Just Played: A Column About Vinyl Records #44
The new release summer lull is over but distribution issues have posed problems for indies trying to get the good stuff in their loyal customers’ hands. As you read this, things are settling back down somewhat and there’s plenty from September to peruse in the racks. As ever, let’s take a wander through the genres and select some fresh delights for your ears.
Freshly Pressed:
It wouldn’t be fair to say The Coral ever lost their way, but certainly the all-important foothold in the public consciousness definitely slipped at one point. 2021’s radiant ‘Coral Island’ and a sizeable reissue of their timeless debut served to remind many of their quality and so news of not one but two, simultaneously released, new albums was met with significant excitement. ‘Sea Of Mirrors’ is the marginally more prominent twin, as ‘Holy Joe’s Coral Island Medicine Show’ is a physical-only title. Just Played sampled the gold GZ pressing of the former, which plays quietly and presents a very satisfying refinement of their sound. Shuffling drums, twangy folk and wistful strings are the order of the day, with ‘Cycles Of The Seasons’ and ‘Wild Bird’ proving to be particular highlights. Greg Calbi at Sterling delivers an excellent master that is open and dynamic. The second album is only available on cassette, CD or, ahem, Pallas-pressed vinyl – it’s also worth your money, but I’ll let you pick up a copy to explore it yourself.
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Fine UK folk label Navigator Records rarely put a foot wrong and they’ve just released the excellent new record by Scottish artist Rachel Sermanni, ‘Dreamer Awake’. “Everybody ok? All set?” she asks, just prior to the album-opening title track, flagging the sense of in-the-room interplay that benefits this sterling collection of songs. Her wonderfully expressive vocals have never sounded better, whether on the beguilingly sparse ‘Choosing Me’ or the languid shuffle of ‘Big Desire’. The piano parts, in particular, are impressively natural across the three-dimensional soundstage that captures a band with some neatly jazzy tendencies. A clear GZ pressing, it played with only very minimal surface noise.
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It’s hard to imagine any record from 2023 being more memorable than ‘The Feminine Divine’ by Dexy’s. It is a truly perplexing album that has already divided their fans and it’s either a bold, artistic statement or quite incredibly naff. Whatever the truth, you should hear it. Thankfully, they’ve ensured it has a near silent pressing – via Packaged Sounds in High Wycombe – with a substantial soundstage and plenty of dynamics. Side one closer has strong mid-Nineties boy-band energy, while the pair of ‘My Goddess Is’ and ‘Goddess Rules’ ensure the flip is even more striking. I’m still not quite sure what I’ve heard but, should you want to join me, the purple vinyl edition sampled does a stellar job of presenting the audio.
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It’s a welcome return for Lack Of Afro, following two years of significant personal upheaval. ‘Square One’ is a title that references both the end of a marriage and an attempt to move on from addiction, while the music maintains Adam Gibbons’ record of delivering ridiculously infectious, big-hearted soul incorporating aspects of funk and hip-hop. If you’re a fan of Jamie Lidell’s remarkable ‘Jim’ – and you should be – this’ll scratch a similar itch. Sample the massive drum presence and euphoric wall of sound on ‘Loving Arms’ to get a sense of how much fun you’ll have with this joyful record. It’s worth experiencing how uncannily like Alex Turner Paul Sharpe sounds on ‘Least Favourite Wonder’ too. The mastering is a little heavy on the bottom end at times, but you can still turn this largely quiet GZ pressing right up.
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‘Haunted Mountain’ is the third solo release from Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek. It fleshes out his approach somewhat, working with the musicians who normally accompany him live, and features five co-writes with Jolie Holland. In addition, beautiful closing track ‘The Rainbow’ is compiled from unpublished lyrics written by the remarkable Judee Sill. It’s quite a pedigree and the record delivers, with an awful lot of heart and a gorgeous guitar sound. Meek’s vocals are up close in the mix on highlights ‘Paradise’ and ‘Lullabies’, the record having been afforded a rich, open master that envelops the listener. It’s a fairly quiet Optimal pressing for a slowly bewitching set of songs.
