Eels - Beautiful Freak (reissue?)

I've seen a few brief signs that the Eels - Beautiful Freak, Mark Oliver Everett's first album originally released on DreamWorks DRLP-50001 in 1996, may now be reissued by Back To Black on June 3rd (next month).

Recently Sleuth Records SLLP2012 did an unofficial(?) release which has been showing up sealed, for cheap, and apparently, from reports, sounds like crap. But the original record, like many other small pressing titles, has recently been garnering some pretty crazy money on the resale market.

There are a few of us that certainly would like a shiny new copy of this, and Back To Black might do fine...

Does anyone know anything about this possible reissue?

 

Having all the Eels releases since I got a turntable (Hombre Lobo -->) I am dying for the early stuff to get reissued. I was pumped that ORG once had all of them listed especially after the great work they did on the Nirvana titles. But then that went nowhere and those listing disappeared. When I was over in Europe, I nearly pooped myself when I found a sealed Beautiful Freak LP only to realize it was a questionable reissue...and then decided that a questionable reissue is better than a $300 original.

Having listened to it, I give it a solid B. The art looks good, the pressing is heavy and mostly well pressed, but the sound is CD quality. Bring on a REAL high quality reissue!

 

As you can see from previous posts I hate counterfeits but I found this Eels record on a record fair for a tenner, did a quick research on my phone and bought it after positive remarks in other forums. And thought it was really well done. Far from sounding crappy. It even has a polylinered innersleeve. Yes...they could have included an insert but the record is flat and quiet and nothing like these crappy PJ Harvey or Nick Cave counterfeits. As someone said: "It sounds like a Music On Vinyl record."

I wonder if a Back2Black reissue will sound better because they have their vinyl done at GZ. But it is great that Universal finally wakes up. What about PJ Harvey?

 

Neonbeam, what is GZ (pressing plant)?

Have a beat up original, with a nice cover, that I reluctantly picked up second hand many years ago and probably paid too much for. Like possibly many folks on this site, I just had to have the vinyl on this one (period). We'll be seeing (and hearing) for the third time, this spring, E live and over the years I had the good fortune of grabbing most of the releases as they came out, including "Daisies of the Galaxy" on Bong Load Custom vinyl... Would love a solid copy of BF for a fair price.

A UK dealer on ebay claims to have BackToBlack reissues coming for June 3rd...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eels-Beauti...NT-/111354899578?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Happy Listening!

 

A "GZ pressing" is a pressing done by GZ Vinyl, Czech:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/gz-vinyl-quality-control-or-lack-of-see-pics.310015/

Some folks like them but I consider them total dealbreakers and avoid them. Especially since Universal quit Pallas around 2005/6 to have their stuff pressed at GZ. It may be cheaper but...

 

Did Mr E's Beautiful Blues ever get released on a 45?

 

Actually E "A Man Called E" is Mark's first official album

 

You aren't counting "Bad Dude in Love" as his first if we are really getting technical?

 

1992 (E), 1993 Broken Toy Shop, 1996 Beautiful Freak... so says Mr. E's website. Nice catch guys, as I'm not familiar with either.

Happ"e" Listening!

 

An Eels forum member says that the Universal back to black list went out that contains this as well as some other choice re-issues like Beck Odelay,Beck Sea Change, Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf, etc.

Can anyone confirm/deny this. What were these other titles?

 

Oh man, Odelay would be great to have in a version that's not 500 dollars.

 

I'll sell you mine for $400.

 

[counts money]

If the rumors are true, I'm glad they're finally getting into "this" kind of music, rather than just classic albums of yesteryear.

 

Good call

Followed by "Broken Toy Shop"





Would love the "E" albums on vinyl, if they exist.

 

Love to won this on vinyl. Beautiful freak is a great album and was the first ever CD I bought off the internet. What a leap of faith that was in '96

 

From: http://www.eelsthediscography.co.uk

 

What this?! RollingStone mag says former Journey vocalist Steve Perry recently performed at an Eels concert (after a 19-year absence from the stage) according to Eels frontman E. Are you kidding me? I pay good money to go to an Eels concert and have to suffer through the non-Philippine version of Journey???

 

June 23 release Back to Black say several UK sources.

 

The title 'Daisies of the Galaxy' has also been rumored to be on Universals list... also 180gm pressing.

 

I saw "Beautiful Freak" today and am pretty positive it has "GZ Vinyl" in the deadwax. Anyone who bought it?

 

Thought it comes out in August ? Or are you referring to a used copy ?

 

That may well have been the "boot" reissue from earlier this year by Sleuth. Reports on audio quality range from sounding not that bad, to lousy.
My original on Dreamworks dead wax says:

DRLP 50001 A-01-01- 1 MILES MASTERPIECE.LONDON
DRLP 50001 B-01-01- 1

Discogs alleges: Sleuth

• Barcode: 5 201728 201211
• Matrix / Runout (Etched Side A): SSLP2007-A2
• Matrix / Runout (Etched Side B): SSLP2007-B2

 

No, it was the new Universal repress and had the "Back To Black" sticker on the front. The Sleuth has a very different sticker

 

JPC lists a release date of "6/20/14" so apparently the store I visited had it's copies delivered earlier.

 

So it is out! Nice spotting, thanks for the update. All sources I can find suggest June 23, 2014 as a release date.