The Beatles' Definitive CD Versions: the Long Tall Sally E.P.
[My apologies to anybody following this blog for its Chicago theme...but as you know by now, I hardly ever touch this blog, so I'm going to use it as sort of a secondary blog for other things. I'll still post some Chicago stuff here from time to time.]
In England, The Beatles released E.P.s ("extended play") These 7-inch records were very similar to singles, except there were two songs per side. Generally, the E.P.s The Beatles released were truncated versions of their current albums. This was to satisfy young fans who wanted more than just two songs, but didn't have enough money to buy the entire albums. There were I think two Beatles E.P.s put out by Capitol (Four By The Beatles and 4 By The Beatles -- different E.P.s, but almost exact same title!), but E.P.s never really took off in the States.
With Long Tall Sally, the group broke the "truncated album" habit: the E.P. contained four entirely new songs that you couldn't get anywhere else. There were a cover of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and Lennon's own "I Call Your Name" (which could theoretically be considered a cover, as it was originally put out by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas) on one side, and Larry Williams' "Slow Down" and Carl Perkins' "Matchbox" on the other side.
Capitol Records included Side 1 of this E.P. on the album The Beatles' Second Album, and Side 2 on Something New in an attempt to create more Beatles albums than The Beatles actually recorded. As was the practice on the early albums Capitol released, extra reverb was added to the stereo mixes, as Capitol's guy in charge of foreign product, Dave Dexter, decided that the reverb was necessary for the music to be accessible to the American market. (Although credited on the albums, Dexter himself didn't actually do the American mixes, according to Bruce Spizer.) One on hand, it may be sacrilege to tamper with George Martin's productions, but on the other hand, it's hard to argue with someone who's a native of the country that gave the world rock'n'roll in the first place. Rock'n'roll that The Beatles wanted to perform, mind you.
Anyway, here are my notes about the songs on the Long Tall Sally E.P. as released on CD. There have been so far six legally-released CD versions, all of which I auditioned for this project:
Mono Versions
Compact Disc E.P. Collection
Very in-your-face vocal at first, then a little less in-your-face when the instruments kick in. Great bass line. Extra reverb on Paul's voice that I never heard before. Excellent listening experience.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Interestingly, less reverb on Paul's voice; ironic, considering how Dave Dexter usually had extra reverb added onto Beatles recordings on Capitol to make them more suitable for the American market. Unlike with The Compact Disc E.P. Collection, Paul's voice is mixed far forward throughout. Good mix, but not as exciting as on the E.P. box.
Mono Masters
Definitely the cleanest sounding of all three. More reverb on Paul's voice, and Paul's voice is further forward than on the EP box set. Bass line, surprisingly, doesn't sound as driving as on the EP box. Unfortunately, Ringo's amazing drumming in the end isn't very pronounced.
Worst mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. I hate to call it "worst" because it's still good. But it doesn't have the oomph of the E.P. box version or the cleanliness of the 2009 version.
Best mono version: Compact Disc E.P. Collection. Probably the most enjoyable of the three. None is actually bad at all.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
Piano is very pronounced -- in fact, it's very overpowering, especially when listening with headphones. George's lead guitar is more audible throughout than on mono.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
The mix itself sounds the same as on Past Masters Vol. 1. However, interestingly enough, it doesn't sound as good. There's heavy reverb added that actually does make it sound a bit more exciting, but upon close listen it's obvious that Past Masters used a higher-generation tape, which is understandable because the Capitol albums all used lower generation masters.
Past Masters (2009)
This actually doesn't sound very different from the 1987 mix. It sounds slightly brighter and slightly cleaner. However, the piano isn't as overpowering as on the 1987 version.
Worst stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. I'm wondering if the reason, in 2004, when I heard the Capitol box set, if my mind didn't tell me that it sounds better than the 1987 CDs simply because I was very prejudiced against the sound of the 1987 CDs. Hate to say it, but the 2004 release actually sounds even worse than the 1987 one. The added reverb would have been great if it weren't for the loss of tape generation.
