I heard someone ask Neil about the Visconti sessions after the Bic Runga gig in London. Neil's reply was that he is kind of glad that people are getting to hear the sessions as a kind of 'work in progress'. He didn't seem phased or bothered by it whatsoever. In my opinion, the whole album vastly improved when it was re-done and I'm guessing Neil leans towards this too.

ultimately, this is what matters.

if the artist isn't happy with his/her work then it doesn't matter what the audience thinks about it.

regardless of which version we're talking about, i think almost all of the tunes on this album are first rate and i can't wait to hear the upcoming Tim and Neil solo albums!

i hear-tell Neil is considering approaching his next one the way Bic Runga did hers (one large room and minimal mics, going for ensemble takes intead of layering parts, etc) and that will be SO cool!

That's interesting...with the exception of "Finn" Neil is always so finicky in the studio, as we know, going back to rework things time and again. I remember reading that, during the recording of CH's debut, the sound engineer denoted Neil's channel on the mixing board with a swastika.

If Neil likes people to hear this 'work in progress' then maybe he should let the fanclub do a limited edition?

After spending time with both mixes of the album, I actually have to say that the aborted mix by Visconti is far superior.

Don't get me wrong - Everyone is Here is a great album (maybe their best) - but Visconti's earlier mix has more heart. His string arrangements are more upfront and the contrast of Neil and Tim's singing on something like 'Edible Flowers' is much better.

IMO, the Finns went for the more conservative approach which I think had a partly outdated early 90s production sound where as Visconti's sound is more of a timeless classic.

From close listening, I can tell you that Visconti and Froom have a very different approach as to how they treat chorus/verses and drums. Visconti tends to drive home the chorus with added instruments but drops out the instruments for the verses giving a much more lovely, spacious feel to the song. I am sure this is evident on certain Bowie recordings too.

Overall, I think it was big mistake by the Finns to drop Tony's mixes. They would have had the album out a year earlier and had a better product overall.

Let's hope the Visconti Metropolis mix can get a release soon.

quote:

Originally posted by AdamD:
Overall, I think it was big mistake by the Finns to drop Tony's mixes. They would have had the album out a year earlier and had a better product overall.

Let's hope the Visconti Metropolis mix can get a release soon.

i'd personally LOVE to hear the pre-Metropolis Visconti mixes from Allaire (before all the sweetening)!

I am dying to hear this stuff. Luckily . . . the boot fairy has promised to visit me. I'll be lucky if she doesn't take any teeth.

Shakespeare

quote:

For me the ultimate album would still be about 50/50 mix of the two sessions, the Visconti album as a whole doesn't satisfy me, and neither does the Froom version as a whole. This is the CD I eneded up with (would be even better if the Visconti mp3's weren't at such a low quality)

1. Tell Me C'mon
2. Disembodied Voices (Froom)
3. Luckiest Man Alive (Visconti)
4. Way Back Down (Froom)
5. A Life Between Us (Froom)
6. Sunset Swim
7. Every Day Alright
8. The Land Torments The Sea (Visconti)
9. Edible Flowers (Visconti)
10. Part Of Me Part Of You (Froom)
11. All The Colours (Froom)
12. Homesick (Visconti)
13. Won't Give In (Froom)
14. Nothing Wrong With You (Froom)
15. Anything Can Happen (Visconti)
16. All God's Children
17. Gentle Hum (Visconti)

I'd probably remove All God's Children and Land Torments the Sea if it was going to be a proper released album, but personally, that's the album and tracklisting I like the best (Can't decide if Every Day Alright and Nothing Wrong With You should be swapped around in running order). Of course, having the album complete twice means I can listen to alternative versions of the same song, a bit like having outtakes

I haven't analyzed the track order but I think the preferred versions are pretty much spot-on.

That’s all.

wait, there's a FROOM version of "Way Back Down"??

