Mummers' Dance remix
vs
Mummers' Dance album

"Monica J. Roxburgh" said....
You know, I do hope we are talking about the same sound, because I went & listened to the song again after I replied to you, and there was also an occasional percussive sound that I would really have to describe as "CHINK". The Roland 303 is more of a variable buzzy, pulsating sound. As far as 303's go though, the remix has to be the best use of one I have heard yet. By the way, there is a picture of the original 303 at http://inside.hku.nl/~bram/mc303/pics/anounc.jpg

The "noise" I hear that bothers me in the Mummers Dance remix MIGHT be this"chinka chinka" that people are referring to, and I would describe it as the sound made when hitting a cookie sheet with a mixing wisk. And I don't like it, it's irritating.

Just this morning I heard the remix, for maybe the tenth time, on the radio; I then immediately listened to the TBOS version, trying to compare the two. I used the same walkman and headphones, so there was no equipment related component that would alter the sound. It was still hard to compare the two versions and come up with a professional sounding opinion, but.....
I can say this, the remix version creates an uneasy, nervous, frustrating type of mood caused (I think) by the extra, louder, more jarring instrumentation that often drowns out LM's voice. The TBOS version, in contrast, created a relaxed, mellow, soothing mood caused (I think, again) by the delicate and smooth melding of vocals with a more natural acoustic instrumentation. (I particularly enjoy the drum sounds in the original song. I can almost see and smell tightly stretched leather bound to smoothly carved wood.)

Enchanting.

Entrancing.

These are the words I would use for the original. I am entranced - as a cobra in the basket is by the sound and motion of the flute. If I were a snake, I would be weaving and swaying in time to the music. On the other hand, if the charmer tried to work their magic on me using the remix version, I would be coiling and striking, mostly out of irritation.

Objectively speaking, the more I hear the remix, the LESS I like it. The more I hear the original, the MORE I like it. I doubt I will EVER get tired of the later, but I have already heard as much as I want of the former. 

                                 Greg Meier-
                Jack of Many Trades, Master of Few
       "The Original Christie Mountain Blue Hills Beast"
       http://www.win.bright.net/~blbeast/index.html
That being said, I segue to this..... I have in my hand an article titled "Country Stars Lack Vision" by Shirley Jinkins of Knight-Ridder News Service. Here are some quotes from that article....
  • "Vision, what the dictionary defines as intelligent foresight."
  • "The list of new country visionaries is short, and painfully influenced by market trends."
  • "What vision there is, is very narrow, Country music today is colorless; it all sounds alike, thereÕs no imagination."
  • "Vision is simply people who make a (musical) stand and stick with it."
  • "they've kept their musical integrity."
  • "the Nashville system...... uses the same producers, writers, studios , even musicians over and over. There's no latitude for other ideas..."

    (She uses Johnny Cash as an example. She says...)

  • "Cash, one of the music industry's true visionaries, is about to release his remarkable "American Recordings," an album that has not been a commercial success but stands as a monument to individualism."
  • "(Cash) could've spent the past few years performing medleys of his old hits..... he didn't have to cut edgy new albums that he knew didn't have a prayer of getting airplay on mainstream radio."
Disregarding the country theme, many of these quotes could be applied to LM's career, especially those that refer to visionaries, of which she is definitely the greatest. To this point, she has done everything that defines the term. She has almost been in a category of her own, evidenced by the difficulty even OldWaysers have classifying her music. She has her own sound. She draws from a worldwide base for her inspiration. (I could go on and on, but IÕd rather save space for the rest of you to comment.) IMHO, however, she has taken a TINY step in the wrong direction with the MD remix. I pray she will not trip and stumble.

Once Again.......Comments from OldWaysers.

    

  • From: "Emily Dunk" -voanyn@hotmail.com

greg scrawled:
>IMHO, however, she has taken a TINY step in the wrong direction with
>the MD remix. I pray she will not trip and stumble.

in my most humble and vulger opinion, loreena has not taken a "step in 
the wrong direction."  who are WE to chastise Our Lady for exploring and 
furthering her music and her career in one song...

emily, who is glad, though a mere mortal, to be graced by her very 
ethereal precence on this dry lump of clay:)

    

  • From: "Jeff Henjes" -Jeff.Henjes@MCI.Com

I think he (Greg) meant to say she's setting a precedent with the remix and 
he used the word TINY.  As far as chastising Loreena I seem to remember her 
ASKING US for opinions and I'm sure she wasn't seriously thinking all would 
be positive.  It was an experiment on her part and it worked in some ways 
and failed in others.  She tried it, which is to be applauded but I hope 
that next time she does a remix she puts more personal input into it and 
allows more time for it to be done "her way".  I for one would not want a 
whole album that sounded like the remix.  But that's MY opinion and if you 
(Emily) want to dispute me, I'll welcome it offline.

    

  • From: "Monica J. Roxburgh" 
Subject: The elusive "chinka"

>The "noise" I hear that bothers me in the Mummers Dance remix MIGHT be this
>"chinka chinka" that people are referring to, and I would describe it as
>the sound made when hitting a cookie sheet with a mixing wisk. 
>And I don't like it, it's irritating.

The only sound I would really describe as "CHINK" is the quick "tap, tap,
tap" that occurs in groups of three at occasional points during the song. It
sounds somewhat like a metal pipe being tapped three times by a small
hammer. You hear it more during the instrumental parts.

The electronic sound I disscussed from the Roland 808, can be described well
by the name of Roland's latest incarnation of it- The "Groove Box". Think
about the the concept of "electronic groove". Listen for a sound that
matches that concept in the remix, particulary at the very end of the song.
Kind of a fast "Buuuuuurb, burb buruub, burruub, Buuuuuurb, burb buruub,
burruub..." etc that is modulated through different pitches.

Then of course, there is various percussion that you might be able to
convince me sounds somewhat cookie-sheet-like. ;)

SO, the question is, what are we each talking about?????

  • Finally, in her own words, Loreena comments on the remix.

The End.