Best stereo version: Past Masters (2009). Thing is, though, upon close inspection, the stereo versions aren't all that great. But the newest release is the best.
Definitive CD version of "Long Tall Sally": Compact Disc E.P. Collection. First of all, mono wins out because the mono mix really emphasizes the kick-ass drumming at the end; the stereo mixes seem to bury the drumming. The not-to-be-missed driving bass line emphasized by the E.P. box mix put this version over the top.
Compact Disc E.P. Collection
Amazing emphasis on a great bass line. Performance-wise, the intro is sloppy: George slips over his Rickenbacker 12-string, while some of John's double-tracked vocal comes in late. Tape problems evident at the end of the first verse and the ska break. Really interesting bass work right before end of fade-out that I never noticed before.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Volume is noticeably louder than on E.P. box set. Also, playback sounds slightly slow. Overall, pretty good sound. Sounds like there's an edit before the first "Oh, I can't sleep at night" that wasn't noticeable on the E.P. version. Tape glitches in E.P. version aren't noticeable here. Wild bass work in fade-out still present.
Mono Masters
As with "Long Tall Sally," this is a cleaner-sounding version of the song. The EQ sounds ever-so-slightly brighter. Cowbell is almost inaudible, though, and the bass line isn't as pronounced. Sonds like an edit on first "I never weep at night" -- an edit I couldn't hear on the other mono versions. Fade-out sounds louder than on the other versions.
Worst mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. The quality itself is almost identical to that of the E.P. box, but the playback is a bit slower than usual, making it sound a bit plodding.
Best mono version: Compact Disc E.P. Collection. While the 2009 version is definitely the cleanest, it just seems that the E.P. version has a lot more punch and really grabs the listener. Again, points for emphasizing the bass line.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
The Rickenbacker intro is spot-on this time. It's obvious from listening that the intro is an edit piece, as there's an audible edit right after John's single-tracked "I call your name" at the beginning. (John's voice is single-tracked until the phrase "but you're not there.") With this version, you can hear the sensitivity of the microphone -- John's P's and F's are overemphasized, and the S's are very sibilant. Actually, it's almost distracting. An edit is also heard shortly before the guitar solo. Bass is barely audible. Fades out earlier than mono version.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
At first, sounds just like the Past Masters Vol. 1 version but with a lot of additional reverb. However, this presents yet another version of the intro: the Rickenbacker is flawless, but the double-tracking is off: part of the line "I call your name" is single-tracked, part is double-tracked. The bass is a bit more pronounced than the 1987 version. Although the tape sounds noticeably at least a generation later than the version used on Past Masters Vol. 1 and it plays back ever-so-slightly slower, this version does sound a bit punchier with more excitement.
Past Masters (2009)
The impression I get, comparing this version to the other two stereo versions, is that this version sounds less...threatening, I guess. As with the prior two 2009 versions, this mix sounds the cleanest. The harshness of some of John's consonants, while still there, is a bit less emphasized. There's a noticeable edit during the last few bars of the guitar solo. Overall, this version has the best EQ.
Worst stereo version: Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987). The bass is mixed too far down to really enjoy the groove on this version; plus, you can hear John popping his P's a bit too much.
Best stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. I'm sure my opinion here will anger the purists. How dare I choose the "Dexterized," second-generation version over the purer, first-generation version! Yes, the actual audio quality of the 2009 remaster is noticeably better, but believe it or not, Dexter's remixing goons actually did make this track more exciting.
Definitive CD version of "I Call Your Name": stereo mix on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Wow, I'm really putting my life in jeopardy, picking the manipulated version! But my ears, attitude, and just personal taste make me pick this version. One thing you gotta admit: on the earlier tunes the Beatles did, the bass line really is the driving force, and this version really brings out the bass line. What? The mono versions do, too? Well, truth be told, while "I Call Your Name" really is an excellent song (and in my opinion very underrated), the mono versions (and in fact, most versions) are performance and production nightmares, what with George's sloppy 12-stringing in the intro, the noticeable edits, and the double-tracking inconsistencies. The stereo versions have slightly better performances, and Capitol's reverb-laden version has perhaps the most driving groove of the six CD versions.
