The Pink Floyd Reissues: Buy Them. Now.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 8:26AM
Stop everything that you're doing. Free up some room on your credit card. I don't care how. Then run to the nearest record store and buy the new Pink Floyd reissues.
As I write this, I'm listening to the six-disc "Immersion" version of Dark Side of the Moon. It is stunning.
Unreleased audio. Video that's been locked away. Live recordings. Alternate takes. And the sound.
More than any other record, this album gave birth to the idea of listening to music on headphones when it came out in March 1973. Recording technology, production sophistication, songwriting and musicianship came together in a perfect storm to create one of the most stunning pieces of audio art ever.
Yes, I know it's cliched to say that, just as it is to say that Sgt. Pepper or The White Album changed music. The fact is, though, that Dark Side, did change so much about rock music. It even changed the rules by which Billboard tallied album sales. After 741 weeks on the Top 200 chart, Billboard say "Right, that's enough. Dark Side is ruining it for everyone. You're banned."
Buy the CDs or the vinyl. Do NOT rip anything to MP3 because that'll just squish the music all to shit. DO listen to the music on headphones but do NOT use crappy ear buds. It's worth spending extra bucks to get a proper set of over-the-ear audiophile quality headphones from Seinnheiser, Sony, AKG or even Grado. If that's not possible, find a buddy with a proper audio system, preferrably with speakers that cost more than a Porsche.
This is what the MP3 world is missing. This is what music can sound like. This is an experience.
Once you're done, listen again. Notice what you missed the first time through. And once you're done that, buy the fourteen-disc collection of all of Pink Floyd's music. Then start saving money for the deluxe reissue of Wish You Were Here on November 7. After that? It's a seven-disc edition of The Wall on February 27.
Are you still reading this? Why? Go to the record store. Now.
Reader Comments (4)
"because that'll just squish the music all to shit" - Sorry, that made me laugh out loud a little bit!
With a massive listening session last night, I made my way through Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall, Meddle, and the live version of Dark Side of The Moon.
Alan is right; the audio quality is phenomenal. Headphone listening at its finest. Just one thing that Alan forgot to mention though; make sure that you can fully immerse yourself in the music with no distractions. If you have to, pay for the wife and kids to hang out in a motel for a week.
What about ripping to FLAC instead? Speaking of, what are your thoughts on FLAC in general anyway?
I agree with Acelin, I'd like to know your thoughts on .flac vs .mp3. I've tried to compare them side by side and couldn't detect a difference and i was using a good pair of headphones too.