John Lennon Mind Games Ultimate Collection 6 CD Set | FULL REVIEW
Вставка
- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- In this view we take a deep dive into the new Mind Games Ultimate Collection Review 6 CD Set. We look at its contents, hidden tracks and surprises and how it sounds compared with earlier issues of this album. If you're on the fence about buying this set, this video might help you make up your mind.
Timestamps:
0.00 - Intro & my backstory with this album
2:35 - The new formats
3:35 - 6 CD box set contents
5:58 - Hidden surprises
7: 37 - Musical content
13:05 - Mind Games (Raw Mix) clip.
14:29 - Blu-Ray contents & hidden tracks
16:07 - Blu-ray video content
16:46 - Sound quality visual analysis
18:23 - Sound quality audio comparisons
19:22 - Conclusions
20:19 - Acknowledgements & coming next
Link to our video about the history of the Mind Games album: • Mind Games | John Lenn...
Official links to buy this set:
6 CD set (as featured in this video): store.johnlenn...
2 CD set: store.johnlenn...
2 vinyl set: store.johnlenn...
Super Deluxe Edition (hurry!): store.johnlenn...
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Thank you!
That Peter Cobbin mix was the best mind games I’ve ever heard. 2024 mix is still great though but 2002 for me sounds so cool. I wish I had those cds
Soft spot for the Cobbin mix here as well!
Las remezclas que se hicieron desde el 2000 hasta el 2004, me parece que son las mejores,y lamentablemente, están descatalogadas.
The 2024 mix sounds like there's no treble at all. Sounds like it's under water. 2002 for me.
Cobbinjx and 2024 way to go
I recently managed to find used copies of the Peter Cobbin remixes of Mind Games, Walls and Bridges and Rock ‘n’ Roll so they are still available if you search. I got my copies through Discogs.
By removing that sax at the end of One Day + the echo effect at the end of Aisumasen, Sean has unfortunately broken the unwritten rule no. 1 when doing a remix of an album: You are not supposed to remove anything. If you do so, you're just going to risk upsetting a lot of people - mainly the actual customers. Sean's or anyone else's opinion on that sax ending is simply irrelevant. He wasn't even born in 1973, and putting a sax on the tail end of that song was just the 1973-way of doing that sort of stuff! And it was John's choice to do it. Enough said.
that "unwritten rule" you mentioned lives only in your head and nowhere else...
Absolutely ridiculous that he did that. I want a remix of the original recording not a reimagining.
@@Eluwilussit Oh, come on... Re-mixing an original album is all about enhancing the overall sound which is already there in an objective way, perhaps correcting a supposed error or two. It is not about removing instruments and personel who did them on the grounds of subjective opinions, no matter how "sensible" they might appear. If you do that, at least you have to make sure that the original album is enclosed. Especially in a lavish box-set like this.
@@bengto.hansen7791I wholeheartedly agree with your take. I don't agree with removing instruments, but if they included a flat transfer of the original mixes on blu ray and or CD, it wouldn't be as much of an issue.
It’s a remix, not a remaster. Remixes can replace all instrumentation entirely if they want to.
That 2024 Mix almost sounds like a parody of bass boosted UA-cam videos. Literally sounds muffled.
Sounds muddy.
The amount of bass is comical. Terrible.
I was under the impression that John did not believe in I Ching.
He probably agreed with it on the Friday and didn’t agree with it anymore on the Monday.
@Jose No, just in Me, Yoko and Me…
@@josedealva4205 That's what he said in that God Is A Concept song. Doesn't believe in I Ching. Yoga, Mantra, Elvis. Zimmerman, or Yoko. I think he erased that one.
The Peter Cobbin mix rocks! It is best of all four samples that you played. They're supposed to improve on the sound, not regress.
It is my favorite John Lennon album. I have the 2002 remix which sounds wonderful, but apparently I don’t like it that much to want all these different version of the same songs. It’s something I will listen to one time and it’ll collect dust on the shelf. I’ll just stream it and maybe maybe get the vinyl or the two CD disc version
2002 mix is the winner, thanks I just saved myself some money for vacation time this summer.
Damn, opinions can vary wildly! I thought the 2024 mix sounded so much more alive than any other, without sounding annoyingly "modern"!
@@BugRib wait another six or seven years and they will remaster it again with a super super deluxe edition. 😆
I think I'll stick with the basic 2 cd edition. I don't see the point of having tons of versions of the same song. Also, I'm not really interested in hidden tricks or gimmicks. I'm really only interested in the music.
