More of The Most Tubey Magical Rock Recordings of All Time
Here is how we described our recent White Hot Stamper shootout winner:
Manna returns to the site after a twenty-eight month hiatus and, man, was it worth with the wait, with KILLER Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) grades on both sides of this original Elektra pressing
Here are just a few of the things we had to say about this amazing copy in our notes: “tubey and spacious”…”huge and rich and 3D”…”really jumping [out of the speakers]”…”vox so silky and rich”
Tubier, more transparent, more dynamic, with that “jumpin’ out of the speakers” quality that only the real thing (an old record) can have
To back up everything we say, here are the notes for that cannot-be-beat pressing. The exclamation marks are typically reserved for the hottest of the hot copies, and here we would have to say they are more than deserved — the sound of this copy was amazing.
I fell in love with the sound of Bread’s recordings 25 years ago. My system has gone through dozens and dozens of changes and — hopefully — improvements since then, and never have Bread’s album failed to reflect the positive effects of whatever had been done.
Other reviews with post-its can be found here. More note taking advice here.
This original Elektra pressing has amazingly sweet and rich 1971 ANALOG sound on both sides. That big bottom end and the volume of space that surrounds all the instruments and singers are the purest and most delightful form of Audiophile Candy we know.
The acoustic guitars? To die for. Talk about Tubey Magical Analog, this copy will show you just what’s missing from modern remastered records (and modern music generally). Whatever became of that sound?
This record put Bread’s heavily Beatles-inflected Pure Pop back on the charts after their the single from their previous album, On The Waters, made it to Number One, that song of course being Make It With You. “If”, the big hit off this album, went to number five, but we like it every bit as much as that earlier chart topper. Both represent the perfect melding of consummate songcraft and pure emotion.
We used to think that only the Best of Bread album could get those two songs to sound as luscious and Tubey Magical as they do when they’re playing in our heads, but it seems we were wrong — they’re positively amazing on the best copies of Manna, and this is a VERY good copy indeed.
Analog Heaven
In many ways this recording is state-of-the-art. Listening to the Tubey Magical acoustic guitars on the best copies brings back memories of my first encounter with an original Pink Label Tea for the Tillerman. Rich, sweet, full-bodied, effortlessly dynamic — that sound knocked me out twenty-odd years ago, and here it is again.
Of course I’m a sucker for this kind of well-crafted pop. If you are too then this will no doubt become a treasured demo disc in your home as well.
Pay close attention to the sound of the drums. We really like the way famous session player Mike Botts’ kit is recorded, not to mention his Hal-Blaine-like — which means god-like — drumming skills.
Engineering
On the better Hot Stamper copies, the ones with especially sweet and rich ANALOG sound, the credit obviously must go to their brilliant engineer, Armin Steiner, the man responsible for recording some of the best sounding, most Tubey Magical Chart-Topping Pop Rock for this band throughout the ’70s. As would be expected from success on such a scale, Steiner has more than a hundred other engineering credits. He’s also the reason that Hot August Night is one of the best sounding live albums ever recorded.
When you find his name in the credits, there’s at least a chance that the sound will be very good. You need the right pressing of course, but the potential for good sound should be your working hypothesis. Now all it takes is some serious digging in the record bins, tedious cleaning and even more tedious critical listening to determine if you’ve lucked into a diamond in the rough. Or, if you prefer, allow us do all that work for you. After 30 years in the business, we’re gotten pretty good at it.
Side One
Let Your Love Go
Take Comfort
Too Much Love
If
Be Kind to Me
He’s a Good Lad
Side Two
She Was My Lady
Live in Your Love
What a Change
I Say Again
Come Again
Truckin’