postpunkmonk wrote:Passing_Stranger - Remixing "Brilliant" might help, but what that album needed was to be re-written and re-recorded and especially, re-sung. And yes, a re-mastering would keep the drums from sounding like harsh gunfire; it's badly brickwalled. It's impossible to listen to that album on headphones [though why would I?]. If they would have allowed Warren to write, maybe it could have been better. But they didn't.
From my perspective "Brilliant" is a perfectly acceptable album in terms of music, songwriting etc. Just had a listen to it and can't really understand what can be remotely wrong with actual songs. OK, Midge doesn't sound like in his younger days, not as forceful and all, but surely that's to be expected? For his years he sounds good - and seems to even grasp the art of singing the piano ballad, something which he was sometimes simply incapable of in their glory days ("Building" spring to mind - now here's the song simply painful to listen to). That's some progress! Maybe in places vocals are too processed but that's how things are done these days and processing is not abused like too often happens.
Not sure that letting Warren write* would've changed anything - is Mr Cann widely known for his writing talents? I admire him immensely, he's my favourite Ultravox member ever, but did he do anything musically during 1990s and 2000s? "Ultravox 2" music relied mainly on Billy and Midge so "Brilliant" simply reflects where these two were musically in early 2010s (of course with a look back at the past - musical citations from earlier songs brought smile to my face). And to me their styles merged quite successfully. Well, they could lose "Contact", that's for sure, but that'd be the only omission. And anyway, what lots of critics miss while speaking of Ultravox is that it is (and always were) atmospheric music first and foremost - so you just have to be in the mood for it, to find the right setting or state of mind. Lots of songs here are reflections on the past, loneliness, getting old, even dying - I don't know why but I can relate to it.
Agree on Lipson, though. The sound could've been so much better (i.e. richer). That's mainly why the remixing is needed - to bring out more of hidden elements (and maybe add something too - I'd personally love to hear more viola/violin). But my main concern is remastering.
* I understand it was not a case of not letting him write - Warren simply couldn't take part in writing sessions due to his work commitments. Though it would've been nice to credit him too.