Blizzard Of Ozz (Expanded Edition) Review

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Blizzard Of Ozz (Expanded Edition) ReviewThis should have been a 5-star review. I've been waiting for this remaster of this classic for a long time. However, the new 2011 remastering is really disappointing and there are 2 major audio glitches. Still, there are a couple nice bonuses.
There is a very noticeable glitch at :47 in "Dee" that ruins the transition from that song into Suicide Solution. The audio warbles loudly twice as the last chord rings. I noticed other people have complained about this, and sure enough, it is on my CD as well, so it is likely on every pressed copy especially since I have this remaster from both the box set and the single disc from Amazon and they are identical with their problems. Did anyone even listen to the master/reference CD before pressing it? This defect is not on any prior version and is not even in the Blizzard documentary when Ozzy is listening to the end of Dee on the master tape.
There is another problem in "Steal Away". It starts out a bit muted, then at 0:03 all of a sudden it sounds like a pillow is lifted off your speakers.
Like others have said in their reviews here, it is too compressed and the 1995 remaster actually sounds better (jusr compare the middle instrumental section of Revelation of this CD and the '95 remaster and you'll see). When the levels on a CD are pushed too loud as they are here, it makes the CD sound very harsh and ruins the dynamics of the music. The soft parts are louder and the louder parts are softer. The instruments sound blended together, and not in a good way. My playback system is average, so you don't need expensive equipment to notice this.
Even the panning of the effects at the beginning of Crazy Train don't pan as smoothly as on the '95.
Note - the mix of "You Looking at Me, Looking At You" on this 2011 remaster is different from the mix that was on the 1980 B-side of Crazy Train. The CD mix is the same as what was on the Japan-only releases from 1984 and 1985 that had rare tracks. The original B-side mix was better as it had a great guitar tone like in Crazy Train and there wasn't a cowbell in the chorus. This track is still a treat as long as you've never compared it to the other mix.
"Goodbye to Romance" vocal/guitar mix is a 2010 remix where they just removed Bob Daisley's and Lee Kerslake's bass and drums, but it is nice to hear more of Randy's playing underneath it all, and it doesn't fade out as Randy ends it with some nice strummed harmonics.
"RR" is a brief, but great solo by the incredible Randy Rhoads. A must for any Randy fan or guitar player.
What happened to obvious bonus tracks like the Mr. Crowley live EP, including the non-LP track "You Said It All"? Likely, because there is still bad blood between the Osbournes and Bob Daisley/Lee Kerslake, these tracks were left off as well as the rest of the concert from 1980 that initially was announced as a bonus CD with this one. There isn't even a single photo of Bob or Lee in the CD booklet. There is still a war going on.
This is an essential album, but stick to the 1995 remaster for the album tracks (the one with the blue border around it and "OZZY" in big letters on the front and catalog # EK 67235 - make sure to verify the catalog # before buying it used as some sellers use stock photos and mix up versions), get the mp3 of "RR" and "Goodbye to Romance (guitar/vocal)" (unless you must have the CD anyway, like me) and hound Ozzy to put out the B-side mix of "You Looking at Me, Looking at You" on CD along with the Mr. Crowley Live EP.
3 Stars (5 huge stars for the music, but - 1 star for the harsh remastering, and - 1 star for the unacceptable glitches, especially the one in "Dee").
If you want to check out more about how loud mastering adversely affects the sound on CD's (Metallica's Death Magnetic anyone?), or you think this Blizzard '11 remaster sounds better than the '95, just type Loudness War into YouTube or Google and you'll see how loud CD's ruin the sonics and dynamics of the music on it.
Note to record companies like Sony: if you want to sell more CD's, more people will buy them if you just make them sound better, which you can do since the mastering is completely in your control. Poor sound = less sales.
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