Search - Various Artists :: Grand 12 Inches Vol. 5

Notable volume for unique edits, and of course plenty more o

Daniel W. Kelly | Long Island, NY United States | 05/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Liebrand just keeps his series growing stronger. This man is so passionate about his music that he does everything he can to get these classics on CD at last, and willingly admits in his liner notes where each source came from, whether it's the original master or vinyl, and the work he did to clean up any sound issues with such sources in order to preserve these hard-to-find versions digitally. The fantastic thing about this volume is that in several cases, when, for example, a `long' album version and a 12" mix are very different and each has something unique to offer a song, liebrand himself masters a version that takes the best of both mixes and creates an all-NEW, basically definitive version many of us dance collectors have always wished for in the first place. When you read his liner notes, you will be amazed at the lengths he goes to in the studio to bring all of these songs to you in the best sounding quality possible.



There are many highlights here, but it should be noted that since these selections are indicative of songs that influenced Liebrand as a DJ, this is an attempt to rescue very specific personal favorites from the vaults, so you may not be crazy about the 12" singles selected when we all know there are SO many genres of 12" versions that haven't ever made their way to CD. Also, many obsessive collectors have probably located many of these tracks on CD already because they have shown up on a different compilation here and there. Even so, with Liebrand's special edits as well as some tracks unique to this disc, it is a must have. Track times and notes:



CD1



1. Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Till You Get Enough (6:06)

2. Brothers Johnson - Stomp (5:57)

3. Cameo - Word Up (Extended Version) (5:56)

4. Rick James - Glow (Album Mix) (5:42) (yes, liebrand tried DESPERATELY to get the 12" version we all want so bad on CD, but was disappointed to have had no success)

5. Mary Jane Girls - In My House (5:03)

6. Sun - Sun Is Here (5:03)

7. Ashford & Simpson - Solid (6:17) (AWESOME. Liebrand takes the 12" version and gives it the acapella intro that was only on the long album version.)

8. Floaters - Float On (11:47)

9. Chaplin Band - Il Viliero (11:59)

10. Amii Stewart - Knock On Wood (Liebrand Edit) (6:52) (Liebrand takes the best of 2 distinctly different 12" versions of this song that were out there, and makes one master mix)



CD 2



1. Lionel Richie - All Night Long (original 12" version) (6:20)

2. Diana Ross -I'm Coming Out (Original Chic Mix) (6:00)

3. The Rah Band - Clouds Across the Moon (6:49)

4. Stargard - Which Way Is Up (6:45) (THIS is a gem. Never thought I'd find this 12" version on CD)

5. Mcfadden & Whitehead - Ain't No Stopping Us Now(original 12" version) (7:02)

6. Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing Suite (Liebrand Edit) (9:24) (another track that had several alternate mixes--Liebrand creates another master mix that basically doubles the length of every previous version)

7. Soul II Soul - Back To Life (12" Version) (7:39)

8. Advance - Take Me To the Top (6:17)

9. Patrick Juvet - I Love America (13:58)

10. Peaches & Herb - Shake Your Groove Thing(original 12" version) (5:35)



CD 3



1. Cerrone - Love In C Minor (Album mix) (16:20)

2. Frantique - Strut Your Funky Stuff (Liebrand Edit) (6:15) (again, a master mix of two very different mixes of the song that were released)

3. Andy Williams - Love Story (Where Do I Begin) (9:42) (believe it or not--Andy Williams had a 12" dance mix!)

4. Womack & Womack - Teardrops (Extended Remix) (7:41)

5. Jeff Wayne - the Eve of War (7:00) (Maximum rare 12" version. Liebrand dug up a Steve Thompson remix from 1978)

6. Earth Wind & Fire - Thinking of You (12" Version) (7:56)

7. Gary's Gang - Keep On Dancin (7:09)

8. Three Degrees - the Runner (8:11) (Liebrand listens to our woes--after an alternative mix of this Giorgio Moroder production was on his last volume, he finally found a clean vinyl copy of the original 12" to master onto CD. Perfect)

9. Jocko - Rhythm Talk (7:14)



CD 4



My personal favorite volume in this boxed set, with many rare 12" versions on CD of alternative tracks



1. Cock Robin - the Promise You Made (Special Dance Mix) (6:33)

2. Time Bandits - Live It Up(US special 12" version) (7:25)

3. Breakfast Club - Right On Track (7:13)

4. The Quick - Rhythm of the Jungle (7:18)

5. Boney M - Rasputin (Extended Version) (7:32)

6. Mai Tai -What Where When Who (Rutger Kroese 12" version) (7:56)

7. John Miles - Slow Down (4:18)

8. Human League - Don't You Want Me (3:57) (For years, I'm sure many like myself have wished the amazing long version from the Human League dance mix album was a full vocal mix. So did Liebrand, but I guess it was just too complicated to meld the two together, so he simply gives us the original version here, followed by the original dance mix. I'm sure most people have both of these already, so he really could have just left them off with no apologies)

9. Human League - Don't You Want Me (Extended Dance Mix) (7:29)

10. Automat - Automat (the Rise, Advance & Genus) (16:53) (not familiar with this track, but Liebrand describes how he cleaned up the sound of a not-so-great master)

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