Review by Frederick Baptist
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A Night At The Opera [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENQueen's Best!
No doubting that this is Queen's best ever album. Both critics and fans agree on this and it's easy to see why. Great songs and great performances from a band of consummate musicians each expert at their chosen craft coming together to make classic track after classic track and the harmonies! Wow! Now this classic, one of the best rock albums of all time comes housed in a gatefold mini-lp replica sleeve that looks very cool and has been remastered in 2001 which makes it sound very good too. Very well worth the price if you are a fan and this is the best sound quality-wise version of this disc that's out there. Highly recommended!
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A Day At The Races [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENA Night at the Opera Pt. 2!
This album was clearly intended to match its illustrious predecessor (even the cover design is almost the same save one was white while the other black) but alas, very few albums now or in the future would ever come close to matching "A Night at the Opera", a true rock classic and quite possibly one of the best albums ever made and "A Day at the Races" is one of them. The album is patchy at best and doesn't flow as well. Not one of Queen's best or even among their top 5 albums but still worth a listen. Some of their greatest songs are here to spice up the album but unfortunately these are also accompanied by other quite forgettable tunes as well. "Somebody to Love" and "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" are all-time Queen great songs and together with "Tie Your Mother Down" are good enough to earn 4 stars for this disc but the other tracks are like the aptly named track "Drowse" and will put you to sleep. Still, this Japanese version is very well packaged in a mini-lp replica sleeve and has been very recently remastered and so sounds very good indeed. If you are looking for the best sounding version of this cd that's out there, this one is it. Recommended.
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News Of The World [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENRemastering Minimally Improves Sound!
This is one of Queen's best albums as all the tracks are great and have a great flow. The recordings have been remastered but sound only a little better than the old Hollywood version which I think is due to the not so mint state of the original master. That would explain why the sound is a little muddy on some tracks and the volume levels aren't as high as they should be on the others. Some very good ballads like "It's Late" and "Spread Your Wings" provide a nice contrast to the rockers like "We Will Rock You" and "Sheer Heart Attack". A very good balance of hard and soft tunes with the usual eccentric Freddie Mercury contributions make this a worthy addition to any music lover's collection. The mini-lp sleeve packaging is also a work of art. Recommended.
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Jazz [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENWell Remastered!
This isn't one of Queen's strongest albums but it isn't one of their bad ones either. Some of their strongest ever hits are here although as one cohesive piece of work this one isn't. Still, this version of the album has a very well done mini-lp sleeve packaging that is very faithful to the original lp design complete with colour photo of that "Bicycle Race". Every track is well remastered although perhaps due to limitations of the master tape, some tracks start out soft and then get louder while some tracks sound better produced than others but it's hardly noticeable unless you're looking out for these things. Overall this is still the best version that is out there of this album. Recommended and a must if you are a Queen fan.
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The Game [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENQueen's 2nd Best Album!
This is the breakthrough album that really made Queen hit the big time! For years they's been trying to make it in the U.S. market and with this album, they not only made it big in the U.S., they also made it big with the Black audience as well. They were never again to hit such dizzying heights. In fact, their very next album would tank miserably enough to make them recoil into themselves and go into hiding for a number of years before attempting a comeback with "The Works". This album has a great flow and every track is good. The standouts are "Another One Bites the Dust", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Play the Game" but really every track is great. Now, this version has been recently remastered and so the album has never sounded better and the mini-lp sleeve design is very cool. Highly recommended for any music lover's collection.
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Hot Space [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENQueen's Weakest Album!
If you are into Queen and really dig this album then this is possibly the version to get. It's been remastered although the sound quality isn't all that great compared to the other Queen albums that have been given the treatment. Still, Queen's attempt to sell-out to the newly acquired R&B audience due to the unmitigated success of "The Game" crashes and burns very badly although a few gems have managed to survive as all-time great singles. "Under Pressure" for one is one of my all-time favourite Queen tracks as well as "Life is Real" the John Lennon eulogy. Otherwise, the album is rather forgettable and to be honest, Queen never really hit the heights of "The Game" again although they have come close towards the end of their Freddie Mercury-as-frontman days. Recommended only if you are die hard fan who needs to complete the collection. Otherwise, this is not Queen at their best. For that you'd get "A Night At the Opera", "The Game" and "Sheer Heart Attack".
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The Works [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENFrom the Ashes of Hot Space!
