I'd call you an audiophile, even though I;m not one, on the basis of how attuned you are to different pressings of the same release as well as of new make-overs like this one. Always love your well-informed upfront reviews partly on that account. If I'm wondering whether to buy a new release, you're a go-to guy beforehand. Especially now I have a turntable & am playing the remnants of my old record collection for the 1st time in over 20 years. I had no intention of starting to BUY vinyl again at this late stage, but I've lapsed into buying some more 2nd hand records. Mostly 12" singles & EPs from around 1990 by an English indie band from Sheffield called CUD. If you ever check out CUD, see if you can sample ' *Do It Again* ', which is a ' B' side throwaway on the 12" single 'Rich & Strange'... because if you don't dig the bliss of 'Do It Again' I'd suggest skip the band's entire output - - that's how much of a definitive sound CUD achieved with 'Do It Again.' I can't find my old albums 'Mind Games' & 'Walls & Bridges' so I probably sold or traded them decades ago. I;m finding those disappointments as I explore the old collection, along with white damp splotches on the vinyl (which clean off incredibly well with zero damage....almost like damp is a preservative!). Sounds like you are honestly underwhelmed by the new dbl album. Always refreshing when a Beatles fan just comes out & says how he feels without the hype. I didn;t buy it but agree with the stipulation on not tinkering with the original production. All I have of it is a 9-track cd sampler. I always felt sax on any Lennon solo album was a poor & strident choice of instrument - - it's not even *good* sax - - that JL liked for some reason no one ever seemed to ask him about. It's not an Elvis or Buddy rock 'n' roll influence. Sax did crop up in some mid-50s rock 'n' roll songs before rock 'n' roll completely broke away from the Beat Generation's affiliation to jazz. But it's hard to believe it's a Bill Haley influence when Bill Haley so quickly became square after *Blackboard Jungle* , because I think JL never gave Bill Haley even the slightest nod as an influence the way PM did. The sax affiliation may have started when he met Elephants Memory in NYC. But I agree, there has to be another way to release versions that so radically alter production as to knock the sax player on the head in an upgrade of the original album.
Mind Games is my 3rd favorite solo John album after Plastic Ono Band & Imagine. I agree with your assessment about the loudness of the vinyl and editing out original instrumentation. Despite this, I do like the remixes of the title track, I Know I Know, Intuition & One Day at a time (even without the saxophone). "Out the Blue" is my favorite on the record as the lead vocal is amazing!
Mind Games, I Know (I Know), Out the Blue and Bring on the Lucie are killer tracks! You Are Here, Aisumasen and Intuition are very very good too. I love this album, but the original mix did it no favors. This remix is so nice, it gives me a new appreciation for Meat City and Tight A$ with John's amazing vocals up front instead of buried.
I picked up the 2 cd set to test the waters ( to hear the “ultimate mixes”) before I considered any other formats. My primary focus was to pursue the vinyl edition- in all honesty I was waiting for your opinion before doing so. I’ll probably pick up the vinyl edition, hoping the quality of the records will be good, no warping, and accept the loudness in between tracks.
I'm also not too big on sax, but your point of remaining true to the original is apt. Perhaps another approach might have been a new mix that simply updates and improves on the original, and another that could do radical stuff. Ghose elements mixes are of only passing interest to me. With the prior Lennon boxes I just listened to that stuff once or twice. I really love Mind Games album. It's my second favorite Lennon solo album after POB.
I have the 2 cd version which I think is probably the same content as the 2lp. I am enjoying the outtakes cd the most. There is also a free cd with latest issue of Uncut magazine that has other tracks including I’m The Greatest. Worth picking up
I was sort of worried after hearing your comment about this pressing being noisy but upon playing my copy it turned out to be fantastic. Great sound quality, loved the album packaging, so happy with this purchase. So sorry you had a bad experience with your copy. Now on to listen to the CD box set. Take care!
Thank you! The only really honest review of this edition I‘ve seen up to now! Other youtubers got free box sets from the Lennon estate and can‘t stop praising it, even the foolish or at least childish hidden things. I think they should have returned them and bought them by themselves, So thanks again! - In the 70s when I began collecting records (we didn’t say vinyl then) nearly every LP was flat and quiet. Not now! I don‘t buy them if they aren‘t made bei Optimum or some other good manufactorer. Greetings from Berlin, Harry
I hadn’t seen your videos before, but this popped in my queue and since I’m supposed to be receiving this double LP in the mail today I thought I’d get a sneak peek. I appreciate the no nonsense assessments. Agree the hype of the music is misplaced. This album deserves a sonic upgrade but it’s still his fourth best solo work despite the title track being one of the best songs he ever wrote. Changing settings on the control board isn’t going to change that.