@@BugRib You are correct. The comparisons people make over here is based on peak limiting on a final master. Even more so, based on waveforms which aren't even normalised, so not representative at all. I have always loved the 2002 mix because there was no alternative, but that one is actually incredibly compressed and unnaturally EQ-ed. I can see the 2002 mix becoming the new "1999 Yellow Submarine OST": a mix which is over-compressed, poorly balanced, smothered in digital reverb and noise reduced to death, but which people suddenly love just because the more recent alternatives aren't perfect.
I think Peter's mix is my favorite. The 2024 mix seems to kill some of the mid frequencies with some of the instruments. That said, the extra mixes are definitely gonna be super interesting to listen to!
The Peter Cobbin 2002 remix sounded better to me than the new 2024 Ultimate Mix. For everything other than John's voice, I preferred the 2002 remix. But, I guess that's got to do with my own audio preference. I was planning on just getting the 2 CD set, but I'm interested in the Raw Studio Takes CD. And I really like the book. Decisions, decisions...
I'd like to know why if Lennon thought it sounded crap from the
start then why didn't he do something about it then to save the day?...despite the lack of digital mixing back then it still could've sounded better....whatever gets you through the night is another poor sounding track in my opinion could've sounded better...
I prefer Peter Cobbin's 2002 Remix. It sounds rich and gets more details than the previous versions. The new 2024 sounds muffled and by that I feel that it loses details.
Michael Brecker was one of the greatest saxophonists of all time, although at the time Mind Games was recorded he was mainly still a session musician. In retrospect it is a high honor that he graced Mind Games, and his removal from this mix is completely baffling and somewhat insulting.
I already re-evaluated the album with the 2002 remix. From those little excerpts you played, the "Ultimate mix" sounds bloated and muddy in comparison. I'll still get the set for the rest of the material, the surround mixes and the book. If the Lennon estate is reading: please keep on including Blu-rays in the sets, and make Apple go back to them in The Beatles' sets, please.
That 2002 CD sounds great. The 2024 sounds crappy. You saved me some money. Thanks!
Thank you Andrew! I prefer the 2002 Cobbin mix when you played all four together. The new one sounds very deep and bassy. The Cobbin one had nice EQ highs.But in any case it will be good to hear this album all over again! Also, I can never understand why John never liked his own voice. It had a majestic crunch to it - you always knew it was John.
The 2024 Mind Games ultimate mix sounds horrible. Thanks for alerting us!
I can't decide if I prefer the 2002 or the 1989, but I know I don't care much for the 2024.
2002 seems to be the unanimous prefered mix, to which I wholeheartedly concur. And no doubt your video reviews will be thee number one resource for diehards. cheers Andrew, keep it up!
18:06 No, that *IS* brick walled. I'm happy you're happy but to me this release is scraping the barrel, clever ultra-violet gimmicks or not. Here's the mix as it was on monday. And here's the mix from one week later. And here's the mix from a week after that without the drums. Six CD's? Seriously? And that ultimate mix sounds muddy and compressed. It's like AI adding colour to B/W movies. Or adding a smart phone to the Mona Lisa because now everybody has one. Sometimes it's better to leave stuff alone.
The atmos Blu-ray’s have a solid DR of 11-12. nothing brick walled
I would appreciate a Monopoly game inside of the box.
2002 mix is still the best. The 2024 mix was definitely made for the smart phone generation with tinny earbuds.
Thanks for sharing and comparing. Listening with some good headphones. Sadly the new version loses badly to the Cobbin mix. Which is quite sad considering all the extra bits offered in the box make it quite desirable.
John Lennon was once my favorite Beatle, but I gradually came to dislike him and his voice and his post-Beatles songwriting. Hearing that mi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hind part really highlights his awful use of breath and poor use of diapgragm.
I'm not sure there's more blood they can get out of the Lennon stone. After the Beatles now Lennon it's pretty sad really. I loved the Let It Be movie upgrade but the red and blue albums sounded terrible.
Great video as always! As far as the sound comparisons on the track Mind Games, the '02 Peter Cobbin remix by a mile! The new one sounds like it's being played with the speaker buried under a pillow....yikes!
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your input on the comparisons.
That wav you showed of the 2024 mix is the very definition of brickwalled. Dear Lord.
"Music is mixed that way today"... Tragic! The 1980's discs sound so much better.