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Fresh out of the Mr Bongo stable is the first widespread release for Daniel Ögren’s 2020 album ‘Fastingen-92’. A member of Dina Ögon, featured on the label’s last ‘Record Club’ compilation, Ögren is a Swedish guitarist and composer with quite a catalogue. This beguiling amalgamation of jazz, pop and folk of both a Nordic and South American persuasion constructs its own atmosphere right out the gate, building to the superb ‘Idag’ and ‘Kristinehamn By Night (For Christopher)’ as side one concludes. ‘Oktober (for Lo)’ is a languidly hypnotic wash of music that offers instant release. A substantial, three-dimensional soundstage allows for the many textures to extend into the room and Optimal’s pressing is near silent. A real treat, this one.
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This column has previously raved about the output of Welsh label Bubblewrap Collective and with good reason. This month, they released Gareth Bonello’s latest album as The Gentle Good, ‘Galargan’, and it’s another beauty. Described by the artist as a record for “when you’re staring out of a window in the rain,” this is a melancholic delight. With only acoustic guitar, violin and cello to provide the backdrop, Bonello’s beautiful, delicate voice stands front and centre on these arrangements of traditional Welsh folk songs. Confinement looms large, given recent events, but the longing for escape lingers.
‘Nid Wyf Yn Llon’ is arguably the highlight, based upon the drunken singing of an inmate of Dolgellau prison as transcribed in the work of Meredydd Evans and Phyllis Kinney in the National Library Of Wales. Bonello has added a few words of his own to a piece that mulls the insufficient nature of temporary pleasures when trapped. The deepgrooves pressing is near-silent and the soundstage has real depth and space. Lovely tip-on sleeve too. I should also quickly mention another Bubblewrap release, HMS Morris’ ‘Dollar Lizard Money Zombie’. It’s another knockout pressing and several tracks, most notably ‘Balls’, evoke a world in which St Vincent decided to do a Welsh concept album. Give it a listen.
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The Laurel Canyon charms of his early work saw Jonathan Wilson lauded in critical circles and he has delivered psychedelic country-folk ever since. After a trio of albums with Bella Union, he was signed to BMG for 2020’s ‘Dixie Blur’ and now presents ‘Eat The Worm’. Barry Grint’s half-speed cut is a delight, offering a grand soundstage for Adam Ayan’s nuanced mastering. The album conjures its own world of balm-like textures, with strings, horns and Hammond all playing their part. GZ’s mostly quiet pressing paints these performances in rich and inviting colours, while Wilson’s voice has lost none of its charm. The double-tracked vocal on ‘Charlie Parker’ is especially gorgeous, accompanied by a backdrop that traverses the gears in style. If you lost touch with Wilson, now is the time to get reacquainted.
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The sleek pop-soul of The Brand New Heavies was a dependable chart presence throughout the Nineties. From this vantage point, the listener can observe their gradual evolution from acid jazz origins to the mainstream territory occupied by Jamiroquai, ironically an artist for whom they opened doors initially. A new 2LP compilation, ‘Never Stop – The Best Of’, presents their endeavours in a favourable light, a rather insipid cover of ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ aside. You may well prefer the original of ‘Midnight At The Oasis’ but trying to suggest the hit cover isn’t majestic is just churlish. Add in ‘Sometimes’, ‘Dream On Dreamer’ and ‘You Are The Universe’ and there are plenty of belters to ramp up the nostalgia. Barry Grint delivers a full-bodied and wonderfully taut cut for this Media Industry pressing from France and it sounds superb. A retro treat I didn’t know I needed.