Compact Disc E.P. Collection
This mix sounds weird. The piano seems to have weird EQ on it, as do the rest of the instruments, come to think of it. It almost sounds like this mono mix was made by folding down a stereo mix, or worse, OOPSing a stereo mix. Or perhaps as if this were mastered through an air conditioner. Sounds like a tape error during the line "but now you got a boyfriend down the street." Was that an edit I heard immediately after the instrumental break and before the last verse?
Something New (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Mix sounds slightly better than on the E.P. box, yet a lot more tape flaws are evident; perhaps the E.P. version was mastered in an attempt to mask a lot of the tape glitches? But still, this version sounds noticeably punchier. Guitar solo sounds more in-your-face than on the E.P. version.
Mono Masters
Sounds a lot like the Something New version. Unfortunately, while the piano is difficult to hear on all three mono versions, on this version, it's almost completely inaudible. The guitar solo, though, sounds even more in-your-face than on Something New -- in fact, I noticed a very, very minor slip-up in the guitar solo here that I didn't notice in the other two versions. However, the tape glitches either are not present or are not as noticeable on this version.
Worst mono version: The Compact Disc E.P. Collection. Really, the mix doesn't sound enjoyable at all. There's just something not right about it.
Best mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. It was tough to decide between this and Mono Masters. To be honest with you, none of the mono versions sound particularly exciting to me. Yeah, the 2009 remaster doesn't seem to have the tape glitches that the Capitol version has, but the 2009 version is almost missing entirely an essential element of the song: the rousing piano overdub. My decision here wasn't so much which mono version was the best, but which one was the least bad.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
Right away, the first note grabbed my attention. The piano might actually be mixed a little too loudly, though. The mix is odd -- most of the rhythm instruments are on the left, the piano is on the right, and the lead guitar is centered. John's vocal is mixed a bit too far forward. It's amazing how good the quality of the equipment was, though, as you can hear everything going on in John's mouth -- the sounds of the consonants, the movement of saliva...pretty darn sensitive for equipment that's from no later than 1964! Sure wish I could hear the bass, though.
Something New (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
The mix is, technically, the same as what's on the 1987 Past Masters CD. It does seem that the left channel is a bit louder, so this way the piano doesn't overpower the song. Definitely a better balance. Of course, there's some extra reverb on this track, courtesy of Dave Dexter's engineers, but not as noticeable as on the prior two songs. There seem to be a few tape glitches in the beginning, and a performance error either not present or not as pronounced on the 1987 CD happens during the first verse. Overall, a very enjoyable version. Bass could still be a bit louder, though. Seems to be a little bit of phasing in the left channel at the beginning of the second verse.
Past Masters (2009)
Sounds a lot like the mix on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1, complete with the tape flaws in the beginning. The left-right balance is better than on the 1987 CD, but not as good as on The Capitol Albums. The mastering sounds pretty clean. Noticed the phasing in the second verse again, but not as prominent as on The Capitol Albums. Also noticed for the first time that there seems to be phasing during the second chorus as well.
Worst stereo version: Past Masters, Vol. 1. Too much piano and guitar solo, not enough everything else. The overall sound is just plain lifeless.
Best stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Another track noticeably "Dexterized," but somehow the Dexterization actually made the sound a little bit brighter than the other two versions. The EQ is slightly better as well.
Definitive CD version of "Slow Down": stereo mix on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. To be honest, none of the six versions sound particularly exciting, which is a shame considering how "Slow Down" is one of the finest covers in the Beatles' catalog. The bass is really lacking, but the American stereo version does the best it can with it. The mono versions really lack punch.
