Well, this is utterly fascinating to hear the comparison. It illustrates, so very well, how much work goes into successful productions, as All Four One was. This are all songs that significantly became more polished and their sound matched what they had produced before. Very, very great decision to put more work in and fine tune what instruments were best suited for the final release. I absolutely intend to purchase this ~ such a cool video you made. Thank you for your editing work on this, very much appreciated!
It’s definitely not the night versus day proposition I was expecting. Some of the tunes sound remixed, rather than re-recorded. The vocal reverbs I’m hearing on the Apocalypso versions are not flattering to Martha’s voice. It sounds amateur. The Motels never got to be way way huge but they definitely made a place for themselves in 80s rock history. I don’t think Apocalypso would have put them there in the same way that All Four One did.
One of my favorite singers of the 80's. Martha Davis. I bought Careful the week it came out and I saw them live about six months after. My copies are on the same Capital label as you have there. I love 'Tragic Surf' because it is all about the beach. The guitar work is great too. I think that they sound really good from my end. Her voice was very sensual, seductive and sweet. I loved this band. I like the 'OTL' version from Apocalypso better than the original. Thanks for the tip~ Rob/Boston
I also saw the band the first time touring on Careful...Which to this day is still my favorite overall album of theirs. They opened for The Cars who were touring on I think Candy-O. Martha was singing throughout the audience with a wireless microphone and came within 20 feet of me. I am still in love to this day!
Wow. That was REALLY cool and eerie that you ended this wonderrful comparison video on the song from the album that had to wait 30 years to be heard, "Sweet Destiny". Whew. That was a perfect way to wrap up your vid. It made it chilling (in a good way) to think we can purchase this album today it it's rightful time. Who could resist that face? A HIT!! Thanks for taking the time to do this!
I also have this orange album Apocalypso, with the receipt tucked in between the plastic wrapping and the album jacket. It is still unplayed, as I have no LP player... yet.
I’ve been listening to Concrete Blonde for over 30 years and now I finally understand where Johnette and her partners (in crime) have found their unique sound. Both bands are excellent by the way! 👏😃
I was made aware of Apocalypso from the re-release of All Four One. Those tracks had so much raw guitar and dissonance (as someone mentions earlier in this thread), but hearing both the original Art Fails, and Apocalypso’s Lost But Not Forgotten (which sounds like the bones for Take the L), my mind was blown. I had always hoped this record would be released. Thanks to your video, the hunt is on! Appreciate this!
This whole thing with the Apocalypso album is just like the movies Eddie and the Cruisers and #2 Eddie "Lives". The music wasn't good enough for the record company back when it was recorded and now, it's re-released 30 yrs later. I sense a movie here....Martha and the Motels ll... Martha "Lives".. Filmed in Portland along the Willamette River. :-)
I like some versions from the original better and some versions from the redo better. It's fun to wonder what would have happened if they had gone with the first version.
I love the Motels but find only the first two albums are the ones I can play repeatedly before they got watered down. Glad to discover there is a third album.
Apocalypso is harder edged than what All for one became. I enjoy both albums but it really makes you wonder what direction they would have gone if Apocalypso would have been released. I don't find it odd at all. It sounds somewhat Modern for 1981 especially songs like Schneekin' and So LA. The way Martha's voice is slap back delayed, even in the way she sings with an urgency versus the softer vocals on All for one as well as the use of synths as rhythm drivers is almost techno like.
The "Apocalypso" album has the instruments played by the group. "All Four One" has instruments played by studio musicians. Yes, these versions are better, but the group was being treated like a modern day Monkees by producer Val Garay. But Garay created hits. When Garay revealed (In the long defunct :"Modern Recording and Music" magazine) the use of sessionmen on The Motels' recordings and said "Maybe they'll be ready to play next time", it ended the relationship between Garay and The Motels.....and the hits ended too. The use of sessionmen to replace group members in the studio didn't end with 1960's bands like The Monkees, Paul Revere & The Raiders", "The Beach Boys", "The Association" & "Dave Clark Five", but it probably DID end with The Motels. Still, the Val Garay-produced records by the Motels ARE great records. Does it really matter who is really playing? I can still enjoy the records by those 1960's groups that i mentioned, despite the deceptions that were perpetrated by those records' producers.