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Recently, we covered a compilation of singles released via Fingier Records and now The Kevin Fingier Collective unveils a debut set of its own. ‘Not Strictly Soul’ is driven by its leader’s command of the Hammond organ and a carefully chosen roster of guest vocalists, including reggae luminary Derrick Harriot. With a 6ts soul and R&B heartbeat, it features a Latin influence along with a touch of mod jazz too. Fingier’s production – alongside JJ Golden’s mastering – enables the soundstage to capture the feel of nearly sixty years ago on this mostly quiet GZ pressing. Diane Ward is untouchable on ‘I Really Care’ and reappears on closer ‘My Heart Is Burning’ with Jo Ann Hamilton and Josi Dias. The clattering, centred drumbeat embodies the spirit of vintage Northern Soul and ends proceedings on quite a high. Witness that magnificent cover art too!
All Kinds Of Blue:
The aforementioned warehouse issues mean it’s Tone Poets only this month, but what a pair! First up, ‘Let ‘Em Roll’ from Big John Patton is an organ-driven beauty with notable assistance from the never-less-than-exceptional Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and Grant Green on guitar. It really, really swings and ‘Latona’ is a particular triumph on this all-analogue Kevin Gray cut. As ever, the RTI pressing is silent throughout and the soundstage is breathtaking, transporting the listener to the remarkable energy in the recording studio at the time. Superb session photography too.
Also getting the deluxe treatment is Wayne Shorter’s 1969 release ‘Schizophrenia’. The impeccable combination of Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Joe Chambers on drums gives the whole thing such an overriding sense of momentum. Shorter’s tenor sax is joined by Curtis Fuller’s emphatic trombone alongside James Spaulding on alto sax and some pretty mean flute on the title track. As ever with these releases, the insistently rhythmic titles absolutely fly when given the audiophile treatment, Gray again delivering a sonic marvel. The full range of Chambers’ kit is revealed in bewitching detail and Shorter’s ferocious playing breathes again. A superb brace to explore.
Singles Bar:
Precious Recordings Of London have issued another round of beautifully presented BBC Sessions 10” EPs. A pair of artists get a pair of titles. First up, Scottish indie-pop legends bis. Captured for John Peel in October 1995 and June 1996, they’re in fine form across both performances. Sci-Fi Steven annotates the earlier set, recalling one of the engineers enquiring if they should be taking it more seriously and trying to make sense of the nascent iteration of future hit ‘Kandy Pop’. Manda Rin picks up the story for the latter appearance, coming after their briefest of flirtations with the Top 40. ‘Sweet Shop Avengerz’ captures their unmistakable energy and ‘Teen-C Power’ from ’95 perfectly demonstrates the excellent mastering from Ian Button. These silent GZ pressings sound great and offer a nostalgic gateway back to Saturday teatimes with the inimitable host.
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The time machine retreats a few more years for a brace of discs from Even As We Speak. These Aussie indie types signed to Sarah Records in the UK after airplay from Peel, ‘Stay With Me’ immediately highlighting their suitability for that scene. Things are a little more shrill and shimmering from Julian Knowles and Ben Shepherd’s mastering, though this is entirely in keeping with the era. Their fondness for the host is evident in Knowles and Matt Love’s sleevenotes and, as is so often the case with this series, the recordings capture a ferocious sense of urgency. All four EPs contain a pack of accompanying art prints and a lossless download, maintaining the standard of a series yet to put a foot wrong.
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Going Round Again:
Do you have a spare £104 plus applicable import taxes? Of course you don’t, however there’s still a chance you might have fallen hard for the analogue jazz revival. That amount is what it’ll set you back if you’d like a copy of Craft’s latest Small Batch title, ‘Brilliant Corners’ by Thelonious Monk. As with so many audiophile titles, you get a replica tip-on sleeve (although the artwork has a rather orange hue) and anti-static inner sleeve, but these high-end releases are housed in a foil-stamped, linen-wrapped slipcase with a ribbon pull-tab to extricate the record. Fresh liner notes from Ashley Kahn are delivered in a four-page cardboard insert, which also outlines the process deployed. Bernie Grundman used a custom tube pre-amp and analogue mixing console to cut to a Scully solid-state lathe before lacquer plating at RTI via their one-step process, avoiding two further transfers of the material prior to the pressing. It’s all designed to keep everything as pure as it can be en route to your turntable. And how does that work in practice?
