advertisement


Kirsty MacColl - Kites.

Aethelist

pfm Member
I love this album. She had a way with words that really struck a chord. But I also hate the way it sounds.

I have it on original vinyl first pressing. On Cd. On Remastered CD. But they all just sound like a jangly horrible congested mess. Flanged out. Treble off the scale. Nails running down a blackboard.

Have to say I'm tempted by the new release on vinyl from earlier on this year but I really don't want to have to listen to that same old thing again.

Did they do a good job?

Anyone got it?
 
Never been a fan of Steve Lillywhite productions. I can't imagine a repressing or remastering will improve things much here.
 
I have the latest pressing and it doesn’t sound that good. I don’t have any other versions on vinyl or CD to compare it with though.
 
Cheers guys. Guess I'll give it a miss.

Don't often go into 'Music' but I'm looking at my vinyl copy on Virgin (it's 'Kite', b.t.w., not the plural), I can't recall it being as you described, though I do remember it being a wee bit relentless. I'll give it a spin on my Saturday session as I probably haven't played it on my current kit, or for a few years.
 
Welcome to the Music section. Your input is most welcome and we here are truly honoured.

Glad to know someone at least actually owns this record.

Don't matter what you play it on though (or how it's spelled - Simon Dupree & the Big Sound it is not))


The Human League
 
That first line does sound slightly sarcastic, but I can't think why, so shall take it with a grin. I do check this section from time to time, post on it and add threads, but sometimes time flies etc. It's also a pretty fast moving section. I believe it's McColl (which could be the Irish 'mac'). No idea about your 45 content though; surely totally unrelated. It was 'Days' on her album which was the hit at the time. Have a vague feeling that she died young.
 
It’s MacColl. Kite is a great album with some fine contributions from J Marr, must dig it out as not played it in ages.
She was killed in a terrible boating accident. Aged 41.
 
Looks like I have the 1989 virgin CD, even though I bought it much later. Kirsty could almost do no wrong IMO. Sadly missed.
 
Can't tell you how totally bummed I am that they didn't do a decent remastering job on the latest vinyl release.

If ever an album deserved a total makeover this was it. So much good stuff buried in the mix. Dave Gilmour, Johnny Marr, Pino Palladini etc etc

Hey ho. Whatever.
 
Played my record last evening; all of side 1 and part side 2. It isn't the most transparent; maybe about 3/5 in this respect. Quite involving but lacking sound-stage. If it had been a CD I'd've said it was compressed. Some of the tracks being a bit relentless/full on doesn't help. It may have been the actual recording, of course, rather than the pressing etc. Doubt I'd play it again (despite 'Days') and probably why I hadn't played it for years.
 
Last edited:
my cd version is terrible. The album is as good as K McC is (which IMO, is VG) but that pressing. Compression city.
 
My original vinyl is pretty full on, and a tad bright - when it gets complex it goes to pieces a bit so I get the 'fingers down a blackboard' comment at times. A lot of that was Lillywhite's production IMHO, which seems to be a bit of the 'more is more' school. I for one would love a decent remaster of this as it's a cracking album from one of our best songwriters. I cried when I heard about her tragic, untimely and horrible death.
 
Other fun Kirsty MacColl facts:

Her mum was famous dancer Jean Newlove and her step mum was Peggy Seeger. Her Dad, Ewan MacColl's first wife was Joan Littlewood was one of the main pioneers of kitchen-sink drama/modern theatre and gave Brendan Behan his big break. Despite being a life long Communist/Socialist from a working class background in the South London Joan eventually married Baron Philippe Rothschild. Eventful lives the lot of them.
 
Kirsty did some great stuff, but overall, album-wise, top of the pile has to be Tropical Brainstorm. If you've not heard it, buy it!
 
"Don't come the Cowboy with me Sonny Jim", one of my fav's! Love the album, and always hoped my latest upgrade would untangle the mess, but I guess that's unlikely to happen then..

Why doesn't Qobuz have the Tropical Brainstorm album!
 


advertisement


Back
Top