Did anybody buy the new deluxe versions of three classic Thin Lizzy albums?

Nephilim Wolf

I decided to buy both 'Jailbreak' and 'Johnny The Fox' very recently in HMV. They weren't exactly cheap at €18 each, but I'm a huge fan of Lizzy so I just had to get them. Some of 'Jailbreak' does sound better than the 1996 remasterd album, but I think that the remixes of 'Emerlad, The Boys Are Back in Town and Jailbreak' sound way way better than the originals. I love the start of the remixed 'Jailbreak' when Philo says "Okay we know your in there, come out with your hands up! I thought that was awesome, and the guitars sound somewhat beefier, Brian Downey's druming sounds much more prominant, and those wailing sirens in the middle are still intact.

'Johnny The Fox' aslo sounds great, and is actually a very very good hard rock album by Thin Lizzy. The sound is possibly better than the 1996 remaster, and the remixes are also brilliant. The booklets for both albums were a very very interesting read. I definintely intend to buy 'Live And Dangerous' as well sometime. I wonder will they also release both 'Bad Reputation' and 'Black Rose' in the near future? Those two albums are reall classics and are very worthy of having deluxe versions as well.

Kess73

Got Jailbreak along with Live And Dangerous.


Both sound amazing, and LAD in particular never sounded better.

I did not get them in HMV though, I bought them on Amazon, and it worked out at about €7 cheaper than getting them in HMV.

I find HMV to be a total joke pricewise as Amazon tend to destroy the highstreet stores in terms of price for CDs, DVDs, and Blu ray. With their free P&P to Ireland for any order of 25 quid, their prices get even better.

finhex

What is story of the Live and Dangerous Deluxe edition? Customer reviews at amazon.co.uk and play are claiming that re-issue sound quality has not been improved and lot of other complains also. But message above says that sound is much better...

BTW deluxe editions of Chinatown, Black Rose and Bad Reputation seems to been released last week.

RayCon

Saw the Johnny The Fox Deluxe version in the HMV Blanchardstown sale for €7.99 about 2 weeks ago, never went back to pick it up

Gorham

I heard that there are also plans to remix Bad Reputation, Black Rose, Chinatown. Certainly hope so. Really liked Jailbreak, Johnny the Fox and Live and Dangerous remixes .

SirLemonhead

Does Fool's Gold still have that bit of tape warble in the middle on the delux version?

McDave

I love Lizzy, but don't want to be gipped on something that isn't an improvement. The initial Amazon.co.uk reviews were very good (and detailed), but then came a series of critical reviews which stated there was no real improvement over the older remasters from the mid-90s. There was even an intimation that they were mere transfers and not improved remasters.

There's a lot to be concerned about when it comes to the quality of CD re-issues/remasters. The Can and Depeche Mode SACD remasters are *clearly* better than the original CD releases. The David Bowie 24-bit remasters are also a clear and definite improvements! However, I got Stranglers and AC/DC remasters which I'm not so sure about. The AC/DC Fly on the Wall remaster was a definite improvement, but as for the rest, I'd struggle to discern a significant difference.

There's even a concern about messing with sonic quality in original releases by compressing sound. I had distinct problems myself with Metallica's Death Magnetic which I couldn't listen to after a dozen attempts. I eventually sold it. Depeche Mode's Playing the Angel had a similar problem but to a lesser extent, which they clearly rectified when they produced Sounds of the Universe (which sounds great, sonically and musically!).

So in short, I'm curious too about the Lizzy remasters (as opposed to the remixes of certain songs - which is a totally different ball game). Also, I'd be interested in views about the remasters of the earlier Decca albums.

McDave

Almost three years down the line and I've bought all the remasters (incl. the Decca 3), except Black Rose, Jailbreak, Johnny the Fox and Live & Dangerous. They're all considerable improvements on the earlier 1996 masters, with clearer and beefier sounds.

Four of the remasters are extended single CDs (the first two Decca releases, and Bad Reputation and Renegade). All the rest have a bonus disc with alternate and live versions. I was a little surprised that there was no additional disc for Bad Reputation, as it was one of their stronger albums, but maybe they didn't have the material, and live versions are going to be on the contemporaneous L&D anyway.