Well, it does sound sensational. Max Roach’s drum rolls towards the end of ‘Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are’ truly seem to move the air in the room before you, reverberating like it’s happening within your four walls. It’s a forthright presentation, which some might find a little full on, but it’s always been a fairly harsh recording due to dynamics in the performance. The more delicate moments still charm – just listen to Monk’s hands moving during ‘I Surrender, Dear’ and the palpable weight being put through certain keys. It’s a pretty close to silent pressing, although a few light clicks are still somewhat jarring at this price point.
Whatever your feelings on the cost – and I’d struggle to argue it sounds £65+ better than most Tone Poets – it’s worth what people will pay for it and these big-ticket titles are playing pretty well with the US market. Fair play to Craft for standing by their high-end product and offering it up for review, as other similar series have not been forthcoming so far. It is a sumptuous listening experience but, as we know more now than ever, vinyl purchasing is a compromise for most and it comes down to whether that small – but definitely noticeable – increase in fidelity is worth the outlay.
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Initially one of the many ‘The’ bands, Young Knives ditched the definite article after their 2007 debut – ‘Voices Of Animals and Men’ – and it has been excised from the artwork for a fresh reissue by Transgressive, alongside their 2008 follow up, ‘Superabundance’. That first album is remarkably of its time, a fascinating cultural artefact when heard at this remove. ‘Weekends And Bleak Days (Hot Summer)’ is at once familiar, the parenthetical refrain a nagging earworm that has lain dormant for sixteen years. The percussive sound has all the attack of a 128kbps mp3 even though the crystal clear vocals are carefully defined in the mix. It was a funny time for music and the band were attempting to find their place in a pretty narrow scene. The additional disc of bonus bits highlight a more obtuse streak which was, pleasingly, indulged rather more on what followed.
If the phrase “fake rabbit, real snake” rings a bell, then there’s a chance you loved the lead single from ‘Superabundance’, ‘Terra Firma’. It’s still an absolute corker and the spritely, angular rock owes more than a little to Franz Ferdinand’s early phase. ‘Up All Night’ continues the theme and their willingness to go at everything without compromise is rather endearing. The mastering of these mostly quiet GZ pressed reissues is solid, but it’s battling with fairly brittle Noughties mixes that can feel quite fatiguing in the top-end.
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Finally, the Island years of Tom Waits’ career join his extensive reissue campaign. As with previous remasters, he and his wife, Kathleen Brennan, have been involved with audio “sourced from original production master tape,” even if that phrasing doesn’t exactly rule out digital processes. The first three emerged this month, kicking off with 1983’s ‘Swordfishtrombones’, 1985’s ‘Rain Dogs’ and 1987’s ‘Frank’s Wild Years’. I sampled the first two and it’s immediately clear that the restored artwork looks excellent. However, the GZ pressings had a not-inconsiderable amount of surface noise, likely assisted by the use of shiny printed inners and substantial runtimes. The mastering is decent, producing a pretty wide soundstage that nevertheless seems a little heavier on the bottom end and with a paucity of warmth. ‘Hang Down Your Head’ needs a little more headroom to truly breathe and, on my copy, ‘Underground’ was buried beneath the noise of a crackling fire. Here’s hoping the next batch are quieter.
