I will keep this as simple and short as possible. Our key term here is dynamic range, which in music is basically the difference between the quietest and loudest volume of a song. It’s what sooths you when a composition comes to a quiet break, and excites you when it gradually or suddenly becomes louder (below you will see an example with a graphic representation or histogram, as well as sound samples).

Over the last twenty or so years, most noticeably starting in the early 90′s and at an extreme today, the concept of “louder is better” has been pushed to the point of killing dynamic range in music, and is commonly known as loudness war. How is this done? By applying dynamic range compression. You take the low peaks of the range and drive them all the way up, next to the high peaks. So instead of lows and highs in the course of a song, you get one loud chunk of volume.

Over a certain period of listening to music with a high level of dynamic range compression, you may not conciously be aware of it, but your ears start to feel the strain, because loudness is pushed to the brink of distortion or saturation, there is no “resting” for them.

You may have seen CD’s with covers that read “Remastered”. This means taking the original master recording and enhancing it by means of equalization and other techniques. But most if not every remastered album in the last ten years uses the dreaded dynamic range compression, often times resulting in killing the pureness and clarity of the original work to get a very loud new master. It is supposed to catch more attention when listened to (it does, for the wrong reasons).  So don’t do what I did with a couple of titles on CD a few years back, get rid of the original pressing of a CD in favor of a remaster done in, around the last ten years. You may regret it.

Trained ears will easily identify the progressively louder and distorted sound in the below samples. The newer remasters will sound more like FM radio, where dynamic range compression is always been applied. Why buy a CD if you pretty much get radio quality sound.

Although it is easier to note the compression applied to remasters of say, an 80′s recording like the below one, because you have a parameter to compare it with, you can also “feel it” in new recordings.

There are anti-loudness movements, and a few remastered CD’s have stickers saying that no dynamic range compression was applied, hopefully this trend will eventually revert itself at some point, though I wouldn’t get my hopes up there. You can see hundreds of Google hits on the subject, if you are interested in further reading and listening.

Here is the visual comparison of three different mastering works for Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach”. Starting from the top, the original 1986 “True Blue” CD pressing, the 2001 “True Blue” remaster, and the 2009 remaster used for the “Celebration” compilation.

Below you can either listen to a compressed mp3 file, or download two uncompressed wav files containing excerpts of each master. In comparison 1, notice how the strings are louder with each remaster, and how the drums are “forced down”, creating that flat, saturated sound, typical from FM radio sound and television as well.

Papa Don’t Preach Loudness Comparison 1

Papa Don’t Preach Loudoness Comparison 2

Papa Don’t Preach Loudness Comparison 1

Papa Don’t Preach Loudness Comparison 2

That’s all for now folks, hope you enjoyed this post.

The track was produced by Rick Nowels, who had already worked with Belinda on her previous album Heaven On Earth. This is a song which I learned to love over time, way after it was released.

Shot completely on set, the video saw a giant Belinda and two dancers walking and dancing over a city, along with archive footage of classic 50′s and 60′s disaster movies.

(CD single Images courtesy of Discogs)

Label:

Virgin

Catalog Number:

VSCDG 1383

Track Listing and Details:

1. Do You Feel Like I Feel?

2. World of Love

3.  Do You Feel Like I Feel? (Dance Mix)

4. Live Your Life Be Free (Dance Instrumental Mix)

Producer - Rick Nowels (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4)

Co-producer – Eric Pressly (track 2)

Remix - Mick Gazouski (track 3) and Dave Pensado , Todd Chapman (track 4)

Written-By - H. Eaves III* (tracks: 1, 2, 4) , J. Williams* (tracks: 1, 2, 4)

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeatblog

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

First off, thanks for all the positive comments on the blog and its music, it is great to see people from all over the world enjoy this as much as I have over the years.

Just a quick note to let you know, I have been receiving several emails lately requesting that I fix broken links. It is inevitable that some get deleted over time. Up until now, I have honored all requests to re-up music, but it is just too time consuming. For this reason, I have decided to honor broken link fix requests from readers who make a donation. I am confident you will understand.

When I first took this measure, I left the donation amount at reader’s discretion, but after a few misunderstandings have decided to fix an amount of U$S 10. The primary objective of donations is to help with blog maintenance associated costs, as well as wear and tear of equipment such as as the scanner, vinyl cleaning products, appreciation of time used, etc. Even for the purchase of CD’s or records that are requested and I do not own. Secondarily, most if not all CD and 12″ singles I upload are out of print, so it’s very unlikely you will get them for less than that including postage. But if you do not agree with my take on this, needless to say, you have several alternatives, e.g. downloading the music elsewhere, etc.

Thank you for your continued positive comments and support!

A FANTASTIC CONTRIBUTION FROM DJ MARK

“You’re The One For Me” is a 1981 dance/soul single by D. Train, a New York based duo. “You’re The One for Me” was a number one dance hit for three weeks early in 1982. The single also made it into the top 20 on the soul singles chart. Later in 1982, “You’re The One For Me” along with the track, “Keep On”, would peak at #2 on dance charts. In 1985, remix version reached No.15 on theUK Singles Chart.

