The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

What is the best vinyl release of The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys ? I have a CD of that recording, but I am looking for a vinyl recording.

 

I'm pretty sure the consensus choice would be an original Island pink rim pressing cut at Sterling by Lee Hulko (same mastering for US and UK). However, I prefer the UK Island Anniversary reissue (cut at the Townhouse if I recall).

 

I have the LH cut, it's really, really good. Around here at least, Traffic lp's are still easy to find and are cheap. Low Spark ... cost me a whopping $4.

 

The MFSL 200grm Anadisq of the 90's

 

The recent Friday Music issue is quite good. My original Pink Island UK is nice but noisy.

 

With help from Kevin Gray, I like that one too.

 

Friday Music issue sounds very good to me.

 

That would be my pick.

 

There is a recent Back To Black reissue that is surprisingly good sounding (though likely a digital source?) and they reproduced the original slant cut sleeve. The Anadisc 200g is maybe better but not by much. Is this B to B 60th Anniversary, the edition that some posters are praising?

 

I misspoke. The reissue I like is from the Island Life series (I believe these were issued to celebrate the label's anniversary--hence my confusion). Anyway, here's the entry on discogs.com:

http://www.discogs.com/Traffic-The-Low-Spark-Of-High-Heeled-Boys/release/444652

 

It is.
I liked the Warner Bros.-distributed Island Records issue from 1980, too.

 

Thanks. I just bought this from Amazon: SW9306 '71 Release 1st US Press: Brilliant Copy! Vinyl is NM(near mint)

 

The Back to Black vinyl really is good, isn't it?

 

I have a US first pressing and the MFSL version and both sound good to me. It's been a while since I've compared them but I tend to play the MoFi copy. Traffic is one of those bands whose records generally master well. It's not hard to find a version that sounds good.

 

One thing I rarely see commented on is that the sequencing of the tracks is notably different on the Island Life pressing (which DOES sound good) than on the original Pink Rim pressing (which sounds even better).

 

....oh and "Rainmaker" is listed on the label of the Island Life version as "Rainwater"!

 

How is it different?

 

And "Many A Mile To Freedom" is listed as "Many a Kilometer To Freedom". Something to do about being metric system-compliant...

 

LH as in Lee Hulko? Is that a Sterling mastering?

 

Must be a Canadian pressing

 

ILPS 9180:
Side One
Hidden Treasure
The Low Spark
Light Up or Leave Me Alone

Side Two
Rock and Roll Stew
Many a Mile to Freedom
Rainmaker


ILPM 9180

Side One
Hidden Treasure
The Low Spark
Rock and Roll Stew

Side Two

Many a Mile to Freedom
Light Up or Leave Me Alone
Rainwater (sic)

 

Okay, the above LP that I purchased is really dirty and noisy. I have washed it numerous times with distilled water/soap and it is still noisy to the point of being almost unplayable. I also recently purchased the Friday Music reissue. This may sound strange, but even though the 1971 LP is noisy, I think it sounds better than the Friday Music version. The upper frequencies of the 1971 LP seem more forward than the Friday Music. The Friday Music sounds too polite.

 

Then it would need to be "kilometre".

 

Thanks for posting this.

Was there a reason for the change of the track order? Was one the proper sequence and it got changed? Or was it a mistake?

 

That's what I was hoping this omnipotent forum might answer. I do seem to recall something about a U.S. sequence as opposed to the original one. Is it possible the Island Life pressing is an original US tracklisting ?