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CELEBRATION: A RETARDATION.


Mattress

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Thanks for the details, Mattress- when you say EY cuts to the 7" remix/edit, are you talking about the one we both adore (that we wanted on this album), or the one used in the Shep remix video? That would be odd, if it spliced together bits from a Shep remix and the 7" version.

With all the complaints, which of the 3 compilations do you think was handled best, in terms of audio, versions, etc.? :) And, how does the remastering sound?

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Guest ursaminorjim

No, "Hung Up" is the same as the non-megamixed version. The only prior physical release on compact disc was the US promo, so this marks it's commercial debut on the CD format.

Ah, gotcha. I didn't realize the un-mixed album was download only. :thumbsup:

"They all want cake."[/center]

"Yep, most of them are."

"Most who are what?"

"Most gay people are retarded."

"Are you saying Kimberly Timbers is gay?"

"I dunno, Jerri...say, why don't you make a pass at her? She'd have to be retarded to turn you down!"

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Thanks for the details, Mattress- when you say EY cuts to the 7" remix/edit, are you talking about the one we both adore (that we wanted on this album), or the one used in the Shep remix video? That would be odd, if it spliced together bits from a Shep remix and the 7" version.

It goes into the house remix.

With all the complaints, which of the 3 compilations do you think was handled best, in terms of audio, versions, etc.? :) And, how does the remastering sound?

From a quality standpoint, all prior compilations were handled well. Even the much maligned GHV2 which strictly used official single/album version masters.

Makes fuckery like "Erotica" on the new collection all the more baffling.

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Another couple questions, for your Mattressry. :vogue: Thanks in advance.

For casual fans (who aren't hardcore and knit-pickers like us): How do you think they'll like the audio? And, aside from clicking on "Music" and the other few oddities, do you notice a marked improvement in sound for the tracks, or was the remastering a fruitless effort?

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WOW Mattress, that was like reading a Masters Thesis on Madonna's greatest hits and how they are compiled..after reading it (and before actually listening to it), I have to say on paper it does look a little underwhelming and lazy of WB and M. Why couldn't they put a little more work into maybe re-editing all the album versions to make room for additional songs during the "re-mastering..?" That's the only pet peeve I really have, that would have made this a real-keeper. Oh and yes, the IC versions--why..? Who the heck chose those, I like them but only when listening to AC all-together, it's a more consistent sound. Just my opinion...

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Updated the list a bit.

"Don't Tell Me" is actually a fake recreation of the radio edit.

"Die Another Day" is taken directly from the American Life album and FADED UP LATE on the intro to mask the track indexing error present on that album (the missing beginning is actually on the very end of the preceding track, "Mother And Father".) Very brief, but another show of laziness.

"Hollywood" begins abruptly and does have the last bar of "American Life"'s fade audible.

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Regarding the mastering: It sounds as though noise reduction may have been used to remove "tape hiss" on some older songs which is unnecessary on recordings post 1980. This process kills part of the high end. In addition, the entire album has a smear of bass over it. I really wanted to like it, but it sounds like a cheap "bass boost" EQ effect was applied to some of the songs, not proper remastering.

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I'm listening to the full 2 CD set right now. I am a hard core fan and I am enjoying the shit out of this. I don't get the comments regarding "fake edits"?? How can it be "fake" when it's just the song edited? I understand it may not be the original version or some other version you were hoping for, but it's really a minor issue. In the end, it's a fun and enjoyable compilation. I can't imagine anyone but a hard core fan noticing the difference and I'd suspect they'd have every version out there. And someone may say it's "lazy", but again I suspect no one else but picky fans would care or notice the difference.

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I'm listening to the full 2 CD set right now. I am a hard core fan and I am enjoying the shit out of this. I don't get the comments regarding "fake edits"?? How can it be "fake" when it's just the song edited? I understand it may not be the original version or some other version you were hoping for, but it's really a minor issue. In the end, it's a fun and enjoyable compilation. I can't imagine anyone but a hard core fan noticing the difference and I'd suspect they'd have every version out there. And someone may say it's "lazy", but again I suspect no one else but picky fans would care or notice the difference.

I fail to see how is this any less of an issue if only the "hard core" fans notice.

The issue is that these are not "exquisitely remastered from the master tapes" as stated by Warner Bros. and that there are actual mastering errors throughout.