Compact Disc E.P. Collection
Good mix, but lacking treble. Great emphasis on the bass, makes the track pretty exciting. Piano is barely audible. The treble improves for a brief moment at the beginning of the guitar solo, then goes back out, and there appears to be some accidental phasing at the end of the guitar solo. Sounds like George hit a string or two he wasn't supposed to at one point during the solo. Severe vocal double-tracking error on the line "watch how your puppy dog runs." Sounds like some vocal improv during the guitar solo off-mic.
Something New (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Sounds just a teeny-weeny bit brighter than on the E.P. box. EQ is slightly better overall, especially on Ringo's voice. Still can hear vocal improv during guitar solo, but not as noticeable. Wow...still with the "puppy dog error." Piano is slightly more noticeable. Didn't notice any accidental phasing.
Mono Masters
As with the E.P. box version, I'm wishing there were a bit more treble. Ringo's vocal sounds mixed a bit more forward than on the prior CD versions. Not as much reverb on Ringo's vocal. Same phasing and guitar error as on 1987 version, same vocal improv, just as noticeable as on the 1987 CD. Seriously, that "puppy dog" error makes me cringe!
Worst mono version: Compact Disc E.P. Collection. EQ leaves a lot to be desired, and the phasing might be distracting to some listeners, especially with headphones on.
Best mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Still not a great mix, but the EQ is slightly better, and the phasing errors seem to be gone.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
The EQ is so much better than on the mono mixes. As with "Slow Down," the rhythm instruments are in the left channel, and the piano is in the right. This time, though, the piano isn't as overpowering. Sounds like one of Ringo's double-tracked vocals is much louder than the other -- this is undoubtedly the strategy George Martin and company used to mask the "puppy dog" error, which is present on the stereo mix, but you really have to know what you're listening for. Noticeable drop-out during the guitar solo -- I'm guessing they potted Ringo's mic down during the guitar solo, and that Ringo's headphones were leaking into the mic, making the sound a lot more fuller, actually, during his vocals. Overall, enjoyable version.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Surprisingly good EQ. There's a bit of hiss and a very subtle tape flaw in the beginning. Sounds like Ringo's popping his P's here, but it's not noticeable on the 1987 version.
Past Masters (2009)
Definitely a noticeable improvement over the original 1987 Past Masters Vol. 1 version. The sound is much cleaner. EQ could be a bit better, but overall, not bad. The "puppy dog" error is almost completely inaudible on this version.
Worst stereo version: Past Masters Vol. 1 (1987). Truth be told, none of the stereo versions actually sound bad, but this is the least-good sounding of all three. Still an enjoyable listen.
Best stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. To be honest, this was a tough call. The 2009 remaster sounds great, but the EQ on the Capitol version sounds a little bit brighter, pushing it over the edge.
Definitive CD version of "Matchbox": stereo version on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Stereo wins out over mono, period, for several reasons, The mix is brighter in stereo. The mono mixes have some tape phasing that was obviously a technical error. Parts of George's guitar solo sound flawed in mono, but fixed in stereo. Finally, the atrocious double-tracking "puppy dog" error in mono is fixed in stereo. Yep, the mono version has a lot of errors -- yet George Martin and the Beatles themselves want us to believe the mono versions are definitive? The errors are definitive?? Admittedly, listening for the mistakes is a favorite part of listening to Beatles songs for hard-core fans, including myself. But as a whole, the stereo version wins out. Believe it or not, the Capitol version has overall the best sound, with the 2009 stereo remaster coming in a close second.
In England, The Beatles released E.P.s ("extended play") These 7-inch records were very similar to singles, except there were two songs per side. Generally, the E.P.s The Beatles released were truncated versions of their current albums. This was to satisfy young fans who wanted more than just two songs, but didn't have enough money to buy the entire albums. There were I think two Beatles E.P.s put out by Capitol (Four By The Beatles and 4 By The Beatles -- different E.P.s, but almost exact same title!), but E.P.s never really took off in the States.
With Long Tall Sally, the group broke the "truncated album" habit: the E.P. contained four entirely new songs that you couldn't get anywhere else. There were a cover of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and Lennon's own "I Call Your Name" (which could theoretically be considered a cover, as it was originally put out by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas) on one side, and Larry Williams' "Slow Down" and Carl Perkins' "Matchbox" on the other side.