This is one of several club anthems which best represent the post disco era in the early 80′s.

The original remixes were in charge of legendary DJ’s and producers François Kevorkian (with Hubert Eaves III) and Shep Pettibone. The 1985 remix was reworked by Paul Hardcastle. “You’re The One For Me” was remixed by several others including Dimitri From Paris, and these great 1994 mixes by C.C.N., which added a smooth 90′s house groove to the contagious funky  sound of the original, which is also included.

Press play and dance.

Label:

WGAF Records

Catalog Number:

WGAFCD105

Track Listing and Details:

1. You’re The One For Me (7″ CCN Remix)

2. You’re The One For Me (12″ CCN Remix)

3.  State Of Mind (CCN track)

4. You’re The One For Me (Original 7″)

Producer - Hubert Eaves III (tracks: 1, 2, 4)

Remix - CCN (tracks: 1, 2)

Written-By - H. Eaves III* (tracks: 1, 2, 4) , J. Williams* (tracks: 1, 2, 4)

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeatblog

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

THANKS TO DJ MARK!

The Brand New Heavies are an acid jazz and funk group formed in 1985 in Ealing, a suburb of London, England. The group came up with this name after signing their first record contract, borrowing from a liner note on a James Brown single declaring the artist “Minister of New Super Heavy Funk”. As The Brand New Heavies they gained a cult following in the London club scene and soon signed to Cooltempo as acid jazz replaced rare groove in clubs.

Song Information:

“You Are The Universe” was the second single from their 1997 released “Shelter” album. The vocals on this track (as most of the album tracks) are performed and co-written by the famed Siedah Garrett, who has had a successful twenty-six year old career, dueting with the likes of Michael Jackson and singing background vocals for Madonna, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, Santana, and Donna Summer, among others.

Chart Performance:

“You Are The Universe” reached number 21 on the UK singles chart but was not released as a single in the US, and was absent on the Billboard charts (the first single “Sometimes”, reached number 88 on the Hot 100).

Label:

FFRR

Catalog Number:

BNHCD 09

Track Listing and Details:

1. You Are The Universe (Radio Edit)

2. You Are The Universe (Curtis & Moore’s Universal Summer Groove 7″)

3. You Are The Universe (Opaz Remix)

4. You Are The Universe (Roger’s Universal 7″ Edit)

5. You Are The Universe (Curtis & Moore’s Universal Summer Groove)

Track 1 produced by The Brand New Heavies
Tracks 2, 5 remix by Curtis & Moore
Track 3 remix by Opaz
Track 4 remix by Roger Sanchez

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeatblog

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

Feel free to donate securely through PayPal if you are able and feel like helping me keep this blog alive.

REQUEST FROM READER NICO IN ITALY

“Oh Father” is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer. It was released as the fourth single from the album on October 24, 1989 by Sire Records.

The song first debuted at number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 single chart during the week of November 11, 1989. The song became Madonna’s first single since “Holiday” in 1984 not to enter the top ten in theUnited States, peaking at number 20 on the week of December 30, 1989 . This ended her streak of 16 consecutive top five singles and 17 consecutive top ten singles.

Outside the U.S. the song was only a modest hit. It is to date Madonna’s lowest charting single in Australia, where it only reached number 59, breaking a run of twenty consecutive top forty singles.

“Oh Father” was not released as a single in the United Kingdom and Ireland until December 25, 1995, when it appeared on Something to Remember. The song peaked at number 16 on the UK singles chart and number 25 in Ireland.

This reissue CD single was part of the 1996 Japan CD Single Collection (click here to see my post about it), it was not available separately.

The original 3″ CD was released in 1989, below is the original longform packaging:

In my opinion a brilliant ballad, probably her most underrated. Maybe audiencies were not ready for these more mature and confessional lyrics from the woman who sang “Like A Virgin” five years before.

Label:

Warner-Pioneer Corporation

Catalog Number:

WPDR-3122

Track Listing and Details:

1. Oh Father (Edit) (4:29)

2. Spanish Eyes (5:17)

All tracks produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeatblog

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

“Chains Around My Heart” was the fourth and final single from Richard Marx‘s third album, “Rush Street“. The song reached number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the week of November 14 1992.

Label:

Capitol Records

Catalog Number:

DPRO-79085

Track Listing and Details:

1. Remix 1 Edit (4:43)

2. Remix 2 Edit (4:44)

3. LP Version (5:12)

All tracks produced by Richard Marx
Tracks 1,2 remixed by Mike Shipley

Listed tracks are wrong. Tracks 1 and 2 are the same and play the remix edit. Track 3 plays the full remix. Thanks to eLeMeNOhPeaQ, more details on the comments section of this post.

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeat

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

Feel free to donate securely through PayPal if you are able and feel like helping me keep this blog alive.

READER REQUEST

“There’s The Girl” is a song recorded by the American rock band, Heart. Released in November 1987, it was composed by Holly Knight and Heart band member Nancy Wilson. “There’s The Girl” was released as the third single from Heart’s ninth studio album, Bad Animals. Knight is known as a very successful songwriter who was responsible for penning many hit singles during the 1980s.

