Post by 3chordtrick on Oct 18, 2009 14:43:08 GMT
Not sure if it is worth adding to the forum, but I found this review on Amazon of a 2 cd set of LITP. I have the 19 track version which omits a couple of tracks compared with my, long gone, vinyl version. But I had to have the cd version for two reasons.
1. The beautiful Just Trying To Be - an outtake from Aqualung.
2. The live version of Dharma for One - one of the best drum solos every. Not to mention the rather "gothic" backing vocals !
Anyway, here is the listing and comments from the 2 cd version - which I did not know existed until yesterday!
The 2LP set "Living In The Past" was issued in July 1972 in the UK on Chrysalis CJT 1 and October 1972 in the USA on Chrysalis 2CH 1035 - both originals sporting hardback book sleeves with 12 pages of colour shots inside. The set's title reflected what was inside - a ragbag of previously released albums tracks bolstered up with new live and studio songs, rare single sides and their non-album flips.
This 'full' 23-track 2CD version is an audiophile issue - a Mobile Fidelity ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING housed in a card wrap with two gold ULTRADISC-2 CDs in two separate lift-lock CD cases. The detached oversized booklet slotted in beside the CDs replicates entirely the packaging and liner notes of the original double album - right down to the 'book' texture of the front and rear sleeve. Nice touches it has to be said. However, the liner notes get some details wrong which need clarifying...
Disc 1 (42:55 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 11 and 13 make up the 12 tracks of Side 1 and 2 of the original `UK' double album using strict sequencing
You will notice that Disc 1 has 13 tracks and not 12. The reason for the extra song is that "Inside" (from the "Benefit" LP) appeared as track 5 on Side 2 of the original 'UK' issue, but the original 'US' issue replaced this track with "Alive And Well And Living In" (another "Benefit" track in the UK and the B-side to the UK 7" of "Inside"). Both have been included on this 2CD set for completeness.
Disc 2 (45:35 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 3 and 5 to 10 make up the 9 tracks of Side 3 and 4 of the original 'UK' double album using strict sequencing
However, you will notice that like Disc 1, Disc 2 also has an extra track. Track 5 is "Locomotive Breath" from the "Aqualung" LP - it appeared as track 2 on Side 4 of the original 'UK' issue. However, the 'US' issue replaced this track with another cut from "Aqualung" - "Hymn 43" - again both tracks are included on the Mobile Fidelity issue for completeness.
To confuse matters further, the official EMI release of "Living In The Past" on CD is a truncated single disc of 19 tracks with a crappy inlay and ok-only audio... So this USA-only Mobile Fidelity 2CD issue is the only way to get the full double in one place - either the UK or US variant - and more importantly with truly great sound.
Speaking of which - when I compare "Locomotive Breath" and "Hymn 43" on the 1996 "Aqualung" remaster to these MF versions - the difference couldn't be more marked; the "Aqualung" remaster was to my ears one of the worst and dullest of issues - these MF versions leap out of the speakers. As the recordings vary from 1968 to 1971, the sound does so too, but the Mobile issue excels on them all - especially the beautiful acoustic turns "Just Trying To Be" (lyrics above) and "Up The 'Pool". In fact - excepting the excessive two live tracks, which took up all of Side 3, it's amazing how well the whole set holds together - even to this day.
Bottom line is - this Mobile Fidelity 2CD set has really great sound and the full compliment - it's just such a damn shame that it costs so much...
1. The beautiful Just Trying To Be - an outtake from Aqualung.
2. The live version of Dharma for One - one of the best drum solos every. Not to mention the rather "gothic" backing vocals !
Anyway, here is the listing and comments from the 2 cd version - which I did not know existed until yesterday!
The 2LP set "Living In The Past" was issued in July 1972 in the UK on Chrysalis CJT 1 and October 1972 in the USA on Chrysalis 2CH 1035 - both originals sporting hardback book sleeves with 12 pages of colour shots inside. The set's title reflected what was inside - a ragbag of previously released albums tracks bolstered up with new live and studio songs, rare single sides and their non-album flips.
This 'full' 23-track 2CD version is an audiophile issue - a Mobile Fidelity ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING housed in a card wrap with two gold ULTRADISC-2 CDs in two separate lift-lock CD cases. The detached oversized booklet slotted in beside the CDs replicates entirely the packaging and liner notes of the original double album - right down to the 'book' texture of the front and rear sleeve. Nice touches it has to be said. However, the liner notes get some details wrong which need clarifying...
Disc 1 (42:55 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 11 and 13 make up the 12 tracks of Side 1 and 2 of the original `UK' double album using strict sequencing
You will notice that Disc 1 has 13 tracks and not 12. The reason for the extra song is that "Inside" (from the "Benefit" LP) appeared as track 5 on Side 2 of the original 'UK' issue, but the original 'US' issue replaced this track with "Alive And Well And Living In" (another "Benefit" track in the UK and the B-side to the UK 7" of "Inside"). Both have been included on this 2CD set for completeness.
Disc 2 (45:35 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 3 and 5 to 10 make up the 9 tracks of Side 3 and 4 of the original 'UK' double album using strict sequencing
However, you will notice that like Disc 1, Disc 2 also has an extra track. Track 5 is "Locomotive Breath" from the "Aqualung" LP - it appeared as track 2 on Side 4 of the original 'UK' issue. However, the 'US' issue replaced this track with another cut from "Aqualung" - "Hymn 43" - again both tracks are included on the Mobile Fidelity issue for completeness.
To confuse matters further, the official EMI release of "Living In The Past" on CD is a truncated single disc of 19 tracks with a crappy inlay and ok-only audio... So this USA-only Mobile Fidelity 2CD issue is the only way to get the full double in one place - either the UK or US variant - and more importantly with truly great sound.
Speaking of which - when I compare "Locomotive Breath" and "Hymn 43" on the 1996 "Aqualung" remaster to these MF versions - the difference couldn't be more marked; the "Aqualung" remaster was to my ears one of the worst and dullest of issues - these MF versions leap out of the speakers. As the recordings vary from 1968 to 1971, the sound does so too, but the Mobile issue excels on them all - especially the beautiful acoustic turns "Just Trying To Be" (lyrics above) and "Up The 'Pool". In fact - excepting the excessive two live tracks, which took up all of Side 3, it's amazing how well the whole set holds together - even to this day.
Bottom line is - this Mobile Fidelity 2CD set has really great sound and the full compliment - it's just such a damn shame that it costs so much...