Disc two is worth it. Whatever they did to the sound is worth it.

And I like the pictures inside!

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.

Best Buy didn't have it 2day when I was there. Neither did Tower records. That sucked.

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.

Jestyr said:

I'm not so sure about the 24" tape part. maybe you meant tracks rather than inches?

NDRU said:

Oops. Absolutely. I meant tracks, rather than tape. The actual multitrack tape is 2".

Jestyr said:

You'd need nuclear power on your machine to run a 24" tape

NDRU said:

Can you imagine threading it? You'd need two people and a machete just to splice it!

Jestyr said:

Isn't that the kind of tape they used in the giant computers on all those 50's sci-fi movies and tv series. I remember them running constatly in the background on the bionic man and wonder woman.

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.

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]

Within one minute of opening my CD, I broke the hinge on the inner tray goin for the second disc!

I musta been pretty excited/hasty

Only listened through once, but noticed 'My Name is Prince' has been cleaned up at the rap part. 'I did not come to fuck around' survives. I guess they're still insisting he says 'funk'

Why is nothing from Batman ever included on these hits discs?

doeineffect said:

Legal issues.

CinisterCee said:

Me too! i think it was cheep plastic!

FuNkeNsteiN said:

yeah the claim is the actors whose voices appear would have to agree to have them used again.

but here is some trivia: in what post Batman Prince song does a sample from one of the actors in batman appear?

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.