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Post by freewilly on Oct 2, 2022 0:47:56 GMT
Serious passion from Francis on the Solid Gold demo
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Oct 2, 2022 11:40:46 GMT
I began with madness and you let me down They sound brilliant and have stood the test of time. Better than the vast majority of the best of 00's compilation.
As for the remaster, I'm disappointed. I don't normally notice differences unless it's remixed. The sound is clearer and to my ears the overall effect is that it sounds slightly less heavy than the original. As the album was not quite as heavy as it should have been, I find this remaster less enjoyable than the original
I'd love it to be remixed but sadly that's looking extremely unlikely
Also enjoyed the SG demo. Was so disappointed that it was dropped
I love the title track, but listening to the live version here helps me understand why they dropped it
Let's start again reminded me how frustrating this band has been to follow!!! That's as kind as I can be
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allyp
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Post by allyp on Oct 2, 2022 16:45:04 GMT
I was going to do another review thread but will stick it here if ok for Heavy Traffic as don’t need too many duplicate threads
To be honest despite it’s popularity as a latter day classic Quo album it isn’t one I play much in its entirety. It was indeed a positIve re birth as it were new drummer, back to basics recording techniques and Bob Young returning to co write songs. There is at least half a classic album there and a few quirky things thrown in like Green and Rhythm of life songs which probably wouldn’t have made the cut a few years previously. As some have pointed out Solid Gold is in theory a modern classic rocker but wish it had been given the same oomph as the live version a bit and ripped from the demo. I can never understand why Blues and Rhythm was never played live apart from a playback on the ark royal album launch. It doesn’t seem a complicated piece to play live? All stand up, Heavy Traffic, Creepin up are all great tracks and even liked the Oriental for its musical arrangements rather than odd lyrics but it has overstayed its welcome a bit in set now.
Jam side down was probably a safe option for a single but its presence is a bit out of sync with the rest of the material maybe due to the fact that it was composed by an outside writer. The rest drifts into filler a little Do it again and another day are a bit Quo by numbers. I don’t remember anyone picks things up a bit and a decent rocking tune. Money don’t matter a track included on the uk release maybe makes this album a bit long possibly by two tracks when push comes to shove. The two tracks which were b sides and included on this deluxe version are decent enough but probably missing a good middle eight solo (The Madness) and a bit laid back (You let me down) so to speak. The only unreleased song Lets start again could have been worked on a bit more maybe even for a Rossi solo venture if the rest of the band maybe didn’t like it? The live release is particularly welcome as includes all the Heavy traffic tour songs which have never got an official release to date (correct me if I’m wrong) on album together. There are a few other demos floating around which apparently could have been included but obviously reasons for it?
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Post by sqcollector on Oct 3, 2022 22:40:39 GMT
Huge warning for people who are considering buying the digital files, as opposed to the CDs: Don't do it. The audio is audibly watermarked, as per usual UMG digital content.
