Late '70s UK Island repress with
A-1U/B-1U matrix numbers
It would be neglectful not to mention the currently available vinyl reissue of Pink Moon. Cut from the master tape under the supervision of John Wood - who engineered the album - it's a beautifully quiet, 100% analogue pressing done at Optimal in Germany. It leaves nothing wanting. Nothing, that is, except for the answer to one question: how did the 1972 original sound? I can't literally scratch that itch (the 1972 Pink Moon is a rare and costly disc) but this pressing will be very close - perhaps virtually indistinguishable.
Discogs doesn't have a complete picture of the 1970s UK editions of Nick Drake's albums (which Island repressed frequently but in small quantities) and there's some guesswork involved in my assessment; but I'll go with this particular record dating to about 1977. This is based on label and sleeve details. There was an earlier edition on the same orange and blue Island label - first used in late 1975 - but that wasn't pressed by EMI (see next paragraph). There is a later version on the blue "day and night" labels that came in a single sleeve but had the artwork from the inside of the original gatefold reproduced on a custom glossy inner (I used to own one of those and foolishly gave it away when I "upgraded" to a CD during the '90s. Couldn't tell you what the matrix numbers were).
These are the important points about this pressing: Firstly, due to low sales (Nick was a semi-obscure cult artist back then) and small pressing runs, the A-1u/B-1u lacquers that had been cut for the 1972 original were still in use. Secondly, Island - who had experienced a quality control problem with their vinyl during the mid '70s - were by this time outsourcing their manufacturing to EMI ("Manufactured and distributed by EMI Records Ltd." is on the back of the sleeve). So without spending a fortune on a mint 1972 pink rim label original, this c1977 pressing is the way to go if you want a classic UK vinyl copy with the earliest matrix numbers and a chance that it'll play reasonably quietly - notwithstanding the ravages of time. Or you could just buy the reissue.
What about the rip? It was done in May 2015. My processing regime has changed since then and it predates my current preamp. Even so, I think it sounds OK. It received some additional clean-up work before being posted here.
Much appreciated! An album that has effected me deeply.
ReplyDeleteExcellent transfer of this great album! Many thanks ORESTON!!!
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