Just in, 45 rpm vinyl of Weather Report's awesome "Heavy Weather" on the ORG (Original Recordings Group) label, and the weather is indeed heavy - hail, in fact.
That's what the pressing sounds like. A hailstorm of pops and clicks.
This one, unusually for ORG, is pressed at RTI, and it sounds like it. Not only a cacaphony of pops and clicks that even my amazing cleaning methods can't remedy, a low level continuous surface noise floor that truly mars this beautiful remastering by Bernie Grundman.
Here, Grundman shows again why he is simply the best in the world. That extended, holographically transparent, clear sound that has a tonality that is simply spot on in timbre and color. Absolutely organic, and simply stunning.
The amazing sound is almost enough to overcome a shitty pressing - almost. Maybe at a different price, it would be. But not a $55, and not at the true cost - $55 plus the shipping, and I suppose, the return ship and the ship of the replaceement.
It's already $75, and it will be well over $100 to get a decent one.
If a decent one exists.
So - with regret - you have a choice here. If I got a crap pressing - and all four sides are unacceptably noisy - there are many more in the small press run. So you either go in here understanding that you are a nut job and willing to pay over $100 to eventually get a passable one, you pay your $55 plus shipping and accept whatever pressing you get and ignore the noise while enjoying a Grundman masterpiece, or you simply take a pass.
I don't know which way I'm headed. The music and sound here are both a perfect 10 - and more. But for the top, top premium price this ORG goes for, I expect perfection in the pressing, and I EXPECT THAT WHEN THE LABEL DOESN'T GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, THEY WILL MAKE IT RIGHT AT NO COST TO ME.
I know Music Matters does that. Actually, Rhino and Warners typically do too. ORG and Elusive Disc need to also.
A superb remastering let down by a bad pressing. Nuff said.
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