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mortified
4500 Timer
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Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Gary Numan, Alabama 3, ZZ Top, Paul van Dyk, Jeff Beck, Bowie, Gerry Rafferty, Band of Skulls, UFO, S.A.H.B
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Post by mortified on Oct 4, 2022 13:52:52 GMT
(repetition warning ) I still don't have these deluxe releases. Santa chinned me last night over a glass of Medoc and asked if they should go on the Christmas list. I said " go for it, Santa", like Bonnie Tyler encouraging Shaky, so perhaps I can summon up the patience to wait. I think I'll manage There is no doubt in my mind that Heavy Traffic was a seminal moment in the band's career after a long time of coming up with largely sub-standard material. And releasing it in deluxe format for a 20th anniversary is fine by me. I would have liked a vinyl version, but it seems 'records' have been parked by the band for now. Or certainly by those controlling the strings. Purse or otherwise. People keep mentioning the Solid Gold demo. Is that the one on the This & That CD? Just wondering. It's a while since I played the album, but I know it so well having played it that often after it came out that even without hearing the deluxe, I can still tell it'll be good. And live versions of the title track and others are very welcome. I hope Santa is in benevolent mood
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allyp
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Post by allyp on Oct 4, 2022 16:07:44 GMT
(repetition warning ) I still don't have these deluxe releases. Santa chinned me last night over a glass of Medoc and asked if they should go on the Christmas list. I said " go for it, Santa", like Bonnie Tyler encouraging Shaky, so perhaps I can summon up the patience to wait. I think I'll manage There is no doubt in my mind that Heavy Traffic was a seminal moment in the band's career after a long time of coming up with largely sub-standard material. And releasing it in deluxe format for a 20th anniversary is fine by me. I would have liked a vinyl version, but it seems 'records' have been parked by the band for now. Or certainly by those controlling the strings. Purse or otherwise. People keep mentioning the Solid Gold demo. Is that the one on the This & That CD? Just wondering. It's a while since I played the album, but I know it so well having played it that often after it came out that even without hearing the deluxe, I can still tell it'll be good. And live versions of the title track and others are very welcome. I hope Santa is in benevolent mood [br All of the demos on the deluxe releases(73-2002) were taken from the this and that cd apart from the Rossi/Frost songs which appeared on the Back to Back deluxe and the whatever you want ones which had been on the Rockers rollin boxset👍
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roquer
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Post by roquer on Oct 4, 2022 16:53:07 GMT
Huge warning for people who are considering buying the digital files, as opposed to the CDs: Don't do it. The audio is audibly watermarked, as per usual UMG digital content. What type of watermark? Songs cutted at the beginning?
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Post by sqcollector on Oct 4, 2022 17:48:08 GMT
What type of watermark? Songs cutted at the beginning? It's a modulation they insert into the audio. Here's a page describing it: www.mattmontag.com/music/universals-audible-watermarkIt's not simple to hear, but if you know how the watermark sounds (and I do because, unfortunately, I have other music, from other bands where this is also noticeable) you'll eventually hear it.
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roquer
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Post by roquer on Oct 4, 2022 19:21:05 GMT
What type of watermark? Songs cutted at the beginning? It's a modulation they insert into the audio. Here's a page describing it: www.mattmontag.com/music/universals-audible-watermarkIt's not simple to hear, but if you know how the watermark sounds (and I do because, unfortunately, I have other music, from other bands where this is also noticeable) you'll eventually hear it. WOW, just WOW. The musical industry and internet it's going nuts. So you paid to hear music and they came with this? Amazing. That explains when I heard something strange, but I thought that was tape damage or something like that.
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gav
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Post by gav on Oct 4, 2022 20:34:08 GMT
So why are they selling digital music with "something strange" sounding on it? Do they think it's so subtle that no one will care?
But surely that is, effectively, defective?
I know UMG are notorious for it though. I just don't understand offering digital downloads that don't sound quite right. That's wrong.
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mortified
4500 Timer
Posts: 5,855
Favourite Quo Album: Hello!
Favourite other bands.: Talking Heads, Rolling Stones, Sheryl Crow, Gary Numan, Alabama 3, ZZ Top, Paul van Dyk, Jeff Beck, Bowie, Gerry Rafferty, Band of Skulls, UFO, S.A.H.B
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Post by mortified on Oct 5, 2022 5:23:25 GMT
So why are they selling digital music with "something strange" sounding on it? Do they think it's so subtle that no one will care? But surely that is, effectively, defective? I know UMG are notorious for it though. I just don't understand offering digital downloads that don't sound quite right. That's wrong. And deliberately defective at that. I read in the link why they do it, which interested me, but I'm not really any the wiser. Something to do with ease of copyright by the sounds. The only downloads I tend to buy are from iTunes and none of those are by Quo, which are all on CD. But, if I'm honest, I'm not sure I'd hear this audible watermark, and I didn't on the example given until they extracted it and played it on its own. But that's hardly the point.
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Post by 4th Chord on Oct 15, 2022 19:35:53 GMT
Classic Rock review.
Status Quo
Flawed attempts to recreate old glories.
