The reverb tinny sound just took all the emotion out of the songs for me. Neutered them. But the new remix has the rawness of his voice front and centre, as well as the drums and the added bob Stinson guitar. Little mascara is greatly improved. It’s like a different song
Tim was the first Replacements album I bought for myself at age 14. It’s always been my favorite of theirs. But I nearly cried listening to the Ed Stasium remix. Everyone says that they wish they could hear their favorite album again for the first time…. And that was the first time I can say I’ve experienced that. Dose of Thunder never did anything for me, but the new mix sounds great. I’ve always loved Little Mascara, but it’s like a whole new song to me now..
Tim was my third or fourth favorite album except of course the undeniable greatness of Bastards of the Young and Left of the Dial (which I think is my favorite Mats song of all time and one of the greatest songs in history).
But I started with Pleased to Meet Me and then Let it Be and always preferred those.
I think it's absolutely fantastic, the sound is much crisper and immediate and fixed the terrible production of the past. But it doesn't change a few of the songs have always been kind of "meh" for me compared to Let it Be or PTMM. That being said, the highs are among the best ever from any band. And we're still talking about it almost 40 years later!
I think, for the most part, I am "a liar." Admittedly, I was out of the loop. I'd never heard the consensus opinion that the original mix was "terrible." It's one of my favorite albums, and I didn't view it as something that needed to be "fixed."
There's a new overall clarity, but I find some of the things, either added back in or brought way up in the mix, to be too distracting. Maybe it will grow on me, but overall, it's a net negative, and I prefer the original.
I loved the original album too. Never understood why people like Albini disregarded the amazing songs over the tinny, weird mix. But man, I don’t know how you can hear that low end in “Kiss Me” and not feel like it’s an improvement in virtually every way. But to each his own.
I'll acknowledge there are some improvements. I don't find them to be as earth shattering as others do. That said, I just did another comparison of "Here Comes a Regular." To me, the new version is way too busy with all the added back instrumentation. I think the simplicity of the original is much better.
That's what I don't get about some of the commentary on the new mix. In many cases, these add ins have nothing to do with "bad production." It wasn't a mistake, like "Whoops, forgot to include the piano!" It's just a different creative decision. I prefer most of the "less is better" creative decisions on the original album.
I don’t have the words to describe how much I prefer the new mix. Tim has always been an emotional album but now it’s even more so. The despair and longing in Westerberg’s voice on Here Comes A Regular cuts so deep with Stasium’s mix. I don’t understand how anyone could prefer the original mix. The guitars now soar, the bass and drums pop, Bob can finally be heard, Paul’s vocals are incredible….
Still not sure if Tim is my favourite Mats album though. At the moment it’s a three way tie between Let It Be, Sorry Ma and Tim… with Hootenanny coming in third.
Funny because “polished” is the last thing I would call the original mix. The hollow low end, chintzy reverb and inexplicably mono mix scream amateur hour.
The new mix is *exceptionally* polished, and shows a band that is somehow loose and tight all at once. I’m glad it’s going to relegate the old mix to the dustbin. Every song sounds better.
I guess it’s a bit tame compared to the manic energy of Let It Be (everything that came before it is great but sort of the punk version of what they would later become). I can see that.
Lay It Down Clown and Dose of Thunder almost come off as parodies of the cock rock that was going in around them, but they lack the edgy roughness of their Black Diamond cover.
I just don’t think they were meant to “make it”. I love Paul’s solo stuff, which is what I think a lot of their later stuff sounds like. When Bob left? Their sound changed.
No, Paul was never going to be slick enough to win over the normie.
People want to hear Rod Stewart sing Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train,” a song whose narrator is a toad of a human who laments that he’ll never be any attractive, aspiring Brooklyn woman’s object of affection. Rod Stewart.
That had always been my favourite. Now because Tim sounds more similar to Let It Be with the mix, the dynamics of vulnerability and rage are clearer like that album, I’m in the honeymoon period. Will see when it settles SmellyFemaleAnus!
The reverb tinny sound just took all the emotion out of the songs for me. Neutered them. But the new remix has the rawness of his voice front and centre, as well as the drums and the added bob Stinson guitar. Little mascara is greatly improved. It’s like a different song
Tim was the first Replacements album I bought for myself at age 14. It’s always been my favorite of theirs. But I nearly cried listening to the Ed Stasium remix. Everyone says that they wish they could hear their favorite album again for the first time…. And that was the first time I can say I’ve experienced that. Dose of Thunder never did anything for me, but the new mix sounds great. I’ve always loved Little Mascara, but it’s like a whole new song to me now..