After the disaster of "Hot Space", "The Works" is a decent attempt at recapturing the heights attained before and up to "The Game" but still falls way short. The whole "A" side i.e. the first 4 tracks are quite forgettable except for "It's a Hard Life" which has an incredible guitar solo that's almost as good as the one on "Bohemian Rhapsody" years before when they were really, really great and the album only seems to come alive from the "B" side i.e. track #5 onwards. I guess coming from such a low base like "Hot Space", this is actually quite a decent effort. This version with its great mini-lp replica packaging and remastered sound earns it at least 4 stars although the sound quality isn't great when compared to the other Queen remastered albums.
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A Kind Of Magic [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENPseudo-Highlander Soundtrack!
This album could be very loosely described as the "soundtrack" for the "Highlander" movie because it contains much of the music from the film itself but it's not quite what has in mind when one thinks about a soundtrack. There are no scores here like in the "Flash Gordon" album and there are other songs that do not appear in the movie. The first track, "One Vision" actually comes from another movie, "Iron Eagle" and the title track is not connected to either movie. Still, the tracks are quite strong on their own merits and there are bonus tracks here, remix versions of the title track and "Friends Will Be Friends" and "Forever" which is a keyboard instrumental version of "Who Wants to Live Forever". Not Queen's best work but then to be honest, Queen's work had been erratic ever since "The Game" but still a decent offering and worth a listen. This Japanese lp mini-replica version has been remastered but the bass levels seem a little too heavy but it's very well packaged. The album has never sounded or looked better. Recommended if you liked the movies or if you liked the singles.
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The Miracle [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENGreat Sound and Packaging!,
This album surprised me by its quality coming after the passable "The Works." The sound quality given the remastering treatment that it gets here plus the unique mini-lp sleeve makes this a nice to have version of this album. Given that Freddie's sickness had progressed markedly, the band stopped touring and could therefore concentrate all their energies in the studio and it clearly shows here with probably one of their most produced albums ever. The result is mostly very good with "Invisible Man" really standing out. The rest of the tracks are quite good too and probably comes the closest towards matching the quality of their last great album, "The Game". An underrated gem and if you are looking for the best version of this album, this Japanese press is it. Recommended.
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Innuendo [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENGood at the Very End (Almost)!,
This would eventually turn out to be the second last studio album of Queen but it is clear from the choice of material and subject matter of the tracks that they thought that this would be their swansong. Tracks covering issues about various aspects of life from the womb to the tomb are here and especially the standout track "Those Were the Days of Our Lives", a track that still moves me whenever I hear it. The rest of the album is also very good and I'd say that this ranks among Queen's top 5 albums ever. This version is remastered although not that well but the mini-lp sleeve packaging is very nice to look at. Highly recommended for all music fans, Queen or otherwise.
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Made In Heaven [Cardboard Sleeve]QUEENMercury's Elegy and Eulogy!
This is Queen's official last studio album but it's really all about Freddie Mercury. Very introspective and reflective of all aspects of life from womb to the tomb and the hereafter. Given the background behind this what with Freddie already knowing that he was at death's door, this very un-Queen like album is really quite good. All the songs except perhaps "I Was Born To Love You" are of the slow, moody, sentimental variety. This Japanese mini-lp sleeve version is very good though as it has been recently remastered and the overall design of the package is very good. This is a must for any Queen fan but for the uninitiated, this may give you a wrong idea about what Queen's life's work was all about. This whole album is about Freddie writing for himself and who can blame him?
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Kick Inside [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushNot Remastered!
This is a disc that you can get remastered for a better sound unless you really must have the mini-lp sleeve packaging. Admittedly, the album cover is a great work of art though but if you already have the unremastered version of this disc, you are better off getting the remastered version that's out there. Overall though, this is a good debut for the quirky but very talented female version of Bob Dylan; a modern-day poet disguised as a pop singer. Recommended.
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Lionheart [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushExcellent Sound Quality!
Fans of Kate Bush are in for a real treat here as this second album of hers has been repackaged brilliantly in what can only be described as a work of art, mini-lp replica sleeve design and although not remastered, the sound quality is excellent! After listening to this, I can safely say (against popular opinion, I know) that this is after "Never Forever" my favourite Kate Bush album. I cannot understand the harsh criticism of this album which is not as patchy as some have claimed and the quality of the tracks are still brilliant. Kate has also intelligently won the hearts of all her fellow countrymen with the great track, "Oh England, My Lionheart". If this was a rush job as some have claimed, they certainly didn't rush the production and mastering which for an unremastered cd made in the late 70's is nothing short of excellent! I've heard far too many allegedly remastered discs that don't sound half as good as what has been done on this version. I can't find a single weak track here unlike on some of her other albums too. Highly underrated and having heard all her albums except "Aerial", I can confidently say that this is among her top-3 ever albums. Very highly recommended.