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One of the most dependably striking figures on BBC4’s TOTP repeats has been Jimmy Somerville and London Records now present a reissue of his debut solo offering, ‘Read My Lips’. The former Bronski Beat and Communards frontman delivered a powerful set of songs showcasing that unmistakeable voice while channelling a great deal of anger at the growing AIDS crisis. The ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) t-shirt was prominent in some of those aforementioned performances and the album’s title track manages to be both furiously political and instantly hummable. Phil Kinrade has done a fine job of mastering the album, which can be purchased as a single-disc edition or as a clear 2LP set with a selection of remixes and bonus tracks. Manufactured by Sonopress, it’s near silent and the soundstage is lively and open, giving the programmed beats a distinctive presence.
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Everybody has a copy of ‘Who’s Next’, right? Of all of the albums by The Who, it’s surely the most ubiquitous. And yet, alongside a substantial eleven-disc CD/Blu-ray box set celebrating it and the ‘Life House’ project, we now have a half-speed edition, using Jon Astley’s master and a cut from Abbey Road’s Miles Showell. Unfathomably, some other vinyl editions have also been released simultaneously, which don’t use this cut, so be careful. Things sound excellent from the off, with the gradual build and numerous textures of ‘Baba O’Riley’ carved out before the listener. When the band really get going, things to tend to be a little murkier in the mid-range, but that’s how it’s always been with this classic. The bottom end has a strong presence without losing detail and it’s all very crankable, holding up pretty admirably against an early Track copy. You get a pretty quiet GZ pressing, housed in a poly-lined inner and the obligatory certificate of authenticity.
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A trio of releases from The House Of Love receive the Proper/Universal treatment this month, covering their time with Fontana that followed a Creation Records debut. As ever, the attention to detail when it comes to replicating inners, inserts and the finish on the sleeves is impeccable. Their second self-titled album from 1990 is a case in point, with its single-sided lyric sheet, vivid butterfly print inner bag and nifty centre labels. The Takt pressing is silent throughout with a soundstage that is definitely a little boxed in, sitting within the speaker range rather than moving beyond and with slightly murky mid-range. That said, ‘Never’ is a good demonstration of the preferred mixing style of the times, with cavernous vocals, forensic drums and chiming guitars.
Also restored are 1992’s better-than-its-title-suggests ‘Babe Rainbow’ and the following year’s ‘Audience With The Mind’. Furthermore, the former also has to overcome pretty terrible cover art too which, thankfully, it does. The sonics are noticeably more expansive from this one onwards and it’s a much more absorbing listen as a result. The record’s highlight is, arguably, the strident opener of side two, ‘Feel’, but this might well surprise anyone who wrote them off at the time. Their 1993 album has a splendid matte sleeve with silver foil debossing and Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas guesting on ‘Shining On’. Its dour title track is a particular pleasure and the whole trio of reissues has prompted something of a re-evaluation for your correspondent. Very nicely done indeed.
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I suspect some of the Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds reissue series may have significantly more niche appeal than other audiophile jazz titles doing the rounds in the current climate. Such is the case for ‘My Fair Lady’ from Shelly Manne & His Friends which gets the all-analogue treatment by Bernie Grundman and a fairly quiet pressing via QRP. The sturdy tip-on jacket with replica artwork does deliver the sense of luxury you’d expect for £35. However, it’s once the needle drops that you really understand what you’re paying for. The three-dimensional space in this cut is quite superb and a tremendous demonstration of why the format is so beloved of those of us who frequent columns such as this. Will you be reaching for ‘Get Me To The Church On Time’ all that often? Who knows, but Manne’s drums are something else on that track, with André Previn’s piano and Leroy Vinnegar’s bass similarly breath-taking elsewhere on this disc. Closer ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ is a thing of frenetic beauty and more than justifies this title’s return.
