Canada is a big place and your profile doesn't elaborate but here in Toronto the first 4 US analog albums are 27 in most stores.
I'm in Regina. My only new record store here marks up everything by 40-100%. Then will post his records on Instagram with no price on them with a #supportyourlocalrecordstore hashtag. It's pretty disgusting actually.
Yeah.. I know..I meant they pressed 7 inchers only up until the mid to late 90s, when they added 12 inchers. At least that's what they told us on the tour. I still get some new 45s from there. All have been great.
I just played Kontroversy and Face to Face again this morning. Both sound great but, for all the attention Face to Face has received, I like the Kontroversy reissue better for sound quality and content.
I too have no complaints with the particular United pressings of the Kinks series I purchased so far. I share a hometown with them and wish them well. I'm just sorry my expectations have been lowered by previous experience. I'd rather they got and stayed on the CQ wagon and didn't keep falling off like a relapsing drunk. If I get a bum pressing from RTI or Optimal, my response is 'Well, shoot, THAT'S uncommon'. Because it is uncommon. When I get a bum pressing from URP, my response is 'Well, shoot, I wish the label had picked a different plant.' Because it is relatively common. At this point United is certainly capable of doing good work. But they're pretty inconsistent, and I have no reason to think they've upped their game in any significant way. "Good enough" was, and is, their watchword AFAICS.
I haven't bought records there in 15 years. They will have a buy 3 get 1 free deal now and again, or storewide 25% off sales; it basically works out to paying regular price anywhere else. The stores in Saskatoon are much more reasonable, and their used stores are not picked over as badly as the one store here, though even they have been cleaned out pretty good these days.
True. I will only buy from that store now on RSD (even though he charges minimum 30 bucks for the cheapest titles) or if they happen to have something that I can't get shipped here for cheaper. I prefer the Saskatoon stores too. The desire for records is high now here, as evidenced by how picked over they all are. I've got a few boxes of superior 60s and 70s records (the ones that sell out at Vintage instantly) that I am unloading and the demand is unreal.
United have seemed to step up their game. My Alabama Shakes Sound & Colour pressing from them is flawless...as well as my Kontroversy copy i picked up. I just hope that means the new Tame Impala record will be nice quality as well. Fingers crossed.
I agree. Now that I have a corrected copy of the S/T, I can safely say the pressing quality of all these reissues is superb. It's at a level I would associate with Quality, not United. Hopefully this bodes well for United going forward. I just wish this change had happened before the Depeche Mode reissue disasters last year.
I compared my 1980s PRT copy of Face to Face with the new reissue and prefer the former. As others have said, the PRT is louder and more dynamic and overall a more enjoyable listen. The reissue is OK and nice to have if you don't have a Pye or PRT, but it's not any great revelation. I'm not sure Kevin Gray really had a whole lot to work with; these are not audiophile records by any stretch, and cannot compete in terms of SQ with the Beatles mono pressings of the same era.
The newer versions benefit nicely from turning up the volume more than the PRT reissues, I do believe.
At equivalent volume the PRT is more exciting and dynamic. The reissue is smoother and less involving. All of that said, the differences are not huge.
Just got my copy of Face To Face US version. Very pleased with it, nice to hear full Kinks record & not some compilation. Has anyone got an idea if there will be more analogue ones coming, anyone compared these to EU 140g.
I am UK based but off to States this week and am going to order some vinyl to pick up when I am there. I am limited obviously in how much I can bring back due to baggage allowances and have a few items already on my shopping list. But I do want to pick up one or more of these US pressings. Can someone please prioritize which of these US pressings I should buy please? Is Face To Face the No1. on everyone's list? Thanks
The first two are the biggest improvement to me, but I only have a couple other copies for comparison. I think several have mentioned F2F being the best step up for them, so that may be safer.
I have not heard these masterings/pressings. I think Face To Face is the strongest of these albums, musically. I feel sure that most would agree on that.
So far I received Kinda Kinks and Kontroversy (waiting on Face to Face and already have a Pye RI s/t...). The sound quality on Kinda Kinks is kinda variable not sure what Kevin had to work with obviously...- but I think it's as good as we'll get in 2015. I agree that Tired of Waiting is quieter than the other tracks - not sure why. Kontroversy sounds *really* great- super impressed with this one. The jackets are kinda crappy but the pressing quality is excellent- very quiet and flat. Looking forward to Face to Face I have an original Reprise Stereo of this one that sounds pretty good...
OK, I've listened to Kinda and Kontroversy. These are stunning! Let's hope we get the next four records. And would it be too much to ask for a set of the non-LP mono singles?
Well, we can only hope that these sell well enough for the label to consider having Kevin Gray cut analog versions of Something Else, Village Green, and Arthur.
Yeah, Im holding out for Something Else and Village. Be interested in hearing what KG could do with those two. I have a feeling and based upon what is being stated on this thread that these are not much different than the hype that was put forth concerning the sq of the deluxe editions.
