Bob Weir – Ace

I bought the white pearl 50th some time ago, never played it, figuring it is just the original on 180gram vinyl. Took it out tonight and boy was I wrong. It's a complete remix with added horns and vocals not on the original. I'm bummed that Jerry's solo on "Playing in the Band" is mixed way back. It's such a beautiful solo and it's mixed out?? Geezuz ! The altered songs are a pleasant surprise. Reviews claim there's a live song, but I can't tell which one. I agree with another commentator that the mix is weird. Featherstone did not do a good job and I'd be surprised if Weir had final say on the masters.

For me, Cassidy is the only interesting track, somewhere between CSN and Arcade Fire.

I agree with the previous reviews. Very dynamic pressing with some beefy bass on this one.

I am a newcomer to this album; this is the first time I have ever heard it. I love the album and I think this record sounds great. Quiet vinyl, beautiful packaging as usual with VMP.

I pre-ordered this release without hesitation as it was the only Dead/solo projects studio album that i don't own on original vinyl pressing. I was excited to see what a remaster would produce. I keep trying to like it but something is off unfortunately. On first listen and every consecutive listen, it lacks warmth. There is a hollow quality that doesn't immerse me like all the og vinyls. To my ears, Bobby's vocals sound too prominent in the mix, whereas Donna's contributions are barely audible. All the instruments sound great (clear and concise) however it still feels distant and clinical. To be honest, if wanted to hear a studio PITB or GSET at this point, I would put on Rolling Thunder - The Main Ten and Pump Song long before reaching for this release. Moral of the story, I think I need to find an og Ace pressing one day.

Comes with an insert, can't see that mentioned in the notes

For what it's worth, the Rhino Red SYEOR edition is very satisfying to my ears. The sound quality is some of the best I've heard on vinyl. Can't speak to the sound of the OG pressing, but this one is clear and alive and sounds like I'm in the studio with Bobby and company, even on my budget Audio Technica 60.

This 2022 remix.. No, just no. First of all -- did the original really need a remix? I always thought it sounded great but I figured, what the hell, let's see what they've done with it, can't go wrong with Ace. But man, I am filled with regret. Why add reverb and delay to Bob's vocals? I don't even need to A/B this with my original pressing to say with confidence that almost nothing 'sits in the mix' in the way it should, or in the way it DID for decades. Maybe it was mixed with crappy Bluetooth speakers / headphones in mind? Some songs here are worse off than others, or to make it glass half full - a few of these mixes are passable and might be of interest as "alternate mixes" but it's hard for me to see anything here as an improvement. Unlike, say, Steve Wilson's remixes of the King Crimson catalog where it is like hearing those records for the first time with all kinds of new facets brought forward, this mix makes me feel badly for anybody who might be encountering this album for the first time ever, because it is NOT representative. This record has more tunes that stayed in regular rotation in the Dead's live repertoire than any other single album - it deserved better than this. (P.S. I should have read the reviews here first and saved myself the $25 but I just saw Bob with Wolf Brothers and loved the hell out of it, so this happened..)

This one seems to be almost identical to the copy I purchased in Ireland the difference being that my copy was pressed at GZ Media in the Czech Republic, for the European market. It uses the U.S. Stampers/Metal Parts and the pressing is quite wonderful I am glad to say. I have read of 'quibbles' about the new mix, but I must say that I very much enjoyed this reissue. GZ Media did a very good job on this release. I imagine Warner demanded a high quality product from the Czech plant. It shows what can be achieved when care is taken with the so called 'imperfect format'. So far, I haven't seen any entry for this one (European version) or indeed for the translucent red European version which I also have?

Sounds good. Wipe cleaned it with solution before first play, but lots of static.