Comments on Different Mixes of "High Energy" LP

[kenneth]

I thought I would start a thread on your observations about the different mixes of this great LP. I read on one of the posts that the mixes were hard to discern. I find it hard to believe. I think they're very different.

I still like the released version better. I think it's more seamless than the Terrana mix. Plus I love Mary's campy spoken intro to "High Energy" which is missing on the other mix. But overall there are some nice interesting differences and vocal turns which vary from mix to mix. One track I love on the Terrana version is "Till the Boat Sails Away." It has an interesting bridge which kind of reminds me of the weird sounding instrument in the bridge of "That's How Heartaches are Made" by the Marvelettes. As I said, overall, I like the seamlessness and I think the more edgy quality [[especially to "Side 1") that the released version has, but I love having both.

Other opinions welcome!

[theboyfromxtown]

I'd love to comment Kenneth but I am an unfortunate Brit and have to wait another month before I can hear it.

Is there a wave of sympathy for us from our US cousins. Do remember that our Queen Elisabeth is taking care of the Obamas at the moment!

*smile*

[kenneth]

A wave of sympathy? Absolutely. Ironically, I got the set on the same day I got the Marv Johnson one which I had to wait a long time for.

Isn't that President O'Bama you're talking about?

[theboyfromxtown]

Kenneth

You and Ramone know how to get to me..and that Marv Johnson comment did it,very well in fact. *Smile*

Yes it is President O'Bama and we're very pleased to see him and his wife. I hope he has a very pleasant stay and returns with some happy memories.

I wonder if his gift to the Queen was a copy of The Final Sessions?

[nabob]

Yes it is President O'Bama and we're very pleased to see him and his wife. I hope he has a very pleasant stay and returns with some happy memories.

I don't think a soul ever said that about my homie GWB #2. I wonder why?

[jillfoster]

The differences are HUGE. Anyone who doesn't think so is just not listening closely, or needs their hearing checked, one of the two. Russ' versions kick the ass of all others. Period. I think the released version sounds too "mashed together" for lack of a better term, Russ' versions have everything more seperated out, and is a far more complex sound. Like I said in the other thread... i'll probably never listen to the released version of the High Energy album ever again.

[theboyfromxtown]

I have managed to hear just 2 of these new mixes so far. I still have to wait another month or so for a British release.

Only You
I know this is a real favourite of yours jillfoster and it is for me too. However, as much I accept that Scherrie's vocal is more in your face than before, in this new version there are elements of the production that are missing that I felt was part of the reason why I loved the song. I didn't feel the magic like I did before.

You're What's Missing In My Life
Probably ranks as my favourite Supremes 45 ever issued, so I was keen to hear this.

The intro was a real eye opener and I liked the way it melted into the main song. There's a lot going on here that wasn't so clear on the 45. However, I wasn't feeling the magic by the time I expected it to end. Then it went into what hit me for six. From 3:00 to 3:41, it was INCREDIBLE. Smellng salts please, she knocked me out cold.

XXX to Soph!

[jillfoster]

I LOVE the intro for "Only You"... it totally needed to stay on there. I got to say, I think Mary's solo version of "Your'e What's Missing In My Life" is the best of all of the versions. And although I like Mary's spoken part in "High Energy" and miss it... I like Russ' version better, because for me, the original released version with that LOOOONG instrumental intro got rather tedious. I found myself always thinking, "when the hell is somebody gonna start singing?" The 3 Mary Ballads from side two are the real winners, though. That's where the biggest difference is. Especially on "Till The boat Sails Away" the Cellos and the French horns are WAY higher in the mix, and the ocean sounds being lower in the mix is a massive improvement. and like I said in the other thread, Susaye's previously unheard background vocals on "I Don't Want To Lose you" just blows your socks off. Theyr'e haunting and angelic all at the same time, and make such a stunning counterpoint to Mary's lead it ain't funny. Now, is it just me...but for some reason, on Susaye's version of "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking", it seems as if the trombone riff on the bridge is far more prominent. I'll have to check the original released version to see if i'm imgaining things.