On the strength of the quality of the remasters generally, I will be buying Black Rose. But I have no plans to buy JTF, Jailbreak and L&D, largely on the basis of poor reviews and questions on the actual remasters themselves. The only reason to buy the two studio albums would be for the bonus material, but unless they're dirt cheap, that's not a good enough reason to splash out.

Overall, I'm happy that I eventually upgraded my Lizzy collection. Listening to the material afresh really makes me appreciate Lynott as an artist and composer. His collaborations were interesting as well, not least with Gary Moore, and the artists on his solo efforts. I was particularly struck by how strong Thunder and Lightning was, especially after the weak Renegade.

I've no doubt in my own mind that if Phil had found a way to overcome his demons, he would have continued as a creative force and brought Lizzy back together, even if it took a decade. As it was, he was gone in his mid-30s. His prolific output is well served by the deluxe editions (bearing in mind the criticisms levelled at Universal on aspects of the releases).

Motley Crue

I did not purchase them, need money for more essential things....like bills....and food - maybe one day when society collapses I'll go and loot HMV

McDave

Motley Crue wrote: »

I did not purchase them, need money for more essential things....like bills....and food - maybe one day when society collapses I'll go and loot HMV

Loot Tower and you can nab a Cloney Audio hi fi system while you're at it!

Motley Crue

McDave wrote: »

Loot Tower and you can nab a Cloney Audio hi fi system while you're at it!

Got ya!

There's a lesson to be learned here, I'm sure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K7pVYo9jM8

beauf

Didn't know they had re-released them.

I like Lizzy, but I mainly a fan of the heavier late Live Life album. I'm not sure my old copy (i think its a rip from my original cassette) would be more enjoyable if I have a re-mastered version. I never warmed to the dedication CD for example.

I mainly buy remastered CD's when its an album I have have in poor quality. But I've been burnt before when the CD version doesn't sound as good to me, as my old crappy cassette.

McDave

beauf wrote: »

Didn't know they had re-released them.

I like Lizzy, but I mainly a fan of the heavier late Live Life album. I'm not sure my old copy (i think its a rip from my original cassette) would be more enjoyable if I have a re-mastered version. I never warmed to the dedication CD for example.

I mainly buy remastered CD's when its an album I have have in poor quality. But I've been burnt before when the CD version doesn't sound as good to me, as my old crappy cassette.

As it happens, Live Life is the only album they didn't do a deluxe version of or remaster since 2011. If you prefer the heavier stuff, the Thunder and Lightning deluxe set is really good. The remaster of the studio album is an improvement on the original CD release (can't say how it would compare with a cassette or vinyl version), and the bonus disc has live versions of some of the tracks on both T&L and Renegade.

Kess73

McDave wrote: »

As it happens, Live Life is the only album they didn't do a deluxe version of or remaster since 2011. If you prefer the heavier stuff, the Thunder and Lightning deluxe set is really good. The remaster of the studio album is an improvement on the original CD release (can't say how it would compare with a cassette or vinyl version), and the bonus disc has live versions of some of the tracks on both T&L and Renegade.

Must say that the Thunder And Lightning remaster sounds excellent, as does the Chinatown remaster.

Have most of the reissues and not one sounds poor.

Would go as far as to say that the remastering done is on par with the recent (ish) reissues of the Queen albums

McDave

Kess73 wrote: »

Must say that the Thunder And Lightning remaster sounds excellent, as does the Chinatown remaster.

Have most of the reissues and not one sounds poor.

Would go as far as to say that the remastering done is on par with the recent (ish) reissues of the Queen albums

Any views on the somewhat reviled (in some parts) Jailbreak, Johnny the Fox and Live & Dangerous deluxe sets (if you have any of them)?

Kess73

McDave wrote: »

Any views on the somewhat reviled (in some parts) Jailbreak, Johnny the Fox and Live & Dangerous deluxe sets (if you have any of them)?

The first two deluxe editions that I bought were LAD and Jailbreak.

Can honestly say that to my ears the remaster job is as good as on any of the other deluxe editions.


Would put them on par with the deluxe editions of Chinatown, Bad Reputation, Thunder & Lightning etc.

Cannot comment of the deluxe edition of Johnny the Fox as I do not have that nor Black Rose yet.