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ALL THINGS MUST PASS
1970
1970
Your All-Genres Guide To
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters
Classic Albums, 45-Singles, Compilations
ALL GENRES
Over 2,300 E-Pages of Reviews from the discs themselves
(No Cut and Paste Crap)
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"...Is That You?"
There is a long line of
classic Rock albums given multiple CD reissues with each issue claiming to be
sonically better than the last – and Santana’s 2nd album "Abraxas"
from 1970 is no different. To my knowledge this is reissue number 4 – a 1980’s
basic version best forgotten, a 1991 Mobile Fidelity ULTRADISC II audiophile CD
remaster (UDCD 552), followed by a 2003 Song Legacy CD with 3 bonus live tracks
and a proper Vic Anesini Remaster - and now this – a second MOFI Original
Master Recording Audiophile CD in 2008 using their GAIN 2 SYSTEM transfer. Here
are the naked lady details…
US released April 2008 – "Abraxas" by SANTANA on Mobile Fidelity UDCD 775 (Barcode 821797077569) comes
in over-sized hard-card repro packaging that mimics the September 1970 original
US LP – gatefold sleeve and all (37:30 minutes).
It was originally released
September 1970 in the USA on Columbia KC 30130 and November 1970 in the UK on
CBS Records S 64087 (in a single sleeve without a poster – American originals
had a beautiful black and white foldout poster of the six-piece band that is
unfortunately AWOL in this repro).
This Mobile Fidelity CD is a 24-Carat Gold
Audiophile issue – itself housed in a protective gauze sleeve within a black
and gold gatefold card inner that gives detailed information about their
ULTRADISC II range and their patented GAIN 2 SYSTEM of remastering from the
first generation Original Master Tape. It’s a limited edition and numbered on
the rear in gold (up to 10,000).
1. Singing Winds, Crying
Beasts [Side 1]
2. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy
Queen
3. Oye Coma Va
4. Incident At Neshabur
5. Se A Cabo [Side 2]
6. Mother's Daughter
7. Samba Pa Ti
8. Hope You're Feeling
Better
9. El Nicoya
Mobile Fidelity used to only
use lift-lock jewel cases with barely any reference to the original packaging
– but in the last six or seven years – most of their ULTRADISC II releases now
come in these aesthetically pleasing card repro sleeves that at least give some
recognition of the original artwork. It has to be said MOFI's improved efforts
still don't really hold a candle against the superlative Japanese reissues on
SHM-CD, SACD and now Platinum SHM-CD (they seem to have card repros down to a
very fine art).
The most obvious thing about this new issue is that you can
barely read the album title on the famous and striking MATI painting that
adorns the cover. The wordless colour photo that spread across the inner
gatefold of original American LPs is here (with some new wording on it) but
what would it have taken to reproduce the lovely poster as a separate foldout
inlay? Instead we get a pointless gatefold colour repro of the album artwork
again (albeit without the album title and with more readable songwriting
credits).
ROB LoVERDE and SHAWN R.
BRITTON carried out the remaster at Mobile’s studios in Sebastopol, California
using their GAIN 2 SYSTEM. According to the Net and discussion forums the big
news is (although it doesn’t say this anywhere on the packaging) that a
mastertape has been found that precedes all others and apparently has for the
first time the ‘right’ STEREO channel separation on it (left and right) –
whereas all previous issues (including their own) used the old ‘wrong’ version
with the channels arse-about-face. Certainly the sonic results are impressive –
especially in the dense bottom end of Bass and Percussion.
The opening piano, high hat
and percussion tinkles rattling out of "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" (written
by the band's Conga player Mike Carabello) is newly clear and when the rhythm
section kicks in – the bass and congas are fabulous (there is hiss at the
outset but it dissipates). It segues into the double cover version of "Black
Magic Woman" (Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac) and "Gypsy Queen" (a Gabor Szabo
song). The vocals are great and that big guitar break half way through is now muscular
as it assaults your speakers. The funky single "Oye Coma Va" (a Tito Puente
song) is probably best on here sonically – second only to that great bedsit-shagging
song "Samba Pa Ti". The wonderful instrumental "Samba Pa Ti" is hissy but still
full of extraordinary presence (millions of babies ahoy).
Both the Jose 'Chepito'
Areas songs "Se A Cabo" (the rough translation from Spanish is "it's over") and
the album finisher "El Nicoya" have great percussion definition even as Carlos
lets it rip. The more rocky Gregg Rolie songs – "Mother's Daughter" and "Hope
You're Feeling Better" break up the Latin rhythms nicely – and as the band lets
fly – the guitars are suitably chunky and the vocals good too.
This is an impressive
release – and makes me want to invest in the MOFI reissues of their 1969 debut
and especially 1972's "Caravanserai" with its gorgeous "Song Of The Wind".
Is it worth the few extra
quid - those hard-earned bucks? Absolutely. This a truly beautiful and full-bodied Remaster and if you have any love for the album, this is the absolute bizz-schnizz...