Great review! Welcome back!! I agree with all your points & critique. I purchased the 6 cd / 2 Blu-ray box & while it was an enjoyable listen from start to finish, I don't see myself revisiting it very often. I'm a Lennon completist so I had to have it. I miss the sax too. I'll probably spin my og Japanese vinyl pressing instead. It's truer to what John invisioned as the artist and producer. Look forward to your McCartney "One Hand Clapping" review. Take care. ✌
The sax was played by the great Michael Brecker, and it’s an insult to his memory to remove it from the record. I also hate the removal of the guitars from “Tight As.”
I've been listening to this album a lot recently. Thanks for the review! This 2024 campaign looks pretty cool. Nice to know the packaging is high quality. Sorry to hear about the noisy vinyl, though. Seems that the medium is often treated as an afterthought in these things. Shame about the missing instruments and revisionism. Totally agree with you there.
I've heard some songs pre-release. For instance my favorite on the album, 'I'm Sorry (Aisumaisan). The sound was so radical different, that I immediately bought a now rare copy of the 2010 remaster on CD. To make sure I own a version on CD that is like the original version on LP I grew up with. Some songs are better now, however. But Freda People (Bring On the Lucie), I'm Sorry and Meat City are so altered and I prefer the earlier versions. There are even some doubts about 'Mind Games', which is the most prominent song. The same goes for the 2023 remix of I'm The Walrus. Luckely, I'm getting more used to it, so maybe it's the case with this songs aswell. Anyway, thanks alot for your insightful video. ~Marjet
I bought the six CD set but the sad thing is I don't know how to find the hidden tracks. I have no computer and I have no Blu-ray. Someone told me he thought that the hidden tracks were just on the regular CDs but I don't know. If anybody could help I'd sure appreciate it.
I believe (and this is just what I've read), if you go to the first track on a certain disc (again I don't know which one) and then hit back two times, it will take you to track 0 (zero) which will then have one of the many hidden tracks. So far I believe the hidden tracks are: I'm The Greatest, Rock & Roll People, Meat City (single mix), You Are Here (some alt take), and another track of mellotron messing about. Again this is what I've read on the various Beatles/Record forums. Hope it helps a little.
Thanks Brian, always enjoy your fine videos. Thanks for the honest assessment. I've never much cared for this album, or remixes in general, so I'll be passing on this one.
Mind Games was the first album I bought, it has strong songs always did, it was labelled wrongly after the negative political adventure ? I have now listened to the new mixes and many agree it’s a step up in do too and i loved it in 73. Interesting review, how have you missed out of the blue ? I could argue that at least 5 of the songs would fit on any Lennon Album and actually Beatles ? Especially Let it be, but that could be said of the other Beatles too I am loving this Mind Games adventure ! Lennon told George Martin he wanted to record many Beatles tracks, I think Sean in a way is trying to give us 2024 John but in respect ? I could be wrong ? The creative repackage is such fun, the maps treasure hunts hidden tracks post cards etc ? I dunno I think it’s a triumph Take care
I haven't bought vinyl since the CD format arrived. I don't like the surface noise of vinyl. As for the mixes, you have me rethinking bothering to get the 2 CD edition. I only really want a good mix of the album. I think Amazon is charging too much for the 2 CD edition @ $30.
Hey Brain - I agree with your takes here. This album has always been mediocre to me. It's got some really solid songs, but it feels like it's a bunch of filler that John slapped together to sell more units without workshopping them into fully realized songs. That's what was so magical about the Beatles, especially in their prime - they feel workshopped into a fully fleshed out realized song. This album's overall vibe, at least to me, is rushed and almost demo material put on an LP. To call it a masterpiece is a stretch. Thanks for your videos.
It’s too bad you’re unnecessary bias against CDs has limited you to the vast amount of music on the CDs in the box I listen to both vinyl and CDS and both sound great on my system
@@davepounds8924 I collect CDs as well. I prefer vinyl, but there are rare instances where CDs sound better than vinyl. And thankfully all of the music in the super deluxe box (except the hidden tracks) is available to stream. So I’ve been enjoying those in the car. That being said, I still stand by everything I said in this video.
I'd call you an audiophile, even though I;m not one, on the basis of how attuned you are to different pressings of the same release as well as of new make-overs like this one. Always love your well-informed upfront reviews partly on that account. If I'm wondering whether to buy a new release, you're a go-to guy beforehand.
Especially now I have a turntable & am playing the remnants of my old record collection for the 1st time in over 20 years. I had no intention of starting to BUY vinyl again at this late stage, but I've lapsed into buying some more 2nd hand records.