After a series of little-loved albums, often heavily reliant on covers, the new century saw the formerly mighty Quo (by then Rossi, Parfitt, Bown, Edwards and new drummer Matt Letley) poised to claw back some credibility by inviting their former road manager/harmonica player/ co-writer Bob Young to return. Young contributed to seven rockin’ numbers on 2002’s Heavy Traffic (5/10), All Stand Up and the title track being the best, but once more it relied on outsiders for its hit Jam Side Down. More tellingly, Parfitt co-wrote only one song among the other five, and the sum total didn’t (and still won’t) excite many fans of the band’s stellar 70s output. This re-release adds 24 bonus tracks: six B-sides and demos, plus a so-so live set from Switzerland’s Heitere Festival in August 2003.
There are 16 similar bonuses for that year’s Riffs (2/10) – here boosted by a far superior live set recorded in Montreux in July 2004 – but in the studio Quo had inexplicably reverted to covers; Kinks, Elvis Costello and ELO fans look away! The retread of the Nashville Teens’ Tobacco Road is decent, but remaking five of their own classics was pointless. Still, Quo’s take on Born To Be Wild is so off-kilter that it’s hilarious.
For completists only.
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Post by The Lord Flasheart on Oct 15, 2022 22:35:06 GMT
Classic Rock review. Status Quo Flawed attempts to recreate old glories. After a series of little-loved albums, often heavily reliant on covers, the new century saw the formerly mighty Quo (by then Rossi, Parfitt, Bown, Edwards and new drummer Matt Letley) poised to claw back some credibility by inviting their former road manager/harmonica player/ co-writer Bob Young to return. Young contributed to seven rockin’ numbers on 2002’s Heavy Traffic (5/10), All Stand Up and the title track being the best, but once more it relied on outsiders for its hit Jam Side Down. More tellingly, Parfitt co-wrote only one song among the other five, and the sum total didn’t (and still won’t) excite many fans of the band’s stellar 70s output. This re-release adds 24 bonus tracks: six B-sides and demos, plus a so-so live set from Switzerland’s Heitere Festival in August 2003. There are 16 similar bonuses for that year’s Riffs (2/10) – here boosted by a far superior live set recorded in Montreux in July 2004 – but in the studio Quo had inexplicably reverted to covers; Kinks, Elvis Costello and ELO fans look away! The retread of the Nashville Teens’ Tobacco Road is decent, but remaking five of their own classics was pointless. Still, Quo’s take on Born To Be Wild is so off-kilter that it’s hilarious. For completists only. Rather unfair review as it we all know they were forced into making Riffs if they wanted Heavy Traffic released, so it's not all that inexplicable.
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sincity
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Post by sincity on Oct 16, 2022 1:19:07 GMT
What an absolutely shite review of HT that is mind - just where do Classic Rock get these reviewers from? HT was & still is a massive return to the band i loved 5/10 is shocking - lazy journalism from a guy who`s probably only ever heard a compilation album at best.
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Post by charles on Oct 16, 2022 6:54:07 GMT
Classic Rock review. Status Quo Flawed attempts to recreate old glories. ... There are 16 similar bonuses for that year’s Riffs (2/10) – here boosted by a far superior live set recorded in Montreux in July 2004 – but in the studio Quo had inexplicably reverted to covers; Kinks, Elvis Costello and ELO fans look away! The retread of the Nashville Teens’ Tobacco Road is decent, but remaking five of their own classics was pointless. Still, Quo’s take on Born To Be Wild is so off-kilter that it’s hilarious. For completists only. Rather unfair review as it we all know they were forced into making Riffs if they wanted Heavy Traffic released, so it's not all that inexplicable. 2/10 for Riffs is quite accurate, or even generous. Forced into making Riffs? If you gather some musicians from this board (without asking the pros like bluehighway) to reimagine some songs, they'd do a better job. FFS Don't they get that it was damaging to the brand to release such a hashed up pile of dung? And I specifically use 'the brand' as noone had been caring for some artistic integrity in a long while. Fortunately HT was an altogether different beast. (7.5/10)
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