Danny Elfman's SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999) - 2021 4-CD Expanded Edition from Intrada Records

[Chewy 2,388]

Roger just said here:

 

Quote

Future pressings will have the fixed CD1 for sure. And anyone who wants a corrected disc 1 will get one if they ask.

 

[Richard Penna 3,687]

I'd ask for a fixed disc 1 if I were ordering something else, but it feels like a tremendous waste of resources/shipping to ask just for that disc if it's literally the same master as the OST.

[Chewy 2,388]

3 minutes ago, blondheim said:

Obviously they are not on Disc 1 but I don't have the CDs to check so Idc whether that makes me blonde or not. I was just curious to know before I bought anything. Damn...

 

He means that tracks from the other discs (2, 3 & 4) also have an added silence but that isn't really noticeable by ear. You can barely only notice it when looking at the waveforms in zoomed mode:

 

[blondheim 1,157]

.

 

[Richard Penna 3,687]

I've noticed absolutely nothing audibly wrong with anything on discs 2, 3 or 4. I only noticed disc 1's issues when I listened specifically earlier, as I hadn't bothered before (given that Roger said they hadn't done anything to it). I just swapped in my OST rip and all is good.

[GoodMusician 56]

7 hours ago, Chewy said:

And when you realize you can fix those in 2 seconds using Audacity...

 

so many things I want to say about that... 

[Holko 9,526]

4 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

I'd ask for a fixed disc 1 if I were ordering something else, but it feels like a tremendous waste of resources/shipping to ask just for that disc if it's literally the same master as the OST.

Since you broke down the alternates and know the OST, I'll ask you: not taking mix differences into account, are the OST takes redundant? Are all of them present somewhere else on the set? Also, does the booklet include a breakdown with a cue list like Intrada releases often do?

[Richard Penna 3,687]

The booklet has a breakdown, yes, and according to it, it's using the same takes as featured elsewhere on the set - it explicitly says that the album was primarily taken from the 'revised' recordings heard in the film.

 

However, aside mixing differences and the overall different mastering, it sounds different to me for a number of tracks - not all of them though. The Chase, for example, is definitely the same recording (with a small microedit), but some other tracks, to my ears, are not. The Main Titles don't sound like any of the three variations to me, Love Lost I'm sure isn't the same as the one on disc 2, and The Windmill also sounds a lot 'tidier' to me than disc 2 version.

 

Oh, and Into the Woods has a totally different vocal between disc 1 and 2. However, when you heard the various alternates, Either Burton or Elfman clearly went ape-shit trying different vocal/solo/instrument choices all over the shop.

 

I'd recommend you take a listen and decide for yourself whether it sounds sufficiently different to keep it  

[blondheim 1,157]

I will always have an attachment to the original album assembly and mixing. It's hot, but it gives it a Herrmann-esque quality. I am really looking forward to crafting an alternate assembly.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

This is my 'alternates' assembly. I dropped anything that didn't feel overly different to me, most notably The Tree of Death, which as far as I can tell only differs in its last minute or so. This clocks in at almost the same length as the OST!

 

Feels a bit like the LotR rarities actually - given how some cues are totally different, and others vary by only a momentary section.

 

01 - Introduction (Original)
02 - Main Titles (Alternate)
03 - Main Titles (Original)
04 - Ichabod's Arrival (Alternate)
05 - The Story... (Original)
06 - Sweet Dreams (Alternate)
07 - Young Ichabod
08 - Spying (Original)
09 - Philipse's Death (Original)
10 - Bad Dream - Tender Moment (Version #2)
11 - The Will (Original)
12 - Evil Eye (Original)
13 - The Church Battle (Original)
14 - Love Lost (Revised)
15 - The Windmill (Original)
16 - The Chase - The Final Confrontation - A New Day (Original)
17 - End Credits (Original)

[Faleel 5,347]

Well some of the LOTR rarities were nothing more than CR tracks and segments without film edits, and should have been on the CR in the first place IMO.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

First few posts of a new release: omg now the listening experience lasts six hours and you can hear coughing, FINALLY 

 

Later: There two milliseconds where they accidentally spliced in the sound of tasmanian devil screeching, intrada is so dumb and lazy I want new disc and I want it now anyway when are they going to expand this other score

[Incanus 5,714]

5 hours ago, Kasey Kockroach said:

First few posts of a new release: omg now the listening experience lasts six hours and you can hear coughing, FINALLY 

 

Later: There two milliseconds where they accidentally spliced in the sound of tasmanian devil screeching, intrada is so dumb and lazy I want new disc and I want it now anyway when are they going to expand this other score

Classic JWFan!  

 

But it is a little sloppy not to take into consideration that some of the tracks on the OST were meant to play gaplessly. Although most of us are primarily going to listen to this stuff in digital form and can certainly fix some of these pesky little things, the point is that we should not have to and that these kind of things should be taken into consideration when they are producing these sets.

[Holko 9,526]

This is not the first time they have to reprint, they really should do a lot better job with double checking for problems before printing and shipping.

