Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign 2017 Vinyl Reissue?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Zoot45, Oct 27, 2017.

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  1. Zoot45

    Zoot45 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Has anyone listened to the 2017 Born Under a Bad Sign reissue on vinyl? Looking for first impressions. Anyone know how what source the record was cut from? Looks like you can get a copy for $18 so I am guessing it is not from the original tapes. Love this album but most copies go for stupid money so if this sounds good I may pick up a copy.

    Thanks!
     
    chacha and rkt88 like this.
  2. James Bennett

    James Bennett Forum Resident

    There is a new Speakers Corner reissue in the new Acoustic Sounds email shipping Jan2018 that’s all analog throughout the chain.
     
    RiRiIII likes this.
  3. Zoot45

    Zoot45 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey
    That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing.
     
    James Bennett likes this.
  4. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    Give that Speakers Corner upcoming LP a try, it should be awesome!
     
    James Bennett likes this.
  5. Tuck1977

    Tuck1977 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Has anyone heard the Speakers Corner cut yet.
     
    James Bennett likes this.
  6. James Bennett

    James Bennett Forum Resident

    interested as well.
     
  7. Zoot45

    Zoot45 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I was going to buy the speakers corner version but then got the Stax reissue as a Christmas gift. Sounds good to me so I couldn’t justify $35 on another copy. That being said I hear good things about speakers corner and would pick it up if I didn’t have a copy. I actually have a speakers corner copy of Lou Reed on its way right now. Good luck!
     
  8. Airhead

    Airhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Playing the Speakers Corner version right now. It's a good pressing. It's the stereo mix and the drums are pinning the meter on the right channel. I'm going to have to re-calibrate my phono pre to needle drop this (and it's currently properly calibrated by test disk). It's not subtle, the drum is way way up in the mix.

    I don't know the album well but from a couple of spins I'd say it improves through the sides. The title track hits very hard and bright but by the 4th track on the first side there's some welcome warmth to the sound which continues until the end of the B side. It's probably a good case for re-mastering with a big dose of compression. (joking).

    Packaging is really decent, 'faithfully represents the original', overall I'd say it's a good release but holding it up to the latest Satchmo King Oliver or Muddy Waters Folk Singer 45 it's a level below that, probably because the original recording and mix doesn't allow it.
     
  9. James Bennett

    James Bennett Forum Resident

    Thanks so much for the review of the SC version. The mix of this album is very, very strange. The vocals are really buried on a few songs, and some of the instruments are jacked up above others on others. I love the album, but would love to hear a great remix of it someday. Or maybe not ....

    I don't have this on vinyl, but will be buying it when it becomes available on this side of the pond.
     
    SoundDoctor likes this.
  10. Airhead

    Airhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    This pressing would certainly provide a good starting point for a little diy remix. I've just needle dropped it and it confirms the audible shift in the mix through the album. I did try a little saturation and limiting (pray for my soul) that my Lavry AD11 can provide and it's different but not necessarily better. The first few tracks are visceral, an acquired taste maybe, certainly the title track could use a little finessing.

    I don't think you'll regret getting a copy, of course in Europe it's a mid priced audiophile offering, in the US it's going to be a fair bit over that. Same problem we have with AP and MOFI titles in the UK, they are eye-watering expensive by the time you've added the import duties and supply chain costs.
     
    James Bennett likes this.
  11. James Bennett

    James Bennett Forum Resident

    I was hoping that the pressing was life changing and a somebody would say it's unbelievable, given that it's AAA. I will await more reviews before I pull the trigger, I think, given that it's eye-watering expensive, as you say.

    This record may be unsalvageable. Are you familiar with the MFSL gold disc?
     
  12. Airhead

    Airhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    No, but the first thing I did was check out availability and to see if it was the mono mix!

