Happy Landings vs Elemental versions

[Octopulse]

Hello again,

The topic of comparing "Happy Landings" versions to the later versions found on "Elemental" was originally brought up on the old mailing list when Elemental first came out. I was wondering what people thought now, with maybe a little more hind-sight involved.

Disclaimer : The following rant is only my opinion which is only meant to generate your opinion. In other words... this along with $0.98 will get ya a good cup of joe at Denny's.

Two Different Views - The superior vocals, the shwing guitar echoing away, the way the synth pulses into the mix, the acoustic guitar interlude and distorted outro all make the HL version my definite favorite. Its no surprise that it was the version chosen for "The Ultimate Collection".

Going Without - I like HL's "upbeat island kinda vibe" over the "dark-vocals twangy kinda vibe" of the Elemental version. I wonder if the "island to twangy conversion" had anything to do with the boys working in Nashville when the final cut was done. I also feel that the effect could have been left off Cy's voice on the Elemental version.

Happy Landings - I really liked the "Happy Landings" album concept and thought that this song would have made a great album title track. The HL and Elemental versions are quite similar but the HL version is slightly my favorite.

We Once Held Hands - A little editing of the HL version would have been ok, but i really wish they would have left its extended ending intact. I always thought that the original ending would have made a great album closer for Elemental, with Jamies ringing harmonics driving it home to the last chord, where you hear faintly as the notes begin to fade, a brief acoustic guitar reprise that brings us back full circle.

So I guess for me its unanimous, the Happy Landings versions are superior.

So what do you think?,
Octo


[This message has been edited by Octopulse (edited 01-20-2001).]

[DanBoutin]

Couldn't agree more. The production and mixing are far superior on the HL EP compared to the Elemental versions.

WOHH was such a masterpiece on the HL EP that it sounded kind of awkward on Elemental. Some of the sound bits were taken from the HL version but some loss in quality occured during the "conversion" to the Elemental track.

[Alan Ostego]

Unfortunately i havent got a copy of happy landings yet but i do have the ultimate collection and i do like the version of two different views on that one more than the one on elemental, dont get me wrong i love them both i just like the happy landing version more too.

Al

[Deb Rosenthal]

I'd have to agree that I also prefer the Happy Landings version of the songs, especially Two Different Views. I wonder though if I would feel differently about this if I had been exposed to the Elemental CD first . . .

[Octopulse]

ya I kinda wondered myself if the Elemental versions came out first if i would still feel the same way. I think I would. Its been around 3 years since HL and Elemental came out and since then i have listened to both pretty much equally. Trying to be objective i still find the HL versions superior. Not that one version is good or bad compared to the other, but one just appeals to me more.

Are there any Fixxtures out there who became familar with Elemental before they heard the HL versions? What do you think?

Octo

[Camphor]

Well, I guess I will be the first to say I like the 'Elemental' version of 2DV better. That's the only song I've heard from 'Happy Landings' (for some reason I didn't buy it at the show I saw in '97 - might have been sold out afterwards or something), and I'm going to listen to the MP3s of the others later...

My prefernce for the 'Elemental' version of 2DV is just because I like the sparesness of it compared to 'HL'...leaving out some of the extra percussion bits and keyboard made the song seem even more of a lament to me. While JW-O plays some great acoustic riffs in the 'HL' version, I like the overall phased/chorusy guitar he plays from the beginning of 2DV on 'Elemental'.

I'm beginning to think maybe it's like somebody has mentioned already...whatever 'version' a person gets exposed to first kind of subconciously becomes their 'favorite'. LOL

(slightly off-topic--)

At the time '1011 Woodland' came out in 1999, I was living in Nashville and stumbled on the CD since I wasn't keeping up with the band via the WWW yet. So after I bought it, I was driving around one day and decided to ride by the studios...thinking to myself, 'it's a small world after all'...

[Octopulse]

I think It mostly depends upon the person yes, but even at that if we polled the whole message board, (not that this is THAT important) my money would be on the HL versions. Don't get me wrong please I'm not second guessing the band, I have too much respect for them to try something like that, i just was curious what the other Fixxtures preferences were, if they had any.

I remember that i really loved the older version of Red Skies, it was the tune that got me into the band in the first place, but when the React version came out i knew right away that i liked that version more, and still do. On the other hand though, i was familar with the Walkabout version of Do What You Can first and i still prefer that version over the Missing Links version that i first heard years later.


Octo


[This message has been edited by Octopulse (edited 01-22-2001).]

[Deb Rosenthal]

As Octo mentioned about different versions, the song "Outside" has the most personal meaning for me. I was so used to hearing it off Reach the Beach, that when I heard it live, and on some of their later cd's, it was hard to get used to. I like the different renditions, and how they extrapolate on it in concert, but I still revert back to the original as my favorite.

[miked26]

Definately "WOHH" is much better on the HL version since it is longer and sounds better. I also like "TDV" on HL only because it has the extra words from Cy. And bottom line for me is the Freeman song which totally rocks and should be offically released on the next album, maybe as a bonus track or something. I still feel "HL" and "GW" are better on the Elemental album. Can't wait til the new album comes out!!

[SuperSurly]

I kinda like the Elemental version of Two Different Views better (sounds cleaner, less cluttered) but the band prefers the Happy Landings version.

[Octopulse]

The band said they prefer the HL version of TDV huh? Interesting. I didnt know that.
Does anyone know what the reason was for redoing the song(s) in the first place and why if the band preferred the HL version wasnt it used for Elemental?

Octo