Stable on two legs, too

Not only did Nick Davis produce new 5.1 surround mixes, but he also did new stereo mixes of the band’s complete back catalogue of studio records. This meant that he had to do much of it by the ear. Differences between the Definitive Edition Remaster and the new re-releases are therefore to be expected. These are new mixes with an even more sophisticated remastering process.

The stereo mixes do not offer the same space for the display of hitherto unnoticed things than the surround mixes. The Platinum Collection has proved that good work makes an audible difference even in stereo. Not all of the songs from the CD promo sampler have been available in remastered form before; most of those that were have been improved over the Platinum Collection. Match Of The Day and Inside And Out from the Spot The Pigeon EP have been remastered here for the first time; all other songs were released on Definitive Edition Remasters, except for Paperlate which was released in remastered form on the Platinum Collection. Some songs, viz. Turn It On Again, Your Own Special Way, Follow You Follow Me, Many Too Many and Abacab had also been on the DVD sampler. On the CD sampler, there is just an edito of Abacab. These songs are not really spectacular in stereo, but they all have improved. As on the Platinum Collection, you can hear much more percussion on Follow You Follow Me than on the Definitive Edition Remaster version.

The first eye opener is Match Of The Day, a song that was not even included on the Archive #2 3CD set. A much clearer sound puts many ‘new’ details on display, most of them from the percussion, but Mike’s rhythm guitar sounds much clearer than on the EP CD.
It is the percussion that is most notable about A Trick Of The Tail; they could hardly be heard before on this song and on Robbery, Assault And Battery. The songs sound very fresh and natural, and it is only Phil’s voice that betrays the age of the songs.
Afterglow enchants the listener with its wall of sound; never before was it so intense and smooth. Duchess and Ripples had been much improved on the Platinum Collection. It seems as if some more time had been spent on the details so that the sound has become even better. A fresh breeze is the bashing drum sound at the end of Man On The Corner. The Roland drum computer had become more pressing than in the first remaster version, too.
The final tracks of this promo CD are almost insulting to the fan. At first you enjoy the great sound of Inside And Out – which fades out just before the instrumental section. The instrumental section follows immediately – as the next track. From the track list of the bonus SACD we can tell that such nonsense has fortunately been avoided there. After all, a promo CD is an item for collectors’ shelves so that one can bear such antics.

The upcoming re-releases prompt superlative over superlative. The new mixes are worth buying for all fans without surround sound systems. Some songs may have gained only a little, but with others the sound experience is impressive even in stereo – it may even be reason enough to consider upgrading to a 5.1 set.

COMPETITION:
Genesis News Com | International Fansite gives away some copies of the Promo CD for competition.
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• Christian Gerhardts
• translated by Martin Klinkhardt
• See also our Review on the DVD Promo Sampler
• Reviews about the first batch an each SACD will follow
• A price list of all worldwide major online retailers is updated regularly here