[Incanus 5,714]

9 minutes ago, Holko said:

This is not the first time they have to reprint, they really should do a lot better job with double checking for problems before printing and shipping.

Yep.

 

I would suggest that they send their new assemblies to a group of the most sharp eared, meticulous and picky film score fans for proofing  but there would be a considerable danger that they would just use this music to barter for the sessions of their favourite obscure film score on the internet.  

[Holko 9,526]

5 minutes ago, Incanus said:

but there would be a considerable danger that they would just use this music to barter for the sessions of their favourite obscure film score on the internet.  

Hey, not all of us are Thor!

[Faleel 5,347]

Nah, Thor would barter for an OST presentation

[Amer 2,104]

Sad to see this being delayed -I was going to order it with THE EIGER SANCTION but I guess I will wait for it to pair with STAR TREK II. In the meantime I did order EIGER and THE RIVER.

 

I asked Roger at Intrada  the Intrada forum page about when it should be back and he said " I imagine late next week."

 

 

 

[Bespin 8,480]

Aklways wait for a @Chewyreview before buying a new release.

[A. A. Ron 1,742]

20 hours ago, Incanus said:

I would suggest that they send their new assemblies to a group of the most sharp eared, meticulous and picky film score fans for proofing  but there would be a considerable danger that they would just use this music to barter for the sessions of their favourite obscure film score on the internet.  

 

Honestly, that's such an obvious thing to do. Or y'know, actually sit down and listen to each finished master from start to finish before sending it to the plant. Such an easy thing to do, yet most of our specialty labels fail to do things like this for at least some of their releases.

[Bespin 8,480]

Universal France NOW knows that it pays to send the Aznavour reissues for approval to the "trio" (yes we are three in the whole world with such expertise, a great France-Israel-Canada team!) before releasing.

 

I don't know why specialities labels don't do that for JW releases.

 

JWfans are the experts, specialized labels are not!

[Chewy 2,388]

Are you OK Bespin? 

 

[Ollie 1,059]

I’m glad I waited to order mine.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I was waiting to order mine as well, forgive me if I haven't followed every turn of events, but what exactly do I need to do to ensure I get a "fixed" copy?

[Holko 9,526]

6 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

I was waiting to order mine as well, forgive me if I haven't followed every turn of events, but what exactly do I need to do to ensure I get a "fixed" copy?

I think all you need to do is wait for it to get back in stock at Intrada?

[Jay 37,355]

Anyone who places an order at this point will get a fixed version.

 

Anybody who received the first pressing can email Intrada and ask for a fixed Disc 1 if they want one.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I assume a potential issue is if you order from somewhere like Screen Archives or Music Box who have probably already gotten their initial supply of the original pressing that they'd have to sell through.  But I was planning on ordering direct from Intrada anyway.

[Holko 9,526]

Yep. I'm emailing them to see what kind of proof they need that I bought it from soundtrackcorner.

[Incanus 5,714]

4 hours ago, Holko said:

Yep. I'm emailing them to see what kind of proof they need that I bought it from soundtrackcorner.

Let us know how Intrada replies. I just got my shipping confirmation for this set from Music Box Records and assume that my copy is from the initial batch so I'll probably be asking for a replacement disc 1 from Intrada as well.

[Holko 9,526]

10 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Let us know how Intrada replies. I just got my shipping confirmation for this set from Music Box Records and assume that my copy is from the initial batch so I'll probably be asking for a replacement disc 1 from Intrada as well.

Quote

Oh yes, we will make sure you get a replacement Disc1 when they are ready. Any kind of shipping confirmation email or invoice would be perfect.

 

-- Jeff

 

Jeff is very nice.

[Jay 37,355]

He's the best!

[Holko 9,526]

Just now, Jay said:

He's the best!

I wrote him back that he's my favourite Intrada employee!

[Jay 37,355]

 

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

He is very nice yes.

 

I would glady be employed as "CD tester" by LLL, Intrada, LLL, etc... XD

 

Why there is not a job for that?

[Bespin 8,480]

1 hour ago, Luke Skywalker said:

He is very nice yes.

 

I would glady be employed as "CD tester" by LLL, Intrada, LLL, etc... XD

 

Why there is not a job for that?

 

Because we would do it for free!!!!

[blondheim 1,157]

We already do.

[Bespin 8,480]

It surely cost them a lot of money to reprint defective CDs and reship them to retailers and customers... they could be smarter...

[Tom Guernsey 2,284]

https://www.thesoundtrackgallery.com/2021/08/sleepy-hollow-danny-elfman.html

 

Some great custom covers here for anyone interested. 

[Incanus 5,714]

Yay my copy just arrived! Very fast delivery from Music Box Records, it took only two days to arrive. Now to dig into this mammoth set of music.  

[crocodile 8,012]

21 minutes ago, Incanus said:

Yay my copy just arrived! Very fast delivery from Music Box Records, it took only two days to arrive. Now to dig into this mammoth set of music.  

It is quite wonderful. One of the few Elfman expansions that truly work. Make sure to share your thoughts. 