Mostly 12" singles & EPs from around 1990 by an English indie band from Sheffield called CUD. If you ever check out CUD, see if you can sample ' *Do It Again* ', which is a ' B' side throwaway on the 12" single 'Rich & Strange'... because if you don't dig the bliss of 'Do It Again' I'd suggest skip the band's entire output - - that's how much of a definitive sound CUD achieved with 'Do It Again.'
I can't find my old albums 'Mind Games' & 'Walls & Bridges' so I probably sold or traded them decades ago. I;m finding those disappointments as I explore the old collection, along with white damp splotches on the vinyl (which clean off incredibly well with zero damage....almost like damp is a preservative!).
Sounds like you are honestly underwhelmed by the new dbl album. Always refreshing when a Beatles fan just comes out & says how he feels without the hype. I didn;t buy it but agree with the stipulation on not tinkering with the original production. All I have of it is a 9-track cd sampler.
I always felt sax on any Lennon solo album was a poor & strident choice of instrument - - it's not even *good* sax - - that JL liked for some reason no one ever seemed to ask him about. It's not an Elvis or Buddy rock 'n' roll influence. Sax did crop up in some mid-50s rock 'n' roll songs before rock 'n' roll completely broke away from the Beat Generation's affiliation to jazz. But it's hard to believe it's a Bill Haley influence when Bill Haley so quickly became square after *Blackboard Jungle* , because I think JL never gave Bill Haley even the slightest nod as an influence the way PM did. The sax affiliation may have started when he met Elephants Memory in NYC.
But I agree, there has to be another way to release versions that so radically alter production as to knock the sax player on the head in an upgrade of the original album.
Very much appreciate what you said. If I can help in any way; it makes me very happy. I'll check out CUD and report back to you.
Mind Games is my 3rd favorite solo John album after Plastic Ono Band & Imagine. I agree with your assessment about the loudness of the vinyl and editing out original instrumentation. Despite this, I do like the remixes of the title track, I Know I Know, Intuition & One Day at a time (even without the saxophone). "Out the Blue" is my favorite on the record as the lead vocal is amazing!
Mind Games, I Know (I Know), Out the Blue and Bring on the Lucie are killer tracks! You Are Here, Aisumasen and Intuition are very very good too. I love this album, but the original mix did it no favors. This remix is so nice, it gives me a new appreciation for Meat City and Tight A$ with John's amazing vocals up front instead of buried.
I picked up the 2 cd set to test the waters ( to hear the “ultimate mixes”) before I considered any other formats. My primary focus was to pursue the vinyl edition- in all honesty I was waiting for your opinion before doing so. I’ll probably pick up the vinyl edition, hoping the quality of the records will be good, no warping, and accept the loudness in between tracks.
Just to add… on disc 1 - Ultimate mix- it displays 90 tracks (?)
I'm also not too big on sax, but your point of remaining true to the original is apt. Perhaps another approach might have been a new mix that simply updates and improves on the original, and another that could do radical stuff. Ghose elements mixes are of only passing interest to me. With the prior Lennon boxes I just listened to that stuff once or twice. I really love Mind Games album. It's my second favorite Lennon solo album after POB.
I have the 2 cd version which I think is probably the same content as the 2lp. I am enjoying the outtakes cd the most. There is also a free cd with latest issue of Uncut magazine that has other tracks including I’m The Greatest. Worth picking up
I was sort of worried after hearing your comment about this pressing being noisy but upon playing my copy it turned out to be fantastic. Great sound quality, loved the album packaging, so happy with this purchase. So sorry you had a bad experience with your copy. Now on to listen to the CD box set. Take care!
Great review.....Better luck on the upcoming 'Mind Games Ultimate' in 2034
Haha can't wait for the 2034 Xray Mix.
Thank you! The only really honest review of this edition I‘ve seen up to now! Other youtubers got free box sets from the Lennon estate and can‘t stop praising it, even the foolish or at least childish hidden things. I think they should have returned them and bought them by themselves, So thanks again! - In the 70s when I began collecting records (we didn’t say vinyl then) nearly every LP was flat and quiet. Not now! I don‘t buy them if they aren‘t made bei Optimum or some other good manufactorer. Greetings from Berlin, Harry
@@Delius1958 no one sends me anything. I think they’re afraid I’ll actually listen to it.
I hadn’t seen your videos before, but this popped in my queue and since I’m supposed to be receiving this double LP in the mail today I thought I’d get a sneak peek. I appreciate the no nonsense assessments. Agree the hype of the music is misplaced. This album deserves a sonic upgrade but it’s still his fourth best solo work despite the title track being one of the best songs he ever wrote. Changing settings on the control board isn’t going to change that.