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The Jazz Dispensary series via Craft offers up more all-analogue Bernie Grundman work on Woody Shaw’s ‘Blackstone Legacy’. A 2LP set pressed at RTI and housed in a hefty, glossy gatefold, this one sounds enormous. At around £50, it’s about standard for an audiophile double while getting a decent sounding and looking original will set you back about three or four times that. The stereo separation is pretty full on, but there’s plenty happening in each channel while Shaw’s expressive trumpet and George Gables’ keys ensure it all coheres. These extensive workouts need volume and the title track, which occupies the whole of side one, gives a great sense of what you can expect, sweeping through several movements as each participant opens up. A tribute to Shaw’s wife, ‘Boo-Ann’s Grand’ features his most lyrical playing on this set with some lively post-bop that absolutely fills the room. Perhaps one to try before you buy, but the silent pressing will delight anyone who stumps up the cost of entry.
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The Prince catalogue continues to be mined, with two titles that have never previously received vinyl reissues. ‘Batman – Motion Picture Soundtrack’ is not one of his classics, despite doing brisk business in support of the film as the Eighties came to a close. You may recall sizeable hit ‘Batdance’, built around dialogue samples, which sits at the end of the record, but there’s also a duet with Sheena Easton, ‘The Arms Of Orion’, and the route one funk-pop of ‘Partyman’. The soundstage is dynamic if a little thin, thanks to trends of the time. 1990’s ‘Graffiti Bridge’ – another soundtrack of sorts – also returns, capturing a period of transition for the Purple One. ‘New Power Generation’ quickly flags the sound that would come to define the decade for him and the record features tracks from his side-projects and several guest vocalists including Mavis Staples and George Clinton. The Bernie Grundman cut for this one is more muscular and has the necessary grunt for the bottom end. Two near-silent Optimal pressings ensure that this pair are a pleasure to revisit.
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Demon’s half-speed series alights upon That Petrol Emotion’s debut ‘Manic Pop Thrill’. It follows on neatly from the recent catalogue reissues for The Undertones, given John and Damian O’Neill from that band are present here along with a number of fellow Northern Irish musicians and an American vocalist in Steve Mack. Together, they created an energetic racket, somewhere between post-punk and indie-rock. Phil Kinrade’s master and Barry Grint’s cut ensure that the insistent guitars of ‘Can’t Stop’ are bright without being shrill and Mack’s vocals still hold their own despite the wall of noise often found below them. The more ornate ‘Natural Kind Of Joy’ shines, with some very nimble bass presentation. The GZ pressing is pretty quiet throughout and you also get some top-level enthusing in the sleevenote from John Harris.
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It may have taken several decades, but plenty of people have finally crossed an item off their wishlist with a reissue of The Bees’ superb debut album, ‘Sunshine Hit Me’. As an early Noughties release pressed in small numbers, an original copy would have set you back a couple of hundred quid until very recently. This blue vinyl edition has been cut by Guy Davie at Electric and pressed by the good folk at Pallas. Thankfully, after all this time, it’s tremendous. A quiet pressing presents a rich, robust soundstage that carves both the bottom end and the highs with equal dexterity. Singles ‘No Trophy’ and ‘Punchbag’ have lost none of their potency and their beloved cover of ‘A Minha Menina’ still bursts from the speakers, despite closing out side one. Close to being pick of the month, this is a model for how to do modern reissues. Top sound, perfect cover art and under £25. Yes, please.
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It’s a slightly odd but welcome decision to issue Electronic’s ‘Get The Message – The Best Of’ compilation on vinyl, some seventeen years after its initial CD release. The deliberately grainy cover image looks even worse blown up to 12×12” but that’s the last real criticism I have of this 2LP package. Frank Arkwright has delivered a big and open cut for this mostly excellent material, with only a hint of inner groove distortion on ‘All That I Need’ at the close of side two. Given the evident and enduring mutual respect that fuelled this collaboration between Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner, a non-chronological tracklist offers an alternative view of an act often regarded as having a few memorable singles. Even weak point ‘Feel Every Beat’ – sample Sumner’s oddly tense rapping – has its charms and, obviously ‘Disappointed’, ‘Getting Away With It’ and this collection’s title track still hold up. However, ‘Vivid’, ‘Prodigal Son’ and ‘Like No Other’ – all featuring Jimi Goodwin from Doves – show that the quality endured. A silent Optimal pressing seals the deal.