Over compressed as well and you can even see the highs being clipped.
@@tubinonyou Why cds continue to be mastered this way... makes no sense. "Loudness wars"? Against who? Some ghost in an adjacent room who years ago forget what a volume knob is for?
Don't get fooled by a non-normalised waveform. Listen with your ears and hear how the mix completely opens up once it goes from the cluttered and harsh 2002 remix to the 2024 remix. The 2024 is far from perfect (for me way too boomy, the vocals slightly too loud, it misses midrange on the instruments), but "brickwalled" it is really not. It's actually much more dynamic and way less compressed than the 2002 mix, just listen to the drums alone.
Peter Cobin mix is the best to my ears. The last one sounds horribly compressed. Is that what they call brickwalled?
This album was produced by John. Changing what he wanted released seems wrong. I wonder what would happen if Julian had a say in this release.
The Peter Cobbin mix is the best. No need to mess with the album again.
great review! I can't wait to pick this up
I honestly prefer the Peter Cobbin mix. the new 2024 mix sounds really muffled to me,as if someone threw their speaker underneath their pillow or something lol
So happy to see Mind Games get the love and attention it deserves (with major assist from Parlogram)! Like all classic music it grows stronger each year from it's own inner beauty and strength. Each of John's solo releases has a clear sense of identity and coherence, even if a few songs aren't as memorable. Solo, Paul and Ringo made music for the glory of High Pop. George made music for the glory of Krishna. But John made music for his muse.
I prefer Cobbin's. Great video, Andrew ❤
Another fab video, Andrew. I noticed the lack of the reverb ending of Aisumasen (I’m sorry) in the recent video release. I’m also mystified as to why Sean would remove the saxophone at the end of One Day (At A Time). Artistic license is OK I suppose, but I concur, if John wanted it there originally and it wasn’t something that caused an annoyance, why take it out? I do hope Sean gives an answer if he sees your video. It’s a very valid question. Having said that, I’m looking forward to getting my set in a couple of weeks. I always felt that the production/mix of the album let it down. Kind of seems like John was making as “mono” as possible a mix in stereo format, but it just took away the album’s apparent sonic vibrancy. I’ve been listening to the 2002 mix from the moment I purchased it 22 years ago because I just can’t with the 1973 mix.
Bring on the Walls and Bridges set! Seems the most likely one to be given this treatment next.
The Peter Cobbin 2002 mix is by far the best. Excellent work, Peter!
I agree 🤟
"The generosity of the Lennon estate" is just marketing.
Of course it is.
Let me just fix that statement!
The greediness of lennon estate!
Yoko loves her money.
By the way - where can I find the 2002 mixes?
I prefer the Cobbins mix alas I've never come across on cd. I will buy the 2 cd edition and the set like what you feature are very nice but will wait for Walls & Bridges for these type sets.
With the passing of time it is extraordinary to see how dominated John was by his wife. The cover literally says it all. Giant Yoko. Tiny John. He makes Prince Harry look like a independant man. I love Lennon but his later work needs to be called out for what it is. Pleasant but a long way from POB and Imagine.
To me, the cover seemed like it was John walking away from the large and overbearing Yoko.
And personally this is my second favorite solo John album. To me, it felt like John was letting everyone know that he still has it.
Peter Cobbin sounds the best
I love your videos, but I don't see an honest review here.
You often criticize poorly done mixes that are compressed to hell and have basically no dynamics. But this time around you throw a cheap excuse "I wouldn't call this brick-walled, but that's because it has to compete with modern music", why does this 1973 album have to compete with new music? It has succumbed to the modern loudness war. I remember that you heavily criticized Now And Then for being a messy and compressed mix (which I fully agree with)
Sean has taken a LOT of creative liberties here, and not for good. He splattered Yoko all over the artwork, when she actually had little to do with this album. And not only that, removing KEY things from the original mixes? That's sacrilegious, not even Giles dares to do that kind of thing
At that price, the secrets will stay hidden from many of us. Sean has learned the wrong lessons from the Harrison estate.
Under yoko’s supervision, we got 2 affordable box sets. Luckily those 2 are arguably his best work.
I’m bummed that I’ll be priced ou of an upcoming Walls & Bridges super deluxe. My favorite Lennon album. I can only imagine how much collectible material will be added if they are thinking about mirroring the original promotional campaign (all the “Listen to…” stickers etc)
I had a great Mind Games bootleg once, the highlight was a take of One Day At a Time without the strained falsetto lead vocal.