 

Karol

[blondheim 1,157]

53 minutes ago, crocodile said:

It is quite wonderful. One of the few Elfman expansions that truly work. Make sure to share your thoughts. 

 

Karol

 

Out of curiosity, which Elfman expansions didn't work for you?

[mstrox 6,651]

Off the top of my head:  Personally I think the Batman 89, Scissorhands, and Nightmare Before Christmas expansions are lesser than the OST arrangements.  Batman Returns and Planet of the Apes are improvements.  Mars Attacks is probably a wash, as are Darkman, Dolores Claiborne, and Mission Impossible (sound is great though on the LLL). I haven’t reordered the discs from the Elfman/Burton box, so the bonus tracks just play like bonus tracks.

[crocodile 8,012]

2 hours ago, blondheim said:

 

Out of curiosity, which Elfman expansions didn't work for you?

Planet of the Apes is a very food score but I feel the expansion is bit much. But I'm glad it came out - it was a stellar set. I also have to be convinced by Darkman and Dolores Clairborne. Nothing wrong with the releases or music. I just can't get into the complete scores. 

 

Karol

[Madmartigan JC 85]

On 8/5/2021 at 4:49 PM, crocodile said:

(...) the longer release is kinder on the ears and therefore doesn't feel as tiring, or long. 

 

I feel that too. 

Can anyone knowledgeable on the technical aspects of mastering explain why that is?

Is it a matter of compression, mixing, both?

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

On 8/13/2021 at 11:39 AM, mstrox said:

Off the top of my head:  Personally I think the Batman 89, Scissorhands, and Nightmare Before Christmas expansions are lesser than the OST arrangements.  Batman Returns and Planet of the Apes are improvements.  Mars Attacks is probably a wash, as are Darkman, Dolores Claiborne, and Mission Impossible (sound is great though on the LLL). I haven’t reordered the discs from the Elfman/Burton box, so the bonus tracks just play like bonus tracks.

I prefer the NBC expansion, purely because going straight from Oogie’s song to Sally’s on the OST with no in-between felt strange. 

[Incanus 5,714]

After listening to the new set, mainly discs 2, 3 and 4 (I love the OST album btw, a well put together collection of highlights), I have to say I love this score even more than before. The film score with its different mix and takes compared to what I have been so used to with the OST for years, actually makes this new presentation feel fresh. As people have been mentioning in this thread, the new film mix is easier on the ears than the loud "hot mix" of the OST, and reveals new little details in the score in a great way. To my ears especially the vocals are emphasized in the film takes in a great way.

 

The subtler connective cues absent from the OST feel like they add to the whole and even though the score is far from subtle in its often grand gestures, the more I listen the more intricacies I can hear. I think this must be one of Elfman's most intricate pieces of writing in terms of how densely and frequently he weaves his thematic ideas together and around each other throughout.

 

The alternates often might not be radically different but you can clearly hear the development of these lengthy sequences Elfman wrote and how they often go from the somewhat broader less thematic gestures to leaning more heavily on the three main ideas in the finished film. It is a rare thing to get such an extensive glimpse to the film scoring process and there are quite a few great moments among the alternate material on discs 3 and 4.

A really fantastic set! And might actually make this my favourite Elfman score.  

 

 

[Holko 9,526]

Got the set and can't wait to listen later tonight!

 

 

 

But let's take a moment to think about basic consistency and user-friendliness.

Main Titles, Main Titles Original, Main Titles Alternate, Main Titles Revised - straightforward enough I guess, OST title had to be kept, unclear where Alternate fits in

Bad Dream / Tender Moment, BD/TM Original, Version 2, Version 3 - we're doing version numbers now?

Sweet Dreams, Sweet Dreams original, Sweet Dreams Alternate, Sweet Dreams Revised #2 - what the hell?

Ichabod's Arrival alternate - no other track on the set with this name

Dream #2 (Revised) - no other track on the set with this name

Young Ichabod, Young Ichabod Revised #1 - no track called original, or revised #2

Philipse's Death original, Philipse's death alternate - here the alternate is in the film program, why not call that one film version or revised?

Mystery Figure alternate, Tree of Death alternate, Church Battle alternate (no indication that it contains Love Lost) in the film program - why are these not called film version or revised?

Oh, and we know OST titles have to be kept and changes to them have to be indicated by a different title. Why then is the not insignificantly longer film program version of Into the Woods/The Witch still called the same as the OST track?

 

Come on Fake, even you wouldn't be able to make sense of this mess of your own making.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

The 'revised' Ichabod's Arrival is at the end of Main Titles in the main program.

 

Given the insane amount of music they had to work with, and assuming less than perfect documentation, I struggle to feel that these naming quirks really matter.

[Holko 9,526]

2 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

Given the insane amount of music they had to work with

Isn't that exactly why clearer standardised naming would be useful?

 

2 minutes ago, Richard Penna said:

and assuming less than perfect documentation

The booklet includes 5 pages of slates and take numbers.

[Richard Penna 3,687]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

They could easily have given us just two discs, and chosen a handful of alternates instead. I'd rather focus on all the stuff we did get, instead of little quirks here and there.