Expecting Rain

Ask Elle McPherson.

as if..

Ok, just done a very quick A/B between my original '76 vinyl and the new one, just picking random songs.

At the same volume and same listening position, the remaster sounds louder, with more 'air' and presence to the music, giving a better impression of the space it was performed in. The bass sounds bouncier and richer (above all else, the bass hits me as being more 'sensual', in that you feel it more), the drums less tinny (not difficult), the violins and guitars fuller and Dylan's vocals seem slightly better defined.

This is clearly not a new mix, or at least I dont think it is, judging by only a skim listen and the fact it is referred to as 'remastered' not remixed. So the fact remains that Hard Rain doesnt exactly have a production that best befits the songs - in either version. But initial impressions are that it is a step up from the original vinyl pressing.

I will give it more indepth listening though later and report back.

Does anyone have info on exactly what Berkowitz did with this? I see very scant detail on the 'net.

But is it an improvement on the CD version?

Oh God, yes. It's a different experience entirely, like a layer of dirt has been lifted.

All we need now is good vinyl rip of this new remaster to put in our portable ears.

I have emailed Music On Vinyl asking for background info on this release. Will let you know if and when they respond.

In the meantime, I will buy it myself. This is possibly my favourite of all Dylan's albums and if this release improves it then I will be a very happy Brian.

Yep, reckon so Brian - depends on quality of your turntable vs cd player of course, but yes, I think you need this new vinyl.

Just listened to side 1 from start to end, pumping loud.

Oh lord is it gooooood. Really nice and clean, clear and punchy remaster job.

The Music on Viny reissue exactly replicates the artwork of the original US issue (slight text format difference on the record label itself, but otherwise the same package).

Track times are identical to the original vinyl - not the CD release, which of course splices all that extra audience noise in.

Incidentally, I love the fact that when they designed the sleeve for this album, they not only couldn't even be bothered to put the song titles in the right order on the back - half-arsedly asking the owner to 'see label for sequence' - but also printed them in really small, hard to read white text, Such consumate attention to the aesthetic presentation of the art.

For those anal retentives among you, the impossibly ace Searching For A Gem website is a good resource on all the different verisons of the album out there: http://www.searchingforagem.com/1970s/I ... nal021.htm

Sounds like a fabulous upgrade. Snarling, raging, awesome Bob...staring into the void and not afraid...

Thanks for the review Bennyboy. So let me get this straight. Basically what your saying is, Dylan's best live album just got a little better? Nothing wrong with that.

Yep, thats about the size of it.

This was the rather excited email I sent to MOV:

Hi
Can you provise any information on the remastered version of Dylan\'s Hard
Rain your company has recently produced? Is the remaster a significant
improvement on the CD version, for instance, and have the gaps between the
tracks been restored (the CD version had audience noise inserted to give the
effect of a continuous performance)? Also, was Steve Berkowitz specially
commissioned by your company to remaster the album, only for this vinyl
release? Will the remaster be appearing on CD in the near future? If you can
answer any of these questions, and provide some background information for
this rather curious release, I was greatly appreciate it.
Thanks in advance,
Brian

I just got this back from a Mark Klinkhamer:

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your mail.

We received high res (remastered) digital masters for "Hard Rain" from Steve
Berkowitz. We made the cut here in Holland and we sent the test pressings
back to Steve for approval. This goes for all our Dylan releases.

We don't know anything about a cd release.

To stay in tune with our releases please subscribe to our newsletter or like
us on Facebook.

Best,
Mark

Cheers Brian. That's at least some info - more than we had....

I might as well take this opportunity to say that in lieu of any needledrop from the masters out there in cyberspace, I have produced my own rip of the viny.

While my gear is not exactly as advanced as I'd like, I have to say it sounds bloody superb. Pisses all over the official CD version.

If you'd like a copy, I definitely wouldn't advise you to send me a pm. Am back off holiday tomorrow eve and will not be able to send you anything then.

Links have now been furnished to all who requested, hopefully - check your inboxes and let me know if not.

If anyone else wants a copy, you know what to do.

Comments about the remaster, based on rip, are welcome - hopefully we can help sell some extra copies to raving RTR-headsor even (perish the thought) dubious weak-brained fence sitters.

Benny, your enthusiasm for this Hard Rain couldn't have anything to do with you avatar could it??
Just seen it available on Amazon so may well go for it....

Thank you.

Chicken, meet egg.

^ Ah, the old concept of eternal recurrence reappears again.

^ as it is wont.

It sounds great, you can hear instruments you can't hear on the cd version. It has always been a very strange album, it almost doesn't sound like a Dylan album, it is a strange hybrid of country and punk, one of the greatest live albums ever, only wish it had been a double album like Budokan.

I dunno - that punky vibe would sag over too long a span, I think. As it is, the 9 songs are perfectly sequenced to lead you from the bang bang bang side A into the heavier, darker side B.

And yes, the remaster is great, isn't it? Really lets the music breathe and flex its muscles much more than the foggy cd mix. Idiot Wind, as just one example, becomes this ferocious, awe-inspiring beast of a track compared to its cd cousin. And that Big Girl Now! Phewee....

Yes I think you are right, I think if it were a double album it would have been toooo exhausting.

I think it is perfect as a single album. And I'm very glad it's nothing like Budokan!!

Yep, played this drivng home. I agree with you DebbieA regards the intrumentation which has more punch and clarity than the original cd version. Will get it on a proper system later and 'play f....... loud'
Not too sure tho' about it should have been a double as, at nearly an hour, this leaves you satisfied without being sated.

The vinyl rip is tremendous. Thank you. It's a serious upgrade from the cd. The bass is fuller and more present. Dylan's vocals are clearer. The drums pop more. The whole sound is both warmer and punchier. It makes me wonder how they get away with releasing the cd masters as they do when they could do the music much more justice. This is simply a much more satisfying and powerful listening experience to one of the greatest live Dylan documents in existence.