Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65941 in Music
• Released on: 2008-11-04
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Album Description
2008 two CD set containing the first two Thompson Twins albums plus bonus tracks, available for the first time on CD, in one package! 1981's A Product Of... and 1982's Set were recorded before the band's huge worldwide success and feature a full band line-up before they eventually splintered and became the trio familiar to most casual fans. Features 42 tracks including bonus B-sides, remixes and more. Edsel.

Customer Reviews

The first two LP's on CD for the First Time! With Lots of Extras!
Okay, from an audiophile's point of view, this release will not blow your socks off. It isn't remastered and restored, though I find it to be beyond acceptable, especially given the rarity of these recordings and the inclusion of tracks that haven't seen the light of day since they were first released on LP in 1981 and 1982 - including b-sides and alternate mixes. This features the band before they hit is big and has quite a different musical direction than the sound that broke them an international stars as a three piece band just a few years later. Definitely recommended for the completist, but it's likely not a necessary purchase for the casual "greatest hits" Thompson Twins fan.

From Hope To Heartbreak
After only having these two albums as my own needle-drop digital (from the original albums) for many years, I was elated to find that CDs of them were finally coming out. I got them, but found that something was off and compared them to my versions only to discover that mine sounded much better. What went wrong with Edsel's remastering process I don't know.

At least these CDs have a number of remixes and singles not previously released on CD, and those I'll have to be happy with. As for a definitive digital remastering of the albums, we'll have to wait until some future date...

TERRIBLE REMASTERING. AVOID!!!
This has to be one of the WORST CD mastering jobs ever! The only things that are from masters are the album tracks for "A Product Of" and the "In The Name Of Love" unreleased mix. Everything else is unmistakably awful quality vinyl transfers. The music has been completely damaged from auto surface noise reduction. The opening notes of "In The Name Of Love" album version displays damage to the synth sounds, and the initial drumbeats bounce from left to right, and are chewed up terribly. The ironic insult to this is that pictures of the various master tape boxes are scattered throughout the booklet, as well as on the inside of the back insert, though clearly most were not utilized. I can only assume Edsel refused to pay the cost have the tapes baked/restored for usability. This process is so simple too. The tapes are to be put into a convection oven at 130 degrees for about 5 hours, then another 5 hours for a gradual cool down. The tapes should be usable for anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months before needing another bake. Was that too much for Edsel? I will part with this CD and spread the word. There have been MUCH higher quality "Fan Made" CD's floating around for years.

An associate from Demon Music has claimed that all available masters were used, which is false. As I pointed out, the masters for the "Set" album and the "Runaway" single are clearly displayed in the booklet and back insert, yet they are obviously not used at all. What's the excuse for that? The masters were right there!