Graceland 25th Anniversary remaster - my review
I first heard this remaster last week via Spotify. I was impressed by what I heard so I decided to buy it.
What you get is a fold-out Digipack like the Beatles stereo remasters, consisting of two discs (one of them a DVD containing a documentary running nearly two and a half hours), and a revised booklet containing the lyrics, notes and period photos.
The audio CD also contains a few period demos and a nine-minute walkthrough of the title-track narrated by Paul himself.
Ok, you say, but what of the sound?
The original CD I bought in 1988 always sounded a bit lacking to me, compared to the LP I had borrowed from a friend some months earlier. In my opinion its sonic qualities epitomised everything which was wrong with early analogue to digital transfers: clear and quiet, but cold, brash and soul-less.
So what about this remaster?
There's only one word for it really: phenomenal. Sure, there is evidence of 'loudness war' dynamic compression in so far as this remaster is louder than the original CD, but it's not overdone. What is really, really obvious from the very opening notes of Forere Motloheloa's accordion on The Boy In The Bubble is that this is one quality A->D conversion of the analogue master. Everything is so spacious and well-defined. As Vusi Khumalo starts to hit the skins from 0:08, the attack and precision makes the original CD sound veiled. Bakithi Kumalo's bass comes in with a definition, weight and depth to it which is foreign to the original CD. Simon's vocals are sonorous, clearly defined and they cut through the mix with precision. The musical textures and layers never sound jumbled or tiring: everyone's just stood in your living room, playing and singing for you, occupying their own little accoustic space.
It's much of the same story for the rest of the CD. Listening to Ladysmith Black Mambazo during Homeless and on the opening to Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes has them sounding like they've gone and re-recorded their vocals in a bigger sound-booth, and picking out their individual voices is much easier. You Can Call Me Al has a sense of pace and rhythm which I haven't heard before.
In short, if you are a fan of the original album, I'd class this as an absolutely essential purchase. The package presentation, which so few people seem to care about in today's digital dowload era, is excellent, and the whole album sounds like 2012 studio engineers have zapped back in time to 1986 and re-recorded everyone on better equipment. Sad that all these years it's obviously always been there on the tape, but some substandard part of the original tape->CD conversion just didn't capture it.
Maybe listen to it on Spotify before dropping the money on it; what a remaster can't really do is make you like an artist you previously didn't.
One of my favourite albums, but hadn't read anything about this, definitely going on my list, thanks 
Any news on how worthwhile the extras on the £90 edition are? If anything like pink floyd, not very....
I agree with the OP: I've got the vinyl version of the Graceland 25th anniv. edition, and it's brilliant. Several outbreaks of goosebumps listening to it yesterday!
Now that would certainly make an interesting listen, Clare. I wonder how much it varies from the original LP, which imo was always superior to the original CD.
Hi your review has sold it to me I love graceland not keen on the original recording though I will keep an eye open for this one many thanks for your review
Intruiged to know how much compression has been used - anyone run the remastered CD through Audacity?
This is track one, The Boy In The Bubble. The top is from the original CD, bottom is the 25th Anniversary remaster:
It's not good to see, but I've seen worse, and imo the overall improved SQ still makes it very easily worth it. My perception is that it doesn't sound too compressed. Obviously others may feel differently.
This was the 1st CD I ever heard. Despite being blown away by the SQ at the time I thought it a bit of a pretentious album. But memories are making me want to check it out again and I've always liked Boy in the Bubble.
Currently listening to: Stump - The Song Remains
This is track one, The Boy In The Bubble. The top is from the original CD, bottom is the 25th Anniversary remaster:
It's not good to see, but I've seen worse, and imo the overall improved SQ still makes it very easily worth it. My perception is that it doesn't sound too compressed. Obviously others may feel differently.
Thanks for posting
I'm pretty sure this wasn't remastered specifically for the 25th anniversary but that this is a re-packaging of the remaster that came out a couple of years ago. I have the original CD release and the remaster and feel the remaster is substantially better sounding.
Hmm, indeed. Been digging... From what I can gather, there's been two remasters: the first in 2004 - which by all accounts was merely an EQ tweak that boosted treble and bass - and the second, released Oct 2011, was a more comprehensive fettle. It seems the 25th is a re-packaged version of the latter?
That is what I though as well.
I love it when remastering 'works'. Technology has improved immeasurably in 25/30 years, allowing us to digitally capture the subtleties and 'life' of original analogue masters in a quality which was often lacking back then. Such a shame then when it all goes a bit wrong due to the fact that producers and engineers too-often feel the need to over-modernize the sound with additional compression and re-EQs.
I'm a fan of Paul Simon, I like Art Garfunkel’s solo work too. I was listening to the original vinyls of 'Graceland' and 'Hearts and Bones' only the other night . . . I saw this thread, had a listen to the re-release of both albums . . . I prefer the originals, especially Graceland, the re-release has an element of over analytical modern engineering? Hearts and Bones is a little easier on my ear.
I like both in the vinyl, Hearts and Bones might have the edge . . . but its marginal? The re-releases, I definitely prefer the softer presentation of Hearts and Bones. I'm happy with the originals, so won’t be rushing out to buy the new ones.
. . . a personal view, CJSF
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Cheers.
Never been a Paul Simon fan, never owned anything by him. BUT, I've been seriously considering getting this, and now I think I probably will.
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