Tommy CD

[Jeff Williams <jeffw@mxim.com>]

Impressions after three or so listens:

Drums sound great, but I'd agree with WF that on a coupla tracks it's a bit
set back.... Sometimes I listen to the drums and they sound tinny; other times
it seems as close to perfect as possible....    

Sound effects previously buried come out.  Reverb has dimension to it.  Acoustic
guitar richer, electric well, louder...  Bass lines I never knew were there
are there...    


O.K. Track by track.
Overture:  Tell me I'm imagining it, but I can now distinguish the piano from
the acoustic guitar on the one channel.  Oh, the French horn's using a  muzzle
on the slide bit prior to the Sus4 chords that sound like Pinball wizard. 
Couldn't hear that before.
Acoustic solo prior to It's a boy (with the "bluegrass" solo).  Guitar moves 
from right channel to center.  Reverb spreads here to both channels.  Very 
short reverb. Almost slapping or clicking, but I believe it's natural reverb.

1921: I've checked it about five times, and the second cymbal crash has a break
in it; a flaw in the tape, perhaps.... I think it's always been there....
Note the snare has a lot of low end here, much like Sally Simpson.  I suspect
the same mix and they ran through both songs....
The backing vocals are verrrryy distinct.... Entwistle comes right out....

Amazing Journey.  The backwards guitar effects come out much more.  Some seem
new.. Cymbals seem subdued, but rest of drums sound great.... 

Sparks:  E-Esus4 chording at beginning has a bit of crackle in it.  Listen
carefully.  Doesn't sound digital.   (at 1:55).  High backing vocals I hadn't
heard before....  Triangles or whatever Moon is using comes out very clearly,
as do the Maracas or whatever...

Christmas:  Guitars cleaner, and playing seems slightly different.
And Townshend's last "can you hear me?"(2:20) seems delayed (prior to the See Me
Feel Me).  Bass comes out cleanly on this song.. Drums are very set back on the
end of this song, and that`s unfortunate, because that`s where the playing is
at its most furious... 

Cousin Kevin:  Acoustic guitar in rt. channel previously inaudible on my various
pressings...  Again drums set back a bit, and again the furious drumming here
doesn't get its due place on the soundstage....
Longer fade out too.

Acid Queen. Bass cleaner...Keith's yells very clear here... (3:04).  

Underture (Is this longer that I recall it having been previously?
I can hear the goddam palmprints on the tambourine here!...  A guitar track
flaw at 4:42?  Coupla extra strums on the left ch. acoustic (6:29-30). 
Run starting at 8:09 is completely unfamiliar to me... 

Do You Think It's Alright?  Drums seem WAAYY boomier...

Pinball Wizard:  Quite a bit of delay between the acoustic on the right and
the reverbed acoustic on the left.  Bass seems subdued.  Electric guitar 
never sounded better.  

Fiddle About:  Guitar, left channel is decipherable now during the singing..
Piano left channel is audible now, too.

There's A Doctor: Aside from overall comments, about the same...

Go to the mirror: Right channel Piano's high notes towards the beginning of the
song new to me, as well as in other parts.  Here the drums are at least more
properly showcased....  

Tommy Can you Hear Me?  Where's the "`ELLO!" from TKAA?  I really liked that bit.  The bass sounds more subdued here than on TKAA...

I'm a sensation:  Piano on left channel comes out better.

Extra:  Sounds flawed right at the beginning 1-2 secs.

Sally Simpson: Again, seems like there is more piano.  And at 3:00 right channel
acoustic guitar only plays every other chord for awhile.  I don't remember this
on any other mixes...  Gee, Pete could have played in the house band on 
Saturday Night Live with his honky tonk piano playing.

Come to This House:  Symbols on left channel more crisp and alive...

Welcome:  THat low growly instrument on right channel sticks out more....

We're not gonna take it:  Electric guitar on right seems crisper and yet crunchier...

See Me, Feel Me.  Was the one person complaining about glicks hearing fret buzz?
Townshend slightly misplaces his fingering on the D - E bit (at 3:38), 
but this was clearly audible on all other pressings I've heard.

A vague overall impression I have with this mix, is that where Moon is allowed
to stand out a bit more, it really captures his character... It also sounds 
like it had a shower, shave, and cigarette...  Someone did the audio window
with a nice secret formula that doesn't streak or smear...

Forgive my mislabeling of songs; I don`t have the damned box in front of me.
Don't bother correcting it' I won't read it.

Get Quad out, fix AQO, find the remaining masters for WN, give me a complete
Tommy live, Frickin' FINALLY put out IOW,  and I'm good to go....


JW