Mike Westbrook: Metropolis - now fully healed!

[A Lark Ascending]

I'm posting this here as well as on AAJ as

a. I expect I've grumbled about the initial reissue here too;

b. I think there are a few people interested in Westbrook:

Firstly thanks to Iskra1903 on another thread. He alerted us to the fact that BGO have corrected the faulty remastering of the second half of Metropolis that spoiled the 1999 reissue.

Given how often comment has been made about how bad the old side 2 was it seems only fair to make clear the disc now has a clean bill of health. I listened to the corrected version this morning and all is fine.

As Iskra mentioned BGO are happy to exchange. I sent mine back on Monday and had a return by Thursday. Well done BGO for not only reissuing so much OOP music but also dealing with mistakes.

[sidewinder]

Great - the track on 'Impressed Vol 2' with great Harry Beckett solo whettted my appetite for this. The Neon vinyl is pretty hard to track down so I'll get hold of this CD. I've never been a great fan of the more recent Westbrook LPs but the Derams and the Neons/RCAs are all worth checking out.

[Bluerein]

Is there a difference in pressing? I recently bought it so I assume this is the new remastering but how can I be shure?

I haven't listened to it so that's why I'm asking.

Cheers and thanks,

Reinier

[A Lark Ascending]

When it was originally remastered in 1999 something terrible happened with what had been side 2 of the record. It sounded like it had been taken from a badly warped LP.

BGO have now sorted that out. All new copies should be fine. Best to avoid buying it secondhand!

How can you tell?

You can't from the cover. But you'll soon know from Part V onward. Just play the last variation with Harry Beckett's solo. If it sounds 'wowed' to hell you have the duff version.

Don't listen too critically. I think some of the ensemble playing is a little ragged that might mislead. Believe me, the duff version sounds really, really whoozy!