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Skylarking re-release LP

derekva

derekva

This ain't no picnic...
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Some of you are probably already aware of this, but the 45RPM two-record LP of XTC's Skylarking (including the original banned Tab A and Slot B artwork) is fantastic. Evidently somewhere in the mixdown of the LP, phase was inverted on one channel on the original release and the re-mix and re-pressing from APE fixes this problem. On several spots on the original pressing, the vocals seemed very 'sucked out' when compared to the instrumentation - from the needle drop on 'Summer's Cauldron' it is evident that Andy Partridge and Company fixed this. In addition, it offers both 'Mermaid Smiled' and 'Dear God' (this was a LP versus CD trade-off in the past - you got one or the other depending on the media). Unfortunately, APE only owns the rights to the vinyl pressing, not CD or download so you won't get a remixed version in these medium.

Highly recommended.

-D
 
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I've been playing mine and posted in the "Vinyl only spin list" thread...

It's an amazing sounding record. worth the extra cash to buy it.

sdc12674q.jpg
 
LeeVing just turned me on to this one, and I plan to get it eventually. Aside from the original issues with the recording being fixed, IMO there's no better way to really make an outstanding version of a classic album than by releasing it on the 2lp 45rpm format.
 
here's the tracklist so you can see how they split up the tracks per side.


A1 Summer's Cauldron 3:15
A2 Grass 3:05
A3 The Meeting Place 3:13
A4 That's Really Super, Supergirl 3:22
B1 Ballet For A Rainy Day 2:50
B2 1000 Umbrellas 3:44
B3 Season Cycle 3:21
C1 Earn Enough For Us 2:54
C2 Big Day 3:32
C3 Another Satellite 4:16
C4 Mermaid Smiled 2:26
D1 The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul 3:25
D2 Dear God 3:36
D3 Dying 2:31
D4 Sacrificial Bonfire 3:46
 
Funny, I have the earlier vinyl pressing that I bought when this came out and it actually sounds pretty good to my ears. It has been a real favorite of mine and now you are tempting me to blow some birthday money I was saving for something else. The cover of the new release, if you have never listened to the album, is the kind of image the album conjures in your mind when listening to "Summer's Cauldron" or "Grass". What a great album!
 
I agree, it sounds superb.

Wait until you see the back cover though.

Let's just say it's not as pleasant as the front...
 
Just ordered one because they are one of my all time favourites.

Can anyone clarify about the original being out phase ?
just one channel ? which one ?
 
derekva said:
In addition, it offers both 'Mermaid Smiled' and 'Dear God' (this was a LP versus CD trade-off in the past - you got one or the other depending on the media). Unfortunately, APE only owns the rights to the vinyl pressing, not CD or download so you won't get a remixed version in these medium.

Highly recommended.

-D
Click to expand...

I've got two different vinyl copies of this. One has Dear God, the other, Mermaid Smiled. So, both were available on vinyl though perhaps not at the same time.
 
I have the original vinyl (w/o "Dear God"). I find that "Dear God" really breaks up the flow of the album.

Todd Rundgren produced what is, IMO, XTC's best album. Apparently, Andy Partridge and Todd were often at odds with one another.
 
olson_jr said:
Can I assume this will be your next 45 RPM purchase?

http://www.soundstagedirect.com/xtc-skylarking-45-rpm-vinyl-lp.shtml
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, olson_jr. I had heard about the reissue a while back but didn't know when it was happening. I've been an XTC fan for many years but only have a few of their albums on vinyl, and some of them are in pretty poor shape I'm sorry to say. I also see that the Dukes of Stratosphere albums have been remastered as well - whooppee! Let's hope this is the beginning of a well deserved vinyl reissue of the rest of the XTC catalog (keeping my fingers crossed for English Settlement).

As an aside, I hadn't heard of SoundstageDirect before. I can see that I'm going to have way too much fun exploring the site oohing and aahhing over all the beautiful black gold on offer. So thanks again!
 
Just gave my old version a spin, (V2399) no country of origin on cover or vinyl.
Bass was fuller and vocals better dispersed when both speakers are out of phase.
Haven't tried one channel at a time yet.
 
LeeVing said:
I've been playing mine and posted in the "Vinyl only spin list" thread...

It's an amazing sounding record. worth the extra cash to buy it.

sdc12674q.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice looking gear LeeVing.

I would isolate each piece to hear the sound quality go up a lot.
 
Todd trickery ??

as someone else said earlier... i wonder if ol' mister Rundgren had anything to do with the flub. i love both artists, but things will and do happen when two great minds work together. Andy said in an interview several years ago on RundgrenRadio that way too much has been made of he and Todd's differences while recording SKYLARKING. too bad XTC are still on hiatus (i think) because those guys are some of the best songwriter musicians alive on the globe today. much under apprciated by the masses.
 
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