Vannormal said:

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I'm also not bying this so calle SDE, which it obviously isn't.

I'll wait a year or so to find it for half the price, or get it from someone who wants to get rid of it.

How promissing this all is for the next release(s).

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Same here—first Estate release I’m not rushing to grab.
I’ll just wait it out for the price drops.

djThunderfunk said:

I got the 2CD & the 3LP versions.

To anyone that owns the original album & 12" singles on vinyl, the 3LP is a complete waste of money. This material was perfectly mastered for vinyl 40 years ago. These revisionist tweaks are completely unnecessary for this format and are inferior to the originals in every way. If you want the material on vinyl and don't have access to the originals, here is an easy way to get it all in one package, but they won't sound as good.

The 2CD is worth it just to get all the 12" tracks on CD. But the remaster is not some great improvement even if you put the issues mentioned by others aside. Perhaps this will sound better for those that stream music or those that listen on cheap equipment, these tweaks might add some punch and sound like an improvement in those cases. For the rest of us, not so much.

I wasn't down on the release over it's lack of vault material, I'm in the camp that feels there was very little to add here and was satisfied with having the single tracks in one package and on CD. However, this feels like a fail even with those low expectactions.

I think this summarizes things perfectly.

Now let's all go back to enjoying Diamonds & Love, which kinda saved 2025 imho.

I try not to be the naysaying Prince fan, but I put more effort into putting the LP+B-Sides+remixes on cassette in 1985. It would have not taken much more effort to put the 3-4 videos on a dvd, maybe put a gallery of single covers, maybe a reprint of an article about the songs. That's at the very minimum!

And what happened to the Atmos mix? Did they mix it in Atmos, then mix it down to stereo and that's it?

If ya gonna do a special edition... make it special. If ya gonna do a deluxe edition... make it deluxe.

But I guess its better than nothing.

TrivialPursuit said:

djThunderfunk said:

I'm calling bullshit on this statement.

Some here aren't even giving this release a chance because it's not what they want, how they want it. However, some of us bought it, I bought 2 versions, and are simply stating our opinions of the good and the bad of the release.

If you disagree with a specific criticism make your case, your opinion is as valid as anyone here. Otherwise it just comes across like you don't have an argument against the criticisms so you're just being dismissive of them.

In another ATMOS thread, I fully questioned the mastering of the ATMOS mix and Chris James' ability to accomplish something worthwhile.

My statement was more toward how some Prince fans are never happy, no matter what. I bought 2 versions as well. The cynicism of it, rather than just good critique (whether for or against the release) is what I was going after. That's all.

Fair enough. You're not wrong on that point. However, that type of attitude might be justified at this point. I always hope for the best, always add the new stuff to the collection, but, I won't back off from criticising when appropriate.

djThunderfunk said:

TrivialPursuit said:

In another ATMOS thread, I fully questioned the mastering of the ATMOS mix and Chris James' ability to accomplish something worthwhile.

My statement was more toward how some Prince fans are never happy, no matter what. I bought 2 versions as well. The cynicism of it, rather than just good critique (whether for or against the release) is what I was going after. That's all.

Fair enough. You're not wrong on that point. However, that type of attitude might be justified at this point. I always hope for the best, always add the new stuff to the collection, but, I won't back off from criticising when appropriate.

I'm kind of riding the wave with this release. (I got my copies today, one was intended to be a gift btw.) I'm hopeful that Parade SDE will be the piece de resistance for 2026. There was always that rumor years ago that D&P and Parade were both done and on the shelf. Then the Netflix hold up stopping any release. And D&P did come out. So, my fingers and toes are crossed.

ATWIAD is what it is and I'm enjoying relistening to the album again. I stayed away for most of the year knowing the remaster was coming.

TrivialPursuit said:

djThunderfunk said:

Fair enough. You're not wrong on that point. However, that type of attitude might be justified at this point. I always hope for the best, always add the new stuff to the collection, but, I won't back off from criticising when appropriate.

I'm kind of riding the wave with this release. (I got my copies today, one was intended to be a gift btw.) I'm hopeful that Parade SDE will be the piece de resistance for 2026. There was always that rumor years ago that D&P and Parade were both done and on the shelf. Then the Netflix hold up stopping any release. And D&P did come out. So, my fingers and toes are crossed.

