SQ was inconsistent.Vinyl was visually suspect, and wasn't quiet.
Cleaned and played a pp reissue that, to me, was an improvement.
MoFi Bridge Over Troubled Water - Review
I just got the MoFi SACD of BOTW, and have been listening to it for a couple of hours. Given some of the strange production choices as discussed below, I think the recording sounds the best it ever has. Notwithstanding those baked in production issues, there is a great sense of balance and air here. Vocals and instruments generally complement each other quite well, neither overrides the other. However, the brass on Keep The Customer Satisfied continues to be somewhat abrasive and ear piercing, as on all other versions ... I wish MoFi would have toned that down a bit. One interesting point is that Hal Blaine's drumming prowess becomes really obvious on this version, which is a welcome highlight.
Bye Bye Love would have been better as a studio track. The live version sounds tinny and adds absolutely nothing to the album. Another pet peeve of mine is the overproduction at the end of Bridge and The Boxer... totally unnecessary. Indeed, a big ending is fine, but not to the point where, as here, things sound distorted. Nonetheless, a near perfect album, which could have been absolutely perfect with a few minor tweaks.
All in all, I'd say that this SACD is the definitve digital version of BOTW. It's already sold out on MD.
12 responses Add your response