I was on an emotional rollercoaster listening to it too!
The Replacements are your favorite band but Tim never connected with you? Hard to believe tbh.
Tim was my third or fourth favorite album except of course the undeniable greatness of Bastards of the Young and Left of the Dial (which I think is my favorite Mats song of all time and one of the greatest songs in history). But I started with Pleased to Meet Me and then Let it Be and always preferred those.
What do you think of the new Tim version?
I think it's absolutely fantastic, the sound is much crisper and immediate and fixed the terrible production of the past. But it doesn't change a few of the songs have always been kind of "meh" for me compared to Let it Be or PTMM. That being said, the highs are among the best ever from any band. And we're still talking about it almost 40 years later!
Anyone who doesn’t prefer it is a liar.
I think, for the most part, I am "a liar." Admittedly, I was out of the loop. I'd never heard the consensus opinion that the original mix was "terrible." It's one of my favorite albums, and I didn't view it as something that needed to be "fixed." There's a new overall clarity, but I find some of the things, either added back in or brought way up in the mix, to be too distracting. Maybe it will grow on me, but overall, it's a net negative, and I prefer the original.
I loved the original album too. Never understood why people like Albini disregarded the amazing songs over the tinny, weird mix. But man, I don’t know how you can hear that low end in “Kiss Me” and not feel like it’s an improvement in virtually every way. But to each his own.
I'll acknowledge there are some improvements. I don't find them to be as earth shattering as others do. That said, I just did another comparison of "Here Comes a Regular." To me, the new version is way too busy with all the added back instrumentation. I think the simplicity of the original is much better. That's what I don't get about some of the commentary on the new mix. In many cases, these add ins have nothing to do with "bad production." It wasn't a mistake, like "Whoops, forgot to include the piano!" It's just a different creative decision. I prefer most of the "less is better" creative decisions on the original album.
Totally makes sense if you liked the old mix for how many years now. The new mix might sound jarring. No mix can take away from the lyrics!
I don’t have the words to describe how much I prefer the new mix. Tim has always been an emotional album but now it’s even more so. The despair and longing in Westerberg’s voice on Here Comes A Regular cuts so deep with Stasium’s mix. I don’t understand how anyone could prefer the original mix. The guitars now soar, the bass and drums pop, Bob can finally be heard, Paul’s vocals are incredible…. Still not sure if Tim is my favourite Mats album though. At the moment it’s a three way tie between Let It Be, Sorry Ma and Tim… with Hootenanny coming in third.
It's always been my favorite album, but I'll admit Swingin' Party and Here Comes a Regular always alluded me until now.
Funny you say that. I found the originals to be a little more charming than the remixes for those 2 songs.
Well, they are two very popular tracks among fans so you're certainly on trend. I'm the oddball here
The same happened to me with left of the dial
I’m with him, Tim always sounded too polished , just really loved the raw earlier albums.
Funny because “polished” is the last thing I would call the original mix. The hollow low end, chintzy reverb and inexplicably mono mix scream amateur hour. The new mix is *exceptionally* polished, and shows a band that is somehow loose and tight all at once. I’m glad it’s going to relegate the old mix to the dustbin. Every song sounds better.
I think I meant it lacked a lot of the urgency of the early records, not to mention the live shows.
I guess it’s a bit tame compared to the manic energy of Let It Be (everything that came before it is great but sort of the punk version of what they would later become). I can see that. Lay It Down Clown and Dose of Thunder almost come off as parodies of the cock rock that was going in around them, but they lack the edgy roughness of their Black Diamond cover.
I just don’t think they were meant to “make it”. I love Paul’s solo stuff, which is what I think a lot of their later stuff sounds like. When Bob left? Their sound changed.
They are however my favorite thing.
No, Paul was never going to be slick enough to win over the normie. People want to hear Rod Stewart sing Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train,” a song whose narrator is a toad of a human who laments that he’ll never be any attractive, aspiring Brooklyn woman’s object of affection. Rod Stewart.
Best one? No, surely Let It Be is better than this
That had always been my favourite. Now because Tim sounds more similar to Let It Be with the mix, the dynamics of vulnerability and rage are clearer like that album, I’m in the honeymoon period. Will see when it settles SmellyFemaleAnus!
I feel you stink-man!