Here's a post that I submitted in the MMIM review thread, but wanted to get all of your thoughts on this. I await replies:
This is a decent compilation, but I feel utterly shafted by the live songs. I own audience-taped bootleg CD's where the sound quality is better. I mean seriously, is that an acoustic guitar or a kazoo? This sort of fulfils the obvious "in it for the money and I know you'll buy whatever schlock I put out in the market" attitude that Mr. Margaritaville Cafe and Cheesburger in Paradise seems to have lately. When bands like Pearl Jam and Phish can release great sounding live CDs two days after the show, you would think Buffett could put less than ten good sounding live songs out a year or more later. T, Th and S sounded great. I have to insist that Buffett didn't even listen to these live tracks before release, because they are painful to get through!
You know, I have to agree here. It seems to me that if anyone listened closely to the live tracks, they would have noticed the annoying noise. I don't want to blame Jimmy though because I'm sure he paid someone good money to make sure everything sounded ok. It really is odd that no one caught that, it's pretty hard to miss.
This past weekend I listened to the album for the first time. I agree that the soud quality was not great, but what bothered me even more is that he doesn't even get the words right on a couple of songs! The very least they can do is put out a live version w/out senior moments... I did think that the live version of PL@40 was excellent though.
jbfins wrote:This past weekend I listened to the album for the first time. I agree that the soud quality was not great, but what bothered me even more is that he doesn't even get the words right on a couple of songs! The very least they can do is put out a live version w/out senior moments... I did think that the live version of PL@40 was excellent though.
Excelent in what way? I get a distinct buzz throughout the song, and it seems to be when he hits the guitar licks. I've tried 2 separate CD's and it's there. I also had someone else confirm they heard it too. I'm playing it on a Bose system.
I think the problem with Meet Me in Margaritaville is that it is another greatest hits for the average Buffett fan. When is Buffett going to have an album for the hardcore Parrotheads? There are a lot of great songs the average Buffett fan doesn't know.
Overall, the new Cd wasn't bad, it was just the same as previous albums, and that was the disapointment for me.
I agree, Margaritaville is on too many cd's... I think everone knows that song
Glad to hear it just wasnt my cd,i hear the twang thang,and i have to say the only thing that saves this cd,is disc 2,not bad at all,but im with you guys,a fan since the 70's,i would rather here a collection of the unmainstream stuff...island,coast is clear,tireswing,why cant we ever go home...ect.....oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh....death of an unpopular poet anyone?
I agree the live songs sound quality isn't up to par with the other three live albums he has released. In fact they sound not much better than my selection of bootlegs. But I have to say this, they are great performances of the songs and they are really "live recordings". No fixing or adding which is unheard of these days, especially when it comes to live releases.
Any longtime parrothead knows that Jimmy forgets and alters lyrics live and has done so for years, which doesn't bother me. Just listen to You Had To Be There(Miss You So Badly) or Feeding Freenzy(Cheeseburger in Paradise).They're still awesome performances regardless of the lyrical confusion!
changingchannels wrote:I agree the live songs sound quality isn't up to par with the other three live albums he has released. In fact they sound not much better than my selection of bootlegs. But I have to say this, they are great performances of the songs and they are really "live recordings". No fixing or adding which is unheard of these days, especially when it comes to live releases.
Any longtime parrothead knows that Jimmy forgets and alters lyrics live and has done so for years, which doesn't bother me. Just listen to You Had To Be There(Miss You So Badly) or Feeding Freenzy(Cheeseburger in Paradise).They're still awesome performances regardless of the lyrical confusion!
The performances here aren't the issue. I savor great glimpses of live performances, including those cool lottle screw-ups, banter with the crowd, etc, but these sound horrible. I mean, they are beyond "fixed," they are the exact opposite. I have never been to a major concert production (read: A Buffett show) where the mix is as awful sounding as these. Buffett's guitars usually sound like guitars in concert and if they buzzed as awfully over the PA in an arena or amphitheater, it would be miserable to listen to. How can a soundboard recording feedback and buzz this badly and still be released as an official album? It's pretty bush-league if you ask me!
This thread is starting to borderline Buffett bash and thats totally OK! Being hard core fans we are allowed to express unsatisfactory opinions. I bought this CD at the neighborhood Target for $15, I already have every song of this collection on several other CD's or tapes except Sail On Sailor and Everybody's Talkin'. Thats not the point here, its just a different mixing of the same songs we KBH! I don't get the fuzzy sound of the live recordings because I transfered my CD to tape, why?, well I just like tapes better. It doen't matter though, I have these songs recorded live one way or the other on several bootlegs.
