Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark - The Extended Versions - 1979-88


So, several months ago, I posted my "Singles Collection" of every OMD single, b-side and remix up through Dreaming.  I know, though, that listening to 6 discs straight through can be a daunting task.  I know because it's tough for me, even on a road trip.  So, I also made myself an extended/remix collection with one mix from each of their singles, if a mix exists.

It's hard to say which disc I prefer, as I have favorites on both of them.  Regardless, it's a good set, and playing through a 2-disc set doesn't take long.  Favorite tracks would include Never Turn Away, So In Love,
Messages, Souvenir, and of course the Martin Hannett mix of Electricity.

I've said before that I don't care for greatest hits collections.  I don't.  But, when it comes to OMD, and Art of Noise, a lot of times, that's the only way you can listen to them.  Don't know why.  But, as far as albums go, neither of them can really pull together a cohesive group of songs that I can like.  I guess I'm too picky.

Anyway, I thought the font and cover graphic was fitting for this collection.  I hadn't made the cover for myself before, but once I got these two, I printed them off.  Looks good on my CD wall.


10 comments:

  1. Thank You Thank You Thank You Love OMD

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cool blog,thanks for taking the time and effort to post such great stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good posts but on shitting RAR format hardly anyone uses...

      Delete
  3. Censorship, eh? RAR sucks - let all share with zips...

    ReplyDelete
  4. OK...let me be careful here.

    First of all, I have no clue what "shitting rar format" means, or "let's all share with zips", for that matter. Get a goddamn 7zip unzipper, you two, and everything works fine.

    So that's those two jerks done with.

    Now, dearest blogmeister - I just came across your little playroom today. I was very happy as I saw many things that are also on my radar. But....and let me preface this : I know this is free. I am not some Steve Hoffman audiophile batshit freakazoid, nor am I that asshole Wormhole Willard is so OCD about bitrates I want to strangle him.

    But. But but but. The main reason I collect things online is to build up a collection of things that 90% of the time I already own, but would like in mp3 format. (Difficult for me to transfer what I have myself - long story.) Anyway, having said all of that, and with NO disrespect or ungratefulness intended, I just gotta tell ya, guy - 128 does not cut it. Especially with the sonic properties of a lot of things you post. I pretty much knew it was coming when I saw the size of one or two of the files I downloaded - but once I confirmed it, my heart sank a little. Because, for instance, I was really looking forward to those epic OMD posts. But if they're at 128....

    Again - I listen to music, not formats. But unless there is no other way around it, that's just too low. 320 is obviously best, but even 192 is a big step up. Just my two cents. I admire what you're doing here greatly. But I really needed to say that. Think about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally understand your situation and desires, as I, too look only for the best format I can. Unfortunately, I, too am collecting from other sources just as you are. To be honest, I've only ripped about 10 CDs to do this site so far. And, I post the best bitrate that I have. I have noticed that when downloading the torrents, I can only take what I can get. I'm only posting the best that I have. And, it's disappointing to me as well. Especially when you try and burn a disc and the one or two tracks with the lowest bitrate tend to degrade the rest of the tracks on the burn as they have to equalize.
      Another issue is that in some cases, I'm pulling tracks off of youtube through a "VidtoMp3.com" type site. Not a whole lot of control, there as well.
      I could reconvert to a higher bitrate, but you can't make a turd sound any better than it already is.

      I promise you that when I upload this material, I'm giving you the best that I have, and I am constantly looking for better if it's out there. If I can find a way to upgrade the uploads, I will do it as I find the new material.

      THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for being polite about your grievance! The reason why I had to unload on those shitbags was only because of the way they acted. Had they had some manners, I actually would have given a shit.

      I'm glad you like the blog, keep coming back and I hope you can find something worth having...

      Delete
    2. PS - I just downloaded the first zip, and the songs are across the board. I've got 128, 192, 224, and 256. Sorry dude. I really am...

      Delete
  5. Well, it's not even about being polite. I think you wasted some perfectly usable vicious invective on both of them. Garden variety trolls. You shoulda just deleted their comments and ignored them.

    Anyway, as to your reply - if you're sourcing a lot of things yourself then sort of turning it around, as it were, then it makes a little more sense I guess, especially with the YouTube stuff.

    I have never dealt with a torrent in my life, as I've never seen the need to. A few years after the brief chill that seemed to pass through everyone after the Megaupload kerfuffle, we are now back to where you can find almost anything you want in the blogsopshere without any need to go there. There are also some amazing sources of entire discographies out there by many of the people you've posted, which have been up for several years. They're not hard to find - just do some creative Googling and you'll be amazed at some of the Pandora's boxes you can find. (I was trying to do an OMD joke line after that, but I'm coming up empty.)

    And yes, I noticed that you did have some stuff running at higher rates. So I will probably sniff around at some of your other things. As I said before, you can kind of tell what it will be by how much stuff is in the file and what size it is. And again, a lot of this stuff I have already, but there are always little gaps to fill here and there. And honestly, as much as I love the area you're mining here, it's the tip of the iceberg for me. I'm in the middle of a jazz retrieval at the moment that's going to take me, literally, months to do. But hey - keeps me off the streets.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jazz retrieval, you say? What era, and what type? I've been a huge fan of the Big Band from the 50s and 60s, and also the Exotica from the 50s. You know, Martin Denny, Les Baxter and the like. Also, the Latin Jazz from the 50s and 60s as well. I'd like to post some of that stuff here, but I think I've sort of pigeon-holed myself with the type of music I have here. I'll have to start another blog as soon as I'm done digging through my archive. I'm not posting anything and everything, but I guess I'll be done with what I plan on posting by Spring....

      Delete