Grand Prix was flat and quiet (despite visible blemishes). Sadly Thirteen is in pretty rough shape. Lost of excessive noise on throughout the whole first side after a VPI cleaning (perhaps it’s non-fill - either way or sucks). Compared the reissue to my original U.K. which is lower end VG+ and preferred the sound of the original. The orogon sounds like it was cut hotter. There is less compression than on the new mastering (which sounds muted in comparison). The new pressing sounds like it should be the vintage copy due to the excessive surface noise. Cover is autographed so not sure I can return the vinyl only. So far I’m two for three which I’ve found is about the going ratio these days with “new” vinyl anyway. Something of a crapshoot.
Among all the five reissues, which is the best sounding in your opinion? I’d say it’s Howdy for me at this point in time.
Just got SFNB today and have to say it sounds awesome! Don't have the original pressing to compare but I am a happy camper.
My signed Bandwagonesque arrived with a gouge out of the top of the cover. I emailed then. It expecting much as I know they’ve sold out of signed copies but they’ve replied telling me to hold on to my bashed up signed copy and they’ll send a new unsigned copy (hopefully in better condition). I’ll still have a damaged signed one but that is pretty d cent of them, really.
Just got my Bandwagonesque today, also in Philadelphia. Undamaged, which is nice to see. My experience with Sandbag was not that great with Nine Inch Nails orders last year or so (Deviations 1 being especially marred in their process). So a nice surprise.
Got my Fannies pack from Sandbag in Chicago! Haven't cut the plastic yet but all 5 arrived in good shape (minus a few minor corner dings). Looks like Howdy! is actually a gatefold. Never had this one on wax before, is it actually 2xLP?
Just compared new vinyl of Songs From Northern Britain to original UK vinyl, as well as the original CD... Original CD is so bright/harsh as to be hard to listen to. Original Vinyl is slightly less so, but is also too bright/harsh. New Vinyl is EQ'd in a radically different manner. Highs rolled way off -- in my opinion too aggressively. That being said, I think the new vinyl will be my go to way of listening to this. It's warmth makes it a much nicer experience. Just wish they'd left a little more detail in.
It will take a couple of listens to get used to the new sonic signature..... Not just the different EQ on Grand Prix, SFNB and Howdy but the lack of compression as well, especially noticeable on the drums which are further back in the sound stage. I just love them now, you can just enjoy Neil Jung at insane volumes that little burst of feedback before the guitar solo just gives me goosebumps.
The Bandwagonesque reissue is flat and quiet (despite some severe looking visible blemishes). Unlike Thirteen, this is a great improvement on my UK original. Sounds less compressed, more detailed, and more laid back. Very pleased with this one.
Listening to Howdy now. This one is quiet and flat. It has the fewest visible blemishes of any of those I’ve received. It’s also the only one I’ve never owned on vinyl before so I’ve nothing to compare it to. With that said, it’s probably the best sounding of the reissues in my opinion. The sound is miles ahead of the CD and streaming options I’ve survived off of until now. Overall, I’m happy with the set. Only bummer was Thirteen. Will likely have to see if I can get that vinyl replaced. But only one bum pressing out of five is actually not bad in this day and age. The cover bruises were a bummer (especially since these were signed) but I’ve come to expect that with Sandbag and really any vendor outside of Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds and those of that ilk. I recommend these to anyone on the fence.
Got my package of all 5 today. Can't believe what great shape they arrived. No creases, no bent corners. Upon quick high level inspection, don't see any blemishes on the vinyl yet. Hoping to spin them tomorrow.
So, Amazon refunded a couple of the records as the packaging was pretty beat up! Got me som replacements. SFNB is flat, quiet and I’m sold on it sonically. Such a nice reissue when the pressing turns out as it should. Grand Prix and Howdy to be delivered.
