― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
ok - one of the greatest albums to emerge from the PU scene, ok - up against The Bangles, for chrissakes, - possibly - but one of the greatest psych albums ever? Having not heard it, I can say for certain that it couldn't possibly scratch the top ten thousand. It's David "Throwback" Roback, man!! Take two Pearls Before Swine LPs and call me in the mourning
― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
― A Nairn (moretap), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:28 (twenty-one years ago) link
Having also heard Pearls Before Swine, Opal tops out. To be fair, I guess ER is a lot more VU than it is psych..
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
But I'm also a product of that paisley scene too.
― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Thursday, 6 March 2003 09:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
You might consider getting either of the later Kendra Smith albums, which are both (IMHO) much better than Happy Nightmare Baby. Five Ways of Disappearing is probably a tad easier to find than the Guild of Temporal Adventurers, especially on eBay where you can probably snag it for $3-5.
A lot of Super Falling Star songs are very Early Recordings-era Opalesque, particularly the songs on their split single with Fuxa.
― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Thursday, 6 March 2003 10:10 (twenty-one years ago) link
― tigerclawskank, Thursday, 6 March 2003 10:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 6 March 2003 10:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
(If you'd prefer not to spend the 75 bucks, though, you can e-mail me...)
― M Specktor (M Specktor), Thursday, 6 March 2003 13:33 (twenty-one years ago) link
Sorry about being a ebay scum seller, but i needed the money to buy more records. My starting bid was only $5 tho...
― g (graysonlane), Thursday, 6 March 2003 15:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
_The Guild of Temporal Adventurers_ smokes the ass of _Five Ways of Disappearing_ in every known dimension. Her cover of "Bold Marauder" is good though, a sweeping cinematic revision of to me what always sounded a bit like a sea chantie.
Wonder why _ER_ hasn't been bootlegged yet? I figure that even if it wasn't swallowed by _Rough Trade_ that Roback would be enough of a bastard to keep it out of print. It wouldn't be the first time.
Speaking of which...._The Rainy Day Album_, which often comes up in these discussions, is vastly overrated in my view. Some interesting moments, but certainly not worth what it commands/commanded in the collector market. I doubt it'll ever be reprinted as well, which'll keep the ebay mavens happy.
― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Thursday, 6 March 2003 16:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 6 March 2003 16:51 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Lee G (Lee G), Thursday, 6 March 2003 17:09 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Lee G (Lee G), Thursday, 6 March 2003 17:14 (twenty-one years ago) link
― mike a (mike a), Thursday, 6 March 2003 18:11 (twenty-one years ago) link
― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 18:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
I'm looking for live recordings of Hope Sandoval singing Opal songs - I saw her do these at the Hollywood Palladium opening for The Jesus and Mary Chain after Kendra bailed on the tour. I think the Opal songs are much stronger in general than Mazzy Star stuff.
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 6 March 2003 18:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 6 March 2003 18:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Thursday, 6 March 2003 20:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Matt Maxwell (Matt M.), Friday, 7 March 2003 03:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Friday, 7 March 2003 03:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
Rain Parade - You Are My FriendRainy Day - I'll Keep It With Mine (feat Susanna Hoffs)Rainy Day - Flying on the Ground is Wrong (feat Kendra Smith)Rainy Day - I'll Be Your Mirror (feat Susanna Hoffs)Opal - Empty Box BluesOpal - She's a Diamond (Early Recordings vers.)Opal - My Only FriendOpal - Strange DelightOpal - Fell From the SunOpal - Rocket MachineOpal - Magick PowerOpal - She's a Diamond (Happy Nightmare Baby vers.)Opal - Happy Nightmare BabyMazzy Star - HalahMazzy Star - Blue FlowerMazzy Star - Ride It OnMazzy Star - Ghost HighwayMazzy Star - Fade Into YouMazzy Star - Mary of SilenceMazzy Star - Five String SerenadeMazzy Star - Into Dust
(81:40 overburn!, pretty much chronological. nb - I don't believe that David Roback appears on "You are My Friend", but it's such a good song and he certainly influenced it (wrote it???) - does anyone know how much? Chris?
also, I've ignored the last Mazzy Star album as I don't remember anything from it...)
― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 6 November 2003 23:10 (twenty years ago) link
― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 6 November 2003 23:16 (twenty years ago) link
― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 7 November 2003 12:23 (twenty years ago) link
― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 7 November 2003 12:25 (twenty years ago) link
I just saw something called Volume II on ebay with these tracks:
1. My Canyon Memory
2. Sisters of Mercy
3. Sailing Boats
4. Vespers
5. Lisa's Funeral
6. This Town
7. Freight Train
8. Wintertime
9. Little Bit of Rain
10. What You've Done
11. Cherry Jam
12. Indian Summer
― Spencer Chow, Thursday, 6 September 2007 22:42 (sixteen years ago) link
Indian Summer?!
― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 6 September 2007 22:44 (sixteen years ago) link
Magick Power, Magick Power...
― sexyDancer, Thursday, 6 September 2007 22:48 (sixteen years ago) link
i've got this -- it's a bootleg right? Has slightly dodgy sounds anyway. Roback (I think) sings quite a bit on it, if I recall correctly. There's a male singer at least ...
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 September 2007 22:48 (sixteen years ago) link
Voice of dissent, re: Early Recordings. It's good, but nowhere near as great as Happy Nightmare Baby. Best bits (Fell from the Sun, Northern Line, Harriet Brown, etc.) are lovely, dreamy psychedelic folk-pop -- some of my favorite music of that kind. But at least half the songs don't make much of an impression. Extremely pleasant, but too often limited to that.
Happy Nightmare Baby, on the other hand, is one of the best damn guitar rock albums out there. So incredibly dense, lush, SEXY, physical and intuitively right-fucking-on. Retro as hell, and locked into a psychedelic hard rock thing that necessarily limits its appeal, but absolutely unbeatable at its own game. Every song is distinctive, memorable, endlessly seductive. Maybe you have to be messed up, and you certainly have to dig "passionate" guitar solos, but even so...
Mazzy Star can't hold a candle. Nice, but nowhere near as deep. The Rainy Day thing is worth it only for I'll be your mirror - otherwise disposable. Kendra Smith's Guild of Temporal Adventurers EP is nearly as good as Early Recordings. Much creepier, often awkward as hell, but w/ tons of sick magnetism and an unbeatable Can cover.
― Bob Standard, Thursday, 6 September 2007 23:13 (sixteen years ago) link
Shakey, the "Indian Summer" track is indeed a Doors cover, appeared on a Chemical Imbalance 7", and is as great as anything on ER.
Wonder why _ER_ hasn't been bootlegged yet?
I bought a counterfeit LP a few weeks ago. I seriously doubt it was an actual Rough Trade reissue!
All Opal is CLASSIC. I need that boot CD really bad. Kendra solo is essential as well.
― sleeve, Thursday, 6 September 2007 23:26 (sixteen years ago) link
Happy Nightmare Baby is definitely the pinnacle of Roback's vision (especially the title track), but Early Recordings is surprisingly strong, especially without the heavy psychedelic assist from the guitars. Parts of Rainy Day, and certainly more than just "I'll Be Your Mirror" are just wonderful, especially "I'll Keep it With Mine" and "Flying On the Ground is Wrong" is just devastating. Mazzy Star obviously has many incredible tracks too. I certainly wouldn't dismiss it just because it's not quite as amazing.
― Spencer Chow, Friday, 7 September 2007 00:15 (sixteen years ago) link
yeah for years I snottily dismissed Mazzy Star as Opal wannabes given their lineup, thought Hope was just trying to imitate Kendra and thought Roback was striving to recapture past glories. Then at a particularly surreal, druggy party back in '98 I heard both CDs and they suddenly made a ton of sense. These days I think those first two MS CDs express the heroin-as-music vibe better than anything except a coupla Spacemen 3 records. Soporific in a good way.
― sleeve, Friday, 7 September 2007 00:24 (sixteen years ago) link
man i love opal so much, and strongly prefer the early/ clay allison stuff to 'happy nightmare' though it's def. good.
somehow and very weirdly with 'chemical imbalance' i managed to release two covers called "indian summer" --one the opal cover of the doors song, the other dean wareham's first solo release and a version of the beat happening song. (to further complicate things, later sonic boom covered dean's version thinking it was dean's song).
anyway, i hope to release the opal track in the best-of ci book/ cd out next year though i'm not holding my breath that roback and smith will okay that, even though the project is a benefit... we'll see.
― Mike McGooney-gal, Friday, 7 September 2007 01:46 (sixteen years ago) link
The ERII boot is pretty good and worth a moderate hassle to track down. There's a FLAC version circulating around on the torrent sites. Try tracking it down there first. I am also biased in this opinion.
I believe that the source of these was originally a cassette tape of unused tracks that would have made up some of the second Opal album. Roback sings most of them.
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 7 September 2007 01:54 (sixteen years ago) link
I must have this collection. (I think late summer is also good Opal listening weather in the gloaming -- will put it on in a bit here.)
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2007 02:04 (sixteen years ago) link
early recordings 2 is kinda disappointing, but "sailing boats" is a great song, i'd love to hear a decent quality version of it. (early recordings is one of my top 5 albums ever)
― zappi, Friday, 7 September 2007 02:12 (sixteen years ago) link
Bob Standard very OTM.