ATWIAD is what it is and I'm enjoying relistening to the album again. I stayed away for most of the year knowing the remaster was coming.

Parade SDE was a serious project at that time envisaged when Cormerica managed the Estate but no big work was done on it just a checking of the material available in the Vault from this era....Mathieu Bitton has confirmed that no Parade SDE was in construction when he's worked for the Estate/Comerica era & to his knowledge until now !

love2thenines2003 said:

Review on Pitchfork is great, long and detailed : 8.8/10

Vannormal said:

Review on Pitchfork is great, long and detailed : 8.8/10

It says "Reviewed: April 29, 2016".

ferlafran said:

It's a low-cost edition. They haven't even bothered to include any photos. Explanatory text. Nothing. Just take our money and little else.

This release is a plain damn shame.

They won't have a single $ from me until they offer a decent Vault release.

Vannormal said:

Review on Pitchfork is great, long and detailed : 8.8/10

I think that is a review of the prior Rhino reissue, or something

nxx said:

Vannormal said:

Review on Pitchfork is great, long and detailed : 8.8/10

I think that is a review of the prior Rhino reissue, or something

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Darn.

Couldn't find it in recent reviews at first, quickly started looking for it, and 'searched' it.

Didn't even noticed the date.

Bart could've verbally beaten me up.

It's okay I think you got away with it

Vannormal said:

Saw it displayed in the shop, didn't buy it.

The CD has a round black and silver sticker on the sleeve, indeed not the boy/girl with the balloon.

This sticker is so not matching the design.

It doesn't say SDE.

It says "2CDS, The Iconinc 1985 album remastered for the first time + remastered b-sides, mixes & edits."

And the repeating silver-ish layer all over the cover design is tiresome.

Just a carton release, not even a digipack.

But also only 22,00 EU.

Got mine today, the original album doesn't sound that much different than the original CD. Nice to have the 12 inch and b-sides all together in one release. But overall, this one is a real downer. Also got the WAY OVERPRICED singles set at a local record store (over $100 after tax). My overall impression of the Deluxe CD and the Singles set is the CHEAPNESS of them both. I wasn't prepared for the crumminess of the ATWIAD singles set compared to the gorgeous Diamonds and Pearls singles set. As for the CD set, the packaging is HORRIFIC. There's a stupid flap (similar to the original album) and the cardboard it's made out of is so stiff that it doesn't stay closed. No essay in the booklet and what's there is extremely hard to read as the used white print on a light background. I hate to trash them, because they have the control, but McMillan and Spicer MESSED THIS UP ROYALLY. WHAT AN EMBARASSMENT. They need to step down for the estate. They have no idea what they are doing. Also, word on the street is that the Purple Rain Musical is absolutely terrible. They have taken what was once a well-run estate putting out great releases and basically turned it into the horror show that is the Michael Jackson estate. McMillan and Spicer need to go. Primary Wave: save the estate, please. This is such a shame and so sad. I hate to be so negative, but wow, were these releases a wake up call. Uf da (I'm a Minnesota Norwegian)

[Edited 11/29/25 21:11pm]

SquirrelMeat said:

I just did a track by track comparison with my previous rip of ATWIAD. My older version sounds better.

The bass is slightly better on the remasters, but the overall sound is muddy in comparison.

I agree 100%. I don't understand the love for this remaster. I compared my old CD with the remastered CD. Very little difference. This release was an unnecessary mess.

BSonmor said:

Got mine today, the original album doesn't sound that much different than the original CD. Nice to have the 12 inch and b-sides all together in one release. But overall, this one is a real downer. Also got the WAY OVERPRICED singles set at a local record store (over $100 after tax). My overall impression of the Deluxe CD and the Singles set is the CHEAPNESS of them both. I wasn't prepared for the crumminess of the ATWIAD singles set compared to the gorgeous Diamonds and Pearls singles set. As for the CD set, the packaging is HORRIFIC. There's a stupid flap (similar to the original album) and the cardboard it's made out of is so stiff that it doesn't stay closed. No essay in the booklet and what's there is extremely hard to read as the used white print on a light background. I hate to trash them, because they have the control, but McMillan and Spicer MESSED THIS UP ROYALLY. WHAT AN EMBARASSMENT. They need to step down for the estate. They have no idea what they are doing. Also, word on the street is that the Purple Rain Musical is absolutely terrible. They have taken what was once a well-run estate putting out great releases and basically turned it into the horror show that is the Michael Jackson estate. McMillan and Spicer need to go. Primary Wave: save the estate, please. This is such a shame and so sad. I hate to be so negative, but wow, were these releases a wake up call. Uf da (I'm a Minnesota Norwegian)