My bundle arrived today...undamaged! Unfortunately, ALL of the pressings have scuffs and blemishes- poor pressing management. Played Songs and Thirteen so far- a few non fill issues but overall I'm pleased.Will spin the rest this weekend. Very happy these were reissued
Man, these reissues and bonus singles have caused me to go into a deep Fanclub dive. I knew about "Deep Fried Fanclub", but after doing a search on discogs I can't believe how many officially released "b-sides" and fabulous odds and ends there are from 1990-2000. It seems almost impossible to collect them all. Any chance of the band doing true deluxe reissues of each album, or big digital vault-clearing compilations like R.E.M? They'd easily have almost a hundred track compilation... I know it will probably never happen, but I'd buy a multi-disc 12" vinyl boxset of it in a heartbeat. The Ballad Of John And Yoko (EP - 1990 - Paperhouse Records) The Ballad Of John And Yoko (Beatles Cover) God Knows It’s True (EP - 1990 - Paperhouse Records) God Knows It’s True Weedbreak So Far Gone Ghetto Blaster Everything Flows (CD Single - 1990 - Paperhouse Records) Primary Education Speeder Don’t Cry No Tears (Neil Young Cover) Live & Unreleased Vox Magazine (Cassette Comp - 1991 - Vox) Everything Flows (BBC Session) The Concept (Single - 1991 - Creation Records) What You Do To Me (Demo) Long Hair Robot Love The Peel Sessions (EP - 1991 - Strange Fruit) God Knows It’s True (Live) So Far Gone (Live) Alcoholiday (Live) Long Hair (Live) Ruby Trax (Compilation - 1992 - NME) Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan Cover) Star Sign (Single - 1992 - Creation Records) Star Sign (Demo) What You Do To Me (Single - 1991 - Creation Records) B-Side Life’s A Gas (T-Rex Cover) Filler Free Again (Single - 1992 - K) Free Again (Alex Chilton Cover) Bad Seeds (Beat Happening Cover) Radio (Maxi-Single - 1993 - Creation Records) Weird Horses Don’s Gone Columbia Chords Of Fame Norman 3 (Various Singles - 1993 - Creation) Older Guys (Flying Burrito Bros. Cover) Genius Envy Golden Glades Goody Goody Gumdrops (1910 Fruit Gum Co. Cover) Big Star & Teenage Fanclub (Single - 1993 - NME) Mine Exclusively (Olympics Cover) Patti Girl (Gary & The Hornets Cover) Hang On (EP - 1993 - Creation) 120 Minutes (Live) Four Strong Winds (Ian & Sylvia Cover) DGC Rarities Vol. 1 (Compilation - 1994 - DGC) Mad Dog 20/20 A Tribute To Arthur Lee (Comp - 1994 - Alias) Between Clark And Hilldale (Love Cover) Frank Black John Peel Session (EP - 1995 - Strange Fruit) Handyman The Man Who Was Too Loud The Jacques Tati Sister Isabel Sparky’s Dream (Various Singles - 1995 - Creation) Sparky’s Dream (Alternative Version) What You Do To Me (Satan Version) Burned (Buffalo Springfield Cover) Mellow Doubt (Various Singles - 1995 - Creation) Mellow Doubt (Alternative Version) Have You Ever Seen The Rain (CCR Cover) Between Us (Neil Innes Cover) You’re My Kind That’s All I Need To Know Headstand Getting Real Some People Try (To **** With You) Neil Jung (Various Singles - 1995 - Creation) Neil Jung (Alternative Version) My Life Every Step Is A Way Through The Shadows Traffic Jam Hi-Fi I Heard You Looking Bonus B-Sides (EP - 1995 - Geffen) About You (Acoustic Version) Between Us (Neil Innes Cover) For You Try And Stop Me (Creation Cover) Who Loves The Sun (Velvet Underground Cover) Teenage Fanclub Have Lost It (EP - 1995 - Creation) Don’t Look Back (Acoustic Version) Everything Flows (Acoustic Version) Starsign (Acoustic Version) 120 Minutes (Acoustic Version) Ain’t That Enough (Various Singles - 1997 - Creation) Kickabout Broken Femme Fatale (Velvet Underground Cover) Jesus Christ (Big Star Cover) I Don’t Want To Control You (Various Singles - 1997 - Creation) The Count Middle Of The Road He’d Be A Diamond (Bevis Frond Cover) Live My Life Start Again (Various Singles - 1997 - Creation) How Many More Years? Nothing To Be Done (The Pastels Cover) Ain’t That Enough (T.O.T.P. Acoustic Version) Take The Long Way Round (GLR Session) Grand Prix Bonus Single (EP - 1997 - Radiation Records) Discolite (Demo) Voicemail From Rodney Bingenheimer I Gotta Know (Demo) Coffee Morning Norman’s Answering Machine Message Untitled (Instrumental) Long Shot (Single - 1998 - Creation Records) Long Shot Loops And Strings I Need Direction (Various Singles - 2000 - Columbia) On This Good Night I Lied Here Comes Your Man (Pixies Cover) Dumb Dumb Dumb (Single - 2000 - Columbia) Thaw Me One Thousand Lights Straight And Narrow
I have almost all of this and there's a lot of great stuff. There's also a fair amount post Howdy! as well as their many radio sessions. I have a few on tape from back in the day. I'd love deluxe editions of their albums gathering it all together or a rarities box set. If a label like Cherry Red could get the rights and reissue the catalogue it would be the best chance of it happening. Then there's all their side projects...
Not to mention all the stray compilation and promo tracks (one of my favorites is their take on Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light").
I emailed Cherry Red to suggest deluxe/expanded versions of the albums years ago as they were doing something similar for the Boo Radleys at the time.
All my pressings were great, except for Thirteen, which (like others have reported) has several non-fill distortion moments that are just terrible. Worried that I'm going to go through the hassle of returning to Amazon just to get another defective copy. Has anyone gotten a copy of Thirteen that doesn't have non-fill distortion issues? I could stand one or two moments, but "Hang On" and "Escher" are riddled with it unfortunately.
I just (finally) got through the listening for all 5 and had the exact same thing happen to me. I believe there are enough people on this thread saying their copies of "Thirteen" are non-fill free, so I'm hoping to get a decent replacement copy.
