in the Rain" is a little muddy until the second chorus--but to be fair, that just means it sounds like the previous release. Lacking personal access to the master tapes I'm willing to believe that's how it should have sounded.



Things get better again for "Summer and Lightning". "Mr Blue Sky" isn't amazingly improved, perhaps because it has always received careful attention in previous remasterings.



Improvements in the second half of the album are less noticeable, but still welcome.



On the down side, there are (still) a few fadeouts in the high end of the right channel of "Night in the City", but the tape dropout/fadeout at the end of "It's Over" is removed. The transient peak towards the end of "Standin' in the Rain" is still there.



Overall, well worth the upgrade, unless you're prepared to spring $25+ for the Japanese import."