― inhibitionist, Friday, 7 September 2007 05:44 (sixteen years ago) link
i managed to get hold of the UK pressing of fell from the sun with 'frieght train' on it. great song, if not quite at the level of the a-side.
i love opal, and my ER cd sits next to my DAW as my reference disc of what an amazing recording sounds like
― electricsound, Friday, 7 September 2007 08:09 (sixteen years ago) link
has anyone heard beachouse? they capture that spooky early recordings sound pretty well. so when and what label did this volume 2 emerge? when do the recordings date from? is it post hnb?
― cw, Friday, 7 September 2007 09:44 (sixteen years ago) link
theres no official release, just low quality mp3s. its pretty much all the demo stuff left off early recordings, and with two or three exceptions (sailing boats, what you've done, vespers maybe) i think the compilers of the official album made the right choices.
― zappi, Friday, 7 September 2007 09:58 (sixteen years ago) link
do you like the kendra smith solo stuff joni? i ain't never heard it.
― cw, Friday, 7 September 2007 10:00 (sixteen years ago) link
i love the guild 10", but i found the songs on the 4ad album lacking, although she did a cracking version of richard & mimi farinas "bold marauder". email me your address & i'll send ya some stuff if ya want.
― zappi, Friday, 7 September 2007 10:04 (sixteen years ago) link
enjoy!
― thousand-yard spiral stairs (f. hazel), Wednesday, 16 December 2020 01:18 (three years ago) link
A 1988 show after Hope replaced Kendra. Audience recording but good once they get going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIWhLwJ-kyY
― nickn, Saturday, 30 October 2021 07:05 (two years ago) link
I ponied up for a copy of the deleted Early Recordings remaster (making it the only album I have overpaid for twice, both times deleted) and in addition to the fascination of the extra tracks, I gotta say the remaster is excellent. The music is so much more present and alive, whereas the original feels distant and slightly muffled.
― assert (matttkkkk), Tuesday, 4 January 2022 21:52 (two years ago) link
Live show above is lovely. The compression of the recording plus the LOUDLY mixed guitar is wonderful. Cheers for the link.
― Psychocandy Apple Grey (Pyschocandles), Wednesday, 5 January 2022 00:12 (two years ago) link
The remaster is great — lol, it really is so stupid that it's not available.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 5 January 2022 15:32 (two years ago) link
really sad the Happy Nightmare Baby reissue never made it out either, the original CD master of that one isn't bad but it isn't great either
― Jaime Pressly and America (f. hazel), Wednesday, 5 January 2022 15:40 (two years ago) link
There's a seller (Global-Deals for You) on eBay offering multiple sets of Early Recordings and Happy Nightmare Baby on CD - 30 sold, 8 remaining - which I think is a liquidator. Wondering if it might be the unsold stock of the reissues. I have the Early Recordings reissue and the original HNB CD, so it would be pretty expensive for me to buy a set out of curiosity, but I'm putting it here in case there are folks without either CD who'd like to give it a shot. Their feedback includes positive responses from folks who bought the set, by the way.https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/185279370201
― assert (matttkkkk), Thursday, 29 September 2022 05:52 (one year ago) link
interesting! trying to justify buying it as I have both the original releases, I really want a hard copy of the extra Early tracks tho ...
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Thursday, 29 September 2022 12:30 (one year ago) link
Remaster is excellent too, if that’s a factor for you.
― assert (matttkkkk), Thursday, 29 September 2022 20:12 (one year ago) link
arrived today, and as suspected they are the Salley Garden reissues that were pulled. v happy!
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 16:40 (one year ago) link
does the Happy Nightmare Baby CD have anything extra? is it remastered? the SST CD version doesn't sound bad but it doesn't sound amazing either...
― Jaime Pressly and America (f. hazel), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 17:06 (one year ago) link
nothing extra, I have the OG vinyl so can't compare.could rip & send if anyone's interested?
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 17:13 (one year ago) link
I would be interested to hear, yes please!
― sleeve, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 18:36 (one year ago) link
haha, I bought a set off the eBay auction so I can report back when I get mine re: old vs new HNB CD
― Jaime Pressly and America (f. hazel), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 19:13 (one year ago) link
(and can also rip for ILXors)
― Jaime Pressly and America (f. hazel), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 19:16 (one year ago) link
ok ripped, anyone interested webmail me 4 link
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 19:43 (one year ago) link
or just post here and I'll web you, that's probably easier tbh
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 19:50 (one year ago) link
That is AWESOME. I’m glad a few made it out after all.
― assert (matttkkkk), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 20:16 (one year ago) link
thanks zappi!
― sleeve, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 20:18 (one year ago) link
Would love it, thanks Zappi!
― Xgau Murder Spa (nikola), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 20:35 (one year ago) link
Would greatly appreciate said link; thank you, Zappi!
