Interview

Apparently, women have begun altering the appearance of their nether regions plastic surgery in order to achieve an "improved" and "youthful" look. Not shockingly, recent studies have shown that this particular method of "streamlining" one's appearance is not as physically harmless as it seemed.

What does this have to do with music? It appears that flesh isn't the only thing that is often more than fine as is. Music is also altered and repackaged to the detriment of the careful listener's experience. Even with the artist's or band's consent and cooperation, the effect can be emasculating (or defeminizing, as the case may be).

I'm all for improving the records, if possible. The problem remastering almost invariably leaves albums just like plastic surgery victims ('"re-massacred?"). The age and vintage that gives the  music character is masked underneath attempts to force the sound to conform to contemporary trends. Take the recently remastered Joy Division albums: The dubby, isolated void created by original producer Martin Hannett is flattened. His revolutionary formula (rhythm section forward, guitar and vocals pushed back) is reversed to match the bands Joy Division stood as an alternative to, as well as the band's now countless imitators.

Updating all of the tracks digitally to today's standards often results in a louder and cleaner sound, but it is often more flat synthetic, as well. (See the Can and Kraftwerk reissues). A similar case is the remastering of the influential Gas albums by Wolfgang Voigt. Part of the magic of these records is their nearly imperceptible, womb-like, deep bass kick, which I've always found similar to the comforting sound of windshield wipers bumping across the glass during a storm. The remastered versions sport a much more defined, comparatively normal bass kick, something that might sound good in a club but which distracts from the lush, swirling layers of sound that surround the beat.
 
Take some time to listen and compare for yourself. It might not be apparent coming out of laptop speakers in a cubicle, but if you really want to test it, try it out at home on decent speakers (or at least decent headphones). I am not concerned with the endless repackaging and remastering of the Beatles back catalogue, but please, no more cleaver jobs of my personal favorites. Look to the reissued classics from Neu, Big Star, This Heat, Ike Yard, Monoton, and the recent Bauhaus reissues for examples of remastered music done right. And just say no to Michael Jackson/Meg Ryan/Jocelyn Wildentstein Tijuana face–or any other kind–lifts!

Future Days Can