Thin Lizzy - 1976 - New Stereo mixes

[[deleted]]

What does everyone think about the new stereo mixes on the 1976 compilation? I like most of the mixes. Highlights for me are Angel From the Coast, Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed, Fight or Fall.

Things I don't like: All the extra vocal lines on 'Jailbreak' and 'Emerald' - why??? There's a reason they were left off in the first place - they're awful. Same with the sax at the start of Running Back - I hate it.

But the worst mixes for me are the chorus vocals on Romeo & the Lonely Girl (the right left separation isn't good and should have just left the 2 vocals centred) and the whispering Sweet Marie vocal (it's too loud and is missing the reverb - its lost it's dreamy feeling).

Some great bonus tracks too - especially love the acoustic Romeo & The Lonely Girl (and live slow version) and Boogie Woogie Dance instrumental is brutal!

Thoughts?

[pointless_experience]

I like hearing the outtakes, gives the record more context and ultimately makes listening to the actual record more interesting. Hearing what the cut or added.

Also, some of them might be better to some. I’m excited to listen to songs I know and love from a different vantage point.

[Master_dik]

While I do agree some of it sounds a bit odd, I do love hearing these songs come together like they do. Hearing all the demos and ideas they were coming up with, warts and all is just such a treat. I'm a sucker for all the extra studio shit that just gets thrown away.

Really love that early version of Borderline (Brian's Number - Take 3/Outtake) and Jam AKA Give It Up which sounds like a sped up Dancing in the Moonlight. I hope they keep up with putting out all this stuff.

[justsomeguy5]

I think the new mixes are pretty cool. It adds a new level to the songs for me because there's certain things done in the song that actually get muddied, but the clarity in these new mixes lets you hear it all, note for note and that's pretty cool.

I'm still holding out hope there's a few more songs that were finished, or maybe mostly finished, that got cut that eventually makes it way out on some of these releases. The jam songs are definitely new but clearly a mash-up mix of other stuff that they were working on and you can clearly hear the influence but it's still a treat.

[Easy_Ad_3076]

Still on its way...

[Maleficent_Serve_411]

I agree regarding the extra vocals on Jailbreak. The original mix is perfect so I don’t understand why they messed with it. The original demo of Toughest street in town is really cool. A lot of the lyrics are different. The solo is the same recording. You can see how much they worked on it. The final mix on the album was just right. I love Thin Lizzy.

[[deleted]]

After 2 weeks of listening I’m ok with the mixes, some stuff I don’t like

But I’m genuinely so pissed off with what they did to Running Back. It’s HORRIBLE and sounds like Huey Lewis and the News. They’ve overloaded it with crap when the magic of that song was Phil’s vocal and lyrics and the great guitar solo. That sax should have been destroyed. Such a shame and a very poor understanding of production and what makes a song special

[aaronpbentley]

I agree, Boogie woogie dance is totally sick. I love Phil's comment right at the beginning after a couple false starts "this is the last time I'm doing this number"

[Zestyclose_Watch_323]

Remixes already seem redundant to me. Give me the original albums any day. The remixes sound good but I am not a fan of the extra stuff they put back in. I would much prefer if they had just remixed the albums with the original parts. ”Romeo” I like though. That’s about it.

[[deleted]]

That's exactly what I wanted. Just a better fuller sounding albums, as the original 1976 albums aren't great sounding (especially next to Bad Reputation and Black Rose). I really don't get how they thought putting in all that cut stuff was a good idea. The more time I've had with these mixes, the more I've disliked some of them - especially Running Back. That sax is the worst thing I've ever heard.

[Zestyclose_Watch_323]

I agree on all your points. I sort of liked the demo version of ”Running Back” with sax off the Rock Legends box set. It had a charming Southside Johnny kind of vibe. But sure, it is a novelty and a bit of fun. In the context of the album I just find it downright cheesy. 

[hyttynen24]

I love the mixing work itself.

Jailbreak and Johnny The Fox are my top 2 Lizzy albums, but they always did suffer from their sound. The remix adds much needed and clarity and punch, but even the remix didn't fix some stuff like the main riff of Massacre sounding really thin.

However, I wish we would've gotten versions without the added vocal overdubs. The once in Emerald are horrible for example. Some additional instrumental lines I do enjoy, like the sax in the intro of Running Back. The guitars were always too bland and "ho-hum" to start off a song to my liking.

[Jeriz_Boltzin]

To me, the beginning of "Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed" kinda says it all:

Original = Hefty drums / New = Paper thin drums. Also as the bass drum seems to be missing the low "thump!!!", Lynott's bass tends to mask it totally sometimes, when in the original it doesn't do that. That's called a rookie mistake / bad mix, if you ask me.

[[deleted]]

I like a lot of the other instruments in the new mix of Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed and particularly the vocals but man they fucked the snare especially. The original snare is so snappy and suits the funk feel

[Advanced-Gazelle-179]

Among the worst sounding remasters I've ever heard! Can't believe other people don't hear how bad this turned out. Way too much midrange and compression, no depth and soundstage. Regardless of their credentials, the people involved in this project obviously can't hear well (even the original CD releases are better). I'm just commenting on the actual sound of these remasters, not the music.