Like Heart’s 1986 #1 single “These Dreams“, the lead vocals on “There’s the Girl” were performed by Nancy Wilson, rather than Ann Wilson, the usual lead singer for the group. The single climbed to #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was also a Top-40 single on the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at #34.

The Remixes

The version released for the single was called 7″ Remix, and was basically the album version with added vocals sung by Nancy Wilson: “She’s setting you up my friend…She’s gonna break your heart again”. This is by far my favorite version!

An extended version was commissioned to Tom Lord-Alge, who worked for other artists such as OMD, and Steve Winwood. It was heavily remixed, “popped-up” you could say. In my opinion too bad, it lost fluidity, as well as the unique “rock & pop” sound Heart had in their Ron Nevison era.

I’m including a bonus track from their 2000 “Greatest Hits” compilation, which covers 1985-1995. It is a different remix of “There’s The Girl”. There are no remix credits, but because it sounds similar to the 12″ Remix, I would think it was done by Tom Lord-Alge at the time of the single’s release.

Label:

Capitol Records

Catalog Number:

CDCL473

Track Listing and Details:

1. There’s The Girl (12″ Remix) (7:22)

2. Alone (3:41)

3. Bad Animals (B-Side) (4:53)

4. There’s The Girl (7″ Remix) (3:44)

5. There’s The Girl (Remix) (3:55) STEP TO THE BEAT BONUS TRACK

All tracks produced and engineered by Ron Nevison
Track 1 remixed by Tom Lord-Alge

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeat

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

Feel free to donate securely through PayPal if you are able and feel like helping me keep this blog alive.

“Sweet Harmony” is a 1993 hit single by UK band The Beloved, comprised at that time by vocalist Jon Marsh and his wife, Helena Marsh. It became one of their biggest hits, peaking at #8 in the UK. None of the band’s other singles have made into the Top 10, which is why many consider this the band’s signature song. In the US, it charted moderately well on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at 23.

Music Video

The song gained notoriety for its controversial music video, which consisted of a naked Jon Marsh and a bevy of other equally naked females – including Tess Daly – lipsynching the lyrics. In an interview, Marsh pointed out that the video was “not intended to be sexual” and was “as A-sexual as you can get”. The video is supposed to represent unity between humans.

Label:

EastWest

Catalog Number:

YZ709CD, 4509-91482-2

Track Listing and Details:

1. Sweet Harmony (5:02)

2. Sweet Harmony (Live The Dream Mix) (7:15)

3. Motivation (Exercised) (7:11)

4. Sweet Harmony (Love The Dub Mix) (5:14)

Track 1, 2, 4 produced by Jon and Helena Marsh, mixed by Ren Swan
Track 3 produced and remixed by Adam & Eve

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeatblog

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.

This fantastic CD single was a Japan only release from 1992. It features tracks from her Real Love era. The artwork is taken from the “Time To Make You Mine” single.

“All Around The World” was released in late 1989 for her album Affection. It is her biggest hit to date. Written and produced by Lisa Stansfield, Ian Devaney and Andy Morris the debut solo single became a massive international hit. It spent two weeks at #1 on the UK singles chart in November 1989 and reaching the top in 11 other countries. In January 1990, it peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 but is the second single by a white female singer to top the Billboard R&B chart after Teena Marie‘s “Ooo La La La” completed this feat for the first time in 1988. The track also topped the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, and reached #7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. I was never a huge fan of this song, it reminded me too much of Soul II Soul’s “Keep On Movin”‘s rhythm and string arrangements.

“Change” was the first single from her second album, Real Love, released in 1991. It achieved major success in the UK, peaking at number 10, but only moderate success in other European countries, but it also topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play in the U.S. In the United States, the radio promo was frequently “flipped”, with the Frankie Knuckles remix receiving airplay in key radio markets.

“All Woman” was the second single from Real Love. It spent one week at number-one on the US R&B chart, also reaching #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #20 on the UK Singles chart. It was written by Lisa Stansfield, her husband and producer Ian Devaney, and Andy Morris.

“Everything Will Get Better” was the b-side to “All Woman”.

“Time To Make You Mine” was the third single from Real Love. It became another top 20 hit for Stansfield in the UK.

Label:

BMG Victor Inc.

Catalog Number:

BVCA-9003

Track Listing and Details:

1. Change (Knuckles Mix) (6:31)

2. Everything Will Get Better (Extended Mix) (8:04)

3. All Around The World (Duet With Barry White) (4:36)

4. All Woman (4:47)

5. Time To Make You Mine (Push & Slide Mix) (6:32)

6. Change (Driza Bone Mix) (6:10)

Original versions produced by Andy Morris and Ian Devaney
Track 1 remixed by Frankie Knuckles
Track 5 remixed by Bobby Boughton
Track 6 remixed by Driza Bone

Rip Information:

Source: CD

Format: mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps

Password: steptothebeatblog

To rate this post, click on the comments hyperlink below its title.