I can’t wait to hear the super deluxe mixes(unfortunately at the price point, I’m forced to find an alternative way to access the material)
Great episode.
Well, I look at it this way. How many alternate versions of #9 Dream do you really need?
Honest response here. I thought Peter Cobbin Mind Games sounded better to me...acknowledging I'm listening to it for five seconds, UA-cam video on apple laptop...so take that for what it's worth. I also am just not excited by this album-never was really-and as a result I am skipping this one. But none of that takes away from how much I enjoy your videos, reviews, production and opinions! You do a wonderful job!
Same here, but as Andrew mentioned, I understand why they did it. If it's on Spotify or another streaming service, it won't be 'overwhelmed' by the music around it.
In 1973 I was thirteen and my first Beatles albums were the brand-new red and blue ones. _Mind Games_ was my first Lennon album, and remains a firm favourite for that reason. Along with _Red Rose Speedway, Living In The Material World_ and _Ringo,_ they were the soundtracks to my teenage years. I look forward to picking this set up eventually and reliving that period of my life.
I share a similar musical experience
I was 13 also. Mind Games was my first John Lennon album, and my first solo Beatles LP. I had already started collecting the Beatles’ albums, starting with Meet the Beatles.
Same here as well, except my first Lennon album was Imagine, but close enough LOL
The Beatles red and blue collections was the first thing I bought when I moved out of my parents house at 17 in 1975. I paid $7.00 for both of them. I already had both the Imagine and Mind Games albums. Lennon the only Beatle I wanted to listen to as a solo artist in those days.
I also was 13 in 1973 and this album was one of the first I ever bought, couldn't afford LP's yet just 45's. I do have the original Mind Games 45 picture sleeve, both single and album on :
🍏 Apple Records 🍏
☮️❤️
Yoko had absolutely nothing to do with this album, as John's face turns into Yoko's in the UV light.
Sean doesn't have any roadblocks to do his stupid remixes. Giles Martin has to run things by Paul & Ringo and he is committed to honoring his father's legacy and what he and The Beatles wanted their albums to sound like. Giles takes what is there and makes it sound clearer ad re-balance the mixes to something more modern (centering vocals, bass & drums) instead of the practices of the mid 1960s when stereo mixes were still fairly new as the default mix.
Sean has free reign to do whatever to rape and pillage the Lennon name like his mother did after his father died
This looks like a great boxed set. I'm probably going to pass on getting it, but I am looking forward to hearing the new remix on Apple Music when its released. Great review, and thanks for sharing.
2002 sounds the best.
The 2002 Peter Cobbin`s mix sounds best.
It's weird how much Yoko appears on the artwork, even more so on this new version when this was the start of the lost weekend. It's one of the few John Lennon albums that she doesn't perform on.
No Yoko - yay!!!!
Will May Pang be involved on Walls and Bridges next release?
Her kid put the project together, so it's to be expected.
Yes, I had the same thought, Aparently Sean is trying ti re-write history.
@@jimjam51075 Her kid was also his kid, but what does it matter who appears on the artwork? Led Zeppelin had the image of a zeppelin on the cover of their first two albums yet I cannot find any reference to Zeppelins anywhere in their music??? Let's all write to Terry Wogan at Points Of View and complain.
The 2002 mix is still the top dog. I hated the original mix and when I got the 2002 version following fab4free4all's advice its the most played John album I play & having no Yoko inteference for me is always a bonus
It's a great box set with wonderful art design and plenty to listen to. BUT......while it may be fun and clever to include all these puzzles and games,
part of me rejects that approach since it's completely misinterpreting the meaning behind the title of Mind Games.
To a child, reading said title may cause them to think of puzzles, but that's because they lack the experience and insight to understand the actual
meaning, which is the psychological mind games people play with each other when, according to Lennon, all that ultimately matters is love.
I love new stereo mixes (if they're well done), but for some reason, many - like this new mix - sound muffled and dull. The high ends have been reduced to a point where you don't even hear some instruments anymore. I don't know why this is a trend, but it's not making the music better. I give Giles Martin credit that he hasn't really done that on the Beatles remixes. The Peter Cobbin mix of the track "Mind Games" was the best in your comparison.