Great review! Welcome back!! I agree with all your points & critique. I purchased the 6 cd / 2 Blu-ray box & while it was an enjoyable listen from start to finish, I don't see myself revisiting it very often. I'm a Lennon completist so I had to have it. I miss the sax too. I'll probably spin my og Japanese vinyl pressing instead. It's truer to what John invisioned as the artist and producer. Look forward to your McCartney "One Hand Clapping" review. Take care. ✌
Thanks!
The sax was played by the great Michael Brecker, and it’s an insult to his memory to remove it from the record. I also hate the removal of the guitars from “Tight As.”
And “Meat City”.
Mind games suffered because the public initially thought it was another "some time in NYC" horror. It did sell well it took time
I've been listening to this album a lot recently. Thanks for the review!
This 2024 campaign looks pretty cool. Nice to know the packaging is high quality. Sorry to hear about the noisy vinyl, though. Seems that the medium is often treated as an afterthought in these things.
Shame about the missing instruments and revisionism. Totally agree with you there.
I've heard some songs pre-release. For instance my favorite on the album, 'I'm Sorry (Aisumaisan). The sound was so radical different, that I immediately bought a now rare copy of the 2010 remaster on CD. To make sure I own a version on CD that is like the original version on LP I grew up with. Some songs are better now, however. But Freda People (Bring On the Lucie), I'm Sorry and Meat City are so altered and I prefer the earlier versions. There are even some doubts about 'Mind Games', which is the most prominent song. The same goes for the 2023 remix of I'm The Walrus. Luckely, I'm getting more used to it, so maybe it's the case with this songs aswell. Anyway, thanks alot for your insightful video. ~Marjet
I bought the six CD set but the sad thing is I don't know how to find the hidden tracks. I have no computer and I have no Blu-ray. Someone told me he thought that the hidden tracks were just on the regular CDs but I don't know. If anybody could help I'd sure appreciate it.
I believe (and this is just what I've read), if you go to the first track on a certain disc (again I don't know which one) and then hit back two times, it will take you to track 0 (zero) which will then have one of the many hidden tracks. So far I believe the hidden tracks are: I'm The Greatest, Rock & Roll People, Meat City (single mix), You Are Here (some alt take), and another track of mellotron messing about. Again this is what I've read on the various Beatles/Record forums. Hope it helps a little.
Thanks Brian, always enjoy your fine videos. Thanks for the honest assessment. I've never much cared for this album, or remixes in general, so I'll be passing on this one.
Thanks so much!
Long time no see
And yet here I be
This is exactly why I have stopped buying vinyl. Prices went up up and up during the inflation, quality stayed low.
Mind Games was the first album I bought, it has strong songs always did, it was labelled wrongly after the negative political adventure ?
I have now listened to the new mixes and many agree it’s a step up in do too and i loved it in 73. Interesting review, how have you missed out of the blue ? I could argue that at least 5 of the songs would fit on any Lennon Album and actually Beatles ? Especially Let it be, but that could be said of the other Beatles too
I am loving this Mind Games adventure !
Lennon told George Martin he wanted to record many Beatles tracks, I think Sean in a way is trying to give us 2024 John but in respect ? I could be wrong ? The creative repackage is such fun, the maps treasure hunts hidden tracks post cards etc ? I dunno I think it’s a triumph
Take care
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I haven't bought vinyl since the CD format arrived. I don't like the surface noise of vinyl.
As for the mixes, you have me rethinking bothering to get the 2 CD edition. I only really want a good mix of the album. I think Amazon is charging too much for the 2 CD edition @ $30.
No polyline sleeve in that particular 2LP released ? Im sure the vinyl condition is bad, full of scratches😢😢
Hey Brain - I agree with your takes here. This album has always been mediocre to me. It's got some really solid songs, but it feels like it's a bunch of filler that John slapped together to sell more units without workshopping them into fully realized songs. That's what was so magical about the Beatles, especially in their prime - they feel workshopped into a fully fleshed out realized song. This album's overall vibe, at least to me, is rushed and almost demo material put on an LP. To call it a masterpiece is a stretch. Thanks for your videos.
Sean hates saxophone 🎷? 🤔
I didn't like the saxophone on the Sometime in New York City songgs.
Vinyl pops and tick sound in the background music is not worth the price,, waste of money how sad,,😢😢
It’s too bad you’re unnecessary bias against CDs has limited you to the vast amount of music on the CDs in the box I listen to both vinyl and CDS and both sound great on my system
@@davepounds8924 I collect CDs as well. I prefer vinyl, but there are rare instances where CDs sound better than vinyl. And thankfully all of the music in the super deluxe box (except the hidden tracks) is available to stream. So I’ve been enjoying those in the car. That being said, I still stand by everything I said in this video.