I knew about the existence of this Single EP about a decade ago - always wanted to pick it up, but sort of forgot about it over the years. The EP/CD I just picked up from used from Amazon is a import from Europe.



This version of Holiday on the EP is not the massively re-mixed effects-added Q-sound'd sped-up 3 minute shortened version found on the Immaculate Collection - the one that we've all come to think is the original, but isn't. This Holiday is based on the slower paced 6+ minute original with some EQ (the original from the self-titled Madonna album sounds thin, like many such recordings from the early 80s) with minor compression and noise reduction. The original Madonna album version does have the highest resolution and dynamic range though - it has been fucked with less after all; but this version is pretty good short of an LFF remaster.

The EP contains a handful of additional tracks which I feel were more worthy of inclusion into the Immaculate Collection than some of last few tracks on that album:

• True Blue ("album" version)
• Who's That Girl  ("album" version)
• Causin' A Commotion (Silver Screen single mix)

I guess you have to be a classic Madonna / Stephen Bray fan to appreciate these.

Hmmm.....never knew you were into Madonna much.

I got screwed over by a fellow mastering engineer. We tracked down original 1st pressing mint albums to put together an original Immaculate Collection. He had something similar to this.  He had a very heavy slate base, completely restored and tricked out SP10MkIII and knew how to properly transfer vinyl. Anyway...to make a long story short....once we got all the vinyl in, he disappeared. I didn't spend much $$$ upfront but the time I spend looking for the albums was significant. Sucks because it could have been a great project once finished.

Most "interesting" one I have is a recording of various heart sounds, put out by a fairly prestigious record label London, nonetheless. A bit strange. Given to me by someone at work. I plan to needle drop this when I have an ADC

Quote from: omegakitty on May 19, 2012, 12:27:27 AM

Most "interesting" one I have is a recording of various heart sounds, put out by a fairly prestigious record label London, nonetheless. A bit strange. Given to me by someone at work. I plan to needle drop this when I have an ADC

is it possible to find something similar online or on youtube? actually curious on this for some reason(imaging it sounding pretty cool in my head).

pm sent, don't want to derail further 

Rhys Catham - A Crimson Grail

A composition written for 400 electric guitars.  Apparently Rhys had been experimenting with this idea for some time and had previously written a piece for 100 guitars, and was then inspired by the "moar is better" school of thought.  This album is excerpts from an all night performance in a church in France, the basilica of Sacré-Coeur.  From the record label's description (might as well quote rather than paraphrase this part) "It was created to work with the specific architecture of the basilica, making use of its natural 15-second reverberation time. The musicians surrounded the audience, creating an antiphonal effect with the sound moving around the space from area to area. " 

The sound quality is decent, but it is a live performance, and it's certainly not what I would consider an audiophile recording.  But it's pretty good, and certainly good enough to get the job done. 

The sound is one of the most densely layered things I have heard.  At first it just sounds like a single note, but as you listen there's a richness and complexity to it.  The guitars come together and churn and sway up and down like grass in the wind, or the movements of some vast army.  The way a large flock of birds moves.  It has a natural rhythm and formation to it.

It's electric but also very organic, likely due to the sound of the church and the natural reverberation this creates.  The sound is vast and the overall effect is humbling.  It makes you feel like you're witnessing something monumental.  At first you think it's going to get annoying quickly, but it manages to captivate your attention and hold it, and yet works very well in the background as well.  I think this comes from it's surface simplicity (not a complicated melody or anything) but complex structure. 

Definitely unique.  Probably not something you'll want to listen to all the time, but great for some late night half baked candlelight trip. 

Here's a link to a pitchfork review

Here's a link to the artist website where you can hear a part of it (should start playing automatically, the track is at the bottom of the page)