Acoustic Sounds
By: Michael Fremer

September 23rd, 2024

Category:

News

Domino to Reissue on Vinyl John Cale's "The Academy In Peril" and "Paris 1919"

digitally remastered

The Domino website characterizes these two albums as "beloved", but when they were first released no one paid them much attention. They are costly on Discogs mostly because so few copies were manufactured. Most copies you'll find either have "cut out" cut corners or are promo copies discarded by foolish people.

At the time John Cale was a Warner Brothers employee, as I recall, an "A&R Man", tasked with finding and signing new talent. Here's the promo insert blurb:

While the blurb suggests Paris 1919 is rock, because Little Feat's Lowell George and Richie Hayward drive the wailing slide and rhythm tracks, UCLA's symphony orchestra provide the lush settings Cale orchestrated on an album that is as charming and disarming as his work with Lou Reed in the V.U. was discordant and dark. The cover art and photo showing Cale dressed in white bathed in sunlight lets long time fans know they are not getting Velvet Underground here! "Child's Christmas in Wales" inspired by fellow Welshman Dylan Thomas's poem makes the feel good clear .

I was thinking of producing a list of 100 of my most valued records—not the most valuable—and this would be one of them, though after playing it last night using the Audio Technica AT-ART1000x (review coming) after at least a decade long lapse, I realized I really didn't at all know the songs' inner workings. Now, finally, I hear all the intricacies of the arrangements revealed in three dimension space. Last evening was a child's Christmas in Wyckoff!

This will be the album's first "artist sanctioned" reissue. The comments on Discogs about the previous ones indicate they were bad. On the Domino website Cale said earlier this month (September, 2024):

“Revisiting work from the past is a double-edged sword for me. Of course, it’s bound to happen when you've been making music for 60 years or so. . . What's unique about this process with Domino, is their desire to get it right. Not merely re-issue something for the sake of an anniversary or racking up a catalogue favorite - but finding new treasures and highlighting what made it special in the first place. After hearing the test pressings, it occurred to me that the new mastering was a major part of how these works will be presented, rather than simply being preserved. There are moments of clarity and even a laugh or two had by revisiting not only the music, but recalling the sessions (and antics) that made up what became these two recordings. It is my pleasure to share these with you . . . again.”

The Deluxe two LP Edition available November 15th will feature 'previously unreleased outtakes and liner notes by Grayson Haver Currin, and features a brand new recording, “Fever Dream 2024: You’re a Ghost"."

The reissue was digitally remastered "from the original tapes" by Heba Kadry (glad I double checked the spelling because fu*king A.I. changed it to "Kelsy"), who I've never heard of, which means nothing. Checking her credits I was impressed by the clients, many of whom, like Sufjan Stevens, Björk and The Mars Volta are known sound connoisseurs, and especially by her resume, which is beyond impressive, but the cherry on top is that she has a dog named Eno. I had a dog named Eno, (who definitely was not down with the BDS movement).

However, from my listening chair perspective, if there's a good tape, I want it cut from that tape not from a digital transfer. If the best that can be had is a tape copy, the shootout can go towards the file if it's done correctly. Digital has finally gotten really good (as the record I released demonstrated).

The original pressing sounds remarkably three-dimensional, presents the strings, brass and other instruments with uncanny verisimilitude and has transient delicacy and overall transparency that I don't ever expect to get from a digital transfer. Was an original pressing referenced on a serious turntable? I do not know.

Cale seems happy: "After hearing the test pressings (cut by Chris Bellman), it occurred to me that the new mastering was a major part of how these works will be presented, rather than simply being preserved." But then Jimmy Page was happy with his latest digitally remastered Led Zeppelin albums so who knows? There's only one way to find out so I've ordered a copy.

I once had a back stage run in with John Cale in the late '70s at The Whiskey A-Go-Go. He had just released Honi Soit on A&M and my then girlfriend worked for A&M. Following the show there was a little party. I reached for a cold beer sitting in an ice bucket. Cale charged over and tried to stop me. He said something like "I don't know who you are or why you think you are entitled to take my beer?" It was kind of amusing actually. That was a new backstage first but I think maybe he was playing with me and did it just to get my reaction. He reminded me of the talking trees in "The Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy grabbed for an apple. I had a quick rejoinder.

