“Shake It Up” by THE CARS. A Review Of The 2010 Mobile Fidelity Audiophile CD Reissue.

"…Liquid Whispers…"

By the time "Shake It Up" appeared in November 1981, The Cars had produced a stunning self-titled debut album in 1978 but followed it with two albums "Candy-O" (1979) and "Panorama" (1980) which left some fans feeling cold and cheated. "Shake It Up" restored some of that original faith (it peaked at Number 9 in the USA). I bought it on holiday in New York at the time and have played the thing to buggery ever since.

Which brings us to this expensive and exclusive MFSL Original Master Recording issue. Released late January 2010 in the USA on Mobile Fidelity UDCD 788 (40:53 minutes) – it features mini-LP repro artwork (a hard-card gatefold sleeve) and is a limited numbered edition (numbered in gold lettering on the rear). It’s been mastered from the 1st generation tapes by BOB LoVERDE at Mobile Fidelity’s Sound Labs in Sebastopol in California using their patented GAIN 2 SYSTEM. The disc is a GOLD ULTRADISC II CD - itself housed in a gauze inner sleeve for protection. This is then cleverly wrapped in a black and gold gatefold card-protector (the wording on both sides explain MFSL’s remastering process and the company's 30-year history in Audiophile Pressings). Beside that is an 8-page booklet - which essentially mimics the inner lyric bag of the original Elektra Records LP.

Cars fans will know that only 4 of its 9 tracks have been remastered before – "Shake It Up", "Since You’re Gone", "I’m Not The One" and "Cruiser" on the 1995 “Just What I Needed” 2CD Anthology. The 5CD mini box set issued by Rhino in 2010 didn’t carry a remaster either – this is first time the entire album has been given a sonic overhaul and it sounds fantastic.

I have a real problem (like many listeners) with Eighties over-production, but this MFSL remaster sweeps all that aside – it’s clean, warm and beautifully subtle in its quiet power. My favourite track has always been "A Dream Away" (lyrics above) which had a mastering glitch at the beginning – it’s been fixed by MFSL – and it’s sweeping 'liquid' feel is at last given the reproduction its always deserved. The punch out of "I’m Not The One" is fabulous – when the guitar slides in about 25 seconds in - it’s so clear. It’s not all genius of course ("Cruiser" and "Maybe Baby" are hardly great), but there are others on here that I can’t live without like the frantic "Think It Over" and the opener "Since You’re Gone" (neither sounded this good before). And of course a huge fan favourite is "Victim Of Love" which has a lovely feel to it now - the layers coming at you from every angle. I’ve been disappointed by Audiophile issues before, but this is a superb remaster.

Niggles – some have moaned that the card repro is gimmicky and won’t stand the test of time with regard to wear and tear (once out of the shrinkwrap, there’s no outer plastic sleeve to protect it like Japanese repros have). They argue that MFSL should only use jewel cases with lift-locks to keep these expensive CDs properly protected. It's a good point and one well worth making. Personally I like the repro artwork, but I think Mobile Fidelity must address this issue - make some kind of MFSL outer plastic for protection that could act as a generic outer wrapper for old and future issues. Outside of that minor minus, I’ve loved rehearing this album in such sonic clarity…

"Shake It Up" is never going to be mentioned as a 'masterpiece' in any league table anywhere - but like "Heartbeat City" – I’ve always loved it – and I’ve always had a soft spot for The Cars and their layered slices of pop brilliance. If you love this album (originally produced by Chris Thomas Baker), then expensive or not – you need to own this stunning Limited Edition of it.

Recommended.

“Living In The Past” by JETHRO TULL. A Review of the 1999 MOBILE FIDELITY 2CD ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING Version.

JETHRO TULL is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…And That The Song I Sing…Will Lead You Astray…"

Disc 1 (42:55 minutes):
1. Song For Jeffrey
2. Love Story
3. Christmas Song
4. Living In The Past
5. Driving Song
6. Bourée
7. Sweet Dream
8. Singing All Day
9. Teacher
10. Witch's Promise
11. Inside
12. Alive And Well And Living In
13. Just Trying To Be

Disc 2 (45:35 minutes):
1. By Kind Permission Of [Live At Carnegie Hall, 1970]
2. Dharma for One [Live At Carnegie Hall, 1970]
3. Wond'ring Again
4. Hymn 43
5. Locomotive Breath
6. Life Is A Long Song
7. Up the 'Pool
8. Dr. Bogenbroom
9. For Later
10. Nursie

The 2LP set "Living In The Past" was issued in July 1972 in the UK on Chrysalis CJT 1 and October 1972 in the USA on Chrysalis 2CH 1035 - both originals sporting hardback book sleeves with 12 pages of colour shots inside. The set's title reflected what was inside - a ragbag of previously released albums tracks bolstered up with new live and studio songs, rare single sides and their non-album flips.

This 'full' 2CD version is an audiophile issue - a Mobile Fidelity ORIGINAL MASTER RECORDING housed in a card wrap with two gold ULTRADISC-2 CDs in two separate lift-lock CD cases. The detached oversized booklet slotted in beside the CDs replicates entirely the packaging and liner notes of the original double album - right down to the 'book' texture of the front and rear sleeve. Nice touches it has to be said. However, the liner notes get some details wrong which need clarifying...

Disc 1:
Tracks 1 to 11 and 13 make up the 12 tracks of Side 1 and 2 of the original 'UK' double album using strict sequencing

You will notice that Disc 1 has 13 tracks and not 12. The reason for the extra song is that "Inside" (from the "Benefit" LP) appeared as track 5 on Side 2 of the original 'UK' issue, but the original 'US' issue replaced this track with "Alive And Well And Living In" (another "Benefit" track in the UK and the B-side to the UK 7" of "Inside"). Both have been included on this 2CD set for completeness.

Disc 2:
Tracks 1 to 3 and 5 to 10 make up the 9 tracks of Side 3 and 4 of the original 'UK' double album using strict sequencing

However, you will notice that like Disc 1, Disc 2 also has an extra track. Track 5 is "Locomotive Breath" from the "Aqualung" LP - it appeared as track 2 on Side 4 of the original 'UK' issue. However, the 'US' issue replaced this track with another cut from "Aqualung" - "Hymn 43" - again both tracks are included on the Mobile Fidelity issue for completeness.

To confuse matters further, the ok-sounding official EMI release of "Living In The Past" on CD is a truncated single disc...so this US-only Mobile Fidelity issue is the only way to get the full double in one place - and more importantly - with great sound.

Speaking of which - when I compare "Locomotive Breath" and "Hymn 43" on the 1996 "Aqualung" remaster to these MF versions - the difference couldn't be more marked; the "Aqualung" remaster was to my ears one of the worst and dullest of issues - these MF versions leap out of the speakers. As the recordings vary from 1968 to 1971, the sound does so too, but the Mobile issue excels on them all - especially the beautiful acoustic turns "Just Trying To Be" (lyrics above) and "Up The 'Pool". In fact - excepting the excessive two live tracks, which took up all of Side 3, it's amazing how well the whole set holds together - even to this day.

Bottom line is - this Mobile Fidelity 2CD set has really great sound and the full compliment - it's just such a damn shame that this now rare deletion costs so much...

PS: Given the stunning sound quality on the Collector's Edition of "This Was" achieved by Peter Mew at Abbey Road - surely EMI - both this, "Aqualung" and "Stand Up' could do with the same treatment? It's infuriating that fans have to dig into their wallets to get quality sound...