So I guess my point is .......um.......don't have such high expectations for something that takes such a little amount of time and energy to obtain, all you did was buy the packaging of a product. Try in the future to invest time and energy into a vast collection of bootlegs and rare material ( they are basically free ) or make your own mix of tunes that you love!
Thats funny, i keep listining to the live tracks on my copy and i dont have a problem in the world with them. I dont hear any annoying sounds and i think Buffetts word lapses are kind of amusing. Its good to know Jimmy's still kickin.
I hope that all the greedy bastards in the world
Come back as lobsters.
You know that life at the bottom of the food chain
Suits them well.
I think that all of the evil people of the world
Come back as horseflies,
They want one last bite before they're sent to hell.
I agree that MMIM is basically a 2 disc SYKBH.
I have pondered an idea that would make Jimmy alot of
money and all of us Parrotheads really happy.
Make a 2 disc album with all the classics and a new disc
of strictly new music devoted as a tribute to us Parrotheads.
Heck he could even do one specific song throughout the tour that would not be played anywhere else except that venue and compile them and put a disc out. "Hey Alpine, The Wino and I Know" for example.
Great Woods could have God's Own Drunk Etc. I hope you get the drift.
Let me know your thoughts.
The performances here aren't the issue. I savor great glimpses of live performances, including those cool lottle screw-ups, banter with the crowd, etc, but these sound horrible. I mean, they are beyond "fixed," they are the exact opposite. I have never been to a major concert production (read: A Buffett show) where the mix is as awful sounding as these. Buffett's guitars usually sound like guitars in concert and if they buzzed as awfully over the PA in an arena or amphitheater, it would be miserable to listen to. How can a soundboard recording feedback and buzz this badly and still be released as an official album? It's pretty bush-league if you ask me!
[/quote]
Maybe you should read the first line of my response again!I'm not disagreeing with you!
The performances here aren't the issue. I savor great glimpses of live performances, including those cool lottle screw-ups, banter with the crowd, etc, but these sound horrible. I mean, they are beyond "fixed," they are the exact opposite. I have never been to a major concert production (read: A Buffett show) where the mix is as awful sounding as these. Buffett's guitars usually sound like guitars in concert and if they buzzed as awfully over the PA in an arena or amphitheater, it would be miserable to listen to. How can a soundboard recording feedback and buzz this badly and still be released as an official album? It's pretty bush-league if you ask me![/quote]
Maybe you should read the first 2 or so lines of my response again!I'm not disagreeing with you!
ernste40 wrote:Changing- No disrespect intended. Just a bit extra venting from a slightly-ticked Wisconsin Parrothead!
Its all good! I share your sentiment I would have preferred a new album with new music by Jimmy or at least an obscure 2 disc live collection of songs we don't have already!
I am so glad I'm not the only one. My fiance (I'm still getting used to using that word!) and I were talking about the poor sound quality of the live songs while we were listening through the CD for the first time. Very disappointing! It sounds like it was recorded by someone in the front row with a tape recorder. Ugh.
I can't believe the live songs made it past the editors, etc, and onto the CD. It's very poor quality work... sounds like a low-budget college-radio recording. We know that the Buffett people have access to better systems... "Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays"...
Overall, I feel kind of cheated by the CD. Yes, I saw the track list before I purchased the CD, so I knew that I already had many of the songs, but still- at least a new recording of them would have been nice. We could've made this CD by burning mixes of our old ones...
I agree with Mplsfins. That would be a great CD!!
and thats totally OK! Being hard core fans we are allowed to express unsatisfactory opinions. I bought this CD at the neighborhood Target for $15, I already have every song of this collection on several other CD's or tapes except Sail On Sailor and Everybody's Talkin'. Thats not the point here, its just a different mixing of the same songs we KBH! I don't get the fuzzy sound of the live recordings because I transfered my CD to tape, why?, well I just like tapes better. It doen't matter though, I have these songs recorded live one way or the other on several bootlegs. 
.......um.......don't have such high expectations for something that takes such a little amount of time and energy to obtain, all you did was buy the packaging of a product. Try in the future to invest time and energy into a vast collection of bootlegs and rare material ( they are basically free ) or make your own mix of tunes that you love!
