Complete Studio Albums and Rarities Box Set

BLY · #1 07-28-2023, 03:21 PM

I just finished the Rarities disc of the box set on headphones…Amazing!

Andyleo · #2 07-29-2023, 02:24 AM

Yes! And Rock A Little too sounds amazing with some long time lacking real bass.

Overall, I'm not disappointed with the sound and remastering. It's decent, at least on my system it is blowing me away.

sleepless child · #3 07-29-2023, 09:59 AM

Mine is supposed to come on Monday. I can't wait. The packaging looks really nice. I've watched some videos of people who got theirs.

deribish · #4 07-29-2023, 11:12 AM

Im most impressed with how amazing STREET ANGEL sounds as an album. It's clean, lean, spacious and strong. The remastering and mixing makes even the dud-iest of songs sound better. Violet and Blue and Sometimes Its a Bitch also sound phenomenal.

BLY · #5 07-29-2023, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deribish

Im most impressed with how amazing STREET ANGEL sounds as an album. It's clean, lean, spacious and strong. The remastering and mixing makes even the dud-iest of songs sound better. Violet and Blue and Sometimes Its a Bitch also sound phenomenal.

I totally agree. I’m currently listening to TISL. It also sounds very crisp. TOSOTM and RAL are great also. I’m glad I purchased it. I can give my daughters my original cds. They also love Stevie.

Macfan4life · #6 07-29-2023, 01:07 PM

Ok now you guys made me curious. I used to listen to Escape From Berlin all the time and it was a headphone rush then. Anything new to hear?
I cant imagine me buying more Stevie solo stuff. I would probably buy a RAL outtake CD if it contained Mirror Mirror and Running through the Garden. I dont love the other stuff as much to buy it for the third time.

sanders8323 · #7 07-29-2023, 01:51 PM

Sorry but let me be the first to express disappointment in this release, specifically with the mastering and the packaging. I compared the original Rock a Little CD with the remaster, and the original blows the remaster out of the water. The remaster is actually a bit quieter and lacks punch and dynamics that the original CD had. TOSOTM sounds almost exactly the same as the original release, and you can barely tell a difference at all.

The presentation of the box set is nice, but the actual CD packaging is some of the worst I have ever seen in a box set. First the cover of each CD is a paper thin piece of cardboard that can tear up with the slightest bit of mishandling by the consumer. While they did a nice job of replicating the vinyl artwork and layout, you have to have a magnifying glass to even read any of what's printed in the liner notes. Also, there is absolutely no indication that any of the albums were remastered at all, as it still lists the original mastering credits in the liner notes and no mention of any reissue credits. Rock a Little has actually had the mastering note removed for some reason.

Overall it's a cheap way to reissue her catalog, and it's a disappointment that Rock a Little through 24K did not get the proper treatment like Bella Donna and Wild Heart did. It would've been nice to get demos and outtakes from those albums. Sorry to be negative, but I can't be the only one that feels a bit let down here...

AnthonyMI · #8 07-30-2023, 02:03 PM

Other than the fact three of these have been out of print for a long time it’s not worth the price. Even the extras are all available so where on CD. There’s no reason to buy this set. RAL and OSOTM and maybe even SA should have got the same treatment as BD and WH. These is so much more in those years that those could have been released first THEN do a box set. OR better yet include them here and then release the individual albums next year or for Record store day.

Macfan4life · #9 07-30-2023, 02:50 PM

Since Stevie no longer owns the rights could it be the songs or demos that were not professionally released are not in the owner's possession? I just cant think of a reason why someone would go to the bother re-releases without some extras like they did for Wild Heart and Bella Donna.
Or maybe Stevie really does not like her mid to late 80s work and does not want anything getting out there? Or does someone think little effort = big profit and there will be something later? All of her concert tours were professionally recorded. Why not release a concert like they did for Bella Donna?

AnthonyMI · #10 07-30-2023, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Since Stevie no longer owns the rights could it be the songs or demos that were not professionally released are not in the owner's possession? I just cant think of a reason why someone would go to the bother re-releases without some extras like they did for Wild Heart and Bella Donna.
Or maybe Stevie really does not like her mid to late 80s work and does not want anything getting out there? Or does someone think little effort = big profit and there will be something later? All of her concert tours were professionally recorded. Why not release a concert like they did for Bella Donna?

Rhino is usually excellent at unearthing old thing and reissuing things that have value added and interest. This is just a regurgitation.

blinker12 · #11 07-30-2023, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Or maybe Stevie really does not like her mid to late 80s work and does not want anything getting out there?

This is how I think about it. She has said that 1986-1994 are her lost years - the years that Klonopin stole. And while RAL predates that period (barely), she probably thinks of it as the beginning of the end. I think she simply does not want to revisit that time period and listen to (and approve) outtakes — sad as that is for us fans, since I am sure there are some gems to be unearthed.

I am happy to have a few of these songs available to stream for the first time, eg One More Big Time and Real Tears. Otherwise agree with others, this is not much to get excited about.

David · #12 07-31-2023, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanders8323

Sorry but let me be the first to express disappointment in this release, specifically with the mastering and the packaging. I compared the original Rock a Little CD with the remaster, and the original blows the remaster out of the water. The remaster is actually a bit quieter and lacks punch and dynamics that the original CD had. TOSOTM sounds almost exactly the same as the original release, and you can barely tell a difference at all.

I can’t either. I spot checked some albums, including OSOTM, and heard no improvement. A remaster doesn’t jump out the way a remix can, but the mix flaws (like on “Escape from Berlin”) should at least get a little work on the levels to downplay them. But everything sounds like the earlier CDs.

WatchChain · #13 07-31-2023, 06:59 PM

This is an off-topic question, but I didn't want to create a new thread for this.

Has anyone seen Stevie in concert this year?
Does Stevie have an opening act on her current tour. I am attending the show on August 12 in Houston and the showtime is listed as 7pm (Doors at 6).

That seems unusually early for Stevie to begin. Does she go on at 7pm sharp?

vivfox · #14 07-31-2023, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WatchChain

This is an off-topic question, but I didn't want to create a new thread for this.

Has anyone seen Stevie in concert this year?
Does Stevie have an opening act on her current tour. I am attending the show on August 12 in Houston and the showtime is listed as 7pm (Doors at 6).

That seems unusually early for Stevie to begin. Does she go on at 7pm sharp?

I haven't seen her on this tour but she brought Vanessa
Carlton along as the opening act.

vivfox · #15 07-31-2023, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I can’t either. I spot checked some albums, including OSOTM, and heard no improvement. A remaster doesn’t jump out the way a remix can, but the mix flaws (like on “Escape from Berlin”) should at least get a little work on the levels to downplay them. But everything sounds like the earlier CDs.

I am STILL waiting for effing Amazon to deliver my CD's!! They haven't even shipped the damn things yet.