This Masquerade

(Leon Russell) Skyhill Publishing Co., Inc. BMI 4:50

Original album mix:
NOW AND THEN LP and all CDs of this title
– A&M GOLD SERIES VOL 2
– A&M NEW GOLD SERIES VOL 2
ANTHOLOGY (89)
CARPENTERS COLLECTED
– THE CARPENTERS COLLECTION (THEIR GREATEST HITS)
CARPENTERS-THE COMPLETE SINGLES
CLASSICS VOL 2 and YESTERDAY ONCE MORE (85)
JAPANESE SINGLE BOX
ONLY YESTERDAY-THEIR GREATEST HITS
TREASURES (JP)
ULTIMATE COLLECTION (NL)
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE (84)

Original album mix, stereo reversed:
O MELHOR DE CARPENTERS-ONLY YESTERDAY (BRZ)
A ARTE DE CARPENTERS

1990 remix: piano mixed to center, heavier bass and drums, vocal reverb added, vibraslap slightly left of center
20th CENTURY MASTERS MILLENNIUM COLLECTION
ANTHOLOGY (97)
BEST OF BEST+
THE BEST OF CARPENTERS (Brazil)
– CARPENTERS BEST VOL. 1
– ESSENTIAL COLLECTION
FROM THE TOP
GOLD (JP)
GOLD (UK)
GOLD (US)
ICON
INTERPRETATIONS (UK)
INTERPRETATIONS (US)
LOVE SONGS
MAGICAL MEMORIES OF THE CARPENTERS
THE SINGLES 1969-1981 SACD on SACD stereo layer and CD Audio layer
SWEET MEMORY at last
THEIR GREATEST HITS AND FINEST PERFORMANCES (Readers Digest)
TWENTY TWO HITS OF THE CARPENTERS
ULTIMATE COLLECTION (UK)
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE (NL)

1990 mix, remastered: This is the same as the 1990 remix in all but the very opening sound. A “ghost hit” on a cymbal is eliminated here, with three drumbeats strongly starting the track.
– 20/20 BEST OF BEST SELECTION
– 40/40 BEST SELECTION (JP)
– 40/40 (US)

1991 remix: piano slightly left of center, vibraslap centered
YESTERDAY ONCE MORE (98)

Karaoke mix: backing track to the 1991 remix
– ORIGINAL MASTER KARAOKE-YESTERDAY ONCE MORE

Quad mix:
NOW AND THEN quad album

SACD 5.1 surround mix:
THE SINGLES 1969-1981 SACD on surround layer

2018 RPO Mix*: enhanced version recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
CARPENTERS WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Chris May says: (regarding the differences between the ’90 and ’91 remixes)
The overall mix is almost identical, with two slightly obvious minor changes. If you listen closely from 0:08 — 0:23, dial in on the solo piano figures as well as the vibra slap (just before vocal entrance). You’ll hear that on the ’90 mix, the piano is centered and the vibra slap is slightly left-of-center, with reverb effects return predominantly left. On the ’91 mix, the piano is slightly left-of-center, and the vibra slap as well as the return send on the reverb is centered as well.

Regarding the SACD surround mix: Not any major differences here other than the separation. Also, if you isolate the center channel on this one, you get an earful of backing vocal harmonies, raw and dry although *perfect* by anyone’s standards. As with every other tune here, you also hear the electric bass, drums and Karen’s lead only (center channel).

*There are two different RPO mixes. The first, found on the early CD releases (both regular and Target, and Japanese) do not have windchimes at :56 into the track. This was corrected on later versions including iTunes and HD flac-file releases.