This is not typical of a major label release, all the more embarrassing when one considers that this was compiled for someone of Madonna's status.

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Guest ursaminorjim

"Die Another Day" is take directly from the American Life album and FADED UP LATE on the intro to mask the track indexing error present on that album (the missing beginning is actually on the very end of the preceding track, "Mother And Father".)

"Hollywood" begins abruptly and does have the last bar of "American Life"'s fade audible.

Okay, that's some inexcusable shit there. After the indexing errors on American Life, you'd think that someone would be paying closer attention. :grr: And does it take that much more effort to find the original master of "Hollywood?" Really?

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Guest ursaminorjim

I think there oughta be a write-in campaign, similar to the one Rhino recieved for their botched New Order reissues a couple years back. They actually went and fixed EVERYTHING.

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I think there oughta be a write-in campaign, similar to the one Rhino recieved for their botched New Order reissues a couple years back. They actually went and fixed EVERYTHING.

I'm with you on this. Same label as well.

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Okay, that's some inexcusable shit there. After the indexing errors on American Life, you'd think that someone would be paying closer attention. :grr: And does it take that much more effort to find the original master of "Hollywood?" Really?

And to make it even worse, the excellent radio edit of DAD was not included.

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Good god. Just when you think incompetent Warner couldn't get any worse. :rolleyes:

Honestly, why couldn't they get Rhino to work on it. They're treating it like a budget compilation. They may as well flush her back catalogue down the toilet, they're destroying her recording legacy. Ridiculous for someone who worked mostly in the digital age, not like she's The Beatles.

Then again, her great contemporary Michael Jackson had similar problems to her - long song times that were butchered in edits in compilations. Dangerous was even in Q Sound. :lmao:

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Guest ursaminorjim

And to make it even worse, the excellent radio edit of DAD was not included.

Well, I kinda figured that. But I'm seriously bummed about the inclusion of all the Immaculat Collection mixes. That's just lazy as hell. To say nothing of the poor editing/mastering/authoring, of course.

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"Hollywood" begins abruptly and does have the last bar of "American Life"'s fade audible.

:grr:

That's another thing about her. All those segued tracks. I HATE mixed songs, dance mix albums are really annoying.

Admittedly, the mixed songs work great in the context of the album, but it's very silly and annoying otherwise.

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I think there oughta be a write-in campaign, similar to the one Rhino recieved for their botched New Order reissues a couple years back. They actually went and fixed EVERYTHING.

I didn't realise they mucked up New Order, that's a surprise. And very good that they fixed it. I wanted to get Technique.

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I'm listening to the full 2 CD set right now. I am a hard core fan and I am enjoying the shit out of this. I don't get the comments regarding "fake edits"?? How can it be "fake" when it's just the song edited? I understand it may not be the original version or some other version you were hoping for, but it's really a minor issue. In the end, it's a fun and enjoyable compilation. I can't imagine anyone but a hard core fan noticing the difference and I'd suspect they'd have every version out there. And someone may say it's "lazy", but again I suspect no one else but picky fans would care or notice the difference.

I'm sorry, wil you butt in in EVERY THREAD to post your cut and paste 'stop being negative' bullshit? I think everyone GETS IT by now. You're just fucking spamming.

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Guest ursaminorjim

Hey now, GSM. No beating up on the sunshine and the rainbows. Why must you be so negative? It's just a 2-disc summation of a twenty-six year (and counting) career, that's all. Why be so picky? It's just good fun!

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I'm sorry, wil you butt in in EVERY THREAD to post your cut and paste 'stop being negative' bullshit? I think everyone GETS IT by now. You're just fucking spamming.

:lol:

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Honestly, why couldn't they get Rhino to work on it. They're treating it like a budget compilation. They may as well flush her back catalogue down the toilet, they're destroying her recording legacy. Ridiculous for someone who worked mostly in the digital age, not like she's The Beatles.

Yeah, but didn't Rhino handle the New Order reissues/remasters?

I think that the fans need to start a campaign to get Warner to fix these horrible mastering/editing errors. Didn't anyone bother to listen to the disc before sending it to the presses? Also, who did the mastering? Such a shame that a project of this caliber (which is ultimately going to sell in the millions) receives this kind of treatment when it comes to the audio. Sloppy, sloppy work! If record labels were smart they would get fan feedback on these kind of projects in order to insure that the correct edits and versions are being used.

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