Capitol Records included Side 1 of this E.P. on the album The Beatles' Second Album, and Side 2 on Something New in an attempt to create more Beatles albums than The Beatles actually recorded. As was the practice on the early albums Capitol released, extra reverb was added to the stereo mixes, as Capitol's guy in charge of foreign product, Dave Dexter, decided that the reverb was necessary for the music to be accessible to the American market. (Although credited on the albums, Dexter himself didn't actually do the American mixes, according to Bruce Spizer.) One on hand, it may be sacrilege to tamper with George Martin's productions, but on the other hand, it's hard to argue with someone who's a native of the country that gave the world rock'n'roll in the first place. Rock'n'roll that The Beatles wanted to perform, mind you.
Anyway, here are my notes about the songs on the Long Tall Sally E.P. as released on CD. There have been so far six legally-released CD versions, all of which I auditioned for this project:
- Past Masters, Vol. 1 was the first CD to contain these songs, released in 1988 (compiled in 1987). It was a compilation of all the tracks that did not appear on any of The Beatles' canonical album catalog. Therefore, Past Masters was primarily a singles collection. The CDs were released as separate volumes, while the vinyl and cassette versions were released as a two-record/two-tape set.
- The Compact Disc E.P. Collection -- In 1992, a box set of all The Beatles' U.K. E.P.'s was released on 3-inch CDs. As with The Beatles In Mono (2009), the E.P. CDs were exact repros of the original records, with front and back artwork. A bonus compilation E.P. was also included in the box. Many people feel that the mastering in this box was an improvement over the 1987 CDs.
- The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 -- in 2004, eight of The Beatles' Capitol albums were released across two box sets, four CDs each. Each CD contained a complete album in both mono and stereo. Some fans always argued that this release wasn't really necessary. The philosophy was, "Why not just rip the songs from the existing CDs and re-burn them in the Capitol order?" Well, hard-core fans know that not only did the track orders differ, but many of the mixes were also different.
- Mono Masters -- In short, the all-mono version of Past Masters that was included in the 2009 box The Beatles In Mono.
- Past Masters -- notice there's no volume number now, because the 2009 version is only available as a two-CD set. The track listing on the 2009 version is exactly the same as on the 1987 version.
Long Tall Sally
Mono Versions
Compact Disc E.P. Collection
Very in-your-face vocal at first, then a little less in-your-face when the instruments kick in. Great bass line. Extra reverb on Paul's voice that I never heard before. Excellent listening experience.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Interestingly, less reverb on Paul's voice; ironic, considering how Dave Dexter usually had extra reverb added onto Beatles recordings on Capitol to make them more suitable for the American market. Unlike with The Compact Disc E.P. Collection, Paul's voice is mixed far forward throughout. Good mix, but not as exciting as on the E.P. box.
Mono Masters
Definitely the cleanest sounding of all three. More reverb on Paul's voice, and Paul's voice is further forward than on the EP box set. Bass line, surprisingly, doesn't sound as driving as on the EP box. Unfortunately, Ringo's amazing drumming in the end isn't very pronounced.
Worst mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. I hate to call it "worst" because it's still good. But it doesn't have the oomph of the E.P. box version or the cleanliness of the 2009 version.
Best mono version: Compact Disc E.P. Collection. Probably the most enjoyable of the three. None is actually bad at all.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
Piano is very pronounced -- in fact, it's very overpowering, especially when listening with headphones. George's lead guitar is more audible throughout than on mono.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
The mix itself sounds the same as on Past Masters Vol. 1. However, interestingly enough, it doesn't sound as good. There's heavy reverb added that actually does make it sound a bit more exciting, but upon close listen it's obvious that Past Masters used a higher-generation tape, which is understandable because the Capitol albums all used lower generation masters.
Past Masters (2009)
This actually doesn't sound very different from the 1987 mix. It sounds slightly brighter and slightly cleaner. However, the piano isn't as overpowering as on the 1987 version.
