There's A Riot Going On - Should I order the UK version?

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Is the sound quality better? Because the US version may be the worst CD mastering job I've heard. Should I just try to find it on vinyl, or is there an import that's passable?

― Lee is Free (Lee is Free), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 22:00 (nineteen years ago)

theres no remastered version available.

― city of gyros (chaki), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 22:06 (nineteen years ago)

Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On CD in USA -- problems?

― a.b. (alanbanana), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 23:23 (nineteen years ago)

PS I only have the UK one. It doesn't sound very good.

― a.b. (alanbanana), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

There were a few different US ones I thought, (i have the Collector's Choice one with the shitty live cover) but probably same quality level. Its due for a remastering job, but, if I want to listen to it, I ususally just pull out the LP.

The 33 & 1/3 book recently came out too, haven't gotten around to it yet.

― pher (pher), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 00:50 (nineteen years ago)

the 33 1/3 is really terrific. lots of good background stuff, some recording info, smart stylistically

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 00:58 (nineteen years ago)

uh, it was recorded really shittily, according to the singer from gay dad.

― the Enrique who acts like some kind of good taste gestapo (Enrique), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

the riot tracks on the essential sly & the family stone comp are remastered - but it's not the full album.

― lil' merzbow wow (haitch), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

the UK verison also features an extended mix of the title track, worth seeking out...

― hank (hank s), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

arf...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

The book is great! It's been fuelling my new-found Sly obsession.
Riot is not an album that sounds great, it's true.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

see, thats where youre wrong

― SQUARECOATS (plsmith), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I love the album, but it's not really an example of super-clean production, as is evidenced by the stories of Sly wiping out vocal tracks and overdubbing them multiple times, creating a muddy master. And that is evident in the sound of the album, I think. But it doesn't hinder it.
But I don't want to argue about this album.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

i wont say anymore after this, but THAT MUDDY SOUND MAKES THAT ALBUM GREAT.

― SQUARECOATS (plsmith), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Not on CD, though, apparently.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

THAT MUDDY SOUND MAKES THAT ALBUM GREAT.
So, you'd agree that it sounds muddy, that's all I'm getting at.
I don't know if THAT is what makes the album great, necessarily.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

I may have mentioned this before, but whenever this topic ("Riot"'s weird production) comes up, I instantly think of "Spaced Cowboy"; specifically, that jarring high-pitched hiss noise near the end. For years I thought it was a scratch on my second-hand copy (it even LOOKS like a scratch on the vinyl itself) until a friend played his newly-released CD copy and I was stunned to hear that exact same fuckup.

It wasn't until after that moment that I heard the stories about all of Sly's extensive remixing and whatnot.

― Myonga Von Booty (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

See, this is a perfect example of how modern production values (digital recording, click tracks and drum samples) and the Church of Ear Candy approach to arrangements have taken the mystique out of music.

"Riot" is supposed to sound like that! The muddiness is part of the stoned vibe, which is true to Sly's state of mind at that time. Artistic honestly >>>> audiophile wankery. Viva Rockism!

― eminem enterprises, Wednesday, 10 May 2006 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

Sly's work pre- and post-Riot was VERY well recorded, so let's not get too romantic about this

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

all id want a remaster to do is make it a little louder, if anything. im not trying to over-romanticize it, but i think the songs work really well in the context of the murky/muddy production.

― SQUARECOATS (plsmith), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

the riot tracks on the essential sly & the family stone comp are remastered - but it's not the full album.
-- lil' merzbow wow (birthday.part...) (webmail), Yesterday 12:26 PM. (later) (link)

But does it sound any better?

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 11 May 2006 07:17 (nineteen years ago)

It sounds like no one can be bothered, which might be the point.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 11 May 2006 07:45 (nineteen years ago)

seventeen years pass...

this album sounds the way it sounds, no remastering is really going to better it (I have a new red vinyl pressing). the issue is how it was mixed. if there were to be a remix, it would sound 'better' I suppose, but it would also lose a lot of what is kind of cool about this album. it's one of the few records where the murk is part of the point.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Tuesday, 1 August 2023 22:48 (two years ago)

no remastering is really going to better it

The old CD mastering (pre-2007) was terribly flat and hissy, the re-mastering made a lot of difference!

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 2 August 2023 17:27 (two years ago)

oh well that's good to hear; I don't actually recall hearing the earlier remaster though i obviously did at some point.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 2 August 2023 20:11 (two years ago)

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