Peter Cobbin's 2002 re-mix is obviously the best audio of the Mind Games releases. I bought the original Mind Games on vinyl back in 1973 and loved it but when l heard the 2002 re-mix l seen the
light. Fidelity is king and the new 2024 release lacks the boom!
🍏 Apple Records 🍏
18:24 - 18:52 - I was listening the comparison of different mixes of the CDs and I think P. Cobbin's 2002 Remix is the best sounding. I also like his Yellow Submarine remix.
I have to get the 2002 remix. This box is out of my league for the moment. Thanks for the review.
I always found the New York session musicians too 'flashy' (for want of a better description) on John's solo albums! The Rock n roll album is completely over the top and Walls And Bridges likewise. Just listen to the beautiful simplicity of the albums Plastic Ono Band and Imagine. Mind Games suffers from that 'flashy' production and playing. I always believed Lennon lost his way when he left England. I thought that as a 13 year old kid..!
Wow. Smashed and crushed. Another loss in The Loudness Wars. Pathetic.
I really don't know when this madness called loudness war will stop...
i like the mind games album but i wont buy this box set im not keen on those frankinstein elements mixs etc had john done then is self fair enough but they were but togethor by his son and maybe some help from ono the out takes i dont mind other than that i dont care for it i dont know why people rav about this box set maybe its because the lennon estate sent some of the reviews one free so they have got too hype it
If feel the 2002 is the best. The 2024 is too compressed which is pulling everything below 900hz up the volume levels of the highs, or freq above 1k. Its making it aound uber mid range and creating mud in the mix.
The raw mix of Mind Games sounds like Double Fantasy stripped - dull, boring, lifeless. I don't care how many times John's voice was overdubbed.
From the title track examples alone, I can say I still prefer Peters mix. It feels open and bright, whereas what you played sounds ok and certainly better than the original, but that brick wall…let’s say it for what it is here.
That said, I’m quite happy to be proven wrong and I’m excited to hear the whole thing!
It HAS raised one interesting question: does the inclusion of “I’m The Greatest” mean definitively that Ringo cares not a jot about deluxe editions? It certainly appears that way, sadly.
Thanks Andrew for your honest and fun review!
With all the different mixes, is there a version of One Day at a Time that retains the end saxophone? Because I really like it and it breaks my heart to hear it's gone.
A first listen to any Beatles or solo Beatles box sets its interesting and fascinating. Then it sits on the shelf. How often do you pull it out and play the other mixes...I would have love to see another disc with just John's voice only and contemporary artist adding new music making it sound like 2024 in Paul's song title..that would be something..
I'll buy 2cd. Yoko's the mountain on.the.cover in the video in pages of the book..can't we have a lennon album without yoko for once ? That leaves walls & Bridges and Rock and Roll. .
The original CD mix is very familiar to me, and has the best potential dynamic range. Not overly compressed, you want louder? Turn it up, get a more powerful amp, you can EQ for personal taste, and nothing gets overwhelmed because things are too compressed or having their transient peaks cut off. The Lennon Collection mix just EQs the original master, and as I said above, I'd EQ it to taste and my personal listening environment; not keen on that particular sound as compared to the first one.
The Peter Cobbin mix does add a bit more clarity, bass and different elements are more forward, but is also more compressed (aka louder, which isn't always better), starting to cut off peaks. However, I would prefer this mix in a listening environment where I didn't have the option of simply turning it up with a more powerful amplifier and EQ.
Finally, when the sound clip transitioned to the last mix, it had the effect of sucking my ears in, like it was opposite in phase to the previous versions. Yes there is more bass, but it is muddy as all get out, and overly compressed to have an enjoyable listening experience. And yes, I still sit or lay down and just LISTEN to music a lot in a quiet setting, to hear subtle details and experience the nuances therein - a completely different experience to thumping, pumping all-sounds-at-the-same-volume flavors of mixes that have plagued us since engineers started mixing with their eyes instead of their ears. However, to not be totally negative of the new mix, it could be that it works best when listening to in a moving car, as with the engine noise subtlety is lost, and if you want to actually hear everything, it has to get over the sound of the engine, so maybe that is where this might apply best.
The different mixes are intriguing and bring out different details and moods of the songs, but I maintain that artist should now release the original multitracks on these deluxe sets that would allow a listener to mix the song to his taste. You want to hear more guitar or vocal? Maybe just a piano and vocal mix? Turn everything to 11? Instrumental? Hear instruments that were recorded but not used in the final commercial mix? You got it! THIS is where these release should be headed.
