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3.5
Average of 11 reviews
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Sadly, this audiophile version has some clear distortion on certain songs. I purchased two copies to check if the issue was just with my copy. Both had the same distortion on the same tracks. There must've been an issue when they were cutting the lacquers. I doubt this distortion was on the original master tape.
Mike Haynes' mastering is absolutely dreadful, and it's not just the Loudness War thing again (COME ON, MIKE), there are massive differences in volume and EQ between tracks, making it seem like no real finalizing was done, just heavy-handed compression with some bargain-basement plugin. Mike, did you even get paid for this so-called "Mastering"? Plus, some tracks sound like they were ripped from poorly pressed records, probably those shady Mexican or Colombian 12" editions with the fake "extended versions", but then there's that "Remixed" unofficial CD that has a few of these versions and they sound great on that bootleg. Don't waste your cash on this release, 'cause there's not a single listenable moment here.
I must admit, I wasn't entirely convinced when I purchased this record. But wow, I'm glad I did! This remaster is absolutely fantastic - it's got such a rich, warm sound, not harsh or brittle like I thought it might be. My copy is a bit bent, but that's an easy fix. There's hardly any background hiss. Truly, a brilliant album from an incredible artist.
Back in '81, I snagged my first copy of this album with my pocket change, and I've still got it – it's a bit battered now, but I've also picked up a couple of Japanese editions since, one even with the OBI strip intact. It's quite a unique album, with lyrics that range from suggestive, like "There's nothing left to talk about unless it's horizontally," to songs about pesticides, yes, pesticides, in "Silvery Rain" penned by Hank Marvin, with Olivia rocking a hairstyle that later inspired the likes of Pat Benatar. So, I figured why not grab one of these shiny new 40th anniversary remastered editions from Primary Wave? I was blown away when I first saw it, not realizing until then that these are 180g – I'm new to this weight, so this is my first 180g record, but it makes sense as I've been getting back into vinyl over the past decade. It's a very nice, heavy weight, solid in my hand. My mum had an old Gramophone with thick 78 shellac records about thirty years back, and holding this 180g record reminded me of those. Playing this remastered version, it's like I can feel the sound, especially on side two, track 9, "Recovery," with Olivia's overdubbed backing vocals. One thing to note is the resolution of the sleeve picture – it's a bit soft compared to my Japanese pressings, whose colors are deeper and details crisper, and they're like 40 years old! All in all, I'm happy with my purchase. I almost went for the pink vinyl version before settling on this classic black, but I'm glad I did as the pink isn't 180g, so it would've just been a gimmick. This version, though, I can really feel the difference.
I listened to it on Spotify Premium, but I assume the CD version is the same - if not, someone please set me straight. This has got to be the worst remaster I've ever come across, even surpassing those terrible Japanese RAH Band remasters from 2010. It's brickwalled, overly compressed, and sounds sterile. To put it simply, it's fine in certain spots, but a few seconds later, it's an absolute mess. There's barely any breathing room between the mix elements in some parts. It's not even a remaster; "remix" would be a more fitting term for this disaster. It's an almost complete catastrophe. Steer clear at all costs. In this state, this amazing album is utterly unlistenable. Do yourself a favor and keep your money. Don't purchase music from these so-called "professionals" who remaster using excessive compression. The Japanese SHM-CD remaster UICY-94716 is the only one worth having. Guys, please reissue it. The original copies are insanely expensive, but they sound fantastic.
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| Date | Lowest price | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Jun 2025 | £21.99 | €21.99 |
| 29 Aug 2025 | £21.99 | €21.99 |
| 30 Sept 2025 | £22.49 | €22.49 |
| 31 Oct 2025 | £13.49 | €25.74 |
| 30 Nov 2025 | £22.49 | €30.24 |
| 31 Dec 2025 | £14.49 | €26.24 |
| 22 Jan 2026 | €1.09 | €17.86 |