I don't think the songs that were reworked for All For One are better other than one or two exceptions. I think there are one or two tops that "might" be "better". The All For One version of Only the Lonely, only because it is a classic. And secondly, I'm torn on Apocalypso. I like both. I think the production was slightly better on All For One. In general I like the original recordings just for their rawness and realness. I completely dislike the All For One version of Art Fails. They sucked the life out of it.
It's odd to me. The redone versions of the darker songs don't even sound much different to me. A bit smoother but you can't make "Art Fails" or "Tragic Surf" into easy listening no matter who's playing. The actual band could've pulled off "Take The L" I'm certain. The one song that really sounded different is the big hit. I love the lost songs. "Who Could Resist That Face" sounds like it turned into "Suddenly Last Summer". Just a little. "Schneekin" is awesome.
let's not overlook the fact the re-recorded version consists almost entirely of the Kim Carnes' Band backing on the track...the "original" version is the Motels
The Motels are one of my favorite 80's bands and Martha has about the sexiest pop voice, ever. I don't hate the Apocalypso versions, but they sound like demos. Sometimes the suits are right.
Man. It seems Capitol needed their mommies enough to have had to reject this masterpiece and have them rerecord it into something more tame, especially the album cover too, it seems (not that I hate it though). Don't get me wrong I love All Four One and all, but I found myself bopping hard to the OG versions of "Only The Lonely", "Art Fails" "So LA" more than their AFO counterparts. And the extra tracks and the overall theme of the original...oh boy. This partially killed AFO for me (as much as I love it still). Capitol totally dun goofed.
Personally, I prefer the reissue. The cuts are way more direct...
1980s producers were so obsessed with "smoothing things out".
Nice video, very cool.
I like Apocalypso... prickly, punk influence. Has some relation to Midnight Oil. All For One smoothed everything out into easily digestible pudding.
Well, this is utterly fascinating to hear the comparison. It illustrates, so very well, how much work goes into successful productions, as All Four One was.
This are all songs that significantly became more polished and their sound matched what they had produced before. Very, very great decision to put more work in and fine tune what instruments were best suited for the final release.
I absolutely intend to purchase this ~ such a cool video you made. Thank you for your editing work on this, very much appreciated!
It’s definitely not the night versus day proposition I was expecting. Some of the tunes sound remixed, rather than re-recorded. The vocal reverbs I’m hearing on the Apocalypso versions are not flattering to Martha’s voice. It sounds amateur. The Motels never got to be way way huge but they definitely made a place for themselves in 80s rock history. I don’t think Apocalypso would have put them there in the same way that All Four One did.
One of my favorite singers of the 80's. Martha Davis. I bought Careful the week it came out and I saw them live about six months after. My copies are on the same Capital label as you have there. I love 'Tragic Surf' because it is all about the beach. The guitar work is great too. I think that they sound really good from my end. Her voice was very sensual, seductive and sweet. I loved this band.
I like the 'OTL' version from Apocalypso better than the original. Thanks for the tip~
Rob/Boston
I also saw the band the first time touring on Careful...Which to this day is still my favorite overall album of theirs. They opened for The Cars who were touring on I think Candy-O. Martha was singing throughout the audience with a wireless microphone and came within 20 feet of me. I am still in love to this day!
This was a very original video, thanks so much for this! Never listened to The Motels before either, now I'll be on the look out for sure.
Wow. That was REALLY cool and eerie that you ended this wonderrful comparison video on the song from the album that had to wait 30 years to be heard, "Sweet Destiny". Whew. That was a perfect way to wrap up your vid. It made it chilling (in a good way) to think we can purchase this album today it it's rightful time. Who could resist that face? A HIT!! Thanks for taking the time to do this!
Thank you for making this video. I was on the fence, but now I'm off the fence and buying Apocalypso!
Thanks John, this is a very nice 'vinyl awareness' update. I am going to purchase this album~
I give it three thumbs up for sound~
Rob
I also have this orange album Apocalypso, with the receipt tucked in between the plastic wrapping and the album jacket. It is still unplayed, as I have no LP player... yet.
I’ve been listening to Concrete Blonde for over 30 years and now I finally understand where Johnette and her partners (in crime) have found their unique sound. Both bands are excellent by the way! 👏😃
both versions are awesome I own all for one on vinyl. the orange is a limited edition only 1500 were made .
The original has some dissonance to it. It does make it very dark. I think I like the original as much as the re-recording.
