For whatever reason, I was compelled to spin a few CD-4 discs tonight - no conversions, just straight playback of the original vinyl through the demodulator. I played a few U.S. WEA titles (The Doobies'
Stampede, Clapton's
461 and
There's One In Every Crowd) and then a few Japanese titles (
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers,
Deodato 2, Diana Ross & The Supremes'
Greatest Hits). The difference in sound quality was astonishing, to say the least. The U.S. pressings seem very bass-heavy and lacking high end, with a noticeable amount of surface noise. The Japanese pressings, on the other hand, are much quieter, have more high-end, and seem more dynamic to my ears.
Anyway - this one is fascinating to listen to, especially if you know the material well. I don't think there is a single track that has all the correct takes. "I'm Livin' In Shame" is in a completely different key(!) and includes extra orchestral sections not present in the original mix.
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I can't say I'm all that crazy about the mix, though - this is one of the weaker Motown quads, IMO. It sounds a lot like an unfinished early attempt in places. Diana Ross' lead vocal is way too loud and key elements, such as strings and backing vocals, seem buried when they should stand out. Yet there are still some fun moments, like the opening riff to "You Keep Me Hangin" jumping from speaker-to-speaker around the room.
Definitely worth seeking out, especially for the alternate takes. It goes without saying that a modern reissue of this would be awesome...