    This release is well done by Pallas and Speakers Corner, problem is the original mix as you mentioned had the vocals very low and the snare very very loud in the right channel. To be overloading my ADC it has to be well well above most other albums I have. In fairness it won't trouble most analog chains. If you love this album you're going to want to hear a copy and make your own mind up. Life changing might be too big an ask from an LP :)

    Like a lot of us I know when a pressing hits the mark because my other half overhears it and asks me about it, she didn't ask about this one :(
     
    Paully likes this.
  13. James Bennett

    James Bennett Forum Resident

    I appreciate it, thanks. It's one of my fav albums of all time, so I will likely pick it up in due time.
     
    Crimson Witch likes this.
  14. TakiJones

    TakiJones Senior Member

    Location:
    Fort Lee, N.J.
    Anyone compare the new Speakers Corner reissue to the 1998 Sundazed reissue?
     
    clhboa likes this.
  15. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    This is one album I wish there'd be a mono LP of from singles reels.
     
    James Glennon likes this.
  16. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Has anybody perhaps compared the original mono LPs to the stereo reissues? Maybe the balance is far better in mono?
     
  17. Dreams266

    Dreams266 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Anyone?
     
    Tuck1977 likes this.
  18. Larry Loves LPs

    Larry Loves LPs Forum Resident

    Location:
    Alexandria, VA
    I don’t have much to compare it to, only a 70s press with the yellow label. Maybe it’s a 2nd or 3rd press, not sure.

    The Speakers Corner one is really nice. As some one mentioned, the drums are in front of the mix for sure but the guitar is also very present. The vocals are a little buried sometime but I assume that’s all the original mix. The sound is super full and nice on my system. The vinyl looks great, flat and quiet. The jacket is just okay as someone else mentioned.

    This is the second thing on the label for me, first being the Bullitt soundtrack, amazing btw. If the other stuff is like this I’m interested in hearing a bunch more things.
     
    Dreams266 likes this.
  19. Ben Adams

    Ben Adams Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ, USA
    Every single regularly-priced Stax vinyl reissue I've picked up the last couple of years has been fantastic. Concord is making sure these aren't botch jobs.

    Some of the more interesting ones have been Vinyl Me Please exclusives, though.
     
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  20. Dreams266

    Dreams266 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    I can only say that the Sundazed versions of Freddie King and Albert King are def inferior to originals. They arent terrible but just not great. When i got the originals i heard how muddy they were
     
  21. Airhead

    Airhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Check out Carla Thomas - Queen Alone & LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith on Speakers Corner, not the kind of music I would normally buy on vinyl but I keep going back to both of them partly because the quality is great.
     
    Larry Loves LPs likes this.
  22. clhboa

    clhboa Forum Resident

    I just got the Speakers Corner version. I've had the Sundazed version for about 10 years. I have played it a ton over those 10 years. It was always kind of noisy with a couple fairly loud pops. Just listened to Speakers Corner (through my Bose QC 25 headphones). I gave it a quick cleaning with my old Discwasher brush (couldn't fire up the Okki Nokki while everybody's asleep). The music sounded better, the drums were more crisp than the Sundazed. This was my 1st Speakers Corner purchase. I was disappointed that the last track on side 1 and the first track on side 2 were very noisy. I'll try putting it on the RCM tomorrow morning to see if this helps.

    Also it should be noted that the Sundazed has 2 bonus tracks.
     
    Tuck1977 likes this.
  23. Tuck1977

    Tuck1977 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Would you say better as in well worthy of purchasing even though if one already owns the sundazed. Was it just drums that you noticed a difference if so I’ll probaby stick with what I got.

    Cheers
     
  24. clhboa

    clhboa Forum Resident

    The drums stood out to me but I do think there was an overall clarity that was missing from the Sundazed. However if I can't get it to quiet down after a spin on the record cleaning machine I will be sending it back.
     
  25. Tuck1977

    Tuck1977 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I have a few speakers corner LP’s and they have all been great quality and never needed cleaning. It really is not great when you have to clean new records especially for what they cost. Hopefully you don’t have to go through the hassle of changing it.
     
    clhboa likes this.
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