My three cents ;-) Thanks for the video!
Very interesting review.
I'm afraid I won't be buying this, as no matter how much remixing happens, expensive packaging surrounds, it's the same songs, and apart from the title track they are average.
I just had a flick through the last remastered tracks and it still doesn't hit me. Then ironically Every Night by McCartney came on and it was like a breath of fresh air.
Peter's mix sounds the most balanced, the 2024 mix is too bass heavy and sacrifices clarity and brightness
Without the original mixes, I don't want the set at all. Yes, the 2024 mix has the "brick wall" effect. The moral of this story is to leave well enough alone. There's no rationale for second-guessing John, other than perhaps to rewrite history in someone else's image.
Congratulations on being gifted the deluxe Mind Games edition Andrew. This is my favorite John Lennon album with the title track being one of all time favorites from John. I have never liked the sound of it going back to the original CD but I grew to fully appreciate it after hearing Peter Cobbin’s 2002 remixes and that has been my go to CD when listening to this album. I am so happy to see this album get the deluxe treatment. Thanks for your honest review. Take care!
Thanks Bill. The new mix is a big improvement over the original but the 2002 was good.
I bought the original vinyl around the time it first came out. I agree the production was pretty horrific. Artists should stick to what they know best, singing and playing an instrument. Never a great fan of this album. The songs were mediocre at best. At least it's better than "Sometime in New York City".
I hate to say this but the samples you played had me feeling the 2002 Peter Cobbin's mix sounded the best to my ears.
I don’t think i can afford the box set.
To my ears the That Peter Cobbin mix on the comparison clip sounded the best, but it still had it's faults.
@18:10 It doesn’t have to compete with modern music. Why should it? Besides, music is not a competition.
I was 28 years old when John was murdered. since then, I find it too painful to listen to his or The Beatles music. While this is so tempting, I just don't know. I cannot put into words how much John's death adversely affected my life. Anyway, I do enjoy your review, and I'm so happy for Sean and Yoko, (I absolutely love her).
Thank you so much !! 心のこもったコメントありがとうございます。
ショーンとヨーコを敬意を持ってお話しをされているコメントに感動しました。
The sound comparison have made the 2002 the most balanced than the 2024 which sounds muddy.
That's a hard pass for me over kill of an album I like that is not my fav John Lennon solo record. I don't like how drastically diff the remix is compared to the original.
Looking at the wave forms, it looks like the 2024 mix was brick-walled (which is a bad thing).
I agree that the 2002 Peter Cobbin mix sounds best. The new mix sounds too loud, and bass heavy, not as bright.
mind games is just an okay album with the poorest of all Lennon title tracks. There are only one or two moments such as Aisumasen. This box set is just a blatant money grab and I have come to realise that this presenter is insincere and cannot be trusted as he is a free advert for Yoko Ono, McCartney et al in exchange for getting free gifts that few of us can afford.
My honest first take is a preference for the Cobbin mix. The bass on the new mix sounds bloated (or forced). ‘Can’t really trust YT audio, I suppose…
Back to back like that, the 2002 mix sounds best to my ears. The new mix sounds narrower and somewhat muffled in comparison. Just my opinion of course and I'm still excited to hear the various stripped back versions in full :-)
I dont get it to rerere-release all the albums again. I bought the Signature Box years ago with every albums in it. Thats enough solo Lennnon for me. Even as a Beatles fan.
not keen on the new mind games. its lost the etheral feel the original had.Might suit the younge audience but I prefer the original. Ill save my money thanks.
I AGREE, the 2002 version has a much more clear sound, I even like the original 1973 mix because I remember getting it when it came out then, and like on all of John's early solo records, the sound he gave them had character you could hear. I do have one good bootleg CD that I bought maybe 20 years ago, it sounds really good of alternate takes and mixes from the album.
John looks creepy on that news photo at the start.😳
Thanks for the review. Honestly I think either the Raw Studio Mixes or the Elemental Mixes should have been the second disc in the 2CD and 2LP editions. Those seem like cooler bonuses than the outtakes. Also I think Elemental Mixes should have been just called Stripped Down mixes to be more in line with the 2010 Double Fantasy edition, and to differentiate it better from Elements mixes.....That said, I pre-ordered the 2lp and will stream the rest. Love that these big sets exist though. The ultimate mixes released so far have been stellar. Thank you, Sean Lennon.