[theboyfromxtown]

I now see there are not 2 but 3 versions of "You're What's Missing In My Life" and one is led by Mary. Without hearing it, I expect Mary's voice to really suit that song. What did you guys think of it?

[theboyfromxtown]

Nobody!

I think I agree too.

[jillfoster]

Well... I've already said that I think Mary's version is the best. Scherrie's solo version is very interesting at the first, because it's so different... but it gets REALLY tiresome about halfway through.

[theboyfromxtown]

Thanks Jillfoster. Maybe others haven't made up their mind.

Maybe we need some time to let it all sink in. There's a lot of new stuff there to digest.

[BayouMotownMan]

There is a startling difference on I Don't Want To Lose You. The background is different and a voice that sounds like Susaye's gives a haunting vocal behind Mary's breathy lead. I love this version. The entire medley has an echo effect to it that adds to the solemnity that Mary gives the song. The Terrana mix of You're What's Missing also includes the guitar riff from the title track. It's hard to decide which version is better as the High Energy lp remains my favorite of the last three lps

[telekin]

it's hard for me to say whether i unequivocally prefer one version over the other. i will say that hearing these two versions has given me a greater appreciation of the high energy album, overall...

while i especially loved the first two songs, i never really felt that the record had the forward thrust of "mary, scherrie & susaye," nor was it as colourful as supremes '75. having both versions side-by-side, you can really get a feel for the symphonic concept that the holland brothers had and how well it complimented the girls.

i have to agree with jillfoster on one thing - the terrana mixes of mary's three ballads, i thought were superior to the released versions. while it was good to hear mary, i always thought that these tracks [[esp. till the boat sails away/i don't want to lose you) were too lagging and too sparse for their own good on the released album. terrana's mixes of these were both bright and subtle in all the right places. love being able to hear more of susaye's backing vocals on the latter, especially.

on the other hand, i prefer the released mix of the first two tracks - high energy and i'm gonna let my heart do the walking. the terrana mix of the title track was far too abbreviated, i thought. i love the long intro and sweeping instrumental passages of the released version. while the terrana mix is good, the released version is, to me, a symphonic funk epic. it's almost like they grafted a bit of barry white and a bit of norman whitfield on to the supremes with it.. not to mention, that extended intro made it perfect for disco at the time.

as far as the other tracks, there are bits and pieces of the released mixes that i prefer and other sections of the terrana mixes that i prefer. for one, i love the intro to "only you" on the terrana mix, but i find myself missing the guitar on the break.. also, with "you're what's missing..," the horns on the intro are a distraction on the terrana mix. the released intro was much more graceful, i thought.

though for "you keep me moving on," the extended instrumental bridge on the terrana mix totally makes it for me.

[daddyacey]

I want to buy this set for the added bonus material ,but $70 is a bit much from Hip-O. The cheapest I have seen it so far is at ImportCD , at $47 USD. I don't want to push the price issue too long ,and from what I'm hearing from you all I'm seriously shopping around.

[kenneth]

Daddyacey, I think about $47 is the cheapest I've ever seen it on Amazon though it might have been $45 for a few days. You might check blowitouttahere also, it's about $47 there as well:

http://www.blowitoutahere.com/15733856

I always hunt for free shipping and no California tax, which usually cuts about $15 off the net price as well! Hip-O must be based in California, because they charge us tax, but of course this varies by state and who's doing the shipping.

[kenneth]

I think I agree with telekin's review for the most part. After listening to the two versions again, which is an amazing listen in sequence, I love Side 1 on the released mix better and Side 2 on the Terrana mix better. I think the Wilson slow jams are even more compelling in the Terrana versions. But I love, as telekin mentioned, the symphonic nature of the released version of Side 1, and the long intro and orchestration of the title song is likely my all time favorite Supremes cut, bar none. How fun is it to have both versions, and they don't even seem repetitive hearing them back to back. It's like 2 different albums.

[waldo]

i prefer the versions that were originally issued.. i just have to say that Let Yourself Go is my album of the year.. i'm enjoying it sooo much.

i love the Mary and Scherrie versions of "Missing" and how cool are those steel drums on the "Only You" alternate

[stephanie]

I like the mix that has more of Susaye in it although I like the finished versions as well.