Worst stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. I'm wondering if the reason, in 2004, when I heard the Capitol box set, if my mind didn't tell me that it sounds better than the 1987 CDs simply because I was very prejudiced against the sound of the 1987 CDs. Hate to say it, but the 2004 release actually sounds even worse than the 1987 one. The added reverb would have been great if it weren't for the loss of tape generation.
Best stereo version: Past Masters (2009). Thing is, though, upon close inspection, the stereo versions aren't all that great. But the newest release is the best.
Definitive CD version of "Long Tall Sally": Compact Disc E.P. Collection. First of all, mono wins out because the mono mix really emphasizes the kick-ass drumming at the end; the stereo mixes seem to bury the drumming. The not-to-be-missed driving bass line emphasized by the E.P. box mix put this version over the top.
I Call Your Name
Mono VersionsCompact Disc E.P. Collection
Amazing emphasis on a great bass line. Performance-wise, the intro is sloppy: George slips over his Rickenbacker 12-string, while some of John's double-tracked vocal comes in late. Tape problems evident at the end of the first verse and the ska break. Really interesting bass work right before end of fade-out that I never noticed before.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Volume is noticeably louder than on E.P. box set. Also, playback sounds slightly slow. Overall, pretty good sound. Sounds like there's an edit before the first "Oh, I can't sleep at night" that wasn't noticeable on the E.P. version. Tape glitches in E.P. version aren't noticeable here. Wild bass work in fade-out still present.
Mono Masters
As with "Long Tall Sally," this is a cleaner-sounding version of the song. The EQ sounds ever-so-slightly brighter. Cowbell is almost inaudible, though, and the bass line isn't as pronounced. Sonds like an edit on first "I never weep at night" -- an edit I couldn't hear on the other mono versions. Fade-out sounds louder than on the other versions.
Worst mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. The quality itself is almost identical to that of the E.P. box, but the playback is a bit slower than usual, making it sound a bit plodding.
Best mono version: Compact Disc E.P. Collection. While the 2009 version is definitely the cleanest, it just seems that the E.P. version has a lot more punch and really grabs the listener. Again, points for emphasizing the bass line.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
The Rickenbacker intro is spot-on this time. It's obvious from listening that the intro is an edit piece, as there's an audible edit right after John's single-tracked "I call your name" at the beginning. (John's voice is single-tracked until the phrase "but you're not there.") With this version, you can hear the sensitivity of the microphone -- John's P's and F's are overemphasized, and the S's are very sibilant. Actually, it's almost distracting. An edit is also heard shortly before the guitar solo. Bass is barely audible. Fades out earlier than mono version.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
At first, sounds just like the Past Masters Vol. 1 version but with a lot of additional reverb. However, this presents yet another version of the intro: the Rickenbacker is flawless, but the double-tracking is off: part of the line "I call your name" is single-tracked, part is double-tracked. The bass is a bit more pronounced than the 1987 version. Although the tape sounds noticeably at least a generation later than the version used on Past Masters Vol. 1 and it plays back ever-so-slightly slower, this version does sound a bit punchier with more excitement.
Past Masters (2009)
The impression I get, comparing this version to the other two stereo versions, is that this version sounds less...threatening, I guess. As with the prior two 2009 versions, this mix sounds the cleanest. The harshness of some of John's consonants, while still there, is a bit less emphasized. There's a noticeable edit during the last few bars of the guitar solo. Overall, this version has the best EQ.
Worst stereo version: Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987). The bass is mixed too far down to really enjoy the groove on this version; plus, you can hear John popping his P's a bit too much.
Best stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. I'm sure my opinion here will anger the purists. How dare I choose the "Dexterized," second-generation version over the purer, first-generation version! Yes, the actual audio quality of the 2009 remaster is noticeably better, but believe it or not, Dexter's remixing goons actually did make this track more exciting.
Definitive CD version of "I Call Your Name": stereo mix on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Wow, I'm really putting my life in jeopardy, picking the manipulated version! But my ears, attitude, and just personal taste make me pick this version. One thing you gotta admit: on the earlier tunes the Beatles did, the bass line really is the driving force, and this version really brings out the bass line. What? The mono versions do, too? Well, truth be told, while "I Call Your Name" really is an excellent song (and in my opinion very underrated), the mono versions (and in fact, most versions) are performance and production nightmares, what with George's sloppy 12-stringing in the intro, the noticeable edits, and the double-tracking inconsistencies. The stereo versions have slightly better performances, and Capitol's reverb-laden version has perhaps the most driving groove of the six CD versions.
Slow Down
Mono VersionsCompact Disc E.P. Collection
This mix sounds weird. The piano seems to have weird EQ on it, as do the rest of the instruments, come to think of it. It almost sounds like this mono mix was made by folding down a stereo mix, or worse, OOPSing a stereo mix. Or perhaps as if this were mastered through an air conditioner. Sounds like a tape error during the line "but now you got a boyfriend down the street." Was that an edit I heard immediately after the instrumental break and before the last verse?
Something New (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Mix sounds slightly better than on the E.P. box, yet a lot more tape flaws are evident; perhaps the E.P. version was mastered in an attempt to mask a lot of the tape glitches? But still, this version sounds noticeably punchier. Guitar solo sounds more in-your-face than on the E.P. version.
Mono Masters
Sounds a lot like the Something New version. Unfortunately, while the piano is difficult to hear on all three mono versions, on this version, it's almost completely inaudible. The guitar solo, though, sounds even more in-your-face than on Something New -- in fact, I noticed a very, very minor slip-up in the guitar solo here that I didn't notice in the other two versions. However, the tape glitches either are not present or are not as noticeable on this version.
Worst mono version: The Compact Disc E.P. Collection. Really, the mix doesn't sound enjoyable at all. There's just something not right about it.
Best mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. It was tough to decide between this and Mono Masters. To be honest with you, none of the mono versions sound particularly exciting to me. Yeah, the 2009 remaster doesn't seem to have the tape glitches that the Capitol version has, but the 2009 version is almost missing entirely an essential element of the song: the rousing piano overdub. My decision here wasn't so much which mono version was the best, but which one was the least bad.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
Right away, the first note grabbed my attention. The piano might actually be mixed a little too loudly, though. The mix is odd -- most of the rhythm instruments are on the left, the piano is on the right, and the lead guitar is centered. John's vocal is mixed a bit too far forward. It's amazing how good the quality of the equipment was, though, as you can hear everything going on in John's mouth -- the sounds of the consonants, the movement of saliva...pretty darn sensitive for equipment that's from no later than 1964! Sure wish I could hear the bass, though.
Something New (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
The mix is, technically, the same as what's on the 1987 Past Masters CD. It does seem that the left channel is a bit louder, so this way the piano doesn't overpower the song. Definitely a better balance. Of course, there's some extra reverb on this track, courtesy of Dave Dexter's engineers, but not as noticeable as on the prior two songs. There seem to be a few tape glitches in the beginning, and a performance error either not present or not as pronounced on the 1987 CD happens during the first verse. Overall, a very enjoyable version. Bass could still be a bit louder, though. Seems to be a little bit of phasing in the left channel at the beginning of the second verse.
Past Masters (2009)
Sounds a lot like the mix on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1, complete with the tape flaws in the beginning. The left-right balance is better than on the 1987 CD, but not as good as on The Capitol Albums. The mastering sounds pretty clean. Noticed the phasing in the second verse again, but not as prominent as on The Capitol Albums. Also noticed for the first time that there seems to be phasing during the second chorus as well.
Worst stereo version: Past Masters, Vol. 1. Too much piano and guitar solo, not enough everything else. The overall sound is just plain lifeless.
Best stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Another track noticeably "Dexterized," but somehow the Dexterization actually made the sound a little bit brighter than the other two versions. The EQ is slightly better as well.
