a-ha / Hunting High and Low super deluxe edition unboxing video

Tracks 5, 6, 10, 11 on my Disc 2 also have loud crackles/glitches/slow…or are these just in the original demos? And Sun Always Shines on TV on Disc 4 …something seems cursed with this track on my copies!

So…full disclosure …I was listening to copies after they had imported into my ITunes. I just checked the actual discs in all the spots I noticed, and they sound fine. But my discs do have those marks due to the packaging, and I’m thinking that somehow corrupted the burning attempts. Hmmm…and I was all set to write to Rhino…

Has nyone else who picked this up noticed audio glitches with “The Sun Always Shines on TV” and the beginning of “And You Tell Me” on Disc 1? …admittedly this may have to do with the shoddy slip-disc packaging which did indeed leave marks on several of my discs…[groan]. I really wish they would simply do snaps for releases like these.

Sorry to ask, but which Super Deluxe edition is this ? The expensive Boxset (190£ now) or the cheapest one (34,99£)?
They’re both labelled as boxset on Amazon !

Thanks for the reply, Will_2. Please keep us posted if you form any additional thoughts after more time with the 2 releases.

I’m often skeptical of re-remasters when the previous remaster was recent and already quite good, especially when the source material may not have been recorded on top notch studio equipment to begin with. I love Hunting High And Low and it has a special place in my heart — it was one of the first cassettes I ever purchased as a young teen — but I don’t hold any misconceptions about it being an audiophile masterpiece. I have picked up a few worthy HDTracks remasters/releases, however, so it was worth considering.

This would be lovely if the stupid design for the (barely there) slots in sharp cardboard didn’t spoil the discs. Still trying to get a copy that hasn’t got them horribly marked. The rest of it is a stunning package. Some of the early demos are definitely for-fans-only!

This is now available from hdwow.co.uk for £27.87 with free postage.

Can anyone comment on the sound quality compared with the 2010 2CD release. I’m actually leaning toward the HDTracks hi-res release as I’d rather have additional fidelity than more tracks, but does it really sound much different?

Obviously we all know how hard it is to get the details correct in the tracklist! but inside the book The Sun always Shines On TV has the extended version listed as 6.35 and the instrumental as 8.25, on the disc these are the other way round with the extended version being 8.25 and the instrumental being 6.35. At first I thought this was a different extended version to the bonus iTunes one from the last reissue. It’s annoying, and being a data geek, these things annoy me.

Hi
Yes this set is missing the slow demo of HH&L. Can anyone confirm the rough mix of Tale is the same source on both?

ALL the demos have been reworked. I have the original demos that were ilegally sold. Some of them have instrumental versions. The remasters are missing “you’re so white”. I assume the band did not want to release it.

Great super deluxe-set!

Only a few tracks missing though:
Hunting High And Low (Slow Version), the early 2010 remastered demo of Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale, as well as the 7″ flexidisc edit of Steve Thompson’s extended remix and the special message that was on the same flexi disc as well.

The original 1984 ‘Take On Me’ 7″ omits the first beats…

Does it mention in sleevenotes for this about (this deluxe edition of HHIAL is the LAST word on a-ha’s landmark breakthrough) like it claimed on the 2010 reissue or can we expect another one in 5 years time ?

Certainly a nice looking set, a beautiful package.
The 4th disc is the most interesting content music wise.
Interesting to hear but for most of the songs I am glad that John Ratcliff remixed them and we got the final album as we know it.

Some disapointments, the information included adds a bit more to the story but most of the info you could already read in booklet of the 2010 edition. Some missing tracks like the early mix of “”Living a boy’s ” and I was hoping that the slow demo of “Hunting High and Low” would have been included so this would really be the final complete set. Fortunately Qobuz has a cd quality wav file of the 2010 version of the album including the slow “Hunting High and Low”.
Also the video disc could have been more then just the video’s, most if not all of it I already have.

So it’s not really the complete and final word it could have been but it’s really close and a really fine looking product.

There is another difference with the 2CD: the original 1984 version of Take On Me has a different intro. I believe the version on the Super Deluxe is the one from the original 12″. Talking about Take On Me: love to have the video version with the fab (cold) ending on CD.

This looks amazing !!! I so wish they’d released a Super Deluxe for SOTR and EOTSWOTM, at least !

Love the strap line at the end of the video, “For fans who love holding music in their hands.” Funny how CD’s were looked down on when they first came out and yet now we appreciate them so much more than downloads. And these reissues, with added booklets, artwork, posters etc, make them almost works of art.

Thanks guys, the descriptions are confusing ‘mix’ becoming ‘remix’ for example!

