Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated 297/500!
The genesis of the new formula came as a result of a visit to High End Audio's self proclaimed Vinyl Guru Michael Fremer's Analog Laboratory. Mr. Fremer demonstrated a Furutech LP demagnetizer. After using the demagnetizer, vocals had so much more texture, bass definition and clarity of every nuance of the recording was vastly improved and there was more low level information than we had ever heard in the recording.
Why did the demagnetizer had the sonic effects on a record? Very simply the carbon black that is ADDED to vinyl for LP manufacture contains trace metals that become randomly magnetized and interfere electrically with the cartridge hanging overhead during play. So... if carbon black and the trace metals contained therein caused playback distortion in the cartridge then why not take out the carbon black altogether? Classic Records Clarity SV-P II Clear Vinyl is the answer!
Clarity Vinyl represents the ultimate in vinyl formulations because it is comprised of over 90% percentage of the highest quality co-polymer available - a key component in vinyl pellets used for manufacturing vinyl records. Further, Clarity Vinyl has no carbon black additive, common in vinyl formulas for LP's. Carbon Black contains trace metals that become magnetized and cause "electrical distortions" in cartridges during playback that smears the sound. By taking out the Carbon Black, Classic Records is able to dramatically reduce the "electrical distortions" and thus bring more "Clarity" to the playback process, providing a more realistic musical experience to the listener and LP enthusiast.
45 rpm records have long been recognized as providing a higher fidelity musical experience resulting purely from the cartridge being able to extract more of the nuance from the complex vertical and horizontal groove modulations in stereo LP's. Further, Classic Records 45 rpm "single sided" pressings dramatically reduce the mechanical resonances created by the cartridge during playback by allowing these resonances to be more fully transmitted to and absorbed by the turntable platter. Classic Records Clarity Vinyl 45 rpm pressings are designed and manufactured to provide the "LOWEST DISTORTION" in every aspect of LP playback resulting in putting the listener as close to the music as possible.
Peter Gabriel introduced his fifth studio album So with "Sledgehammer," an Otis Redding-inspired soul-pop raver that was easily his catchiest, happiest single to date. Needless to say, it was also his most accessible, and, in that sense it was a good introduction to So, the catchiest, happiest record he ever cut.
"Sledgehammer" propelled the record toward blockbuster status, and Gabriel had enough songs with single potential to keep it there. There was "Big Time," another colorful dance number; "Don't Give Up," a moving duet with Kate Bush; "Red Rain," a stately anthem popular on album rock radio; and "In Your Eyes," Gabriel's greatest love song which achieved genuine classic status after being featured in Cameron Crowe's classic, Say Anything.
These all illustrated the strengths of the album: Gabriel's increased melodicism and ability to blend African music, jangly pop, and soul into his moody art rock. Apart from these singles, plus the urgent "That Voice Again," the rest of the record is as quiet as the album tracks of Security. The difference is, the singles on that record were part of the overall fabric; here, the singles are the fabric, which can make the album seem top-heavy (a fault of many blockbuster albums, particularly those of the mid-'80s). Even so, those songs are so strong, finding Gabriel in a newfound confidence and accessibility, that it's hard not to be won over by them, even if So doesn't develop the unity of its two predecessors.
The Classic Reissue was cut from the original 1/2" 30 ips analog master tapes on the Classic all tube stereo cutting system at Bernie Grundman Mastering by "The Wizard" Bernie Grundman himself. This release features the additional tune "We Do What We're Told (Milgrames 37)" that was originally not on the Geffen vinyl issue in 1986. Classic Records is please to offer this 45rpm Four single-sided discs set on Classic Records 200g Clarity SV-P for the first time!
Features:
• Quiex Clarity SV-P II Clear Vinyl
• 45rpm
• 200g
• Four LPs
• Stereo Version
Selections:
1. Red Rain
2. Sledgehammer
3. Don't Give Up
4. That Voice Again
5. Mercy Street
6. Big Time
7. We Do What We're Told (Milgrames 37)
8. This is the Picture (excellent birds)
9. In Your Eyes