I was made aware of Apocalypso from the re-release of All Four One. Those tracks had so much raw guitar and dissonance (as someone mentions earlier in this thread), but hearing both the original Art Fails, and Apocalypso’s Lost But Not Forgotten (which sounds like the bones for Take the L), my mind was blown. I had always hoped this record would be released. Thanks to your video, the hunt is on! Appreciate this!
This whole thing with the Apocalypso album is just like the movies Eddie and the Cruisers and #2 Eddie "Lives". The music wasn't good enough for the record company back when it was recorded and now, it's re-released 30 yrs later. I sense a movie here....Martha and the Motels ll... Martha "Lives".. Filmed in Portland along the Willamette River. :-)
Thanks for doing this. VERY convenient way to make an assessment.
I like some versions from the original better and some versions from the redo better. It's fun to wonder what would have happened if they had gone with the first version.
a road not taken
Great video! Thanks for putting it together. I definitely need to get the reissue.
Thanks for your very kind comment.
I love the Motels but find only the first two albums are the ones I can play repeatedly before they got watered down. Glad to discover there is a third album.
Apocalypso is harder edged than what All for one became. I enjoy both albums but it really makes you wonder what direction they would have gone if Apocalypso would have been released. I don't find it odd at all. It sounds somewhat Modern for 1981 especially songs like Schneekin' and So LA. The way Martha's voice is slap back delayed, even in the way she sings with an urgency versus the softer vocals on All for one as well as the use of synths as rhythm drivers is almost techno like.
The "Apocalypso" album has the instruments played by the group. "All Four One" has instruments played by studio musicians. Yes, these versions are better, but the group was being treated like a modern day Monkees by producer Val Garay. But Garay created hits. When Garay revealed (In the long defunct :"Modern Recording and Music" magazine) the use of sessionmen on The Motels' recordings and said "Maybe they'll be ready to play next time", it ended the relationship between Garay and The Motels.....and the hits ended too.
The use of sessionmen to replace group members in the studio didn't end with 1960's bands like The Monkees, Paul Revere & The Raiders", "The Beach Boys", "The Association" & "Dave Clark Five", but it probably DID end with The Motels.
Still, the Val Garay-produced records by the Motels ARE great records. Does it really matter who is really playing? I can still enjoy the records by those 1960's groups that i mentioned, despite the deceptions that were perpetrated by those records' producers.
I don't think the songs that were reworked for All For One are better other than one or two exceptions. I think there are one or two tops that "might" be "better". The All For One version of Only the Lonely, only because it is a classic. And secondly, I'm torn on Apocalypso. I like both. I think the production was slightly better on All For One. In general I like the original recordings just for their rawness and realness. I completely dislike the All For One version of Art Fails. They sucked the life out of it.
It's odd to me. The redone versions of the darker songs don't even sound much different to me. A bit smoother but you can't make "Art Fails" or "Tragic Surf" into easy listening no matter who's playing. The actual band could've pulled off "Take The L" I'm certain. The one song that really sounded different is the big hit. I love the lost songs. "Who Could Resist That Face" sounds like it turned into "Suddenly Last Summer". Just a little. "Schneekin" is awesome.
Very informative! Great idea for a video! The Motels were such a cool band in the 80's. I may have to track down a copy of Apocalypso. Thanks!
let's not overlook the fact the re-recorded version consists almost entirely of the Kim Carnes' Band backing on the track...the "original" version is the Motels
Very Nice. Great Video, Great Act white Frosh Angle
The Motels are one of my favorite 80's bands and Martha has about the sexiest pop voice, ever. I don't hate the Apocalypso versions, but they sound like demos. Sometimes the suits are right.
Apocalypso is way better of course. The re-recorded All For One was cheezed up quite a bit to make it sell.
I like the versions on All For One. It is more of the same production sound as all of their albums.
Man. It seems Capitol needed their mommies enough to have had to reject this masterpiece and have them rerecord it into something more tame, especially the album cover too, it seems (not that I hate it though).
Don't get me wrong I love All Four One and all, but I found myself bopping hard to the OG versions of "Only The Lonely", "Art Fails" "So LA" more than their AFO counterparts. And the extra tracks and the overall theme of the original...oh boy. This partially killed AFO for me (as much as I love it still).
Capitol totally dun goofed.
Love both , but, prefer the apocalypso versions
I like the original version only the lonely the aussies fell in love with it and made the motels big
I much prefer the "All For One" by far!!!!