December1984 said:

Are you sure about that? Listen to them through headphones and compare the originals to this new release. Certainly Controversy, 1999, Sign O The Times and Gett Off sound more than just louder. And Kiss sounds amazingly crisp.

BartVanHemelen said:

The intention for this collection was not specifically to compile non-CD extended versions/remixes, though from a fan/collector point of view that of course would have been somewhat preferable. I guess it was chosen for the music, and of course everyone is going to have different ideas about what should have been on there. It is known Prince insisted on some changes from the first version of the tracklisting, for one.

It's a shame that for something calling itself 'Ultimate' that this isn't more daring or reflective of Prince's full-time with Warners. The first disk is just your usual obvious songs already released on previous collections The Hits and The Very Best Of, and nothing from beyond '92. With a name like 'Ultimate' they could easily have included non-hit album tracks representative of Prince's entire career with Warners. I've seen the TV ad for this collection and from that you would think Prince only had success between 'Little Red Corvette' and 'Kiss' via Purple Rain which almosts belittles Prince's achievements and longevity. The 2nd disc is a nice touch, but how much more interesting and cooler would it have been to have 2 discs full of extended versions?

My understanding from many previous discussions on the Org is that a true 'remaster' is really a 'remix' where the songs are entirely reconstructed from the original multi-track recordings, which would take a lot of involvement from the artist. What we have here is a lesser remaster, where the audio on the final left/right tapes is cleaned up before making a new final stereo master from which these tracks come. So you should get a cleaner, fresher sound especially on the older tracks whilst not actually being substantially any different from the original recordings.

djdaffy1227 said:

I'm not sure those are mistakes at all, I think in different places the same song was occasionally labelled slightly differently. For instance Let's Work (Dance Remix) was known as Let's Work (Long Version) in other places, I guess they used both names here to cover themselves.

Is disc two worth it?

RitaQoS said:

Well...no where in CD booklet, the back cover, or the sticker on the front do they use the word "remastered", Usually, when a record company remasters an older album you can count on a big, shiny "DIGITALLY REMASTERED" sticker right up front. I think what they did is pretty much the equivalent of hitting the "normalize" button in a program like Sound Forge or WAV Studio. It essentially makes the old songs as loud as the new songs but doesn't give near the same effect as if they had gone back to the master tapes and cleaned all of the tracks independently (meaning the vocals, the bass, guitar, drums, etc) and then mixed them all back together.

lilgish said:

I believe so. Right now, the only way I can get the 80's 12" releases on CD is if I burn the LP recording to an iTunes file. Which, of course, is a hit-and-miss affair, and completely dependent on the quality of the actual record. While metalorange is right, it appears that these versions are not "remastered" in the technical sense, they sound better than my ripped versions.

Tower wasn't carrying that, or J Dilla (absurd). I found the one and only copy my local bookstore had. I spent 25 bucks on it and it was worth it!

metalorange said:

Couldn't agree more.

The way I see it, they will keep repackaging old hits with rarities for 2 purposes:

1. To keep recycling the "greatest hits" for deeper penetration into the music market (younger fans and the uninitiated);

2. "Bundling" the rarities coveted by the true fans so that they can subsidize these reissues.

Ehm... some of us have owned this CD for quite some time know, *cough* *cough*

Levi said:

They only realse clean versions of albums that have advisory stickers on them, and i got the album at best buy, and on my copy the rap in "my name is prince" is censored... maybe prince did have some say in it after all.
[Edited 8/23/06 10:20am]
[Edited 8/23/06 10:55am]

I bought my copy back in April from ebay, and an additional copy Tuesday at 12:15 am at Meijer. I've been touring different stores and I have not seen a vast amount of copies in stock. Best Buy only had 11, Walmart only 13, and Kmart just had one. It concerns me that I've seen so little of them out there. When I picked mine up at Meijer they didn't even have it out there with the new releases, I had to ask for it. + Luther's Ultimate cd the stores have twenty even thirty copies. I know I have my own, but this is a great compilation in my opinion. Whether its remastered or not, the sound quality surpases any of Prince's other old recordings from warner. It is the most definitive collection since The Hits and B-sides I am also glad to see "My Name Is Prince" finally on a hits compilation, the artwork is great. I think this album should be out there for all who are devoted Prince fans or the next generation exploring his music for the very first time. I pray that it sells well and stays on the market. I give it an A+

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Does yours have "Erotic City" on it???

FanSynceEyeWuz9 said:

sounds like a disgruntled ex employee

metalorange said:

Almost dude!

A remaster is when the original 2-track stereo mix down ¼" tape (which is called the 'Master') is cleaned and re eq-ed and re-recorded (these days digitally) to create a new ¼" Master.

A remix is when the original tracking sessions 24" tape is cleaned and then mixed down to 2 track stereo ¼" to make a remixed ¼" Master.

Levi said:

Gett Off was cleaned up....move your big ass round part, ass was scratched out or reversed for some reason

My Name Is Prince??? (not even the 12") Why is this on the Ultimate?

Cream (NPG Mix)? Crapiolio

I don't get the logic or reasoning for disc 1. These songs are everywhere.

WB released this for:

1. Long time fans - Most have the remixes. Nothing new here

2. Middle of the road fans - Would have bought VBOPrince for most of what's on CD 1. Probably don't care for CD 2 anyway.