[Edited 11/29/25 21:11pm]

IMO PW will not do better...the Vault catalogue is not their business & 1st priorities....i do think that as long as th suckers Vampire aka MCMillan/Spicer will suck until they can..as long a dollar will fall in their fucking pockets selling posters & candles & useless so called Deluxe edition of so few things in it...they will drive the boat until his perdition !!

BSonmor said:

MIRvmn1 said:

BSonmor said:

Got mine today, the original album doesn't sound that much different than the original CD. Nice to have the 12 inch and b-sides all together in one release. But overall, this one is a real downer. Also got the WAY OVERPRICED singles set at a local record store (over $100 after tax). My overall impression of the Deluxe CD and the Singles set is the CHEAPNESS of them both. I wasn't prepared for the crumminess of the ATWIAD singles set compared to the gorgeous Diamonds and Pearls singles set. As for the CD set, the packaging is HORRIFIC. There's a stupid flap (similar to the original album) and the cardboard it's made out of is so stiff that it doesn't stay closed. No essay in the booklet and what's there is extremely hard to read as the used white print on a light background. I hate to trash them, because they have the control, but McMillan and Spicer MESSED THIS UP ROYALLY. WHAT AN EMBARASSMENT. They need to step down for the estate. They have no idea what they are doing. Also, word on the street is that the Purple Rain Musical is absolutely terrible. They have taken what was once a well-run estate putting out great releases and basically turned it into the horror show that is the Michael Jackson estate. McMillan and Spicer need to go. Primary Wave: save the estate, please. This is such a shame and so sad. I hate to be so negative, but wow, were these releases a wake up call. Uf da (I'm a Minnesota Norwegian)

[Edited 11/29/25 21:11pm]

I agree, they need to step down. No one in their right mind wants them in charge of future releases, cuz they mess up everything they touch. We’ve waited over two years for a new SDE and instead we keep getting half-baked ideas and missed opportunities. No vault tracks and zero communication with the fans.

Not to mention the only time they've even pretended to reach out to the fans for feedback was the Vault Future Plans panel at Celebration this year... which was only accessible to those willing to pay $600+ to attend Celebration. In other words, the kind of sycophants who were never going to ask meaningful or hard-hitting questions anyway.

The only way they could leave would be if the Estate goes bankrupt.

But with most of the fans keeping on buying their slop, it's not about to happen.

fredmagnus said:

The only way they could leave would be if the Estate goes bankrupt.

But with most of the fans keeping on buying their slop, it's not about to happen.

If The Estate goes bankrup...i bet that it would be bought by somehing that might be worst in term of management...my 2 cents !

love2thenines2003 said:

fredmagnus said:

The only way they could leave would be if the Estate goes bankrupt.

But with most of the fans keeping on buying their slop, it's not about to happen.

If The Estate goes bankrup...i bet that it would be bought by somehing that might be worst in term of management...my 2 cents !

Worse than the worst ?? WOW

The Second Disc---review of ATWIAD expanded edition

https://theseconddisc.com...id=IwY2xja

dualboot said:

peedub said:

Yeah. He makes a similar point to one I've made before...why on earth are Spicer and mcmillan's names physically on this release?! It's fucking gross and tells me all I need to know about the motivations of the current administrators of the estate. Prince deserves so much better.

They're goons and leaches who don't give a fuck about Prince. They care about lining their wallets.

TrivialPursuit said:

I'll probably listen to the remaster on streaming at some point but I have a lovely original vinly copy of the album and all the singles on 12" so why should I buy this?

After all the super deluxe editions, it just doesn't make sense to me.

Also, I fear that by supporting this release and making it succesfuly, the estate can go "Ahhh, we don't need to make an effort, they'll buy it without all the vault stuff that takes so much time and effort".