Humble Pie – Smokin’ – Analogue Productions/Universal CAPP 4243 SA – Stereo-only SACD, 43:45 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ****:
(Steve Marriott, vocals, guitar, harp, keyboard; Clem Clempson, guitar, keyboards, vocals; Greg Ridley, bass, vocals; Jerry Shirley, drums)
Often considered to be the very best Humble Pie album, Smokin’ is a bluesy hard rocking record that, like so many albums from the 60s and 70s, suffered a large drop in quality when it was transferred to CD. The original remaster of the album from the early 90s sounds muddy and tinny, too often turning Steve Marriott and Clem Clempson’s guitar work into a indistinct sea of distortion and dampening the power of the rhythm section. Until now, those seeking a better mastering of the record have had to search for the 2007 limited edition Japanese remaster. With the release of a new SACD version of Smokin’ from Analogue Productions comes a new way to hear the album.
The first thing you notice about the remastering is how crisp and clear the guitars sound. The sound of Clempson’s wah-wah pedal is no longer lost in the mix. Greg Ridley’s bass has a new prominence, providing a larger low end to anchor the band’s riffs. Jerry Shirley’s drums are so well mixed it can be hard to get used to–the hi-hats and cowbells ring out so loudly they can almost become distracting. The only sound that remains tinny and flat is the acoustic guitar on “You’re So Good For Me”, though I think I prefer it to the too-prominent sounds of the nylon guitar strings on “Old Time Feeling” – you can hear the pick scraping against the strings!
Too often SACD remasters try to please everyone by making nearly every element in the mix loud and distinctive, ignoring the fact that the ear can’t focus on all those sounds at once. But in the case of Smokin’, the super audio sound has rescued a great album from an archaic mixing job.
TrackList: Hot ‘N’ Nasty, The Fixer, You’re So Good For Me, C’mon Everybody, Old Time Feelin’, 30 Days In The Hole, Road Runners G Jam, I Wonder, Sweet Peace And Time
– Daniel Krow