Definitive CD version of "Slow Down": stereo mix on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. To be honest, none of the six versions sound particularly exciting, which is a shame considering how "Slow Down" is one of the finest covers in the Beatles' catalog. The bass is really lacking, but the American stereo version does the best it can with it. The mono versions really lack punch.
Matchbox
Mono VersionsCompact Disc E.P. Collection
Good mix, but lacking treble. Great emphasis on the bass, makes the track pretty exciting. Piano is barely audible. The treble improves for a brief moment at the beginning of the guitar solo, then goes back out, and there appears to be some accidental phasing at the end of the guitar solo. Sounds like George hit a string or two he wasn't supposed to at one point during the solo. Severe vocal double-tracking error on the line "watch how your puppy dog runs." Sounds like some vocal improv during the guitar solo off-mic.
Something New (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Sounds just a teeny-weeny bit brighter than on the E.P. box. EQ is slightly better overall, especially on Ringo's voice. Still can hear vocal improv during guitar solo, but not as noticeable. Wow...still with the "puppy dog error." Piano is slightly more noticeable. Didn't notice any accidental phasing.
Mono Masters
As with the E.P. box version, I'm wishing there were a bit more treble. Ringo's vocal sounds mixed a bit more forward than on the prior CD versions. Not as much reverb on Ringo's vocal. Same phasing and guitar error as on 1987 version, same vocal improv, just as noticeable as on the 1987 CD. Seriously, that "puppy dog" error makes me cringe!
Worst mono version: Compact Disc E.P. Collection. EQ leaves a lot to be desired, and the phasing might be distracting to some listeners, especially with headphones on.
Best mono version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Still not a great mix, but the EQ is slightly better, and the phasing errors seem to be gone.
Stereo Versions
Past Masters, Vol. 1 (1987)
The EQ is so much better than on the mono mixes. As with "Slow Down," the rhythm instruments are in the left channel, and the piano is in the right. This time, though, the piano isn't as overpowering. Sounds like one of Ringo's double-tracked vocals is much louder than the other -- this is undoubtedly the strategy George Martin and company used to mask the "puppy dog" error, which is present on the stereo mix, but you really have to know what you're listening for. Noticeable drop-out during the guitar solo -- I'm guessing they potted Ringo's mic down during the guitar solo, and that Ringo's headphones were leaking into the mic, making the sound a lot more fuller, actually, during his vocals. Overall, enjoyable version.
The Beatles' Second Album (The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1)
Surprisingly good EQ. There's a bit of hiss and a very subtle tape flaw in the beginning. Sounds like Ringo's popping his P's here, but it's not noticeable on the 1987 version.
Past Masters (2009)
Definitely a noticeable improvement over the original 1987 Past Masters Vol. 1 version. The sound is much cleaner. EQ could be a bit better, but overall, not bad. The "puppy dog" error is almost completely inaudible on this version.
Worst stereo version: Past Masters Vol. 1 (1987). Truth be told, none of the stereo versions actually sound bad, but this is the least-good sounding of all three. Still an enjoyable listen.
Best stereo version: The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. To be honest, this was a tough call. The 2009 remaster sounds great, but the EQ on the Capitol version sounds a little bit brighter, pushing it over the edge.
Definitive CD version of "Matchbox": stereo version on The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1. Stereo wins out over mono, period, for several reasons, The mix is brighter in stereo. The mono mixes have some tape phasing that was obviously a technical error. Parts of George's guitar solo sound flawed in mono, but fixed in stereo. Finally, the atrocious double-tracking "puppy dog" error in mono is fixed in stereo. Yep, the mono version has a lot of errors -- yet George Martin and the Beatles themselves want us to believe the mono versions are definitive? The errors are definitive?? Admittedly, listening for the mistakes is a favorite part of listening to Beatles songs for hard-core fans, including myself. But as a whole, the stereo version wins out. Believe it or not, the Capitol version has overall the best sound, with the 2009 stereo remaster coming in a close second.
posted by dauber at 9:05 PM
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