Thompson Twins - Into the Gap

2008 deluxe two CD expanded edition of the UK trio's best-selling album featuring six bonus remixes on the first disc plus a bonus CD featuring an additional 10 bonus tracks. This deluxe release of the 1984 album presents all the remixes from the original cassette edition of the album as well as the extended mixes and the non-album B-sides, the majority of which appear on CD for the first time. After the huge success of their Quick Step & Side Kick album, The Thompson Twins reconvened with producer Alex Sadkin at Compass Point Studios in Nassau and recorded Into The Gap, which went straight into the album charts at # 1 in February 1984. It also reached # 10 in the US and charted throughout Europe. Features the hit singles 'Hold Me Now', 'Doctor! Doctor!', 'You Take Me Up' and 'Sisters Of Mercy'. Edsel. Album Description

FINALLY!

It's about time the Thonpson Twind join the frey and re-release all the old albums with b-sides and such, been a long time overdue! It's so wonderful to hear all these old tunes and some that ive never heard before! September 17, 2008

Great!

I burned through this album big time when it came out. I still remember brunch at my friend's Leslie's condo one winter day where a bunch of us drank too much wine and kept playing this over and over again. Of course, we went out dancing later! Great disc, greater memories. June 22, 2008

Good Reissue of a Classic Album!

I would have given this reissue of one of the defining albums of the 80's five stars had it not been for the awful job someone did of the vinyl rip for "You Take Me Up"(cd two,track three).

Very poor job on this track and I can't help but think that the "near enough is good enough" or "no-one will notice,will they?" approach for this particular cut has been taken.

For the sake of collectors like myself,it's great to finally have all these Thompson Twins extended versions and the cassette only tracks on cd and I would have no problem if there was some form of disclosure on behalf of the people behind these recent reissues.Just tell us that some of the tracks may have been copied from vinyl for the sake of giving us all mixes that are available!Surely that's not asking too much? Perhaps they are scared that too much info may put potential buyers off if they know some tracks are extracted from vinyl records.

Let's face it,we would all like as many mixes as we can get.If a vinyl rip is done correctly with a high quality turntable and a pristine copy of the record then I have no problem,but the job done on "You Take Me Up" on the second disc of this release is appalling!

Otherwise,this album sounds better than it did in the 80's but you have been warned!

**As a footnote,this release is not the only "Remastered/Reissued" cd out there with vinyl tracks ripped on to cd.Buyer beware! May 21, 2008

The Ultimate Thompson Twins Gem

As passionate as I am about new wave, retro and synth-pop, there is no greater album to me than the Thompson Twins' 1984 release "Into the Gap". Now going on 25 years, the record still creates vivid images of places into ether and beyond in layers of spacey atmospheres, beautiful guitar melodies, alternative percussive rhythms and dreamy choruses by lead vocalist Tom Bailey and his colorful antic sidekicks Joe Leeway and Alannah Currie. Alex Sadkin's production is masterful, capturing the distant seaside presence of where the trio recorded the album in Nassau in the autumn of 1983. Finally, nearly 25 years later, the record has been re-released in a remastered version complete with b-sides, 12'' mixes, heavenly instrumentals and limited releases. Although the Thompson Twins owned the world and the pop charts, don't be underestimated. The talent speaks not in the fashion, but in the music that made this album my personal favorite of all time.

Other reviews are critiquing the quality of the sound on a few of tracks. However, the fact that this collection captures over 90% of the material recorded (that we know of) for the period that we'll simply call "The Gap", I shant try and decompose the very minor 'hissing' on one or two tracks and debate selected US / UK / Japanese versions. Given the fact that this LP is nearly a quarter of a Century old now, it is of great pleasure and honor that Edsel Records have spotlighted this album and given it this vinyl-reunion on compact disc for the first time.

April 2, 2008

Buyer Beware...not remastered!

I have very keen hearing. The actual album and cassette remixes and most of the 12" versions sound fine; however, "You Lift Me Up (Machines Take Me over Remix)," sounds awful. The beginning of the song has a flutter to it with a few crackles. This was "NOT" remastered. As for "Sister of Mercy (Extended Version)," there is a slight screeching sound in the background. It sounds like the leveling was rised too high. It's my favorite song. I'm so mad that it sounds this way.

This is a great collection, if you want rarities, but by no means was this product remastered. Sorry!! I'm only giving this collection 3 stars. March 19, 2008

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