70's junkie that I am, I was really looking forward to this individual disc from the "Brick".
Upon first two listens, I would call it moderately discrete with some nice effects.
Having owned only the 2-disc "Sand in the Vaseline" collection, I'm not very familiar with many of the non-hits. But there's one track I know initmately -- Take me to the River.
That track is only a moderate disappointment, redeemed mostly by the occassional very cool percussion and effects in the rear. But . . . here's just a partial list of problems:
1) Too many instruments at equal level. The percussive organ effects in the intro, so effective in the original stereo, are potted way up to the level of everything else and too dry. There is no subtlety to anything.
2) The distinctive drum effect ( dum . . . PEWWWW . . . dum . . . PEWWW) is reconstructed poorly and overdone.
3) The ending has no dynamics. The original swells to an incredible crescendo with the organ sounding like it's about to explode in a Hammond orgasm. Here . . . more like marking time till it's over.
But these are mere quibbles. There is one problem with this mix that is unforgiveable. With a nod to Mr. Trebek, I will phrase it as a question:
In a hit song whose most recognizable feature is a distinctive bass track, what should remix engineers be most careful NOT TO SCREW UP?
That's right . . . in some bizarro universe where this was remixed, in a format with a dedicated low bass channel, the knob-twirlers couldn't find a way to preserve the thumping, powerful bass line! I've played it on two of my 5.1 systems, and to say it doesn't satisfy is being kind. On one, I can barely hear it at all. There is simply no justification for this at all.
For that alone, I'm downgrading this to a 6.
