The Klaatu catalog has been butchered by Capitol Records with their various CD reissues for more than a decade. And then it got butchered by Justin, Attic, and BGO. Finally along comes Bullseye Records of Canada and contracts with the band to do it right!
This is the best this album has EVER sounded, even when you include the original vinyl, cassette and 8-track releases! <g>
Seriously, this disc has never sounded so clear, so crisp, so sharp, so warm, so beautiful! Right from the opening of Calling Occupants, you realise that you are in for one heck of a treat. The sonic quality on this disc is so stunning and wonderful that one has to wonder why none of the other labels could get it right.
Bullseye has gone back to the analog transfers done from the REAL original master tapes, not the copies of those tapes that Capitol and BGO used. You'd think therefore that this disc would sound like the Justin and Attic discs. Not so. I can't find the proper superlatives to exclaim the glory of hearing this disc! And for the nitpicking fans out there, Calling Occupants has the 7 seconds of silence after it before California Jam starts, just like the LPs used to have.
For the first time ever, Subrosa Subway sounds warm and rich instead of washed out. Even the original LP couldn't bring this much warmth to the sound.
Bullseye Records worked closely with the band members to make sure that this package was the definitive version of the disc and it shows. Not only is the sound spectacular, nothing is missing! They've even got the mouse squeak that most of the CD issues chopped out!
Not only is the sound superior, but the packaging is beautiful as well. The front cover is the original LP artwork (as released on the GRT version of this album) before Capitol insisted on adding the name Klaatu to the artwork. When you open up the book you're treated to real credits for the first time, as well as reproductions of original promo material, quotes from the band members, corrected lyrics (for the first time anywhere), (and this time the lyrics are used with proper permission from the publisher, too) and images of some of the various versions of the record labels for the LP from around the world (original GRT Canada, original Daffodil Canada, original Capitol Canada, original US Capitol, and even a German Capitol version is worked into the artwork. The color is stunning, the text is crisp. This package was done the way every CD reissue should be done.
Kudos to Bullseye Records of Canada for getting it right!
Kudos to Klaatu for persisting until they got a proper CD reissue! It's about time your work was given it's proper release in the digital domain!
I look forward to the rest of the catalog on Bullseye!
For "3:47 EST" aka "Klaatu":
Capitol - 1990 - 8 out of 10.
Justin - 1990 - 8 out of 10.
Capitol - 1992 (2-for-1) - 6 out of 10.
Attic - 1993 - 9 out of 10 (the only thing preventing a 10 out of 10
is the missing mouse squeak).
Collectors’ Choice Music - 1999 (2-for-1) - 5 out of 10.
BGO Records - 2000 - 5 out of 10.
Bullseye Records - 2001 - 10 out of 10 (if the quality of the test
pressing stays as is)
For "Hope":
Justin - 1991 - 4 out of 10. Low marks for quality.
Capitol - 1992 (2-for-1) - 4 out of 10. Low marks for editing the world’s
most perfect album and partially for quality.
Attic - 1993 - 9 out of 10.
Collectors’ Choice Music - 1999 (2-for-1) - 3 out of 10.
BGO Records - 2000 - 4 out of 10 (with bad track ID placement).
Bullseye Records - 2002 - ? out of 10 (the best is [hopefully] yet to come).
- Dave Bradley – December 21,
2001 - revised April 2003