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Never For Ever [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushGreat 3rd Album!
Another album that's a work of art coming in the form of a mini-lp sleeve (mlps)format. Kate Bush's 3rd album was a resounding hit for her in Britain reaching #1 in a short space of time. 3 of her best hits are here: "Babooshka" (Russian for baby), "Breathing" and "Army Dreamers" but all the tracks are good. Unlike "The Kick Inside", this album although not remastered does sound a lot better. In my opinion, if you don't already have this album and would like to get the great artwork of a mini-lp sleeve replica then this one's for you. Otherwise, as this isn't remastered and so the sound quality isn't a significant improvement over the original release, don't bother getting this if you already have the remastered version or even if you already have this album. Track-wise though, this is one of Kate Bush's best albums. Recommended.
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Dreaming [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushKate Goes Experi-Mental!
This is Kate Bush's 4th album which represents Kate's truly concept album. Beautiful in many ways but it does take a while to grow on you. The title track is the one that's on "The Whole Story", her best of compilation but although there are no other "hits" to make it to that album, the other tracks are all part of the bigger work of art that is "The Dreaming". Now this album mini-lp sleeve packaging is a work of art in itself. The sound quality though is patchy and the volume levels are higher for some tracks than they are for others. As this version of the disc is not remastered either, you'll have to decide whether or not to pay for this disc if you either already have the remastered version of this or even any other version if the packaging is not important to you. If you are new to Kate's work and don't yet have this, you may have to decide if sound quality is important to you as well.
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Hounds of love [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushNot So Great Sound!
This is Kate Bush's best album which is simply a work of art. Beautiful in many ways where every single track is a masterpiece of composition. The sound quality, however, is patchy and the volume levels are higher for some tracks than they are for others. As this version of the disc is not remastered either, you'll have to decide whether or not to pay for this disc if you either already have the remastered version of this or even any other version if the packaging is not important to you. If you are new to Kate's work and don't yet have this, you may have to decide if sound quality is important to you as well.
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The Sensual World [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushKate's Worst Album!
The idea was a good one: a newly repackaged album in mini-lp sleeve replica but they forgot the most important thing: the sound quality is absolutely horrendous. This version isn't remastered or even mastered well at all to begin with. This may well be an album that's more deserving of one star but who could tell? You can't hear a darn thing with the horrible production job. I couldn't believe it at first until I took a closer look at the credits on the cover: produced by Kate! Even the great George Martin of Beatles fame who although was executive producer, still allowed the likes of Glyn Johns and Geoff Emerick and even Alan Parsons at one stage to do the actual mastering, all renowned sound engineers and who have gone on to become great producers in their own right. Kate is a great performer and usually, with this album as a possible exception, is an excellent songwriter but she's definitely not anywhere near as good a producer. Very low sound levels and when you raise the volume you get very muffled and grainy sound and all this added to subpar material means that this is highly not recommended. You are better off holding on to your old versions of this album.
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The Red Shoes [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushSound Quality Still Sucks!
Credit to Kate for trying her hand again at production after the terrible job that she did on "Sensual World" but still although an improvement over the previous album, the sound quality is not good reflecting poor mastering and inconsistent volume levels and balance yet again. In terms of the material though, the tracks are an improvement over the previous album. This version isn't remastered and so although you get the mini-lp sleeve replica packaging, you don't get the expected improved sound quality over what's already out there and so I'd recommend given the very high price to ignore this one and either hold on to the old version that you have or get the cheaper remastered versions that are out there. Overall a much better effort on all fronts than "Sensual World" although still not as good as her brilliant efforts on "Never For Ever" and "Lionheart".
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The Whole story [Cardboard Sleeve]Kate BushNot Remastered!
This is a great and only compilation currently of Kate's work that covers her first 5 studio albums. The mini-lp sleeve packaging is excellent except that the sound levels are a little soft as this recording has not been remastered. Still, the quality isn't all that bad and I've found that raising the volume levels a little does not distort the overall sound quality that much and so if you are not too hung up on sound quality like I am, then this is quite a good buy. However, if you already have the 1986 version, unless you really need to have the mini-lp sleeve, then as this isn't remastered, you may want to get the remastered versions that are out there instead.
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A Love Supreme (Cardboard Sleeve)John ColtraneVery Well Remastered!
What is there left to be said about the greatness of this recording that hasn't already been said? One of Coltrane's last works before his untimely death but a work worthy of tribute to it's subject, The Almighty Himself! The liner notes says so much about Trane's faith and the music follows it up. As for this disc, the Japanese did a great job remastering this so the sound is very good and the mini lp-sleeve packaging is very impressive to behold. A good buy!