Celebration [SINGLE REMIXES]

Product Description

US only Limited double twelve inch vinyl pressing of this single, a new track lifted from her 2009 hits collection Celebration. Features US only-artwork and seven versions of 'Celebration'. Including all of the remixes found on the US Maxi, UK Maxi and the EU single! Tracks; Album Version, Benny Benassi Remix, Paul Oakenfold Remix, Paul Oakenfold Dub Mix, Benny Benassi, Johnny Vicious Club Remix and Benny Benassi Remix Edit. Warner. 2009.

Track Listings

1. Celebration (Oakenfold Remix)
2. Celebration (Benny Benassi Remix)
3. Celebration (Oakenfold Remix Dub)
4. Celebration (Benny Benassi Remix Edit)
5. Celebration (Benny Benassi Dub)
6. Celebration (Johnny Vicious Club Remix)

Customer Reviews
By Braden Pickering

Lyrically, Celebration is a very straight-forward, generic pop song that was probably written, produced, and recorded over the course of a day. That's not necessarily a criticism; I just think that at this point Madonna isn't out to provoke people or prove anything, except that girls over 50 still just want to have fun. After 30 years in the business and paving the way for so many artists (and wannabes) to come, I think Madonna has earned that right.

1. Album Version: The song itself is very Euro-pop with smooth electro beats; not exactly cutting edge but a nice departure from last year's R&B-influenced Hard Candy album, which did not suit Madonna at all.

2. Paul Oakenfold Remix: Contains a lot of the elements of the original (which he also produced), with some extra layering of vocals and techno beats. To me this mix is a little too "busy" because the sounds drown out Madonna's voice at times, especially during the chorus which I thought was odd, as Oakenfold is usually more careful about this type of thing. Not bad, but a little awkward on the ears at first.

3. Benny Benassi Remix: A thumping house mix (and my favorite), this is the version used for the music video. Kinda makes you want to bump `n grind!

4. Oakenfold Dub: I prefer this to track 2, because the instrumentation is actually pretty cool, but sounds better without as many vocals.

5. Benny Benassi Edit: Just a shorter version of track 3.

6. Johnny Vicious Remix: More or less your standard club fare, with a hint of the `80s thrown in. Would fit nicely between the early Madonna hits Holiday and Everybody, and a proper way to close the disc.

Despite some minor fallbacks, I give this single 5 stars because the song itself is well-structured and catchy, and the remixes, while not necessarily improving upon the original, offer variety. Overall a nicely put-together item.

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The Beatles Stereo Box Set [BOX SET] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

By Song Bear "Blue Moo"

This is a commendable effort. Trying to improve on the original GeorgeMartin/Geoff Emerick/NormanSmith mixes of the Beatles albums would be daunting - to say the least. The results are mixed, and whether or not you like the results here is going to be a matter of taste and personal preferences.

The Pro's

The sound on all of the discs is cleaner, crisper, with individual voices and instruments being more distinct. The high end on the cymbals and tambourines is noticeable on everything from" Love Me Do" to "I Dig A Pony." The imaging on some of the songs is better - McCartney's vocals on "Let It Be," and the sound of the Help/Rubber Soul/Revolver era recordings is marvelous. The tape hiss from the 1987 transfers is gone.

The Con's

Someone needs to explain the difference between re-master and remix. These are NOT remasters. They are completely different mixes. Clean as they are, in many of the songs that used reverb and other effects in the original recordings, the vibe and original energy has been completely destroyed. "She Loves You" was never supposed to sound like this. "Penny Lane" sounds too dry and upfront, as if every instrument was recorded in a closet with the microphone being placed no more than two inches away from each instrument. The cellos and other orchestral instruments don't sound right. "Strawberry Fields" is anemic, and "Day in the Life" - crisp as it is - just doesn't have impact anymore. Without the reverb - which any engineer knows can cover up a multitude of out of tune vocals, bad phrasing, and other mistakes - you hear things I don't think the Beatles or George Martin ever intended you to hear. Whoever is responsible for Harrison's vocals on ""Old Brown Shoe" should be beat with a lamp cord.

Should you own this set if you are an avid Beatles fan? Yeah. I think you would probably want it. But be aware of what you are getting here. Remember the "stereo"mixes of the early albums where you had vocals coming out one speaker and the instruments coming out the other? For some reason, with all the digital tools and plug ins available - they didn't correct that. I suppose that would, to many people's way of thinking, been going too far. But to my way of thinking - if you are going to change things, improve the imaging along with the clarity. Tune the some of the vocals. Re-equalize and tweak the bass a little. Put the vocals in the middle of the mix. Do the things that George Martin and the Beatles would have done had they had the technology and tools available today.

When you listen to "Let It Be: Naked" the engineers took a bold stand, stripped away the orchestration without stripping away the vibe, the sense of excitement that the original Beatles recordings generated. I would compare these "remasters" to what we got with the Beatles Anthology CDs. Interesting. Nice addition to the collection. In NO WAY a replacement. Before you invest in the whole set - buy a remastered copy of your favorite album to see if you can tolerate the changes. Then you'll have a better idea whether or not to buy the entire set.

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