Excellent work!! I am happy to see someone address the actual sound quality. According to your graphs and examples, this is as close to being brickwalled as the dreadful "All Things Must Pass" sonic amateur hour , to quote Bobby Whitlock. The vocals are clearer, and more up front, but the very heavy handed bass and compression destroys the actual overall sound for me. Sean stated he was very inspired by what Dhani did with ATMP and I took that as an ominous sign. And , sadly, here is the evidence of yet one more example of such heavy handed and ill-advised mastering choices. Also kudos for telling us the LP's are being pressed by GZ, another poor choice. Warped records are their specialty as in the previous Lennon releases that they have pressed. The powers that be will never learn or just don't care about sonic integrity or quality control for the fans of the music. And here is one more vote for the excellent 2002 Peter Cobbin mix.. all the best to everyone.
This makes me so sad. Will Mike McCartney trawl through Pipes Of Peace takes on its 60th anniversary in 2043? I'll still be here.
To my ears, the clip of the Ultimate Mix of “Mind Games” you played sounds overly bass heavy and not as clean as the 2002 mix. I’ve compared the two Ultimate Mix tracks available on Apple Music in their lossless format to the 2002 CD and preferred the sound of the CD. That may just be my personal preference. Nonetheless, this is another excellent package from the Lennon estate. I’m excited to listen to all of it.
Thank you for the review Andrew. Having bought Mind Games on release day back in 1973, I think I'm gonna pass on the deluxe set. The near brickwalled sound is a real turn-off. This set shouldn't have to compete with what's out there but that's the way of thinking in the music business today. Admittedly it does look nice and everything but with the cost being more than what the deluxe Imagine and Plastic Ono Band deluxe sets cost, I have to draw the line here. The vinyl set, well....maybe.
The 2002 remix is the best by far. The latest sounds muddy
From this video presentation, the 2002 Peter Cobbin Mix sounds like the best one on my audio system. The original one in 1987 always has value as it was the "first one" and we remember the sound of that first release.
Based on the brief comparison, I prefer the Cobbin mix of "Mind Games". The snare is more present and there is better mid/low definition. The 2024 mix is a bit too thick and wooly.
I love strings, but those on the title cut are SCREETCHY! (I haven't heard the re-mimed version yet)
The newer track of Mind Games seems like its clipping...
The Peter Cobbin remix from 2002 set the bar very high. And the same goes for his remix of "Rock And Roll" a couple of years later. I could never listen to the original mixes again after that.
The original "Walls & Bridges" mix was great, though.
As a thought, an article on Paul Hicks career might be an interesting subject after all, he has worked on some outstanding stuff. Also, an occasional look at engineering wizards such as Peter Mew, Geoff Emerick, Glyn Johns, Norman Smith, and Peter Cobbin, to name a few.
Thank you for the deep dive review, excellent job as always! As far as the mixes go the Peter Cobbin mix is still superior to these ears. I don’t understand why the new mix needs to complete with modern music though in this instance. This set is for the hardcore fan playing it on a decent setup not a younger person playing it on ear buds while zipping around the city. I need to hear it on my system though to know for sure. I’ve had sets like this in the past that included all known mixes available and that would have been really nice here as well. Can’t wait to get my copy though as there is so much more contained within that more than makes up for a potentially brick wall-ish sound the ultimate mix appears to have.
Lol- I love how all of these UA-camrs receive the deluxe boxed set for free and all love it.
So? Get over it.
Peter cobbin mix is the best,this being my favourite john Lennon album, first got this on tape on mpm back in late 1970's and still have it played it constantly when I was young .Bought it a couple of times on CD ,but to my dismay never owned it on vynal. Keep up with good work 👍.
Thank you for the review. "Mind Games" is one of those albums that just never "clicked" with me. Each song is average to above average. No bad songs, but no great songs either. I may give it a play-through maybe one or twice a year.
No number of repeated listens is going to turn this into a great album. It's just not. And no number of new box set releases and/or remixes can make it into what it wasn't either. It's the epitome of mediocre. Nothing can fix that.
Sorry for saying this, but the new 2024 master seems like its dynamic's been squashed, with too much bass added. There's no need to put out records like this anymore (streaming platforms adjust volume levels), it's nonsense, bad corrupted engineer habits. The raw mixes look better, why can't they do the same for the regular album ? The 2002 mix sounds more balanced on the EQing, but too compressed. So no version sounds ideal too me, although the raw mix seems promising.