After listening to the cds the dvd is a huge disappointment.
The ‘1985 alternate cut’ is actually the original version of the 1985 video. This is the one that people know in the UK and is the version used on ‘Headlines and deadlines’ in 1991. This video was reedited at the request of Warners in the States as the single began to chart to show more of the band, the main difference is in the 2nd chorus where they used very 1980’s video effects to try and recreate the window effect for shots of Pal and Magne. This version became known as the US version and wasn’t widely available until being released on the ’25’ dvd in 2010.
As this set as been put together in the States by Bill Ignlot (who also put ’25’ together), the US version is being treated as the main video, which is surprising as Bill says he is a huge fan in a new article on a-ha web page and really should know the history of the two versions.
The picture quality isn’t that great either on TOM, the live scenes look very over saturated with colour, Bunty Bailey looks like she’s been lying in the sun for too long. At a running time of around 25 mins they really should have tried to find something else to pad it out as it feels really skimpy after the cds. Did no-one contact Steve Barron to see if there was any material he could add?

PS For a brief time earlier today the box dropped to 39.88 on amazon.com, but now it’s back up to 48.99.

there are no missing tracks on this, that were on the 2cd version.
this was listed before: Hunting High And Low (Slow Demo Version),
but it should also be on this new boxset, probably under a different name.

It’s a wonderful set, beautiful to look at and some great writing in there. The music isn’t bad either!

Anyone know what songs are missing from this that were included on the 2 CD set? I’m struggling with this!

That video sold me. HH&L remains one of my favourite debuts of all time and as someone else here said, it is a thing of beauty. Ordering now.

I recognise that RG Jones recording studio (Tarney’s studio of choice in south London in those days) logo inside the front cover.

What’s better than milking us the fans 3 times? 2010 the 2-CD set, this 2015 set & the 192/24 and 96/24 files. I bought the 2010 one & pre-ordered this 2015 one! For the price of this 2015 one. They should have included those 192/24 and 96/24 files. I don’t care about those files ;(

It’s sad that some CD’s still don’t get a chance to be expanded with bonus tracks. And some twice in 5 years.

If you bought the 2010 double cd and thought you wouldn’t buy this version, I recomend getting this version as all the demos are from the original tapes and sound amazing, absolutely no hiss!
The original Tony Mansfield produced tracks on cd4 are a real surprise, some of the versions are better than the remixed versions on the released album. Esp Living a boys adventure tale and Here I stand and face the rain.

Looks nice but I wish box sets would have each disc in its own digipack or jewel case. I’d gladly pay the extra.

Mine will be waiting for me when I get home! Can’t wait. Sadly my copy of Cast in Steel still has not found its way from Germany to Colorado, but this will MORE than make up for it in the meantime. In fact, I’ve been looking forward to this way more than the new album.

Love this, can’t wait for mine to be delivered! By the way, just found out that HDtracks now offers the 2015 remaster in both 192/24 and 96/24. I guess now we know what happened to the initially-discussed hi-res that suddenly disappeared from the final track list of the super deluxe box. Shame.. But hey, at least it’s available, one way or another. Still, I do have to say that not including it on the DVD is a missed opportunity (to put it very mildly).

I went to pick up my copy yesterday here in Rotterdam. Very nice packaged with lots of info on the story behind the album and group coming together. Haven’t come round to listen to the mastering yet

Everyone stop tempting me!

Thanks so much for posting thid video. My copy was pre-ordered but not yet dispatched from Amazon as far as I know so it was great to be able to see the book. This is a great collection. I was impressed with the 2 disc set back in 2010 but this is really nice.

a-ha are not my thing, but there is no denying that this package is a thing of beauty. It is so gratifying to see record labels putting this amount of effort into producing these well presented sets. Who said physical media was dead??

Got mine today (actually somehow managed to order two copies so will have to send one back).

A tip for those worried about the packaging – with packages like this I usually put the CDs into Nagaoka Antistatic CD sleeves and then put them into the CD slots – really helps to protect the CDs.

Got mine today, it’s a great set
Would have loved it to be in a box with the vinyl album and perhaps a 7″ of the original release TOM, along the lines of Suede Dog Man Start recent SDE. All good nonetheless

Just got Amazon notification that its arriving today! Looking forward to this one. I understand what Francis was saying though, it was the same with the EBTG remasters and the Big Star box set (v.1). That was my fear with this one when I saw the initial pictures. I really dig the mini box style like the TFF, Simple Minds and Commotions sets. Oh well, just have to be careful.

Lovely packaging but the CDs have to be removed so carefully as not to mark them. The same problem was had with the recent “Megarama” Remixes Set. There is nothing worse than having to slide CDs out of their packaging to play them whilst trying to avoid scratching them and covering them in fingerprints.