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Recently partially-reunited Nineties pan-flashers The Boo Radleys produced several tremendous albums at their peak and the most ambitious of those, ‘Giant Steps’, gets a thirtieth anniversary refresh. Cherry Red’s superb 2010 3CD is still required if you’d like bucketloads of bonus bits, as this is all about remastered vinyl. Three configurations are offered: standard black 2LP, a set with the first disc on purple and the second on orange with an accompanying black 10” or a Dinked Archive Edition with marbled discs and an extra 12”. Your correspondent sampled the middle option and those fretting about extras can breathe easy. The 10” adds two unusually inessential Saint Etienne remixes and the 12” appends a single edit of ‘Lazarus’ and contemporary b-side ‘Peachy Keen’. Your call.
The Optimal pressing from Two Piers Records is excellent, with playback near-silent throughout. Mastering is very good rather than great and it’s a pretty dynamic edition. The soundstage is a little thin when put up against a Creation original – most notable on the gradual build of the sublime ‘Barney (…And Me)’ – and lacks some of the more full-bodied presence of that 1993 cut. Highs have more of a foothold than the lows, but it’s the lack of a fully three-dimensional reach that stood out when going back and forth. All of which is not to say this won’t please those after a copy that doesn’t cost the earth or run the gamut of the borderline hallucinogenic condition grading from Discogs users these days. A solid job that has resisted the temptation to just make everything louder.
At The Front Of The Racks:
Ever since the Super Furry Animals’ catalogue reissue programme began, the superb remastering has delivered the dependable treat of hearing those beloved albums in sparkling form. Unfortunately, the pressings haven’t always quite lived up to the sensational endeavours of archivist Kliph Scurlock and those involved in the cuts. With 2003’s rich, expansive and eccentric ‘Phantom Power’, BMG have nailed it. The artwork is sharper and more vibrant than on an original, the die-cut of the main image is a beauty and the Optimal pressing does this incarnation justice. You can even read the lyrics on the inners properly now too. It sounds best at hefty volume, but then you instinctively knew that.
For a start, the ludicrous decision to put an etching on side four when first released is, rightly, reversed and the music is spread out accordingly. The intense layers of ‘Venus & Serena’ at the end of side two have plenty of weight but not at the expense of oodles of nuance. Various studio trickery bursts from the sides of the speakers and the gearshifts have their own space on the soundstage. The attack on ‘Out Of Control’ is a joy, the insistent rhythm absolutely rock solid in the centre of the image as scuzzy guitar and Gruff’s distorted vocals pour forth into the room.
Putting the 2003 cut side-by-side, we need to use a few big hitters for the comparison. So, step up the trio of singles – two singalong classics and a multi-phase hypnotic groove workout. When that latter track, ‘Slow Life’ goes fully apeshit in its final third on the new pressing, you can feel the speakers having to earn their crust and the sensory impact actually gave your correspondent a little shiver. It’s still pretty big on the original, but it doesn’t possess the same sense of dynamic space or movement and it’s noticeably more boxed in. It’s a not especially close second. The languid beauty of ‘Hello Sunshine’ has a well-carved bottom end on the 2003 but lacks a little air in the top end – not so on the new mastering which is more balanced and far more inviting when the drums kick up a notch in the second half. The same is true with the frenetic blast of ‘Golden Retriever’ – just listen to the guitar after the post-chorus dropout and the 3D nature of the presentation is palpable. Honestly, this is really, really something.
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All of the titles reviewed above were cleaned before playback using the ultrasonic record cleaning machine, Degritter. A full review of its capabilities can be found in a previous column and you can find local dealers at www.degritter.com
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Words: Gareth James (For more vinyl reviews and turntable shots, follow @JustPlayed on Twitter or Bluesky)