― SemStark, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 20:38 (one year ago) link
I only have the LP to compare, on first listen this does sound a bit fuller/more detail/remastered, not really louder/compressed which is nice
― sleeve, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 20:39 (one year ago) link
I’d love to hear a lossless of HNB if such a thing were available …
― assert (matttkkkk), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 20:52 (one year ago) link
yes thanks zappi for sending FLAC files, much appreciated
― sleeve, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 21:05 (one year ago) link
FLAC files? Wouldn't mind giving an ear, with thanks in advance. Lucky enough to have the original CD issues of both but it would be nice to get a sense of what's changed.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 21:19 (one year ago) link
(And much thanks again!)
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 4 October 2022 21:27 (one year ago) link
thank you!!
― assert (matttkkkk), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 21:54 (one year ago) link
Thanks again, Zappi!
Did a bit of comparing the original HNB CD and FLAC of the new one in Audition. If I were to guess, the new one is the same as the old one, with ~ +5dB gain applied. Once I matched volumes, there was no difference when A/B-ing. There's also no difference in frequency spectrum — if the new one was digitized anew from original tapes, there most likely would've been. On the plus sized, at least it's not crushed into oblivion, it's just been amped up without any limiting or compressing. So, if you have the old CD, you're not missing anything revelatory that you couldn't get with a volume dial.
Someone mentioned that they heard the remastered Early Recordings, and that *that* one sounded different. Anyone?
― Xgau Murder Spa (nikola), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 22:00 (one year ago) link
Sounds significantly better to me, much fuller than the Rough Trade CD, at least.
― assert (matttkkkk), Tuesday, 4 October 2022 22:22 (one year ago) link
and I agree that HNB is likely just a level boost of the same master
― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, 5 October 2022 00:04 (one year ago) link
Would love to hear this Zappi
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 5 October 2022 06:46 (one year ago) link
hi zappi, have just sent you a mail :)
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2022 07:15 (one year ago) link
thank u zappi, my hero!
― o shit the sheriff (NickB), Wednesday, 5 October 2022 07:20 (one year ago) link
Thanks Zappi!
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 5 October 2022 10:05 (one year ago) link
Are you on FB or Discord? Reddit? I want a copy (HNB was one of my favorites as a teen; it was burnt up in the fire) but I'm not sure if I have access to my ILXmail. (Chris Irregardless on FB, GreenLeafy11 on Discord and Reddit.)
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Wednesday, 5 October 2022 11:22 (one year ago) link
sent via reddit! I think I've caught up with everyone else, let me know if you can't find it etc.
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Wednesday, 5 October 2022 16:47 (one year ago) link
Lost opportunity with the lack of a remaster on Happy Nightmare Baby, it sounds like ass.
― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, 5 October 2022 23:03 (one year ago) link
I got it, thank you.
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Wednesday, 5 October 2022 23:32 (one year ago) link
like a fool I bought a set, I think I have bought Early Recordings four times now (and always for stupid prices). I'm glad to have both the Salley Gardens releases tho.
― assert (matttkkkk), Thursday, 20 October 2022 01:09 (one year ago) link
My copies from this eBay overstock place arrived, I wanted the Happy Nightmare Baby reissue to go along with the Early Recordings one I was lucky enough to get from Amazon before sales were halted. So I've got a spare copy of Early Recordings... anyone want it (for what I paid for it, an admittedly steep $36)?
― Jaime Pressly and America (f. hazel), Wednesday, 2 November 2022 21:20 (one year ago) link
I'm a little late in asking, but can anyone share FLAC files for the Opal 'Early Recordings' remaster on Salley Gardens? Seems to be out of reach now.
― makvirag, Sunday, 1 January 2023 15:38 (one year ago) link
yeah I got u
does your ilxmail work?
― sleeve, Sunday, 1 January 2023 15:58 (one year ago) link
Thanks, sleeve! I am new to this forum and don't have an ilxmail account. Is there another way?
― makvirag, Sunday, 1 January 2023 16:37 (one year ago) link
if the email you used to sign up is valid, I can send it to you!
― sleeve, Sunday, 1 January 2023 16:43 (one year ago) link
basically ilxmail send a blind message (no return email) to the account you used to register
― sleeve, Sunday, 1 January 2023 16:44 (one year ago) link
otherwise, you can click on my username link and send your email to me via ilxmail
― sleeve, Sunday, 1 January 2023 16:45 (one year ago) link
Dynamite, got it! Am listening to it now and what a treasure this set is. I still have the vinyl from '89. Could never let it go somehow, even when I really needed the money. I would just look at the cover and go, "no, not this one." The extra tracks are stellar and the sound is vivid...the songs really have a sound and a feel out of time; could have been released 47 years ago or yesterday. Thanks and Happy New Year to you!
― makvirag, Sunday, 1 January 2023 18:50 (one year ago) link
<3
― sleeve, Sunday, 1 January 2023 20:13 (one year ago) link