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It definitely sounds like they used a different source for the tracks from the album, but the bigger orchestral hits in all the tracks go into the red and distort. Why does Varese keep working with the d2 Mastering, and why don't they at least tell them to mix it like an orchestral recording and not something that they're trying to get on the radio?
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It definitely sounds like they used a different source for the tracks from the album, but the bigger orchestral hits in all the tracks go into the red and distort. Why does Varese keep working with the d2 Mastering, and why don't they at least tell them to mix it like an orchestral recording and not something that they're trying to get on the radio?
It does sound way too hot in places. And way too cold in others. Considering the names involved, I'm surprised. But it's a distinct improvement over the original CD.
Did d2 do this? I know they did Cocoon: The Return but there's no mention of them on this.
i had the same issue with their cocoon return. i couldn't get over why it was so loud nor i didn't understand it, but you guys have given me clues, too low on some cue and too loud on others. i almost busted my headphones when i was listening to one track and then the following track came on, super crazy loud. track 2 for example was so loud at the beginning. i noticed i had to keep turning down and up my volume on cocoon and on executive, but not so much on executive. looking back i'm now noticing a few cds this way. is this a rule lf thumb at varese that they must do it this way or maybe its' a way they like to master even though all other labels don't master this way. oh well, glad we got these though i wish the sound was a bit not so loud at places and distort.
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Indeed. While I have no real issues with his work, per se, this one has some... issues :-( Sadly this is doubtless the last edition of Executive Decision we'll ever get. It is what it is. At least all the material is there!
All the material actually in the film, yes (and thank goodness!) -- but I can confirm that an early version of Drill Team was left off, which was substantially different from the final film version and quite interesting. That, plus the fact of the sometimes shocking volume shifts (the jump in volume between track 1 and track 2 really hurt my ears as I was listening on earphones) makes this a somewhat disappointing album for me. I was actually more impressed with Chain Reaction -- that album was finished by Michael Mattesino if I'm not mistaken, and unlike most people I actually like the electric guitars in the score as an interesting flavor.
I still like Executive Decision as a score and I'm glad people are reassessing it because I think it's low reputation has been undeserved, but I don't think I'll be playing the CD quite as often as I'd hoped.
Keep 'em coming, though, Varese. I'll buy them all. Even Criminal Law: The Deluxe Edition and Mr. Baseball: The Deluxe Edition.  (Feel free to save those for the very last, though.)
Yavar
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I always felt Predator 2's Deluxe Edition was a little too loud, but it's still an improvement on the original release's sound.
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Well, I'm glad that POWDER, which I just got in the mail today, is an Intrada release. I don't know what it is with Varese these days, not sure what's real or imagined, but I get a bad vibe about good ol' Varese these days. Sad.
Huh? My two reservations about this release aside, Varese has really been on a roll lately! They've been tackling expansion after expansion of their "in-perpetuity" titles which they had just been frustratingly sitting on before (no one else legally able to do them justice). Assessments of the sound on their releases usually seem to be a matter of taste, but whenever Michael Mattesino does something for them I don't recall hearing complaints. How exactly have they been worse lately than they've ever been before?
I think their responsiveness to fan's wants has greatly increased, and thanks to their (relatively) recent hire of this board's Peter Hackman (drivingmissdaisy) their outreach and communication have also improved. Sure, this release has a couple hiccups, but it's not anything so egregious as to earn them condemnation.
I remember many years ago when they released Henry Mancini's The Thorn Birds -- a wonderful release...except for their egregious mistake of leaving off the dulcimer in its first few bars of the main title. Not only did they not take steps to correct that mistake but they wouldn't even acknowledge the mistake itself! People on this board were incensed, and the problem was only "fixed" because the CD included with a book about Mancini's score had the dulcimer correct on the Main Title track. (http://www.amazon.com/Case-History-Film-Score-Thorn/dp/075792266X/)
I remember somewhat fewer years ago a lot of people were angry that Alan Silvestri's G.I. Joe was taken from a lossy source for their CD release. People cried bloody murder at the time and it wasn't fixed (until a recent foreign reissue by a different label recently fixed it, apparently).
So when exactly were Varese Sarabande perfectionists on the level of, say, Lukas Kendall? When have they ever made a regular practice of fixing their mistakes and paying to send out replacement discs, as Intrada and LLL have done on multiple occasions? Do you long for the glory days of Varese when they were forced because of re-use fees to limit most albums to under 30 minutes?
No....Varese has room for improvement, certainly. But I think they've been doing better by us fans lately than they have in a while. I hope they keep up the good work, and I commend them for being more responsive to our wants. Even the volume issue on Executive Decision is fixable without too much trouble. Even without more professional means: a layman can go into each track in iTunes and raise or lower its master volume as desired, which is exactly what I think I'll do.
Yavar
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I'm a bit confused by your post, but briefly: I certainly don't buy all Varese editions. Don't have the budget lately, even if I wanted them all. I picked up Chain Reaction and Executive Decision because I still try to be a Goldsmith completist and they offered a one day 20% discount so I couldn't resist. I was very happy with Chain Reaction and had just a couple issues with Executive Decision. When another poster expressed the idea that Varese had somehow declined in quality, I provided a little bit of perspective. They aren't perfect, but they're improving and I've lately been pretty pleased with their output. That's all.
Yavar
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