"Hey! Let me tell you something John, I was on the radio in Boston on WBCN and when Paris 1919 was released I played the shit out of it when no one else would. I was your chief advocate at the station, and I played Vintage Violence too. I think I'm entitled to an effing beer!"

His scowl evaporated and he said "Then have one". And I did. I'll review this one as soon as it arrives.

Comments

  • 2024-09-24 01:05:11 AM

    Tom wrote:

    While the sound quality on the originals is superb, I’ll be picking up Paris 1919 for the bonus LP. Of the two, The Academy in Peril is my favorite. I faithfully play it each holiday season. I have fond memories of decorating the xmas tree in 1972 while playing the album.

  • 2024-09-24 10:50:56 AM

    Bob wrote:

    Hi Michael, thank you for this review. I love you site but not the comment section. When wil this improve? To prevent problems like dubbel posts and staying logged in for instance.

    Thanks, the quality of the articles are superb!

    • 2024-09-24 11:09:33 PM

      Michael Fremer wrote:

      We have tried to fix the glitch but it created bigger problems. The solution is patience. After you hit "submit" watch it load at the top of the page instead of hitting "submit" again....

      • 2024-09-25 10:50:42 AM

        Bob wrote:

        Thanks, appreciate your response in any case. Just need to be a little patient.

  • 2024-09-24 02:04:48 PM

    Domchuck wrote:

    Not only this reissue was remastered by Heba Kadry (not Kadrey, sorry), but it was cut by Chris Bellman (source: a description published by Heba Hadry on her own Instagram account)

    • 2024-09-24 02:11:46 PM

      Domchuck wrote:

      Hadry → Kadry, bloody keyboard...

    • 2024-09-24 11:10:50 PM

      Michael Fremer wrote:

      on her Instagram account...hmm. It seems to me Domino should include this on their site, especially since Cale says "they did it right" or words to that effect. But thanks for the info!

      • 2024-09-26 08:36:00 PM

        Domchuck wrote:

        I’m only presuming that C. Bellman’s cutting credit is missing from Domino’s website because the label is not an „audiophile” one and this technical detail might not interest them (or, for that matter, the average public that Domino is targeting with their releases).

        But to me, this information raised some questions: Why Domino was not willing to make it simple and commission Chris Bellman for the mastering and the cutting? Was he too expensive? Overbooked? Maybe due to contractual obligations between Reprise/Warner/Domino and Heba Kadry? Or the tapes were stored nearby NY (where Heba Kadry has her studio) and the tape-owner (Warner?) was not willing to send those tapes too far, to Hollywood (at Bernie Grundman Mastering) for example? I will never know…

        • 2024-10-01 07:10:34 AM

          Michael Fremer wrote:

          Warner is good with tapes. They send around the world. This was a decision made by someone who doesn't value AAA. I've emailed the label but they never respond to me because they don't value me.

    • 2024-09-24 11:15:26 PM

      Michael Fremer wrote:

      Thanks. I fixed the spelling and made sure it wasn't A.I. changed.

  • 2024-09-24 04:16:25 PM

    Jeff 'Glotz' Glotzer wrote:

    Love that anecdote with John Cale! I am surprised at such an outburst, but then again, it seemed elitism was cultivated back then in those circles. And the coincidence of the same name dogs... cool. Kadry is hugely impressive as you state. Wish I was exotic and talented! lol...

    • 2024-09-24 04:48:35 PM

      Jeff 'Glotz' Glotzer wrote:

      Listening to Japanese Breakfast to start, she is the real deal when it comes to audio. She truly gets it.

      • 2024-09-24 04:53:33 PM

        Jeff 'Glotz' Glotzer wrote:

        In fact, one should check out this 'desert-island' piece that is her fav- Sontec Mastering EQ - MES 432C-9. The componentry is insane!

  • 2024-09-24 05:18:17 PM

    Heidi E. wrote:

    The only one I want to listen to anymore is Church of Anthrax, my original still sounds fantastic after 50+ years.

  • 2024-09-25 11:15:54 AM

    Anders Sørensen Uth wrote:

    This is going to be interesting. The originals are not bad sounding records, but at least Paris 1919 seems too dark sounding to me. Also Reprise discs from the period are in my experience noisy. Hoping for the best as they are both wonderful records!

    • 2024-10-01 07:12:28 AM

      Michael Fremer wrote:

      "Paris 1919" sounded great here when I played it last week. Deep soundstage, excellent tonal balance. I'll be interested in the reissue...