Yes, there is a Froom Way Back Down, it's very similar to the Visconti version, but just that little bit more polished. It's on the Won't Give In single along with Sunset Swim, also available on the special edition of Everyone Is Here. The Visconti version was only ever released on itunes.

quote:

Originally posted by Camus:
Yes, there is a Froom Way Back Down, it's very similar to the Visconti version, but just that little bit more polished. It's on the Won't Give In single along with Sunset Swim, also available on the special edition of Everyone Is Here. The Visconti version was only ever released on itunes.

ah, but i preferred the Visconti version becos it was less polished.

used to be somewhat local (Auckland, NZ).
i wish i hadn't left, to be honest.

Wait a second, that's one song I'm not too sure about. I thought the B side was supposed to be the same version perhaps remixed but when I heard the 'sessions' songs I thought it sounded slower with more 'pending excitment'.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Noel Crombie's Hair,

There's definately two versions of Way Back Down, the Visconti version has different lyrics.

I've got to change that Are you local signature, it's confusing everyone

Have any higher-quality MP3's of these songs surfaced in the last few months? It's just hard for me to enjoy, much less evaluate new music at 96k.

I for one agree that the Visconti Sessions have a work in progress feel, and although they make for an excelent raritiy or B-sides album, the finished EVERYONE IS HERE by M. Froom is by far superior, for its music, lyrics and song order.
The only song that keeps haunting me and really feels equally great on both Visconti and Froom's take is GENTLE HUM.
I would have loved to get all 17 songs on 1 album by Froom.

quote:

Originally posted by BRANDO BRANDT:
I for one agree that the Visconti Sessions have a work in progress feel, and although they make for an excelent raritiy or B-sides album, the finished EVERYONE IS HERE by M. Froom is by far superior, for its music, lyrics and song order.
The only song that keeps haunting me and really feels equally great on both Visconti and Froom's take is GENTLE HUM.
I would have loved to get all 17 songs on 1 album by Froom.

the pre-Metropolis Visconti version of "Gentle Hum" is even better.

I've always thought that the PRE-pre-metropolis Visconti version of "Gentle Hum" was really the definative recording. It's too bad that I was the only person in the Finn inner circle allowed to hear this version and it's now been locked away forever. It was mixed before they added strings, acoustic guitar, and had a different lead vocal. The humming was much better too.

Actually all the PRE-pre-metropolis mixes were a lot fuller and better produced than both the pre-metropolis Visconti versions and Froom versions. If they would have released the PRE-pre-metropolis versions we'd all be praising the work of Visconti instead of blaming him for screwing up. But man, that PRE-pre-metropolis version of "Gentle Hum" still haunts my memory.

quote:

Originally posted by Painaporo:
I've always thought that the PRE-pre-metropolis Visconti version of "Gentle Hum" was really the definative recording. It's too bad that I was the only person in the Finn inner circle allowed to hear this version and it's now been locked away forever. It was mixed before they added strings, acoustic guitar, and had a different lead vocal. The humming was much better too.

Actually all the PRE-pre-metropolis mixes were a lot fuller and better produced than both the pre-metropolis Visconti versions and Froom versions. If they would have released the PRE-pre-metropolis versions we'd all be praising the work of Visconti instead of blaming him for screwing up. But man, that PRE-pre-metropolis version of "Gentle Hum" still haunts my memory.

you're forgetting the all-kazoo PRE-PRE-pre-metropolis version!

(i think it was recorded in a garden shed at Kare Kare?)

cos we all know that thing rules our faces off!

I just found this one on some torrent site, and i really like it.
I thinks both the original and the visconti versions have a different feeling to it.

Can`t say wich one i like best, it`s a mixed bag.

quote:

Originally posted by gromek:
I just found this one on some torrent site, and i really like it.
I thinks both the original and the visconti versions have a different feeling to it.

Can`t say wich one i like best, it`s a mixed bag.

i dig the Allaire/Visconti version the most.

my only regret is i couldn't get a CDR of it.

Tony Visconti is currently online answering questions about his career at http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums