Hot Stamper Pressings of the Music of The Beatles Available Now
The best side one we’ve ever heard! Side one was so amazing, clearly a step up over any side of any other copy we played, that we felt obligated to award it our “Four Plus” (A++++) grade. Out of the thousands of Hot Stampers we’ve listed over the years, about twenty have earned Four Pluses on any side. That alone makes this a very special copy indeed.
UPDATE
Our lengthy commentary entitled outliers & out-of-this-world sound talks about how rare these kinds of pressings are and how to go about finding them.
We no longer give Four Pluses out as a matter of policy, but that doesn’t mean we don’t come across records that deserve them from time to time.
And side two was right up there with the best we played this time around as well, finishing in second place with a grade of A++ to A+++. Both sides are so RICH and TUBEY MAGICAL you will not believe this is the same A Hard Day’s Night that has always sounded so hard, harsh and aggressive.
Years ago I would have kept a copy like this for myself, but I found I never had the time to play my own records; they just sat on a shelf and collected dust. With such amazing sound we know this copy will go to a good home and hopefully get played often and loud.
Drop the needle on any song on the first side to see why we went crazy over this one. The emotional quality of the boys’ performances really comes through on this copy. They aren’t just singing — they’re really BELTIN’ it out here! Can you imagine what that sounds like on the title track? We didn’t have to imagine it, WE HEARD IT!
Side two is a KNOCKOUT as well, rating A++ to A+++. We guarantee you’ve never heard these songs sound remotely as good as they do here or your money back. Two sides this good back to back? The Audio Gods must have been smiling when this one was pressed.
Side One
Side one is OFF THE CHARTS, with superb clarity, tonality, and immediacy. The vocals are rich, breathy, and full-bodied. The bottom end is rock-solid. On a super transparent copy like this one, the vocal harmonies are just OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Our shootout notes say this side one had absolutely the most ENERGY and CLARITY of any side we played, with the BREATHIEST voices.
We’ve never heard any side of any copy of the album sound better. That’s what Four Pluses is all about.
Side Two
Side two is a big, rich and tubey as they come, with none of the unpleasant edge on upper part of the vocals that ruin so many copies. And I Love Her sounds amazing!
I Should Have Known Better, one of the toughest tracks to get right (having a marked tendency to sound strident) is near perfection on this copy.
A tiny bit veiled compared to the shootout winner, this side two is guaranteed to blow any copy you may own right out of the water.