Best CD of Hounds of Love?

Music Room
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I bought the Fish People version of this (released in 2011, according to Discogs) a few years ago and have been happy with it so far. Then I saw the 1997 remaster s/h for £3 so bought it and now I’m wondering whether I still need the 2011 version on my shelf as well. The 97 has 6 bonus tracks, the 2011 is just the straight album.

Haven’t had chance to do an A/B SQ check yet, but the DR database can’t help me out on whether the 97 version might be overcompressed - it was done almost in the nadir of the loudness wars so I can’t help wondering.

Anyone out there got any strong feelings as to whether one is notably better than the other?

Mark

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Ebor, you’ll want the '85 original issue CD. Should be easy to find and reasonably cheap. I prefer it to the later remaster.

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I wonder how the 2018 remaster from Tidal/MQA compares?:open_mouth:

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I’m sure you’re right, Richard. However, I can’t help wondering whether the 2011 version is in fact simply a reissue of the 1985 master - it’s got no © or § dates listed, other than 1985 or 1986. If it were a new 2011 remaster, wouldn’t it need to have at least one 2011 date on it somewhere? There are no remastering credits or later dates listed in the booklet, on the disc or anywhere that I can see.

I’m basing the 2011 date solely on what discogs has told me, based on the catalogue number (5099902930220).

Mark

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Mark, I don’t think so - IIRC, The Big Sky is different to the original, but I’m sure others who are more au fait with all the various releases of HoL

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None of the remasters better the original release on CD. At least as far as my old ears can tell.

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Original CD I’d say too.

As much as I love Hounds of Love, in later years I’ve always felt it was the start of a lot of her music sounding quite ‘digital/compressed’ and less organic than earlier releases - appreciate those descriptions are wooly and may not mean much to anyone else!

1 Like
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From what I have heard, the original release. She has not been served well my her remasters IMO. The only exception being The Dreaming, which somehow got done properly.

Your ears may vary.

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