3. New or young fans - Makes sense, but why not make CD 1 extended remixes also.

Between the 3 CD set released in '93, the VBOP in '01 and now this one, I can't take many more copies of "I wanna be your lover"


CD 1 should have:

Alphabet St. (This is not music...) A must for an ultimate collection
I Wish U Heaven (part 1-3) A must for an ultimate collection One of his best remixes of all.
Mountains (Ext)
Anotherloverholeinyohead (Ext)A must for an ultimate collection
Scarlett Pussy (Ext)
Housequake (7 min mo quake) A must for an ultimate collection
Erotic City (come alive..) The ultiamte prince my arse! A must for an ultimate collectionI Would Die 4 U (Ext)
Electric Chair (Remix)
Paisley Park (Ext)
New Power Generation (Funky Weaon remix)
Love or $ (Ext)


Put on "200 Balloons" (the "long as America" remix) before Cream (N.P.G. mix)

Maybe, I'm just too hard core of a fan to be able to step back and view this release as all that useful. Oh well, I'm off to get my copy. No, not really.

I got it at meijers today in Indy for 11.99

namepeace said:

nope none of them did. but then again some of us have 4cds full or long versions.

bought it today at bestbuy 4 22.99!! and the dvd 4 13.99!! kinda feel ripped off..., on the website it's labeled 4 22.99 also...

SlamGlam said:

It's one of the best extended versions he ever did. That's sad.

setyrmindphree said:

I didn't realise there was an extended version of 200 Balloons, what release do you purport this to have been off? Am checking Batdance section of sleeveogramia now.

I meant sleevographia, theres only a 5:05 version. Perhaps the version you've heard is not official and therefore not elligalbe for inclusion.

If it did exist I'm sure Borisfishpaw would have known about it.

December1984 said:

For this release, I don't think they'd bother with telling the purchaser that this release is remastered anyway because the audience they're aiming at won't really care. It'd only be a full back-catologue re-release where they'd bother telling peeps that it's a remaster project in order to drag in the hardcore fans. This release is for the casual purchaser.
Controversy is the one track that proves that something's been done to the master tracks properly. The stereo soundscape has changed completely with the newly released version, likewise 1999 and Gett Off - those three tracks alone have now got a more obvious, far more rich 3-D sound to them compared to their original recordings. Also the 12inch of Kiss sounds unbelievably crisp, new and solid. And finally 'Sign O The Times' sounds far less tinny than it's original incantation. A simple 'normalize' wouldn't have given the track it's new almost pseudo bass-heavy sound. It's another track that has proved that this project is more than just a volume increasing, normalize exercise. And didn't T17 confirm for us that the tunes had been genuinely remastered?

The Cross was merely increased in volume for the Girl 6 project and that was really obvious (the background mastertape hiss was louder too). This time around, the master tapes have clearly been worked on and the songs on Ultimate Prince sound full and rich compared to their original releases.

Okay, so I have read all of these comments and still I don't have and answer for myself Some of you make me think I should not get it because I have all of this stuff any way, some make me think I should because of the quality

Without all of the rhetoric should I or shouldn't I?






www.velvetboxdesigns.com

speciallove said:

if you like the longer versions of the songs and do not have all of them on CD get it... if you have the ones you like on CD then do not bother.

SlamGlam said:

Thanks, I won't bother.... I STILL LUV U PRINCE!!!!

speciallove said:

Drop a hint for someone to get it for U 4 Xmas!

omnithanos said:

yeah! great idea!

SlamGlam said:

I might just do that

yeah the sound quality is much better, on the bestbuy website, it says remaster next 2 the album title, may b it is?

Ultimate Prince Part II Double CD Tracklist (in chronological release order)

CD-1
1. Sexy Dancer (Long Version) (8:50)
2. Erotic City (Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive) (7:24)
3. God (Instrumental) (7:54)
4. I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version) (10:15)
5. Another Lonely Christmas (Extended Version) (6:47)
6. Paisley Park (Remix) (6:53)
7. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes (Original Version) (Prince and the Revolution) (2:45)
8. Hello (Extended Version) (6:23)
9. A Love Bizarre (12:18)
10. Girl (Extended Version) (7:35)
Runtime: 77:04

CD-2
1. America (Extended Version) (21:46)
2. Pop Life (Extended Version) (9:07)
3. Love Or Money (Extended Version) (6:49)
4. Mountains (Extended Version) (9:56)
5. Alexa De Paris (Extended Version) (4:54)
6. Anotherloverholenyohead (Extended Version) (7:52)
7. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Highly Explosive) (10:32)
8. Shockadelica (Extended Version) (6:12)
Runtime: 77:08

Ultimate Prince Part III Double CD Tracklist (in chronological release order)

CD-1
1. Prince - Good Love (Extended Version) (5:11)
2. Housequake (7 Minutes MoQuake) (7:15)
3. Hot Thing (Dub Version) (6:53)
4. Alphabet St. (This Is Not Music, This Is A Trip) (7:48)
5. Glam Slam (Extended Remix) (8:52)
6. Escape (Free Yo Mind From This Rat Race) (6:26)
7. I Wish U Heaven (Part 1, 2 & 3) (10:12)
8. Scarlet Pussy (Extended Version) (6:09)
9. Love Song (4:52)
10. Batdance (The Batmix) (7:15)
11. Batdance (Vicki Vale Mix) (5:55)
Runtime: 76:48

CD-2
1. Partyman (The Video Mix) (6:20)
2. Feel U Up (Long Stroke) (6:28)
3. Scandalous
(Part 1) The Crime (6:24)
(Part 2) The Passion (6:17)
(Part 3) The Rapture (6:39)
4. Sex (7:02)
5. The Future (Remix) (6:25)
6. Electric Chair (Remix) (5:36)
7. N.P.G. (Funky Weapon Remix) (5:01)
8. Get Off (4:41)
9. The Lubricated Lady (2:39)
10. Loveleft, Loveright (5:00)
11. Gett Off (Extended Remix) (8:31)
77:07

In other words everything left out up to Gett Off with only omissions being the extra remixes of Partyman and Thieves.

Would anyone buy these, I think they might.