Madonna Immaculate Collection

[magiccarpetride]

Played Madonna's "Immaculate Collection" last night for my wife's pleasure, and was blown away by the sound quality of the tracks. The way I remember Madonna's songs from the '80s, they sounded a bit on the cold and mechanical side. But on this collection, they are full of life, warm, musical, with tons of muscle and dynamics. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys listening to full blooded music.

We then played Madonna's remastered CD "Like a Virgin", and it sounded crap! One word: bloody compression:steam:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

'music' is a good album for its production i seem to remember... a few good tracks too

[Spectral Morn]

As is Ray of Light....William Orbit did that one.


Regards D S D L

[Alex_UK]

Quite simply, the lady is a goddess - but let's face it, she isn't the best singer, musician or songwriter around - but by surrounding herself with the right people, she has managed to captivate me from puberty to middle age, (the old adage "it's not what you know but who you know" has never been more true than with Madonna) - she (or probably more accurately her label) have managed to have their finger on the pulse and link her up appropriately when a reinvention is needed, keeping her fresh to each new generation.

You still can't beat her debut album on vinyl, though, in my opinion... she owes her success to John "Jellybean" Benitez for rescuing that album, and I never tire of listening to it - must be one of my most played records, though I mostly save the vinyl these days, for sentimental reasons, and play my CD copy. Ah, happy memories of being 14 - my ENTIRE bedroom (including ceiling) was covered in Madonna posters - I believe the term that would apply these days is "MILF" ;)

[DSJR]

Less of the "middle-age" Alex, if you don't mind - "Life" begins at 55 these days you know...... and I have around ten years on you :)

Many discs of al genres that sounded truly awful in the mid eighties (for various reasons) now sound at least tolerable and often very good today, as the players, amps and particularly speakers have improved their balance and ability to handle the strong transients of a CD player, together with any ultra-sonic shite coming out. Speakers don't need to be quacky, tizzy shriek-boxes trying to balance out mid eighties dull vinyl sources..

[Steve Toy]

I think between us Tasha and I have the entire Madonna collection not just Immaculate collection.

Music is a great full-bodied album and was often used as a tune dem test disc by my Naim/Music Works dealer at the time.

[Joe]

I believe the term that would apply these days is "MILF" ;)

Or even 'GILF'. Can't stand the woman meself.

[DSJR]

She looks awful now - hard-faced moo-moo.....

[magiccarpetride]

You still can't beat her debut album on vinyl, though, in my opinion... she owes her success to John "Jellybean" Benitez for rescuing that album, and I never tire of listening to it - must be one of my most played records, though I mostly save the vinyl these days, for sentimental reasons, and play my CD copy.

Is that the original CD, or the remaster? How does the CD sound? The reason I'm asking is, as I've mentioned in the original post, the remastered "Like a Virgin" is so bloody compressed that it can give you a nose bleed! How much more charming is the more natural sounding "Immaculate Collection" CD.

I just saw Madonna's first CD remastered on sale in the nearby HMV store, and I'm now debating whether to buy it. If it turns out that it's done in the same ham-fisted way as "Like a Virgin", I'll skip and dig for the original CD at various garage sales this summer.

[magiccarpetride]

She looks awful now - hard-faced moo-moo.....

I wouldn't say she looks awful, just... different. And in a freakish way. My wife and I were just commenting the other day (after watching Madonna's '80s movie "Desperately Seeking Susan" on cable) how Madonna in her youth used to have a big, broad, round face, and today it had inexplicably transformed into this elongated horse face. How's that biologically possible? I mean, most people tend to go the opposite way with aging -- from a nice slim face to the bulging, balooning round face.

How on earth did Madonna manage to pull that stunt? I don't believe that there is a cosmetic surgery that can make one's head narrower? This is more freakish than poor Michael Jackson's transforming nose.

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Alex_UK]

Is that the original CD, or the remaster? How does the CD sound? The reason I'm asking is, as I've mentioned in the original post, the remastered "Like a Virgin" is so bloody compressed that it can give you a nose bleed! How much more charming is the more natural sounding "Immaculate Collection" CD.

I just saw Madonna's first CD remastered on sale in the nearby HMV store, and I'm now debating whether to buy it. If it turns out that it's done in the same ham-fisted way as "Like a Virgin", I'll skip and dig for the original CD at various garage sales this summer.

I've steered clear of the remasters - not particularly deliberately, just as I have bought every one of her albums on CD (and the first several on vinyl, as well as about 20 7" singes, (including the first 5 on Japanese "virgin" vinyl) at least 10 12" singles (one signed)) her Sex book, most of her (awful) films - I've paid for at least one round of cosmetic surgery for her, I can't continue to help her transformation into Desert Orchid...! ;)

Fish out the original if you can - (IMHO remastering has much more positive outcomes with older material) - I've always thought it sounds fine, not an obvious candidate for a makeover - in fact it is timeless, in my opinion.